Deck 1: Managing and Performing

Question 1

The need for interpersonal and communication skills fades as a manager moves from the lower levels of an organization into the upper management arena.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

Knowledge management concerns developing which of the following resources of an organization?

A)its members' expertise, skills, wisdom, and relations
B)its loyal customer base
C)its property, such as factories and administrative buildings
D)its store of both resources and manufactured goods
E)its equipment, such as vehicles, tools, and machines

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Which of the following is true of globalization?

A)The pace of change is slowing down.
B)Only large companies are affected by globalization.
C)Globalization is decreasing competition among companies.
D)A company's talent can come from anywhere.
E)The global marketplace is stable and unchanging.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

The change from a local to a global marketplace is

A)irrelevant to today's business environment.
B)irreversible.
C)not necessary to remain competitive.
D)slowing down.
E)eliminating business challenges.

Question 5

Which of the following is an example of collaboration across boundaries?

A)Allie, a bookkeeper, has an idea for keeping more efficient records of outstanding invoices, and she clears the idea with her accounting manager before implementation.
B)While working out in the company gym, Jamal comes up with an idea that might help his team member Ursula with the ad campaign she is working on.
C)Before deciding on the trim size of the book his editorial team is producing, Hector asks the shipping department how the various choices will affect packing costs.
D)Mei stays late to stuff an important mailing in envelopes because her boss, an executive, needs the mailing to go out in the next morning's mail.
E)After listening to the complaints of the other technicians in the IT Department, Gregor devises a standard form for company employees to use for service requests.

Question 6

During an intense six-month contract negotiation, Jonas developed a strong working relationship with his client, Rob. Because of their professional bonding, Jonas and Rob were able to openly explore and constructively hammer out agreements on very tough contract issues. The resulting contract was far superior to what either Jonas or Rob might have hoped for six months earlier and was a good example of

A)globalization.
B)technological change.
C)knowledge management.
D)collaboration across boundaries.
E)cost competitiveness.

Question 7

What is Web 2.0?

A)social networking sites that allow users to publish and share information
B)an advanced type of search engine that disregards most unusable data
C)a type of Internet platform that displays information but does not have interactivity
D)a program that allows businesses to sell merchandise on the Internet more securely
E)a new form of web-based video communications technology

Question 8

Top-level managers are also known as tactical managers because they translate general goals into specific objectives.

Question 9

Globalization has reduced the need for innovation by equalizing production costs.

Question 10

Emotional intelligence should be viewed as something you inherit and cannot change.

Question 11

Command Systems, Inc., a large federal defense contractor, is updating its automated contracting/ordering system. Harris Johnson, CEO of Logistical Supplies, Inc., told his Chief Information Officer, "Dennis, you must lead an effort to re-engineer our computer infrastructure to remain compatible with that of Command Systems. This will be a complex effort but, if we can get this done before our competitors can, we will pick up a lot of new business worldwide. That's the nature of ________ -it complicates things and creates opportunities."

A)planning
B)technological change
C)emotional intelligence
D)social capital
E)controlling

Question 12

Anna excels at identifying the talents of employees and finding the jobs where they can best use those talents to benefit the organization. Anna excels at ________ management.

A)knowledge
B)scientific
C)project
D)service
E)quality

Question 13

Which of the following is one of the ongoing challenges that characterize the current business landscape?

A)uniformity of offerings
B)technological change
C)quality
D)cost competitiveness
E)speed

Question 14

Which of the following statements is true of collaboration?

A)Collaboration occurs only within the boundaries of an organization.
B)A sole focus on unit performance spurs collaboration.
C)It is unrealistic to think that a company can collaborate with its customers.
D)Companies should capitalize on ideas generated within the organization alone.
E)Collaboration is an important process of knowledge management.

Question 15

Collaboration occurs within companies and between companies, but it cannot occur between a company and a customer.

Question 16

Done properly, sustainability encourages people to live in ways that can be maintained for a short period without harming environmental resources.

Question 17

________ is the set of practices aimed at discovering and harnessing an organization's intellectual resources.

A)Web 2.0
B)Competitive advantage
C)Cost competitiveness
D)Knowledge management
E)Quality

Question 18

Which of the following statements is true about the Internet?

A)It has reduced threats to most businesses.
B)It drives down costs.
C)It does not influence globalization.
D)It slows down globalization.
E)It slows down decision making.

Question 19

Which of the following types of companies are affected by globalization?

