Instructor Resource
Lussier, Management Fundamentals 8e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
Instructor Manual
Chapter 2: The Environment: Culture, Ethics, and Social Responsibility
Work Application Sample Answers
Most of the answers are actual student answers or based on student answers. You may give these
answers as part of your lecture before, after, or in place of getting student answers.
2-1. State the mission of an organization, preferably an organization you work for or have
worked for.
The mission of Springfield College is to educate students in spirit, mind, and body for leadership
2-2. Illustrate the systems process for an organization you work for or have worked for.
At McDonald’s we get inputs including meat, buns, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, sauce, and
2-3. Identify the quality and value of a product you purchased recently.
I bought a used 2006 Honda Accord because of its reputation for being a quality automobile. My
2-4. Give an example of how one firm’s competitors have affected that business.
In East Longmeadow, there is a Big Y Supermarket that had no competitors nearby. However, an
2-5. Give an example of how technology has affected one or more organizations, preferably
one you work for or have worked for.
Instructor Resource
Lussier, Management Fundamentals 8e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
When I used to shop at Costco Wholesale, it had two people at the checkout. One person would
2-6. Identify the cultural heroes, stories, slogans, symbols, and ceremonies for an
organization you are/were a member of.
At Springfield College, I’ve heard that Dogget was a hero. I don’t recall any stories. The
2-7. Describe the organizational culture at all three levels for a firm you work for or have
worked for. Does the organization have a strong or a weak and a healthy or an unhealthy
culture?
I work at Abdows Big Boy Restaurant. Our major assumption is deeply ingrained so that is it the
2-8. Give an example from an organization where you work or have worked of behavior at
each of the three levels of moral development.
At CDR Grocery, where I used to work, many of my coworkers displayed preconventional
Instructor Resource
Lussier, Management Fundamentals 8e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
2-9. Give at least two organizational examples of unethical behavior and the justification
that was used in each instance.
Moral justification—I lied to get competitor information only to help the company.
2-10. Select a business and identify how it manages ethics.
When I worked at Allstate Insurance, it had a code of ethics that stressed being fair to the
2-11. Select a business and identify how it is socially responsible on a specific issue.
I’m the coach for the Blue Angels Little League baseball team in my hometown. I went to Pizza
2-12. Select a business and identify its sustainability practices.
I work for Walker Construction. We recycle all paper and plastic products at our office. Our office
Review Question Answers
2-1. What are the factors within the internal environment?
Instructor Resource
Lussier, Management Fundamentals 8e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
2-2. What are the components of the systems process?
The systems process has four components: (1) inputs, (2) transformation, (3) outputs, and (4)
feedback.
2-2. What are the components of the systems process?
2-3. How is quality determined, and why do people buy products?
Customers determine quality by comparing a product’s actual functioning to their
2-4. What is the external environment?
2-5. What are the five artifacts of organizational culture?
2-6. What are the levels of culture?
The three levels of culture are behavior, values and beliefs, and assumptions.
2-7. What is a learning organization?
A learning organization has a culture that values sharing knowledge so as to adapt to the
Instructor Resource
Lussier, Management Fundamentals 8e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
2-8. What are the levels of moral development?
2-9. How do people justify unethical behavior?
People justify unethical behavior by using moral justification for the behavior, including
2-10. What is the stakeholders’ approach to ethics?
Under the stakeholders’ approach to ethics, when making decisions, you try to create a win–
2-11. What is social responsibility?
Social responsibility is the conscious effort to operate in a manner that creates a win-win
2-12. What are some ways in which businesses are going “green”?
Firms are going green by constructing energy-efficient buildings, installing or upgrading
Communication Skills Answers
2-1. Do you believe that most organizations focus on creating customer value?
Answers will vary.
2-2. Do you think that all organizations should use total quality management? Explain your
answer.
Instructor Resource
Lussier, Management Fundamentals 8e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
2-3. What is the relationship among management and mission, resources, the systems
process, and structure? Which of these internal factors are ends, and which are means?
Management determines the mission, resources, systems process, and structure; all affect
2-4. If you can’t control the external environment, why be concerned about it anyway?
Businesses should be concerned about the external environment because it can affect the
2-5. Which of the five artifacts, or important ways that employees learn about
organizational culture, is the most important?
Answers will vary.
2-6. What is the difference between a strong and weak organizational culture, and which is
preferable?
Organizations with strong cultures have employees who subconsciously know the shared
2-7. What is symbolic leadership? Is it important?
Symbolic leaders articulate a vision for an organization and reinforce the culture through
Instructor Resource
Lussier, Management Fundamentals 8e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
2-8. What is a learning organization? Should a manager create one?
A learning organization has a culture that values sharing knowledge so as to adapt to the
2-9. Do you believe that ethical behavior will pay off in the long run?
2-10. Do you have your own guide to ethical behavior that you follow now? Will you use
one of the guides from the text? If yes, which one and why?
Answers will vary.
2-11. Can ethics be taught and learned?
According to a study done at Harvard, the answer is yes; however, not everyone agrees. But
2-12. Do you believe that companies benefit from being socially responsible? Why or why
not?
Answers will vary.
2-13. Do you believe that all businesses should go “green”? Why or why not?
Applying the Concept Answers
Applying the Concept 2-1: The Internal Environment
Identify the internal environmental factor underlying each statement.
A. Management and culture
Instructor Resource
Lussier, Management Fundamentals 8e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
B. Mission
1. “At Dunkin Donuts we sell donuts, but we make more money on real estate by renting
our facilities to franchisees.”
