Management Chapters 5-9 (quiz)

Jatara, a human resource manager, wants to move her company towards blind hiring practices. Which suggestion might she make to the management team?

Ask applicants to complete a project that reflects what their duties would be

Which statement about internships is most accurate?

Companies view internships as a way to get to know a potential employee.

_____ refers to what sets an organization apart from others and provides it with a distinctive edge for meeting customer or client needs in the marketplace.

Competitive advantage

Quinn is a high-level manager with Juiciest Juices brand juice drinks. The company wants to introduce their product to the Italian market. Their preference is to use mainly local Italian crops to produce the juice. This will help boost the Italian economy, along with benefitting their advertising plan. However, there is doubt that a specific variety of berry will grow well in Italy. Quinn has taken it upon herself to sample native berries and has found one with a similar flavor profile that could work as a replacement. What kind of planning is Quinn demonstrating?

Contingency planning

Allison, a manager, must make decisions about a problem she is facing in her current project. She has identified the decision requirement and has analyzed the causes of the problem. Which of the following actions should she take next?

Generate possible alternative solutions to the problem

Lora is a middle manager and has been tasked with completing performance appraisals for her supervisees. One employee in particular produces very high-quality work in a timely fashion and can always be counted on to help others facing tight deadlines. However, his peers see him as abrasive and difficult to work with. When Lora rates this employee, she gives him uniformly high ratings, even in categories related to interactions with other employees. What type of error has Lora made?

Halo effect

Thomas cannot seem to stop himself from making comments about how much he enjoys various sexual activities with women. He most often makes his comments to a particular co-worker, who is very uncomfortable and avoids Thomas as much as possible. What category of sexual harassment does Thomas's behavior best fit?

Inappropriate/offensive

Which outcome is most likely to result from building a strong, diverse workforce?

Increased quality of team problem solving

Which of the following is an assumption underlying the political model of decision making?

It assumes that decisions are the result of bargaining and discussion among coalition members.

In the context of Porter's competitive strategies, which of the following is an organizational characteristic typically associated with differentiation?

It involves rewarding employee innovation.

_____ is a system whereby managers and employees define goals for every department, project, and person and use them to monitor subsequent performance.

Management-by-objectives

Assuming it is well-implemented, which type of training is considered the fastest and most effective way to facilitate learning in the workplace?

On-the-job training

Hester's manufacturing software company is doing better than it ever has and just a year ago it was floundering. Prior to a year ago, she'd been part of a team of manufacturing software experts working on customer problems. Progress was slow as projects moved through department after department. When a new owner purchased the company, the company was reorganized, and she now works on a team that is made up of software engineers, finance people, marketing, and customer relations. Productivity and reaction time to customer needs increased dramatically. What structure was Hester now a part of under the new ownership?

Permanent teams

When Google created its China-based search engine www.google.cn, they did not foresee eventually abandoning it because of censorship issues with the Chinese government. Google created www.google.cn because country-based search engines, such as France-based www.google.fr and Greece-based www.google.gr, had been profitable for the company in the past. Which of the following biases could have been in effect when Google made the initial decision to launch www.google.cn?

Perpetuating the status quo

Which of the following is the first step in the managerial decision-making process?

Recognition of a decision requirement

Which statement about so-called religious freedom acts is the most accurate?

Religious freedom acts allow certain businesses to refuse to serve gay people based on personal faith.

Javier is the manager at a software company. His team has been tasked with finding a solution for some annoying bugs found in their new spreadsheet software. Javier knows that there is an elegant solution, but the time and effort it will take to implement would push back the software release significantly, so he works with his team to come up with a faster, less elegant solution that can be implemented in time for the software to be released on schedule. What type of decision is Javier making?

Satisficing

What does it mean to think strategically?

Take the long-term view and to see the big picture, including the organization and the competitive environment, and consider how they fit together

Which of the following is a difference between the classical model of decision making and the administrative model of decision making?

The classical model defines how managers should make decisions, whereas the administrative model defines how managers actually make decisions

Which of the following is a difference between programmed decisions and nonprogrammed decisions?

Unlike nonprogrammed decisions, programmed decisions are made in response to recurring organizational problems.

Under what circumstances is negotiation a particularly useful strategy in creating change?

When a group has power over implementation or a group will lose out in the change

Under what circumstances is participation a particularly useful strategy in creating change?

When users need to feel involved or have the power to resist

Legazint, a law firm, organizes its staff into departments based on the type of clients the department deals with. These departments include sole proprietorships, federally incorporated organizations, partnerships, limited liability companies, and corporations. In the context of the approaches to structural design, Legazint most likely follows _____.

a customer-based division

The managers of a rapidly growing company decided to modify its structure by grouping its employees into different teams. The entire business process of the company was modified to improve cost, quality, service, and speed. In this scenario, the company most likely experienced a shift from:

a strong vertical structure to one emphasizing stronger horizontal coordination

Teri owns and operates an award-winning bakery and is always looking for new ideas to develop. She uses social media to ask her customers what new products and services they would like to see. Teri is using _____.

an open innoation

The "old" social contract included the idea that employees _____.

