Question 1

The Manley Corporation is a small business.Mike Manley is president.He has a vice president of production and a vice president of marketing.Each vice president has four employees who report to them.Because of the small size of the company,there are no specialists available to support and advise these managers.This simple organizational structure is an example of what type of organization?

Accepted Answer

The simple organizational structure described in the scenario, with a president at the top and two vice presidents who each oversee a group of employees, is an example of a line organization. In a line organization, authority and responsibility flow in a direct and vertical line from the top management down to lower-level employees. There are no staff or support functions, which is consistent with the scenario. The other options are not applicable because they involve more complex organizational structures with additional layers or functions.

Question 2

Kate supervises a group of highly trained and very bright research scientists at a pharmaceutical company.The scientists are working to develop a drug that will help cure a certain type of cancer.What leadership style is Kate likely to find works best in this type of environment?

Accepted Answer

In this type of environment where the scientists are highly trained and very bright, they are likely to work best with a free-rein leadership style. This allows them to use their knowledge and skills to make decisions and come up with innovative solutions without being micromanaged. Kate can provide guidance and support when needed but should allow the scientists to have autonomy in their work.

Question 3

Which process includes these three steps-establish clear performance goals,measure actual performance against standards,and take corrective action if necessary?

Accepted Answer

The process described in the question is the control process, which involves establishing clear performance goals, measuring actual performance against standards, and taking corrective action if necessary.

Question 4

As a firm changes its strategic plan,consideration should be given as to how it will measure the progress of the new plan.This is likely to prompt a change in which type of process?

Accepted Answer

Control processes are focused on measuring and monitoring performance to ensure that goals and objectives are being achieved. If a firm changes its strategic plan, it will need to establish new performance measures and monitoring processes to track progress, which is a core element of control. Therefore, a change in strategic plan is likely to prompt a change in the control process.

Question 5

Bell Valley Community College is a large college system with four campuses.The chancellor occupies the top position in the organization,followed by four vice-chancellors.Each campus has a president,two vice-presidents,several deans,and faculty members,all of whom serve the students.The college also employs professionals who do not make decisions with respect to student curriculum; however,these individuals serve in other capacities,such as legal counsel to the administrators; human resource specialists for all employees; and technology specialists for all campuses.Bell Valley is using which form of organization?

Accepted Answer

Bell Valley Community College is using a line-and-staff organization, which has a clear hierarchical structure with a chain of command, where decisions flow from the top down. In this type of organization, staff with specialized expertise support the line managers in decision-making and implementing policies. The Chancellor, Vice-Chancellors, Campus Presidents, Vice-Presidents, and Deans are all part of the line management, while the legal counsel, human resource specialists, and technology specialists are part of the staff.

Question 6

Mike Kerr is an engineer who works for Lockheed Martin.He frequently is part of a team that is assigned to special projects.When he participates in these projects,he finds himself reporting to both the project manager and the manager in charge of his regular department.This type of arrangement suggests that Lockheed Martin is making use of which of the following?

Accepted Answer

A matrix organization is a hybrid structure in which employees report to both a functional manager (in this case, the manager in charge of Mike's regular department) and a project manager (in this case, the manager of the special project team). This allows for more flexible decision making and resource allocation, as employees can be assigned to projects based on their expertise rather than just their departmental affiliation. This type of arrangement is commonly used in companies that frequently engage in large-scale and complex projects.

Question 7

How a leader uses power defines which of the following about that person?

Accepted Answer

How a leader uses power defines their leadership style, which refers to how they approach leading and directing their team or organization.

Question 8

Which of the following is the function of directing,inspiring,and motivating people to achieve organizational goals?

Accepted Answer

Leading is the function of directing, inspiring, and motivating people to achieve organizational goals. Controlling involves monitoring performance and making necessary corrections, planning involves setting objectives and deciding on actions to achieve them, and organizing involves arranging resources to carry out plans.

