Organizational Behavior and Management Skills: Key Concepts and Strategies

Which roles are important to intentionally assign to meeting attendees to obtain an efficient and effective meeting?

Participant

Leader

All of these roles are important.

Recorder

Timekeeper

Facilitator

All of these roles are important.

Which of the following factors is NOT a typical positive result when managers make a practice of listening to employees, recognizing their work, building trust, and behaving ethically?

savings through staff layoffs

Chuck E. Cheese is an example of a company that uses the following strategic business strategy to obtain an edge over rivals in attracting customers and defending against competition:

specialization strategy

Which of the following is true about global mindset?

It combines cultural intelligence and a multinational business orientation.

What concept related to the Hawthorne effective is important for managers to understand.

people improve performance when they know they are being assessed

Roberta is a recognized expert within her industry. She is very personable and knowledgeable. She also is extremely successful getting customers to purchase accessories and warranty packages. What management skill does this ability best demonstrate?

interpersonal skills

Which of the following best demonstrates an effective utilization of a manager's diagnostic skills when dealing with people?

Sue believes Gus is underperforming due to his sleep habits rather than his skills and job competencies. Sue changes his schedule from 7 AM - 3:30 PM and lets him work 9 AM to 5:30 PM. His performance improves.

Sue needs Gus and Robert to work extra hours this weekend. Since Gus likes buying new "luxury" items, she stresses the extra money he will make when asking him to work. Since Robert values being part of a team, she stresses that this will help everyone in the department if he will work the extra hours.

Sue's computer appears to have a "bug". Sue could ask Gus (an IT expert) to fix it, but fixes it herself in less time than it would take to contact Gus, have him access her computer, and diagnose the problem.

Sue must determine whether to close Gus and Robert's department and to form a new

Sue believes Gus is underperforming due to his sleep habits rather than his skills and job competencies. Sue changes his schedule from 7 AM - 3:30 PM and lets him work 9 AM to 5:30 PM. His performance improves.

Organizational behavior is defined as the study of three interrelated areas one of which is the

interface between individuals and the organization

This strategic business strategy is common in technology and pharmaceutical companies:

differentiation strategy

What benefits might result from effectively hiring and training new employees as well as paying higher wages?

lower rates of employee turnover

Which of the following is NOT one of the four basic reasons for the rise in the volume of international business?

the ease with which companies can obtain financing

Which term refers to similarities and differences among people, including those such as race, age, ethnicity, physical abilities and characteristics, and gender?

surface-level diversity

Changes in employee relationships require businesses to adapt their management practices to retain talent.

True

False

True

David serves on the board of directors of a furniture company. He also is the CEO of a timber company attempting to secure a contract with the furniture company. What situation does this example represent?

conflict of interest

Assume a team is comprised of a marketing professional, a materials specialist, a manufacturing representative, a product safety specialist, an advertising director, and a legal advisor. What type of diversity is represented by this group?

variety diversity

What is the term used for the implicit agreement between employer and employee regarding mutual expectations?

Psychological contract

What should companies consider when looking at their workforce trends?

The changing demographics and needs of employees and customers

Given current demographic trends, which of the following is NOT a strategy companies would use to gain a competitive advantage through promoting diversity?

encourage older workers to retire

An organizational chart visually represents reporting relationships and channels of communication within an organization.

True

False

True

Which of the following statements is true about the importance of organizational culture?

Culture can give competitive advantage.

Each of the following facilitates managing organizational culture, EXCEPT:

criticizing the organization's culture

Why might an employee resist accepting a delegated task?

the employee may feel overwhelmed or lack confidence in their abilities

Contemporary organizational issues can include the management challenges associated with remote work.

True

False

True

Which of the following is NOT an element necessary for successful delegation?

integrating opportunities

What is a potential downside to high specialization in jobs?

monotony in job roles leading to decreased motivation

You have been selected as Chief Executive Officer of a new automotive tool and die company. What can you do to create an effective, positive organizational culture?

clearly articulate the organization's mission, values, and goals

Which of the following is NOT one of the primary ways a company may group jobs into manageable groups?

affinity teams

Which is one of the key outcomes of effective organizational design?

enhanced performance of both the employee and the organization

Which of the following is a goal of a realistic job preview?

presenting both positive and negative information to the candidate

A high level of job satisfaction, greater task motivation, and better social integration at work all tend to be traits associated with _________.

internal locus of control

What term refers to the match between an individual and her supervisor and coworkers?

a person-group fit

In which scenario might an individual with a high tolerance for ambiguity thrive?

In a fast-paced startup environment with frequent changes.

What is one potential disadvantage of using standardized personality tests in hiring?

They may unintentionally discriminate against certain groups.

