Deck 2: The Changing Environment of Organizations

Question 1

Which of the following is not an example of a primary dimension of diversity?

A)Age
B)Gender
C)Sexual orientation
D)Mental abilities
E)Religious beliefs

Answer 1

E

Question 2

Another term for power distance is ____.

A)deontology
B)teleology
C)individualism
D)orientation to authority
E)collectivism

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Which of the following workforce groups has increased the least in size between 2000 and 2010?

A)12 to 16 year olds
B)16 to 24 year olds
C)25 to 54 year olds
D)50 to 54 year olds
E)55 and older

Answer 3

C

Question 4

ABC International has eight locations across the world. Which of the following is true about employees working at ABC but in different locations?

A)Their behavior may differ within and across countries.
B)Their behavior will be the same regardless of their location.
C)Their behavior at work is not important.
D)Their behavior will have nothing to do with their location.
E)Their behavior will be the same within single countries, but may differ from one country to the next.

Question 5

Which of the following represent the most significant source of change impacting many organizations today?

A)Increasing cultural change
B)Declining corporate governance
C)Increasing globalization
D)Stronger drive for a consistent business ethics across organizations
E)Declining legislative power

Question 6

As a percentage of the total workforce in the United States, which of the following groups of people is not increasing?

A)Hispanics
B)Blacks
C)Women
D)White males
E)Asians

Question 7

Geert Hofstede's dimension of uncertainty avoidance is the extent to which

A)workers prefer unambiguous situations.
B)workers focus on the future.
C)acquisition of money and things is emphasized.
D)women are allowed to work in society.
E)men maintain a glass ceiling.

Question 8

Which of the following is an example of a primary dimension of diversity?

A)Ethnicity
B)Work experience
C)Parental status
D)Educational background
E)Religious beliefs

Question 9

Understanding and addressing the environment of a business has traditionally been the purview of

A)supervisors.
B)stockholders.
C)workers and line managers.
D)stakeholders.
E)top managers.

Question 10

Which of these best describes Hofstede's masculinity dimension?

A)It gives employees a sense of autonomy.
B)It is the extent to which workers focus on the future.
C)It enhances organizational effectiveness.
D)It emphasizes aggressiveness.
E)It is the extent to which workers prefer clear situations.

Question 11

Which of the following best describes the rate of change of the environment of all organizations?

A)Unprecedented
B)Slowing
C)Decreased
D)Moderate
E)Inelastic

Question 12

Sweden can be classified as a highly individualistic society. Which of the following statements would NOT be true about individualistic culture in Sweden?

A)It is important to stand out in the crowd.
B)It is important to fit in with the group.
C)Tasks are more important than relationships.
D)Promotion is based on skills and rules.
E)People are more concerned with themselves than their work groups.

Question 13

All of the following are considered cultural values EXCEPT

A)individualism/collectivism.
B)uncertainty avoidance.
C)power distance.
D)masculinity.
E)open-mindedness.

Question 14

Assimilation occurs when

A)stereotypes are exposed.
B)a minority group is forced to learn the ways of the majority group.
C)differences among cultural groups are celebrated.
D)diversity is truly valued.
E)prejudice is eradicated.

Question 15

When the European Union opened borders in 1992, goods and services moved freely among the member countries. What other change resulted from opening the borders?

A)Managers practiced a more open leadership style.
B)Non-European Union members shut their borders.
C)Workers demanded higher wages.
D)Workers moved across national borders.
E)Stricter trade restrictions were imposed.

Question 16

The cultural dimensions identified by Hofstede include all of these EXCEPT:

A)individualism.
B)uncertainty avoidance.
C)power distance.
D)locus of control.
E)masculinity.

Question 17

Maria's ______ can be described as the secondary dimension of diversity.

A)education
B)mental abilities
C)ethnicity
D)age
E)sexual orientation

Question 18

All of these statements regarding cross-cultural differences and similarities are true EXCEPT:

A)there are profound cultural differences between Southern California and Texas.
B)culture is a set of values that is often taken for granted.
C)a manager behaves differently in different cultural settings.
D)cultures and national boundaries always coincide.
E)Japanese and U.S. workers are likely to have different attitudes toward work.

Question 19

All of the following are true about stereotypes EXCEPT

A)they lead to an appreciation of individual differences.
B)they are based on certain characteristics or traits.
C)they ignore the specific person.
D)they are generalizations.
E)they ignore the current situation.

Question 20

Which of these best defines stereotypes?

