Organizational Behavior Chapter 6, OB CH. 6
subjective assessment
"you're lazy" or "you have a bad attitude"--- does not qualify as effective feedback
they often conflict with supervisory evaluations.
A key criticism of self-evaluations is:
The schedule of reinforcement that provides the least impact or incentive for performing well is known as: a. fixed ratio b. variable ratio c. fixed interval d. variable interval
C
ignore the worker's undesirable actions for a while.
One of your employees periodically fails to clean up his work area at the end of the work shift. Instead of issuing punishment or discipline, you decide to try an extinction approach to the situation. Accordingly, you might:
realistic
Starbucks' board goal of recycling 100% of their cups by 2012 meets all the following of the SMART criteria EXCEPT:
succeed at a challenging task.
The strongest way for an employee to develop self-efficacy is to:
all of these
the major functions of performance appraisal include:
Perceptual Errors
*Halo Effect- tendency to allow one personality trait to influence our perceptions of other traits *Selective Perception- process of systematically screening out information we dont wish to hear *Implicit Personality Theories- creation of our own system of personality profiles used to categorize new acquaintances rapidly *Projection- the tendency to attribute our own feelings and characteristics to others *First Impressions *Stereotyping- categorizing individuals based on one or two traits
Fundamental characteristics of action plans include:
*focusing on results *specific time limits *being specific about what will be achieved
Types of Goals
- Performance goals: Target gets a specific end result - Mastery (learning) goals involve enhancing your knowledge or skill.
Component of Performance Management Process include:
-defining expectations -providing consequences -monitoring performance
The primary functions of performance management include:
-making employee related decisions such as pay raises -guiding employee training and development -clarifying expectations for advancement
Two Functions of Feedback
1. Instructional: clarifies roles or teaches new behaviors 2. Motivational: serves as a reward or promise of a reward *Feedback motivated when it serves as a reward or promises a reward.
Sources of Feedback
1. Others: Peers, Supervisors, Lower-level employees, Outsiders 2. Task: Many tasks provide a steady stream of feedback about how well or poorly one is doing 3. Self: Self-serving bias may contaminate this source. Those high in self-confidence tend to rely on personal feedback molre than those with low self-confidence
Tips for increasing goal commitment and success
1. Write your goal down 2. Identify key obstacles and sources of support 3. What's in it for YOU? 4. Break it Down 5. Organize 6. Reward Yourself
Primary Managerial Responsibility is to set and align goals across levels of Organizational Behavior
1. individual 2. department 3. organizational
Managers who practice effective performance management generate:
50% less turnover 10%-30% higher customer satisfaction ratings 40% higher employee commitment Double the net profits
According to a survey by Franklin Covey published in Psychology Today in 2010:
56% don't understand their organization's goals
An important function of goal setting is: a. reducing role stress associated with conflicting and/or confusing expectations b. reducing the mental effort required in employee jobs c. minimizing performance evaluations d. simplifying supervision
A
As an outcome for exceptional performance, Jeffery was provided the opportunity to make a highly visible presentation to the board of directors. However, Jeffery was extremely nervous and upset about the presentation. This consequence was viewed by Jeffery as: a. negative b. positive c. extinction d. punishment
A
Performance feedback is more likely to lead to increased job performance when it is: a. constructive and specific b. provided in written form only c. not recorded d. one-way communication
A
organizational behavior modification.
A form of operant conditioning that has been used successfully to shape organizational behavior is known as:
negatively reinforced the employee's on-time behavior.
A manager who reduces an employee's pay if the employees come to work late and refrains from doing so when the employee is on time has:
extinction
A non-response approach that weakens a behavior is known as:
moderately difficult
All of the following are generally considered to be good characteristics of work goals EXCEPT:
recording
All of the following are problems that contribute to the inaccuracy of performance appraisals EXCEPT:
The colleague is using extinction and positive reinforcement.
An employee does not respond to the sarcastic comments of a coworker but compliments him for constructive comments. Which of the following statements is true of this scenario?
coaching and counseling
An important aspect of a mentor ing relationship is:
reducing role stress by clarifying the task-role expectations.