A)primarily large companies
B)primarily small companies
C)both large and small companies
D)only companies with overseas factories
E)only companies with immigrant workers

Question 20

Rachael is the owner and manager of Aquarius Coffee and Tea, a coffee shop and bakery popular among local college students as a hangout and study spot. Aquarius has been in operation since 1978, and Rachael has made many changes over the years to keep up with the changing tastes and expectations of her clientele. In the last ten years, she has gone from offering paid Wi-Fi to free Wi-Fi, and she recently expanded her offerings to include vegan and gluten-free items as well as salads and sandwiches. Recently, a new café called Bluebird Coffee and Cupcakes opened across town, and Aquarius' business has dropped off considerably. One of her young cashiers, Leora, notes that Rachael has not made the best use of the Internet to promote her business. What will Leora most likely suggest as the quickest, cheapest, and most effective way for Rachael to expand her technological reach to her college-aged clients?

A)starting a blog with recipes and links to local, socially conscious businesses
B)expanding her social media presence on Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat
C)hiring someone to design and launch an Aquarius Café phone app
D)sending out a monthly email newsletter with discount codes and coupons
E)buying ad space on Google, Yahoo, and other search engines

Question 21

Which of the following is true of services?

A)They include intangible products like medical care.
B)They include manufacturing high-quality goods.
C)They focus on establishing short-term relationships.
D)Jobs based on services have been declining in recent years.
E)Insurance and haircuts are examples of tangible products.

Question 22

Which of the following statements is true of the sources of competitive advantage?

A)The best companies choose one source of competitive advantage and perfect it.
B)When companies improve one source of competitive advantage, others suffer.
C)It is possible to improve quality and also enhance speed.
D)Trade-offs do not occur among the six sources of competitive advantage.
E)It is possible to improve more than one source, but they should be tackled one at a time.

Question 23

________ is the introduction of new goods and services.

A)Collaboration
B)Efficiency
C)Innovation
D)Adaptation
E)Introspection

Question 24

________ is defined as the excellence of a product.

A)Innovation
B)Quality
C)Demand
D)Value
E)Reliability

Question 25

Maureen has an ice cream shop in Washington, DC. One thing that attracts busy people to her shop is that she has perfected a way to make milkshakes and sundaes in half the time her competitors take. Which fundamental driver of success has Maureen emphasized?

A)knowledge
B)quality
C)cost competitiveness
D)speed
E)sustainability

Question 26

An approach to achieving ________ includes preventing defects before they occur.

A)total quality
B)cost competitiveness
C)sustainability
D)innovation
E)efficiency

Question 27

Bill's department has been introducing new goods and services on a rapid-fire basis over the past two years. However, business is down, largely because customer feedback on the usefulness, reliability, and durability of the new goods and services is negative. Bill's division manager, Anne, reviews the situation. Anne concludes that the innovation of Bill's department is good; however, ________ is poor.

A)responsiveness
B)quality
C)marketing
D)speed
E)cost competitiveness

Question 28

A large part of Jamal's job is to help his company use more recycled products, reduce pollution, and switch to renewable sources of energy. Which of the following does Jamal's job focus on?

A)sustainability
B)total quality
C)innovation
D)collaboration
E)cost competitiveness

Question 29

Which of the following statements about managers is true?

A)It is more important for managers to be efficient than to be effective.
B)It is more important for managers to be effective than to be efficient.
C)Low-level managers should be efficient, while high-level managers should be effective.
D)Low-level managers should be effective, while high-level managers should be efficient.
E)The best managers maintain a clear focus on both effectiveness and efficiency.

Question 30

Which of the following economic sectors has become increasingly important to the U.S. economy?

A)agriculture
B)manufacturing
C)fishing
D)service
E)forestry

Question 31

Which of the following is an example of innovation?

A)A company redecorates its stores to look up to date.
B)A company charges fees for late returns of rentals.
C)A company lowers the price of its traditional product.
D)A company invents a new way to deliver digital content.
E)A company reduces its staff to cut operating costs.

Question 32

Cost competitiveness involves

A)sacrificing quality to keep costs low.
B)increasing prices to boost profits.
C)pricing products at a level attractive to consumers.
D)managing costs by being effective.
E)offering high-quality products at higher prices.

Question 33

Raj manages a team of six professionals in a health care company. His subordinates have a wide variety of experiences and skill sets. In effectively ________ his team, Raj regularly seeks to inspire his subordinates to draw upon their various backgrounds in ways never needed or dreamed of in the past.

