Ms-10 Question bank (11)
Ms-10 Question bank
Ms-10 Dec 2007
Written by sales@mbaonlinepapers.com sales@mbaonlinepapers.comMS-10 Dec, 2007
MS-10 : ORGANISATIONAL DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT AND CHANGE
1.Describe the meaning and characteristics of an organisation. DisCuss Mintzberg's theory and its relevance in the existing business scenario.
2. what are the objectives and issues involved in quality of work life ? Describe the aspects which have to be included in quality of work life programme in the modern organizational context.
3. Describe various roles and competencies required for an effective change agent. Explain with examples.
4. Describe any two OD interventions and their advantages and disadvantages, citing examples from organizational context.
5. Write short notes on any three of the following :
(a) Observation Method as a diagnostic tool
(b) Scientific Management
(c) Matrix Organisation
(d) Bureaucratic Model of Organisational Design
(e) Business Process Re-engineering
6. Read the following case carefully and answer the questions given at the end :
Since 1994, Boeing began the process of remaking the company for the next round of aircraft purchases. Every part of the company is involved, from engineering to manufacturing. The focus of the change is that Boeing is a manufacturing company rather than an engineering and technology company. Due to changes in the air travel business, the major commercial airlines are demanding lower airplane prices and significantly lower operating costs. Airbus continues to be a f.ierce competitor, so Boeing must meet the competition early and on every front. (Boeing bought McDonnell Douglas in 1 997.)
It is not as if the company is in financial trouble. Its new .model 777 is generating lots of orders. plans are in the works for a new supersonic and another jumbo jet for commercial sales, and several new project possibilities exist for the defence division. The new 777 was designed completely on the computer so that designs went straight from the designers' computers to the machine tools for manufacturing. It can carry as many as four hundred passengers, fifty more than the comparable Airbus 33 t.
It is 15 per cent more fuel efficient, and can fly over eight thousand miles non-stop. orders are coming in faster than for any other new plane, although its price is pretty steep , $12 -$15 million, depending on interior layout.
Boeing's new CEO, Philip Condit, must continue the reductions in cycle time and cost cutting, started by his predecessor, Frank Shrontz, because airlines are making
their purchase decisions differently than in the past, even choosing in some cases. to refurbish older planes rather than buy expensive new ones. The changes started with Condit and his team of presidents of the divisions of commercial planes, defence and space, and computer services. This group differs notably from its predecessors in that they have met together for several years to discuss the good and bad things about each other's divisions and the future of the company. They all embrace the new togetherness theme as the primary means through which the company will be able to reduce cycle times, improve delivery times, cut product development time, and reduce total costs. In the former structure the design and manufacturing groups were separate. Design and engineering groups would design the planes and then give ihe plans to manufacturing to build. When problems existed in the design, they would be sent through the hierarchy back to engineering for correction. Under the new structure, comprehensive design-and build teams include members of all groups involved. Therefore, planes are originally designed to meet customers' needs, are easier to build, and corrections are made faster. For example, previously, when tool builder Tony Russell had a problem with an engineering design or specification, he would have to go to his supervisor and the problem would be shuffled through to engineering. Now he goes directly to the engineering and design group, gets the problem solved, and gets back to work with the correct design. This type of revision in the process has helped reduce the product delivery time from eighteen to ten months. The team approach and working-together ideas were used extensively on the 777. Some teams included tool makers, designers, manufacturing workers, suppliers, and even customer representatives. Contrary to past procedures, workers on the line were allowed to change how planes were built, which has significantly decreased costs. Condit has instituted 350 degree performance reviews in which managers are evaluated by their subordinates, their peers, and their own supervisors to improve understanding of how they are doing from all perspectives. Employee empowerment is increasing at all levels. Condit and his team are having quite an impact throughout the company.
Questions
(a) The new way of organizing at Boeing most resembles which of the classical types of organizing ?
(b) How have responsibility and authority been altered under Condit's new approach ?
(c) Describe the new ways of organizing ai Boeing in terms of the configurational and operational aspects of structure
Ms-10 Dec 2008
Written by sales@mbaonlinepapers.com sales@mbaonlinepapers.comMS-10 Dec, 2008
MS-10 : ORGANISATIONAL DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT AND CHANGE
1. What are the key factors which affect Organization Design, examples ?
describe briefly with examples
2. Identify the main considerations in preparing a questionnaire and collecting data ? Describe the dimensions which can be diagnosed through questionnaire, citing suitable examples.
