TRUE/FALSE QUESTIONS
THE MANAGER: OMNIPOTENT OR SYMBOLIC?
1. In the symbolic view of management, managers are seen as directly responsible for an organization’s success or failure. (False; easy; pp. 58-59)
2. The current dominant assumption in management theory suggests that managers are omnipotent.
(True; moderate; p. 58)
3. 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. (True; moderate; p. 58)
4. The symbolic view of management impact is useful in explaining the high turnover among college and professional sports coaches, who can be considered the ―managers‖ of their teams. (False; difficult; pp. 58-59)
5. In the omnipotent view of management, much of an organization’s success or failure is due to forces outside management’s control. (False; easy; p. 58)
6. In the symbolic view of management, it is unreasonable to expect managers to have a significant effect on the organization’s performance. (True; easy; pp. 58-59)
7. In the omnipotent view of management, a manager’s role is to create meaning out of randomness, confusion, and ambiguity. (False; moderate; p. 58)
THE ORGANIZATION’S CULTURE
8. An organizational culture refers to a system of shared meaning. (True; moderate; p. 60)
9. Organizational cultures influence how employees behave in an organization. (True; moderate; p. 60)
10. Organizational culture is a perception, not reality.
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(True; moderate; p. 60)
11. Presently, there is no method for analyzing or assessing organizational culture. (False; moderate; p. 60)
12. Strong cultures have more influence on employees than do weak cultures. (True; moderate; pp. 61-62)
13. An increasing body of evidence suggests that strong cultures are associated with high organizational performance. (True; easy; p. 62)
14. Compensation structures are considered to be a primary dimension of organizational culture.
(False; moderate; p. 60)
15. Most organizations have very weak cultures. (False; moderate; pp. 61-62)
16. An organization’s founder has little influence on its culture. (False; moderate; p. 63)
17. Rituals are repetitive sequences of activities that express and reinforce the key values of an organization.
(True; moderate; pp. 65-66)
18. Organizational stories typically contain a narrative regarding significant events or people.
(True; moderate; p. 64)
19. Employee stock options are one example of a material symbol that might represent organizational culture. (False; moderate; p. 66)
20. The link between values and managerial behavior is fairly straightforward. (True; moderate; p. 67)
CURRENT ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE ISSUES FACING MANAGERS
21. A strong ethical culture is likely to have a powerful positive influence on employee behavior.
(True; easy; p. 69; AACSB: Ethics)
22. Low risk tolerance generally leads to high ethical standards within an organization. (False; moderate; p. 69; AACSB: Ethics)
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23. Companies that allow their employees freedom tend to encourage innovative cultures. (True; moderate; p. 70)
24. To encourage a customer-responsive culture, organizations should formalize and enforce strict customer service policies. (False; moderate; p. 71)
25. Customer service employees tend to provide better customer service when they are very clear about their employee roles. (True; moderate; p. 71)
26. To increase customer responsiveness, organizations should hire employees who are outgoing and friendly. (True; moderate; p. 71)
THE ENVIRONMENT
27. The part of the environment directly related to achievement of an organization’s goals is the specific environment. (True; moderate; p. 74)
28. The general environment refers to environmental factors operating inside an organization. (False; easy; p. 76)
29. Environmental uncertainty can be divided into two dimensions: degree of trust and degree of integration. (False; moderate; pp. 79-80)
30. Because certainty is a threat to an organization’s effectiveness, managers try to minimize it. (False; easy; p. 80)
31. The term suppliers includes providers of financial and labor inputs. (True; moderate; p. 74)
32. Industry conditions are an example of an organization’s general environment. (False; difficult; pp. 74-75)
33. Economic conditions are part of the organization’s specific environment. (False; moderate; p. 76)
MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS
For each of the following choose the answer that most completely answers the question.
THE MANAGER: OMNIPOTENT OR SYMBOLIC?
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34. Which of the following represent 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 (a; easy; p. 58)
35. The omnipotent view of management states that ________________. a. the top manager is the only person in charge
b. managers are directly responsible for an organization’s success or failure
c. that there is only one boss in the organization, and she or he is responsible for delegating orders
d. managers have little or no responsibility for an organization’s success or failure (b; easy; p. 58)
36. 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. functional d. systems (a; easy; p. 58)
37. 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 little or no responsibility for an organization’s success or failure. c. External forces are directly responsible for an organization’s success or failure. d. Employees are directly responsible for an organization’s success or failure. (c; easy; pp. 58-59)
38. Internal constraints that restrict a manager’s decision options _______________. a. exist within every organization
b. do not exist, as all managers have decision-making discretion c. exist only to the extent that upper management imposes them d. exist only to the extent that followers won’t do as they are told (a; difficult; p. 59)
39. The current dominant assumption in management theory suggests _______________. a. a balanced view of managers as symbolic and omnipotent b. an emphasis on the view that managers are symbolic c. an emphasis on the view that managers are omnipotent d. that both the symbolic and omnipotent views are obsolete (c; moderate; p. 58)
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40. According to the symbolic view, managers have a(n) _____________ effect on substantive organizational outcomes. a. neutral b. controlling c. limited d. unlimited (c; moderate; p. 59)
