Question 1

Which of these management functions should be performed first?
A)Planning
B)Organizing
C)Leading
D)Controlling

Accepted Answer

The management process should always start with the planning function.
Key Takeaway: When planning as a manager, you are responsible for setting direction and defining how the organization will get there. Without a plan in place, there is nothing for the employees to aim for and the lack of direction can significantly decrease the overall efficiency of the organization. In addition to creating a plan for your organization, a manager must also communicate that plan effectively.

Question 2

Which is a more important measure of a manager's success?
A)Efficiency
B)Effectiveness
C)Neither are important measures.
D)Both efficiency and effectiveness are equally important.

Accepted Answer

When examining the overall success of a manger, it is important to consider both efficiency and effectiveness equally.
Key Takeaway: Effectiveness measures how well a manager achieves the correct goals while efficiency measures how many resources are used to achieve those goals. Both are important measures of the overall success of a manager. To achieve both efficiency and effectiveness in management, a manager must first understand what is required of him or her and then pull together the correct resources to accomplish that goal.

Question 3

If a manager chooses to make decisions based on the best economic interest of the organization, what type of decision making is this demonstrating?
A)Classical approach
B)Administrative model
C)Political model
D)Risk model

Accepted Answer

The classical approach to decision making assumes that the manager will operate and make decisions based on the best economic interest of the company.
Key Takeaway: When research into decision making models for managers first started, many of the decision making philosophies were generated by economist who prescribed that managers should always make decisions to achieve the optimal economic output for their organization. This decision making model or approach did not account for later insights into human nature, such as the tendency for managers to make decisions quickly and without all of the information available.

Question 4

The final step in the decision making process is to evaluate the decision and receive feedback. Why is this an important step in the process?
A)It is not an important step in the process.
B)Because managers need to teach the decision making process to others
C)Because upper management will constantly second-guess lower management's decisions
D)Because not all decisions are handled correctly.

Accepted Answer

Since not all decisions are handled correctly, it is important to take the opportunity at the conclusion of the decision making process to evaluate the decision and determine if any changes would be made the next time you are in that situation.
Key Takeaway: Like any process, it is important to constantly learn from your mistakes when making decisions. Good decision-making takes practice and requires that the individual be open to learning from their mistakes. In order to learn from your mistakes, it is important to take the time to evaluate your actions and be open to feedback from those around you. Even if you don't agree with the feedback, a good manager will take the time to evaluate the feedback.

Question 5

Bob is a senior level manager. He is creating a performance review for one of his sub-managers, Chris. He is reviewing Chris's personnel time management, financial and budget usage, and overall resource management. Which aspect of management is Bob focusing his review on?
A)Effectiveness
B)Efficiency
C)Allocation
D)Cooperation

Accepted Answer

When looking at the efficiency of a manager, all three factors should be considered: personnel time management, financial and budget usage, and resource management.
Key Takeaway: The efficiency with which a project or task is completed depends on how well the manager utilizes his or her resources such as personnel, money, and materials. The more efficient a manager is, the more the entire organization can accomplish. To increase a manager's efficiency, he will need to ensure that his personnel's time is used well, that he stays within budget constraints, and that all resources are allocated properly.

Question 6

Nick has noticed that there is a significant amount of jargon used within his new company. Which cultural component is jargon a visual manifestation of?
A)Symbols
B)Language
C)Narratives
D)Practices

Accepted Answer

Jargon is a visual manifestation of language and its impact on a company's culture.
Key Takeaway: When assessing a company's culture, a manager should look for language symbols including jargon, slogans, acronyms, and key phrases that are repeated throughout the company. These language choices can indicate the culture of the company. For example, if a company chooses to create an acronym out of a certain phrase, it often signifies that the phrase is important to the culture of the company.

