MGT 331 Chapter 1

Turnover

Occurs when someone leaves the organization, and can have indirect financial costs.

Organizational behavior is the study of human behavior in organizational settings, the interface between human behavior and _____________ , and the organization itself.

The organization

Technical skills

The skills necessary to accomplish specific tasks.

The success of a growth strategy depends on the firm's ability ____________________________ to sustain its intended growth.

To find and retain the right number and types of employees

Customer intimacy strategy

Tries to deliver unique and customizable products and services to customers to meet their unique needs and increase their loyalty.

Amy volunteers to help a new coworker learn how to use the company's intranet. What behavior is this an example of?

Performance

Which of the following scenarios most clearly exemplifies the successful use of a manager's diagnostic skills in dealing with people?

Sally suspects that Gary is under performing because he is not getting enough sleep, not because he incapable. She lets him work from 10 to 6 instead of 9 to 5, and his performance improves.

According to Michael Porter, to have a __________________ a company must ultimately be able to give customers superior value for their money (a combination of quality, service, and acceptable price)—either a better product that is worth a premium price or a good product at a lower price can be a source of competitive advantage.

Competitive advantage

Why is it important for managers to understand that Hawthorne effect?

It showed that people improve their performance when they know they're being observed

Written predictions specifying expected relationships between certain variables are known as ________.

Hypothesis

Internationalism

Individuals and situations interact continuously to determine individuals' behavior.

Human relations movement

Organizations are cooperative systems and workers' orientations, values, and feelings are important parts of organizational dynamics and performance.

Diagnostic skills

The ability to understand cause-and-effect relationships and to recognize the optimal solutions to problems.

Chipotle Mexican Grill lets customers choose the exact ingredients they want on their burritos. Identify the business strategy illustrated

Customer Intimacy

Your region has many supermarket bakeries, but there aren't any niche cafes offering superior coffee and home-baked goods using local, organic ingredients. You decide to open such a business. Based on these factors, which types strategic behaviors would help assure that your small enterprise specializes and thrives?

Deliver unique products and services

A firm decides to specialize in designing new and innovative apps for the iPhone and to outsource their production. What would the organization's focus need to be to execute each strategy?

Focusing on innovation, problem solving, and teamwork

This course focuses on how organizations and the behaviors of the people who comprise them all function within the context of an environment. What is the primary focus on part 2, 3, and 4 of the text, respectively?

Individuals, groups, and teams, leadership

Pete invests $1 million in new robots to improve the efficiency of Mattel's toy manufacturing process. OB illustrated by the situation being described.

Inputs

Organizational behavior is defined as the study of three interrelated areas, one of which is the __________.

Interface between individuals and organization.

When Pedro tries to persuade his teammates to increase their production rate he is most heavily relying on his ________ skills.

Interpersonal

Within Odyssey Adventures, Ramon is known as an expert in the hotels, restaurants, and amenities at various luxury destinations. Because he is enthusiastic and knowledgeable, he is highly encouraging clients to extend their vacation plans with add-on packages and upgraded experiences. Which management skill does this ability best demonstrate?

Interpersonal skills

By its very nature, __________ requires an understanding of human behavior to help managers better comprehend behaviors at different organizational levels, at the same organizational level, in other organizations, and in themselves.

Management

Shell Oil is part of a system that uses materials, human resources, financial resources, and information to affect its environment. Which of the following is NOT one of Shell Oil's outputs?

Money received from oil and gas

Hershey has large manufacturing facilities that turn cocoa beans, sugar, and milk into a wide variety of delicious chocolate products OB illustrated by the situation being described.

Process

Scientific management

Productivity is maximized when organizations are rationalized with precise sets of instructions based on time-and-motion studies.

Conceptual skills

Refer to the ability think in the abstract.

Scientific method

Relies on systematic studies that identify and replicate a result using a variety of methods, samples, and settings.

Intuition

Relying on an understanding of many of the norms, expectations, and behaviors of others learned from living and working with them.

Old Navy relies on a cost leadership strategy and needs to keep all of its expenses as low as possible. What would the organization's focus need to be to execute each strategy?

Relying on low-wage employees and trying to automate as many jobs as possible

Harley-Davidson decided that it would only manufacture motorcycles, not cars or other types of vehicles. Identify the business strategy illustrated

Specialization

When Sonia, a new graduate, begins her career as an engineer, she will most rely on her _________ skills to perform her job responsibilities at Boeing.

Technical

Checking software code for accuracy at Google, is what type of skill?

Technical skill

Ashanti is the founder of a small app development firm. She devised a method of meeting deadlines that has proven very effective for her organization. She believes that her method will also work for any other organization. What type of perspective does this belief reflect?

Universal

Which of the following factors did W. Edwards Deming believe should be removed from the workplace?

Fear

A ________ employee tends to be absent less often, to make positive contributions to the company, and to stay with the organization.

Satisfied

Which of the following factors is NOT a typical positive result when managers make a practice of listening to employees, recognizing their work, building trust, and behaving ethically?

Savings through staff layoffs

Developing new ways to hire and train employees and paying them higher wages can result in which of the following benefits?

It can result in better retention of employees

Which of the following is true about global mindset?

It combines cultural intelligence and a multinational business orientation.

