Chapter 1: What is Organizational Behaviour

The OB subject of "motivation" has been most influenced by which behavioural science discipline? a. psychology b. social psychology c. sociology d. political science e. anthropology

A.psychology

Organization behaviour has few a. theories. b. contingencies. c. models. d. absolutes. e. field studies.

d.absolutes.

Why do organizations that have OCB outperform those that do not? a. OCB promotes the effective functioning of the organization. b. OCB employees are easier to supervise. c. OCB increases job satisfaction, increasing productivity. d. OCB decreases recruitment, selection and training, because turnover is less. e. OCB is rewarded by increased opportunities for promotions.

a. OCB promotes the effective functioning of the organization

Which of the following is an example of being an efficient organization or employee? a. operating a hospital at the lowest possible cost while achieving higher output b. being the most pleasant real estate broker in Toronto c. being a telemarketer who makes the required number of calls each day d. being a sales person who acquires the most clients of anyone in the company e. being an instructor who teaches larger classes than other instructors

a. operating a hospital at the lowest possible cost while achieving higher output

Which of the following statements about organizational behaviour (OB) is false? a. OB is relevant only in employment situations. b. OB can shed light on the interactions among family members. c. OB can be used in community settings like children's daycare centres. d. OB can be applied to any organization in order to make it run more effectively. e. OB focuses on 3 levels of behaviour that can occur in any organization.

a.OB is relevant only in employment situations.

The OB subject of "organizational culture" has been most influenced by which behavioural science discipline? a. anthropology b. psychology c. social psychology d. political science e. sociology

a.anthropology

Looking in-depth at single situations in order to gain insight into organizational behaviour relates to the examination of a. case studies. b. laboratory studies. c. survey studies. d. meta-analysis. e. field studies.

a.case studies

The systematic approach to the study of OB is most consistent with a. cause-effect relationships. b. common sense. c. unstructured observation. d. gut feelings. e. predictability.

a.cause-effect relationships.

A characteristic of Johan's department is that there is a broad mix of people in terms of gender, race and ethnicity. This is known as a. diversity. b. empowerment. c. groupthink. d. ethics. e. individual differences.

a.diversity.

Everyone loves to work for peter because he gives them complete responsibility for what they do. This is known as: a. motivation. b. individual differences. c. empowerment. d. diversity. e. ethics.

a.motivation.

A(n) ________ is a consciously coordinated social unit composed of two or more people that functions on a relatively continuous basis to achieve a common goal or set of goals. a. organization b. unit c. team d. ethnic group e. informal group

a.organization

If we understand the written and unwritten rules in a structured situation then human behaviour becomes a. predictable. b. predetermined. c. manageable. d. controllable. e. unpredictable.

a.predictable.

In the study of OB, common sense is generally replaced by a. systematic study. b. generalization. c. listening. d. prediction. e. unstructured observation.

a.systematic study.

Which of the following topics is generally considered to be outside the field of OB? a. therapy b. absenteeism c. employment turnover d. productivity e. job satisfactioneee

a.therapy

The behavioural science that underlies work design and performance appraisal is known as: a. sociology b. psychology. c. social psychology. d. anthropology. e. political science.

b. psychology

Various challenges exist at the organizational level. Which of the following would not be considered an organizational challenge? a. developing and implementing successful managerial intervention techniques b. appreciating the diverse workforce c. competing in global markets d. hiring and developing effective employees e. overall productivity and output

b.appreciating the diverse workforce

________ is achievement of goals. a. Efficiency b. Effectiveness c. Productivity d. Motivation e. Job satisfaction

b.effectiveness

Tina is known to produce large amounts of work without having to exert much effort. Tina is: a. diverse. b. efficient. c. effective. d. motivated. e. ethical.

b.efficient

The practice of sharing more power with employees is known as a. risk taking. b. empowerment. c. sociology d. psychology. e. contingency.

b.empowerment.

Whereas ________ requires organizations to be flexible in working with organizations and people from different countries, ________ requires employees to be flexible when working with others within the organization. a. workforce diversity; globalization b. globalization; workforce diversity c. culture; diversity d. culturization; workforce diversity e. globalization; culturization

b.globalization; workforce diversity

Predictability of behaviour is increased if we know a. that the person is rational. b. how the person perceives the situation. c. that behaviour is caused. d. the person's age. e. the person's level of education.

b.how the person perceives the situation.

What are the three levels of behaviour in organizations that OB is concerned with? a. experience, goals and configuration b. individual, group, and structure c. structure, social units and teams d. group, structure and political e. interpersonal, personal and group

b.individual, group, and structure

Organizational behaviour is generally defined as a field of study that a. investigates how organizations effectively face competition. b. investigates the impact that individuals, groups, and structure have on behaviour within organizations. c. attempts to understand and solve problems regarding individual behaviour on and off the job. d. seeks ways and means to match human effort with technology. e. examines how the structure of different organizations contributes to, or inhibits, effective communication.

b.investigates the impact that individuals, groups, and structure have on behaviour within

Which of the following is true about empowerment? a. was embraced by classical OB experts b. managers learn how to give up control c. allows employees to delegate more to peers d. focuses primarily on job productivity e. employees to do less work

b.managers learn how to give up control

Amongst the research methods in OB which would most likely employ the statistics of many different studies? a. laboratory studies b. meta-analysis c. field studies d. survey studies e. case studies

b.meta-analysis

Sanjay is a very motivated employee who typically does work that is not part of his formal job responsibilities but which furthers the objectives of the organization. This is known as a. groupthink. b. organizational citizenship behaviour. c. diversity. d. individual differences. e. efficiency.

b.organizational citizenship behaviour.

