management chapter 1 : the exceptional manager

"Knowledge workers" have very little technical skill.

false

A "Chief Operating Officer" of an organization is likely to be a first-line supervisor.

false

A functional manager is responsible for several organizational activities.

false

A manager of Marketing is a general manager.

false

A manager, in a spokesperson role, needs to constantly disseminate important information to employees, as via email and meetings.

false

According to Mintzberg, the three types of managerial roles include interpersonal, collaborational, and decisional.

false

Automated telephone systems are often very effective, but rarely are they efficient.

false

Being an entrepreneur is what it takes to grow or maintain a business while being a manager is what it takes to start a business.

false

Computerized collections of interrelated files are called "megafiles."

false

Core competency is the ability of an organization to produce goods or services more effectively than competitors do, thereby outperforming them.

false

Decisional managerial roles include entrepreneur roles, monitor roles, resource allocator roles, and negotiator roles.q

false

E-mail helps managers to concentrate on the important tasks in their day.

false

Effectiveness means to use resources wisely and cost-effectively.

false

Efficiency and effectiveness mean the same thing.

false

Fortunately, everyone who works in an organization is a manager.

false

Gestures and symbols have the same meaning to everyone throughout the world.

false

Human skills are critical for first level and middle managers, but not for top managers.

false

In the United States, white-collar crime is significantly on the decline.

false

Managerial stars keep their priorities straight by seeing projects through the eyes of the stockholders.

false

Managers rely more on written than on oral communication.

false

Managers tend to work long hours, but at a relatively leisurely pace.

false

Many people prefer being bored to being anxious or to being balanced between boredom and anxiety.

false

Middle managers make long-term decisions about the overall direction of the organization and establish the objectives, policies, and strategies for it.

false

Studying management really does not help you understand how to interact with co-workers.

false

Taking care of the customer applies only in for-profit businesses.

false

The first "law" of business is "take care of the shareholders."

false

The global network of independently operating but interconnected computers, linking hundreds of thousands of smaller networks around the world is called the Extranet.

false

The interpersonal roles of a manager include only leader and liaison activities.

false

The main purpose of a nonprofit organization is to make a profit.

false

The mix of American racial and ethnic groups has changed considerably in the last half-century, but has now stabilized.

false

To deal with ambiguous problems with far-reaching potential, a manager needs technical skills.

false

Two types of entrepreneurship include the extrapreneur and the intrapreneur.

false

When a manager is setting goals, he is involved in the management function of organizing.

false

Whereas a generation ago, organizations rewarded employees for their efficiency, today the emphasis is on length of service.

false

While managers sometimes need to manage for ethical standards, sometimes achieving competitive advantage should dominate managers' decision-making.

false

Pat, a manager, is showing potential customers around the company facility. Pat is performing the __________ role. A) leadership B) figurehead C) liaison D) technical E) entrepreneur

figurehead

Conceptual skills are particularly important for _____________ managers. A) first-line B) middle C) top D) functional E) general

top

A first-line manager directs the daily tasks of non-managerial personnel.

true

Accelerated decision making, conflict, and stress are some of the implications of e-business.

true

An effective manager's influence on the organization is multiplied beyond the results achievable by just one person.

true

Art Fry, the3M employee who invented Post-it Notes is an example of an intrapreneur.

true

Being a manager usually leads to a higher salary.

true

Collaborative computing involves using state-of-the-art computer software and hardware to help people work better together.

true

Controlling includes taking corrective actions on problems that a manager observes.

true

E-business is using the Internet to facilitate every aspect of running a business.

true

E-commerce is the buying and selling of goods or services over computer networks.

true

Entrepreneurship means taking risks to create a new enterprise.

true

Finding ways to deliver new or better goods or services is called innovation.

true

If you enjoy mentoring and helping others to grow management is a great job.

true

Knowledge management is the implementation of systems and practices to increase the sharing of knowledge and information throughout an organization.

true

Management includes integrating the work of people through planning, organizing, leading, and controlling the organization's resources.

true

Many people simply don't find being a manager fulfilling because they can't do enough for their employees given the other demands on their time.

true

Meetings that are conducted via videoconferencing, use video and audio links along with computers to let people in different locations see, hear, and talk with one another.

true

Middle managers implement the policies and plans of the top managers above them and supervise and coordinate the activities of the first-line managers below them.

true

One of the "star strategies" that can be adopted by average performers to become star performers is organizational savvy.

true

One of the payoffs of studying management includes understanding how to deal with organizations as a customer.

