Deck 2: Supervision Challenges

Question 1

A loosely knit social framework in which people are supposed to look after their own interests, and those of their immediate family is referred to as:

A)socialism.
B)collectivism.
C)individualism.
D)cultural norming.
E)communism.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Many North American companies have changed dramatically in the 1990s by improving quality and reducing costs.This is a direct response to:

A)job specialization.
B)service organization.
C)global competition.
D)organization downsizing.
E)division work.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

The online buying and selling of products or services is referred to as:

A)e-bay.
B)e-business.
C)e-commerce.
D)e-merchandising.
E)e-maketing.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

A specific challenge for supervisors is recognizing the differences that might exist among people. One of the first issues supervisors must deal with is the perception of:

A)outsourcing.
B)conflict management.
C)foreigners.
D)organized labor.
E)authoritarian leadership styles.

Question 5

Any hi-tech equipment,tools or operating methods that are designed to make work more efficient are called:

A)empowerment.
B)technology.
C)leadership.
D)re-engineering.
E)downsizing.

Question 6

The term used to describe American companies working to become "lean and mean" organizations by cutting their staffs and reshaping their organizations is referred to as:

A)mechanistic organizing.
B)downsizing.
C)re-engineering.
D)centralizing authorities.
E)bureaucratic organizing.

Question 7

The concept of when we see things solely through our own eyes and within our perspectives is called:

A)corporate downsizing.
B)parochialism.
C)re-engineering.
D)cultural diversity.
E)acceptance of authority.

Question 8

The method of linking a worker's computer and modem with coworkers and management at an office,making it possible for employees to be located anywhere in the global village,is called:

A)corporate downsizing.
B)employee empowerment.
C)span of management.
D)span of control.
E)telecommuting.

Question 9

The largest group in the work force,regarded as career climbers,is called:

A)baby-busters.
B)baby-boomers.
C)social climbers.
D)status seekers.
E)mature workers.

Question 10

Research undertaken by Geert Hofstede found that a country's culture had a major effect on employees' work related:

A)policies and procedures.
B)leadership and personality.
C)power and politics.
D)centralizing and decentralizing abilities.
E)values and attitudes.

Question 11

In dealing with employees,supervisors must recognize that they must be:

A)flexible and adaptable.
B)individual decision makers.
C)authority figures.
D)autocratic leaders.
E)self-centered.

Question 12

A tight social framework in which people expect others in groups which they are part of to look after them and protect them when they are in trouble is referred to as:

A)legitimate power.
B)individualism.
C)multi-cultural diversity.
D)collectivism.
E)parochialism.

Question 13

Critical to the success of supervising others in the global village is understanding:

A)mechanistic organizations.
B)corporate downsizing.
C)cultural environments.
D)organic organizations.
E)conflict resolution.

Question 14

The United States is strongly individualistic,but low on power on power distance.This same pattern is exhibited by all of the following countries EXCEPT FOR:

A)Venezuela.
B)Canada.
C)Australia.
D)Netherlands.

Question 15

Hofstede found that supervisors and employees vary on the following dimensions on national culture EXCEPT FOR:

A)quantity versus quality of life.
B)power distance.
C)individualism versus collectivism.
D)uncertainty avoidance.
E)supervisor and employee homogeneity.

Question 16

Organizations have become increasingly global in their perspectives and accept the reality that national borders no longer define:

A)acquisitions and mergers.
B)cultural diversities.
C)corporations.
D)mechanistic organizations.
E)federal bureaucracies.

Question 17

Changing events help to shape interactions between supervisors and their employees.Recent changes include all of the following EXCEPT FOR: 1)______

A)global competitiveness.
B)technology and e-business enhancements.
C)stagnating operations.
D)work force diversity.
E)downsizing

Question 18

Hofstede's findings allow supervisors to group countries according to the following cultural variables EXCEPT FOR:

A)societal uncertainty.
B)norming differences.
C)assertiveness.
D)status differences.

Question 19

The single most important human resource issue in organizations today may be adapting organizational policies and practices in light of the increasing:

A)homogeneous society.
B)geocentrism.
C)work force diversity.
D)ethnocentrism.
E)polocentrism.

Question 20

According to Hofstede,a strong individualistic U.S.supervisor may have difficulties if sent to a Pacific Rim country where:

A)individual responsibility dominates.
B)collectivism dominates.
C)unilateral authority is predominant.
D)individualism dominates.
E)centralized decision-making is predominant.

Question 21

A company's national origin is no longer a very good gauge of where it does business or the national origin of its employees.

Question 22

Technology is making it possible to better serve customers in many industries.

Question 23

The primary goals of continuous improvement are all of the below EXCEPT:

A)focus on the customer.
B)seek continual improvement.
C)seek accurate measurement.
D)involve employees.
E)strive to improve the quantity of the work.
TRUE/FALSE.Write 'T' if the statement is true and 'F' if the statement is false.

Question 24

The quality revolution that continues to take place in both the private and public sectors is known by the generic descriptive term:

A)continuous improvement.
B)human resource management.
C)Theory X management.
D)human resource capital.
E)scientific management.

Question 25

E-business includes the following EXCEPT:

A)identifying a different kind of leader to run a virtual business.
B)collaborating with partners to electronically coordinate design and production.
C)the challenge of finding unskilled people to build and operate Intranets and Web sites.
D)improving communication with supplier and customers.
E)developing strategies for running Internet-based companies.

Question 26

Which group will make up a larger share of the workforce in the future?

A)Whites
B)Asians
C)Minorities and women
D)Blacks
E)Hispanics

Question 27

Parochialism means:

A)wanting other cultures to understand our culture.
B)seeing things solely through our own eyes.
C)recognizing that other people have valid,though different,ways of thinking and doing things.
D)view your practices as being not as good as other cultures.

Question 28

In essence,technology today has enhanced supervisors' ability to perform their jobs.

Question 29

Employees set aside their cultural values and life-style preferences when they come to work;therefore,supervisors do not have to remake organizations to accommodate these different lifestyles,family needs,and work styles.

Question 30

Individualism refers to a loosely knit social framework in which people are supposed to look after their own interests and those of their immediate family.

Question 31

A radical or quantum change in an organization's work process is commonly referred to as:

A)quality circles.
B)unity of command.
C)work process engineering.
D)span of management.
E)span of control.

Question 32

The addition of a moral element to the organization's public obligation to do those things that make society better and not to do those things that could make it worse is:

A)coercive power.
B)social responsiveness.
C)manipulation.
D)corporate culture.
E)business ethics.

Question 33

Organizations downsize to accomplish two primary goalsto create greater efficiency and reduce costs.

Question 34

It's predicted that by the end of the next decade the number of contingent employees will have grown to this percentage of the workforce:

A)10%.
B)20%.
C)30%.
D)40%.
E)50%.

Question 35

An obligation organizations have to the publicgoing beyond the law and profit making is:

A)a union free plant.
B)profit maximization.
C)social responsibility.
D)corporate downsizing.
E)return on investment.

Question 36

Power distance is a measure of the extent to which a society accepts the fact that power in institutions and organizations is distributed unequally.

Question 37

Parochialism leads to viewing practices in other cultures as being better than our practices.

Question 38

The foundation of a business's public involvement is called:

A)social obligation.
B)global management.
C)autocratic leadership.
D)bottom-up planning.
E)Theory X management.

Question 39

Continuous improvement is concerned with radical or quantum change where work process engineering focuses on ongoing incremental change.