are cogs in a machine

Anastasia, a regional manager, started a project three years ago while riding high on the success of several other projects that had earned her a name within the company and accelerated her career path. Using her early successes as free rein to move forward with some risky decisions, she found after three years that her decisions were not paying off and the project was in jeopardy. Which of the following biases does Anastasia exhibit in this scenario?

being overconfident

Dean owns a bakery that creates customized cakes for business events and weddings. When he faced a problem with the execution of the design for a wedding cake, he assembled his team members in a room, explained the problem to them, and asked them to spontaneously suggest ways to resolve the problem. Dean was surprised by the number of innovative solutions he received from his team members. In the given scenario, Dean used a technique called _____.

brainstorming

In the context of the BCG (Boston Consulting Group) matrix, the _____ exists in a mature, slow-growth industry but is a dominant business in the industry, with a large market share

cash cow

Playyonic is a gaming console manufacturer that manufactures compact high-end gaming devices. None of Playyonic's competitors have been able to meet its standard. This is most likely an example of Playyonic's _____.

core competence

If a company is to respond successfully to change, it must be able to _____ and _____, which is known as the _____ approach.

create ideas; implement ideas; ambidextrous

Alyson is an employee at Who'd of Thunk It Games, a company that was just purchased by a competitor. The goals set forth by the new management team are extremely ambitious and are placing seemingly insurmountable goals for the employees. Alyson and some other employees have resorted to stealing some ideas from another company and passing them off as their own. Which best describes how the company's approach is affecting the employees?

creating too much pressure

The governor of a coal-producing state ordered the state Department of Environmental Protection to switch its focus from enforcing environmental regulations to helping companies comply with environmental regulations. What type of change is this best described as?

culture change

Lukas has been working as a manager of a small team at his finance office for several years. One of the reasons he enjoys his job so much is that there isn't pressure from the top for him to perform tasks in a specified way. Instead he solves most problems that arise in his department on his own without upper management making those decisions for him. Lukas is part of a system that uses _______ as its primary method of making decisions.

decentralization

Victoria is a top executive working with the managers in the major divisions of a multinational corporation to develop their own goals. This is most likely an example of _____.

decentralized planning

Job _____ is to the specific tasks, duties, and responsibilities as job _____ is to the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform the job.

description; specification

Amanda, the CEO of a company, knows that constructive conflict can help bring problems to the forefront and develop innovative solutions for them. When she faced the conflict of whether or not to merge with a rival company, she brought the issue to the notice of a select group of employees and encouraged them to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the merger. She assigned Steve, the vice president of the company, the task of challenging each and every assumption and assertion made by the group. In the given scenario, Steve played the role of a _____.

devil's advocate

In _____ innovation, innovations in products or services end up completely replacing existing products or service technologies.

disruptive

The most common diversity initiative among Fortune 1000 companies is _____.

diversity-focused recruitment

In the context of the BCG (Boston Consulting Group) matrix, the _____ is a poor performer that has only a small share of a slow-growth market.

dog

Under the matching model, the company's needs are to _____ as the employees' needs are to _____.

employee contributions; company inducements

The belief that one's own group and culture are inherently superior to other groups and cultures is called _____.

ethnocentrism

The bottom-up approach is to the _____ strategy as horizontal coordination mechanisms are to the _____ strategy.

exploration; cooperation

According to your text, the biggest obstacle to organizational change is ____

fear of personal loss

The broad activities of human resource management include _____.

finding the right people

Organizational development focuses on the _____ aspects of an organization.

human and social

According to your text, CEOs are most likely to rate which of the following as important to competitive success?

human capital

A(n) _____ is an organizational program that provides a safe harbor where employees can generate and develop ideas without interference

idea incubator

The degree to which an employee feels like an esteemed member of a group in which his or her uniqueness is highly appreciated is called _____.

inclusion

The systematic process of gathering and interpreting information about the essential duties, tasks, and responsibilities of a job is called _____.

job analysis

In the context of the chain of command, _____ perform tasks that reflect an organization's primary goal and mission.

line departments

Manufacturing large numbers of like items, such as the iPhone, over an extended period of time is an example of what type of production?

mass production

Beatrix has been working for SooperSoft Fabrics for a number of years. As confusing as some might find it, she answers to two separate managers—one manager for the Northeast division of manufacturing and the other a product manager. While it's rare, she occasionally has to resolve conflicting information that comes from two different directions. Beatrix is a two-boss employee, which means she's working in what type of structural design?

matrix approach

An organization's _____ is at the top of its goal hierarchy.

mission statment

Compensation is most accurately described as _____.

monetary payments and non-monetary rewards

A major advantage of the Six Thinking Hats technique is that _____.

negative views do not overwhelm creativity

A(n) _____ is a unit separate from the rest of the organization that is responsible for developing and initiating a major innovation

new-venture team

Boeing's decision to build the 707 after World War II would be considered a _______.

nonprogrammed decisions

Raj, a lower-level manager at a content writing firm, instructed his subordinate to complete 12 articles by the end of the week. This is most likely an example of a(n) _____.

operational goal

Goals that are precise and measurable and carried out by departments, work groups, and individuals are called _____.

