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Organizational Behavior, 14e (Robbins/Judge) Chapter What Is Organizational Behavior? 1) Which of the following is not a reason why business schools have begun to include classes on organizational behavior? A) to increase manager effectiveness in organizations B) to help organizations attract top quality employees C) to expand organizations' consulting needs D) to improve retention of quality workers E) to help increase organizations' profits Answer: C Explanation: Understanding human behavior plays an important role in determining a manager's effectiveness Developing managers' interpersonal skills helps organizations attract and keep highperforming employees Positive social relationships are associated with lower stress at work and lower turnover Finally, companies with reputations as good places to work have been found to generate superior financial performance Expanding a company's consulting needs is not a positive reason to teach organizational behavior Diff: Page Ref: Topic: Importance of Interpersonal Skills Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: Interpersonal Skills Quest Category: Application LO: 2) Which of the following is most likely to be a belief held by a successful manager? A) Technical knowledge is all that is needed for success B) It is not essential to have sound interpersonal skills C) Technical skills are necessary, but insufficient alone for success D) Effectiveness is not impacted by human behavior E) Technical skills not influence efficiency Answer: C Explanation: Understanding human behavior plays an important role in determining a manager's effectiveness Developing managers' interpersonal skills helps organizations attract and keep highperforming employees and create a positive work environment Diff: Page Ref: Topic: Importance of Interpersonal Skills Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: Interpersonal Skills Quest Category: Application LO: 3) Which of the following would not be considered an organization? A) a church B) a university C) a military unit D) all adults in a given community E) an elementary school Answer: D Explanation: An organization is a consciously coordinated social unit, composed of two or more people, that functions on a relatively continuous basis to achieve a common goal or set of goals The adults in a community are not representative of an organization Diff: Page Ref: Topic: What Managers Do Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: Organization Quest Category: Concept/Definitional LO: 4) Which of the following is least likely to be considered a manager? A) an administrator in charge of fund-raising activities in a non-profit organization B) a lieutenant leading an infantry platoon C) a doctor who acts as head of the physiotherapy department at a public hospital D) the mayor of a large city E) an IT technician who enables communication between all of a company's employees Answer: E Explanation: Managers get things done through other people They make decisions, allocate resources, and direct the activities of others to attain goals An IT technician is not using other people to get his job done, and therefore is not a manager Diff: Page Ref: Topic: What Managers Do Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: Managers Quest Category: Concept/Definitional LO: 5) Which of the following is not one of the four primary management functions? A) controlling B) planning C) staffing D) organizing E) leading Answer: C Explanation: Today, managers are considered to perform four primary functions: planning, organizing, leading, and controlling Although staffing can be a management duty, it would fall under the function of organizing Diff: Page Ref: 5-6 Topic: What Managers Do Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: Management Functions Quest Category: Concept/Definitional LO: 6) Which of a manager's primary functions requires the manager to define an organization's goals, establish an overall strategy for achieving these goals and develop a comprehensive hierarchy of plans to integrate and coordinate activities? A) controlling B) planning C) staffing D) coordinating E) leading Answer: B Explanation: The planning function encompasses defining an organization's goals, establishing an overall strategy for achieving those goals, and developing a comprehensive set of plans to integrate and coordinate those activities Evidence indicates this function increases the most as managers move from lower-level to mid-level management Diff: Page Ref: Topic: What Managers Do Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: Management Functions Quest Category: Concept/Definitional LO: 7) Designing an organization's structure, such as who reports to whom, defines the function A) planning B) leading C) controlling D) organizing E) contemplating Answer: D Explanation: Managers are also responsible for designing an organization's structure, or organizing Organizing includes determining what tasks are to be done, who is to them, how the tasks are to be grouped, who reports to whom, and where decisions are to be made Diff: Page Ref: Topic: What Managers Do Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: Management Functions Quest Category: Concept/Definitional LO: 8) As a manager, one of Joe's duties is to present awards to outstanding employees within his department Which Mintzberg managerial role is Joe acting in when he does this? A) leadership role B) liaison role C) monitor role D) figurehead role E) spokesperson role Answer: D Explanation: Managers are required to perform duties that are ceremonial and symbolic in nature When a factory supervisor gives a group of high school students a tour of the plant, he or she is acting in a figurehead role The same figurehead role is played by Joe in handing out awards Diff: Page Ref: Topic: What Managers Do Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: Interpersonal Roles Quest Category: Application LO: 9) Which of the following is not an interpersonal role of management according to Mintzberg? A) a high school principal handing out graduation diplomas B) a department head relocating the department after a fire C) a manager interviewing potential employees D) a shift foreman reprimanding a worker that arrived late E) a project manager listening to a team presentation Answer: B Explanation: Taking corrective action in response to unforeseen problems, such as moving the department after a fire, is considered by Mintzberg to be a decisional role in which the manager handles a disturbance All of the other activities are considered interpersonal roles of a manager Diff: Page Ref: Topic: What Managers Do Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: Interpersonal Roles Quest Category: Application LO: 10) According to Mintzberg, when a manager searches the organization and its environment for opportunities and initiates projects to bring about change, the manager is acting in which role? A) negotiator B) entrepreneur C) monitor D) resource allocator E) reflective analyst Answer: B Explanation: Mintzberg identified four roles that require making choices These are called decisional roles In the entrepreneur role, managers initiate and oversee new projects that will improve their organization's performance Diff: Page Ref: Topic: What Managers