Question 1

In a typical MBO program, __________________.

Accepted Answer

A)  objectives are determined by management 
B)  goals are only reviewed at the time of completion 
C)  goals are used primarily as controls 
D)  progress is periodically reviewed 
E)  new goals are set every few weeks 
A)  objectives are determined by management 
B)  goals are only reviewed at the time of completion 
C)  goals are used primarily as controls 
D)  progress is periodically reviewed 
E)  new goals are set every few weeks

Question 2

In order to manage effectively in an uncertain environment, managers must recognize that planning is __________.

Accepted Answer

A)  an ongoing process 
B)  not renewable from one planning period to the next 
C)  best left to the formal planning department 
D)  best done at the beginning of a new year 
E)  best postponed until environmental conditions stabilize 
A)  an ongoing process 
B)  not renewable from one planning period to the next 
C)  best left to the formal planning department 
D)  best done at the beginning of a new year 
E)  best postponed until environmental conditions stabilize

Question 3

In traditional goal setting, what happens to goals as they make their way down from top management to lower levels?

Accepted Answer

A)  They lose clarity and unity. 
B)  They unite the workforce. 
C)  They are continually revised and corrected by middle management. 
D)  They purposely remain vague and nonspecific to provide flexibility. 
E)  They are often deliberately altered and distorted by lower level managers. 
A)  They lose clarity and unity. 
B)  They unite the workforce. 
C)  They are continually revised and corrected by middle management. 
D)  They purposely remain vague and nonspecific to provide flexibility. 
E)  They are often deliberately altered and distorted by lower level managers.

Question 4

Studies of actual MBO programs confirm that MBO _____________ employee performance and organizational productivity.

Accepted Answer

A)  depends on 
B)  is related to 
C)  is unrelated to 
D)  decreases 
E)  increases 
A)  depends on 
B)  is related to 
C)  is unrelated to 
D)  decreases 
E)  increases

Question 5

When formal planning fails to lead to higher performance, which of the following is most likely to be the reason for the failure?

Accepted Answer

A)  The company emphasized the control function over other functions. 
B)  A participative style of planning was used. 
C)  Managers were allowed too much autonomy. 
D)  Constraints of the internal environment 
E)  Constraints of the external environment 
A)  The company emphasized the control function over other functions. 
B)  A participative style of planning was used. 
C)  Managers were allowed too much autonomy. 
D)  Constraints of the internal environment 
E)  Constraints of the external environment

Question 6

Planning is often called the primary management function because it _________.

Accepted Answer

A)  offers some basis for future decision making 
B)  creates a unified vision for organizational members to work toward 
C)  establishes the basis for all the other management functions 
D)  sets the tone for the organization's culture 
E)  is the most important management function overall 
A)  offers some basis for future decision making 
B)  creates a unified vision for organizational members to work toward 
C)  establishes the basis for all the other management functions 
D)  sets the tone for the organization's culture 
E)  is the most important management function overall

Question 7

The standard procedure to be followed by the human resources department of a company when initiating disciplinary action against an employee is an example of a standing plan.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 8

A _______________ is a broad statement of an organization's purpose that provides an overall guide to what organizational members think is important.

Accepted Answer

A)  plan 
B)  mission 
C)  proposal 
D)  project 
E)  goal 
A)  plan 
B)  mission 
C)  proposal 
D)  project 
E)  goal

Question 9

Which of the following statements is true regarding an organization's goals?

Accepted Answer

A)  All organizations share the single goal of making profits. 
B)  A single goal is more efficient than multiple goals for defining an organization's success. 
C)  Using a single goal such as profit may result in unethical behaviours by employees. 
D)  Long-term success is ensured if managers emphasize only one goal for an organization. 
E)  Short-term success is ensured if managers emphasize multiple goals for the organization. 
A)  All organizations share the single goal of making profits. 
B)  A single goal is more efficient than multiple goals for defining an organization's success. 
C)  Using a single goal such as profit may result in unethical behaviours by employees. 
D)  Long-term success is ensured if managers emphasize only one goal for an organization. 
E)  Short-term success is ensured if managers emphasize multiple goals for the organization.

Question 10

In today's global business environment, obtaining competitive intelligence is relatively easy.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 11

Goals provide the direction for all management decisions and form the __________.