An important function of goal setting is:
goal commitment
An important intermediate step between goal acceptance and goal accomplishment is:
task-specific self-efficacy
An individual's internal expectancy to perform a particular assignment successfully known as:
distinctiveness.
An informational cue that indicates the degree to which a person behaves the same way in other situations is known.
no response or feedback when employee fails to complete task on time.
As a supervisor you decide to use positive reinforcement to increase the probability that desired job performance will be repeated. All of the following are appropriate as positive reinforcement except:
allowing them to participate in goal setting.
As a supervisor, you can enhance the performance of your employees by:
a negative consequence
As an outcome for exceptional performance, Jeffery was provided the opportunity to make an important presentation to the board of directors. However, Jeffery was extremely nervous and upset about the presentation. This consequence was viewed by jeffery as:
coaching and counseling
As part of a performance appraisal, companies develop employees and enhance careers through:
13. Reinforcement and punishment are administered through: a. extinction b. positive or/and negative consequences c. ignoring the behavior d. withholding a positive consequence
B
15. A manager who reduces an employee's pay if the employee comes to work late and refrains from doing so when the employee is on time has: a. positively reinforced the employee's on time behavior b. negatively reinforced the employee's on time behavior c. utilized extinction to reduce the undesirable behavior d. none of these
B
4. Modifying behavior so that a conditioned stimulus is paired with an unconditioned stimulus and elicits an unconditioned response defines: a. operant conditioning b. classical conditioning c. reinforcement d. learning
B
5. A person working at a computer terminal may get lower back tension as a result of poor posture. If the person becomes aware of that tension only when the manager enters the work area, then the person may develop lower back tension at the appearance of the manager. This scenario would be an example of: a. operant conditioning b. classical conditioning c. paired reinforcement d. behavior modification
B
52. Kelley proposed thaT individuals make attributions based on information gathered in the form of: a. consensus, distinctiveness, and attractiveness b. consensus, distinctiveness, and consistency c. attractiveness, distinctiveness, and consistency d. attractiveness, consensus, and consistency
B
All of the following are characteristics of 360-degree feedback except: a. It is a tactic to improve the accuracy of performance appraisals. b. When combined with self-evaluations, there is a high level of agreement with supervisory evaluations. c. It provides a well-rounded view of performance from superiors, peers, followers, and customers. d. High levels of agreement may not necessarily be desirable if the intent of the 360-degree evaluation is to provide a full picture of an individual's performance.
B
An important aspect of a mentoring relationship is: a. disciplining the subordinate b. coaching and counseling c. peer feedback d. formal training
B
The process of establishing desired results that guide and direct behavior is known as: a. motivation b. goal setting c. outcome instrumentality d. establishing input/output equity perceptions
B
Contingency Approach to Defining Performance
Behavioral Goals: *Can be used in most jobs *Most relevant for knowledge work *Example: Treat others with professionalism and repect: communicate clearly Objective Goals *Best for jobs with clear and readily measured outcomes *Measured what matters, not just what can be measured. Examples: sales quotas, production rates, error rates Task or Project Goals *Best for jobs that are dynamic, but in which nearer-term activities and milestones can be defined. *Similar to SMART goals *Example: Complete your portion of the team project by Tuesday
2. The behaviorist approach to learning assumes observable behavior is a function of: a. both the person and the environment b. external cues c. its consequences d. the interaction between the affect and cognitive components of an individual
C
21. Central to Bandura's social learning theory is the concept of: a. self-monitoring b. a needs hierarchy c. self-efficacy d. continuous reinforcement
C
25. Which of the following is NOT considered to be one of the four sources of task-specific self-efficacy critical to the social learning theory of Albert Bandura? a. prior experiences b. witnessing the success of others c. intelligence quotient d. assessment of current physical and emotional capabilities
C
3. In the animal learning research of Pavlov, the sound of the bell was the: a. conditioned response b. unconditional stimulus c. conditioned stimulus d. consequence of the dog's salvation
