Deck 1: Making OB Work for Me

Question 1

______ is the interdisciplinary field dedicated to understanding and managing people at work.

A) Management theory
B) Management dynamics
C) Organizational behavior
D) Organizational dynamics
E) Organizational theory

Answer 1

C

Question 2

OB concepts and theories can be classified into three broad categories: person factors,group characteristics,and environmental characteristics.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Research shows that sustainable businesses are led by CEOs who take a people-centered,inclusive approach.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

According to research,the most common predictor of cheating in school is peer behavior.

Question 5

Common sense focuses on the past,and because of this,it is strong in responding to the unexpected.

Question 6

John is spending 12 hours a day at work and is exhausted.He decides that he will work no more than 8 hours-no matter what.This is a good example of the Three-step Problem-Solving Approach.

Question 7

OB includes topics such as managing your peers and your bosses,as well as managing your subordinates.

Question 8

The interactional perspective states that behavior is a function of interdependent person and environmental factors.

Question 9

A decision is a gap between an actual and a desired situation.

Question 10

American Airlines pilots created widespread slowdowns in flights to pressure their company in negotiations with their union.This was illegal.

Question 11

When major league baseball officials failed to notice they had created conditions that encouraged players to use steroids,this was an example of "motivated blindness."

Question 12

Which of the following fields is not a field from which OB draws?

A) Political Science
B) Accounting
C) Statistics
D) Economics
E) Vocational Counseling

Question 13

There is only one best way to manage people,teams,or organizations.A particular management practice that worked today will work tomorrow.This is called the contingency approach.

Question 14

Maria is having an argument with her father.He believes that focusing on her computer skills is the most important of Maria's college experience.Maria disagrees,arguing that ______ is/are the more critical.

A) overall technical expertise
B) self-awareness
C) problem-solving skills
D) an ethical perspective
E) business knowledge

Question 15

Soft skills are job specific; they are useful only in certain jobs.

Question 16

Problem solving is a systematic process for closing the gap between an actual and a desired outcome.

Question 17

Javier is dealing with several employees who are chronically late.He unilaterally decides to dock everyone's daily pay 5 percent if they are more than 10 minutes late.Javier will have better results using

A) the contingency approach.
B) the "one-best-way" approach.
C) the environmental theory.
D) ethical decision making.
E) the human capital theory.

Question 18

The "organizing framework" for understanding and applying OB is based on the systems approach.

Question 19

Unethical behavior erodes trust,but has no effect on cooperation in organizations.

Question 20

OB is important in all facets of school and work because

A) hard skills are a critical factor to your success.
B) this indicates that you have common sense.
C) this technical knowledge is in great demand.
D) a career in OB will ensure a high salary.
E) it helps us to understand and manage people.

Question 21

Justin and Edwardo were hired by the same network support firm.One year later,Edwardo receives a promotion to team leader.Justin believes he has stronger technical skills and asks his supervisor why he did not get the promotion.The supervisor says that Edwardo has better people skills.Having ____ can enable a person's promotion.

A) soft skills.
B) hard skills.
C) technical skills.
D) team skills.
E) the right degree.

Question 22

Kamal argues that 9 AM is a bad time to sign up for a small discussion group because he will be too tired from the previous night's activities.He prefers to sign up for a large lecture class at that time.Raoul disagrees,noting that this small discussion group is something they both wanted to do and will require their attention,while they may not focus in the lecture class.Kamal says that this is not a commonsense approach.What weakness does Kamal exhibit?

A) lack of rigor
B) lack of self-awareness
C) lack of authenticity
D) over-reliance on hindsight
E) lack of objectivity

Question 23

The contingency approach suggests that

A) there is one best way to manage.
B) OB theories apply to all situations.
C) a manager needs to learn a set of hard-and-fast rules.
D) the best answer depends on the situation.
E) management practices from the past can be applied to today's situations.

Question 24

Ethics is primarily concerned with

A) right and wrong.
B) legal and illegal.
C) moral and immoral.
D) religious and nonreligious.
E) public and nonpublic.

Question 25

Joe expresses concern with Rita,an intern scheduled to work on his team for three weeks.José,Joe's manager,quickly decides to move Rita to another team.Which key problem-solving step has Jose skipped?

A) define the problem
B) take action
C) find a solution
D) defuse the situation
E) implement changes

Question 26

Regarding the relative importance of personal and technical skills,

A) they remain equal and this does not change throughout careers.
B) technical skills are more important regardless of job level.
C) personal skills are more important regardless of job level.
D) technical skills become more important as job level increases.
E) personal skills become more important as job level increases.

Question 27

In some business situations,you will make recommendations to solve a problem.Which of the following actions can help improve the quality of your recommendations?