Do Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: Decisional Roles Quest Category: Concept/Definitional LO: 11) Managers need to have three essential skills in order to reach their goals What are these skills? A) technical, decisional and interpersonal B) technical, human, and conceptual C) interpersonal, informational and decisional D) conceptual, communication and networking E) human, informational and communication Answer: B Explanation: Researchers have identified a number of skills that differentiate effective from ineffective managers Technical skills encompass the ability to apply specialized knowledge or expertise Human skills are the ability to understand, communicate with, motivate, and support other people Conceptual skills are the mental ability of a manager to analyze and diagnose complex situations Diff: Page Ref: 7-8 Topic: What Managers Do Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: Management Skills Quest Category: Concept/Definitional LO: 12) Jill is valued by her colleagues for her ability to perform effective break-even analysis on upcoming ventures In this case, her colleagues value her for competencies that fall within which essential management skills categories? A) technical B) communication C) human D) conceptual E) education Answer: A Explanation: Technical skills encompass the ability to apply specialized knowledge or expertise Skills of professionals such as civil engineers or oral surgeons, are technical skills learned usually through extensive formal education Jill is applying her technical skills Diff: Page Ref: 7-8 Topic: What Managers Do Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: Technical Skills Quest Category: Application LO: 13) Technical skills encompass the ability to A) analyze and diagnose complex situations B) exchange information and control complex situations C) apply specialized knowledge or expertise D) initiate and oversee complex projects E) communicate effectively with others Answer: C Explanation: Technical skills encompass the ability to apply specialized knowledge or expertise Skills of professionals such as civil engineers or oral surgeons, are technical skills learned usually through extensive formal education Diff: Page Ref: 7-8 Topic: What Managers Do Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: Technical Skills Quest Category: Concept/Definitional LO: 14) Which one of the following would not be considered a human skill of a manager? A) decision making B) communicating C) resolving conflicts D) working as part of a team E) listening to others Answer: A Explanation: Decision making requires managers to identify problems, develop alternative solutions to correct those problems, evaluate those alternative solutions, and select the best one Therefore, decision making is considered a conceptual skill, not a human skill The other answer choices are human skills Diff: Page Ref: Topic: What Managers Do Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: Human Skills Quest Category: Concept/Definitional LO: 15) Fred Luthans wanted to look at management from a different perspective He wanted to see what management qualities are needed A) to produce quality work B) to attain quality employees C) to attain high pay D) to be quickly promoted E) to show economic returns Answer: D Explanation: Fred Luthans and his associates asked, "Do managers who move up the quickest in an organization the same activities and with the same emphasis as managers who the best job?" They wanted to know what it takes for a manager to quickly rise in the corporate ranks Diff: Page Ref: Topic: What Managers Do Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: Successful Managerial Activities Quest Category: Concept/Definitional LO: 16) According to Luthans' research, successful managers, meaning those that were quickly promoted, spent more of their time on than on any other activity A) traditional management B) human resource management C) networking D) communicating E) hiring and firing Answer: C Explanation: Among managers who were successful (defined in terms of speed of promotion within their organization), networking made the largest relative contribution to success Diff: Page Ref: Topic: What Managers Do Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: Networking Quest Category: Concept/Definitional LO: 17) is the study of the impact that individuals, groups, and structure have on behavior within organizations A) Conceptual skills B) Leadership C) Human skills D) Decisional roles E) Organizational behavior Answer: E Explanation: Organizational behavior, or "people skills," is the field of study that investigates the impact that individuals, groups, and structure have on behavior within organizations, for the purpose of applying such knowledge toward improving an organization's effectiveness Diff: Page Ref: Topic: Defining Organizational Behavior Skill: AACSB: Communication Objective: Organizational Behavior Quest Category: Concept/Definitional LO: 18) Which of the following is not a topic or concern related to OB? A) turnover B) leader behavior C) productivity D) management E) family behavior Answer: E Explanation: OB is concerned specifically with employment-related situations such as jobs, work, absenteeism, employment turnover, productivity, human performance, and management OB includes the core topics of motivation, leader behavior and power, interpersonal communication, group structure and processes, learning, attitude development and perception, change processes, conflict, work design, and work stress Diff: Page Ref: 10 Topic: Defining Organizational Behavior Skill: AACSB: Communication Objective: Organizational Behavior Quest Category: Concept/Definitional LO: 19) On which of the following problems would an OB study be least likely to focus ? A) an increase in absenteeism at a certain company B) a fall in productivity in one shift of a manufacturing plant C) a decrease in sales due to growing foreign competition D) an increase in theft by employees at a retail store E) excessive turnover in volunteer workers at a non-profit organization Answer: C Explanation: OB is concerned specifically with employment-related situations such as jobs, work, absenteeism, employment turnover, productivity, human performance, and management A study of foreign competition would not enter into an OB research project Diff: Page Ref: 9-10 Topic: Defining Organizational Behavior Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: Organizational Behavior Quest Category: Application LO: 20) What are the three primary behavior determinants of organizational behavior? A) profit structure, organizational complexity, job satisfaction B) individuals, profit structure, and job satisfaction C) individuals, groups, and job satisfaction D) groups, structure, and profit structure E) individuals, groups, and structure Answer: E Explanation: OB investigates the impact that individuals, groups, and structure have on behavior within organizations Diff: Page Ref: Topic: Defining Organizational Behavior Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: Organizational Behavior Quest Category: Concept/Definitional LO: 21) Which of the following is not a core topic of organizational behavior? A) motivation B) attitude development C) conflict D) resource allocation E) work design Answer: D Explanation: OB includes the core topics of motivation, leader