Org Behavior Test Bank Chapter 1
51. Which discipline has provided organizational behavior with much of its theoretical foundation for team dynamics, organizational power, and organizational socialization? A. sociology B. psychology C. economics D. industrial engineering E. political science
A. sociology Feedback: In OB, sociologists have contributed to our knowledge of team dynamics, organizational socialization, organizational power, and other aspects of the social system.
30. _____ studies suggest that specific organizational behavior characteristics are important "positive screens" for selecting companies with the highest and most consistent long-term investment gains. A. Investment portfolio B. Organizational development C. Personal theory D. Corporate workplace E. Short-term
A. Investment portfolio Feedback: The bottom-line value of organizational behavior is supported by research into the best predictors of investment portfolio performance. These investigations suggest that leadership, performance-based rewards, employee development, employee attitudes, and other specific OB characteristics are important "positive screens" for selecting companies with the highest and most consistent long-term investment gains.
19. Organizational behavior knowledge A. originates mainly from models developed in chemistry and other natural sciences. B. accurately predicts how anyone will behave in any situation. C. is more appropriate for people who work in computer science than in marketing. D. helps us to understand, predict, and influence the behaviors of others in organizational settings. E. is important only for the managers of an organization.
D. helps us to understand, predict, and influence the behaviors of others in organizational settings. Feedback: OB is important because it helps to fulfill the need to understand and predict. But the main reason why people with work experience value OB knowledge is that they have discovered how it helps them get things done in organizations.
9. The systematic research anchor relies mainly on qualitative data and subjective procedures to test hypotheses.
FALSE Feedback: A critical feature of OB knowledge is that it should be based on systematic research, which typically involves forming research questions, systematically collecting data, and testing hypotheses against those data. These are facets of quantitative research.
7. Employees who were born between 1946 and 1964 are referred to as Generation X employees.
FALSE Feedback: Employees who were born between 1946 and 1964 are called Baby Boomers.
10. All popular management concepts rely on hard evidence that proves they are valid.
FALSE Feedback: Some management concepts have become popular (some have even found their way into OB textbooks!) because of heavy marketing, not because of any evidence that they are valid.
33. Which of the following is an example of globalization? A. A footwear firm based in San Diego opens a new branch in Los Angeles. B. A car company based in Pittsburgh manufactures its cars in Philadelphia. C. Rewind, a German music band that plays traditional German folk music, performs in Berlin. D. Rowan, a French citizen, publishes a novel within France. E. An American-based burger joint opens a new outlet in China.
E. An American-based burger joint opens a new outlet in China. Feedback: Globalization refers to economic, social, and cultural connectivity with people in other parts of the world. Organizations globalize when they actively participate in other countries and cultures. In this case, the American burger chain has opened an outlet in another country.
110. Telecommuting has been identified as an important trend in organizational behavior. Discuss three organizational behavior topics that are influenced by telecommuting.
(Note: Students may identify the relevance of various OB topics through creative and logical thinking.) Some of the organizational behavior topics that are influenced by telecommuting include the following: Stress management: Telecommuting tends to offer better work/family balance. Performance: Telecommuting seems to improve job performance by about 10 percent. Self-leadership: Telecommuters need to manage themselves rather than rely on supervisors for continuous guidance. Organizational influence and politics: Telecommuters have to adjust to the lack of networking, and learn to overcome the limitations of limited face time in demonstrating their value.
16. Which of the following statements is true about organizational behavior? A. OB researchers systematically study various topics at a single level rather than at multiple levels. B. It is concerned with the study of people who work independently. C. It does not include the study of collective entities. D. It is less effective in studying people who interact in highly organized fashion. E. It includes team, individual, and organizational level analyses.
E. It includes team, individual, and organizational level analyses. Feedback: OB researchers systematically study various topics at multiple levels of analysis, namely the individual, the team (including interpersonal), and the organization.
79. Which of the following statements is true about human capital in an organization? A. Human capital helps the organization use opportunities more than realizing them. B. The existence of human capital increases the threats in the external environment. C. Human capital is non-substitutable though it is abundant. D. Human capital is independent of the challenges of the external environment. E. It is a key variable in the HPWP model of organizational effectiveness.
E. It is a key variable in the HPWP model of organizational effectiveness. Feedback: The HPWP perspective states that human capital, the knowledge, skills, and abilities that employees possess, is an important source of competitive advantage for organizations.
50. Which of the following is true according to the systematic research anchor? A. OB topics typically relate to the individual, team, and organizational levels of analysis. B. OB should import knowledge from other disciplines, not just create its own knowledge. C. OB theory should recognize that the effects of actions often vary with the situation. D. A particular action may have different consequences in different situations. E. OB should study organizations by forming questions, collecting data, and testing hypotheses against those data.
E. OB should study organizations by forming questions, collecting data, and testing hypotheses against those data. Feedback: A key feature of OB knowledge is that it should be based on systematic research, which typically involves forming research questions, systematically collecting data, and testing hypotheses against those data.
Scenario A Your roommate, Allison Albright, is a non-business major. When she discovered that you are taking a course in Organizational Behavior, she was thoroughly confused as to why one would need to study OB and what it entails. Based on what you have studied, can you help Allison obtain knowledge of organizational behavior? 96. To help Allison understand some preliminary information about OB, which of these statements about the field is true? A. Organizational behavior scholars give more importance to individual characteristics than structural characteristics. B. The field of organizational behavior is independent of the concepts and theories from other fields of inquiry. C. Organizational behavior emerged as a distinct field late in the 1990s. D. Given the specific utility of the field, OB is useful for the managers in the organizations but not for the employees. E. Organizational behavior scholars study what people think, feel, and do in and around organizations.
E. Organizational behavior scholars study what people think, feel, and do in and around organizations. Feedback: Organizational behavior (OB) is the study of what people think, feel, and do in and around organizations.
86. The triple-bottom-line philosophy says A. companies should pay three times as much attention to profits as they do to employee wellbeing. B. the main goal of all companies is to satisfy the needs of three groups: employees, shareholders, and suppliers. C. business success increases by having three times more contingent workers than permanent employees. D. companies should treat their local, national, and global customers fairly. E. companies should try to support the economic, social, and environmental spheres of sustainability.
