Deck 2: Understanding Management: Constraints and Challenges

Question 1

The symbolic view of management impact is useful in explaining the high turnover among sports coaches,who can be considered the "managers" of their teams.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

Managers of high-performing companies tend to consider the interests of the most profitable stakeholder groups as they make decisions.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

In strong organizational cultures,employees have little knowledge of company history or heroes,what is important is present performance.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

An organization's competitors and employees are considered to be stakeholders who are affected by the organization's decisions and actions.

Question 5

Organizations that emphasize workplace spirituality focus on individual development.

Question 6

In a "ready-aim-fire" culture,managers take action and then analyze what has been done.

Question 7

Organizations help employees adapt to the culture through socialization.

Question 8

Organizations that subscribe to workplace spirituality emphasize the importance of employees controlling their expressions and emotions.

Question 9

In the symbolic view of management,managers are seen as directly responsible for an organization's success or failure.

Question 10

The view of managers as omnipotent is consistent with the stereotypical picture of the take-charge business executive who can overcome any obstacle in carrying out the organization's objectives.

Question 11

Giving service-contact employees the discretion to make day-to-day decisions on job-related activities is instrumental in creating in a customer-responsive culture.

Question 12

Strong cultures have more influence on employees than do weak cultures.

Question 13

A dynamic and simple environment is characterized by the greatest level of environmental uncertainty.

Question 14

In order to develop an innovative organizational culture,managers must minimize ambiguity and uncertainty and discourage risk-taking.

Question 15

Corporate rituals are repetitive sequences of activities that express and reinforce the key values of an organization.

Question 16

Conditions of economic inequality illustrate how societal attitudes can constrain managers' decisions and actions.

Question 17

A dynamic environment is characterized by the absence of new competitors,few technological breakthroughs by current competitors,and little activity by pressure groups to influence the organization.

Question 18

Environmental uncertainty looks at the number of components in an organization's environment and the extent of the knowledge that the organization has about those components.

Question 19

Spiritual organizations tend to be intolerant of employees who commit mistakes.

Question 20

The shared aspect of culture implies that all employees in an organization approve of the culture.

Question 21

The economic environment affects the performance of an organization,as was noted during the recent recession.Which of the following factors is cited as one of the causes of the recent recession triggered in the home mortgage markets in the United States?

A)high interest rates on mortgages
B)massive global liquidity
C)lack of leverageability for business borrowers
D)difficulty in securing housing credit

Question 22

Elmo Research & Development has been going through a rough patch lately.Turnover has been high and employee morale is at an all-time low.Though employees and competitors hold management responsible for the decline,the CEO does not let the managers go or change the management style.Which of the following could explain this attitude?

A)The CEO holds the omnipotent view of management,which believes that external factors have a significant effect on performance outcomes.
B)As the organization has an autocratic management style,the employees are responsible for organizational policies.
C)The organization has a participative management style and decisions are guided by consensus.
D)The CEO holds the view that managers have only limited role in organization success or failure.

Question 23

Which of the following factors is an economic component of an organization's external environment?

A)family composition
B)education level
C)disposable income
D)geographic location

Question 24

Which of the following most accurately reflects the symbolic view of management?

A)Managers are directly responsible for an organization's success or failure.
B)Managers have to ensure that every obstacle is overcome on the way to achieving the organization's goals.
C)External forces are responsible for an organization's success or failure.
D)Employees are directly responsible for an organization's success or failure.

Question 25

The current dominant assumption in management theory suggests that ________.

A)an organization's success or failure is due to external forces outside managers' control
B)managers' roles are increasingly becoming peripheral and staff manage their own areas of expertise
C)managers are directly responsible for an organization's success or failure
D)managers cannot significantly affect an organization's performance because they constrained by the abilities of their employees

Question 26

The ________ view of management is consistent with the stereotypical picture of the take-charge business executive who can overcome any obstacle in carrying out the organization's objectives.

A)omnipotent
B)symbolic
C)democratic
D)laissez-faire

Question 27

The grassroots slogan of the Occupy movement,"We are the 99%",refers to ________.

A)social discontent over the slow recovery of global economies
B)fear of chronic fiscal imbalances in government sectors
C)societal acceptance of U.S.values and ways of doing things
D)the sensitivities surrounding severe income disparities,particularly in the United States

Question 28

The omnipotent view of management states that ________.