May sells 20 cars in a month. What behavior is this an example of?

Productivity

Starbucks is primarily following a specialization strategy and focuses on a narrow set of beverage and food products. What would the organization's focus need to be to execute each strategy?

Creating customer loyalty through operational flexibility and employees' knowledge about their customers

Which of the following are ways that organizational behavior impacts individuals' success?

- Organizational behavior can help people be better managers. - Organizational behavior can help people be better employees. - Organizational behavior can help employees advance faster in their careers. - Organizational behavior can improve team effectiveness.

Theory

A collection of verbal and symbolic assertions that specify how and why variables are related, and the conditions under which they should and should not relate.

Meta-analysis

A statistical technique used to combine the results of many different research studies done in a variety of organizations and for a variety of jobs.

A system

An interrelated set of elements that function as a whole.

Cost leadership strategy

Involves striving to be the lowest-cost producer for a particular level of product quality. For Walmart, this means not only negotiating for low prices but also maximizing the efficiency of the supply chain to keep distribution costs low.

Michael Porter says that companies gain a competitive advantage by giving customers ___________.

Superior value for their money

When Mark Zuckerberg came up with the idea for Facebook and decided to make a company to pursue the idea, he relied most heavily on his __________ skills.

Conceptual

Identifying a new business area that GE can successfully pursue, is what type of skill?

Conceptual skill

Walmart decided to compete by negotiating the lowest possible prices with its suppliers and maximizing the efficiency of its supply chain. Identify the business strategy illustrated

Cost leadership

When Marissa Mayer became CEO of Yahoo and tried to identify how to turn around the ailing company she relied heavily on her _________ skills.

Diagnostic

Figuring out why the number and quality of job applicants is falling at IBM and figuring out what to do about it, is what type of skill?

Diagnostic skill

Ryan steals $1,000 from the company. What behavior is this an example of?

Dysfunctional behavior

Under the systems perspective, which of the following is NOT an output that managers generate from the four inputs of materials, human resources, financial resources, and information?

Environment stewardship

Which of the following is the primary competitive advantage Costco has over Sam's Club, its closet competition?

Excellent customer experience

Which of the following employee behaviors are associated with effective management?

Identification with the company

Situational perspective

In most organizations, situations and outcomes are influenced by other variables.

Jeweler Tiffany & Co. is following a differentiation strategy and wants to charge a high price for high quality jewelry. What would the organization's focus need to be to execute each strategy?

Leadership that develops and supports a customer service culture, and rewards tied to great customer service

Bill Owen's team at Lamar Advertising recently lost a big account and team morale has fallen. Bill decides to treat his employees to lunch and give them a pep talk to show his appreciation and to let them know that he believes in the team. Identify the managerial function illustrated

Leading

Tyler plans to quit in a few months. What behavior is this an example of?

Organizational behavior

As Facebook grew, Mark Zuckerberg had to redefine employees' areas of responsibility and increase the number of hierarchical layers in the organization to maximize efficiency and performance during the company's rapid growth. Identify the managerial function illustrated

Organizing

After offshoring many employees' jobs and reducing pay for those who remain, the surviving employees of Acme go on strike. OB illustrated by the situation being described.

Output

Specialization strategy

Focuses on a narrow market segment or niche and pursuing either a differentiation or cost leadership strategy within that market segment.

Andy and Laura were talking during their break from their jobs at a retail store. ANDY: I really wanted to go to the concert Saturday night but I just got scheduled to work late. LAURA: Why don't you just call in sick so that you can go? Which organizational behavior concept does their conversation best illustrate?

Performance

Candace states that part of managing involves making sure everyone is organized and where they are supposed to be at the right time. Which school of thought is most consistent with a concern about making sure everyone is organized and where they are supposed to be at the right time?

Scientific management

Sue, the owner of Camp Bow Wow, says that she wants her facility to be the best of all facilities like hers in Boulder, the best of the Camp Bow Wows, and the best in the system as a whole. She wants customers to know that they always do everything they can do to address concerns and the level of service has to match expectations of the customer. This is an example of a

Specialization by building customer intimacy

As you sit at your desk on your first day back after a rejuvenating vacation to the Caribbean, you bring your mind back to your work as the head of a beverage bottling plant. You have a lot of work to catch up on, and need to prioritize what is most important to address today. Because the recent loss of a long-term client account has dampened the morale of your employees you decide to spend an hour walking around your unit motivating and thanking your team for their continued contributions to the plant. Which of the following basic management functions did you just engage in?

Leading

Consumer tastes in snack foods have been changing. Yun Zhang, a marketing manager at Frito-Lay, recognizes a new business opportunity in low-salt and low-fat snack foods and decides that the company needs to establish a leadership position in this new market. Identify the managerial function illustrated

Planning

Interpersonal skills

The ability to effectively communicate with, understand, and motivate individuals and groups.

Organizing

The process of designing jobs, grouping jobs into units, and establishing patterns of authority between jobs and units.

Correlation

The size and strength of the statistical relationship between two variables.

If it is true that whenever a manager encounters a particular situation (such as motivating employees to work harder), and a single approach exists (such as raising pay) that will lead to the desired outcome, which perspective on organizational behavior is being supported?

The universal perspective

Dependent variable

The variable predicted to be affected by something else.