A) Check with Human Resources to be sure that you are following protocol.
B) Make sure that your suggestions don't upset any team members.
C) Make sure that your recommendations address the causes of the problem.
D) Make sure you offer a quick fix for the problem.
E) Ask your superior to present the recommendations.

Question 28

"When you know yourself,you are comfortable with your strengths and not crippled by your shortcomings...." This is

A) a soft skill.
B) self-awareness.
C) common sense.
D) hindsight.
E) objectivity.

Question 29

Problem solving and critical thinking are ______ because they use logic and reasoning to develop and evaluate options.

A) technical skills
B) soft skills
C) common sense
D) hard skills
E) personal attributes

Question 30

Which of the following is not one of the top four skills desired by employers?

A) Teamwork
B) Critical thinking
C) Problem solving
D) Judgment and decision making
E) Active listening

Question 31

_____ is knowing who you are and what you want.

A) Self-esteem
B) Self-efficacy
C) Self-awareness
D) Self-disclosure
E) self-assessment

Question 32

Soft skills are ______; they are more or less relevant in every job,at every level,and throughout your career.

A) portable
B) inflexible
C) rigid
D) narrowly applied
E) hard-and-fast

Question 33

Which of the following statements is ?

A) The contingency approach is just common sense.
B) Common sense excels in well-known scenarios with predictable outcomes.
C) Common sense requires less effort than finding the real problem.
D) Common sense can be overly subjective.
E) Common sense is weak in unexpected situations.

Question 34

Simone wants to become a partner in her Atlanta law firm.She knows that if she bills the most revenue,it will help her get her partnership.This _____ can lead to unethical behavior.

A) overvalued outcome
B) motivated blindness
C) ill-conceived goal
D) indirect blindness
E) slippery slope

Question 35

Pop's Ice Cream Store sales were down 15 percent this summer.The owner,Pop,says that in his experience rainy summers mean lower ice cream sales.Jonathan,his assistant,notices the staff at Pop's appear uninterested and slow to serve customers.He would like to replace at least one of them with a younger college student for the rest of the summer.Jonathan is using a(n)______ perspective.

A) experience
B) management theory
C) hindsight
D) contingency
E) common sense

Question 36

______ highlight the fact that choosing among available options is not always a choice between right and wrong.

A) Organizational theories
B) Ethical dilemmas
C) Ethical lapses
D) Management theories
E) Ill-conceived goals

Question 37

Suzette is a bank manager charged with determining which employees are downsized.Her only guidelines are to keep those employees who contribute the most to the overall organization.When the list of employees downsized is presented,none of her personal friends are on it.This might be viewed as ______ behavior.

A) rational
B) unbiased
C) unethical
D) illegal
E) organizational

Question 38

At work,Jenna always volunteers to help others on their projects.But,she really resents the extra work and constantly complains to her friends that she is doing everyone else's job.Jenna is not _____; she needs to be more self-aware of what she takes on.

A) authentic
B) objective
C) fake
D) credible
E) a leader

Question 39

Which of the following statements is ?

A) Ill-conceived goals occur when we set goals and incentives to promote a desired behavior, and that behavior is achieved.
B) The slippery slope refers to seeing the ethical actions of others as an example to follow.
C) Motivated blindness occurs when we overlook the unethical behavior of another because it's in our interest to remain ignorant.
D) If the outcome is good, then the behavior must be ethical.
E) Direct blindness occurs when we hold others less accountable for unethical behavior because it's carried out through third parties.

Question 40

_________,with which you can build goodwill,include personality,teamwork and leadership.

A) Interpersonal skills
B) Commonsense skills
C) Hard skills
D) Technical expertise
E) Personal attributes

Question 41

Because the auditors of XYX Company accepted a client firm's questionable financial statements when the infractions have occurred over time,James believes that they are

A) setting ill-conceived goals.
B) exhibiting motivated blindness.
C) showing indirect blindness.
D) on a slippery slope.
E) overvaluing outcomes.

Question 42

Sustainable businesses tend to be run by CEOs who are

A) intelligent.
B) controlling.
C) target-driven.
D) people-centered.
E) egotistical.

Question 43

Pascal is a customer-service representative who handles phone inquiries.He has a goal of handling 12 calls per hour.When he gets a customer with a complex situation,he tends to become short with that person to keep the call short.This is an example of

A) ill-conceived goals.
B) motivated blindness.
C) indirect blindness.
D) the slippery slope.
E) overvaluing outcomes.

Question 44

______ is the first step on the three-step journey (or approach)of the Organizing Framework.

A) Identifying the OB concepts
B) Defining the problem
C) Making recommendations
D) Taking action
E) Delegating the problem

Question 45

Ilsa is part of a team working on a project.Vanessa's role on the team is to update and present status reports to management.Ilsa knows that Vanessa's reports do not show the delays that have occurred,but she doesn't say anything because she does not want upper management more involved.Which of the following is Ilsa is exhibiting?

