Deck 18: Organizational Change and Stress Management

Question 1

Which of the following is an example of an organizational source of resistance to change?

A) selective information processing
B) security
C) fear of the unknown
D) habit
E) limited focus of change

Answer 1

E

Question 2

Which of the following resistances to change is implicit?

A) increased error
B) strike
C) resignation
D) work slowdown
E) complaint

Answer 2

A

Question 3

A paper sales company designs and offers a new method of purchasing and shipping commercial quantities of paper through their Web site. Earlier, the company used to do its business through its sales representative. This is an example of a(n) ________ change.

A) planned
B) cognitive
C) secondary
D) accidental
E) integrated

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Tescra Education is an educational publishing company that provides textbooks in the area of higher education. The company has been in business for almost 20 years now and has earned substantial profits during this period. Which of the following trends, if true, would drive the company to change its business strategy?

A) a rise in the cost of electronic products such as iPads and e-book readers, and subscriptions charges for educational apps
B) an increase in the number of laws and regulations related to intellectual property
C) a decrease in the number of people going back to school to upgrade their skills, due to an economic boom
D) an upward trend in students' preference for face-to-face interaction with instructors using traditional classroom learning techniques
E) a need for learning environments where students feel safe to apply the knowledge they've acquired in the classroom to real-life situations

Question 5

Organizations have built-in mechanisms like their selection processes and formalized regulations to produce stability. When an organization is confronted with change, these mechanisms act as a counterbalance to sustain stability. Which of the following organizational sources of resistance to change is represented by these mechanisms?

A) group inertia
B) selective information processing
C) product- orientation
D) structural inertia
E) employee-orientation

Question 6

As a result of changing technology and unstable environment, your company is planning to undertake restructuring of the business. The employees in your company are worried about this upcoming change and many of them are anxious due to a fear that they will lose their jobs as a result of this change. But that is not the case. The company only wants to restructure its business units and it is not planning to cut down on jobs. In such a situation, which of the following techniques is most likely to be used by your company to deal with the employees' resistance to change?

A) education and communication
B) manipulation and cooptation
C) participation
D) coercion
E) implementing changes fairly

Question 7

An example of change in the nature of the workforce is an increase in ________.

A) college attendance
B) cultural diversity
C) capital investment
D) mergers and consolidations
E) divorce rates

Question 8

Which of the following reactions from employees is preferable as a response to change?

A) resignation
B) increase in the use of sick time
C) open discussion
D) apathy
E) silence

Question 9

Selective information processing is a major force for resistance to change. It indicates that ________.

A) individuals hear what they want to hear and they ignore information that challenges the world they've created
B) changes in organizational patterns may threaten the expertise of specialized groups so these groups tend to resist change
C) groups in the organization that control sizable resources often resist change
D) even if individuals want to change their behavior, group norms may act as a constraint
E) limited changes in subsystems tend to be nullified by the larger system

Question 10

Limited focus of change is a major force for resistance to change that originates from an organizational source. It indicates that ________.

A) organizations consist of a number of interdependent subsystems and one can't be changed without affecting the others
B) groups in the organization that control sizable resources often resist change
C) changes in organizational patterns may threaten the expertise of specialized groups so these groups tend to resist change
D) organizations have structural inertia that acts as a counterbalance to sustain stability
E) even if individuals want to change their behavior, group norms may act as a constraint

Question 11

Fony Corp., headquartered in China, is a leading manufacturer of electronic devices and solutions intended for professional markets. The company is considering upgrading the technology currently being used at Fony's manufacturing facility located in Guangdong that specializes in producing lithium-ion batteries, which are used to power laptops, cameras, cell phones, and other similar gadgets. The new technology is expected to increase efficiency levels and will also allow for greater adherence to quality standards.
Which of the following, if true, would most weaken the argument that Fony Corp. should upgrade its technology?

A) The company's main client is threatening legal action after it had to recall nearly 2 million notebooks owing to defective batteries.
B) The technology which the company is considering adopting was recently developed and the company will be first to implement it in a real business context.
C) The company will be able to recover the cost of the technology within four years of implementation.
D) The new technology is expected to reduce the company's overall cost of production.
E) Employees fear that the new technology will render them obsolete.

