Intro To Management Midterm

In the context of the kinds of managers, middle managers:

are responsible for planning and allocating resources to meet organizational objectives.

_____ is a measure of the intensity of competitive behavior among companies in an industry.

Character of the rivalry

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

Departmentalization

According to the World Trade Organization (WTO), voluntary export restraints are legal and cannot be questioned.

False

Human skills are the ability to see an organization as a whole.

False

Organizational development takes a short-range approach to change.

False

Proactive monitoring of customers involves identifying and addressing customer trends and problems after they occur.

False

The chain of command is a vertical line of responsibility that clarifies which task has to be performed by whom.

False

_____ is a change based on incremental improvements to a dominant technological design such that the improved technology is fully backward compatible with the older technology.

Generational change

Which of the following statements is true of planning?

It intensifies the effort put in by managers and employees.

Which of the following best defines scientific management?

It is the thorough studying and testing of different work methods to identify the best, most efficient way to complete a job.

In the context of scientific management, who among the following is a rate buster?

Jasmine, who completes her work before its due date

_____ is a cycle of repetition in which a company tests a prototype of a new product or service, improves on that design, and then builds and tests the improved product or service prototype.

A design iteration

_____ are companies using an adaptive strategy that seeks to minimize risk and maximize profits by following or imitating the proven successes of companies that seek fast growth by searching for new market opportunities, encouraging risk taking, and being the first to bring innovative new products to market.

Analyzers

SweetCream is an ice cream manufacturer. It sells Guilt-Free, a zero-calorie ice cream, which competes with FlavorBell's MooSweet, a low-calorie ice cream. FlavorBell reduces MooSweet's prices to match Guilt-Free's prices. Identify the strategic move that is most likely being implemented by FlavorBell in this scenario.

Attack

Travis, the advertising manager of a photo imaging company, is responsible for compiling a list of the company's potential advertising sources for the upcoming year. However, he assigns this task to his immediate subordinates so that he can focus on project scheduling. In the context of organizational authority, which of the following is best illustrated in this scenario?

Delegation of authority

Curtab, a company that manufactures digital watches, implements marketing strategies to attempt to eliminate analog watches from the market and thereby increase the market share of the company. To counter this, analog watch manufacturers introduce new advertising campaigns. In the context of innovation streams, which of the following concepts does this scenario best illustrate?

Design competition

_____ is a strategy for reducing risk by buying a variety of items so that the failure of one stock or one business does not doom the entire portfolio.

Diversification

The managers at Alpha Corp. are closely observing trends in the industry. They are trying to identify factors that might have a significant influence on Alpha's business operations. Which of the following concepts is illustrated in the scenario?

Environmental scanning

Environmental uncertainty refers to the abundance or shortage of critical organizational resources in an organization's external environment.

False

Global new ventures are foreign offices, facilities, and manufacturing plants that are 100 percent owned by the parent company.

False

One of the first technologies to truly revolutionize the business use of information was a stone tablet.

False

_____ developed the 14 principles of management.

Henri Fayol

Which of the following is the most important factor in determining the success and failure of an international assignment?

How well an expatriate's spouse and family adjust to the foreign culture

Most of the employees at Worthempt, an accounting firm, express their grievances to Vincent, a senior human resources coordinator, because he is highly considerate and approachable. The employees believe that Vincent never fails to get issues solved for them. In this scenario, which of the following skills is Vincent most likely to possess?

Human skills

Which of the following statements is true of bureaucracy?

It allows people to lead by virtue of their rational-legal authority.

Which of the following best defines an incremental change?

It is a phase in which companies innovate by lowering the cost and improving the functioning and performance of a dominant design.

As the art director of a film production company, Arthur carries out the duties that are assigned to him by his manager. At the same time, Arthur issues orders to the assistant art directors who work under him. In the context of organizational authority, which of the following features of a traditional organizational structure does this scenario best illustrate?

Line authority

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

Organizational structure

_____ is associated with the risk of major changes in political regimes that can result from war, revolution, death of political leaders, social unrest, or other influential events.

Political uncertainty

_____ are standing plans that indicate the specific steps that should be taken in response to a particular event.

Procedures

_____ are specific limits on the number or volume of imported products.

Quotas

At a canning factory, employees are strictly instructed to wear a uniform while working around the canning machines. Which of the following kinds of standing plans is exemplified in this scenario?

Rules and regulations

Bennyson Corp. has five strategic business units (SBUs)—information technology, construction, education, consumer products, and energy. Its energy unit has a large market share in the industry and generates the majority of its profits. Bennyson is also considering investing more funds into the unit as the industry has been rapidly growing. In the context of the BCG matrix, which of the following categories of SBUs best describes the energy unit?

Stars

Jem Dons has three strategic business units (SBUs)—smartphones, healthcare, and accounting. Its smartphone unit is its most profitable unit and is the current market leader in the rapidly growing industry. In the context of the BCG matrix, which of the following categories of SBUs best describes the smartphones unit?