A)managers' roles are peripheral and staff manage their own areas of the business
B)managers are directly responsible for an organization's success or failure
C)managers should allow employees to take part in decision making
D)managers have little or no responsibility for an organization's success or failure

Question 29

Which of the following groups includes individuals who were born between the years 1946-1964?

A)the Silent Generation
B)the Gen Y-ers
C)the Baby Boomers
D)Post-Millenials

Question 30

________ is/are called the iGeneration,because they've grown up with technology that customizes everything to the individual.

A)Post-Millenials
B)The Silent Generation
C)Baby Boomers
D)Gen Y-ers

Question 31

The symbolic view of management is based upon the belief that managers symbolize ________.

A)control and influence in developing plans and making decisions
B)every aspect of an organization's performance,from the top level to the operational level
C)the fluctuating fortunes of the organization as they alternate between profits and losses
D)the take-charge executive who overcomes any obstacle to see that the organization achieves its goals

Question 32

The ________ component of an organization's external environment is concerned with trends in population characteristics such as age,race,gender,education level,geographic location,income,and family composition.

A)economic
B)political
C)demographic
D)sociocultural

Question 33

Internal constraints that influence managers' decisions and actions come from ________.

A)the attitudes of customers
B)the culture of the organization
C)the prevailing political conditions
D)the fluctuations in the stock market

Question 34

A valid criticism of workplace spirituality is that secular institutions,especially businesses,have no right to impose spiritual values on employees,if spirituality means bringing religion into the workplace.

Question 35

Grayson's has been in the publishing business for fifty years.In the past two years,the company has noticed that book sales have been tapering off,as more and more readers prefer formats they can read on e-readers or smartphones.Grayson's needs to analyze the changes in the environment so that it can change its business strategies and meet the needs of the new market.It commissions a market research firm to collect information about the recent changes in reading habits.Which of the following questions is the most irrelevant for this purpose?

A)How many books does an individual customer buy in a month?
B)What types of books do customers buy in traditional form?
C)Which format is more reader-friendly,e-books or traditional books?
D)How much do readers spend on e-books in a month?

Question 36

Which of the following factors is a demographic component of an organization's external environment?

A)lifestyles and behavior
B)political stability
C)geographic location
D)stock market fluctuations

Question 37

Which of the following represents the two views of managerial impact on the success or failure of the organization?

A)omnipotent and symbolic
B)omnipotent and reflective
C)symbolic and interactive
D)reflective and interactive

Question 38

Which of the following factors is a sociocultural component of an organization's external environment?

A)education level
B)political stability
C)behavior patterns
D)family composition

Question 39

The soccer league in England is notorious for the number of team managers fired over the course of a single season,which stands at no fewer than eight managers on average,owing to poor team form and consequently,poor results.It is evident from this information that the league endorses a(n)________ view of management.

A)symbolic
B)omnipotent
C)laissez-faire
D)democratic

Question 40

According to the symbolic view,managers have a(n)________ effect on substantive organizational outcomes.

A)limited
B)extensive
C)influential
D)significant

Question 41

Which of the following is a disadvantage of having a strong organizational culture?

A)high employee turnover
B)decreased organizational performance
C)low loyalty towards the organization
D)inability to respond to changing conditions

Question 42

Which of the following statements highlights the shared aspect of culture?

A)Organizational culture is concerned with how members perceive the culture and describe it,not with whether they like it.
B)Organizational culture is not something that can be physically touched or seen,but employees perceive it on the basis of what they experience within the organization.
C)The original source of the culture of an organization reflects the vision of the organizaton's founders.
D)Even though individuals may have different backgrounds or work at different organizational levels,they tend to describe the organization's culture in similar terms.

Question 43

The original source of an organization's culture usually reflects ________.

A)the present conditions in which the organization functions
B)the composition of its productive workforce
C)the degree of success that the organization has achieved
D)the vision or mission of the organization's founder

Question 44

Google has often been cited as a model for employee satisfaction.Google takes extensive care to ensure employees have the best available conditions to perform,ranging from free snack bars,free massages,innovation rooms,spas-on-site,and many more such measures.Which dimension of organizational culture is Google said to emphasize through such measures?

A)stability
B)aggressiveness
C)people orientation
D)attention to detail

Question 45

Which of the following is a characteristic of an organization with a strong culture?