true

One of the reasons network television is losing competitive advantage is the fragmentation of the audience occasioned by the change from a "linear" viewing model to an "on-demand" model.

true

One of the rewards of being a manager is that you and your employees can experience a sense of accomplishment.

true

One's experience in management is greatly affected by the company's culture.

true

Opportunity entrepreneurs are those who start their own business out of a burning desire rather than because they lost a job.

true

Organizations need to stay ahead of their competition in their quality and responsiveness to customers including the need for innovation.

true

Organizing is the arranging of tasks, people, and other resources to accomplish work.

true

Project management software allows managers to plan and schedule the people, costs, and resources to complete a project on time.

true

Successful CEOs do not multitask.

true

Telecommuting means working from home or remote locations using a variety of information technologies.

true

Text messages and documents transmitted over a computer network are called e-mail.

true

The "management process" is the same as the "four management functions."

true

There are managers at three levels of an organization: top, middle, and first-line.

true

Time and task management are major challenges for every manager.

true

To a Grecian, an American goodbye wave gesture is rude.

true

When a manager is motivating others to work hard to achieve the organization's goals, she is engaged in the management function of leading.

true

List Mintzberg's findings about the nature of managerial work.

- A manager relies more on verbal than on written communication. - A manager works long hours at an intense pace. - A manager's work is characterized by fragmentation, brevity, and variety.

The company's culture most directly affects A) a manager's happiness. B) the number of competitors a firm has. C) the number of products a company makes. D) the amount charged for the firm's products or services. E) the education of the workforce.

A : a manager's happiness

To be _____________ means to use resources wisely and cost-effectively. A) efficient B) effective C) multiplied D) ethical E) innovative

A : efficient

The ability to think analytically is associated with _______________ skills. A) technical B) conceptual C) human D) physical E) intuitive

B : conceptual

Employees who have a great deal of technical skills are called: A) first line managers. B) knowledge workers. C) blue-collar workers. D) white-collar workers. E) self-managing workers.

B : knowledge workers

José, a manager, has an open door policy and encourages his staff to drop in whenever they have a question. José is exercising ______ skills. A) technical B) conceptual C) human D) intuitive E) liaison

C : human

__________ skills consist of the ability to work well in cooperation with other people to get things done. A) technical B) conceptual C) human D) physical E) intuitive

C : human

Which of the following are examples of Kelley's "star strategies"? A) Reflectiveness B) Self-control C) Focus D) Show and tell E) Cooperation

D : show and tell

Raj is assigned to hold a press conference that discusses the company's plans to build a new plant. Raj is performing the _________ role. A) disseminator B) monitor C) liaison D) spokesperson E) figurehead

D : spokesperson

Riya, a manager, calls a meeting of her subordinates to tell them about the new benefits package. Riya is performing the ________ role. A) disseminator B) monitor C) spokesperson D) negotiator E) resource allocator

A : disseminator

__________ means taking risks to create a new enterprise. A) Entrepreneurship B) Sole proprietorship C) Partnership creation D) Joint venturing E) Acquisition

A : entrepreneurship

Bianca is establishing a suggestion system that rewards employees for their ideas to save the company money. She is acting in the __________ role. A) entrepreneur B) disturbance handler C) resource allocator D) negotiator E) liaison

A : entreprenuer

Managers who make short-term operating decisions and direct the daily tasks of the organization are called A) first line managers. B) middle managers. C) top managers. D) functional managers. E) general managers.

A : first line managers

The belief that you control your own destiny is called A) internal locus of control. B) entrepreneurship. C) intrapreneurship. D) external locus of control. E) manifest destiny.

A : internal locus of control

When managers interact with suppliers in solving quality problems, they are operating in the _______ role. A) interpersonal B) informational C) decisional D) analytical E) visionary

A : interpersonal

______ is the implementation of systems and practices to increase the sharing of knowledge and information throughout an organization. A) Knowledge management B) Information management C) E-management D) Project management E) Software management

A : knowledge management

Jay is a software engineer who works for Microsoft. He develops the software code that fixes bugs found in Microsoft products. Because of his great deal of technical skills, Jay is best referred to as a A) knowledge worker. B) blue-collar worker. C) self-managed worker. D) first-line worker. E) first line manager.

A : knowledge worker

Betty, a manager, is training new employees of the firm who will be working for her. Betty is performing the __________ role. A) leadership B) figurehead C) liaison D) technical E) entrepreneur

A : leadership

A manager at a Pharmaceutical company is attempting to determine which type of people to hire. This is an example of A) planning. B) organizing. C) leading. D) controlling. E) marketing.

