Deck 1: What Is Organizational Behaviour

Question 1

Which of the following is not considered an organization

A)church
B)university
C)military unit
D)all 45 year old adults in a community
E)municipal, provincial and federal government agencies

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Which of the following statements about organizational behaviour (OB)is false

A)OB is relevant only in employment situations.
B)OB can shed light on the interactions among family members.
C)OB can be used in community settings like children's daycare centres.
D)OB can be applied to any organization in order to make it run more effectively.
E)OB focuses on 3 levels of behaviour that can occur in any organization.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

A field of study that investigates the impact of individuals, groups, and structure on behaviour within organizations is known as

A)psychology.
B)sociology.
C)social psychology.
D)anthropology.
E)organizational behaviour.

Answer 3

E

Question 4

Everyone loves to work for Peter because he gives them complete responsibility for what they do.This is known as

A)motivation.
B)individual differences.
C)empowerment.
D)diversity.
E)ethics.

Question 5

Organizational behaviour is generally defined as a field of study that

A)investigates how organizations effectively face competition.
B)investigates the impact that individuals, groups, and structure have on behaviour within organizations.
C)attempts to understand and solve problems regarding individual behaviour on and off the job.
D)seeks ways and means to match human effort with technology.
E)examines how the structure of different organizations contributes to, or inhibits, effective communication.

Question 6

A consciously coordinated social unit composed of a group of people that function on a relatively continuous basis to achieve a common set of goals is known as a(n)

A)work group.
B)team.
C)organization.
D)society.
E)task force.

Question 7

Individuals face various challenges in organizational settings.Which of the following organizational challenges is OB be best suited for

A)maintaining stock prices.
B)profit projection.
C)setting common goals.
D)time management.
E)protocol on the job.

Question 8

A characteristic of Johan's department is that there is a broad mix of people in terms of gender, race and ethnicity.This is known as

A)diversity.
B)empowerment.
C)groupthink.
D)ethics.
E)individual differences.

Question 9

Which of the following is true about empowerment

A)was embraced by classical OB experts
B)managers learn how to give up control
C)allows employees to delegate more to peers
D)focuses primarily on job productivity
E)employees to do less work

Question 10

What are the three levels of behaviour in organizations that OB is concerned with

A)experience, goals and configuration
B)individual, group, and structure
C)structure, social units and teams
D)group, structure and political
E)interpersonal, personal and group

Question 11

Giselle is using a spreadsheet to measure each employee's efficiency and effectiveness.This is known as the employee's

A)performance.
B)productivity.
C)diversity.
D)culture.
E)ethics.

Question 12

Which of the following topics is generally considered to be outside the field of OB

A)therapy
B)absenteeism
C)employment turnover
D)productivity
E)job satisfaction

Question 13

A(n)________ is a consciously coordinated social unit composed of two or more people that functions on a relatively continuous basis to achieve a common goal or set of goals.

A)organization
B)unit
C)team
D)ethnic group
E)informal group

Question 14

Working with others and workplace diversity are challenges at the ________ level.

A)ethical
B)individual
C)group
D)organizational
E)motivational

Question 15

As employees move beyond their traditional function of labour, what roles are they asked to play

A)making job satisfaction an extremely high priority
B)focusing on making workplaces pleasant environments
C)sharing in decision-making processes
D)managing global competition
E)following orders

Question 16

Which of the following is true about ethics

A)is easy to implement at the organizational level, as best illustrated at Enron Corporation
B)is the study of consciously coordinated social units
C)aims to understand motivations for individual behaviours
D)informs us as to whether a job is intrinsically rewarding
E)helps us do the "right" thing

Question 17

Toronto-based Dell Canada's technical service lines are handled by technicians located in India.This is an example of

A)repatriation.
B)immigration.
C)emigration.
D)nationalism.
E)outsourcing.

Question 18

Which of the following is the most accurate description of ethics

A)Ethics are easy to implement at the organizational level as best illustrated at Enron Corporation.
B)Ethics look at past personal traumas.
C)Ethics is common sense that informs us as to whether our actions are right or wrong.
D)Ethics is the study of moral values that guide our behaviour.
E)Ethics help us do the "right" thing.

