Chapter 15: Organization Culture
Innovation and organization culture are not generally related.
False
Research into the process of socialization indicates that socialization programs change new employees' values.
False
An organization's culture of __________ reflects the extent to which majority members value efforts to increase minority representation, and whether the qualifications and abilities of minority members are questioned. a. diversity b. strategy c. conflict d. inclusion e. multiculturalism
Inclusion
Athena's company specializes in the design of tennis ball canisters, making them sturdier, cheaper, and easier to open. This is an example of which of the following types of innovation? a. Radical b. Incremental c. Systems d. Entrepreneurial e. Strategic
Incremental
Which of the following types of innovation do other innovations often rely on? a. Strategic b. Radical c. Systems d. Incremental e. Cultural
Incremental
Which of the following types of innovation is the most common? a. Strategic b. Radical c. Systems d. Incremental e. Cultural
Incremental
__________ innovation continues the technical improvement and extends the applications of radical and systems innovations. a. Strategic b. Radical c. Systems d. Incremental e. Cultural
Incremental
__________ is the process of creating and doing new things that are introduced into the marketplace as products, processes, or services. a. Organizational culture b. Intrapreneurship c. Entrepreneurship d. Innovation e. Strategy
Innovation
According to Fortune magazine, the most admired organizations are those that are the most a. profitable. b. successful. c. innovative. d. functional. e. improved.
Innovative
All of the following statements are true about innovation EXCEPT a. there are many risks associated with being an innovative company. b. innovation is the process of creating and doing new things that are introduced into the marketplace. c. one of the biggest challenges is using innovative technology in a cost-effective manner. d. true organizational innovation is pervasive throughout the organization. e. only small organizations can truly be innovative.
Only small organizations can truly be innovative
In a __________ culture, the reaction to the arrival of the plant manager is, "Heads up! The plant manager is coming onto the production floor—look busy!" a. strong negative b. strong positive c. weak negative d. weak positive e. moderate neutral
Strong negative
Combining the gasoline engine with bicycle and carriage technology to create automobiles was an example of which of the following kinds of innovation? a. Strategic b. Radical c. Systems d. Incremental e. Cultural
Systems
__________ innovation creates a new functionality by assembling existing parts in new ways. a. Strategic b. Radical c. Systems d. Incremental e. Cultural
Systems
The values that make up organization culture are usually a. discussed among employees. b. popularized in the company. c. taken for granted. d. used as a strategic planning tool. e. celebrated on a monthly basis.
Taken for granted
__________ innovation is a major breakthrough that changes or creates whole industries. a. Strategic b. Radical c. Systems d. Decreasing e. Cultural
Radical
A __________ innovation is a major breakthrough that changes or creates whole industries.
Radical
Assumptions are highly resistant to change.
True
__________ values and norms are exhibited by employees based on their observations of what actually goes on in the organization. a. Enacted b. Espoused c. Artifact d. Assumed e. Formal
Enacted
The strength or weakness of a culture reflects the degree to which the culture a. produces year-over-year bottom-line growth. b. outperforms competitors. c. maintains market dominance. d. encourages competition among employees. e. energizes employees by clarifying appropriate behavior.
Energizes employees by clarifying appropriate behavior
__________ values and norms are the preferred values and norms explicitly stated by the organization. a. Enacted b. Espoused c. Artifact d. Assumed e. Formal
Espoused
Origin stories, ceremonies, rituals, and dress codes are all examples of a. enacted values. b. espoused values. c. artifacts. d. assumptions. e. formal practices.
Espoused values
A company intranet that is rarely updated can still have a strong effect on company culture as long as its content is good.
False
Which of the following types of innovation is the least common? a. Strategic b. Radical c. Systems d. Incremental e. Cultural
Radical
Intranets with a narrow scope can reinforce a culture of a. wisdom and humility. b. laziness and cheapness. c. focus and operational excellence. d. economy and efficiency. e. secrecy and information hoarding.
Secrecy and information hoarding
If the culture new employees observe contradicts with the culture formally stated in corporate pamphlets, the new employees will come to accept a. a mixture of the formally stated values and the observed values. b. the stated values. c. neither the formally stated values or the observed values. d. the observed cultural values rather than those formally stated. e. None of these are correct
The observed cultural values rather than those formally stated
Which of the following is NOT a common theme of organizational culture? a. Being casual or formal b. Innovation c. Ethics d. Collaboration e. These are all common themes of organizational culture.
These are all common themes of organizational culture
Which of the following is NOT characteristic of strong cultures? a. They are widely shared. b. They clarify appropriate behavior. c. They can enhance organizational performance. d. They usually reduce organizational performance. e. These are all true of strong culture.