A)Favoring people similar to you
B)Focusing on differences among people
C)Grouping people into different categories
D)Judgments about others that reinforce beliefs about superiority and inferiority
E)Making generalizations about groups of people

Question 21

An ice cream maker requires approximately two months from the time a new flavor is decided on in the corporate board room to the time it is produced and available to consumers in stores. This time is called

A)competitive advantage time.
B)information technology time.
C)cycle time.
D)production time.
E)made-to-order time.

Question 22

The duty of the board of directors of a public corporation is to

A)audit the company's financial statements for accuracy.
B)recommend new products and services.
C)control the day-to-day operations of the firm.
D)protect the company from harsh overseas competition and lower labor costs.
E)ensure decisions by senior managers are in the best interests of the shareholders.

Question 23

One way to address privacy concerns on the Internet is to

A)keep all information collected confidential.
B)publicly display any information collected by the company.
C)post a privacy policy on the company's web site.
D)avoid collecting any private information.
E)share collected information only with respectable firms.

Question 24

Car makers design and produce new model cars much more quickly now than they did in the past. This is an example of

A)effective leadership.
B)decreased cycle time.
C)increased employee morale.
D)valued diversity.
E)low-cost production.

Question 25

XYZ can be described as a form of business that transforms resources into an intangible output and creates time or place utility for its customers. XYZ is called a(n)

A)manufacturing organization.
B)biotechnology firm.
C)information technology firm.
D)service organization.
E)hybrid organization.

Question 26

ABC can be described as a form of business that combines and transforms resources into tangible outcomes that are then sold to others. ABC is called a(n)

A)manufacturing organization.
B)biotechnology firm.
C)information technology firm.
D)service organization.
E)hybrid organization.

Question 27

Which of the following statements about technology is NOT true?

A)Technology is a major driver for organizational change.
B)It has widespread effects on the behavior of people in the organization.
C)Technology provides a competitive advantage.
D)It separates and transforms resources into outcomes.
E)It is causing shift toward a service-based economy.

Question 28

Intel makes computer chips that are installed in various computers. Intel is an example of a(n)

A)manufacturing organization.
B)biotechnology firm.
C)information technology firm.
D)service organization.
E)hybrid organization.

Question 29

Which of the following statements about information technology is NOT true?

A)It has resulted in leaner organizations.
B)Provides more flexible operations.
C)Technology increases the financial position of a company.
D)Technology has increased collaboration among employees.
E)Technology has improved management processes.

Question 30

In framing ethical issues, all of these are areas of concern in how an organization treats its employees EXCEPT:

A)hiring
B)firing
C)privacy
D)honesty
E)working condition

Question 31

In framing ethical issues, all of these are areas of concern in how employees treats the organization EXCEPT:

A)wages
B)conflict of interest
C)honesty
D)secrecy
E)confidentiality

Question 32

In the past, Karson Photography Studios directly hired and managed its own custodial staff. Now, Karson contracts this work to a cleaning company. This is an example of

A)corporate governance.
B)offshoring.
C)outsourcing.
D)nearshoring.
E)insourcing.

Question 33

The downside of information technology includes all of the following EXCEPT:

A)It has resulted in less personal communication.
B)Has increased a sense of urgency vis-à-vis decision-making.
C)It has resulted in more time spent on ethical decision-making for managers.
D)It has resulted in less down time for managers.
E)It has resulted in less down time for employees.

Question 34

Which of these defines the oversight of a public corporation by its board of directors?

A)Board isolation
B)Deontological overview
C)Corporate governance
D)Public policy
E)Profit maximization

Question 35

Examples of organizational functions to outsource include all of the following EXCEPT:

A)The organization's payroll function.
B)The organization's human resource training program.
C)The organization's corporate governance program.
D)The organization's facility maintenance program.
E)The organization's food service facility.

Question 36

Not paying attention to diversity can be costly to organizations in all of the following ways EXCEPT:

A)it can decrease turnover.
B)it can lower productivity.
C)it can block minority involvement in decision making.
D)it can increase tensions among workers.
E)it can increase lawsuits.

Question 37

Roger is interested in learning more about valuing diversity in his company, Toddler Toys, Inc. (TTI). Which of these would NOT be a benefit of valuing diversity at TTI?

A)Access to more perspectives on a problem
B)Fresh perspectives
C)Less interpersonal conflict
D)Greater homogeneity
E)Richer ideas

Question 38

A knowledge worker's career path may run parallel to a management career path. The benefit of this path for the worker is

A)the chance to take on substantial management responsibilities.
B)more frequent training in management tasks.
C)less highly specialized training.
D)compensation that is equivalent to that available to management.
E)freedom from specialized technical work.

Question 39

Which of the following statements about knowledge workers is NOT true?

