Deck 6: Managing the Business Enterprise

Question 1

Tom Smith Jr., a manager responsible for hockey stick tape production at StickStuck Corp., spontaneously tours the plant to check on what's going on. By so doing, Tom is functioning in Mintzberg's ________ role.
resource allocator
monitor
figurehead
leader
liaison

Answer 1

monitor

Question 2

"Ms. Jensen, there's someone here from the radio station to interview you about the explosion." Ms. Jensen is about to function in the role Mintzberg described as
monitor.
disseminator.
spokesperson.
resource allocator.
leader.

Answer 2

spokesperson.

Question 3

Jack Leutens, senior manager of marketing research at Tromex Enterprises, calls in seven of his subordinates to brief them on his recent research findings regarding new machinery that might be relevant for Tromex. This is an example of a manager functioning in the role Mintzberg called the
leader.
disseminator.
monitor.
spokesman.
resource allocator.

Answer 3

disseminator.

Question 4

Top managers at Cortland are involved in the planning process, and they have just finished setting goals for the company. What should they do next?
Develop plans to achieve the goals
Determine whether a gap exists between the company's current situation and its desired situation
Assess the effectiveness of the plan before proceeding further
Implement the plans that are necessary to reach the goals that have been set
None of these

Question 5

Which of the following would be included under the definition of a manager?
President of IBM
Prime Minister of Canada
Head of the business department at a local college
Shipping dock foreman
All of these would be included

Question 6

Mintzberg's research on managers showed which of the following?
Managers prefer written media.
Managers work under varying degrees of pressure, sometimes being very busy, and sometimes much less busy.
Managers typically begin a task and then work on it until it is finished.
Managers have a preference for historical data rather than "live action."
None of these are true.

Question 7

The president of Bob's Barbecue is reassessing his company's goals with the expectation that the company strategy will be modified. He is involved in
staffing.
planning.
directing.
organizing.
controlling.

Question 8

Managers at Edson Corp. have decided to embark on a systematic planning process. What should they do first?
Determine how well employees understand the current plan.
Establish goals for the organization.
Determine whether a gap exists between the company's desired and actual position.
Develop plans to achieve the desired goal.
Implement new plans.

Question 9

With respect to the concepts of management roles and management functions, it is correct to say that
focusing on management functions is a more effective way to view management than focusing on management roles.
the idea of management roles is more relevant for private sector companies, and the idea of management functions is more relevant for government organizations.
managers who focus on roles have more highly satisfied subordinates than managers who focus on functions.
management functions give us a good general idea of what managers do, while management roles give us an understanding of the specific details of managerial work.
all of these are correct.

Question 10

Determining what a firm needs to do and how best to accomplish that is called
controlling.
staffing.
directing.
planning.
organizing.

Question 11

When a manager responds to a strike at a supplier, the manager is acting in the ________ role.
disturbance handler
liaison
monitor
resource allocator
leader

Question 12

Which of the following best captures the difference between efficiency and effectiveness?
Efficiency means doing what the company's engineers want, while effectiveness means doing what consumers want.
Efficiency means maximizing output, while effectiveness means maximizing profit.
Efficiency means doing things right, while effectiveness means doing the right things.
Efficiency means doing what production wants, while effectiveness means doing what the marketing department wants.
Efficiency means working as fast as possible without regard to product quality, while effectiveness means working more carefully and paying attention to quality.

Question 13

If a manager attends a subordinate's wedding, this is an example of the ________ role.
liaison
entrepreneur
figurehead
leader
disseminator

Question 14

Lenore is heading up a planning team at her company. The team has just completed the job of developing plans to reach the company's goals. What should they do next?
Set new corporate goals
Determine whether a gap exists between the company's current situation and its desired situation
Assess the effectiveness of the plan before proceeding further
Implement the plan that has been developed
None of these

Question 15

Top managers are to middle and lower-level managers as
a strategic plan is to an operational plan.
vertical integration is to horizontal integration.
a computer is to a server.
market penetration is to product development.
cost leadership is to differentiation.

Question 16

Midge thought anxiously about how to position her company for the future. By so doing, Midge functioned in the role Mintzberg called
negotiator.
spokesperson.
entrepreneur.
resource allocator.
figurehead.

Question 17

The purpose of the four-part management process is to
determine what the organization needs to do.
create jobs for society.
monitor the organization's performance in order to ensure that goals are achieved.
increase employee satisfaction.
achieve the organization's goals of supplying various products and services to society.

