Deck 16: Organizational Culture

Question 1

Employees transfer knowledge about a company's culture to other employees through explicit communication, simple observation, and other less obvious means.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Ceremonies are the daily planned routines that occur in an organization.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Strong cultures take a very long time to develop but are easy to change.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Physical structures say a lot about a culture.

Question 5

Espoused values can range from published documents, such as a company's vision or mission statement, to verbal statements made to employees by executives and managers.

Question 6

Subcultures are more likely to exist in small companies.

Question 7

When the values of subcultures do not match those of the larger organization, they are known as fragmented cultures.

Question 8

Whatever a company's underlying assumptions are, its hidden beliefs are those that are the most likely to dictate employee behavior and affect employee attitudes.

Question 9

When a company holds to its espoused values over time and regardless of the situations it operates in, the values become less believable to employees.

Question 10

When asked about the company where she works, Jena responds by discussing how well the get along and like each other and how, although there is, of course, some conflict, in general the employees think alike about most of the important company values and concerns. Jena is discussing her company in terms two general culture types: affability and consensus.

Question 11

Organizations that have mercenary cultures are likely to be very political.

Question 12

Organizational culture shapes and reinforces certain employee attitudes and behaviors by creating a system of control over employees.

Question 13

Creativity cultures affect the quality, not the quantity, of creative ideas within an organization.

Question 14

As companies grow, they tend to move toward a networked culture, because solidarity is harder to foster when groups get really large.

Question 15

Symbols, rituals, and espoused values are three major types of observable artifacts.

Question 16

Organizations that have cultures in which employees think alike but are not friendly to one another can be considered communal cultures.

Question 17

Strong cultures are always good cultures as they guide their employees toward the most successful organizational outcomes.

Question 18

It is easy to stay true to espoused values in times of economic downturns.

Question 19

A positive service culture has been shown to reduce accidents and increase safety-based citizenship behaviors.

Question 20

Subcultures unite a smaller subset of the organization's employees.

Question 21

Job satisfaction is higher and stress is lower when there is a good person-organization fit.

Question 22

The length of the socialization process varies depending solely on the characteristics of the company.

Question 23

Realistic job previews occur during the anticipatory stage of socialization during the recruitment process.

Question 24

Socialization happens in five relatively distinct stages.

Question 25

The goal of an organization's socialization efforts should be to minimize reality shock as much as possible.

Question 26

As a college senior, Mason researched many companies before deciding on those he wanted to apply to. He searched particularly for those where the company's values were in agreement with his personal values and didn't apply to those that weren't. Recruiters for the companies he did apply to recommended hiring him partly because they saw Mason's values as a good fit with the company's values. When he made his selection, Mason was sure he would enjoy working for the company because it seemed like a perfect fit for him. Mason's job search reflects the attrition, selection, attraction framework
Mason's job search reflects the attraction-selection-attrition framework.

Question 27

Attraction and selection processes do not always align employees' personalities with organizational culture.

Question 28

The shared social knowledge within an organization regarding the rules, norms, and values that shape the attitudes and behaviors of its employees refers to organizational:

A)structure.
B)chart.
C)strength.
D)culture.
E)rituals.

Question 29

Orientation programs provide social knowledge, resources, and psychological support to the protégé both at the beginning of employment and as the protégé continues his/her career with the company.

Question 30

One of the main disadvantages of realistic job previews is that it is very expensive.

Question 31

The socialization process ends once the employee starts handling the job all by himself/herself.

Question 32

_____ are the manifestations of an organizational culture that everyone can see or talk about.

A)Basic underlying assumptions
B)Observable artifacts
C)Espoused values
D)Safety cultures
E)Service cultures

Question 33

The anticipatory stage begins the day an employee starts work.

Question 34

The physical layout of workspaces, dress codes, and the level of technology used are all examples of _____ that are represented by the organization's culture.

A)basic underlying assumptions
B)espoused values
C)observable artifacts
D)mnemonics
E)subcultures

Question 35

When employees feel they fit with their organization's culture, the effects of fit on job performance are very strong.

Question 36

Mergers often result in the creation of a strong culture.

Question 37

Mentoring has always existed in companies on a formal basis.

Question 38

The three major components to any organizational culture are:

A)observable artifacts, espoused values, and basic underlying assumptions.
B)observable artifacts, hidden artifacts, and semi-public artifacts.
C)internal values, espoused values, and external values.
D)symbols, physical structures, and ceremonies.
E)language, stories, and rituals.

Question 39

One of the major reasons that one company purchases another is simply to acquire the technology that it has.

Question 40

An outsider can fully grasp or understand the culture of an organization simply by looking at artifacts visible from outside the company.

