Question 1

A direct and sometimes effective way to convince people to change is to

Accepted Answer

The answer of A direct and sometimes effective way to...

Question 2

Alison, a line manager at the computer monitor manufacturer Ocular, has come up with a new system to streamline production. However, her supervisor resists the idea on the basis that the current system "has worked just fine for a couple of decades." The supervisor's resistance to change is a result of

Accepted Answer

The supervisor's resistance to change is a result of inertia, meaning they are comfortable with the current system and reluctant to change it, even if a new system may be more efficient or effective.

Question 3

"Bjorn, your group members are going to resist that change, regardless of the content of the change. That's human nature. The old ways of doing things are comfortable and easy, so your staff will not want to try something new. That's called ________," said Bjorn's manager and mentor.

Accepted Answer

The sentence "The old ways of doing things are comfortable and easy, so your staff will not want to try something new" indicates that the staff will resist change due to the inertia of sticking to old routines.

Question 4

Juana Ponce, CEO of Gabriel Enterprises, told her vice presidents, "We're a huge company, and we are talking about a massive change in the way we do business. A lot of long-time employees will resist these changes, so we must help them recognize that their old ways are obsolete." How would you advise them to accomplish this?

Accepted Answer

Comparing the organization's performance to that of its competitors is a sensible way to help employees recognize that their old ways are obsolete. It helps them understand that the changes are necessary to stay competitive in the market. Scaring or threatening employees may lead to resistance and resentment, and blaming employees for the organization's performance is unfair and unproductive. It is also important to involve employees in the change process by seeking their feedback and input.

Question 5

The key to successful change in an organization is

Accepted Answer

People are the most important factor in successful change in an organization. It is essential to get buy-in from employees and stakeholders, involve them in the change process, and provide support and resources to help them adapt to the new way of doing things. Technology, bureaucracy, timing, and capital are also important, but without the support and commitment of people, change efforts are unlikely to be successful.

Question 6

Despite a good balance sheet and stock performance in recent quarters, the top management of Ackerman Consumer Products can see trouble on the horizon. From its beginnings as a family business manufacturing specific household items, it has grown to an industry giant with a line that includes several hundred tools. This growth has allowed it to acquire three other former rivals, all of which were victims of their own inability to change with the times. Along the way, Ackerman has maintained the same principles, particularly in terms of valuing the contributions of its employees and cultivating a strong workforce. Nevertheless, earnings are off. Which of the following did Ackerman's leadership most likely fail to do during the course of the organization's growth over the past few years?

Accepted Answer

The decrease in earnings suggests that there may be inefficiencies in the manufacturing and shipping process. Designing a cohesive workflow program would help address these inefficiencies and increase efficiency, leading to higher earnings. The other options may also be beneficial for the organization, but they are less directly related to the current issue of declining earnings.

Question 7

After reading a Harvard/McKinsey study of organizational excellence, CEO Don Stillhouse was motivated to lead his company to achieve sustained, superior performance by focusing on the key factors identified by the authors, i.e.,

Accepted Answer

The key factors identified in the Harvard/McKinsey study for organizational excellence are strategy, execution, culture, and structure.

Question 8

Organization development has an underlying ________ orientation.

Accepted Answer

Organization development focuses on enhancing the value and effectiveness of an organization, rather than solely focusing on profit, stability, dominance or protection.

Question 9

Doreen has announced to her employees at the Cable Car Bakery that she is changing their pay structure in a way that she believes will benefit them in the long run. However, Taryn is not so convinced, and later she tells her coworkers that her sister's employer did something similar. "No matter what she says," Taryn said regarding Doreen, "it's all about what benefits her." This is an example of ________, a cause for resistance to change.

Accepted Answer

Taryn's comment reflects a different assessment of the change compared to Doreen's perspective, which can hamper acceptance of the change.

Question 10

Having recognized that their company is not where it needs to be in terms of sales, profits, or other metrics, the managers at Marathon Athletic Gear have established some goals and long-term objectives. This is the beginning of the stage known as

Accepted Answer

The answer of Having recognized that their company is not...

