Deck 15: Organization Transformation and Strategic Change

Question 1

A shared vision provides a starting point for cultural and organizational transition.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Tichy's strategic change model uses three internal systems (political,cultural and technical)that are interrelated to meet environmental changes and pressures.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Organizational transformation refers to drastic changes in how an organization functions and relates to its environment.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

When an organization manages around the culture as a strategy,the value system is reinforced and power is reshuffled to key people.

Question 5

Individual autonomy is one of the core characteristics of an organization's culture.Individual autonomy refers to the degree of assistance and warmth provided by managers.

Question 6

The strategic change management model separates the organizational systems for intervention and then reconnects the systems after the strategy changes.

Question 7

The biggest stumbling block in the path of strategic change is usually _____.

A)an old and inflexible corporate culture
B)inefficient managerial skills
C)the managerial style of top management
D)external influences over which the organization has no control
E)intergroup conflict

Question 8

The culture of an organization should not be considered when strategic changes are implemented,as the culture is fluid and will adapt to the changes.

Question 9

Meshing different cultures or subcultures within the same organization is relatively easy in larger organizations because of the similarity of values held by the members.

Question 10

The challenge of changing a culture is explosive but it is a short-term undertaking that is worth the energy when considering long-term gains.

Question 11

Relatively young companies are usually characterized by strong cultures because of the pressure to succeed.

Question 12

An incremental strategy that keeps an organization in alignment with its environment and allows for anticipation of changes and the ability to make minor adjustments is known as participative evolution.

Question 13

The need for strategic change and compatibility of the change to the organization will largely influence the method used to manage the strategic change.

Question 14

Corporate culture becomes less important as organizations reorganize in response to their environment.

Question 15

For typical organizations,changing the culture is in the best long-term interest of the firm.This is especially the case since the effort and time to change a culture is modest.

Question 16

Organization development and organization transformation are both attempts for organizations to survive drastic unplanned changes in management processes and cultures.

Question 17

Companies that are small and growing rapidly or companies that are mediocre should both consider large-scale cultural changes.

Question 18

Based on the strategy-culture matrix model of change,when the strategic change is important to the company but the changes are incompatible with an entrenched corporate culture,management must push the change forward forcefully for the good of the company.

Question 19

The degree of disconnect that an organization has with its environment is one of several factors that can determine the appropriateness of transformational change.

Question 20

Strategy refers to a course of action that is used to accomplish objectives.

Question 21

Once an organization develops a strong culture,there is _____ change.

A)pressure to
B)no way to predict
C)individual pressure
D)little resistance to
E)considerable resistance to

Question 22

The corporate culture reflects the organization's _____ and is often deeply rooted in the firm's _____.

A)past;history and mythology
B)strategy;strategic plan
C)management philosophy;policies and procedures
D)structure;communication process
E)success;salaries and benefits

Question 23

A _____ is a mental image of a possible and desirable future state of the organization.

A)culture
B)mission
C)net profit
D)sociotechnical system
E)vision

Question 24

The comprehensive activities that an organization plans to use to achieve its major objectives are referred to as _____.

A)a sales forecast
B)strategy
C)net profit
D)equity
E)team building

Question 25

Based on the strategy-culture matrix,when the need for strategic change is low and the compatibility of change with the existing culture is high,a manager will choose to _____ as the most effective strategy.

A)manage the change
B)reinforce the culture
C)manage around the culture
D)change the strategy
E)answers a and b

Question 26

The strategy-culture matrix considers _____ and _____ to influence the method used to manage the strategic change.

A)net profit;monetary constraints
B)the organization's vision;managerial style
C)the need for strategic change;the compatibility of the change
D)process;content
E)team commitment;individual skills

Question 27

Which of the following is NOT a core characteristic of culture?

A)individual autonomy
B)benefit plans
C)support
D)risk behavior
E)all of the above are core characteristics of culture

Question 28

Strategic changes are largely concerned with adjustments in _____.

A)behavior of key individuals
B)the profit and loss statement
C)incentive and reward system
D)structure,systems,and people
E)a weak culture

Question 29

Over time,organizations develop certain ways of doing business that are collectively referred to as the _____ of the organization.

A)culture
B)mission
C)net profit
D)constraints
E)vision

Question 30

An organization that has a large percentage of its members with strong commitment to a system of shared values is likely to have _____.