A : planning

Setting goals and deciding how to achieve them is called A) planning. B) organizing. C) leading. D) controlling. E) managing.

A : planning

Which of the following is a function of management? A) Planning B) Following C) Scheduling D) Destiny control E) Statistical quality control

A : planning

The first law of business is A) take care of the customer. B) take care of your employees. C) take care of your stockholders. D) take care of the community. E) take care of the environment.

A : take care of the customer

Jo, a managing partner of an accounting firm, understands tax law. This means she has a ______________ skill. A) technical B) conceptual C) human D) physical E) intuitive

A : technical

__________ skills consist of the job-specific knowledge needed to perform well in a specialized field. A) Technical B) Conceptual C) Human D) Physical E) Evaluative

A : technical

What you as a manager do to "get things done" is called A) the management process. B) efficiency. C) effectiveness. D) goal setting. E) strategy.

A : the management process

Why did Peter Drucker compare knowledge workers to concert musicians? A) He loved classical music and enjoyed making these comparisons. B) He felt the workplace of the future may resemble a symphony orchestra with employees the musicians and managers as conductors. C) He believed music in the workplace would eventually help workers to achieve their very best work. D) He believed both concert musicians and knowledge workers need to be creative to succeed. E) All of the above are reasons Peter Drucker compared knowledge workers to concert musicians.

B : He felt the workplace of the future may resemble a symphony orchestra with employees the musicians and managers as conductors.

All of the following are characteristics of an entrepreneur EXCEPT A) high need for achievement B) ability to maintain a business C) belief in personal control of destiny D) high energy level and action oriented E) self confidence

B : ability to maintain a business

Robert has a picture in his mind of the whole process by which his company produces applesauce. This is an example of a ______________ skill. A) technical B) conceptual C) human D) physical E) intuitive

B : conceptual

Allen is down on the factory floor helping to clear up a problem that occurred on the assembly line. He is acting in the ________ role. A) entrepreneur B) disturbance handler C) resource allocator D) negotiator E) liaison

B : disturbance handler

To be ______________ means to make the right decisions and successfully carry them out to achieve goals. A) efficient B) effective C) multiplied D) ethical E) innovative

B : effective

Finding ways to deliver goods or services as quickly as possible using as few resources as possible is called A) innovation. B) efficiency. C) effectiveness. D) organizing. E) quality improvement.

B : efficiency

A ______ manager is responsible for just one organizational activity. A) first-line B) functional C) top-level D) CEO as a E) general

B : functional

When managers collect data from other people, they are operating in the ______ role. A) interpersonal B) informational C) decisional D) analytical E) visionary

B : informational

The pursuit of organizational goals efficiently and effectively by integrating the work of people through planning, organizing, leading, and controlling the organization's resources is called A) employment. B) management. C) career planning. D) competitive advantage. E) strategic planning.

B : management

Which of the following is a challenge facing managers? A) staying ahead of competitors through replication B) managing to achieve the manager's own happiness and life goals C) remembering what worked in the past D) dealing with accelerated decision making, conflict, and stress E) collaborating with competitors

B : managing to achieve the manager's own happiness and life goals

John is a plant manager for Proctor & Gamble who implements the policies of P & G in his plant. His plant makes diapers and other baby-related products. John is most likely a A) first-line manager. B) middle manager. C) top manager. D) functional manager. E) coordination manager.

B : middle managers

Managers who implement the policies and plans of the organization and coordinate the activities of lower levels are called A) first level managers. B) middle managers. C) top managers. D) functional managers. E) general managers.

B : middle managers

An administrator at a college is deciding whether English professors should teach specialized courses or teach a variety of English courses. This is an example of A) planning. B) organizing. C) leading. D) controlling. E) leadership.

B : organizing

Arranging tasks, people, and other resources to accomplish the work is called A) planning. B) organizing. C) leading. D) controlling. E) managing.

B : organizing

Marie is deciding how much budget each of the departments she managers will receive next year. She is operating in the ___________ role. A) entrepreneur B) resource allocator C) disturbance handler D) negotiator E) liaison

B : resource allocator

Very large companies typically use which form of management structure? A) flat B) traditional management pyramid C) management square D) corporate triangle form E) linear

B : traditional management pyramid

The ability of an organization to produce goods or services better than its competitors is called its A) customer responsiveness. B) core competency. C) competitive advantage. D) efficiency. E) effectiveness.