A) ill-conceived goals
B) motivated blindness
C) indirect blindness
D) the slippery slope
E) overvaluing outcomes

Question 46

Why are ethics considered so important when studying organizational behavior?

A) Unethical behavior makes it easy to influence others and conduct business.
B) Unethical behavior can ensure loyalty, which helps the performance of individuals and teams.
C) You will be confronted with ethical challenges at all levels of organizations and throughout your career.
D) Unethical acts are not illegal and can benefit the company.
E) Some unethical acts are necessary to work around unfair governmental regulations.

Question 47

In an ethical dilemma,

A) there are two choices, neither of which resolves the situation in an ethically acceptable manner.
B) there are two choices, either of which resolves the situation in an ethically acceptable manner.
C) there are two choices, one of which resolves the situation in an ethically acceptable manner.
D) there is only one choice.
E) there are no choices.

Question 48

Extreme examples of unethical and illegal conduct are the exception in the business community.Which of the following statements about this behavior is ?

A) Very few unethical acts are also illegal.
B) Most unethical acts are not punished in any way.
C) Even if illegal, few of these acts are prosecuted.
D) You can rely on the legal system to manage or assure ethical conduct at work.
E) Unethical behavior negatively affects the offending employee, coworkers, and the employer.

Question 49

_____ is when we give a pass to unethical behavior if the outcome is good.

A) Ill-conceived goals
B) Motivated blindness
C) Indirect blindness
D) The slippery slope
E) Overvaluing outcomes

Question 50

Bettina wants to make the Dean's List this semester.She is doing well in all of her courses except Accounting.This presents a(n)_____ for Bettina.

A) ethical dilemma
B) desired outcome
C) systematic approach
D) goal
E) problem

Question 51

Harriet saw Josephine cheating on a test in their OB class.However,she did not report this because Josephine is on her team in the class and she feared that Josephine might be kicked out of the class and that this would hurt her team's chances of doing well on their project.Harriet is experiencing

A) ill-conceived goals.
B)motivated blindness.
C) indirect blindness.
D) the slippery slope.
E) overvaluing outcomes.

Question 52

The remedy for motivated blindness is

A) to root out conflicts of interest.
B) when handing off work, to ask if the assignment might invite unethical behavior.
C) to reward solid decision processes, not just good outcomes.
D) to be alert for even trivial ethical infractions and address them immediately.
E) to brainstorm unintended consequences.

Question 53

______ is the remedy for ill-conceived goals.

A) Rooting out conflicts of interest
B) When handing off work, asking if the assignment might invite unethical behavior
C) Rewarding solid decision processes, not just good outcomes,
D) Being alert for even trivial ethical infractions and addressing them immediately
E) Brainstorming unintended consequences

Question 54

Ronald works for a small biotech firm.When the firm presents the results of its clinical trials to the FDA,Ronald realizes that the results are not accurate.He reports this to the FD
A)Ronald is a(n)

A)ethicist.
B)whistleblower.
C)traitor.
D)mole.
E)deviant.

Question 55

_______ are goals and incentives set to promote a desired behavior,but instead encourage a negative one.

A) Ill-conceived goals
B) Motivated blindness
C) Indirect blindness
D) The slippery slope
E) Overvaluing outcomes

Question 56

A problem is

A) a decision that needs to be made.
B) a gap between an actual and a desired situation.
C) always due to environmental factors.
D) a situation that managers rarely face.
E) something to be ignored until it becomes serious.

Question 57

_____ is(are)when we hold others less accountable for unethical behavior that is carried out through third parties.

A) Ill-conceived goals
B) Motivated blindness
C) Indirect blindness
D) The slippery slope
E) Overvaluing outcomes

Question 58

Person factors and ______ are the two broad categories of OB concepts and theories.

A) the three levels at work
B) ethical factors
C) situation factors
D) problem solving
E) system processes

Question 59

Green Care Landscaping Company minimizes attention to a price increase by selling lawn care treatments to a subsidiary,Keep It Up,Inc.Keep It Up then increases the price of the specific treatments.The manager of Keep It Up wants to notify customers that they are a subsidiary of Green Care Landscaping and that the increase has come from the parent company.This is an example of a remedy for

A) ill-conceived goals.
B) indirect blindness.
C) the slipper slope.
D) overvaluing outcomes.
E) motivated blindness.

Question 60

Javier asked Maria for general advice on homework.Then he asked her to let him see specific problems.Now he wants to copy her assignment,claiming he has no time and the content is too difficult.This is an example of

A) ill-conceived goals.
B) motivated blindness.
C) indirect blindness.
D) the slippery slope.
E) overvaluing outcomes.

