psych final exam
what are the work related benefits of being high in emotional intelligence?
---ability to recognize and regulate own emotions -ability to read other's emotions -ability to use emotions to help performance -tend to be liked more: helps group productivity -show generally higher job performance
Describe the various alternative work schedules that are in existence these days
-Flextime programs: discretion over start and stop -contingent workforce: hiring ppl temporarily as needed for specific periods, primarily aimed at cost reduction sometimes requested for flexibility -compressed workweeks: fewer days longer hours (4/10), positive effects of personal lives, no direct performance effects overall
how does the LPC score relate to Fiedler's predictions about leadership?
-LPC=least preferred coworker questionnaire -if LPC is seen as relatively positive (70+) then leader is relations oriented (high LPC) -is LPC is seen as relatively unfavorable (54-) then leader is task oriented (low LPC)
what are some positive and negative outcomes associated with playing politics?
-POSITIVES????? -negatives: -increased turnover -reduced job satisfaction -reduced org. commitment -reduced feelings of support -motivation declines
Explain Fred Taylor and Gilbreth's early contributions to the field
-TIME AND MOTION STUDIES -study people working at individual tasks -determine motion by motion the most efficient means of working
what helps create cultures? test question: in the creation of an organization's culture...
-a founder's values and vision have a large effect on the organization's culture
what types of situations cause groupthink to occur?
-group members stop thinking critically, make poor decisions -occurs when conformity pressure is very high -stops members from voicing opinions -experience false consensus, real consensus is rare in large groups
what personality types are most likely to engage in politics in the workplace?
-high self monitors, high Machs, aggressive, socially skilled, intelligent, ambitious
what are the task preferences of a person with high need for achievement?
-high=prefer moderately difficult tasks, completing complex report with a close deadline-->high likelihood of meaningful success, easy tasks mean no challenge, very difficult tasks means success is unlikely failure is unacceptable
how is job satisfaction related to absenteeism? turnover? performance?
-higher job satisfaction=lower absenteeism, lower turnover, and higher performance
Elton Mayo and Hawthorne studies
-how employees treated by management -employee relations with each other -social conditions and social processes H: -initial focus on improving productivity -systematically altered work environment -no direct relation to light intensity -productivity generally improved over 2 years of study -exception was bank wiring room
what major dimensions describe the competing values framework for culture? test question: the competing values framework suggests we evaluate organizational culture, in part, on the basis of....
-internal and external focus
what are some some of the distinguishing features of charisma?
-the power of charisma doesn't stem only from traits, instead, special ability to make ordinary followers act in extraordinary ways -------------above normal performance -------------high devotion/loyalty -------------generate enthusiasm -------------most needed during crisis
what specialized roles tend to emerge in groups?
-typical behaviors characterizing person in particular context -role differentiation=tendency for specialized roles to develop in groups naturally -task oriented=initiators, info seekers -relations orientated=harmonizers, encouragers -self oriented=blockers, dominators, avoiders
what do contingency theories in general say about leadership?
-under certain conditions one style of leadership is appropriate; under other conditions another -context/situation is essential -Fiedler's LPC Model: -successful leadership depends on match between leaders characteristics and degree to which situation allows leader control and influence
Contingency approach
-very common viewpoint in psych -multiple conditions affect behavior, behavior results from complex array of interacting forces -individual situational, environmental forces all matter in predicting human behavior, rarely a "single" solution -one thing depends on another
ch 1.....
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describe some typical behaviors or strategies people use when they play politics in the workplace?
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describe the advantages of informal communications networks
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how might an organization measure its effectiveness?
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what are examples of informal communication?
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what are the 3 major levels of analysis used in organizational behavior?
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what are the major dimensions that help describe organizational culture?
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what areas of research are OB researchers most likely to study in reference to attitudes?
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what creates problems in communications?
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what distinguishes one's personal (individual) decision making style from another?
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what is organizational behavior?
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how good is the empirical support for Fiedler's theory?
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what is the trait approach to leadership and how much empirical support is there for it?
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what makes these programs most effective?
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compare and contrast autocratic and democratic leadership styles
autocratic=total control over decision making democratic=lets others make key decisions
What's outsourcing and why do companies do it?