41. Managers may be able to expand their areas of discretion by _______________.
a. telling their employees what to do
b. changing and influencing their organization’s culture and environment c. electing new government officials at the federal and state level d. changing employers and working for a different boss (b; moderate; p. 59)
42. The symbolic view of management is based upon the belief that managers symbolize _________. a. control and influence b. ambiguity and confusion c. stakeholders’ interests
d. decisions of top management (a; moderate; p. 59)
43. In reality, managers are most accurately viewed as _________. a. dominant over an organization’s environment b. neither helpless nor all powerful
c. powerless to influence an organization’s performance d. ultimately responsible for organizational outcomes (b; moderate; p. 59)
THE ORGANIZATION’S CULTURE
44. The culture of an organization is analogous to the _____________ of an individual. a. skills
b. personality c. motivation d. ability (b; easy; p. 60)
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45. All organizational cultures consist of each of the following except _________. a. shared values b. principles c. innovation d. traditions (c; difficult; p. 60)
46. Organizational culture is concerned with how members perceive the organization, not whether they __________. a. like the organization b. like their peers c. like their bosses d. like their customers (a; easy; p. 60)
47. Strong cultures _____________.
a. are found in organizations with high employee turnover b. have a minimal influence on employee decision making c. can be found in all organizations that exist
d. have a greater influence on employees than do weak cultures (d; moderate; pp. 61-62)
48. Employees in organizations with strong cultures _______________. a. are more committed to their organizations b. are more likely to leave their organizations c. are more willing to perform illegal activities d. are more likely to follow directives from peers (a; moderate; pp. 61-62)
49. Which of the following phrases is associated with the definition of organizational culture?
a. individual response b. shared meaning c. diversity of thought d. explicit directions (b; easy; p. 60)
50. Which of the following is not considered to be a dimension of organizational culture? a. attention to detail b. people orientation c. purchasing policies d. aggressiveness (c; moderate; p. 60)
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51. Which of the following dimensions of organizational culture is defined as the degree to which an organization’s actions and decisions emphasize maintaining the status quo?
a. stability
b. outcome orientation c. team orientation
d. innovation and risk taking (a; moderate; p. 60)
52. A company whose managers focus on results, rather than how results are achieved, most likely possesses a high degree of which of the following? a. outcome orientation b. people orientation c. team orientation d. aggressiveness (a; moderate; p. 60)
53. Sony Corporation’s focus on product innovation is an example of which of the following dimensions of organizational culture? a. attention to detail b. people orientation c. outcome orientation d. aggressiveness (c; moderate; p. 60)
54. Which of the following most accurately reflects the difference between strong cultures and weak cultures?
a. Strong cultures tend to encourage employee innovation, while weak cultures do not.
b. Weak cultures are found in most organizations, whereas strong cultures are relatively rare.
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. (d; moderate; pp. 61-62)
55. Corporate ___________ are repetitive sequences of activities that express and reinforce the values of an organization. a. languages b. rituals c. symbols d. ceremonies (b; easy; pp. 65-66)
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56. Which of the following represents the most significant ways through which corporate cultures are transmitted to employees? a. rituals, myths, competitions, and language
b. symbols, rituals, language, and business systems c. stories, rituals, symbols, and language d. language, stories, rituals, and rewards (c; moderate; pp. 64-67)
57. When employees at Microsoft use terms such as work judo, eating your own dog food, and flat food, they are using organizational __________. a. languages b. rituals c. symbols d. ceremonies (a; easy; p. 67)
58. Most organizations have ____________ cultures. a. very weak
b. weak to moderate c. moderate
d. moderate to strong (d; moderate; p. 62)
59. The original source of an organization’s culture usually ________________. a. is shared among the first workers hired into the organization
b. is formulated by the board of directors when the organization is formed c. identifies what the organization is successful doing
d. reflects the vision or mission of the organization’s founder (d; moderate; p. 63)
60. Organizational _____________ typically contain narratives about significant events or people in the organization. a. stories b. rituals c. charts
d. material symbols (a; moderate; p. 64)
61. All of the following are mentioned in the textbook as examples of material symbols except ____________. a. employee dress attire b. size of employee offices c. availability of stock options
d. reserved parking spaces for certain employees (c; moderate; p. 66)
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62. The link between organizational values and managerial behavior is _____________. a. usually uncertain b. fairly straightforward c. often highly complex d. relatively dynamic (b; moderate; p. 67)
