Deck 8: Workplace Essentials: Creativity,innovation,and a Spirit of Entrepreneurship

Question 1

Diversity is a key ingredient for creativity in work teams because it can help avoid "cookie cutter" thinking.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Entrepreneurs are typically people with high self-esteem.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

A break-even point refers to the maximum salary an entrepreneur can pay himself or herself.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Innovation is the process of generating new ideas.

Question 5

Creative thinking is limited to right-brain,divergent modes of thought.

Question 6

Age has no impact on a person's capacity for creativity.

Question 7

In the United States,a patent lasts for only 20 years.

Question 8

The first step to more creativity at work is establishing an environment where it is valued and rewarded.

Question 9

More than three-fourths of all private-sector employees work for small businesses.

Question 10

A Skunk Works® is a forum to show failed ideas and analyze why they failed.

Question 11

The very characteristics that make entrepreneurs successful-creativity,risk taking,and action orientation-can cause them to fail because they lose sight of where they are going.

Question 12

Many organizations respond to substantial change by falling into a crisis management mode.

Question 13

An intrepreneur is an entrepreneur who has founded a nonprofit organization.

Question 14

Seventh Generation features only "green" products.

Question 15

One of the key innovations developed by Netflix was to eliminate "late fees" for video rentals.

Question 16

Nonmanagerial workers can be creative only if they are promoted to a more creative job.

Question 17

Hypercompetition causes product life cycles to increase in length.

Question 18

An entrepreneur usually maintains full control of a business when it is funded by a venture capitalist.

Question 19

In the growth stage,a start-up looks to protect its market share.

Question 20

Creative people are often good at dealing with ambiguous or paradoxical ideas.

Question 21

In most organizations,________ can be creative.

A) only managers
B) only nonmanagerial employees
C) almost all employees
D) only top managers

Question 22

Hypercompetition is ________.

A) a state of constant and escalating competition
B) competition between two highly successful organizations
C) competition that is unfair
D) competition between brand new start-up companies

Question 23

Which of the following could be considered an enemy of creativity?

A) knowledge
B) optimism
C) mindfulness
D) conformity

Question 24

To promote creativity within an organization,managers should ________.

A) develop organizational culture that values creativity
B) tightly control workers and compel them to be creative
C) punish workers who fail to show creativity
D) reward creative workers only

Question 25

A popular,but untrue myth states that creativity is controlled by ________.

A) the right brain only
B) the left brain only
C) both sides of the brain
D) the limbic system

Question 26

Divergent thinking refers to thought processing that primarily ________.

A) is illogical and outcome-oriented
B) is analytical and logical
C) is open and focuses on pattern recognition
D) corresponds to left-brain activity

Question 27

Creative people are more inclined to ________ than most people.

A) go with the flow
B) defend the status quo
C) cause conflict
D) challenge assumptions

Question 28

Creative people tend to be comfortable replacing the language of ________ with the language of ________.

A) possibility; certainty
B) convergence; divergence
C) spontaneity; certainty
D) certainty; possibility

Question 29

Which of the following is NOT an impact of empowering employees to make decisions?

A) conflicts between employees increase
B) employees generate new knowledge
C) creative solutions to problems are encouraged
D) employees generate innovation

Question 30

Convergent thinking refers to thought processing that primarily ________.

A) is open and illogical
B) is analytical and logical
C) focuses on pattern recognition
D) focuses on making random connections

Question 31

Design cycles and life cycles for products ________ in a hypercompetitive market.

A) lengthen
B) shorten
C) come to an end
D) slow down

Question 32

When you are working hard to balance a complex budget utilizing systematic and exhaustive methods,you are using the ________ domain of creativity.

A) deliberate-emotional
B) deliberate-cognitive
C) spontaneous-emotional
D) spontaneous-cognitive

Question 33

When you suddenly have a revelation and recognize the meaning of a poem,you are using the ________ domain of creativity.

A) deliberate-emotional
B) deliberate-cognitive
C) spontaneous-emotional
D) spontaneous-cognitive

Question 34

Which statement is NOT true?

