OB final
________ is the only tactic effective across organizational levels.
Rational persuasion The effectiveness of some influence tactics depends on the direction of influence. For instance, rational persuasion is the only tactic effective across organizational levels.
In terms of the full range of leadership models, which leadership behavior represents the most active and effective approach for leaders?
idealized influence According to the full range of leadership models, idealized influence, wherein a leader provides vision, establishes a sense of mission, and instills pride is the most active and effective leadership behavior. By doing so, the leader gains respect and trust.
The work of your group would be better done in teams if the members of the team are ________.
interdependent The work of your group would be better done in teams if the members of the team are interdependent. Using teams makes sense when there is interdependence among tasks such that the success of the whole depends on the success of each one, and the success of each one depends on the success of the others.
Role perception is defined as ________.
our view of how we are supposed to act in a given situation Role perception is an individual's view of how he or she is supposed to act in a given situation.
The important groups to which an individual belongs or hopes to belong are known as ________ groups.
reference Reference groups are groups in which a person is aware of other members, defines himself or herself as a member or would like to be a member, and feels group members are significant to him or her.
Scarlett has received authorization to add an assistant manager to her department. This person will be working closely with Scarlett and must have excellent interpersonal as well as technical skills. Scarlett wants to make certain that she maximizes the chance of choosing the correct individual and is trying to decide on the most appropriate selection device. In order to assess the management skills of the applicants and managerial potential, Scarlet should ________.
use an assessment center An elaborate set of performance-simulation tests specifically designed to evaluate a candidate's managerial potential is administered in assessment centers. Line executives, supervisors, and/or trained psychologists evaluate candidates as they go through one to several days of exercises that simulate real problems they would confront on the job.
Which of the following statements best defines a workgroup?
A workgroup interacts primarily to share information, rather than to engage in work that requires joint effort. A group consists of two or more individuals, interacting and interdependent, who have come together to achieve particular objectives. A workgroup is defined as a group that interacts primarily to share information and makes decisions to help each group member perform within his or her area of responsibility. They have no need or opportunity to engage in collective work that requires a joint effort.
Which of the following statements is true regarding conflict?
Diversity of goals among groups is a major source of conflict. Diversity of goals among groups is a major source of conflict. People high in the personality traits of disagreeableness, neuroticism, or self-monitoring are more likely to engage in a conflict.
Which of the following statements is true with regard to team processes?
Effective teams invest time and effort to discuss and agree on a purpose that belongs to them both collectively and individually. Effective teams begin by analyzing the team's mission, developing goals to achieve that mission, and creating strategies for achieving the goals. Teams that consistently perform better have established a clear sense of what needs to be done and how. Members of successful teams put a tremendous amount of time and effort into discussing, shaping, and agreeing on a purpose that belongs to them both collectively and individually.
The division manager at Xperience Inc. wants to replace the SAP ERP currently used in his division with Epicor ERP as it costs 30 percent less to train new staff in Epicor ERP. But this leads to a conflict with the general manager, who insists that they can simply hire only people who already know how to use SAP ERP. Which of the following, if true, weakens the general manager's objection to the replacement of SAP ERP with Epicor ERP?
Experienced users of SAP ERP command much higher salaries than do prospective employees who have no experience in the use of any ERP. The general manager's objection is based on avoiding training costs altogether. But if hiring experienced users of SAP ERP is significantly more costly than hiring otherwise qualified people who would have to be trained to use Epicor ERP, the objection is weakened. Hence, the fact that experienced users of SAP ERP command much higher salaries weakens it. The fact that the high costs of updates and upgrades make Epicor ERP more expensive to maintain than SAP ERP argues independently against replacing SAP ERP with Epicor ERP and thus is also incorrect. The rest of the options do not provide any information relevant to an evaluation of SAP ERP as compared with Epicor ERP.
A conflict-intensity continuum has "annihilatory conflict" at the upper end and "no conflict" at the lower end. In the context of this conflict-intensity continuum, which of the following statements is true of conflict intensities?
