Deck 4: Creative Problem Solving and Decision Making

Question 1

Nikki is a teacher at the local high school and often has students coming to her asking for advice on a multitude of things.When this happens, she is careful to take sufficient time to think of the best response but makes sure to act as soon as she has enough information to do so.This ensures that she is not acting too hastily or wasting time thinking in circles.What would her decision-making style best fit under?

A)Reflexive style
B)Reflective style
C)Consistent style
D)Reactive style

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Mary, the director of human resources, frequently receives e-mails from colleagues seeking advice about problems they are facing.Because Mary receives so many of these e-mails, in order to save time, she typically responds with the first solution that comes to mind.Mary is most likely a ________ decision maker.

A)reflexive
B)reflective
C)consistent
D)reactive

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Most management decisions are made between the conditions of __________.

A)certainty and uncertainty
B)risk and certainty
C)risk and uncertainty
D)decisions tend to be equally distributed between the different conditions

Answer 3

C

Question 4

__________ of the decisions made by managers fail to solve the problems they are aimed at solving.

A)75%
B)15%
C)85%
D)50%

Question 5

The first decision you face when confronted with a problem is __________.

A)whether you should use reflexive or reflective tactics
B)to analyze alternatives
C)whether or not to take corrective action
D)whether or not to use brainstorming

Question 6

Problems may be classified in terms of all the following, except __________.

A)the decision structure involved
B)the conditions under which the decision will be made
C)the type of decision made using the decision-making model
D)the personality type of the decision maker

Question 7

Decision making is __________.

A)taking corrective action to meet objectives
B)the process of selecting a course of action that will solve a problem
C)only evaluating the certainty, risk, and uncertainty of a situation
D)the situation that exists whenever objectives are not being met

Question 8

Kimberly is a sales associate at Justice, and a customer has come to her with an item that needs to be returned.The customer said that the stitching was coming undone.Kimberly followed the company's policy on returns of defective merchandise and completed the return transaction for the customer.What kind of a decision did Kimberly have to make in this situation?

A)Non-programmed decision
B)Programmed decision
C)Policy decision
D)Non-policy decision

Question 9

The decision-making model includes all the following steps, except __________.

A)classifying and defining the problem
B)controlling the decision
C)discussing the decision with relevant stakeholders
D)planning and implementing the decision

Question 10

What decision-making style is used when meeting only the minimum requirements of the situation?

A)Satisficing
B)Rationalizing
C)Maximizing
D)Minimizing

Question 11

Problem solving is ________.

A)taking corrective action to meet objectives
B)the process of selecting a course of action that will solve a problem
C)only evaluating the certainty, risk, and uncertainty of a situation
D)the situation that exists whenever objectives are not being met

Question 12

A problem is __________.

A)taking corrective action to meet objectives
B)the process of selecting a course of action that will solve a problem
C)only evaluating the certainty, risk, and uncertainty of a situation
D)the situation that exists whenever objectives are not being met

Question 13

Which of the following is representative of reflective decision making?

A)The individual makes decisions quickly.
B)The individual is sometimes viewed as indecisive.
C)There is often waste and duplication.
D)The first possible method of problem solving is often chosen.

Question 14

Under conditions of _________, lack of information or knowledge makes the outcome of each alternative unpredictable.

A)risk
B)uncertainty
C)security
D)certainty

Question 15

Which of the following is representative of reflexive decision making?

A)The individual takes lots of time to make a decision.
B)It is possible to lose out on opportunities from procrastination.
C)There is often waste and duplication.
D)Individuals tend to follow the steps in the decision making model.

Question 16

Bryon, the accounting manager, has recently had to meet with his supervisor because there have been several issues with the budget he constructed regarding duplication; this led to a lack of efficiency and extra waste.His supervisor feels Bryon might have been making some hasty decisions while working on the budget.What should Bryon do at this point?

A)Continue to make decisions in the same manner.
B)Double-check the budget several times to ensure accuracy.
C)Start implementing the decision-making model when evaluating problems.
D)Request additional training.

Question 17

Which of the following is representative of consistent decision maker?

A)They are often viewed as wishy-washy.
B)They tend to have the worst record for making good decisions.
C)There is often waste and duplication.
D)They tend to follow the steps in the decision-making model.

Question 18

Mary, the director of human resources, frequently receives e-mails from colleagues seeking advice about problems they are facing.Because Mary receives so many of these e-mails, she quickly e-mails the colleagues back to let the individual know she has received the e-mail and that she will respond to them within a few weeks with her recommended solution.Mary is most likely a ________ decision maker.

