Deck 5: Cultural Studies of Organizations and Communication

Question 1

All of the following events were used to characterize the changing political landscape that gave rise to the cultural approach in organizational communication EXCEPT

A) the Great Depression.
B) European countries giving up their colonies.
C) minority voices gaining political power
D) the Korean War.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Which of the following perspectives on culture emphasizes consistency and clarity in organizational processes and practices?

A) Practical view
B) Integration perspective
C) Fragmentation perspective
D) Differentiation perspective

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Which of the following perspectives on culture recognizes that consensus and dissensus fluctuate back and forth in a constant pattern of change?

A) Differentiation perspective
B) Integration perspective
C) Fragmentation perspective
D) Interpretive view

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Organizational cultures are composed of environments and symbols. According to the book, which of the following would not count as either an environment or a symbol?

A) Payroll taxes
B) Arrangements of parking lots
C) Key vocabulary
D) Accomplishments and awards

Question 5

The use of terms like "family," "machine," or "ship" to characterize an organization and its daily activities is an example of which of the following concepts?

A) Rituals
B) Stories
C) Metaphors
D) Imagery

Question 6

The use of websites, intranets, chat groups, instant messages, and the like to improve the socialization process is an example of which of the following concepts?

A) Advanced communication and information technologies
B) Social media networking
C) Cultural artifacts
D) Rituals

Question 7

Which of the following approaches to culture advocates the use of stories, rituals, and other organizational elements to build strong organizational cultures and increase employee commitment?

A) Practical view
B) Interpretive view
C) Critical and postmodern views
D) Systems view

Question 8

Which of the following terms are used to describe the two general types of socialization?

A) Anticipatory socialization and organizational assimilation
B) Occupational socialization and anticipatory socialization
C) Organizational turning points and occupational socialization
D) Occupational socialization and organizational assimilation

Question 9

Career placement tests and job fairs that many high schools use to prepare students for graduation are examples of which of the following concepts?

A) Organizational assimilation
B) General socialization
C) Fragmentation
D) Anticipatory socialization

Question 10

Cultural studies begin with the assumption that which of the following concepts is central to human perception?

A) Relationships
B) Organizations
C) Language
D) Culture

Question 11

Which of the following views of organizational culture emerged from managements' desire for specific communication strategies that enhance competitiveness and increase employee satisfaction?

A) Productive view
B) Practical view
C) Interpretive view
D) Critical and postmodern views

Question 12

When Pixar employees are allowed to decorate their office space any way they desire, which of the following elements of organizational culture are they manipulating?

A) Rituals
B) Artifacts
C) Performances
D) Metaphors

Question 13

Ethnographers who look specifically at issues of power and domination associated with the development, maintenance, or transformation of a particular culture most likely embrace which of the following views?

A) Corporate culture view
B) Interpretive view
C) Practical view
D) Critical and postmodern views

Question 14

Researchers who develop "thick descriptions" of an organizational culture are practicing which of the following theoretical traditions?

A) Interpretive
B) Critical
C) Postmodern
D) Systems

Question 15

When the person in charge on an organizational chart differs from the person whom "everyone knows" is in charge, which of the following views on culture is being portrayed?

A) Differentiation perspective
B) Integration perspective
C) Interpretive view
D) Critical and postmodern views

Question 16

Which of the following items would not count as an organizational artifact, according to the text?

A) Office decor
B) Role models
C) Dress codes
D) Graffiti

Question 17

The unique way in which people in an organization talk, think, and act is called the organization's

A) culture.
B) strategy.
C) climate.
D) personality.

Question 18

According to Joanne Martin, which of the following cultural perspectives typically favors the story held by those in power over other competing stories?

A) Domination
B) Fragmentation
C) Differentiation
D) Integration

Question 19

William Ouchi's Theory Z asserts that the survival and prosperity of organizations depend heavily on their ability to

A) solve their productivity problems.
B) re-instill hierarchical management structures.
C) adapt to their surrounding cultures.
D) follow Japanese manufacturing techniques.

Question 20

Which of the following is an example of a high-reliability organization as referenced in the text?

