Deck 1: Supervision Fundamentals

Question 1

In modern organizations the stature of supervisors has been elevated because ________.

A)there is increased diversity in the workforce
B)many middle management positions have been eliminated
C)international competition has increased
D)upper management expects better performance
E)they are provided with advanced training

Answer 1

B

Question 2

The importance of conceptual competence increases as managers move up in the organization because ________.

A)straightforward challenges are common
B)problems increase in complexity
C)tried and true solutions exist for most problems
D)upper-level managers share a common viewpoint
E)alliance building is essential

Answer 2

B

Question 3

The ________ management function includes establishing an overall strategy for achieving goals.

A)planning
B)controlling
C)coordinating
D)organizing
E)directing

Answer 3

A

Question 4

The Gallup Organization has found that ________ is the single most important variable in employee productivity and loyalty.

A)the quality of on-the-job training
B)the implementation of quality and productivity programs
C)the relationship between employees and their supervisors
D)the benefit package offered by the organization
E)the possibility of regular pay increases

Question 5

A supervisor's management function is to focus on ________.

A)long-term strategy
B)vision and mission
C)strategic planning
D)structuring individual workloads
E)organizational structure

Question 6

Titles of typical top management positions include the following EXCEPT ________.

A)district manager
B)president
C)superintendent of schools
D)chief executive officer
E)senior vice-president

Question 7

Supervisors increase ________ when they get the same output with fewer resources.

A)stress
B)profit
C)power
D)efficiency
E)quality

Question 8

When supervisors are required to engage in the same work that operatives do,they temporarily lose their management status.

Question 9

The objectives set by top management provide specific direction to supervisors regarding what they are expected to achieve.

Question 10

In the twenty-first century the concept of managing in a ________ way has become critical to supervisors.

A)structured
B)sustainable
C)compromising
D)expedient
E)strategic

Question 11

The traditional organization pyramid may be divided into the following distinct levels EXCEPT ________.

A)operative employees
B)middle managers
C)supervisors
D)boards of directors
E)top managers

Question 12

One top-level manager might be a senior vice-president whose tasks include developing the policies to achieve the organization's objectives.

Question 13

The Taft-Hartley Act states that a supervisor may hire,suspend,transfer,lay off,recall,promote,discharge,assign,reward,or discipline other employees while ________.

A)on duty
B)following orders from management
C)using independent judgment
D)on work premises
E)training new hires

Question 14

The supervisor's job is unique in that it ________.

A)requires expertise in all aspects of employees' work
B)bridges the management ranks with the operating employees
C)often requires overtime work
D)is straightforward and unambiguous
E)is usually filled from an outside source

Question 15

One way to think of supervisors is as ________.

A)first-level management
B)top-level management
C)mid-level management
D)operative-level management
E)executive-level management

Question 16

A supervisor's unique responsibility in the management function of an organization is overseeing the work of operative employees.

Question 17

A supervisor who disagrees with the wishes of upper management has the authority to perform work as he or she sees most effective.

Question 18

Many first-level managers perform both managerial functions and operative tasks.

Question 19

Middle managers work to achieve organizational objectives by setting and meeting specific goals.

Question 20

Even though supervisors may perform operative tasks they are still part of management.This was made clear by the passing of the ________.

A)1935 Wagner Act
B)1947 Taft-Hartley Act
C)1932 Norris-LaGuardia Act
D)1991 Civil Rights Act
E)1959 Landrum-Griffin Act

Question 21

In order to keep an organization on track to achieve its goals,managers use which function?

A)directing
B)coordinating
C)leading
D)planning
E)controlling

Question 22

The management function which involves monitoring activities to ensure that targets are being met is called ________.

A)leading
B)planning
C)directing
D)organizing
E)controlling

Question 23

The ability to analyze and diagnose complex situations requires ________.

A)technical competence
B)decision making competence
C)conceptual competence
D)persuasion competence
E)detection competence

Question 24

A supervisor must interact and reconcile ________.

A)disagreements between two teams
B)disputes with suppliers
C)competing expectations between higher management and workers
D)disagreements with other supervisors
E)unrealistic expectations of team members

Question 25

The controlling function of management includes which of the following?

A)resolving conflicts
B)establishing strategy
C)coordinating activities
D)grouping tasks
E)monitoring performance

Question 26

The organizing function of management is concerned with ________.