Stars

Which of the following is a decision-making method that can be used to create c-type conflict by assigning an individual or a subgroup the role of critic?

The devil's advocacy approach

Which of the following conditions must be met if a firm's resources are to be used to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage?

The resources must be valuable, rare, and nonsubstitutable

According to Linda Hill's study, which of the following is true of managers' initial expectations about their job?

They believe that their job is to tell others what to do.

Which of the following is a similarity between Frederick W. Taylor and Lillian Gilbreth?

They both strove to simplify work.

Bankruptcy or dissolution is likely to occur in the crisis stage unless a company completely reorganizes the way it does business.

True

Managers influence customer satisfaction through employee satisfaction.

True

One of the practical implications of the contingency approach to management is that management is much harder than it looks.

True

The working relationships between modular organizations and outside companies tend to be more stable and longer lasting than the relationships found among the virtual companies in a network alliance.

True

In the context of managing organizational change, which of the following is a difference between unfreezing and refreezing?

Unfreezing is getting the people affected by change to believe that change is needed, whereas refreezing is supporting and reinforcing the new changes so that they stick.

Which of the following statements is true of creative work environments?

Workers become bored when they can do more than is required of them.

One of the advantages of _____ is that the founding companies bear only part of the costs and the risks of that business.

a joint venture

In the context of the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) matrix, unlike cash cows, dogs have:

a small share of a slow-growing market.

Teeny Toys Inc., a chain of toy stores, has decided to donate free toys to orphanages across the United States. This scenario illustrates that the company is aiming at fulfilling its _____.

discretionary responsibility

Most of the managers and team members of Wilbesht, a pharmaceutical company, are under the age of 40. The structure of the company is informal and flexible. This scenario best illustrates Wilbesht's _____.

organizational culture

Under the _____, an individual should never take any action that harms the least fortunate people in some way.

principle of distributive justice

A(n) _____ is a countermove, prompted by a rival's attack, that is designed to defend or improve a company's market share or profit.

response

Chris is part of the top management of a bank. He formulates a plan on how the bank will deal with its competitors and serve its customers for the next five years. In this scenario, Chris has most likely contributed to developing the bank's _____.

strategic plan

Sarah, the cofounder of a start-up company that sells sports goods, prepares a purpose statement for the company. In the purpose statement, she clarifies how the company will deal with its competitors and provide services to its customers. In this scenario, Sarah has most likely contributed to developing the company's _____.

strategic plan

Unlike nontariff barriers, tariffs _____.

are direct taxes on imported goods

Helene, a senior manager of an accounting firm, replaces a few of the company's existing processes and policies. Instead of the flexible nine-hour work plan, she makes it mandatory for all employees to work from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. In this scenario, Helene is most likely using _____.

behavioral substitution

The chief financial officer of Benjampt, a manufacturing company, disagrees with the rest of the senior managers about the renewal of the company's manufacturing license. They have conflicting interests because of their different career experiences. However, they are willing to weigh their opinions and arrive at the best possible solution. In this scenario, the conflict among the senior members best exemplifies _____.

c-type conflict

In the context of systems management, unlike open systems, closed systems:

can function without interacting with their environments.

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

chain of command

Craftmaples, a chain of handicraft stores, was established with the purpose of preserving traditional handicrafts. The company's strategic purpose is clear to all its employees, and all of them work toward achieving the same purpose. This scenario best illustrates Craftmaples's _____.

company mission

In the context of the strategies used by firms to minimize risks, _____ is an active strategy to prevent or reduce political risks.

control

In the context of using groups to improve decision making, which of the following is a difference between c-type conflict and a-type conflict?

d. Unlike c-type conflict, a-type conflict often results in anger and resentment.

Unlike the distinctive competencies of a company, the core capabilities of a company:

determine how efficiently inputs can be turned into outputs

Bob's Assembly is a hardware manufacturer. It specializes in builders' hardware for doors, cabinets, windows, and bathrooms. Bob's Assembly products are economical and more durable than 95% of its competitors' products. This scenario illustrates the concept of _____.

distinctive competence

According to forecasts, different parts of the country Frecciatona are likely to be affected by water shortage. Following this news, the chief operations officer of Frantef Appliances, a company that manufactures and supplies household devices in Frecciatona, plans to introduce a new model of dishwasher that makes efficient use of small amounts of water. In the context of changing environments, this scenario best illustrates _____.

environmental uncertainty

A(n) _____ is someone who lives and works outside his or her native country.

expatriate

Diane is the office manager at Pamentas, a luxury watch manufacturer. She organizes the office operations and procedures, assigns and monitors functions of the entry-level employees and the housekeeping staff, controls correspondence in the office, and overlooks front-office operations at the company. In this scenario, Diane is most likely a _____ at Pamentas.

first-line manager

A team leader is responsible for:

fostering good relationships within his or her team.

