Question 1

Gary, a senior member in an organization, received a pay raise when the company implemented some changes in response to a new technology that it had adopted. This is an example of a _____ compensation.
A)market-contingent
B)job-contingent
C)person-contingent
D)culture-contingent
E)performance-contingent

Accepted Answer

According to Exhibit 17.9, seniority rewards in a traditional factory and skill-based pay rewards in integrated manufacturing are examples of person-contingent compensation.Refer to Exhibit 17.9

Question 2

An individual who supports a new technology and protects the product champion is referred to as a(n)
A)technical innovator.
B)executive liaison.
C)executive champion.
D)personnel champion.
E)technology officer.

Accepted Answer

Sponsorship for an innovation comes from the executive champion, who has the status, authority, and financial resources to support the project and protect the product champion.

Question 3

A focused organizational effort to create a new product or process via technological advances is called
A)a development project.
B)a sociotechnical system.
C)benchmarking.
D)strategic positioning.
E)vertical integration.

Accepted Answer

A development project is a focused organizational effort to create a new product or process via technological advances. For example, when MTV launched channels aimed at various Asian American markets, the company used development projects embedded in a culture that values innovation.

Question 4

Which of the following is considered an enemy of technological innovation?
A)Flexibility
B)Cohesiveness
C)Bureaucracy
D)Diversified workforce
E)Intrapreneurship

Accepted Answer

Bureaucracy is an enemy of innovation. Although bureaucracy is useful to maintain orderliness and gain efficiencies, it also can work directly against innovativeness.

Question 5

BrightPower Inc.'s new solar-cell technology would be an example of a(n) _____ technology.
A)key
B)pacing
C)emerging
D)base
E)initial

Accepted Answer

Emerging technologies are still under development and thus are unproved. They may, however, significantly alter the rules of competition in the future. BrightPower's new technology is an emerging technology.

Question 6

A(n) _____ develops a new technology or has the key skills to install and operate the technology.
A)chief technology officer
B)executive champion
C)product champion
D)technical innovator
E)chief information officer

Accepted Answer

A technical innovator develops new technology or has the key skills needed to install and operate the technology. This person possesses the requisite technical skills, but he or she may not have the managerial skills needed to push the idea forward and secure acceptance within the organization.

Question 7

Joanna has developed and patented a new process for recycling discarded tires. A multinational corporation has expressed an interest in buying her company in order to gain access to the technology and keep it exclusively for itself. Should Joanna sell her company, the buyer will have acquired technology via
A)acquisition of the technology owner.
B)a joint venture.
C)a licensing agreement.
D)contracted development.
E)purchase.

Accepted Answer

If a company lacks a technology but wishes to acquire proprietary ownership, it might purchase the company that owns the technology. This transaction can take a number of forms, ranging from an outright purchase of the entire company to a minority interest sufficient to gain access to the technology.

Question 8

The executive in charge of information technology strategy and development is the
A)executive champion.
B)information resource officer.
C)strategic champion.
D)technology innovator.
E)chief information officer.

Accepted Answer

The chief information officer (CIO) is the executive in charge of information technology strategy and development. The CIO is a senior position at the corporate level with broad, integrative responsibilities.

Question 9

The role of a chief technology officer is to
A)supervise new technology development.
B)develop the new technology.
C)receive sponsorship for the new technology from the executive champion.
D)support the project and protect the product champion.
E)promote the idea of a new technology within the organization.

Accepted Answer

The chief technology officer (CTO) is a senior position at the corporate level with broad, integrative responsibilities. CTOs coordinate the technological efforts of the various business units; act as a voice for technology in the top management team; identify ways that technology can support the company's strategy; and supervise new technology development.

Question 10

Smith Technology Systems Corp. is an example of
A)a laggard.
B)an innovator.
C)the early majority.
D)an early adopter.
E)the late majority.

Accepted Answer

The adopters of a new technology fall into five groups. Members of the late majority group are more skeptical of technological change and approach innovation with great caution, often adopting only out of economic necessity or increasing social pressure. Smith Technology Systems Corp. belongs to the late majority group.

Question 11

Which of the following best describes the role of executive champions in developing new technologies?
A)They provide financial resources to support the project.
B)They promote the new technology throughout the organization.
C)They develop and operate the new technology.
D)They coordinate the technological efforts of various business units.
E)They assess technological implications.

Accepted Answer

Sponsorship for an innovation comes from the executive champion, who has the status, authority, and financial resources to support the project and protect the product champion.

Question 12

Compensation practices of an integrated manufacturing firm usually include
A)individual incentives.
B)hourly wages.
C)seniority pay.
D)job classifications.
E)skill-based pay.

