MGT422 Test 1- Chpts 1,2,3
Which of the following is a conceptual anchor in organizational behavior? A) the contingency anchor B) the economic anchor C) the social anchor D) the single-level anchor
Answer: A Explanation: A) The contingency anchor is one of the four conceptual anchors in organizational behavior.
Deep-level diversity refers to factors such as age, gender, and race.
Answer: FALSE Explanation: Deep-level diversity includes differences in the psychological characteristics of employees, including personalities, beliefs, values, and attitudes.
Self concept
an individual's self-beliefs and self-evaluations
deep level diversity
differences in the psychological characteristics of employees, including personalities, beliefs, values, and attitudes
structural capital
knowledge embedded in an organization's systems and structures
T/F-Studying organizational behavior at multiple levels of analysis is not recommended as it could lead to perceptual errors.
FALSE Explanation:OB researchers systematically study these topics at multiple levels of analysis—namely the individual, the team (including interpersonal), and the organization
organizational learning
a perspective that holds that organizational effectiveness depends on the organization's capacity to acquire, share, use, and store valuable knowledge
contact hypothesis
a theory stating that the more we interact with someone, the less prejudiced or perceptually biased we will be against that person
learned capabilities
are the physical and mental skills and knowledge you have acquired part of competency
grafting
hire skilled workers and buy complementary businesses
Proactive task performance
how well employees take the initiative to anticipate and introduce new work patterns that benefit the organization. brings out change to achieve what is perceived to be a better future for the organization
multidisciplinary anchor
import knowledge from other disciplines, not just create its own knowledge
relationship capital
the value derived from an organization's relationships with customers, suppliers, and others
multiple levels of analysis anchor
understand OB events from three levels of analysis: individual, team, organization
high performance work practices (HPWP)
A perspective which holds that effective organizations incorporate several workplace practices that leverage the potential of human capital.
Only organizational behavior scholars should develop organizational behavior theories.
Answer: FALSE Explanation: Organizational behavior is anchored around the idea that the field should welcome theories and knowledge in other disciplines, not just from its own isolated research base.
Employees who were born between 1946 and 1964 are referred to as Baby Boomers.
Answer: TRUE Explanation: Employees who were born between 1946 and 1964 are called Baby Boomers.
closed systems
Operate without dependence on or interaction with an external environment
LO1-1 Define organizational behavior and organizations, and discuss the importance of this field of inquiry
Organizational behavior is the study of what people think, feel, and do in and around organizations. Organizations are groups of people who work interdependently toward some purpose. OB theories help us (A) comprehend and predict work events, (B) adopt more accurate personal theories, and (C) influence organizational event. OB knowledge is for everyone, not just managers. OB theories and practices are highly beneficial for an organizations survival and success
recency effect
a perceptual error in which the most recent information dominates our perception of others
false consensus effect
a perceptual error in which we overestimate the extent to which others have beliefs and characteristics similar to our own
primacy effect
a perceptual error in which we quickly form an opinion of people based on the first information we receive about them
Open system
a perspective that holds that organizations depend on the external environment for resources, affect that environment through their output, and consist of internal subsystems that transform inputs to outputs
social identity theory
a theory stating that people define themselves by the groups to which they belong or have an emotional attachment
motivation
the forces within a person that affect his or her direction, intensity, and persistence of voluntary behavior
motivation
the forces within a person that affect his or her direction, intensity, and persistence of voluntary behavior is goal-directed intensity persistence
ability
the natural aptitudes and learned capabilities required to successfully complete a task
MARS GAP survey
60% of more than 13000 employees across 34 countries say the skills gap s a real problem for their employer 33% f 195600 americans surveyed are engaged at work 24% of more than 400,000 employees across 500 organizations say that lack of tools is their top sources of decreased productivity 50% of 2.2 million employees worldwide strongly agree that they know what is expected of them at work 25% of 2061 UK adults surveyed say they receive insufficient training and development in their existing roles
Globalization refers to economic, social, and cultural connectivity with people in other parts of the world.
Answer: TRUE Explanation: Globalization refers to economic, social, and cultural connectivity with people in other parts of the world.
Reduced job security and increased work intensification are partly caused by globalization.
Answer: TRUE Explanation: There is considerable debate about whether globalization benefits developing nations, and whether it is primarily responsible for increasing work intensification, as well as reducing job security and work-life balance in developed countries.
An organization's employees use information technology to perform their jobs away from the traditional physical workplace. This is an example of virtual work.
Answer: TRUE Explanation: Virtual work is one of the employment relationship trends, whereby employees use information technology to perform their jobs away from the traditional physical workplace.
Work-life balance occurs when people are able to minimize conflict between work and nonwork demands.
Answer: TRUE Explanation: Work-life balance occurs when people are able to minimize conflict between their work and nonwork demands.
T/F-The members of an organization have a collective sense of purpose.
TRUE Explanation: One key feature of organizations is that they are collective entities. An organization without a collective sense of purpose would be a collection of people without direction or unifying force.
True or False- Organizational behavior encompasses the study of how organizations interact with their external environments.
