Deck 16: Change Management

Question 1

Total quality management efforts usually focus on teams, and the principles of team building must be applied to make them work.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

The first step of Lewin's model of planned change involves refreezing.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

A change in the organisation may threaten the specialised expertise that individuals and groups have developed over the years.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Because of perceptual limitations such as lack of attention or selective attention, a person may not recognise a change in a rule or procedure and thus may not alter his or her behaviour.

Question 5

Employees must be prepared for constant change.

Question 6

A major problem with training programmes is transferring employee learning to the workplace.

Question 7

Refreezing is the process of generating actual change in the organisation.

Question 8

Unfreezing is the process by which people become aware of the need for change.

Question 9

The generation of workers born between 1960 and 1980 are referred to as Generation X.

Question 10

Despite their efforts to do so, baby boomers have failed to affect employment practices.

Question 11

Process analysis involves developing plans for improvement.

Question 12

As the rate of technological change increases, it becomes important to respond more slowly to change in order to make the proper decisions.

Question 13

Advances in information processing and communication have paralleled each other.

Question 14

The median age in South Africa has gradually increased over the last several decades.

Question 15

The four areas in which the pressures for change are the most powerful involve people, technology, information processing and communication, and competition.

Question 16

The three steps of Lewin's model of planned change are unfreezing, change and refreezing.

Question 17

Groups that are satisfied with current resource allocation methods may resist any change they believe will threaten future allocations.

Question 18

The survey feedback process includes five distinct stages that begin with problem identification.

Question 19

Management development programs rely heavily on participative methods such as case studies and role playing to instruct employees.

Question 20

The final step in the continuous change process model involves recognising and defining a problem.

Question 21

Generation X includes people who were born between

A) 1930 and 1945.
B) 1910 and 1930.
C) 1945 and 1960.
D) 1970 and 1980.
E) 1960 and 1980.

Question 22

Each of the following is true of organisation development EXCEPT

A) it is designed specifically to improve organisations.
B) it attempts to plan organisation changes.
C) it is based on knowledge of the behavioural sciences.
D) it excludes spontaneous initiatives.
E) All of these are parts of organisation development.

Question 23

Transition management

A) is the responsibility of an outside consultant.
B) is the responsibility of the change agent.
C) relieves the regular management team of its normal duties.
D) halts business as usual during the change process.
E) deals with the unintended consequences of change.

Question 24

The group of people born between 1980 and 2000 are called

A) Generation X.
B) Millennials.
C) Generation Y.
D) Generation Z.
E) Baby boomers.

Question 25

Many efforts to create change in organisations adopt too narrow a focus.

Question 26

Information processing and communication changes include all of the following EXCEPT

A) a new generation of computers.
B) people may not need offices.
C) work stations will be more electronic than paper and pencil.
D) organisations will have systematic plans for changes.
E) satellite systems for data transmission.

Question 27

The first step in Lewin's Process Model of change is

A) refreezing.
B) unfreezing.
C) change itself.
D) planning.
E) observing.

Question 28

A structural change affects all of the following EXCEPT

A) performance appraisals.
B) rewards.
C) communication.
D) decision-making.
E) All of these are affected by structural changes.

Question 29

Problems related to resistance, control and power can be overcome by broad participation in planning the change.

Question 30

Managers should take a holistic view of the organisation and the change project in order to manage change and development successfully.

Question 31

The number of people born in South Africa between 1946 and 1964 was approximately

A) 3 million.
B) 2 million.
C) 10 million.
D) 5 million.
E) 4 million.

Question 32

Employees who contribute to the change in any way need to be rewarded.

Question 33

Organisation development

A) focuses on technological change.
B) has yet to emerge as a distinct field of study.
C) works best as a spontaneous process.
D) is designed to combat unwanted change.
E) is the process of planned change using scientific knowledge.

Question 34

The utility and value of management development are currently more an article of faith than a proven fact.

Question 35

Baby boomers were born between

A) 1930 and 1945.
B) 1960 and 1970.
C) 1945 and 1960.
D) 1970 and 1980.
E) 1980 and 2000.

Question 36

In the continuous change process model, the final step is

A) measurement, evaluation and control.
B) OB modelling.
C) a system audit and modification.
D) the change agent.
E) transition management.

Question 37

Which of the following is NOT considered an example of organisation development?

A) Job enlargement to reduce absenteeism and improve morale
B) Automating an assembly line to increase production
C) Autonomous work teams to improve cohesiveness
D) Job enrichment to satisfy esteem needs
E) Sensitivity training to improve communications

Question 38

The areas in which the pressures for change appear most powerful involve all of the following EXCEPT

A) people.
B) technology.
C) information processing.
D) competition.
E) All of these are powerful pressures for change.

