Deck 16: Organisational Change and Stress Management

Question 1

Which of the following is NOT a tactic for dealing with resistance to change?

A)education
B)cooperation
C)participation
D)manipulation

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Phrases such as 'more cultural diversity','ageing population' and 'increased immigration and outsourcing' are all examples of what force for change?

A)world politics
B)nature of the workforce
C)technology
D)social trends

Answer 2

B

Question 3

An example of change in the nature of competition is:

A)increased interest in urban living.
B)more cultural diversity.
C)increased government regulation of commerce.
D)the collapse of a major corporation.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Using covert influence to overcome resistance to change is called:

A)participation.
B)co-optation.
C)coercion.
D)manipulation.

Question 5

Which of the following is NOT cited as a force for change?

A)economic shocks
B)technology
C)social trends
D)decreasing skill sets

Question 6

An example of change in the nature of the workforce is:

A)an increase in university attendance.
B)rising numbers of mergers and consolidations.
C)an increase in divorce rates.
D)more cultural diversity.

Question 7

All of the following are sources of organisational resistance to change EXCEPT:

A)structural inertia.
B)limited focus of change.
C)threat to establish power relationships.
D)security.

Question 8

The application of direct threats or force upon resistors is called:

A)coercion.
B)manipulation.
C)co-optation.
D)power.

Question 9

Change activities that are intentional and goal oriented are called:

A)first-order change.
B)second-order change.
C)planned change.
D)change agents.

Question 10

A(n)__________ is someone who acts as a catalyst and assumes the responsibility for managing change activities.

A)manager
B)entrepreneur
C)innovator
D)change agent

Question 11

Which tactic to overcome resistance to change is a relatively inexpensive way to gain the support of adversaries,but may backfire if the targets become aware that they are being tricked or used?

A)education
B)coercion
C)participation
D)manipulation

Question 12

When an organisation is confronted with change,which of the following acts as a counterbalance to sustain stability?

A)habit
B)threat to expertise
C)structural inertia
D)selective information processing

Question 13

If individuals resisting change are included in making change decisions,not to find better solutions but to get their endorsement,it is called:

A)manipulation.
B)co-optation.
C)participation.
D)coercion.

Question 14

Of the forces for change cited in the textbook,which is continually changing jobs and organisations?

A)world politics
B)the nature of the workforce
C)technology
D)social trends

Question 15

Ally works for a large multi-national company.In recent years,communication between the different national branches of the company has become better integrated with the availability of different online chat options.Within particular branches,the intranet has also become a highly popular tool for the communication of internal information. The forces of change relevant here are:

A)competition and social trends.
B)social trends and technology.
C)technology and the nature of the workforce.
D)competition and technology.

Question 16

Seeking to 'buy off' the leaders of a resistance group by giving them a key role is best defined as:

A)co-optation.
B)participation.
C)facilitation.
D)negotiation.

Question 17

Politics suggest that the impetus for change is more likely to come from:

A)employees who are new to the organisation.
B)outside change agents.
C)managers slightly removed from the main power structure.
D)all of the above.

Question 18

Which tactic for overcoming resistance to change basically assumes that the source of resistance lies in misinformation?

A)manipulation and co-optation
B)education and communication
C)participation
D)facilitation and support

Question 19

What is the goal of planned change?

A)to improve the ability of the organisation to adapt to changes in its environment
B)to change employee behaviour
C)both A and B
D)neither A nor B

Question 20

Rob works for a government department that has recently been merged with another department.As a result of this merger,policies and procedures within the two departments have to be integrated.In anticipation of this,Rob was tasked with creating a 'transition' team that will plan and map the changes that are to take effect at different stages. This is considered:

A)planned change.
B)managed change.
C)ad-hoc change.
D)integrative change.

Question 21

Sarah is a consultant who is currently managing a cultural change within the large organisation in which she works.As part of the process,Sarah has actively consulted with executives and employees across multiple levels of the organisation to determine the kind of culture they would like within the workplace,and to encourage their commitment to the change.She has also held several information sessions to note down and address the concerns employees have with this change. Which of the following values has Sarah displayed in her actions?

