D073 Best Practices in Management: Projects, Staffing, Scheduling, and Budgeting - D073

A manager is experiencing unusually high turnover in the department. The manager's supervisor has explained the importance of retaining key employees, and the manager is grateful for this insight. During the conversation, the supervisor shows interest in what the manager is saying and checks to make sure that the information being provided is fully understood. Which type of listening skill is the supervisor using during this interaction?

Active

A manager makes time during monthly staff meetings to talk about the company's vision. The manager's enthusiasm inspires staff to exceed their duties.Which leadership attribute is this manager displaying?

Being an influencer

The frontline employees of a manufacturing company have developed a list of environmentally friendly practices they would like to see the company adopt. They have presented this list to executive leadership during a board meeting. Which approach to change is being used by this company?

Bottom-up

The chief information officer (CIO) for a credit union is planning to make sweeping changes to the network infrastructure and the software used to manage banking. The CIO wants the new technology to be accepted as widely as possible throughout the organization by reducing employee resistance to change. Which result is this CIO attempting to achieve?

Buy-in

A company has replaced a dated software product with a new software solution that has been documented by other companies as a means to improve productivity. Employee training on the new software consists of a four-hour virtual training module from the vendor. In the first six months following implementation of this product, the managers become concerned because productivity has diminished significantly and client complaints have increased.Which action should the managers take to manage the situation?

Capture employee experiences with the new software

A company is concerned that its employees have different vision, attitudes, and expectations. Some employees want the organization to focus on innovative products while others want it to focus on developing stronger brand recognition. Management needs to find a solution that will have all employees focusing on the same corporate goal.Which solution will meet this goal?

Changing the culture

A manager is told in a meeting of significant changes coming to the organization. Several of the changes are specific to the manager's department and will take effect within the next quarter. The manager needs to communicate this information to the staff and wants to be able to express the information in such a way that all of the affected employees understand what is going to happen in a timeline for implementation of the changes. Which element influenced the communication strategy used by this manager?

Conscious reflection

A manager discusses with employees the company's long-term strategic-planning goal of reducing employee injuries by 50% over the next five years.Which operational strategy will management use to start monitoring goal achievement?

Establishing baseline performance measures

A manager needs to announce employee rewards and new incentives and is considering the message, recipient, and channel options for sending this information. Which direction should the manger use to communicate this information?

Horizontal

A department manager notices that one of the employees seems to be taking a lot of sick days lately and has been having difficulty getting work done. The manager contacts the employee to offer assistance and learns that a significant amount of anxiety is occurring, and the problem stems from issues at home rather than work. What kind of workplace conflict does this describe?

Intrapersonal

A company has hired a new employee to oversee regional operations, and the hiring manager asks the department to complete the new hire process and provide a checklist for onboarding the new employee. The department is resistant because the new employee is very experienced and requires little training, but the manager insists on following the typical process.Why is the manager insisting on this activity?

It complies with established organizational policies.

The manager of the production department in a graphics company is in conflict with the manager of the sales department over production goals, and the problem is affecting the company. A general manager learns that the conflict has been going on for some time and was never fully addressed by the previous administration.Why was this issue avoided by previous administrators, according to Liddle?

Lack of courage

A thriving organization is trying to encourage their managers to use their leadership attributes rather than their managerial attributes to engage employees.Which statement accurately describes this goal?

Leaders do not necessarily need to be in a position of power to be successful.

A professional was hired by an organization to administer the many intricate details involved in the operation of the business.Which role is being fulfilled by this professional?

Manager

In what way is the recruiting process similar to marketing when an organization is planning human capital needs?

Marketers and recruiters both need to think creatively.

A company's operational strategy targets a 10% improvement in customer service satisfaction ratings. Companies in this market usually see a 3% improvement in customer service satisfaction ratings. Which aspect of SMART goal planning does this represent?

Measurable

A professional is asked to make sure that the ideas and goals of the company become reality rather than words on paper.Which managerial attribute should be used to accomplish this task?