Accepted Answer

A)  basis for profit projections to satisfy shareholders and other external stakeholders 
B)  desired outcomes that the organizational members will likely achieve 
C)  basis for the profit sharing with employees once the goals are achieved 
D)  criteria against which actual work accomplishments can be measured 
E)  foundation for all other management functions 
A)  basis for profit projections to satisfy shareholders and other external stakeholders 
B)  desired outcomes that the organizational members will likely achieve 
C)  basis for the profit sharing with employees once the goals are achieved 
D)  criteria against which actual work accomplishments can be measured 
E)  foundation for all other management functions

Question 12

Which of the following types of plans dominates managers' planning efforts at upper levels of the organization?

Accepted Answer

A)  strategic 
B)  standing 
C)  operational 
D)  short term 
E)  specific 
A)  strategic 
B)  standing 
C)  operational 
D)  short term 
E)  specific

Question 13

Refer to the scenario given to answer the following questions.
The Sea to Sky Collaborative (Scenario)
Nadia Mainardi is the senior planner for the Whistler-Blackcomb Regional Development Council. She has met with a group of stakeholders, including the British Columbia Ministry of Transportation, Tourism B.C., and others who are interested in working together to improve the Sea to Sky Highway between North Vancouver and Whistler. To date, Nadia has successfully obtained a Technical Assistance Grant from the province to help organize several small communities along the Sea to Sky Highway into an intergovernmental unit, all sharing the same mission and goals. Nadia is now charged with developing a strategic plan for this group, called the Sea to Sky Collaborative.
-Because of the intergovernmental nature of the Sea to Sky Collaborative, Nadia's boss suggests that open-ended goals may be preferable, as they offer greater flexibility. Nadia, a knowledgeable and experienced planner, tells her that well-designed goals should __________.

Accepted Answer

A)  specify a clear time frame 
B)  be communicated but not written down 
C)  be written down but not communicated to all parties 
D)  be easily attainable 
E)  be written in terms of actions rather than outcomes 
A)  specify a clear time frame 
B)  be communicated but not written down 
C)  be written down but not communicated to all parties 
D)  be easily attainable 
E)  be written in terms of actions rather than outcomes

Question 14

In traditional goal setting, it is assumed that top managers know what's best because they ______________.

Accepted Answer

A)  are the best educated 
B)  have the most experience 
C)  are hired to do what is best for the organization 
D)  have the most at stake if the company fails 
E)  see the ''big picture'' for the company 
A)  are the best educated 
B)  have the most experience 
C)  are hired to do what is best for the organization 
D)  have the most at stake if the company fails 
E)  see the ''big picture'' for the company

Question 15

Strategic plans tend to cover a longer period of time than operational goals and also ______________.

Accepted Answer

A)  deal with more urgent concerns 
B)  cover the financial projections of the planning period 
C)  cover a broader view of the organization 
D)  include an estimate of the profits that shareholders can anticipate as dividends 
E)  cover a more narrow view of the organization 
A)  deal with more urgent concerns 
B)  cover the financial projections of the planning period 
C)  cover a broader view of the organization 
D)  include an estimate of the profits that shareholders can anticipate as dividends 
E)  cover a more narrow view of the organization

Question 16

In traditional goal setting, goals set by top managers flow down through the organization and become sub goals for each organizational area.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 17

Organizations real goals and stated goals are the same.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 18

The first step in goal setting is to evaluate available resources.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 19

Refer to the scenario given to answer the following questions.
A-Z Goal Setting and Planning (Scenario)
Organizations ABC and XYZ are both in the same industry and vie for the same set of customers in the marketplace. At ABC, goals are set at the top level of management each year and then broken into subgoals for each organizational level. Similarly, plans are developed at the top level and then reformulated and delegated to managers at the middle and lower levels. At XYZ, goals are developed at the top level, and then those managers meet with their subordinates at the next lower level to establish mutually agreeable goals. The middle managers then meet with the first-level managers to establish mutually agreeable goals. Finally, the first-level managers meet with each of their employees and establish mutually agreeable goals. Annual plans are then developed by organization members at all levels to meet their specific needs.
-Assuming that XYZ's hierarchy of goals is clearly defined, the resulting integrated network of goals could also be called a __________ chain.

