Deck 3: Organisational Culture and Environment

Question 1

In the omnipotent view of management, much of an organization's success or failure is due to forces outside management's control.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

An organizational culture refers to a system of shared meaning.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Presently, there is no method for analyzing or assessing organizational culture.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

In the symbolic view of management, it is unreasonable to expect managers to have a significant effect on the organization's performance.

Question 5

Organizational stories typically contain a narrative regarding significant events or people.

Question 6

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

Question 7

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

Question 8

An increasing body of evidence suggests that strong cultures are associated with high organizational performance.

Question 9

The current dominant assumption in management theory suggests that managers are omnipotent.

Question 10

The link between values and managerial behavior is fairly straightforward.

Question 11

Most organizations have very weak cultures.

Question 12

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.

Question 13

A strong ethical culture is likely to have a powerful positive influence on employee behavior.

Question 14

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

Question 15

Employee stock options are one example of a material symbol that might represent organizational culture.

Question 16

An organization's founder has little influence on its culture.

Question 17

In the omnipotent view of management, a manager's role is to create meaning out of randomness, confusion, and ambiguity.

Question 18

Organizational cultures influence how employees behave in an organization.

Question 19

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

Question 20

Organizational culture is a perception, not reality.

Question 21

Because certainty is a threat to an organization's effectiveness, managers try to minimize it.

Question 22

The term suppliers includes providers of financial and labor inputs.

Question 23

Low risk tolerance generally leads to high ethical standards within an organization.

Question 24

To encourage a customer- responsive culture, organizations should formalize and enforce strict customer service policies.

Question 25

To increase customer responsiveness, organizations should hire employees who are outgoing and friendly.

Question 26

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

A) Employees 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) Managers are directly responsible for an organization's success or failure.

Question 27

Companies that allow their employees freedom tend to encourage innovative cultures.

Question 28

Arab countries were not , for the most part, impacted by the global economic crisis.

Question 29

The part of the environment directly related to achievement of an organization's goals is the specific environment.

Question 30

In the Arab world, an organization focused on positive results should place no importance on spirituality.

Question 31

Internal constraints that restrict a manager's decision options .

A) exist only to the extent that followers won't do as they are told
B) exist only to the extent that upper management imposes them
C) exist within every organization
D) do not exist, as all managers have decision- making discretion

Question 32

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

A) control and influence
B) stakeholders' interests
C) ambiguity and confusion
D) decisions of top management

Question 33

The general environment refers to environmental factors operating inside an organization.

Question 34

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) systems
B) omnipotent
C) symbolic
D) functional

Question 35

Customer service employees tend to provide better customer service when they are very clear about their employee roles.

Question 36

The omnipotent view of management states that _.

A) that there is only one boss in the organization, and she or he is responsible for delegating orders
B) the top manager is the only person in charge
C) managers have little or no responsibility for an organization's success or failure
D) managers are directly responsible for an organization's success or failure

Question 37

The current dominant assumption in management theory suggests .

A) an emphasis on the view that managers are symbolic
B) a balanced view of managers as symbolic and omnipotent
C) an emphasis on the view that managers are omnipotent
D) that both the symbolic and omnipotent views are obsolete

Question 38

Environmental uncertainty can be divided into two dimensions: degree of trust and degree of integration.

Question 39

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

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

Question 40

Economic conditions are part of the organization's specific environment.

Question 41

Strong cultures _ .

A) are found in organizations with high employee turnover
B) have a greater influence on employees than do weak cultures
C) have a minimal influence on employee decision making
D) can be found in all organizations that exist

Question 42

In learning an organization's specific language, members are displaying their .

A) consent to share material symbols with the other members of the organization
B) confidence that they will soon be promoted to greater responsibility
C) willingness to communicate with the organization's stockholders
D) willingness to help preserve the culture of the organization

Question 43

Which of the following phrases is associated with the definition of organizational culture?

A) explicit directions
B) diversity of thought
C) shared meaning
D) individual response

Question 44

Which of the following is not considered to be a dimension of organizational culture?

A) aggressiveness
B) people orientation
C) attention to detail
D) purchasing policies

Question 45

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

A) stories
B) charts
C) material symbols
D) rituals

Question 46

All of the following are mentioned in the textbook as examples of material symbols except .

A) reserved parking spaces for certain employees
B) employee dress attire
C) size of employee offices
D) availability of stock options

Question 47

All organizational cultures consist of each of the following except .

A) principles
B) traditions
C) shared values
D) innovation

Question 48

When employees at Microsoft use terms such as work judo, eating your own dog food, and flat food, they are using organizational .

A) symbols
B) rituals
C) ceremonies
D) languages

Question 49

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) team orientation
B) innovation and risk taking
C) outcome orientation
D) stability

Question 50

Which of the following represent the most significant ways through which corporate cultures are transmitted to employees?