Question 11

Francisco, a project manager at a telephone systems engineering firm, is holding a meeting in which he announces to the members of his work group that from now on, they will need to copy him on all email correspondence with clients. This raises an uproar, which Francisco quells by holding up a hand and saying, "This is the way I want it done!" He looks around the room before saying "Any questions?" in a tone that implies there had better not be any questions. As a result, the team members comply, but every time one of them has to copy Francisco on a client email, no matter how insignificant the subject matter, they resent it. This is an example of resistance brought about by

Accepted Answer

Francisco is using a top-down management approach and forcing his team members to comply with his new rule without any explanation or discussion. This tactic is likely to cause resentment and resistance among team members. The team members may feel that their autonomy and trust are being compromised by this new rule. Ultimately, this kind of resistance can be damaging to the project and may result in lower productivity and employee satisfaction.

Question 12

Refreezing is

Accepted Answer

Refreezing is the final step in the process of motivating meaningful change, and it involves promoting continued adaptability and flexibility. This means that individuals or organizations should not become complacent after implementing changes, but instead should continue to experiment and seek improvement. Creating rigid behaviors (B) or preventing the need for future changes (D) could ultimately hinder growth and progress. While refreezing may be the first step in some situations, it is not always the case (E).

Question 13

Strategic, techno-structural, human resource management, and human process are types of

Accepted Answer

Strategic, techno-structural, human resource management, and human process are all types of organization development interventions. These interventions are aimed at improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the organization by focusing on its structure, systems, and people. They are typically used to bring about long-term and sustainable changes in the organization's culture, values, and practices.

Question 14

The CEO of Universal Products Group is implementing changes to the company that will be difficult for the employees. The best approach to managing resistance to change would be to ________ the staff about the upcoming changes, before they occur, and to ________ the nature of the changes and their logic.

Accepted Answer

Educating the staff about the upcoming changes before they occur and communicating the nature of the changes and their logic is the best approach to managing resistance to change. This will help employees to understand why the changes are necessary and how they will impact their work, which can reduce their resistance and increase their acceptance of the changes. Vaguely communicating or not mentioning the changes will likely lead to confusion and distrust among employees. Freezing and refreezing are not relevant to managing resistance to change. Learning from and harmonizing with staff may be helpful, but education and communication are key components of managing resistance to change.

Question 15

The most accurate definition of a performance gap is the difference between

Accepted Answer

A performance gap is typically defined as the difference between what is currently being achieved or produced and what has the potential to be achieved or produced. This definition suggests that there is room for improvement and that the focus should be on identifying ways to close the gap and reach a higher level of performance.

Question 16

Claus manages a large business unit in a global corporation. Recently, the business unit has experienced recruiting failures. Claus needs to change the long-standing recruiting process, although many staff will resist any changes, including Nick, a tremendous talent but a "loose cannon." Nick has been vocal in his criticism of the recruiting program. What is a covert tactic that Claus might successfully employ to change his recruiting program and gain the staff's acceptance of the changes?

Accepted Answer

Using co-optation by asking Nick to play a significant role in the change process can not only help gain his support but also influence other staff members who respect Nick's opinions and leadership abilities. This can be a way to bring a vocal critic of the recruiting process on board and create a sense of ownership and collaboration towards the change.

Question 17

When management realizes that its current practices are no longer appropriate and that the company must break out of its present mold by doing things differently, this is known as the ________ stage of motivating change.

Accepted Answer

Unfreezing is the stage where the management realizes the need for change and starts creating awareness about it. They recognize that their current practices are no longer effective and need to be modified.

Question 18

Another name for the genius of the and is organizational

Accepted Answer

The concept of ambidexterity refers to the ability of an organization to balance and excel in both exploration (innovative, entrepreneurial pursuits) and exploitation (efficiency, optimization of current capabilities). This requires a high level of organizational genius in order to maintain the balance and effectively allocate resources.

Question 19

The systemwide application of behavioral science knowledge to develop, improve, and reinforce the strategies, structures, and processes that lead to organizational effectiveness is referred to as organization

Accepted Answer

The definition provided in the question specifically refers to organization development as the application of behavioral science to increase organizational effectiveness. The other options, such as restructuring, reengineering, ambidexterity, and positioning, may involve organizational development as a component but do not fully capture the definition provided.

Question 20

Estelle Melendez, factory manager at West Coast Manufacturing, told her shift supervisor, "Bob, our target reject rate is 1.5 percent or less. Your shift usually performs at a reject rate even lower than that. But recently your reject rate has crept up to 3 percent. That's unacceptable." Estelle has identified a(n)

Accepted Answer

Estelle has identified a performance gap, which is the difference between the expected or desired performance and the actual performance. She is expressing concern that Bob's shift is not meeting the company's target reject rate and has identified a specific percentage that is considered unacceptable.

Quiz 18: Creating and Leading Change