TRUE Explanation: Organizational behavior encompasses the study of how organizations interact with their external environments, particularly in the context of employee behavior and decisions.
uncertainty avoidance
a cross-cultural value describing the degree to which people in a culture tolerate ambiguity (low uncertainty avoidance) or feel threatened by ambiguity and uncertainty (high uncertainty avoidance)
Johari Window
a model of mutual understanding that encourages disclosure and feedback to increase our own open area and reduce the blind, hidden, and unknown areas
extraversion
a personality dimension describing people who are outgoing, talkative, sociable, and assertive
stereotype threat
an individuals concern about confirming a negative stereotype about his or her group
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
an instrument designed to measure the elements of Jungian personality theory, particularly preferences regarding perceiving and judging information
Stakeholders
individuals, groups, and other entities that affect, or are affected by, the organization's objectives and actions
remote work
involved performing most job duties at client sites throughout the day
adaptive task performance
refers to how well employees modify their thoughts and behavior to align with and support a new or changing environment. essentially, it is about how well employees respond to change in the workplace and in their job duties
nature
refers to our genetic or hereditary origins- the genes we inherited from our parents
persistence
refers to the length of time that the individual continues to exert effort towards an objective
Telecommuting
an arrangement, whereby, supported by information technology, employees work from home one or more work days per month rather than commute to the office An estimated 37% of US workers telecommute Disadvantages- feel more isolated, receive less word of mouth info, which may have implications on promotions, weakens relationship among coworkers(lower team cohesion)
learning orientation
beliefs and norms that support the acquisition, sharing, and use of knowledge as well as work conditions that nurture these learning processes
LO3-5 Outline the main features of a global mindset and justify its usefulness to employees and organizations
A global mindset refers to an individuals ability to perceive, know about, and process information across cultures. This includes 1 an awareness of, openness to, and respect for other views and practices in the world; 2 the capacity to empathize and act effectively across cultures; 3 an ability to process complex information about novel environments; and 4 the ability to comprehend and reconcile intercultural matters with multiple levels of thinking. A global mindset enables people to develop better cross-cultural relationships, to digest huge volumes of cross-cultural information, and to identify and respond more quickly to emerging global opportunities. Employees develop a global mindset through self-awareness, opportunities to compare their own mental models with people from other cultures, formal cross-cultural training, and immersion in other cultures.
Surface-level diversity is evident in a person's decisions, statements, and actions.
Answer: FALSE Explanation: Deep-level diversity is evident in a person's decisions, statements, and actions.
Telework is better suited to those who have sufficient fulfilment of social needs elsewhere in their life
Answer: TRUE Explanation: Telework is clearly better suited to people who are self-motivated, organized, can work effectively with broadband and other technology, and have sufficient fulfillment of social needs elsewhere in their life.
Germany, France, and USA all have work-life balance levels below the global average.
Answer: TRUE Explanation: The Global Work-Life Balance Index indicates that Germany, France, and USA all have work-life balance levels below the global average.
LO2-6 Describe five values commonly studied across cultures
Five values often studied across cultures are individualism (valuing independence and personal uniqueness); collectivism (valuing duty to in-groups and group harmony); power distance (valuing unequal distribution of power); uncertainty avoidance (tolerating or feeling threatened by ambiguity and uncertainty); and achievement-nurturing orientation (valuing competition versus cooperation)
LO1-2 Debate the organizational opportunities and challenges of globalization
Globalization, which refers to various forms of connectivity with people in other parts of the world, has become more intense than ever before because of information tech and transportation systems. It has brought more complexity and new ways of working to the workplace, requiring additional knowledge and skills. It may be an influence on work intensification, reduced job security, and lessening of the work-life balance.
LO3-4 Discuss three ways to improve perceptions, with specific application to organizational situations
One way to minimize perceptual biases is to become more aware of their existence. Awareness of these biases make people more mindful of their thoughts and actions, but this training sometimes reinforces rather than reduces reliance on stereotypes and tends to be ineffective for people with deeply held prejudices. A second strategy is to become more aware of biases in our own decisions and behavior. Self-awareness increases through formal tests such as the Implicit Association Test (IAT) and by applying the Johari Window, which is a process in which others provide feedback to you about your behavior, and you offer disclosure to them about yourself. The third strategy is meaningful interaction, which applies the contact hypothesis that people who interact will be less prejudiced or perceptually biased toward one another. Meaningful interaction is strongest when people work closely and frequently with relatively equal status on a shared meaningful task that requires cooperation and reliance on one another. Meaningful interaction helps improve empathy, which is a persons understanding and sensitivity to the feelings, thoughts and situations of others.
LO3-1 Describe the elements of self concept and explain how each affects an individuals behavior and wellbeing
Self-concept includes an indivudals self-beliefs and self-evaluations. It has three structural characteristics- complexity, consistency, and clarity- all of which influence employee wellbeing, behavior, and performance. People are inherently motivated to promote and protect their self-concept (self-enhancement) and to verify and maintain their existing self-concept (self-verification). Self evaluation consists of self-esteem, self efficacy, and locus on control. Self-concept also consists of both personal identity and social identity. Social identity theory explains how people define themselves by the groups to which they belong or have an emotional attachment
LO1-2 Debate the organizational opportunities and challenges of technological change
Tech. change has improved efficiency, interactivity, and wellbeing, but it has been a disruptive force in organizations. Info tech has altered communication patterns and power dynamics at work, and has affected our nonwork time, attention span, and techno stress.
LO1-2 Debate the organizational opportunities and challenges of workforce diversity
Telecommuting potentially benefits employees and employers, but there are also disadvantages and its effectiveness depends on the employee, job, and organization. An organizations workforce has both surface level diversity and (observable demographic and other overt differences in people) and deep level diversity (differences in personalities, beliefs, values, and attitudes). Diversity may improve creativity and decision making, and provide better awareness and response to diverse communities. However, diversity also poses challenges, such as dysfunctional conflict and slower team development.
