MGT 3301 Practice Quiz 10-14

When a task force has submitted its findings, it has reached which state of group development?

Adjourning Explanation: The last stage, adjourning, applies only to groups that eventually are disbanded, such as task forces. During adjourning, a group is dispersed. Sometimes adjourning takes place when a group completes a finished product, such as when a task force evaluating the pros and cons of providing on-site child care produces a report supporting its recommendation.

__________ is the behavior a leader engages in to support and encourage followers and help them improve and grow on the job.

Developmental consideration Explanation: When managers engage in developmental consideration, they not only perform consideration behaviors, such as demonstrating true concern for the well-being of subordinates, but also go one step further by going out of their way to support and encourage subordinates, giving them opportunities to enhance their skills and capabilities and to grow and excel on the job.

________________is the expansion of employees' knowledge, tasks, and decision-making responsibilities.

Empowerment Def: is the process of giving employees at all levels the authority to make decisions, be responsible for their outcomes, improve quality, and cut costs, and it it becoming increasingly popular in organizations. When leaders empower their subordinates, the subordinates typically take over some responsibilities and authority that used to reside with the leader or manager.

Child labor was prohibited and minimum wage, overtime, and maximum working hours were implemented with the ____________ act.

Fair Labor Standards The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) is a federal law which establishes minimum wage, overtime pay eligibility, recordkeeping, and child labor standards affecting full-time and part-time workers in the private sector and in federal, state, and local governments. Explanation: In 1938, the government passed the Fair Labor Standards Act, which prohibited child labor and provided for minimum wages, overtime pay, and maximum working hours to protect workers' rights.

_________ is the degree to which a tool or test measures the same thing each time it is used.

Reliability Explanation:Reliability is the degree to which a tool or test measures the same thing each time it is used.

What is likely true of luxury brands like Rolex (watches) and Chanel (couture fashion)?

Their high-quality products have lead to a reputation that allows them to charge more Explanation: Often, providing high-quality products creates a brand-name reputation for an organization's products. In turn, this enhanced reputation may allow the organization to charge more for its products than its competitors are able to charge, and thus it makes even greater profits.

Which leadership model includes the premise that effective leaders possess personal qualities that set them apart from ineffective leaders?

Trait Explanation: The trait model of leadership focused on identifying the personal characteristics that cause effective leadership. Researchers thought effective leaders must have certain personal qualities that set them apart from ineffective leaders and from people who never become leaders.

Which of the following defines a group?

Two or more people interacting with each other to accomplish certain goals or meet certain needs. Explanation: A group may be defined as two or more people who interact with each other to accomplish certain goals or meet certain needs.

Flexible manufacturing means

a company can produce a wider variety of products while enjoying reduced setup times Explanation: Flexible manufacturing aims to reduce the time required to set up production equipment. Redesigning the manufacturing process so that production equipment geared for manufacturing one product can be quickly replaced with equipment geared to make another product can dramatically reduce setup times and costs. Flexible manufacturing increases a company's ability to be responsive to its customers.

The extent to which applicants possess the skills necessary for job performance, such as verbal comprehension or numerical skills, is assessed in ________ tests.

ability Explanation: The two main kinds of paper-and-pencil tests used for selection purposes are ability tests and personality tests. Ability tests assess the extent to which applicants possess the skills necessary for job performance, such as verbal comprehension or numerical skills.

Regarding group cohesiveness

as groups become more successful, their cohesiveness tends to increase Def: Extent to which the members of a group find staying together to be in mutual interest. Explanation: Members of small groups tend to be more motivated and committed than members of large groups. When group cohesiveness is low, managers can often increase it by encouraging groups to develop their own identities or personalities and engage in healthy competition. As groups become more successful, they become increasingly attractive to their members, and their cohesiveness tends to increase.

Sven is conducted yearly appraisals for the employees in his team. He wants to avoid giving subjective feedback and instead wants to focus on objective criteria. In order to achieve this, Sven would

assess the actual production of workers, such as their sales data, in their jobs Explanation: Objective appraisals are based on facts and are likely to be numerical—the number of cars sold, the number of meals prepared, the number of times late, the number of audits completed. Managers often use objective appraisals when results are being appraised because results tend to be easier to quantify than traits or behaviors.

During the norming stage of group development,

close ties between group members develop. Explanation: During the third stage, norming, close ties between group members develop, and feelings of friendship and camaraderie emerge. Group members arrive at a consensus about what goals they should seek to achieve and how group members should behave toward one another.