Question 19

When managers empower their employees they are

A)re-engineering the workplace.
B)establishing a new program of TQM.
C)developing new styles of leadership.
D)developing ways of more effectively controlling work.
E)putting employees in charge of what they do.

Question 20

Which of the following situations would likely receive the least benefit from studying Organizational Behaviour(OB)techniques

A)voluntary community groups
B)large family situations and interactions
C)post-secondary education student study groups
D)religious organizations
E)pre-teen paper routes

Question 21

The practice of sharing more power with employees is known as

A)risk taking.
B)empowerment.
C)sociology
D)psychology.
E)contingency.

Question 22

SCENARIO 1-2 Sheena Black, manager of operations at New Age Manufacturing and Services Inc., is facing the challenge of keeping the company's manufacturing operations profitable while keeping costs down and employees satisfied with their jobs.Over the years, Sheena has developed a leadership style that she calls a "walk-about" manager-she spends time on the plant floor observing and assisting employees and other managers as necessary.She has also adopted a series of contingency plans to guide problem solving in unusual situations.
Sheena Black knows that her organization's success is dependent upon understanding the various disciplines which have contributed to the field of organizational behaviour.She knows that the next several years will require some major changes not only in the technology used by the company, but in the establishment of programs and initiatives to assist other managers and employees in overcoming workplace challenges.Sheena has identified the following priorities she will need to address:
-Empowering employees to enable them to assume greater responsibility and share decision making;
-Facilitating a2n improved climate of quality and excellence to challenge competitors in the marketplace;
-Developing a new style of leadership and management which will value diversity and respect individuals in a supportive type of environment; and
-Carefully examining the whole realm of working conditions and devising strategies to create better job satisfaction and keep employee loyalty.
Sheena is also aware that training must become a major focus so that employees can develop new skills and managers can learn new ways of dealing with the problems of combining technology and human effort.
William Smith, Sheena's boss, suggested that Sheena examine employee turnover and the effects and costs of turnover to the company.Upon careful examination of the financial records in her department, Sheena noted that the following was a major cost

A)design and development of new evaluation forms.
B)orientation programs for new employees.
C)resistance to new employees by the HR department.
D)recruitment, selection and training of new employees.
E)resentment of new employees by existing employees.

Question 23

Employee productivity, developing effective employees, and developing a positive work environment are challenges at the ________ level.

A)ethical
B)individual
C)group
D)organizational
E)motivational

Question 24

A high rate of employee turnover increases

A)bottom up management.
B)recruiting costs.
C)positive organizational scholarship.
D)workplace diversity.
E)individual difference.

Question 25

Zeke is an employee who achieves his goals.This shows Zeke is

A)performing.
B)efficient.
C)effective.
D)motivated.
E)diverse.

Question 26

SCENARIO 1-1 Allison and Gail are both university students studying for a final exam in OB.Both students have a goal of making a grade of 90% or better despite the time pressures they face.Gail studied diligently for six hours and made a grade of 92%.Allison studied diligently for nine hours and also made a grade of 92%.
Which of the following statements is most accurate

A)Gail is more efficient than Allison.
B)Allison is more efficient than Gail.
C)Gail is more effective than Allison.
D)Allison is more effective than Gail.
E)It is impossible to predict efficiency or effectiveness in this case.

Question 27

Tina is known to produce large amounts of work without having to exert much effort.Tina is

A)diverse.
B)efficient.
C)effective.
D)motivated.
E)ethical.

Question 28

Whereas ________ requires organizations to be flexible in working with organizations and people from different countries, ________ requires employees to be flexible when working with others within the organization.