63. In learning an organization’s specific language, members are displaying their _________________.
a. willingness to communicate with the organization’s stockholders b. confidence that they will soon be promoted to greater responsibility c. willingness to help preserve the culture of the organization
d. consent to share material symbols with the other members of the organization (c; difficult; p. 67)
64. An organization’s culture affects managers by ______________. a. providing them with additional decision-making power b. restricting them from disciplining certain employees c. encouraging them to bend or even break company rules d. establishing what is appropriate and expected behavior (d; moderate; p. 67)
CURRENT ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE ISSUES FACING MANAGERS
65. Which of the following is most likely to have a highly ethical organizational culture? a. a highly aggressive, competitive business b. a company with high risk tolerance
c. a business that focuses strictly on outcomes
d. a business with outgoing and friendly employees (b; moderate; p. 69; AACSB: Ethics)
66. To encourage ethical cultures, managers should _________________. a. enforce strict discipline policies b. encourage employees to compete c. act in their own self-interest d. serve as visible role models (d; moderate; p. 69; AACSB: Ethics)
67. A company that primarily values a strong sense of purpose through meaningful work has a(n) _________________ organizational culture. a. spiritual
b. customer-responsive
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c. ethical d. innovative
(a; moderate; pp. 71-72)
68. Conscientious employees with good listening skills are highly valuable for building a(n) _________________ organizational culture. a. ethical b. innovative
c. customer-responsive d. spiritual
(c; moderate; p. 71)
69. An innovative organizational culture is characterized by all of the following characteristics except _________________. a. freedom b. conformity c. debates d. risk taking (b; moderate; p. 70)
70. Workplace spirituality has become important in the contemporary workplace because it helps to _________________. a. reduce unemployment rates b. boost company profits
c. restore a sense of community d. bring religion into business (c; moderate; pp. 71-72)
71. Which of the following is most characteristic of an organization with a strong spiritual culture?
a. Employees are encouraged to express themselves. b. Such companies experience high employee turnover. c. Employees are rewarded for innovation and risk taking. d. Employees are required to join organized religions. (a; moderate; p. 52)
72. Which of the following best characterizes the relationship between spirituality and business profitability?
a. Evidence shows that spirituality and business profitability are incompatible. b. Limited evidence suggests that spirituality may be compatible with profitability.
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c. Research shows that workplace spirituality constrains employee performance. d. High productivity has been extensively documented in spiritual workplaces. (b; difficult; p. 72)
THE ENVIRONMENT
73. External environment refers to _________________.
a. forces outside the organization that limit the organization’s performance
b. factors and forces outside the organization that affect the organization’s performance
c. forces and institutions inside the organization that affect the organization’s performance
d. forces inside the organization that increase the organization’s performance (b; difficult; p. 73)
74. According to the textbook, the _______________ environment includes those constituencies that have a direct and immediate impact on managers’ decisions and actions and are directly relevant to the achievement of the organization’s goals. a. general b. specific c. secondary d. forward
(b; moderate; p. 74)
75. An organization’s specific environment ________________. a. is unique and changes with conditions
b. is the same regardless of the organization’s age c. is determined by the top level of management d. must be quantified to establish its existence (a; moderate; p. 74)
76. The main forces that make up an organization’s specific environment are __________.
a. suppliers, legislators, customers, and employees
b. customers, suppliers, competitors, and pressure groups c. employees, competitors, pressure groups, and regulators d. suppliers, employees, competitors, and legislators (b; moderate; pp. 74-75)
77. Organizations exist to meet the needs of which of the following constituencies? a. customers b. legislators c. suppliers d. competitors (a; moderate; p. 74)
78. When you think of an organization’s suppliers, you ________________.
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a. know that they are the main customers of the organization
b. typically think of governments that pass the laws the organization must follow c. know that they are located close to the organization itself
d. typically think in terms of organizations that provide materials and equipment (d; moderate; p. 74)
79. Managers seek to ensure a steady __________________. a. cash flow from stockholders into the organization b. flow of needed inputs at the lowest price available c. flow of customers at the company’s outlet store
d. flow of suppliers to keep the competition among suppliers at a peak (b; moderate; p. 74)
80. Each of the following is considered an organizational supplier except providers of __________________. a. financial inputs b. labor inputs c. materials
d. political pressure (d; moderate; p. 74)
81. The Internet is having an impact on determining whom an organization’s competitors are because it has _____________. a. defined the common markets for organizations b. made certain products invaluable to customer c. virtually eliminated the need for shopping malls d. virtually eliminated geographic boundaries (d; difficult; p. 75)
82. For a company such as Walt Disney World in Florida, a bank would be an example of what kind of factor in their specific environment? a. competitor b. supplier
c. special-interest group d. government agency (b; moderate; p. 74)
83. Which of the following is not an example of a specific environmental factor? a. population demographics b. political conditions c. federal laws d. all of the above (d; moderate; pp. 74-75)
84. For organizations such as hospitals, which hire nurses, the labor union and the local labor market are examples of which of the following specific environmental factors?