Functional conflicts are typically confined to the lower range of the conflict-intensity continuum. All conflicts exist somewhere along the conflict-intensity continuum. At the lower part are conflicts characterized by subtle, indirect, and highly controlled forms of tension. Conflict intensities escalate as they move upward along the continuum until they become highly destructive. Strikes, riots, and wars clearly fall in this upper range. Conflicts that reach the upper ranges of the continuum are almost always dysfunctional. Functional conflicts are typically confined to the lower range of the continuum.
Span of control is a key element of an organization's structure. Which of the following key questions is addressed by this element?
How many individuals can a manager efficiently and effectively direct? Span of control determines the number of levels and managers an organization has. All things being equal, the wider or larger the span, the more efficient the organization.
Which of the following is true with regard to the social identity theory?
It proposes that people have emotional reactions to the failure or success of their group because their self-esteem is tied to the group's performance. Social identity theory proposes that people have emotional reactions to the failure or success of their group because their self-esteem gets tied to the group's performance.
Which of the following statements regarding leadership is true?
Nonsanctioned leadership is as important as formal influence. The source of a leader's influence may be formal, such as that provided by managerial rank in an organization. But not all leaders are managers, nor, for that matter, are all managers leaders. Just because an organization provides its managers with certain formal rights is no assurance they will lead effectively. Nonsanctioned leadership—the ability to influence that arises outside the formal structure of the organization—is often as important as or more important than formal influence.
Which of the following statements best describes the difference between organizational culture and job satisfaction?
Organizational culture is descriptive, whereas job satisfaction is evaluative. The concept of organizational culture is concerned with how employees perceive the characteristics of an organization's culture, not whether they like them, and is therefore a descriptive term. On the other hand, the concept of job satisfaction seeks to measure how employees feel about the organization's expectations and reward practices and therefore is an evaluative term.
________ power represents the compliance that is achieved based on the ability to distribute positive benefits that others view as valuable.
Reward The opposite of coercive power is reward power, with which people comply because it produces positive benefits; someone who can distribute rewards others view as valuable will have power over them. These rewards can be either financial, such as controlling pay rates, or nonfinancial, including recognition or promotions.
Conservationists have had a perpetual conflict with the government of the United States over the fast and rampant depletion of Earth's natural resources. They argue that the United States must reduce its consumption level significantly to rectify this problem. Which of the following, if true, would most strengthen the conservationists' argument?
The United States accounts for one-third of the total world resource consumption. The fact that the United States has been conserving forests for many years has nothing to do with the conservationists' argument. Neither does the fact that there are several countries that have more requirements for resources than the United States nor the fact that new deposits are being discovered. The fact that most countries have not taken any measures to reduce the consumption level does not provide support for the conclusion. The fact that the United States consumes one-third of all resources used in the world supports the conclusion as the United States cannot increase consumption to more than one-third of the world's resources or they risk depleting Earth's resources even faster.
When the middle-level manager of the production department at Wilson Works was laid off, many employees who worked under him became apprehensive about their job security. The termination of their manager combined with the fact that their division had performed only moderately well in the last two quarters led the employees to believe that they were at a high risk of losing their jobs as well. Which of the following, if true, would weaken the argument that the production manager should hold face-to-face meetings to assure the employees in the production division?
The middle-level manager supervised over five hundred employees. The fact that the employees have serious concerns over job security strengthens the argument that the production manager should hold face-to-face meetings to assure the employees in the production division. The fact that rumors had spread about impending layoffs at Wilson Works also strengthens the argument that the production manager should hold face-to-face meetings to assure the employees in the production division. The fact that the middle-level manager supervised over five hundred employees weakens the argument that the production manager should hold face-to-face meetings to assure the employees in the production division as it is not feasible. The fact that Wilson Works has a strong formal communication network in place does not strengthen or weaken the argument presented here. The fact that the company has no fixed policy with regard to rightsizing employees does not strengthen or weaken the argument presented here.
Which of the following is true with regard to bases of power?
The personal sources of power are most effective for increasing employee performance and satisfaction. Of the three bases of formal power (coercive, reward, legitimate) and two bases of personal power (expert, referent), research suggests pretty clearly that the personal sources of power are most effective.
Which of the following statements is true regarding oral communication?