Accepted Answer

A)  hierarchical-link 
B)  means-end 
C)  management by objectives 
D)  top-to-bottom 
E)  management 
A)  hierarchical-link 
B)  means-end 
C)  management by objectives 
D)  top-to-bottom 
E)  management

Question 20

Are strategic or operational plans needed? Does long-term planning make sense in current business environment? These decisions are affected by three contingency variables. explain the three planning contingency factors and illustrate how these factors influence planning.

Accepted Answer

Three contingency factors affect plannin

In a typical MBO program, __________________.

In order to manage effectively in an uncertain environment, managers must recognize that planning is __________.

In traditional goal setting, what happens to goals as they make their way down from top management to lower levels?

Studies of actual MBO programs confirm that MBO _____________ employee performance and organizational productivity.

When formal planning fails to lead to higher performance, which of the following is most likely to be the reason for the failure?

Planning is often called the primary management function because it _________.

The standard procedure to be followed by the human resources department of a company when initiating disciplinary action against an employee is an example of a standing plan.

A _______________ is a broad statement of an organization's purpose that provides an overall guide to what organizational members think is important.

Which of the following statements is true regarding an organization's goals?

In today's global business environment, obtaining competitive intelligence is relatively easy.

Goals provide the direction for all management decisions and form the __________.

Which of the following types of plans dominates managers' planning efforts at upper levels of the organization?

In traditional goal setting, it is assumed that top managers know what's best because they ______________.

Strategic plans tend to cover a longer period of time than operational goals and also ______________.

In traditional goal setting, goals set by top managers flow down through the organization and become sub goals for each organizational area.

Organizations real goals and stated goals are the same.

The first step in goal setting is to evaluate available resources.

Are strategic or operational plans needed? Does long-term planning make sense in current business environment? These decisions are affected by three contingency variables. explain the three planning contingency factors and illustrate how these factors influence planning.

Introduction to Management and Organizations

Organizational Culture and the Organizational Environment

Managing in a Global Environment

Managing Entrepreneurially

Managing Responsibly and Ethically

Innovation and Adaptability

Decision Making

Managing Strategically

Organizational Design

Managers and Communication

Managing Human Resources

Leadership

Motivating Employees

Managing Groups and Teams

Evidence-Based Decision Making

Management History

Planning and Control Techniques

Managing Operations

Filters

Exam 8: Foundations of Planning

In a typical MBO program, __________________.

In order to manage effectively in an uncertain environment, managers must recognize that planning is __________.

In traditional goal setting, what happens to goals as they make their way down from top management to lower levels?

Studies of actual MBO programs confirm that MBO _____________ employee performance and organizational productivity.

When formal planning fails to lead to higher performance, which of the following is most likely to be the reason for the failure?

Planning is often called the primary management function because it _________.

The standard procedure to be followed by the human resources department of a company when initiating disciplinary action against an employee is an example of a standing plan.

A _______________ is a broad statement of an organization's purpose that provides an overall guide to what organizational members think is important.

Which of the following statements is true regarding an organization's goals?

In today's global business environment, obtaining competitive intelligence is relatively easy.

Goals provide the direction for all management decisions and form the __________.

Which of the following types of plans dominates managers' planning efforts at upper levels of the organization?

In traditional goal setting, it is assumed that top managers know what's best because they ______________.

Strategic plans tend to cover a longer period of time than operational goals and also ______________.

In traditional goal setting, goals set by top managers flow down through the organization and become sub goals for each organizational area.

Organizations real goals and stated goals are the same.

The first step in goal setting is to evaluate available resources.

Are strategic or operational plans needed? Does long-term planning make sense in current business environment? These decisions are affected by three contingency variables. explain the three planning contingency factors and illustrate how these factors influence planning.

Introduction to Management and Organizations

Organizational Culture and the Organizational Environment

Managing in a Global Environment

Managing Entrepreneurially

Managing Responsibly and Ethically

Innovation and Adaptability

Decision Making

Managing Strategically

Organizational Design

Managers and Communication

Managing Human Resources

Leadership

Motivating Employees

Managing Groups and Teams

Evidence-Based Decision Making

Management History

Planning and Control Techniques

Managing Operations

Filters