When performing complex problems, groups are superior to individuals, as long as
members have heterogeneous and complementary skills.
An organizationʹs structure refers to the formal configuration of individuals and groups
with respect to the allocation of tasks, responsibilities, and authority within
organizations.
A manager observes that a subordinate is occasionally late for work and assumes that
the employee is lazy. In fact, the subordinateʹs tardiness is due to an unreliable bus
service. This is an example of the halo effect.
The fair process effect results, in part, from giving employees a voice in making
decisions about matters that concern them.
If handled correctly, conflict can improve the quality of organizational decisions and
encourage people to consider new ideas.
The Big Five personality dimensions are generally assessed through observations by
trained psychologists.
Stereotypes always should be avoided because they have their origin in inaccurate
perceptions of a groupʹs characteristics.
Organizational development techniques are developed primarily to enhance the
effectiveness of the organizations involved.
The members of Suzanneʹs team are both willing and able to do what she asks of them.
She should adopt a delegating style of leadership.
Effective discipline focuses on the undesirable behavior and not the person responsible.
An effective way to motivate performance is to assign extremely difficult or even
impossible goals. The employees will not be satisfied if they donʹt make an honest
effort to at least try to meet these goals.
The job characteristics model suggests that jobs should be designed so that the person
performing a service has contact with the recipient of the service. For example, a chef
should be able to meet with the customer.
Division of labor refers to the fact that employees should receive directions from one,
and only one, other person.
The human resource department is primarily responsible for organizational behavior.
An employee is less likely to accept a lower-than-expected pay increase if it is preceded
by a poor performance rating.
Motivation is the same thing as job performance. A person who performs a job well is
motivated, and a motivated person performs the job well.
Prejudice is an attitude, whereas discrimination is a form of behavior consistent with
that attitude.
Strategic decisions, such as expanding into the global market, are classified as
nonprogrammed because they have important long-term implications for the
organization.
Organizational development refers to a set of social science techniques designed to plan
and implement change in work settings for purposes of enhancing the personal
development of individuals and improving the effectiveness of organizational
functioning.
According to Kohlberg, the majority of adults do what is right in order to avoid
punishment.
Equity theory proposes that employees are not as concerned about the actual amount of
pay they receive as they are about pay fairness.
Substantive conflict, where people have different viewpoints and opinions, can be very
beneficial in group decision-making.
The terms ʺleadershipʺ and ʺmanagementʺ can be used interchangeably. Both refer to
the process of influencing others in ways that help attain group or organizational goals.
Corporate responsibility is not concerned with legal requirements and respect for
individuals. It concentrates instead on the well-being of the community at large and the
environment.
The Golem effect occurs when leaders, who express low expectations from their
followers, are pleasantly surprised when the followers exceed expectations.
Although research has shown that happy people earn higher incomes than unhappy
people, it is unclear whether people make more money because they are happy, or are
happy because they make more money.
An international airline company can become a conglomerate if it acquired several
unrelated businesses such as a hotel chain, an automobile company, or a shopping mall.
The virtuous circle suggests that socially responsible companies perform well
financially because they are supported by customers and investors. As a result, they
become wealthier and even more philanthropic.
In researching possible employers, candidates should carefully examine the prevailing
culture of each firm. This will help prevent them from selecting a position at a company
with values vastly different from their own.
Transformational leaders tend to produce cohesive workgroups.
A widely-used OD technique is survey feedback, which involves a questionnaire
administered to all employees. The confidential results are provided to senior
management for interpretation and action.
The classical approach to organizational design concentrates on finding ʺthe one best
wayʺ that could also be flexible enough to accommodate organizational change.
Affectively committed employees are more highly motivated.
According to the social information processing model, people are satisfied with their
jobs to the extent that they can build meaningful social relationships with their
co-workers.
During each of the last three quarters, the firm has lost market share to a competitor.
This loss in business is referred to as a performance gap.
Leadership development rests on the assumption that only some people are capable of
improving their leadership skills.
