organizational behavior part 2

AOL executive, Neil Davis, horrified Time Warner executives by saying "What we like to do to a competitor that is damaged is drive the knife in their heart." This is an example of:

A culture clash between AOL and time warner

Changing an organization's culture is difficult because:

Assumptions are unconscious

Briefly discuss the criteria on which departmentalization is based.

Business firms can be organized by function (marketing, finance, production, and human resources), product (Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and Pontiac), geographic area (East Coast, Southeast, Midwest, and West), client or customer (men, women, children, athletes, and other groups), and process. They can also be organized in various combinations of the above.

Describe the positive effects of functional conflicts.

Conflict stems from disagreements or differences between two or more persons, groups, or organizations. The positive face of conflict is displayed in constructive conflict situations where new ideas are expressed, persons are motivated to change, creative problem solving emerges, underlying issues surface, and greater energy is brought to bear on a problem situation. When the outcome of a conflict situation is positive, conflict is healthy and constructive. In addition, functional conflict can improve working relationships because when two parties work through disagreements, they feel they have accomplished something together. By releasing tensions and solving problems in working together this way, they experience improved morale. Functional conflict can lead to innovation and positive change for the organization. Because it tends to encourage creativity among individuals, this positive form of conflict often translates into increased productivity.

Which of the following is NOT a maintenance function of a group?

Elaborating concepts

What are the advantages and disadvantages of group decision making?

In a group decision-making situation, more information and knowledge is available, greater solution acceptance, and commitment to success are likely and decision quality may be greater. Disadvantages include spending too much time on solving a problem, internal competitive pressures that may inhibit member contribution, and a strong personality may dominate the group and discourage input. Groupthink may also victimize the group and result in a poor quality decision because criticism is stifled.

Briefly explain Lewin's change model.

Lewin's change model uses force-field analysis to change problems. Lewin contends that a person's behavior is the product of two opposing forces. One force pushes toward preserving the status quo, and the other force pushes for change. When the forces are roughly equal, current behavior is maintained. For change to occur, forces maintaining the status quo must be overcome. Lewin's change model is a three-step process. Step 1 begins with unfreezing or placing an emphasis on reducing forces for the status quo. Individuals are encouraged to discard old behaviors by carefully examining the reward system and showing that certain current behaviors are not valued. Step 2 is moving or developing new attitudes, values, and behaviors. In this stage, individuals are provided the rationale for needed change as well as training to help in employee development. Employees should be given an overarching vision for the change of behavior. Step 3 reinforces the new attitudes, values, and behaviors through a process called refreezing. Managers should ensure that the culture and formal reward systems encourage the new behaviors and avoid rewarding the old ways of operating.

Which of the following is one of Conger's guidelines on how leaders can empower others in an organization?

Managers should create decision-making opportunities for employees.

In the context of meaning of work, which of the following is true of work that help in explaining the cultural differences?

Pattern F people view work as an activity constrained to specific time periods.

Provide an organizational example of each of the following artifacts: personal enactment, ceremony, story, ritual, and symbol.

Personal enactment: An example of a personal enactment would be a corporate president who strongly endorses physical fitness demonstrating his interest by being the first to have a physical exam and to begin an exercise and jogging program. Ceremony: A firm may issue longevity awards (cash or some gift) every five years during one's tenure with the organization ceremoniously. Story: A corporate story about the founder's first sale to someone in a parking lot becomes corporate folklore and functions to acculturate new employees. Ritual: Each Friday morning, employees take turns buying doughnuts for the staff meeting. This is an example of a ritual. Symbol: A corporate color or logo is a symbol.

Distinguish between power, authority, and influence.

Power is the ability to influence another person. Authority is the legitimate right to influence another person. Influence is the process of affecting the thoughts and behavior of someone else.

Which of the following seating arrangements would be most appropriate to facilitate direct and open communication with a person?

Seating the other person in a place where you will be at right angles

Discuss the important, basic elements of scientific management as developed by Frederick Taylor.

Taylor's focus was on job tasks; he used concepts of industrial engineering to enhance efficiency of task performance. According to Taylor, a job should be divided into simpler tasks; the most efficient method for performing each simple task should be determined through time and motion analysis; and then each worker should be carefully trained to perform the task to achieve peak efficiency. He clearly delineated the roles of supervisor and worker, experimented with numerous pay incentive systems, and correctly matched workers to jobs.

Identify and briefly discuss the four distinguishing characteristics of a mature (well-functioning) group.

The distinguishing characteristics includes (1) a clear purpose and mission, (2) well-understood norms and standards of conduct, (3) a high level of group cohesion, and (4) a flexible status structure. Stating the purpose in terms of specific goals enhances productivity over and above any performance benefits achieved through individual goal setting. Smaller groups tend to be more cohesive than large groups, and cohesion based on attraction results in effective control over members with respect to important performance norms. Successful resolution of authority issues within a work team result in a well understood status structure. This contributes to group functioning.