A)a weak culture
B)high profits
C)a risk avoidance climate
D)a strong culture
E)a need for change

Question 31

Strategic changes can more effectively be implemented when the _____ of the organization is considered.

A)culture
B)mission
C)net profit
D)constraints
E)vision

Question 32

The leadership style of top management in combination with the norms,values,and beliefs of the organization's members combine to form the _____.

A)strategic change model
B)corporate culture
C)strategy-culture fit
D)corporate dynamic for change
E)customer service strategy

Question 33

"The way we always do that in this company" is part of what aspect of the company?

A)strategic plan
B)strategy-culture matrix
C)culture
D)communication process
E)none of the above

Question 34

The strategy for change characterized by minor adjustments over a longer time frame,but without the support of the organization culture,is known as _____.

A)participative evolution
B)charismatic transformation
C)forced evolution
D)dictatorial transformation
E)none of the above

Question 35

Communication in organizational transformation is usually _____.

A)a top-down,top-management-driven process
B)a directive approach
C)a collaborative,participative process
D)all of the above
E)answers a and b

Question 36

Which of the following in NOT a stage in developing a shared vision?

A)develop trust
B)empower the individual
C)share the vision
D)reward performance
E)measure commitment

Question 37

Organization _____ refers to drastic changes in how an organization functions and relates to its environment.

A)chaos
B)development
C)structure
D)transformation
E)disorganization

Question 38

The strategy that accomplishes change when radical change must be accomplished in a short time frame and has the support of the organization culture is known as _____.

A)participative evolution
B)charismatic transformation
C)forced evolution
D)dictatorial transformation
E)none of the above

Question 39

The process that focuses on more gradual approaches to strategic change and on participative change processes is known as _____.

A)organization analysis
B)organization development
C)organization transformation
D)organization planning
E)organization vision

Question 40

A strategic approach to change means _____.

A)developing a programmed system
B)developing workable control procedures
C)developing strong leadership skills
D)developing a strategy compatible with a culture
E)all of the above

Question 41

According to Tichy's approach to change,the first step in the strategic planning process is to _____.

A)develop an image of the desired organization
B)set net profit goals for the company
C)decide on the organizational chart for the company
D)sets an acceptable debt/equity ratio for the company
E)answers b and c

Question 42

An effective OD practitioner is aware of technical,political,and social systems in organizations and tries to _____.

A)bring strategic and significant changes to all three systems
B)encourage the development of small incremental changes in the three systems
C)bring stability to the three systems
D)align the three systems with one another
E)none of the above

Question 43

Using the strategy-culture matrix,when an organization needs to make strategic changes but the changes are potentially incompatible with the culture,an approach to change is to _____.

A)alter the power structure to promote key people
B)reinforce the existing culture
C)provide support to the current key managers
D)alter only the technical system and leave the political and cultural systems alone
E)all of the above

Question 44

Using the strategy-culture matrix,what is the key question that management and OD practitioners consider before attempting to change the corporate culture?

Question 45

Which of the following would be seen as one of the strategic system changes Tichy proposes?

A)the values and beliefs shared by members
B)the organization's politics
C)the engineering processes
D)all of the above
E)none of the above

Question 46

When an organization faces a large-scale change with a high probability of cultural resistance,the OD practitioner and management must determine _____.

A)how to reinforce the new value system
B)a way to "break" the culture
C)the budgeting process in the reorganization
D)the economic,political,and cultural forces at work
E)whether strategic change is really a viable alternative

Question 47

Describe the four process change strategies that are based on the three key dimensions: (1)the time frame of the change, (2)the support level of the organization culture,and (3)the degree of discontinuity with the environment.

Question 48

Large-scale culture changes are justified _____.

A)when profits will be increased
B)when a company is small but growing rapidly
C)when a company is in the Fortune 500
D)when there is a stable and moderate culture
E)none of the above

Question 49

Compare and contrast the two manageable risk segments of the strategy-culture matrix: manage the change and manage around the culture.

Question 50

Describe the core characteristics of a culture.

Question 51

If the corporate culture does not support a strategic change,but yet the change is important to the corporation,then _____.

A)middle managers must be relied on more
B)it may be necessary to modify the strategy to fit more closely with the current culture
C)key participants will readily accept the strategy
D)only technological change will be effective
E)all of the above

Question 52

The technical,political,and culture systems Tichy described _____.

A)are interrelated
B)will need to be reconnected after strategy interventions have been made in each of the systems
C)form an organizational system
D)all of the above
E)none of the above