Question 1

Which of the following is a disadvantage of the change management style of inviting participation?
A) It normally leads to poorer decisions than does deciding on one's own.
B) It tends to conflict with the concept of management accountability, and the management loses some control over outcomes.
C) It uses little of the available information to manage change.
D) It leads to lower commitment from staff who share ownership of the decision-making process.

Accepted Answer

Inviting participation can lead to a conflict with the concept of management accountability, and it may result in management losing some control over outcomes. While it can also lead to higher commitment from staff, the question specifically asks for a disadvantage. Options A and C are not accurate statements about the change management style of inviting participation, and option D is actually a potential advantage of this style.

Question 2

According to Dunphy and Stace, the style of change adopted when an organization needs major adjustments to meet environmental conditions, where there is little time for participation, and where there is support for radical change is called:
A) forced evolution.
B) focused transition.
C) charismatic transformation.
D) participative evolution.

Accepted Answer

Charismatic transformation is the style of change adopted when an organization requires major adjustments to meet environmental conditions, there is little time for participation, and there is support for radical change. This approach often relies on strong leadership to drive significant changes quickly.

Question 3

Which of the following is NOT one of Dawson and Andriopoulos's "general lessons" concerning change management practice?
A) Change leaders need to be politically sensitive and astute as change is a political process.
B) It is important to learn from both positive and negative experiences.
C) Communication is fundamentally important in steering processes in desired directions.
D) Many assumptions can be taken for granted, and time should not be wasted questioning these assumptions.

Accepted Answer

Dawson and Andriopoulos emphasize the importance of questioning assumptions in the change management process; therefore, the statement that "time should not be wasted questioning these assumptions" is contrary to their recommended approach.

Question 4

According to the processual approach, external context includes:
A) administrative structures and human resources.
B) market and legislation.
C) Both of these
D) Neither of these

Accepted Answer

The processual approach suggests that the external context of an organization includes factors such as market conditions and legislation, in addition to internal factors like administrative structures and human resources. Therefore, the correct option is both of these, as mentioned in option C.

Question 5

The primary role of a change manager is to direct staff during complex situations.

Accepted Answer

The primary role of a change manager is to manage, communicate, and facilitate change within an organization to minimize resistance and maximize engagement and efficiency, not just to direct staff during complex situations.

Question 6

In the context of the scale of change identified by the Stace-Dunphy contingency matrix, which of the following best defines corporate transformation?
A) It refers to strategic change throughout an organization, to structures, systems, procedures, mission, values, and power distribution.
B) It refers to refining methods, policies, and procedures, typically at the level of the division or department.
C) It refers to distinct modifications to strategies, structures, and management processes, but not radical enough to be described as strategic.
D) It refers to restructuring departments and divisions, potentially radical, but at the level of parts of the organization and not the whole.

Accepted Answer

Corporate transformation refers to a complete overhaul of an organization's structures, systems, procedures, mission, values, and power distribution. It involves strategic change throughout the organization, which sets it apart from refinements at the department or division level (Option B) or modifications that are not radical enough to be considered strategic (Option C). Restructuring of departments and divisions may be potentially radical, but it is not transformational as it does not involve a complete overhaul of the organization as a whole (Option D).

Question 7

One of the main criticisms of the contingency approach is that:
A) it may lead to resentment and rarely produces lasting behavior.
B) it is more ambiguous and difficult to explain than the simpler "off the shelf" competition from checklists and stage models.
C) it may not encourage collaboration and spread of change across business units.
D) it may lead to over-focusing on individual work groups rather than on how they may operate as part of a larger, corporate collective.

Accepted Answer

The contingency approach is criticized for being more ambiguous and difficult to explain compared to simpler, more straightforward models like checklists and stage models. This complexity can make it harder to implement effectively.

Question 8

According to John Kotter, transformational changes often fail because the changes are not embedded and because victory is declared too soon.

Accepted Answer

John Kotter, a renowned change management expert, has stated that transformational changes often fail because the changes are not embedded in the organization's culture and because victory is declared too soon, before the new practices have become fully integrated into the organization.

Question 9

According to Marco Gardini et al., change is said to be successful if:
A) there is hiring of new talent that can contribute to the change process.
B) there is a change in the organization's management once the need for change is realized.
C) it starts with a fresh set of already existing staff who are remotely associated with the activities that need to be improved.
D) a comprehensive program with clear and meaningful goals that links those in pivotal roles with the changes that the rest of the organization has to make is designed.

Accepted Answer

According to the text, change is said to be successful if a comprehensive program with clear and meaningful goals that links those in pivotal roles with the changes that the rest of the organization has to make is designed. The other options are not mentioned as crucial factors for successful change.