Social scientists have identified a consistent causal relationship between increased
stress and poor job performance.
The type of innovation that continues to improve an existing service or product, and has
a minor impact on
existing business, is called
A) radical innovation.
B) disruptive innovation.
C) sustaining innovation.
D) end-user innovation.
The term ʺorganizational cultureʺ refers to the
A) set of rules, procedures and structures that make an organization unique.
B) interpersonal network linking the organizational members together.
C) collection of individuals and personalities who exist in an organization.
D) shared beliefs, expectations, and core values of people in an organization.
A fast-food franchise would be classified as a(n) ________ form of organizational
design since it is highly
standardized with rigid rules and centralized authority in a stable environment.
A) organic
B) mechanistic
C) horizontal
D) neo-classical
The job characteristics model identifies ________ that help create ________.
A) core job dimensions; personal and work outcomes
B) growth need strength; core job dimensions
C) core job dimensions; critical psychological states
D) critical psychological states; growth need strength
Several companies form a temporary organization to capitalize on their existing skills to
pursue a common objective. Each participating company contributes only its core
competencies. This emerging design would be classified as a ________ organization.
A) matrix
B) horizontal
C) modular
D) virtual
A sportswear company has no production facilities of its own. It designs the apparel and
contracts all their manufacturing to companies in low-wage countries. This enables it to
concentrate on monitoring the changing tastes of its customers. This describes a
A) mechanistic organization.
B) modular organization.
C) horizontally-integrated organization.
D) virtual organization.
ʺDoomsday managementʺ refers to
A) coping with extreme, unpredicted events.
B) introducing the idea that there is an impending crisis.
C) gradual change.
D) a change in the organizationʹs strategy.
Shame, guilt, embarrassment, and pride are examples of
A) anger.
B) sadness.
C) self-conscious emotions.
D) social emotions.
A whistle-blower is an employee who
A) encourages the organization to take ethical actions.
B) provides information about the organizationʹs activities to competitors.
C) spreads gossip about the activities of fellow employees.
D) discloses details of the firmʹs illegal practices to appropriate authorities.
Which of the following organizations are, on average, twice as profitable as the
Standard & Poorʹs 500 companies?
A) A company whose managers accurately appraise the work of their subordinates.
B) A business that developed a system of close supervision to monitor closely the work
of its employees.
C) An organization that treats its employees well with respect to pay and benefits, offers
opportunities, provides job security, and shows fairness.
D) A family-owned organization that gives priority to hiring and promoting friends and
relatives of the owners.
The organizational development process will be perceived as unethical if
A) management excludes input from lower-level employees.
B) the results of the intervention are not measured.
C) the organization has a strong ethical culture.
D) it is viewed as coercive and manipulative.
________ programs are efforts to systematically improve the job experience.
A) Action lab
B) Appreciative inquiry
C) Quality circle
D) QWL
To reduce uncertainty in decision-making situations, a decision maker needs
A) information.
B) risk management.
C) intuition.
D) group facilitation.
Philip saw his supervisor leaving the HR office in tears. Assuming the supervisor had
been fired, he quickly shared this information with his associates. In fact, the supervisor
had learned of a death in the family. Philipʹs behavior is an example of
A) a rumor.
B) a grapevine transmission.
C) informal communication.
D) malevolence.
The ________ theory believes that a leader has a relatively fixed style that cannot be
changed through training.
A) trait
B) situational
C) Managerial Grid
D) LPC contingency
Jack Welch, retired CEO of GE, has been identified as a transformational leader. Why?
A) He was able to achieve great things through others.
B) He had a charismatic personality that drew others to him.
C) He used a perfect match of reward and coercive power to get things done.
D) He had a vision and inspired others to implement that vision.
In Mintzbergʹs five organizational forms, the ________ design fits best for
organizations that are simple,
informal, and decentralized.