LO2-4 Summarize Schwartz's model of individual values and discuss the conditions where values influence behavior
Values are stable, evaluative beliefs that guide our preferences for outcomes or courses of action in a variety of situations. Compared to personality traits, values are evaluative (rather than descriptive), more likely to conflict, and formed more from socialization than heredity. Schwartz's model organizes 57 values into a circumplex of 10 dimensions along two bipolar dimensions: openness to change to conservation and self-enhancement to self-transcendence. Values influence behavior in three ways: 1 shaping the attractiveness of choices, 2 framing perceptions of reality, and 3 aligning behavior with self concept and self presentation. However, the effect of values on behavior also depends on whether the situation supports or prevents that behavior and on how actively we think about them and understand their relevance to the situation. Values congruence refers to how similar a persons values hierarchy is to the values hierarchy of another source (organization, team, etc)
Locus on control
a person's general belief about the amount of control he or she has over personal life events
global mindset
an individual's ability to perceive, appreciate, and empathize with people from other cultures, and to process complex cross-cultural information
Corporate Social Responsibility
organizational activities intended to benefit society and the environment beyond the firm's immediate financial interests or legal obligations many firms have adopted the triple bottom line- survive in the market place (Economic), maintain or improve conditions for society (social) as well as the physical environment
contingency anchor
recognize that the effectiveness of an action may depend on the situation
Proficient task performance
refers to performing the work efficiently and accurately. it involves accomplishing the assigned work at or above the expected standards of quality, quantity, and other indicators of effectiveness
direction
refers to the path along which people steer their effort
presenteeism
showing up for work when unwell, injured, preoccupied by personal problems, or faced with dangerous conditions getting to work
Intensity
the amount of effort allocated to a goal
work life balance
the degree to which a person minimizes conflict between work and nonwork demands
Attribution process
the perceptual process of deciding whether an observed behavior or event is caused largely by internal or external factors
evidence-based management
the practice of making decisions and taking actions based on research evidence
Stereotyping
the process of assigning traits to people based on their membership in a social category
human capital
the stock of knowledge, skills, and abilities among employees that provide economic value to the organization
Organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs)
various forms of cooperation and helpfulness to others that support the organization's social and psychological context
organizational citizenship behavior (OCBs)
various forms of cooperation and helpfulness to others that support the organization's social and psychological context
counterproductive work behaviors
voluntary behaviors that have the potential to directly or indirectly harm the organization
Deep-level diversity includes A) physiological differences. B) attitudes. C) ethnicity. D) gender.
Answer: B Explanation:B) Deep-level diversity is differences in the psychological characteristics of employees, including personalities, beliefs, values, and attitudes
Communications and marketing are two emerging fields from which organizational behavior is now acquiring knowledge.
Answer: TRUE Explanation: Organizational behavior knowledge has benefited from knowledge in emerging fields such as communications, marketing, and information systems.
True or False- Organizational behavior emerged as a distinct field around the time of World War II. Before that, organizations had not been studied at all.
FALSE Explanation: Organizational behavior emerged as a distinct field around the time of World War II, but organizations have been studied by experts in other fields for many centuries.
LO3-2 Outline the perceptual process and discuss the effects of categorical thinking and mental models in that process
Perception involves selecting, organizing, and interpreting information to make sense of the world around us. Perceptual organization applies categorical thinking- the mostly non-conscious process of organizing people and objects into preconceived categories that are stored in our long-term memory. Mental models- knowledge that we develop to describe, explain, and predict the world around us- also help us make sense of incoming stimuli.
task performance
The individual's voluntary goal-directed behaviors that contribute to organizational objectives
LO1-3 Discuss the anchors on which organizational behavior knowledge is based
The multidisciplinary anchor states that the field should develop from knowledge in other disciplines (Eg psychology, sociology, econ), not just from its own isolated research base. The systematic research anchor states that OB knowledge should be based on systematic research, consistent with evidence based management. The contingency anchor states that OB theories generally need to consider that there will be different consequences in different situations. The multiple levels of analysis anchor states that OB topics may be viewed from the individual team, and organization levels of analysis.
