Question 1

Most of the "new management practices" are essentially a readapted version of existing "old management truths."

Accepted Answer

Many of the so-called "new" management practices are simply a repackaging or slight modification of older principles and practices that have been around for decades or even centuries. For example, concepts like employee empowerment, continuous improvement, and customer centricity have been promoted by management gurus since at least the 1980s, if not earlier. While the specific methods and tools for achieving these goals may have evolved over time, the fundamental principles behind them remain the same. Therefore, it can be argued that most new management practices are really just old management truths in disguise.

Question 2

A paradigm establishes only written rules.

Accepted Answer

A paradigm is a set of shared beliefs, values, assumptions, and practices that help define a community, culture, or discipline. While written rules may be a part of a paradigm, they are not the only defining factor. Paradigms also encompass unwritten rules, behaviors, and attitudes.

Question 3

Theory X is the natural choice for most organizations in today's environment.

Accepted Answer

Theory X assumes that employees are lazy and need to be constantly monitored and controlled to ensure productivity, which is not necessarily true in modern organizations. Theory Y, which assumes that employees are self-motivated and can be trusted to work independently, is more applicable in today's environment where there is a greater emphasis on employee empowerment and autonomy.

Question 4

Laboratory studies tend to have better external validity than field studies.

Accepted Answer

This statement is false. Field studies tend to have better external validity because they are conducted in real-world settings, which allows for more generalizable results to be obtained. Laboratory studies, while useful for establishing causal relationships, are often conducted in artificial settings that limit the generalizability of the findings.

Question 5

Roger,a sales manager for Heust Pvt.Ltd.,is impressed with his new sales executive,Tim.According to Roger,Tim is optimistic,can perform well under pressure,and is very confident about what he does.These qualities can be referred to as "positive psychological capital."

Accepted Answer

Positive psychological capital refers to the positive qualities or characteristics that contribute to an individual's success and well-being at work, including optimism, resilience, self-efficacy, and hope. In this scenario, Roger describes Tim as having these qualities.

Question 6

The Hawthorne studies were more a result of planned study than a serendipitous discovery.

Accepted Answer

The Hawthorne studies initially aimed to examine the effects of physical conditions on productivity but serendipitously found that social and psychological factors significantly influenced work output, leading to a shift in focus during the research.

Question 7

The major challenge and critical competitive advantage for any organization is the human resource of that company.

Accepted Answer

Human resource is essential for the success of any organization as they are the ones who develop, manage, and execute the strategies of the company. Moreover, skilled and motivated employees are considered as a critical competitive advantage for any organization to stay ahead of their rivals in the market.

Question 8

The Hawthorne effect postulates that the increase in productivity can be attributed to the special attention received by the participants.

Accepted Answer

The Hawthorne effect suggests that the increase in productivity is due to the fact that the participants feel important and valued due to the special attention they receive from the researchers.

Question 9

According to meta-analysis,if one study shows that a management technique doesn't work and another study shows that it does,an average of those results is the best estimate of how well that management practice works (or doesn't work).

Accepted Answer

Meta-analysis involves combining and analyzing data from multiple studies to provide an overall estimate of the effectiveness of a treatment or management approach. By pooling data from different studies, meta-analysis can help to identify patterns or trends that might not be apparent from individual studies alone. Therefore, an average of the results from multiple studies is generally considered to be a more reliable estimate of the effectiveness of a particular management technique than the results of a single study.

Question 10

According to Theory X,if employees were kept happy,they would become high performers.

Accepted Answer

The answer of According to Theory X,if employees were kept...

Question 11

Behavioral science is almost as old as the physical and biological sciences.

Accepted Answer

Behavioral science is relatively newer, emerging prominently in the 19th and 20th centuries, whereas physical and biological sciences have ancient origins.

Question 12

The primary aim of any research design,establishing a cause-and-effect relationship,is accomplished through the experimental design.

Accepted Answer

The experimental design is a research design that is specifically designed to establish a cause-and-effect relationship between variables. Other research designs, such as correlational designs, cannot establish causality.

Question 13

The fact that today's managers are competent in their functional specialization is sufficient to reiterate that most of them paid close attention to the conceptual and human dimensions of their jobs.

Accepted Answer

The statement assumes that functional competence alone is sufficient to indicate that managers are paying attention to conceptual and human dimensions of their job. However, this may not necessarily be true as competence in one area does not guarantee competency in another. It is therefore possible for a manager to be highly competent in their functional specialization, but not pay sufficient attention to the conceptual or human dimensions of their job.

Question 14

The movement to not only recognize,but also do something about the "Knowing-Doing Gap" is the movement towards evidence-based management.

Accepted Answer

The statement correctly describes the connection between the Knowing-Doing Gap and evidence-based management. The movement towards evidence-based management encourages decision-making based on empirical evidence and actions that are informed by that evidence, rather than simply "knowing" what needs to be done, but not following through with action.

Question 15

The experimental design of research used in organizational behavior is largely borrowed from sociology.

Accepted Answer

The experimental design in organizational behavior is primarily borrowed from psychology, focusing on individual and group behavior within organizations.

Question 16

Most of the practicing managers and their organizations cultures believe,fully implement,and consistently adhere to a full-fledged HPWPs approach to management.

Accepted Answer

While many organizations may aspire to implement a high-performance work practices approach, studies show that most managers and organizations still do not fully embrace or consistently implement these practices. Some may adopt certain elements, but a complete implementation is still not the norm.

Question 17

Casey,a relationship manager in a bank creates value for her organization through her networks,connections,and friends.These values can be referred to as "positive psychological capital."

Accepted Answer

The value created through networks, connections, and friends is typically referred to as "social capital," not "positive psychological capital." Positive psychological capital refers to an individual's positive psychological state of development, characterized by confidence, hope, optimism, and resilience.

Question 18

The problems with human organizations and the solutions over the ages have undergone drastic changes compared to their emphasis and surrounding environmental context.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The problems with human organizations and the...

Question 19

Reasons for considerable resistance to change and difficulty to move from the old management paradigm to the new can be explained by the "paradigm effect."

Accepted Answer

The paradigm effect refers to the tendency of individuals to cling to their existing beliefs and assumptions, even in the face of evidence that contradicts those beliefs. This can make it difficult to embrace new ideas or ways of doing things, particularly if they challenge deeply held assumptions or values. Therefore, there can be considerable resistance to change and moving from the old management paradigm to the new one.

Question 20

'Paradigm shift' refers to the situation in which those in the existing paradigm may not even see the changes that are occurring,and therefore,cannot analyze the changes.

Accepted Answer

This is the correct definition of a paradigm shift. It involves a transformation in the way people think about and understand a subject or idea, leading to a new way of looking at the world. Those who are stuck in the old way of thinking may not be able to recognize or understand the changes that are taking place.

Quiz 1: Introduction to Organizational Behavior: an Evidence-Based Approach