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

Question 34

Which of the following involves keeping costs low enough so that a company can realize profits while pricing its products at levels that are attractive to consumers?

A)total quality
B)cost competitiveness
C)sustainability
D)innovation
E)efficiency

Question 35

In what way has the Internet made cost competitiveness a more important consideration for businesses?

A)Retailers have more shipping options than before.
B)Advertising has become less effective because of online ads.
C)Consumers have more information about production processes.
D)Producers have more information about what competitors are doing.
E)Consumers can more easily compare prices online.

Question 36

Done properly, sustainability encourages people to live in ways that can be maintained for the

A)most profit.
B)long term.
C)individual.
D)wealthy.
E)present.

Question 37

Tommy, engineering manager at APC Systems, Inc., is struggling to maintain a competitive advantage in APC's marketplace. He wants to hire and retain the best staff that he can, but the best staff command high salaries. Tommy knows that high staff salaries, representing a business cost, erode his company's profitability. But he also knows that he cannot simply pass along these higher costs to his clients, because they will then start doing less business with higher-priced APC and more business with APC's lower-priced competitors. Tommy is struggling

A)to collaborate.
B)to be technologically innovative.
C)to provide quality service.
D)to be cost competitive.
E)to achieve zero defects.

Question 38

Coolwear Inc. is a new brand of organic clothing recently introduced throughout the world. The company is unique in that it has collaborated with its suppliers and potential customers to bring the clothing to market. The concept has been a huge success. Yao and Gita, Labyrinth's founders, have always focused on being efficient managers. What is the best advice you should give them, given the quick success they have had with Coolwear?

A)Efficiency is the only key to their continued success.
B)Now it is time for them to consider only effectiveness, since they clearly have efficiency under control and this is not likely to change in the future.
C)To continue their success, they should maintain a clear focus on both effectiveness and efficiency, especially while their company is experiencing such a high growth in sales.
D)They should maintain the status quo without implementing any changes to continue making quick sales.
E)As top-level managers, the best action plan for them is to begin to minimize collaboration with customers and suppliers since they have proven themselves.

Question 39

The CEO said, "Every six months or so, my senior management team and I meet to discuss the goals that will be achieved over the next year, three years, and beyond. We then make sure we are clear on who will take responsibility to see that appropriate actions are undertaken to achieve our goals within the time frame we set." The CEO is describing the management function of

A)planning.
B)organizing.
C)leading.
D)controlling.
E)decision making.

Question 40

Sustainability is defined as the

A)fast and timely execution, response, and delivery of results.
B)speed and dependability with which an organization delivers what customers want.
C)introduction of new goods and services into the market.
D)effort to minimize the use of resources, especially those that are polluting and nonrenewable.
E)minimization of costs to achieve profits and be able to offer prices that are attractive to consumers.

Question 41

As one of the key management functions, leading focuses on a manager's efforts to

A)mobilize people to contribute their ideas.
B)build organizations that are flexible and adaptive.
C)make sure goals are met.
D)identify opportunities for sustainable advantage.
E)build a dynamic organization.

Question 42

The managers at EarthGreen Technology are currently developing strategies for the company's new products and setting objectives for its business units. These managers are engaging in the management function of

A)forecasting.
B)planning.
C)staffing.
D)organizing.
E)outsourcing.

Question 43

When Martina, manager of the sales department for ShineCo Cleaning Supplies, realized that her plan to increase her associates' sales levels was not producing the desired results, she instituted a refresher training course that helped the associates achieve better results. Which of the following management functions is illustrated in this scenario?

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

Question 44

"As CEO, I must mobilize, inspire, and stimulate my executive management team, as well as the entire staff, to continually perform at high levels. I seek to empower my staff through communicating and guiding." The CEO is describing the management function of

A)planning.
B)organizing.
C)leading.
D)controlling.
E)decision making.

Question 45

Carol has the knack of inspiring the people in her department to learn new skills and to perform better than expected on the job. As a manager, what is Carol especially good at doing?

A)planning
B)staffing
C)leading
D)controlling
E)monitoring

Question 46

"Recently, I looked at how to define jobs and group jobs together to most efficiently utilize the employees in those jobs," said Hector Pena, CEO of 3XMetals Industries, Inc. "And now I need to assign people-managers-to be responsible for the various job groupings." The CEO is describing the management function of

A)planning.
B)organizing.
C)leading.
D)controlling.
E)decision making.

