Deck 7: Supervisory Planning

Question 1

Upper management is typically responsible for long-term planning.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Supervisors should not bother others when planning for the short-term because it will only pull employees away from what they are paid to do.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Written policies are more likely to be followed consistently than policies that are simply communicated orally.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Supervisory-level objectives are typically more specific than organizational objectives.

Question 5

Standing or single-use plans are policies, procedures, methods, and rules that can be applied to recurring situations.

Question 6

Planning involves asking the who, when, where, why, and how questions.

Question 7

The goals formulated for an organization as a whole become the general framework for operations and lead to more specific objectives for department managers.

Question 8

MBO provides a sound means of appraising individuals' performance by emphasizing objective criteria rather than personality characteristics.

Question 9

The determination of specific, measurable, and verifiable objectives is the foundation of management by objectives.

Question 10

Planning is a reactive approach to how a business can improve upon its mistakes.

Question 11

Planning for the future does not involve an evaluation of the past.

Question 12

Planning at the supervisory level of an organization tends to be more detailed than planning that occurs at top levels.

Question 13

The process of creating objectives and making choices that will allow an organization to achieve its long- and short-term goals is called strategic planning.

Question 14

Once the organization has developed its objectives it should move forward by creating goals.

Question 15

Management by objectives (MBO) is a management approach in which managers, supervisors, and employees jointly set objectives against which performance is later evaluated.

Question 16

Policies enable supervisors to arrive at similar decisions to those that their managers would make.

Question 17

Policies help managers delegate authority because they guide the decisions a subordinate supervisor makes.

Question 18

Effective strategic planning usually begins with the development of a mission statement.

Question 19

A mission statement is usually very specific including the company's financial forecast.

Question 20

Good planning guarantees desired results.

Question 21

Methods tend to be the most efficient way for the job to get completed.

Question 22

Because budgeting is associated with control, the preparation of a budget should be left to higher-level management and supervisors should have no hand in it.

Question 23

When an employee requests a piece of new equipment, the first thing a supervisor should do is solicit prices from equipment suppliers to find the best deal for the new equipment.

Question 24

The advent of flextime has helped supervisors cover workstations more effectively and has allowed them to exercise supervisory control more consistently throughout the work day.

Question 25

Supervisors are responsible for allocating space and managing physical resources.

Question 26

A just-in-time inventory control system is a system for scheduling employees.

Question 27

Supervisors are frequently so caught up in the day-to-day routine that they may not notice when work procedures and methods need to be revised.

Question 28

PERT diagrams have been successfully used in many projects involving production and construction.

Question 29

The primary responsibility of supervisory management is planning to use physical resources fully.

Question 30

"Employees are prohibited from smoking at their workstations" is an example of a rule.

Question 31

A budget is a single-use plan because once the stated period is over it is no longer valid.

Question 32

The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) is devoted to reducing and preventing injuries and accidents in municipal buildings.

Question 33

Rules are no different than policies.

Question 34

A procedure is a standing plan that defines the sequence of activities to be performed to achieve objectives.

Question 35

Supervisors in every profession have the same degree of concern about workplace safety.

Question 36

Projects are single-use plans.

Question 37

A program is a plan for accomplishing a specific, nonrecurring activity.

Question 38

A wise supervisor realizes that "time is money" and therefore expects most employees to work continuously at top-speed.

Question 39

Requiring supervisors to go through the human resource department during the preliminary steps of the hiring process is an example of a policy.

Question 40

An old piece of equipment can usually be made to do the job if it has been properly maintained.

Question 41

Total quality management (TQM) is a system for scheduling materials to arrive precisely when they are needed in the production process.

Question 42

Supervisors must remember when developing their departmental objectives:

A) They don't always have to compliment the overall goals and objectives of the organizaiton.
B) They should be vague to allow for flexibility.
C) There must be a means to measure and document the department's contributions to the organization's bottom line.
D) All goals need to be equally important.

Question 43

Organizations use the MBO process for all of the following reasons, EXCEPT:

A) MBO is results oriented.
B) MBO motivates employees.
C) MBO provides a sound means of appraising employees.
D) MBO does not require thorough planning.