operational goals

Moira loves her job as a coder and is very good at it. She is very much viewed as an up-and-coming star in her company. Moira has been offered a promotion to a position that would make her the head of a team of coders and require her to spend a significant proportion of her time managing employees rather than coding. Moira is not interested in management and turns down the promotion. Moira is best described as _____.

opting-out

A visual representation of an organization's structure is also known as the _______.

organization chart

GM's decision to continue to manage eight brands, despite flagging sales and customer loss, is most strongly an example of ________.

perpetuating the status quo

An organization that accommodates several subcultures is practicing _____.

pluralism

In a food manufacturing company, the decision to reorder raw materials when inventories drop to a certain level is an example of a(n) _____.

programmed decision

Sheree works for a publishing company where she coordinates the efforts of designers, editors, typesetters, proofreaders, and members of other departments. However, she is not considered a member of any of these departments. Sheree's role is most likely as a ______.

project manager

Hannah has invested in a business unit in a new and rapidly growing industry that has a small market share. In the context of the BCG (Boston Consulting Group) matrix, Hannah has most likely invested in a _____.

question mark

Under the "new" social contract, employees _____.

receive incentive-based compensation

According to your text, today, when managers think about diversity, they _____

recognize diversity allows their companies to compete globally

In which stage of organizational development do individuals acquire new attitudes or values and get rewarded for them by the organization?

refreezing

At Finafax Inc., employees share information freely, irrespective of their departments and areas of functionality. They use coordination to maintain ongoing positive relationships and for effective problem solving rather than solely for formal communication. Given this information, it can be concluded that Finafax Inc. most likely focuses on _____.

relational coordination

When managers look at current trends, visualize the future, and think about what could be, rather than looking only at history and thinking about what has been, they are most likely using _____.

scenario building

The large-group model of organizational development _____.

seeks information from the organization and the environment

The 1963 Equal Pay Act prohibits differences in pay for substantially equal work based on _____.

sex

The company Lucy works for is made of cross-functional teams that focus on the project at hand. The projects they get are extremely customer oriented and involve highly detailed planning from the beginning planning stages, to figuring out specific manufacturing puzzles, and finally to the production of what the customer wants. This type of manufacturing process is best categorized as _______.

small batch and unit production

Employee affinity groups are based on _____.

social identity

First and foremost, goals need to be _______.

specific and measurable

The horizontal linkage model is particularly useful when _____ is critical.

speed

Kendra is the new finance manager for a swiftly growing software company. She frequently works with other departments to assist them in making certain payroll is handled correctly and that the proper forms are used for equipment purchases. In this scenario, Kendra is exhibiting _______.

staff authority

Rigid, exaggerated, irrational beliefs associated with a particular group of people are called _____.

sterotypes

A broad statement of where an organization wants to be in the future and pertains to the organization as a whole, rather than to specific divisions or departments, is referred to as ________.

strategic goals

Kia, a top-level manager in a software firm, is allocating the company's resources to meet the organization's long-term goals. She is also defining the organization's activities for the next five years. In this scenario, Kia is most likely contributing to developing the company's _____.

strategic plan

Ron, the general manager of a chain of fitness accessories, gave his employees the task of creating a breakthrough fitness device. This task was challenging yet clear, and it motivated his employees to innovate. This is most likely an example of a _____.

stretch goal

James, a human resource manager, is preparing materials for an upcoming series of interviews, and has created a set of standardized questions that will be asked of every applicant. What kind of interview will be held?

structured

In the context of competitive advantage, when an organization's parts interact to produce a joint effect that is greater than the sum of the parts acting alone, it is referred to as _____.

synergy

Which of the following goals applies primarily to middle management?

tactical goals

David, a middle-level manager in a graphic design firm, presents a detailed estimate of his team's budget and the approximate number of resources required for the next year. In this scenario, David has most likely contributed to developing the company's _____.

tactical plan

In Weldract Inc., a graphic design firm, employees from different departments such as coders, testers, and designers work together in a group on any given project. Each group works directly with customers. This structure helps improve horizontal coordination in the organization. Given this information, Weldract Inc. most likely follows the _____ to structural design.

team-based approach

Emmanuel, a manager, takes a deep interest in the personal development of his team members. Therefore, whenever a problem arises, he talks to them one on one, understands their feelings about the problem, and considers the impact of a particular decision on them. Which of the following decision styles does Emmanuel use?

the behavioral style

Reema is the manager of a high end restaurant. She likes to gather a broad amount of information, discuss the problems and potential solutions with her staff and other managers, and come up with creative ways to solve problems that keep her restaurant on the cutting edge of the food service industry. Which of the following decision styles does Reema use?

the conceptual style

In which stage of organizational development do people become aware of problems?

unfreezing

Which question may appropriately be asked of a job applicant?

what is your full name?

Force-field analysis suggests that _____.

when restraining forces are removed, driving forces will produce change

The employees of Clevmark Inc., a software firm, are divided into separate teams, and each team performs only its designated set of tasks. When the company faces a new strategic issue, a separate team is created to deal with the specific function. This scenario best illustrates _____.

work specialization