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a. competitor and supplier
b. customer and pressure group c. both are examples of suppliers
d. both are examples of pressure groups (c; difficult; p. 74)
85. Typically, the specific organizational environment includes which of the following? a. economic factors b. political conditions c. technological factors d. competitors (d; easy; p. 75)
86. United Parcel Service represents which of the following to the U.S. Postal Service? a. competitor b. supplier c. customer
d. government agency (a; moderate; p. 75)
87. The general environment factor of economic conditions consists of all of the following except _______________. a. legislation recently passed by Congress b. interest rates
c. changes in disposable income d. stock market fluctuations (a; moderate; p. 76)
88. Sociocultural conditions consist of _______________. a. demographic profiles of an organization’s suppliers b. legal issues as determined by court decisions
c. the level of unemployment and real economic incomes of workers d. changing expectations and values within society (d; difficult; p. 76)
89. To a national broadcast network such as NBC, your home DVD player is considered a _____________. a. customer b. supplier
c. special-interest group d. competitor (d; moderate; p. 75)
90. Groups such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) are examples of what factor in the specific external environment? a. competitors
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b. pressure groups c. customers
d. government agencies (b; moderate; p. 75)
91. Typically, the general organizational environment includes which of the following? a. political conditions b. business plans c. stakeholders d. suppliers (a; moderate; p. 76)
92. Compared to the specific environment, which of the following is an accurate statement about the general environment of an organization? a. It has less impact on the organization’s operations. b. It has more impact on the organization’s operations.
c. It has about the same impact on an organization’s operations. d. It is predominantly the concern of upper management. (a; difficult; p. 76)
93. Which of the following is not a component of an organization’s general environment? a. economic conditions b. political conditions c. social conditions d. industry conditions (d; moderate; pp. 76-78)
94. Interest rates, inflation rates, and stock market fluctuations are all examples of what factor in an organization’s general environment? a. economic b. political c. social
d. technological (a; moderate; p. 76)
95. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 is an example of a __________. a. sociolegal condition b. political/legal condition
c. political/sociological condition d. sociocultural condition (b; moderate; p. 76)
96. A decrease in contributions from the public to the United Way charity is most likely the result of which of the following general environmental factors? a. political b. social
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c. technological d. economic (d; moderate; p. 76)
97. Which of the following groups includes individuals who were born between the years 1946–1964?
a. the Depression group b. the World War II group c. the baby boomers d. Generation X (c; easy; p. 78)
98. The members of which of the following groups are behaving in fundamentally different ways that are likely to greatly impact organizations and managers? a. the Depression group b. the World War II group c. the baby boomers d. Generation Y (d; moderate; p. 78)
99. Automation represents an example of a(n) __________ general environmental factor.
a. technological b. demographic c. political/legal d. economic
(a; moderate; p. 78; AACSB: Technology)
100. Which of the following has been the most rapidly changing component in an organization’s general environment? a. global b. economic c. social
d. technological
(d; moderate; p. 78; AACSB: Technology)
101. Which of the following best represents a global general environmental factor? a. increased surveillance b. education levels c. electronic meetings d. international markets
(d; moderate; p. 78; AACSB: Globalizations)
102. 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
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c. degree of complexity and degree of impact d. degree of impact and degree of timing (a; moderate; pp. 79-80)
103. If the components of an organization’s environment change frequently, the organization is operating in a __________ environment. a. disruptive b. diverse c. dynamic d. difficult (c; difficult; p. 79)
104. Managers try to minimize __________ because it threatens organizational effectiveness.
a. product development b. uncertainty c. price charges
d. the number of suppliers (b; moderate; p. 80)
105. __________ are any constituencies in an organization’s external environment that are affected by the organization’s decisions and actions. a. Stockholders b. Pressure groups c. Suppliers d. Stakeholders (d; moderate; p. 80)
106. Degree of _______________ refers to the number of components in an organization’s environment and the extent of the knowledge that the organization has about those components. a. stability b. openness c. complexity d. transition (c; moderate; p. 80)
107. The first step of managing external stakeholder relationships is to identify whom the stakeholders are. The second step is to _________________.
a. determine what specific approach should be used to manage the stakeholder relationship
b. determine what the courts might do when stakeholder files a claim against the organization
c. determine what particular interests or concerns these stakeholders might have d. determine how many stakeholders there are in each stakeholder group (c; difficult; p. 81)
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SCENARIOS AND QUESTIONS
For each of the following, choose the answer that most completely answers the question.