The economy is a part of the _____ that influences all organizations.

general environment

Unlike patriarchal organizations, bureaucratic organizations:

hire people based on their technical training or education

In the _____ of organizational decline, as organizational performance problems become more visible, management may recognize the need to change but still take no measures.

inaction stage

Elaine works as a history professor. The skills required for her job are limited and easy to acquire, and the job tends to get monotonous. She is unsatisfied with her job and often feels the need to switch jobs. In the context of job design, this scenario best illustrates _____.

job specialization

When Jane appeared for an interview at Incogyn Inc., she was promised a monthly pay of $7,500 after all tax deductions. However, after her first month at work, she received only $7,230. She filed a suit against the company on the grounds of misrepresentation of information, and the company incurred losses because of the amount it had to pay as fine. In the context of the general environment, this scenario best illustrates the effect of the _____ on organizations.

legal component

In an organization, _____ are responsible for developing and carrying out operational plans.

lower-level managers

In the context of direct competition between firms, _____ affects the likelihood of an attack or a response to an attack.

market commonality

In an organization, _____ are responsible for the creation of tactical plans.

middle managers

In the context of managing innovation, _____ are formal project review points used to assess progress and performance.

milestones

In the context of intraorganizational processes, _____ are characterized by broadly defined jobs and responsibilities; loosely defined, frequently changing roles; and decentralized authority and horizontal communication based on task knowledge.

organic organizations

The product developers at Travimext, a company that manufactures computer parts, have specialized tablet screens at their desks that display 3-dimensional representations of prototypes they create along with all the specifications of the prototypes. This scenario best illustrates _____.

organizational innovation

Jane is in charge of her Rotary Club's annual fundraising auction. She has to determine the site of the event and decide who will collect donations from local businesses. She also has to decide who will sell tickets to customers and who will conduct the auction. Jane is engaged in the management function of _____.

organizing

The compression approach to innovation management is used in:

periods of incremental change.

A court ruling against the wrongful dismissal of employees is a development in the _____ component of the general environment.

political/legal

Fred always takes two hours to complete a job that can be completed in one hour. He believes that taking more time to finish his work will impress his supervisors. In the context of workplace deviance, this is an example of _____.

production deviance

Joanna wanted a raise, but her manager was not ready to give her one. As a consequence to the manager's act, she decided to run a magnet through all the office computers and damaged them. In the context of workplace deviance, Joanna's actions are an example of _____.

property deviance

Nathan is a software engineer working for an information technology company. He has been selling the company's information and software designs to its competitors. In the context of workplace deviance, Nathan's actions are an example of _____.

property deviance

Terragemt, a construction company, has to complete the construction of a skyscraper by the end of the next fiscal year. To meet this target, the site engineers have made plans to complete one floor each week. In this scenario, Terragemt's plan to complete one floor each week is an example of a _____.

proximal goal

Managers feel confident that they can understand, predict, and react to the external forces affecting their businesses when:

resource scarcity is low.

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

skill variety

Matt refused to illegally download his favorite artist's new album even though his preordered copy was arriving late. He believes that he cannot support the artist and the music industry if he illegally downloads music. In the context of Kohlberg's stages of moral development, Matthew is at the _____ of moral development in this scenario.

social contract stage

According to Linda Hill's study, after six months as a manager, most of the new managers believed that their job was to:

solve problems for their subordinates

In the context of the informational subroles identified by Professor Henry Mintzberg, managers in the _____ share information with people outside their departments or companies.

spokesperson role

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

A laptop manufacturer has created a set of methods to deal with specific technical issues raised by customers. In this scenario, this set of methods represents a _____.

standing plan

Ingente Corp. and Ventruni Corp. will be combining their resources to build the largest railway system in the world. Both companies will equally share costs and profits from this venture. This form of global business is an example of a _____.

strategic alliance

In the context of nontariff barriers, _____ include government loans, grants, and tax deferments given to domestic companies to protect them from foreign competition.

subsidies

A software company had to lay off many of its employees across the world in order to cut overhead costs. After the layoffs, the available resources among all the departments of the organization were globally shared. This led to the company improving its overall productivity. This approach is an example of _____.

synergy

In a company that produces containers, the employees were divided into two teams to foster competition in order to increase production. Each team produced 100 containers per day. When the managers of the company integrated the two teams into one, they found that the number of containers produced per day was 300. This was due to the increased division of labor and coordination among the employees. This approach is an example of _____.

synergy

Kyle, the human resources manager of an electrical company, is preparing an estimate of the recruitment requirements, training overheads, and induction expenditure for the next six months to present to the chief human resources officer of the company. In this scenario, Kyle is most likely creating a(n) _____.

tactical plan

When agricultural machines were introduced, a number of industries benefited from them. At the same time, a number of farmers and small organizations that relied on manual labor and traditional methods of agriculture lost their business. In the context of the general environment, this scenario best illustrates the effect of the _____ on organizations.

technological component

Benjamin saw one of his colleagues stealing office supplies while all the other employees had gone for lunch. He immediately reported the incident to his supervisor. Benjamin's action is an example of _____.

whistle-blowing

Which of the following best defines a SWOT analysis?

a. It involves assessment of the strengths and weaknesses in an organization's internal environment.