Studied by 241 people
BU288: Organizational Behaviour I
The most important goal of virtually all organizations is A) employee development. B) profit. C) increased productivity. D) survival. E) cost reduction.
D
Organization survival is often dependent on how well the organization can adapt. Which of the following behaviours on the part of individuals is necessary for the organization to survive? A) Being innovative. B) Being motivated to join and remain with the organization. C) Performing their work in terms of productivity, quality, and service. D) Being flexible. E) All of the above.
E
Which of the following statements best defines an "organization"? A) A social convention for accomplishing individual goals through group effort. B) A collection of formally organized social entities. C) A social invention for accomplishing common goals through group effort. D) A combination of people and physical capital designed to accomplish a common goal. E) A group which accomplishes common goals through social interactions and individual effort.
C
Organizational behaviour is interested in A) the behaviours of individuals and groups in organizations. B) the structure of organizations. C) the formation of groups in organizations. D) the attitudes of individuals and groups in organizations. E) all of the above.
E
A large Canadian corporation has recently merged with a French company. Which of the following is least likely to be related to the field of organizational behaviour? A) The impact of different cultural values on the newly merged company. B) The adoption of a bilingual communication policy for all announcements in the employee newsletter. C) The development of an organizational structure for the newly merged company. D) The adoption of a new leadership style and the subsequent resignation of two executives in Canada. E) The legal restrictions pertaining to share ownership in the newly merged company.
E
Management is defined as A) the art of getting things accomplished through others. B) the art which prescribes how things get accomplished in organizations. C) the art of telling people what to do. D) the art of getting people to do what you want. E) the art of controlling employees.
A
Who was the father of scientific management? A) Frederick Taylor B) Lyndall Urwick C) Elton Mayo D) Max Weber E) Henri Fayol
A
Scientific Management is the process of A) using research to develop the optimum degree of specialization and standardization of work tasks. B) establishing objective criteria for promotion and selection of employees. C) developing a strict chain of command. D) developing a strict set of rules and regulations. E) centralizing power at the top of organizations.
A
When we say that organizations are social inventions we mean that A) physical assets and implements of technology are irrelevant to organizations. B) they must have both people and things to be considered organizations. C) the existence of organizations is what differentiates humans from animals. D) they don't really exist. E) organizations don't exist without members.
E
The idea of bureaucracy was developed by A) Henri Fayol. B) Lyndall Urwick. C) Mary Parker Follett. D) Frederick Taylor. E) Max Weber.
E
The human relations movement was critical of A) decentralized controls. B) bureaucracy. C) flexible management systems. D) participative management. E) open communication.
B
Which of the following statements is false? A) The field of organizational behaviour is concerned with the impact of culture on organizations. B) The field of organizational behaviour is concerned with determining the most effective structure for organizations. C) "Organizational behaviour" refers to both the behaviour and attitudes of organizational members. D) If we can accurately predict organizational behaviour, then we can explain the reason for the behaviour. E) The field of organizational behaviour is concerned with both formal and informal groups in organizations.
D
The contingency approach to management suggests that A) one management style should work for all individuals. B) the best management style depends on the size of the organization. C) management styles are constantly changing. D) management style makes no difference. E) management style depends on the demands of the situation.
E
A Mintzberg managerial role is A) liaison. B) negotiator. C) entrepreneur. D) monitor. E) all of the above.
E
According to Mintzberg, which of the following is an interpersonal role of management? A) figurehead B) disseminator C) negotiator D) spokesperson E) disturbance handler
A
Victor Lee, the production manager with Alpha Electronics, has lunch with Lisa Alfredo, the marketing manager. The topics of conversation range from personal family matters to issues of concern in their respective departments at Alpha. According to Mintzberg, these managers are performing the role of A) spokesperson. B) figurehead. C) liaison. D) negotiator. E) disturbance handler.
C
Robert Rennie, the Chief Operating Officer of Clearwater Industrial Products, is interviewed by TV reporters about recent allegations that the company has been dumping toxic waste into a stream. According to Mintzberg, Robert is performing the managerial role of: A) liaison. B) negotiator. C) disturbance handler. D) disseminator. E) spokesperson.