LO2-2 Summarize the five types of individual behavior in organizations
There are five main types of workplace behavior. Task performance refers to goal-directed behaviors under the individuals control that support organizational objectives. It includes proficiency, adaptivity, and proactivity. Organizational citizenship behaviors consist of various forms of cooperation and helpfulness to others that support the organizations social and psychological context. Counterproductive work behaviors are voluntary behaviors that have the potential to directly or indirectly harm the organization. Joining and staying with the organization refers to agreeing to become an organizational member and remaining with the organization. Maintaining work attendance includes minimizing absenteeism which capable of working and avoiding scheduled work when not fit (ie low presenteeism)
organizational effectiveness
a broad concept represented by several perspectives, including the organization's fit with the external environment, internal subsystems configuration for high performance, emphasis on organizational learning, and ability to satisfy the needs of key stakeholders
intellectual capital
a company's stock of knowledge, including human capital, structural capital, and relationship capital
power distance
a cross-cultural value describing the degree to which people in a culture accept unequal distribution of power in a society
Individualism
a cross-cultural value describing the degree to which people in a culture emphasize independence and personal uniqueness
Halo Effect
a perceptual error whereby our general impression of a person, usually based on one prominent characteristic, colors our perception of other characteristics of that person
moral sensitivity
a person's ability to recognize the presence of an ethical issue and determine its relative importance
self-efficacy
a person's belief that he or she has the ability, motivation, correct role perceptions, and favorable situation to complete a task successfully
self-verification
a person's inherent motivation to confirm and maintain his/her existing self-concept
self-enhancement
a person's inherent motivation to have a positive self-concept (and to have others perceive him or her favorably), such as being competent, attractive, lucky, ethical, and important
Mindfulness
a person's receptive and impartial attention to and awareness of the present situation as well as to one's own thoughts and emotions in that moment
conscientious
a personality dimension describing people who are organized, dependable, goal focused, thorough, disciplined, methodical, and industrious
agreeableness
a personality dimension describing people who are trusting, helpful, good-natured, considerate, tolerant, selfless, generous, and flexible
Neuroticism
a personality dimension describing people who tend to be anxious, insecure, self-conscious, depressed, and temperamental
Empathy
a persons understanding of and sensitivity to the feelings, thoughts, and situations of others
competencies
are characteristics of a person that result in superior performance
Organizations
are groups of people who work interdependently toward some purpose an entity, act in an organized way member have collected sense of purpose
globalization
economic, social, and cultural connectivity with people in other parts of the world
mental models
knowledge structures that we develop to describe, explain, and predict the world around us
aptitudes
natural talents that help employees learn specific tasks more quickly and perform them better part of competency
Categorical thinking
organizing people and objects into preconceived categories that are stored in our long-term memory
nuture
our socialization, life experiences, and other forms of interaction with the environment
values
relatively stable, evaluative beliefs that guide a person's preferences for outcomes or courses of action in a variety of situations
organizational memory
stored knowledge includes knowledge that employees recall as well as knowledge embedded in the organizations systems and structures
systematic research anchor
study organizations using systematic research methods
role perceptions
the degree to which a person understands the job duties assigned to or expected of him or her
moral intensity
the degree to which an issue demands the application of ethical principles
surface level diversity
the observable demographic or psychological differences in people such as their race, age, ethnicity, gender, and physical disabilities
self-fulfilling prophecy
the perceptual process in which our expectations about another person cause that person to act more consistently with those expectations
selecive attention
the process of attending to some information received by our senses and ignoring other information
Perception
the process of receiving information about and making sense of the world around us
Confirmation bias
the process of screening out information that is contrary to our values and assumptions and to more readily accept confirming information
openness to experience
A personality dimension that characterizes someone in terms of imagination, sensitivity, and curiosity, nonconforming, autonomous, and aesthetically perceptive
LO1-2 Debate the organizational opportunities and challenges of emerging employment relationships.
An emerging employment relationship trend is the blurring of work and nonwork time and the associated call for more work-life balance (minimizing conflict between work and nonwork demands). Another employment trend is telecommuting, whereby employees work from home one or more workdays per month rather than commute to the office.
In the field of organizational behavior, organizations are described as groups of A) people who work interdependently toward some purpose. B) people who work independently to achieve a collective goal. C) government-registered entities. D) people with independent profit-centered motives and objectives.
Answer: A Explanation: A) From an organizational behavior perspective, organizations are defined as groups of people who work interdependently toward some purpose.
Scenario: Roberto Baldwin As the owner and manager of Fantastic Toys, Roberto Baldwin is fascinated by all the changes occurring and transforming the workplace. Roberto is concerned about the important OB trends that he can understand and take advantage of in developing and positioning his company in the marketplace. Roberto is interested in this trend of globalization. He should know that globalization occurs when an organization A) increases its connectivity with people and organizations in other parts of the world. B) serves diverse customers within the firm's home country. C) has a diverse workforce within the firm's home country. D) has a substantially strong domestic market.
Answer: A Explanation: A) Globalization refers to economic, social, and cultural connectivity with people in other parts of the world. Globalization increases when this connectivity is increased. Although businesses have traded goods across borders for centuries, the degree of globalization today is unprecedented because information technology and transportation systems allow a much more intense level of connectivity and interdependence around the planet.
Which of these statements is TRUE about the field of organizational behavior? A) It examines how individuals and teams in organizations relate to one another and to their counterparts in other organizations. B) Organizational behavior researchers systematically study various topics at a single common level rather than at multiple levels. C) Information technology has almost no effect on organizational behavior. D) The field of organizational behavior relies exclusively on ideas generated within the field by organizational behavior scholars.
Answer: A Explanation: A) Organizational behavior (OB) is the study of what people think, feel, and do in and around organizations. It looks at employee behavior, decisions, perceptions, and emotional responses. It examines how individuals and teams in organizations relate to one another and to their counterparts in other organizations.
Which of the following statements is TRUE of organizational behavior knowledge? A) It is relevant to everyone who works in organizations. B) It should never be used to influence the behavior of other people. C) It should be used by managers and senior executives alone. D) It should not be used by subordinates to influence the behavior of their managers.
Answer: A Explanation: A) Organizational behavior is relevant to everyone in an organization since the work environment increasingly expects us to be self-motivated and to work effectively with coworkers without management intervention.
Which of the following perspectives holds that organizations depend on the external environment for resources, affect that environment through their output, and consist of internal subsystems that transform inputs into outputs? A) open systems B) systematic research C) high-performance work practice (HPWP) D) organizational learning
Answer: A Explanation: A) The open systems perspective views organizations as complex organisms that "live" within an external environment. As open systems, organizations depend on the external environment for resources, including raw materials, employees, financial resources, information, and equipment in order to transform inputs to outputs, like products/services, dividends, etc.