E. companies should try to support the economic, social, and environmental spheres of sustainability. Feedback: As part of CSR, many companies have adopted the triple-bottom-line philosophy. They try to support or "earn positive returns" in the economic, social, and environmental spheres of sustainability. Firms that adopt the triple bottom line aim to survive and be profitable in the marketplace (economic), but they also intend to maintain or improve conditions for society (social) as well as the physical environment.
18. In the field of organizational behavior, organizations are described as A. entities, which are considered a legal grouping of people and systems. B. groups of people who work independently to achieve a collective goal. C. social entities with a publicly stated set of formal goals. D. groups of people with independent, profit-centered motives and objectives. E. groups of people who work interdependently toward some purpose.
E. groups of people who work interdependently toward some purpose. Feedback: From an organizational behavior perspective, organizations are defined as groups of people who work interdependently toward some purpose.
107. According to the organizational learning perspective, what are the four organizational learning processes? Explain each process.
Organizations nurture their intellectual capital through four organizational learning processes: knowledge acquisition, sharing, use, and storage. Knowledge acquisition includes extracting information and ideas from the external environment, as well as through insight. It involves individual learning, environment scanning, grafting, and experimentation. Knowledge sharing is an aspect of organizational learning that involves distributing knowledge to others across the organization. It includes communication, training, information systems, and observation. Knowledge use includes applying knowledge in ways that add value to the organization and its stakeholders. It involves knowledge awareness, knowledge location, and the freedom to apply it. Knowledge storage includes any means by which knowledge is held for later retrieval. It includes human memory, documentation, practices/habits, and databases.
12. Organizational effectiveness is considered the ultimate dependent variable in organizational behavior.
TRUE Feedback: Organizational effectiveness is considered the ultimate dependent variable in organizational behavior.
5. Globalization may have both positive and negative implications for people working in organizations.
TRUE Feedback: Globalization offers numerous benefits to organizations in terms of larger markets, lower costs, and greater access to knowledge and innovation. At the same time, there is considerable debate about whether globalization benefits developing nations and whether it is primarily responsible for increasing work intensification, as well as reducing job security and work/life balance in developed countries.
14. One of the fastest ways to acquire knowledge is to hire individuals or purchase entire companies that have valued knowledge.
TRUE Feedback: Knowledge acquisition includes extracting information and ideas from the external environment as well as through insight. One of the fastest and most powerful ways to acquire knowledge is by hiring individuals or acquiring entire companies.
4. OB knowledge is beneficial not only to an individual, but also to an organization's financial health.
TRUE Feedback: OB knowledge is just as important for the organization's financial health.
8. Systematic research investigation produces evidence-based management, which involves making decisions and taking actions based on this research evidence.
TRUE Feedback: Systematic research investigation produces evidence-based management, which involves making decisions and taking actions based on this research evidence.
13. The open systems perspective emphasizes that organizations survive by adapting to changes in the external environment.
TRUE Feedback: The open systems perspective advocates the view that organizations depend on the external environment for resources, affect that environment through their output, and consist of internal subsystems that transform inputs to outputs.
105. An aircraft manufacturing company developed a computer simulation representing the very complex processes and subgroups that create an airplane. Teams of production employees would participate in a game where trainers gave them the challenge of reducing costs or minimizing space using the simulation. As the trainers predicted, the team's actions would almost always result in unexpected consequences. Explain how this simulation relates to the open systems perspective of organizational behavior.
The production simulation teaches teams that organizations are complex systems with many interdependent parts. As such, complex systems tend to produce unintended consequences when one part of the system is altered. The lesson here is to recognize the repercussions of subsystem actions on other parts of the organization. The student answers would vary, though they should address these issues in the answer.
111. Discuss the conceptual anchors based on which organizational behavior is developed and redefined.
The systematic research anchor states that OB knowledge should be based on systematic research, which typically involves forming research questions, systematically collecting data, and testing hypotheses against those data. The multidisciplinary anchor states that organizational behavior should welcome theories and knowledge in other disciplines, not just from its own isolated research base. The contingency anchor states that a particular action may have different consequences in different situations. The multiple levels of analysis anchor states that OB events should be understood from three levels of analysis: individual, team, and organization.
108. Many organizations are placing increasing importance on values in the workplace. Explain the differences among values, ethics, and corporate social responsibility.
Values are relatively stable, evaluative beliefs that guide our preferences for outcomes or courses of action in a variety of situations. Values help us to know what is right or wrong, or good or bad, in the world. Values are an important part of our self-concept and, as such, motivate our actions. By incorporating values into organizational effectiveness, the stakeholder perspective also provides the strongest case for ethics and corporate social responsibility. Ethics refers to the study of moral principles or values that determine whether actions are right or wrong and outcomes are good or bad. We rely on our ethical values to determine "the right thing to do." Ethical behavior is driven by the moral principles we use to make decisions. These moral principles represent fundamental values. Corporate social responsibility consists of organizational activities intended to benefit society and the environment beyond the firm's immediate financial interests or legal obligations.
24. Organizational behavior emerged as a distinct field throughout the A. 1940s. B. 1770s. C. early 1900s. D. 1910s. E. 1970s.
A. 1940s. Feedback: Several events suggest that OB emerged as a distinct field throughout the 1940s. During that decade, a few researchers began describing their research as organizational (rather than sociological or psychological). And by the late 1940s, Harvard had changed the name of its MBA human relations course to "Organizational Behavior."
78. The perspective that effective organizations incorporate several workplace practices that leverage the potential of human capital is called the _____ perspective. A. HPWP B. learning C. human capital D. intellectual capital E. open systems
A. HPWP Feedback: The HPWP (high-performance work practice) perspective states that organizations become more effective through workplace practices that enhance human capital.
17. Which of these statements is true about the field of organizational behavior? A. It examines how individuals and teams in organizations relate to one another and to their counterparts in other organizations. B. OB researchers systematically study various topics at a common level rather than at multiple levels. C. Information technology has almost no effect on organizational behavior. D. The field of organizational behavior relies exclusively on ideas generated within the field by organizational behavior scholars. E. The origins of organizational behavior are traced mainly to the field of economics.
