Deck 16: Organizational Culture

Question 1

Which of the following is not a characteristic of organizational culture?

A) attention to detail
B) innovation and risk raking
C) process orientation
D) team orientation
E) outcome orientation

Answer 1

C
Explanation: C) Seven primary characteristics seem to capture the essence of an organization's culture: innovation and risk taking, attention to detail, outcome orientation, people orientation, team orientation, aggressiveness, and stability.

Question 2

Which of the following is most likely to be the indicator of a strong organizational culture?

A) high employee turnover
B) narrow span of control
C) employees' diverse views of organization's mission
D) presence of several subcultures
E) widely shared values

Answer 2

E
Explanation: E) In a strong culture, the organization's core values are both intensely held and widely shared. Narrow span of control and presence of several subcultures, do not indicate a strong culture. If most employees have the same opinions about the organization's mission and values, the culture is strong; if opinions vary widely, the culture is weak. A strong culture should reduce employee turnover, because it demonstrates high agreement about what the organization represents.

Question 3

Both ________ and strong culture achieve the same end result of predictability, orderliness, and consistency.

A) high formalization
B) low departmentalization
C) wide span of control
D) low work specialization
E) people orientation

Answer 3

A
Explanation: A) High formalization creates predictability, orderliness, and consistency. A strong culture achieves the same end without the need for written documentation. Therefore, we should view formalization and culture as two different roads to a common destination.

Question 4

A(n) ________ organization is an organization that takes on a life of its own, apart from its founders or members and is valued for itself and not for the goods or services it produces.

A) virtual
B) matrix
C) boundaryless
D) institutionalized
E) centralized

Question 5

Alessio's boss doesn't care whether Alessio works at home, at the office, or from his beach house. All he cares about is that the project is completed on time, on budget, and with exemplary quality. Which characteristic of organizational culture best describes this aspect of Alessio's job?

A) low risk taking
B) high outcome orientation
C) high attention to detail
D) low aggressiveness
E) high stability

Question 6

Which of the following characteristics of an organization's culture indicates the degree to which management decisions take into consideration the effect of outcomes on employees within the organization?

A) attention to detail
B) outcome orientation
C) team orientation
D) people orientation
E) stability

Question 7

The values that convey an organization's culture and are widely accepted throughout the organization are known as ________.

A) foundational values
B) core values
C) shared values
D) institutional values
E) unique values

Question 8

Janice works for a pet store where everyone is committed to the happiness of the animals. Often employees, bosses and hourly workers alike, come into the store "off the clock" and spend time training the animals. Everyone loves the store, the animals, and their jobs. This attitude of her coworkers inspires Janice to do her best. Based on this information, we can say that Janice is experiencing the effects of ________.

A) centralization
B) organizational climate
C) high departmentalization
D) high formalization
E) high work specialization

Question 9

Which of the following statements is true regarding the establishment of organizational culture and its effects on the organization?

A) Today's trend toward decentralized organizations makes it easier to establish a strong culture.
B) In a virtual organization, a strong culture can be established quickly and easily.
C) Employees organized in teams always show greater allegiance to the values of the organization as a whole than to their team and its values.
D) Culture acts as a control mechanism and guides the behavior of employees.
E) Cultures reduce the stability of the social system.

Question 10

"Stability" is one of the seven primary characteristics that captures the essence of an organization's culture. It indicates the degree to which ________.

A) employees are encouraged to be innovative and take risks
B) management focuses on results or outcomes rather than on the techniques and processes used to achieve them
C) management decisions take into consideration the effect of outcomes on people within the organization
D) work activities are organized around teams rather than individuals
E) organizational activities emphasize maintaining the status quo in contrast to growth

Question 11

Which of the following is most likely to result from a strong organizational culture?

A) low employee turnover
B) low employee satisfaction
C) low organizational commitment
D) low agreement about what the organization represents
E) low behavioral control resulting from the climate within the organization

Question 12

Which of the following statements is true regarding the functions of culture in an organization?

A) It hinders the generation of commitment to something larger than individual self-interest.
B) It conveys a sense of identity for organization members.
C) It reduces the stability of the social system.
D) It reduces distinctions between one organization and others.
E) It does not affect employees' attitudes and behavior.

Question 13

The key characteristic of organizational culture that addresses the degree to which people are competitive rather than easygoing is termed ________.

A) assertiveness
B) team orientation
C) aversiveness
D) risk taking
E) aggressiveness

Question 14

Which of the following statements is not true regarding subcultures?