THE MANAGER: OMNIPOTENT OR SYMBOLIC?
Apex Construction has hired Wendell Phillips to provide management consulting for the organization. Wendell’s first assignment involves helping the company to improve productivity by recommending ways to strengthen managers’ supervisory skills.
108. 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. standard d. symbolic (b; moderate; p. 58)
109. 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 _____________ view of management. a. traditional b. omnipotent c. standard d. symbolic (d; moderate; p. 59)
THE ORGANIZATION’S CULTURE
Corporate Takeover (Scenario)
Todd works for SeaLan Tech, an environmental consulting firm that has just been purchased by Zerex, Inc., a biomedical research organization. Based on his early encounters with the new upper management from Zerex, Todd feels that SeaLan is a ―lower-key, friendlier‖ organization. He is concerned that the new company will eliminate SeaLan’s old culture, and he does not like the prospects.
110. If you were talking with Todd and asked him what the term culture meant, he would reply that, basically, it is _________________.
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a. the formal rules of an organization
b. the nationality of the workers in the company c. a system of shared meaning
d. a system that reflects diversity and respect for differences (c; easy; p. 60)
111. Todd is concerned with the degree to which managers focus on results or outcomes rather than techniques and the processes used to achieve those outcomes. He is concerned with _____________. a. stability
b. aggressiveness c. team orientation d. outcome orientation (d; moderate; p. 60)
112. Todd notices that management is very concerned with the effects of outcomes on people within the organization. This is referred to as _____________. a. stability
b. aggressiveness c. team orientation d. people orientation (d; moderate; p. 60)
113. Todd is assessing the organization’s _____________, the degree to which organizational activities emphasize maintaining the status quo in contrast to growth. a. stability
b. aggressiveness c. team orientation d. outcome orientation (a; moderate; p. 60)
114. Todd has been learning the seven dimensions of organizational culture. Which of the following is not one of those seven dimensions? a. stability
b. aggressiveness c. member orientation d. outcome orientation (c; moderate; p. 60)
Changing Organizational Culture (Scenario)
Mary has been asked by the company president to change the organizational culture to reflect the company’s new organizational goals. As executive vice president, she certainly understands the goals, but is really not sure that she understands what to do about the culture.
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115. Mary asked employees if they knew what constituted ―good employee behavior.‖ She found that very few understood, and most had a variety of ideas. This is one indication that her company _______________. a. has a strong culture b. has a weak culture c. has no culture
d. must have high turnover (b; moderate; pp. 61-62)
116. Mary also found out that in order to build a strong new culture, she should do all but which of the following?
a. hire employees who fit in with the company’s culture b. develop socialization practices to build culture c. encourage a high turnover rate among employees d. have management make organizational values clear (c; difficult; p. 62)
117. Mary was surprised to find that most organizational cultures are ____________. a. weak
b. weak to moderate c. moderate to strong d. strong
(c; moderate; p. 62)
THE ENVIRONMENT
Environmental Constraints (Scenario)
It is safe to say that managers do not have complete control over organizational outcomes; the environment has a significant impact. However, there are different environmental factors that shape a manager’s work life.
118. As a manager, if you were working in an industry that was dependent on rapidly changing software technologies, with many new companies competing for the same customers, you would be working in what kind of environment? a. general b. static c. stable d. dynamic
(d; moderate; p. 79; AACSB: Technology)
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119. Political conditions, which include attitudes that officials hold toward specific industries, fall within an organization’s _____________ environment. a. global b. internal c. competitive d. general
(d; moderate; p. 76)
The Election (Scenario)
At the present time, your organization is faced with many changes. One of these is the election of a new president and Congress. Another concerns new requests from customers for changes to the look of your product design. A third involves changes in the ages and education levels of your customer base. Your customers have also recently expressed a desire to have your product manufactured using a newly discovered type of plastic.
120. The changes in the presidency and Congress represent which of the following environmental factors for your organization? a. general environment b. specific environment c. pressure group d. customers (a; moderate; p. 76)
121. The change in how customers want your product to look in design is an example of which of the following types of factors? a. political/legal
b. specific environment c. global
d. demographic (b; moderate; p. 74)
122. The changes in the ages and education levels of your customers are an example of which of the following conditions? a. economic b. political/legal c. demographic d. technological (c; moderate; p. 77)
123. The request to have your product manufactured using newly discovered plastics is most likely the product of which of the following? a. economic conditions b. political/legal conditions c. sociocultural conditions d. technological conditions
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(d; moderate; p. 78; AACSB: Technology)
The New Medical Product (Scenario)
You are a manager of marketing for your company. The company is planning to introduce a new medical product that has stirred up controversy among certain public groups. Members of your research and development department have pointed out that the company has a history of introducing controversial products successfully. Members of your marketing staff respond by emphasizing that this product is more controversial than any product introduced previously.
