Clampitt, Communicating for Managerial Effectiveness 5e
Instructor Resources: Testbank
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Chapter 4: Imparting the Organizational Culture
Multiple Choice
1. What does the author recommend in communicating the organizational culture?
a. craft actionable cultural statements
b. link values with specific behaviors
c. use financial resources to reinforce values
d. a and b
e. all of the above
2. The most critical time for the manager to communicate the corporate culture to the
employee is in
a. the initial weeks of employment
b. the time period between the initial hiring and the employee’s first day of
employment
c. after the 1st formal performance evaluation
d. none of the above
3. The best way to discover the culture of a company is to study
a. the type of people the organization hires
b. its symbols
c. its slogans and value statements
d. b and c
e. all of the above
4. The Imperial, Inc. “upside down” organization chart presented in the chapter reveals
a
a. a highly autocratic, centralized company
b. an “army–like” culture
c. top-down hierarchical structure
d. all of the above
e. none of the above
5. Your author suggests that the wise leader manages by
Clampitt, Communicating for Managerial Effectiveness 5e
Instructor Resources: Testbank
a. enforcing procedures
b. a set of rules
c. a set of values
d. all of the above
6. Your author suggests that if there is a large gap between an organization’s stated
culture and its actual culture…
a. it may result in employee cynicism and discouragement
b. it becomes a strong motivator for employees
c. it actually doesn’t matter, as this will have little impact on employees
7. A company’s mission states that “Our employees are our number one resource.”
Based on the chapter, how effective does this communicate the culture?
a. the statement is too ambiguous, and may not motivate, inspire or compel the
right action
b. this cultural statement is too narrow and might restrict employee behavior
c. this statement will most likely motivate employees and lead to heightened
creativity
d. b and c
True/False
8. A healthy organizational culture is typified by a “family atmosphere”.
9. Your author suggests that cultural statements should be very general, such as “We
are in the business of serving customers.”
10. The management theorist Warren Bennis points out how effectively The New York
Times produced a culture of candor as exemplified in its handling of the Jayson Blair
situation.
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11. In his scholarly work, James Kotter found that companies that lived by their stated
values experienced four times more growth in revenues than did their counterparts.
12. Examining corporate slogans and value statements—rather than reflecting on the
type of people in the organization — are the most revealing ways of discovering the
corporate culture.
13. Your author suggests that it is not effective for an organization to develop symbolic
reminders of the core values to reinforce the corporate culture.
14. “Our mission is to make the best damn product we can” would be considered an
actionable cultural statement.
15. The wise leader seizes on the power of telling the right story and uses it as a tool to
regularly communicate the core values.
Short Answer
16. List and explain 3 ways to discover an organization’s underlying values?
17. List and explain 3 ways in which an organization’s culture influences the
organization’s performance.
18. Explain the concept of “linking values to specific behaviors.” Provide a specific
example.
19. Provide an example of managing conflict through values, not the hierarchy.
20. List and explain 3 specific ways in which stories help communicate an organization’s
culture.