Question 10

Contingency approaches are still underpinned by the director image, but they do not claim to have discovered "the one best approach" for all types of organizational change.

Accepted Answer

Contingency approaches acknowledge that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to organizational change and instead consider the unique characteristics and context of each situation in determining the best approach. While still grounded in the director image, contingency approaches do not propose a universal solution for all organizational change efforts.

Question 11

Jeffrey Pfeffer and Robert Sutton advise change managers to create satisfaction among employees to make them welcome change better.

Accepted Answer

Jeffrey Pfeffer and Robert Sutton argue that creating dissatisfaction with the status quo is more effective for motivating change, rather than trying to make employees satisfied with new changes.

Question 12

The focus of the awareness, desire, knowledge, ability, and reinforcement (ADKAR) change model lies with the individuals who will be involved in and affected by change.

Accepted Answer

The statement is true. The ADKAR change model is centered around the individuals who will experience and be impacted by change. The model aims to facilitate successful change by addressing the awareness, desire, knowledge, ability, and reinforcement of those individuals.

Question 13

Checklist approaches to change management assume that the process is logical and linear, and can therefore be controlled by planning and then following the correct set of steps.

Accepted Answer

Checklist approaches to change management operate under the assumption that change is a logical and linear process that can be controlled through the use of a predetermined set of steps or actions.

Question 14

The Hope Hailey-Balogun change kaleidoscope is a context-sensitive approach to the design and implementation of change.

Accepted Answer

The statement is true. The Hope Hailey-Balogun change kaleidoscope approach considers various contextual factors such as organizational culture, industry norms, and individual preferences while designing and implementing change initiatives.

Question 15

The disadvantage of the "tell and sell" management style is that it may be seen as cosmetic, especially if consequences for staff are negative and serious.

Accepted Answer

The "tell and sell" management style is characterized by a one-way communication approach where the manager communicates goals and decisions to subordinates without involving them in the decision-making process. This approach may be perceived as superficial or cosmetic if it fails to take into account the concerns and needs of staff members. Additionally, if negative consequences result from this approach, such as decreased motivation, morale, or productivity, it can further undermine its effectiveness.

Question 16

The first step in Kotter's eight-stage model of transformational change is to develop the vision for change.

Accepted Answer

The first step in Kotter's eight-stage model of transformational change is to establish a sense of urgency.

Question 17

According to Patrick Dawson, to understand change, organizations must consider:
A) replacing old staff with new ones.
B) only the future context in which organizations are expected to function.
C) the substance of the change itself.
D) only the present context in which organizations function.

Accepted Answer

To truly understand change, organizations must consider the substance of the change itself. It is not enough to only focus on the present or future context, or simply replace staff. Understanding the nature of the change and its implications is crucial for successful adaptation and implementation.

Question 18

Andrew Pettigrew cautioned against looking for single causes and for simple explanations for change; he instead pointed to the individual, group, organizational, social, and political factors that can affect the nature and outcomes of change.

Accepted Answer

Andrew Pettigrew did caution against looking for single causes and for simple explanations for change and instead pointed to multiple factors that can affect the nature and outcomes of change.

Question 19

Which of the following pairs of researchers have developed a contingency matrix approach that begins by establishing a scale of change from "fine-tuning" to "corporate transformation"?
A) Drucker and Deming
B) Mento, Jones and Dirndorfer
C) Dunphy and Stace
D) Ghoshal and Bartlett

Accepted Answer

Dunphy and Stace developed a contingency matrix approach that assesses the degree of change required, ranging from fine-tuning to corporate transformation, and matches it with appropriate change management strategies.

Question 20

According to Dunphy and Stace, the style of change where there is limited employee involvement in setting goals relevant to areas of responsibility is known as the:
A) collaborative stage.
B) coercive stage.
C) directive stage.
D) consultative stage.

Accepted Answer

The answer of According to Dunphy and Stace, the style...

Quiz 10: Change Management, Processual, and Contingency Approaches

Which of the following is a disadvantage of the change management style of inviting participation?

According to Dunphy and Stace, the style of change adopted when an organization needs major adjustments to meet environmental conditions, where there is little time for participation, and where there is support for radical change is called:

Which of the following is NOT one of Dawson and Andriopoulos's "general lessons" concerning change management practice?

According to the processual approach, external context includes:

The primary role of a change manager is to direct staff during complex situations.

In the context of the scale of change identified by the Stace-Dunphy contingency matrix, which of the following best defines corporate transformation?

One of the main criticisms of the contingency approach is that:

According to John Kotter, transformational changes often fail because the changes are not embedded and because victory is declared too soon.

According to Marco Gardini et al., change is said to be successful if: