Organizational Design at Custom Leather (Scenario)

question 44

Multiple Choice

Organizational Design at Custom Leather (Scenario)
Lacey has been hired as a consultant for XYZ Consulting. Her first assignment is to work with one of XYZ's newest clients, Custom Leather, Ltd., a manufacturer of high-end leather furniture. Custom Leather was founded more than a decade ago with the idea that great-looking, comfortable leather furniture could be custom made and delivered to customers in 30 days. Traditionally, retailers stocked leather sofas to satisfy customers' desire to receive new furniture fast, which resulted in limited colour choices and styles. Traditional sofa manufacturers produced their products in large batches on standardized assembly lines. In contrast, Custom Leather offers 13 different styles in more than 70 different colours through a select group of retail outlets. Each sofa is built to the customer's individual requirements and is shipped within two to three weeks. However, the emergence of a new manufacturing technology has enabled some of the traditional competitors to offer greater customization, thereby reducing some of Custom Leather's competitive advantage. As a result, Custom Leather's president, Miles Standish, is considering several changes to their current work processes and organizational structure.
-At her first meeting with Standish,Lacey provided an overview of Custom Leather,Ltd.,which examined the relationship between a firm's ________.

• A)employees and products
• B)technology and structure
• C)size and structure
• D)processes and employees

Recognize the shift towards immaterial, intellectual, and communicative labor as central in today's world of production, as seen by Hardt and Negri.

Apply Ritzer's concept of McDonaldization to analyze various work environments.

Distinguish between traditional Marxist views and contemporary theories on global exploitation and consumer culture.

Assess local cultural phenomena using concepts of cultural differentialism, convergence, and hybridization.

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Definitions:

Systematic Desensitization

A behavioral therapy technique used to reduce phobic responses or anxiety through gradual exposure to the feared object or situation coupled with relaxation or coping techniques.

Repressed Feelings

Emotions that an individual suppresses or hides, often unconsciously, which might affect their mental health and behavior.

Relaxation Training

A technique or therapy aimed at reducing tension and anxiety, often involving exercises such as deep breathing or progressive muscle relaxation.

Behaviour Therapists

Psychological professionals who use various techniques based on learning theories to help patients change unhealthy behaviors.