The program that focuses on building the knowledge and skills of organizational members so they are prepared to take on new responsibilities and challenges is called

development Explanation: Development focuses on building the knowledge and skills of organizational members so they are prepared to take on new responsibilities and challenges. Development tends to be used more frequently with professionals and managers.

According to the House's path-goal theory, behaviors such as setting goals, assigning tasks, showing subordinates how to complete tasks, and taking concrete steps to improve performance are ________ behaviors.

directive Explanation: Directive behaviors may be beneficial when subordinates are having difficulty completing assigned tasks, but they might be detrimental when subordinates are independent thinkers who work best when left alone. They are similar to initiating structure and include setting goals, assigning tasks, showing subordinates how to complete tasks, and taking concrete steps to improve performance.

Prior to the 1960s, the most advanced form of management information system was the organization hierarchy developed by railroad companies in the 1850s. Despite its benefits, the system had several drawbacks, including information

distortion and the slow speed of communication. Explanation: Although organizational hierarchy is a useful information system, it has several drawbacks. First, the slow communication can reduce the timeliness and usefulness of the information and prevent a quick response to changing market conditions. Second, information can be distorted as it moves from one layer of management to another. Information distortion, changes in meaning that occur as information passes through a series of senders and receivers, reduces the quality of information.

Phil works for a fiber optics component manufacturer and deals with cutting edge technology. He needs the workers he supervises to produce creative products regularly. Since he effectively supports his workers and understands the motivations and strong emotions they feel when they are creating innovative products and concepts, Phil exhibits

emotional intelligence Leaders who are high on emotional intelligence are more likely to understand all the emotions surrounding creative endeavors, to be able to awaken and support the creative pursuits of their followers, and to provide the kind of support that enables creativity to flourish in organizations.

Task structure refers to the

extent to which the work to be performed is clear-cut so that a leader's subordinates know what needs to be accomplished and how to go about doing it. Explanation: Task structure is the extent to which the work to be performed is clear-cut so that a leader's subordinates know what needs to be accomplished and how to go about doing it. When task structure is high, the situation is favorable for leading. When task structure is low, goals may be vague.

Management by wandering around is an example of

face-to-face communication Explanation: Management by wandering around is a face-to-face communication technique that is effective for many managers at all levels in an organization. Rather than scheduling formal meetings with subordinates, managers walk around work areas and talk informally with employees about issues and concerns that both employees and managers may have.

Dynamic Defense systems manufacturers engines for military jets. Its factory uses a ______ layout.

fixed-position In a fixed position layout, personnel, supplies, and equipment are brought to the site where the product will be assembled, rather than the product being moved through an assembly line or set of assembly stations. Explanation In a product layout, machines are organized so that each operation needed to manufacture a product is performed at workstations arranged in a fixed sequence. Mass production is the familiar name for this layout; car assembly lines are probably the best-known example.

Ad hoc committees are

formed to solve a specific problem Def: formed for a specific task or objective, and dissolved after the completion of the task or achievement of the objective. Explanation: Managers form task forces to accomplish specific goals or solve problems in a certain time period; task forces are sometimes called ad hoc committees.

Which of the following refers to the shared guidelines or rules for behavior that most group members follow

group norms Explanation: Group norms are shared guidelines or rules for behavior that most group members follow. Groups develop norms concerning a wide variety of behaviors, including working hours, the sharing of information among group members, how certain group tasks should be performed, and even how members of a group should dress.

During the product life cycle, consumers are entering the market and buying the product for the 1st time in the ___________ stage

growth Explanation: As a product becomes accepted by customers, demand takes off and the product enters its growth stage. In the growth stage, many consumers are entering the market and buying the product for the first time, and demand increases rapidly.

A group that managers or non-managerial employees form to help achieve their own goals or meet their own needs is called a(n)

informal group Explanation: Sometimes organizational members, managers or nonmanagers, form groups because they feel that groups will help them achieve their own goals or meet their own needs. Groups formed in this way are informal groups. Formal groups are those managers establish to achieve organizational goals.

First and foremost, communication involves sharing

information Explanation: First and foremost, communication, no matter how electronically based, is a human endeavor and involves individuals and groups sharing information and coordinating their actions.