Accepted Answer

As managers make decisions about how to design jobs and manage employees, they also need to consider other human resource systems that complement the introduction of new technology. According to Exhibit 17.9, integrated manufacturing firms' compensation practices include skill-based pay.Refer to Exhibit 17.9

Question 13

Which of the following groups of adopters of a new technology is exemplified by Tech Shops?
A)Innovators
B)Early adopters
C)Early majority
D)Early minority
E)Laggards

Accepted Answer

The adopters of a new technology fall into five groups. Laggards are the last to adopt a new technology. Laggards are often isolated and highly conservative in their views. They are extremely suspicious of innovation and change. Tech Shops belongs to this category.

Question 14

An approach to job design that attempts to redesign tasks to optimize operation of a new technology while preserving employees' interpersonal relationships and other human aspects of the work is called a(n)
A)technology audit.
B)development project.
C)sociotechnical system.
D)sociological innovation.
E)ergonomic approach.

Accepted Answer

Sociotechnical systems are an approach to job design that attempt to redesign tasks to optimize operation of a new technology while preserving employees' interpersonal relationships and other human aspects of the work.

Question 15

A product champion is a person who
A)has the status, authority, and resources to support an innovation.
B)promotes a new technology throughout the organization.
C)develops a new technology.
D)coordinates the technological efforts of various business units.
E)assesses technological implications.

Accepted Answer

The product champion, often at the risk of his or her position and prestige, promotes an idea throughout the organization, searching for support and acceptance.

Question 16

Frontline Technology Corp. is an example of
A)a laggard.
B)an intrapreneur.
C)the late minority.
D)an early adopter.
E)the late majority.

Accepted Answer

The adopters of a new technology fall into five groups. Early adopters are critical to the success of a new technology because these people are well-respected opinion leaders. They are often the people or organizations to which others look for leadership, ideas, and up-to-date technological information. Frontline Technology is an early adopter.

Question 17

Which of the following groups of adopters of a new technology is exemplified by Clear Insight Corp.?
A)Laggards
B)Late majority
C)Early majority
D)Early adopters
E)Innovators

Accepted Answer

The adopters of a new technology fall into five groups. The first group of adopters consists of the innovators. Innovators are adventurous and willing to take risks. They are willing to pay a premium for the latest and newest technology or product. Clear Insight is an innovator.

Question 18

Which of the following is the role of technical innovators?
A)They provide financial resources to support the project.
B)They promote an idea throughout the organization.
C)They develop and operate a new technology.
D)They coordinate the technological efforts of various business units.
E)They assess technological implications.

Accepted Answer

A technical innovator develops the new technology or has the key skills needed to install and operate the technology. This person possesses the requisite technical skills, but he or she may not have the managerial skills needed to push the idea forward and secure acceptance within the organization.

Question 19

Greg worked at the Hartford Plastics Company as a technician, and he developed an instrument to help test the quality of plastic products. The section supervisor, Mick, thought that Greg's instrument was so clever that the company should make it widely available for all technicians in the company. Mick convinced a number of other managers to have their employees try Greg's innovation. Mick's role in developing the new device is that of a(n)
A)chief information officer.
B)technical innovator.
C)executive champion.
D)product champion.
E)technology officer.

Accepted Answer

Mick is a product champion because he is promoting the idea throughout the organization, searching for support and acceptance.

Question 20

Seniority rewards in a traditional factory and skill-based pay rewards in integrated manufacturing are examples of _____ compensation.
A)market-contingent
B)job-contingent
C)person-contingent
D)culture-contingent
E)performance-contingent

Accepted Answer

According to Exhibit 17.9, seniority rewards in a traditional factory and skill-based pay rewards in integrated manufacturing are examples of person-contingent compensation.Refer to Exhibit 17.9

Quiz 17: Managing Technology and Innovation

Gary, a senior member in an organization, received a pay raise when the company implemented some changes in response to a new technology that it had adopted. This is an example of a _____ compensation.

An individual who supports a new technology and protects the product champion is referred to as a(n)

A focused organizational effort to create a new product or process via technological advances is called

Which of the following is considered an enemy of technological innovation?

BrightPower Inc.'s new solar-cell technology would be an example of a(n) _____ technology.

A(n) _____ develops a new technology or has the key skills to install and operate the technology.

The executive in charge of information technology strategy and development is the

The role of a chief technology officer is to

Smith Technology Systems Corp. is an example of

Which of the following best describes the role of executive champions in developing new technologies?

Compensation practices of an integrated manufacturing firm usually include

Which of the following groups of adopters of a new technology is exemplified by Tech Shops?

An approach to job design that attempts to redesign tasks to optimize operation of a new technology while preserving employees' interpersonal relationships and other human aspects of the work is called a(n)

A product champion is a person who

Frontline Technology Corp. is an example of

Which of the following groups of adopters of a new technology is exemplified by Clear Insight Corp.?

Which of the following is the role of technical innovators?

Seniority rewards in a traditional factory and skill-based pay rewards in integrated manufacturing are examples of _____ compensation.