A) Research universities
B) 911 call stations
C) Fire departments
D) Hospitals

Question 21

The critical and postmodern views are the approaches to organizational culture that focus most on power.

Question 22

Anticipatory socialization involves two parts: vocational socialization and organizational socialization.

Question 23

Organizational cultures are examples of symbolic constructions.

Question 24

According to Peters and Waterman, which of the following makes top-performing companies succeed?

A) Strong leaders
B) Customers
C) Managers and supervisors
D) Front-line workers

Question 25

From an ethnographic perspective, organizational activities such as office parties and softball games can be misleading when it comes to studying culture.

Question 26

Which of the following metaphors does John Van Maanen use in his study of organizational culture at Disney?

A) "Family tree"
B) "Organizational drama"
C) "Fantasy culture"
D) "Smile factory"

Question 27

Much like other traditional research methods in the social sciences, ethnographic research discourages the researcher from being a participant observer.

Question 28

Organizational leaders like Mark Zuckerberg and the late Steve Jobs are often cited as innovative individuals who personify the values of their organizations. Which of the following elements of culture best describes why these men are held up as role models?

A) They developed clear organizational values and rituals.
B) They are regarded as organizational heroes.
C) They are inspirational leaders.
D) They are skilled organizational performers.

Question 29

The focus on heroes and heroines is an important element of organizational culture.

Question 30

Although there are seven elements of culture, the only one that scholars really study is metaphors.

Question 31

According to the text, when less experienced physicians are encouraged to "speak like a doctor," what else are they doing?

A) Performing identity
B) Communicating the values of the organization
C) Acting as organizational heroes/heroines
D) Becoming leaders

Question 32

The first known reference to organizational culture appeared in which of the following publications?

A) The New York Times
B) Management Communication Quarterly
C) Administrative Science Quarterly
D) Organizational Communication

Question 33

Anticipatory socialization usually gives people a very accurate idea of what a job will be like, and this impression is unchanged by organizational assimilation that takes place when they start working.

Question 34

There are two general types of socialization: anticipatory socialization and organizational assimilation.

Question 35

Members of the communication field are very united in their views on organizational culture.

Question 36

According to Joanne Martin, the fragmentation perspective views ambiguity as an inevitable part of organizational life.

Question 37

Rather than viewing culture as something that an organization has, interpretive scholars treat culture as something that an organization is.

Question 38

The interpretive view of organizational culture made the most significant move to recognize organizations as socially constructed.

Question 39

Organizational stories must be formally recorded in order to count as part of the organization's culture.

Question 40

Researchers can study an organization's values by looking at several elements, including formal documents, advertisements, websites, and even the layout of employee parking lots.

Question 41

What does the practical view offer to the study of organizational culture? Provide an example that illustrates your point.

Question 42

Explain what the textbook means by organizational "culture." What elements make up a culture? Offer an example of an organization that has a distinct and unique culture based on these elements.

Question 43

What does Meyer encourage leaders to do to create a seamless, strong culture that blends "home" (corporate) culture with the "host" (international) culture?

Question 44

Consider how individuals are socialized into their short-term jobs and long-term careers. Using the two forms of organizational socialization (anticipatory socialization and organizational assimilation), define socialization, and explain how individuals are prepared to participate in organizations.

Question 45

How does the interpretive view differ from other views on organizational communication that have been presented in the text?

Question 46

What does it mean to say that organizational cultures are "symbolic constructions"?

Question 47

What is Theory Z, and how does it relate to Theory X and Theory Y from previous chapters?

Question 48

Choose an organization that you believe has a clear and unique culture. How would a supporter of the practical view analyze that organization's culture? How would an interpretive scholar view that same culture? What about a scholar of the critical and postmodern views? In your answer, be sure to define each of these three views, and offer detailed examples from the organization that you chose.

Question 49

Explain socialization in high-reliability organizations and provide examples.

Question 50

How would one carry out an ethnography?

Question 51

What are strong cultures, according to Deal and Kennedy? If strong cultures exist, does that also mean that weak cultures exist? If so, what would they look like?

Question 52

The text outlines several elements of culture. List and define three of them.

Question 53

What are some of the significant changes and social trends in American history that helped usher in the study of organizational culture?