Question 12

Fony Corp., headquartered in China, is a leading manufacturer of electronic devices and solutions intended for professional markets. The company is considering upgrading the technology currently being used at Fony's manufacturing facility located in Guangdong that specializes in producing lithium-ion batteries, which are used to power laptops, cameras, cell phones, and other similar gadgets. The new technology is expected to increase efficiency levels and will also allow for greater adherence to quality standards.
Which of the following, if true, would most strengthen the argument that Fony Corp. should upgrade its technology?

A) Fony last upgraded its technology six years ago and it has an adequate budget to fund the acquisition.
B) Fony's main client account is at risk after the client had to recall nearly 2 million notebooks owing to defective batteries.
C) The existing technology is currently functioning at the optimal level and the cost of maintenance is minimal.
D) Fony will be able to recover the cost of the new technology within eight years.
E) The market for consumer electronics such as laptops, cameras, cell phones, and other similar gadgets is in the late maturity stage.

Question 13

It is easiest for management to deal with resistance when it is ________.

A) concealed
B) passive
C) overt
D) implicit
E) deferred

Question 14

Which of the following is an example of an individual source of resistance to change?

A) employee orientation
B) structural inertia
C) limited focus of change
D) fear of the unknown
E) product orientation

Question 15

A(n) ________ resistance to change clouds the link between the change and the reaction to it and may surface weeks, months, or even years later.

A) active
B) immediate
C) explicit
D) overt
E) deferred

Question 16

Which of the following resistances to change is overt and immediate?

A) increased absenteeism
B) complaint
C) loss of motivation
D) increased error
E) loss of loyalty

Question 17

An example of change in competition is ________.

A) a decrease in interest rates
B) Iraq-U.S. war
C) U.S. manufactured Toyota vehicles
D) increased interest in urban living
E) collapse of Enron Corporation

Question 18

After restructuring, your division has had trouble filling the open positions with appropriate candidates. The selection processes used by human resources have not yet adjusted to the new criteria required for the restructured job positions. This problem is an example of which kind of resistance to change?

A) threat to expertise
B) group inertia
C) limited focus of change
D) threat to established power relationships
E) structural inertia

Question 19

________ are persons who act as catalysts and assume the responsibility for managing refinement activities.

A) Early adopter
B) Laggards
C) Change agents
D) Free riders
E) Whistle-blowers

Question 20

Organizations are increasingly adjusting their processes and positioning their products as environment friendly and sustainable in order to increase their appeal to consumers. This is a response to changes in ________.

A) social trends
B) legal requirements
C) demographic trends
D) nature of the workforce
E) cultural trends

Question 21

If individuals resisting change are included in making change decisions in an attempt to gain their support, this approach is called ________.

A) cooptation
B) conciliation
C) coercion
D) arbitration
E) exploitation

Question 22

Strum Services provides content management services to major educational publishers. Due to low morale, the level of employee output has been below par which has caused a backlog in work.
Which of the following, if true, would strengthen the argument to use coercive techniques in this situation?

A) The company is in its lean season and work volumes are low.
B) The company's workforce is comprised of employees with highly specialized skill sets.
C) The company can afford to hire temp workers to handle the backlog and complete the work on time.
D) The company is on a tight deadline to complete a major project for an important client.
E) Employees are demotivated because of the company's stringent work culture.

Question 23

Strum Services provides content management services to major educational publishers. Due to low morale, the level of employee output has been below par which has caused a backlog in work.
Which of the following, if true, would weaken the argument to use coercive techniques in this situation?

A) The company's current work volumes are quite high.
B) The company has taken several efforts to improve the level of employee morale and motivation.
C) The company recently learned that one of its clients utilizes the services of a rival content management firm.
D) The company cannot afford to hire temp workers to handle the backlog and complete the work on time.
E) The company just finished its peak season, during which employees were required to work overtime and on weekends.

Question 24

Your company, Johnson Farm Products, has decided to expand its traditional business serving farm owners in order to include home gardeners in its customer base. This change is not met with enthusiasm by the sales personnel who have had good long-term relationships with area farmers. You know that the change will be difficult to implement if you cannot overcome the resistance of the sales personnel and obtain their cooperation.
You have brought in the local extension agent to explain demographics and the changing nature of the area in which you live. The method for overcoming resistance that you have chosen is ________.