The sender can quickly obtain feedback from the receiver. The advantages of oral communication are speed and feedback. We can convey a verbal message and receive a response in minimal time. If the receiver is unsure of the message, rapid feedback allows the sender to quickly detect and correct it. The major disadvantage of oral communication surfaces whenever a message has to pass through a number of people: the more people, the greater the potential distortion.
According to a newly added office smoking regulation, only employees who have an enclosed office may smoke at their desks. This leads to a major conflict between various employees as virtually all employees with enclosed offices are higher-level managers and all other employees lack enclosed offices. Therefore, the lower-level employees who smoke argue that they should be offered enclosed offices. Which of the following, if true, strengthens the employees' argument?
The smoking regulations allow all employees who smoke an equal opportunity to do so, regardless of an employee's job level. If the smoking regulations allow all employees who smoke an equal opportunity to do so, regardless of an employee's job level, then the employees are justified in demanding enclosed offices. Hence, this strengthens their argument. If higher-level managers are willing to share, this only weakens the employees' argument as they don't need separate offices. The other options are all against rather than for the employees' argument. The fact that the company is a zealous supporter of the "Kick the butt before you kick the bucket campaign" is out of scope.
Chain of command is a key element of an organization's structure. Which of the following key questions is addressed by this element?
To whom do individuals and groups report? The chain of command is an unbroken line of authority that extends from the top of the organization to the lowest echelon and clarifies who reports to whom. It answers questions such as To whom do I go if I have a problem? and To whom am I responsible?
Which of the following statements is true regarding the effect of group cohesiveness and performance norms on group productivity?
When both cohesiveness and performance norms are high, productivity will be high. Studies consistently show that the relationship between cohesiveness and productivity depends on the group's performance-related norms. If performance-related norms are high, a cohesive group will be more productive than will a less cohesive group. If cohesiveness is high and performance norms are low, productivity will be low. If cohesiveness is low and performance norms are high, productivity increases, but less than in the high-cohesiveness/high-norms situation. When cohesiveness and performance-related norms are both low, productivity tends to fall into the low-to-moderate range.
Which of the following statements is true regarding the size of teams?
When teams have excess members, cohesiveness declines. Generally speaking, the most effective teams have five to nine members. When teams have excess members, cohesiveness and mutual accountability decline, social loafing increases, and more people communicate less.
Which of the following statements is true regarding work specialization?
Work specialization decreases the time spent in changing tasks. Work specialization indicates the degree to which activities in the organization are subdivided into separate jobs. Work specialization makes the most efficient use of employees' skills. Less time is spent in changing tasks, putting away tools and equipment from a prior step, and getting ready for another.
Written communication is characterized by ________.
a high degree of tangibility and verifiability Written communication is often tangible and verifiable. Both the sender and receiver have a record of the communication, and the message can be stored for an indefinite period.
An organizational culture most likely to shape high ethical standards among its members is one that ________.
balances the rights of multiple stakeholders The organizational culture most likely to shape high ethical standards among its members is one that's high in risk tolerance, low to moderate in aggressiveness, and focused on means as well as outcomes. This type of culture also takes a long-term perspective and balances the rights of multiple stakeholders, including the communities in which the business operates, its employees, and its stockholders.
Formal information channels are characterized by ________.
being compliant with the organizational authority chain Formal channels are established by the organization and transmit messages related to the professional activities of members. They traditionally follow the authority chain within the organization. Other forms of messages, such as personal or social, follow informal channels, which are spontaneous and emerge as a response to individual choices.
Which of the following is a desirable feature of leadership?
coexistence of leaders and managers Organizations need strong leadership and strong management for optimal effectiveness. We need leaders today to challenge the status quo, create visions of the future, and inspire organizational members to want to achieve the visions. We also need managers to formulate detailed plans, create efficient organizational structures, and oversee day-to-day operations.
Which of the following resistances to change is overt and immediate?
complaint Complaint is an overt and immediate response to change.
