Management

In the context of organizational authority, which of the following is a difference between a line function and a staff function?

A line function contributes directly to selling a company's products, whereas a staff function does not contribute directly to selling a company's products but instead supports line activities.

Which of the following is true of the right team size for good performance?

A team must be large enough to take advantage of team members' diverse skills and knowledge.

_____ is the degree to which workers in a team have the discretion, freedom, and independence to decide how and when to accomplish their jobs.

Autonomy

Which of the following is a similarity between functional departmentalization and product departmentalization?

Both allow managers and workers to specialize in one area of expertise.

In the context of autonomy, which of the following is a similarity between self-managing teams and self-designing teams?

Both can manage and control all of the major tasks directly related to production of a product.

In the context of autonomy, which of the following is a similarity between traditional work groups and employee involvement teams?

Both lack the authority to make decisions related to the major tasks required to produce a product or service.

_____ means that teams no longer have to go through the frustratingly slow process of multilevel reviews and sign-offs to get management approval before making changes.

Bureaucratic immunity

In which of the following ways can teams have healthy conflicts?

By focusing on issues rather than personalities

_____ is the location of most authority at the upper levels of an organization.

Centralization of authority

In the context of the stages of team development, which of the following is a difference between storming and performing?

Conflicts and disagreements often characterize the storming stage, whereas disagreements are rare in the performing stage.

Which of the following is a declining stage when teams are not effectively managed?

De-forming

_____ is a method of subdividing work and workers into separate organizational units that take responsibility for completing particular tasks.

Departmentalization

Which of the following is a difference between employee involvement teams and semi-autonomous work groups?

Employee involvement teams do not have the authority to make decisions, whereas semi-autonomous groups have the authority to make decisions.

In the context of organizational structures, which of the following forms of departmentalization lowers costs by reducing duplication?

Functional departmentalization

Which of the following signs indicates that a team's size needs to be changed?

If a few members dominate the team

Which of the following is a disadvantage of a large team?

In a large team, team members find it difficult to get to know one another.

In the context of matrix departmentalization, which of the following is a difference between a simple matrix and a complex matrix?

In a simple matrix, managers in different parts of the matrix negotiate conflicts directly, whereas in a complex matrix, managers in different parts of the matrix report to matrix managers who help resolve conflicts.

Which of the following is an advantage of matrix departmentalization?

It allows companies to manage large, complex tasks in an efficient manner.

Which of the following statements is true of functional departmentalization?

It allows work to be done by highly qualified specialists.

Which of the following is an advantage of geographic departmentalization?

It can reduce costs by locating unique organizational resources closer to customers.

In the context of organizational authority, which of the following is an advantage of decentralization?

It develops employee capabilities throughout a company and leads to faster decision making and more satisfied customers and employees.

​Which of the following defines job posting?

It is a procedure for advertising job openings within a company to existing employees.

In the context of organizational authority, which of the following statements best defines a staff function?

It is an activity that does not contribute directly to creating or selling a company's products but instead supports line activities.

Which of the following best defines delegation of authority?

It is the assignment of direct responsibility to a subordinate to complete tasks for which the manager is normally responsible.

In the context of organizational authority, which of the following best defines staff authority?

It is the right to advise but not command others who are not subordinates in the chain of command.

Which of the following statements is true of groupthink?

It leads to consideration of a limited number of alternative solutions.

In the context of job design, which of the following is true of job specialization?

It occurs when a job is composed of a small part of a larger task or process.

In the context of organizational authority, which of the following is an advantage of unity of command?

It prevents the confusion that might arise when an employee receives conflicting commands from two different bosses.

Which of the following statements is true of affective conflict?

It relates to the emotional reactions that can occur when disagreements become personal rather than professional.

In the context of the chain of command in an organization, which of the following is a difference between line authority and staff authority?

Line authority is the right to command immediate subordinates, whereas staff authority is the right to advise but not command people who are not subordinates.

_____ is a hybrid organizational structure in which two or more forms of departmentalization are used together.

Matrix departmentalization

In the context of organizational environments, which of the following is a difference between mechanistic organizations and organic organizations?