behavior and power, interpersonal communication, group structure and processes, learning, attitude development and perception, change processes, conflict, work design, and work stress It does not include resource allocation Diff: Page Ref: 10 Topic: Defining Organizational Behavior Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: Organizational Behavior Quest Category: Concept/Definitional LO: 22) In order to predict human behavior, it is best to supplement your intuitive opinions with information derived in what fashion? A) common sense B) direct observation C) systematic study D) speculation E) organizational theory Answer: C Explanation: To make good OB decisions it is important to use evidence as much as possible to inform intuition and experience Evidence should come through systematic study, which is looking at relationships, attempting to attribute causes and effects, and basing conclusions on scientific evidence, that is, on data gathered under controlled conditions and measured and interpreted in a reasonably rigorous manner Diff: Page Ref: 11 Topic: Complementing Intuition with Systematic Study Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: Systematic Study Quest Category: Concept/Definitional LO: 23) Janet needs to assign a very important advertising account to one of her writers First she reviewed each writers work load, then she studied the sales data of the products for the last three campaigns of each writer, then she reviewed each writer's annual review to familiarize herself with their goals Finally, she gave the account to Paula, a very creative, efficient, writer who has had high sales results with her last three clients' products Janet's management style is based on A) intuition or "gut feeling" B) organizational behavioral studies C) substantive evidence approach D) preconceived notions E) systematic study Answer: E Explanation: Systematic study means looking at relationships, attempting to attribute causes and effects, and basing our conclusions on scientific evidence, that is, on data gathered under controlled conditions and measured and interpreted in a reasonably rigorous manner Diff: Page Ref: 10-11 Topic: Complementing Intuition with Systematic Study Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: Evidence Based Management Quest Category: Application LO: 24) Basing managerial decisions on the best available scientific evidence is called A) intuition B) systematic study C) organizational behavior D) evidence-based management E) conceptual management Answer: D Explanation: Evidence-based management (EBM) complements systematic study (which includes looking at relationships, not merely studying scientific evidence), by basing managerial decisions on the best available scientific evidence Diff: Page Ref: 11 Topic: Complementing Intuition with Systematic Study Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: Systematic Study Quest Category: Concept/Definitional LO: 25) Analyzing relationships, determining causes and effects, and basing conclusions on scientific evidence all constitute aspects of study A) organizational B) intuitive C) theoretical D) systematic E) case-based Answer: D Explanation: Systematic study means looking at relationships, attempting to attribute causes and effects, and basing our conclusions on scientific evidence, that is, on data gathered under controlled conditions and measured and interpreted in a reasonably rigorous manner Diff: Page Ref: 11 Topic: Complementing Intuition with Systematic Study Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: Systematic Study Quest Category: Concept/Definitional LO: 26) What the authors of the textbook advise? A) Disregard your intuition because it's usually wrong and will lead to incorrect assumptions B) Use evidence as much as possible to inform your intuition and experience C) Rely on research since it is almost always right and researchers don't make mistakes D) Make predictions of individuals' behaviors based on others' actions E) Don't trust preconceived notions unless you have substantive evidence to back them up Answer: B Explanation: The authors not advise against intuition, or business press Nor they argue that research is always right However, they advise managers to use evidence as much as possible to inform intuition and experience, which is the foundation of OB Diff: Page Ref: 12 Topic: Complementing Intuition with Systematic Study Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: Systematic Study Quest Category: Concept/Definitional LO: 27) Organizational behavior is constructed from all of the following disciplines except A) physics B) psychology C) anthropology D) sociology E) social psychology Answer: A Explanation: Organizational behavior is an applied behavioral science built on contributions from a number of behavioral disciplines, mainly psychology and social psychology, sociology, and anthropology Physics does not form a part of OB studies Diff: Page Ref: 12 Topic: Disciplines That Contribute to the OB Field Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: Behavioral Sciences Quest Category: Concept/Definitional LO: 28) Psychology's major contributions to the field of organizational behavior have been primarily at what level of analysis? A) the level of the group B) the level of the individual C) the level of the organization D) the level of the culture E) the level of interacting groups Answer: B Explanation: The unit of analysis through which psychologists determine their findings is the individual Through study of the individual they contribute and add to the knowledge of OB Diff: Page Ref: 13 10 Quest Category: Concept/Definitional LO: 80) An idea champion in Germany will be more effective by ignoring budgets and procedures Answer: FALSE Explanation: People in collectivist cultures prefer appeals for cross-functional support for innovation efforts; people in high––power distance cultures prefer champions to work closely with those in authority to approve innovative activities before work is begun; and the higher the uncertainty avoidance of a society, the more champions should work within the organization's rules and procedures to develop the innovation So, for instance, although idea champions in Russia might succeed by ignoring budgetary limitations and working around confining procedures, champions in Austria, Denmark, Germany, or other cultures high in uncertainty avoidance will be more effective by closely following budgets and procedures Diff: Page Ref: 618 Topic: Global Implications Skill: AACSB: Multicultural and Diversity Objective: Idea Champions and Culture Quest Category: Concept/Definitional LO: Your supervisor has restructured the jobs within your division and some of your colleagues are not pleased Don is concerned that he will not be able to perform the new tasks Since he is paid by the amount he produces, his pay might be reduced Tony is afraid that his job may be in jeopardy and he may be laid off Doug dislikes uncertainty and has developed a negative attitude 81) The source of Tony's resistance is A) habit Diff: Page Ref: 593 Topic: Application of Sources of Resistance To Change Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: Sources of Individual Resistance to Change Quest Category: Application LO: 82) The source of Don's resistance is A) habit B) economic C) security D) structural