A) Some people are naturally more creative than other people.
B) Most people are at least somewhat creative.
C) People can learn to be more creative.
D) It is impossible for people to learn to be creative.

Question 35

Hypercompetition makes it ________ for an organization to maintain a competitive advantage.

A) easy
B) difficult
C) impossible
D) unnecessary

Question 36

One of the only ways to stay ahead of a hypercompetitive market is to ________.

A) go into crisis management mode
B) adopt a more autocratic management style
C) centralize decision making
D) focus on innovation and creativity

Question 37

Creativity is the process of ________.

A) making an artistic or philosophical statement
B) having profound insight into situations
C) making something new or solving a problem in a new way
D) solving a difficult problem in the most efficient way possible

Question 38

Creative people typically are able to deal well with uncertainty and ambiguity with a ________ approach.

A) stubborn
B) rigid
C) flexible
D) vague

Question 39

When a person is carrying out creative thoughts,________.

A) all parts of the brain are active
B) only the right brain is active
C) some parts of the brain are shut down
D) the limbic system shuts down

Question 40

Creativity is a product of ________ thinking.

A) only divergent
B) both divergent and convergent
C) only convergent
D) neither divergent and convergent

Question 41

Which of the following best defines having an entrepreneurial approach to work?

A) having a sense of ownership of your work
B) having a sense of urgency about your work
C) being competent in the way you do your work
D) being efficient in your work

Question 42

John Reid-Dodick,Chief People Officer at AOL,believes there are four dimensions to great leadership.Which of the following does NOT fit his model?

A) optimism
B) curiosity
C) resilience
D) empathy

Question 43

Seventh Generation tries to make customers aware of the cost of ________ a product.

A) both production and disposal of
B) only production of
C) only disposal of
D) both advertising and production of

Question 44

Which of the following was NOT identified by 20-somethings as an innovative product?

A) online learning
B) 4G Internet
C) telemedicine
D) the "cloud"

Question 45

Social entrepreneurship is the activity of identifying opportunities to help society in some way with ________ taking a secondary position if it factors in at all.

A) operational efficiency
B) employee development
C) financial gain
D) innovation

Question 46

Which type of creativity begins in the limbic system of the brain?

A) spontaneous-emotional
B) deliberate-cognitive
C) spontaneous-cognitive
D) deliberate-emotional

Question 47

Which celebrity has created a venture to affect social change?

A) Mary-Kate Olsen
B) Kourtney Kardashian
C) Melissa Joan Hart
D) Oprah Winfrey

Question 48

Small businesses provide jobs for ________ of all private sector employees.

A) 99.7 percent
B) over 50 percent
C) 33.3 percent
D) 74.6 percent

Question 49

What type of creativity produces the "Eureka!" moment of discovery?

A) deliberate processing within the emotional domain
B) spontaneous processing within the cognitive domain
C) deliberate processing within the cognitive domain
D) spontaneous processing within the emotional domain

Question 50

Which of the following is an entrepreneur?

A) a major league baseball player
B) the mayor of a large city
C) a highly paid software engineer who works for Intel
D) the owner of a new Dunkin' Donuts franchise

Question 51

An idea incubator ________.

A) recycles old ideas
B) stores good ideas until they are ready to be implemented
C) is identical to a brainstorming session
D) provides immediate funding for good ideas with "no questions asked"

Question 52

The Kyoto Box is a(n)________.

A) sushi lunch
B) electronic communication device
C) onboard computer that records conditions in car accidents
D) solar cooker that is environmentally friendly

Question 53

Innovation is the process of ________ new ideas.

A) originating
B) evaluating
C) implementing
D) rejecting

Question 54

From a business perspective,what is a break-even point?

A) the amount of money a business needs to make to pay all of its employees
B) the amount of money a business needs to make to pay all of its expenses
C) the amount of money a business needs to make to meet its expected profit goals
D) the point at which an entrepreneur decides that her venture is worth doing

Question 55

An intrepreneur performs all of the functions of an entrepreneur ________.