C : competitive advantage

A manager is using information to understand the cause of a problem and determine the best corrective action. This is an example of a(n): A) informational role. B) interpersonal role. C) decisional role. D) analytical role. E) visionary role.

C : decisional role

During the next half-century, the percentage of whites in the population is expected to ____________, and the percentage of Hispanics is expected to ________. A) increase, increase B) increase, decrease C) decrease, increase D) increase, stay the same E) stay the same, increase

C : decrease, increase

Managers who are responsible for the people who directly make a product rather than managing others are called A) top managers. B) middle managers. C) first-line managers. D) general managers. E) functional managers.

C : first-line managers

According to Katz, which of the following principal skills is one that managers need? A) intuition B) evaluative C) human D) comprehensive E) coordination

C : human

A team manager is inspiring her team to think of ideas that will put them first in sales among all departments in the retail store in which her team works. This is an example of A) planning. B) organizing. C) leading. D) controlling. E) leadership.

C : leading

Motivating and directing people to work hard to achieve the organization's goals is called A) planning. B) organizing. C) leading. D) controlling. E) managing.

C : leading

Chris, a manager, attends meetings of the local city government council to lobby for tax breaks for his company. Chris is performing the ________ role. A) leadership B) figurehead C) liaison D) technical E) entrepreneur

C : liason

Over breakfast, Jordan, a manager, scans the Wall Street Journal for information relevant to his company's industry. Jordan is performing the ________ role. A) disseminator B) entrepreneur C) monitor D) spokesperson E) visionary

C : monitor

The _________ effect states that your influence on the organization is multiplied far beyond the results that can be achieved by just one person acting alone. A) organization B) managerial C) multiplier D) halo E) Hawthorne

C : multiplier

An entrepreneur who starts their own business out of a burning desire rather than because they lost a job is called a/an ________. A) necessity entrepreneur B) motivated entrepreneur C) opportunity entrepreneur D) abnormal entrepreneur E) chance entrepreneur

C : opportunity entreprenuer

According to a recent Fortune magazine article, The scarcest, most valuable resource in business is A) a highly stable technology. B) a young workforce. C) skilled effective managers. D) financial capital. E) government support.

C : skilled effective managers

Which of the following is an example of an informational role? A) Disturbance handler B) Leader C) Spokesperson D) Liaison E) Resource allocator

C : spokesperson

The measure of success of a nonprofit organization is A) ROI. B) the money that is earned. C) the effectiveness of the services delivered. D) the number of services delivered. E) the profit of the organization.

C : the effectiveness of the services delivered

In organizations, there are managers at ___________ levels. A) one B) two C) three D) four E) five

C : three

GE CEO Jeffrey Immelt is a A) first-line manager. B) middle manager. C) top manager. D) functional manager. E) comprehensive manager.

C : top manager

Managers who make strategic and long-term decisions about the overall direction of the organization are most likely to be A) first-line managers. B) middle managers. C) top managers. D) functional managers. E) general managers.

C : top managers

What is competitive advantage? What are the areas within which an organization needs to obtain competitive advantage? Explain what each of these areas means for an organization.

Competitive advantage is the ability of an organization to produce goods or services more effectively than competitors do, thus outperforming them. This means an organization must stay ahead in four areas: customer responsiveness, innovation, quality, and efficiency. Being responsive to customers. The first law of business is: take care of the customer. Without customers—buyers, clients, consumers, shoppers, users, patrons, guests, investors, or whatever they're called—sooner or later there will be no organization. Innovation is finding ways to deliver new or getter goods or services. Quality. If your organization is the only one of its kind, customers may put up with products or services that are less than stellar. However, if you are not a unique organization, which is more likely, customers will begin to buy from the company with better quality for the same price.

A group of people who work together to achieve some specific purpose is/are called A) managers. B) employees. C) a team. D) an organization. E) a community.

D : an organization

A manager at a department store is trying to figure out why an employee recruitment effort is not performing as expected. This is an example of A) planning. B) organizing. C) leading. D) controlling. E) leadership.

D : controlling

Monitoring performance and taking corrective action as needed is called A) planning. B) organizing. C) leading. D) controlling. E) managing.

D : controlling

According to Mintzberg's work, which of the following is a type of role that managers play? A) Analytical B) Interrogatory C) Interdependent D) Decisional E) All of these are managerial roles according to Mintzberg.