Daisy works as a receptionist. She is happy with her wages, enjoys her co-workers and her boss, she feels little stress, and she feels she can complete all of her tasks proficiently. Unfortunately, Daisy feels unfulfilled and hopes to get a different job soon. Which of the following does Daisy lack?

a person-vocation fit

What is a negative effect of workplace bullying?

more stress-related health problems for employees

An individual with high emotional intelligence

all of these answers are correct

has the ability to perceive and express emotions

has the ability to manage emotions in oneself and others

has the ability to understand and use emotions

all of these answers are correct

What is a significant benefit of understanding different learning styles in the workplace?

It helps managers tailor training to meet diverse needs.

What does 'person-organization fit' refer to?

The alignment of an individual's beliefs and values with the organizational culture.

Which stress stage is triggered when we first encounter a stressor?

alarm

You recently purchased a cable installation company that routinely treats its residential customers poorly. You want your company to satisfy customers but is promises a certain connectivity speed that isn't realistic in most homes. It says it will send repair people within a certain time window, but when they get tied up and are running late, no one calls the customers. You hear complaints every time you answer the phone. What approach would be most likely to resolve your cognitive dissonance?

You can purchase and start to use new software for scheduling repairs and calls.

Which of the following is an organizational consequence of prolonged stress?

People call in sick more and quit their jobs.

The term "eustress" refers to:

Positive stress that motivates and stimulates an individual.

What term refers to a general tendency of an individual to experience a particular mood or to react to things in a particular way or with certain emotions?

affectivity

What term refers to drawing a general impression that the outcomes of promotions, hiring, firing, and raises were fair and equitable?

distributive fairness

Instrumental values are:

preferred ways to of behaving to achieve long-term goals

Karen, the department manager, realizes that Bill is missing from work and didn't call in sick. She assumes something beyond Bill's control must have happened. This belief is an example of _____________.

selective perception

How do emotions impact the workplace?

Emotions significantly influence employee engagement and motivation.

When we attribute our own perceptions to others, we engage in ______________.

projection

What makes job specialization difficult to implement even though it seems as if it would be highly effective?

monotony associated with each task

Employee Bob has a habit of telling jokes that are sometimes funny but too often inappropriate for the workplace. In order to get Bob to stop telling jokes, what response choice is best?

extinction

Which of the following is NOT a condition of job performance?

being able to provide self-direction

Which dimension of task-specific self-efficacy refers to beliefs about how confident the person is that the task can be accomplished?

strength

Which of the following is an early perspective on motivation that suggested fostering a false sense of employees' inclusion in decision making would boost job performance?

human relations approach

According to goal setting theory, which of the following strategies is NOT likely to result in improved performance?

setting unspecified goals so that workers can establish their own measures

Which of the following is NOT one of the steps in forming equity perceptions?

Satisfy physiological needs before growth needs.

According to equity theory, a person who feels equitably treated is motivated to

keep things as they are

Which of the following is NOT a method companies use to improve job design?

raising pay for most standardized jobs

Herzberg's two-factor theory identifies motivating factors for business organizations. Which of the following is a hygiene factor that management could control so that employees aren't dissatisfied with their jobs?

working conditions

Which of the following is a legitimate concern related to the costs associated with shifting to a team approach?

Some employees may feel concerned that their jobs are in jeopardy.

Amber finds herself in a discussion about sports and current events in a group meeting. Everyone else joins in because they want to understand more about each other and to share opinions. In which state of group development is this most likely to occur?

mutual acceptance

At what phase of team implementation is performance usually above prior levels?

phase four

Implementation of teams is a five-phase process. At one phase in the process, there is a danger that a team will become so internally focused that it may stop communicating with other teams or even develop rivalries with other teams. At which step is this likely to occur?

tightly formed

Which of the following is a core strength of problem-solving teams?

They save the company money by communicating using the Internet and other information technologies.

Employees can bond from long-standing relationships.

They take advantage of employees' expertise by group employees who do the actual work.

They can come up with creative products and solutions by operating semi-autonomously.

They take advantage of employees' expertise by group employees who do the actual work.

Which of the following factors is associated with a high level of group cohesiveness?

external threats

Bart is creating a large group to address a complex problem within his company. Which of the following assumptions is correct?

Complex problems are solved more effectively within a homogeneous group due to a lack of interpersonal conflicts.

A culturally similar group will get off to a smoother start and will require less management attention.

A larger group size will likely have less social loafing and more productivity.

A large group will be the most efficient because members will set agendas and follow them.

A culturally similar group will get off to a smoother start and will require less management attention.