A) professional bureaucracy
B) simple structure
C) machine bureaucracy
D) adhocracy
The theory of cognitive moral development was developed by
A) William Taylor.
B) Abraham Maslow.
C) J.M. Kaplan.
D) Lawrence Kohlberg.
An employeeʹs fundamental beliefs about what is good or bad are influenced by
A) the culture of the organization.
B) the personʹs religious background.
C) training in ethical standards.
D) observations of leadersʹ behavior.
In a meeting with union officials, the plant manager described the growing competition
from foreign imports. He told the union officials that if they did not agree to wage
concessions, the plant would have no alternative but to close down. This is an example
of
A) decision-making bias.
B) business-as-usual.
C) heuristics.
D) framing.
Informational justice refers to peopleʹs perceptions of
A) the lack of bias involved when an organization makes decisions.
B) the accuracy of the information an organization provides to outside parties.
C) the fairness of the information used as the basis for making decisions.
D) the timeliness with which management distributes information to members of the
organization.
A problem is presented to a panel of experts, usually in writing, and each proposes an
appropriate solution. All responses are sent to the experts for additional responses. The
process continues until a consensus is reached. This describes the
A) brainstorming technique.
B) stepladder technique.
C) nominal group technique.
D) Delphi technique.
In expectancy theory, expectancy is the employeesʹ perception that
A) improved performance will lead to improved outcomes.
B) increased efforts will result in high levels of performance.
C) employees will be treated fairly.
D) hard work will be rewarded equitably.
Harry discovered that his firm has an unwritten policy of not hiring women with young
children. He contacted the EEOC providing them with documentation of this unlawful
hiring practice. In terms of prosocial behavior, his actions are referred to as
A) counterproductive.
B) illegal.
C) whistle-blowing.
D) underhanded.
According to expectancy theory, job performance is a function of
A) expectancy, instrumentality, and valence.
B) perceived aptitude, expected outcomes, desirability of outcomes.
C) efforts, performance, and rewards.
D) abilities and traits, role perceptions and opportunities, motivation.
Matrix organizations offer several advantages, including
A) they promote the efficient use of the organizationʹs financial resources.
B) they relieve frustration and stress by centralizing authority.
C) they can be introduced rapidly to respond in a crisis situation.
D) they permit the flexible use of an organizationʹs human resources.
Employee job satisfaction is positively correlated with
A) attendance.
B) workplace identity.
C) tardiness.
D) organizational commitment.
What is the purpose of wellness programs?
A) To promote healthy living to reduce workplace stress
B) To reduce the number of illness-related absences
C) To provide employees with help for various personal problems
D) To introduce employees to stress-management techniques such as meditation and
relaxation
The basic assumption of the trait approach is that
A) anyone can be trained to lead.
B) managers need to develop certain traits before they can lead others.
C) some people are naturally born leaders.
D) followers need to respect their leaders if they are to be successful.
Who published the groundbreaking book Principles of Scientific Management in 1911?
A) Elton W. Mayo
B) Frank & Lillian Gilbreth
C) Frederick Winslow Taylor
D) Max Weber
Which of the following is a motivational skill?
A) Personality
B) Achievement
C) Emotion control
D) Anxiety
In recognition that not all employees have the same needs, many employers offer
A) tax-deferred pension plans.
B) apay-for-performance plan.
C) a cafeteria-style benefits plan.
D) a package of fringe benefits.
Since 1987, job satisfaction in the U.S. has
A) steadily increased.
B) stayed the same.
C) steadily declined.
D) This is unknown.
The concept of corporate responsibility involves
A) attempting to meet prevailing legal and ethical standards.
B) embracing values that promote the greater welfare of society at large.
C) paying wages and benefits that exceed the going market rate.
D) developing products and services that improve the lives of citizens.
A formal system in which people at all levels give feedback to others at different levels
and receive feedback
from them, as well as outsiders, is called
A) 360-degree feedback.
B) a suggestion system.
C) a universal appraisal.
D) corporate hothouse feedback.