When important information is overlooked and irrelevant information gets more attention than it deserves, _____________ is usually the cause.

information overload Def: is the difficulty in understanding an issue and effectively making decisions when one has too much information about that issue. Explanation Information overload is the potential for important information to be ignored or overlooked while tangential information receives attention. Moreover, information overload can result in thousands of hours and millions of dollars in lost productivity.

A process layout

is best suited for the production of custom-made products Defs: is a design for the floor plan of a plant which aims to improve efficiency by arranging equipment according to its function. In process layout, the work stations and machinery are not arranged according to a particular production sequence. Explanation: In a process layout, workstations are not organized in a fixed sequence. A process layout is often suited to manufacturing settings that produce a variety of custom-made products.

Regarding internal recruiting,

it is less time consuming than external recruiting Defs: Internal recruitment is when the business looks to fill the vacancy from within its existing workforce. External recruitment is when the business looks to fill the vacancy from any suitable applicant outside the business. Explanation: Employees recruited internally are either seeking lateral moves (job changes that entail no major changes in responsibility or authority levels) or promotions. Internal applicants are already familiar with the organization (including its goals, structure, culture, rules, and norms). Internal recruiting is normally less time-consuming and expensive than external recruiting.

A disadvantage of JIT inventory systems is the

lack of buffer stock of inventory against supply fluctuations Just-in-time (JIT) manufacturing, also known as just-in-time production or the Toyota Production System (TPS), is an inventory control methodology aimed primarily at reducing times within production system as well as response times from suppliers and to customers. Explanation: One drawback of JIT systems is that they leave an organization without a buffer stock of inventory. Although buffer stocks of inventory can be expensive to store, they can help an organization when it is affected by shortages of inputs brought about by a disruption among suppliers.

Regarding Fiedler's contingency model of leadership,

leadership style is an enduring characteristic that managers cannot change. Explanation: Fred E. Fiedler was among the first leadership researchers to acknowledge that effective leadership is contingent on, or depends on, the characteristics of the leader and of the situation. Fiedler's contingency model helps explain why a manager may be an effective leader in one situation and ineffective in another. According to Fiedler, leadership style in an enduring characteristic; managers cannot change their style, nor can they adopt different styles in different kinds of situations.

Comparing female and male managers

male and female managers do not differ significantly in their tendency to perform different leadership behaviors. Explanation: The key finding from research on leader behaviors is that male and female managers do not differ significantly in their propensities to perform different leader behaviors. Even though they may be more participative, female managers do not engage in more consideration or less initiating structure than male managers.

To generate the specific, detailed information they need, managers select and use

management information system Def: a computerized information-processing system designed to support the activities of a company or organizational management. Explanation: A management information system (MIS) is a specific form of information technology that managers select and use to generate the specific, detailed information they need to perform their roles effectively.

Saori, a production manager, sees that production was down during the overnight shift in her aluminum casting facility. She immediately confronts Eli, the night supervisor, because she feels he is to blame. After reprimanding Eli, she sees that she set up the orders for the previous night improperly. She immediately tells Eli and the plant manager that she was to blame for the lack of production and explains what happened. Which leadership attribute did Saori display?

maturity Def: Maturity helps managers avoid acting selfishly, control their feelings, and admit when they have made a mistake.

An appraisal that is based on facts and is likely to be numerical is a(n) ________ appraisal.

objective Explanation: Objective appraisal is an appraisal that is based on facts and is likely to be numerical.

The managers responsible for managing the organization's production systems are know as _____________ managers.

operations Def: is the administration of business practices to create the highest level of efficiency possible within an organization. It is concerned with converting materials and labor into goods and services as efficiently as possible to maximize the profit of an organization. Explanation: An operations manager is a manager who is responsible for managing an organization's production system and determining where operating improvements might be made.

The component of an HRM system that gives managers the information they need to make decisions about how to train, motivate, and reward organizational members is known as

performance appraisal Def: is a systematic, general and periodic process that assesses an individual employee's job performance and productivity in relation to certain pre-established criteria and organizational objectives Explanation: The third component of an HRM system, performance appraisal and feedback, serves two different purposes in HRM. First, performance appraisal can give managers the information they need to make good human resources decisions—decisions about how to train, motivate, and reward organizational members. Second, feedback from performance appraisal serves a developmental purpose for members of an organization.