Question 39

The changes that are occurring in organisations include all of the following EXCEPT

A) cultures.
B) structures.
C) work relationships.
D) customer relationships.
E) profit motives.

Question 40

Open communication is an important factor in managing resistance to change and overcoming information and control problems during transitions.

Question 41

The degree to which members of a work organisation are able to satisfy important personal needs through their experiences in the organisation is called

A) structural change.
B) system-wide change.
C) change agent success.
D) total quality management.
E) quality of work life.

Question 42

When introducing job changes, managers must consider all of the following EXCEPT

A) the total work environment within which the job exists.
B) whether the job changes require adjustments in other organisational components.
C) how to limit what employees know about the changes.
D) whether workers have, or can easily obtain, the newly required skills.
E) who will design the changes.

Question 43

The expected benefits from quality-of-work-life programmes include all of the following EXCEPT

A) positive attitudes.
B) increased centralisation of leadership.
C) increased effectiveness of the organisation.
D) increased goal accomplishment.
E) increased productivity.

Question 44

Which of the following organisational sources of resistance occurs when decision-making authority is redistributed?

A) Fear of the unknown
B) Narrow focus of change
C) Threatened power
D) Habit
E) Resource allocation

Question 45

When managers consider the impact of a change on the culture, the dominant coalition, and the people, tasks and structure of the organisation, they are more likely to be successful because they have

A) taken a holistic view.
B) secured top management support.
C) considered international issues.
D) started small.
E) encouraged participation.

Question 46

Which of the following is NOT one of the keys to successful change management?

A) Reward those who contribute to change.
B) Secure top management support.
C) Encourage participation by those affected by the change.
D) Maximise employee job satisfaction.
E) Foster open communication.

Question 47

A major problem of training programmes is

A) identifying actual training needs.
B) finding the time and funding for the training effort.
C) motivating employees to want to learn.
D) transferring employee training to the workplace.
E) finding 'role model' trainers.

Question 48

With respect to managing change, management should consider resistance to change as

A) something to be overcome as quickly as possible.
B) a signal to examine the advantages and disadvantages of a change carefully.
C) something to be avoided.
D) an opportunity to reinforce their authority.
E) a commonplace, everyday event and not worry about it.

Question 49

Each of the following is a popular type of people-oriented change technique EXCEPT

A) training.
B) management development.
C) team building.
D) survey feedback.
E) All of these are popular people-oriented change techniques.

Question 50

Which of the following is one of the organisational sources of resistance to change found by Katz and Kahn?

A) Threatened expertise
B) Rapidity of change
C) Decentralization
D) Formalization
E) Specificity of change

Question 51

In the absence of information regarding a change, employees may fill the gap with

A) inappropriate or false information.
B) sensitive participation.
C) a contribution.
D) a holistic view.
E) a synopsis.

Question 52

Overdetermination is sometimes called

A) structural inertia.
B) organisational inertia.
C) group inertia.
D) group stability.
E) organisational stability.

Question 53

All of the following statements about change are true EXCEPT

A) An organisation may resist change.
B) Change is inevitable.
C) An organisation may promote change.
D) Resistance to change is inevitable.
E) Resistance to change should be eliminated.

Question 54

Sam has good working relationships with his boss and co-workers, and is concerned that the upcoming organisation change might disrupt these.Sam is most likely to resist the change because of

A) lack of awareness.
B) fear of the unknown.
C) economic factors.
D) habit.
E) social factors.

Question 55

Which of the following is NOT true of the use of data collected through the survey feedback process?

A) Results should only be reviewed by top management.
B) Results are returned to all levels of the organisation.
C) Results are used for solving problems.
D) Results are used to identify problems.
E) Results are aggregated by group or department.

Question 56

The second step in the integrative framework for the implementation of task redesign is

A) diagnosis of the work system and context.
B) recognition of a need for a change.
C) go/no-go decision.
D) cost-benefit analysis of proposed changes.
E) selection of task redesign as a potential intervention.

Question 57

Which of the following is NOT an organisational source of resistance to change as identified by Katz and Kahn?

A) overdetermination
B) threatened expertise
C) centralisation
D) group inertia
E) All of these represent resistance to change.

Question 58

Most quality-of-work-life efforts espouse a goal of

A) humanising the workplace.
B) reduced interpersonal conflict.
C) strengthened competitive advantage.
D) increasing the quality of the work performed.
E) decreasing expenses and waste on the job.

Question 59

Technological change focuses on

A) indirect alteration of jobs.
B) quality inputs to the process.
C) the way inputs are transformed into outputs.
D) broad system-wide changes.
E) the way standards are created and enforced.