Sells off certain function to another company not a core function, ex: Macy's and payroll other company does it for them
what are some mid and later life career issues people often face? test question: these days, research demonstrates that people who identify themselves as retired might also:
work part time, have begun a new career late in life, perform periodic consulting work (all the above)
Highly decentralized organizations: The standard organizational chart makes it clear that the many tasks to be performed within an organization are divided into specialized jobs. This process is called
create opportunities for decisions to be made by people closest to the situation. division of labor
what key features distinguish a team from a group?
groups=2 or more people interacting with common goals team=group whose members have many and complementary skills -ability to work in a team structure
why is job rotation important? test question: career development, particularly following a career plateau, can come through ______ in other words lateral transfers between jobs in an organization
job rotation
what is the function of leaders as opposed to the function of managers?
leader=person in a group who wields the most influence over others, mostly non-coercive, directed toward group or org. goals, requires followers -----they create a vision, mission, and give reason for ongoing purpose of organization, develop strategies for attaining that purpose -managers=sometimes leaders but not always, generally managers implement strategies used to achieve vision, purpose...but blurry boundaries
When an organization sets up a structure using both job functions and products to organize, they are using a __________ structure.
matrix
compare and contrast permissive and directive leadership styles. what situations make one better over the other?
permissive=provide very little direction directive=give lots of direction --combined with autocratic-democratic dimension to make 2 dimensional model ***no single behavioral style is best -directive autocratic inexperienced employees -permissive autocratic highly skilled employees with little interest in routine decision making
why is persons job fit so important?
person job fit -extent that people possess abilities, traits required for a certain job -enhances job satisfaction, productivity
what do the two types of diversity management programs consist of?
-aimed at valuing diversity and valuing differences, creating supportive work environments -focus on business necessity:creativity profitability, org attractiveness, retention -awareness based:raising awareness about own cultural assumptions and insensitive practices -cognitive based=learn to think differently often uses small group or written exercises -skills based=developing skills for effective interactions among people of all backgrounds -cross cultural understanding: varying norms that impact employee behavior and how to work within varying norms -intercultural communicating ex: verbal and non verbal barriers -facilitation skills for misunderstandings
what ethical considerations should be kept in mind when making the choice about whether to use political tactics?
-are you promoting only selfish interests? -are you respecting privacy rights? -would your acts be considered fair by others' standards?
what is social loafing and why does it occur?
-as size of group increases, people tend to exert less effort -each person contributes less than when working alone "free ride" Ringlemann's study & social impact theory diffusion of responsibility occurs as groups get larger -people feel less accountable/less pressured to perform well -individual efforts feel less important people feel unneeded and dispensable
what elements are important for proper brainstorming?
-brainstorm frequently -brief less than an hour session -focused problem -build on other's ideas -prepare-dont come in cold -have a good leader
what characteristics are desirable in a mentor? how can a mentor help another employee?
-can provide emotional support, champion you to upper management and protect you, can provide you with opportunities to demonstrate skills, ultimately may learn from you as relationship changes -research demonstrates--more promotions, more pay raises, better social support improved job satisfaction
how does Fiedler suggest we improve leader's effectiveness?
-change to a different leader ---leader's LPC is fixed cannot alter leaders style -change the situation, spend more time (or less) with subordinates, transfer some out -clarify roles on tasks, provide step by step plans for work -leader match training
in what ways is transformational leadership different from charismatic leadership?
-charisma supersized: arouse strong emotions -want followers to become best selves -charisma, self-confidence, vision, environmental sensitivity, intellectual stimulation, interpersonal consideration, inspiration, morality
how would you distinguish between classical and neoclassical approaches to organizational design? which design is best if any? Neo-classical design differs from classical design because it includes a concern for:
-classical= clear cut lines of authority, centralized power, specialized labor, tall hierarchies, narrow spans -this is the "one best" way, aimed at economic effectiveness -Neoclassical approach: aimed at economic effectiveness AND employee satisfaction -flatter hierarchies; decentralized (participate in decision making) less specialized labor (less boredom) single best design employee satisfaction
what traits characterize type A personality and how do these traits impact job performance?
-competitive -time urgent -agressive, tend toward hostility -valued in US business -type A's do get more work done (work faster, set own deadlines) -complete more even with distractions -don't always perform better -patience, careful judgement can be lacking -irritability can make coworker interaction difficult
how do conglomerates differ from strategic alliances? what are examples of each?
-conglomerate= one usually large organization adds another org having unrelated business or product -diversified megacorporations ex: GE -diversification aimed to help with economic stability -sometimes obtain synergy from some suppliers for their different products -strategic alliances=two separate companies join to operate a specific business or capitalize an overlapping opportunity EX: disney pixar allows benefits that could not be obtained when operating alone, Up Walle -can be short or long lasting
what is the major focus of normative decision theory?