inertia E) none of the above Answer: B Explanation: The source is economic factors Changes in job tasks or established work routines can arouse economic fears if people are concerned that they won't be able to perform the new tasks or routines to their previous standards, especially when pay is closely tied to productivity Diff: Page Ref: 593 Topic: Application of Sources of Resistance To Change Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: Sources of Individual Resistance to Change Quest Category: Application 667 LO: 83) The source of Doug's resistance is A) habit B) economic C) selective information processing D) fear of the unknown E) none of the above Answer: D Explanation: Doug's source is fear of the unknown Change substitutes ambiguity and uncertainty for the known Diff: Page Ref: 593 Topic: Application of Sources of Resistance To Change Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: Sources of Individual Resistance to Change Quest Category: Application LO: 84) Since the restructuring, your division has had trouble filling the open positions with appropriate candidates The selection processes used by human resources have not yet adjusted to the new criteria required for the restructured job positions This problem is an example of which kind of resistance to change? A) structural inertia B) limited focus of change C) group inertia D) threat to expertise E) threat to established power relationships Answer: A Explanation: This is an example of structural inertia Organizations have built-in mechanisms, such as their selection processes and formalized regulations, to produce stability When an organization is confronted with change, this structural inertia acts as a counterbalance to sustain stability Diff: Page Ref: 593 Topic: Application of Sources of Resistance To Change Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: Sources of Organizational Resistance to Change Quest Category: Application LO: Your company, Johnson Farm Products, has decided to expand its traditional business serving farm owners in order to include home gardeners in its customer base This change is not met with enthusiasm by the sales personnel who have had good long-term relationships with area farmers You know that the change will be difficult if you cannot overcome the resistance of the sales personnel and obtain their cooperation 85) You have brought in the local extension agent to explain demographics and the changing nature of the area in which you live The method for overcoming resistance that you have chosen is A) education and communication B) participation C) negotiation D) manipulation and cooptation 668 E) coercion Answer: A Explanation: Education and Communication is the chosen method Communicating the logic of a change can reduce employee resistance on two levels First, it fights the effects of misinformation and poor communication: If employees receive the full facts and clear up misunderstandings, resistance should subside Second, communication can help "sell" the need for change by packaging it properly Diff: Page Ref: 594 Topic: Application of Overcoming Resistance to Change Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: Education and Communication Quest Category: Application LO: 86) You have decided to involve the sales personnel in planning for the change and in stocking appropriate new items to sell to gardeners The method for overcoming resistance that you have chosen is A) education and communication B) participation C) negotiation D) manipulation and cooptation E) coercion Answer: B Explanation: Participation is the chosen method It's difficult to resist a change decision in which we've participated Assuming participants have the expertise to make a meaningful contribution, their involvement can reduce resistance, obtain commitment, and increase the quality of the change decision Diff: Page Ref: 594 Topic: Application of Overcoming Resistance to Change Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: Participation Quest Category: Application LO: 87) You have threatened to eliminate positions and even to close down the company if your employees don't change their attitudes The method for overcoming resistance that you have chosen may be A) education and communication B) participation C) negotiation D) coercion E) building support and commitment Answer: D Explanation: Coercion is the method Coercion is the application of direct threats or force on the resisters If management really is determined to close a manufacturing plant whose employees don't acquiesce to a pay cut, the company is using coercion Other examples are threats of transfer, loss of promotions, negative performance evaluations, and a poor letter of recommendation Diff: Page Ref: 595 Topic: Application of Overcoming Resistance to Change Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: Manipulation 669 Quest Category: Application LO: Mintz's Motor Repair is moving its location to a larger community 100 miles away Mintz would like for its mechanics to move with the company but realizes that there will be some hardships associated with the move Mintz has decided to use Lewin's three-step model in order to make the change 88) As a manager in charge of the relocation effort, you are offering a $2,000 moving bonus for any employee who will go to the new location In Lewin's terms, you are attempting to A) unfreeze the status quo B) move the process along C) refreeze the change D) bribe your employees E) none of the above Answer: A Explanation: Kurt Lewin argued that successful change in organizations should follow three steps: unfreezing the status quo, movement to a desired end state, and refreezing the new change to make it permanent This status quo is an equilibrium state To move from equilibrium, to overcome the pressures of both individual resistance and group conformity, unfreezing must happen in one of three ways The management is moving from the status quo Diff: Page Ref: 596 Topic: Application of Approaches to Managing Organizational Change Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: Unfreezing Quest Category: Application LO: 89) You have implemented a permanent upward adjustment of salaries for employees who relocate You are attempting to A) unfreeze the status quo B) move the process along C) refreeze the change D) change a driving force E) none of the above Answer: C Explanation: Once change has been implemented, to be successful the new situation must be refrozen so it can be sustained over time Without this last step, change will likely be short lived and employees will attempt to revert to the previous equilibrium state The objective of refreezing, then, is to stabilize the new situation by balancing the driving and restraining forces Diff: Page Ref: 596 Topic: Application of Approaches to Managing Organizational Change Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: Refreezing Quest Category: Application LO: 90) You counsel each employee individually, trying to lessen each person's fears about the move This is an example of A) removing driving forces B) increasing driving forces 670 C) removing restraining forces D) brainwashing E) none of the above Answer: C Explanation: The restraining forces are the forces that hinder movement from the existing equilibrium By counseling the employees, management is beginning to remove the restraining