Deck 12: Managing Innovation and Change

Question 1

Organizational culture is a perception that influences actions.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Technology and competition are internal forces for change.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Cultural change is easier when the organizational culture is strong.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Strong cultures have a greater influence on employees' behaviours than weak ones.

Question 5

Organizational change makes planning more efficient and simple to execute.

Question 6

Organizational culture is defined as a system of shared meaning and beliefs held by organizational members.

Question 7

The existence of a dramatic crisis can facilitate cultural change.

Question 8

Organizational stories typically contain a narrative of significant events or people.

Question 9

Organizational culture has very little influence on the way employees analyze and resolve work-related issues.

Question 10

In order to create a more ethical environment,managers should be visible role models and they should communicate clear ethical expectations to employees.

Question 11

It is easier for managers to communicate and establish new values in a large corporation than a small organization.

Question 12

Organizational culture has no impact on organizational change.

Question 13

Managing change is an integral part of every manager's job.

Question 14

Material symbols include the size of offices,the elegance of furnishings,and executive perks such as health club memberships.

Question 15

Rituals are repetitive sequences of activities that express and reinforce the key values of an organization.

Question 16

An increasing body of evidence suggests that strong cultures are associated with high organizational performance.

Question 17

Creative organizations have cultures that emphasize focusing on the means rather than the ends.

Question 18

Younger organizations are typically less entrenched in their culture than older ones.This factor makes it relatively easier to manage change in a younger organization.

Question 19

An organization's founder has little influence on its culture.

Question 20

Job security leads to complacency which stifles creativity.

Question 21

A change in demand for health care employees is an example of an economic change.

Question 22

According to Lewin,the final stage in the three-step approach to effectively manage change is freezing.

Question 23

"Karoshi" is a stress relief technique used in Korea that promotes physical exercise as a way to cope with day-to-day stress.

Question 24

Many of today's managers face constant change,bordering on chaos.

Question 25

Change-capable organizations discourage diverse teams and discourage mavericks.

Question 26

According to Lewin,successful change can be planned and requires three stages: unfreezing,changing,and refreezing.

Question 27

Stress isn't always bad for an individual.

Question 28

The three categories of change that managers can address are structure,technology,and product.

Question 29

The term organizational development focuses on techniques to change people and the nature and quality of interpersonal work relationships.

Question 30

The "calm waters" metaphor envisions a trip over unfamiliar waters with a crew that has never before worked together.

Question 31

Outside consultants tend to initiate less drastic changes than insiders would.

Question 32

Stress is the physical and psychological tension an individual feels when he or she is facing or experiencing extraordinary demands,constraints,or opportunities for which the outcome is perceived to be both uncertain and important.

Question 33

Lewin's three-step process treats change simply as a break in the organization's equilibrium state.

Question 34

Automation refers to a technological change that replaces certain tasks done by people with machines.

Question 35

Government laws and regulations are considered external forces for change.

Question 36

The prevailing model for handling change in "white waters" is best illustrated in Kurt Lewin's three-step description of the change process.

Question 37

Change threatens the investment you've already made in the status quo.

Question 38

Job-related dissatisfaction,tension,anxiety,irritability,boredom,and procrastination are physical symptoms of stress.

Question 39

The "white water rapids" metaphor describes the situation that managers faced up until the late 1980s.

Question 40

Change agents can be either managers or nonmanagers.

Question 41

When employees at Microsoft use words such as work judo,eating your own dog food,and flat food,they are using organizational ________.

A)language
B)rituals
C)symbols
D)ceremonies
E)stories

Question 42

Which of the following phrases is associated with the definition of organizational culture?

A)individual response
B)unique vision
C)diversity of thought
D)explicit directions
E)shared meaning

Question 43

Four of the following options are external forces for change.Which of the following is an internal force that creates the need for change?