A)keeping employee time records
B)dividing work into manageable,achievable components
C)coaching teams
D)maintaining performance records
E)training new employees

Question 27

Interpersonal competence for a first-line manager would include the ability to ________.

A)show sympathy
B)provide emotional support
C)share personal concerns
D)socialize after work
E)show tolerance and celebrate differences

Question 28

Supervisors serve as the critical ________ link in the organization's chain of authority.

A)decision-making
B)disciplinary
C)problem-solving
D)communication
E)conflict-resolution

Question 29

When supervisors perform operating tasks alongside the same people they supervise some people,particularly upper management,see them as ________.

A)unnecessary
B)obsolete
C)just another worker
D)ineffective
E)conflicted

Question 30

Consistent with the belief that one of the most important abilities needed by supervisors is strong interpersonal skills,they may be considered to be ________.

A)behavioral specialists
B)excellent communicators
C)good at conflict resolution
D)good negotiators
E)strong delegators

Question 31

A manager engaged in planning would be ________.

A)maintaining daily activity charts
B)assigning individual tasks
C)setting goals
D)observing performance
E)preparing inventory reports

Question 32

Organizations are implementing significant change and quality programs to cut costs and increase productivity.Consequently ________.

A)supervisors must maintain careful records of current processes
B)the supervisor's job will continue to become increasingly important and complex
C)supervisors will have increasing opportunities for advancement
D)supervisors will have difficulty keeping abreast of changes
E)the supervisor's positive attitude will impress middle and upper management

Question 33

Managers perform the ________ function when they divide work into manageable components.

A)directing
B)planning
C)leading
D)coordinating
E)organizing

Question 34

Of the essential managerial competencies,which is most relevant and which is least meaningful for a supervisor? Explain your reasoning.

Question 35

The higher one climbs in the organization's hierarchy,the more critical ________ competence becomes.

A)motivation
B)political
C)interpersonal
D)communication
E)technical

Question 36

If unresolved,competing expectations between upper management and operatives can cause supervisors ________.

A)to resign
B)to feel frustration and stress
C)to become authoritarian
D)to withhold information
E)to abdicate authority

Question 37

If you were supervising a team,how might different viewpoints about your unique role in the organization give you a sense of ambiguity and internal conflict?

Question 38

In their coaching role,supervisors are expected to ________.

A)oversee the work done by employees
B)require compliance with procedures
C)administer discipline
D)develop employees' skills and knowledge
E)act as the ultimate authority

Question 39

Directing and coordinating the activities of employees is the management function ________.

A)planning
B)monitoring
C)scheduling
D)leading
E)directing

Question 40

Imagine that you aspire to be a supervisor.In what skills must you become competent and why are those skills essential to being an effective supervisor?

Question 41

Supervisors need to know what their employees are doing and ________.

A)be an authority figure
B)be skilled in all tasks
C)be a guide and trainer
D)be tolerant of mistakes
E)be present at all times

Question 42

A supervisor's ________ is the authority to act and expect others to follow directions.

A)obligation
B)legitimate power
C)entitlement
D)prerogative
E)rightful privilege

Question 43

Effective supervisors develop trust and build credibility with employees,peers,and bosses when they ________.

A)keep skills and competencies up to date
B)share personal experiences
C)ask others about their pastimes and interests
D)maintain detachment while working
E)spend time together outside of work

Question 44

In addition to the skills a supervisor must possess,describe the other essential elements necessary for success.

Question 45

In order to be effective in an organization,a supervisor needs to develop ________ skills to help influence others.

A)cross-functional
B)charismatic
C)political
D)recognition
E)interpersonal

Question 46

An effective supervisor enjoys the trust of,and builds credibility with,employees.

Question 47

Knowledge about a subject is important,but just as important is whether supervisors can ________.

A)share their knowledge with middle management
B)convince team members they are right
C)apply their knowledge
D)appear unpretentious
E)continually seek new knowledge

Question 48

A skill is a single action that can be applied in a wide variety of situations.

Question 49

Becoming a supervisor is often a major turning point in one's career.Describe the changes and challenges facing a new supervisor.

Question 50

Most supervisors find that new employees rarely require basic training in reading,writing,and mathematics.