Mechanistic organizations work best in stable, unchanging business environments, whereas organic organizations work best in dynamic, changing business environments.

_____ is the vertical and horizontal configuration of departments, authority, and jobs within a company.

Organizational structure

Which of the following is a characteristic of cognitive conflict?

Reconciliation

Which of the following has the most autonomy in the autonomy continuum?

Self-designing teams

_____ is the stage of team development when team members jockey for position and try to establish a favorable role for themselves on the team.

Storming

_____ means giving teams the ability to change organizational designs, policies, and practices if doing so helps them meet their stretch goals.

Structural accommodation

_____ represents the variances or differences in ability, experience, personality, or any other factor on a team.

Team diversity

Which of the following is necessary for stretch goals to effectively motivate teams?

Teams must be empowered with control of resources, such as budgets, workspaces, and computers.

In the context of organizational environments, which of the following is true of mechanistic organizations?

They are characterized by specialized jobs and responsibilities.

Which of the following statements is true of members of self-managing teams?

They handle and control all of the major tasks directly related to production of a product or service without first getting approval from management.

Identify a true statement about team norms.

They often lead to stronger organizational commitment.

Which of the following is an advantage of project teams?

They reduce communication barriers.

Which of the following statements is true of team norms?

They regulate the everyday actions that allow teams to function effectively.

Which of the following statements is true of members of virtual teams?

They use email and videoconferencing for business communication.

In the context of the different kinds of teams, which of the following is a difference between traditional work groups and self-designing teams?

Traditional work groups have the least autonomy, whereas self-designing teams have the most autonomy.

_____ is a management principle which means that workers should report to just one boss.

Unity of command

Which of the following is a difference between individualists and collectivists?

Unlike individualists, collectivists would rather cooperate than compete.

In the context of job design, identify a difference between job rotation and job enlargement.

Unlike job rotation, job enlargement increases the number of different tasks that a worker performs within one particular job.

Which of the following is a difference between product departmentalization and matrix departmentalization?

Unlike organizations with product departmentalization, organizations with matrix departmentalization use two or more forms of departmentalization together.

In the context of organizational structure, _____ is defined as the right to give commands, take action, and make decisions to achieve organizational objectives.

authority

During the norming stage of team development, team members:

begin to settle into their roles as team members.

In the context of autonomy, unlike self-managing teams, self-designing teams:

can control and change the memberships of the teams.

An organization's _____ is defined as the vertical line of authority that clarifies who reports to whom throughout the organization.

chain of command

Mary's company trained her to perform managerial functions, formulate innovative strategies, and also solve technical issues. Given this information, it is likely that Mary's company provided her _____.

cross-training

​The term _____ refers to a variety of demographic, cultural, and personal differences among an organization's employees and customers.

diversity

Traditional work groups are different from self-managing teams in that team members:

do not have direct responsibility or control over their work.

In the context of the job characteristics model, _____ is motivation that comes from the job itself rather than from outside rewards such as a raise or praise from the boss.

internal motivation

In the context of team conflict, unlike affective conflict, cognitive conflict:

is strongly associated with improvements in team performance.

The _____ is an approach to job redesign that seeks to formulate jobs in ways that motivate workers and lead to positive work outcomes.

job characteristics model

Billy works as a book editor in a publishing company. The chief supervisor of the company makes Billy work with a different department every month. In the context of job design, this is an example of _____.

job rotation

In the context of job design, _____ allows companies to retain the economic benefits of specialized work because employees simply switch from one specialized job to another.

job rotation

In the context of autonomy, unlike semi-autonomous work groups, employee involvement teams:

lack the authority to make decisions.

Stewart, the station manager of Reflect FM, a radio station, has the power to assign duties to the station's radio program controllers who report to him. In the context of organizational authority, Stewart most likely has _____.

line authority

Self-managing teams are different from semi-autonomous work groups in that team members:

manage and control all of the major tasks directly related to production of a product without first getting approval from management.