2. “The department of business under the School of A&S at Springfield College is going to
be expanded to become the School of Management.”
E. Structure. Splitting a department changes the existing structure.
3. “After a six-month search, the board finally hired a new CEO from our competitor.”
4. “At Big Y supermarkets we buy vegetables, cut them up, place them in bags, and sell
them as salad.”
5. “As the minimum wage continues to increase, Wendy’s is buying machines to replace
order takers.”
Applying the Concept 2-2: The External Environment
Identify which external environmental factor is referred to in each statement.
A. Customers
Instructor Resource
Lussier, Management Fundamentals 8e
6. “The owners of the company will get to vote on its being acquired or staying
independent.”
E. Shareholders. They own the company and may get a vote on issues like acquisitions and
mergers.
7. “Are you going to close that sale to Costco?”
8. “If we don’t get a 4% raise, the Teamsters union will go on strike at our company.”
G. Technology. A new material is a technology change.
9. “Animal activist groups pressured the Ringling Brothers circus to the point that it will
stop having elephant acts in 2018.”
10. “KFC bought some bad chickens in China, and sales declined.”
11. Our company was going to be sold to Sprint, but the government said that would be in
violation of antitrust laws.”
E. Shareholders. They own the company and appoint top managers.
12. “Tesla is working on software for its cars to be self-driven.”
13. “LinkedIn and other social media websites took some of the traffic flow away from
Facebook.”
Instructor Resource
Lussier, Management Fundamentals 8e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
14. “Since the recession ended, we have had an increase in sales, but revenues are still not
above pre-recession levels.”
Applying the Concept 2-3: Strong and Weak Cultures
Identify whether each statement reflects an organization with a strong or weak culture.
A. Strong culture
15. “It’s hard to know if I need to follow the ethics code because managers act unethically
every now and then.”
16. “Oh no, do I really have to listen to the story about how the company founder Ted
walked three miles in a snowstorm to deliver the package on time again?”
17. “Everyone in the department acts differently, so I guess I can just be me rather than
trying to act in a manner acceptable to others.”
A. Strong culture. Stories are a part of a strong culture.
18. “I started to tell this ‘dumb blond’ joke, and the other employees all gave me a dirty
look, so I stopped.”
19. “When I walked around the department during my job interview, I realized I’d have to
come to work in formal attire because all the women were wearing dresses or suits.”
Applying the Concept 2-4: Level of Moral Development
Instructor Resource
Lussier, Management Fundamentals 8e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
Identify each statement by its level of moral development.
A. Preconventional level
20. Carl says to Lolo, “There is no big deal in telling lies to customers. We are helping them
buy a good product.”
A. Preconventional. Carl is trying to convince Lolo that lying is OK.
21. I can’t lie to customers because it is against my religion; it is a sin to lie.
22. Latavia says to John “You’re not selling as much as the rest of us. You really should lie
to customers like we do. If the boss asks why you aren’t selling as much as the rest of us,
you better not tell him we lie, or you will be sorry.”
Applying the Concept 2-5: Ethical Approach
Identify each statement by its approach to making ethical decisions.
A. Golden rule
23. I try to treat people the way I want them to treat me.
24. Cindy, what do you think of my decision for handling this situation?
Instructor Resource
Lussier, Management Fundamentals 8e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
D. Discernment and advice. The person is considering if the decision is ethical or not and getting
25. I’m a member of Rotary International, so I use its approach when I make decisions.
26. I follow the guidelines the company gave all of us to use to make sure I’m doing the
right thing.
E. Code of ethics. Companies have codes of ethics for all employees to follow.
27. I try to make sure that everyone affected by my decisions gets a fair deal.
Join the Discussion Answers
Join the Discussion 2-1: Downsizing and Part-Time Workers
As firms struggle to compete in the global economy, many have downsized. Downsizing is the
process of cutting resources to get more done with less and thereby increase productivity. In
some firms, the positions formerly held by full-time employees are filled by part-time workers.
1. Is downsizing ethical and socially responsible?
2. Is using part-time employees rather than full-time ones ethical and socially responsible?
Answers vary.
3. Would you be willing to pay higher prices at stores, such as Walmart, so that more full-
time workers could replace part-time workers?
Join the Discussion 2-2: Sex, Profanity, and Violence
Instructor Resource
Lussier, Management Fundamentals 8e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
The Federal Communications Commission has the power to regulate television
broadcasts. Advocates for more regulation (Parents Television Council and
Another related issue is that some advocates (both male and female) would like
to stop or limit the portal of girls and women as sex objects and to show violence
against them on TV and movies, in songs and music videos, and video games? They
would like females to be portrayed as intellectuals that you would want to get to
However, advocates against regulation (National Coalition Against
Censorship) don’t want censorship at all, on the grounds that it violates free
1. How does TV influence societal values? (Consider that many children watch as many as
five hours of TV per day.)
Answers vary.
2. Do TV shows that include sex and violence reflect religious and societal values?
Instructor Resource
Lussier, Management Fundamentals 8e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
3. Is it ethical and socially responsible to air TV shows with sexual content, profanity, and
violence during hours when children are watching?
4. Is it ethical and socially responsible to portray women as sex objects and to show
violence against them?
5. Should the FCC regulate the media, and if so, how far should it go? Should it make
networks, music companies, and video games tone down the sex and violence, or have
greater restrictions on content?