Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Fifth Canadian Edition
Chapter 10— Organizational Culture and Change
Chapter 10: Organizational Culture and Change
1) Based on Henry Mintzberg’s definition, culture _____________ to an organization.
a. supplies long-term goals
b. gives strategic direction
c. provides vision
d. provides stability
e. contributes leadership
2) Culture sets the tone on
a. the bargaining zone.
b. when policies and procedures are enforced.
c. why leaders differ from managers.
d. how individuals within the organization interact.
e. when employees are hired and fired.
3) The pattern of shared values, beliefs, and assumptions among people who belong to an
organization is generally referred to as
a. organizational culture.
b. a subculture.
c. a group of artifacts.
d. a socialization program.
e. a code of ethics.
Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Fifth Canadian Edition
Chapter 10— Organizational Culture and Change
4) Research suggests that organizational cultures centre around seven characteristics,
each existing on a continuum. One such characteristic would be
a. beliefs.
b. values.
c. policies.
d. stability.
e. empowerment.
5) Cory’s organization was very good about maintaining rituals and retelling stories about
significant events from the past. These are examples of
a. the subculture.
b. artifacts.
c. vision.
d. mission.
e. values.
6) Organizational culture
a. conveys a sense of organizational identity.
Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Fifth Canadian Edition
Chapter 10— Organizational Culture and Change
b. lowers overhead costs because employees work harder.
c. improves the manager’s ability to hire competent employees.
d. generates a stronger financial position.
e. discourages networking.
7) The degree to which management focuses on results rather than on the techniques and
processes used to achieve these results is known as
a. team orientation.
b. outcome orientation.
c. people orientation.
d. stability.
e. attention to detail.
8) The understandings of how objects and ideas relate to each other are known as
a. artifacts.
b. values.
c. beliefs.
d. culture.
e. vision.
Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Fifth Canadian Edition
Chapter 10— Organizational Culture and Change
9) Which of the following expresses the core values shared by a majority of the
organization’s members?
a. dominant culture
b. subculture
c. strong culture
d. sustainable culture
e. ethical culture
10) Quinn is very encouraged about the ability of his organization to survive the
economic downturn because the organization’s core values, assumptions, and beliefs are
intensely held and widely shared by its members. This indicates that his organization has
a. a people-oriented culture.
b. a strong dominant culture.
c. a subculture.
d. a formalized culture.
e. an independent culture.
11) Rhonda explained to her new recruit that customer service and customer satisfaction
were the dominant values of the organization. These values would thus be considered as
a. major values.
b. core values.
c. formalized values.
Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Fifth Canadian Edition
Chapter 10— Organizational Culture and Change
d. exceptional values.
e. ethical values.
12) Subcultures can be defined by
a. departmental designations.
b. the dominant culture.
c. the organizational structure.
d. the ability of employees to think independently.
e. management values.
13) SCENARIO 10-1
The Women’s Entrepreneurial College (WEC) is a large business college where students
learn how to establish their own business and be entrepreneurs. The founders of the
college were a group of professional women committed to the idea that a business
education was the best preparation for women who wanted to become entrepreneurs. The
college focuses on providing training in entrepreneurship and private ownership. Since its
founding, the college has grown and is now one of the largest colleges committed to
helping women own their own business. In the last decade, the accounting department
has become one of the largest departments in the college and offers additional support by
finding financial investors for the graduates. The accounting department is committed to
the general entrepreneurship training that the college provides, but is also committed to
finding financing for its graduates.
Referring to SCENARIO 10-1, the belief in providing business education and
entrepreneurial training is part of thea. subculture of the accounting department.
b. socialization of the college.
c. dominant culture.
Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Fifth Canadian Edition
Chapter 10— Organizational Culture and Change
d. mission statement.
e. artifacts of the culture.
14) SCENARIO 10-1
The Women’s Entrepreneurial College (WEC) is a large business college where students
learn how to establish their own business and be entrepreneurs. The founders of the
college were a group of professional women committed to the idea that a business
education was the best preparation for women who wanted to become entrepreneurs. The
college focuses on providing training in entrepreneurship and private ownership. Since its
founding, the college has grown and is now one of the largest colleges committed to
helping women own their own business. In the last decade, the accounting department
has become one of the largest departments in the college and offers additional support by
finding financial investors for the graduates. The accounting department is committed to
the general entrepreneurship training that the college provides, but is also committed to
finding financing for its graduates.
