Deck 10: Organizational Learning and Knowledge Management

Question 1

Google was founded in ____.

A) 1962
B) 1976
C) 1984
D) 1996
E) 1999

Answer 1

1996

Question 2

What percentage of profits come from Google's advertising arm?

A) 52
B) 67
C) 79
D) 88
E) 97

Answer 2

97

Question 3

The R&D budget of Google makes up ____ percent of its revenue.

A) 5
B) 9
C) 14
D) 19
E) 26

Answer 3

14

Question 4

Google remains competitive in R&D for several reasons, one of them being:

A) Outsourcing the R&D to specialized firms
B) Allowing engineers to pursue ideas that interest them for 20% of each week
C) Strict guidelines by which engineers are to follow
D) Creating incentives for staying on task regarded important by management
E) None of these choices

Question 5

Google's primary source of profit comes from:

A) Advertising
B) Licensing their search engine
C) Selling proprietary software to consumers
D) Investments in the technology industry
E) None of these choices

Question 6

The foundation which must be present before an organization can effectively conduct implementation is ____.

A) knowledge
B) financial resources
C) structure
D) equipment
E) culture

Question 7

Learning in the organization ____.

A) is the conversion of data into information
B) is the knowledge that can be written down
C) comes for experience of the individual and is internal to that individual
D) is the gathering and sharing of existing knowledge from internal or external sources
E) is the ability to obtain data

Question 8

Explicit knowledge is ____.

A) the conversion of data into information
B) knowledge that can be written down
C) the experience of the individual that is internal to that individual
D) the gathering and sharing of existing knowledge from internal or external sources
E) the ability to obtain data

Question 9

As the firm's knowledge management capabilities shift from existing knowledge to new knowledge, the focus of the organization:

A) moves toward risk minimization
B) becomes more organization learning oriented
C) shifts from content to process
D) shifts from an external focus to an internal focus
E) does not change

Question 10

Organizational learning ____.

A) is the conversion of data into information
B) is knowledge that can be written down
C) comes for experience of the individual and is internal to that individual
D) is the acquisition of knowledge through the application and mastery of new information, tools and methods
E) is the ability to obtain data

Question 11

The type and the amount of learning that must take place for the firm to compete successfully depends upon:

A) how much the organization needs to retrench its activities
B) the organizational and technical complexity of the firm's internal and external environments
C) the knowledge acquisition strategy of the firm
D) the ability of top management to guide employees' actions
E) how far behind the industry norm the firm is

Question 12

The firm's ability to learn:

A) is a critical intangible resource for the firm's long term success
B) is tied to the firm's ability to stay the strategic course it has mapped out
C) is not as critical as its ability to acquire knowledge
D) is based upon the firm's tacit knowledge
E) none of these choices

Question 13

The greater organizational learning will occur when ____.

A) there are fewer numbers and a smaller range of things to gather data on
B) there are fewer number but a broader range of things to gather data on
C) there are greater number but smaller range of things to gather data on
D) there are a greater number and a broader range of things to gather data on
E) the organization is small

Question 14

The purpose of the scanning process is:

A) to help the firm identify critical issues
B) to identify what the firm needs to monitor in its environment
C) to help the firm adjust its strategies if necessary
D) to gather information about the firm's competitive environment
E) all of these choices are purposes for scanning

Question 15

Chester Carlson is associated with the innovation of ____.

A) the laptop computer
B) the photocopy machine
C) the semiconductor
D) the machine for MRIs
E) RFID technology

Question 16

The transfer of meaning from one source to another is:

A) information spreading
B) communication
C) knowledge acquisition
D) learning
E) scanning

Question 17

Information must not only be transmitted but must also be ____ for an organization to obtain its full benefits.

A) written down
B) available on the internet
C) understood
D) repeated
E) supported by organizational leadership

Question 18

The type of learning an organization pursues should be based upon:

A) the size of the organization
B) the culture of the organization
C) the strategic goals of the organization
D) the background of the top management team
E) the level of international diversification

Question 19

The characteristics of the communication processes in an organization where learning is taking place include all of the following except:

A) Free exchange in, across, and between levels and functions within the organization
B) Acknowledgement of the importance of formal networks and the lessening of the influence of informal networks
C) Encouragement of free exchange by the leadership of the firm
D) Continual transformation of the organization systems for the process off communication
E) Support of a culture that encourages meaningful interaction and exchange

Question 20

Getting the right information at the right time to the right person to enhance decision making as well as providing time for people to work on their ideas are known as:

A) enabling factors
B) communication enhancers
C) innovation enablers
D) time utilization strategies
E) time management functions

Question 21

____ learning is more common in innovative firms that develop technology internally.

A) Interpretive
B) Progressive
C) Group
D) Committee
E) Kieratsu

Question 22

The primary goal of systems learning is to:

A) create new knowledge
B) integrate systems in the organization
C) reduce uncertainty
D) identify acquisition targets
E) implement Deming's quality goals

Question 23

The interpretive approach to learning can be summarized by all of the following except it:

A) reduces ambiguity
B) distributes information in all directions
C) develops creative insights through an iterative process using multiple viewpoints
D) develops a clear set guidelines to interpret issues
E) looks for new ways to apply known information

Question 24

In deciding an approach to learning the organization should consider all of the following except:

A) the nature of its information needs
B) its primary goals
C) the actions to take
D) what the organization wants to learn
E) which approach its competitors are using

Question 25

Organizations that are structured for learning are characterized by all of the following except ____.