Question 61

In the Organizing Framework,

A) inputs lead to processes, which lead to outcomes.
B) inputs lead directly to outcomes.
C) outcomes never affect inputs.
D) outcomes never affect processes.
E) inputs are unrelated to processes.

Question 62

Alexa quit her job because she felt it was boring.This would be diagnosed as a(n)______ level problem.

A) individual
B) group
C) organizational
D) interactional
E) situation

Question 63

Halim hires a new employee who best meets the characteristics he is looking for in the ideal employee.He is

A) resolving the problem.
B) solving the problem.
C) dissolving the problem.
D) ignoring the problem.
E) avoiding the problem.

Question 64

The first of the basic elements for selecting an effective solution is

A) to determine the criteria for the decision.
B) to generate alternatives.
C) to consider the consequences.
D) to decide who will make the decision.
E) to make the decision.

Question 65

In solving a problem,a manager

A) selects the optimal response.
B) chooses a satisfactory solution.
C) changes the situation in which the problem occurs.
D) settles for less than ideal.
E) eliminates the problem situation.

Question 66

Research has shown that

A) person factors influence a person's performance more than situation factors.
B) situation factors influence a person's performance more than person factors.
C) person and situation factors influence a person's performance equally.
D) a person's behavior and performance are a function of interdependent person and situation factors.
E) neither person nor situation factors significantly influence behavior or performance.

Question 67

Jonathan decides that rather than hire an employee to replace someone who left,he will eliminate the position.Jonathan is

A) resolving the problem.
B) solving the problem.
C) dissolving the problem.
D) ignoring the problem.
E) avoiding the problem.

Question 68

Which of the following is not one of the basic elements of selecting an effective solution?

A) determining the basic criteria for the decision
B) selecting an OB concept or topic to apply
C) deciding who will be involved in choosing the solution
D) considering the consequences of each alternative
E) agreeing on a method for decision making

Question 69

Joe,a hard and productive worker,quit because he couldn't get along with his coworkers.This would be diagnosed as a(n)________ level problem.

A) individual
B) group
C) organizational
D) interactional
E) situation

Question 70

In the Organizing Framework,inputs (in part)consist of

A) individual-level processes.
B) group/team outcomes.
C) situation characteristics.
D) individual outcomes.
E) organizational outcomes.

Question 71

In the Integrative Framework,which of the following is an outcome?

A) situation characteristics
B) personal factors
C) organizational processes
D) organizational turnover
E) awarding bonuses for good performance

Question 72

What kind of a response is a manager making when he or she chooses a satisfactory,but not ideal,solution?

A) resolving
B) solving
C) dissolving
D) ignoring
E) avoiding

Question 73

Sharon quit her job because she felt that her department's reward system favored men.This would be diagnosed as a(n)_________ level problem.

A) individual
B) group
C) organizational
D) interactional
E) situation

Question 74

"Different people may perceive similar situations in different ways and similar people may perceive different situations in the same way." This represents the _____ perspective.

A) interactional
B) ethical
C) problem-solving
D) contingency
E) individualistic

Question 75

Recently,the Acme Explosives Company was sold to a new owner,Roadrunner Inc.The operations of the two organizations are going to be merged,with several of the manufacturing locations possibly to be eliminated.______ is the most likely OB perspective to apply.

A) Individual
B) Group
C) Organizational
D) Interactional
E) Situation

Question 76

Your have an apartment within walking distance of your office.Your company moves the office to the next town.You decide to take a position with another firm close to your apartment.This is an example of _____ the problem.

A) resolving
B) solving
C) dissolving
D) ignoring
E) avoiding

Question 77

Several people have quit the administrative support unit of the company recently.About that time,a new company moved into the area with a better health care plan and comparable wages.______ is the most likely OB perspective to apply.

A) Individual
B) Group
C) Organizational
D) Iinteractional
E) Situation

Question 78

Anne,a manager,hires the first person she interviews because she believes that person can do the job adequately.Anne is

A) resolving the problem.
B) solving the problem.
C) dissolving the problem.
D) ignoring the problem.
E) avoiding the problem.

Question 79

People bring their abilities,goals,and experiences to each and every situation,which often changes the situation.Conversely,because situations have unique characteristics,such as opportunities and rewards,they change people.This dynamic reflects the interactional perspective,which explains that behavior is a function of

A) interdependent person and situation factors.
B) interdependent ethical and unethical factors.
C) interdependent human and social factors.
D) independent person and situation factors.
E) independent human and social factors.

Question 80

Three months ago,XYZ Corporation changed the way the typing pool is organized from a self-managed team to a more traditional structure in which employees receive their assignments from a direct supervisor.Since then,three of the seven employees have left the organization.______ is the OB perspective applied here.

A) Individual
B) Group
C) Organizational
D) Interactional
E) Situation