Question 1

Maslow's work in the area of human needs is important to which school of management thought?
A) Classical approach
B) Contingency theory
C) Human relations approach
D) Scientific management
E) Systems theory

Accepted Answer

Maslow's work, particularly his hierarchy of needs theory, is foundational to the human relations approach. This approach emphasizes the importance of understanding human behaviors, needs, and attitudes in the workplace, and the impact of these on organizational management and performance.

Question 2

The study of individuals and groups in organisations is the management field known as:
A) Theory X and Theory Y.
B) organisational behaviour.
C) modern behavioural methods.
D) systems theory.
E) contingency theory.

Accepted Answer

Organisational behaviour is the field of study that investigates how individuals, groups, and structure affect and are affected by behaviour within organisations, aiming to improve an organisation's effectiveness.

Question 3

According to Maslow's theory, managers can improve worker performance and achieve productivity by:
A) facilitating need satisfaction.
B) eliminating wasted motion.
C) making a science of every job.
D) instituting a hierarchical chain of command.
E) listening to workers' complaints and acting on them.

Accepted Answer

Maslow's theory focuses on fulfilling employees' needs, suggesting that satisfying these needs can lead to improved motivation and performance.

Question 4

Modern management approaches maintain that people have multiple and varied needs, that their needs change over time, that they possess many talents and capabilities which can be developed, and that they:
A) respond best when treated as responsible, self-actualising adults regardless of the demands of the situation.
B) are very complex and must be managed strictly in all situations.
C) respond best in all situations to participatory management.
D) respond best when managers provide different managerial strategies and job opportunities to deal with the individual differences among workers.
E) respond best to Theory X management.

Accepted Answer

Modern management approaches emphasize the importance of recognizing individual differences among workers and adapting managerial strategies and job opportunities to meet these varied needs and capabilities.

Question 5

Which of the following descriptions of management science applications is NOT accurate?
A) Linear programming is used to help allocate service personnel or workstations to minimise customer waiting time and service cost.
B) Network models break large tasks into smaller components to allow for better analysis, planning, and control of complex projects.
C) Simulation makes models of problems so different solutions under various assumptions can be tested.
D) Inventory modelling helps to establish how much to order and when to order.
E) Mathematical forecasting helps make future projections that are useful for planning.

Accepted Answer

Linear programming is primarily used for optimizing resources under given constraints, rather than specifically for allocating service personnel or workstations to minimize customer waiting time and service cost. This application is more accurately described by operations research techniques like queueing theory or simulation.

Question 6

According to Douglas McGregor, managers should pay more attention to:
A) behaviour modification techniques.
B) social and self-actualisation needs.
C) social responsibility.
D) quantitative analysis.
E) motion studies.

Accepted Answer

Douglas McGregor is known for his Theory X and Theory Y, which are concepts in management and human motivation. Theory Y emphasizes that managers should focus on recognizing and harnessing the potential of employees, including their need for self-actualization and the importance of social needs. This approach suggests that employees are self-motivated and seek to fulfill their higher-level personal needs through their jobs.

Question 7

Quantitative approaches to management include all of the following characteristics EXCEPT:
A) a focus on costs, revenues, and return on investment.
B) the use of managerial rules of thumb that are based on personal experience and personal preferences.
C) a focus on decision making that has clear implications for management action.
D) the use of economic decision criteria.
E) the use of mathematical models that follow sophisticated rules and formulas.

Accepted Answer

Quantitative approaches to management emphasize objective measurements and the statistical, mathematical, or numerical analysis of data collected through polls, questionnaires, and surveys, or by manipulating pre-existing statistical data using computational techniques. They do not rely on managerial rules of thumb that are based on personal experience and personal preferences, which is more characteristic of qualitative or experiential management approaches.

Question 8

Which one of the following statements about bureaucracy is true?
A) Bill Gates bases the operations of Microsoft on Max Weber's theories of specialisation and division of labour.
B) The work of Max Weber influenced only European management thinkers.
C) Max Weber believed that a bureaucracy was the most rigid and apathetic form of organisation.
D) The work of Max Weber still has a major impact on the present trends and directions of management.
E) The work of Max Weber is too outdated to be used in the modern science of management.