A. It examines how individuals and teams in organizations relate to one another and to their counterparts in other organizations. Feedback: Organizational behavior (OB) is the study of what people think, feel, and do in and around organizations. It looks at employee behavior, decisions, perceptions, and emotional responses. It examines how individuals and teams in organizations relate to one another and to their counterparts in other organizations.
20. Which of the following statements is true of organizational behavior knowledge? A. It is relevant to everyone who works in organizations. B. It should never be used to influence the behavior of other people. C. It should be used by managers and senior executives alone. D. It should not be used by subordinates to influence the behavior of their managers. E. It is less significant when the level of interpersonal interaction is high.
A. It is relevant to everyone who works in organizations. Feedback: Everyone has to understand the behavior of others in organizations. Hence, it is important to everyone in an organization.
46. Which generation has a stronger motivation for personal development? A. Millennials B. Baby Boomers C. Generation X D. Generation Z E. Next Gen
A. Millennials Feedback: Millennials have a stronger motivation for personal development, advancement, and recognition.
95. _____ knowledge is the process of retaining knowledge, which is known as organizational memory. A. Storing B. Using C. Sharing D. Acquiring E. Evaluating
A. Storing Feedback: Storing knowledge is the process of retaining knowledge, which is known as organizational memory.
56. Organizational behavior relies on _____ to represent the principles on which organizational behavior is developed and refined. A. anchors B. societal change C. technology D. employee relationships E. investments
A. anchors Feedback: Technological change, globalization, emerging employment relationships, and increasing workforce diversity are just a few of the societal changes that make organizational behavior knowledge more useful than ever before. To understand these and other topics, OB relies on a set of basic beliefs or knowledge structures. These conceptual anchors represent the principles on which OB knowledge is developed and refined.
80. Employees, suppliers, and governments A. are organizational stakeholders. B. are rarely considered in organizational behavior theories. C. represent the three levels of analysis in organizational behavior. D. are excluded from the open systems anchor. E. are independent units in an organizational set up.
A. are organizational stakeholders. Feedback: Stakeholders include individuals, organizations, and other entities that affect, or are affected by, the organization's objectives and actions.
55. Which of the following is a conceptual anchor in organizational behavior? A. contingency anchor B. economic anchor C. social anchor D. single-level anchor E. scientific anchor
A. contingency anchor Feedback: Contingency anchor is one of the five conceptual anchors in organizational behavior.
43. Which of the following are surface-level diversity differences? A. ethnicity, gender, and age B. race, sexual disposition, and intellect C. age, socioeconomic class, and gender D. physical disabilities, speech patterns, and race E. religious beliefs, race, and gender
A. ethnicity, gender, and age Feedback: When discussing workforce diversity, we usually think about surface-level diversity—the observable demographic and other overt differences among members of a group, such as their race, ethnicity, gender, age, and physical capabilities.
27. The greatest value of organizational behavior is that it A. helps us to get things done in the workplace. B. increases our anxiety about circumstances. C. depicts an individual's common sense. D. makes sense of what is going on around us. E. encourages further study of management.
A. helps us to get things done in the workplace. Feedback: Probably the greatest value of OB knowledge is that it helps us get things done in the workplace by influencing organizational events. By definition, organizations are people who work together to accomplish things, so we need a toolkit of knowledge and skills to work successfully with others.
Scenario B As an owner and manager of Tricky Toys, Bob Baldwin has been fascinated by all the changes occurring and transforming the workplace. Bob is concerned about the important OB trends that he can understand and take advantage of in developing and positioning his company in the marketplace. 99. Bob has been interested in this trend of globalization. He should know that globalization occurs when an organization A. increases its connectivity with people and organizations in other parts of the world. B. serves diverse customers within the firm's home country. C. has a diverse workforce within the firm's home country. D. has a substantially strong domestic market. E. operates in a country with strict foreign trade policies.
A. increases its connectivity with people and organizations in other parts of the world. Feedback: Globalization refers to economic, social, and cultural connectivity with people in other parts of the world. Globalization increases when this connectivity is increased.
74. Eastern University performs a daily computer search through newspaper articles to identify any articles about the university or its faculty members. University administrators use this information to receive feedback about how the public reacts to university activities. In knowledge management, searching for newspaper articles and other external writing about the organization is mainly a form of A. knowledge acquisition. B. grafting. C. organizational unlearning. D. knowledge sharing. E. documentation.
A. knowledge acquisition. Feedback: Knowledge acquisition includes extracting information and ideas from the external environment as well as through insight. Environmental scanning is used for knowledge acquisition.
90. Which perspective emphasizes the external dependence of organizations? A. open system B. closed system C. transformation process D. good fit E. independent variable
A. open system Feedback: The word "open" describes this permeable relationship, whereas closed systems operate without dependence on or interaction with an external environment.
63. The open systems anchor of organizational behavior states that A. organizations affect and are affected by their external environments. B. organizations can operate efficiently by ignoring changes in the external environment. C. people are the most important organizational input needed for effectiveness. D. organizations should avoid internal conflicts to achieve efficiency. E. organizations should be open to internal competition to be able to obtain a sustainable competitive advantage.
A. organizations affect and are affected by their external environments. Feedback: The open systems perspective views organizations as complex organisms that "live" within an external environment. As open systems, organizations depend on the external environment for resources, including raw materials, employees, financial resources, information, and equipment.
Scenario B As an owner and manager of Tricky Toys, Bob Baldwin has been fascinated by all the changes occurring and transforming the workplace. Bob is concerned about the important OB trends that he can understand and take advantage of in developing and positioning his company in the marketplace. 101. Bob is considering the idea of implementing telecommuting in Tricky Toys. Which of the following is an advantage of telecommuting? A. reduced employee stress B. larger markets C. greater demand for firm's products D. enhanced employee recognition E. ability to recognize the value of new information
A. reduced employee stress Feedback: Telework attracts job applicants as well as improves the employee's work/life balance, which reduces stress and productivity.
82. The topic of ethics is most closely associated with the _____ perspective. A. stakeholder B. systems C. high-performance work practices D. open systems anchor E. contingency
A. stakeholder Feedback: The stakeholder perspective provides the strongest case for ethics and corporate social responsibility. In fact, it emerged out of earlier writing about ethics and corporate social responsibility.