A)management strives to delink shared values from behaviors as much as possible
B)culture conveys consistent messages about what is important to the organization
C)the core set of organizational values is zealously guarded by the management
D)emphasis is laid on the future of the organization,rather than acquainting employees with company history or past heroes

Question 46

If the components in an organization's environment exhibit minimal change,such an environment is said to be ________.

A)volatile
B)dynamic
C)stable
D)active

Question 47

A company whose managers focus on results,rather than how results are achieved,most likely possesses a high degree of ________.

A)people orientation
B)team orientation
C)outcome orientation
D)aggressiveness

Question 48

In which of the following environments do managers in an organization have the greatest influence on organizational outcomes?

A)stable and complex environments
B)dynamic and simple environments
C)stable and simple environments
D)dynamic and complex environments

Question 49

If the components of an organization's environment change frequently,the organization is operating in a ________ environment.

A)stable
B)secure
C)dynamic
D)constant

Question 50

D&B Designs has been in the landscape design business in Pleasantville for the past twenty years.As the "first mover" in the market,the company has built a strong market share over the years and is the best-known firm in the area.The company strength increased steadily,and now stands at fifty employees.Which of the following,if true,would make the company's business environment more uncertain?

A)Homeowners in the area take pride in their gardens and are avid do-it-yourself gardeners.
B)Demand for landscaping services dips every autumn and winter.
C)A long-time competitor quit the landscape design business last year.
D)Zoning laws in the area change as each new city council comes into power.

Question 51

Which of the following is a characteristic of a dynamic environment?

A)high level of predictability of changes in environmental conditions
B)few technological breakthroughs by current competitors
C)the presence of new competitors in the market
D)little activity by pressure groups to influence the organization

Question 52

Which of the following environments is characterized by the highest level of environmental uncertainty?

A)a stable and complex environment
B)a dynamic and simple environment
C)a stable and simple environment
D)a dynamic and complex environment

Question 53

Which of the following are the two dimensions of environmental uncertainty?

A)degree of change and degree of complexity
B)degree of change and degree of volume
C)degree of complexity and degree of impact
D)degree of impact and degree of timing

Question 54

________ is a process that helps new employees learn the organization's way of doing things.

A)Externalization
B)Socialization
C)Deculturation
D)Transculturation

Question 55

Which of the following statements is true of dynamic and complex environments?

A)They are characterized by a high degree of predictability of change.
B)There are usually few components in such environments.
C)A high need for sophisticated knowledge of components exists in such environments.
D)The components in such environments are somewhat similar,but are continually changing.

Question 56

The term ________ is used to collectively refer to any constituencies in an organization's environment that are affected by its decisions and actions.

A)competitors
B)shareholders
C)unions
D)stakeholders

Question 57

Which of the following most accurately reflects the difference between strong cultures and weak cultures?

A)Strong cultures tend to encourage employees to try new approaches to changing conditions,while weak cultures do not.
B)In strong cultures,organizational values are held by top management,while in weak cultures,values are diffused throughout the organization.
C)Strong cultures have less of an influence on employee behavior than do weak cultures.
D)Company values are more deeply held and widely shared in strong cultures than in weak cultures.

Question 58

Which of the following is NOT true about the environmental complexity of an organization?

A)Environmental complexity increases as the number of competitors increases.
B)It is measured in terms of the knowledge an organization needs about its environment.
C)Complexity decreases as the number of regulatory agencies increases.
D)It depends on the knowledge an organization has about the components of its environment.

Question 59

Which of the following dimensions of organizational culture refers to the degree to which organizational decisions and actions emphasize maintaining the status quo?

A)stability
B)attention to detail
C)innovation and risk taking
D)people orientation

Question 60

________ has been described as the shared values,principles,traditions,and ways of doing things that influence the way organization members act.

A)Corporate hierarchy
B)Business configuration
C)Organization culture
D)Industrial psychology

Question 61

In an organization whose culture conveys a basic distrust of employees,managers are more likely to use a(n)________ leadership style.

A)participatory
B)democratic
C)authoritarian
D)laissez-faire

Question 62

Which of the following guidelines should managers follow while building a customer-responsive culture?

A)precisely defining employees' normal job requirements and ensuring they perform those actions alone
B)giving service-contact employees continual training on product knowledge,listening,and other behavioral skills
C)designing jobs with rigid rules and procedure that employees should stick to in order to satisfy customers
D)preserving the discretion to make day-to-day decisions on job-related activities at the top level of management

Question 63

An innovative organizational culture is characterized by all of the following,EXCEPT ________.