Question 44

In most organizations, responsibility for developing and executing strategic or long-term plans falls primarily to:

A) Top-level managers.
B) Middle managers.
C) Supervisors.
D) Non-supervisory employees.

Question 45

Objectives are usually stated in terms of what is to be accomplished and:

A) Why the task needs to occur.
B) When the task needs to be completed.
C) Who should be chosen to carry out the task.
D) How employees should go about accomplishing it.

Question 46

Bart is the CEO of an organization. His concept of what he would like the organization to become goes beyond what is said in the mission statement. His concept can be termed as:

A) Organizing.
B) Visioning.
C) Performing.
D) Wishful thinking.

Question 47

The passage of time will usually take care of most crises an organization faces.

Question 48

If an organization is run effectively, it will never face a "crisis situation."

Question 49

_____ is an example of a major project.

A) Expansion of a manufacturing plant
B) Problem-solving a customer's issue
C) Developing an organizational operating budget
D) Closing a division

Question 50

All of the following statements about supervisory planning are True EXCEPT:

A) Supervisors do not need to consider past performance when planning for the future.
B) Supervisors should consult with specialists to help carry out the required planning responsibilities.
C) Supervisors are usually not involved in long-term planning.
D) The plans a supervisor makes should be integrated and coordinated with the organization's long-term plans.

Question 51

Which of the following statements about company policies is NOT True?

A) When a firm has few policies, a supervisor has greater flexibility to deal with situations as they occur.
B) Policies are guides to decision making, not guides to action.
C) Written policies are more flexible and informal than unwritten ones.
D) Supervisors seldom need to issue policies.

Question 52

When supervisors require help allocating floor space they should contact:

A) Their manager.
B) Their subordinates.
C) The facility manager.
D) Both a and b

Question 53

Beatriz has been asked to create specific objectives for the quality-control department she supervises. Her company has received a number of complaints from customers who have found broken or ill-fitting parts in the products they have purchased. Which of the following would be a well-stated objective?

A) Reduce the number of defective products that leave the factory by 50% over the next four months.
B) Work smarter not harder.
C) Get it right the first time.
D) Strive for customer satisfaction at all times.

Question 54

A mission statement should reflect all of the following, EXCEPT:

A) The nature of the business that the organization is engaged in.
B) The philosophy and values of the organization.
C) The purpose for the organization's existence.
D) The profit that the organization wishes to obtain this year.

Question 55

All of the following are part of the planning function EXCEPT:

A) Analyzing a situation.
B) Establishing objectives.
C) Checking to determine whether operations are adhering to established plans.
D) Deciding which actions to take to achieve objectives.

Question 56

Which of the following is NOT an advantage of preparing a procedure?

A) Procedures require an analysis of work to be done.
B) Procedures encourage employees to find their own unique ways of getting the job done.
C) Procedures give a supervisor standards for evaluating employees' work.
D) Procedures reduce the need for much routine decision making.

Question 57

A _____ is a standing plan that defines the sequence of activities to be performed to achieve objectives.

A) procedure
B) method
C) policy
D) None of the above

Question 58

Marco is indulging in an alcoholic beverage on company premises. His supervisor catches him in the act. His supervisor should resort to using which of the following?

A) A company method.
B) A company procedure.
C) A company rule.
D) A company program.

Question 59

Which of the following statements concerning planning is INCORRECT?

A) Planning should come before all other managerial functions.
B) Good plans guarantee good results.
C) Supervisors should conduct planning activities every day.
D) Planning involves anticipating future problems and opportunities.

Question 60

A budget does NOT take into consideration:

A) Employee hours.
B) Sales figures.
C) Competitors' units sold.
D) All of the above.

Question 61

CareMax, a health products manufacturer, has recently deployed a supply chain system that schedules materials to arrive precisely when they are needed in the production process. This is an example of which of the following?

A) Six Sigma
B) ISO 9001
C) Knowledge management
D) Kanban

Question 62

While researching security systems on the Internet, one company in particular stood out for Mr. and Mrs. Jones: Secure Systems and Services Inc (SSS). This company displayed a note on its website proclaiming that it is an ISO 9001, and that it recently won the Baldridge award. This information should inform the Jones' that SSS is focused on what?

