MANA3335 MindTap Assignment: Chapter 01: Understanding The Manager's Job

Classical management remains relevant to contemporary managers. In which of the following current situations is the relevance of classical management apparent?

*Amazon.com's business model emphasizes efficiency {Classical management largely viewed people as machines providing necessary labor. Thus, classical management principles are associated with efficiency, job specialization, bureaucracies, manufacturing jobs, and organizations functioning in highly stable environments}

What can management researchers infer from this study? Check all that apply.

*Cognitive skills show the least change in level required between junior-level and senior-level managers *If managers want to progress from junior to senior management, they will increase their use of strategic skills at a faster rate than they acquire cognitive skills {Mumford, Campion, and Morgeson's results are interesting because they show that all levels of managers use all types of skills; This research also shows the importance of both cognitive (conceptual) and interpersonal skills across all levels of management, and that senior managers have a greater need for strategic and business skills than junior managers}

After reviewing data on a number of stimulus projects that are underway, a senator decides which ones she will vote to defund because they do not meet her standards.

*Controlling {The senator is monitoring the stimulus projects, and by deciding which projects should stop, the senator is performing the function of control}

Which of the following activities is most likely part of a typical workday for Christine?

*Coordinating the work of all of the departments in a division {This organizational chart highlights the role of a middle manager. Managers at this level of the organization have job titles such as operations manager, plant manager, and division head. They have responsibilities related to resources, objectives, coordination, subunit performance, and strategy implementation. In this case, coordinating the work of all of the departments in a division is an example of coordination}

Congratulations! You and two classmates received an A+ on your group project. As you reflect on the process, you make a list detailing why you worked together so effectively. Which of the following statements relate specifically to the effectiveness of your group? Check all that apply.

*Early in the semester, the group met with the professor to ensure that your proposed topic would meet all of the requirements for the project *Using the course syllabus, the group made a checklist of what must be included in the project to earn the most points possible *Before starting to do research, each group member reviewed his or her class notes and identified the themes that the professor seemed to emphasize the most in class {Effectiveness relates to making and successfully implementing the right decisions. An effective class project is one that addresses the topics or themes emphasized by the professor and meets all of the specific requirements articulated by the professor; Making sure group members did not duplicate their research efforts and running efficient meetings relate to efficiency, not effectiveness}

The chairman of a large retailer announces that she may find investors to buy the company. She reassures employees that she is doing this to save the company.

*Leading {Helping employees to see that management is on their side is an important part of keeping them motivated. Here, the chairman is performing the leading function of management}

The manager of a pizza restaurant creates a schedule to determine which employees will work on New Year's Eve.

*Organizing {Organizing involves the implementation of a plan. Because the restaurant manager is allocating her resources (the employees), she is involved in the organizing function of management}

Walmart has posted a job description for an open position focused on the following responsibilities: managing the merchandising of new products in the appropriate store areas; selecting appropriate shelving and display materials throughout the store; identifying needed store repairs. Which type of organizational resource will this job manage?

*Physical {Managers who manage physical resources focus on the organization's facilities, equipment, and supplies}

The CEO of a pharmaceutical company works with the board of directors to estimate the dividends the company will pay in the future.

*Planning {The CEO is performing the planning function of management, because predicting future dividends is essentially setting a financial goal for the company}

According to most management researchers, the modern study of management originated in which century?

*The 19th century {While management as a practice can be traced back thousands of years and ancient philosophers discussed management practices, the modern study of management did not begin until the 19th century, when the Industrial Revolution focused the attention of thinkers on the problems of larger organizations}

The Hawthorne Studies tested the hypothesis that illumination and worker productivity are positively correlated, but productivity increased regardless of lighting conditions. What reason was given for the surprising outcome of the Hawthorne Studies?

*The results were attributed to the fact that workers in both the control and experimental groups received special attention {The Hawthorne Studies hypothesized that variables like lighting would influence productivity. However, production improved whether lighting was good or bad. The researchers concluded that the attention paid to the employees influenced productivity, even in poor working conditions, thus suggesting that meeting human psychological needs is important to organizational success}

If you decide to give a presentation on quality, which topics might you include? Check all that apply.

*The tendency for quality improvements to lower costs *The competitive advantage offered by quality products and services *The positive relationship between quality and productivity {Organizations that focus on quality tend to gain a competitive advantage, increase productivity, lower costs, and move to market more quickly. The relationship of quality to productivity, costs, and speed can seem counterintuitive since it might seem that to ensure quality, an organization would have to spend more and work slower. In fact, the same improvements to operations that result in a higher-quality product/service also tend to produce it more effectively and efficiently. Thanks to social media, there is a high risk that a dissatisfied customer will post a review or even a recording of a poor customer service experience that will then be widely shared. Organizations can try to protect themselves from this risk by providing excellent customer service as well as by having a strong social media presence themselves so as to engage immediately and positively in potentially harmful exchanges}

A local management association has asked you to participate on a panel discussion about quality. Which of the following issues should you be prepared to discuss? Check all that apply.

*The value of increasing productivity and reducing costs *The importance of customer satisfaction as a competitive advantage and driver of profits {Quality is important to organizations because it is a key component of customer satisfaction. In addition, improving the quality of goods and services tends to streamline their production and/or delivery, resulting in less waste and rework—in other words, higher productivity and lower costs. Thus, higher quality drives higher profits. Other challenges/opportunities facing managers today include globalization and diversity. A global supply chain is one aspect of globalization, as is the diversity of employees in different countries, and the U.S. workforce is itself becoming more diverse in many ways}

Here, Deshane is reviewing blueprints for his company's latest building as he plans a long-term strategy for where the company should build in the next 10 years. Deshane is using ________ skills to complete this task.