A)workforce diversity; globalization
B)globalization; workforce diversity
C)culture; diversity
D)culturization; workforce diversity
E)globalization; culturization

Question 29

Why should you increase your understanding of workforce diversity

A)to be politically correct
B)the Canadian workplace is becoming more homogenous
C)to eliminate differences amongst employees
D)the Canadian workplace is becoming more heterogeneous
E)to communicate more proficiently

Question 30

Which of the following is an example of being an efficient organization or employee

A)operating a hospital at the lowest possible cost while achieving higher output
B)being the most pleasant real estate broker in Toronto
C)being a telemarketer who makes the required number of calls each day
D)being a sales person who acquires the most clients of anyone in the company
E)being an instructor who teaches larger classes than other instructors

Question 31

Sanjay is a very motivated employee who typically does work that is not part of his formal job responsibilities but which furthers the objectives of the organization.This is known as

A)groupthink.
B)organizational citizenship behaviour.
C)diversity.
D)individual differences.
E)efficiency.

Question 32

If today's managers positively address and manage workforce diversity, which of the following increases

A)employee turnover
B)miscommunications
C)interpersonal conflicts
D)creativity and innovation
E)ineffective decision making

Question 33

SCENARIO 1-1 Allison and Gail are both university students studying for a final exam in OB.Both students have a goal of making a grade of 90% or better despite the time pressures they face.Gail studied diligently for six hours and made a grade of 92%.Allison studied diligently for nine hours and also made a grade of 92%.
Gail appears to be the more productive student because

A)her efficiency seemed to be better than Allison's.
B)her effectiveness seemed to be better than Allison's.
C)her IQ is higher than Allison's.
D)Allison didn't seem to think that time is an important factor.
E)It is impossible to tell from the information given.

Question 34

________ is achievement of goals.

A)Efficiency
B)Effectiveness
C)Productivity
D)Motivation
E)Job satisfaction

Question 35

In all of his undertakings at work, Norm is a leader who looks to do the right thing.This refers to his

A)efficiency.
B)effectiveness.
C)performance.
D)ethics.
E)motivation.

Question 36

How organizations develop human strengths, foster vitality and resilience, and unlock potential is called

A)orientation.
B)groupthink.
C)positive organizational scholarship.
D)human dynamics.
E)organizational politics.

Question 37

SCENARIO 1-1 Allison and Gail are both university students studying for a final exam in OB.Both students have a goal of making a grade of 90% or better despite the time pressures they face.Gail studied diligently for six hours and made a grade of 92%.Allison studied diligently for nine hours and also made a grade of 92%.
Which of the students was effective

A)only Gail
B)only Allison
C)neither Gail or Allison
D)both Gail and Allison
E)It is impossible to tell from the information given.

Question 38

SCENARIO 1-2 Sheena Black, manager of operations at New Age Manufacturing and Services Inc., is facing the challenge of keeping the company's manufacturing operations profitable while keeping costs down and employees satisfied with their jobs.Over the years, Sheena has developed a leadership style that she calls a "walk-about" manager-she spends time on the plant floor observing and assisting employees and other managers as necessary.She has also adopted a series of contingency plans to guide problem solving in unusual situations.
Sheena Black knows that her organization's success is dependent upon understanding the various disciplines which have contributed to the field of organizational behaviour.She knows that the next several years will require some major changes not only in the technology used by the company, but in the establishment of programs and initiatives to assist other managers and employees in overcoming workplace challenges.Sheena has identified the following priorities she will need to address:
-Empowering employees to enable them to assume greater responsibility and share decision making;
-Facilitating a2n improved climate of quality and excellence to challenge competitors in the marketplace;
-Developing a new style of leadership and management which will value diversity and respect individuals in a supportive type of environment; and
-Carefully examining the whole realm of working conditions and devising strategies to create better job satisfaction and keep employee loyalty.
Sheena is also aware that training must become a major focus so that employees can develop new skills and managers can learn new ways of dealing with the problems of combining technology and human effort.
Sheena decided to improve company effectiveness by increasing employee job satisfaction.Sheena can accomplish this by encouraging her managers to

A)downsize and layoff staff.
B)add new rules and regulations to govern employee behaviour.
C)emphasize to employees that efficiency and profitability are the only goals.
D)increase the use of technology.
E)empower employees, and behave ethically in all situations.