Lionel Tucker has been asked to lead a virtual team on a project with a tight time schedule. While allocating the project to him, his manager impressed upon him the need to complete this project successfully and in time so that this client gains enough confidence to use their services in the future. Lionel and his team communicate via e-mail as the team members are located at geographically dispersed locations. They have not had even one face-to-face meeting as yet. In this case, Lionel must have an ability to ________ in addition to all the other desirable abilities of a leader to lead the team successfully.
convey support and trust through electronic means Online leaders confront unique challenges, particularly around developing and maintaining trust. Identification-based trust, based on a mutual understanding of each other's intentions and appreciation of the other's wants and desires, is particularly difficult to achieve without face-to-face interaction. Lionel's team would be least likely to experience high levels of identification-based trust. Online negotiations might also be hindered because parties express lower levels of trust.
An example of change in the nature of the workforce is an increase in ________.
cultural diversity Almost every organization must adjust to a multicultural environment, demographic changes, immigration, and outsourcing. This represents the changing nature of the workforce.
Which of the following represents the major determinants of group development and functioning as depicted by the punctuated-equilibrium model?
deadlines and time constraints The punctuated-equilibrium model characterizes groups as exhibiting long periods of inertia interspersed with brief revolutionary changes triggered primarily by members' awareness of time and deadlines which serve as the major determinants of the group structure and dynamics.
You have just been named the director of your company's corporate training division. The CEO of your company has been displeased with your company's prior training programs, so you are tasked with rehauling the entire training division. You convene a meeting of all training division managers to decide on the types of training that the division will implement. One of your managers is a firm supporter of e-training programs for employees in your company's international offices. He touts the benefits of e-programs by stressing that ________.
e-training is highly flexible and employees can complete the training at their convenience On the positive side, e-training increases flexibility because organizations can deliver materials anywhere, any time. It also seems fast and efficient. On the other hand, it's expensive to design self-paced online materials, employees miss the social interaction of a classroom, online learners are more susceptible to distractions, and "clicking through" training without engaging in practice activities provides no assurance that employees have actually learned anything.
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?
education and communication Communicating the logic of a change can reduce employee resistance on two levels. First, it fights the effects of misinformation and poor communication: if employees receive the full facts and clear up misunderstandings, resistance should subside. Second, communication can help "sell" the need for change by packaging it properly.
Emotional intelligence (EI) is critical to effective leadership because one of its core components is ________, which reflects the consideration that leaders must be able to express.
empathy A core component of EI is empathy. Empathetic leaders can sense others' needs, listen to what followers say (and don't say), and read the reactions of others. The caring part of empathy, especially for the people with whom you work, is what inspires people to stay with a leader when the going gets rough.
Which of the following steps could your supervisor take to best help you develop a commitment to your new company?
encourage you to develop friendship ties within the organization It is important to encourage the newcomer to develop friendship ties in the organization because newcomers are more committed when friends and co-workers help them "learn the ropes."
Which of the following is a desirable strategy for managers aiming to reduce the negative consequences of rumors?
encouraging employees to communicate their concerns and suggestions To reduce the negative consequences of rumors, managers must provide information, explain actions and decisions that appear to be unfair, refrain from victimizing the messenger, and maintain open communication channels inviting employee suggestions and ideas.
Winston Mayer is a sales manager for a large beverage company. Winston is often seen working late and on weekends although the company stipulates a five-day workweek. Winston justifies his working extra by claiming that "in sales, one cannot afford to waste a minute" and he is often condescending when subordinates take their allotted time off. He frequently speaks to his manager about the deals he finalizes when he is working beyond the normal working hours to prove his point. From the information provided, we can say that Winston is using ________ as an impression management technique here.
exemplification Exemplification is an impression management technique that involves an individual doing more than he or she needs to in an effort to show how dedicated and hard-working he or she is.
Which of the following is an example of an individual source of resistance to change?
fear of the unknown Individual sources of resistance to change are habit, security, economic factors, fear of the unknown, and selective information processing.
In a communication process, ________ is the check on how successful we have been in transferring our messages as originally intended.
feedback Feedback is the check on how successful we have been in transferring our messages as originally intended. It determines whether understanding has been achieved.
Which of the following represents the informal communication network in an organization?
grapevine The informal communication network in a group or organization is called the grapevine. Although the grapevine may be informal, it's still an important source of information.
Which of the following represents the first action in the group development process of a temporary group?
group direction set Temporary groups with finite deadlines pass through a unique sequencing of actions (or inaction): (1) Their first meeting sets the group's direction, (2) the first phase of group activity is one of inertia and thus slower progress, (3) a transition takes place exactly when the group has used up half its allotted time, (4) this transition initiates major changes, (5) a second phase of inertia follows the transition, and (6) the group's last meeting is characterized by markedly accelerated activity.
