50) Alcoa headquarters has few individual offices, even for senior executives. The space is
essentially made up of cubicles, common areas, and meeting rooms. This informality conveys to
employees that Alcoa values ________.
A) autocracy
B) competitiveness
C) rigidity
D) equality
E) formalization
51) An organizational culture most likely to shape high ethical standards among its members is
one that ________.
A) is low in risk tolerance
B) is high in aggressiveness
C) focuses only on outcomes
D) takes a short-term perspective
E) balances the rights of multiple stakeholders
52) To create a more ethical culture, management should do all of the following except
________.
A) serve as a visible role model
B) encourage unbridled competition
C) provide ethical training
D) communicate ethical expectations
E) provide protective mechanisms
53) Phyllis works for a corporation that recently fired three top managers who were caught using
the company credit cards to lavishly furnish their offices and even purchase “office” furniture
that was found in their personal homes. Which method of maintaining an ethical culture is
Phyllis’s company pursuing?
A) serving as a visible role model
B) communicating ethical expectations
C) providing ethical training
D) visibly punishing unethical acts
E) providing protective mechanisms
54) Larry has an employee who is amazing at clearly seeing rules and enforcing them. He has
recently promoted her to the lead position in quality assurance. Which aspect of creating a
positive organizational culture is Larry utilizing?
A) rewarding more than punishing
B) building on organization strengths
C) encouraging intense competition
D) building on employee strengths
E) emphasizing short-term gains
55) Barbara is the lead editor for a small, city newspaper. One of her advertising sales
representatives, Mathew, is pulling in a lot of restaurant clients. Barbara realizes that Mathew is
quite knowledgeable about food and speaks quite elegantly while describing different dishes. She
has offered Mathew an opportunity to write a weekly restaurant review. Mathew is very happy
with his new job role. Which aspect of creating a positive organization is being utilized by
Barbara?
A) rewarding more than punishing
B) building on organization strengths
C) emphasizing individual growth
D) encouraging intense unbridled competition
E) focusing on outcomes
56) How can United States managers be culturally sensitive?
A) by indulging in frequent discussions about religion
B) by discussing politics frequently
C) by listening more
D) by speaking quickly
E) by talking in a high tone of voice
57) Which of the following statements is true regarding effects of national culture on
organizational culture and ethical behavior within an organization?
A) As compared to managers in the United States, managers in developing economies are less
likely to see ethical decisions as embedded in a social environment.
B) Organizations can safely ignore local culture while establishing its operation in another
country.
C) Generally, United States managers see bribery, nepotism, and favoring personal contacts as
highly unethical.
D) Organizational cultures rarely reflect national culture.
E) Most United States managers do not view profit maximization as a moral obligation.
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Copyright © 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
Trends Inc. is an apparel company. To keep up with the latest changes in the fashion industry,
the company has to come up with innovative designs and follow strict time lines. The culture of
the company values aggressiveness, innovation, and risk taking. The members of the
organization accept these cultural values. They know exactly what is expected of them and these
expectations go a long way in shaping their behavior. In addition to this, the culture of the
marketing department is outcome oriented and the finance department emphasizes attention to
detail.
58) The organizational culture of Trends Inc. values aggressiveness, innovation, and risk taking.
These characteristics express its ________.
A) autocratic culture
B) subculture
C) highly formalized culture
D) reflective culture
E) dominant culture
59) Aggressiveness, innovation, and risk taking are the ________ of the culture of Trends Inc.
A) foundational values
B) institutional traits
C) core values
D) significant traits
E) unique values
60) In addition to the organizational culture, the finance department emphasizes attention to
detail. In this example, attention to detail is a part of the ________ of the organization.
A) core values
B) significant traits
C) dominant culture
D) foundational values
E) subculture
61) Based on the information in the example, we can say that Trends Inc. ________.
A) is a highly centralized organization
B) is a virtual organization
C) has a strong culture
D) is a highly formalized organization
E) is a matrix organization
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Copyright © 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
You are new to an organization and do not really know what to expect about the socialization
process. You are a recent M.B.A. and have an undergraduate degree in computer science. Your
new firm is a software development company with an emphasis in the health care industry. Your
hiring process includes campus interviews, a day-long trip for interview at the company, an offer
phone call and letter, and some promotional material sent via the mail. When you arrive for your
first day at work, you spend half a day in an orientation session that is conducted by the human
resources department, where you complete paperwork and receive a company handbook. Then
you spend the rest of the day with your supervisor, who gives you a tour, introduces you to your
co-workers, and explains your first project. After that, you begin working and getting to know
the others in the company. You find that in most respects, your experience fits your expectations,
but in some ways you are surprised by realities that you hadn’t expected. None of these surprises
is too difficult to accept, so you eventually begin to feel at home and happy with your new job.
62) The information that you receive during the interviewing and hiring process is a part of the
________ stage of employee socialization.
A) preencounter
B) prearrival
C) encounter
D) metamorphosis
E) post-encounter
63) Your first day at work is part of the ________ stage of socialization.
A) orientation
B) prearrival
C) encounter
D) metamorphosis
E) post-encounter
64) When you begin to notice things that are not as per your expectation, you are in the
________ stage of socialization.
A) orientation
B) prearrival
C) encounter
D) metamorphosis
E) post-arrival
65) Which of the following steps could your supervisor take to best help you develop a
commitment to your new company?
A) encourage you to work independently at first to learn the ropes
B) explain the rules and policies of the organization to you
C) discourage you from putting too much emphasis on your perception of the organization
D) encourage you to look carefully at your own assumptions, which may be biased
E) encourage you to develop friendship ties within the organization
66) When you start to accept the differences between your expectations and the reality of the
organization, you move into the ________ stage of socialization.
A) prearrival
B) post-arrival
C) acceptance
D) metamorphosis
E) post-encounter
67) Your supervisor arranges for you to become involved in an apprenticeship program to learn
the in’s and out’s of your job from an experienced employee. This apprenticeship program is an
example of ________ socialization.
A) divestiture
B) random
C) informal
D) serial
E) variable
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Copyright © 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
Nunya is a computer software company that employs highly intelligent, but somewhat unusual
people. Every Friday, free lollipops, toys, or other treats are given out to encourage employees to
remember how creative they were when they were children. All the new members of the
organization are told about the founders who were three young people who “got lucky” and sold
a video game that they invented. The employees are allowed to dress informally and can set their
own working hours.
68) Informing employees about the founders is an example of which technique for transmitting
culture?
A) stories
B) material symbols
C) language
D) rituals
E) corporate chants
69) The regular distribution of lollipops, toys, or treats every Friday is an example of a ________
that helps reinforce Nunya’s culture.
A) story
B) ritual
C) material symbol
D) protective mechanism
E) narration
70) Nunya employees are allowed to dress informally. This is an example of a ________ through
which organizational culture is transmitted.
A) story
B) ritual
C) material symbol
D) symbolic act
E) tool
71) Organizational characteristics can be used to predict attitudes and behaviors of the people
within the organization.
72) Individuals with different backgrounds or at different levels in the organization will tend to
describe the organization’s culture in similar terms.