A) manipulation and cooptation
B) participation
C) negotiation
D) coercion
E) education and communication

Question 25

Which tactic to overcome resistance to change is a relatively inexpensive way to gain the support of adversaries, but may backfire if the targets become aware of the tactic?

A) negotiation
B) manipulation
C) conciliation
D) coercion
E) arbitration

Question 26

Which of the following is the first step in Kotter's eight-step plan for implementing change?

A) Create a new vision to direct the change and strategies for achieving the vision.
B) Communicate the vision throughout the organization.
C) Establish a sense of urgency by creating a compelling reason for why change is needed.
D) Plan for, create, and reward short-term "wins" that move the organization toward the new vision.
E) Form a coalition with enough power to lead the change.

Question 27

Strum Services provides content management services to major educational publishers. Due to low morale, the level of employee output has been below par which has caused a backlog in work.
Which of the following is one of the three steps in the Lewin's three-step change model?

A) dreaming
B) movement
C) analysis
D) evaluation
E) designing

Question 28

Using covert influence to overcome resistance to change is called ________.

A) coercion
B) conciliation
C) education
D) manipulation
E) negotiation

Question 29

"Buying off" the leaders of a resistance group by giving them a key role and seeking their advice not to find a better solution but to get their endorsement is an example of ________.

A) operant conditioning
B) distributive bargaining
C) cooptation
D) procedural fairness
E) coercion

Question 30

The application of direct threats or force upon resisters is called ________.

A) cooptation
B) manipulation
C) negotiation
D) arbitration
E) coercion

Question 31

Procedural fairness while implementing changes is especially important when ________.

A) the employees have participated in the decision-making process
B) the employees are resisting the change due to group inertia
C) the employees perceive the outcome as negative
D) the environment in which the business operates is dynamic
E) the organization is facing intense competition

Question 32

Who built on Lewin's three-step model to create a more detailed eight-step plan for implementing change?

A) David McClelland
B) John Kotter
C) Lawrence Summers
D) Douglas Surber
E) Henry Mintzberg

Question 33

Management of a company threatens to close a manufacturing plant in the company whose employees are resisting an across-the-board pay cut. But this threat is actually untrue. In this case, which of the following tactics of overcoming resistance to change is being used by the management?

A) procedural fairness
B) manipulation
C) conciliation
D) arbitration
E) negotiation

Question 34

Which of the following tactics for overcoming resistance to change is most likely to be beneficial when employees' fear and anxiety are high?

A) coercion
B) implementing changes fairly
C) manipulation
D) participation
E) building support and commitment

Question 35

Which tactic for overcoming resistance to change basically assumes that the source of resistance lies in misinformation?

A) implementing changes fairly
B) coercion
C) cooptation and manipulation
D) education and communication
E) participation

Question 36

Which of the following is the last step in Kotter's eight-step plan for implementing change?

A) Communicate the vision throughout the organization.
B) Form a coalition with enough power to lead the change.
C) Establish a sense of urgency by creating a compelling reason for why change is needed.
D) Consolidate improvements, reassess changes, and make necessary adjustments in the new programs.
E) Reinforce the changes by demonstrating the relationship between new behaviors and organizational success.

Question 37

Your company, Johnson Farm Products, has decided to expand its traditional business serving farm owners in order to include home gardeners in its customer base. This change is not met with enthusiasm by the sales personnel who have had good long-term relationships with area farmers. You know that the change will be difficult to implement if you cannot overcome the resistance of the sales personnel and obtain their cooperation.
Who developed a three-step model for change that included unfreezing, movement, and refreezing?

A) Lawrence Summers
B) John Kotter
C) David McClelland
D) Kurt Lewin
E) Douglas Surber

Question 38

________ is one way to achieve unfreezing of an organization's status quo.

A) Increasing the driving forces directing behavior away from the status quo
B) Decreasing management's investment in change
C) Incorporating a structural inertia in the structure of the organization
D) Increasing the rigidity of the organizational hierarchy
E) Increasing employee investment in the status quo

Question 39

Your company, Johnson Farm Products, has decided to expand its traditional business serving farm owners in order to include home gardeners in its customer base. This change is not met with enthusiasm by the sales personnel who have had good long-term relationships with area farmers. You know that the change will be difficult to implement if you cannot overcome the resistance of the sales personnel and obtain their cooperation.
You have threatened to eliminate positions and even to close down the company if your sales personnel don't change their attitudes. The method for overcoming resistance that you have chosen is ________.