Which discipline has provided organizational behavior with much of its theoretical foundation for team dynamics, organizational power, and organizational socialization? A) sociology B) psychology C) economics D) industrial engineering
Answer: A Explanation:A) In OB, sociologists have contributed to our knowledge of team dynamics, organizational socialization, organizational power, and other aspects of the social system
) According to the multiple levels of analysis anchor, A) organizational behavior is mainly the study of how all levels of the organizational hierarchy interact with the external environment. B) organizational behavior topics typically relate to the individual, team, and organizational levels of analysis. C) there are eight levels of analysis that scholars should recognize when conducting OB research. D) organizational events can be studied from only one level of analysis.
Answer: B Explanation: B) According to the multiple levels of analysis anchor, OB topics typically relate to the individual, team, and organizational levels of analysis.
________ diversity includes differences in the psychological characteristics of employees, including personalities, beliefs, values, and attitudes. A) Reflective B) Deep-level C) Organizational D) Surface-level
Answer: B Explanation: B) Diversity also includes differences in the psychological characteristics of employees, including personalities, beliefs, values, and attitudes. This deep-level diversity cannot be seen, but it is evident in a person's decisions, statements, and actions.
________ refers to economic, social, and cultural connectivity with people in other parts of the world. A) OB B) Globalization C) Work-life balance D) Knowledge management
Answer: B Explanation: B) Globalization refers to economic, social, and cultural connectivity with people in other parts of the world.
Which of the following statements is consistent with the concept of the contingency anchor? A) To obtain the best results, actions should be taken without considering their consequences. B) A particular action may have different consequences in different situations. C) OB theories are based on simple, common sense ideas about what managers should do. D) OB theories point out the one best way to resolve organizational problems.
Answer: B Explanation: B) The contingency anchor states that a particular action may have different consequences in different situations.
Differences in the psychological characteristics across generations are an example of ________ diversity. A) surface-level B) internal C) deep-level D) racial
Answer: C Explanation: C) Deep-level diversity is evident in a person's choices, words, and actions. A popular example is the apparent deep-level diversity across generations.
Building teams, handling workplace conflicts, making decisions, and changing employee behavior are skills that employers desire in their employees.
Answer: TRUE Explanation: Building teams, handling workplace conflicts, making decisions, and changing employee behavior are skills that employers desire in their employees, and are offered through the study of organizational behavior.
78) Which of the following statements is TRUE about globalization and organizational behavior? A) Globalization has little or no effect on organizational behavior. B) Globalization has forced organizational behavior researchers to study only large multinational businesses. C) Globalization offers numerous benefits to organizations. D) Globalization has forced organizational behavior textbooks to discuss only companies with headquarters in North America.
Answer: C Explanation: C) Globalization offers numerous benefits to organizations in terms of larger markets, lower costs, and greater access to knowledge and innovation. Globalization is now well entrenched, so the most important issue in organizational behavior is how corporate leaders and employees alike can lead and work effectively in this emerging reality.
Serge supervises toolmakers who make custom parts for the engineering department before these parts go into production. Deshaun is a self-starter who thrives on solving tough problems, while Duncan prefers straightforward jobs, and doesn't handle stress well. Last week, Serge gave Duncan a difficult, time-sensitive project. Serge recognized that Duncan would handle the project well if he approached him differently than he would if Deshaun was doing the work. Which conceptual anchor of OB knowledge is involved here? A) the systematic research anchor B) the multidisciplinary anchor C) the contingency anchor D) the multiple levels of analysis anchor
Answer: C Explanation: C) The contingency anchor involves recognizing that the effectiveness of an action may depend on the situation.
Misha works for a company as a financial analyst from home using information technology. He does not work in a traditional physical workplace. This trend is known as A) deep-level diversity. B) contract work. C) virtual work. D) surface-level diversity.
Answer: C Explanation: C) Work performed away from the traditional physical workplace by using information technology is called virtual work. In this case, Misha works from home using information technology and not in a workplace.
Which of the following is TRUE according to the systematic research anchor? A) OB topics typically relate to the individual, team, and organizational levels of analysis. B) OB should import knowledge from other disciplines, not just create its own knowledge. C) OB theory should recognize that the effects of actions often vary with the situation. D) OB should study organizations by forming research questions, collecting data, and testing hypotheses against those data.
Answer: D Explanation: D) A key feature of OB knowledge is that it should be based on systematic research, which typically involves forming research questions, systematically collecting data, and testing hypotheses against those data.
) Which of the following anchors of organizational behavior states that no single solution is best all of the time? A) the systematic research anchor B) the multidisciplinary anchor C) the multiple levels of analysis anchor D) the contingency anchor
Answer: D Explanation: D) According to the contingency anchor, people and their work environments are complex, and the field of organizational behavior recognizes this by stating that a particular action may have different consequences in different situations. In other words, no single solution is best all of the time.
Scenario: Amy Albright Your roommate, Amy Albright, is not a business major. When she discovered that you are taking a course in organizational behavior, she was thoroughly confused as to why one would need to study OB and what it entails. Based on what you have studied, can you help Amy obtain knowledge of organizational behavior? Amy should understand that organizational behavior knowledge A) should never be used to influence the behavior of other people. B) should be used only by managers and senior executives. C) should never replace common sense knowledge about how organizations work. D) is relevant to everyone who works in organizations.
Answer: D Explanation: D) All employees need OB knowledge because employees increasingly need to be proactive, self-motivated, and able to work effectively with coworkers without management intervention. So OB is for everyone.