Question 7

There are three different managerial levels: lower, middle, and top. Which of these levels is most accurately described as having a primarily internal focus with short-term issue resolution?
A)Lower management
B)Middle management
C)Top management

Accepted Answer

Lower management will typically focus on shorter-term projects and goals and maintain a primarily internal focus (within the department or organization).
Key Takeaway: Most managers will start at the lower management level and will work their way up based on performance. Lower management is usually assigned to deal with day-to-day priorities within a specific responsibility realm. As the manager progresses up to middle or top management, their focus will become increasingly external and longer-term. Often, the skills required to succeed at one level of management are not necessarily the same skills required to succeed at a different level.

Question 8

Amber is a manager of a new employee. She asked her employee to analyze next quarter's profits and provide her with a report with the findings. Which objective feature is missing from this request?
A)Specific
B)Measurable
C)Achievable
D)Relevant
E)Time-frame

Accepted Answer

The request does not provide a deadline for completing the analysis and report.
Key Takeaway: All requests should include a deadline so that the employee will know what is expected of them for completion timing. This helps facilitate on-time completion of tasks and also helps with prioritization. If the request is a long-term request, it is also helpful to provide intermediate deadlines and progress updates. Additionally, once the deadline is established, it is the manager's responsibility to follow-up with the employee to ensure that the deadline was met.

Question 9

When company XYZ heard of a proposed law that would require them to file a report each month on their hiring practices, the company hired lawyers to help prevent the law from becoming official. What type of company reaction is this representative of?
A)Reaction
B)Defense
C)Accommodation
D)Proaction

Accepted Answer

The company is displaying "reaction" and fighting the law or pressure all the way.
Key Takeaway: When a company responds to a responsibility or pressure by fighting against it, this is called "reaction". Sometimes the company will be successful in avoiding the new pressure and sometimes they will not. Extreme care should be taken when a company chooses a reaction method since this can be perceived in a negative light be potential consumers and customers.

Question 10

Michael's manager has set direction for his team and provided each of them with a specific role. However, the team members do not feel motivated to complete the assignment. Which management function is not optimized for this team?
A)Planning
B)Controlling
C)LeadingOrganizing

Accepted Answer

This team needs an increase in leadership in order to feel motivated to achieve the goals that are set before them.
Key Takeaway: The leadership function of management is responsible for energizing and motivating employees and groups to achieve the plans that are set before them. While the methods of leadership may vary, the end result should always be a motive and energetic team. Each manager, regardless of personality type, can learn to become an effective leader within their organization.

Question 11

Which is the best term to describe a plan created for use in a disaster scenario?
A)Contingency plan
B)Benchmark plan
C)Best practices
D)Strategic plan

Accepted Answer

A contingency plan is created for use when the original plan is not achievable.
Key Takeaway: When creating contingency plans, consider what could go wrong in the original base plan and tailor your contingency plans around those risk factors. Contingency plans should be in place for likely, but unexpected events. Additionally, contingency plans need to be communicated to the organization in order to be effectively implemented in the event of a disaster scenario.

Question 12

Jenny heard about a new law requiring companies to recycle at least 10% of their waste products. Based on this law, she is creating a proposition for her company to recycle 35% of their waste products - more than any other company in their industry. What reaction style is this?
A)Reaction
B)Defense
C)Accommodation
D)Proaction

Accepted Answer

Jenny's proposition displays proaction - leading the industry and exceeding expectations by a large amount.
Key Takeaway: Proaction is the process of responding to a societal responsibility or pressure and choosing to do more than is necessary to comply. Often, a proactive company will become the industry leader in that area. While proaction might not seem like the right business choice in many cases, it can often have a very positive effect for the corporation. It allows the corporation to be ahead of the game when new laws are applied. Additionally, if positioned correctly, proaction can be used as an effective marketing tool and advantage over competitors.

