Chapter 7: Individual and Group Decision Making Connect Quiz

Evidence-based management is the use of databases and facts regarding employees to assist in decision making. True or False

False Explanation Evidence-based management means translating principles based on best evidence into organizational practice.

A logic manager is someone trained about matters of ethics in the workplace. True or False

False Explanation An ethics officer is someone trained about matters of ethics in the workplace, not a logic manager.

Evidence-based management is the use of facts regarding an employee, for example when theft is suspected, and using a database to assist in decision making regarding future action. True or False

False Explanation Evidence-based management means translating principles based on best evidence into organizational practice.

Being aware of your decision-making style does not really help you determine your strengths and weaknesses as a decision maker, but it can help you understand when a decision needs to be made. True or False

False Explanation Knowledge of styles helps you to understand yourself. Awareness of your style assists you in identifying your strengths and weaknesses as a decision maker and facilitates the potential for self-improvement.

The local university is now facing some tough decisions, so they are using the decision tree, which contains individuals, websites, and organizations that specialize in handling sensitive and difficult decisions. True or False

False Explanation A decision tree is a graph of decisions and their possible consequences; it is used to create a plan to reach a goal.

Salvador, who works as a waiter in a top restaurant in Manhattan, likes the fast pace of his work and the fact that things are always changing there. Salvador can be said to have a large need for structure. have a low tolerance for ambiguity. have a high task orientation rank high on the stress index. have a high tolerance for ambiguity.

have a high tolerance for ambiguity. Explanation Some people desire a lot of structure in their lives (a low tolerance for ambiguity) and find ambiguous situations stressful and psychologically uncomfortable. In contrast, others do not have a high need for structure and can thrive in uncertain situations (a high tolerance for ambiguity, like Salvador).

When a manager is so frantic to get rid of the problem that he or she can't deal with the situation realistically, the manager is experiencing avoidance management. defensive avoidance. a fog reaction. panic. life avoidance.

panic Explanation In panic, a manager is so frantic to get rid of the problem that he or she can't deal with the situation realistically. Troubled by anxiety, irritability, sleeplessness, and even physical illness, if you're experiencing this reaction, your judgment may be so clouded that you won't be able to accept help in dealing with the problem or to realistically evaluate the alternatives.

Which of the following is not true about group decision making? Groups take longer to make decisions. The larger the group, the lower the quality of the decision. Incorrect An added benefit of group decision making is groupthink. Groups are more confident about their choices than individuals are. People who aren't familiar with one another tend to make better decisions when the members have common knowledge.

An added benefit of group decision making is groupthink. Explanation Groupthink is not a benefit of group decision making; it can include failure to consider new information and a loss of new ideas.

Stores of data that are so vast that conventional database management systems cannot handle them, and very sophisticated analysis software and supercomputing-level hardware are required, are known as ____. These data include not only data in corporate databases but also web-browsing data trails, social network communications, sensor data, and surveillance data. cyber-age databases Big Data mega IT super data new age computing

Big Data Explanation Big Data refers to stores of data so vast that conventional database management systems cannot handle them and so very sophisticated analysis software and supercomputing-level hardware are required. Big Data analytics is the process of examining large amounts of data to uncover hidden patterns, unknown correlations, and other useful information.

_____ is the process of analyzing the underlying causes. Digging Analytics Undermining Management through analysis Diagnosis

Diagnosis Explanation Diagnosis is analyzing the underlying causes.

In deciding to decide, a manager agrees that he or she must decide what to do about a problem or opportunity and take effective decision-making steps. True or False

True Explanation In deciding to decide, a manager agrees that he or she must decide what to do about a problem or opportunity and take effective decision making steps. Three ways to help you decide whether to decide are to evaluate the following: 1. Importance: "How High Priority Is This Situation?" 2. Credibility: "How Believable Is the Information About the Situation?" 3. Urgency: "How Quickly Must I Act on the Information About the Situation?"

Technology Specialists is an organization specializing in highly specialized technology software, but it found that its original business idea is not working. Rather than failing as a company, it chose a new direction and rewrote its business plan. Technology Specialists is an example of how managers need to think and act as if their organization is an unfinished, changeable prototype that won't be ruined by dangerous new ideas. True or False =

True Explanation Treat your organization as an unfinished prototype. Leaders need to think and act as if their organization is an unfinished prototype that won't be ruined by dangerous new ideas or impossible to change because of employee or management resistance.