How do communication technologies affect behavior?

The new communication technologies provide faster, more immediate access to information than was available in the past. Computer-mediated communication is more impersonal in nature and the nonverbal cues we rely on to decipher a message are also absent. Communication through technological means has had a tendency to equalize participation. The potential for overload is also much greater. Polyphasic activity (doing more than one thing at a time) is also encouraged with new technology. Finally, the new technologies may make people less patient with face-to-face communication.

Compare and contrast transformational and transactional leadership.

Transformational and transactional leadership both belong to the inspirational leadership theories. Transactional leaders are those who use rewards and punishment to strike deals with followers and shape their behavior. In contrast, transformational leaders inspire and excite followers to high levels of performance. They rely on their personal attributes instead of their official position to manage followers. Leaders can be both transformational and transactional. However, whereas transformational leadership adds to the effects of transactional leadership, even exceptional transactional leadership cannot substitute for transformational leadership.

Which of the following includes the set of interpersonal issues that need to be addressed according to the group development model?

Trust, personal comfort, and security

In which of the following situations can the avoiding style of conflict management be used?

When an issue is trivial or more important issues are pressing

According to the group development model, which of the following set of issues need to be addressed as part of a group's authority issues?

Who is in charge, management of power and influence, and who has the right to tell whom to do what

The window through which we interact with people and influence the quality, accuracy, and clarity of the communication is called _____.

a perceptual screen

A key organizational requirement for participation in decision making includes:

a supportive organizational culture.

_____ is a personality trait in which a person ignores the interpersonal aspects of work and the feelings of colleagues.

abrasiveness

Cooperative rewards in work teams will have the most effective impact on:

accuracy of performance

In the context of conflict resolution, _____ is delaying action on a conflict by buying time, usually by telling the individuals involved that the problem is being worked on.

administrative orbiting

An organization that faces considerable environmental uncertainty and rapid change is more likely to be successful with:

an organic structure

Kotter suggests that leadership and management:

are two distinct, yet complementary systems of action in organizations

The core job dimension in the Job Characteristics Model that is linked to the psychological state of experiencing responsibility for work outcomes is known as:

autonomy

Authentic leaders are characterized by all of the following except: (high levels of hope, optimism, resilience, benevolence)

benevolence

An analysis of medical claims at Chaparral Steel Co. identified lower back problems as the most common problem experienced by steelworkers and managers alike. The job approach most appropriate for this problem would be:

biological

The interdisciplinary approach to job design emphasizing a person's interaction with physical aspects of the work environment and concern with physical exertion is the:

biological approach

For an organization to take advantage of its larger size in the 21st century, it must become:

centerless with a global core

When examining the relationship between size and basic design dimensions, it can be concluded that small organizations are more _____ than large organizations.

centralized

_____ results when a leader uses the force of personal abilities and talents to have profound and extraordinary effects on followers.

charismatic leadership

When two departments are in conflict but are also facing a common threat, the _____ style of conflict management is most appropriate.

collaborating

Compatibility of individual and organizational value systems is known as:

congruence

A pattern of basic assumptions that are considered valid and that are taught to new members as the way to perceive, think, and feel in an organization is known as:

corporate culture

Blake and Mouton's Leadership Grid identifies a country club manager as someone who:

creates a pleasing, happy work environment and applies minimal supervision.

All of the following are included in reflective listening except: (affirming contact, clarifying the implicit, silence, criticism)

criticism

Assumptions are:

deeply held beliefs that guide behavior of members of an organization.

In the context of the sources of intergroup power, the key to the strategic contingency factors is:

dependency

The process of breaking organizational goals into tasks and dividing work is known as:

differentiation

All of the following are characteristics of autocratic leadership style except: (strongly controlled work relationships, explicit work orders and minimal follower flexibility in application of work rules, highly structured work situation and close supervision, discretionary influence over work environment granted to followers)

discretionary influence over work environment granted to followers

Which of the following defense mechanisms takes the form of aggressive behavior directed at someone else who is not the source of a conflict?

displacement

You witness an incident at work where a supervisor loudly criticizes an employee in front of several other employees. Later, you learn that the employee didn't make any mistake. The supervisor's communication is an example of:

dominant defensiveness

Which of the following does NOT boost creative abilities or creativity? (breadth of interests, self confidence, fear of failure, intellectual and artistic values)

fear of failure

The final step in the decision-making process is:

feedback and monitoring

Studies have shown that using computer-mediated communication tends to result in an increase in _____.

flaming

An alternative work arrangement in which employees must be present to perform job duties during a required core time but starting and ending work times can vary is:

flextime

Trait theories of leadership:

focus on leaders' physical attributes, personality, and abilities.