A)participation and co-optation
B)manipulation and coercion
C)education and participation
D)education and coercion

Question 22

Mintz's Motor Repair is moving its location to a larger community 100 kilometres away.Mintz would like for its mechanics to move with the company but realises 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. Management is counselling each employee individually and trying to lessen their fears.This is an example of:

A)brainwashing.
B)removing driving forces.
C)removing restraining forces.
D)increasing driving forces.

Question 23

Johnson Farm Products has decided to expand its traditional business with farmers in order to include home gardeners.This change is not met with enthusiasm by the sales personnel,who have had good long-term relationships with farmers in the area.You know that the change will be difficult if you cannot overcome the resistance of the sales personnel and get their cooperation. You have threatened to eliminate positions and even close down the company if your employees don't change their attitudes.The method for overcoming resistance that you have chosen is:

A)negotiation.
B)manipulation and co-optation.
C)participation.
D)education and communication.

Question 24

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. The source of Tony's resistance is:

A)habit.
B)security.
C)fear of the unknown.
D)economic.

Question 25

All of the following statements concerning organisational development (OD)are correct EXCEPT:

A)People should be treated with dignity and respect.
B)Effective organisations are characterised by trust.
C)Effective organisations emphasise hierarchical authority.
D)Problems should be openly confronted.

Question 26

__________ is a change process based on training groups that seek to change behaviour through unstructured group interaction.

A)Sensitivity training
B)Action research
C)Organisational development
D)Process consultation

Question 27

The de-emphasis of hierarchical authority and control in organisational development is referred to as:

A)participation.
B)respect for people.
C)power equalisation.
D)trust and support.

Question 28

To move from equilibrium,Lewin suggests:

A)increasing restraining forces.
B)decreasing driving forces.
C)decreasing restraining forces.
D)all of the above.

Question 29

Who developed a three-step model for change that included unfreezing,movement and refreezing?

A)Mary Parker Follett
B)David McClelland
C)Chester Barnard
D)Kurt Lewin

Question 30

Which of the following is NOT considered an underlying value in organisational development?

A)participation
B)control
C)confrontation
D)power equalisation

Question 31

__________ is a method of changing behaviour through unstructured group interaction.

A)Autonomous work teams
B)Team building groups
C)Sensitivity training
D)A structural intervention

Question 32

To direct behaviour away from the status quo,one can increase the use of:

A)restraining forces.
B)driving forces.
C)refreezing.
D)changing.

Question 33

__________ is change efforts to overcome the pressures of both individual resistance and group conformity.

A)Unfreezing
B)Freezing
C)Movement
D)Planned change

Question 34

__________ is a tool for assessing attitudes held by organisational members,identifying discrepancies among member perceptions and solving these differences.

A)Survey feedback
B)Process consultation
C)Intergroup development
D)Sensitivity training

Question 35

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. The source of Don's resistance is:

A)habit.
B)security.
C)fear of the unknown.
D)economic.

Question 36

Johnson Farm Products has decided to expand its traditional business with farmers in order to include home gardeners.This change is not met with enthusiasm by the sales personnel,who have had good long-term relationships with farmers in the area.You know that the change will be difficult if you cannot overcome the resistance of the sales personnel and get their cooperation. You have brought in a local 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)participation.
B)manipulation and co-optation.
C)education and communication.
D)negotiation.

Question 37

Johnson Farm Products has decided to expand its traditional business with farmers in order to include home gardeners.This change is not met with enthusiasm by the sales personnel,who have had good long-term relationships with farmers in the area.You know that the change will be difficult if you cannot overcome the resistance of the sales personnel and get their cooperation. You have decided to involve the sales personnel in planning for the change and in stocking appropriate new items.The method for overcoming resistance that you have chosen is:

A)manipulation and co-optation.
B)participation.
C)negotiation.
D)education and communication.