What term refers to the performance improvements that occur because people work together rather than independently?

process gain

Which of the following is NOT one of the five basic group performance factors?

cooperation

Informational diversity has a ________ impact on team performance; demographic diversity often has a ______ impact.

positive, positive

negative, positive

negative, negative

positive, negative

positive, negative

Nonprogrammed decisions require managers to use good judgment and

creativity

What is the goal of brainstorming?

produce new ideas and solutions by stimulating group members' creativity

A contingency plan is needed when

the primary plan is disrupted

Sam needs to decide whether to promote a new casual wear line of clothing. Sam knows his company's ad campaign will result in earning profits of $650,000. Sam also knows if he doesn't run the ad campaign, the company will only earn $200,000. What type of condition is he operating under?

condition of certainty

Post-decision dissonance results in

doubt about a choice that has been made

Which of the following is NOT true regarding the difference between decision making and problem solving?

When solving a problem, you must choose from among various alternatives.

When making a decision, you must choose from among various alternatives.

When solving a problem, you must find the answer to a question.

When making a decision, you must evaluate various outcomes in terms of a goal.

When solving a problem, you must choose from among various alternatives.

If you decide to take a break and go for a hike in order to focus less consciously on the creative process, which stage in the creative process are you experiencing?

incubation

Which term refers to an individual's ability to generate new ideas?

creativity

According to the prospect theory, people are more strongly motivated by ____________, than ______________.

potential losses, potential gains

personal gains, ethics

potential gains, potential losses

ethics, potential losses

potential losses, potential gains

The Delphi technique is a method that allows people to

systematically gather the judgments of experts to develop forecasts

Which of the following barriers to communication is an example of selective perception?

information is intentionally withheld, ignored, or distorted

something blocks, distorts, or changes the message

the message is seen and heard based on expectations

a message isn't decoded the way the sender intended it

the message is seen and heard based on expectations

Which of the following is true about media richness?

Immediate feedback reduces richness by promoting irrelevant and tangential commenting

The more concrete and specific the message, the higher the level of richness that is needed.

Videoconferences are a good way to save travel time and expense during negotiations.

Media that are low in number of cues and language variety are low in richness.

Media that are low in number of cues and language variety are low in richness.

Relationships with coworkers, bosses, and others we know because of the roles we hold are known as

formal ties

Arnold's job responsibility is to create a media strategy with a high level of richness. His firm uses mainly email and formal business letters. Arnold's goals are to increase interactivity and the firm's ability to communication multiple cues to customers. Of the following communication media, which could Arnold adopt because they are high in media richness?

videoconferences and face-to-face meetings

Alfred has been told he needs to improve his active listening skills. Which strategy would help him do this?

closely observe the speaker for changes in tone and body language

Which is one way to enhance horizonal communication?

Online videos or blogs can be made available to employees.

Which term refers to the encoded information of the communication process?

message

What type of communication occurs when top-level executives in an organization seek feedback from white-collar employees at all levels of the organization?

diagonal communication

Which of the following defines communication?

the transmission of information from one person to another in order to agree on something

the transmission of information between people that creates a shared understanding and feeling

anything that blocks, distorts, or changes a sender's message

the conversion of information into a message in the form of symbols, pictures, or words

the transmission of information between people that creates a shared understanding and feeling

Which is a useful email guideline that managers can follow to improve business communications?

Write elaborate and descriptive message lines for clarity.

Send group emails regularly to keep people informed.

Respond to each question in an email in separate responses.

Reread emails to check for spelling and grammar before sending them.

Reread emails to check for spelling and grammar before sending them.

In which alternative dispute resolution method does the third party have the authority to impose a settlement on the parties?

arbitration

Conflict is likely to escalate due to

one party involved using aggressive tactics

When each side sacrifices something in order to end the conflict, this is called

compromising

Research confirms that managers with good conflict resolution skills ___________________ than managers who don't.

get more promotions

Which of the following involves an impartial third party who facilitates a discussion using persuasion and logic, establishes each side's priorities, and suggests a settlement that does not have to be accepted?

mediation

Conciliation, mediation, and arbitration all share the following, except

They all use independent third parties to facilitate conflict resolution.

They all are alternative dispute resolution mechanisms.

They all result in binding settlement agreements.

They all require each of the parties to share their sought after resolutions.

They all result in binding settlement agreements.

When mediating a conflict, what does active listening entail?

reading the other person's facial expressions

Which of the following is not true about the nature of conflict?

It is inherently destructive.

You disagree with your boss about a decision and you are really frustrated. Which of the following strategies would work best to keep this conflict from escalating?

You can avoid talking about the problem because it might lead to angry words.

You can focus on the outcomes you want rather than on your boss's actual position.

You can speak separately to other people involved in the conflict to obtain their support.

You can document your boss's actions in order to keep a paper trail for future use.

You can focus on the outcomes you want rather than on your boss's actual position.

Which conflict management style emphasizes problem solving and pursues an outcome that gives both parties what they want?

collaborating

Which of the following is more closely associated with leadership than management?

motivating

Studies have generally found that compared to out-group members, in-group members

tend to have higher levels of performance and satisfaction