70. Organizations retain intellectual capital by A. transferring employee capital into structural capital. B. encouraging employees to take early retirement. C. discouraging employees from communicating with each other. D. reducing the level of documentation in organizations. E. building strong human capital.
A. transferring employee capital into structural capital. Feedback: Human capital is the knowledge available with the employees and is risky for the organization. It has to be converted to structural capital, which includes knowledge captured and retained in an organization's systems and structures, such as the documentation of work procedures and the physical layout of the production line.
88. Organizational effectiveness is considered the _____ in organizational behavior. A. ultimate dependent variable B. goal-setting attainment C. best yardstick D. goodness fits E. open door
A. ultimate dependent variable Feedback: In fact, organizational effectiveness is considered the ultimate dependent variable in organizational behavior. This means that organizational effectiveness is the outcome that most OB theories are ultimately trying to achieve. Many theories use different labels—organizational performance, success, goodness, health, competitiveness, excellence—but they are basically presenting models and recommendations that help organizations become more effective.
53. Which of the following statements is consistent with the concept of contingency anchor? A. To obtain the best results, actions should be taken without considering their consequences. B. A particular action may have different consequences in different situations. C. OB theories are based on simple, common-sense ideas about what managers should do. D. OB theories point out the one best way to resolve organizational problems. E. Organizations should never be viewed as systems that process inputs to provide outputs.
B. A particular action may have different consequences in different situations. Feedback: The contingency anchor states that a particular action may have different consequences in different situations.
60. The understanding that no single solution is best in all circumstances is a variable for the _____ anchor. A. systematic research B. contingency C. multidisciplinary D. multiple levels of analysis E. effectiveness
B. Contingency Feedback: People and their work environments are complex, and the field of organizational behavior recognizes this by stating that the effect of one variable on another variable often depends on the characteristics of the situation or people involved. In practice, this means that a single outcome or solution rarely exists; a particular action may have different consequences under different conditions.
37. _____ diversity includes differences in the psychological characteristics of employees, including personalities, beliefs, values, and attitudes. A. Reflective B. Deep-level C. Organizational D. Surface-level E. External
B. Deep-level Feedback: Diversity also includes differences in the psychological characteristics of employees, including personalities, beliefs, values, and attitudes. Deep-level diversity cannot be seen, but it is evident in a person's decisions, statements, and actions.
44. _____ includes differences in the psychological characteristics of employees. A. Surface-level diversity B. Deep-level diversity C. Workplace diversity D. Multigenerational diversity E. Cultural diversity
B. Deep-level diversity Feedback: Diversity also includes differences in personalities, beliefs, values, and attitudes. We can't directly see this deep-level diversity, but it is evident in a person's choices, words, and actions. Deep-level diversity is revealed when employees have different perceptions and attitudes about the same situation and when they form like-minded informal social groups.
47. Which of the following statements is true about workforce diversity? A. Diverse teams win awards. B. Diverse teams make better decisions. C. Diverse teams have difficulty solving problems. D. Diverse teams struggle with communication. E. Diverse teams have a stronger work ethic.
B. Diverse teams make better decisions. Feedback: Workforce diversity offers numerous advantages to organizations. Teams with high informational diversity—members have different knowledge and skills—tend to be more creative and make better decisions in complex situations compared to teams with less informational diversity.
83. _____ refers to the study of moral principles or values that determine whether actions are right or wrong and outcomes are good or bad. A. Performance orientation B. Ethics C. Multicultural teams D. Legal obligations E. Organizational behavior
B. Ethics Feedback: Ethics refers to the study of moral principles or values that determine whether actions are right or wrong and outcomes are good or bad.
32. _____ refers to economic, social, and cultural connectivity with people in other parts of the world. A. OB B. Globalization C. Work/life balance D. Knowledge management E. Corporate social responsibility
B. Globalization Feedback: Globalization refers to economic, social, and cultural connectivity with people in other parts of the world.
41. _____ refers to economic, social, and cultural connectivity with people in other parts of the world. A. Organizational behavior B. Globalization C. Technological change D. Employment relationship E. Personnel policy
B. Globalization Feedback: Globalization refers to economic, social, and cultural connectivity with people in other parts of the world.
54. According to the multiple levels of analysis anchor, A. organizational behavior is mainly the study of how all levels of the organizational hierarchy interact with the external environment. B. OB topics typically relate to the individual, team, and organizational levels of analysis. C. there are eight levels of analysis that scholars should recognize when conducting OB research. D. organizational events can be studied from only one level of analysis. E. corporate executives need to understand business ethics from various levels and perspectives.
B. OB topics typically relate to the individual, team, and organizational levels of analysis. Feedback: According to the multiple levels of analysis anchor, OB topics typically relate to the individual, team, and organizational levels of analysis.
28. Organizational behavior theories are used to A. state personal beliefs about the work environment. B. adopt accurate models of workplace behavior. C. increase anxiety in the workplace. D. incite curiosity about the organization. E. question the world in which we live.
B. adopt accurate models of workplace behavior. Feedback: OB does make a difference to one's career success. OB helps us to make sense of and predict the world in which we live. We use OB theories to question our personal beliefs and assumptions and to adopt more accurate models of workplace behavior.
38. Deep-level diversity includes A. physiological differences. B. attitudes. C. ethnicity. D. gender. E. race.
B. attitudes. Feedback: Deep-level diversity is differences in the psychological characteristics of employees, including personalities, beliefs, values, and attitudes.
45. A person's decisions, statements, and actions are evident in A. surface-level diversity. B. deep-level diversity. C. workplace diversity. D. multigenerational diversity. E. cultural diversity.
B. deep-level diversity. Feedback: Diversity also includes differences in personalities, beliefs, values, and attitudes. We can't directly see this deep-level diversity, but it is evident in a person's choices, words, and actions. Deep-level diversity is revealed when employees have different perceptions and attitudes about the same situation and when they form like-minded informal social groups.
93. What is the most common indicator of effective internal subsystems? A. adaptability B. efficiency C. innovativeness D. transformation E. success
B. efficiency Feedback: The most common indicator of effective internal subsystems is their efficiency.
57. Systematic research investigation is the basis for A. globalization. B. evidence-based management. C. emerging employment relationships. D. contingency reports. E. problem-solving strategies.