E
Two important managerial tasks are the analysis of problems and taking action to deal with these problems. Analysis is closely related to which goal(s) of the field of organizational behaviour? A) prediction and explanation B) explanation and control C) prediction and management D) management E) prediction and control
A
Employee satisfaction is on the decline in which of the following areas? A) training programs B) promotion policies C) coworkers D) bonuses E) all of the above
E
Which goal of the field of organizational behaviour is most clearly exemplified by the practice of introducing a new pay system? A) Analysis B) Explanation C) Managing D) Survival E) Prediction
C
Diversity can be defined in terms of A) race. B) gender. C) age. D) ethnic background. E) all of the above.
E
When we say that the effectiveness of a particular leadership style is contingent upon certain factors we mean that A) the effectiveness of the leadership style depends on what these factors are. B) the leadership style will only emerge if these factors are present. C) this leadership style is effective in all circumstances. D) the leadership style causes these factors to occur. E) this leadership style is almost never effective.
A
Which of the following is false? A) All organizations have survival as a goal. B) Organizational behaviour involves both theory and practice. C) Accurate prediction usually precedes explanation. D) Prediction is a more complex process than explanation. E) Contingent means dependent.
D
Organizational behaviour is concerned with groups because A) informal groups can influence organizational effectiveness. B) organizations depend on interaction and coordination among people to accomplish their goals. C) much work is performed by formal work groups. D) groups can influence new organizational members. E) all of the above.
E
Effective management of organizational behaviour A) is predicated on good prediction and explanation of behaviour. B) is an example of the managerial task of analysis. C) is impossible to achieve since each organizational member is a unique individual. D) requires quick and decisive action on the part of management. E) was the first or earliest goal of the field of organizational behaviour.
A
A social invention for accomplishing goals through group effort is a(n) A) contingency. B) organization. C) operative goal. D) manager. E) managerial task.
B
The interventions or technologies for change proposed by the field of organizational behaviour (such as certain forms of supervision and job design) most clearly reflect which goal of the field? A) prediction B) innovation C) management D) analysis E) explanation
C
A supervisor is aware that a large proportion of his employees are absent on Fridays. However, he doesn't know why they are absent and he can't figure out what to do about it. Which goal of the field of organizational behaviour has the supervisor achieved? A) diagnosis B) analysis C) management D) prediction E) explanation
D
If prediction and explanation constitute analysis, then management constitutes A) structure. B) change. C) reason. D) action. E) behaviour.
D
Which of the following statements by managers reflects a recognition of contingencies? A) "If my employees work hard, I'm friendly. If not, I crack down." B) "We took a real chance building the plant in that location." C) "The customer is always right." D) "Those engineers should get out into the real world once in a while." E) "I always try to treat the union steward with courtesy."
A
Which of the following is NOT usually a requirement for organizational survival? A) The reliable performance of usual assignments. B) The continuing membership of particular, specific individuals in the organization. C) Flexible and innovative behaviour. D) The ability to induce persons to join and remain in the organization. E) Innovative activities which go beyond member's usual assignments.
B
When we say the relationship between job satisfaction and turnover is contingent on the labour market, we mean that A) turnover is wholly determined by the condition of the labour market. B) job satisfaction depends on the condition of the labour market. C) workers will be less likely to quit their jobs in a strong labour market. D) the condition of the labour market influences the extent to which satisfaction predicts turnover. E) turnover will result in job dissatisfaction when jobs are plentiful.
D
Which statement reflects a recognition of contingencies? A) "Customer Service is Job 1." B) "Our company policies ensure that every employee is treated equitably." C) "Our aim is to have the best benefits package in the nation." D) "We pay labourers by the hour and machinists with a piece rate system." E) "After months of study we finally decided to go with a state-of-the-art management information system."
D
When I say that my management style is contingent upon the tasks my employees are performing, I mean that A) my management style affects the tasks they choose to perform. B) I treat all employees as equals. C) my management style is only effective if certain tasks are performed. D) I always use the same management style. E) the type of task determines my management style.