When we say that OB concepts must reflect situational conditions, we mean a. behaviour can never be predicted. b. predicting certain behaviour depends on the context of a structured situation. c. predicting certain behaviour depends on intuition. d. regular and unchanging conditions . e. only certain conditions can be predicted.

b.predicting certain behaviour depends on the context of a structured situation.

Giselle is using a spreadsheet to measure each employee's efficiency and effectiveness. This is known as the employee's a. performance. b. productivity. c. diversity. d. culture. e. ethics.

b.productivity.

A high rate of employee turnover increases a. bottom up management. b. recruiting costs. c. positive organizational scholarship. d. workplace diversity. e. individual difference.

b.recruiting costs.

From which of the following behavioural sciences has the study of "people's influence on one another"? a. anthropology b. social psychology c. psychology d. political science e. sociology

b.social psychology

The behavioural science that underlies communication and group processes is known as a. psychology. b. sociology. c. social psychology. d. anthropology. e. political science.

b.sociology.

The behavioural science which underlies conflict and power is known as a. psychology. b. sociology. c. social psychology. d. anthropology. e. political science.

b.sociology.

You are working as an assistant to an OB specialist doing research to determine relationships between certain variables and cause-effect situations. The specialist is attempting to determine when people are motivated by pay or salary, and when they are motivated by recognition, support and encouragement. By examining the connection between rewards and incentives and motivation under various conditions, the specialist appears to be using which of the following approaches in research? a. open-systems b. systematic study c. human resources approach d. observational e. scientific management

b.systematic study

Which of the following aspects of an organization has this chapter focused the least on? a. common goals b. two or more people c. change d. co-ordination e. continuous basis

c.change

Considering behaviour within the context in which it occurs is known as the ________ approach. a. absolute b. rational c. contingency d. empowerment e. behavioural

c.contingency

Zeke is an employee who achieves his goals. This shows Zeke is a. performing. b. efficient. c. effective. d. motivated. e. diverse.

c.effective.

Working with others and workplace diversity are challenges at the ________ level. a. ethical b. individual c. group d. organizational e. motivational

c.group

A consciously coordinated social unit composed of a group of people that function on a relatively continuous basis to achieve a common set of goals is known as a(n) a. work group. b. team. c. organization. d. society. e. task force.

c.organization.

OB looks at three basic levels of analysis and organization. The group level includes all of the following independent variables except a. leadership. b. group decision making. c. organizational culture. d. work teams. e. group structure.

c.organizational culture.

Individual-level variables that have been shown to affect group and organizational behaviour include a. technology. b. organizational culture. c. perception. d. human resource policy. e. group behaviour.

c.perception.

How organizations develop human strengths, foster vitality and resilience, and unlock potential is called a. orientation. b. groupthink. c. positive organizational scholarship. d. human dynamics. e. organizational politics.

c.positive organizational scholarship.

Individuals face various challenges in organizational settings. Which of the following organizational challenges is OB be best suited for a. maintaining stock prices. b. profit projection. c. setting common goals. d. time management. e. protocol on the job.

c.setting

As employees move beyond their traditional function of labour, what roles are they asked to play? a. making job satisfaction an extremely high priority b. focusing on making workplaces pleasant environments c. sharing in decision-making processes d. managing global competition e. following orders

c.sharing in decision-making processes

Which behavioural science discipline contributes to OB's understanding of group decision-making processes? a. anthropology b. psychology c. social psychology d. sociology e. political science

c.social psychology

The most significant contributions to OB with respect to implementing change and reducing barriers to its acceptance has been made by a. psychology. b. sociology. c. social psychology. d. political science. e. anthropology.

c.social psychology.

Among the research methods in OB, which would most likely employ questionnaires and interviews? a. case studies b. meta-analysis c. survey studies d. field studies e. laboratory studies

c.survey studies

Generally, the best method for obtaining knowledge regarding human behaviour is the a. common sense approach. b. observational approach. c. systematic approach. d. theoretical approach. e. intuitive approach.

c.systematic approach.

Which of the following is the most accurate description of ethics? a. Ethics are easy to implement at the organizational level as best illustrated at Enron Corporation. b. Ethics look at past personal traumas. c. Ethics is common sense that informs us as to whether our actions are right or wrong. d. Ethics is the study of moral values that guide our behaviour. e. Ethics help us do the "right" thing.

d.Ethics is the study of moral values that guide our behaviour.