Overseeing processes

An information technology (IT) department technician met with production line supervisors to share information about an upgrade in the automated system, which will make product changeovers easier. The technician stated, "The PLCs will transmit electronic signals, and the nonvolatile ROM will contain instructions." After the meeting, the supervisors were still not clear about how the automated system will work after the upgrade. Which communication mistake did this technician make?

Overusing jargon

A new manager is disappointed in the treatment received from the staff. Staff members do not respect the authority of the position and continuously mention the old manager's style as being more effective. Over the next month, the new manger retaliates by reporting every team member at different times. Once that practice begins, the team members question why they are being reported since there are no behavior incidents that have occurred. Which type of communication style is being used in this situation?

Passive-aggressive

An employee receives a group email from management that seems ambiguous. After consulting coworkers, the employee finds that the rest of the staff considered the manager's email to be direct and succinct. The employee suspects the ambiguity had to do with how they interpreted the wording of the email and wants to better understand why the rest of the staff did not consider the email confusing. Which communication barrier is this employee experiencing?

Personal perception

A manager is working on department production goals set by a director and needs to illustrate how planning will be used in the next project.Which action illustrates this component?

Projecting the number of units that will be sold

A sales manager learns that the company's profitability has fallen well below expectations and employee layoffs may occur as a result. Which approach should this manager take when communicating this piece of information to employees?

Providing salient information

A company leader chose to speak to employees at 4:30 p.m. on a Friday before a holiday weekend about an important organizational change. The setting, the company cafeteria, is comfortable and well known, and the delivery was flawless. Later, the leader realizes that most employees did not hear the information. Which factor affected the delivery of this message?

Psychological noise

A company chief executive officer (CEO) plans to deliver a message to an organization about a new cultural initiative. The organization has 1,000 employees spread across multiple time zones and states. Which type of communication should the CEO use in this situation?

Public

A staff member is giving a continuing education presentation to other employees. The staff member wants to ensure he speaks briefly and concisely. Which presentation term is being described?

Punctuality

A technology company trains businesses to use web-based solutions to track customer product decisions. Which aspect of operations will this technology improve?

Sales forecasting accuracy

An airline flight attendant learns that a passenger on board is not well and needs to receive medical care. The attendant contacts the pilot, who communicates with the airline's main office. The decision is made to land at the closest airport due to the severity of the situation. On what basis did this flight attendant speak to the pilot?

Salient information

A painting department supervisor needs to improve the efficiency in the department and knows that a successful outcome may result in a promotion to department manager. Two unique projects are designed to reach this goal.The first project is a minor change to spray can placement that is a quick fix and unlikely to be noticed by anyone not working in the department. The other project is a major change to the workstations that will take two months to complete and should result in favorable senior management approval. The supervisor decides to focus on the major project.Which external factor of perception did the supervisor use when choosing a project?

Size

An employee receives feedback from a supervisor with detailed methods for improving performance.Which SMART goal component did the supervisor use during this interaction?

Specific

An employee was recently promoted to an executive level management position in an organization.Which type of planning will this employee manage in this new role?

Strategic

An individual was recently promoted to an executive management position and will frequently be involved in creating objectives that meet the mission of the organization.Which type of planning will this executive be required to perform?

Strategic

An organization is in the process of implementing a strategic management process to accomplish long-term goals and sustain competitive advantage. What is the first step this organization should take in this process?

Strategic objectives and analysis

A senior manager's work involves both management and leadership roles. The focus is on creating specific, long-term goals for the future direction of the company.Which leadership attribute is being asked of this manager?

Strategic visionary

A nursing home manager has been given a goal of reducing patient falls by 20% over the next three years by implementing a falls prevention protocol and reporting results annually. What is this manager's role now that the method to meet this objective has been established?

Supervising implementation of the plan

After months of working on an important organizational assignment, one member of a team has been judged to be "lazy" by the others, and the group asks to have that person removed from the team. The manager knows the individual in question has experienced some serious, ongoing family issues and has been struggling to keep up with expectations.Which strategy should be used to manage this group conflict?

Talk with the team about fundamental attribution errors to explain how perceptions may not always be accurate

A manager is requested to help whenever there is a breakdown in a firm's production line.Which primary skills does this manager need to apply when such breakdowns occur?