-decision making strategies ----decision making style impacts job satisfaction, stress, productivity
what distinguishes departmentalization by function from departmentalization by product?
-departmentalization=process of breaking up organizations into coherent units -Functional: grouping people according to similarity of tasks, departments--production sales, finance, legal, research and develop. etc. -advantage=avoids duplication; allows sharing resources for employees doing same/similar jobs -disadvantages=narrow perspectives/lack of understanding; sometimes believe they are competing for resources -Product-customer based: grouping people according to product made or customer served, often highly diversified companies -all activities related to a particular product or customer base are in one unit -advantage/disadvantage=less narrowed perspectives, but potential duplicated effort, lack of sharing resources
what causes workplace aggression?
-downsizing/layoffs, outsourcing cause resentment -research=with greater extent of these changes over time aggression increases
what does deviant organizational behavior refer to? give examples
-employee actions intentionally violating norms -usually results in negative consequences for coworkers or the organization such as...theft, physical violence, fraud, vandalism, verbal abuse, interfering with performance...
describe the matrix structure and its advantages and disadvantages
-employees are organized by both function and product/project, each employee has 2 supervisors -matrix boss leads either function department or product line, top leader=authority over both lines -disadvantages=2 lines of authority-conflict both managers and for employees role expectations -advantages=flexible, efficient-assign to projects as needed, helpful when resources are stretched, forces communications, cooperation, higher performance with complex tasks
how can we increase people's commitment?
-enrich jobs -employee involvement -participate in decision making--> allows employees to feel more responsible, connected -align interest directly, profit sharing -good recruiting , match goals, mission of org -listen then change
how might a subculture impact a dominant culture? -test question: subcultures in organizations typically occur as a result of employees....
-geographic proximity or near-ness to each other
in the path-goal theory, what situational factors must the leader take into account? what are examples of appropriate leadership behavior based on this approach?
-leader's main job: "clear the path" to goals -in general: leader assists followers in reaching goals by clarifying nature of tasks, eliminating obstacles to performance, then motivation, job satisfaction and good performance, then receive recognition and rewards -appropriate styles depends on: subordinate characteristics (ex: experience, skills) environment, again leaders must be flexible in choosing style
what are the key elements of the situation according to Fielder?
-low LPC leaders (task oriented) best in situations of very high or very low control, good relations or very poor relations, highly structured task or minimal, high power or minimal power EX:when leaders are liked, suborns "ready" to be directed by them and it's acceptable to focus on task -high LPC leaders (relations-oriented) best in situations of moderate control/restricted power
what situations allow people high in machiavellianism to manipulate others? what actions can people take to protect themselves from high Machs?
-manipulate for own purposes -highly pragmatic -emotionally distant: little remorse or empathy when others are harmed -NOT team players -neglect to share important info -subtle in making you look bad -spread false rumors ***they perform best when they can manipulate the situation -not face to face -the circumstances are highly structured: many rules and regulations -you have autonomy:can free self from the hi Mach -EXPOSE THEM: make their actions public
what does grid training refer to?
-multistep process designed to cultivate within leaders a concern for people and a concern for production
what's the difference between personality-oriented and integrity tests? test questions: which can be predicted by integrity tests? "do you like to create excitement?"is....
-organizational commitment -personality oriented
what causes employees to steal?
-personal troubles: financial pressures, vice-based pressures -office norms: other people do it, rationalize that it's no big deal -perceived mistreatment:aiming to even the score, belief in being underpaid, a promised opportunity taken away
what are the advantages of group decision making?
-potential advantages: pooled knowledge and info division of/specialization of labor members more likely to accept decision (less resistance) -making decisions about complex, multifaceted problems -why? wider range of opinions and skills. assistance in developing ideas assumes: heterogeneous groupings (complimentary skills) open communication
what are some possible pitfalls of mentoring?
-proteges success may hinge on mentor's -poor advice -varying levels of formal mentoring programs -women, people of color have more difficulty finding mentors -men fear perception of romance
what are the outcomes for people with high need for achievement?
-rapid promotion at least early in careers -often ultimately get stalled, less likely to delegate or tackle very difficult tasks execs may encounter BUT seek lots of feedback on performance
what is the MUM effect? in most likely to occur.....
