Deck 12: Organizational Change

Question 1

Radical change is frequently brought about by a merger.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

The success of both radical and incremental change depends in part on change agents.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Change agents are formally designated as such on the organizational chart.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Unplanned change is always detrimental or disruptive.

Question 5

The final stage of the planned change process is refreezing, where desired outcomes are reinforced and evaluation plans are designed.

Question 6

The top-down approach to change is similar to the military model in its style.

Question 7

The top-down approach to change involves others in decisions identifying the need for change and desired change directions.

Question 8

The rational persuasion change strategy is also known as a normative-reeducative change strategy.

Question 9

Incremental change is change that occurs more frequently and less traumatically as part of an organization's natural evolution.

Question 10

Sometimes, a manager may experience resistance to the change themselves.

Question 11

Lewin's Change Model incorporates changing people, tasks, structure and groups in the First Phase of unfreezing.

Question 12

Resistance to change is any attitude or behaviour that reflects a person's unwillingness to make or support a desired change.

Question 13

Kotter argues that realizing that change takes time can improve the chances of success.

Question 14

The "top down approach" to change uses authority to force compliance with change directives.

Question 15

According to Burnes, the top barrier to change is competition for resources.

Question 16

Child developed a model of change which considered both planned and emergent change.

Question 17

Culture change involves the changing of values and beliefs of employees.

Question 18

The first phase of Lewin's change model is termed "movement".

Question 19

Kotter argues that by ignoring that change takes time will lead to increased success in change interventions.

Question 20

Introducing a new product is an example of a change called:

A) radical
B) frame breaking
C) incremental
D) unplanned

Question 21

Change that results in a major make-over of the company and/or its component systems is known as:

A) frame-bending change
B) radical change
C) reorganizational change
D) creative change

Question 22

Which of the following statements best describes incremental change?

A) It occurs randomly without a change agent's direction
B) It occurs as a result of specific efforts on its behalf by a change agent
C) It is intense and all-encompassing
D) It builds on existing operating methods and seeks to enhance or extend them in new directions

Question 23

New technologies and new systems are specific examples of:

A) radical change
B) incremental change
C) unplanned change
D) informational change

Question 24

Which of the following statements best describes planned change?

A) It occurs as a result of specific efforts on its behalf by a change agent
B) It is intense and all-encompassing
C) It builds on existing operating methods and seeks to enhance or extend them in new directions
D) It is the discrepancy between an actual and a desired state of affairs

Question 25

The three phases of change are:

A) unfreezing, refreezing and evaluating
B) unfreezing, changing and refreezing
C) planning, implementing and evaluating
D) unfreezing, modifying and refreezing

Question 26

Phase One, unfreezing includes:

A) creating a felt need for change, minimising resistance to change
B) reinforcing outcomes and evaluating results
C) changing people, tasks, structure and technology
D) making constructive modifications

Question 27

Improper refreezing results in:

A) long-term internalisation
B) change that is abandoned
C) change that is completely implemented
D) temporary complete compliance

Question 28

A rational persuasion strategy assumes that:

A) people have complex motivations
B) behaviour is influenced by sociocultural norms
C) people are influenced by logic
D) people are motivated primarily through self-interest

Question 29

The change strategy that tries to command change through formal authority is:

A) incremental
B) radical
C) rational persuasion
D) top-down

Question 30

A normative-reeducative strategy seeks to:

A) offer people reasons and rationales for change
B) convince others to change through logic
C) change people through rewards and punishments
D) establish social support for change

Question 31

The change strategy that attempts to bring about change by identifying or establishing values and assumptions so that support for the change naturally emerges is:

A) incremental
B) radical
C) rational persuasion
D) shared power

Question 32

Incremental change is:

A) change that results in a major make-over of the organization
B) change that occurs more frequently and less traumatically as part of an organization's natural evolution
C) change that is fairly radical
D) change that takes place involuntarily

Question 33

Planned change is change that:

A) occurs randomly or spontaneously
B) happens as a result of specific efforts on the part of the change agent
C) results in a major make-over of the organization
D) change that occurs more frequently and less traumatically as part of an organization's natural evolution