Question 18

Maple Leaf Foods' plan to increase its earnings by more than 75 percent by 2015 is an example of a(n) __________ plan, while Coca-Cola's plan to increase sales in Europe by building European bottling facilities is an example of ______planning.
tactical; strategic
strategic; tactical
efficiency; effectiveness
operational; tactical
effectiveness; efficiency

Question 19

Ronald Koslowsky, a marketing manager at Wintron Co., receives a telephone call from LeRoy Shelton, a marketing manager at Young-Times Inc. The two chat socially, occasionally talking about different parts of their work. This is an example of a manager operating in Mintzberg's ________ role.
disseminator
spokesperson
liaison
negotiator
resource allocator

Question 20

A(n) ________ is a plan which is decided by a firm's top management and which reflects the company's priorities, as well as the steps needed to meet strategic goals.
tactical plan
operational plan
standing plan
strategic plan
single-use plan

Question 21

The first step in the control process is to
establish standards.
determine the jobs to be performed.
determine what the organization needs to do.
measure performance.
define the problem.

Question 22

The management process which involves interactions between managers and their subordinates is
leading.
planning.
controlling.
organizing the jobs.
decision making.

Question 23

Determining the jobs to be performed and how best to arrange the jobs into a logical system is known as
controlling.
decision making.
management.
entrepreneurship.
organizing.

Question 24

Amy Madison has been tracking product sales for McCoy Industries. She notices that sales of surgical supplies have fallen off in the past six months and she is considering strategies to reverse this trend. This is an example of the ________ management function.
planning
organizing
leading
controlling
negotiation

Question 25

At the end of the budget period, Mary compares actual performance against standards. When she does this, she is performing the ________function of management.
planning
organizing
leading
controlling
negotiation

Question 26

When Millie was appointed president of Goodcare Hospital, she noticed that the former president had all the major functions reporting directly to him. She is analyzing the functions to see how they could be restructured to be more efficient. She is engaged in the management process of
planning.
staffing.
organizing.
directing.
controlling.

Question 27

Controlling involves
monitoring expenses and revenues to ensure that the company is profitable.
reviewing data to ensure that employees are doing what they are supposed to do.
reviewing all financial and productivity data to ensure that the company is achieving its goals.
monitoring the firm's performance and acting to bring it in line with the firm's goals.
ensuring that all policies and procedures are followed within a company.

Question 28

Guiding and motivating employees to meet an organization's objectives is called
controlling.
planning.
organizing.
leading.
staffing.

Question 29

Steve motivates employees by rewarding them with additional vacation time when standards are achieved. Steve is involved in the management function of
leading.
controlling.
planning.
organizing.
it is not possible to tell with the information provided.

Question 30

Scott is the store manager at one of the Computers R Us retail stores. Each Monday he meets with all the employees to review the assignments for the week and provide assistance for those who need it. Scott is engaged in the management process of
planning.
organizing.
controlling.
staffing.
leading.

Question 31

"Hey Reg! I just caught two kids shoplifting! What do I do now?" the assistant manager said to his boss, Reg Caluza. Reg was about to function in the role Mintzberg identified as the
spokesperson.
figurehead.
disturbance handler.
resource allocator.
monitor.

Question 32

Vice president, treasurer, chief executive officer, and president are found at the ________ level of management.
first-line
intermediate
top
middle
officer

Question 33

Scott, the manager of a Computers R Us store, in reviewing the sales results from last week noticed that all but one employee was on target. As he contemplated how to fix the problem, he was engaged in the management process of
controlling.
organizing.
planning.
directing.
staffing.

Question 34

Burton Kawalski, Vice President of Personnel at QVJ Corporation, sat down at the bargaining table across from the leader of the union, Vladmir Ramonovitch. Burton's expertise in the managerial role Mintzberg called ________ was about to be tested.
entrepreneur
liaison
disseminator
figurehead
negotiator

Question 35

Cheryl is a newly appointed manager. She wants to do a good job with regard to the controlling function of management. In terms of the control process, what is the first thing she should do?
Adjust the standards
Continue with current activities
Compare performance with standards
Establish standards
Measure employee performance

Question 36

When the CEO of Compaq Computers broke the company down into several smaller units, each responsible for its own functions, he was engaging in the management function of
organizing.
staffing.
planning.
controlling.
directing.

Question 37

Organizing involves
developing an efficient plan for the use of time.
developing an organizational chart.
determining who reports to whom and what each employee does.
structuring the necessary resources to complete a particular task.
determining how best to use available material resources.

Question 38

Mintzberg's research on managers showed which of the following?
Managers work at an unrelenting pace.
Managers work under varying degrees of pressure, sometimes being very busy, and sometimes much less busy.
Managers prefer written media.
Managers have a preference for historical data rather than "live action."
Managers typically begin a task and then work on it until it is finished.