A) language, stories, rituals, and rewards
B) rituals, myths, competitions, and language
C) symbols, rituals, language, and business systems
D) stories, rituals, symbols, and language

Question 51

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

A) Strong cultures have less of an influence on employee behavior than do weak cultures.
B) Weak cultures are found in most organizations, whereas strong cultures are relatively rare.
C) Strong cultures tend to encourage employee innovation, while weak cultures do not.
D) Company values are more deeply held and widely shared in strong cultures than in weak cultures.

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

Question 53

Most organizations have cultures.

A) very weak
B) moderate
C) weak to moderate
D) moderate to strong

Question 54

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

A) limited
B) unlimited
C) controlling
D) neutral

Question 55

Employees in organizations with strong cultures .

A) are more likely to leave their organizations
B) are more committed to their organizations
C) are more likely to follow directives from peers
D) are more willing to perform illegal activities

Question 56

The culture of an organization is analogous to the of an individual.

A) skills
B) ability
C) motivation
D) personality

Question 57

The original source of an organization's culture usually .

A) reflects the vision or mission of the organization's founder
B) is shared among the first workers hired into the organization
C) is formulated by the board of directors when the organization is formed
D) identifies what the organization is successful doing

Question 58

In reality, managers are most accurately viewed as .

A) powerless to influence an organization's performance
B) dominant over an organization's environment
C) ultimately responsible for organizational outcomes
D) neither helpless nor all powerful

Question 59

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) aggressiveness
D) outcome orientation

Question 60

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

A) rituals
B) symbols
C) languages
D) ceremonies

Question 61

Which of the following is not an example of a specific environmental factor?

A) political conditions
B) country laws
C) population demographics
D) all of the above

Question 62

To encourage ethical cultures, managers should .

A) enforce strict discipline policies
B) encourage employees to compete
C) serve as visible role models
D) act in their own self- interest

Question 63

The main forces that make up an organization's specific environment are .

A) suppliers, legislators, customers, and employees
B) suppliers, employees, competitors, and legislators
C) customers, suppliers, competitors, and pressure groups
D) employees, competitors, pressure groups, and regulators

Question 64

According to the textbook, the environment includes those forces that have a direct and immediate

A) forward
B) specific
C) secondary
D) general

Question 65

Organizations exist to meet the needs of which of the following constituencies?

A) competitors
B) customers
C) legislators
D) suppliers

Question 66

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

A) Such companies experience high employee turnover.
B) Employees are rewarded for innovation and risk taking.
C) Employees are required to join organized religions.
D) Employees are encouraged to express themselves.

Question 67

A company that primarily values a strong sense of purpose through meaningful work has a(n) organizational culture.

A) spiritual
B) ethical
C) innovative
D) customer- responsive

Question 68

Which of the following accurately reflects four values of the Saudi conglomerate, Savola?

A) Honesty, Conscientiousness, corporate responsibility, and personal control
B) Honesty, Conscientiousness, caring justice, and organizational control
C) Honesty, perseverance, corporate responsibility, and organizational control
D) Honesty, Conscientiousness, caring justice, and personal control

Question 69

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

A) bring religion into business
B) boost company profits
C) restore a sense of community
D) reduce unemployment rates

Question 70

The link between organizational values and managerial behavior is _ _.

A) often highly complex
B) usually uncertain
C) relatively dynamic
D) fairly straightforward

Question 71

When you think of an organization's suppliers, you .

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) typically think in terms of organizations that provide materials and equipment
D) know that they are located close to the organization itself

Question 72

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

A) a company with high risk tolerance
B) a business that focuses strictly on outcomes
C) a business with outgoing and friendly employees
D) a highly aggressive, competitive business

Question 73

An organization's specific environment _.

A) must be quantified to establish its existence
B) is determined by the top level of management
C) is unique and changes with conditions
D) is the same regardless of the organization's age

Question 74

External environment refers to .

A) forces outside the organization that limit the organization's performance
B) forces and institutions inside the organization that affect the organization's performance
C) forces inside the organization that increase the organization's performance
D) factors and forces outside the organization that affect the organization's performance

Question 75

Which of the following best characterizes the relationship between spirituality and business profitability?

A) Limited evidence suggests that spirituality may be compatible with profitability.
B) Research shows that workplace spirituality constrains employee performance.
C) High productivity has been extensively documented in spiritual workplaces.
D) Evidence shows that spirituality and business profitability are incompatible.

Question 76

Each of the following is considered an organizational supplier except providers of .

A) materials
B) labor inputs
C) financial inputs
D) political pressure

Question 77

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?

A) competitor and supplier
B) customer and pressure group
C) both are examples of suppliers
D) both are examples of pressure groups

Question 78

An organization's culture affects managers by _ .

A) establishing what is appropriate and expected behavior
B) encouraging them to bend or even break company rules
C) providing them with additional decision- making power
D) restricting them from disciplining certain employees

Question 79

An innovative organizational culture is characterized by all of the following characteristics except .

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

Question 80

Conscientious employees with good listening skills are highly valuable for building a(n) organizational culture.

A) customer- responsive
B) spiritual
C) ethical
D) innovative