A marketing team at Wident Inc. consists of six people. Randy is the only team member who speaks for the entire duration in every team meeting and does not let other team members share their views. This work team is most likely experiencing _____.

minority domination

In the _____ stage of team development, team members often become intensely loyal to one another and feel mutual accountability for team successes and failures.

performing

A team of engineers and architects has been formed to work on the construction of a bridge. The team will work together on-site till the construction of the bridge is complete. Thereafter, it will be dissolved. This team is an example of a(n) _____.

project team

A team of scientists is assembled to conduct research on a new source of renewable energy. Research and development will continue for one year after which the team will be disbanded. This team is an example of a(n) _____.

project team

A(n) _____ is created to complete specific, one-time tasks within a limited time.

project team

A _____ is a form of matrix departmentalization in which managers in different parts of the matrix negotiate conflicts and resources directly.

simple matrix

For most teams, the right size is somewhere between _____ members.

six and nine

In the context of the job characteristics model, _____ is the number of different activities performed in a job.

skill variety

In the context of team compensation and recognition, _____ encourage employees to acquire the abilities that they will need to perform multiple jobs within a team and to share knowledge with others within their work groups.

skill-based pay programs

Denzel, the production manager in a paper manufacturing company, advises the editorial manager of the company to increase the number of units of paper produced per week. In the context of organizational authority, Denzel is most likely exercising _____.

staff authority

Judith, the public relations officer of a music production company, advises her peers on how they can contribute to managing the company's external communication. In the context of organizational authority, Judith is most likely exercising _____.

staff authority

In the context of organizational authority, _____ is solving problems by consistently applying the same rules, procedures, and processes.

standardization

JankMag is a fashion magazine that recently hired creative writers and journalists for its new humor section. The team members know each other but face minor disagreements on ideas, and the team productivity is low. The group is in the _____ stage of team development.

storming

Henry, the vice president of Walnut Corp., has observed that the sales team and the marketing team are often fighting over shared resources after the company encountered a financial crisis. This scenario illustrates the concept of _____.

team conflict

Social loafing occurs when:

team members withhold their efforts and fail to perform their share of the work.

The primary disadvantage of customer departmentalization is:

that it leads to duplication of resources.

One transfer that occurs with delegation of authority is:

that the manager gives the subordinate full authority over the budget, resources, and personnel needed to do the assigned job.

Unlike cognitive conflict, affective conflict:

undermines team performance by preventing teams from engaging in the kinds of activities that are critical to team effectiveness.

​Which of the following programs seeks to benefit both organizations and their employees by encouraging organizations to value all kinds of differences instead of punishing them for not achieving specific sex and race ratios in their work forces?

​A diversity program

​Which of the following is a difference between a diversity program and an affirmative action program?

​A diversity program aims at creating a positive work environment where no one is advantaged or disadvantaged, whereas an affirmative action program aims at compensating for past discrimination and preventing ongoing discrimination.

​Which of the following is a difference between a quid pro quo case and a case of hostile work environment case?

​A quid pro quo case can result in economic injury, whereas a case of hostile work environment can lead to psychological injury.

​The government of a country is working to change employers' perceptions of older workers and encourage companies to abandon mandatory retirement plans. In the context of dimensions of surface-level diversity, which of the following types of discrimination is the government trying to eliminate?

​Age discrimination

​Which of the following best describes organizational plurality?

​All members are empowered to contribute in a way that maximizes the benefits to an organization, customers, and themselves.

​Which of the following is a reason for downsizing?

​Cost cutting

​A job candidate is rejected on the pretext that he is hearing impaired. Which of the following types of discrimination does this exemplify?

​Disability discrimination

​Which of the following is a criterion outlined in the Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures that is used in determining whether companies have engaged in discriminatory hiring and promotion practices?

​Disparate treatment

​Capital Chemicals Corp. recently faced a legal hassle following which many process operators resigned voluntarily. The company fell short of efficient and experienced process operators and struggled to cope with the situation. Which of the following kinds of turnover does this scenario exemplify?

​Dysfunctional turnover

​The recruitment head at Auburn Inc. circulated an email to all the employees requesting them to share profiles of suitable candidates. Pamela forwarded one of her friends' resume to the recruitment head as she felt that her friend's expertise would suit the job description. Which of the following methods of recruitment has Auburn Inc. adopted in this scenario?