A) Subcultures include core values of the organization.
B) Subcultures typically exist within a department.
C) When we talk about an organization's culture, we are referring to its subculture.
D) If organizations were composed only of numerous subcultures, organizational culture as an independent variable would be significantly less powerful.
E) Subcultures influence members' behavior.

Question 15

Which of the following statements distinguishes between organizational culture and job satisfaction?

A) Job satisfaction is descriptive, whereas organizational culture is evaluative.
B) Organizational culture is static, whereas job satisfaction is dynamic.
C) Job satisfaction is immeasurable, whereas organizational culture is measurable.
D) Organizational culture is descriptive, whereas job satisfaction is evaluative.
E) Organizational culture measures how employees feel about organization's expectations, whereas job satisfaction is concerned about how employees perceive the organization's culture.

Question 16

Cultures that tend to develop in large organizations to reflect common problems, situations, or experiences faced by groups of members in the same department or location are often called ________.

A) micro-cultures
B) subcultures
C) divisional cultures
D) microcosms
E) counter cultures

Question 17

Which of the following statements is true regarding an organization's culture?

A) Organizational culture is evaluative rather than descriptive.
B) Large organizations rarely have subcultures.
C) A dominant culture expresses the core values shared by a majority of the organization's members.
D) A strong culture increases employee turnover.
E) Subcultures and dominant cultures must not share any common values.

Question 18

The lack of frequent face-to-face contact in ________ organizations makes establishing a common set of norms very difficult.

A) highly formalized
B) boundaryless
C) virtual
D) matrix
E) highly centralized

Question 19

Culture is most likely to be a liability when ________.

A) the employees of the organization are highly skilled
B) the organization's environment is dynamic
C) the organization's management is highly efficient
D) the organization is highly centralized
E) the organization scores low on the degree of formalization

Question 20

A strong culture should reduce employee turnover because it results in ________.

A) a highly centralized organization
B) narrow spans of control
C) cohesiveness and organizational commitment
D) a highly formalized organization
E) an outcome-oriented organization

Question 21

Which of the following statements is true regarding random socialization?

A) Random socialization tries to strip away certain characteristics of the recruit.
B) Random socialization is carried out as per a fixed time schedule.
C) In random socialization, new employees are left on their own to figure things out.
D) Random socialization involves socializing the newcomers in groups.
E) Specific orientation and training programs are examples of random socialization.

Question 22

The process of socialization consists of three stages. Which of the following is one of these three stages?

A) prearrival
B) preencounter
C) evaluation
D) post-arrival
E) post-encounter

Question 23

If there is a basic conflict between the individual's expectations and the reality of working in an organization, the employee is most likely to be disillusioned and quit during the ________ stage of socialization.

A) prearrival
B) post-arrival
C) encounter
D) metamorphosis
E) post-encounter

Question 24

Consistency of behavior is an asset to an organization when the organization ________.

A) has an aggressive culture
B) encourages innovation and risk taking
C) is highly departmentalized
D) has an employee oriented culture
E) operates in a stable environment

Question 25

In recent years, ________ has become the primary concern in acquisitions and mergers.

A) cultural compatibility
B) employee diversity
C) financial advantage
D) product synergy
E) legal complication

Question 26

________ socialization assumes that the newcomer's qualities and qualifications are the necessary ingredients for job success, so these qualities and qualifications are confirmed and supported.

A) Variable
B) Collective
C) Serial
D) Investiture
E) Formal

Question 27

During the ________ stage, a new employee compares her expectations with the realities in the organization.

A) prearrival
B) encounter
C) metamorphosis
D) post-arrival
E) post-encounter

Question 28

________ is a process that helps new employees adapt to the prevailing organizational culture.

A) Satisficing
B) Reciprocal interdependence
C) Socialization
D) Formalization
E) Social loafing

Question 29

Which of the following statements is true about formal socialization?

A) Formal socialization involves socializing the new members individually.
B) Specific orientation and training programs are examples of formal socialization.
C) Apprenticeship and mentoring programs are examples of formal socialization.
D) Formal socialization lacks a fixed time schedule.
E) In formal socialization, new employees are left on their own to figure things out.

Question 30

Which of the following types of socialization involves putting the new employee directly into the job, with little or no special attention?

A) investiture socialization
B) serial socialization
C) collective socialization
D) fixed socialization
E) informal socialization

Question 31

Elsa joined her new law firm expecting to participate in exciting environmental law cases, and cutting edge research. After one month at the firm she still hasn't been assigned a case and spends most of her time filing standardized appeals for title disputes with insurance companies. In which stage of the socialization process is Elsa?