Question 39

Cecil and Cyrus, two of Simpson's top employees, stormed into their manager's office. Both were intent on securing approval from her for projects they were proposing for the company. Shelly Simpson, manager at Soho, Howso, Tatso, & Associates, was about to function in the role Mintzberg identified as the
resource allocator.
entrepreneur.
figurehead.
liaison.
monitor.

Question 40

"Excuse me," the secretary began. "Don't you have a 3:30 appointment to present a gold watch to Mr. Chung?" The manager froze in her tracks, realized the secretary was correct, and immediately began preparing herself to fulfill the managerial role identified by Mintzberg as
figurehead.
leader.
disseminator.
liaison.
entrepreneur.

Question 41

The ability to think in the abstract, to diagnose and analyze different situations, and to see beyond the present is known as a(n) ________ skill.
technical
intuition
conceptual
human relations
decision making

Question 42

Which managers design and implement systems to gather, organize, and distribute information?
Marketing managers
Information managers
Production managers
Human resource managers
Financial managers

Question 43

The technical skills, human relations skills, and conceptual skills of managers
shift in their degree of importance as the manager rises to the top of the organization.
shift so that the technical skills become more important to the higher level manager.
retain the same degree of importance as a manager progresses "up the organization ladder" to the top.
shift so that the conceptual skills become less important to the higher level manager.
shift so that human relations skills become more important than conceptual skills to the higher level manager.

Question 44

Which managers are responsible for getting products from producers to consumers?
Production managers
Operations managers
Information managers
Marketing managers
Human resource managers

Question 45

The development, pricing, promotion, and distribution of a product is the responsibility of
first-level managers.
financial managers.
human resource managers.
marketing managers.
operations managers.

Question 46

The ________ managers are responsible for production, inventory, and quality control.
operations
finance
human resources
marketing
information

Question 47

The ________ managers are responsible for planning and overseeing the firm's accounting function and publication of the annual report.
marketing
financial
operations
human resources
information

Question 48

The hiring, training, evaluation, and compensation of employees is the responsibility of
research and development managers.
operations managers.
vice-presidents.
human resource managers.
supervisors.

Question 49

A transit supervisor who monitors bus schedules, passenger safety, and the behaviour of bus drivers is a ______manager, while a plant manager in a manufacturing plant is a ______ manager.
middle; top
officer; supervisor
top; middle
middle; first-line
first-line; middle

Question 50

A study by Google of the "Habits of Highly Effective Google Managers" found that the top-ranked managers were
strong on technical skills, but also paid attention to human relations problems.
even-tempered bosses who made time for one-on-one meetings, and who helped subordinates work through problems.
strong on conceptual skills and were able to envision the activities that needed to be carried out in order for Google to be successful.
strong on human relations skills, but did not spend an excessive amount of time dealing with subordinates.
strong on decision making and time management skills

Question 51

Technical skills are especially important for
middle-level managers.
members of the board of directors.
top-level managers.
company presidents.
first-line managers.

Question 52

______managers are responsible for a company's system for creating goods and services, while ______ managers are responsible for the development, pricing, promotion, and distribution of products and services.
Marketing; production
Production; marketing
Financial; production
Human resource; marketing
Information; marketing

Question 53

The title "Division Manager" is an example of a ________ management position.
lower
middle
liaison
first-line
top

Question 54

All of the following statements about basic management skills are correct except
they include the ability to think in the abstract.
they include human relations skills.
they include time-management skills.
the emphasis on each skill remains the same regardless of the level of management.
they are skills that are needed by all managers.

Question 55

At what level of management are technical skills relatively unimportant?
Bottom
Top
Front-line supervisor
First-line
Middle

Question 56

A flight-services manager for a specific Air Canada flight is a ______ manager, while a chief financial officer for a consumer products company is a ______ manager.
middle; top
officer; supervisor
first-line; top
middle; first-line
first-line; middle

Question 57

The ability to type, to create a spreadsheet, or to write a computer program are examples of which basic management skill?
Decision-making
Conceptual
Human relations
Time-management
Technical

Question 58

Jackie is responsible for hiring, training, development, and evaluation of employees. She is
a research and development manager.
a human resource manager.
a supervisor.
an operations manager.
a marketing manager.

Question 59

Middle managers can typically have any of the following job titles except
general manager.
operations manager.
plant manager.
production supervisor.
division manager.

Question 60

Supervisor, office manager, and group leader are at the ________ management level.
middle
officer
top
intermediate
first-line

Question 61

If Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream has a goal of investing 2 percent of their after-tax profits in charitable contributions, that goal
helps allocate resources.
helps assess performance.
provides direction.
helps to define corporate culture.
helps make decisions.