Question 47

Which of the following functions of management is described as building a dynamic organization?

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

Question 48

Which of the following is one of the four fundamental traditional management functions?

A)planning
B)contracting
C)outsourcing
D)distributing
E)innovating

Question 49

Through careful monitoring of the financial budgets of a firm, managers can detect potential problems in reaching their financial goals and take actions to reverse the problem. This is an example of the ________ function of management.

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

Question 50

Debra and her top managers are choosing the goals that Debra's company should achieve and deciding in advance the appropriate actions needed to achieve those goals. What are they doing?

A)staffing
B)forecasting
C)organizing
D)planning
E)reporting

Question 51

For her job, Charmaine is expected to look ahead at the company's future and devise strategies for the company's long-term success and growth. Judging from this description, Charmaine is a ________ manager.

A)top-level
B)frontline
C)middle
D)tactical
E)operational

Question 52

In the future, ________ business organizations will be the most effective.

A)hierarchical
B)closed
C)flexible
D)bureaucratic
E)traditional

Question 53

Gerard is a general manager for Handy Dandy Corp., a tool-manufacturing firm. He is considering some changes to the production floor, which include layout adjustments and the purchase of new equipment to improve efficiency. He also wants to promote one of his employees to team leader. Which of the following functions of management is Gerard performing?

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

Question 54

"As production manager, I oversee how our work crews are performing, determining what changes we need to make if we begin deviating from acceptable performance, and then evaluating whether those changes are getting us back on track." The production manager is describing the management function of

A)planning.
B)organizing.
C)leading.
D)controlling.
E)decision making.

Question 55

The planning function in the new business environment can also be described more dynamically as

A)building a dynamic organization.
B)delivering strategic value.
C)stimulating people to be high performers.
D)monitoring performance and implementing needed changes.
E)motivating workers to do their jobs effectively.

Question 56

Which of the following job titles indicates that a person is a frontline manager?

A)Vice President
B)Chief Financial Officer
C)Human Resources Manager
D)Floor Supervisor
E)Executive Assistant

Question 57

In terms of good management, efficiency differs from effectiveness primarily in the former's focus on

A)customer satisfaction.
B)shareholder profits.
C)customer retention.
D)employee turnover.
E)resource utilization.

Question 58

________ is assembling and coordinating the human, financial, physical, informational, and other resources needed to achieve goals.

A)Benchmarking
B)Planning
C)Organizing
D)Optimizing
E)Quantifying

Question 59

Planning includes

A)analyzing current situations.
B)determining rewards for goals achievement.
C)attracting people to the organization.
D)motivating employees.
E)implementing necessary changes.

Question 60

Trang is the CEO of Windward Cycles, a company which manufactures high-end racing bikes. The company's handmade, titanium bicycles have been very popular with professional cyclists, winning many industry awards. Last year the company was acquired by Kestrel Holdings, which decided to expand it into the recreational cycling market with a line of lower-priced road bikes. At the end of the first quarter, Trang meets with his team. Kasha, the CFO, has determined that advance sales of the new road bikes have not been as robust as expected in the Midwest region. If Trang is utilizing the controlling function of management, his likely next steps will involve

A)looking at the advertising budget and deciding to allocate more money to the Midwest market.
B)assigning a team to visit the Midwest offices with the goal of motivating the employees.
C)revamping the company's mission statement to align with those of Kestrel Holdings.
D)asking himself how he can be a more effective leader as the company moves in a new direction.
E)recruiting and training new hires for the Midwest office's sales team.

Question 61

Which of the following statements about job skills is true?

A)Communication skills are needed only by top managers.
B)Technical skills are equally important at all levels of management.
C)Interpersonal skills are equally important at all levels of management.
D)Decision skills are more important for frontline managers than top managers.
E)Conceptual skills are more important for frontline managers than top managers.

Question 62

Compilation of an accounting statement can be categorized under ________ skills.

A)technical
B)communication
C)conceptual
D)interpersonal
E)decision-making

Question 63

Marc is on the fast track to become an executive in his company. As he advances, he will most likely have less and less need of his ________ skills.

A)communication
B)technical
C)interpersonal
D)conceptual
E)decision

Question 64

Titles such as assistant manager and supervisor typically belong to the ________ level of management.

A)strategic
B)middle
C)primary
D)operational
E)tactical

Question 65

Which of the following is a characteristic of operational managers?