Accepted Answer

Max Weber's theories on bureaucracy, authority, and organizational structure have had a lasting impact on management theory and practice, influencing not only historical management approaches but also contemporary trends and directions in management. His ideas on the efficiency of bureaucratic structures, the importance of rules and regulations, and the concept of rational-legal authority continue to be relevant and are studied in management and organizational behavior courses around the world.

Question 9

__________ to management focus on applying mathematical techniques for management problem-solving.
A) Behavioural approaches
B) Quantitative approaches
C) Classical approaches
D) Socioeconomic approaches
E) Modern approaches

Accepted Answer

Quantitative approaches to management involve the use of mathematical models, statistics, and algorithms to solve management problems, making choice B the correct answer.

Question 10

One major characteristic of modern management approaches is:
A) decision-making must be based solely on economic criteria.
B) people are social and self_actualising, but these characteristics have little impact on people's work behaviour.
C) people are totally rational.
D) Theory Y management leads to conflict and unhappiness.
E) no one model applies universally in all situations.

Accepted Answer

Modern management approaches recognize the complexity and diversity of organizational contexts, suggesting that no single model or theory can be universally applied to all situations. This perspective acknowledges the need for flexibility and adaptation in management practices to suit different organizational environments and challenges.

Question 11

According to the deficit principle of Maslow's theory of human needs:
A) people are always in need of something.
B) no matter what their condition in life, all people are looking for basic security.
C) people are not motivated by a satisfied need.
D) people have a variety of needs, or deficits, that they must satisfy at any given time.
E) each person has different needs.

Accepted Answer

Maslow's deficit principle suggests that once a need is satisfied, it no longer serves as a motivator for behavior. This is why people are not motivated by needs that are already met.

Question 12

The Hawthorne Studies have been criticised for which of the following reasons?
A) The tendency of researchers to overgeneralise their findings
B) Weak empirical support for the conclusions drawn
C) Poor research design
D) None of the options listed
E) All of the options listed

Accepted Answer

The Hawthorne Studies have been criticized for various reasons, including the tendency of researchers to overgeneralize their findings, weak empirical support for the conclusions drawn, and poor research design. These criticisms point to fundamental issues in how the studies were conducted and interpreted, affecting the validity and reliability of their conclusions.

Question 13

In using any quantitative approach to management, mathematical solutions to problems must be supported by:
A) extensive databases.
B) good managerial judgement and an appreciation of the human factor.
C) comprehensive computer networks.
D) all of the options listed.
E) none of the options listed.

Accepted Answer

Good managerial judgment and an appreciation of the human factor are essential to support mathematical solutions in a quantitative approach to management. This ensures that the solutions are practical, applicable, and consider the complexities of human behavior and organizational dynamics.

Question 14

__________ include the needs for self-fulfilment, to grow and use abilities to the fullest and most creative extent.
A) Self-actualisation needs
B) Safety needs
C) Physiological needs
D) Social needs
E) Esteem needs

Accepted Answer

Self-actualisation needs refer to the desire for self-fulfillment, specifically to become the most that one can be. Abraham Maslow placed these needs at the top of his hierarchy, representing the pursuit of realizing one's own potential and seeking personal growth and peak experiences.

Question 15

Wendy is a manager in a not-for-profit organisation. She is interested in using Maslow's need hierarchy to guide her approach to managing the volunteers working for this not-for-profit organisation. In order to promote productivity, Wendy should:
A) create work environments that satisfy the needs of the volunteers.
B) ensure that the work is fulfilling for the volunteers.
C) create jobs that satisfy the needs of the volunteers.
D) all of the options listed.
E) none of the options listed.

Accepted Answer

Maslow's hierarchy of needs suggests that individuals are motivated by satisfying specific needs in a hierarchical order. Creating work environments, ensuring work is fulfilling, and creating jobs that satisfy volunteers' needs all align with addressing different levels of Maslow's hierarchy, thereby promoting productivity.