A)Knowledge workers include computer scientists.
B)Knowledge workers require highly specialized training.
C)Compensation is specially tailored for the knowledge worker.
D)Knowledge workers do not add value to the organization.
E)Knowledge workers are video game developers.

Question 40

Which of the following is not true about dominant groups?

A)They tend to eat lunch together.
B)They tend to be self-perpetuating.
C)They are keenly aware of opinions from the "outside."
D)Informal discussions tend to exclude minority group members.
E)They tend to avoid people who are different.

Question 41

Jenna, an employee in a collectivistic culture, would be much more concerned about her work than about her relationships with others.

Question 42

______ is characterized by tight social frameworks in which people tend to base their identities on the group or organization to which they belong.

A)Collectivism
B)Individualism
C)Power distance
D)Uncertainty avoidance
E)Masculinity

Question 43

The environment of all organizations is changing at an unprecedented rate.

Question 44

Workforce diversity refers to the important similarities and differences among the employees of the organization.

Question 45

In 2012, the volume of international trade in current dollars was less than 200 times greater than the amount in 1960.

Question 46

Communication and transportation advances are responsible for some of the growth of international business.

Question 47

More and more firms are moving back to domestic markets to control costs, especially to reduce labor costs.

Question 48

A generalization about a person or a group of persons based on certain characteristics or traits is called prejudice.

Question 49

Differences in age, gender, ethnicity, and physical ability are all considered to be components of diversity.

Question 50

Today, the workplace in the United States might be regarded as more of a "tossed salad" made up of a mosaic of different flavors, colors, and textures.

Question 51

Culture helps a group understand which actions are acceptable and which are unacceptable.

Question 52

Cultural diversity can enhance synergy in an organization.

Question 53

In Mexico, people prefer to be in a situation in which authority is not emphasized and lines of authority are overlooked or deemphasized.

Question 54

Sweden has a culture that is low in masculinity. Such a culture is not aggressive and is not concerned with the acquisition of money and other possessions.

Question 55

Factors that matter to us as individuals and that to some extent define us to others are called primary dimensions of diversity.

Question 56

Assimilating diverse workers into the culture and values of the dominant group can usually be facilitated very easily.

Question 57

Interestingly, over the last three decades, all workforce segments have increased as a percentage of the total workforce.

Question 58

A set of shared values that help people in a group, organization, or society understand which actions are considered acceptable and which are deemed unacceptable refers to

A)general observations.
B)globalization.
C)diversity.
D)culture.
E)ethics.

Question 59

Which of these is the extent to which people accept as normal an unequal distribution of power?

A)Collectivism
B)Individualism
C)Orientation to authority
D)Uncertainty avoidance
E)Masculinity

Question 60

Workforce diversity is mostly occurring in the United States, rather than in other countries around the world.

Question 61

Kenyatta lives in a society where the focus is on the future, and where persistence and thrift are valued. Kenyatta's culture has a(n) _________ orientation.

Question 62

Knowledge workers include scientists, engineers, product designers, and video game developers.

Question 63

Advances in information technology have resulted in communication at work that is less personal in nature.

Question 64

Businesses have found that they can be more competitive if they can greatly decrease cycle times.

Question 65

The extent to which people in a culture develop tight social frameworks is called _______.

Question 66

Perhaps the most significant source of change for organizations today is _________.

Question 67

The most effective service organizations produce intangible outcomes for their customers.

Question 68

Four Seasons Hotels is an example of a manufacturing organization.

Question 69

Those who work in dominant groups tend to be less aware of the problems that homogeneity can cause.

Question 70

__________ is the extent to which people feel threatened by unknown situations and prefer to be in clear and unambiguous situations.

Question 71

Board independence is an issue when a board of directors includes members from related or partner firms.

Question 72

Managers in Indonesia, Italy, and Japan strongly believe that the purpose of an organization's structure is to let everyone know who their boss is. This illustrates that these three countries have a __________.

Question 73

Cultural diversity can be an important source of ___________ in enhancing organizational effectiveness.

Question 74

_________ orientation is tied to values that are oriented toward the past and the present and include respect for traditions and social obligations.

Question 75

The culture of the United States has a more __________ orientation than does the culture of Hong Kong or China.

Question 76

Appreciating the varying ideas and perspectives that are provided by a heterogeneous workforce refers to valuing diversity.

Question 77

Orientation to authority is another name for the cultural value ___________.

Question 78

Orientation to authority is the extent to which people accept as normal an unequal distribution of ________.

Question 79

Marcos believes men make better managers than women. Marcos's attitude is an example of _________.

Question 80

Workforce __________ refers to the important similarities and differences among the employees of organizations.