124. The public groups that oppose the introduction of the new medical product are known as which of the following? a. service groups b. defense groups c. pressure groups d. informal groups (c; moderate; p. 75)
125. The company plans to introduce the new product into a particular segment of its market. This segment represents which of the following to the organization as a whole? a. general environment b. specific environment c. political/legal condition d. sociocultural condition (b; difficult; p. 74)
Operating Within the Environment (Scenario)
The environment places constraints on the behavior of managers. Suppose you are the manager of a real estate office trying to maximize profits. You attempt to understand the forces within your organization’s environment.
126. If the mortgage interest rates increase, this would be an example of changing ____________ in your general environment. a. economic conditions b. political conditions c. competition d. social conditions (a; moderate; p. 76)
127. The customer component of your specific environment most likely consists of _________.
a. mortgage brokers
b. home buyers and sellers
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c. real estate brokers d. mortgage lenders (b; moderate; p. 74)
128. A real estate certification program would be considered as which of the following for your organization? a. customer
b. pressure group c. supplier
d. demographic group (c; moderate; p. 74)
Chris Co. (Scenario)
Mr. Taylor has been hired by Chris Co., a manufacturer of precious metal jewelry. Chris Co. has been having significant issues with some of their major stakeholders. For instance, they have been receiving poor quality products from their suppliers and complaints from their customers. Mr. Taylor has been hired to help resolve these issues and to help build a plan for improving the company’s relationships with its major stakeholders.
129. In addition to suppliers and customers, each of the following might also be considered Chris Co. stakeholders except ________. a. communities and unions b. competitors and media c. all of the above d. none of the above (d; moderate; p. 80)
130. Mr. Taylor assesses how critical each stakeholder is to the organization’s decisions and actions. This represents the ____________ step of managing the company’s relationships with its stakeholders. a. first b. second c. third d. final (c; easy; p. 81)
131. Mr. Taylor identifies whom the organization’s stakeholders are. This is the ______________ step in the process of managing stakeholder relationships. a. first b. second c. third d. final (a; easy; p. 81)
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132. Mr. Taylor decides how to manage the external stakeholder relationships. This represents the ____________ step of managing the company’s stakeholder relationships. a. first b. second c. third d. final (d; easy; p. 82)
ESSAY QUESTIONS
THE MANAGER: OMNIPOTENT OR SYMBOLIC?
133. In a short essay, differentiate between the symbolic view and the omnipotent view of management. Include specific examples of each view to support your answer.
Answer
a. 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 goals. This omnipotent view, of course, isn’t limited to business organizations. We can also use it to help explain the high turnover among college and professional sports coaches, who can be considered the ―managers‖ of their teams. Coaches who lose more games than they win are fired and replaced by new coaches who, it is hoped, will correct the inadequate performance.
In the omnipotent view, when organizations perform poorly, someone has to be held accountable regardless of the reasons, and in our society, that ―someone‖ is the manager. Of course, when things go well, we need someone to praise. So managers also get the credit—even if they had little to do with achieving positive outcomes.
b. The symbolic view says that a manager’s ability to affect outcomes is influenced and constrained by external factors. In this view, it’s unreasonable to expect managers to significantly affect an organization’s performance. Instead, an organization’s results are influenced by factors managers don’t control such as the economy, customers, governmental policies, competitors’ actions, industry conditions, control over proprietary technology, and decisions made by previous managers.
The ―symbolic‖ view is based on the belief that managers symbolize control and influence. How? By creating meaning out of randomness, confusion, and ambiguity or by trying to innovate and adapt. Because their effect on organizational outcomes is limited, a manager’s actions often involve developing plans, making decisions, and engaging in other managerial activities, which they do for the benefit of stockholders, customers, employees, and the public. However, the actual part that managers play in organizational success or failure is minimal.
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Fleetwood Enterprises of Riverside, California, represents one example that might be seen through the lens of the symbolic view of management. Fleetwood is the number one U.S. maker of recreational vehicles and the number three maker of manufactured housing. In a period of about six weeks from late August 2005, the company’s stock price rose 29 percent. Also, Joanne Foist, director of marketing services, confirmed that FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) had bought much of the company’s retail stock after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Were these outcomes the result of managers’ decisions and actions, or was it beyond their control? The symbolic view would suggest the latter. (moderate; p. 58-59)
THE ORGANIZATION’S CULTURE
134. In a short essay, define organizational culture and discuss its three primary implications.
Answer
What is organizational culture? It’s the shared values, principles, traditions, and ways of doing things that influence the way organizational members act. In most organizations, these important shared values and practices have evolved over time and determine, in large degree, what employees perceive about their organizational experiences and how they behave in the organization. When doing their work, the organizational culture—the ―way we do things around here‖—influences what employees can do and how they view, define, analyze, and resolve problems and issues.
