Question 1

Evidence-based management means translating principles based on best evidence into organisational practices. Based on the study by Bloom and colleagues (2012), discuss the results of interventions in targets, incentives and monitoring and the implications for adopting evidence-based management.

Accepted Answer

Plants adopting the interventions cut defects by 50 per cent, reduced inventory by 20 per cent and raised outputs by 10 per cent. Average profits rose by 30 per cent and there were improvements in waste reduction, safety and cleanliness. The evidence supported the proposition that organisations are more likely to succeed if they adopt good management practices; a replication of this study, in schools and hospitals, also showed significant performance improvements.

Question 2

When experienced managers leave the organisation:

Accepted Answer

A)   they take with them their future earning potential, which is a loss to the human capital of the firm.
B)   they take with them their tacit knowledge, which is a loss to the human capital of the firm.
C)   they take with them their intellectual property, which is a loss to the human capital of the firm.
D)   they take with them their databases, which is a loss to the human capital of the firm. B

Question 3

'Changes in performance or other behaviour result from people knowing that they are the subject of study'. This statement describes a phenomenon called:

Accepted Answer

A)   the Hawthorne effect.
B)   the Halo effect.
C)   the Self-other effect.
D)   the Frederick Taylor effect. A

Question 4

Wellbeing is:

Accepted Answer

A)   a legal requirement in most modern workplaces.
B)   an index of life evaluation, emotional health, physical health, healthy behaviours, work environment and basic access.
C)   a feeling of general happiness and absence of illness.
D)   an index of absenteeism in the workplace.

Question 5

The suggestion system in Toyota's kaizen system:

Accepted Answer

A)   effectively turns every worker into a 'knowledge worker'.
B)   tends to stifle worker creativity and innovation.
C)   effectively turns every worker into a 'cog in the larger bureaucratic machine'.
D)   is only suitable for the manufacturing industry.

Question 6

Which of the following is a not regarded as a negative impact of globalisation?

Accepted Answer

A)   Reduced wages for the poorly educated and technologically unskilled.
B)   Job displacement in affected businesses.
C)   Increased power of unions.
D)   Worsened economic conditions in countries that cannot engage in the global economy.

Question 7

Wellbeing has been defined as 'an index of life evaluation, emotional health, physical health, healthy behaviours, work environment and basic access'. Discuss current trends in the wellbeing index and workplace design, to create congruence between employer and employee interests.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Wellbeing has been defined as 'an index...

Question 8

The knowledge that one was being observed and the expectation that changes to one's work environment should change productivity is a finding of which famous research experiment?

Accepted Answer

A)   The time and motion studies.
B)   The Hawthorne studies.
C)   The scientific management studies.
D)   The observational studies.

Question 9

Define knowledge management and discuss the fundamental requirement for its success.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Define knowledge management and discuss the fundamental...

Question 10

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has been defined as 'meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs' (World Business Council for Sustainable Development). Discuss the reasons corporations adopt CSR and the benefits.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has been defined...

Question 11

The systematic study of organisational behaviour can be traced to:

Accepted Answer

A)   efforts made by social psychologists to apply their methods to organisational problems in the early 1800s.
B)   efforts made by sociologists to apply their methods to organisational problems in the 1950s.
C)   the contributions of Sigmund Freud in psychoanalysis.
D)   efforts made by experimental psychologists to apply their methods to organisational problems in the early 1900s.

Question 12

Does globalisation have a positive impact on organisations and countries? Or is the impact negative, or both? Discuss.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Does globalisation have a positive impact on...

Question 13

What are the three channels or mechanisms that promote globalisation?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What are the three channels or mechanisms...

Question 14

'Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs' is one definition of:

Accepted Answer

A)   inter-organisational trust.
B)   corporate social responsibility.
C)   ethical behaviour.
D)   organisational behaviour.

Question 15

Which of the following is not an OB research topic relevant to globalisation?

Accepted Answer

A)   Recruiting and developing global leaders.
B)   Global organisational learning.
C)   Cross-cultural communication.
D)   Cultural migration.

Question 16

What are the three main mechanisms through which globalisation can promote productivity and increasing living standards?

Accepted Answer

A)   Exposure to the world's best practices, better resource allocation and savings deployed to productive investment.
B)   The internet, more access to foreign direct investment and deregulation of markets.
C)   Outsourcing to low labour cost countries, increased workforce mobility and streamlining of senior executives salary packages.
D)   More cross-cultural exchanges, improved communication technologies and better supply chain modelling.

Question 17

Which good management practice, related to high-performing organisations, was not identified by Bloom, Sadun and van Reenan (2012)?

Accepted Answer

A)   Targets: does the organisation support long-term goals with tough but achievable short-term performance benchmarks?
B)   Incentives: does the organisation reward high performers with promotions and bonuses while retraining or moving underperformers?
C)   Managing turnover: does the organisation actively manage turnover and implement retention programs to retain critical talent?
D)   Monitoring: does the organisation rigorously collect and analyse performance data to identify opportunities for improvement?

Question 18

Business ethics is:

Accepted Answer

A)   a written statement of ethical standards.
B)   the study of moral or ethical choices that can arise in the running of a business.
C)   the natural tensions that stem from the differing interests of companies, their employees, customers and the greater society.
D)   conflict of interest.

Question 19

Successful implementation of knowledge management practices requires:

Accepted Answer

A)   a culture that restricts innovation.
B)   a culture that controls the costs of human capital.
C)   a simplistic view of organisational structure.
D)   a fundamental cultural change.

Question 20

What are some of the challenges in the effort to sustain higher levels of employee and organisational performance?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What are some of the challenges in...

Exam 1: Introduction to Organisational Behaviour