E
Which of the following is NOT one of the four basic types of managerial activities identified by Luthans, Hodgetts, and Rosenkrantz? A) routine communication B) traditional management C) entrepreneuring D) human resource management E) networking
C
Parminder Singh supervises the sheet metal shop at Globetrotter Airlines. One of his employees was late for the second time this week and, in accordance with company policy, Parminder warned him that if he was late again he would be sent home without pay for the day. According to Luthans, Hodgetts, and Rosenkrantz, Parminder is performing which of the following managerial activities? A) networking B) human resource management C) traditional management D) entrepreneuring E) routine communication
B
Which of the following is one of the most important contingency variables in organizational behaviour? A) work-life conflict B) employee-organization relationships C) national culture D) organizational culture E) diversity
C
The Hawthorne studies illustrated how A) rest pauses can cause employees to lower their productivity. B) fatigue can be avoided by redesigning work. C) psychological and social processes affect productivity and work adjustment. D) lighting can reduce the quality of employees' work. E) all of the above.
C
A recent study of Canadian employees estimated that the high cost of absenteeism is due to which major workplace stressor? A) violence in the workplace B) union-management conflict C) downsizing and layoffs D) work-life conflict E) poorly designed jobs
D
Which of the following represents the fastest growing segment of the Canadian population? A) women B) teenagers C) senior citizens D) children E) visible minorities
E
It is predicted that by the year 2017, the number of visible minorities in Canada will A) quadruple B) be the same as 2006 C) be half of what it was in 2006 D) double E) triple
D
In less than a decade, the workforce will be dominated by A) people under the age of 40 B) visible minorities C) women D) people over the age of 40 E) men
D
By the year 2015, 48 percent of Canada's working age population will be between the ages of A) 45 and 64 B) 25 and 44 C) 15 and 34 D) 35 and 54 E) 55 and 74
A
A survey of Canadian workers found that A) only 30 percent are highly engaged B) only 10 percent are highly engaged C) only 50 percent are highly engaged D) only 17 percent are highly engaged E) over 50 percent are highly engaged
D
What are the major contributors to absenteeism? A) poor leadership and downsizing B) poor leadership and stress C) stress and downsizing D) stress and poorly designed jobs E) poor leadership and poorly designed jobs
D
If an organization wants to improve its flexibility, what should it do? A) train workers on all of its equipment B) emphasize the prevention of errors C) implement quality control initiatives D) improve the speed of production E) train workers on quality
A
Most of Canada's top CEOs believe that their number one priority is A) financial performance and profitability B) attracting new employees C) motivating employees D) engaging employees E) retaining employees
E
Coastal Pacific Xpress (CPX) has a turnover rate much lower than the industry average. The owners attribute this to A) the way the company hires its employees B) the way the company pays its employees C) the way the company treats its employees D) the way the company motivates its employees E) the way the company engages its employees
C
Which of the following best represents the meaning of evidence-based management? A) a manager designs a program to reduce absenteeism based on a book he read on leadership B) a manager designs a program to reduce absenteeism based on a program implemented in another organization C) a manager designs a program to reduce absenteeism based on an article he read in the newspaper D) a manager designs a program to reduce absenteeism based on his previous experience and intuition E) a manager designs a program to reduce absenteeism based on a principle he learned in an OB course
E
Geert Hofstede's research on cross-cultural differences found that A) differences in technical and behavioural requirements depend on where one is in the world B) technical and behavioural requirements differ across cultures C) technical requirements differ but behavioural requirements are the same across cultures D) technical and behavioural requirements are the same across cultures E) behavioural requirements differ but technical requirements are the same across cultures
E
It has been estimated that the total annual cost of absenteeism in Canada is A) $20 billion B) $10 billion C) $20 million D) $10 million E) $15 billion
E
An individual's personality encompasses A) all aspects of the individual's physical and emotional response to their environment. B) behaviours which are mostly learned through childhood experience. C) a relatively stable set of psychological characteristics. D) a constantly shifting set of personal characteristics. E) all aspects of the individual's consciousness.
C
Personality will have the most impact in which situation? A) situations of medium strength. B) strong situations with well defined roles, rules, and contingencies. C) weak situations with well defined roles, rules, and contingencies. D) both weak and strong situations. E) weak situations of loosely defined roles with few rules.