Our definition of culture implies three things. First, culture is a perception. Individuals perceive the organizational culture on the basis of what they see, hear, or experience within the organization. Second, even though individuals may have different backgrounds or work at different organizational levels, they tend to describe the organization’s culture in similar terms. That’s the shared aspect of culture. Finally, organizational culture is descriptive. It’s concerned with how members perceive the organization, not with whether they like it. It describes rather than evaluates. (moderate; p. 60)
135. In a short essay, identify and define the seven dimensions that make up an organization’s culture.
Answer
a. Innovation and risk taking—degree to which employees are encouraged to be innovative and to take risks.
b. Attention to detail—degree to which employees are expected to exhibit precision, analysis, and attention to detail.
c. Outcome orientation—degree to which managers focus on results or outcomes rather than on how these outcomes are achieved.
d. People orientation—degree to which management decisions take into account the effects on people in the organization.
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e. Team orientation—degree to which work is organized around teams rather than individuals.
f. Aggressiveness—degree to which employees are aggressive and competitive rather than cooperative.
g. Stability—degree to which organizational decisions and actions emphasize maintaining the status quo. (moderate; p. 60)
136. List the factors that influence the strength of an organization’s culture and discuss the impact of a strong culture on employees.
Answer Factors:
a. size of the organization b. how long it has been around
c. how much turnover there has been among employees d. intensity with which the culture was originated e. high agreement regarding what is important
The more employees accept the organization’s key values and the greater their commitment to those values, the stronger the culture is. Strong cultures have a greater influence on employees than do weak cultures.
One study found that employees in organizations with strong cultures were more committed to their organization than were employees in organizations with weak cultures. The organizations with strong cultures also used their recruitment efforts and socialization practices to build employee commitment. And an increasing body of evidence suggests that strong cultures are associated with high organizational performance. It’s easy to understand why a strong culture enhances performance. After all, when values are clear and widely accepted, employees know what they’re supposed to do and what’s expected of them so they can act quickly to take care of problems, thus preventing any potential performance decline. However, the drawback is that the same strong culture also might prevent employees from trying new approaches especially during periods of rapid change. (moderate; pp. 61-62)
137. How is culture transmitted to employees of an organization? In a short essay, explain the four primary transmission modalities and provide an example of each.
Answer
Culture is transmitted to employees in a number of ways. The most significant are stories, rituals, material symbols, and language.
a. Stories: Organizational ―stories‖ typically contain a narrative of significant events or people including such things as the organization’s founders, rule breaking,
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reactions to past mistakes, and so forth. For instance, managers at Nike feel that stories told about the company’s past help shape the future. Whenever possible, corporate ―storytellers‖ (senior executives) explain the company’s heritage and tell stories that celebrate people getting things done.
b. Rituals: Corporate rituals are repetitive sequences of activities that express and reinforce the values of the organization, what goals are most important, and which people are important. The ―Passing of the Pillars‖ is an important ritual at Boston Scientific’s facility near Minneapolis, for example. When someone has a challenging and tough project or assignment, they’re ―awarded‖ a small two-foot high plaster-of-Paris pillar to show that they’ve got support from all their colleagues.
c. Material Symbols: Material symbols convey to employees who is important, the degree of equality desired by top management, and the kinds of behavior that are expected and appropriate. Examples of material symbols include the layout of an organization’s facilities, how employees dress, the types of automobiles provided to top executives, and the availability of corporate aircraft. At WorldNow, a provider of Internet technology to local media companies, an important material symbol is an old dented drill that the founders purchased for $2 at a thrift store. The drill symbolizes the company’s culture of ―drilling down to solve problems.‖
d. Language: Many organizations and units within organizations use language as a way to identify and unite members of a culture. By learning this language, members attest to their acceptance of the culture and their willingness to help preserve it.
For instance, Microsoft employees have their own unique vocabulary: the term work judo is used to mean ―the art of deflecting a work assignment to someone else without making it appear that you’re avoiding it. (moderate; pp. 64-67)
138. In a short essay, discuss how culture constrains managers. Include specific examples to support your answer.
Answer
Because an organization’s culture constrains what they can and cannot do, it is particularly relevant to managers. These constraints are rarely explicit. They’re not written down. It’s unlikely that they’ll even be spoken. But they’re there, and all managers quickly learn what to do and not to do in their organization. For instance, you won’t find the following values written down anywhere, but each comes from a real organization.