Question 39

Tom noticed that there is a wide variety of personalities, perception and attitudes among his staff members, which he believes affects how they behave.These are known as

A)empowerment.
B)job satisfaction.
C)groupthink.
D)individual differences.
E)motivation.

Question 40

Workforce diversity is

A)counter-productive to job satisfaction.
B)the variance among workers' pay scales.
C)the distribution of workers by hair colour.
D)the differences among employees based on age.
E)the ratio of assistants to managers.

Question 41

The most significant contributions to OB with respect to implementing change and reducing barriers to its acceptance has been made by

A)psychology.
B)sociology.
C)social psychology.
D)political science.
E)anthropology.

Question 42

If we understand the written and unwritten rules in a structured situation then human behaviour becomes

A)predictable.
B)predetermined.
C)manageable.
D)controllable.
E)unpredictable.

Question 43

From which of the following behavioural sciences has the study of "people's influence on one another"

A)anthropology
B)social psychology
C)psychology
D)political science
E)sociology

Question 44

Amongst the research methods in OB which would most likely employ the statistics of many different studies

A)laboratory studies
B)meta-analysis
C)field studies
D)survey studies
E)case studies

Question 45

The OB subject of "organizational culture" has been most influenced by which behavioural science discipline

A)anthropology
B)psychology
C)social psychology
D)political science
E)sociology

Question 46

The systematic approach to the study of OB is most consistent with

A)cause-effect relationships.
B)common sense.
C)unstructured observation.
D)gut feelings.
E)predictability.

Question 47

Which behavioural science discipline contributes to OB's understanding of group decision-making processes

A)anthropology
B)psychology
C)social psychology
D)sociology
E)political science

Question 48

SCENARIO 1-3 You are an OB specialist at XYZ University and have been charged with the task of bringing together faculty from different behavioural disciplines to author a new textbook in organizational behaviour.You have faculty from the fields of psychology, sociology, social psychology, anthropology, and political science.The key tasks here are to consider the various ideas and structure them in such a manner as to provide a clear and plausible description of organizational behaviour and how it applies to the work environment.
Who would you expect to address issues of communication

A)the psychologist
B)the anthropologist
C)the political scientist
D)the social psychologist
E)the sociologist

Question 49

Why do organizations that have OCB outperform those that do not

A)OCB promotes the effective functioning of the organization.
B)OCB employees are easier to supervise.
C)OCB increases job satisfaction, increasing productivity.
D)OCB decreases recruitment, selection and training, because turnover is less.
E)OCB is rewarded by increased opportunities for promotions.

Question 50

A major theme underlying the process of organizational behaviour is the belief that human behaviour is

A)opaque.
B)instinctual.
C)unpredictable.
D)intuitive.
E)knowable.

Question 51

SCENARIO 1-3 You are an OB specialist at XYZ University and have been charged with the task of bringing together faculty from different behavioural disciplines to author a new textbook in organizational behaviour.You have faculty from the fields of psychology, sociology, social psychology, anthropology, and political science.The key tasks here are to consider the various ideas and structure them in such a manner as to provide a clear and plausible description of organizational behaviour and how it applies to the work environment.
One of the major considerations which will need to be clearly portrayed is that

A)organizational behaviour is an applied behavioural science.
B)organizational behaviour is largely theoretical and difficult to apply to the real world.
C)leadership cannot be readily studied or understood through organizational behaviour.
D)relationships between leadership and decision making are not clear.
E)organizational behaviour is based largely upon an intuitive approach.

Question 52

Predictability of behaviour is increased if we know

A)that the person is rational.
B)how the person perceives the situation.
C)that behaviour is caused.
D)the person's age.
E)the person's level of education.

Question 53

Generally, the best method for obtaining knowledge regarding human behaviour is the

A)common sense approach.
B)observational approach.
C)systematic approach.
D)theoretical approach.
E)intuitive approach.