They usually reduce organizational performance
Intranets that contain "like it or not?" feedback tools and features that allow employees to contribute reflect a participative culture that values employee contributions.
True
Managers interested in changing cultures should attempt to substitute stories and myths that support old cultural values with stories and myths that support new ones.
True
Most managers are NOT in a position to create an organizational culture.
True
Myths may be part of an organization's culture.
True
The statement "the customer is always right" is an example of a cultural value.
True
The values that make up an organization's culture are often taken for granted.
True
Innovation involves targeted aspects of the organization.
False
Organizational culture is independent of organizational performance.
False
The airplane is an example of a __________ innovation.
Radical
__________ conflict management norms resolve conflict openly. a. Active b. Passive c. Agreeable d. Disagreeable e. Strategic
Active
Collaborative conflict cultures have which of the following conflict management norms? a. Dominating b. Passive c. Agreeable d. Disagreeable e. Strategic
Agreeable
Intranets that are rarely updated can reflect a culture that a. does not value employee contributions. b. has poor internal communication. c. has poor attention to detail. d. All of these are correct. e. None of these are correct.
All of these are correct! a. does not value employee contributions. b. has poor internal communication. c. has poor attention to detail.
All of the following are mechanisms that can affect the socialization of workers EXCEPT a. reading corporate statements about organization culture. b. observing experienced employees. c. reading corporate pamphlets. d. attending formal training. e. All of these are correct.
All of these are correct! a. reading corporate statements about organization culture. b. observing experienced employees. c. reading corporate pamphlets. d. attending formal training.
Which of the following contribute to culture? a. Enacted values and norms b. Espoused values and norms c. Artifacts d. Formal practices e. All of these are correct.
All of these contribute to culture! a. Enacted values and norms b. Espoused values and norms c. Artifacts d. Formal practices
To maximize the benefits of an organizational cultural system, managers should first a. achieve productivity through people. b. empower employees. c. be fully aware of the culture's values. d. practice hands-on management. e. implement cultural innovations.
Be fully aware of the culture's values
A company that wants to promote a culture of openness and teamwork should ensure that its intranet has a a. broad scope. b. narrow scope. c. lot of censorship. d. limited update schedule. e. cluttered interface.
Broad scope
A __________ conflict culture is active and agreeable, resolving conflicts cooperatively.
Collaborative
The most common means of developing innovation in the traditional organization is through a. entrepreneurship. b. intrapreneurship. c. radical innovation. d. corporate research. e. a chief innovation officer.
Corporate research
If a business strategy and corporate culture are in conflict the __________ will win, regardless of the strength and effectiveness of the strategy. a. strategy b. organization c. employees d. culture e. None of these are correct.
Culture
Dominating conflict cultures have which of the following conflict management norms? a. Collaborative b. Passive c. Agreeable d. Disagreeable e. Strategic
Disagreeable
Passive-aggressive conflict cultures have which of the following conflict management norms? a. Active b. Dominant c. Agreeable d. Disagreeable e. Strategic
Disagreeable
Incremental innovations a. are rarely necessary for radical or systems innovations. b. are major breakthroughs that change or create industries. c. occur much less frequently than radical and systems innovations. d. force organizations to continuously improve their products. e. create new functionality by assembling parts in new ways.
Force organizations to continuously improve their products
Avoidant conflict cultures have which of the following conflict management norms? a. Active b. Passive c. Dominant d. Disagreeable e. Strategic
Passive
If a top manager works in a company with performance-reducing values, what action is recommended? a. Try to change the culture. b. Try to fire as many people as possible. c. Use restructuring to put all of the bad people in the same division. d. Use restructuring to dilute all of the bad people throughout the organization. e. Try to sell off the company to a competitor.
Try to change the culture
Organization's culture of __________ reflects the extent to which majority members value efforts to increase minority representation.
Inclusion
__________ innovation continues the technical improvement and extends the applications of other innovations.
Incremental
An organization's assumptions are implicit and ________ resistant to change. a. moderately b. not likely to be c. equally d. highly e. None of these are correct.
Highly
Which of the following fits the profile of an entrepreneur? a. A need for stability b. Low risk tolerance c. An appreciation for the status quo d. Caution e. A desire to assume responsibility
A desire to assume responsibility
Changing an organization's culture is __________ process. a. an impossible b. a quick and easy c. a quick but difficult d. a long but easy e. a long and difficult
A long a difficult process
An organization's culture takes __________ to evolve. a. little time b. a moderate amount of time c. just a few simple steps d. a long time e. None of these are correct.