A) in a nonprofit company
B) within an existing organization
C) as a strategic partner of an existing organization
D) without any connection to an existing organization

Question 56

Which term best characterizes an entrepreneur?

A) pays attention to details
B) loyal to a fault
C) risk-taker
D) reckless and impulsive

Question 57

An entrepreneur is defined as someone who ________.

A) starts a small business without borrowing money
B) takes an entrepreneurial approach to work with no risk
C) takes an entrepreneurial approach to life shifting focus every few years to show risk-taking
D) starts any kind of new business

Question 58

Seventh Generation contends that although its price is ________,the "real cost" of a non-green product is usually ________ than that of a green product.

A) low; lower
B) low; higher
C) high; higher
D) high; lower

Question 59

To promote creativity within an organization,managers should try to create an atmosphere in which ________.

A) mistakes are not allowed
B) people feel comfortable making mistakes
C) risks are minimized
D) mistakes are paid for with serious consequences

Question 60

A Skunk Works® is a part of an organization where ________.

A) toxic chemicals are used
B) employees are fired
C) the bureaucracy makes things dysfunctional
D) entrepreneurial activities can flourish

Question 61

You have been hired by the local high school to help increase the creativity of students.A sophomore tells you he doesn't need help because he is already highly creative.He says school is a waste of time because "you don't need knowledge to be creative." What would you tell him?

A) He is right - knowledge has no impact on creativity.
B) He is partly right - factual knowledge has no impact on creativity.
C) He is wrong - the main benefit of knowledge is that it gives you the confidence to be creative.
D) He is wrong - the main benefit of knowledge is that it gives you ideas and facts to use in a creative way.

Question 62

Which investors typically take a stake in a business venture?

A) banks
B) credit unions
C) venture capitalists
D) commercial banks

Question 63

The American writer,F.Scott Fitzgerald,said that a truly great creative mind is capable of holding two opposing views of a subject at the same time and is still able to function.Was Fitzgerald correct?

A) Yes, one of the keys to creativity is to be able to embrace paradoxical ideas.
B) Yes, being contrary and argumentative is the hallmark of a creative person.
C) No, paradoxical ideas inhibit creativity.
D) No, paradoxical ideas have no connection to creativity.

Question 64

How many new businesses typically fail in the first two years?

A) one-third
B) two-thirds
C) 44 percent
D) 56 percent

Question 65

Tessa is a high school senior.She is overwhelmed with tests and applications.Tessa claims that she was creative in elementary school,but the older she gets the less creative she feels.What should you tell her?

A) She is correct - people reach their peak of creativity at around age ten when the prefrontal cortex is still immature.
B) She is correct - people reach their peak of creativity at around age ten when the prefrontal cortex matures.
C) She is incorrect - people don't achieve full creative capacity until they are in their 20s when the prefrontal cortex matures.
D) She is incorrect - people don't achieve full creative capacity until they are in their 40s when the prefrontal cortex matures.

Question 66

Which of the following does NOT support a creative organizational culture?

A) risk-taking
B) workforce diversity
C) top-down management
D) challenging debate

Question 67

Intellectual property is ________.

A) imaginary property
B) property that has more than one owner
C) property that has belonged to the same owner or family for more than 100 years
D) property that consists of an idea or process

Question 68

Which key advantages does mind mapping have over taking notes?

A) Mind mapping is nonlinear, but still chronological.
B) Mind mapping is linear, but is not chronological.
C) Mind mapping is neither linear nor chronological.
D) Mind mapping is nonvisual and unbiased.

Question 69

A colleague suggests that creativity can be improved by adopting a zero-tolerance for mistakes in creative projects and endeavors.Will this suggestion work?

A) It won't work - mistakes have nothing to do with the creative process so it will have no effect on creativity.
B) It will work - research shows that eliminating mistakes increases creativity.
C) It will work - research shows that a high-pressure environment increases creativity.
D) It won't work - mistakes are part of the creative process and should be tolerated.