Question 62

By looking at the sales potential for each product we can use goals to
help define corporate culture.
help allocate resources.
help assess performance.
help make decisions.
provide direction.

Question 63

A study by Google found that technical expertise ranked last among a list of eight "Habits of Highly Effective Google Managers." What was at the top of the list?
Bosses who had a strong concern for social responsibility and ethics.
Bosses who completed their work in a timely fashion.
Bosses who did what they promised.
Bosses who were even-tempered who made time for one-on-one meetings, and who helped subordinates work through problems.
Bosses who protected their employees from harassment by managers in other divisions.

Question 64

What is the primary purpose of setting a goal for an organization?
Determining if the firm is highly leveraged
Making workers think in quantitative terms
Identifying threats and opportunities
Assuring successes for the firm
Providing guidance and direction for all managers

Question 65

Toyota's goal to sell 200 000 vehicles in Canada in 2012 illustrates which basic purpose of goal setting?
Goal setting provides direction, guidance, and motivation for managers.
Goal setting helps firms allocate resources.
Goal setting helps to define corporate culture.
Goal setting helps managers assess performance.
None of the above

Question 66

When Airbus decided to develop and manufacture a new jumbo jet to meet the demand for increased international travel, it was involved in what stage of the rational decision-making process?
Select the best alternative
Identify alternatives
Evaluate alternatives
Implement the chosen alternative
Follow up and evaluate the results

Question 67

Port Metro Vancouver's successful reduction of container "dwell time" illustrates which basic purpose of goal setting?
Goal setting provides direction, guidance, and motivation for managers.
Goal setting helps firms allocate resources.
Goal setting helps to define corporate culture.
Goal setting helps managers assess performance.
It does none of the above.

Question 68

Beta Company has set a goal of increasing sales by 10% this year. This goal will most likely have the effect of
motivating managers.
assisting in the allocation of advertising dollars.
assisting in the allocation of resources.
providing direction for managers.
all of these.

Question 69

Technical skills are especially important for Tim. He is a
first-line supervisor.
top-level manager.
member of the board of directors.
middle-level manager.
vice-president.

Question 70

When used as the means for measuring success or failure, goals are operating as
management tools.
budget standards.
bonus criteria.
performance targets.
motivators.

Question 71

Mega Computer has decided that within the next five years it wants to become an industry leader in disk drive technology, a technology that has little existing support inside the company at this time. This goal will
help assess performance.
help make decisions.
help allocate resources.
provide direction.
help define corporate culture.

Question 72

When Boeing and Airbus were trying to decide how they should respond to the question of how they could increase their international capacity, they were in what stage of the rational decision-making process?
Select the best alternative
Identify alternatives
Evaluate alternatives
Implement the chosen alternative
Follow up and evaluate the results

Question 73

Jim wants to apply the rational decision making process to a management problem he is facing. He has already recognized and defined the decision-making situation. What should he do next?
Select the best alternative
Identify alternatives
Evaluate alternatives
Implement the chosen alternative
Follow up and evaluate the results

Question 74

3M Corp.'s stated goal of earning 30 percent of its profits from sales of products less than four years old is an example of goals that
define corporate culture.
help assess performance.
help allocate resources.
provide direction.
help make decisions.

Question 75

A study of 293 Canadian office workers found that ___ percent believed that office politics was at least somewhat necessary in order to get ahead in their organization.
11
25
41
59
71

Question 76

Marilyn is involved in making an important decision regarding the purchase of new equipment for her company's only manufacturing plant. She has just identified several alternative possibilities that will solve the problem that is facing her. What should she do next?
Select the best alternative
Identify alternatives
Evaluate alternatives
Implement the chosen alternative
Follow up and evaluate the results

Question 77

General Electric's goal is to have each of its divisions be #1 or #2 in its industry. The primary effect of this goal is to
allocate resources.
assess performance.
provide direction.
define corporate culture.
make decisions.

Question 78

Selection of the best course of action in a particular situation is known as
organizing.
planning.
management.
decision making.
controlling.

Question 79

What does the term "escalation of commitment" mean?
As a project proceeds toward successful completion, managers make an increased commitment to doing a good job
The actions that managers take as they try to get the outcomes they desire
As a project proceeds, managers become increasingly committed to it even if there is evidence that it is not working out as planned
It refers to how much a manager is willing to gamble when making decisions
None of these

Question 80

The basic management skill that is demonstrated in one's ability to think in the abstract and to see beyond the present situation is ________ skill.
human relations
time-management
technical
decision-making
conceptual