Deck 15: Organizational Culture

Question 1

Employee perceptions of subcultures have little impact on employee performance or commitment to the organization.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

A strong culture always outperforms a weak culture because of the consistency of expectations.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Organizational structure is the most important factor in the creation of an organization's culture.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

The three levels of organizational culture are beliefs,assumptions and artifacts.

Question 5

Subcultures can arise from the personal characteristics of employees and managers or the conditions of the workplace.

Question 6

Research suggests that corporate strategy is the most important factor for business success,but organization culture is a close second.

Question 7

The industry influence over culture suggests that it may not be possible to duplicate the culture of a firm in another industry.

Question 8

Countercultures are never tolerated in an organization once they are identified.

Question 9

Firms with an aggressive culture can face a number of lawsuits because of the focus on outperforming the competitor at all costs.

Question 10

Creating a safety culture can reduce accidents,improve employee retention and increase profitability due to reduced workers' compensation claims.

Question 11

Companies within the same industry generally have similar organizational cultures,but on occasion,they can be wildly different.

Question 12

Outcome-oriented cultures hold managers accountable for performance but not employees.

Question 13

Organizational culture is a system of shared assumptions,values and beliefs indicating what are appropriate and inappropriate behaviors within an organization.

Question 14

Individuals are more aware of their firm's culture when they have an opportunity to compare it with that of another firm.

Question 15

Founder values are a part of the company culture regardless of the success of the firm.

Question 16

A founder's values could be one explanation for the difficulty encountered when trying to change a culture.

Question 17

If performance pressures increase too much,individuals begin to see their peers as competitors and short-term results become important,which can create unethical behaviors.

Question 18

Nordstrom's has a lengthy employee handbook full of rules and regulations designed to emphasize quality in customer service.

Question 19

Researchers found a relationship between organizational success,measured by indicators like revenues,sales and market share,and organizational culture.

Question 20

The deepest or innermost level of organizational culture is values.

Question 21

The inability to network is a major reason why new employees either leave their jobs voluntarily or are terminated within the first two years of employment.

Question 22

A firm that rewards the achievement of goals only,and not the process to achieve those goals,is likely to have an outcome-based culture.

Question 23

Culture is generally resistant to change efforts.

Question 24

The attraction-selection-attrition process explains how a certain level of homogeneity in personalities and values is maintained within an organization.

Question 25

While a firm's physical layout impacts motivation and job satisfaction,it does little to convey company culture.

Question 26

A firm that uses a ranking system where employees are pitted against each other for the top rewards is more likely to have an aggressive culture.

Question 27

Organizational cultures help determine who is hired by a firm.

Question 28

It is less important to find an individual to serve as a mentor who personifies company values than to find an individual who is enthusiastic about participating in the program.

Question 29

The behaviors that are punished,ignored or rewarded are likely to help determine how a culture evolves in a firm.

Question 30

Leader role modeling is an important influence in the creation or change in an organization's culture.

Question 31

Extending benefits to full- and part-time employees as well as spouses and domestic partners can convey to those employees the people orientation of the firm.

Question 32

Onboarding activities in a firm produce higher levels of job satisfaction in new employees but have little impact on their organizational commitment long term.

Question 33

Computer-oriented orientation programs are more cost effective and more effective in conveying the firm's culture than classroom-oriented programs.

Question 34

Organizational culture will both attract potential employees and cause some to self-select out of the organization.

Question 35

Individuals high in agreeableness would likely seek out firms with aggressive cultures.

Question 36

Mentors and protégés who had input into the matching process were no more satisfied with the outcome of the program then were those who were placed into a mentor-protégé pair.

Question 37

Person-organization misfit is one of the important reasons for employee turnover.

Question 38

While managers and supervisors are very important in helping new employees adjust to a firm's culture,coworkers actually hamper the process.

Question 39

All mission statements are effective because they describe who the companies are and what they do.

Question 40

Two conditions that help effect a cultural change include experiencing failure in a firm and changes in the external environment impacting the firm.

Question 41

Lincoln Manufacturing has a large sign posted at the entrance to the firm's parking area that keeps count of the number of days since the last accident in the firm.Currently,the number stands at 150.The count is changed every day in somewhat of a "ceremony," and every time another 50 days go by without an accident,the firm provides a free lunch to employees.Posters throughout the plant remind workers to wear protective clothing including earplugs,safety hats and glasses and safety shoes.Lincoln has what kind of culture?

A)person-oriented
B)aggressive
C)safety
D)stable

Question 42

3M Corporation provides its employees time each week to generate ideas for new products.This practice is responsible for the development of such products as Post-it notes.3M has a(n)_____________ culture.

A)innovative
B)people-centered
C)detail oriented
D)aggressive

Question 43

"People are generally dishonest" is an example of a

A)cultural orientation.
B)cultural artifact.
C)cultural value.
D)cultural assumption.