A)the marketplace
B)government laws and regulations
C)economic changes
D)the workforce
E)technology

Question 44

Which of the following represents the relationship between organizational culture and change?

A)Culture and change are naturally compatible.
B)Culture tends to be very resistant to change.
C)Culture can change in months but not weeks.
D)Culture can never be purposely changed.
E)Culture is impossible to change.

Question 45

An organic structure fosters innovation due to which of the following?

A)lower time pressure
B)frequent communication
C)sharing of ideas
D)encouragement
E)readiness to listen

Question 46

Change can't be eliminated,so managers must learn to ________ successfully.

A)avoid it
B)ignore it
C)work around it
D)manage it
E)prevent it

Question 47

Cultural change is most likely to take place when most or all of the following conditions exist: dramatic crisis occurs,leadership changes hands,________.

A)the organization is small,and the culture is strong
B)the organization is young,and the culture is strong
C)the organization is young and small,and the culture is weak
D)the organization is old,and the culture is weak
E)the organization is old and large,and the culture is strong

Question 48

The most significant ways that culture is transmitted to employees consist of ________.

A)rituals,agendas,material symbols,and themes
B)material symbols,rituals,language,and rewards
C)stories,rituals,material symbols,and language
D)language,stories,rituals,and themes
E)material symbols,rituals,agendas,and rewards

Question 49

Organizational ________ typically contain a narrative of significant events or people.

A)stories
B)rituals
C)agendas
D)anthems
E)themes

Question 50

A good example of an organizational ________ is Mary Kay Cosmetics' annual award ceremony for its sales representatives.

A)story
B)material symbol
C)ritual
D)agenda
E)theme

Question 51

Sony Corporation's focus on new product development is an example of which of the following dimensions of organizational culture?

A)attention to detail
B)people orientation
C)outcome orientation
D)aggressiveness
E)stability

Question 52

Which of the following is an unfavourable condition that makes it difficult to effect change?

A)A dramatic crisis occurs.
B)The culture is weak.
C)Leadership changes hands.
D)The organization is small.
E)The organization is old.

Question 53

The process that adapts employees to the organization's culture is called ________.

A)indoctrination
B)assimilation
C)socialization
D)infiltration
E)association

Question 54

By learning organizational language,members ________.

A)can communicate with the shareholders of the organization
B)show their commitment to the organization and their willingness to accept responsibility
C)attest to their acceptance of the culture and their willingness to help preserve it
D)can share material symbols with other members
E)can provide explanations and legitimacy for current practices

Question 55

Corporate ________ are repetitive sequences of activities that express and reinforce the values that the organization upholds and the goals and people that are most important.

A)languages
B)themes
C)rituals
D)agendas
E)stories

Question 56

The Canadian Securities Administrators rules represent an example of which external force for change?

A)the marketplace
B)government laws and regulations
C)economic changes
D)the workforce
E)technology

Question 57

The size of offices,the elegance of furnishings,and executive perks such as health club memberships are all examples of ________.

A)themes
B)agendas
C)material symbols
D)rituals
E)rewards

Question 58

The original source of an organization's culture usually ________.

A)is shared among the first workers hired into the organization
B)is formulated by the board of directors when the organization is formed
C)identifies what the organization is successful at doing
D)reflects the vision or mission of the organization's founders
E)can be traced to the national culture of the first organizational members

Question 59

Which of the following is a human resource variable that fosters innovation?

A)positive feedback
B)minimal time pressure
C)abundant resources
D)negative feedback
E)high job security

Question 60

An organization's culture is ________.

A)represented in organizational meetings by the top manager of the organization
B)represented by a common perception held by interest groups that watch the organization
C)represented by a common perception held by the organization's members
D)changed when the organization is purchased by new owners
E)determined by the nationality of its employees

Question 61

In organizations,people who act as catalysts and assume the responsibility for managing the change process are called ________ agents.

A)creativity
B)change
C)innovation
D)technocratic
E)catalytic

Question 62

Which of the following terms best describes the two primary views of the change process?

