Deck 9: Problem Solving, Decision Making, and Creativity

Question 1

When people analyze alternatives,they tend to rely on their intuition and gut instincts instead of collecting impartial data.This is known as:

A) self-fulfilling prophecy.
B) recency syndrome.
C) subjective rationality.
D) halo effect.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

A graph that helps decision makers use probability theory by showing the expected values of decisions in varying circumstances is known as a(n):

A) Gantt chart.
B) utility curve.
C) influence diagram.
D) decision tree.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

To avoid the problem of personal perspective,decision makers must:

A) justify the reason they adopt to others.
B) find out what other people are thinking and then consider those views.
C) assume that everyone sees things the same way as they do.
D) believe that their decisions must be clear to everyone else.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Which of the following is typical of a decisive supervisor?

A) Makes quick decisions and is not affected by feedback on how the solution is working
B) Does not bother too much with clearing his desk of routine matters
C) Promptly refers matters to the proper people
D) Delegates complete responsibility for getting the facts needed to solve a problem

Question 5

In a crisis,the supervisor should:

A) inform the boss before taking any action.
B) weigh each employee's qualifications and select the best employee.
C) quickly select the course of action that seems best.
D) list all the possible responses.

Question 6

Which of the following is a guideline for proper decision making in the workplace?

A) Consider the consequences of one's actions.
B) Respond slowly to make sure one is making the right decision.
C) Inform one's boss after reaching and announcing a major decision.
D) Always be rigid when one has made up one's mind.

Question 7

Which of the following refers to the tendency to most readily remember events that have just occurred?

A) Recency syndrome
B) Halo effect
C) Bounded rationality
D) Groupthink

Question 8

Probability theory is defined as a(n):

A) body of techniques for comparing the consequences of possible decisions in a risk situation.
B) means to achieve specific goals within limited means.
C) idea-generating process in which group members state their ideas, a member of the group records them, and no one may comment on the ideas until the process is complete.
D) statistical analysis that can only be done with the help of a computer software.

Question 9

Which of the following refers to a rigid opinion about categories of people?

A) Ethnocentrism
B) Narcissism
C) Stereotype
D) Nepotism

Question 10

In the process of bounded rationality,which of the following comes after one identifies the problem?

A) Choosing an alternative solution
B) Seeing if the alternative solves the problem
C) Implementing the solution
D) Gathering and organizing facts

Question 11

Amber,who works part-time and goes to school full-time,has the ability to obtain straight As but is not motivated to work for them.She thinks she can justify her low grades since she works part-time,and is thus not able to put in the hours required to get straight As.Which human compromise is this an example of?

A) Rationalizing
B) Brainstorming
C) Regression
D) Displacement

Question 12

A decision is a(n):

A) choice from among available alternatives.
B) prejudicial treatment of others.
C) activity best left to supervisors.
D) evaluation of evidences.

Question 13

Sam works 50 to 60 hours a week supervising a group of engineers.He realizes that he is spending too much time training new engineers and starts thinking about new options.He could delegate the training to the senior engineers,ask the human resources department to offer training seminars,or require better work experience from all future employees.Which step in the rational model of decision making is Sam performing here?

A) Identifying the problem
B) Identifying alternative solutions
C) Getting feedback
D) Gathering and organizing facts

Question 14

In the rational model of decision-making process,which of the following steps comes after one chooses and implements the best alternative?

A) Identifying the problem
B) Gathering and organizing facts
C) Getting feedback and taking corrective action
D) Identifying the alternative solutions

Question 15

When the manager needs to know about a decision,it is usually smart for a supervisor to:

A) discuss the problem before reaching and announcing the decision.
B) inform the manager about every minor decision the supervisor makes each day.
C) quickly select the course of action that seems best.
D) agree to discuss the decision as soon as possible after it is made.

Question 16

The cure for stereotyping is to:

A) ignore the strengths and values people receive from their culture.
B) distort the truth that people offer a rich variety of individual strengths and viewpoints.
C) talk about one's own stereotypes about people and situations.
D) not assume that everyone is alike.

Question 17

A salesperson tells his customers that he will give them some freebies if they purchase laptops from his store.However,he has neither asked the store manager if he can do so,nor checked if the shop has an adequate stock of freebies.As such,he is not able to deliver the freebies to his customers.Which decision-making trap is this an example of?

A) Responding inappropriately to failure
B) Tempting to promise too much
C) Blaming someone else for one's failures
D) Consulting with outside experts

Question 18

Choosing an alternative that meets minimum standards of acceptability is a form of:

A) purposive rationality.
B) bounded rationality.
C) instrumental rationality.
D) subjective rationality.

Question 19

Simon,a trainer,meets with his team to discuss the possibility of senior engineers training the new engineers.He also meets with the human resources director to see if she can offer training seminars,and to examine the effect of increased work experience on training requirements.At which step of the rational model of decision making is Simon at?

A) Gathering and organizing facts
B) Identifying the alternative solutions
C) Getting feedback
D) Identifying the problem

Question 20

When the consequences of a decision are major,which of the following should the supervisor follow?

A) Spend less time on the decision to avoid confusion
B) Use the rational model of decision making
C) Avoid too many alternatives as far as possible
D) Limit the money spent in identifying and evaluating alternatives

Question 21

If an idea does fail,the supervisor should acknowledge the problem and:

A) place the blame on the responsible employee.
B) find a solution for it.
C) focus on learning only from successes and not from failures.
D) discuss it with the same few people he/she always spends time with.

Question 22

The ability to bring about something imaginative or new is known as:

A) brainstorming.
B) creativity.
C) participation.
D) groupthink.

Question 23

In using a decision tree,the supervisor should select the alternative that has the:

A) greatest expected value.
B) least expected value.
C) expected value of zero.
D) average expected value.

Question 24

When a supervisor needs to build support for a solution,such as cutting costs or improving productivity,it is best for the supervisor to:

A) use group decision making.
B) make the decisions alone.
C) let his/her boss make the decision.
D) make the decision with the help of top management only.

Question 25

The process of evaluating alternatives should be as subjective as possible.

Question 26

In which of the following situations should a supervisor make a decision alone?

A) When a supervisor needs to cut costs or improve productivity
B) When a decision must be made quickly, as in an emergency
C) When a supervisor needs to build support for a solution
D) When the consequences of a poor decision are significant

Question 27

A fundamental way to become more creative is to:

A) be open to one's own ideas.
B) think of as few alternatives as one can.
C) evaluate alternatives at the same time as one thinks of them.
D) reject immediately any ideas that one does not like.

Question 28

Access and ORACLE are examples of:

A) guidelines for decision making.
B) frameworks for assessing employees' strengths.
C) tools used in probability theory.
D) decision-making software.

Question 29

In a decision-making process,being able to generate alternatives that are innovative or different from what has been used before is called:

A) brainstorming.
B) recency syndrome.
C) creativity.
D) bounded rationality.

Question 30

Which of the following is a symptom of groupthink?

A) Stereotyped views of opponents
B) Opposing the group's position against any objections
C) An illusion of being vulnerable
D) Allowing one to disagree

Question 31

One way to overcome barriers to creativity is to:

A) overcome one's own fear of failure.
B) be overly busy.
C) keep oneself isolated.
D) pass the blame on to someone else.

Question 32

Andy,a supervisor at KMT Inc.,encourages his team members to come up with innovative suggestions.He reviews the suggestions with the employees,and if it results in monetary savings/profits,the employee who made the suggestion is awarded a $50 bonus.Andy has:

A) employed authoritarian decision making.
B) looked for the negative aspects of suggestions.
C) established and maintained a creative work climate.
D) spent too much money on bonuses.

Question 33

The failure to think independently and realistically as a group because of the desire to enjoy consensus and closeness is called:

A) subjective rationality.
B) ecological fallacy.
C) groupthink.
D) recency syndrome.

Question 34

Which of the following is a disadvantage of group decision?

A) Looks at problems from a narrow perspective
B) Contributes only a few ideas
C) Leads to reduced groupthink
D) Takes more time to reach decisions

Question 35

An idea-generating process in which group members state their ideas,have their ideas recorded,and no one comments on the ideas until the process is complete is referred to as:

A) brainstorming.
B) bounded rationality.
C) stereotyping.
D) groupthink.