Scenario: Roberto Baldwin As the owner and manager of Fantastic Toys, Roberto Baldwin is fascinated by all the changes occurring and transforming the workplace. Roberto is concerned about the important OB trends that he can understand and take advantage of in developing and positioning his company in the marketplace. If Roberto wants to study deep-level diversity in his organization, he should A) review the demographic characteristics of his workforce. B) consider the likelihood of long-term employment with the organization for each of his employees. C) observe the physiological differences in the people who represent his workforce. D) look at different attitudes and expectations of his employees.
Answer: D Explanation: D) Deep-level diversity includes differences in the psychological characteristics of employees, including personalities, beliefs, values, and attitudes.
Which of the following is an example of globalization? A) A footwear firm based in San Diego opens a new branch in Los Angeles. B) A car company based in Pittsburgh manufactures its cars in Philadelphia. C) Rewind, a German music band which plays traditional German folk music, performs in Berlin. D) An American-based burger joint opens a new outlet in China.
Answer: D Explanation: D) Globalization refers to economic, social, and cultural connectivity with people in other parts of the world. Organizations globalize when they actively participate in other countries and cultures. In this case, the American burger chain has opened an outlet in another country.
Which of the following groups has a stronger motivation for personal development, advancement, and recognition? A) Gen-Xers B) Silent Generation C) Baby Boomers D) Millennials
Answer: D Explanation: D) Millennials have a stronger motivation for personal development, advancement, and recognition, whereas Baby Boomers are more motivated by interesting and meaningful work. Research indicates that as Millennials age, their motivation for learning and advancement will wane and their motivation for interesting and meaningful work will increase.
Which of the following statements is TRUE about organizational behavior? A) It involves a systematic study of various topics at a single level rather than at multiple levels. B) It is concerned with the study of people who work independently. C) It does not include the study of collective entities. D) It encompasses the study of how organizations interact with their external environments.
Answer: D Explanation: D) Organizational behavior encompasses the study of how organizations interact with their external environments, particularly in the context of employee behavior and decisions.
Scenario: Amy Albright Your roommate, Amy Albright, is not a business major. When she discovered that you are taking a course in organizational behavior, she was thoroughly confused as to why one would need to study OB and what it entails. Based on what you have studied, can you help Amy obtain knowledge of organizational behavior? Amy thinks that organization is the same as an organism. However, in the field of organizational behavior, organizations are best described as A) legal entities that must abide by government regulations and pay taxes. B) physical structures with observable capital equipment. C) social entities with a publicly stated set of formal goals. D) collective entities wherein members have a collective sense of purpose.
Answer: D Explanation: D) Organizations are groups of people who work interdependently toward some purpose. One key feature of organizations is that they are collective entities. A second key feature of organizations is that their members have a collective sense of purpose.
) Organizational behavior knowledge A) originates mainly from models developed in chemistry and other natural sciences. B) accurately predicts how anyone will behave in any situation. C) is more appropriate for people who work in computer science than in marketing. D) improves our ability to predict and anticipate future workplace events, and why they occur.
Answer: D Explanation: D) This knowledge satisfies our curiosity about why events occur and reduces our anxiety about circumstances that would otherwise be unexpected and unexplained. Furthermore, OB knowledge improves our ability to predict and anticipate future workplace events so we can get along with others, achieve our goals, and minimize unnecessary career risks.
At Clickz, an American photography magazine publisher, more than half of the senior management positions are held by women. African Americans represent 40 percent of the company's workforce. The description of Clickz's diversity refers to A) deep-level diversity. B) psychological diversity. C) personality diversity. D) surface-level diversity.
Answer: D Explanation:D) The observable demographic or physiological differences in people, such as their race, ethnicity, gender, age, and physical disabilities constitute surface-level diversity
Organizational behavior knowledge is strictly for managers, not for lower level employees.
Answer: FALSE Explanation: A common misunderstanding is that organizational behavior is for managers. Organizational behavior is valuable for everyone who works in and around organizations because employees increasingly need to be proactive, self-motivated, and able to work effectively with coworkers without management intervention.
One advantage of systematic research investigation is that it does not require the process of data collection.
Answer: FALSE Explanation: A critical feature of organizational behavior (OB) knowledge is that it should be based on systematic research, which typically involves forming research questions, systematically collecting data, and testing hypotheses against those data.
Organizational behavior knowledge is generic; therefore, it cannot be based on systematic research.
Answer: FALSE Explanation: A key feature of organizational behavior knowledge is that it should be based on systematic research, which typically involves forming research questions, systematically collecting data, and testing hypotheses against those data.
According to evidence-based management, corporate leaders can embrace fads and pet beliefs without wasting time to find out if they actually work.
Answer: FALSE Explanation: Evidence-based management is the practice of making decisions and taking actions based on research evidence, not fads, untested consulting models, or their own pet beliefs without bothering to find out if they actually work.
German sociologist Max Weber wrote about rational organizations and systematic ways to organize work processes and motivate employees through goal setting and rewards.
Answer: FALSE Explanation: German sociologist Max Weber wrote about rational organizations, the work ethic, and charismatic leadership. Around the same time, industrial engineer Frederick Winslow Taylor proposed systematic ways to organize work processes and motivate employees through goal setting and rewards.
Today, many organizational behavior experts agree that the best indicator of a company's effectiveness is how well it achieves its stated objectives.
Answer: FALSE Explanation: Many years ago, organizational behavior experts thought the best indicator of a company's effectiveness is how well it achieved its stated objectives. Today, we know this isn't necessarily so. The best yardstick of organizational effectiveness is a composite of four perspectives: open systems, organizational learning, high-performance work practices, and stakeholders.
