Correct Answer:
B. Specialized functions or departments
A functional organization is a common organizational structure where work is divided based on specialized functions or departments. This means employees are grouped together according to their specific skills, expertise, and roles, such as marketing, finance, production, or human resources.
The correct answer is B: Specialized functions or departments. This structure promotes efficiency and specialization within each department, as employees with similar skills work together, leading to a clear division of labor and expertise.
- A: Geographical regions describes a divisional structure, where an organization is segmented by location, not by function.
- C: Seniority of employees might influence hierarchy but is not the primary basis for dividing work in a functional structure.
- D: Gender of workers is an inappropriate and irrelevant criterion for organizing work within any legitimate organizational structure.