C
31. Which of the following has not been shown to moderate the relationship between goal difficulty and task performance?
C
32. An important intermediate step between goal acceptance and goal accomplishment is: a. behavior/reward contingencies b. goal clarity c. goal commitment d. goal specificity
C
35. As a supervisor, you can enhance the performance of your employees by: a. setting their goals b. closely controlling their behavior c. allowing employees to participate in goal setting d. giving workers easy goals
C
36. A supervisor who wants to reduce the stress associated with work within the goal-setting guidelines would: a. tie rewards more closely to expected outcomes b. clearly or specifically identify the goal(s) c. clarify task-role expectations d. develop or apply a personality test in order to better match the individual/task fit
C
40. The first step in the performance measurement process is: a. rewarding positive performance behaviors b. measuring performance c. defining performance in behavioral terms d. assessing the impact of performance behaviors
C
6. Which of the following is NOT a limitation of classical conditioning? a. Humans are more complex and less amenable to simple cause-and-effect conditioning. b. Behavioral environments in organizations are complex and not very amenable to single stimulus-response manipulations. c. Unconditioned responses and unconditioned stimulus have not been connected in humans. d. Complex human decision making makes it possible to override simple conditioning
C
A key criticism of self-evaluations is: a. the decrease in commitment to organizational goals b. they have not been shown to lead to more satisfying and constructive evaluation interviews c. they have a low level of agreement with supervisory evaluations d. they have been shown to have no relationship to improving job performance
C
All of the following are generally considered to be good characteristics of work goals except: a. specific b. time-bound c. measurable d. moderately difficult
C
An effective performance appraisal system will contain or display all of the following except: a. reliability b. validity c. self-correcting behavior d. responsiveness
C
Minimal effort, lack of commitment, lack of motivation, and personal problems: a. are external attributions for poor performance b. are unresolveable and usually result in employee termination c. are internal attributions for poor performance d. can usually be solved with negative reinforcement
C
Outcome (or performance) feedback is greatly facilitated by: a. qualitative goals b. open-ended goals c. quantitative goals d. peer competitive goals
C
The notion of entitlement at work is considered: a. to engender active, responsible, adult behavior b. to engender passive, irresponsible behavior c. to be necessary for developing expectations for high performance and appropriate rewards d. to define the consequence of rewarding high performance and developing achievement oriented behavior
C
The process of defining, measuring, appraising, providing feedback on, and improving performance is called: a. MBO (Management by Objectives) b. a control system c. performance management d. performance appraisal
C
The reliability of an effective performance appraisal system comes from: a. insuring the appropriate dimensions of performance are appraised b. insuring that the dimensions of performance that are measured are constructed in a valid way c. insuring that evaluations from multiple sources and at different times are captured over the course of the evaluation period d. insuring that when evaluations are conducted employees clearly understand what dimensions are being evaluated
C
task-specific self-efficacy
Central to Bandura's social learning theory is the concept of:
1. In terms of the work environment, learning: a. takes place through formal training programs b. is primarily the cognitive activity of acquiring knowledge c. is ad hoc and accidental d. is a change in behavior acquired through experience and knowledge acquisition
D
10. The process of modifying behavior through the use of positive or negative consequences following specific behaviors is called: a. classical conditioning b. Pavlovian conditioning c. Skinners Integrated Model of conditioning d. operant conditioning
D
11. Which of the following reinforcement consequences would have the most effect under OBM? a. routine pay for performance b. social recognition c. performance feedback d. money-based reinforcement
D
14. All of the following are strategies used to influence the consequences of behavior except: a. extinction b. punishment c. positive consequences d. neutral consequences
D
18. A colleague does not respond to the sarcastic comments of a coworker but compliments the sarcastic colleague for constructive comments. Which of the following statements are true? a. The colleague was using extinction and negative reinforcement. b. The colleague was using positive and negative consequences.. The colleague used only positive consequences. d. The colleague used extinction and positive reinforcement.