B. evidence-based management. Feedback: Systematic research investigation is the basis for evidence-based management—making decisions and taking actions guided by research evidence. It makes perfect sense that management practice should be founded on the best available systematic knowledge.
72. Which of the following is a form of knowledge acquisition? A. observation B. experimentation C. documentation D. internal communication E. group discussion
B. experimentation Feedback: Knowledge acquisition includes extracting information and ideas from the external environment as well as through insight. It involves individual learning, environment scanning, grafting, and experimentation.
26. The _____ emphasized the study of employee attitudes and informal group dynamics in the workplace. A. organizational development school of business B. human relations school of management C. anchor of knowledge school of sociology D. organizational effectiveness school of information systems E. study of self school of psychology
B. human relations school of management Feedback: Harvard professor Elton Mayo and his colleagues (1930s and 1940s) established the "human relations" school of management, which pioneered research on employee attitudes, formal team dynamics, informal groups, and supervisor leadership style.
73. As part of the knowledge management process, experimentation is conducive to A. measuring intellectual capital. B. knowledge acquisition. C. increasing organizational memory. D. knowledge sharing. E. unlearning.
B. knowledge acquisition. Feedback: Knowledge acquisition includes extracting information and ideas from the external environment as well as through insight. It involves individual learning, environment scanning, grafting, and experimentation.
59. Welcoming theories and knowledge from other disciplines is which anchor of organizational behavior? A. systematic research B. multidisciplinary C. contingency D. multiple levels of analysis E. effectiveness
B. multidisciplinary Feedback: Another organizational behavior anchor is that the field should welcome theories and knowledge from other disciplines, not just from its own isolated research base. For instance, psychological research has aided our understanding of individual and interpersonal behavior.
64. Which organizational behavior perspective discusses inputs, outputs, and feedback? A. organizational learning B. open systems C. multidisciplinary D. systematic research E. intellectual capital
B. open systems Feedback: According to the open systems perspective, organizations depend on the external environment for resources, affect that environment through their output, and consist of internal subsystems that transform inputs to outputs.
91. In _____, organizations receive feedback from the external environment regarding the value of their outputs, the availability of future inputs, and the appropriateness of the transformation process. A. good fit B. open systems C. organizational effectiveness D. innovative processes E. closed systems
B. open systems Feedback: In open systems, organizations receive feedback from the external environment regarding the value of their outputs, the availability of future inputs, and the appropriateness of the transformation process.
68. The _____ perspective, also called knowledge management, views knowledge as the main driver of competitive advantage. A. open systems B. organizational learning C. stakeholder D. systematic research E. shared values
B. organizational learning Feedback: The open systems perspective has traditionally focused on physical resources that enter the organization and are processed into physical goods. The organizational learning perspective (also called knowledge management) views knowledge as the main driver of competitive advantage. It is an extension of the open systems perspective.
49. People who are self-motivated, organized, and can work effectively with technology are better suited for A. globalization. B. telecommuting. C. organizational behavior. D. organizational development. E. flexible scheduling.
B. telecommuting. Feedback: Employees who work effectively from home typically have higher self-motivation, self-organization, need for autonomy, and information technology skills. Those who telecommute most of the time also fulfill their social needs more from sources outside the workplace.
77. A computer maintenance company wants to capture the knowledge that employees carry around in their heads by creating a database where employees document their solutions to unusual maintenance problems. This practice tries to A. transform intellectual capital into knowledge management. B. transfer human capital into structural capital. C. prevent relationship capital from interfering with human capital. D. reduce the amount of human capital. E. transfer structural capital into relationship capital.
B. transfer human capital into structural capital. Feedback: Human capital is the knowledge available with the employees and is risky for the organization. It has to be converted to structural capital, which includes knowledge captured and retained in an organization's systems and structures, such as the documentation of work procedures and the physical layout of the production line.
87. Which of the following is most closely associated with corporate social responsibility? A. knowledge management B. triple bottom line C. absorptive capacity D. adaptive ability E. knowledge acquisition
B. triple bottom line Feedback: As part of CSR, many companies have adopted the triple bottom line philosophy: They try to support or "earn positive returns" in the economic, social, and environmental spheres of sustainability.
35. The observable demographic or physiological differences in people, such as their race, ethnicity, gender, age, and physical disabilities, constitute _____ diversity. A. deep-level B. internal C. surface-level D. organizational E. reflective
C. surface-level Feedback: The observable demographic or physiological differences in people, such as their race, ethnicity, gender, age, and physical disabilities, constitute surface-level diversity.
34. Which of the following statements is true about globalization and organizational behavior? A. Globalization has little or no effect on organizational behavior. B. Globalization has forced organizational behavior researchers to study only large multinational businesses. C. Globalization offers numerous benefits to organizations. D. Globalization has forced organizational behavior textbooks to discuss only companies with headquarters in North America. E. Globalization does not have a significant impact on today's organizations.
C. Globalization offers numerous benefits to organizations. Feedback: Globalization offers numerous benefits to organizations in terms of larger markets, lower costs, and greater access to knowledge and innovation. Globalization is now well entrenched, so the most important issue in organizational behavior is how corporate leaders and employees alike can lead and work effectively in this emerging reality.
21. _____ encompasses the study of how organizations interact with their external environments. A. Organizational learning B. Open systems C. Organizational behavior D. High-performance work practice E. Closed systems
C. Organizational behavior Feedback: Organizational behavior encompasses the study of how organizations interact with their external environments, particularly in the context of employee behavior and decisions.
71. Which of the following typically results in a loss of intellectual capital? A. The employees help the organization discover opportunities. B. The employees protect the firm from threats in the external environment. C. The company sells one of its divisions and its employees now work for the other organization. D. The workers help in documentation of work procedures. E. The company has a good physical layout of the production line.
C. The company sells one of its divisions and its employees now work for the other organization. Feedback: Intellectual capital refers to the stock knowledge residing in the organization, which consists of human capital, structural capital, and so on. Human capital is a competitive advantage as well as a huge risk for most organizations. When key people leave, they take with them some of the most valuable knowledge that makes the company effective.