Which of the following is not considered an organization? a. church b. university c. military unit d. all 45 year old adults in a community e. municipal, provincial and federal government agencies

d.all 45 year old adults in a community

The behavioural science that underlies organizational culture is known as a. psychology. b. sociology. c. social psychology. d. anthropology. e. political science.

d.anthropology.

By putting people first, it is thought that employees will become more effective and hence more productive. What are some of the challenges inherent in putting people first? a. initial loss in production b. cultural confusion c. blurring of lines between management and labour d. balancing cultural sensitivity with the bottom line e. incompatibility between differing cultural backgrounds

d.balancing cultural sensitivity with the bottom line

The approach to organization behaviour which suggests that its answers "depend upon the situation" is called the a. behavioural approach. b. mechanistic approach. c. organic approach. d. contingency approach. e. field study approach.

d.contingency approach.

Members of groups must contend with various challenges on the job. Which of the following would not be considered a group challenge? a. understanding workforce diversity b. working with others who do not share a common ethnic background c. developing an atmosphere of team spirit and support d. empowerment e. working with others from different cultures

d.empowerment

In all of his undertakings at work, Norm is a leader who looks to do the right thing. This refers to his a. efficiency. b. effectiveness. c. performance. d. ethics. e. motivation.

d.ethics.

Individuals face various challenges on the job. Which of the following would not be considered an individual challenge? a. maintaining job satisfaction b. sustaining workplace motivation c. creating a positive work attitude d. focusing on global competition e. behaving ethically on the job

d.focusing on global competition

Tom noticed that there is a wide variety of personalities, perception and attitudes among his staff members, which he believes affects how they behave. These are known as a. empowerment. b. job satisfaction. c. groupthink. d. individual differences. e. motivation.

d.individual differences.

Employee productivity, developing effective employees, and developing a positive work environment are challenges at the _______ level. a. ethical b. individual c. group d. organizational e. motivational

d.organizational

In OB, looking at relationships, attempting to attribute causes and effects, and basing conclusions on scientific evidence is referred to as a. a contingency approach. b. an absolute approach. c. a consistency approach. d. systematic study. e. intense scrutiny

d.systematic study.

Why should you increase your understanding of workforce diversity? a. to be politically correct b. the Canadian workplace is becoming more homogenous c. to eliminate differences amongst employees d. the Canadian workplace is becoming more heterogeneous e. to communicate more proficiently

d.the Canadian workplace is becoming more heterogeneous

Workforce diversity is a. counter-productive to job satisfaction. b. the variance among workers' pay scales. c. the distribution of workers by hair colour. d. the differences among employees based on age. e. the ratio of assistants to managers.

d.the differences among employees based on age.

Which of the following is true about ethics? a. is easy to implement at the organizational level, as best illustrated at Enron Corporation b. is the study of consciously coordinated social units c. aims to understand motivations for individual behaviours d. informs us as to whether a job is intrinsically rewarding e. helps us do the "right" thing

e.helps us do the "right" thing

Organizational behaviour has implications for all personnel in the workplace. Some of OB's challenges and opportunities include all of the following except a. it acknowledges employees are forces of innovation and change. b. it offers specific insights to improve interpersonal and people skills. c. it helps us learn to balance the relationship between efficiency of resources with effectiveness of delivery. d. it facilitates the improvement of quality and employee productivity. e. it reinforces the importance of traditional methods of management.

e.it reinforces the importance of traditional methods of management.

A major theme underlying the process of organizational behaviour is the belief that human behaviour is a. opaque. b. instinctual. c. unpredictable. d. intuitive. e. knowable.

e.knowable.

Amongst the research methods in OB, which would most likely employ simulated and controlled settings? a. survey studies b. meta-analysis c. field studies d. case studies e. laboratory studies

e.laboratory studies

A field of study that investigates the impact of individuals, groups, and structure on behaviour within organizations is known as a. psychology. b. sociology. c. social psychology. d. anthropology. e. organizational behaviour.

e.organizational behaviour.

Toronto-based Dell Canada's technical service lines are handled by technicians located in India. This is an example of a. repatriation. b. immigration. c. emigration. d. nationalism. e. outsourcing.

e.outsourcing.

Which of the following situations would likely receive the least benefit from studying Organizational Behaviour(OB) techniques? a. voluntary community groups b. large family situations and interactions c. post-secondary education student study groups d. religious organizations e. pre-teen paper routes

e.pre-teen paper routes

A major characteristic of empowerment is a. re-engineering the workplace. b. establishing a new program of TQM. c. developing new styles of leadership. d. developing ways of more effectively controlling work. e. putting employees in charge of what they do.

e.putting employees in charge of what they do

When managers empower their employees they are a. re-engineering the workplace. b. establishing a new program of TQM. c. developing new styles of leadership. d. developing ways of more effectively controlling work. e. putting employees in charge of what they do.

e.putting employees in charge of what they do.

The OB subject of "power" has been most influenced by which behavioural science discipline? a. psychology b. social psychology c. anthropology d. political science e. sociology

e.sociology