Referring to SCENARIO 10-1, the commitment to finding financing for graduates is part
of thea. subculture of the accounting department.
b. socialization of the college.
c. dominant culture.
d. mission statement.
e. sustainable culture.
15) SCENARIO 10-1
The Women’s Entrepreneurial College (WEC) is a large business college where students
learn how to establish their own business and be entrepreneurs. The founders of the
Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Fifth Canadian Edition
Chapter 10— Organizational Culture and Change
college were a group of professional women committed to the idea that a business
education was the best preparation for women who wanted to become entrepreneurs. The
college focuses on providing training in entrepreneurship and private ownership. Since its
founding, the college has grown and is now one of the largest colleges committed to
helping women own their own business. In the last decade, the accounting department
has become one of the largest departments in the college and offers additional support by
finding financial investors for the graduates. The accounting department is committed to
the general entrepreneurship training that the college provides, but is also committed to
finding financing for its graduates.
Referring to SCENARIO 10-1, the accounting department holds some unique values in
addition to the ________ of the dominant culture.a. core values
b. business values
c. formalized values
d. mission statement
e. social values
16) Safety, justice, diversity, and customer service are considered to be part of the
company’s
a. values statement.
b. organizational climate.
c. strategic goals.
d. cultural artifacts.
e. ethical policies.
17) Alexa’s company, which she founded 11 years ago, has grown into a successful
business. The culture of her company could be described as innovative and risk-taking.
Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Fifth Canadian Edition
Chapter 10— Organizational Culture and Change
She would like to keep this culture alive as her company grows. Alexa has come to you
for good advice on how to do this. You tell her that she can achieve her goal by
a. continuing to select employees who have the required knowledge and skills, and who
will support her culture.
b. restricting how much she delegates, so that she maintains control.
c. increasing the benefits package she offers to employees.
d. being more people oriented, so that employees will be more likely to respect her
demands.
e. being results oriented, so that employees will know what is expected of them.
18) Scott is starting a new business. He understands the importance of culture and would
like to establish early on a strong culture within his business. Scott has come to you for
good advice on how to do this. You tell him he can do this by
a. encouraging employees to think outside the box.
b. delegating to only a few key employees.
c. hiring employees who think and feel the way he does, and by being a role model to
them.
d. encouraging employees to think independently.
e. encouraging employees to service the clients’ needs.
19) Whenever a new employee is hired in his department, Peter makes sure that the new
person understands the norms and culture of the organization. This process is known as
a. a subculture.
b. adaptation.
Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Fifth Canadian Edition
Chapter 10— Organizational Culture and Change
c. socialization.
d. a sustainable culture.
e. selection.
20) Co-workers improve the socialization process by
a. avoiding new hires.
b. serving as role models of appropriate behaviour and performance.
c. increasing the intensity of reality shock.
d. helping newcomers to avoid the encounter stage of organizational socialization.
e. helping newcomers to avoid realistic job expectations until after they have been hired.
21) Organizational culture tends to be stronger when
a. new employees are people are hired on the basis of their skills, not their values.
b. the company is led by its founder.
c. senior executives avoid direct contact with lower-level employees.
d. the CEO’s messages are general and ambiguous.
e. employee turnover is high.
Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Fifth Canadian Edition
Chapter 10— Organizational Culture and Change
22) Organizational culture is typically established by
a. the actions of top management.
b. the selection process.
c. the socialization process.
d. the organization’s founders.
e. the environment of the business.
23) The actions of senior executives, such as establishing the norms that assess risk-
taking, play a part in ________ a culture.
a. changing
b. initiating
c. developing
d. establishing
e. sustaining
24) In order to ensure a proper match of personal and organizational values at a time
when the organization is undergoing tremendous change, Kendra is planning to place
particular focus on the ________ process.
a. recruitment
b. refreezing
c. unfreezing
d. cultural
e. selection
Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Fifth Canadian Edition
Chapter 10— Organizational Culture and Change
25) The Japanese electronics firm, Sanyo, provides five months of training to new
recruits where issues like dress and how to approach management are taught at company–
owned resorts and subsidized dorms. Employees also vacation and live together during
training in order to learn the culture and become excellent kaisha senshi, or corporate
warriors. This is an example of
a. an ideology.
b. a selection process.
c. culturization.
d. socialization.
e. assimilation.