Question 9

Lauren works at CDz,the local music store.Lately,she has noticed that Mike,the regional manager,is making more of the decisions for store displays and music selections than he has done in the past.When she asks Mike why he has picked up the added responsibility,he says that headquarters wants to ensure a more consistent approach to customers,so they've decided to go to which of the following?

Accepted Answer

A centralized approach involves decision-making being concentrated in a central location, such as headquarters. This would explain why the regional manager, Mike, is now making more decisions for store displays and music selections. The purpose of this approach is often to achieve more consistency across different locations, which is consistent with the explanation provided by Mike.

Question 10

Which type of leaders set objectives for their followers,but give their followers the autonomy to accomplish those goals?

Accepted Answer

Free-rein leaders, also known as laissez-faire leaders, provide minimal guidance to their followers and allow them to make their own decisions in achieving the set objectives. This style of leadership is effective when the team members are highly skilled and motivated.

Question 11

Special Forces is a unique division of the U.S.military.These highly trained individuals work in teams and often plan their own missions at the operational level.After the completion of the mission,each team evaluates the outcome.The goal is to measure the team performance and take corrective action (if necessary)on future missions.What function of management is the team performing?

Accepted Answer

The team is performing the controlling function of management by evaluating the outcome of the mission and measuring team performance to take corrective action in the future.

Question 12

Autocratic leaders would feel most comfortable in which type of organization?

Accepted Answer

Autocratic leaders prefer to have a high level of control and decision-making power, which is best implemented in a centralized organization where power resides at the top level of management.

Question 13

Define management.List and define the four functional responsibilities of management.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Define management.List and define the four functional...

Question 14

Define management hierarchy,and list the levels of responsibility.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Define management hierarchy,and list the levels of...

Question 15

Bob Knight,former coach at Indiana University and Texas Tech,was known for his outpouring of emotion during games.College players knew that if you played for Coach Knight,you followed his lead without question.What style of leadership did Coach Knight have?

Accepted Answer

Coach Knight had an autocratic leadership style where he had complete control and made all the decisions without consulting others. Players were expected to follow his lead without question.

Question 16

The business division academic dean at Bell Valley College has two faculty positions to fill.She will ask other faculty members to serve on a hiring committee.This committee will be responsible for interviewing candidates and making hiring recommendations to the dean.The dean will take the committee's remarks very seriously in making the final selection.We would describe the dean's leadership style as which of the following?

Accepted Answer

The dean is involving other faculty members in the hiring process, allowing them to form a hiring committee and providing them with a voice in the decision-making process. This approach is characteristic of a democratic leadership style.

Question 17

What type of leaders hoard decision-making power for themselves and typically issue orders without consulting their followers?

Accepted Answer

Autocratic leaders hoard decision-making power for themselves and issue orders without consulting their followers.

Question 18

Which type of leaders make final decisions,share power with their followers,and encourage the free exchange of ideas?

Accepted Answer

Democratic leaders involve their followers in the decision-making process and encourage the exchange of ideas. They do not exercise complete control over the decision-making process but instead share power with their followers.

Question 19

Dane Wright is a manager for his firm.His responsibilities include tracking whether his firm is keeping operational costs within acceptable limits and letting individuals know when their areas are experiencing cost overruns so they can adjust their spending.In this aspect of his job,Dane is performing what type of function?

Accepted Answer

Dane's responsibilities of tracking operational costs and addressing cost overruns fall under the controlling function, which involves monitoring performance and making necessary adjustments to ensure that goals are achieved efficiently and effectively.

Question 20

Which management function monitors the performance of the firm and makes improvements when necessary?

Accepted Answer

Controlling is the management function that is responsible for monitoring the performance of the firm and making improvements when necessary. It involves setting standards, measuring actual performance, comparing the two, and taking corrective action if necessary to ensure that organizational goals are met. Planning involves setting goals and objectives and determining the best way to achieve them, organizing involves arranging resources and tasks to achieve the goals, and leading involves inspiring and guiding employees to achieve the goals. While these functions also play a role in improving the firm's performance, controlling is specifically focused on monitoring and making improvements.

Quiz 13: Management, motivation, and Leadership: Bringing Business to Life