Question 41

At Delta Diamonds, Inc., managers start every week with a two-hour meeting, focusing on goals for that week and open communication between team members in their department and ways to achieve the goals.This routine describes:

A)a ritual.
B)a story.
C)the company's values.
D)the company's language.
E)a symbol.

Question 42

_____ is/are the degree to which group members think and act alike, and _____ represent(s) how friendly employees are to one another.

A)Espoused values; basic underlying assumptions
B)Solidarity; sociability
C)Basic underlying assumptions; observable artifacts
D)Sociability; solidarity
E)Observable artifacts; espoused values

Question 43

Which of the following supply the primary means of transmitting an organization's culture to its workforce?

A)Underlying assumptions
B)Artifacts
C)Espoused values
D)Competitive responses
E)Norms

Question 44

_____ are the taken-for-granted beliefs and philosophies that are so ingrained that employees simply act on them rather than questioning the validity of their behavior in a given situation.

A)Espoused values
B)Stories
C)Basic underlying assumptions
D)Rituals
E)Observable artifacts

Question 45

Walker International has recently published its vision statement.This is an example of:

A)observable artifacts.
B)stories.
C)basic underlying assumptions.
D)rituals.
E)espoused values.

Question 46

During her stay at the Renaissance Hotel, Ginny noticed that all the staff wore the same color and style of clothes.Which of the following layers of organizational culture would such a dress code represent?

A)Espoused values
B)Enacted values
C)Observable artifacts
D)Mnemonics
E)Basic underlying assumptions

Question 47

Every year, 7 Days, a large retail chain, organizes a large annual function in which it gives an "Employee of the Year" award to a deserving employee, along with a $5,000 cash prize and an opportunity to launch the retail chain's new product.This is an example of which of the following components of organizational culture?

A)Stories
B)Symbols
C)Espoused values
D)Basic underlying assumptions
E)Ceremonies

Question 48

At NoFrills Corporation, employees are distant and disconnected from one another.Based on this, the organizational culture at NoFrills can be described as:

A)communal.
B)mercenary.
C)networked.
D)fragmented.
E)collectivE.Organizations that are low on both dimensions (solidarity and sociability) have a fragmented culture in which employees are distant and disconnected from one another.

Question 49

The published mission statement at Dunlop, Inc., is an example of:

A)espoused values.
B)stories.
C)basic underlying assumptions.
D)rituals.
E)observable artifacts.

Question 50

_____ reflect(s) the jargon, slang, and slogans used within the walls of an organization.

A)Rituals
B)Beliefs
C)Values
D)Language
E)Symbols

Question 51

_____ represent the deepest and least observable part of a culture.

A)Espoused values
B)Stories
C)Basic underlying assumptions
D)Rituals
E)Observable artifacts

Question 52

Formal events that are generally performed in front of an audience of organizational members are known as:

A)rituals.
B)stories.
C)ceremonies.
D)language.
E)symbols.

Question 53

Which of the following are the beliefs, philosophies, and norms that a company explicitly states?

A)Rituals
B)Stories
C)Ceremonies
D)Espoused values
E)Observable artifacts

Question 54

_____ consist(s) of anecdotes, accounts, legends, and myths that are passed down from cohort to cohort within an organization.

A)Rituals
B)Stories
C)Values
D)Language
E)Symbols

Question 55

At Rolce Technologies, the core design team of 10 employees has daily "stand-up" meetings.All the core design team members gather standing up for a rapid-fire update on the project.These stand-up meetings are representative of which of the following components of the organization's culture?

A)Stories
B)Ceremonies
C)Enacted values
D)Rituals
E)Symbols

Question 56

An organization's corporate logo is an example of a:

A)symbol.
B)belief.
C)value.
D)ritual.
E)languagE.Symbols can be found throughout an organization, from its corporate logo to the images it places on its website to the uniforms its employees wear.

Question 57

The daily or weekly planned routines that occur in an organization are called:

A)rituals.
B)stories.
C)values.
D)representations.
E)symbols.

Question 58

In organizations with fragmented cultures, there is _____ sociability and _____ solidarity.

A)low; low
B)moderate; high
C)high; moderate
D)high; high
E)moderate; moderate

Question 59

Nike's "swoosh" is an example of a:

A)language.
B)belief.
C)value.
D)ritual.
E)symbol.

Question 60

Quest, Inc., has a sign hanging in every employee's cubicle that reads: "Together we are greater than any one of us." This is an example of a(n):

A)ritual.
B)espoused value.
C)enacted value.
D)basic underlying assumption.
E)physical structurE.Espoused values are the beliefs, philosophies, and norms that a company explicitly states.Espoused values can range from published documents, such as a company's vision or mission statement, to verbal statements made to employees by executives and managers.

Question 61

Which of the following is an advantage of a strong culture?