D : decisional

Which of the following is an example of an interpersonal role? A) Negotiator B) Spokesperson C) Entrepreneur D) Figurehead E) Monitor

D : figurehead

Amy is in charge of the company newsletter. She provides the newsletter by both e-mail and hard copy to each employee. In the newsletter she includes changes in company policy, awards employees have received, and general interest articles about the company staff. Amy is participating in A) Information management B) E-management C) Project management D) Knowledge management E) Software management

D : knowledge management

A & H Farm Cooperative advances its members' interests by providing a place for the members to sell their produce. A & H is which type of organization? A) for-profit B) nonprofit C) administrative D) mutual-benefit E) aid-based

D : mutual-benefit

__________ organizations are voluntary collections of members whose purpose is to advance members' interests. A) for-profit B) nonprofit C) administrative D) mutual-benefit E) aid-based

D : mututal-benefit

Melvin, leader of a task force, is in the Marketing Department manager's office attempting to convince him to allow a particular member of the department to work on the task force. Melvin is operating in the _______________ role. A) entrepreneur B) resource allocator C) disturbance handler D) negotiator E) liaison

D : negotiator

An organization must stay ahead of their competitors in all of the following areas except A) being responsive to customers. B) innovation. C) quality. D) white-collar organization. E) efficiency.

D : white-collar organizations

Which of the following is a reward for practicing management? A) You can build a catalog of successful products or services. B) You and your employees can experience a sense of accomplishment. C) You can stretch your abilities and magnify your range D) You can be rewarded money and status for your efforts E) All of the above are rewards of being a manager.

E : All of the above are rewards of being a manager.

Which of the following statements about a manager's life is true according to Henry Mintzberg? A) Managers work long hours. B) Managers work at an intense pace. C) Managers' work is characterized by fragmentation. D) Managers rely more on verbal than on written communication. E) All of the above statements are correct.

E : All of the above statements are correct.

Which of the following is a payoff of studying management as a discipline? A) You will understand how to choose target markets. B) You will understand how to relate to your family much better. C) You will understand how to market the organization. D) You will understand how to advance your career quickly. E) You will understand how to manage yourself in the workplace.

E : You will understand how to manage yourself in the workplace.

Which of the following is a chief skill companies seek in top managers? A) the ability to motivate and engage others B) the ability to communicate C) work experience outside the U.S. D) high energy levels to meet the demands of global travel and a 24/7 world E) All of the above are chief skills companies seek in top managers.

E : all of the above

Human skills are particularly important for ________ managers. A) top B) middle C) first-line D) independent E) all types of

E : all types of

One of the challenges for managers is managing personal happiness and life goals. Explain why this is a challenge for managers. Discuss how you think these ideas apply to yourself in the future.

Every person must consider whether his job (managerial or otherwise) helps him or her reach his or her own happiness and goals. Many managers find the job of management to be unfulfilling - they often feel they have to give up too much of their personal lives because of the long hours or travel, or they don't enjoy the constant activity that management entails. Also, many managers feel caught in the middle between upper levels of management and their employees. The student should offer an example of how this may affect them (or not) in the future.

Identify and describe the four managerial functions. Give a specific example of each from an organizational situation you have personally experienced.

Planning is setting goals and deciding how to achieve them. Organizing is arranging tasks, people, and other resources to accomplish the work. Leading is motivating, directing, and otherwise influencing people to work hard to achieve the goals. Controlling is monitoring performance, comparing it to goals, and taking corrective action as needed. The student should give an example of each from his or her experience.

Define the three types of principal skills that managers need according to Robert Katz.

Technical skills consist of job-specific knowledge needed to perform well in a specialized field. Conceptual skills consist of the ability to think analytically, to visualize an organization as a whole and understand how the parts work together. Human skills are the ability to work well with others to get things done.

Explain what is meant by the "multiplier" effect that managers have.

The "multiplier" effect means is that a manager's influence is multiplied far beyond the results that could be achieved by just one person acting alone.

List the characteristics that most entrepreneurs have.

The characteristics that most entrepreneurs have include: high need for achievement, belief in personal control of destiny, high energy level and action orientation, high tolerance for ambiguity, and self-confidence and tolerance for risk.

Describe what top-level managers do.

Top managers make long-term decisions about the overall direction of the organization and establish the objectives, policies, and strategies for it. They need to pay a lot of attention to the environment outside the organization, being alert for long-run opportunities and problems and devising strategies for dealing with them. Thus, executives at this level must be3 future oriented, dealing with uncertain, highly competitive conditions.