Question 36

In general,supervisors cannot benefit from using the rational model of decision making when they are making complex,formal decisions.

Question 37

Much of a supervisor's job consists of making decisions that cover all the functions of management.

Question 38

The supervisor can benefit from the entire work group's creativity by:

A) implementing a groupthink philosophy.
B) establishing a work climate that encourages creative thinking.
C) using bounded rationality.
D) reaching a consensus without critically testing, analyzing, or evaluating ideas.

Question 39

The desire to achieve higher quality is a source of problems for a supervisor to solve creatively.

Question 40

According to the rational model of decision making,the first step of the decision maker is to get feedback.

Question 41

A decision tree is a computer program that leads the user through the steps of the formal decision-making process.

Question 42

When the boss needs to know about a decision,it is usually a good idea to discuss the problem after reaching and announcing the decision.

Question 43

Decision-making software does not ask the user about his or her values and priorities.

Question 44

Rationalization interferes with good decisions when the decision maker focuses more on weighing alternatives against previously defined criteria than on justifying an alternative.

Question 45

In most situations,an event should not carry more weight simply because it is more recent.

Question 46

One trap for decision makers is making a major issue out of every decision to make one feel important.

Question 47

To use the probability theory,a supervisor must estimate the most likely outcome only.

Question 48

To combat problems related to rationalization,decision makers must find out what other people are thinking and then consider those views.

Question 49

A supervisor's manager should be told about every minor decision the supervisor makes each day.

Question 50

People who are involved in coming up with a solution are less likely to support the implementation of that solution,since they know that the solution is still the supervisor's total responsibility.

Question 51

Probability theory,decision trees,and computer software are tools for analyzing alternatives for decision making.

Question 52

When time,cost,or other limitations make finding the best alternative impossible or unreasonable,decision makers settle for an alternative they consider good enough.

Question 53

In group decision making,the group may simply provide input,leaving the supervisor to make the actual decision.

Question 54

In a crisis,the supervisor should begin implementing the solution and interpreting feedback to see whether it is working,instead of waiting to evaluate other alternatives.

Question 55

When a supervisor makes a wrong decision,the supervisor will look best if he/she acknowledges the mistake.

Question 56

One advantage of group decision making is groupthink.

Question 57

Given human and organizational limitations,supervisors are unable to make compromises most of the time.

Question 58

Being decisive means reaching a decision within a reasonable amount of time.

Question 59

A supervisor should always avoid human compromises in making decisions.

Question 60

The tendency to remember more easily events that have occurred recently is known as bounded rationality.

Question 61

A barrier to creativity is preparing contingency plans.

Question 62

Creative thinking requires time for quiet and rest.

Question 63

What are the pitfalls of brainstorming? How can these problems be forestalled?

Question 64

When ideas fail,the supervisor should acknowledge that failure is a sign that people are not trying hard enough.

Question 65

To overcome isolation,supervisors should talk and listen to their employees.

Question 66

What is a decision tree and a decision-making software? Explain how they are used in making decisions.

Question 67

Describe how encouraging participation and brainstorming can be used in group decision making.

Question 68

Describe the behavior typical of a decisive supervisor or manager.

Question 69

List two advantages and two disadvantages of group decision making.

Question 70

Discuss the importance of personal practices in developing the supervisor's creativity.

Question 71

Creative thinking is not always a conscious process.

Question 72

Employees who tend to be quiet and shy may have great ideas that a supervisor will never hear unless he/she takes the time to encourage them.

Question 73

Define creativity and describe guidelines for thinking creatively.

Question 74

Some brainstorming techniques that supervisors can use include choosing a different meeting location,asking people outside the group to identify problems,or asking employees to come prepared by individually listing problems to name at the meeting.

Question 75

Select any three of the five various guidelines to decision making and describe them.

Question 76

Define decision.List the steps involved in the rational model of decision making.

Question 77

When a problem seems unsolvable,the supervisor especially needs creativity to find a fresh approach.

Question 78

Colleagues in other organizations can be a good source of ideas.

Question 79

Brainstorming is the failure to think independently and realistically as a group because of the desire to enjoy consensus and closeness.

Question 80

Select any two of the seven different human compromises that can affect decision making,and define them.Describe what can be done to overcome them.