Deck 11: Innovation and Change

Question 1

Which of the following is characteristic of the ambidextrous approach?

A) using different structures and management processes for creation and for implementation
B) introducing parts of a new procedure while maintaining parts of the old procedure
C) design elements that are important for exploiting new ideas versus the design elements that are most suitable for exploring current capabilities
D) highly skilled employees are used to implement change

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Which of the following is the process used when organizations find creative ways to establish organic conditions for developing new ideas in the midst of more mechanistic conditions for implementing and using those ideas?

A) culture change
B) dual-core approach
C) ambidextrous approach
D) switching structures

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Which term refers to a separate, small, informal, highly autonomous, and often secretive group that focuses on breakthrough ideas for the business?

A) idea champion
B) idea incubator
C) new-venture fund
D) skunkworks

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Which type of change is strategic?

A) changing domain
B) installation of teams
C) culture
D) development of interorganizational relationships

Question 5

ABC Credit Union began offering a "Sweep Account" in which funds over $500 in a chequing account would be "swept" into a money-market, interest-bearing account until the chequing account reached $100, at which point funds from the money market account would be "swept" back into the chequing account. What type of change is this an example of?

A) product or service
B) radical
C) incremental
D) product improvement

Question 6

Which of the following provides a safe harbour where ideas from employees throughout the organization can be developed without interference from company bureaucracy or politics?

A) creative departments
B) idea incubator
C) change champions
D) venture teams

Question 7

Why is corporate entrepreneurship important for organizations looking to encourage innovation?

A) It attempts to release the creative energy of all employees.
B) It usually results in fewer, though higher-quality, innovations.
C) It replaces creative departments and new venture teams.
D) It results in idea champions who are the supervisors of production.

Question 8

Why does radical change likely involve breakthrough technology?

A) It occurs through an unestablished structure.
B) Technology change represents a series of continuous progressions for maintaining the organization's general equilibrium.
C) Radical change generally affects only one organizational part and technology tends to be task-specific.
D) Radical change often involves the creation of new products that lead the organization into new opportunities and markets.

Question 9

Which type of change will have direct impact on the administrative domain in an organization?

A) technology
B) product and service
C) strategy and structure
D) people

Question 10

Which of the following organizational type is flexible because of the freedom given to people to create and introduce new products?

A) mechanistic
B) bureaucratic
C) organic
D) resource

Question 11

What term is used for the adoption of an idea or behaviour new to the company's industry, market, or general environment?

A) the ambidextrous approach
B) the dual-core approach
C) strategy and structure change
D) organizational innovation

Question 12

Which of the following best describes how venture teams differ from other divisions within an organization?

A) They may increase commitment, but they stifle creativity.
B) They are often given a separate location and facilities.
C) They are like a large company within a small company.
D) They are most effective when used in a mechanistic organization.

Question 13

Which of the following is one of the four strategic types of change highlighted in your text?

A) incremental
B) products and services
C) radical
D) life cycle maturation

Question 14

Which step of the change process involves coming up with a new way of doing things?

A) need
B) idea
C) adoption
D) resources

Question 15

Which of Tom Kelly's "faces" of innovation includes a hurdler, collaborator, and director?

A) learning faces
B) implementing faces
C) building faces
D) organizing faces

Question 16

Once decision makers choose to go ahead with a proposed idea, which of the following elements needed for a successful change occurs?

A) need recognition
B) adoption
C) implementation
D) resource acquisition

Question 17

If an organization shifts its structure from a vertical to a horizontal structure, what type of change have they engaged in?

A) radical change
B) incremental change
C) Information technology change
D) strategy and structure change

Question 18

Which of the following is best example of radical change?

A) organizational turnarounds and transformations
B) any series of continual progressive changes affecting one organizational part, and then another
C) implementation of sales teams in the marketing department
D) bringing new technology to product development

Question 19

Which of the following occurs mainly through the established structure and management processes of an organization?

A) evolution of the organizational culture
B) incremental change
C) technology improvements
D) radical change

Question 20

In attempting to make a change in his organization, Jake was happy to have a large number of people who were energetic and positive toward the change. Which essential element for successful change does this represent?

A) adoption
B) need
C) resources
D) competition

Question 21

Which force for culture change relates to breaking down boundaries both within and between companies to create companies that are focused on knowledge sharing?

A) the learning organization
B) diversity
C) large group intervention
D) re-engineering and horizontal organizing

Question 22

A switching structure is one that switches back and forth as needed between product and matrix in form.

Question 23

Changing technology means to change the organization's production process rather than the product itself.

Question 24

What are the key components of organizational design that contribute to successful new product innovation?

A) specialization, boundary spanning, and horizontal coordination
B) formalization, hierarchy, and organic structure
C) specialization, formalization, and standardization
D) dual-core processes, top management support, and incremental change

Question 25

The need element in the change process always precedes the idea element.

Question 26

As a change agent, Tommy has ensured that there has been constant communication with his employees to make sure they know what is going on and understand how it affects their jobs. Which organizational barrier to change is he trying to remove?

A) uncertainty avoidance
B) fear of loss
C) risk that is too low
D) excessive focus on costs

Question 27

According to a survey mentioned in the textbook, what percentage of all new products achieved economic success?

A) 3 percent
B) 12 percent
C) 30 percent
D) 60 percent

Question 28

Which term refers to the intervention technique used when an organizational development consultant brings together a group to discuss and solve problems involving conflicts, goals, decision making, or communication?

A) survey feedback
B) team building
C) culture management
D) technical training

Question 29

The switching structure refers to production lines that alternate with ease from daytime production to 24-hour production.

Question 30

Organizational development often entails large group intervention that involves which of the following?