Conditions that include political considerations, broad economic factors, ecological changes, sociocultural demands, and government regulation are considered to be part of the:

general environment

A deterioration of mental efficiency, reality testing, and moral judgment resulting from in-group pressures defines _____.

groupthink

Culturally diverse top teams help organizations limit _____.

groupthink

Participative decision making tends to be associated with:

higher levels of employee job satisfaction.

Outside change agents may be preferred by employees because they are viewed as:

impartial and not prone to favoritism.

The problem of overspecialization has been addressed by:

increasing the variety in jobs

When an organization fine-tunes its operations, it is going through a(n):

incremental change

In the context of empowerment, _____ consists of the tasks and procedures necessary for doing a particular job.

job content

The basic idea behind leader-member exchange theory is that:

leaders form two groups of followers—in-groups and out-groups.

The element of a communication model that contains the thoughts and feelings a communicator is attempting to elicit in a receiver is called a(n) _____.

message

A company's espoused values can be found in all of the following except: (annual reports, monthly financial statements, quarterly employee newsletters, employee handbooks)

monthly financial statements

A _____ measures the skills and competencies that employees must have to achieve the goals of the change.

needs analysis

The standards that a work group uses to evaluate the behavior of its members are called _____.

norms of behavior

Complexity refers to the:

number of activities, subunits, or subsystems within an organization.

The most appropriate measure of organization size when considering alternative structural designs is:

number of employees

An internally initiated change can frequently stall or even be rendered unsuccessful because of:

organizational politics

Which of the following key strategies for managing resistance to change does the phrase "that which we create, we support" reflect?

participation

When one's values conflict with his/her job demands, this is _____ conflict.

person-role

Friends typically interact within one's:

personal distance zone

Which of the following is NOT an important attribute of organizational culture?

pervasiveness and endurance

Enlarging an individual's zone of indifference is best accomplished through:

power

In the context of organizational politics, _____ is the least effective influence tactic.

pressure

The term _____ refers to valid criticism that can encourage ethical behavior in organizations.

principled dissent

Continuous improvement focused on innovation and respect for people is the primary objective of:

quality programs

Which of the following influence tactics is used most often to get support from peers and superiors to change company policy?

rational persuasion

The two key concerns in the anticipatory socialization stage are:

realism and congruence

One of the key concerns of anticipatory socialization is:

realistic job previews

Though downsizing can increase shareholder value by better aligning costs and revenues, American Airlines has increased organizational effectiveness by:

reevaluating and changing operating methods.

_____ is an elusive power based on interpersonal attraction and is often associated with charismatic individuals.

referent power

Mass production jobs:

require minimal mental attention

Which of the following departments would probably have the most flexible structure?

research and development

Responsive creativity is:

responding to a problem that is presented to you by others because it is part of your job

A conflict felt by middle managers where conflicting expectations are placed on the managers from their bosses and employees is termed as _____.

role conflict

All of the following are group-focused development techniques except: (role negotiation, management by objectives, team building. survey feedback)

role negotiation

All of the following are considered important work process issues except: (diversity, competitive behaviors, cooperative behaviors, role specification)

role specification

Heuristics are:

shortcuts in decision making that save mental activity

Computer-aided communications systems (e-mail, intranet for example) encourage all of the following except: (flaming or rude communication, fast, immediate access to information and absence of nonverbal cues, overloading of information, significant disparities in participation levels of persons within a group)

significant disparities in participation levels of persons within a group.

At which of the following stages of group development does the leader need to adopt a coaching style in order to deal with team challenges?

storming

"Better safe than sorry" is the motto of which type of followers?

survivors

A group decision technique that facilitates expert input by using a panel of experts is _____.

the Delphi technique

According to research, which of the following decision-making models portrays the managerial decision process more realistically?

the bounded rationality model

Four dimensions comprise the essence of empowerment. Among them, meaning is a dimension that refers to:

the fit between work roles and employees' values and beliefs

An organization chart shows:

the formal lines of authority and responsibility

A main method to overcome physical separation as a barrier to communication is to:

to increase the use of face-to-face communication.

The most massive scope of change is known as:

transformational change

_____ refers to the willingness to be vulnerable to the actions of another and is an essential element in leadership.

trust

Which of the following are NOT structural factors in causing conflict?

values and ethics

Conflict can be functional, or a positive force, in all of the following situations except (when it places the focus on the conflict itself and the parties involved, when it stimulates creativity out of a friendly rivalry, when it causes individuals or groups to better understand their contribution to the organization, when it motivates people to change)

when it places the focus on the conflict itself and the parties involved

Research on the social information processing view of job design supports the view that:

while objective task complexity may be a motivator, social interaction may be an important additional source of motivation

Scientific management places emphasis primarily on:

work simplification

Work team effectiveness in the new team environment requires management's attention to both:

work team structure and work team process.