-reluctance to transmit bad news: not reporting it, asking someone else to report it, "shades" of the truth -sometimes downward ex: layoffs, resource reductions, etc. -MORE OFTEN UPWARD ex: poor status of project, negative client feedback etc. -fear of reprisal/punishment so don't report info -fear of angry boss, so put best face forward -perception that supervisors are unwilling to make time for lengthy discussions -most likely to occur in larger organizations
Describe the current trends in OB
-rise in global business=changing workforce demographics due to global cooperation -advances in technology resulting in structural changes=downsizing, outsourcing -rising expectations to meet workers' needs= flexible hours, contingent work, job sharing
which organizational factors are most likely to foster politics in the workplace? online quiz question: organizational politics occurs most often in:
-scarce resources -conflicting interests -high uncertainty-ambiguous goals and roles -highly centralized; people lacking empowerment -organization in decline, or very mature -organizational history of politics -highly centralized organizations, situations where roles and tasks are ambiguous, organizations with a history of politics, ALL THE ABOVE
what is organizational culture
-shared attitudes, expectations, behavioral norms, core values -provides identity, belongingness -generates commitment to org's mission -clarifies and reinforces expected behaviors -distinct from an individual's cultural background
what does the "substitute for leadership" framework say about why we might let followers substitute for leaders in some cases?
-sometimes leaders are practically irrelevant -individual characteristics: high skills, knowledge and commitment -nature of task/job, highly routine or very interesting -organizational characteristics: working norms, cohesiveness, technology infused work
what were the ohio state leadership studies? what's the difference between initiating structure and consideration? what should leaders strive for?
-studying leaders in various settings, same 2 dimensions appeared -initiating structure=task production oriented, getting the job done, organizing work, setting goals, improving productivity -consideration=people oriented, good relations with followers, being responsive listeners, showing concern for general well being of employees
what does Fiedler's model of leadership say about effective leadership styles?
-successful leadership depends on: match between leader's characteristics and degree to which situation allows leader control in influence
describe a boudaryless organization, its advantages and its requirements for employees
-team based, rather than department based, few formal barriers between people: "fuzzy" roles -minimal chains of command and loose and delayed hierarchy, spans of control undefined -requires=high skill levels (little supervision), high trust between employees -the aim=improve creativity because people are not restricted by roles/functions, improve efficiency with less bureaucracy
how does the resource dependency model help explain why politics occur?
-the model suggests that a key determinant of subunit power is the control of valued resources: the greater this control, the greater the power the subunit or department can wield -it provides a perspective on why politics occur in organizations
describe the 5 basic features that we use to characterize organizational structure and describe the relevant research outcomes and trends related to these features of structures?
1) Hierarchy of Authority: imaginary line describing who reports to who, tall=many levels flat=few levels RESEARCH=often flattening, new problems in coordinating remaining units, lack of leadership in units 2) Span of Control: Breadth of Responsibility number of subordinates a person supervises wide=many supervisees narrow=few supervisees -with wider span spans of control typically flatter organizations RESEARCH= no ideal span narrow span=more personal contact could be a positive or negative thing, allows more control when stakes are high (ex military) wide span=more possible with highly skilled or highly trained people 3) Division of Labor: how tasks are divided into specialized jobs, with increased division more "specialization", initially highly advocated RESEARCH=too much specialization--> reduced communication, primary cause of boredom, burnout and ultimately turnover, too little specialization--> anxiety, stress, overload, downsizing=less specialization 4) Line Vs Staff: line positions=substantial decision making power related to doing basic work staff=may make recommendations charged with accepting decisions -not always clear cut, derived from military structure, current orgs: one may be line at times, staff at other, can be source on conflict 5) Centralization vs. Decentralization: degree to which power is delegated(spread) from higher to lower levels, authority decision making (central=just a few) -current trend=decentralization-->allows for quicker responses to customers, allows higher level execs to concentrate on policy making, strategic planning, very successful for companies like Johnson& Johnson BUT...decentralization is only useful when employees want it, or work allows it
how are the big five dimensions of personality related to job performance? **which was most important
1) conscientiousness=organized, responsible vs careless, neglectful, strongest predictor of performance in all jobs 2) emotional stability/neuroticism=poised, composed vs nervous, anxious, also relatively strong predictor of performance in all jobs 3) extraversion=sociable, talkative vs reserved, quiet, important for sales; managers high interpersonal interactions 4) agreeableness=good natured, cooperative vs suspicious, uncooperative, teams 5) openness to experience=imaginative, broad minded, sensitive vs practical, down to earth, important for creative jobs also for training
what are the basic assumptions of each of the major models of decision making?