Question 44

The Internal Revenue Service has many rules and regulations with regard to tax code and the filing of returns.The organization is large and very bureaucratic.If an individual has issues with the agency,getting it resolved is a laborious process filled with "red tape" and takes an extensive amount of time and patience to resolve.The Internal Revenue Service has a(n)_________ culture.

A)team-oriented
B)stable
C)people-oriented
D)outcome-oriented

Question 45

Organizational culture consists of three levels:

A)assumptions,orientations,and beliefs.
B)beliefs,values,and artifacts.
C)artifacts,assumptions,and beliefs.
D)assumptions,artifacts,and values.

Question 46

The mother of the young man always has such difficulty getting him jeans to wear to elementary school.He needs the husky size and does not want any color EXCEPT the dark blue denim.The mother needs four pair of jeans.She usually purchases them at a major department store located in the mall near her home.She is at the mall today and is disappointed that only one pair in the size she needs is available.The salesclerk says that more should be available soon,but she is not sure exactly when.The day after the purchase,the phone rings in the mother's home.It is the salesclerk from the major department store reporting that three pairs of the husky jeans in the child's size have arrived and she is holding them for the mother.The mother thanks the clerk and asks how she got the mother's phone number."It took me some time",says the clerk,"but I found your receipt from yesterday and looked up your phone number through our computer system." This store has a _________ culture.

A)service
B)detail-oriented
C)stable
D)people-oriented

Question 47

Cultural assumptions

A)lie below the awareness level and reflect beliefs about human nature and reality.
B)are shared principles,standards and goals.
C)are a set of values unique to a limited cross-section of the organization.
D)are the visible and tangible elements of culture.

Question 48

Which of the following statements regarding organizational culture and its impact on the firm is accurate?

A)Strong organizational cultures are always a strategic advantage.
B)Having a culture that fits with the company leads to good company performance,but having a culture that does not fit has no impact.
C)Organizational cultures that are hard to imitate can create a competitive advantage for a firm.
D)Organizational culture is an effective control mechanism for dictating employee job attitudes.

Question 49

Making ethics assessment a regular part of performance evaluation can ensure ethical behavior becomes part of a firm's core values.

Question 50

The school district has established achievement-oriented goals.Teachers are told that their instruction must thoroughly prepare students for high scores on the state achievement tests.Each nine-week grading period,teachers meet to discuss overall progress toward the goals set for increasing state achievement test scores.Recently the superintendent of the school district proposed establishing a bonus fund to reward teachers whose students' scores increased the most from year to year on those tests.This school has what kind of culture?

A)people-oriented
B)detail-oriented
C)aggressive
D)outcome-oriented

Question 51

The corner office,mahogany desks and credenzas,gold name plates on office doors and reserved parking places are examples of

A)cultural beliefs.
B)cultural assumptions.
C)cultural artifacts.
D)cultural values.

Question 52

The culture of a company is heavily impacted by the culture of its nation of origin.

Question 53

The visible and tangible elements of culture are

A)assumptions.
B)values.
C)artifacts.
D)beliefs.

Question 54

The first step in the cultural change process is changing leaders and the leadership team.

Question 55

The Japanese culture emphasizes harmony,so it is highly unlikely a Japanese company would have an aggressive culture.

Question 56

Renovating the firm's facilities and updating a firm's logo can help enable a cultural change.

Question 57

Security,safety and social equality are all examples of

A)cultural assumptions.
B)cultural artifacts.
C)cultural values.
D)cultural orientations.

Question 58

Shared principles,standards and goals are

A)artifacts.
B)values.
C)beliefs.
D)assumptions.

Question 59

Google has acknowledged that its strength comes from its

A)small company values of risk taking,agility,and cooperation.
B)utilization of lean processes.
C)ability to stand out from the crowd and be different.
D)unusual employee perks.

Question 60

A system of shared assumptions,values,and beliefs that indicates what is appropriate and inappropriate behavior in an organization is

A)culture.
B)mission.
C)goals.
D)strategy.

Question 61

ABC Corporation has its sights clearly set on XYZ Company.The firm's employees often talk about "cutting XYZ off at the knees." Recently a lawsuit was filed against ABC by XYZ because ABC "raided" the middle-level management level of XYZ and hired away 5 of its 7 managers.ABC has a(n)____________________ culture.

A)service
B)outcome
C)stable
D)aggressive

Question 62

Strong cultures

A)facilitate the changes that must occur in firms during mergers and acquisitions.
B)outperform weak cultures regardless of the volatility of the environment.
C)are no more difficult to change than weak cultures.
D)are evidenced by consensus among employees on the values of the company.

Question 63

The culture of Altmira Corporation is characterized by participative decision making,innovation and openness.The accounting department,however,is run using authoritarian decision making to ensure efficiency and effectiveness.Accounting manager Gordon Paul believes in tight control to prevent errors.The accounting department's culture could be classified as a

A)strong culture.
B)weak culture.
C)side culture.
D)counterculture.