A)reflexive
B)reflective
C)consistent
D)reactive

Question 19

Which of these decisions is least likely to be a programmed decision?

A)Scheduling employees
B)Opening a new facility
C)Reordering inventory
D)Handling customer complaints

Question 20

What is the most effective way to prevent future problems?

A)React as quickly as possible to each problem.
B)Think about each problem thoroughly when it happens.
C)Develop plans to prevent problems before they occur.
D)Evaluate all problems at the end of each week.

Question 21

You called a group decision-making meeting with your team today to get their help in deciding how best to compete with two new competitors that recently opened nearby.The meeting has run over two hours already, and you're starting to get worried about all the work that's being left undone in the meantime.You've also noticed that one of your newest managers, Patel, agrees with everything one of your most senior managers, Rosa, says, even though he sometimes seems a little reluctant to do so.Patel's behavior is an example of __________.

A)groupthink
B)domination and goal displacement
C)social loafing
D)conformity

Question 22

You are a regional manager who is looking to hire a new store manager for Dallas Roadhouse, a popular steakhouse.You have a pile of 50 applications but only want to interview the top four applicants.You have already defined your problem and your objective is to hire and train a new manager who has previous restaurant management experience within one month.What would not be considered a must criteria?

A)Able to start in time to complete training within one month
B)Have restaurant management experience
C)A college degree in restaurant management
D)Able to pass company-mandated drug screening

Question 23

_____________ is a type of innovation that introduces new goods or services.

A)Product innovation
B)Process innovation
C)Profit innovation
D)Performance innovation

Question 24

Maximizing is best when ____________.

A)the decision is programmed
B)information is unavailable
C)the decision is significant
D)the decision must be made quickly

Question 25

You called a group decision-making meeting with your team today to get their help in deciding how best to compete with two new competitors that recently opened nearby.The meeting has run over two hours already, and you're starting to get worried about all the work that's being left undone in the meantime.You've also noticed that one of your managers, Uri, keeps pushing for solutions that would probably benefit him more than it would help your store.Uri's behavior is an example of __________.

A)social loafing
B)conformity
C)groupthink
D)domination and goal displacement

Question 26

The difference between objectives and criteria is that __________.

A)Objectives state what the decision should accomplish, criteria are the standards that alternatives should meet.
B)Objectives measure the severity of the problem, criteria define the causes.
C)Objectives are the standards that alternatives should meet, criteria state what the decision should accomplish.
D)Objectives define the causes, criteria measure the severity of the problem.

Question 27

Which of the following quotes would not cause problems when promoting creativity?

A)"We have never done something like that before."
B)"That is not in the budget."
C)"Let's have an open discussion about ideas."
D)"Let's form a committee."

Question 28

You called a group decision-making meeting with your team today to get their help in deciding how best to compete with two new competitors that recently opened nearby.The meeting has run over two hours already, and you're starting to get worried about all the work that's being left undone in the meantime.You've also noticed that one of your managers, Rasha, has spent most of her time playing with her phone, only making brief noncommittal comments here and there to maintain the illusion that she is engaged in the discussion.Rasha's behavior is an example of __________.

A)domination and goal displacement
B)social loafing
C)conformity
D)groupthink

Question 29

Current trends in management decision making include _____________.

A)increased employee participation
B)consulting higher-level management
C)making autocratic decisions
D)minimizing decision making

Question 30

__________ is the second step in the decision-making model.

A)Setting objectives and developing criteria
B)Classifying and defining the problem or opportunity
C)Planning and implementing the decision
D)Generating creative and innovative alternatives

Question 31

An important part of defining the problem is __________.

A)distinguishing the symptoms from the cause
B)asking others what is causing the problem
C)observing the problem
D)comparing the problem to past problems

Question 32

In which of the following situations is individual decision making a likely better choice over group decision making?

A)Programmed decision under conditions of high risk or uncertainty
B)Programmed decision under conditions of low risk or certainty
C)Nonprogrammed decision under conditions of high risk or uncertainty
D)Nonprogrammed decision under conditions of low risk or certainty

Question 33

With programmed decision making, the alternative is usually determined by __________.

A)intuition
B)a policy
C)linear programming
D)maximizing

Question 34

Which of the following is the third step in the decision-making model?

