Question 1

Melissa and Joanna have always focused on being efficient managers. What is the best advice you should give them, given the quick success they have had with Venus and the information provided in the scenario?

Accepted Answer

While efficiency has been key to their success so far, the high growth in sales means that they need to also focus on effectiveness to maintain their success. They should prioritize both efficiency and effectiveness as part of their management strategy.

Question 2

"My days are filled with monitoring to see if we are meeting our goals, wondering if things are going as we planned, and making adjustments where needed."

Accepted Answer

The tasks described involve monitoring progress and making adjustments, which are part of the controlling function.

Question 3

At which level of management will one find conceptual and decision skills most utilized? Why?

Accepted Answer

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Question 4

When the manager notifies the employees of the pending layoff, which of the managerial roles is the manager of Partridge performing?

Accepted Answer

The manager of Partridge is performing the role of spokesperson by communicating the information about the pending layoff to the employees.

Question 5

"My job, for some part of each day, is to empower our employees to think of things in new and different ways, not just come to work and complete the tasks on a list."

Accepted Answer

The statement is referring to the role of a leader in empowering employees to think creatively and not just complete tasks mechanically.

Question 6

"Recently, I spent a great deal of time looking at how to define jobs and group jobs together to most efficiently utilize the employees in those jobs. Otherwise, my focus is more toward financial resources."

Accepted Answer

The focus on defining jobs and grouping them together to achieve efficient utilization of employees suggests a focus on organizing. The mention of financial resources could be related to controlling, but the primary focus of the statement is on job design and organization.

Question 7

How is knowledge management significant to organizations? Explain.

Accepted Answer

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Question 8

As the founders of the company, Melissa and Joanna are best described as ______ managers.

Accepted Answer

Melissa and Joanna are the founders of the company, therefore they are responsible for the overall direction and long-term goals of the company. This makes them strategic managers who create and implement strategies to achieve the company’s objectives.

Question 9

Explain what is meant by speed-rapid execution, response, and delivery of results.

Accepted Answer

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Question 10

When the manager deals with the angry employee, which of the managerial roles is the manager of Partridge performing?

Accepted Answer

The manager in this situation is dealing with a disturbance, which falls under the disturbance handler role. The monitor role involves gathering information, negotiator involves bargaining and resolving conflicts, resource allocator involves deciding where to allocate resources, and liaison involves networking and building relationships.

Question 11

Differentiate between the various management levels in an organization.

Accepted Answer

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Question 12

Explain how quality can improve continuously in an organization. Explain the several objectives of achieving total quality.

Accepted Answer

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Question 13

Explain how one gains customer loyalty.

Accepted Answer

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Question 14

When hiring people who are beginning their management career and who will join Venus as entry-level supervisors to oversee the design and production of their clothing lines, Melissa and Joanna should look primarily for which type of skills in these managers?

Accepted Answer

Since the managers will oversee the design and production of clothing lines, technical skills would be the most important in their job responsibilities. They need to be knowledgeable about the process of designing and producing clothing in order to effectively supervise and manage their teams. While conceptual and decision-making skills, selling skills, language fluency, and negotiating skills may be useful in certain aspects of the job, technical skills are the most crucial.

Question 15

Describe what the work of quality gurus like W. Edwards Deming and J. M. Juran convinced other managers to do.

Accepted Answer

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Question 16

When the manager attends the employee's wedding, which of the managerial roles is the manager of Partridge performing?

Accepted Answer

The manager attending the employee's wedding serves as a symbolic and ceremonial figurehead, representing the organization in a positive light and demonstrating a sense of community and support for employees. The other managerial roles, such as liaison, spokesperson, entrepreneur, and disturbance handler, would not be as applicable in this scenario.

Question 17

Briefly describe each of the four key management functions.

Accepted Answer

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Question 18

Melissa and Joanna want to maintain a strong competitive advantage in the organic clothing industry. They have had meetings with you and have decided to maintain their current direction of continuing to produce new items targeted at new markets, such as children's clothing, in addition to the women's clothing items that were originally designed and produced by the company. Given the information in this scenario, which of the fundamental success drivers are they most likely using?

Accepted Answer

Melissa and Joanna are using innovation as their fundamental success driver by continuing to produce new items targeted at new markets in addition to their original products. This allows them to stay ahead of the competition and maintain a strong competitive advantage in the organic clothing industry.

Question 19

List and explain each of the five sources of competitive advantage.

Accepted Answer

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Question 20

List and describe several ways that collaboration boosts performance of organizations.

Accepted Answer

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Quiz 1: Managing Effectively in a Global World