forces Diff: Page Ref: 596 Topic: Application of Approaches to Managing Organizational Change Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: Unfreezing Quest Category: Application LO: 91) Despite your attempts to unfreeze the status quo at Mintz, your employees are still resistant to the relocation According to Kotter's model, which of the following would most likely help to overcome this problem? A) emphasizing the importance of short-term wins by discouraging risk taking B) creating a set of strategies for the move and sticking with them at all costs C) limiting your discussion of your vision for the move to employees with the highest rankings D) postponing the moving deadline since it isn't critical that the move occur immediately E) providing employees with a list of compelling reasons for the move Answer: E Explanation: First on Kotter's list is to establish a sense of urgency by creating a compelling reason for why change is needed Diff: Page Ref: 598 Topic: Application of Approaches to Managing Organizational Change Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: Kotter's Eight-Step Plan for Implementing Change Quest Category: Application LO: You have decided to use action research to manage a planned change in your department You have carefully mapped out the five steps of the process 92) You ask questions and interview your employees in which step of the process? A) action B) diagnosis C) evaluation D) feedback E) analysis Answer: B Explanation: During the diagnosis stage the change agent, often an outside consultant in action research, begins by gathering information about problems, concerns, and needed changes from members of the organization Diff: Page Ref: 598 Topic: Application of Action Research Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: Diagnosis Stage of Action Research Quest Category: Application 671 LO: 93) In which stage of the process you synthesize the information into primary concerns, problem areas, and possible actions? A) evaluation B) action C) analysis D) feedback E) diagnosis Answer: C Explanation: Diagnosis is followed by analysis What problems people key in on? What patterns these problems seem to take? The change agent synthesizes this information into primary concerns, problem areas, and possible actions Diff: Page Ref: 598 Topic: Application of Action Research Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: Analysis Stage of Action Research Quest Category: Application LO: 94) In which stage you share with employees what you have found and develop action plans? A) evaluation B) analysis C) feedback D) action E) diagnosis Answer: C Explanation: The third step, feedback, requires sharing with employees what has been found from the first and second steps The employees, with the help of the change agent, develop action plans for bringing about any needed change Diff: Page Ref: 598 Topic: Application of Action Research Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: Feedback Stage of Action Research Quest Category: Application LO: TNT Net is a company that you have established within the computer industry, where innovations are common Your employees are highly trained, well educated, and hard working They are under a great deal of stress and TNT Net is concerned that productivity and job satisfaction will decline 95) The technological change that employees are dealing with is a(n) stress-producing factor A) organizational B) environmental C) individual D) industrial E) none of the above Answer: B Explanation: There are three main types of environmental uncertainty and stress: economic, political, and technological Because innovations can make an employee's skills and experience obsolete in a very short 672 time, computers, robotics, automation, and similar forms of technological change are a threat to many people and cause them stress Diff: Page Ref: 609 Topic: Application of Understanding Stress and Its Consequences Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: Environmental Sources of Stress Quest Category: Application LO: 96) One of your employees is very stressed out as a result of being asked to assume too many roles in his job This source of stress is A) organizational B) environmental C) individual D) industrial E) none of the above Answer: A Explanation: This is an example of organizational factors that can cause stress Pressures to avoid errors or complete tasks in a limited time, work overload, a demanding and insensitive boss, and unpleasant coworkers are a few examples We've categorized these factors around task, role, and interpersonal demands Diff: Page Ref: 609-610 Topic: Application of Understanding Stress and Its Consequences Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: Organizational Sources of Stress Quest Category: Application LO: 97) In an attempt to recognize stress early, you should be aware that symptoms may be A) physiological B) psychological C) behavioral D) all of the above E) none of the above Answer: D Explanation: Stress shows itself in a number of ways, such as high blood pressure, ulcers, irritability, difficulty making routine decisions, loss of appetite, accident proneness, and the like These symptoms fit under three general categories: physiological, psychological, and behavioral symptoms Diff: Page Ref: 612 Topic: Application of Understanding Stress and Its Consequences Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: Consequences of Stress Quest Category: Application LO: 98) Define "change agent" and describe where change is most likely to come from Compare who is most likely to be an agent of change to who is most likely to resist change Explain your answer Answer: Change agents are the people in an organization who are responsible for presenting and managing change activities They see a future for the organization that others have not identified, and they are able to motivate, invent, and implement this vision Change agents can be managers or 673 nonmanagers, current or new employees, or outside consultants Because change invariably threatens the status quo, it inherently implies political activity Politics suggests the impetus for change is more likely to come from outside change agents, employees new to the organization (who have less invested in the status quo), or managers slightly removed from the main power structure Managers who have spent their entire careers with a single organization and achieved a senior position in the hierarchy are often major impediments to change It is a very real threat to their status and position and, therefore, they are the most likely to resist organizational change When forced to introduce change, longtime power holders tend to implement incremental changes Radical change is too threatening Diff: Page Ref: 592, 595 Topic: Resistance to Change Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: Politics of Change Quest Category: Synthesis LO: 1, 99) What is action research? Answer: Action research refers to a change process based on the systematic collection of data and then selection of a change agent based on what the analyzed data indicate The importance of this approach lies in providing a scientific methodology for managing planned change The process of action research consists of five steps: diagnosis, analysis, feedback, action, and evaluation These steps closely parallel the scientific