Deck 8: Unregulated Corporate Reporting Decisions: Considerations of Systems-Oriented Theories

Question 1

The difference between 'classical' and 'bourgeois' political economy theory is that:

A) 'Classical' political economy theory explicitly considers class conflict and the role of the state in its analysis, while 'bourgeois' political economy theory does not
B) 'Bourgeois' political economy theory explicitly considers class conflict and the role of the state in its analysis, while 'classical' political economy theory does not
C) 'Classical' political economy theory is a normative theory, whereas bourgeois" political economy theory is a positive theory
D) 'Bourgeois' political economy theory is a normative theory, whereas 'classical' political economy theory is a positive theory

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Which of the following is false?

A) Isomorphism refers to the adaptation of an institutional practice by an organisation
B) Normative isomorphism is when organisations adopt particular institutional practices
C) Coercive isomorphism is when organisations change their practices due to stakeholder pressure
D) Mimetic isomorphism is when organisations copy the institutional practices of other organisations for competitive advantage practices

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Which of the following statements is false?

A) Legitimacy Theory is derived from 'classical' political economy theory
B) Legitimacy Theory suggests that organisations will act in a way that society perceives as legitimate
C) Legitimacy Theory relies upon the notion of the 'social contract'
D) Legitimacy Theory asserts that organisations will attempt to ensure that society perceives their actions as 'legitimate'

Answer 3

B

Question 4

The relationship between Institutional Theory (IT),Legitimacy Theory (LT)and Stakeholder Theory (ST)is that:

A) IT is a normative theory while LT and ST are positive theories
B) IT is a more detailed version of LT, and broadly consistent with ST
C) The mechanisms IT suggests firms will use to align the perceptions of their performance with society's values could include the mechanisms suggested by LT and ST
D) The mechanisms IT suggests firms will use to align the perceptions of their performance with society's are different from the mechanisms suggested by LT and ST

Question 5

Managerial Stakeholder Theory suggests that annual reports will be used to:

A) Gain the support of powerful stakeholders
B) Report on the activities of management with respect to each stakeholder
C) Explain why profits may have been sacrificed in order to respect the minimum rights of some stakeholders
D) All of the given options are correct

Question 6

Which of the following statements is characteristic of Stakeholder Theory?

A) Has both a normative and positive perspective
B) Has neither a normative nor positive perspective
C) Is a normative theory
D) Is a positive theory

Question 7

The idea of the 'social contract' is that corporations only exist because they benefit:

A) Shareholders
B) Governments
C) Managers
D) Society

Question 8

An example of a legitimising symbol would be:

A) The World Wide Fund for Nature assessing compliance with the Australian Minerals Industry Code
B) Monsanto employing the former CEO of Greenpeace Australia as a consultant
C) Changing the name of a company from 'British Petroleum' to 'Beyond Petroleum'
D) All of the given options are correct

Question 9

The difference between Positive Accounting Theory and Legitimacy Theory is that:

A) Legitimacy Theory does not rely on the assumption that all action is driven by individual self-interest
B) Legitimacy Theory makes no assumptions about the efficiency of markets
C) Legitimacy Theory suggests that organisations have a 'social contract' with society
D) All of the given options are correct

Question 10

According to Legitimacy Theory,the annual report is:

A) A means to assist users in legitimately allocating scarce resources
B) A tool to legitimise the ongoing operations of the organisation
C) A legitimate account of the activities of the organisation for the period
D) All of the given options are correct

Question 11

Institutional Theory suggests that:

A) While organisational structures are initially varied, they are gradually homogenised by competition, the state and professions
B) While organisational structures are initially homogenous, they are gradually varied by competition, the State and professions
C) The organisational structure is determined by institutional factors such as management style and organisational culture
D) The organisational structure is determined by the organisation's most powerful stakeholders

Question 12

An organisation disclosing social and environmental information because a competitor was gaining a competitive advantage by doing so,is an example of:

A) Mimetic isomorphism
B) Coercive isomorphism
C) Normative isomorphism
D) None of the given options is correct

Question 13

In relation to Political Economy Theory,which of the following statements is false?