D
19. A non-response approach that weakens a behavior is known as: a. punishment b. negative reinforcement c. intermittent reinforcement d. extinction
D
20. If a random number of responses must be emitted before reinforcement occurs, it is a: a. fixed interval schedule b. fixed ratio schedule c. variable interval schedule d. variable ratio schedule
D
23. The strongest way for an employee to develop self-efficacy is to: a. develop a strong internal source of control b. develop a high degree of self-monitoring c. pick easier tasks in order to become more successful d. succeed at a challenging task
D
24. An individual's beliefs and expectations about his or her ability to accomplish a specific task successfully is known as: a. self-esteem b. external locus of control c. self monitoring behavior d. self-efficacy
D
41. Performance appraisal is used for all of the following except: a. evaluating employee work behavior b. making promotion and other reward decisions c. identifying employee developmental needs d. selecting persons from a pool of job applicants
D
42. The major function(s) of performance appraisal include: a. to provide feedback on performance b. to identify developmental needs c. to make promotion and reward decisions d. all of these
D
55. The successful consequences of tri-mentoring, a formalized peer mentoring system, is based upon the recognition and importance of: a. explicit or formal knowledge b. 360 degree feedback c. the specificity of feedback d. tacit knowledge
D
7. A form of operant conditioning that has been used successfully to shape organizational behavior is known as: a. job enrichment b. organization development c. employee empowerment d. organizational behavior modification
D
8. Operant conditioning is based on the notion that behavior is a function of: a. seated beliefs b. perception and thinking c. unconscious drives d. its consequences
D
A prerequisite for successful goal-setting programs, such as management by objectives (MBO), is: a. a relatively benign or stable environment b. supervisory goal commitment c. the connection between goals/outcomes/rewards d. organizational commitment
D
As a supervisor you decide to use positive reinforcement to increase the probability that desired job performance will be repeated. All of the following are appropriate as positive reinforcement except: a. salary increase after evaluation b. promotion after several outstanding performance reviews c. releasing employee to go home early but providing full pay d. no response or feedback when employee fails to complete task on t
D
Intuitors, in terms of learning, prefer: a. to search for practical applications b. interpersonal involvement c. specific, empirical data d. theoretical frameworks
D
Management by objectives involves: a. setting objectives for employees b. formulating corporate strategy c. superior control of subordinate behavior d. interaction between a superior and an employee for setting employees' goals and later evaluating performance and progress toward goal accomplishment
D
Management by objectives is a goal-setting and performance-planning program originated by: a. Albert Bandura b. B.F. Skinner c. J. Willard Marriott d. Peter Drucker
D
Reward allocation decisions involve: a. sequential decisions about which outcomes will be rewarded b. simultaneous decisions about which people to reward, how to reward them, and when to reward them c. a process of considering individual perceptions regarding instrumentalities and whether reward levels will be perceived equitable d. sequential decisions about which people to reward, how to reward them, and when to reward them
D
Social learning theory is based on the belief that: a. learning occurs because of behavioral consequences b. learning occurs based on group norms c. learning is strongly connected to need based drives d. learning occurs through the observation of other people and the modeling of their behavior
D
The notion of entitlement at work is considered: a. to engender active, responsible, adult behavior b. to engender passive, irresponsible behavior c. to be necessary for developing expectations for high performance and appropriate rewards d. to define the consequence of rewarding high performance and developing achievement oriented behavior
D
Traditional organizational reward systems in the United States place value on: a. entitlement b. group performance c. non-specific performance standards d. individual performance
D
Which of the following is NOT a major function served by goal setting? a. It can increase work motivation and task performance. b. It can reduce the role stress that is associated with conflicting or confusing expectations. c. It can improve the accuracy and validity performance evaluation. d. It can result in a restriction of focus that leads to a lack of creativity, spontaneity, and flexibility.
D
Which of the following is a form of operant conditioning? a. expectancy theory b. the expectation-performance-reward-satisfaction chain c. the attempt by a supervisor to satisfy higher order needs of employees through participation d. organizational behavior modification
D
Traditional Appraisals
Discourage two-way communication and treat employee involvement as a bad thing. Employees are discouraged from participating in a performance review, and when they do, their responses are often considered "rebuttals"
Effective Feedback Programs
Effective feedback is only information--it is not an evaluation. Hard data such as units sold, days absent, dollars saved, projects completed, customers satisfied, and quality rejects.
True or false: Goal-setting is most effective when it is general and open ended enough for flexibility.
False: Effective goals are SMART goals that are specific and time bound.