A) prearrival
B) encounter
C) metamorphosis
D) post-encounter
E) post-arrival

Question 32

The selection process helps sustain the organization's culture by ________.

A) encouraging discussion about norms
B) hiring candidates who fit well within the organization
C) selecting employees who deserve to be promoted
D) developing performance evaluation criteria
E) rewarding conformity of skills

Question 33

The ultimate source of an organization's culture is ________.

A) its top management
B) its environment
C) the country in which the organization operates
D) its founders
E) the sociocultural backgrounds of its employees

Question 34

During the socialization process, to work out any problems discovered during the encounter stage, the new member changes or goes through the ________ stage.

A) post-arrival
B) metamorphosis
C) post-encounter
D) analysis
E) evaluation

Question 35

The ________ stage of the socialization process explicitly recognizes that each individual that the organization comes across during the selection process has a set of values, attitudes, and expectations about both the work to be done and the organization.

A) post-encounter
B) prearrival
C) metamorphosis
D) preencounter
E) post-arrival

Question 36

________ socialization tries to strip away certain characteristics of the recruit.

A) Random
B) Fixed
C) Collective
D) Divestiture
E) Formal

Question 37

New employees are usually comfortable with their organizations by the end of the ________ stage of socialization.

A) encounter
B) post-arrival
C) establishment
D) metamorphosis
E) adaptation

Question 38

Identify the correct order in the socialization process.

A) encounter, metamorphosis, post-encounter
B) prearrival, arrival, evaluation
C) prearrival, arrival, post-arrival
D) prearrival, encounter, metamorphosis
E) metamorphosis, preencounter, arrival

Question 39

The ________ process helps candidates learn about the organization and if employees perceive a conflict between their values and those of the organization, they can remove themselves from the applicant pool.

A) orientation
B) training
C) performance evaluation
D) selection
E) institutionalization

Question 40

Apprenticeship and mentoring programs are examples of ________ socialization.

A) divestiture
B) variable
C) serial
D) informal
E) investiture

Question 41

An organizational culture most likely to shape high ethical standards among its members is one that ________.

A) is low in risk tolerance
B) is high in aggressiveness
C) focuses only on outcomes
D) takes a short-term perspective
E) balances the rights of multiple stakeholders

Question 42

Company chants are used to ________.

A) inform employees about changes in rules and policies
B) transmit company culture to employees
C) inform employees about latest technologies
D) communicate company strategies to the employees
E) update employees regarding performance of the company

Question 43

Which of the following is not a means of transmitting culture within an organization?

A) stories
B) people orientation
C) rituals
D) language
E) material symbols

Question 44

Which of the following statements is true regarding effects of national culture on organizational culture and ethical behavior within an organization?

A) As compared to managers in the United States, managers in developing economies are less likely to see ethical decisions as embedded in a social environment.
B) Organizations can safely ignore local culture while establishing its operation in another country.
C) Generally, United States managers see bribery, nepotism, and favoring personal contacts as highly unethical.
D) Organizational cultures rarely reflect national culture.
E) Most United States managers do not view profit maximization as a moral obligation.

Question 45

________ help employees understand the history and past actions of an organization and explain and legitimate current practices by anchoring the present in the past.

A) Stories
B) Material symbols
C) Rituals
D) Organization specific terms
E) Corporate chants

Question 46

Which of the following is not an example of stories?

A) how the new standard operating procedures will be implemented
B) how the founders started the company
C) how the workforce grew from three to three hundred in one year
D) how the company had to cut one thousand employees last year
E) how one of its post popular products was invented

Question 47

Which of the following is not a message conveyed by material symbols?

A) organizational hierarchy
B) top management's egalitarianism
C) the marketing strategy of the organization
D) appropriate risk-taking behavior
E) appropriate authoritarian behavior

Question 48

Alcoa headquarters has few individual offices, even for senior executives. The space is essentially made up of cubicles, common areas, and meeting rooms. This informality conveys to employees that Alcoa values ________.

A) autocracy
B) competitiveness
C) rigidity
D) equality
E) formalization

Question 49

To create a more ethical culture, management should do all of the following except ________.

A) serve as a visible role model
B) encourage unbridled competition
C) provide ethical training
D) communicate ethical expectations
E) provide protective mechanisms

Question 50

Phil is new at JPS Corp., but after a week he already knows that the founder of the corporation started the business in his garage with only $4,000 and one client. This information was most likely transmitted to Phil by way of ________.