Question 16

Red tape, slowness in handling problems, resistance to change, and employee apathy are disadvantages of which type of organisation?
A) Complex
B) Bureaucratic
C) Conservative
D) Administrative
E) Closed

Accepted Answer

Bureaucratic organizations are known for their strict hierarchical structure, adherence to rules and procedures, which often leads to red tape, slowness in handling problems, resistance to change, and employee apathy.

Question 17

Which of the following statements accurately describe quantitative approaches to management?
A) Quantitative approaches are increasingly driven by computer technology.
B) Quantitative approaches are based on the assumption that mathematical techniques can be used to improve managerial problem solving.
C) Quantitative approaches to management developed about the same time as human resource approaches to management.
D) All of the options listed statements accurately describe quantitative approaches to management.
E) None of the options listed statements accurately describes quantitative approaches to management.

Accepted Answer

Quantitative approaches are increasingly driven by computer technology, are based on the assumption that mathematical techniques can be used to improve managerial problem solving, and developed about the same time as human resource approaches to management.

Question 18

The behavioural (or human resource) approach to management basically assumes that:
A) people are complex creatures.
B) management problems are best solved by qualitative rather than by quantitative analysis.
C) people are rational and responsive to economic incentives.
D) people at work will seek satisfying social relationships, respond to group pressures, and search for personal fulfilment.
E) environmental reinforcements determine people's behaviour.

Accepted Answer

The behavioural approach to management emphasizes the importance of understanding human behaviour in the workplace. It assumes that people are complex creatures who are motivated by a variety of factors, including social relationships, group pressures, and personal fulfilment.

Question 19

__________ and __________ are often used interchangeably to describe the scientific applications of mathematical techniques to management problems.
A) Systems theory; contingency theory.
B) Management research; operations management.
C) Modern management themes; computer technology.
D) Management science; operations research.
E) Management principles; operational principles.

Accepted Answer

Management science and operations research are both fields that apply mathematical and scientific methods to solve management and decision-making problems, making them often used interchangeably in the context of optimizing and improving organizational operations.

Question 20

Which of the following statements about the Hawthorne Studies is incorrect?
A) The studies were started to determine the effect that different levels of lighting had on productivity.
B) In one study, workers' productivity increased as the level of illumination at their workstations was decreased.
C) The studies were started to identify the influence that 'social factors' had on productivity.
D) People would restrict output to avoid the displeasure of the group, even if it meant sacrificing pay.
E) The 'social setting' of the various experiments influenced the results of the studies.

Accepted Answer

The Hawthorne Studies initially began as experiments to determine the effect of physical conditions (such as lighting) on workers' productivity, not to identify the influence of social factors. The discovery of the importance of social factors was an unexpected outcome of these studies.

Quiz 2: Historical Foundations of Management

Maslow's work in the area of human needs is important to which school of management thought?

The study of individuals and groups in organisations is the management field known as:

According to Maslow's theory, managers can improve worker performance and achieve productivity by:

Modern management approaches maintain that people have multiple and varied needs, that their needs change over time, that they possess many talents and capabilities which can be developed, and that they:

Which of the following descriptions of management science applications is NOT accurate?

According to Douglas McGregor, managers should pay more attention to:

Quantitative approaches to management include all of the following characteristics EXCEPT:

Which one of the following statements about bureaucracy is true?

__________ to management focus on applying mathematical techniques for management problem-solving.

One major characteristic of modern management approaches is:

According to the deficit principle of Maslow's theory of human needs:

The Hawthorne Studies have been criticised for which of the following reasons?

In using any quantitative approach to management, mathematical solutions to problems must be supported by:

__________ include the needs for self-fulfilment, to grow and use abilities to the fullest and most creative extent.

Wendy is a manager in a not-for-profit organisation. She is interested in using Maslow's need hierarchy to guide her approach to managing the volunteers working for this not-for-profit organisation. In order to promote productivity, Wendy should:

Red tape, slowness in handling problems, resistance to change, and employee apathy are disadvantages of which type of organisation?

Which of the following statements accurately describe quantitative approaches to management?

The behavioural (or human resource) approach to management basically assumes that:

and are often used interchangeably to describe the scientific applications of mathematical techniques to management problems.

Which of the following statements about the Hawthorne Studies is incorrect?