26) William, a senior manager, is aware that the most effective way that he can maintain
his organization’s culture is through
a. his own actions.
b. rituals.
c. artifacts.
d. core values.
e. the mission statement.
Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Fifth Canadian Edition
Chapter 10— Organizational Culture and Change
27) One benefit of a strong culture is that it enhances
a. leadership power.
b. customer perception.
c. vision building.
d. organizational commitment.
e. the selection process.
28) From the standpoint of employees, culture is valuable because it
a. empowers people.
b. spells out what is important in the organization.
c. clearly distinguishes between managers and employees.
d. establishes policies and procedures.
e. limits use of power.
29) Sam’s company has just merged with another, and he wants to make sure that the two
cultures come together. Three strategies for merging cultures that he should consider
include
a. reassessing the cultures, assimilation, and empowering employees.
b. unfreezing the status quo, assimilation, and refreezing the new culture.
c. diversity, assimilation, and simulation.
d. change agents, driving forces, and assimilation.
e. assimilation, integration, and separation.
Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Fifth Canadian Edition
Chapter 10— Organizational Culture and Change
30) Edie works for a very dynamic company that is constantly adapting to the demands of
the market place. In her organization, a stable organizational culture can be
a. an asset.
b. irrelevant.
c. a liability.
d. more important than ever.
e. a subculture.
31) Hiring new employees who, due to race, gender, disability, or other differences, are
not like the majority of the organization’s members creates a paradox. Management
wants the new employees to accept the organization’s core cultural values. Otherwise,
those employees are unlikely to fit in or be accepted. At the same time, management
wants to openly acknowledge and value the differences that these employees bring to the
workplace. This paradox indicates that culture can act as a barrier to
a. change.
b. diversity.
c. mergers.
d. acquisitions.
e. unfreezing.
Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Fifth Canadian Edition
Chapter 10— Organizational Culture and Change
32) ________ cultures can be a(n) ________ when they effectively eliminate the unique
strengths that people of different backgrounds bring to the organization.
a. Dominant; asset
b. Organizational; asset
c. Weak; asset
d. Strong; liability
e. Weak; liability
33) Franco is Gisele’s most senior employee, and he has been with the organization for
20 years. Franco has been very resistant to some of the changes taking place in the
company because they affect his responsibilities. Gisele’s efforts to overcome Franco’s
resistance are known as
a. co-optation.
b. change.
c. freezing.
d. restraining.
e. unfreezing.
34) The ________ strategy to merge cultures works best when one company’s culture is
strong as compared with the other company’s culture.
a. separation
b. assimilation
Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Fifth Canadian Edition
Chapter 10— Organizational Culture and Change
c. integration
d. cross-cultural
e. refreezing
35) SCENARIO 10-2
The Young Mom’s Club of St. Albert has been operating for 30 years as an informal
organization. Since its founding, the club has provided support to professional women
who have left their careers to stay at home with their young families. The group has
offered classes in parenting, and home and personal development to its members, the
majority of whom are upper middle-class women from the city of St. Albert. In the last
decade, the St. Albert area has grown substantially and the community has seen a
significant rise in the number of young working professionals. Many young career-
oriented people who do not have children have moved to St. Albert and work in the
smaller community, commute to nearby Edmonton for their work, or telecommute from
their home.
Referring to SCENARIO 10-2, the growth in more career-oriented people who do not
have children in St. Albert is a(n) ________ of change, which may lead to changes in the
mission and the values of the Young Mom’s Club in the future. a. driving force
b. barrier
c. restraining force
d. unfreezing force
e. supportive force
36) SCENARIO 10-2
The Young Mom’s Club of St. Albert has been operating for 30 years as an informal
organization. Since its founding, the club has provided support to professional women
Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Fifth Canadian Edition
Chapter 10— Organizational Culture and Change
who have left their careers to stay at home with their young families. The group has
offered classes in parenting, and home and personal development to its members, the
majority of whom are upper middle-class women from the city of St. Albert. In the last
decade, the St. Albert area has grown substantially and the community has seen a
significant rise in the number of young working professionals. Many young career-
oriented people who do not have children have moved to St. Albert and work in the
smaller community, commute to nearby Edmonton for their work, or telecommute from
their home.
Referring to SCENARIO 10-2, the culture of the Young Mom’s Club does not appear to
bea. a barrier to demographic changes in the community.
b. a barrier to diversity.
c. a liability to change in the community.
d. a barrier to a new culture developing in the community.
e. All of the above.
