Refer to Case 16.1. Which of the following statements is most true about the female
engineers at Big Cars Automotive?
a. They hold nontraditional jobs.
b. They hold gender-biased jobs.
c. They are unlikely to be promoted to managerial positions.
d. They are likely to be paid the same as their male colleagues.
When applied to values formation, the term modelingrefers to
a. how we make complex ethical decisions.
b. the impact of family on personal values development.
c. the influence of those whom we admire.
d. the influence of media on early values formation.
In business, an effective speaking voice has a number of qualities to it, including
a. humility.
b. quietness.
c. a lower pitch.
d. confidence.
Case 1.1
John and Mabel’s company, High-Tech Solutions, is a medium-sized high-tech firm
with a core employee group of highly skilled professionals. Around this core is a group
of twice as many part-time contract programmers and other computer professionals. As
they win programming contracts, they hire contract workers. When work slows, they let
the part-timers go but keep their core group. Their target industries are facing increasing
government scrutiny and possible regulation due to the number of firms that are doing
poor work and causing long-term problems for customers.
John believes, when hiring for either the core group or for the part-time work force,
they need to look not only at each candidate’s technical work skills and competency but
also think about other factors as well: the candidate’s emotional control, team
orientation, self-awareness, self-esteem, and what the company has to offer them in
terms of family support. Mabel agrees to a degree. She thinks that the key to
productivity and quality is through their people, but she wants to focus more on
technical competencies and less on the other areas John mentions.
High-Tech Solutions uses teams extensively. Employees are trained how to work in
teams, handle conflict, work cooperatively, etc. Joan, a five-year veteran at High-Tech,
plays softball in a church league with several of her coworkers. She has asked for
investment advice from a couple of the work-group members who are heavily into the
stock market. She, in general, highly enjoys her work because of the relationships she
has with her coworkers. In sharp contrast, one of the new employees is having a hard
time with her supervisor. She wants greater independence and more affirming feedback.
The supervisor wants to be sure the new employee can do her job, so he is supervising
closely and is giving a lot of corrective feedback.
Refer to Case 1.1. Joan’s satisfaction on the job is likely due to which of the following?
a. Satisfied social needs and emotional support from her colleagues
b. Good stock market advice
c. Excellent relations with her supervisors
d. Status as a core employee
Case 7.1
Antonio has a number of employees who report to him. He has been considering how to
motivate these employees to higher levels of performance and productivity. Antonio
believes that most people are motivated by the satisfaction they receive from doing their
jobs. He thinks that workers have a personal need to do well on the job. Another
manager, Dexter, argues that while Antonio may be right, it is important to offer
financial incentives. Dexter believes that workers don’t really want to come to work and
that managers therefore have to provide a “carrot” to ensure quality and productivity.
Part of his evidence is that employees keep complaining about pay, working conditions,
and benefits even though the company pays well above average for the industry and the
area. Several days after this conversation, both Dexter and Antonio attend a workshop
on employee motivation that explains Herzberg’s motivation-maintenance theory.
Refer to Case 7.1. Antonio’s personal theory of motivation is
a. based on Theory X thinking.
b. built on external motivations.
c. focused on intrinsic rewards.
d. most closely related to a “hierarchy of needs approach.”
One of the fundamental concepts underlying communication styles theory is that
a. an individual’s communication style tends to be stable throughout his/her life.
b. communication styles are determined solely by heredity.
c. people are different from day to day and therefore their styles change day to day.
d. communication styles are entirely learned behavior.
Discussing politics and religious beliefs at work
a. builds respect for each employee’s ways of thinking.
b. involves inappropriate amounts of self-disclosure.
c. indicates knowledge of a topic.
d. encourages closer, more open relationships.
When Alexia meditates, she presses her abdominal muscles out and down as she
inhales. When she exhales, she pulls the abdominal muscles up and in, emptying the
lungs from the bottom up. What type of deep breathing is she using?
a. Complete cycle breathing
b. Abdominal breathing
c. Suspended breathing
d. Reverse cycle breathing
One of the most effective ways to improve organizational communication is to
a. promote the use of the grapevine.
b. create a nonthreatening climate to encourage upward communication.
c. communicate everything in writing.
d. communicate everything vertically.