89. The _____ of organizational effectiveness is a composite of four perspectives: open systems, organizational learning, high-performance work practices, and stakeholders. A. open system B. dependent variable C. best yardstick D. good fit E. dependent variable
C. best yardstick Feedback: The best yardstick of organizational effectiveness is a composite of four perspectives: open systems, organizational learning, high-performance work practices, and stakeholders.
58. The best leadership style, the best conflict-handling style, and the best organizational structure are all examples of A. anchors. B. research topics. C. contingencies. D. disciplines. E. management styles.
C. contingencies. Feedback: Contingencies are identified in many OB theories, such as the best leadership style, the best conflict-handling style, and the best organizational structure.
65. According to the open systems view of organizations, _____ is (are) an input for organizations. A. incentive plans B. products C. financial resources D. employee motivation E. employee behavior
C. financial resources Feedback: According to the open systems perspective, the inputs are external factors such as raw materials, human resources, information, financial resources, and equipment.
23. In order for something to be called an organization, A. it must have a building. B. it must have equipment. C. it must consist of people who work interdependently. D. it must have government documentation. E. it must make a product.
C. it must consist of people who work interdependently. Feedback: Organizations are groups of people who work interdependently toward some purpose. Notice that organizations are not buildings or government-registered entities. In fact, many organizations exist with neither physical walls nor government documentation to confer their legal status.
75. Twice every year, a major car parts manufacturer brings together the production and engineering specialists from its eight divisions to discuss ideas, solutions, and concerns. This helps to minimize the "silos of knowledge" problem that exists in many organizations. This practice is primarily an example of A. grafting. B. experimentation. C. knowledge sharing. D. documentation. E. organizational unlearning.
C. knowledge sharing. Feedback: Knowledge sharing involves distributing knowledge to others across the organization.
66. ACME Software Inc. has developed a training program to make employees more aware of how their job performance affects customers and other employees within the organization and to inform them of the changing market conditions. This training program relates most closely with which of the following concepts? A. contingency anchor B. grounded theory C. open systems D. virtual teams E. telecommuting
C. open systems Feedback: According to the open systems perspective, successful organizations monitor their environments and are able to maintain a close "fit" with those changing conditions. It also considers how well it operates internally—that is, how well the company transforms inputs into outputs. It explains the interdependence of employees and departments within the organization.
62. Organizational behavior views organizations as A. non-systems. B. a single unitary subsystem. C. open systems. D. closed systems. E. a system without interactions with the external environment.
C. open systems. Feedback: The open systems perspective views organizations as complex organisms that "live" within an external environment.
94. When organizations find ways to acquire, share, use, and store knowledge, they are demonstrating the perspective of A. intellectual capital. B. innovation. C. organizational learning. D. open systems. E. organizational efficiency.
C. organizational learning. Feedback: Welch was describing the second perspective of organizational effectiveness, called organizational learning. This perspective takes the view that organizations are effective when they find ways to acquire, share, use, and store knowledge.
31. A company's success is _____by the quality of its CEO. A. not influenced B. mildly influenced C. significantly influenced D. only influenced E. slightly influenced
C. significantly influenced Feedback: OB is also vital to the organization's survival and success. Other studies have consistently found a positive relationship between the quality of leadership and the company's financial performance.
40. Mick works for a company as a financial analyst from home using information technology. He does not work in a traditional physical workplace, rather he is utilizing A. deep-level diversity. B. work/life balance. C. virtual work. D. surface-level diversity. E. frictional unemployment.
C. virtual work. Feedback: Work performed away from the traditional physical workplace using information technology is called virtual work. In this case, Mick works from home using information technology and not in a workplace.
48. Jillian uses her one-hour commute in the morning to prepare for the work day and her one-hour commute home to refocus on family. Jillian is practicing A. problem-solving. B. time management. C. work/life balance. D. communication style. E. organizational skills.
C. work/life balance. Feedback: Work/life balance occurs when people are able to minimize conflict between their work and nonwork demands. Most employees lack this balance because they spend too many hours each week performing or thinking about their job, whether at the workplace, at home, or on vacation. This focus on work leaves too little time to fulfill nonwork needs and obligations.
85. _____ refers to an organization's moral obligation toward all of its stakeholders. A. Values B. Legal obligation C. Multicultural teams D. Corporate social responsibility E. Organizational behavior
D. Corporate social responsibility Feedback: Corporate social responsibility refers to an organization's moral obligation toward all of its stakeholders. It is the view that companies have a contract with society, in which they must serve stakeholders beyond shareholders and customers.
25. Which expert wrote about rational organizations, the work ethic, and charismatic leadership? A. Plato B. Confucius C. Adam Smith D. Max Weber E. Frederick Taylor
D. Max Weber Feedback: German sociologist Max Weber (early 1900s) wrote about rational organizations, the work ethic, and charismatic leadership.
39. Out of the generational groups discussed in the textbook, which group has the highest preference for leisure and the lowest value of social interaction? A. Gen-Xers B. Gen-Yers C. Baby Boomers D. Millennials E. Silent Generation
D. Millennials Feedback: One large-scale cohort study surveyed the three generational groups when each was in senior high school. The results suggest that Millennials have the highest preference for leisure, followed by Gen-Xers and Baby Boomers. Millennials and Gen-Xers also value extrinsic rewards significantly more than do Boomers, and Millennials value social interaction significantly less than do Boomers or Gen-Xers.
52. Which of these statements is consistent with the five anchors of organizational behavior? A. Organizational behavior theories must apply universally to every situation. B. Organizations are like machines that operate independently of their external environment. C. Each OB topic relates to only one level of analysis. D. The field of organizational behavior should rely on other disciplines for some of its theory development. E. Organizational behavioral decision making does not require evidence from research.
D. The field of organizational behavior should rely on other disciplines for some of its theory development. Feedback: The concept of multidisciplinary anchor says that organizational behavior is anchored around the idea that the field should develop from knowledge in other disciplines, not just from its own isolated research base.
76. With _____, the value of new information is recognized, assimilated, and used for value-added activities. A. perception ability B. realization capacity C. observation skill D. absorptive capacity E. adaptive capacity
D. absorptive capacity Feedback: Absorptive capacity is the ability to recognize the value of new information, assimilate it, and use it for value-added activities. An important prerequisite for acquiring new knowledge is the amount and quality of knowledge already held within the organization.
