Deck 12: Culture and Strategy

Question 1

Sue is wondering how organizational culture is created. She comes to you for advice. You would probably tell her that organizational culture is created by the following except:

A) The organization's founders.
B) Experience with the environment.
C) Laid-off employees.
D) Contact with others.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Based on class discussions and notes, you may say that organizational culture is transmitted through the following except:

A) Stories.
B) Symbols.
C) Jargons.
D) Music.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Mandy recently returned from her two-day managerial seminar, "How to Totally Change Your Management and Leadership Style in Two Days." Even though she felt the seminar was worthless (as she had predicted), it did give her a chance to think about how to change the culture of her organization. She had been brought in by the new CEO as a change agent, and her position had the authority to have impact. She felt that the recent hostile takeover by their parent company had shocked everyone, especially given that the entire organization consisted of only 150 people and had been in business for only five years. She felt this might be the time to attempt the cultural change while everyone was still thinking in terms of change. As she tossed her leadership seminar manual into the wastebasket, she considered what might be her first step and how well the cultural change would work.
-Of the following, which is an advantage that Mandy has to implement cultural change?

A) Her new leadership skills.
B) The recent purchase of her company.
C) Previous stable leadership.
D) Her managerial level.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

John believes that the culture within the department of marketing at AB Company is different from the one in the human resources department. He believes that the marketing department is more focused on selling products and sending out commercials, whereas the human resources department is only focusing on firing people.
-If these two types of culture really exist, they may be considered as examples of __________ within AB Company.

A) Dominant cultures.
B) Difficult cultures.
C) Subcultures.
D) Cultures of conflict.

Question 5

John believes that the culture within the department of marketing at AB Company is different from the one in the human resources department. He believes that the marketing department is more focused on selling products and sending out commercials, whereas the human resources department is only focusing on firing people.
-You may describe the culture within AB Company as a whole as the _____________ and the culture is the marketing department as a ____________.

A) Dominant culture; overall culture.
B) Dominant culture; subculture.
C) Small culture; dominant culture.
D) Subculture, dominant culture.

Question 6

John believes that the culture within the department of marketing at AB Company is different from the one in the human resources department. He believes that the marketing department is more focused on selling products and sending out commercials, whereas the human resources department is only focusing on firing people.
-If the cultures in the department of marketing and the department of human resources management conflict with the culture of AB Company, you would describe them as being:

A) Small cultures.
B) Out of touch.
C) Counter-cultures.
D) Dominant cultures.

Question 7

One of the major problems following the merger of Mercedes-Benz, a German car maker, and Chrysler, an American car maker, was that the two companies were not able to "merge" their respective cultures. In fact, the two cultures were constantly at odds. Finally, the two organizations had to terminate their relationship. This is an example of __________ following a merger.

A) Cultural failure.
B) Cultural clash.
C) Psychological contract.
D) Social contract.

Question 8

Mark and Jim are discussing the factors that may potentially lead to change in organizational cultures. Both agree that the following factors are likely to lead to change in organizational culture except:

A) Change in the composition of the workforce.
B) Mergers and acquisitions.
C) Organizational change.
D) Management failure.