37) The three-step model of change consists of
a. unfreezing, change, stabilization.
b. changing, stabilization, continuing.
c. unfreezing, moving, refreezing.
d. unfreezing, stabilizing, refreezing.
e. changing, moving, stabilizing.
38) Yvonne is interested in improving the performance of her department, and has
decided to use appreciative inquiry in order to focus on what her department
a. is good at and already doing well at.
Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Fifth Canadian Edition
Chapter 10— Organizational Culture and Change
b. has done in the past.
c. is dissatisfied with.
d. has failed at in the last five years.
e. plans for the future.
39) Who is responsible for managing change in organizations?
a. the owners
b. the board of directors
c. change agents
d. every employee
e. shareholders
40) Appreciative inquiry consists of four steps, including
a. discovery, strengths, weaknesses, design.
b. discovery, vision, mission, goals.
c. vision, threats, opportunities, design.
d. discovery, dreaming, design, destiny.
e. discovery, visioning, design, mission.
Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Fifth Canadian Edition
Chapter 10— Organizational Culture and Change
41) Stabilizing a change intervention by balancing driving and restraining forces is
termed
a. unfreezing.
b. status quo.
c. refreezing.
d. consolidation.
e. sustainability.
42) To direct behaviour away from the status quo, one can increase the use of
a. restraining forces.
b. refreezing.
c. driving forces.
d. consolidation.
e. resistance.
43) Kurt Lewin’s model of change is built upon the premise that change is
a. continuous.
b. urgent.
c. planned.
d. episodic.
e. attractive.
Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Fifth Canadian Edition
Chapter 10— Organizational Culture and Change
44) SCENARIO 10-3
Mighty Mintz Motor Repair is moving 200 kilometres to a larger community within the
next 10 months. Mr. Mintz realizes the hardships some of the mechanics will experience
if they move. He is hoping that they accept the change and are not too resistant to
moving, as he would like all of them to stay on with the business. He has authorized you
to use Lewin’s three-step model in order to facilitate the change and come up with a plan
he can implement in the near future.
Referring to SCENARIO 10-3, you are offering a $20 000 moving bonus for any
employee who will go to the new location. In Lewin’s terms, you are attempting toa.
unfreeze the status quo.
b. increase the driving force of change.
c. refreeze the change.
d. empower the employees so that they take a risk.
e. maintain the status quo.
45) SCENARIO 10-3
Mighty Mintz Motor Repair is moving 200 kilometres to a larger community within the
next 10 months. Mr. Mintz realizes the hardships some of the mechanics will experience
if they move. He is hoping that they accept the change and are not too resistant to
moving, as he would like all of them to stay on with the business. He has authorized you
to use Lewin’s three-step model in order to facilitate the change and come up with a plan
he can implement in the near future.
Referring to SCENARIO 10-3, the $20 000 moving bonus was refused by the mechanics
and now you are counselling each mechanic in order to reduce their anxiety and worries.
In Lewin’s terms, this is an example ofa. removing the driving forces.
b. communicating the vision.
Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Fifth Canadian Edition
Chapter 10— Organizational Culture and Change
c. unfreezing the status quo.
d. changing a driving force.
e. maintaining the status quo.
46) SCENARIO 10-3
Mighty Mintz Motor Repair is moving 200 kilometres to a larger community within the
next 10 months. Mr. Mintz realizes the hardships some of the mechanics will experience
if they move. He is hoping that they accept the change and are not too resistant to
moving, as he would like all of them to stay on with the business. He has authorized you
to use Lewin’s three-step model in order to facilitate the change and come up with a plan
he can implement in the near future.
Referring to SCENARIO 10-3, congratulations! You have been successful in convincing
the mechanics to move to the new location. Ten months later, all of the mechanics have
moved, so one week after the new location opens, you decide to have a staff appreciation
day where the mechanics can enter their name in a draw for an all-expenses paid
vacation. In Lewin’s terms, this is an example ofa. unfreezing the status quo.
b. increasing driving forces.
c. refreezing the change.
d. empowering.
e. refreezing the driving forces.
47) SCENARIO 10-3
Mighty Mintz Motor Repair is moving 200 kilometres to a larger community within the
next 10 months. Mr. Mintz realizes the hardships some of the mechanics will experience
if they move. He is hoping that they accept the change and are not too resistant to
moving, as he would like all of them to stay on with the business. He has authorized you