Technical skills

A manager works in a department in a small clinical laboratory that consists of seven technologists and one person who operates the front desk. The manager has determined a need to change how patients are scheduled in order to improve on-time appointments. What is a reason the front desk person might oppose such a move?

The change may create more work.

A regional bank manager is working towards opening a new branch and is working with the corporate human resources (HR) manager to determine labor needs. The HR manager already has a list of qualified employees in the area that could be reassigned to the new branch once it opens.Which piece of information will the HR manager need to calculate demand?

The number of employees needed

A wine bar is changing the compensation method for its wait staff from tip-based to hourly. The employees are skeptical, but they will comply with the change.Which employee action will result from this response?

They will follow the proposed change.

A branch manager for a large bank wants to be promoted. The promotion requires the completion of a professional development training program. That process usually takes two years from start to finish. Despite the typical timeline, the manager believes that with hard work, the program can be completed in one year.Which component of a SMART goal is being established by this belief?

Time-bound

An employee has a habit of arriving late or missing work without calling first. The manager schedules a face-to-face meeting with the employee to discuss this behavior. Which question should this manager consider when planning this communication?

What does the employee need to do?

An incoming chief executive officer (CEO) has a plan to move the company toward products that are certified as manufactured from 100% sustainable sources and suggests an employee training program to educate the workforce on environmental sustainability. Which aspect of change does this plan impact?

Culture

An employee works in the marketing department at an education center and is speaking with a coworker about upcoming events on the calendar. The employee is listening to the coworker's ideas and wants to respond in a way that indicates she is using active listening skills. How should this employee respond?

Ask questions to clarify the message

Which strategy should a manager use to mitigate a conflict?

Collaboration

A company has hired an organization development (OD) consultant to work with the internal managers to effect a significant change in organizational culture. Which technique increases the chance of success?

Communicating the change so that employees are fully informed of the plan prior to implementation

The chief operating officer (COO) of an organization understands how the various parts of the system are interdependent. The COO also recognizes how the smooth operation of the organization produces value for customers.Which type of leadership skill is being illustrated by this COO?

Conceptual

What is the foundation of the recruitment and selection process when planning for the human capital needs of an organization?

Conducting a job analysis

A manager is assisting a group of employees who have just undergone a major company change. The manager must now assess compliance with the new processes to determine if there are barriers to the change process.Which component should be monitored to assess this compliance?

Control systems

An organization's upper management states that every manager and employee must uphold cultural expectations.What type of culture is being embraced by this organization?

Corporate

An organization has decided to use economies of scale to gain a competitive advantage. Which competitive strategy is this organization using?

Cost leadership

An organization merges with another, forming a new organization. Members of a team composed of executives and managers from both organizations agree that the strategic goal of the new organization is to expand market share to 50% of its niche in five years. Which operational strategy should be used to achieve this target?

Create a specific set of actions and metrics for implementation

A change professional has been asked to help prepare an organization to implement a new electronic production system to replace the current, inefficient system. The organization has finished the preparation for the project and is beginning the actual change process. Which strategy should be used to reduce potential resistance and barriers at this stage of this process?

Creating a history of success that demonstrates how the change effort is expected to progress

A manager, who is acting as an internal consultant, is asked for a product recommendation.Which activity is this manager performing?

Determining appropriate software to be purchased

An organization is considering a broad new initiative to change its existing culture into one that delivers high performance. The leader of the change process would like to assess the need for change and determine factors that would help reduce potential resistance. Which process should this leader use to meet this objective?

Determining the scope, level, and intentionality of the change

Which organizational benefit occurs when employee performance is rewarded?

Enhanced motivation

A university created a new equity, diversity, and inclusion position and then hired a coordinator for that team. The president sent an email to department directors to introduce the coordinator, but the communication resulted in many questions and several rumors that later proved to be unfounded. Which communication channel should have been used to reduce these problems?

Face-to-face meeting

An organization is being investigated by the Securities Exchange and Commission (SEC) for reporting inaccurate statements and falsifying information to important investors. Due to this pending investigation, it is rumored that employees could encounter layoffs. The senior manager needs to effectively confirm or deny the rumor. Which communication channel should the manager use for this purpose?