A long time
Dominating conflict cultures have which of the following conflict management norms? a. Active conflict norms b. Open confrontations c. Heated arguments d. Disagreeable conflict norms e. All of these are correct.
All of these are correct! a. Active conflict norms b. Open confrontations c. Heated arguments d. Disagreeable conflict norms
Which of the following are mechanisms of organizational socialization? a. Training programs b. Observation of others c. Corporate statements d. Corporate stories e. All of these are correct.
All of these are correct! a. Training programs b. Observation of others c. Corporate statements d. Corporate stories
An _________ is a physical manifestation of an organization's culture. a. enacted value b. espoused value c. artifact d. assumption e. experiential practice
Artifact
__________ are the values, often taken for granted, that define the core of an organization's culture.
Assumptions
__________ are those organizational values that have become so taken for granted over time that they become the core of the company's culture. a. Enacted values b. Espoused values c. Artifacts d. Assumptions e. Formal practices
Assumptions
Evading open discussion of the conflict issue is most common within __________ conflict cultures. a. avoidant b. dominating c. collaborative d. passive-aggressive e. None of these are correct.
Avoidant
__________ conflict cultures strive to preserve order and control and/or to maintain harmony and interpersonal relationships. a. Dominating b. Collaborative c. Strategic d. Avoidant e. Passive-aggressive
Avoidant
In __________ conflict cultures, employees actively manage and resolve conflicts cooperatively to find the best solution for all involved parties. a. dominating b. collaborative c. strategic d. avoidant e. passive-aggressive
Collaborative
Southwest Airlines has __________ conflict culture. a. an avoidant b. a dominating c. a collaborative d. a passive-aggressive e. None of these are correct.
Collaborative
__________ conflict management norms resolve conflict in a competitive manner. a. Active b. Passive c. Agreeable d. Disagreeable e. Strategic
Disagreeable
In __________ conflict cultures, open confrontations are accepted, as are heated arguments and threats. a. dominating b. collaborative c. strategic d. avoidant e. passive-aggressive
Dominating
The positivity or negativity of a culture reflects the degree to which a. it produces year-over-year bottom-line growth. b. the organization maintains a high-profit margin. c. the organization is able to compete with rivals in the industry. d. it promotes ethical behavior. e. employee behavior is consistent with company values.
Employee behavior is consistent with company values
A dominating conflict culture is passive and disagreeable.
False
A major obstacle to changing an organization's culture is that even if the culture is successfully changed, it is likely to change back shortly thereafter.
False
All firms have cultural values that are consistent with high performance.
False
Because workgroups develop their own subcultures, __________ can be used to build a common cultural foundation. a. mass emails b. instant messaging programs c. bulletin boards d. intranets e. IRC channels
Intranets
Intrapreneurship a. is most effective as a rare event in the organization. b. is most effective when it occurs in the research and development department alone. c. occurs both inside and outside the organization. d. gives new organizations an edge over existing organizations. e. is entrepreneurial activity that takes place within the organization.
Is entrepreneurial activity that takes place within the organization
Organization culture resists change for all of the following reasons EXCEPT a. it is typically communicated through stories and symbols. b. it embodies the basic values in the firm. c. it changes so frequently that employees begin to resist further change. d. it is often taken for granted. e. it involves changing basic assumptions.
It changes so frequently that employees begin to resist further change
A centralized, heavily edited, and filtered intranet reflects a culture in which information flows __________ freely, and employee contributions are less valued. a. somewhat b. more c. moderately d. less e. None of these are correct.
None of these are correct
__________ is a system of shared values, norms, and assumptions that guides organization members' attitudes and behaviors. a. An enacted value b. An espoused value c. An artifact d. Organizational culture e. Diversity
Organizational culture
__________ conflict management norms tend to avoid addressing conflict. a. Active b. Passive c. Agreeable d. Disagreeable e. Strategic
Passive
Companies with many layers of authority and strong bureaucracy often have __________ conflict cultures.
Passive-aggressive
Rather than dealing openly with conflict, __________ conflict cultures resist conflict with tactics such as withholding information or withdrawing from contact with coworkers. a. dominating b. collaborative c. strategic d. avoidant e. passive-aggressive
Passive-aggressive
The silent treatment is most common within __________ conflict cultures. a. avoidant b. dominating c. collaboratived. passive-aggressive e. None of these are correct.
Passive-aggressive
The Internet was an example of which of the following kinds of innovation?
