Deck 3: Decision Making, Problem Solving, and Ethics

Question 1

Decision makers attempt to minimize the possibility of risk by not attempting to forecast outcomes or variables.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

The first step in the decision-making process is to develop possible alternative solutions.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Without decision making the entire management system would cease to exist.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Without identification of the cause, it is difficult to correctly solve a problem.

Question 5

According to the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, people who rely on intuition tend to be patient and realistic.

Question 6

Because supervisors operate on a day-to-day, person-to-person basis, they must make decisions more frequently and often more quickly than managers at other levels.

Question 7

Determining whether the decision is achieving results involves the control function of management.

Question 8

Whom to promote to a supervisory position is an unprogrammed decision.

Question 9

Supervisors can usually devise an established, systematic way of handling programmed decisions.

Question 10

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) helps identify a group's problem-solving style.

Question 11

The final step in the decision-making process is following up and evaluating the decision.

Question 12

Joan reported late for work on several occasions this week.In handling this situation, her supervisor, Jim will probably use a programmed decision.

Question 13

In a cost-benefit analysis, you should select the alternative in which the costs are greater than the benefits.

Question 14

Decision making is the conscious consideration and selection of a course of action from among available alternatives, to produce a desired result.

Question 15

A situation that is viewed as a source of anxiety or distress can best be called an opportunity.

Question 16

Unprogrammed decisions occur frequently and require a separate and different response each time.

Question 17

Span of management is the number of decisions a given manager can make in one day.

Question 18

Even if an outcome is inevitable, a decision is always needed.

Question 19

It is easier to choose from a few alternatives than from many.

Question 20

For a true decision to be made, there is usually only more than one alternative.

Question 21

____ is the number of immediate employees a supervisor can supervise effectively.

A) Span of organization.
B) Span of management.
C) Span of leadership.
D) Span of decision making.

Question 22

Fluency is the ability to let ideas flow out of your head like water over a waterfall.

Question 23

Which of the following statements describes programmed decisions?

A) They occur infrequently.
B) They require separate decision making each time the situation occurs.
C) They are routine and repetitive.
D) They have many different variables.

Question 24

The highest level of ethical behavior is the legal level, adhering to the "law of the land."

Question 25

Which of the following statements is(are) true?

A) If a given event is inevitable, no decision is needed.
B) Decisions should never contain any element of uncertainty.
C) The possibility of doing nothing should not be an alternative in the decision making process.
D) All of the above are true.

Question 26

A(n) ____ decision is one which is routine and repetitive.

A) Unprogrammed.
B) Linear.
C) Programmed.
D) Intuitive.

Question 27

Synergy means that the whole is less than the sum of the parts.

Question 28

The decision about how frequently to do maintenance servicing is an example of a(n):

A) Problem decision.
B) Programmed decision.
C) Intuitive decision.
D) Unprogrammed decision.

Question 29

The Vroom-Yetton model provides guidelines on the extent to which subordinates are involved in decision making or problem solving.

Question 30

The autocratic style is the only style that the Vroom-Yetton model describes.

Question 31

Which of the following is NOT an element that is involved in decision making?

A) A decision might not be needed.
B) Decisions involve the future.
C) The decision making process is a conscious one.
D) There are always multiple alternatives.

Question 32

The Crawford Slip Technique makes use of two elements that are important to creativity: fluency and leniency.

Question 33

Which of the following statements regarding supervisors is(are) true?

A) Supervisory managers are involved in directing employees' behavior toward achieving the organization's goals.
B) Supervisors must make more decisions more frequently than other managers.
C) The decisions that managers make are interrelated and often have to be made quickly.
D) All of the above are true.

Question 34

According to the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, people who prefer thinking, use rational, logical processes to come to conclusions.

Question 35

If there is only one alternative:

A) The person with the highest rank in the organization should make the decision.
B) Decision making will be unprogrammed.
C) No decision is needed.
D) All of the above are true.

Question 36

Brainstorming is a process that is used as a technique to foster creative problem solving.

Question 37

Ethics are the standards that are used to judge rightness or wrongness of a person's behavior toward others.

Question 38

The conscious consideration and selection of a course of action from among available alternatives is:

A) Organizing.
B) Decision making.
C) Controlling.
D) Orienting.