A)It makes merging with another organization more simple.
B)It allows employees to identify themselves with the organization.
C)It can be "too much of a good thing" if it creates extreme behaviors.
D)It makes adapting to the environment less difficult.
E)It attracts and retains similar kinds of employees.

Question 62

In organizations with communal cultures, there is _____ sociability and _____ solidarity.

A)low; low
B)moderate; high
C)moderate; low
D)high; high
E)low; moderate

Question 63

The values of the marketing department culture at Clean Toothpaste Manufacturing, Inc., do not match with those of the overall organization and it consistently challenges the values of Clean Toothpaste and signifies the need for change.The marketing department's culture can be described as a(n):

A)ASA framework.
B)counterculture.
C)safety culture.
D)networked culture.
E)distractive culturE.When their values do not match those of the larger organization, we call subcultures countercultures.Countercultures can sometimes serve a useful purpose by challenging the values of the overall organization or signifying the need for change.

Question 64

Organizations that have cultures in which employees think alike but are not friendly to one another can be considered _____ cultures.

A)communal
B)mercenary
C)networked
D)fragmented
E)collective

Question 65

Which of the following hold(s) that potential employees will be attracted to organizations whose cultures match their own personality, organizations will weed out the potential misfits, and the remaining misfits will leave because of being unhappy or ineffective?

A)Mentoring
B)Countercultures
C)ASA framework
D)Socialization
E)Subcultures

Question 66

A high level of _____ exists when employees definitively agree about the way things are supposed to happen within the organization and when their subsequent behaviors are consistent with those expectations.

A)culture shock
B)culture strength
C)ASA framework
D)safety culture
E)reality shock

Question 67

Which of the following is a disadvantage of a strong culture?

A)It differentiates the organization from others.
B)It allows employees to identify themselves in the organization.
C)It attracts and retains similar kinds of employees.
D)It creates stability within the organization.
E)It facilitates the desired behaviors among employees.

Question 68

Manufacturing and medical companies have a tendency to create which of the following specific culture types?

A)Creativity culture
B)Networked culture
C)Safety culture
D)Diversity culture
E)Communal culture

Question 69

A manager at a company where everyone always wore a dark suit and white shirt ran out of white shirts one day and decided to wear a very light blue shirt to work.Coworkers stared, pointed at him, and commented so negatively to him that at noon, he went out and bought a new white shirt and changed before going back to the office.This situation is indicative of ______.

A)a strong culture
B)a weak culture
C)lack of self-confidence
D)bullying
E)a counterculture

Question 70

_____ cultures are those where all employees are friendly to one another, but everyone thinks differently and does his/her own thing.

A)Communal
B)Mercenary
C)Networked
D)Fragmented
E)Complex

Question 71

MicroTrac allows its engineers to spend 20 percent of their working time pursuing projects that they are passionate about to encourage innovation at the organization.This describes which of the following specific cultures?

A)Creativity culture
B)Service culture
C)Safety culture
D)Diversity culture
E)Communal culture

Question 72

The environment at National Studio, Inc., is very political and employees generally are always thinking "What's in it for me?" Such a culture can be described as which of the following?

A)Communal
B)Mercenary
C)Networked
D)Fragmented
E)Collective

Question 73

In organizations with networked cultures, we tend to find _____ sociability and _____ solidarity.

A)low; low
B)low; moderate
C)high; low
D)moderate; high
E)moderate; low

Question 74

Organizations that have successfully created a _____ culture have been shown to change employee attitudes and behaviors toward customers.

A)service
B)mercenary
C)safety
D)fragmented
E)creativity

Question 75

Which of the following culture types reduces treatment errors in medical settings?

A)Creativity culture
B)Service culture
C)Safety culture
D)Diversity culture
E)Communal culture

Question 76

In organizations with mercenary cultures, we tend to find _____ sociability and _____ solidarity.

A)moderate; low
B)low; high
C)high; low
D)high; moderate
E)moderate; moderate

Question 77

_____ is/are the primary process by which employees learn the knowledge that enables them to understand and adapt to the organization's culture.

A)Mentoring
B)Countercultures
C)ASA framework
D)Socialization
E)Subculturing

Question 78

ASA in the "ASA framework," a process that can help keep culture of the organization strong, stands for:

A)anticipation-socialization-articulation.
B)attraction-selection-attrition.
C)ask-substitute-attract.
D)allocation-submission-anticipation.
E)assertion-supplementation-apprehension.

Question 79

Organizations with friendly employees who all think alike are _____ cultures.

A)communal
B)mercenary
C)networked
D)fragmented
E)individualistic

Question 80

_____ exist when the overall organizational culture is supplemented by another culture governing a more specific set of employees.

A)ASA frameworks
B)Networked cultures
C)Subcultures
D)Countercultures
E)Reality shocks