Question 54

The OB subject of "power" has been most influenced by which behavioural science discipline

A)psychology
B)social psychology
C)anthropology
D)political science
E)sociology

Question 55

SCENARIO 1-3 You are an OB specialist at XYZ University and have been charged with the task of bringing together faculty from different behavioural disciplines to author a new textbook in organizational behaviour.You have faculty from the fields of psychology, sociology, social psychology, anthropology, and political science.The key tasks here are to consider the various ideas and structure them in such a manner as to provide a clear and plausible description of organizational behaviour and how it applies to the work environment.
You should expect that the faculty member from which field will probably contribute information about inter-group behaviour

A)sociology
B)psychology
C)social psychology
D)anthropology
E)political science

Question 56

When we say that OB concepts must reflect situational conditions, we mean

A)behaviour can never be predicted.
B)predicting certain behaviour depends on the context of a structured situation.
C)predicting certain behaviour depends on intuition.
D)regular and unchanging conditions .
E)only certain conditions can be predicted.

Question 57

SCENARIO 1-2 Sheena Black, manager of operations at New Age Manufacturing and Services Inc., is facing the challenge of keeping the company's manufacturing operations profitable while keeping costs down and employees satisfied with their jobs.Over the years, Sheena has developed a leadership style that she calls a "walk-about" manager-she spends time on the plant floor observing and assisting employees and other managers as necessary.She has also adopted a series of contingency plans to guide problem solving in unusual situations.
Sheena Black knows that her organization's success is dependent upon understanding the various disciplines which have contributed to the field of organizational behaviour.She knows that the next several years will require some major changes not only in the technology used by the company, but in the establishment of programs and initiatives to assist other managers and employees in overcoming workplace challenges.Sheena has identified the following priorities she will need to address:
-Empowering employees to enable them to assume greater responsibility and share decision making;
-Facilitating a2n improved climate of quality and excellence to challenge competitors in the marketplace;
-Developing a new style of leadership and management which will value diversity and respect individuals in a supportive type of environment; and
-Carefully examining the whole realm of working conditions and devising strategies to create better job satisfaction and keep employee loyalty.
Sheena is also aware that training must become a major focus so that employees can develop new skills and managers can learn new ways of dealing with the problems of combining technology and human effort.
As Sheena worked to develop a practical approach to the identified priorities, her frustration began to increase.She discovered that different managers had different views about how technology should be added in to the company processes.Organizational Behaviour would explain these different opinions as challenges

A)of globalization.
B)of behaving ethically.
C)at the individual and group level.
D)at the individual level.
E)at the group level.

Question 58

The OB subject of "motivation" has been most influenced by which behavioural science discipline

A)psychology
B)social psychology
C)sociology
D)political science
E)anthropology

Question 59

SCENARIO 1-3 You are an OB specialist at XYZ University and have been charged with the task of bringing together faculty from different behavioural disciplines to author a new textbook in organizational behaviour.You have faculty from the fields of psychology, sociology, social psychology, anthropology, and political science.The key tasks here are to consider the various ideas and structure them in such a manner as to provide a clear and plausible description of organizational behaviour and how it applies to the work environment.
Information on which of the following would be a contribution from the faculty member from psychology

A)conflict
B)power
C)perception and learning
D)intra-organizational politics
E)political environment

Question 60

In the study of OB, common sense is generally replaced by

A)systematic study.
B)generalization.
C)listening.
D)prediction.
E)unstructured observation.

Question 61

Considering behaviour within the context in which it occurs is known as the ________ approach.

A)absolute
B)rational
C)contingency
D)empowerment
E)behavioural

Question 62

Looking in-depth at single situations in order to gain insight into organizational behaviour relates to the examination of

A)case studies.
B)laboratory studies.
C)survey studies.
D)meta-analysis.
E)field studies.

Question 63

SCENARIO 1-4 An operations manager at a local distribution and supply warehouse wants to learn more about the major determinants of productivity, absenteeism, turnover and job satisfaction within her department.Although many options are available in gathering this information, she has decided to focus on individual-level, group-level and organization systems-level variables.
One of the individual-level variables the operations manager will probably consider is:

A)communication patterns.
B)perception.
C)levels of conflict.
D)human resource policies.
E)conflict resolution.