True or False: Goal-setting is most effective when it is general and open ended enough for flexibility
False; Effective goals are SMART goals that are specific and time bound
unreliable
If two supervisors evaluated an employee's performance using the same set of rating scales but arrived at different conclusions or results, the evaluation instrument is:
is primarily a change in behavior acquired through experience.
In context of the work environment, learning:
conditioned stimulus.
In the animal learning research by Pavlov, the sound of the bell was the:
variable ratio.
In the context of schedules of reinforcement, if a random number of responses must be emitted before reinforcement occurs, it is a ____schedule.
Exemplifies a performance goal
Increasing sales by 10% in a period
theoretical frameworks
Intuitors, in terms of learning, prefer:
Feedback
Is the exchange of information about individual or collective performance shared with those in a position to improve the situation. It is used to motivate, support, direct, correct and regulate work efforts and outcomes. It ensures that the manager and employees are in sync and agree on the standards and expectations of the work to be performed.
consensus, distinctiveness, and consistency.
Kelly proposed that individuals make attributions based on information gathered in the form of:
Peter Drucker
Management by objectives is a goal-setting and performance-planning program developed by:
are internal attributions for poor performance.
Minimal effort, last of commitment, lack of motivation, and personal problems:
quantitative goals
Outcome (or performance) feedback is greatly facilitated by:
selecting people from a pool of job applicants.
Performance appraisal is used for all of the following EXCEPT:
constructive and specific
Performance feedback is more likely to lead to increased job performance when it is:
Monitoring performance involves measuring:
Progress toward ultimate goals Measuring achievement of the ultimate goal
"There were no errors on the financial audits for this quarter" is an example of this type of goal measurement?
Quality
the positive and negative consequences of behavior.
Reinforcement and punishment represents:
sequential decisions about which people to reward, how to reward them, and when to reward them.
Reward allocation decisions involve:
learning occurs through the observation of other people and the modeling of their behavior.
Social learning theory is based on the belief that:
SMART goals are those that include:
Specific Measurable Attainable Results Oriented Time Bound
Writing Goals
Specific: Goals should be stated in precise rather than vague terms. Measureable: A measurement device is needed to assess the extent to which a goal is accomplished. Goals thus need to be measurable. Attainable: Goals should be realistic, challenging, and attainable. Impossible goals reduce motivation because people do not like to fail. Results oriented: Corporate goals should focus on desired end results that support the organization's vision. Time bound: Goals specify target dates for completion.
Steps in the Performance Management Process
Step 1 - Define performance outcomes for company division and department Step 2 - Develop employee goals, behavior, and actions to achieve outcomes Step 3 - Provide support and ongoing performance discussions Step 4 - Evaluate performance Step 5 - Identify improvements needed Step 6 - Provide consequences for performance results
The 3 common sources of feedback include self, ___ and ___
Tasks Others
Perceptual Error: Central Tendency
Tendency: To avoid all extreme judgments and rate people and objects as average or neutral. Example: Rating an employee as average on all dimensions of performance regardless of actual performance. Recommended Solution: Keep Performance Notes To define an accurate profile, with high and low points, so you can help the employee improve. Remember that it is normal to provide feedback that contains both positive and negative information.
Perceptual Error: Leniency
Tendency: To consistently evaluate other people or objects in an extremely positive fashion. Example: Rating an employee high on all dimensions of performance regardless of actual performance. Recommended Solution: Keep Performance Notes To provide specific examples of both good and bad so you can help the employee improve. Remember that it does not help employees when they are given positive, inaccurate feedback. Be fair and realistic in evaluations.
Perceptual Error: Contrast Effects
Tendency: To evaluate people or objects by comparing them with characteristics of recently observed people or objects. Example: Rating an employee as average, from a a comparison of the employee's performance with the notable performance with the notable performance with the notable performance of a few top performers.
Perceptual Error: Recency Effects
Tendency: To rely on most recent information. If the recent information is negative, the person or object is evaluated negatively. Example: Rating an employee based on the last portion of the review period. Recommended Solution: Keep Performance Notes To accumulate examples of performance over the entire rating period. Remember to look for trends but accept some variance as normal.
termnation.
The appropriate consequence for an employee who steals company property is:
its consequences.
The behaviorist approach to learning assumes that observable behavior is a function of:
the multidimensional nature of performance is most work setting.