Performance evaluations are used to ________.
help management make HR decisions Performance evaluation serves a number of purposes. One is to help management make general human resource decisions about promotions, transfers, and terminations.
Danny's boss is apathetic as to whether Danny works at home, at the office, or from his beach house. All he cares about is that the project is completed on time, on budget, and with exemplary quality. Which characteristic of organizational culture describes this aspect of Danny's job?
high outcome orientation Outcome orientation is the organizational culture characteristic that describes the degree to which management focuses on results or outcomes rather than on the techniques and processes used to achieve them. Danny's boss has a high focus on outcome.
Some individuals want work that makes minimal intellectual demands and provides the security of routine; for them, ________ is a source of job satisfaction.
high work specialization Some individuals want work that makes minimal intellectual demands and provides the security of routine; for them, high work specialization is a source of job satisfaction. Free flow of information, wide span of control, low formalization, and high decentralization are suitable for complex jobs that need high intellectual capabilities and are performed under uncertain environments.
Which of the following is an advantage of group decision making when compared to individual decision making?
increased diversity of views By aggregating the resources of several individuals, groups bring more input as well as heterogeneity into the decision process. They offer increased diversity of views. This opens up the opportunity to consider more approaches and alternatives.
Selective information processing is a major source of resistance to change. It indicates that ________.
individuals hear what they want to hear and they ignore information that challenges the world they've created Individuals are guilty of selectively processing information in order to keep their perceptions intact. They hear what they want to hear, and they ignore information that challenges the world they've created.
Synergy Inc. has recently assigned some of its best employees to form a cross-functional team and complete a project from a new client. Many of the employees on this team are apprehensive about the structure and dynamics of how they will function as a group and accomplish this goal. To energize the employees, their immediate manager is holding a meeting with them next week where he will provide them some additional training in strategies and methods that may work well for the team. The manager's initiative to hold this meeting fulfills the ________ function of communication.
information Communication serves four major functions within a group or organization: control, motivation, emotional expression, and information. The final function of communication is to facilitate decision making. Communication provides the information individuals and groups need to make decisions by transmitting the data needed to identify and evaluate choices.
Which of the following tends to have a disproportionate amount of influence on employee selection decisions?
interview Of all the selection devices organizations around the globe use to differentiate candidates, the interview remains the most common. It also tends to have a disproportionate amount of influence. The candidate who performs poorly in the employment interview is likely to be cut from the applicant pool regardless of experience, test scores, or letters of recommendation.
Which of the following types of jobs is least likely to create stress and reduce satisfaction?
jobs that provide a high level of feedback Jobs that provide a low level of variety, significance, autonomy, feedback, and identity appear to create stress and reduce satisfaction and involvement in the job. Jobs that make multiple and conflicting demands or that lack clarity about the employee's duties, authority, and responsibilities increase both stress and dissatisfaction.
Reuben Williams, the marketing manager for F&B Industries, is frustrated. He feels that the production division repeatedly lets his division down. Although the latest marketing strategy announced that a new product would be available in the market by July, the production division was unable to complete the production of the first batch till August. The production manager claims that manpower is short and the targets placed on the production division are unreasonably high. To resolve this deadlock, they will be meeting soon. This meeting is an example of ________ communication.
lateral When communication takes place among members of the same work group, members of work groups at the same level, managers at the same level, or any other horizontally equivalent workers, it is described as lateral communication. The marketing manager and the production manager belong to the same hierarchical level but represent different divisions; their communication is an example of lateral communication.
Which of the following is desirable with regard to persuasive communication?
matching the type of message with the type of audience It is important to match the persuasive message to the type of processing your audience is likely to use. When the audience is not especially interested in a persuasive message topic, when they are poorly informed, when they are low in need for cognition, and when information is transmitted through relatively lean channels, they'll be more likely to use automatic processing. In these cases, use messages that are more emotion-laden and associate positive images with your preferred outcome. On the other hand, when the audience is interested in a topic, when they are high in need for cognition, or when the information is transmitted through rich channels, then it is a better idea to focus on rational arguments and evidence to make your case.
