9-16
67. Which is not one of the key elements of a learning organization?
a. shared vision
b. mental modes
c. system thinking
d. frame-breaking
68. Understanding the inter-relations and the invisible and visible bonds that connect people inside and
outside the organization is commonly referred to as:
a. shared vision
b. system thinking
c. personal mastery
d. mental models
69. describes the process of continually clarifying and developing personal visions and goals, and
expanding skills sets and levels of proficiency.
a. Shared vision
b. System thinking
c. Personal mastery
d. Mental models
70. All of the following are considered organizational learning disabilities except:
a. isolated jobs
b. emphasis on events
c. illusion of taking charge
d. skilled competence
71. Organizations that rely too heavily on people with highly developed but narrow expertise who are
celebrated and expected to provide answers experience:
a. isolated jobs
b. emphasis on events
c. blaming others
9-17
d. skilled incompetence
72. Leaders can take numerous steps to build an open and supportive culture for ongoing organizational
learning. Which action is not included in the recommendations?
a. reliance on ‘tried and true’ ideas
b. time for learning
c. appropriate leadership
d. local solutions
73. The textbook identifies all of the following as the roles for leadership changing organizational culture
except:
a. communicate priorities
b. role model
c. allocate resources and rewards
d. be directive
74. Lui We, president and CEO of XYZ Inc, has just held an inspiring, all-company meeting whereby she
outlined a vision and specific issues to achieve the vision. This example is best described as which
role of the leader in changing organizational culture?
a. involve people
b. communicate priorities
c. role model
d. allocate resources and rewards
75. Jodi Thompson and Cali Ressler created Best-Buy’s Results-Only Work Environment (ROWE)
because they paid attention to the results of a 2001 survey. That survey indicated widespread
employee dissatisfaction and a perception of inability to balance work and life. This process is best
described as which element of a learning organization?
a. shared vision
b. system thinking
9-18
c. mental models
d. personal mastery
76. Jodi Thompson and Cali Ressler believed that the typical flex-time solutions did not provide much
benefit or flexibility and that the only solution was a radical change. This example best illustrates
which characteristic of a learning organization?
a. shared vision
b. system thinking
c. mental models
d. personal mastery
True/False Questions
77. Effectiveness and survival of most organizations depends on the ability to successfully adapt to
change.
a. true
b. false
78. Organizational change is rarely resisted by organizational members.
a. true
b. false
79. Many organizational leaders are generally satisfied with how well their organizations can innovate
and adapt to change.
a. true
b. false
9-19
80. Internal forces for change closely follow external forces.
a. true
b. false
81. Japanese business leaders rarely see change as a threat and therefore organizations readily adapt to
changes.
a. true
b. false
82. Sweden and Canada are risk averse countries where governments centralize planning to help support
business leaders reduce uncertainty and ambiguity.
a. true
b. false
83. Past-oriented cultures, where time is linear, are likely to react fairly quickly to change.
a. true
b. false
84. Short-term orientation leads to a state of constant change that many U.S. organizations are
experiencing.
a. true
b. false
9-20
85. Change that is sudden and drastic is less likely to cause stress and panic.
a. true
b. false
86. Frame-breaking change is that which is rapid and dramatic.
a. true
b. false
87. Planned and unplanned change may happen either gradually or rapidly, leading to a dramatic impact
on the organization
a. true
b. false
88. When facing unplanned and revolutionary change, charismatic and transformational leadership may
become more central.
a. true
b. false
89. When the forces that resist change are larger than the forces that drive change, leaders can overcome
inertia and implement changes.
a. true
b. false
90. It is important to employees to know what is not changing.
a. true
b. false
91. Unfreezing is likely to be easier when forces for change are strong and organizational leaders are
aware of them.
a. true
b. false
92. Most organizations focus too much attention on the refreezing stage of change.
a. true
b. false
93. Constant change that is not allowed to take hold is likely to be effective.
a. true
b. false
94. Resistance to change is inevitable and therefore must be addressed.
a. true
b. false
95. Any process that encourages participation and input from those who are affected most by the change
is likely to ease the implementation process.
a. true
b. false
96. Leaders have to either allocate new resources or shift current resources to help implement change and
‘freeze’ the change.