Question 70

Josh has written six novels.None have been published and he's become bitter.Over drinks at a bar,Josh tells you that many great writers were alcoholics and depressives - so he sees no need to adopt a positive outlook on life.What's your advice for him?

A) He's right. High self-esteem and a positive outlook on life do not correlate with creativity.
B) He's wrong. Though some writers may have been depressives, high self-esteem and a positive outlook on life correlate strongly with creativity.
C) He's right. High self-esteem and a positive outlook on life actually destroy any creativity you might have and prevent you from learning to be creative.
D) He's wrong. High self-esteem and a positive outlook are the only traits that improve creativity.

Question 71

What organizational dynamic can stifle innovation?

A) risk-taking
B) debate
C) skunk works
D) bureaucracy

Question 72

A good friend is having relationship problems.When you coach and counsel her,which of the following are you using?

A) You are intentionally trying to help, so your processing mode is deliberate. You are using emotional insight, so your knowledge domain is emotional.
B) Your help is intentional but unplanned, so your processing mode is spontaneous. You are using emotional insight, so your knowledge domain is emotional.
C) You are intentionally trying to help, so your processing mode is deliberate. You are using logic to enhance your emotional insight, so your knowledge domain is cognitive.
D) Your help is intentional but unplanned, so your processing mode is spontaneous. You are using logic to enhance your emotional insight, so your knowledge domain is cognitive.

Question 73

Which of the following is NOT a creative benefit of encouraging an open debate about an organizational challenge?

A) It enhances the passive nature of brainstorming.
B) It firms up cognitive barriers.
C) It allows assumptions to be challenged.
D) It sparks generation of ideas.

Question 74

Your friend Carmen's creativity seminar leader seems to reward her only when she challenges common assumptions and conventional wisdom.Yet Carmen worries that challenging assumptions is rude.What should you tell her?

A) She's right. Challenging assumptions is rude and it serves no useful purpose.
B) She should spend her creative energy thinking of ways to be creative without challenging assumptions.
C) Don't worry about being rude. Keep on challenging assumptions; it is a key to creativity.
D) Challenging assumptions gives a person a negative outlook and destroys self-esteem. She should try not to challenge assumptions.

Question 75

How does Mihalyi Csikszentmihalyi suggest that you can improve your creativity?

A) Ignore any event that surprises you.
B) Try not to be surprised by anyone.
C) Try to surprise at least one person.
D) Try not to surprise more than one person.

Question 76

Which statement best expresses Csikszentmihalyi's view of ideas?

A) The best ideas are unlikely ideas.
B) The worst ideas are unlikely ideas.
C) The best ideas are likely ideas.
D) The best ideas are your first ideas.

Question 77

Which of the following does NOT fit the framework of cognitive flexibility?

A) abstract concepts
B) paradoxes
C) certainty
D) possibility

Question 78

To promote creativity within an organization,managers should try to obtain a ________.

A) homogeneous workforce in which conflict is low
B) young, highly-skilled workforce that is diverse with respect to ethnicity and gender
C) highly-skilled workforce that is diverse with respect to ethnicity, age, and gender
D) workforce that is diverse in all ways including age, skill level, gender, and ethnicity

Question 79

Your niece,Shelly,tells you that creativity is fine for artists and writers,but she plans to be a doctor or nurse and they don't need to be creative.What should you tell her?

A) She is correct - there is no place for creativity in medicine either as a doctor or a nurse.
B) She is partly correct - doctors can be creative in the way they diagnose an illness, but nurses have no need to be creative.
C) She is partly correct - nurses can be creative in the way they deal with a person on a personal basis, but doctors must be rigorous and stick precisely to the rules and protocols of medicine.
D) She is incorrect - there are many ways in which doctors and nurses can use creative thinking on the job.

Question 80

Which statement summarizes Csikszentmihalyi's view of complexity?

A) Find a way to express what complexity means to you.
B) Simple is better than complex.
C) To keep enjoying something, increase its complexity.
D) Complexity has no virtue.