method Diff: Page Ref: 597-598 Topic: Resistance to Change Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: Action Research Quest Category: Critical Thinking LO: 100) Provide an example of planned change and list two tactics that a change agent would be wise to apply when instituting a planned change Answer: Planned change refers to a change of activities that are intentional and goal oriented For example, if a major automobile manufacturer decides to spend several billion dollars to install state-ofthe-art robotics, that is a planned change If one area that would receive the new equipment was quality control, where sophisticated computers would significantly improve the company's ability to find and correct defects, management could anticipate considerable employee resistance Developing a program to help people become familiar with the robots and deal with any anxieties ahead of time would be using the tactic of communication and education, as well as support and commitment through training Management could also include employees through participation in the selection of the robotics and learning ahead of time from employees what types of skills and jobs would be best suited to robot replacement It's difficult to resist a change decision in which we've participated Assuming participants have the expertise to make a meaningful contribution, their involvement can reduce resistance, obtain commitment, and increase the quality of the change decision Diff: Page Ref: 592, 594 Topic: Resistance to Change Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills 674 Objective: Resistance to Change Quest Category: Synthesis LO: 1, 101) What is the difference between single-loop learning and double-loop learning? Answer: Most organizations engage in what has been called single-loop learning When errors are detected, the correction process relies on past routines and present policies In contrast, learning organizations use double-loop learning When an error is detected, it is corrected in ways that involve the modification of the organization's objectives, policies, and standard routines Double-loop learning challenges deep-rooted assumptions and norms within an organization It provides opportunities for radically different solutions to problems and dramatic jumps in improvement Diff: Page Ref: 604-605 Topic: Creating a Culture for Change Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: Single-Loop Learning and Double-Loop Learning Quest Category: Critical Thinking LO: 102) Compare and contrast the AI strategy for managing change with the double-loop learning organization focused on creating change How are they similar and different? Answer: Appreciative inquiry (AI) accentuates the positive Rather than looking for problems to fix, it seeks to identify the unique qualities and special strengths ofan organization, which members can build on to improve performance That is, AI focuses on an organization's successes rather than its problems.The AI process consists of four steps, discovery, dreaming, design, and destiny, often played out in a large-group meeting over a 2- or 3-day time period and overseen by a trained change agent Discovery sets out to identify what people think are the organization's strengths Employees recount times they felt the organization worked best or when they specifically felt most satisfied with their jobs In dreaming, employees use information from the discovery phase to speculate on possible futures, such as what the organization will be like in years In design, participants find a common vision of how the organization will look in the future and agree on its unique qualities For the fourth step, participants seek to define the organization's destiny or how to fulfill their dream, and they typically write action plans and develop implementation strategies In a double-loop learning organizations correct errors by modifying objectives, policies, and standard routines Double-loop learning challenges deeply rooted assumptions and norms It provides opportunities for radically different solutions to problems and dramatic jumps in improvement learning organization It's one in which people put aside their old ways of thinking, learn to be open with each other, understand how their organization really works, form a plan or vision everyone can agree on, and work together to achieve that vision AI and double-loop learning are similar in that they both have management's support for explicit, positive change Although AI doesn't necessarily flatten the organization's structure, it reaches out to all levels of the organization for ideas, creating a team-like structure which is characteristic of the double-loop learning organization However, double-loop learning creates a more innovative culture and rewards failures, where as with AI, although all suggestions are listened to, it is up to management which ideas actually get implemented Diff: Page Ref: 602, 605 Topic: Planned Change Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills 675 Objective: Creating Learning Organizations Quest Category: Synthesis LO: 3, 103) Describe the organizational factors that create stress and discuss how they compare to the factors of resistance to change How are they similar and different? Are the methods for managing change useful for managing stress caused by organizational factors? Answer: Pressures to avoid errors or complete tasks in a limited time, work overload, a demanding and insensitive boss, and unpleasant co-workers are a examples of organizational factors that cause stress These factors are based on task, role, and interpersonal demands Task demands relate to a person's job They include the design of the job (its degrees of autonomy, task variety, degree of automation), working conditions, and the physical work layout Role demands relate to pressures placed on a person as a function of the particular role he or she plays in the organization Role conflicts create expectations that may be hard to reconcile or satisfy Role overload occurs when the employee is expected to more than time permits Interpersonal demands are pressures created by other employees Lack of social support from colleagues and poor interpersonal relationships can cause stress, especially among employees with a high social need A rapidly growing body of research has also shown that negative co-worker and supervisor behaviors, including fights, bullying, incivility, racial harassment, and sexual harassment, are especially strongly related to stress at work Organizational change is threatening to people and they often resist Employees latch onto whatever data they can find that suggests they are okay and don't need to change, because change causes stress Employees who have negative feelings about a change cope by not thinking about it, increasing their use of sick time, and quitting However, resistance to change, like stress, can be a positive factor Stress is positive as it can challenge a person and make them rise to an occasion Resistance to change is positive if it leads to open discussion and debate Both change and stress are coped with by education and communication, abundance of resources, and wide social support Other tactics for handling resistance to change, such as manipulation, would lead to increased stress and not have a positive effect on stress factors Diff: Page Ref: 