A) a hierarchical structure to allow clear flow of information
B) processes that encourage boundary spanning
C) internal network development
D) reward systems that tied to team and system wide goals
E) decision making based on shared and transferred knowledge

Question 26

The systems-structure approach should result in:

A) a rational approach to analyzing internal systems and structures
B) a metric for identifying what firms are the strongest competitors
C) understanding of the increasing uncertainty in the environment
D) a rational view of potential partners in technology enhancement
E) the entrenchment of the current top management team

Question 27

The characteristics of a firm that is structured for learning include:

A) less need for boundary spanning activities
B) formalized networks for creating and storing data
C) decision making process that are based on shared and transferred knowledge
D) reward systems that are tied to individual performance
E) increased political activities to spread information

Question 28

The keys to successful organizational learning include all of the following except ____.

A) organizational learning is a function of a firm's competencies, culture, and comfort
B) organizational learning required the communication of ideas
C) organizational learning is the sum of what everyone in the organization knows
D) organizational learning needs to be stored in the organizational memory
E) organizational learning processes need to be intentional in the organization

Question 29

Open source software is exemplified by ____.

A) DOS operating systems
B) Windows operating systems
C) SAP
D) Linux operating system
E) Apple operating system

Question 30

The role of the individual in organizational learning and knowledge management can best be described as:

A) individuals serve as agents in the intelligence systems of the firm
B) individuals participate in their key knowledge-exchange relationship
C) individuals contribute their view to protect the area of the firm they represent
D) individuals provide "gut" reactions to the information they hear at meetings
E) individuals must fit into the expectations of firm leaders

Question 31

Knowledge management is defined as:

A) the exchange of information within the organization
B) the processes that combine data, information, and individual learning in a synergistic manner
C) the structuring of communication and documentation
D) the development, transmission and storage of data for the firm
E) a computerized decision making process

Question 32

Knowledge is created through all of the following activities except ____.

A) socialization
B) provocation
C) externalization
D) combination
E) internalization

Question 33

The six basic principles that an organization can employ to help ensure success in knowledge management include all of the following except ____.

A) system/process for knowledge management that allow it to move toward its strategic goal
B) good information
C) must create information accessible in a timely fashion
D) individuals in the system who understand how to use information
E) knowledge rests principally at the top of the organization and the system

Question 34

An understanding that goes beyond data and information manipulation and manifests itself in strategic decisions and organizational effectiveness is called:

A) organization learning
B) knowledge utilization
C) organizational wisdom
D) smart management
E) knowledge management

Question 35

For the knowledge management system to remain viable and useful:

A) the knowledge acquisition process must be closely monitored
B) the knowledge memory must be open to change
C) organizational wisdom must develop
D) individual learning must be encouraged
E) timing of knowledge organization must be reviewed continuously

Question 36

Today individuals charged with responsibility for R&D are typically ____.

A) located in international settings
B) are in flat organizations
C) are spread throughout the organization
D) are in separate organizations like the famous Bell Laboratories
E) are trained as engineers

Question 37

One of the keys for success for R&D focused individuals is that ____.

A) they have training in chemistry
B) they have training in engineering
C) they have international experience
D) they have strong communication skills
E) they have the ability to be promoted

Question 38

All of the following are assets that help an organization succeed except ____.

A) a vision for where the organization and team are going
B) an openness to the new ideas
C) a strong sense of what he organization is and is not
D) a person who is passionate about the exchange of knowledge and opportunity to learn
E) a strong management by objective system that ensures everyone accomplishes the goals

Question 39

To encapsulate and store knowledge the firm must:

A) identify and acquire knowledge sources
B) disseminate knowledge from new sources
C) use knowledge in new ways
D) look for uniqueness in knowledge combinations
E) experiment and evaluate with new ideas

Question 40

A change in a production line is an example of ____.

A) low task complexity and internal information needs
B) high task complexity and internal information needs
C) explicit transfer of external information

Question 41

Tacit knowledge is knowledge that can be codified or written down.

Question 42

Learning is essential if the organization is to adapt to changes in technology and to innovation.

Question 43

The ability to learn is a tangible asset.

Question 44

It is more important that a firm scan externally than internally as it gathers information in learning.

Question 45

One danger in an organization with a conservative culture is that the firm may not look at a broad enough range of data or obtain data from a rich enough set of sources.

Question 46

Information must be delivered in a timely manner to enable learning.

Question 47

Interpretative learning is more common when conducting an acquisition.

Question 48

Most organizations will have a single type of learning that goes on in the organization.

Question 49

Organizational learning is the sum of what everyone in the organization shares.

Question 50

Organizational learning depends on individuals in the organization interacting but knowledge management does not.

Question 51

Knowledge management can be viewed as the processes that combines data, information, and individual learning in a synergistic manner.

Question 52

The most important outcome for a knowledge management system is to lead to the development of organization wisdom.

Question 53

One characteristic that has to be present for a knowledge management system to flourish is that the knowledge memory must be open to change.

Question 54

The key asset for an innovation organization are the financial resources it can call on.

Question 55

In knowledge management systems it is important a single dominant view of an issue hold dominance so that the organization is not distracted from its goals.

Question 56

What three factors does organizational learning ultimately depend?

Question 57

The characteristics of communication processes in an organization where learning is taking place are:

Question 58

Describe the characteristics of a systems approach to learning.

Question 59

Nonaka and Takeuchi suggest that knowledge is created through four activities. Describe those activities.

Question 60

The six basic principles that an organization can employ to help ensure success in knowledge management can include what?

Question 61

Describe the characteristics of a knowledge management system.