A)Plan and implement the decision.
B)Control the decision.
C)Generate creative and innovative alternatives.
D)Set objectives and criteria.

Question 35

Which of the following is not one of the three stages in the creative process?

A)Incubation and illumination
B)Preparation
C)Clarification
D)Evaluation

Question 36

You work for Blankets4Us as the manager of the product development department.You must figure out whether to introduce a newer but more expensive product to boost sales.The disadvantage of attempting to make a group decision include all of the following, except __________.

A)groupthink
B)satisficing
C)social loafing
D)too many alternatives

Question 37

_____________ is a type of innovation that introduces a new way of doing things.

A)Product innovation
B)Process innovation
C)Profit innovation
D)Performance innovation

Question 38

Which of the following tend to make more decisions under conditions of uncertainty?

A)Middle managers
B)First-line managers
C)Top managers
D)All levels make decisions under conditions of uncertainty more often than they do under the other conditions.

Question 39

Cheyenne has determined several criteria for her new start-up company, including obtaining office space.She has outlined many criteria for her search.She has determined that she will require that the space have 1200 square feet and the ability to renovate.She also would like to be on an upper floor, if possible.How many must criteria has Cheyenne outlined for her search?

A)None
B)One
C)Two
D)Three

Question 40

What are the two types of criteria you can establish?

A)Primary and secondary
B)Must and want
C)Maximizing and satisficing
D)Non-programmed and programmed

Question 41

____________ is the final stage in the creative process.

A)Clarification
B)Preparation
C)Evaluation
D)Incubation and illumination

Question 42

In the creative process, __________ is when your subconscious works on the problem.

A)illumination
B)incubation
C)preparation
D)evaluation

Question 43

Which of the following is not part of the nominal grouping process?

A)Listing
B)Mapping
C)Recording
D)Ranking

Question 44

In the creative process, __________ is when you define the problem by getting others' opinions, feelings, and ideas.

A)illumination
B)incubation
C)preparation
D)evaluation

Question 45

Managers commonly use __________ for technological forecasting.

A)the Delphi technique
B)synectics
C)nominal grouping
D)consensus mapping

Question 46

_________ is the process of developing group agreement on a solution to a problem.

A)Synectics
B)Nominal grouping
C)Consensus mapping
D)Brainstorming

Question 47

_________ involves using a series of confidential questionnaires to refine a solution.

A)Synectics
B)Nominal grouping
C)Consensus mapping
D)The Delphi technique

Question 48

__________ is appropriate to use in situations in which groups may be affected by disadvantages of domination, goal displacement, conformity, and groupthink, because it minimizes these effects.

A)Nominal grouping
B)Consensus mapping
C)The Delphi technique
D)Synectics

Question 49

The fourth step in the decision-making model is __________.

A)controlling the decision
B)analyzing alternatives and selecting the most feasible
C)planning and implementing the decision
D)generating creative and innovative ideas

Question 50

_________ is the process of generating and evaluating alternatives using a structured voting method.

A)Synectics
B)Nominal grouping
C)Consensus mapping
D)The Delphi technique

Question 51

________________ is the process of suggesting many possible alternatives without evaluation.

A)Brainstorming
B)Consensus mapping
C)Synectics
D)Nominal grouping

Question 52

In Japan, __________ is called ringi.

A)consensus mapping
B)the Delphi technique
C)synectics
D)nominal grouping

Question 53

Which of the following is not a recommendation for brainstorming?

A)Carefully evaluate alternatives as they are generated.
B)Everyone should have an equal voice.
C)Include diverse people.
D)Wild suggestions are welcome.

Question 54

When group members focus on defending a solution while others come up with reasons the solution will not work, it is called ____________.

A)the Delphi technique
B)brainstorming
C)nominal grouping
D)the devil's advocate approach

Question 55

In the creative process, __________ is when you make sure the idea is practical.

A)illumination
B)incubation
C)preparation
D)evaluation

Question 56

_____________ is selecting an alternative based on your experience and rational judgment.

A)Cost-benefit analysis
B)Pros and cons
C)Queuing theory
D)Intuition

Question 57

_________ is the process of generating novel alternatives through role playing and fantasizing.

A)Synectics
B)Nominal grouping
C)Consensus mapping
D)the Delphi technique

Question 58

In the creative process, __________ is the "Aha, now I get it" phenomenon.

A)illumination
B)incubation
C)preparation
D)evaluation

Question 59

Which of the following is not one of the four approaches that are commonly used to analyze alternative solutions?

