Exam 1: Introduction to Organization and Systems

Daria wonders how people's beliefs regarding work has changed over the years. She decides to conduct a literature search examining young people's attitudes and expectations about work. Based on the authors' discussion in the text, what would she be likely to conclude?

What I/O pioneer, who had an interest in personnel selection, is credited with writing the first textbook?

Richard is a manager who believes that breaking work down into smaller components to determine an optimal method for completing a task leads to very dehumanizing work conditions in today's world. Who below would agree with Richard?

Explain why I/O psychologists study organizations.

Tabitha is giving a presentation on the topic of systems. What statement below would you most expect to be a key point raised during her presentation?

Your instructor is using the "If The World Were a Village of 100 People" (Table 1 -3), to illustrate some important world-wide demographic data. What would be a point he or she could make based on that information?

How could the research discussed on global organizations be used to demonstrate that people across cultures have some important similarities?

Wanda is carefully watching a group of administrative assistants type letters on their computers as well as filing copies of important memos and other correspondences. Wanda is doing this to determine the optimal way of doing the filing task. What pioneer of I/O psychology is Wanda most like in her research?

Compose an essay illustrating how an organization you are familiar with represents a system.

After reading the section on the brief history of I/O psychology, you are preparing an outline to lead the discussion at the next class meeting. Why would you make the point that I/O psychology has focused on both research and application?

What early I/O figure asserted that employee engagement was a necessary requirement for optimal organizational performance?

Jerome is opening a package pick-up and delivery business. What should he expect as a new business owner beginning in today's workplace?

Discuss the work of early female pioneers in I/O psychology.

A/An ________ is an organized collection of parts or subsystems that are integrated to accomplish an overall goal.

The long-time employees of Keyser Ltd. have not met a sales goal for the past six months. You are hired by the CEO to come in and analyze why the employees in her organization are falling short of expectations. Based on the authors' discussion of systems, what recommendation for maintaining the health of an organization would you make to the CEO?

How would the workplace you will enter most noticeably differ from that a worker entered 100 years ago?

What student of Kurt Lewin's conducted influential pioneering research on topics from conformity to intergroup relations?

What psychologist who is considered a founding figure in social psychology and wanted to use research to solve practical organizational problems?

The This 'N' That Furniture company has just opened offices in Russia, Japan, England, Germany, and China to go along with its main corporate offices in the United States. The executive team wants to motivate employees in these differing cultures. If asked to advise them, what would you identify as a nearly universal motive for all people?

Explain how the importance of research was seen in the work of important figures who were pioneers in the field of I/O psychology as well as when the organizational side developed.