*conceptual {Deshane is using conceptual skills to plan his organization's next move. Conceptual skills are used for high-level planning activities; They require a manager to be able to see the big picture and to understand how the organization is and could be affected by its environment}

The ___________ , which arose in contrast to the classical, behavioral, and quantitative approaches, states that different approaches to management are appropriate in different circumstances.

*contingency perspective {The contingency perspective states that different management approaches are better depending on the characteristics of the organization and its environment. This is in contrast to universal perspectives, which seek to identify the one best way to manage}

Imagine that in consultation with a human resources professional, Jack realizes that the way he treats his staff is hurting the organization. He will use his ________ skills to analyze what he is doing wrong and how to improve.

*diagnostic {In this situation, Jack would be using diagnostic skills; Managers use these skills to analyze a problem or opportunity in term of its causes and consequences and then arrive at an effective solution; Jack might participate in an anger management program in which he would learn how to express negative feedback in a respectful, constructive manner; Jack would use decision-making skills to determine that he needed to change his behavior; he would use time management skills to add an anger management program to his schedule while continuing to complete his other tasks}

As environmental forces change—including consumer shopping patterns and the power of competitors—companies like JCPenney and Best Buy seek to remain relevant. They seek to avoid _______________.

*entropy {Entropy is a normal process leading to system decline. It may occur when an organization does not adequately monitor environmental feedback and make adjustments}

Thinkers such as Abraham Maslow and Douglas McGregor founded the ____________ , arguing that workers' social context is important to their productivity.

*human relations movement {Beginning with the Hawthorne Studies, the human relations movement investigated the idea that the workplace provides people with a social context and meets (or does not meet) their psychological needs}

If you know that Christine holds the highlighted position in the organizational chart shown here, she is probably a _____________ manager. A job title associated with that level of management is _________.

*middle *division head

The ________ management perspective is valuable for automobile manufacturers that use computer simulations and modeling to study outcomes like fuel efficiency and collision damage.

*quantitative {Quantitative is the correct answer because it is the only management perspective that relies upon simulations and mathematical modeling}

Disney experienced _________ with the development of the movie Frozen, because it was able to also use Frozen as a theme at its theme parks and in product merchandising.

*synergy {Synergy is the result when two or more subsystems work together to create more value than if the two operated separately. Because Disney was able to use characters, music, and other elements of Frozen to create many products, Disney achieved synergy}

The term used for conceptual frameworks that organize knowledge and provide blueprints for action is

*theory {The definition of a theory is a conceptual framework for organizing knowledge and providing a blueprint for action}

Imagine that you have been invited to speak at a management conference on a topic of emerging significance to managers. First, you need to choose a topic. Then, you need to decide what to say about it that will be interesting and useful to your audience. Your friend who is a human resources manager suggests that you give a presentation on changing employment practices. Some organizations examine job applicants' social media accounts before hiring them, and many have a policy that management can access all communications that flow across the organization's technology infrastructure. As a result, employees are increasingly concerned about ____________ .

*workplace privacy {The policies mentioned here—reviewing a candidate's personal social media accounts and accessing an employee's communications, even emails to one other employee or customer—raise issues of workplace privacy. With an increase in remote work arrangements, some organizations are even more concerned about monitoring their employees to ensure they are working productively. Organizations may capture keystrokes, take screenshots, and even insist that web cams be turned on. At the same time, many employees are even more resistant to being monitored, since the organization may also learn information about the employee's personal life or even about the lives of other members of the employee's household}

Imagine you are the manager of a quick-service restaurant that sells sub sandwiches. Using the systems perspective, match each item in the table below with the appropriate system element. Sandwiches Vegetable prep Baking Garbage

From top to bottom *Output *Transformation Process *Transformation Process *Output {In the systems perspective, inputs are transformed into outputs, and feedback enables the system to be improved in the future. For a sandwich shop, anything that is used to create the product being sold is an input. These inputs are transformed into outputs, including the product itself, the profit it earns when sold, and waste}

Indicate the order in which Frederick Taylor's four basic steps of scientific management should be performed in order to optimize employee productivity. Supervise employees to make sure they follow the prescribed methods for performing their jobs. Scientifically select employees and then train them to do the job as described. Continue to plan the work, but use workers to get the work done. Develop a science for each element of the job to replace old rule-of-thumb methods.

From top to bottom *Step 3 *Step 2 *Step 4 *Step 1 {There are four steps in the system of scientific management developed by Frederick Taylor. The steps are as follows: (1) develop a science for each element of the job to replace old rule-of-thumb methods, (2) scientifically select employees and then train them to do the job as described in the first step, (3) supervise employees to make sure they follow the prescribed methods for performing their jobs, and (4) continue to plan the work, but use workers to get the work done}

Douglas McGregor's Theory X and Theory Y model represents the human relations approach to management. For each characteristic, select whether it is consistent with a Theory X or Theory Y approach. People have little ambition. People will take advantage of management if they can. Work is a natural part of people's lives.

From top to bottom *Theory X *Theory X *Theory Y {Douglas McGregor developed a model in which there are two basic approaches to management: Theory X and Theory Y. Managers who believe in the Theory X approach believe employees need strong supervision, and that employees will tend to avoid work when they can. Theory Y managers believe that employees want to work and are capable when given the proper resources}