A) radical or transformational change in organizations
B) electronic data interchange for the organization as a whole
C) teaching hourly and salaried workers how to participate in strategic planning
D) attempts to bring new emphasis to total quality management

Question 31

Structure and system changes are usually bottom-up, mandated by lower management, whereas product and technology changes may often come from the top down.

Question 32

Ideas are generally NOT seriously considered unless there is a perceived need for change.

Question 33

Incremental change occurs through the established structure and management process, whereas radical change involves the creation of a new structure and new management processes.

Question 34

The four types of change are independent of each other, or in other words, a change in one has no effect on another.

Question 35

Which of the following was discovered in the study called Project SAPPHO?

A) Successful innovating companies made more effective use of technology developed in-house and did more work in-house.
B) Successful innovating companies had a much better understanding of operations and paid less attention to marketing.
C) Employees in successful innovating companies had little say in the way production processes were developed or in decision making.
D) Companies that were the most successful innovators were those where top management support was from people who had greater authority.

Question 36

Which of the following refers to excellent linkages between each department involved with new products and with relevant sectors in the external environment?

A) specialization
B) boundary spanning
C) horizontal communication
D) coordination

Question 37

What term is used for delivering products and services faster than competitors?

A) competitive advantage
B) horizontal linkages
C) time-based competition
D) boundary spanning

Question 38

According to Project SAPPHO, which of the following approaches is most likely to make new products more successful?

A) A company pays more attention to production than to marketing so quality can improve.
B) Outside technology is used.
C) Most work is done by subcontractors.
D) Those without much authority or seniority become product champions.

Question 39

Ambidextrous organizations have processes that allow for employment of skilled workers on the one hand and unskilled workers on the other.

Question 40

Which of the following suggests that many organizations must adopt frequent administrative changes and need to be structured differently from those that rely on frequent technical and product changes for competitive advantages?

A) horizontal linkage model
B) switching structure
C) ambidextrous approach
D) dual-core approach

Question 41

Many new product development teams today are global teams, because organizations have to develop products that will meet diverse needs of consumers all over the world.

Question 42

In the dual-core approach, change is facilitated in the administrative core by a mechanistic structure and in the technical core by an organic structure.

Question 43

Give two examples of organizations that have switched structures to maintain an ambidextrous approach.

Question 44

Re-engineering refers to the redesign of products by engineering and marketing in order to meet new market swings.

Question 45

Describe the operations of venture teams or action teams. Why are they particularly important to large organizations? Give an example.

Question 46

Only 12 percent of all new products eventually earn economic success.

Question 47

Idea champions are usually one of two types-either a technical/product champion who is devoted to ideas for technological innovation, or a management champion who sponsors ideas to shield and promote them.

Question 48

A new-venture fund provides financial resources for employees to develop new ideas, products, or businesses.

Question 49

What is a venture team?

Question 50

Leaders who have taken their organizations through major successful transformations often have one thing in common: they focus on formulating and articulating a compelling vision and strategy that will guide the change process.

Question 51

Some management experts argue that to survive the upheaval of the early 21st century, managers must turn their organizations into change leaders by using the present to actually create the future.

Question 52

Venture teams are large groups of employees dedicated to coming up with new ideas for improved organizational structure.

Question 53

Horizontal linkages means that each department involved with new products has excellent linkage with relevant sectors in the external environment.

Question 54

The horizontal coordination model is used primarily for innovations in the administrative core.

Question 55

Employee inputs may be sought, but top managers have the responsibility to direct the change.

Question 56

Administrative innovation can be extremely difficult in organizations that have an organic technical core.

Question 57

Corporate downsizing is an example of top-down structure change.

Question 58

Organization design uses knowledge and techniques from the behavioural sciences.

Question 59

Explain why a change in technology, structures and systems, products and services, or people will affect the other elements. Provide an example of change in one of these elements and how it will affect the other elements.

Question 60

List and discuss each of the elements for successful change. Diagram the sequence of the elements.

Question 61

The recently elected (volunteer) president of a local charity came into office on a whirlwind of campaign promises to revitalize the organization. But after a month into his term, cooperation from the volunteer staff evaporated, and they seemed to turn on him, resisting every change he attempted to implement. They knew him well because he had been VP for two years, but now they charged that every change he proposed would result in poor press for the charity. What steps should the president take to overcome barriers to change?

Question 62

At one point in the research of new product development, a question to be answered is "Why are some products more successful than others?" What answers have been found to this question?

Question 63

Discuss the forces for culture change.

Question 64

If you were attempting to lead employees through the three stages of commitment to change, explain how you would attempt to achieve successful implementation.

Question 65

Explain the horizontal coordination model as it relates to new product development.

Question 66

What is organizational development? Discuss three techniques of organizational development.

Question 67

A noted change agent once said. "Change management is not for the faint of heart." Discuss.

Question 68

What are the two cores in the dual-core approach? How does the implementation of change differ in those two cores?

Question 69

Discuss what organizations can do to achieve competitive advantage.

Question 70

Discuss the stages of change-commitment process.

Question 71

Give an example of an administrative change, and explain how it should be implemented using principles of organizational theory.

Question 72

The manager of R&D for PlasticWare, a kitchen products company, said that only 10 percent of its new products ever make a profit. He said that the industry average is 15 percent, but one company in the industry has a success rate of 90 percent. What advice would you give PlasticWare concerning organizational structure?

Question 73

Compare and contrast the dual-core approach and the ambidextrous approach.

Question 74

A middle-level manager is interested in product innovation, and you know that he is under pressure to bring about this innovation in order to help the firm achieve competitive advantage. What recommendations would you give him?

Question 75

What are the barriers to change?