The evaluation of medical doctor's performance on interpersonal skills to complement necessary technical diagnostic and treatment skills reflect which characteristic of performance?
defining performance in behavioral terms.
The first step in the performance measurement process is:
to engender passive irresponsible behavior.
The notion of entitlement at work is considered:
performance management
The process of defining, measuring, appraising, providing feedback on, and improving performance is known as:
goal setting
The process of establishing desired results that guide and direct behavior is known as:
classical conditioning.
The process of modifying behavior so that a conditioned stimulus is paired with an unconditioned stimulus and elicits and unconditioned response is known as:
operant conditioning.
The process of modifying behavior through the use of positive or negative consequences following specific behaviors is known as:
that evaluations from multiple sources and at different times are captured over the course of the evaluation period.
The reliability of an effective performance appraisal system comes from ensuring:
fixed interval
The schedule of reinforcement that produces an uneven response pattern varying from a very slow, un-energetic response immediately following reinforcement to a very fast, vigorous response immediately preceding reinforcement is known as:
Perceptual Error: Halo effect
The tendency: to form an overall impression about a person or object and then use that impression to bias ratings about same. Example: Rating an employee positive across all dimensions of performance because the employee is so likable. Recommended Solution: Keep Performance Notes To record examples of positive and negative employee performance throughout the near. Remember that an employee's behavior tends to vary across different dimensions of performance.
Types of Measures
Timeliness: Was the work completed on time? Quality: How well was the work done? Quantity: How much? Financial metrics: What were the profits, returns, or other relevant accounting financial outcomes?
individual performance
Traditional organizational reward system in the United States place value on:
Low self-monitor
Which of the following has NOT been shown to moderate the relationship between goal difficulty and task performance?
Unconditioned responses and unconditioned stimulus have not been connected in humans.
Which of the following is NOT a limitation of classical conditioning?
current financial status
Which of the following is NOT considered to be one of the four sources of task-specific self-efficacy critical to the local learning theory of Albert Bandura?
when combined with self-evaluations, there is a high level of agreement with supervisory evaluations.
Which of the following is NOT true of the characteristics of 360-degree feedback?
organizational behavior modification.
Which of the following is a form of pedant conditioning?
classical conditioning.
a person working at a computer terminal may get lower back tension as a result of poor posture. If the person becomes aware of that tension only when the manager enters the work area, then the person may develop lower back tension as a response to the appearance of the manage. This scenario would be an example of:
The important last step in the goal-setting process is to create ___ ___.
action plans
It is a primary responsibility of management at all levels to:
align goals across all levels of the organization.
Writing them down and rewarding yourself for achieving intermediate steps helps promote ___ to achieving goals.
commitment
Writing them down and rewarding yourself for achieving intermediate steps helps promote ____ to achieving goals.
commitment
Performance management is a processes that include setting objectives, monitoring and evaluating performance, and providing ____.
consequences
If every instance of a target behavior is reinforced, a _________ schedule is in effect.
continuous reinforcement
In performance management, comparing actual outcomes to a previously established goal is ___ performance
evaluating
Effective ___ serves as a separate function from evaluation
feedback
Information about how to improve performance is called
feedback
The functions of ___ for those who receive it in organizations are instructional and motivational.
feedbacl
Some examples of extrinsic rewards include:
financial, material and social rewards qualify Pay raise Promotion
Exemplifies a perfomance goals
increasing sales by 10% in a period
360-degree feedback
individuals compare perceptions of their own performance with behaviorally specific (and usually anonymous) performance information from their manager, subordinates, and peers
Performance ___ is a set of processes that include setting objectives, monitoring, and evaluating performance and providing consequences.
management
A ____ goal targets a specific end result.
performance
Information about individual or group ____ shared with those in a position to improve the situation is feedback.
performance
A process that defines expectations, evaluates performance against the expectations, and provides consequences is ___ ___.
performance management
The process of weakening an undesired behavior by the contingent presentation of something displeasing or the withdrawal of something positive is:
punishment
Drivers of Employee Engagement
setting clear expectations helping employees accomplish work providing regular feedback finding new opportunities for employees to succeed and develop