A)problematic,encouraged
B)unsupported,supported
C)costly,conservative
D)optimistic,pessimistic
E)occasional,continuous

Question 63

Changing human resource activities to attract and retain health care specialists because of increased needs for those workers is an example of what kind of external force for change?

A)the marketplace
B)technology
C)labour markets
D)economic changes
E)strategy redefinition

Question 64

Writing laws that reward industries for reducing carbon emissions in an effort to combat global climate change can be best described as an example of which of the following?

A)unfreezing the status quo
B)freezing a change into place
C)implementing change
D)refreezing the status quo
E)identifying a system change

Question 65

According to Kurt Lewin,increasing the driving forces to direct behaviour away from the status quo is a means of doing which of the following?

A)unfreezing
B)changing
C)melting
D)refreezing
E)restraining forces

Question 66

Which phenomenon in today's business climate has made the "white-water rapids" metaphor popular?

A)reduced competition
B)corporations that are too powerful
C)organizations that resist change
D)constant and chaotic change
E)economic factors

Question 67

In spurring organizational change,outside consultants are usually more ________ whereas internal managers tend to be more ________.

A)drastic; cautious
B)highly paid; risky
C)resistant; bold
D)cautious; friendly
E)interested; scared

Question 68

According to Lewin,the objective of refreezing is to ________.

A)direct behaviour away from the status quo
B)hinder movement away from existing equilibrium
C)eliminate the need for future change
D)stabilize the new situation
E)establish the existing equilibrium

Question 69

To compete with rival company X,company Y changes its management structure.This is an example of ________.

A)an internal change causing an external change
B)an internal change causing another internal change
C)an external change causing another external change
D)an external change causing an internal change
E)an external change causing a people change

Question 70

The ________ metaphor is most consistent with uncertain and dynamic environments that are increasingly dominated by information,ideas,and knowledge.

A)new frontier
B)white-water rapids
C)calm waters
D)storm warning
E)blue horizon

Question 71

Falling interest rates is an example of which external force for change?

A)the marketplace
B)government laws and regulations
C)labour markets
D)economic changes
E)technology

Question 72

The ________ metaphor likens an organization to a group of complete strangers aboard a raft travelling at night toward an uncertain destination.

A)red tide
B)white-water rapids
C)calm waters
D)storm warning
E)blue horizon

Question 73

The ________ metaphor likens an organization to a sea captain and crew who know exactly where they are going because they have made the trip many times before.

A)whale hunting
B)white-water rapids
C)calm waters
D)storm warning
E)blue horizon

Question 74

Which of the following is included under the change category entitled structure?

A)attitudes
B)expectations
C)perceptions
D)behaviour
E)span of control

Question 75

Organizational ________ involves any alteration in structure,technology,or people.

A)innovation
B)change
C)creativity
D)technology
E)reengineering

Question 76

Susan has just attended a conference on new office technology that will dramatically impact the jobs of all administrative assistants.Workloads should be drastically reduced,but extensive training will be required.Susan is enthusiastic about the new technology and assumes the responsibility for the implementation of the equipment and the resulting training.Susan is a ________ agent.

A)creativity
B)technocratic
C)secret
D)change
E)catalytic

Question 77

Until the late 1980s,the ________ metaphor described the situation faced by most managers.

A)whale hunting
B)white-water rapids
C)calm waters
D)storm warning
E)blue horizon

Question 78

Which of the following is part of the change category of technology?

A)job redesign
B)equipment
C)perceptions
D)work specialization
E)coordinating mechanisms

Question 79

Which of the following is an external force for change?

A)technology
B)strategy
C)the workforce
D)employee attitudes
E)new equipment

Question 80

The ________ metaphor is best illustrated by Kurt Lewin's model of the change process.

A)red tide
B)white-water rapids
C)calm waters
D)storm warning
E)blue horizon