a. true
b. false
97. Bottom-up change is rarely met with resistance from organizational leaders.
a. true
b. false
98. The bottom-up approach to organizational change creates more involvement and participation.
a. true
b. false
99. Unplanned change falls in the domain of crisis management.
a. true
b. false
100. Change is one of the main causes of stress in our lives.
a. true
b. false
101. People adjust to large-scale changes much like adapting to minor changes.
a. true
b. false
102. People are often able to adjust to large-scale changes in life and work without much need for
support.
a. true
b. false
103. Group norms can be substantial barriers to change.
a. true
b. false
104. The challenge faced by Ford Motor Company as it tried to reinvent itself, are examples of inertia
and the power or organizational culture.
a. true
b. false
105. Individual factors rarely play a role in explaining why people often resist change.
a. true
b. false
106. There are three general categories of causes to change resistance: organizational, group, and
individual causes.
a. true
b. false
107. A person’s culture may play a factor in the individual’s resistance to change.
a. true
b. false
108. Two of the key themes that tie together several change oriented theories are the importance of
vision and empowerment.
a. true
9-24
b. false
109. The disadvantage of using manipulation in dealing with people’s resistance to change is that it is
time-consuming and carries a risk of inappropriate change being implemented.
a. true
b. false
110. Coercion can be used to deal with resistance to change when there is no time and nothing else
works.
a. true
b. false
111. Facilitation and support are effective for dealing with resistance when there can be winners and
losers.
a. true
b. false
112. Researcher Noel Tichy recommends that leaders communicate their vision through telling three
types of stories about themselves, the group, and the group’s direction.
a. true
b. false
113. Practices of exemplary leadership include creating a shared vision and role modeling.
a. true
b. false
9-25
114. Patrick Kelly, CEO of Physician Sales and Services, relies on story telling to communicate his
company’s vision.
a. true
b. false
115. Encouraging the heart emphasizes the importance of motivation, reward and recognition.
a. true
b. false
116. Rob Waldron was successful as CEO of Jumpstart by developing his own vision and assuring
that followers adopted that vision.
a. true
b. false
117. Change-oriented and visionary leadership concepts have received considerable research support.
a. true
b. false
118. One of the major contributions of visionary leadership concepts is the emphasis on passion and
credibility.
a. true
b. false
119. Creativity is also known as vertical thinking.
a. true
b. false
9-26
120. Lateral thinking involves creation of something spontaneously and extemporaneously without
specific preparation.
a. true
b. false
121. Using improvisation is often considered ‘winging’ a solution.
a. true
b. false
122. Learning organizations are organizations in which people continually expand their capacity to
create.
a. true
b. false
123. Charismatic, transformational, authentic, and visionary leadership can all be used to create a
shared vision within a learning organization.
a. true
b. false
124. 3M implemented the Six Sigma process that focuses on specific events rather than system-wide
causes of problems. This is a positive example of a learning organization.
a. true
b. false
125. Herman Miller, the office furniture maker, works with clients to develop distinctive solutions to
their unique problems. This is a good example of a learning organization.
a. true
b. false
126. Getting followers to understand and accept change takes communication, repetition, and
clarification.
a. true
b. false
127. Change needs to be supported from the top of the organization, not the bottom.
a. true
b. false
Short Answer/ Essay Questions
128. Explain the difference between the U.S. and Japan relative to the role of governmental
organizations such as the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) in managing business
change.
129. Discuss frame-breaking as relates to types of change.
9-28
130. Explain the difference in effectiveness between top-down change and bottom-up change.
131. Explain why infusing a moderate amount of uncertainty, unpredictability, and spontaneity into
decisions is recommended to help prevent complacency when dealing with unplanned change.
132. List and explain the themes that emerge in the visionary leadership essential to change.
133. When leading change, successful leaders emphasize teamwork. How is that different from the
development of shared responsibility?
134. Kouzes and Posner talk about “encouraging the heart.” Explain what that means.
135. Creativity is key to innovation and change, factors that are both important in today’s business
environment. What can leaders do to make the organization more creative?
136. Explain the concept of “cooperative exploration.”
137. Discuss the concept of a “learning organization” according to Peter Senge.