The Small Company offers excellent pay, lunch to employees, and organizes many
social events to encourage group interaction. According to Maslow’s Hierarchy of
Needs, which level has to be addressed next?
a. Safety and security
b. Social or belongingness
c. Esteem
d. Self-actualization
Case 10.1
Antonio’s company has an employee orientation program; an extensive employee
performance review program; and encourages managers to praise, write letters of
appreciation for jobs well done, and take the time to listen to their employees. Years
ago, the company began a positive reinforcement program. Managers were initially
reluctant to support the program because they expected employees to begin demanding
pay raises. But the company kept working at it, and eventually the program was
accepted. Then, in order to increase quality and productivity, assembly-line workers
were paid based on piecework for each acceptable component that they built. When the
incentive programs were first introduced, employees competed with each other,
teamwork was destroyed, and interpersonal relations dropped to an all-time low. Now
the incentive programs and other positive reinforcement programs seem to be working.
However, due to cutbacks in management levels and increasing work demands,
managers are finding it harder and harder to determine which employees most deserve
recognition.
Refer to Case 10.1. Antonio’s company’s performance review program and
encouragement of managers to express appreciation to employees is an example of
a. incentive programs.
b. feedback and affirmation.
c. common courtesy.
d. Orloff’s definition of energy.
Case 5.1
Joan is designing an ethics training program for her company. She decides to build it
around the story of the founder of the corporation, Rosa. Rosa’s “rags-to-riches” story
reveals a woman with strong standards of personal conduct, deep personal values and
beliefs, and a pattern of good judgment. Rosa attributes her success to the upbringing
she had as a child. A second portion of the training program will review company
values, ethics code, and policies so that all employees are very clear on where the
company stands on key issues and business behaviors.
Refer to Case 5.1. The training program is helping employees make right choices by
a. emphasizing the importance of values education in public schools.
b. helping employees move away from the need for instant gratification.
c. ensuring employees’ values are in harmony with the company’s values.
d. hiring with care.
A manager could apply a win/win strategy by
a. concentrating on common interests, not differences.
b. using a neutral third-party arbitrator to make a decision.
c. citing company rules and policies.
d. imposing his/her own decision on all participants in the conflict.
Mandy’s employer is going through a period of intense and rapid change. Mandy has
begun rejecting any new work-related idea or practice, preferring to cling to the
methods that her employer used before the changes began. Mandy is exhibiting which
of the following negative attitudes concerning change?
a. Tenacity
b. Arrogance
c. Inflexibility
d. Traditionalism
Case 15.1
Topco, Inc. is a manufacturer of electric fans and other low-tech cooling devices. Joan
is the HR director. She is conducting a workshop for her managers on valuing diversity.
In an open discussion about the managers’ concerns on this topic, Bob says, “I don’t
care what someone’s race or gender, or whatever, is. I just have a tough time with the
soft, fat, college-educated kids who come in here and tell me how to do my job.” Jane
chimes in, “The real issue here is men’s inability to relate to women, each other, and
minorities. I’ve yet to meet a male manager who can really understand someone who’s
not one of his drinking buddies.” After a few more comments, Joan continues with the
training program.
Joan spends some time demonstrating that highly skilled talented people will leave their
company if not valued, how an inappropriate joke creates tension, and how failure to
value individual employees could even lead to acts of sabotage. She then moves to
brainstorming what each manager can do as an individual to enhance diversity. She
closes the day’s session with a discussion of how diversity training programs need to be
seen as a process and need to have clear objectives that permit assessment and be
supported by managers and top managers if they are to succeed.
Refer to Case 15.1. Joan’s closing is an example of what steps an organization can take
to enhance diversity?
a. Review employment practices.
b. Create additional education programs.
c. Implement an affirmative action program.
d. Consider and begin a committed organizational redesign.
Case 4.1
Bill is concerned about Tim’s self-esteem. Tim’s attitudes about himself have begun
affecting his work. Tim is just consumed with the fear of failure. He keeps telling
himself that he’s a failure, there’s no use trying, he can’t do any better. Bill says to Tim,
“It’s good that you know what you can and can’t do; that helps you be more realistic
about life. You just need to think of these matters in positive terms rather than hating
yourself.”