Look busy even if you’re not.
If you take risks and fail around here, you’ll pay dearly for it.
Before you make a decision, run it by your boss so that he or she is never
surprised.
We make our product only as good as the competition forces us to.
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What made us successful in the past will make us successful in the future. If you want to get to the top here, you have to be a team player.
The link between values such as these and managerial behavior is fairly straightforward. Take, for example, a so-called ―ready-aim-fire‖ culture. In such an organization, managers will study proposed projects first and analyze them endlessly before committing to them. However, in a ―ready-fire-aim‖ culture, managers take action and then analyze what has been done. Or, say 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. Managers are unlikely to pursue programs that are innovative, risky, long term, or expansionary. For organizations that value and encourage workforce diversity, the organizational culture and thus managers’ decisions and actions, will be supportive of diversity efforts.
In an organization whose culture conveys a basic distrust of employees, managers are more likely to use an authoritarian leadership style than a democratic one. Why? The culture establishes for managers what is appropriate and expected behavior. At St. Luke’s advertising agency in London, for example, a culture shaped by the value placed on freedom of expression, a lack of coercion and fear, and a determination to make work fun influences the way employees work and the way that managers plan, organize, lead, and control. The organization’s culture is reinforced even by the office environment which is open, versatile, and creative. (moderate; pp. 67-68)
CURRENT ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE ISSUES FACING MANAGERS
139. In a short essay, explain the reasons behind the increasing importance of workplace spirituality in recent years. How can managers best promote workplace spirituality within their organizations?
Answer
Workplace spirituality seems to be important now for a number of reasons:
a. Employees are looking for ways to counterbalance the stresses and pressures of a turbulent pace of life.
b. Contemporary lifestyles underscore the lack of community that many people feel. People are looking for involvement and connection.
c. Aging baby boomers are reaching mid-life and looking for something meaningful in their lives, something beyond the job.
d. Individuals desire to integrate their personal life values with their professional lives.
e. For some, formalized religion hasn’t worked. These individuals continue to look for anchors to replace a lack of faith and to fill a growing sense of emptiness.
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To increase workplace spirituality within their organizations, managers can work to promote five primary characteristics:
a. Strong sense of purpose: Spiritual organizations build their cultures around a meaningful purpose. To build spiritual organizations, managers should emphasize that while profits are important, they’re not the primary values of the organization. b. Focus on individual development: Spiritual organizations recognize the worth and value of individuals. To increase workplace spirituality, managers should seek to create cultures in which employees can continually grow and learn.
c. Trust and openness: Spiritual organizations are characterized by mutual trust, honesty, and openness. To promote spirituality, managers shouldn’t be afraid to admit mistakes. They should be upfront with employees, customers, and suppliers. d. Employee empowerment: The high-trust climate in spiritual organizations, when combined with the desire to promote learning and growth, leads to managers empowering employees to make most work-related decisions. To promote spirituality, managers should trust employees to make thoughtful and conscientious decisions.
e. Toleration of employee expression: Spiritually based organizations don’t stifle employee emotions. To promote workplace spirituality, managers should create environments in which employees can express their moods and feelings without guilt or fear of reprimand. (difficult; pp. 71-72)
THE ENVIRONMENT
140. In a short essay, describe what is meant by the specific and general environments within which organizations operate. Provide one example of each type of environment.
Answer
a. The specific environment of an organization includes those external forces that have a direct impact on managers’ decisions and actions and are directly relevant to the achievement of the organization’s goals. The main forces that make up the specific environment are customers, suppliers, competitors, and pressure groups.
One component of the specific environment is suppliers. For Walt Disney World resorts in Florida, suppliers include organizations that sell materials and equipment, such as soft drinks, computers, and food. But the term suppliers also includes providers of financial and labor inputs. Stockholders, banks, insurance companies, pension funds, and other similar organizations are needed to ensure a continuous supply of capital. Labor unions, colleges and universities, occupational associations, trade schools, and local labor markets are sources of employees.
b. An organization’s general environment includes the broad economic, political/legal, sociocultural, demographic, technological, and global conditions that affect the organization. Although these external factors don’t affect organizations to
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the extent that changes in the specific environment do, managers must consider them as they plan, organize, lead, and control.
One example of general environmental factor is political/legal conditions. Legislation represents one element of such conditions. Federal, state, and local laws, as well as global and other country laws and regulations, influence what organizations can and cannot do. Some federal legislation has significant implications. For example, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) was designed to make jobs and facilities more accessible to people with disabilities, whether they are customers or employees.
(moderate; pp. 74-76) 85
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