Managers taking a contingency approach must consider numerous factors in designing the best kind of structure for their particular organization at that particular time. British behaviorists Tom Burns and G.M. Stalker identified what they call mechanistic and organic structures. Depending on the task environment and a variety of other considerations, the type of organizational structure chosen can be critical to organizational success. This exercise will test your knowledge of the characteristics of each of these types of organizational structure.

Below you are provided a number of characteristics of organizations. Identify whether the characteristic is representative of more mechanistic or more organic organizational structures.

Few rules and procedures are characteristic of

• Mechanistic

• Organic

organizational structures.

Narrow spans of control are characteristic of

• Mechanistic

• Organic

organizational structures. Specialized tasks are characteristic of

• mechanistic

• Organic

organizational structures. Many teams or task forces are characteristic of

• Organic

• Mechanistic

organizational structures. Many rules and procedures are characteristic of

• Organic

• Mechanistic

organizational structures. Decentralized hierarchy of authority is characteristic of a(n)

• Mechanistic

• Organic

organizational structure. Flatter organizational charts are characteristic of

• Mechanistic

• Organic

organizational structures. Informal communication is characteristic of a(n)

• Mechanistic

• Organic

organizational structure. Taller structures are characteristic of

• Mechanistic

• Organic

organizational structures. A centralized hierarchy of authority is characteristic of a(n)

• Mechanistic

• Organic

organizational structure. Wider spans of control are characteristic of

• Mechanistic

• Organic

organizational structures. Shared tasks are characteristic of

• Mechanistic

• Organic

organizational structures.

Formalized communication is characteristic of a(n)

• Organic

• Mechanistic

organizational structures. Few teams or task forces are characteristic of

• Mechanistic

• Organic

organizational structures.