Question

Which of the following characteristics would you expect Alfredo’s Sausage to have?

A) Decision making in this company is decentralized
B) with responsibility pushed to lower levels.
C) Employee specialization leads to increased efficiency.
D) None

Answer 1

For Alfredo's Sausage, one would expect a hierarchical structure, explicit rules, and employee specialization leading to increased efficiency, which are characteristics of bureaucracies. Centralized decision making is more likely than decentralized, making option B less applicable.

Step-by-step explanation:

If we consider the characteristics of bureaucracies and apply them to Alfredo’s Sausage, we would expect the company to have a specific structure and mode of operation. Bureaucracies are known for having a hierarchy of authority, explicit rules, division of labor, and an emphasis on increased efficiency and productivity. Therefore, it is not characteristic of bureaucracies to have coercion to join.

Applying this to Alfredo’s Sausage, it is likely that the company is structured with clear responsibilities and a focus on efficiency, as indicated by the workers slicing meats and cheese to order. With consistent store organization and predictable products and prices across the grocery chain, Alfredo’s Sausage would be expected to follow the principles of calculability and control, common in bureaucratic organizations. Thus, decision making is likely more centralized, with responsibility residing at higher levels rather than being decentralized. Employee specialization would indeed lead to the increased efficiency noted in question option C.