Deck 6: Decision-Making Processes

Question 1

Tubbs provides an example about the University of Chicago School of Business applicants being required to submit up to four PowerPoint slides about themselves. This is one example of how _________ is becoming more and more important in today's business world.

A) Technology
B) The ability to synthesize and summarize
C) Standing out from the crowd.
D) Creativity

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Spending too little time on the divergence phase of creativity, thus limiting the number of ideas to be considered in the convergent phase is referred to as:

A) forced convergence
B) divergence
C) convergence
D) premature convergence

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Which of the following is associated with right brain functions?

A) logical
B) sequential
C) factual
D) holistic

Answer 3

D

Question 4

The type of creativity that involves combining of information from other sources into a new pattern is called:

A) innovation
B) extension
C) synthesis
D) duplication

Question 5

When McDonald's decided several years ago to add breakfast to their existing product lines, their profits increased by 40%. This is an example of what type of creativity?

A) innovation
B) extension
C) synthesis
D) duplication

Question 6

According to research on brainstorming, __________ percent of individuals responding indicated they do their most effective brainstorming during their daily commutes and another _______ percent say the office or school.

A) 40; 40
B) 20; 20
C) 50; 50
D) 30; 70

Question 7

The brainstorming technique called ____________ asks group members to view problems from the perspective of someone with entirely different life experiences.

A) Reframing
B) Random Input
C) Provocation
D) Concept fan

Question 8

To use the brainstorming technique __________, one must break patterns and make bold statements that are intended to contradict the direction that the decision-making process should go.

A) Reframing
B) Random Input
C) Provocation
D) Concept fan

Question 9

The technique that encourages group members to get away from the details and see the bigger picture is called:

A) Reframing
B) Random Input
C) Provocation
D) Concept fan

Question 10

The best-known pattern for small group problem solving is the:

A) reflective thinking process
B) single-question form
C) incrementalism
D) Kepner-Tregoe approach

Question 11

Women's Studies is having difficulty getting large numbers of students to attend its special programs. As part of the problem-solving process, Women's Studies is discussing why students are not attending, how long this has been a problem, and to what extent this poses a problem. All of this is discussed during which phase of the reflective thinking process?

A) define problem
B) generate solutions
C) identify criteria
D) implement solution

Question 12

The discussion technique that says the group needs to work through the criteria phase and examine musts and wants for a solution is the:

A) Reflective Thinking Process
B) Fishbone Technique
C) Kepner-Tregoe approach
D) incrementalism

Question 13

The Fishbone Technique helps to identify graphically:

A) the underlying causes of a problem
B) all of the possible solutions to the problem
C) criteria needed for solving the problem
D) the best solution to a problem

Question 14

According to the "Practical Tips," one way to get at root causes of problems is to ask "Why?" _________
Times.

A) two
B) five
C) three
D) seven

Question 15

The technique called "brainstorming" has several rules. Which of the following is NOT one of those rules?

A) think of as many ideas as possible
B) the wilder the ideas the better
C) discuss all disagreements
D) quantity rather than quality of an idea is emphasized

Question 16

Csikszentmihalyi (1996) found that highly creative people have several things in common. One is:

A) Women are more sensitive than average.
B) Men are tougher than average.
C) They are all extroverts.
D) They exhibit a great deal of energy.

Question 17

The "white hat" in the "Six thinking hats" decision-making method represents thinking that is:

A) based on intuition and feelings
B) creative
C) emotionally neutral
D) coordinated and controlled

Question 18

According to the model of decision-making that depicts the two criteria related to incrementalism, the majority of decisions resulting in large changes involve:

A) high understanding, incremental change
B) low understanding, incremental change
C) high understanding, large change
D) low understanding, large change

Question 19

The decision-making method which combines an analysis of the "big picture" with an appropriate amount of attention to detail is called:

A) incrementalism
B) Fishbone Technique
C) tacit bargaining
D) mixed scanning

Question 20

If you and your 'conflict' partner choose the same number, you both win a prize." This example illustrates:

A) Kepner-Tregoe approach
B) mixed scanning
C) incrementalism
D) tacit bargaining

Question 21

Research on the use of computer-based feedback and its impact on group member's moods discovered all but one of the following:

A) Outcome feedback improved the decision accuracy of the female users compared to their male counterparts.
B) Outcome feedback affects the overall mood of men and women differently.
C) Moods of males before and after completing the task, and receiving the same negative feedback as women, did not change.
D) Outcome of feedback did not improve the discussion accuracy of the female users compared to their male counterparts.

Question 22

According to the text, a good negotiator should learn to master which of the following abilities?