Dennis, the owner of a popular restaurant, is a religious man, and he needs to make a decision on whether he will add beer and wine to his menu, based on the recommendations of his chefs and others. When confronted with a choice when making a decision, he tends to make his decisions based on his beliefs, even if evidence shows those beliefs are wrong. If his religious beliefs favor not serving alcohol in his café, according to the prior-hypothesis bias he would choose not to add beer and wine to his menu. True or False

True Explanation When confronted with a choice, decision makers with strong prior beliefs tend to make their decision based on their beliefs, even if evidence shows those beliefs are wrong. This is known as the prior-hypothesis bias. Although it's always more comforting to look for evidence to support your prior beliefs, you need to be tough-minded and weigh the evidence.

Research shows that most managers have characteristics that fall into two or three decision-making styles, and that decision-making styles vary across occupations, job level, and countries. True or False

True Explanation Research shows that very few people have only one dominant decision-making style. Rather, most managers have characteristics that fall into two or three styles. Studies also show that decision-making styles vary across occupations, job level, and countries. There is not a best decision-making style that applies to all situations.

During a management workshop, Tony, the HR manager, spoke about making decisions related to firing an employee. He said, "I have several rules of thumb that I use to make a decision. First, I ask if it's legal and then if it's ethical." He then laid out several other steps he uses in the decision-making process related to firing. Tony's "rules of thumb" are also known as heuristics. True or False

True Explanation Scholars call "rules of thumb" heuristics—strategies that simplify the process of making decisions.

To help with hiring decisions during peak seasons and holidays, Touching Cards uses time-series forecasts, like sales from last Valentine's Day and Christmas, to predict future sales based on patterns of historical data. Touching Cards is making use of a seasonal trend. a trend decision. diagnosis. analytics. a logical system.

analytics Explanation Analytics, or business analytics, is the term used for sophisticated forms of business data analysis. In one example of analytics in gambling, data-mining software was used to analyze vast amounts of casino customer data to target profitable patrons.

A ____ is a graph of decisions and their possible consequences. decision structure corporate hierarchy resolution graph decision-result assessment decision tree

decision tree Explanation A decision tree is a graph of decisions and their possible consequences; it is used to create a plan to reach a goal. Decision trees are used to aid in making decisions.

Pat, the human resources manager, has significant experience handling ethical issues in the workplace. Over the years he has received extensive training in matters of workplace ethics. Due to Pat's legal background (he is a member of the local bar association), the management of his company rely on Pat to assist them with legal issues, especially with ethical dilemmas. The ideal role for Pat within the organization is oversight specialist. whistle-blower. ombudsman officer. ethics officer. proprietary officer.

ethics officer Explanation An ethics officer is someone trained about matters of ethics in the workplace, particularly about resolving ethical dilemmas.

In defensive avoidance, when managers can't find a good solution, their usual response is doing nothing. taking the easiest way out. procrastination, passing the buck, or denying the risk of any negative consequences. finding the most cost-effective solution. frantically getting rid of the problem.

procrastination, passing the buck, or denying the risk of any negative consequences. Explanation In defensive avoidance, a manager can't find a good solution and follows by (a) procrastinating, (b) passing the buck, or (c) denying the risk of any negative consequences.

Anthony, the plant manager, was talking with another manager about Tim, the lead engineer in the corporate R & D department. Anthony remarked, "Tim is so bright, and he is an expert in designing products. But like so many experts, he can't imagine what it's like to be as ignorant as the rest of us. I think at times, he cannot see things from an outsider's perspective." Tim is suffering from the curse of knowledge. the tunnel vision effect. an analytics perspective. a narrow perspective. the intellectual fog effect.

the curse of knowledge Explanation As our knowledge and expertise grow, we may be less and less able to see things from an outsider's perspective. Hence, we are often apt to make irrational decisions. Why do some engineers design electronic products (such as DVD remote controls) with so many buttons, devices ultimately useful only to other engineers? Why are some professional investors and bankers prone to taking excess risks? Why are some employees so reluctant to adopt new processes? The answer may be what's known as the curse of knowledge.