E
Personality is most commonly thought to consist of __________ dimensions. A) five B) six C) three D) seven E) four
A
The personality dimension of extraversion is defined as A) the degree to which a person thinks flexibly and is receptive to new ideas. B) the degree to which a person has appropriate emotional control. C) the extent to which a person is outgoing and enjoys social situations. D) the extent to which a person is friendly and approachable. E) the degree to which a person is responsible and achievement oriented.
C
The personality dimension of emotional stability is defined as A) the degree to which a person has appropriate emotional control. B) the degree to which a person thinks flexibly and is receptive to new ideas. C) the extent to which a person is outgoing and enjoys social situations. D) the degree to which a person is responsible and achievement oriented. E) the extent to which a person is friendly and approachable.
A
The personality dimension of agreeableness is defined as A) the extent to which a person is friendly and approachable. B) the degree to which a person thinks flexibly and is receptive to new ideas. C) the degree to which a person has appropriate emotional control. D) the extent to which a person is outgoing and enjoys social situations. E) the degree to which a person is responsible and achievement oriented.
A
The personality dimension of conscientiousness is defined as A) the degree to which a person thinks flexibly and is receptive to new ideas. B) the extent to which a person is outgoing and enjoys social situations. C) the degree to which a person is responsible and achievement oriented. D) the degree to which a person has appropriate emotional control. E) the extent to which a person is friendly and approachable.
C
The personality dimension of openness to experience is defined as A) the degree to which a person has appropriate emotional control. B) the degree to which a person is responsible and achievement oriented. C) the degree to which a person thinks flexibly and is receptive to new ideas. D) the extent to which a person is friendly and approachable. E) the extent to which a person is outgoing and enjoys social situations.
C
Recent studies suggest that extraversion is related to absenteeism in a positive direction. This means that A) the more extraverted a person is, the less absent they are. B) extraverts tend to be absent more often than introverts. C) extraverts tend to be absent less often than introverts. D) the more introverted a person is, the more absent they are. E) people become more extraverted through higher absenteeism.
B
Gary Reynolds is the CEO of Reynolds Software Limited. He attributes his success to careful planning, hard work, and a good business education. In terms of locus of control, Gary is most likely a(n) A) internal. B) external. C) extravert. D) introvert. E) high self- monitor.
A
A person who is a high self-monitor will A) have difficulty regulating their behaviour in social situations. B) ignore the situation when determining how to behave. C) be rather rigid in his or her leadership style. D) be prone to uncontrollable emotional outbursts. E) observe the situation when determining how to behave.
E
A person with low self-esteem will likely A) be less pliable than someone with high self-esteem. B) be less susceptible to external and social influences. C) respond well to mentoring. D) be able to deal with negative feedback. E) react well to ambiguous stressful situations.
C
Learning is A) not directly related to behaviour or experience. B) concerned with both permanent and temporary changes. C) a relatively permanent change in behaviour potential due to experience. D) a relatively temporary change in behaviour potential due to experience. E) related to behaviour more than experience.
C
Which of the following is not one of the four primary categories of learning content in organizations? A) cultural awareness B) financial management C) practical skills D) intrapersonal skills E) interpersonal skills
B
Social cognitive theory is most strongly associated with which of the following concepts? A) punishment B) modelling C) partial reinforcement D) extinction E) delayed reinforcement
B
To obtain the best compromise between the speed of acquisition of a desired response and resistance to its extinction, which reinforcement strategy should be used in training? (In other words, how do we get the fastest learning combined with the strongest resistance to extinction?) A) Begin with self-management and then go to modeling. B) Begin with delayed and partial reinforcement and gradually go to immediate and continuous reinforcement. C) Begin with negative reinforcement and gradually change to continuous positive reinforcement. D) Begin with immediate and continuous reinforcement and gradually go to delayed and partial reinforcement. E) Continuous reinforcement.