Question 38

Mintz's Motor Repair is moving its location to a larger community 100 kilometres away.Mintz would like for its mechanics to move with the company but realises 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. Mintz is offering a $2000 moving bonus for any employee who will go to the new location.In Lewin's terms,it is attempting to:

A)move the process along.
B)unfreeze the status quo.
C)bribe them.
D)refreeze the change.

Question 39

The activities included in team building include all of the following EXCEPT:

A)goal setting.
B)role analysis.
C)team process analysis.
D)individual development.

Question 40

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. The source of Doug's resistance is:

A)security.
B)fear of the unknown.
C)habit.
D)economic.

Question 41

Which of the following statements about culture and stress is TRUE?

A)Job conditions that lead to stress may differ across countries.
B)Personality effects on stress appear to be the same across cultures.
C)Stress varies by cultures in terms of its harmfulness.
D)All of the above.

Question 42

Which of the following has been the most studied potential source of innovation?

A)cultural variables
B)cultural variables within teams
C)human resource factors
D)structural variables

Question 43

__________ seeks to change groups' attitudes,stereotypes and perceptions about each other.

A)Process consultation
B)Intergroup development
C)Team building
D)Sensitivity analysis

Question 44

______ has(have)the most research as a potential source of innovation.

A)Product innovation
B)Technologies
C)Time
D)Structural variables

Question 45

Symptoms of stress can surface as:

A)psychological outcomes.
B)physiological outcomes.
C)behavioural outcomes.
D)all of the above.

Question 46

In Anna's organisation,all the employees hold a shared vision of providing excellence in customer service.Employees frequently share their experiences with others to obtain feedback and to mentor new employees.They associate themselves with the organisation as a whole rather than the specific departments that they work for. Which characteristic of Anna's organisation suggests that it is a learning organisation?

A)Organisational members have a shared vision.
B)There is open communication between employees.
C)Old ways of thinking are discarded.
D)All the above.

Question 47

__________ is(are)consistently negatively related to job performance.

A)Role ambiguity
B)Environmental uncertainty
C)Job insecurity
D)All of the above

Question 48

__________ organisations are those that have developed an ability to readily adapt to change.

A)Strategic
B)Formalised
C)Learning
D)Operant

Question 49

For potential stress to become actual stress,the outcome must be perceived to have both ________ and ________.

A)people;organisations
B)uncertainty;importance
C)uncertainty;risk
D)certainty;importance

Question 50

________ refers to a new idea that leads to product improvement.

A)Unspecialised change
B)Innovation
C)Groupthink
D)Single-loop learning

Question 51

Which of the following is the biggest reason why people have trouble coping with organisational changes?

A)competition
B)uncertainty
C)complexity
D)all of the above

Question 52

_______________ are stressors that keep you from reaching your goals (e.g.red tape,office politics and confusion over job responsibilities).

A)Challenge stressors
B)Hindrance stressors
C)Demands
D)Resources

Question 53

A significant individual factor that influences stress is:

A)role demands.
B)interpersonal demands.
C)technological change.
D)basic disposition.

Question 54

All of the following are factors related to organisational stress EXCEPT:

A)economic factors.
B)interpersonal demands.
C)task demands.
D)role demands.

Question 55

Rather than looking for problems,________ seeks to identify the unique qualities and special strengths of an organisation,which can then be built upon to improve performance.

A)sensitivity analysis
B)team building
C)process consultation
D)appreciative inquiry

Question 56

Jane works for an organisation that is highly bureaucratic.Communication between departments is scarce.Due to several poor strategic initiatives,the organisation now has limited funds.Despite this,a large proportion of the management has stayed on as they have been with the organisation for many years. What characteristic of Jane's organisation is conducive to innovation?

A)limited resources
B)inter-department communication
C)management tenure
D)organisational structure

Question 57

Political uncertainties,economic uncertainties and technological change are examples of which category of potential stressors?

