WGU - OBC1

What is the second process for developing a change vision?

Forming guiding coalition

At which point in the development of a group should a manager consider using a directive structure management style?

Forming, where a strong leader will take control and tell the group what to do

What theory would give a manager a framework for determining how to convince an employee to choose a particular course of action?

Vroom's Expectancy Theory

A manager is providing an outlet for employee's grievances and anxiety. What phase of change are these employees experiencing?

Unfreezing

A large business is considering whether to start an ethics training program. A group of ethical company executives is meeting to discuss the subject. The following are comments made by each of the executives. Which executive's statement accurately reflects the reason that an ethic's training program shold be implemented in the company?

" Our employees must learn and use a high standard of ethics in order to continue to compete in this industry over a long period of time."

Which managerial practice aimed at improving diversity would likely result in litigation?

-Hiring that targets minorities

How does organization culture affect strategy implementation?

A bureaucratic organization employs strategy using formal rules and standard procedures

How does organization design affect strategy implementation?

A flat organization allows coordination to occur easily between employees and functions.

What normative belief associations are reinforced by an entrepreneurial (constructive) organizational culture, as identified by recent research?

Achievement and self actualiztion

What is an important characteristic of effective strategic objectives?

Are measurable

Conflict Resolution Styles

Avoiding Accommodating (Giving In) Win/Lose (Classic) Problem Solving (Collaboration) Compromising

What is the main business competitiveness purpose of managing diversity?

Benefiting from greater range of ideas and perspectives

How does the use of a flat structure encourage innovation?

Collaboration and creativity promote innovation.

What skills does a manager need to successfully implement change?

Communicates clearly, motivates through participation, and delegates key duties.

What is the fourth process for developing a change vision?

Communicating Vision

What information is needed to establish and maintain a competitive advantage?

Company history and financial reports required by the Securities and Exchange Commission, company Website, product information, and market trends.

Tensions between two divisions of a company are creating the potential for reduced productivity. Both divisions are critical to the company's operation and both are led by vice presidents with a solid track record for profits. Executive managers want to resolve the conflict before productivity begins to slip. What conflict resolution style should the executive managers use to solve this problem?

Compromising

What is the seventh process for developing a change vision?

Consolidating gains

In what task role does a group member pull together ideas and suggestions?

Coordinator

What is the difference between core competencies and distinctive competencies?

Core competencies are measured relative to internal activities, while distinctive competencies are measured relative to competitors.

Firms gather competitive intelligence (CI) in order to better understand and anticipate their competitors' future plan. The focus of competitive intelligence is information consisting of a firm's future objectives, current strategies, assumptions, and capabilities. What type of information that can be used by competitors can be protected?

Current operations for the organization

What characteristics are associated with the aftermath phase of the conflict process?

Either understanding between the conflicting groups or individuals improves, or hostility between them continues.

What is the eighth process for developing a change vision?

Embedding change in the organizations' culture

Why would a celebrating failure strategy be appropriate for encouraging innovation when a previous innovation failed?

Employees and management learn from failures.

What is the fifth process for developing a change vision?

Empowering a rewarding action

What two recommendations should a manager consider in implementing an organizational change?

Ensure the organization is ready and involve mid-level managers.

What is the first of the process for developing a change vision?

Establishing urgency

What factor results in greater resistance to change in some cultures than in others?

Ethnocentrism

What power base should a manager use to elicit greater environment from employees

Expert Power

What is a component of an action plan?

Explaining the course of action in detail

What could cause a team leader to lose interest in learning about the strengths and weaknesses of a team member?

External locus

Employees in a team environment are trying to decide what method to use for a new manufacturing process. During their discussion of the latest proposed method, a very strong "devil's advocate" emerges to attack the proposal. What type of conflict does this scenario portray?

Functional

In what maintenance role does a person encourage all group members to participate?

Gatekeeper

What is the sixth process for developing a change vision?

Generating short-term wins

A company is in the unfreezing phase of change. What should communication from manager to employee focus on?

Helping the employee become dissatisfied with the status quo.

What benefit does a change vision provide to an organization that is preparing to change?

Helps management dispel rumors

What kind of organizational structure encourages cross-functional teams that focus on customer satisfaction?

Horizontal

A change vision must be developed and clearly conveyed to all members of the firm. What aspect of the change vision should management communicate to employees?

How the employees will be affected by the change.

What does a business-level strategy describe?

How to compete in individual product markets.

What is an expected outcome of using the job characteristics model?

Identification of job goals for alignment with job quality standards

Which of the following strategic objectives demonstrates cross-cultural awareness?

Increase sales by satisfying the needs of diverse customers.

What has recent research indicated characterizes an entrepreneurial (constructive) organizational culture?

Increased collaboration and teamwork.

What trait has recent research strongly linked to greater work motivation?

Internal locus of control

What main characteristics of functional conflict sets it apart from dysfunctional conflict?

It encourages positive feelings in employees.

How does innovation benefit an organization?

It increases organizational competiveness

What are two major advantages of companies using financial controls?

Measure financial performance against standards and to reduce risk of fraud

What level of political action has broad long-term strategic impact?

Network

Which stage of group development is characterized by resolutions toward cohesiveness?

Norming

Which of the following would tend to promote tolerance for diversity at a company?

Offer diversity training to current employees and mentoring programs to new employees.

Which of the following has recent research indicated as having a strong negative correlation with job satisfaction?

Perceived stress

What is the third process for developing a change vision?

Planning Change Vision

Which of the following is a key factor in communicating change vision to employees?

Provide employees the opportunity to discuss proposed changes.

How can a manager build employee trust?

Provide specific job loss and change information.

What does a properly designed organizational control system do?

Provides insights regarding behaviors that enhance the firm's performance

What is a result of using the job characteristics model?

Reduced absenteeism

What is an example of a structural change?

Reduction of the levels in the organizational hierarchy

Which phase of change is characterized by reorientation towards a new situation?

Refreezing

Which counter-intelligence technique is ethically acceptable?

Reviewing competitors' court records

What type of organizational culture strategy would assume significant debt to accomplish its goals?

Risk-taking

A manager established short- and long-term targets for the organization. Which step in the development and implementation of the action plan did the manager complete?

Setting objectives

Which statement about the strategic planning sequence is correct?

Setting objectives precedes crafting strategies.

What should communications between the manager and employee focus on during the refreezing phase of a change?

Stabilizing the new situation

In what stage of group development do group members determine where they fit in the power structure?

Storming

Which components of a strategic plan are developed prior to establishing long-range objectives?

Strategic vision and the business vision

What are the four types of strategic change?

Structural, Cost Cutting, Process, and Cultural

Which statement about objectives within a strategic planning context is correct?

The results for a short-term objective can be identical to the results for the related long-term objective.

Surprise and fear of the unknown are reasons people resist change. How might this reaction manifest itself through employee behavior?

They create rumors to fill the void created by lack of official announcements.

For what purpose can interdependent business managers within a firm's portfolio use strategic control?

To share tangible and intangible resources

A company has recently undergone a structural reorganization that eliminated a level of management and shifted those responsibilities to other levels in the organization. One of the affected managers is feeling reasonably comfortable about the future and is assuming an active role in the new situation. What phase of the change process is the manager experiencing?

Unfreezing