Bill manages Tim by telling him that he appreciates his hard work. Bill points out the
things Tim does well and regularly explains to Tim that he expects great things of him.
After a few weeks, Tim begins to perform more effectively and his fear of failure
decreases. Bill further takes Tim “under his wing” and begins to advise him on
professional behavior, gives him time to explain ideas and his concerns, and even
becomes an advocate for Tim with Bill’s boss.
Refer to Case 4.1. Bill’s action of taking Tim under his wing are an example of
a. developing an expertise.
b. mentoring.
c. monitoring of self-talk.
d. building Tim’s self-esteem by taking responsibility for Tim’s decisions.
In a 360-degree feedback assessment strategy,
a. low morale is likely to result, even if the assessment is well planned.
b. team members discuss each other’s strengths and weaknesses together.
c. employees are required to self-disclose.
d. the feedback is generally anonymous.
Case 15.1
Topco, Inc. is a manufacturer of electric fans and other low-tech cooling devices. Joan
is the HR director. She is conducting a workshop for her managers on valuing diversity.
In an open discussion about the managers’ concerns on this topic, Bob says, “I don’t
care what someone’s race or gender, or whatever, is. I just have a tough time with the
soft, fat, college-educated kids who come in here and tell me how to do my job.” Jane
chimes in, “The real issue here is men’s inability to relate to women, each other, and
minorities. I’ve yet to meet a male manager who can really understand someone who’s
not one of his drinking buddies.” After a few more comments, Joan continues with the
training program.
Joan spends some time demonstrating that highly skilled talented people will leave their
company if not valued, how an inappropriate joke creates tension, and how failure to
value individual employees could even lead to acts of sabotage. She then moves to
brainstorming what each manager can do as an individual to enhance diversity. She
closes the day’s session with a discussion of how diversity training programs need to be
seen as a process and need to have clear objectives that permit assessment and be
supported by managers and top managers if they are to succeed.
Refer to Case 15.1. Bob’s concerns are an example of
a. a non-diversity related problem.
b. subtle discrimination based on secondary characteristics.
c. a violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
d. what would be normally called the primary characteristics of diversity.
Parents can build high self-esteem in their children by
a. emphasizing the importance of getting high grades in school.
b. making them play sports or take music lessons.
c. encouraging them to make their own decisions.
d. teaching them to eat well.
Robert works at a concert hall. To keep his job interesting, he alternates his time
between the ticket counter, security, and the refreshments counter. This is an example of
a. job enrichment.
b. job rotation.
c. job expansion.
d. job enlargement.
Ahmad was recently laid off from his job at Big Bank. When he was employed, he did
not enjoy his job; however, now that his job is gone, he feels discouraged and hopeless.
Ahmad needs to change his attitude and can do so by
a. seeking support and happiness in his relationships.
b. doing more things that he enjoys.
c. discovering positive opportunities resulting from the layoff.
d. doing all of these.
Dominic arrives late to work and oftentimes waits to complete projects until the last
minute. Lynn, who arrives on time and is well organized, views Dominic as lazy and
ineffective despite the fact that he always has his projects completed by the deadline.
This is an example of
a. integrity conflict.
b. values conflict.
c. miscommunication.
d. values drift.
Sophia spends most of her time as head of the engineering department on keeping the
engineers “on task”. She has daily reports to show them their progress. She
demonstrates which kind of leader in the Ohio State Study?
a. low structure, low consideration
b. low structure, high consideration
c. high structure, low consideration
d. high structure, high consideration
The most crucial years in developing and consolidating feelings about one’s personal
identity occur during
a. early childhood.
b. late childhood.
c. adolescence.
d. adulthood.
Which of the following is not a challenge to women in top-level positions?
a. Those positions can require duties or outside activities that accomodate men with
non-working or part-time working wives.
b. There is social pressure to fulfill the duties and actions of traditional females.
c. Husbands are beginning to compromise their ambitions to support their wife’s career.
d. Their balance of work and life is more difficult.
Teams composed of part-time employees are more prone to experience team
dysfunction due to
a. inattention to results.
b. lack of skill.
c. lower organizational commitment.
d. task-related factors.