​Employee referral

​Which of the following is a subjective performance measure?

​Graphic rating scales

​Which of the following is a difference between structured interviews and unstructured interviews?

​In structured interviews, interviewers prepare standardized interview questions ahead of time; whereas, in unstructured interviews, interviewers are free to ask applicants anything they want.

​Which of the following is true of diversity?

​It decreases absenteeism.

​Which of the following is an advantage of a structured interview?

​It facilitates comparison between applicants since all applicants are asked the same questions.

​Which of the following is an advantage of internal recruiting?

​It improves employee commitment and morale.

​Which of the following is true of internal recruiting?

​It involves organizing career conferences and job fairs.

​Which of the following is true of developmental feedback?

​It is designed to improve future performance.

​Which of the following best defines validation?

​It is the process of determining how well a selection test or procedure predicts future job performance.

​Which of the following statements is true of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA)?

​It requires that employers provide employees with a workplace that is free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm.

​Which of the following is a reason for smaller representation of minority groups in management positions?

​Most companies prefer hiring whites than candidates of minority groups.

​Camila is a new employee at Dario Enterprises and is undergoing training. A senior employee from her team is assigned to mentor Camila. Camila learns by watching her mentor perform various tasks and by working on simple tasks alongside her mentor. Which of the following training methods has Dario Enterprises adopted to train Camila?

​On-the-job training

​Which of the following statements is true of employee turnover?

​One of the best ways to influence functional and dysfunctional turnover is to link pay directly to performance.

​Which of the following strategies should be used by companies to minimize sex discrimination?

​Pairing promising female executives with senior executives

​Flagon Inc., a bottle manufacturing company, pays its employees 50 cents for every bottle that is produced in addition to the production rate of 200 bottles per day. Which of the following compensation systems has Flagon adopted?

​Piecework

​Which of the following is a purpose of performance appraisals?

​Providing learning opportunities to employees

​In which of the following ways can companies ensure that people with disabilities have the same opportunities as everyone else?

​Providing reasonable workplace accommodations for disabled employees

​Which of the following is an example of adverse impact, a criterion used in determining whether companies have engaged in discriminatory hiring and promotion practices?

​Sixty percent of the questions on a competitive exam taken by blacks, Hispanics, and Chinese were on African American history, and most of the candidates who passed the test were blacks.

​Zenzar Corp. is a software firm that plans to hire technical writers for its new project. The job requires candidates with good technical writing skills. Which of the following tests would be appropriate to test this ability of candidates?

​Specific ability test

​Which of the following will help managers in managing company diversity programs effectively?

​Tailoring opportunities to individuals, not groups

​Which of the following is a difference between the access and legitimacy paradigm and the learning and effectiveness paradigm?

​The access and legitimacy paradigm focuses on the surface-level diversity dimensions of sex, race, and ethnicity, whereas the learning and effectiveness paradigm focuses on integrating deep-level diversity differences, such as personality, attitudes, beliefs, and values, into the actual work of an organization.

​Rohit, an Indian, is a marketing executive in an American company. He graduated from a top Ivy League university in the United States and is known for his outstanding performance, positive attitude, and innovative ideas. Despite his educational qualifications and skills, Rohit is not promoted as the marketing manager. Instead, Ryan, a white male with lesser experience and average performance, is promoted as the marketing manager. Which of the following is most likely the reason that Rohit is not promoted?

​The company prefers to have white Americans at top positions.

​Cerulean Corp. comprises 80 percent African American employees. The company has a record of high employee turnover over the past five years. Which of the following measures should Cerulean take to reduce the employee turnover rate?

​The company should recruit a diverse work force.

​Rosemond Inc. manufactures cosmetics for women. Although majority of its customers are females, it has only 30 percent female employees. The company has been witnessing decline in sales as more innovative products have entered the market. The top management at Rosemond has realized that the company should understand customer needs and introduce new products. In this scenario, which of the following steps should Rosemond take to understand customer requirements?

​The company should recruit more female employees.

​In the context of recruiting, which of the following kinds of information can be gathered by job analysis?

