Organization Behavior Final CH. 18
Which of the following resistances to change is overt and immediate? A) loss of loyalty B) increased absenteeism C) loss of motivation D) increased error E) complaint
E
After restructuring, your division has had trouble filling the open positions with appropriate candidates. The selection processes used by human resources have not yet adjusted to the new criteria required for the restructured job positions. This problem is an example of which kind of resistance to change? A) structural inertia B) limited focus of change C) group inertia D) threat to expertise E) threat to established power relationships
A
) Change is not as inevitable for companies as it is for individuals.
F
Which of the following resistances to change is implicit? A) strike B) absenteeism C) resignation D) complaint E) work slowdown
B
An example of change in competition is ________. A) U.S. manufactured Toyota vehicles B) collapse of Enron Corporation C) Iraq-U.S. war D) increased interest in urban living E) a decrease in interest rates
A
Which of the following is an example of an organizational source of resistance to change? A) limited focus of change B) security C) fear of the unknown D) selective information processing E) habit
A) limited focus of change
As a result of changing technology and unstable environment, your company is planning to undertake restructuring of the business. The employees in your company are worried about this upcoming change and many of them are anxious due to a fear that they will lose their jobs as a result of this change. But that is not the case. The company only wants to restructure its business units, and it is not planning to cut down on jobs. In such a situation, which of the following techniques is most likely to be used by your company to deal with the employees' resistance to change? A) implementing changes fairly B) education and communication C) participation D) manipulation and cooptation E) coercion
B
Organizations are increasingly adjusting their processes and positioning their products as environment friendly and sustainable in order to increase their appeal to consumers. This is a response to changes in ________. A) demographic trends B) social trends C) cultural trends D) legal requirements E) nature of the workforce
B
Selective information processing is a major source of resistance to change. It indicates that ________. A) changes in organizational patterns may threaten the expertise of specialized groups so these groups tend to resist change B) individuals hear what they want to hear and they ignore information that challenges the world they've created C) limited changes in subsystems tend to be nullified by the larger system D) groups in the organization that control sizable resources often resist change E) even if individuals want to change their behavior, group norms may act as a constraint
B
Which of the following tactics for overcoming resistance to change is most likely to be beneficial when employees' fear and anxiety are high? A) manipulation B) building support and commitment C) participation D) implementing changes fairly E) coercion
B) building support and commitment
"Buying off" the leaders of a resistance group by giving them a key role and seeking their advice not to find a better solution but to get their endorsement is an example of ________. A) coercion B) cooptation C) procedural fairness D) distributive bargaining E) operant conditioning
B) cooptation
Which tactic for overcoming resistance to change basically assumes that the source of resistance lies in misinformation? A) implementing changes fairly B) participation C) education and communication D) coercion E) cooptation and manipulation
C) education and communication
Which tactic to overcome resistance to change is a relatively inexpensive way to gain the support of adversaries, but may backfire if the targets become aware of the tactic? A) negotiation B) conciliation C) manipulation D) coercion E) arbitration
C) manipulation
Which of the following is an example of an individual source of resistance to change? A) limited focus of change B) product orientation C) fear of the unknown D) structural inertia E) employee orientation
C) fear of the unknown
A paper sales company designs and offers a new method of purchasing and shipping commercial quantities of paper through its Web site. The company used to do its business through its sales representative. This is an example of a(n) ________ change. A) accidental B) secondary C) planned D) cognitive E) integrated
C) planned
Procedural fairness while implementing changes is especially important when ________. A) the organization is facing intense competition B) the employees have participated in the decision-making process C) the employees perceive the outcome as negative D) the environment in which the business operates is dynamic E) the employees are resisting the change due to group inertia
C) the employees perceive the outcome as negative
Limited focus of change is a major source of resistance to change that originates from an organizational source. It indicates that ________. A) groups in the organization that control sizable resources often resist change B) changes in organizational patterns may threaten the expertise of specialized groups so these groups tend to resist change C) organizations have structural inertia that acts as a counterbalance to sustain stability D) organizations consist of a number of interdependent subsystems and one can't be changed without affecting the others E) even if individuals want to change their behavior, group norms may act as a constraint
D
________ are persons who act as catalysts and assume the responsibility for managing refinement activities. A) Early adopters B) Free riders C) Laggards D) Change agents E) Whistle-blowers
D) Change agents
The application of direct threats or force upon resisters is called ________. A) negotiation B) cooptation C) manipulation D) coercion E) arbitration
D) coercion
Management of a company threatens to close a manufacturing plant in the company whose employees are resisting an across-the-board pay cut. But this threat is actually untrue. In this case, which of the following tactics of overcoming resistance to change is being used by the management? A) procedural fairness B) negotiation C) conciliation D) manipulation E) arbitration
D) manipulation
Which of the following reactions from employees is preferable as a response to change? A) silence B) apathy C) resignation D) open discussion E) increase in the use of sick time
D) open discussion
Organizations have built-in mechanisms—like their selection processes and formalized regulations—to produce stability. When an organization is confronted with change, these mechanisms act as a counterbalance to sustain stability. Which of the following organizational sources of resistance to change is represented by these mechanisms? A) group inertia B) selective information processing C) employee-orientation D) structural inertia E) product-orientation
D) structural inertia
An example of change in the nature of the workforce is an increase in ________. A) college attendance B) mergers and consolidations C) capital investment D) divorce rates E) cultural diversity
E) cultural diversity
A(n) ________ resistance to change clouds the link between the change and the reaction to it and may surface weeks, months, or even years later. A) overt B) immediate C) active D) explicit E) deferred
E) deferred
Using covert influence to overcome resistance to change is called ________. A) negotiation B) conciliation C) education D) coercion E) manipulation
E) manipulation
It is easiest for management to deal with resistance when it is ________. A) concealed B) deferred C) passive D) implicit E) overt
E) overt
Companies with dominant market share are less susceptible to the forces of change than smaller businesses.
F
If individuals resisting change are included in making change decisions in an attempt to gain their support, this approach is called ________. A) cooptation B) exploitation C) arbitration D) coercion E) conciliation
cooptation
