Deck 10: Organizational Culture and Ethical Values

Question 1

Most managers are shifting away from bureaucratic cultures because of a need for:

A) greater flexibility.
B) better decision making techniques.
C) easier communication channels.
D) reducing employee participation.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

____ means that members develop a collective identity and know how to work together effectively.

A) External adaptation
B) Socialization
C) Internal integration
D) Cultural identity

Answer 2

C

Question 3

All of the following are visible artifacts of culture except:

A) feelings.
B) slogans.
C) behaviors.
D) ceremonies.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

A leader who ____ would thrive in a clan culture.

A) creates values for social responsibility
B) embodies values
C) integrates people into action and responsibility through participation
D) can change culture

Question 5

Organizational culture:

A) is usually written.
B) provides members with a sense of identity.
C) generates commitment to improving market share.
D) all of these.

Question 6

Culture exists at two levels called:

A) sub- and super-structure.
B) people and structure.
C) underlying values and visible artifacts.
D) social and psychological.

Question 7

Stories in an organization which are used to perpetuate culture are based on:

A) anything that reeks of symbolism.
B) nothing in fact, but on the ideals of the organization.
C) true events.
D) unsubstantiated rumors.

Question 8

The ____ culture is characterized by strategic focus on the external environment through flexibility and change to meet customer needs.

A) adaptability
B) mission
C) clan
D) bureaucratic

Question 9

The ____ culture has an internal focus and a consistency orientation for a stable environment.

A) organic
B) clan
C) traditional
D) bureaucratic

Question 10

Which of the following is (are) manifestation(s) of corporate culture?

A) Symbols
B) Ceremonies
C) Stories
D) All of these

Question 11

The mission culture places major emphasis on:

A) the external environment through flexibility and change to meet customer needs.
B) a shared vision of organization purpose.
C) the involvement and participation of the organization's members.
D) the internal environment and a consistency orientation for a stable environment.

Question 12

Which of the following is an example of the rite of integration in corporate culture?

A) Awards given to employee-of-the-month
B) Unpaid three week orientation and training for prospective (new) employees
C) Office Valentine party
D) Organization development activities

Question 13

The relationship of environment and strategy to corporate culture is plotted in our text on a matrix that has the following two dimensions:

A) (1) strategic focus: internal vs. external; (2) needs of the environment: flexible vs. stable
B) (1) strategic focus: prospector vs. defender; (2) needs of the environment: simple vs. complex
C) (1) human focus: flexible vs. stable; (2) task focus: internal vs. environmental
D) (1) human focus: open vs. closed; (2) task focus: strategic vs. operative

Question 14

____ refers to how the organization meets goals and deals with outsiders.

A) Internal adaptation
B) Culture strength
C) Internal integration
D) External adaptation

Question 15

When a student finishes his studies at a college, he goes through a graduation ceremony with the idea of soon finding a new social role. This is an example of a rite of:

A) passage.
B) enhancement.
C) renewal.
D) integration.

Question 16

What type of culture exists in a stable environment with an external strategic focus?

A) Adaptability
B) Bureaucratic
C) Clan
D) Mission

Question 17

Nordstrom's upside-down organization chart is an example of ____ being used to convey organizational culture to all employees.

A) a story
B) a myth
C) an organization structure
D) language

Question 18

____ refers to the quality of interactions among people and whether they share a common perspective.

A) Social capital
B) Social audit
C) Culture
D) Clan culture

Question 19

Which of the following is not one of the four categories of culture?

A) Clan
B) Flexibility
C) Mission
D) Adaptability

Question 20

The degree of agreement among members of an organization about the importance of specific values is referred to as:

A) adaptability.
B) culture strength.
C) internal integration.
D) social responsibility.

Question 21

Written rules and policies are an integral part of corporate culture.

Question 22

A(n) ____ arises in a situation concerning right and wrong where values are in conflict.