Studying organizational behavior does not have an impact on one's career success.
Answer: FALSE Explanation: Organization behavior (OB) does make a difference to one's career success. OB helps us to make sense of and predict the world in which we live. We use OB theories to question our personal beliefs and assumptions and to adopt more accurate models of workplace behavior.
An advantage of the study of organizational behavior is that it tends to have a specific career path.
Answer: FALSE Explanation: Organizational behavior (OB) instructors face a challenge: Students who have not yet begun their careers tend to value courses related to specific jobs, such as accounting and marketing. However, OB doesn't have a specific career path—there is no "vice president of OB"—so students sometimes have difficulty recognizing the value that OB knowledge can offer to their future.
Deep-level diversity refers to the observable demographic or physiological differences in people.
Answer: FALSE Explanation: Surface-level diversity refers to the observable demographic or physiological differences in people, such as their race, ethnicity, gender, age, and physical disabilities.
Teams with diverse employees usually perform effectively in a shorter amount of time.
Answer: FALSE Explanation: Teams with diverse employees usually take longer to perform effectively because they experience numerous communication problems and create "faultlines" in informal group dynamics.
Telework potentially reduces productivity because employees experience more stress away from the office and tend to spend less time on work activity.
Answer: FALSE Explanation: Telework potentially improves productivity because employees experience less stress and tend to allocate some former commuting time to work activity.
Workforce diversity potentially improves decision making on complex tasks.
Answer: TRUE Explanation: Diversity is an advantage because it provides diverse knowledge and skills. Furthermore, teams with some forms of diversity (particularly informational diversity) make better decisions on complex problems than do teams whose members have similar backgrounds.
Globalization may have both positive and negative implications for people working in organizations.
Answer: TRUE Explanation: Globalization offers numerous benefits to organizations in terms of larger markets, lower costs, and greater access to knowledge and innovation. At the same time, there is considerable debate about whether globalization benefits developing nations, and whether it is primarily responsible for increasing work intensification, as well as reducing job security and work-life balance in developed countries.
Globalization offers numerous benefits to organizations in terms of larger markets, lower costs, and greater access to knowledge and innovation.
Answer: TRUE Explanation: Globalization refers to economic, social, and cultural connectivity with people in other parts of the world. It offers numerous benefits to organizations in terms of larger markets, lower costs, and greater access to knowledge and innovation.
The "human relations" school of management pioneered research on employee attitudes, formal team dynamics, informal groups, and supervisor leadership style.
Answer: TRUE Explanation: In the 1930s, Harvard professor Elton Mayo and his colleagues established the "human relations" school of management that pioneered research on employee attitudes, formal team dynamics, informal groups, and supervisor leadership style.
Organizational behavior (OB) recognizes that what goes on in organizations can be placed into three levels of analysis: individual, team, and organization.
Answer: TRUE Explanation: Organizational behavior recognizes that what goes on in organizations can be placed into three levels of analysis: individual, team (including interpersonal), and organization.
Organizational effectiveness is considered the "ultimate dependent variable" in organizational behavior.
Answer: TRUE Explanation: Organizational effectiveness is considered the "ultimate dependent variable" in organizational behavior.
The greatest value of organizational behavior knowledge is that it helps us to get things done in the workplace.
Answer: TRUE Explanation: Probably the greatest value of organizational behavior knowledge is that it helps us to get things done in the workplace by influencing organizational events. By definition, organizations are people who work together to accomplish things, so we need a toolkit of knowledge and skills to work successfully with others.
Organizational behavior knowledge is beneficial not only to an individual, but also to an organization's financial health
Answer: TRUE Explanation: Studies have consistently found a positive relationship between the quality of leadership and the company's financial performance.
Systematic research investigation is the basis for evidence-based management, which involves making decisions and taking actions based on this research evidence.
Answer: TRUE Explanation: Systematic research investigation is the basis for evidence-based management, which involves making decisions and taking actions based on this research evidence.
Research into the best predictors of investment portfolio performance suggests that specific organizational behavior characteristics are important "positive screens" for selecting companies with the highest and most consistent long-term investment gains.
Answer: TRUE Explanation: The bottom-line value of organizational behavior (OB) is also supported by research into the best predictors of investment portfolio performance. These investigations suggest that specific OB characteristics (employee attitudes, work-life balance, performance-based rewards, leadership, employee training and development, and so forth) are important "positive screens" for selecting companies with the highest and most consistent long-term investment gains.
The contingency anchor in organizational behavior suggests that we need to understand and diagnose a situation and select a strategy most appropriate under those circumstances.
Answer: TRUE Explanation: The contingency anchor recognizes that a particular action may have different consequences in different situations. In other words, no single solution is best in all circumstances. Thus, when faced with a particular problem or opportunity, we need to understand and diagnose the situation and select the strategy most appropriate under those conditions.
Open systems cannot exist without dependence on an external environment, whereas closed systems can exist without dependence on an external environment.
Answer: TRUE Explanation: The open systems perspective views organizations as complex organisms that "live" within an external environment. The word open describes this permeable relationship, whereas closed systems operate without dependence on or interaction with an external environment.