Question 64

The marketing department at Langston Industries meets once a week for a pizza luncheon after which the marketing manager holds his weekly "venting session" where department members can express their concerns about what is going right and wrong in the department and firm.The finance department,on the other hand,never meets.The finance manager simply sends emails to his subordinates each Monday with a list of the items to be accomplished each week and tries to get around to seeing each individual sometime during the week for any questions the employee might have.Langston appears to have _________ in its organization.

A)countercultures
B)subcultures
C)onboarding
D)strong cultures

Question 65

The firm pays above average wages to its employees.Each employee is given at least two weeks of vacation and any time family matters arise and time is needed,flexible arrangements are made to facilitate the employee.Each Thanksgiving,a turkey is provided to each employee,$15 gift certificates are given for the Christmas holiday,and during the summer,the firm pays for each employee and one other individual to attend an expense-paid day at the local amusement park.This firm seems to be a(n)_________ company.

A)outcome-oriented
B)service-oriented
C)people-oriented
D)team-oriented

Question 66

A defined set of values unique to a limited cross-section of the organization is

A)a subculture.
B)a counterculture.
C)a strong culture.
D)a service culture.

Question 67

Which of the following statements is true regarding the dimensions of culture?

A)Employees tend to stay longer in people-oriented cultures.
B)Outcome-oriented cultures hold managers accountable for success,but not other employees.
C)In team-oriented cultures,managers have less positive relationships with their subordinates than in other cultures.
D)Proactive behavior tends to emerge often in stable companies.

Question 68

The firm places its employees into five-person groups and gives them projects that are to be completed by each group with minimum direction from a project leader.Compensation in the firm is divided into two parts-that earned for your primary job,and that earned for work in your group.Once each year,training seminars are conducted for all company employees to learn the latest techniques in collaboration.This firm has a(n)____________ culture.

A)people-oriented
B)detail-oriented
C)team-oriented
D)outcome-oriented

Question 69

Which of the following statements regarding culture creation is correct?

A)An organization's culture is shaped only by internal environmental factors.
B)New organization members are rarely taught the "way of business" in the firm; they simply acquire that knowledge through daily activities.
C)When the organization's way of doing business provides a successful adaptation to environmental challenges,those beliefs and values are retained.
D)Studies show the only factor consistently found to determine culture creation in a firm is the founder's values.

Question 70

A company with a stable culture is

A)flexible,adaptable,and experiments with new ideas.
B)predictable,rule-oriented,and bureaucratic.
C)achievement-oriented,results-oriented,and action-oriented.
D)fair,supportive,and respects individual rights.

Question 71

Those who emphasize achievement,results and action create a(n)_________ __________ culture in their organizations.

A)outcome-oriented
B)team-oriented
C)detail-oriented
D)people-oriented

Question 72

Companies that are collaborative and emphasize cooperation among employees have a(n)__________ _________ culture.

A)people-oriented
B)outcome-oriented
C)detail-oriented
D)team-oriented

Question 73

Shared values and beliefs that are in direct opposition to the values of the broader organizational culture represent a

A)strong culture.
B)weak culture.
C)subculture.
D)counterculture.

Question 74

A culture that emphasizes precision and paying attention to details is

A)a service culture.
B)an aggressive culture.
C)a detail-oriented culture.
D)an outcome-oriented culture.

Question 75

Which of the following statements is true regarding culture in organizations?

A)Multiple subcultures cannot exist in a single organization.
B)Subcultures arise in a firm due to founder values and industry demands.
C)Countercultures are never tolerated by an organization once they are identified.
D)Employee perceptions of subcultures are related to employee commitment to the organization.

Question 76

People-oriented cultures

A)value fairness,supportiveness and respecting individual rights.
B)value competitiveness and outperforming competitors.
C)are flexible,adaptable,and experiment with new ideas.
D)emphasize precision and paying attention to details.

Question 77

At Walt Disney World,guests staying at The Grand Floridian Resort and Spa find thick white terrycloth robes hanging in the cupboard when they arrive in the room.The cleaning staff do not just place washcloths in the bath area; they form the washcloths into animals and arrange them on the vanity ready for a photograph.At night mints appear on the pillows and when the beds are made in the morning,any plush animals children have purchased or brought from home will be arranged in an entertaining formation on the finished bed.These examples suggest that Walt Disney Company is _______ __________.

A)people-oriented.
B)detail-oriented.
C)team-oriented.
D)outcome oriented.

Question 78

Which of the following statements regarding founder's values is accurate?

A)Founder values continue to be reflected in a firm regardless of the firm's success.
B)The difficulty in changing firm culture can be,at least,partially attributed to the shaping provided by founder values.
C)Founder values have no impact on organizational culture.
D)Founder values lay the cornerstone of the firm's culture,but values have a rapidly decreasing impact as the firm grows and ages.

Question 79

To ensure all cast members share the history of Walt Disney World,new hires at the resort must take the courses on traditions at Disney.With these classes,the Walt Disney Company is creating a

A)weak culture.
B)counterculture.
C)strong culture.
D)subculture.

Question 80

Firms that are flexible,adaptable and experiment with new ideas are _________ firms.

A)aggressive
B)innovative
C)stable
D)outcome-oriented