A)individual
B)economic
C)environmental
D)organisational

Question 58

Which of the following is NOT a step in the appreciative inquiry process?

A)destiny
B)mission
C)dreaming
D)discovery

Question 59

Family issues,economic problems and inherent personality characteristics are examples of which category of potential stress?

A)economic demands
B)organisational demands
C)personal demands
D)environmental demands

Question 60

Which of the following is NOT a category of potential stressors?

A)organisational
B)environmental
C)personal
D)global

Question 61

Which of the following is NOT a behavioural symptom of stress?

A)increased alcohol consumption
B)rapid speech
C)procrastination
D)change in eating habits

Question 62

Which of the following is NOT a time-management principle?

A)make daily list of activities to be accomplished
B)know the most productive parts of your day and schedule accordingly
C)schedule activities according to priorities set
D)rank activities from least liked to best liked

Question 63

The symptoms of stress can be categorised into:

A)physical,emotional and physiological symptoms.
B)physical,emotional and psychological symptoms.
C)physical,emotional and behavioural symptoms.
D)physiological,psychological and behavioural symptoms.

Question 64

The simplest and most obvious psychological effect of stress is:

A)job dissatisfaction.
B)increased absenteeism.
C)organisational turnover.
D)increased conflict.

Question 65

Organisationally supported programs that focus on the employee's total physical and mental condition are called:

A)cafeteria benefit programs.
B)wellness programs.
C)employee benefit analysis.
D)job redesign programs.

Question 66

Discuss resistance to change in term of its organisational sources.

Question 67

TNT Net is in the computer industry,where innovations are common.The 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. The technological uncertainty that employees are dealing with is a(n)________ factor.

A)environmental
B)organisational
C)company
D)individual

Question 68

Symptoms of stress such as increased blood pressure and increased heart rate are __________ symptoms.

A)behavioural
B)psychological
C)interactive
D)physiological

Question 69

The most widely studied pattern in the stress-performance literature is the ________ relationship.

A)V
B)inverted U
C)U
D)XYZ

Question 70

Discuss five reasons why individuals may resist change.

Question 71

Which of the following is NOT a psychological consequence of stress?

A)irritability
B)boredom
C)anxiety
D)high blood pressure

Question 72

Andy and Ben are both employed in the same organisation.Ben has fairly good relationships with his co-workers and supervisor.He has also been in the organisation for five years.Andy is fairly new to the organisation and has not had the opportunity to build close relationships with co-workers.However,he is confident in his own abilities and tends to believe that situations are under his own control. In Ben's case,any stress he feels is likely to be moderated by:

A)self-efficacy and social support.
B)experience and internal locus of control.
C)self-efficacy and experience.
D)experience and social support.

Question 73

What do wellness programs focus on?

A)stress reduction
B)both mental and physical condition
C)mental condition
D)physical condition

Question 74

Meditation,hypnosis and biofeedback are examples of:

A)non-competitive physical exercise.
B)relaxation techniques.
C)time-management techniques.
D)physical exercise.

Question 75

An individual approach to reduce stress is:

A)relaxation techniques.
B)selection and placement.
C)goal setting.
D)redesigning jobs.

Question 76

TNT Net is in the computer industry,where innovations are common.The 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. One of your employees is very stressed as a result of being asked to assume too many roles in his job.This source of stress is:

A)environmental.
B)imaginary.
C)individual.
D)organisational.

Question 77

TNT Net is in the computer industry,where innovations are common.The 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. In an attempt to recognise stress early,you should be aware that symptoms may be:

A)physiological.
B)behavioural.
C)psychological.
D)all of the above.

Question 78

Which of the following is related to an increased risk to stress?

A)internal locus of control
B)lowered self-efficacy
C)less social support
D)external locus of control

Question 79

Which of the following is NOT mentioned as an individual difference variable moderating the relationship between potential stressors and experienced stress?

A)perception
B)socioeconomic level
C)social support
D)job experience

Question 80

What are the goals of planned change?