Question 60

With respect to management development, which of the following is NOT true?

A) The value of management development is a proven fact.
B) Management development objectives must be compatible with organisational objectives.
C) Management development is a long-range process.
D) Organisations must use care in identifying their unique developmental needs.
E) Management development is multifaceted and complex.

Question 61

Which generation is characterised by living at home with few responsibilities, experimenting with life, and putting off marriage, childbearing, home purchases and other adult responsibilities?

A) Generation X
B) Millennials
C) Generation Y
D) Generation Z
E) Baby Boomers

Question 62

In Lewin's Process Model of change, the process by which new behaviours are made relatively permanent and resistant to further change is called

A) refreezing.
B) unfreezing.
C) congealing.
D) annealing.
E) dissolving.

Question 63

Organisation development involves attempts to plan organisation changes, which excludes _________ initiatives.

A) spontaneous
B) premeditated
C) strategic
D) ineffective
E) None of these are correct.

Question 64

In the continuous change process model, the person responsible for managing the change effort is called a(n)

A) transition manager.
B) change agent.
C) ombudsman.
D) modification mogul.
E) evolution emissary.

Question 65

Each of the following is a reason to secure top management support for a change EXCEPT

A) to reduce fear of obsolescence.
B) to head off problems of power.
C) to avoid problems of control.
D) to keep key managers informed.
E) to get the dominant coalition on the side of change.

Question 66

The first step in the integrative framework for the implementation of task redesign is

A) diagnosis of the work system and context.
B) recognition of a need for a change.
C) go/no-go decision.
D) cost-benefit analysis of proposed changes.
E) selection of task redesign as a potential intervention.

Question 67

The system-wide application of behavioural science knowledge to the planned development and reinforcement of organisational strategies, structures and processes for improving organisational effectiveness is called

A) change agency.
B) process change.
C) transition management.
D) organisation development.
E) None of these are correct.

Question 68

In Lewin's Process Model of change, the process by which people become aware of the need for change is called

A) refreezing.
B) unfreezing.
C) congealing.
D) annealing.
E) dissolving.

Question 69

Which generation is characterised by a distinct and separate life stage in between adolescence and adulthood in which young people jump from job to job and relationship to relationship?

A) Generation X
B) Millennials
C) Generation Y
D) Generation Z
E) Baby boomers

Question 70

The third step in Lewin's Process Model of change is

A) refreezing.
B) unfreezing.
C) change itself.
D) planning.
E) observing.

Question 71

The third step in the integrative framework for the implementation of task redesign is

A) diagnosis of the work system and context.
B) recognition of a need for a change.
C) go/no-go decision.
D) cost-benefit analysis of proposed changes.
E) selection of task redesign as a potential intervention.

Question 72

Who is often acknowledged after a change effort?

A) People who were hired once the change began.
B) People who were hired only after the change had ended.
C) People who worked hardest to speed up the change.
D) People who quickly grasped new work assignments.
E) People who tried to stop it.

Question 73

Which of the following keys to successful organisation change management would help a manager reduce the spread of rumours regarding a change?

A) Start small
B) Secure top management support
C) Foster open communication
D) Encourage participation
E) Take a holistic view

Question 74

The second step in Lewin's Process Model of change is

A) refreezing.
B) unfreezing.
C) change itself.
D) planning.
E) observing.

Question 75

The specific intention of organisation development must be to improve organisation effectiveness.This point excludes changes that

A) merely seek to reduce costs.
B) merely imitate what others have done.
C) sound good in theory but don't work in practice.
D) do not bring about increased dividends for shareholders.
E) None of these are correct.

Question 76

On the job, which of the following is generally NOT true of millennials?

A) They prefer positive reinforcement.
B) They prefer not to work in teams.
C) They like clear job assignments.
D) They want flexibility in how to do their jobs.
E) They want to be treated as individuals.

Question 77

The process of systematically planning, organising and implementing change, from the disassembly of the current state to the realisation of a fully functional future state within an organisation, is called

A) unfreezing.
B) transition management.
C) refreezing.
D) change agency.
E) organisational design.

Question 78

Which of the following is a system-wide organisation development involving a major restructuring of the organisation or institution of new programmes?

A) Process change
B) Transition management
C) Change agent
D) Structural change
E) Strategic initiative

Question 79

How many steps are in Lewin's Process Model of change?

A) 1
B) 2
C) 3
D) 4
E) 5

Question 80

Which of the following does NOT tend to be true of Millennials?

A) They celebrate diversity.
B) They are group oriented.
C) They are optimistic.
D) They want everyone to be treated the same.
E) They understand technology quickly.