Question 64

By putting people first, it is thought that employees will become more effective and hence more productive.What are some of the challenges inherent in putting people first

A)initial loss in production
B)cultural confusion
C)blurring of lines between management and labour
D)balancing cultural sensitivity with the bottom line
E)incompatibility between differing cultural backgrounds

Question 65

You are working as an assistant to an OB specialist doing research to determine relationships between certain variables and cause-effect situations.The specialist is attempting to determine when people are motivated by pay or salary, and when they are motivated by recognition, support and encouragement.By examining the connection between rewards and incentives and motivation under various conditions, the specialist appears to be using which of the following approaches in research

A)open-systems
B)systematic study
C)human resources approach
D)observational
E)scientific management

Question 66

The approach to organization behaviour which suggests that its answers "depend upon the situation" is called the

A)behavioural approach.
B)mechanistic approach.
C)organic approach.
D)contingency approach.
E)field study approach.

Question 67

A major characteristic of empowerment is

A)re-engineering the workplace.
B)establishing a new program of TQM.
C)developing new styles of leadership.
D)developing ways of more effectively controlling work.
E)putting employees in charge of what they do.

Question 68

The behavioural science that underlies work design and performance appraisal is known as

A)sociology.
B)psychology.
C)social psychology.
D)anthropology.
E)political science.

Question 69

OB looks at three basic levels of analysis and organization.The group level includes all of the following independent variables except

A)leadership.
B)group decision making.
C)organizational culture.
D)work teams.
E)group structure.

Question 70

The behavioural science that underlies communication and group processes is known as

A)psychology.
B)sociology.
C)social psychology.
D)anthropology.
E)political science.

Question 71

Organization behaviour has few

A)theories.
B)contingencies.
C)models.
D)absolutes.
E)field studies.

Question 72

Organizational behaviour has implications for all personnel in the workplace.Some of OB's challenges and opportunities include all of the following except

A)it acknowledges employees are forces of innovation and change.
B)it offers specific insights to improve interpersonal and people skills.
C)it helps us learn to balance the relationship between efficiency of resources with effectiveness of delivery.
D)it facilitates the improvement of quality and employee productivity.
E)it reinforces the importance of traditional methods of management.

Question 73

SCENARIO 1-4 An operations manager at a local distribution and supply warehouse wants to learn more about the major determinants of productivity, absenteeism, turnover and job satisfaction within her department.Although many options are available in gathering this information, she has decided to focus on individual-level, group-level and organization systems-level variables.
Motivation is an important ________ variable.

A)group-level
B)organization systems-level
C)individual-level
D)industry-level
E)departmental-level

Question 74

Among the research methods in OB, which would most likely employ questionnaires and interviews

A)case studies
B)meta-analysis
C)survey studies
D)field studies
E)laboratory studies

Question 75

Which of the following aspects of an organization has this chapter focused the least on

A)common goals
B)two or more people
C)change
D)co-ordination
E)continuous basis

Question 76

The behavioural science that underlies organizational culture is known as

A)psychology.
B)sociology.
C)social psychology.
D)anthropology.
E)political science.

Question 77

The behavioural science which underlies conflict and power is known as

A)psychology.
B)sociology.
C)social psychology.
D)anthropology.
E)political science.

Question 78

Individual-level variables that have been shown to affect group and organizational behaviour include

A)technology.
B)organizational culture.
C)perception.
D)human resource policy.
E)group behaviour.

Question 79

In OB, looking at relationships, attempting to attribute causes and effects, and basing conclusions on scientific evidence is referred to as

A)a contingency approach.
B)an absolute approach.
C)a consistency approach.
D)systematic study.
E)intense scrutiny.

Question 80

SCENARIO 1-4 An operations manager at a local distribution and supply warehouse wants to learn more about the major determinants of productivity, absenteeism, turnover and job satisfaction within her department.Although many options are available in gathering this information, she has decided to focus on individual-level, group-level and organization systems-level variables.
Negotiation, conflict, power and politics are ________ variables.

A)group-level
B)organization systems-level
C)individual-level
D)industry-level
E)departmental-level