3. Describe diagnostic workshop methodology ? Discuss the conditions under which the workshop methodology can be used, with suitable examples.
4. Enumerate various significant competencies required by a change agent. Discuss cognitive and inter-personal competencies, with examples.
5.Write short notes on any three of the following :
(a) Quality of work life.
(b) Management Assessment Centres
(c) Mintzberg's Typology.
(d) Factors influencing Institution Building.
(e) Organisational Effectiveness.
6. Please read the case and answer the question given at the end.
Mr. Anand occupies No. 2 position in the Corporate Planning Department of multi-product company having a tumover of more than Rs. 900 crores and operating in a high technology (hi-tech) industry. For the last five years, Anand has been associated with strategic planning of the company and recently he has been deputed to a task force to reorganise the company to cope up with the changing technology and environment. At the last meeting of the Board of Directors of the company, the members expressed their concern about the falling competitive position of the company in the industry. The main reason
cited bv the Cheif Executive was the outdated organisation structure which has not undergone any change for the 10 years,though the size, technology and environment of the company have changed tremendously. It was on the advice of Chief Executive that the Bord of Directors decided to set up a task force for the company's reorganisation..
At the first meeting of the task force, Anand, who is an expert in planning, convinced the other members to adopt the following procedure :
(i) Determine exactly what type of structure the company has at present.
(ii) Determine the type of environment the company faces now and the weaknesses of the present structure
(iii) Forecast the environmental changes in the future and the type of technology to be used by the company.
(iv) Design the organisation structure to meet the future challenges
It was discovered that the company is currently structured along classical lines and the company is operating in a highly dynamic environment. The environment in future is likely to be more uncertain because of fast changes in technology and requirements of customers and competition by MNCs. The task force came to the
conclusion that the structural design must be responsive to change and if this is not done, the company's survival in the market would be made more difficult.
Questions :
(a) How far do you agree with the procedure adopted by the task force ?
(b) Explain how the system and contingency approches can contribute to the analysis of this case.
(c) What type of organisation designshould the task force reconunend ? Explain its broad features.
Ms-10 Dec 2009
Written by sales@mbaonlinepapers.com sales@mbaonlinepapers.comMS-10 Dec, 2009
MS-10 : ORGANISATIONAL DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT AND CHANGE
1. Describe recent trends in work organisations and their effect on employees.
2. Discuss the factors affecting organisational design and their relevance with suitable examples.
3. Describe any two OD interventions and their advantages.
4. Describe and explain the importance of interview as a diagnostic tool.
5. Write short notes on any three of the following :
a) Competencies of change agents
b) Job Rotation and Job Enrichment
c) Inverted Pyramid
d) Work shop Methodology as a diagnostic tool
(e) Managing Resistance to change
6. Read the following case carefully and answer the questions given at the end.
The middle managers of a large firm were told by the corporate human resources office that a group of consultants would be calling on them later in the week. The purpose of the consultants' visit would be to analyze interfunctional relations throughout the firm. The consultants had been very effective in using an OD intervention called team building. Their particular approach used six steps. When their approach was explained to the managers, a great deal of tension was relieved.
They had initially thought that team building was a lot of hocus-pocus, like sensitivity training, where people attack each other and let out their aggressions by heaping abuse on those they dislike. By the same token, these managers generally felt that perhaps the consultants were not needed. One of them put it this way : "Now that we understand what is involved in team building, we can go ahead and conduct the sessions ourselves. All we have to do is to choose a manager who is liked by everyone and put him or her in the role of the change agent/consultant. After all, you really don't need a high priced consultant to do this team-building stuff. You just have to have a good feel for human nature." The
other managers generally agreed. However, the corporate human resources director turned down their suggestion. He hired the OD consultants to do the team building.
Questions :
a) Bring out the main features of this case.
b) What is a team building approach to organization development ? Do you think the managers had an accurate view of this OD technique ?
c) Do you think that the managers had an accurate view of the role of external consultants ?
d) What will be your plan of action in the situation ?