D
Ron is a sensitive person, and he works very hard so that his boss doesn't criticize him. Criticism is a(n) __________ of Ron's work. A) negative reinforcer B) punisher C) extinguisher D) positive reinforcer E) continuous reinforcer
A
A company converted its machine operators from piece rate pay to hourly pay and found that accidents involving the machines were reduced to almost zero from a previously high level. What can we conclude? A) Unsafe working practices were punished. B) Hourly pay resulted in bigger paycheques for the machine operators. C) Safe working practices were positively reinforced. D) Safe working practices were negatively reinforced. E) Unsafe working practices were extinguished.
E
A supervisor complimented each of his workers as he or she arrived promptly to work every morning. Due to time constraints, the supervisor had to stop this practice, resulting in a much higher rate of tardiness among his workers. Which of the following statements best explains this situation in operant terms? A) The supervisor's negative reinforcement strategy was stopped, thus extinguishing the behaviour of arriving promptly. B) The supervisor was using a continuous, immediate reinforcement strategy, and behaviour learned under such conditions is easily extinguishable. C) The supervisor was using a delayed reinforcement strategy, and behaviour learned under such conditions is easily extinguishable. D) The supervisor was using a partial reinforcement strategy, and behaviour learned under such conditions is easily extinguishable. E) The supervisor was inadvertently punishing his workers by not complimenting them, so the workers didn't arrive on time any more.
B
Which of the following statements concerning extinction is false? A) Extinction works best when coupled with the reinforcement of a desired substitute behaviour. B) Using the application of an unpleasant stimulus after an unwanted behaviour, extinction can reduce the probability of that behaviour occurring again. C) Extinction can be successful in reducing an unwanted behaviour by removing the reinforcer of that behaviour. D) Behaviours learned under delayed or partial reinforcement schedules are more difficult to extinguish than those learned under continuous, immediate reinforcement. E) Behaviours which are eliminated through extinction may reappear if they become positively reinforced again.
B
Which of the following represents the least effective reinforcement strategy? A) Immediate reinforcement B) Negative reinforcement C) Continuous reinforcement D) Delayed reinforcement E) This question cannot be answered accurately as stated.
E
In learning terms, a model is a person who A) imitates the behaviour of others. B) has his or her behaviour imitated. C) seeks a mentor. D) administers a high degree of positive reinforcement. E) engages in self- management.
B
If a behaviour is increasing in probability, we can be certain that it is not being A) negatively reinforced. B) extinguished. C) modeled. D) positively reinforced. E) learned.
B
When we say that organizations sometimes confuse rewards with reinforcers, we mean that A) the reinforcers are not backed up with attractive rewards. B) only monetary rewards work as effective reinforcers. C) people differ as to which rewards are reinforcing. D) rewards cannot serve as reinforcers. E) the rewards are not made contingent on a desired behaviour.
E
A positive reinforcer is A) pay. B) a company car. C) interesting work. D) a holiday. E) There is insufficient information to accurately answer this question.
E
The concepts of modelling and self-regulation both assume A) that extinction is superior to punishment. B) that all workers prefer the same reinforcers. C) that learning can occur without reinforcement. D) that people can reinforce themselves. E) that cognitive learning cannot occur.
D
__________ decreases the probability of a behaviour by the application of a negative stimulus after that behaviour occurs. A) Positive reinforcement B) Punishment C) Modeling D) Extinction E) Negative reinforcement
B
__________ increases the probability of a behaviour by the removal of a negative stimulus after that behaviour occurs. A) Extinction B) Positive reinforcement C) Punishment D) Modeling E) Negative reinforcement
E
To reduce the probability of some unwanted behaviour we can use A) positive reinforcement. B) immediate reinforcement. C) negative reinforcement. D) continuous reinforcement. E) extinction.
E
Positive reinforcement __________ the probability of a behaviour by applying a __________ stimulus after that behaviour occurs. A) increases; pleasant B) decreases; pleasant C) decreases; nasty D) increases; nasty E) increases; neutral
A
Which of the following statements concerning punishment is generally true? A) Managers should punish subordinates in front of other employees to set an example. B) Punishment differs from negative reinforcement in that punishment removes a nasty stimulus following some behaviour. C) Managers seldom use punishment to control organizational behaviour. D) While punishment signals which behaviours are inappropriate, it fails to illustrate correct behaviour. E) Punishment involves the same process as extinction.