Question 34

Offering information and encouragement is a good way to minimise resistance to change stemming from:

A) fear of the unknown
B) need for security
C) contrasting interpretations
D) threatened vested interests

Question 35

Delaying change and awaiting a better time is a good way to minimise resistance to change stemming from:

A) fear of the unknown
B) no felt need for change
C) poor timing
D) threatened vested interests

Question 36

Resistance to the change agent is most likely to occur with a change agent who:

A) has low emotional involvement in the change
B) is not an employee of the company
C) has different characteristics from key persons involved in the change
D) uses a rational persuasion strategy

Question 37

What strategy could be employed where people are resisting the change because there will be adjustment problems?

A) Try the change on a step-by-step basis
B) Try giving facilitation and support
C) Bring in expert testimony
D) Continue with the change until the resistance stops

Question 38

When using explicit or implicit coercion to deal with resistance to change, a manager is most likely to:

A) use force to get people to accept change
B) buy off leaders of resistance to gain their support
C) help people see the logic of the change
D) offer incentives to actual or potential resistors

Question 39

Planned change often assumes that:

A) Change is often best unplanned
B) Environmental scanning is unnecessary and time consuming
C) The future is predictable and there is an end stage to be reached
D) The future is unpredictable, so contingency planning is best

Question 40

According to Marris, organizations that go through change need to allow employees:

A) To have access to resources needed to undertake change
B) To have their say on strategic change issues
C) Time to digest the changes, as they would if they endured a family bereavement
D) To gain the competences required within a change process

Question 41

Which of the following is NOT a consideration that Williams, Dobson and Walters recommend when attempting to change organizational culture?

A) Change the people in the organization
B) Changing behaviour
C) Changing the corporate image
D) Change the corporate strategy

Question 42

Tichy argues that there are 3 fundamental set of problems associated with those people who design, manage and change organizations:

A) technological, structural and cultural design problems
B) technical design, political allocation and culture/ideological mix problems
C) cultural/ideological mix, technical design and resource based problems
D) cultural/ideological mix, structural and technical problems

Question 43

Force-coercion strategy:

A) tries to influence change by identifying or establishing values and assumptions that support change
B) tries to influence change by persuading people through the strategic planning process
C) tries to influence change through informal processes of promises or threats
D) tries to command change through the formal authority of legitimacy, rewards and punishments

Question 44

According to Miles, radical change is:

A) mission led, total-system based, and requires sustained organizational learning
B) strategy led, total-system based, and requires sustained organizational learning
C) vision led, total-system based, and requires sustained organizational learning
D) goal led, requiring sustained organizational learning

Question 45

Which of the 4 statements below is true?

A) Active resistance works against organizational change
B) Passive resistance works against organizational change
C) Both active and passive resistance work against organizational change
D) Neither active nor passive resistance work against organizational change

Question 46

Buchanan and Boddy refer to the change agent's roles consisting of:

A) Leadership, teambuilding and networking
B) Teambuilding, networking and tolerance of ambiguity
C) Teambuilding, tolerance of ambiguity and leadership
D) Leadership, teambuilding and managing up.

Question 47

Jim believes that people respond to, as he puts it, 'What's in it for me?' motivation. Accordingly, when he wants to get something done, Jim finds out where the person's vested interests lie and then subtly exploits this situation, occasionally using threats. The type of change strategy Jim mostly employs is:

A) incremental
B) radical
C) rational persuasion
D) force-coercion

Question 48

Maggie manages a well-respected financial firm. Recently a conflict arose between two departments. Loyalties were divided, which created a lot of tension at the workplace. This change is called:

A) radical
B) confrontational
C) planned
D) unplanned

Question 49

Managers at a mid-sized department store decided to change to an automated inventory system that would require sales clerks to enter a nine-digit code for each article of clothing sold. Once in place, managers designed an evaluation process. The clerks, however, were highly resentful of the new system and frequently 'forgot' to enter the code. What is wrong?

A) the managers failed to unfreeze the situation
B) the managers failed to change the situation
C) the managers failed to refreeze the situation
D) the managers failed to unfreeze and refreeze the situation

Question 50

A new tracking system was implemented at Roadworks. Workers, however, avoided using it because it looked so complicated, though in actuality, the new system was easier than the former. As a manager of these workers, what would you do to best minimise this source of resistance at this stage?