A) stories
B) material symbols
C) rituals
D) language
E) corporate chants

Question 51

Trends Inc. is an apparel company. To keep up with the latest changes in the fashion industry, the company has to come up with innovative designs and follow strict time lines. The culture of the company values aggressiveness, innovation, and risk taking. The members of the organization accept these cultural values. They know exactly what is expected of them and these expectations go a long way in shaping their behavior. In addition to this, the culture of the marketing department is outcome oriented and the finance department emphasizes attention to detail.
The organizational culture of Trends Inc. values aggressiveness, innovation, and risk taking. These characteristics express its ________.

A) autocratic culture
B) subculture
C) highly formalized culture
D) reflective culture
E) dominant culture

Question 52

Trends Inc. is an apparel company. To keep up with the latest changes in the fashion industry, the company has to come up with innovative designs and follow strict time lines. The culture of the company values aggressiveness, innovation, and risk taking. The members of the organization accept these cultural values. They know exactly what is expected of them and these expectations go a long way in shaping their behavior. In addition to this, the culture of the marketing department is outcome oriented and the finance department emphasizes attention to detail.
Aggressiveness, innovation, and risk taking are the ________ of the culture of Trends Inc.

A) foundational values
B) institutional traits
C) core values
D) significant traits
E) unique values

Question 53

Larry has an employee who is amazing at clearly seeing rules and enforcing them. He has recently promoted her to the lead position in quality assurance. Which aspect of creating a positive organizational culture is Larry utilizing?

A) rewarding more than punishing
B) building on organization strengths
C) encouraging intense competition
D) building on employee strengths
E) emphasizing short-term gains

Question 54

How can United States managers be culturally sensitive?

A) by indulging in frequent discussions about religion
B) by discussing politics frequently
C) by listening more
D) by speaking quickly
E) by talking in a high tone of voice

Question 55

Barbara is the lead editor for a small, city newspaper. One of her advertising sales representatives, Mathew, is pulling in a lot of restaurant clients. Barbara realizes that Mathew is quite knowledgeable about food and speaks quite elegantly while describing different dishes. She has offered Mathew an opportunity to write a weekly restaurant review. Mathew is very happy with his new job role. Which aspect of creating a positive organization is being utilized by Barbara?

A) rewarding more than punishing
B) building on organization strengths
C) emphasizing individual growth
D) encouraging intense unbridled competition
E) focusing on outcomes

Question 56

In addition to the organizational culture, the finance department emphasizes attention to detail. In this example, attention to detail is a part of the ________ of the organization.

A) core values
B) significant traits
C) dominant culture
D) foundational values
E) subculture

Question 57

Which of the following act(s) as a common denominator to unite members of a given culture or subculture?

A) mechanistic organizational structure
B) 360 degree appraisals
C) jargons and acronyms that are specific to the organization
D) bureaucratic organizational structure
E) unity of command

Question 58

Company chants are examples of ________.

A) rituals
B) material symbols
C) stories
D) company policies
E) business strategies

Question 59

________ typically contain(s) a narrative of events about the organization's founders, rule breaking, or reactions to past mistakes.

A) Stories
B) Material symbols
C) Rituals
D) Language
E) Corporate chants

Question 60

Phyllis works for a corporation that recently fired three top managers who were caught using the company credit cards to lavishly furnish their offices and even purchase "office" furniture that was found in their personal homes. Which method of maintaining an ethical culture is Phyllis's company pursuing?

A) serving as a visible role model
B) communicating ethical expectations
C) providing ethical training
D) visibly punishing unethical acts
E) providing protective mechanisms

Question 61

Organizational characteristics can be used to predict attitudes and behaviors of the people within the organization.

Question 62

In virtual organizations, it is difficult to establish a common set of norms.

Question 63

Today's trend toward decentralized organizations makes it easier to establish a strong culture.

Question 64

A strong culture creates an internal climate of high behavioral control.

Question 65

When you begin to notice things that are not as per your expectation, you are in the ________ stage of socialization.

A) orientation
B) prearrival
C) encounter
D) metamorphosis
E) post-arrival

Question 66

Nunya is a computer software company that employs highly intelligent, but somewhat unusual people. Every Friday, free lollipops, toys, or other treats are given out to encourage employees to remember how creative they were when they were children. All the new members of the organization are told about the founders who were three young people who "got lucky" and sold a video game that they invented. The employees are allowed to dress informally and can set their own working hours.
The regular distribution of lollipops, toys, or treats every Friday is an example of a ________ that helps reinforce Nunya's culture.