A) culture problem
B) legal issue
C) social responsibility issue
D) ethical dilemma

Question 23

Ron recently had an interview at XYZ Clothing Company. As he was touring the organization, he noticed that employees were dressed in flip flops and shorts and that none of the offices had doors. Ron witnessed the _____ level of corporate culture.

A) visible
B) underlying
C) symbolic
D) shared

Question 24

_____ are consistent with the values and beliefs of the organization but are not supported by facts.

A) Legends
B) Myths
C) Heroes
D) Stories

Question 25

A relationship between a leader and followers that is based on shared, strongly internalized values that are advocated and acted upon by the leader is referred to as:

A) mission culture.
B) values-based leadership.
C) clan culture.
D) servant leadership.

Question 26

Internal integration, as related to corporate culture, means that members develop a collective identity and know how to work together effectively.

Question 27

Most Internet-based companies use the _____ type of culture, as do many companies in the marketing, electronics, and cosmetics industries.

A) clan
B) mission
C) adaptability
D) bureaucratic

Question 28

When behavior is governed by a set of moral principles and values, it is called:

A) the rule of law.
B) ethics.
C) a mission environment.
D) none of these.

Question 29

External adaptation is the term for members developing a collective identity and knowing how to work together effectively.

Question 30

_____ is (are) the set of values, norms, guiding beliefs, and understandings that is shared by members of an organization and taught to new members as the correct way to think, feel, and behave.

A) Stories
B) Rules of law
C) Ethics
D) Culture

Question 31

____ are principles that guide the decisions and behaviors of managers with regard to whether they are right or wrong in a moral sense.

A) Managerial ethics
B) Social responsibility
C) Codes of ethics
D) Organization culture

Question 32

____ develop to reflect the common problems, goals, and experiences that members of a team, department, or other unit share.

A) Learning organization
B) Ethical committees
C) Subcultures
D) Ethics hotlines

Question 33

It has been found that a learning organization has a strong organizational culture characterized by which of the following value(s)?

A) The whole is more important than the part, and boundaries between parts are minimized.
B) External strategic focus with continual thoughts of what others are doing that's right.
C) Life-time employment for workers at every level (unless a work rule is violated).
D) All of these.

Question 34

The ____ arises from a set of codified principles and regulations that describe how people are required to act, are generally accepted in society, and are enforceable in the courts.

A) code of ethics
B) rule of law
C) core values
D) managerial ethics

Question 35

Formal structure and formal systems that can be used to shape ethical values include all of the following except:

A) an ethics committee.
B) repetition of words such as those ending Wal-Mart's cheer: "Who's No. 1? The Customer!"
C) whistle-blowing disclosure mechanism.
D) a code of ethics.

Question 36

____ is an extension of the idea of managerial ethics and refers to management's obligation to make choices and take action so that the organization contributes to the welfare and interest of all organizational stakeholders.

A) Culture strength
B) Values-based leadership
C) Corporate social responsibility
D) External adaptation

Question 37

Which of the following is not true regarding managers in non-constructive cultures?

A) Managers tend to be isolated and bureaucratic.
B) Managers care deeply about stakeholders.
C) Managers are comfortable with the status quo.
D) Managers care mainly about themselves.

Question 38

Ethical training programs may include:

A) ethical frameworks such as the utilitarian approach.
B) the stages of moral development.
C) giving ethical dilemmas for discussion.
D) All of these.

Question 39

At Anheuser-Busch InBev, professionalism, ambition, and aggressiveness are key values. Managers keep employees focused on achieving high sales and profit levels, and those who meet the demanding goals are handsomely rewarded. Bonuses and promotions are based on performance, not seniority. Anheuser-Busch InBev embodies a _____ culture.

A) bureaucratic
B) adaptability
C) clan
D) mission

Question 40

A _____ measures and reports the ethical, social, and environmental impact of a company's operations.

A) social audit
B) whistle-blower
C) rule of law
D) shared value

Question 41

In studies of culture and effectiveness, it has been found that two factors form the basis of the fit: (1) the extent to which the environment requires change or stability, and (2) the extent to which the technology is analyzable or unanalyzable.