A)freedom
B)conformity
C)debates
D)risk taking

Question 64

Wendell notices that the company's top executives share a belief that managers are directly responsible for the organization's success or failure.This belief reflects a(n)________ view of management.

A)traditional
B)omnipotent
C)emblematic
D)symbolic

Question 65

A company that aims to develop a strong sense of purpose through meaningful work has a(n)________ organizational culture.

A)spiritual
B)authoritarian
C)profit-oriented
D)outcome-oriented

Question 66

Which of the following is an example of a corporate ritual?

A)Employees swapping stories about the company's history and past heroes who have made significant contributions to the company.
B)Company executives using company-specific jargon or slogans intended to inspire other employees to perform better.
C)Companies hosting annual parties to commemorate employee contributions and reward outstanding performance.
D)The assortment of material artifacts that characterize an organization,including the layout of its facilities,how its employees dress,and the types of automobiles provided to top executives.

Question 67

According to Swedish researcher Goran Ekvall,which of the following is a characteristic found in an innovative culture?

A)a serious outlook toward work
B)intolerance toward uncertainty or ambiguity
C)resolution of employee issues based on personal interest
D)freedom for employees to express opinions

Question 68

The term ________ refers to repetitive sequences of activities that express and reinforce the important values and goals of the organization.

A)organizational culture
B)corporate rituals
C)business ethics
D)employee mentoring

Question 69

Which of the following is most likely to have a highly spiritual organizational culture?

A)a highly aggressive,competitive business
B)a company with high tolerance of employee expression
C)a business that focuses strictly on outcomes
D)a business that emphasizes centralized control

Question 70

Which of the following is a criticism of spiritual organizational cultures?

A)inhibition of employees' expressions and emotions
B)incompatibility between profits and spirituality
C)lack of openness with stakeholders such as customers and suppliers
D)absence of employee empowerment

Question 71

Workplace spirituality has become important in the contemporary workplace because it ________.

A)increases organizational efficiency
B)boosts company profits
C)gives employees a sense of purpose
D)brings religion into business

Question 72

An organization's culture supports the belief that profits can be increased by cost cutting and that the company's best interests are served by achieving slow but steady increases in quarterly earnings.What is the nature of the programs that the organization's managers are likely to follow?

A)short-term
B)risky
C)innovative
D)expansionary

Question 73

If you were talking with Todd and asked him what the term culture meant,he would reply that it is ________.

A)the formal rules of an organization
B)the nature of products/services offered by the company
C)the shared values and practices of the firm
D)a set of operational procedures for the company

Question 74

Imagine that the town to which your office caters sees a sudden spurt in popularity.There has been a lot of construction activity in the area and a number of properties are being developed.The number of customers has increased,and so have your competitors.In this situation,what should you do to reduce environmental uncertainty?

A)Restructure your organizational hierarchy to improve efficiency
B)Acquire or merge with one or more of your competitors
C)Maintain the status quo by keeping your business processes constant
D)Communicate the situation clearly to all your stakeholders

Question 75

Organizational ________ typically contain narratives about significant events or people in the organization.

A)stories
B)rituals
C)language
D)material artifacts

Question 76

Which dimension of the organizational culture is workplace spirituality most closely related to?

A)outcome-orientation
B)innovation and risk taking
C)attention to detail
D)people-orientation

Question 77

Wendell interviews many middle-level managers and discovers that they share a different view of management.These individuals believe that external factors constrain managers' influence over outcomes.The mid-level managers have a(n)________ view of management.

A)traditional
B)omnipotent
C)standard
D)symbolic

Question 78

If the mortgage interest rates increase,this would be an example of changing ________ in your external environment.

A)economic conditions
B)political conditions
C)sociocultural conditions
D)demographic conditions

Question 79

Which of the following is a characteristic found in spiritual organizations?

A)focus on team development,rather than individual development
B)profit-oriented outlook towards all organizational activities
C)tolerance towards mistakes and openness with customers and employees
D)emphasis on controlling emotions and feelings

Question 80

The area in which your office operates has been relatively stable in terms of land prices and demand.However,you have noticed that demand for housing in the area usually spikes in summer.Which of the following best describes your business environment?

A)stable and simple
B)dynamic and simple
C)stable and complex
D)dynamic and complex