A) Political Economy Theory views society, politics and economics as inseparable
B) Political Economy Theory is derived from Positive Accounting Theory
C) Legitimacy Theory and Stakeholder Theory are derived from Political Economy Theory
D) Political Economy Theory can be divided into 'classical' and 'bourgeois' political economy theories

Question 14

Empirical findings consistent with Legitimacy Theory would be increased disclosure of:

A) Environmental good news, immediately following prosecutions for breaches of environmental standards
B) Environmental bad news, immediately following prosecutions for breaches of environmental standards
C) Environmental good news, immediately preceding prosecutions for breaches of environmental standards
D) Environmental bad news, immediately preceding prosecutions for breaches of environmental standards

Question 15

The difference between the managerial and moral perspectives of Stakeholder Theory is that:

A) The moral perspective is empirically testable
B) The moral perspective is more 'organisation-centred'
C) The managerial perspective is empirically testable
D) The managerial perspective holds that all stakeholders have certain minimum rights that must not be violated

Question 16

An organisation disclosing social and environmental information in response to shareholder demands is an example of:

A) Mimetic isomorphism
B) Coercive isomorphism
C) Normative isomorphism
D) None of the given options is correct

Question 17

Which of the following is not a means by which an organisation may attempt to legitimise its activities?

A) Adapting its output, goals and methods of operation to conform to prevailing definitions of legitimacy
B) Attempting, through communication, to alter the definition of social legitimacy so that it conforms to the organisation's present practices, outputs and values
C) Asserting its right to operate under the existing regulatory framework that has been determined by society
D) Attempting, through communication, to become identified with symbols, values or institutions that have a strong base of legitimacy

Question 18

An organisation disclosing social and environmental information in response to societal expectations is an example of:

A) Mimetic isomorphism
B) Coercive isomorphism
C) Normative isomorphism
D) None of the given options is correct

Question 19

The moral perspective of Stakeholder Theory holds that all stakeholders have the right to be treated fairly by an organisation:

A) Provided this improves the organisation's financial performance
B) Regardless of the impact on the organisation's financial performance
C) Because, in the long run, this will improve the organisation's financial performance
D) None of the given options is correct

Question 20

The 'legitimacy gap' of a corporation will narrow when:

A) A corporation discloses good news about its behaviour, but its actual behaviour declines
B) A corporation discloses bad news about its behaviour, but its actual behaviour improves
C) Societal expectations of appropriate corporate behaviour increase
D) None of the given options is correct

Question 21

According to Lindblom (1994),which of the following strategy can an organisation adopt when it perceives that its legitimacy is in question because its actions or operationsare at variance with society's expectations and values?

A) Seek to educate and inform its 'relevant public' about actual changes in the organisation's performance and activities
B) Seek to change the perceptions that 'relevant public' have of the organisation's performance and activities
C) Seek to manipulate perception by deflecting attention from the issue of concern onto other issues to demonstrate how the organisation has fulfilled social expectations
D) All of the given options are correct

Question 22

Which of the following hypotheses,proposed by DiMaggio and Powell (1983),do not relate to coercive or mimetic isomorphism:

A) The greater the dependence of an organisation on another organisation, the more similar it will become to that organisation in structure, climate and behavioural focus
B) The greater the centralisation of organisation A's resource supply, the greater the extent to which organisation A will change isomorphically to resemble the organisations on which it depends for resources
C) The greater the reliance on academic credentials in choosing managerial and staff personnel, the greater the extent to which an organisation will become like other organisations in its field
D) The more ambiguous the goals of an organisation, the greater the extent to which the organisation will model itself after organisations that it perceives to be successful

Question 23

Based on a joint consideration of Media Agenda Setting Theory and Legitimacy Theory,which of the following statements are correct?

A) According to Legitimacy Theory management uses the annual report as a tool to legitimise the ongoing operations of the organisation, and according to Media Agenda Setting Theory the media are able to influence community perceptions about issues such as the environment
B) Community concerns with the environmental performance of a specific firm in an industry will also impact on the disclosure strategies of firms across that industry
C) We should find a relationship between the extent of disclosure of social and environmental issues within the annual report and the media attention given to those issues
D) All of the given options are correct

Question 24

Which of the following statement is false?

A) Legitimacy Theory, Stakeholder Theory and Institutional Theory are all examples of 'systems-oriented theories'
B) A systems-oriented view of the organisation and society focuses on the role of information and disclosure in the relationship between organisations, the State, individuals and groups
C) Within a systems-based perspective, the entity is assumed to be influenced by, and in turn to have an influence on, the society in which it operates
D) Within Legitimacy Theory, Stakeholder Theory and Institutional Theory, accounting disclosure policies are not considered to constitute a strategy to influence the organisation's relationships with the other parties with which it interacts