When verbal and nonverbal messages match,
a. it is critical to maintain eye contact.
b. it gives the impression that you can be trusted.
c. people can become suspicious of your intentions.
d. the verbal message is dominant.
One way to effectively express your anger is by
a. describing it in subtle, ambiguous terms.
b. reacting in a manner that is consistent with your full emotions.
c. expressing your feelings in a timely manner.
d. journaling about your feelings and then showing them to the person with whom you
are angry.
In the beginning of Chapter 14, the term “electronic overtime” is described as:
a. companies trying to get more production out of their workers
b. being accessible to your supervisor through a smartphone the company provided.
c. the extra work we feel do when our jobs are not secure.
d. adapting to the increased demands on technical knowledge.
Under Herzberg’s theory of motivation, opportunities for recognition, advancement, or
more responsibility are considered
a. ego boosters.
b. motivational factors.
c. maintenance factors.
d. unnecessary.
Andrew Cherng’s business culture shows that he feels personally responsible for his
company’s success. There seems to be a correlation of its growth and high performance
with
a. repeat customers.
b. providing quality products.
c. requiring a “human touch”.
d. his employees.
Some incentive plans do not achieve positive reinforcement results because
a. they do not use monetary rewards.
b. the incentives are too customized on individual wants and needs.
c. what they reward may foster unethical behavior or unproductive competition..
d. they result in overmotivation and overproduction to the point of having to lay
workers off.
Case 2.1
B.F.E., Inc. is changing its employee benefits plan. Some of the changes will be positive
and some will take current benefits away. As vice president of human resources,
Cynthia is concerned that the communication to the employees be as accurate as
possible. When the changes are communicated from management to the employees, a
small group of employees reacts negatively. The employees don’t like the changes and
feel the company once again is taking advantage of them, even though the positive
changes outweigh what is being taken away. A representative is sent to Cynthia to
express their concerns. Cynthia is very concerned that she understand this group’s
concerns.
Refer to Case 2.1. As vice president of human resources, Cynthia wants to
communicate the changes in benefits to the employees clearly with an opportunity for
response. Her best communication tool for this would be
a. the grapevine.
b. the horizontal communication channel.
c. a memo from her department.
d. e-mail with a way for employees to ask questions.
Leaders must often assume a role of
a. follower.
b. superiority.
c. coach.
d. coworker.
Amy informs her employees that they can offer any constructive criticism regarding her
leadership style by placing anonymous notes in her mailbox. This is an example of
a. telecommuting.
b. informal communication channel.
c. formal communication channel.
d. upward communication.
Identify the five most influential theories of motivation outlined in the text. Compare
and contrast their strengths and/or weaknesses.
What are some of the results of cultural differences in values and ethics in global
business?
Character education in public schools has always been a cornerstone of developing
values within schoolchildren.
Business men and women take 10 to 20 minutes to meditate before important meetings
as that is about the minimum time to gain its benefits.
An individual that works hard and is strongly self-determined demonstrates the quality
of ____________________.
Parents are able to build their children’s self-esteem due to their early influence on
them.
Stress management techniques have no impact if stress is not currently a problem.
Discuss the three major factors that contribute to the development of prejudice.
Create a unique short scenario that illustrates an example of conflict that could result
from work policies and practices. What solutions would you suggest for resolving the
conflict?
When a person enters the workplace, they are often faced with the challenge of holding
onto their values. Define values driftand identify three ways to prevent this from
occurring.
During a meeting, a potential client is introduced as “Shandra Smith.” It is important to
put her at ease and a sign of good manners to call her Shandra throughout the meeting.
In general, the fewer alternatives you present, the better a negotiating position you’ll be
in.
Deep breathing exercises help minimize stress because they force you to focus on the
moment rather than stressful things.
Dialogue groups promote self-reflection and increased self-awareness and provide a
more authentic interaction with coworkers.
An example of effective self-talk is “I choose to finish my report today.”
Explain two basic concepts of sociability as it is used in the communication style
model.
B. F. Skinner maintained that a living organism will tend to repeat a particular behavior
if that behavior is accompanied by a reinforcer.