Question 1

Randall heads a department in a major manufacturing corporation.He strives to maintain a free-rein approach to leadership in most situations.Recently,Randall's company lost a major contract that it had been counting on to keep its production line moving.The company needs to take quick action to adjust its operations and slash its expenses.Under these conditions,Randall should maintain his free-rein style of leadership.

Accepted Answer

In a crisis situation, such as the loss of a major contract, it is important for a leader to take charge and make quick decisions. In such situations, a directive leadership style may be more effective than a free-rein approach.

Question 2

Research has shown that employee participation in decision-making improves job satisfaction.

Accepted Answer

According to various academic studies and research, employee participation in decision-making improves job satisfaction as it helps employees feel more valued, engaged and invested in the organization's success. It also fosters a sense of autonomy and control, which further enhances job satisfaction.

Question 3

A recent customer survey has convinced top managers at Akwip Corporation that their firm is doing a poor job in responding quickly to the needs of customers.The managers are very concerned about this problem.Empowerment might be an approach that would help Akwip improve its responsiveness.

Accepted Answer

Empowerment can help employees at Akwip Corporation to make decisions on their own which can result in faster responses to customer needs.

Question 4

Hatty is a middle manager at Watta-Deihl Incorporated.The company's top management has just announced that they are going to initiate a policy of empowerment.In order for this policy to succeed,Hatty and other managers will need to adopt a more autocratic style of leadership.

Accepted Answer

Empowerment typically involves giving more decision-making power to employees, which is not consistent with an autocratic leadership style. Instead, managers would need to adopt a more participative or democratic leadership style to encourage employee involvement and input.

Question 5

Given the lack of discipline and short attention spans of today's workers,modern managers must watch their workers closely,set strict rules,and vigorously enforce them.

Accepted Answer

This statement is a stereotype and is not true for all workers. It is important for managers to trust and empower their employees, provide clear expectations, and have open communication to ensure productivity and success. Micromanaging can actually decrease productivity and morale among workers.

Question 6

The last step in the rational decision-making model is to determine whether the decision was a good one and follow up.

Accepted Answer

The last step in the rational decision-making model is indeed to evaluate and follow up on the decision made.

Question 7

Tactical planning involves making decisions about which customers to serve,what products or services to sell,and the geographic areas in which the firm will compete.

Accepted Answer

The fundamental nature of the topics described in this question would be considered in the strategic planning process.

Question 8

Goals are broad,long-term accomplishments an organization wants to achieve.

Accepted Answer

Goals are indeed broad, long-term accomplishments that an organization aims to achieve.

Question 9

While goals are measurable,objectives are not.

Accepted Answer

Objectives are measurable and specific, just like goals. In fact, objectives are often used to break down larger goals into smaller, more manageable parts.

Question 10

Astro is a no-nonsense boss who believes that the best way for an organization to achieve its goals is for workers to follow their boss' orders.Thus,he tells workers exactly what to do and how to do it.Astro's approach is an example of directing.

Accepted Answer

The statement describes Astro's approach as directing, which involves giving specific instructions and closely supervising workers to ensure they follow them. Therefore, the statement is true.

Question 11

Planning is one of the four key functions of management.

Accepted Answer

Planning is one of the four key functions of management, which also includes organizing, leading, and controlling. Planning involves setting goals, determining the best course of action, and developing strategies to achieve objectives.

Question 12

Managers are most effective when they consistently use the same leadership style with every employee assigned to their work group.

Accepted Answer

Managers should adapt their leadership style based on the individual employee's work style, personality, and other factors. A one-size-fits-all approach may not be effective for every employee in the work group.

Question 13

Beth has spent the last two hours going over some consumer surveys to see how well her company is achieving its goal of improving customer satisfaction.Beth's efforts are an example of the controlling function of management.

Accepted Answer

The controlling function of management involves monitoring and evaluating performance against objectives, which is exactly what Beth is doing by reviewing consumer surveys to see how well her company is achieving its goal of improving customer satisfaction.

Question 14

Boyd is a manager for the Aces High Card Company,a firm that designs and manufactures greeting cards and party favours.Boyd spends a lot of time trying to find the right people for various positions.These efforts are part of the controlling function of management.

Accepted Answer

Finding the right people for various positions is part of the staffing function of management, not the controlling function.

Question 15

The encompassing explanation of why an organization exists and what it is trying to achieve is called the organization's directive.

Accepted Answer

The encompassing explanation of why an organization exists and what it is trying to achieve is called the organization's mission statement, not directive.

Question 16

As a management function,the main focus of controlling is to keep complete and up-to-date records of the organization's financial transactions for tax and regulatory purposes.

Accepted Answer

While keeping financial records is a part of controlling, it is not the main focus. The main focus of controlling is to monitor and evaluate performance to ensure that goals are being met and corrective action can be taken if necessary.

Question 17

Planning involves setting the organizational vision,goals,and objectives.

Accepted Answer

Planning is the process of defining the organizational vision, goals, and objectives, as well as determining the best approaches to achieve them.

Question 18

A mission statement outlines the fundamental purposes of an organization.

Accepted Answer

A mission statement defines the purpose and goals of an organization in a clear and concise manner. It serves as a guide for decision-making and helps stakeholders understand the values and priorities of the organization.

Question 19

Juanita is a project manager for a group of experienced and creative programmers at Win Out Software,a publisher of popular computer games.Since the programmers are bright,creative,and highly motivated,Juanita simply describes the basic ideas for each new game that she wants developed,then allows the programmers a great deal of freedom to do what it takes to reach those objectives.Juanita is using a free-rein leadership style.

Accepted Answer

As described, Juanita is giving her team a great deal of freedom and autonomy, which aligns with the free-rein leadership style.

Question 20

Ed is concerned about the number of customers complaining about the poor service provided by the department he manages for a hardware store.He is convinced that his employees can provide better service and cut complaints significantly.Ed has set a goal for his department to reduce customer complaints by 15% within six months.This goal is an example of the type of performance standard needed for effective controlling.

Accepted Answer

Setting a goal to reduce customer complaints by a specific percentage within a specific time frame is an example of a performance standard, which is a key component of effective controlling.

Quiz 8: Management and Leadership