D
A manager who scolds her employees for being late with the hope that this will stop them from being late is using A) negative reinforcement. B) punishment. C) extinction. D) modeling. E) positive reinforcement.
B
Persistent learning is best achieved through A) partial, immediate reinforcement. B) punishment. C) continuous, immediate reinforcement. D) partial, delayed reinforcement. E) continuous, delayed reinforcement.
D
__________ increase or maintain the probability of some response by their __________ the situation in question. A) Negative reinforcers; modeling of B) Rewards; removal from C) Positive reinforcers; removal from D) Positive reinforcers; application or addition to E) Negative reinforcers; application or addition to
D
In order to obtain the fastest acquisition of some response, it should be reinforced A) after a long delay and continuously. B) after a long delay and partially. C) intermittently and cautiously. D) immediately and partially. E) immediately and continuously.
E
Managers should be especially careful in administering punishment because A) over a long period of time, repeated punishment becomes positively reinforcing. B) punishment must be administered in front of other employees, and this often results in lowered morale. C) punishment will always lead to the emergence of other undesirable behaviours. D) punishment has a tendency to provoke a strong emotional reaction on the part of the punished individual. E) punishment usually has no impact on the behaviour they are trying to eliminate.
D
Which of the following statements represents bad advice on administering punishment? A) Punishment should start off with a very mild warning, gradually proceeding to stronger punishment if the offense continues. B) The chosen punishment should be truly aversive to the individual being punished. C) Do not reward unwanted behaviours before or after punishment. D) Do not inadvertently punish desirable behaviour. E) Punishment should be coupled with an indication of the correct behaviour in the situation.
A
A manager realizes that her complaints about employee horseplay seem to encourage more horseplay. She resolves to ignore their horseplay in the future. In operant terms, what has she decided to do? A) Negatively reinforce horseplay B) Extinguish horseplay C) Punish horseplay D) Model horseplay E) Positively reinforce proper work behaviour
B
There are two strategies that can be used to reduce the probability of learned behaviour. They are A) organizational behaviour modification and reinforcement. B) modeling and positive reinforcement. C) negative reinforcement and extinction. D) extinction and punishment. E) negative reinforcement and punishment.
D
What is the most sensible strategy for administering punishment, as long as conditions permit? A) Intermittently and cautiously B) Partially with delay C) Continuously and immediately D) Partially and immediately E) Continuously with delay
C
The book described a company that posted a feedback chart in the workplace to indicate the percentage of safe behaviours observers noted every three days. Which of the following is not true about this practice? A) The scheme was designed to improve safe working practices. B) It was an example of positive reinforcement. C) The posting of safe behaviours every three days is essentially a delayed, continuous reinforcement strategy. D) It was an example of organizational behaviour modification. E) It was an example of self-regulation.
E
Stop reinforcement to __________ a behaviour. A) model B) punish C) learn D) extinguish E) strengthen
D
The most difficult tactic for a manager to use effectively is A) modeling. B) positive reinforcement. C) extinction. D) negative reinforcement. E) punishment.
E
The process of self-regulation can include A) rehearsal. B) collection of self-observation data. C) observation of models. D) goal setting. E) all of the above.
E
Which of the following represents the most effective punishment strategy? A) Partial B) Delayed C) Continuous D) Intermittent E) This question cannot be answered accurately as stated.
C
To make behaviour most resistant to extinction, it should be learned under __________ reinforcement. A) continuous and immediate B) partial and immediate C) negative D) continuous and delayed E) partial and delayed
E
In the text, modelling is described as a process of A) reinforcing others. B) punishing others. C) showing others. D) managing others. E) imitating others.
E
According to the __________ approach, organizational behaviour is a function of both dispositions and the situation. A) operant learning B) contingency C) interactionist D) social cognitive E) personality
C
If an organization decides to change the characteristics of work tasks in order to improve employee satisfaction and performance, what approach to organizational behaviour are they following? A) personality approach B) dispositional approach C) situational approach D) interactionist approach E) operant learning approach
C
Note 
Flashcard (85)