Spoken communication transmitted over phone or via the internet is more rich than

personal written communication, but less rich than face-to-face communication Explanation: Lower than electronically transmitted verbal communication in information richness is personally addressed written communication. Even if managers use face-to-face communication, a follow-up in writing is often needed for messages that are important or complicated and need to be referred to later. Impersonal written communication is lowest in information richness.

A furniture manufacturer makes chairs out of solid wood, as well as steel and metal alloys. In addition, some of the chairs are upholstered. What facilities layout do you recommend that the manufacturer use?

process layout Explanation: In a process layout, workstations are not organized in a fixed sequence. Process layout is often suited to manufacturing settings that produce a variety of custom-made products, each tailored to the needs of a different kind of customer. A product layout provides the flexibility needed to change the product.

The fundamental rethinking and radical redesign of business activities to achieve dramatic improvements in critical measures of performance such as cost, quality, service and speed is known as

process re-engineering Explanation: Process reengineering is the fundamental rethinking and radical redesign of business processes to achieve dramatic improvements in critical measures of performance such as cost, quality, service, and speed. Process reengineering can boost efficiency because it eliminates the time devoted to activities that do not add value.

Customer relationship management

processes information about changing customer needs. Explanation: CRM is a technique that uses IT to develop an ongoing relationship with customers to maximize the value an organization can deliver to them over time. When a company implements after-sales service and support CRM software, salespeople are required to input detailed information about their follow-up visits to customers. A CRM system processes information about changing customer needs.

To make a self managed work team effective, managers should

provide training to the team members Explanation: One of the steps managers can take to ensure that self-managed work teams are effective is to analyze what type of training team members need and provide it.

In a typical communication process, encoding takes place when the

sender translates the message into symbols Explanation: The sender, the person or group wishing to share information with some other person or group, decides on the message, what information to communicate. Then the sender translates the message into symbols or language, a process called encoding; often messages are encoded into words.

Nonverbal communication

shares information without words Explanation: Nonverbal communication shares information by means of facial expressions (smiling, raising an eyebrow, frowning, dropping one's jaw), body language (posture, gestures, nods, shrugs), and even style of dress (casual, formal, conservative, trendy).

Key aspects of the work situation and job tasks are duplicated as closely as possible in an artificial setting in

simulations Explanation: Simulations also can be part of classroom instruction, particularly for complicated jobs that require an extensive amount of learning and in which errors carry a high cost. In a simulation, key aspects of the work situation and job tasks are duplicated as closely as possible in an artificial setting.

CRM systems allow marketing managers to identify potential customers via

social media -Customer relationship management (CRM) is a technology for managing all your company's relationships and interactions with customers and potential customers. Explanation: Social CRM systems can track customers on social media and put them on a company's radar. For example, if a Twitter user post frequently about a topic relevant to the company or about the company's products, a CRM system can bring the user to the attention of the company as an important connection or a potential customer.

In which stage of group development do members experience conflict and disagreements because some members do not wish to submit to the demands of other group members?

storming Explanation: In the second stage of group development, storming, group members experience conflict and disagreements because some members do not wish to submit to the demands of other group members.

A manager's referent power comes from his or her

subordinates' and coworkers' respect, admiration, and loyalty. Explanation: Referent power is more informal than the other kinds of power. Referent power is a function of the personal characteristics of a leader; it is the power that comes from subordinates' and coworkers' respect, admiration, and loyalty. Leaders who are likable and whom subordinates wish to use as a role model are especially likely to possess referent power.

____________ is the degree to which a tool measures what it purports to measure.

validity Explanation: Validity is the degree to which a tool measures what it purports to measure; for selection tools, it is the degree to which the test predicts performance on the tasks or job in question.

Terence needs to communicate with managers in several different locations regarding a sensitive, complex topic. Therefore he should choose the communication medium highest in information richness, which would be a

videoconference Explanation: Face-to-face communication is the medium highest in information richness. When managers communicate face-to-face, they not only can take advantage of verbal communication, but they also can interpret each other's nonverbal signals, such as facial expressions and body language. Advances in information technology are providing managers with new and close alternative communication media for face-to-face communication. Many organizations use videoconferences to capture some of the advantages of face-to-face communication while saving time and money because managers in different locations do not have to travel to meet with one another.

What kind of team has members that rarely or never meet face-to-face, but rather interact through various forms of information technology?

virtual Explanation: Virtual teams are teams whose members rarely or never meet face-to-face and instead interact by using various forms of information technology such as email, text messaging, computer networks, telephone, fax, and videoconferences.