1. directive -make decisions rapidly -uses little info, considers few alternatives as solutions -relies on existing rules 2. analytical -uses as much info as possible -makes decisions more slowly, aiming for very high quality and best possible solution -enjoys decision making process itself 3. conceptual -try for creative solutions -consider broad range of alternatives rather than preconceived range of ideas -out of box thinkers, initiating new ideas 4. behavioral -supportive of others, interested in their development -seek others' input open to suggestions -most likely to rely on meetings as means for input to make decisions
how does the environment relate to the most appropriate organizational design?
CONTINGENCY APPROACH -the best design depends on nature of the environment in which the org. operates -environment: economy, current technologies, labor force, competitors, political situations 2 design types (Burns and Stalker) -mechanistic--like classic -organic--like neoclassical RESEARCH=orgs that operate in stable environment, certain environments are most effective with mechanistic structure -orgs that are unstable are most effective with organic structure
How does downsizing affect employees and organizations themselves?
Negative attitudes: distrust, role ambiguity etc...
describe the meaning of leanness vs richness in communications
RICH: normally oral media -personal, provides immediate feedback, contains nonverbal cues=tone of voice, facial expression, face to face=richest -effective for communicating complex ambiguous, non routine info, where clarity is likely needed LEAN: normally written media -provide few extra cues -flyers, bulletin boards, leanest -effective for simple routine clear info not requiring much clarification -also efficient in regard to time
define theory x and theory y
Theory x: during 2nd industrial revolution managers at the time did little to improve work lives Theory y: now
how would define a career anchor? test question:a career anchor is associated with
a person's occupational self concept
compare and contrast early views of leadership with more recent views
early: Great Person Theory=people are born with or without necessary traits for leadership, a natural gift modern views: Charismatic leadership=special power drawing people into their vision, self confidence, clear vision, unconventional, change oriented and highly realistic, transformational leadership
describe the communication process and its components define encoding, channel, decoding, feedback, noise
encoding=transforming ideas into transmittable form (written or spoken word, non-verbal cues) channel=pathway by which message is sent, the medium decoding=receiver transforms info back into the senders ideas feedback=knowledge/info about impact of message on receivers, is transmitted by receiver to sender noise=factors that can distort the clarity of the message, poor encoding, inappropriate channel, disinterested or unskilled decoding
what types of group situations contribute to group cohesiveness?
increased time spent together smaller groups previous success high external threat or competition, common enemy severity of inflation
An organization with a tall hierarchy typically results in managers' having a ________ span of control.
narrow
how does nominal group technique work? what about the Delphi technique?
nominal group technique -gather 7-10 people -each writes down solution -each presents solution, written on chart/projected for all to see -each solution discussed, clarified -participants privately rank/order solutions -highest ranking idea wins -sometimes electronic DELPHI TECHNIQUE -enlist cooperation of experts -send letter/e-mail explaining issue, asking for most appropriate solution -compile all responses -send compiled info out to experts again for comments on other's ideas -ask for further solutions -cont process until some consensus -the good=collecting expert judgment -the bad=lots of time, even with email, NOT for a crisis
why are career paths different today than they were 20 years ago? test question: in the past, careers tended to...
offer employees a "ladder" to climb
what causes people to feel committed to their organization? what are corresponding "types" of commitment?
organizational commitment=extent to which people are involved in, ID with, and are unwilling to leave the organization 1) continuance commitment=desire to remain part of the org bc doing otherwise would be too costly-->accumulated personal investment, salary retirement vesting, HAVE TO BE THERE, recently declining 2) affective commitment=arises due to similarity between personal goals/values and org's goals/values, WANT TO BE THERE 3) normative commitment=feeling obligated to continue working at org due to social pressures from employees, NEED TO BE THERE
what is the difference between a mechanistic and organic structure Research has demonstrated that classically designed organizations (also known as mechanistic organizations) operate best in
stable, certain environments
how would you describe the various types of career paths? --steady state, linear, spiral, transitory
steady state=lifetime employment in one job linear=-traditional movement up the ladder, typically within the same field -traditional career paths are also less clear, often replaced by spiral spiral=each job/occupation requires new skills but builds on old transitory=movement between unrelated jobs, can't find satisfying work or satisfaction is found elsewhere