A) cooptation
B) coercion
C) participation
D) education and communication
E) negotiation

Question 40

Your company, Johnson Farm Products, has decided to expand its traditional business serving farm owners in order to include home gardeners in its customer base. This change is not met with enthusiasm by the sales personnel who have had good long-term relationships with area farmers. You know that the change will be difficult to implement if you cannot overcome the resistance of the sales personnel and obtain their cooperation.
You have decided to involve the sales personnel in planning for the change and in stocking appropriate new items to sell to gardeners. The method for overcoming resistance that you have chosen is ________.

A) education and communication
B) manipulation
C) coercion
D) participation
E) negotiation

Question 41

John Kotter built on Lewin's three-step model to create a more detailed approach for implementing change. Which of the following steps in Kotter's eight-step plan for implementing change represents the "unfreezing" stage in Lewin's three-step model?

A) Reinforce the changes by demonstrating the relationship between new behaviors and organizational success.
B) Create a new vision to direct the change and strategies for achieving the vision.
C) Plan for, create, and reward short-term "wins" that move the organization toward the new vision.
D) Consolidate improvements, reassess changes, and make necessary adjustments in the new programs.
E) Empower others to act on the vision by removing barriers to change and encouraging risk taking and creative problem solving.

Question 42

Appreciative inquiry (AI) is an organizational development technique. Which of the following statements is true regarding appreciative inquiry?

A) It consists of four steps including discovery, dreaming, design, and destiny.
B) It seeks to change groups' attitudes, stereotypes, and perceptions about each other.
C) It tries to identify discrepancies among member perceptions and solve these differences.
D) It uses high-interaction group activities to increase trust and openness among team members, improve coordinative efforts, and increase team performance.
E) It involves an outside consultant who helps the manager to analyze processes within his or her unit and identify what to improve and how.

Question 43

Which of the following steps in Kotter's eight-step plan for implementing change represents the "movement" stage in Lewin's three-step model?

A) Form a coalition with enough power to lead the change.
B) Create a new vision to direct the change and strategies for achieving the vision.
C) Plan for, create, and reward short-term "wins" that propel the organization toward the new vision.
D) Establish a sense of urgency by creating a compelling reason for why change is needed.
E) Reinforce the changes by demonstrating the relationship between new behaviors and organizational success.

Question 44

Brian's team just had a research breakthrough. They'll need several thousands of dollars to complete the project. Brian has called a series of meetings in which he's promoting the significance of the new discovery, explaining the economic benefits that will result from the final project, and answering questions. Brian is a(n) ________ within his company.

A) idea champion
B) manipulator
C) change agent
D) stress creator
E) arbitrator

Question 45

Bart has a new idea for a way to cut costs in his department, but he is not willing to share his idea with his boss because the last department head that tried new cost cutting methods was recently fired because the new methods could not achieve expected results. Based on the example, how can Bart's company improve the culture to create innovation?

A) conduct team building activities
B) increase the resources in Bart's department
C) encourage communication between various departments
D) flatten the organizational structure
E) reward both successes and failures

Question 46

During the "dreaming" step of appreciative inquiry, participants ________.

A) use information from the discovery phase to speculate on possible futures
B) recount times they felt the organization worked best
C) write action plans and develop implementation strategies
D) find a common vision of how the organization will look in the future
E) identify the organization's strengths

Question 47

________ is a change process based on systematic collection of data and selection of a change action based on what the analyzed data indicate.

A) Action research
B) Organizational development
C) Organizational restructuring
D) Planned change
E) Process consultation

Question 48

The deemphasizing of hierarchical authority and control in organizational development is referred to as ________.

A) trust and support
B) respect for people
C) horizontal integration
D) power equalization
E) vertical blending

Question 49

Which of the following steps of the appreciative inquiry attempts to identify what people think are the organization's strengths?