592-594, 609-610 Topic: Work Stress and Its Management Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: Stress Quest Category: Synthesis LO: 3, 104) List the six specific forces for change Answer: The six specific forces for change are: the nature of the workforce, technology, economic shocks, competition, social trends, and world politics a) The nature of the workforce includes more cultural diversity, increase in professionals, and many new entrants with inadequate skills b) Technology includes faster and cheaper computers, new mobile communication devices, and deciphering of the human genetic code c) Economic shocks include the rise and fall of dot.com stocks, the decline in the value of the Euro, and the collapse of Enron Corporation d) Competition includes global competitors; mergers and consolidations; and the growth of e-commerce e) Social trends include Internet chat rooms, the retirement of Baby Boomers, and the increased interest in urban living 676 f) World politics includes the escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, the opening of markets in China, and the war on terrorism Diff: Page Ref: 590-591 Topic: Forces For Change Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: Forces for Change Quest Category: Critical Thinking LO: 105) Describe five of the seven tactics that change agents can use when dealing with resistance to change Mention the advantages and drawbacks of each one Answer: [Students can select any five of the following seven tactics.] Education and Communication: Communicating the logic of a change can reduce employee resistance on two levels First, it fights the effects of misinformation and poor communication: If employees receive the full facts and clear up misunderstandings, resistance should subside Second, communication can help "sell" the need for change by packaging it properly A study of German companies revealed changes are most effective when a company communicates a rationale that balances the interests of various stakeholders (shareholders, employees, community, customers) rather than those of shareholders only Participation: It's difficult to resist a change decision in which we've participated Assuming participants have the expertise to make a meaningful contribution, their involvement can reduce resistance, obtain commitment, and increase the quality of the change decision However, against these advantages are the negatives: potential for a poor solution and great consumption of time Building Support and Commitment: When employees' fear and anxiety are high, counseling and therapy, new-skills training, or a short paid leave of absence may facilitate adjustment When managers or employees have low emotional commitment to change, they favor the status quo and resist it So firing up employees can also help them emotionally commit to the change rather than embrace the status quo Develop Positive Relationships: People are more willing to accept changes if they trust the managers implementing them One study surveyed 235 employees from a large housing corporation in the Netherlands that was experiencing a merger Those who had a more positive relationship with their supervisors, and who felt that the work environment supported development, were much more positive about the change process Implementing Changes Fairly: One way organizations can minimize negative impact is to make sure change is implemented fairly Procedural fairness is especially important when employees perceive an outcome as negative, so it's crucial that employees see the reason for the change and perceive its implementation as consistent and fair Manipulation and Cooptation: Manipulation refers to covert influence attempts Twisting facts to make them more attractive, withholding information, and creating false rumors to get employees to accept change are examples of manipulation If management threatens to close a manufacturing plant whose employees are resisting an across-the-board pay cut, and if the threat is actually untrue, management is using manipulation Cooptation, on the other hand, combines manipulation and participation It seeks to "buy off" the leaders of a resistance group by giving them a key role, seeking their advice not to find a better solution but to get their endorsement Both manipulation and cooptation are relatively inexpensive ways to gain the support of adversaries, but they can backfire if the targets become aware they are being tricked or used Once that's discovered, the change agent's credibility may drop to zero Selecting People Who Accept Change: Research suggests the ability to easily accept and adapt to change is related to personality–some people simply have more positive attitudes about change than others Such individuals are open to experience, take a positive attitude toward change, are willing to take risks, and are flexible in their behavior 677 Coercion: Last on the list of tactics is coercion, the application of direct threats or force on the resisters If management really is determined to close a manufacturing plant whose employees don't acquiesce to a pay cut, the company is using coercion Other examples are threats of transfer, loss of promotions, negative performance evaluations, and a poor letter of recommendation The advantages and drawbacks of coercion are approximately the same as for manipulation and cooptation Diff: Page Ref: 595 Topic: Resistance to Change Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: Resistance to Change Quest Category: Critical Thinking LO: 106) What are the five steps of the action research process? Answer: The process of action research consists of five steps: diagnosis, analysis, feedback, action, and evaluation The change agent begins by gathering information about problems, concerns, and needed changes from members of the organization The change agent asks questions, interviews employees, reviews records, and listens to the concerns of employees a) In the diagnosis stage, the change agent synthesizes this information into primary concerns, problem areas, and possible actions b) Action research includes extensive involvement of the change targets c) Feedback requires sharing with employees what has been found from steps one and two The employees, with the help of the change agent, develop action plans for bringing about any needed change d) The employees and the change agent carry out the specific actions to correct the problems that have been identified e) The final step is evaluation of the action plan's effectiveness Diff: Page Ref: 597-598 Topic: Resistance to Change Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: Stages of Action Research Quest Category: Critical Thinking LO: 107) List six interventions that change agents might consider using Answer: a) Sensitivity training refers to a method of changing behavior through unstructured group interaction Members are brought together in a free and open environment in which participants discuss themselves and their interactive processes, loosely directed by a professional behavioral scientist b) One tool for assessing attitudes held by organizational members, identifying discrepancies among member perceptions, and solving these differences is the survey feedback approach c) The purpose of process consultation is for an outside consultant to assist a client to perceive, understand, and act upon process