Question 42

The adaptability culture encourages entrepreneurial values, norms, and beliefs that support the capacity of the organization to detect, interpret, and translate signals from the environment into new behavior responses.

Question 43

The bureaucratic culture has a primary focus on the involvement and participation of the organization's members and on rapidly changing expectations from the external environment.

Question 44

Top leaders are responsible for creating and sustaining a culture that emphasizes the importance of ethical behavior for every employee.

Question 45

The culture encouraging risk taking, change, and improvement is a value of a learning organization with a strong adaptive culture.

Question 46

A strong organizational culture is a primary characteristic of a learning organization.

Question 47

Culture strength refers to there being a low number of different subcultures within the culture as a whole.

Question 48

A clan culture exists in a stable environment with an internal strategic focus.

Question 49

In successful organizations, culture becomes set and therefore does not require adaptation to the environment.

Question 50

Most managers today are moving towards bureaucratic cultures because of a need for greater flexibility.

Question 51

In a bureaucratic culture, an important value is taking care of employees and making sure they have whatever they need to help them be satisfied as well as productive.

Question 52

If the rule of law and ethical standards were drawn as a venn diagram, the two circles would overlap completely.

Question 53

All legal requirements are ethical standards.

Question 54

All ethical standards are legal requirements.

Question 55

Several subcultures may exist within large organizations, each differing from each other and from the culture as a whole.

Question 56

In a mission culture, managers shape behavior by envisioning and communicating a desired future state for the organization.

Question 57

A symbol is something that represents another thing.

Question 58

Symbols are narratives based on true events that are frequently shared among organizational employees and told to new employees to inform them about an organization.

Question 59

Legends are stories which are consistent with the values and beliefs of the organization but are not supported by facts.

Question 60

When interpreting culture, one of the important observable aspects of the culture would be rites and ceremonies such as the rite of passage.

Question 61

Culture represents the formal organization, whereas organizational structure, size, and strategy represent the informal organization.

Question 62

What are the major differences between the adaptability culture and the mission culture? Which of these two would be most appropriate for a company in a high tech industry and why?

Question 63

Values-based leadership is best instituted throughout the management hierarchy via an authoritative directive.

Question 64

Identify a specific organization that has a culture you know enough about to discuss. Then describe that organization's culture at both of its levels. In your answer, let it be clear what makes up each of the two levels.

Question 65

Take a position on the following statement: A bureaucratic culture is less employee-oriented than a clan culture. Defend your position.

Question 66

Explain the differences between the various types of rites--passage and integration.

Question 67

Discuss and draw a diagram of the relationship between ethical standards and legal requirements.

Question 68

A code of ethics is a formal statement of the company's values concerning ethics and social responsibility; it clarifies to employees what the company stands for and its expectations for employee conduct.

Question 69

The way in which people and departments are arranged into a whole, and the degree of flexibility and autonomy people have, tells a lot about which cultural values are emphasized in the organization.

Question 70

Explain social capital and its benefits to an organization.

Question 71

What are the important functions of corporate culture in an organization?

Question 72

Some organizations have dress codes that limit individual freedom in the workplace. Do such rules inhibit the establishment of corporate culture?

Question 73

Top managers typically should focus their energy more on strategy and stucture than on corporate culture.

Question 74

Discuss culture strength and organizational subcultures.

Question 75

List and describe the three values incorporated into a strong adaptive culture.

Question 76

Learning ethical frameworks helps managers to act autonomously and still think their way through a difficult decision.

Question 77

Companies that put ethics on the back burner in favor of fast growth and short-term profits succeed in the long-run.

Question 78

Whistle-blowing is a disclosure mechanism.

Question 79

The single best way to make sure an organization stays on solid ethical ground is to have a strong code of ethics and make sure all employees are familiar with its guidelines.

Question 80

What kinds of leadership symbols are important in the creation of a positive corporate culture? Give specific examples.