A) inferring
B) collaboration
C) discovery
D) dreaming
E) destiny

Question 50

The step in the action research process where information is gathered about problems, concerns, and needed changes is known as the ________ stage.

A) prognosis
B) feedback
C) evaluation
D) diagnosis
E) action

Question 51

________ is a collection of change methods that seek to improve organizational effectiveness and employee well-being.

A) Operant conditioning
B) Organizational development
C) Organizational restructuring
D) Action research
E) Organizational polarization

Question 52

Which of the following statements is true regarding innovation?

A) Organic structures negatively influence innovation.
B) Short tenure in management is associated with innovation.
C) Innovation is nurtured when there is an abundance of resources.
D) Innovative organizations reward both successes and failures.
E) Interunit communication is low in innovative organizations.

Question 53

Which of the following actions can extinguish risk taking and innovation?

A) rewarding for the absence of failures rather than for the presence of successes
B) using organic organizational structures
C) encouraging experimentation
D) using an organizational structure that scores low on vertical differentiation, formalization, and centralization
E) long tenure in management

Question 54

Which of the following types of changes involves a new idea being applied to initiating or improving a product, process, or service?

A) continuous improvement
B) process reengineering
C) innovation
D) double-loop learning
E) organizational streaming

Question 55

Which of the following is a step in the appreciative inquiry process?

A) dreaming
B) inferring
C) collaboration
D) analysis
E) classifying

Question 56

Which of the following steps in Kotter's eight-step plan for implementing change represents the "refreezing" stage in Lewin's three-step model?

A) Create a new vision to direct the change and strategies for achieving the vision.
B) Empower others to act on the vision by removing barriers to change and encouraging risk taking and creative problem solving.
C) Plan for, create, and reward short-term "wins" that move the organization toward the new vision.
D) Reinforce the changes by demonstrating the relationship between new behaviors and organizational success.
E) Consolidate improvements, reassess changes, and make necessary adjustments in the new programs.

Question 57

Which of the following is an organizational development technique that involves an outsider assisting a manager to identify what to improve and how?

A) social reinforcement
B) action research
C) intergroup development
D) process consultation
E) appreciative inquiry

Question 58

Rather than looking for problems, ________ seeks to identify the unique qualities and special strengths of an organization, which can then be built upon to improve performance.

A) appreciative inquiry
B) action research
C) process consultation
D) team building
E) social reinforcement

Question 59

During the "design" step of appreciative inquiry, participants ________.

A) recount times they felt the organization worked best
B) write action plans and develop implementation strategies
C) identify the organization's strengths
D) find a common vision of how the organization will look in the future
E) use information from the discovery phase to speculate on possible futures

Question 60

________ is a method of changing behavior through unstructured group interaction.

A) Process consultation
B) Psychoanalysis
C) Sensitivity training
D) Planned modification
E) Action research

Question 61

Rudolf is dealing with impending layoffs at work. Yesterday at a pharmacy he measured his blood pressure and it was high. He also notices that when he thinks about the future his heart rate accelerates. Rudolf is demonstrating ________ symptoms of stress.

A) reactive
B) physiological
C) personal
D) psychological
E) behavioral

Question 62

Benny is stressed with the new corporate reorganization. He now reports to a foreign office that has usurped many of his responsibilities, including the contract labor for his projects, therefore he's working with less qualified and new contractors with whom he doesn't have a relationship. However, the managers of the other departments find themselves in the same boat and everyday they are able to laugh over lunch about their new managerial impotence. ________ is helping Benny handle his stress.

A) Emotional contagion
B) Cognitive dissonance
C) Time-management
D) Social support
E) Self-efficacy

Question 63

Jerry is feeling very stressed because his boss expects a project to be delivered to the client within a very unreasonable deadline. Jerry has to work nights and weekends to make the deadline. Jerry is feeling stress due to a(n) ________ factor.

A) structural
B) organizational
C) personal
D) environmental
E) economic

Question 64

Companies with dominant market share are less susceptible to the forces of change than smaller businesses.

Question 65

________ involves correcting errors by modifying the organization's objectives, policies, and standard routines.

A) Process reengineering
B) Organizational restructuring
C) Action research
D) Single-loop learning
E) Double-loop learning

Question 66

Which of the following types of jobs is least likely to create stress and reduce satisfaction?