A)Quantitative techniques
B)Cost-benefit analysis
C)Consensus mapping
D)Intuition

Question 60

A major benefit of consensus mapping is that __________.

A)decisions are made quickly and more cheaply than with other methods
B)group members are generally more committed to implementing the solution
C)managers can make creative decisions to plan for the future
D)it can be used with large groups of employees, up to and including entire organizations

Question 61

Problem solving and decision making are interrelated with each other.

Question 62

Consistent decision makers consistently either rush or take too much time.

Question 63

Soledad and her team have been working through the decision-making model in order to address a recent significant drop in repeat business from the customers of her advertising firm.After analyzing all of the alternatives they generated, it became clear that none of them would satisfy the criteria they set for the decision.At this point, Soledad knows that they have two options, one of which is to __________.

A)Return to Step 1 and classify the problem again
B)Return to Step 4 and repeat the analysis of the alternatives they've generated
C)Return to Step 3 and generate more alternatives
D)Return to Step 2 and change the objective for the decision

Question 64

When we will not admit that we made a bad decision, we are in the process known as __________.

A)decisional denial
B)escalation of commitment
C)determination by default
D)analysis paralysis

Question 65

__________ should be established to determine whether the chosen alternative is solving the problem.

A)Benchmarks
B)Boundaries
C)Checkpoints
D)Mileposts

Question 66

Lauren manages a plant that makes gourmet soft drinks.She needs to determine the best time to shut down the bottling line to be sanitized.As the rest of the facility will continue to operate during this process, she needs to make sure the impact on the other parts of the plant is minimal, or her other workers will end up with little to do until the bottling line is up and running again.Lauren should use __________.

A)linear programming
B)probability theory
C)queuing theory
D)break-even analysis

Question 67

Felicia has been involved with a team that is deciding on the way to move forward with a project regarding budget allotment for her building location.They have brainstormed on different solutions and have also met with the leadership to determine a final solution.At this point in the process, they are training the department managers to comply with the new allotment procedures.At what point in the decision-making process is Felicia's team?

A)Set objectives and criteria.
B)Plan and implement decision.
C)Control the decision.
D)Defining the problem.

Question 68

Big data has been most visible, to date, in __________.

A)manufacturing
B)retailing
C)service
D)hospitality

Question 69

Programmed decisions are those that arise in recurring or routine situations.

Question 70

According to the decision-making model, what happens after planning and implementing the decision?

A)Classify and define the problem or opportunity.
B)Analyze alternatives and select the most feasible.
C)Set objectives.
D)Control the decision.

Question 71

In probability theory, the __________ is the payoff or profit from each combination of alternatives and outcomes.

A)expected value
B)anticipated return
C)projected benefit
D)calculated premium

Question 72

While technology facilitates using big data to solve problems, it carries with it the issues of __________.

A)security and privacy
B)training and time
C)applicability and utility
D)sensitivity and rigor

Question 73

Managers need to attempt to solve all problems.

Question 74

Which of the following is not one of the ways in which culture influences problem solving and decision making?

A)The depth of analysis
B)The frequency of decision making
C)The importance placed on logic and rationality
D)The level of participation in decision making

Question 75

Programmed decisions are those that occur in unique situations.

Question 76

What should you do if you are controlling the decision and the implementation is not going as planned?

A)Let somebody else take over.
B)Ignore the problem and continue.
C)Let the issue work itself out.
D)Backtrack to prior steps to take corrective action.

Question 77

Isak is preparing to open his new store, which will sell fashionable clothing for men.He needs to determine the best way to allocate the limited shelf space in his small store between his inventory of pants, shirts, and accessories.Isak should use __________.

A)linear programming
B)probability theory
C)queuing theory
D)break-even analysis

Question 78

A(n) _______________ is used when comparing alternatives using a combination of subjective judgment along with some quantitative math.

A)pros and cons
B)big data
C)intuition
D)cost-benefit analysis

Question 79

Samantha's boss has asked her to find the quantity of pens they will have to produce in order to balance out the costs that get put into production.Which method should she use to determine this number?

A)Break-even analysis
B)Capital budgeting
C)Queuing theory
D)Probability theory

Question 80

__________ describes the feeling where the pain of losing outweighs the joy of winning.

A)Loss aversion
B)Reluctance to succeed
C)Willful ignorance
D)Adverse reasoning