A) story
B) ritual
C) material symbol
D) protective mechanism
E) narration

Question 67

When you start to accept the differences between your expectations and the reality of the organization, you move into the ________ stage of socialization.

A) prearrival
B) post-arrival
C) acceptance
D) metamorphosis
E) post-encounter

Question 68

You are new to an organization and do not really know what to expect about the socialization process. You are a recent M.B.A. and have an undergraduate degree in computer science. Your new firm is a software development company with an emphasis in the health care industry. Your hiring process includes campus interviews, a day-long trip for interview at the company, an offer phone call and letter, and some promotional material sent via the mail. When you arrive for your first day at work, you spend half a day in an orientation session that is conducted by the human resources department, where you complete paperwork and receive a company handbook. Then you spend the rest of the day with your supervisor, who gives you a tour, introduces you to your co-workers, and explains your first project. After that, you begin working and getting to know the others in the company. You find that in most respects, your experience fits your expectations, but in some ways you are surprised by realities that you hadn't expected. None of these surprises is too difficult to accept, so you eventually begin to feel at home and happy with your new job.
Your first day at work is part of the ________ stage of socialization.

A) orientation
B) prearrival
C) encounter
D) metamorphosis
E) post-encounter

Question 69

Individuals with different backgrounds or at different levels in the organization will tend to describe the organization's culture in similar terms.

Question 70

If organizations were composed only of numerous subcultures, organizational culture as an independent variable would be significantly more powerful.

Question 71

Which of the following steps could your supervisor take to best help you develop a commitment to your new company?

A) encourage you to work independently at first to learn the ropes
B) explain the rules and policies of the organization to you
C) discourage you from putting too much emphasis on your perception of the organization
D) encourage you to look carefully at your own assumptions, which may be biased
E) encourage you to develop friendship ties within the organization

Question 72

Nunya is a computer software company that employs highly intelligent, but somewhat unusual people. Every Friday, free lollipops, toys, or other treats are given out to encourage employees to remember how creative they were when they were children. All the new members of the organization are told about the founders who were three young people who "got lucky" and sold a video game that they invented. The employees are allowed to dress informally and can set their own working hours.
Informing employees about the founders is an example of which technique for transmitting culture?

A) stories
B) material symbols
C) language
D) rituals
E) corporate chants

Question 73

Aggressiveness is one of the seven primary characteristics that capture the essence of an organization's culture. It indicates the degree to which employees are encouraged to be innovative and take risks.

Question 74

Based on the information in the example, we can say that Trends Inc. ________.

A) is a highly centralized organization
B) is a virtual organization
C) has a strong culture
D) is a highly formalized organization
E) is a matrix organization

Question 75

Subcultures act to undermine the dominant culture.

Question 76

A strong culture tends to reduce employee turnover.

Question 77

Your supervisor arranges for you to become involved in an apprenticeship program to learn the in's and out's of your job from an experienced employee. This apprenticeship program is an example of ________ socialization.

A) divestiture
B) random
C) informal
D) serial
E) variable

Question 78

Attention to detail indicates the degree to which management focuses on results or outcomes rather than on the techniques and processes used to achieve them.

Question 79

Nunya is a computer software company that employs highly intelligent, but somewhat unusual people. Every Friday, free lollipops, toys, or other treats are given out to encourage employees to remember how creative they were when they were children. All the new members of the organization are told about the founders who were three young people who "got lucky" and sold a video game that they invented. The employees are allowed to dress informally and can set their own working hours.
Nunya employees are allowed to dress informally. This is an example of a ________ through which organizational culture is transmitted.

A) story
B) ritual
C) material symbol
D) symbolic act
E) tool

Question 80

You are new to an organization and do not really know what to expect about the socialization process. You are a recent M.B.A. and have an undergraduate degree in computer science. Your new firm is a software development company with an emphasis in the health care industry. Your hiring process includes campus interviews, a day-long trip for interview at the company, an offer phone call and letter, and some promotional material sent via the mail. When you arrive for your first day at work, you spend half a day in an orientation session that is conducted by the human resources department, where you complete paperwork and receive a company handbook. Then you spend the rest of the day with your supervisor, who gives you a tour, introduces you to your co-workers, and explains your first project. After that, you begin working and getting to know the others in the company. You find that in most respects, your experience fits your expectations, but in some ways you are surprised by realities that you hadn't expected. None of these surprises is too difficult to accept, so you eventually begin to feel at home and happy with your new job.
The information that you receive during the interviewing and hiring process is a part of the ________ stage of employee socialization.

A) preencounter
B) prearrival
C) encounter
D) metamorphosis
E) post-encounter