​The knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform work

​Which of the following is true of older workers?

​They care about the quality of work they do.

​Which of the following steps should companies take to reduce age discrimination?

​They need to monitor the extent to which older workers receive training.

​Which of the following is an external recruitment method?

​Walk-in

​Which of the following is a significant factor behind the lack of women at top levels of management?

​Women face sex discrimination.

​It is commonly believed that older workers:

​are less productive.

​Ignatius Inc., a lock manufacturer, is part of a national program in which employers encourage disabled workers to work with ease. To help workers with sight impairments, Ignatius has provided them with magnifying lenses that give them the vision acuity as they need to work on the small parts within a lock. These lenses are an example of _____.

​assistive technology

​Diversity drives business growth by:

​attracting different customers and markets.

​Due to an increase in the amount of employee turnover in a company, the company decided to be very thorough in gathering accurate information about the job applicants. It decided to uncover all job-related information not provided by the applicants in order to hire only those candidates who do not have an inconsistent employment history. This scenario illustrates that the company should conduct a _____.

​background check

​Unlike affirmative action, diversity:

​can exist even if organizations do not take purposeful steps to create it.

Companies use early retirement incentive programs (ERIPs) to:​

​create job opportunities for people inside the company.

​A(n) _____ is a mental or physical impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.

​disability

​Darlene Jespersen used to work in a sports bar. Despite being nominated by her manager for a promotion for her outstanding performance, the nomination was rejected, and a male coworker was awarded the promotion. Subsequently, Darlene's manager informed her that she was not promoted because the post requires working extra hours, and the management considered that to be a difficult task for a female employee. This is an example of _____.

​disparate treatment

​Manuela, a Hispanic sales executive, is a new employee at Taupe Inc. Kevin, an Irish American, is also a marketing executive at Taupe with two years of experience. Kevin is assigned the task of mentoring Manuela. The objective of mentoring is not only to train Manuela but also to change employees' stereotypical beliefs and attitudes about different ethnic groups. This scenario illustrates _____.

​diversity pairing

​When Galax Inc., a logistics firm, hired Melissa as its president, it became evident that Galax does not have a(n) _____ to prevent women from rising to leadership positions.

​glass ceiling

​The _____ focuses on bringing different talents and perspectives together to make the best organizational decisions and to produce innovative, competitive products and services.

​learning and effectiveness paradigm

​Sienna Inc., a software firm, decided to hire a technical expert. The company conducted an aptitude test followed by structured interviews for candidates. David, an African American, did exceptionally well in all the assessments but was rejected. Sienna has been known for discrimination against African Americans in several instances. David filed a case against Sienna on charges of racial discrimination. In the context of affirmative action, the company is most likely required to:

​pay attorney's fees and court costs for David.

​From a legal perspective, the two kinds of sexual harassment are:

​quid pro quo and hostile work environment.

​A female worker is working late hours at her office. Her manager approaches her on the pretext of inquiring about work updates. He casually turns the conversation into a personal one and starts touching her and making explicit remarks about her body. The female worker reacts furiously and tells the manager that she would take this issue to the human resources department. The manager feels intimidated and threatens her that if she files any complaints, her appraisal will be affected. This case is an example of _____.

​quid pro quo sexual harassment

Recognizing deep-level diversity is important because it can:​

​result in less prejudice, discrimination, and conflict in the workplace.

​A popular cell phone company is known for its diverse work force. When the company had to make a decision on product positioning in a new market, managers of different ethnic groups had different views due to cultural differences. Such conflicts were common in several decision making situations, which has become a critical issue in the company. In this scenario, _____ should be employed to minimize these differences among the managers.

​social integration

​The access and legitimacy paradigm focuses on:

​the acceptance and celebration of differences to ensure that the diversity within a company matches the diversity found among primary stakeholders.

​Jennifer applied for the job of a waitress at Sam's Coffee shop. During the recruitment, the recruiter asked her to make five different types of beverages and wait the tables for an hour. In this scenario, the recruiter conducted a _____.

​work sample test

​Job specifications are:

​written summaries of the qualifications needed to successfully perform a particular job.