A) Gauge your own reality.
B) Gauge your counterpart's actual strength or weakness.
C) Understand conflict management
D) Understand decision-making processes.

Question 23

The attention-directing tool known as PMI refers to:

A) prepare, market, implement
B) plan, make, imitate
C) problems, maps, instruments
D) plus, minus, interesting

Question 24

Effective meetings serve three functions noted by Martin in the article, "Team Think." Which was NOT noted? Effective meetings:

A) give staff a chance to be brought up-to-date.
B) can become a focal point for decision-making where consensus is necessary.
C) can create a commitment to decisions.
D) can increase member satisfaction over time.

Question 25

According to Martin, high-priority items should appear on the agenda.

A) first
B) second
C) near the end
D) as the last item

Question 26

In the virtual group process, a "decision-log" is a useful tool for accomplishing ALL BUT ONE of the following:

A) Capture institutional knowledge
B) Provide upcoming groups and teams with a reference
C) Identify the context, date, and details of the decision,
D) Provide the decision-making process guidelines for groups.

Question 27

Creativity can be divided into two phases of thinking. Convergent thinking involves evaluating ideas against predetermined criteria and then prioritizing.

Question 28

The right hemisphere of the brain is more prone to logical, factual, sequential, and systematic thinking.

Question 29

"Extension" is a type of creativity that may be applied to group problem solving that involves combining information from other sources into a new pattern.

Question 30

The first phase of the Reflective Thinking Process is "identify criteria."

Question 31

The most important contribution of the Kepner-Tregoe approach is the way a group works through the criteria phase.

Question 32

Neurobiologists have found that our decision-making processes are quite complex (Lehrer, 2009).

Question 33

The Fishbone Technique graphically identifies relevant criteria for problem solving.

Question 34

Brainstorming emphasizes right-brain activity.

Question 35

Brainstorming is a lateral thinking process. This process encourages the thinker to think outside of his/her regular framework.

Question 36

According to the practical tips, one way to get at the root of problems is to ask "Why?" five times.

Question 37

Brainstorming can be applied to any of the phases of the Reflecting Thinking Process.

Question 38

One of the practical tips on brainstorming mentions that group members should use index cards and "say it, write it, toss it." The "toss it" aspect refers to discarding the card as a bad idea.

Question 39

A tacit bargaining situation is also referred to as a "mixed-motive" situation because there is simultaneous pressure to cooperate and compete.

Question 40

Based on research regarding gender and computer-based feedback, it appears that women react more negatively to this form of computer-based negative feedback than men.

Question 41

A good negotiator should try to gauge both his/her own and counterpart's strengths and weaknesses.

Question 42

In his article on Team Think, Martin maintains that if you can't state the purpose of a meeting, don't have one.

Question 43

In his article on effective meetings, Martin cautions against using breakfast and lunch for meetings with people in your firm.

Question 44

Being nonverbally oriented, intuitive, and casual with time and the use of time is part of the
______________ brain function.
________________________________________

Question 45

Taking ideas beyond their current boundaries is a type of creativity noted by Gibson and Hodgetts called
________________________.
________________________________________

Question 46

The third phase of the Reflective Thinking Process is ________________.
________________________________________

Question 47

The technique that helps graphically to identify underlying causes of a problem is the ________________
Technique.

Question 48

A technique used primarily to generate ideas that can be used as part of the problem-solving process is called ______________________.
________________________________________

Question 49

A decision-making strategy that involves examining a problem comprehensively and part by part is called
______________________.
________________________________________

Question 50

Bargaining in which communication is incomplete or impossible is _________________ bargaining.
________________________________________

Question 51

The type of strategy for decision-making in which there is simultaneous pressure to cooperate and to compete is referred to as ___________________.
________________________________________

Question 52

Identify at least five characteristics of the left-brain and five characteristics of the right brain. Applied to group decision-making, when is each of these functions valuable?

Question 53

Larry applies for graduate school where the minimally acceptable GPA is 3.25. During his last year as an undergraduate, he had a 4.0, and for the last two years, he has had a GPA of 3.6. However, his personal problems during the first two years resulted in poor grades that contributed to his graduating GPA of
3.0. As a member of the graduate committee, you are to decide whether or not to give Larry a teaching assistantship. In order to solve this problem, brief Process.

Question 54

What are the rules for brainstorming? At what problem-solving stage(s) is brainstorming effective?

Question 55

In Michalko's article on creativity, he mentions PMI as a tool for helping us direct our attention in a different way. A) Describe how to do a PMI. B) Identify the three possible outcomes.

Question 56

In his article on "Team Think," Martin provides nine suggestions about meetings to help use time more effectively and productively. Identify five of these and discuss why they can help.