Exam 1: Management

Which types of skills tend to be most important to the success of lower-level managers?

Martha has been with her company for 15 years.She started at the lowest level in manufacturing and worked her way up through all the management levels.She is now the vice president of operations.Which skill was Martha most likely equally adept at through each level of her progress?

Good management is basic to starting and growing a business,but once some measure of success has been achieved,it becomes less important.

In what decisional role do managers adapt themselves,their subordinates,and their units to incremental change?

A shoe company expects its designers to operate like a team when they create new shoe designs.Most of its designers do not have a background in fashion,so it is important that they share their expertise.What task would each team leader most likely be responsible for?

Describe the transition to management during the first year.Explain how this illustrates the chapter's emphasis on human skills as being more important than technical skills for success or failure in management.

At which level of management would a manager typically plan an employee picnic,select and order performance awards to be presented at the picnic,and encourage workers to attend the event?

Managers are responsible for doing the basic work in the company.

A management study discovered that companies that invest in their people will create long-term competitive advantages that are difficult for other companies to duplicate.

Robert Rothschild Farm boosted the morale of its 75 employees and showed gratitude to them by hosting its first employee appreciation week.Which management function did it use to reward its employees?

Two graduates from McMaster University in the 1980's are now working for similar businesses but are at different levels in their organizations.JoAnne is the CEO of her firm and Sharon can't seem to get beyond the regional manager position she has held for over fifteen years.What likely makes JoAnne an "arriver" and Sharon a "derailer"?

Which of the following skills creates a competitive advantage through people by rewarding them for providing exceptional customer service?

Nestlé was unsuccessful in early attempts to sell its chocolate in India.It discovered its chocolate bars were not suitable for the Indian markets because the candy became messy from sitting in direct sunlight without the benefit of air conditioning.Nestlé adopted an innovative strategy and developed Chocostick,a liquid chocolate,now very popular.Which management function did Nestlé use to solve its problem?

A manager is monitoring progress toward goal achievement,and taking corrective action when needed.What management function is being engaged?

Identify three of the five most significant mistakes that managers make.

Narrative 1-4 In 2004, Coca-Cola and PepsiCo launched two mid-calorie sodas, C2 and Pepsi Edge, banking on the low-carb trend. Carb-conscious consumers rejected the drinks en masse since one of the key tenets of low-carb diets is to avoid refined sugar in any amount. The new brands grabbed a combined market share of less than 1 percent. -Refer to the Narrative 1-4.Which word best describes the product introductions,given that the objective of both soft-drink manufacturers was to increase their market share?

After the death of her husband,Miriam McAllister became the CEO of a company that is the world's leading manufacturer of kidney dialysis machines.When she took the position,it was believed that she would perform only ceremonial duties and would not want to take active part in running the company.In other words,what role was it assumed she would choose?

Narrative 1-1 Krispy Kreme has been described by many as "the hottest brand in America." The company's success in an environment that is not conducive to food operations succeeding is due to a mix of "shrewdness, original thinking, and entrepreneurship." The company originated in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where it still operates a plant that fills a 23 kg bag with donut mix every seven seconds. It recently opened a new plant in Effingham, Illinois, that fills a bag every three seconds. This second plant allows the company to reduce costs while increasing its output. Vernon Rudolph founded and ran the company until 1973, when he died without naming a successor. His death caused the company problems for the next decade. -Refer to the Narrative 1-1.Which management function had Rudolph failed to perform at the time of his death?

First-line managers are responsible for setting objectives consistent with organizational goals,and for planning and implementing subunit strategies for achieving these objectives.

In a speech delivered to a forum for retail leaders,Dr.Hans-Joachim Koerber stated,"Sustained growth is essential.Sustaining growth is a challenge for virtually every company." What informational role did Dr.Koerber assume?