Face-to-face meeting

An organization has developed plans to expand its reach by taking advantage of opportunities in foreign countries. The plan includes manufacturing its primary product in a specific country. Which operational strategy must be completed as part of this project?

Finding a location for the production facility

The head of the information technology (IT) department gathers, collates, analyzes, and disseminates information on a new computer networking project.Which management role is being performed by the head of this department?

Informational

What is a variable cost for an electronic-watch maker?

Insurance on the watch assembly line equipment

The quality manager in a company that makes electrical components for airplanes noticed an increase in the number of defective parts. The manager distributed a letter to the line supervisors in all manufacturing sites outlining production changes that must be made to reduce defects. Within less than two weeks, the number of defective parts rose even higher due to the process changes. Which model of communication should the manager have used to prevent this problem?

Interaction

A manager with a building construction company hears that the building permits submitted to the city's works department for approval have been delayed. The manager offers to speak with the city's works department head, who is a member of the manager's church.Which Mintzberg's managerial role is this manager fulfilling?

Interpersonal relationships

A manager continually gathers data regarding the organization's competition and the general business environment.Which management attribute is this individual displaying?

Monitor

A manager is asked to initiate activities that will support environmental scanning.Which activity should be used by this manager for this purpose?

Monitoring competitors

A business owner began to computerize the organization's operations and has encouraged members of the staff to see the change as an opportunity for professional development.Which leadership attribute is this business owner exhibiting?

Motivating employees

A company is trying to determine why their employees act differently in given situations and is examining the internal factors that affect perception.Which factor is management examining?

Motivation

A store changed its production approach to one that is more time-consuming. The manager tells its employees that the change will drive up the cost of production, resulting in a price increase and a loss of customers.Which process barrier to change is the manager exhibiting?

Negative attitude and fear that the organization may change for the worse

An employee for manufacturing company believes the opinions of the production team are never taken into consideration when a new product is created. This feeling causes the employee to dread when production begins on new products because it always changes how the job is done.Which Big Five personality trait is low for this employee?

Openness

Which inherent costs do managers need to consider when choosing one course of action over another?

Opportunity

A manager is great at persuading staff members to undertake tasks they feel are beyond their particular skill set.Which four fundamental management functions help this manager achieve this result?

Planning, organizing, leading, and controlling

A manufacturer of baseball bats must determine the level of inventory necessary to make the bats. The bats require raw material of wood blocks. The manager wishes to have a certain number of blocks available in addition to just-in-time inventory. What is an advantage of using this strategy?

Ready for demand spikes

A manager of a laboratory department in a small hospital received complaints concerning one of the technologists who was reportedly rude to patients. The manager has decided to meet with the technologist to address the issue. Which behavior should the manager show during this meeting?

Receiving comments from the technologist without judgment

A company is making a major change to the manufacturing process of glassware and is adding custom engraving to several of the products. Workers are concerned that productivity will drop when the new step is added and that error rates during the engraving process will be high. The owner understands the issues associated with making a top-down change and is committed to helping the employees understand the reasoning behind the decision. Which employee issue is associated with this change direction?

Reluctance to move away from an established routine

A manager is responsible for controlling and overseeing a small company.Which management attribute is needed to undertake this set of responsibilities?

Resource allocator

A production manager of a company that makes baseballs specifically for young athletes has recently hired several new employees for the assembly line. Four of the new employees are from another country and have limited English language skills. Which technique should be used when communicating with these four new employees?

Use simple words and pronounce them carefully

A speaker at a training workshop on a new accounts payable computer system notices several people in the audience occasionally nodding their heads and smiling. The speaker presumes this means the participants understand what is being said. Which type of feedback is this speaker receiving?

Visual

A school supply company is planning its back-to-school campaign and wants to mass market promotions to others about the new merchandise and sales. Which communication channel should this company use to be as thorough and cost-effective as possible?

Written

A company established a long-term strategic-planning goal to expand operations to international markets. The managers are now tasked with developing the strategic objectives to meet this goal. Which customer-driven operational strategy will support this task?

identifying the market position with the expansion