Radical
A conflict culture is a a. culture that is characterized by a lot of disagreement. b. set of shared norms for managing conflict. c. culture that attempts to avoid conflict as much as possible. d. set of shared norms for avoiding conflict. e. culture that is internally inconsistent.
Set of shared norms for managing conflict
A major obstacle to changing an organization's culture is that upper-level managers may sometimes inadvertently revert to old patterns of behavior.
True
An organization shouldn't seek to use every available technology but to leverage technologies available.
True
If a company's top managers engage in illegal or unethical behavior, these are the enacted values and norms of the firm.
True
Organization culture can be managed by a. sticking to the knitting. b. conducting in-depth research and evaluation. c. allowing autonomy and entrepreneurship. d. utilizing the culture that is already there. e. staying close to the customer.
Utilizing the culture that is already there
Organization culture deals with the set of assumptions norms and __________ held by the members of an organization to guide employee behavior.
Values
In a __________ culture, employee values and behaviors are consistent with the organization's values, and the culture is receptive to change. a. strong negative b. strong positive c. weak negative d. weak positive e. moderate neutral
Weak positive
In complex societies, the socialization process takes many a. days. b. weeks. c. months. d. years. e. centuries.
Years
Which of the following are obstacles to changing organizational culture? a. Changing cultures requires changing people's deeply held beliefs. b. Generally, culture is difficult to change. c. Value systems are self-reinforcing. d. Managers may sometimes inadvertently revert to old patterns of behavior. e. All of these are correct.
All of these are correct! a. Changing cultures requires changing people's deeply held beliefs. b. Generally, culture is difficult to change. c. Value systems are self-reinforcing. d. Managers may sometimes inadvertently revert to old patterns of behavior.
The profile of an entrepreneur typically includes all of the following EXCEPT a. a focus on concrete results. b. a willingness to take risks. c. an appreciation for the status quo. d. a desire to assume responsibility. e. the need for achievement.
An appreciation for the status quo
Due to the difficulty of changing organizational culture, no major company has ever managed to make significant changes to the culture.
False
Employees are socialized into organizations through observation alone.
False
Entrepreneurial types of activities are typically welcome within large organizations.
False
Strong organizational cultures are always better than weak organizational cultures.
False
Symbols cannot effectively transmit the complex concepts of an organization's culture.
False
Weak cultures are always better than strong cultures.
False
When an organization's enacted values contradict its espoused values, new employees adopt the espoused values.
False
All of the following statements are true about socialization EXCEPT a. it is usually something that can be accomplished in a day-long new employee orientation program. b. it occurs in organizations in much the same way as it occurs in society. c. it is the process through which individuals learn acceptable behavior. d. socialization programs do not necessarily change employees' values. e. employees who are socialized into an organization usually accept the actual cultural values rather than the formal values of the organization.
It is usually something that can be accomplished in a day-long new employee orientation program
Johnny thinks that changing an organization's culture is like losing weight: It's difficult and it can be done, but the effect is usually temporary. Is Johnny correct? a. Yes, because once a culture is changed, it usually changes back. b. Yes, because once a culture starts to change, it is likely to continue to change. c. No, because changing an organization's culture is impossible. d. No, because changing an organization's culture is easy. e. No, because once a culture is changed, the new norms tend to remain in place.
No, because once a culture is changed, the new norms tend to remain in place
Which of the following is the most important mechanism of organizational socialization? a. Formal training b. Observing the behavior of others c. Corporate pamphlets d. Corporate statements e. None of these are correct.
Observing the behavior of others
__________ is the process through which employees learn about their organization's culture. a. Socialization b. Organizational socialization c. Innovation d. Entrepreneurship e. Intrapreneurship
Organization socialization
__________ is the process through which children learn to become adults in a society. a. Entrepreneurship b. Intrapreneurship c. Innovation d. Organizational socialization e. Socialization
Socialization
__________ is the process through which individuals become social beings.
Socialization
Research suggests that organization culture is understood and communicated through the use of a. observation alone. b. employee handbooks. c. psychological contracts. d. stories and symbols. e. raises and bonuses.
Stories and symbols
In a __________ culture, employee values and behaviors are consistent with the organization's values, and the culture is resistant to change. a. strong negative b. strong positive c. weak negative d. weak positive e. moderate neutral
Strong positive
Research suggests that organization culture is understood and communicated through the use of __________ media.
Symbolic
Organizational culture helps people in an organization understand a. which actions are considered acceptable and which are considered unacceptable. b. why their firm is outperforming the competition. c. how to improve their relations with customers. d. when to best socialize new employees. e. which types of problems are likely to arise in their company.
Which actions are considered acceptable and which are considered unacceptable