Question 39

The lower the level of management:

A) The wider the manager's span of management.
B) The less frequently the manager needs to make decisions.
C) The narrower the manager's span of management.
D) The higher the manager's authority.

Question 40

The nominal group technique is structured and generates ideas through round-robbin individual responses.

Question 41

Discuss how decision making relates to the five management functions.

Question 42

Which of the following is one of the two elements of the Crawford Slip technique?

A) Fluency.
B) Rigidity.
C) Responsibility.
D) Hesitancy.

Question 43

According to the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, people who tend to be patient, practical and realistic, will primarily rely on:

A) Intuition.
B) Feeling.
C) Thinking.
D) Sensing.

Question 44

Following up on decision making involves exercising the management function of:

A) Planning.
B) Organizing.
C) Leading.
D) Controlling.

Question 45

Which of the following is NOT one of the guidelines for brainstorming?

A) Quantity is favored over quality.
B) Censoring is avoided.
C) Initially, members refrain from judging anyone's contributions.
D) Pride of authority is maximized.

Question 46

Which of the following is TRUE about the nominal group technique?

A) Round robbin responses are used.
B) Everything is expressed verbally.
C) It is non-structured.
D) None of the above is true.

Question 47

In deciding between two alternatives, the supervisor should choose the one which:

A) Gives the greatest payoff at the lowest cost.
B) Gives the greatest payoff at the highest cost.
C) Gives the least payoff at the lowest cost.
D) Gives the least payoff at the highest cost.

Question 48

____ is(are) the standards used to judge the "rightness" or "wrongness" of one person's behavior toward others.

A) Policies.
B) Standards.
C) Rules.
D) Ethics.

Question 49

An accident just occurred in the department that Tom supervises.Tom is faced with making which of the following types of decisions?

A) Unprogrammed decision.
B) Controlled decision.
C) Programmed decision.
D) Repetitive decision.

Question 50

The analysis of costs relative to advantages is known as:

A) Cost/supervision analysis.
B) Expense breakdown.
C) Cost/benefit analysis.
D) Financial management.

Question 51

Decisions that are made infrequently, are which of the following types of decisions?

A) Unprogrammed.
B) Variable.
C) Programmed.
D) Not really decisions.

Question 52

The last step in the decision-making process is:

A) Selecting the preferred alternative.
B) Implementing the decision.
C) Following up and evaluating decisions.
D) Evaluating and interpreting alternatives.

Question 53

When the whole is greater than the sum of the parts, this process is known as:

A) Synergy.
B) Energy.
C) Fluency.
D) Equity.

Question 54

Which of the following is NOT one of the styles described in the Vroom and Yetton model?

A) Consultative.
B) Dynamic.
C) Autocratic.
D) Group consensus.

Question 55

____ is the set of circumstances that offer a chance to reach a goal.

A) Decision.
B) Problem.
C) Opportunity.
D) Alternative.

Question 56

Prudent decision makers attempt to minimize ____ by effectively forecasting outcomes.

A) Opportunity.
B) Estimation.
C) Risk.
D) Decision making.

Question 57

A(n) ____ is an existing unsatisfactory situation causing distress, which must be dealt with.

A) Opportunity.
B) Consideration.
C) Problem.
D) Headache.

Question 58

Supervisors who give greater weight to the human side of a decision use a(n):

A) Feeling approach.
B) Authority approach.
C) Thinking approach.
D) Opportunity approach.

Question 59

Which of the following is NOT one of the four internal dimensions of personal style of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator?

A) Sensing.
B) Thinking.
C) Creating.
D) Feeling.

Question 60

The first step in the decision making process is to:

A) Provide feedback.
B) Define problem or idea.
C) Select alternative.
D) Develop alternatives.

Question 61

Differentiate between programmed and unprogrammed decisions, and give an example of each.

Question 62

Describe the two elements that are important in achieving creativity in the Crawford Slip technique.

Question 63

Describe the four internal dimensions of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and some of the characteristics of the people who demonstrate each dimension.

Question 64

What role do ethics play in the decision process?

Question 65

Why do supervisors need to make decisions more frequently than other managers?

Question 66

What does the cost/benefit analysis entail?

Question 67

List and discuss the six steps in the decision-making process.

Question 68

Define decision making and give an example.