A) jobs that provide the incumbents less control over the pace of their work
B) jobs that provide a low level of variety
C) jobs that lack clarity about the incumbent's duties
D) jobs that provide a high level of feedback
E) jobs that make multiple and conflicting demands

Question 67

Family issues, economic problems, and personality characteristics are examples of the ________ factor of potential stress.

A) structural
B) personal
C) environmental
D) psychological
E) social

Question 68

Which of the following statements is true regarding stress?

A) Highly experienced employees tend to be more prone to stress.
B) Employees with external locus of control tend to be less prone to stress.
C) Goal feedback tends to increase stress.
D) Training tends to decrease job stress.
E) Employees who are highly committed to their goals experience more stress.

Question 69

Idea champions display characteristics associated with ________ leadership.

A) transformational
B) laissez-faire
C) autocratic
D) transactional
E) narcissistic

Question 70

________ involves correcting errors using past routines and present policies.

A) Organizational restructuring
B) Process reengineering
C) Double-loop learning
D) Single-loop learning
E) Circular logrolling

Question 71

Risa has to work long hours and sometimes weekends, losing out on family time. Risa doesn't find her long hours overly stressful, but rather she sees it as her contribution to maintaining her family's equilibrium and well being, and bettering her children's future. In which country is Risa most likely employed?

A) United Kingdom
B) Canada
C) Netherlands
D) Venezuela
E) United States

Question 72

Louise is overwhelmed with the new tasks that she has been assigned after the department merger. Everyday, she arrives at work and makes a list of the new tasks, writes a number next to each one according to the urgency of completion, and schedules a time to complete each one. Although she's still stressed, Louise is able to get most of the work done and feels better at the end of the day. Louise is using ________ techniques to reduce her stress.

A) time-management
B) job enrichment
C) job enlargement
D) goal setting
E) relaxation

Question 73

In order to make their firm a learning organization, managers should ________.

A) reinforce interdependence and reduce boundaries
B) avoid the use of cross-functional teams
C) increase the degree of departmentalization
D) increase the number of hierarchical levels in the organization
E) penalize mistakes

Question 74

________ is a dynamic condition in which an individual is confronted with an opportunity, demand, or resource related to what the individual desires and for which the outcome is perceived to be both uncertain and important.

A) Stress
B) Stimulation
C) Change
D) Innovation
E) Creativity

Question 75

Excessive smoking, substance abuse, and sleep disorders are all examples of ________ symptoms of stress.

A) pathological
B) psychological
C) physiological
D) personal
E) behavioral

Question 76

Political uncertainties, economic uncertainties, and technological change are examples of the ________ factors of potential stress.

A) social
B) personal
C) environmental
D) organizational
E) structural

Question 77

Organizationally supported programs that focus on the employee's total physical and mental condition, such as helping them quit smoking or control alcohol use, are called ________ programs.

A) wellness
B) organizational development
C) job redesign
D) relaxation
E) employee involvement

Question 78

One of Carl's department employees was severely injured on the job. Carl has called in psychological counselors to talk to the other employees, and scheduled a series of safety trainings for the department to be completed by the end of the week. He has also asked the HR personnel to talk to the department about the disability insurance that the company offers and make sure that his employees know what is available. Carl is using ________ to help cope with the stress caused by his employee's injury.

A) resources
B) action research
C) demands
D) innovation
E) appreciative inquiry

Question 79

Which of the following stressors is likely to produce less strain than the other stressors?

A) office politics
B) confusion over job responsibilities
C) lack of unity of command
D) red tape
E) pressure to complete tasks

Question 80

Elaine is very good at what she does, but she is constantly stressed by internal deadlines assigned to co-workers, obligatory meetings, and time lost in unrelated idle cubicle chatter. Today, after a meeting with her supervisor, she has been given more responsibility for her work, is able to set her own deadlines, decline attendance to various department meetings, and telecommute two days a week. Elaine's boss is using which of the following organizational strategies to reduce her stress?

A) organizational development
B) organizational communication
C) employee involvement
D) process reengineering
E) job redesign