events with which he or she must deal These might include work flow, informal relationships among unit members, and formal communication channels d) Team building utilizes high-interaction group activities to increase trust and openness among team members e) Intergroup development seeks to change the attitudes, stereotypes, and perceptions that groups have of each other f) Appreciative inquiry seeks to identify the unique qualities and special strengths of an organization, which can then be built upon to improve performance That is, it focuses on an organization's successes rather than its problems 678 Diff: Page Ref: 599-602 Topic: Forces For Change Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: Interventions for Bringing about Change Quest Category: Critical Thinking LO: 108) Discuss stress and the types of stress Describe the potential sources of stress Answer: Stress is a dynamic condition in which an individual is confronted with an opportunity, constraint, or demand related to what he or she desires and for which the outcome is perceived to be both uncertain and important Stress is not necessarily bad in and of itself Although stress is typically discussed in a negative context, it also has a positive value It's an opportunity when it offers potential gain In short, some stress can be good, and some can be bad Recently, researchers have argued that challenge stressors–or stressors associated with work load, pressure to complete tasks, and time urgency–operates quite differently from hindrance stressors–or stressors that keep you from reaching your goals (red tape, office politics, confusion over job responsibilities) Although research on challenge and hindrance stress is just starting to accumulate, early evidence suggests that challenge stressors are less harmful (produce less strain) than hindrance stressors More typically, stress is associated with demands and resources Demands are responsibilities, pressures, obligations, and even uncertainties that individuals face in the workplace Resources are things within an individual's control that can be used to resolve the demands This demands-resources model has received increasing support in the literature There are three categories of potential stressors: environmental, organizational, and personal a) Environmental sources of stress include economic uncertainty, political uncertainty, and technological uncertainty b) Organizational sources of stress include: task demands, role demands, interpersonal demands, organizational structure, organizational leadership, and an organization's life cycle c) Personal factors include family problems, financial problems, and personality Diff: Page Ref: 606-612 Topic: Work Stress and Its Management Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: Stress and Sources of Stress Quest Category: Critical Thinking LO: 109) Explain the three consequences of stress Answer: a) Physiological Symptoms Most of the early concern with stress was directed at physiological symptoms The research led to the conclusion that stress could create changes in metabolism, increase heart and breathing rates, increase blood pressure, bring on headaches, and induce heart attacks The link between stress and particular physiological symptoms is not clear Traditionally, researchers concluded that there were few, if any, consistent relationships This is attributed to the complexity of the symptoms and the difficulty of objectively measuring them More recently, some evidence suggests that stress may have harmful physiological effects b) Psychological Symptoms Stress can cause dissatisfaction Job-related stress can cause job-related 679 dissatisfaction Job dissatisfaction, in fact, is "the simplest and most obvious psychological effect" of stress But stress shows itself in other psychological states–for instance, tension, anxiety, irritability, boredom, and procrastination The evidence indicates that when people are placed in jobs that make multiple and conflicting demands or in which there is a lack of clarity about the incumbent's duties, authority, and responsibilities, both stress and dissatisfaction are increased Similarly, the less control people have over the pace of their work, the greater the stress and dissatisfaction Although more research is needed to clarify the relationship, the evidence suggests that jobs that provide a low level of variety, significance, autonomy, feedback, and identity to incumbents create stress and reduce satisfaction and involvement in the job c) Behavioral Symptoms Behavior-related stress symptoms include changes in productivity, absence, and turnover, as well as changes in eating habits, increased smoking or consumption of alcohol, rapid speech, fidgeting, and sleep disorders Diff: Page Ref: 612-614 Topic: Work Stress and Its Management Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: Consequences of Stress Quest Category: Critical Thinking LO: 110) Discuss some of the psychological consequences of stress and describe some of the individual approaches to managing stress Answer: Stress can cause dissatisfaction Job-related stress can cause job-related dissatisfaction Other psychological states include tension, anxiety, irritability, boredom, and procrastination Jobs that make multiple and conflicting demands or that lack clarity about the incumbent's duties, authority, and responsibilities increase both stress and dissatisfaction Similarly, the less control people have over the pace of their work, the greater the stress and dissatisfaction Although more research is needed to clarify the relationship, jobs that provide a low level of variety, significance, autonomy, feedback, and identity appear to create stress and reduce satisfaction and involvement in the job Not everyone reacts to autonomy in the same way, however For those who have an external locus of control, increased job control increases the tendency to experience stress and exhaustion Individual strategies that have proven effective include implementing time management techniques, increasing physical exercise, relaxation training, and expanding the social support network An understanding and utilization of basic time management principles can help individuals better cope with tensions created by job demands A few of the best-known time-management principles are (1) making daily lists of activities to be accomplished, (2) prioritizing activities by importance and urgency, (3) scheduling activities according to the priorities set, and (4) knowing your daily cycle and handling the most demanding parts of your job when you are most alert and productive Physicians have recommended noncompetitive physical exercise, such as aerobics, walking, jogging, swimming, and riding a bicycle, as a way to deal with excessive stress levels Individuals can teach themselves to reduce tension through relaxation techniques such as meditation, hypnosis, and biofeedback friends, family, or work colleagues talk to provide an outlet when stress levels become excessive Expanding your social support network provides someone to hear your problems and offer a more objective perspective on the situation than your own Diff: Page Ref: 612, 614-615 Topic: Work Stress and Its Management Skill: AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: Psychological Symptoms of Stress Quest Category: Synthesis 680 LO: 6, 681