A)They bridge the gap between higher and lower levels of management.
B)They focus on long-term issues of the business.
C)They develop goals and plans that have been formulated by top-level managers.
D)They are directly involved with nonmanagement employees.
E)They break down the business's objectives into business units.

Question 66

Hoa is about to begin her junior year of college, majoring in software engineering with a further specialization in software architecture. Ideally, she'd like to work for a small, innovative start-up, but she also wants to be as employable as possible in a fluctuating job market. She knows the importance of having skills that are transportable across different industries. As she plans her academic trajectory over the next two years, she should

A)focus on developing skills that will make her more competitive in a specific job market, for example the video game industry.
B)select classes that will broaden her skill set as much as possible, so that she can be competitive for different types of jobs, including those outside the tech industry.
C)focus on developing expertise in one skill set while increasing her general knowledge of the requirements for a specific industry.
D)focus on learning a broad range of skills at the top level while continuing to develop expertise in one specific area of software design.
E)become a specialist in as many subject areas as possible-for example, by developing deep expertise in several coding languages.

Question 67

As a regional manager for Prism Paints, Fiona spends most of her time training new sales managers and making sure that information coming from headquarters reaches the company's branches. In this case, Fiona would best be described as a(n)________ manager.

A)frontline
B)tactical
C)operational
D)top-level
E)strategic

Question 68

The chief executive officer, company president, and the chief operating officer are all examples of ________ managers.

A)strategic
B)tactical
C)operational
D)frontline
E)regional

Question 69

For the past five years, Maury has worked at the Windsor Grand Desert Time-Share Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada, starting out as a junior salesperson and rising to become a sales lead, with the highest sales numbers on his team two years running. Recently Maury was offered a promotion to Frontline Sales Manager. Which of the following duties is he most likely to perform in his new role?

A)meeting regularly with the CEO and COO to discuss long-range sales goals
B)translating the goals and plans of strategic managers into concrete objectives
C)conceptualizing the long-term strategies the resort will need to stay competitive
D)interpreting and communicating the priorities of top management to the other sales managers
E)recruiting new sales associates and motivating sales team leaders

Question 70

Abdo supervises employees who work on the floor of the Nature's Secret Organic Snack Food factory. He cooperates closely with his manager to determine ways to improve the efficiency of the manufacturing process and then works to implement those plans. In this case, Abdo would be considered a ________ manager.

A)frontline
B)tactical
C)middle-level
D)top-level
E)strategic

Question 71

Which of the following is one of the three essential categories of skills that managers need?

A)study skills
B)technical skills
C)negotiation skills
D)counseling skills
E)manipulative skills

Question 72

Terence supervises the shipping department of a book printer in South Carolina. He contacts trucking companies to arrange pickups, and he makes sure that his team members load cartons onto the correct trucks. Terence is a

A)frontline manager.
B)middle manager.
C)top-level manager.
D)tactical manager.
E)strategic manager.

Question 73

Senior executives responsible for the overall management and effectiveness of the organization are known as ________ managers.

A)frontline
B)middle
C)strategic
D)tactical
E)short-run

Question 74

Lyle is the CEO of an international hotel chain. Lyle is most likely to focus on

A)long-term survival of the organization.
B)translating goals and objectives into specific activities.
C)managing frontline managers.
D)supervising nonmanagement employees.
E)initiating new daily activities.

Question 75

The three levels of managers within large organizations are

A)authoritative, permissive, and submissive.
B)managerial, functional, and direct.
C)technical, functional, and departmental.
D)upper level, top management, and functional.
E)top, middle, and frontline.

Question 76

Shauna is responsible for studying the general goals and plans developed for her company and translating them into more specific objectives and activities for the employees in her department. Shauna is a(n)_________ manager.

A)operational
B)frontline
C)top-level
D)strategic
E)tactical

Question 77

________ managers are typically concerned with the interaction between the organization and its external environment.

A)Operational
B)Top-level
C)Middle-level
D)Frontline
E)Tactical

Question 78

Tactical managers are often referred to as ________ managers.

A)frontline
B)middle-level
C)lower-level
D)operational
E)top-level

Question 79

Operational managers play a crucial role in an organization because they provide

A)the link between management and nonmanagement personnel.
B)overall direction by formulating strategy and controlling resources.
C)the key plans for an organization's success.
D)feedback on top management performance.
E)direction and strategy for the organization.

Question 80

A(n)________ skill is the ability to perform a specialized task that involves a certain method or process.

A)conceptual
B)administration
C)interpersonal
D)communication
E)technical