42. Globalization offers numerous benefits to organizations, including all of the following except A. larger markets. B. lower costs. C. access to knowledge. D. decreased job security. E. innovation.
D. decreased job security. Feedback: Globalization offers numerous benefits to organizations in terms of larger markets, lower costs, and greater access to knowledge and innovation. At the same time, there is considerable debate about whether globalization benefits developing nations and the extent to which it is responsible for increasing work intensification, reduced job security, and poor work/life balance in developed countries.
92. Organizations maintain a good environmental fit in all of the following ways except A. adapting to the environment. B. influencing the environment. C. moving to a more favorable environment. D. designing products and work processes. E. acclimating to the environment.
D. designing products and work processes. Feedback: Organizations maintain a good environmental fit in three ways: adapting to the environment influencing the environment moving to a more favorable environment.
29. Organizational behavior knowledge is A. for managers. B. for employees. C. for consumers. D. for everyone. E. for stakeholders.
D. for everyone. Feedback: Organizational behavior is discussed by some writers as a topic for managers. Effective management does depend on OB concepts and practices, but this book pioneered the broader view that OB is valuable for everyone who works in and around organizations.
Scenario A Your roommate, Allison Albright, is a non-business major. When she discovered that you are taking a course in Organizational Behavior, she was thoroughly confused as to why one would need to study OB and what it entails. Based on what you have studied, can you help Allison obtain knowledge of organizational behavior? 98. Allison thinks that organization is the same as an organism. However, in the field of organizational behavior, organizations are best described as A. legal entities that must abide by government regulations and pay taxes. B. physical structures with observable capital equipment. C. social entities with a publicly stated set of formal goals. D. groups of people who work interdependently towards some purpose. E. any social entity with profit-centered motives and objectives.
D. groups of people who work interdependently towards some purpose. Feedback: Organizations are groups of people who work interdependently toward some purpose.
Scenario A Your roommate, Allison Albright, is a non-business major. When she discovered that you are taking a course in Organizational Behavior, she was thoroughly confused as to why one would need to study OB and what it entails. Based on what you have studied, can you help Allison obtain knowledge of organizational behavior? 97. Allison should understand that organizational behavior knowledge A. should never be used to influence the behavior of other people. B. should be used only by managers and senior executives. C. should never replace common-sense knowledge about how organizations work. D. is relevant to everyone who works in organizations. E. is an independent science that has evolved independently.
D. is relevant to everyone who works in organizations. Feedback: Everyone has to understand the behavior of others and oneself. So OB is for everyone.
Scenario B As an owner and manager of Tricky Toys, Bob Baldwin has been fascinated by all the changes occurring and transforming the workplace. Bob is concerned about the important OB trends that he can understand and take advantage of in developing and positioning his company in the marketplace. 100. If Bob wants to study deep-level diversity in his organization, he should A. review the demographic characteristics of his workforce. B. consider the likelihood of long-term employment with the organization for each of his employees. C. observe the differences in the people who represent his workforce. D. look at different attitudes and expectations of his employees. E. research the cultural and racial background of the workforce in the industry.
D. look at different attitudes and expectations of his employees. Feedback: Deep-level diversity includes differences in the psychological characteristics of employees, including personalities, beliefs, values, and attitudes.
69. Intellectual capital refers to the A. total spending on training and development of employees. B. total number of employees in the organization. C. total cost of computers and other "intelligent" machines in the organization. D. stock of knowledge that resides in an organization. E. cost of hiring a typical employee.
D. stock of knowledge that resides in an organization. Feedback: A company's stock of knowledge is called its intellectual capital.
36. At Clickz, an American photography magazine firm, more than half of the senior management positions are held by women. African Americans represent 40 percent of the company's workforce. The description of Clickz's diversity refers to A. deep-level diversity. B. psychological diversity. C. personality diversity. D. surface-level diversity. E. attitude diversity.
D. surface-level diversity. Feedback: The observable demographic or physiological differences in people, such as their race, ethnicity, gender, age, and physical disabilities, constitute surface-level diversity.
22. The multiple levels of analysis studied by organizational behavior researchers include all of the following except A. the individual. B. the unit team. C. the organization. D. the customer. E. the internal team.
D. the customer. Feedback: OB researchers systematically study these topics at multiple levels of analysis, namely, the individual, team (including interpersonal), and organization.
61. Which of the following perspectives of organizational effectiveness argues that companies take their sustenance from the environment and, in turn, affect that environment through their outputs? A. stakeholder B. systematic research C. high-performance work practice D. organizational learning E. open systems
E. open systems Feedback: The open systems perspective views organizations as complex organisms that "live" within an external environment. As open systems, organizations depend on the external environment for resources, including raw materials, employees, financial resources, information, and equipment.
67. A firm has good associations with its customers, suppliers, and others who provide added mutual value for the firm. Name the form of intellectual capital that is possessed by the firm due to its good associations. A. structural capital B. intellectual capital C. human capital D. knowledge capital E. relationship capital
E. relationship capital Feedback: Relationship capital is a form of intellectual capital, which is the value derived from an organization's relationships with customers, suppliers, and others who provide added mutual value for the organization. It includes the organization's goodwill, brand image, and combination of relationships that organizational members have with people outside the organization.
81. Stable, long-lasting beliefs about what is important in a variety of situations are A. intellectual capital. B. the foundations of the open systems anchor. C. the main reason why virtual teams fail. D. rarely studied in the field of organizational behavior. E. the values of the organization.
E. the values of the organization. Feedback: Values are relatively stable, evaluative beliefs that guide our preferences for outcomes or courses of action in a variety of situations.
84. Which of these organizational behavior trends is corporate social responsibility most closely related to? A. workforce diversity B. employment relationships C. information technology D. globalization E. workplace values and ethics
E. workplace values and ethics Feedback: By linking values to organizational effectiveness, the stakeholder perspective also incorporates ethics and corporate social responsibility into the organizational effectiveness equation. Hence, corporate social responsibility is most closely related to workplace values and ethics.