A) clarify intentions and methods
B) delay change and await a better time
C) offer information and encouragement
D) make sure that everyone is using the new system

Question 51

Cindy manages a staff of twelve people who are resisting a new procedure that will help in meeting a fast-approaching deadline of a project. Based on this information, which approach to dealing with resistance to change should she use?

A) negotiation and agreement
B) explicit and implicit coercion
C) manipulation and cooptation
D) participation and involvement

Question 52

John manages the Lingerie department at a large London Department Store. He has decided that the visual merchandising of his product range needs changing, and has found some new fixtures and fittings in a Trade Catalogue. Senior management have approved the purchase of these new fixtures and fittings. According to Dunphy and Stace, this is an example of:

A) fine tuning
B) incremental adjustment
C) modular transformation
D) corporate transformation

Question 53

April believes that people's actions are guided by reason. Hence, she objectively presents facts and figures when approaching change. The type of change strategy April most likely employs is:

A) incremental
B) radical
C) rational persuasion
D) shared power

Question 54

April believes that people's actions are guided by reason. Hence, she objectively presents facts and figures when approaching change. Which of the following statements is most true?

A) April's power base is legitimacy
B) April is using a normative-re-educative- strategy
C) the predicted outcome is long-term internalisation
D) the predicted outcome is temporary compliance

Question 55

Zack works in a large department store in Glasgow, Scotland. He reports to the departmental manager for issues regarding the running of the department. For any issues relating to products, stock range and stock promotions, he reports to one of two store buyers, dependent upon which products are in question. The structure that Zack works within is known as:

A) functional
B) bureaucracy
C) matrix
D) divisionalised

Question 56

Jane works for a small, family owned manufacturing company. Talk of an impending buy out by another company has increased rumours about job security. Under these circumstances, Jane's degree of felt security is likely to be:

A) high
B) low
C) neither high nor low
D) no applicable answer can be given, as the concept of felt security relates to organizations, not individuals

Question 57

John is brought in from outside to manage a change intervention at McDonalds Shoe corporation. He has sensed that he is losing the faith that he had in senior management when he joined this project and fears that he may be fired. He needs to consider which of the following in order to rectify his position as a change agent:

A) Consider his payment as a consultant
B) Consider what power base he has available
C) Consider the amount of resistance to change there is amongst employees
D) Consider a force-coercion strategy to the change process

Question 58

What is the difference between radical change and incremental change?

Question 59

Briefly explain Lewin's phases of planned change.

Question 60

Explain three strategies for overcoming resistance to change and when they might be used.

Question 61

Explain Buchanan and Boddy's change agent competence model.

Question 62

Discuss Lewin's phases of planned change. Is each phase independent of the others? What happens if one of the phases is neglected or ignored?

Question 63

Provide a brief but thorough overview of the six general approaches to dealing with resistance to change. (Be sure to include areas such as when you would use each approach, its benefits, disadvantages etc.).

Question 64

Using Dunphy and Stace's model on the scale of change, provide examples of each scale to explain the differences of each stage.

Question 65

Visual Diagram Questions
(These diagrams can be used to test understanding of concepts rather than mere recollection. The provision of the diagrams removes the pressure to remember but does draw on the ability to explain a visual image. Instructors should take care if using a mix of other questions with visual diagram questions to ensure that the diagram does not provide answers to other questions in a test or exam.)
-The diagram below shows a model of planned change.
a) Whose model is it?
b) Explain the model using an example to illustrate.
c) The model has links to 'forces for change'. Describe these links and why they are important.

Question 66

Visual Diagram Questions
(These diagrams can be used to test understanding of concepts rather than mere recollection. The provision of the diagrams removes the pressure to remember but does draw on the ability to explain a visual image. Instructors should take care if using a mix of other questions with visual diagram questions to ensure that the diagram does not provide answers to other questions in a test or exam.)
-The diagram below shows a model of change as a metaphor.
a) Whose model is it?
b) Apply this model to any practical example.
c) Using the example in (b), explain why it is of benefit to managers.