Which of the following represents the acceptable standards of behavior within a group that are shared by the group's members?
norms Norms represent the acceptable standards of behavior shared by group members that express what they ought and ought not to do under certain circumstances.
A(n) ________ model is a structure that is flat, uses cross-hierarchical and cross-functional teams, has low formalization, possesses a comprehensive information network, and relies on participative decision making.
organic The organic model is flat, has fewer formal procedures for making decisions, has multiple decision makers, and favors flexible practices. It is a structure that is flat, uses cross-hierarchical and cross-functional teams, has low formalization, possesses a comprehensive information network, and relies on participative decision making.
Stability is one of the seven primary characteristics that capture the essence of an organization's culture. It indicates the degree to which ________.
organizational activities emphasize maintaining the status quo in contrast to growth Stability indicates the degree to which organizational activities emphasize maintaining the status quo in contrast to growth. innovation and risk taking, attention to detail, outcome orientation, people orientation, team orientation, aggressiveness, stability
A team consists of employees from the same department who meet for a few hours each week to discuss ways of improving the work environment but they do not have the authority to unilaterally implement any of their suggestions. This is most likely to be a(n) ________ team.
problem-solving In a problem-solving team, members share ideas or suggest how work processes and methods can be improved; they rarely have the authority to unilaterally implement any of their suggestions.
In order to make their firm a learning organization, managers should ________.
redesign the organizational structure The formal structure of an organization can be a serious impediment to learning. Flattening the structure, eliminating or combining departments, and increasing the use of cross-functional teams reinforces interdependence and reduces boundaries, helping to create a learning organization. Also, managers should reward people who take chances and make mistakes.
Which of the following actions can extinguish risk-taking and innovation?
rewarding for the absence of failures rather than for the presence of successes Innovative organizations encourage experimentation. Organic structures positively influence innovation because they're lower in vertical differentiation, formalization, and centralization. The long tenure in management is associated with innovation. Innovative organizations reward both successes and failures. They celebrate mistakes. Unfortunately, in too many organizations, people are rewarded for the absence of failures rather than for the presence of successes. Such cultures extinguish risk-taking and innovation.
Under the zero-sum approach, rewards are distributed such that ________.
rewards increase for a group at the expense of loss for another group The zero-sum approach treats the amount allocated for rewards as fixed so any gain one person or group achieves has to come at the expense of another person or group.
Which of the following terms indicates the tendency of individuals to spend less effort when working collectively?
social loafing Social loafing is the tendency for individuals to expend less effort when working in a group than when working individually. Group performance increases with group size, but the addition of new members has diminishing returns on productivity.
Organizations are increasingly adjusting their processes and positioning their products as environmentally friendly and sustainable in order to increase their appeal to consumers. This is a response to changes in ________.
social trends Social trends don't remain static. Consumers now meet and share information in chat rooms and blogs. Companies must continually adjust product and marketing strategies to be sensitive to changing social trends. Consumers, employees, and organizational leaders are more sensitive to environmental concerns. "Green" practices are quickly becoming expected rather than optional.
When compared to individual decision making, group decision making has a disadvantage in the area of ________.
speed When evaluating the effectiveness and efficiency of group decision making, speed of decision making is an area where individuals fare better.
Louise is overwhelmed with the new tasks that she has been assigned after the department merger. Each day, she arrives at work and makes a list of the new tasks, writes a number next to each one according to the urgency of completion, and schedules a time to complete each one. Although she's still stressed, Louise is able to get most of the work done and feels better at the end of the day. Louise is using ________ techniques to reduce her stress.
time-management Louise is using basic time-management principles to better cope with tensions created by job demands. A few of the best-known time-management principles are (1) making daily lists of activities to be accomplished, (2) prioritizing activities by importance and urgency, (3) scheduling activities according to the priorities set, and (4) knowing your daily cycle and handling the most demanding parts of your job when you are most alert and productive.
Which of the following work-life initiatives is an example of a culture-change strategy?
tying manager pay to employee satisfaction Tying manager pay to employee satisfaction is a type of culture-change strategy used for achieving work-life balance.