106. A courier service laid off a large percentage of its production staff during last year's recession. These low-skilled employees performed routine tasks filling orders. The company now wants to rehire them. However, most of the unskilled employees have since found employment in other companies and industries. Do you think the courier company lost much intellectual capital in this situation? Explain your answer.
Intellectual capital refers to the storage and preservation of the company's stock of knowledge—in other words, the knowledge that the organization possesses. The courier company has lost some intellectual capital, but probably not a great deal. These are unskilled employees, some of whom have moved to other industries. This suggests that they might have been fairly replaceable and do not have much unique knowledge for the organization. Similarly, the tasks are fairly routine, suggesting that most knowledge is established within the task routines and thereby documented in procedures manuals. However, some knowledge loss has occurred because every employee possesses some unique knowledge that is of value to the organization. For instance, the laid off employees may have had undocumented knowledge about the preferences of certain customers or the operation of certain equipment. When employees leave the firm, they take this knowledge with them unless it is clearly documented or retained in other ways within the organization. The student answers will vary for this question.
102. Name the four important perspectives of organizational effectiveness. Explain each perspective.
Organizational effectiveness is a composite of four perspectives: open systems, organizational learning, high-performance work practices, and stakeholders. The open systems perspective holds that organizations depend on their external environments for resources, affect that environment through their output, and consist of internal subsystems that transform inputs to outputs. The organizational learning perspective (also called knowledge management) views knowledge as the main driver of competitive advantage. Specifically, organizational learning is founded on the idea that organizational effectiveness depends on the organization's capacity to acquire, share, use, and store valuable knowledge. The high-performance work practices perspective states that effective organizations incorporate several workplace practices that leverage their potential human capital. The stakeholder perspective holds that an organization must take into account the individuals, organizations, or other entities that affect, or are affected by, the organization's objectives and actions.
15. Stakeholders of an organization are shareholders, customers, suppliers, governments, and any other groups with a vested interest in the organization.
TRUE Feedback: Stakeholders include individuals, organizations, and other entities that affect, or are affected by, the organization's objectives and actions.
11. Most organizational events may be studied from all three levels of analysis: individual, team, and organization.
TRUE Feedback: The multiple levels of analysis that anchor OB knowledge include three levels of analysis: individual, team, and organization.
2. All organizations have a collective sense of purpose, whether it's producing oil or creating the fastest Internet search engine.
TRUE Feedback: A key feature of organizations is that its members have a collective sense of purpose.
6. Reduced job security and increased work intensification are partly caused by globalization.
TRUE Feedback: There is considerable debate about whether globalization benefits developing nations and whether it is primarily responsible for increasing work intensification, as well as reducing job security and work/life balance in developed countries.
1. Three challenges organizations are facing include globalization, increasing workforce diversity, and emerging employment relationships.
TRUE Feedback: Three challenges organizations are facing include globalization, increasing workforce diversity, and emerging employment relationships.
3. Until the 1930s, most organizational research and practice tried to improve work efficiency by changing working conditions and job duties. Employee thoughts and feelings were ignored and usually considered irrelevant.
TRUE Feedback: Until the 1930s, most organizational research and practice tried to improve work efficiency by changing working conditions and job duties. Employee thoughts and feelings were ignored and usually considered irrelevant.
109. The changing workforce is one of the emerging trends in organizational behavior. Describe how the workforce is changing and briefly identify two consequences of these changes for organizations.
There are numerous workforce changes that students might correctly identify. However, the textbook specifically refers to the following: (a) more ethnic diversity, (b) visible minorities represent a large percentage of the workforce and are entering occupations previously held mostly by men, and (c) younger people (Generation-X and Generation-Y) are bringing somewhat different values and needs to the workforce. There are several consequences of these workforce changes. The textbook identifies the following: (a) potentially better decision making, (b) potentially better customer service, and (c) underrepresentation of women and ethnic minorities in senior positions (i.e. discrimination).
103. Senior officers in a national military organization decided that operations in supplies requisition were inefficient and costly. They brought in consultants who recommended that the entire requisition process be "reengineered." This involved throwing out the old practices and developing an entirely new set of work activities around workflow. However, like many reengineering changes, this intervention resulted in lower productivity, higher employee turnover, and other adverse outcomes. Discuss likely problems with the intervention in terms of systems theory.
There are two possible ways that systems theory explains these problems. The first and more likely of these is the fact that open systems have interdependent parts. In this situation, reengineering the supplies requisition process may have disrupted other parts of the organization, which, in turn, undermined the supplies group's ability to complete their work. The point here is that open systems consist of interdependent parts and that it is always useful to ensure that changes in one part of the organization have minimal adverse effects on other parts of the organization. The second possible (but less likely) problem is in terms of inputs, transformation, outputs, and feedback. The reengineering process may have thrown out a functioning transformation process. The change could also have resulted in less feedback from the environment regarding how well the organization is interacting with the environment. Perhaps the change resulted in a disruption of inputs or side effects in the outputs. Student answers will vary for this question.
104. Marketing specialists at Sarasota Beer Co. developed a new advertising campaign for summer sales. The ads were particularly aimed at sports events where Sarasota Beer sold kegs of beer on tap. The marketing group worked for months with a top advertising firm on the campaign. Their effort was successful in terms of significantly higher demand for Sarasota Beer's keg beer at sports stadiums. However, the production department had not been notified of the marketing campaign and was not prepared for the increased demand. The company was forced to buy empty kegs at a premium price. It also had to brew some of the lower-priced keg beer in vats that would have been used for higher-priced specialty beer. The result was that Sarasota Beer sold more of the lower-priced keg beer and less of the higher-priced products that summer. Moreover, the company could not initially fill consumer demand for the keg beer, resulting in customer dissatisfaction. Use system theory to explain what has occurred at Sarasota Beer Co.
This incident mainly relates to the open systems idea that organizations consist of many interdependent parts. In larger organizations, subsystem interdependence is so complex that an event in one department may ripple through the organization and affect other subsystems. In this case, the marketing group's advertising campaign had unintended implications for the production group. The marketing group's campaign increased demand for keg beer, which forced production to brew more of the lower-priced product rather than the higher-priced specialty beer. It was also necessary to keep up with demand by paying premium prices for empty kegs. The students could discuss the necessity of coordination and the effect of interdependence when discussing this scenario. Student answers will vary for this question.