A) Low cost
B) Environmental sustainability
C) Quality
D) Human resources

Question 63

Samantha, a supply chain manager at a consumer goods packaging company, often reviews what her competitors are up to, especially to identify innovative best practices that her company could potentially adopt. This is an example of:

A) Six Sigma
B) Total quality management
C) Knowledge management
D) Benchmarking

Question 64

Which of the following statements about employee work schedules is True?

A) Work schedules should be based on maximum output.
B) Supervisors must plan for all employee absences.
C) Supervisors should expect all employees to work at their top speed at all times.
D) Employees tend to be a bit less productive when they are working overtime.

Question 65

During her annual performance review, Jillian meets with her supervisor Chris to set her objectives for the next year. Chris informs Jillian that her performance in achieving these newly established objectives will be the basis for next year's merit pay increase. This is an example of what type of management system?

A) Management by wandering around
B) Benchmarking
C) Management by objectives
D) Total quality management

Question 66

At the plant where Ronnie works, posters are prominently displayed at assembly lines to diagram the precise steps for each assembly task. These posters display ________ to enhance worker efficiency and effectiveness.

A) Rules
B) Methods
C) Policies
D) Objectives

Question 67

What is included in the planning function of management? Why is it so important?

Question 68

Abe Wilson's primary role within his company is to establish broad goals and make decisions to achieve long-term and short-term objectives that affect the entire company. Based on this information, Abe Wilson is most likely a(n):

A) Middle manager
B) Top manager
C) Staff manager
D) Functional manager

Question 69

Knowledge management involves all of the following EXCEPT:

A) Retrieving information.
B) Sharing information.
C) Memorizing information.
D) Storing information.

Question 70

Sally's job as retail manager involves analyzing the retail situation at her store, forecasting sales based on seasonal demand, establishing objectives for the store, setting priorities, and deciding which actions are needed to achieve those objectives. Sally's tasks fit into which managerial process?

A) Planning
B) Control
C) Leading
D) Organizing

Question 71

TQM includes all of the following, EXCEPT:

A) Continuously improving quality.
B) Making a total effort toward meeting customer needs.
C) Making everyone responsible for doing the right job the first time.
D) Top management being solely responsible for meeting quality standards.

Question 72

Raul comes to work every day from 10:00AM to 2:00PM. He works an additional four hours every day when it is convenient. This is an example of:

A) flextime.
B) job sharing.
C) part-time work.
D) telecommuting.

Question 73

Physical resources include all of the following EXCEPT:

A) Tools.
B) Machinery.
C) Water.
D) Computers.

Question 74

What is strategic planning? In most organizations, who is responsible for strategic planning?

Question 75

High-quality service is a major strength for ACR Communications. This strength stems from the company's long-standing commitment to engaging all employees in customer satisfaction through the continuous improvement of communication services. This long-standing approach can best be described as:

A) Total quality management
B) Kanban
C) Knowledge management
D) Benchmarking

Question 76

The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 was established to:

A) Protect employers against lawsuits when injuries happen in the workplace.
B) Reduce injuries and accidents on the job.
C) Defend employees when injuries occur in the workplace.
D) Eliminate jobs highly prone to injury.

Question 77

Bonita, a hotel supervisor, compares the hotel's current occupancy rates with those from this time last year and in previous years to determine whether it is necessary to boost occupancy through sales promotions. The hotel's occupancy rates are an example of:

A) Qualitative measures
B) Subjective measures
C) Metrics
D) Benchmarks

Question 78

_____ is a leading cause of accidents in the workplace.

A) Poor attitudes
B) Faulty tools and equipment
C) Unethical decision making
D) None of these answers

Question 79

Charlene, a top manager, is participating on a project at work to develop a long-range plan that will highlight her organization's goals for the next year, three years, five years, and ten years. Charlene is helping to develop what type of plan?

A) Functional plan
B) Tactical plan
C) Operational plan
D) Strategic plan

Question 80

When a crisis occurs, the most important thing for an organization to do is to:

A) Respond quickly.
B) Have multiple spokespeople.
C) Deny fault.
D) Downplay the issue.