LO2-4 Describe three ethical principles and discuss three factors that influence ethical behavior
Ethics refers to the study of moral principles or values that determine whether actions are right or wrong and outcomes are good or bad. Three ethical principles are utilitarianism (greatest good for the greatest number), individual rights (upholding natural rights), and distributive justice (same or proportional benefits and burdens). Ethical behavior is influenced by the degree to which an issue demands the applicatoin of ethical principles (moral intensity), the individuals ability to recognize the presence and relative importance of an ethical issue (moral sensitivity), and situational forces. Ethical conduct at work is supported by codes of ethical conduct, mechanisms for communicating ethical violations, the organizations culture, and the leaders behavior.
T/F-In order for something to be called an organization, it must have certain assets, such as buildings and equipment.
FALSE Explanation: Organizations are groups of people who work interdependently toward some purpose. Organizations are not buildings or government-registered entities. In fact, many organizations exist without either physical walls or government documentation.
LO2-1 Describe the four factors that directly influence individual behavior and performance
Four variables- motivation, ability, role perceptions, and situational factors- which are represented by the acronym MARS, directly influence individual behavior and performance. Motivation represents the forces within a person that affect his or her direction, intensity, and persistence of voluntary behavior; ability includes both the natural aptitudes and the learned capabilities required to successfully complete a task; Role perceptions are the extent to which people understand the job duties (roles) assigned to them or expected of them; and situational factors included conditions beyond the employee's immediate control that constrain or facilitate behavior and performance
LO2-3 Describe personality and discuss how the Big Five personality dimensions and four MBTI types relate to individual behavior in organizations
Personality refers to the relatively enduring pattern of thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, that characterize a person, along with the psychological processes behind those characteristics. Personality is formed through hereditary (nature) as well as socialization (nurture). The big five personality dimensions include conscientiousness, agreeableness, neuroticism, openness to experience, and extroversion. Conscientiousness and extraversion are the best overall predictors of job performance in most job groups. Extraversion and openness to experience are the best predictors of adaptive and proactive performance. Emotional stability (low neuroticism) is also associated wit better adaptivity. Conscientiousness and agreeableness are the two best personality predictors of organizational citizenship and (negatively) with counterproductive work behaviors. Based on Jungian personality theory, the Myers Briggs type indicator identifies competing orientations for getting energy (extraversion vs introversion), perceiving information (sensing vs intuition), processing information and making decisions (thinking versus feeling), and orienting to the external world (judging versus perceiving). The MBTI improves self awareness for career development and mutual understanding but is more popular than valid
LO3-3 Discuss how stereotyping, attribution, self-fulfilling prophecy, and the halo, false consensus, primacy, and recency effects influence the perceptual process
Stereotyping occurs when people assign traits to others based on their membership in a social category. This assignment economizes mental effort, fills in missing information, and enhances out self-concept, but it also lays the foundation for stereotyping threat as well as systemic and intentional discrimination. The attribution process involves deciding whether an observed behavior or event is caused mainly by the person (internal factors) or the environment (external factors). Attributions are decided by the perceived consistency, distinctiveness, and consensus of the behavior. The process is subject to self-serving bias and fundamental attribution error. A self-fulfilling prophecy occurs when our expectations about another person cause that person to act in . away that is consistent with those expectations. This effect is stronger hen employees first join the work unit, when several people hold these expectations, and when the employee has a history of low achievement. Four perceptual errors commonly noted in organizations are the halo effect, false consensus effect, primacy effect, and recency effect.
LO1-4 Compare and contrast the four perspectives of organizations effectiveness
The open systems perspective views organizations as complex organisms that "live" within an external environment, depend on it for resources, then use organizational subsystems to transform those resources in to outputs, which are returned to the environment. Organizations receive feedback to maintain a good "fit" with that environment. Fit occurs by adapting to the environment, influencing the environment, or moving to a more favorable environment. Effective transformation processes are efficient, adaptable, and innovative. The organizational learning perspective states that organizations are effective when they find ways to acquire, share, use, and store knowledge. Knowledge is retained in the organizational memory; companies also secretively unlearn. The high performance work practices (HPWP) perspective identifies a bundle of systems and structures to leverage workforce potential. The most widely identified HPWPs are employee involvement, jo autonomy, employee competency development, and performance- and skill based rewards. HPWPs improve organizational effectiveness by building human capital, increasing adaptability, and strengthening employee motivation and attitudes. The stakeholder perspective states that organizations are more effective when they understand, manage, and satisfy stakeholder needs and expectations. Leaders manage the interests of diverse stakeholders by relying on their personal and organizational values for guidance. Ethics and corporate social responsibility are natural variations of values-based organizations. CSR consists of organizational activities intended to benefit society and the environment beyond the firms immediate financial interests or legal obligations.
Postive organizational behavior
a perspective of organizational behavior that focuses on building positive qualities and traits within individuals or institutions as opposed to focusing on what is wrong with them
five-factor model (Big Five)
the five broad dimensions representing most personality traits; conscientiousness, emotional stability, openness to experience, agreeableness, and extraversion
personality
the relatively enduring pattern of thoughts, emotions, and behaviors that characterize a person, along with the psychological processes behind those characteristics
ethics
the study of moral principles or values that determine whether actions are right or wrong and outcomes are good or bad a survey of 7700 millennials reported that 87% believe the "success of a business should be measured in terms of more than just its financial performance." However, only 58% believe that businesses "behave in an ethical manner"
Organizational behavior
the study of what people think, feel, and do in and around organizations examines how individuals and teams in organizations relate to each other and to their counterparts in other organizations studies how organizations interact with their external environment
self-serving bias
the tendency to attribute our favorable outcomes to internal factors and our failures to external factors
fundamental attribution error
the tendency to see the person rather than the situation as the main cause of that person's behavior