Deck 7: Contingency Theories of Effective Leadership

Question 1

According to Kerr and Jermier,leadership is least important when:

A)there are few substitutes and neutralizers
B)there are few substitutes and many neutralizers
C)there are many substitutes and few neutralizers
D)there are many substitutes and neutralizers

Answer 1

C

Question 2

According to Path-Goal Theory,directive leadership is most effective when:

A)the task is simple and repetitive
B)work roles are ambiguous
C)the task is tedious and stressful
D)work roles are independent

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Which contingency theory uses specific leadership behaviors rather than broad meta-categories?

A)path-goal theory
B)LPC contingency theory
C)substitutes for leadership
D)multiple linkage model

Answer 3

D

Question 4

According to Cognitive Resource Theory,what is the best predictor of leader success when there is high interpersonal stress?

A)leader experience
B)leader intelligence
C)leader stress tolerance
D)leader power

Question 5

In the Multiple Linkage Model,long-term group effectiveness depends primarily on:

A)the leader's interpersonal skills
B)the leader's technical skills
C)the leader's ability to gain more power over subordinates
D)the leader's ability to make the situation more favorable

Question 6

What is the major situational variable in Hersey and Blanchard's leadership theory?

A)leader maturity
B)subordinate maturity
C)task structure
D)subordinate role interdependence

Question 7

According to Leader Substitutes Theory:

A)effective leaders find capable substitutes to replace subordinates who lack appropriate skills or motivation
B)effective leaders find capable substitutes to fill in for them when they must be absent from the work unit
C)hierarchical leadership is less important when new strategies can be substituted for obsolete ones
D)hierarchical leadership is less important when many substitutes are present in the situation

Question 8

Which of the following was a suggested guideline for adaptive leadership?

A)make contingency plans to prepare for any possible problems
B)hold more meetings to involve people when a crisis occurs
C)maintain a high level of situational awareness
D)rely on previously effective practices

Question 9

According to Cognitive Resources Theory,there is less likely to be a relation between intelligence and leader effectiveness when:

A)there is a high level of interpersonal stress
B)the task is complex and unstructured
C)the leader has little prior experience with the task
D)the task requires frequent problem solving

Question 10

Which of the following actions by a manager is least useful for improving coordination with other departments in the organization?

A)keep managers in other units informed about changes
B)closely monitor interactions with other units
C)meet with peers in other units to jointly plan schedules
D)provide more direction of work unit activities

Question 11

Which of the following was not identified as a weakness of most contingency theories of effective leadership?

A)over-emphasis on broad categories of leadership behavior
B)inadequate explanation of causal relationships
C)failure to clearly distinguish moderators from mediators
D)over-emphasis on joint effects of situational variables

Question 12

A leader with a high LPC score will perform best when the situation is:

A)very favorable
B)moderately favorable
C)unfavorable
D)either very favorable or unfavorable

Question 13

Which of the following was not a suggested guideline for adaptive leadership?

A)use more planning to prepare for a long, complex task
B)provide more direction to people with independent work roles
C)be more supportive to people who have a stressful task
D)provide more direction and briefings when there is a crisis

Question 14

According to the Multiple Linkage Model,short-term group effectiveness depends primarily on what the leader does to:

A)maximize the task commitment of subordinates
B)improve planning and coordination of operations
C)correct any deficiencies in intervening variables
D)remove organizational constraints

Question 15

According to Path-goal theory,supportive leadership contributes most to subordinate satisfaction and motivation when the task is:

A)tedious and stressful
B)important and meaningful
C)complex and variable
D)interesting and enjoyable

Question 16

The primary explanatory process in Path-goal Theory of leadership is:

A)the influence of leader expectations on subordinate behavior
B)the influence of leader expectations on subordinate expectations
C)the influence of leader behavior on subordinate expectations
D)the influence of leader behavior on group processes