Question 13

Janet is tasked with hiring a new employee into the organization. She has interviewed several candidates and has provided her notes about each candidate to the hiring committee. In the committee meeting, each committee member is able to voice their opinion and discuss the candidates. A decision is then made by consensus on which candidate to hire. Which decision making model is being followed in this example?
A)Classical approach
B)Administrative model
C)Political model
D)Risk model

Accepted Answer

The political model is used in this example since the decision was made using consensus and bargaining within a group setting.
Key Takeaway: In the political model of decision making, there are no pre-defined criteria or priorities. Instead, criteria and priorities are set by the group which is making the decision. The decision is often made using a consensus approach and what is "right" is determined based on the opinions of those in the group. The political approach to decision making is not able to be used by a single manager, but instead is the result of a corporate culture or team environment.

Question 14

Which of these management functions can be best described as defining relationships among units and employees?
A)Planning
B)Organizing
C)Leading
D)Controlling

Accepted Answer

The organizing function of management is concerned with defining relationships between employees and other units. This is the second function of management.
Key Takeaway: When organizing a department or group, a manager must help define the relationships between each person and task. Often, this is done in the form of an organization chart which depicts the hierarchical structure of an organization and the primary responsibilities of each person. Depending on the level of complexity within an organizational structure, additional tools can be used. Some managers will use public role postings or lists of system/task ownership to help clarify the organization within their company.

Question 15

Which of these functions of management is best described as defining the relationships between employees?
A)Planning
B)Controlling
C)Leading
D)Organizing

Accepted Answer

The organizing management function is responsible for defining and establishing relationships between groups and employees within an organization.
Key Takeaway: Organizing is a key part of management. Without a well defined relationship structure, employees will often not provide communication to the proper people and will flounder when determining priorities. Organization can take many forms, from something as simple as a hierarchical structure to a more complex version that includes exact responses required for each situation. Additionally, protocol might be created that will help employees determine priorities and provide adequate communication.

Question 16

Which of these is not a core function of management?
A)Planning
B)Controlling
C)Leading
D)Organizing
E)Directing

Accepted Answer

All four of these are core functions of management: planning, controlling, leading, and organizing. Directing is not a core function of management.
Key Takeaway: Management has four core functions, all of which are inter-related. These four functions are planning, controlling, leading, and organizing. The planning function should be performed first. The plan must then be effectively communicated to the organization. In order for a manger to lead an organization, he or she must help the organization envision the end goal and then set up the controlling and organizing mechanisms required to achieve that goal.

Quiz 6: Management

Which of these management functions should be performed first?

Which is a more important measure of a manager's success?

If a manager chooses to make decisions based on the best economic interest of the organization, what type of decision making is this demonstrating?

The final step in the decision making process is to evaluate the decision and receive feedback. Why is this an important step in the process?

Bob is a senior level manager. He is creating a performance review for one of his sub-managers, Chris. He is reviewing Chris's personnel time management, financial and budget usage, and overall resource management. Which aspect of management is Bob focusing his review on?

Nick has noticed that there is a significant amount of jargon used within his new company. Which cultural component is jargon a visual manifestation of?

There are three different managerial levels: lower, middle, and top. Which of these levels is most accurately described as having a primarily internal focus with short-term issue resolution?

Amber is a manager of a new employee. She asked her employee to analyze next quarter's profits and provide her with a report with the findings. Which objective feature is missing from this request?

When company XYZ heard of a proposed law that would require them to file a report each month on their hiring practices, the company hired lawyers to help prevent the law from becoming official. What type of company reaction is this representative of?

Michael's manager has set direction for his team and provided each of them with a specific role. However, the team members do not feel motivated to complete the assignment. Which management function is not optimized for this team?

Which is the best term to describe a plan created for use in a disaster scenario?

Jenny heard about a new law requiring companies to recycle at least 10% of their waste products. Based on this law, she is creating a proposition for her company to recycle 35% of their waste products - more than any other company in their industry. What reaction style is this?

Which of these management functions can be best described as defining relationships among units and employees?

Which of these functions of management is best described as defining the relationships between employees?

Which of these is not a core function of management?