Question 1

A large electronics manufacturer has recently hired Susan Vining. Her responsibilities include motivating and disciplining project leaders, keeping track of performance and providing feedback, and improving communications and productivity of the various projects. These responsibilities are closely affiliated with ____________ management.

Accepted Answer

Susan Vining's responsibilities of motivating and disciplining project leaders, tracking performance, providing feedback, and improving communications and productivity align with the role of middle management. Middle managers are typically responsible for translating the goals and directives from top management to the operational activities performed by first-line managers and their teams. They play a crucial role in motivating employees, overseeing operational performance, and ensuring effective communication within the organization.

Question 2

Which of the following is a middle manager not likely to do?

Accepted Answer

Middle managers typically act as a bridge between top management and first-line managers, focusing on implementing the organization's strategies and policies rather than encouraging direct communication between first-line managers and top management.

Question 3

Martha Goodrum's promotion to manager of Cafe Express has been met with 70-hour workweeks starting at 3 a.m. She must meet a profit target by using company mandated sales strategies. What type of manager is Goodrum?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Martha Goodrum's promotion to manager of Cafe...

Question 4

Sam Shichijo is attempting to establish target dates for his division. Further, he has been involved in developing evaluation criteria for the performance of his employees and supervisors. He is a little overwhelmed with deciding which projects should be given money, personnel, and materials. Shichijo would most likely be classified as a ___________ manager.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Sam Shichijo is attempting to establish target...

Question 5

Mando Nava is responsible for translating top management policies into specific goals. Nava's position would best be classified as a __________.

Accepted Answer

Middle managers are responsible for translating the high-level policies and goals set by top management into specific, actionable objectives for the organization. They serve as a bridge between the top management and the first-line employees, making strategic goals more tangible and achievable through detailed planning and coordination.

Question 6

Typical job titles of top managers include all of the following except:

Accepted Answer

All the options listed (chairman, division president, chief executive officer) are indeed typical job titles for top managers, indicating that all of the above are correct examples of such positions.

Question 7

Larry Ellison, CEO of Oracle, realized that changes needed to be made for Oracle to succeed. These changes included the creation of:

Accepted Answer

Larry Ellison, CEO of Oracle, initiated the creation of a "Fusion Strategy Council" as part of the changes to ensure Oracle's success. This council was aimed at integrating various software applications and services to provide comprehensive solutions to customers, reflecting Oracle's strategic shift towards cloud computing and services integration.

Question 8

Oracle's goal in revising their compensation system was to:

Accepted Answer

Oracle aimed to revise their compensation system to make it more customer-oriented, aligning incentives with customer satisfaction and long-term relationships.

Question 9

Top managers spend most of their day (over 75 percent) planning and leading. They spend most of their leading time _________.

Accepted Answer

Top managers spend a significant portion of their leading time working with key people outside their own organization to develop and maintain relationships that are crucial for the organization's success. This includes networking, negotiations, partnerships, and other external engagements.

Question 10

Setting the overall direction of an organization is the responsibility of

Accepted Answer

Top managers are responsible for setting the overall direction of an organization, making decisions that affect the entire organization, and establishing the objectives and plans that guide the organization at a high level.

Question 11

Dylan Summers tells his managers at Visa Card to invest at least 40 percent of their time in improving self-management of their own ethics, character, and conduct. Summers operates at the __________ level.

Accepted Answer

Dylan Summers is operating at the top management level because focusing on self-management of ethics, character, and conduct is a strategic initiative that impacts the organization's culture and ethical standards, which is typically a responsibility of top-level executives.

Question 12

Top managers _ ________.

Accepted Answer

Top managers are responsible for setting the overall direction and strategy of an organization, making high-level decisions, and ensuring the organization's success. Choices A, C, and D describe roles typically associated with middle or lower-level management, not top management.

Question 13

Which of the following statements is not representative of top management?

Accepted Answer

Top management is responsible for strategic decisions and the overall direction of the company, not for determining the specific amount of earnings to report. This task is typically handled by the finance and accounting departments within the guidelines of accounting principles and regulations.

Question 14

Lauren Gross feels great pressure and demands in her job at ExxonMobil. Her typical day involves disposing of twenty-seven pieces of mail, handling six telephone calls per hour, and going to five meetings each day. Gross is most likely experiencing the challenges felt by ________________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Lauren Gross feels great pressure and demands...

Question 15

Albert Stroucken, president and C.E.O. of H.B. Fuller, was a target of questions several years ago from the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) and the media after tests revealed that children in Central America sniff Resistol, a glue used in making shoes. The children sniff the glue because it provides a temporary euphoria that relieves hunger and hopelessness in their homes in Honduras and Guatemala. The FDA has charged that the glue's fumes can cause brain damage. What managerial position does Stroucken most likely hold?

Accepted Answer

As the president and CEO of H.B. Fuller, Albert Stroucken holds a top managerial position, responsible for overseeing the entire organization and making strategic decisions.

Question 16

Leslie Helms seems to spend days and nights working for General Electric. It seems that one night she may spend working late at the office and the next night entertaining business associates. Even when she goes home, Helms uses her study as a branch office. She is most likely fulfilling the role of .

Accepted Answer

Leslie Helms is most likely fulfilling the role of top management, as her extensive involvement in both operational and strategic activities, such as working late and entertaining business associates, indicates a high level of responsibility typical of top management roles.

Question 17

Stephen Lee's typical business week includes using his own technical expertise in metal framing buildings, keeping good rapport with the community, knowing union and non-union hiring practices, supervising work crews, and monitoring the financial matters of his company. Lee is what type of manager?

Accepted Answer

Lee's involvement in both the operational aspects of his business, such as using technical expertise and supervising work crews, along with strategic responsibilities like monitoring financial matters and maintaining community relations, indicates he performs roles across all levels of management, typical of a business owner.

Question 18

It takes all of the following managerial competencies to be a great manager except:

Accepted Answer

Technical expertise is important but not necessarily a core managerial competency for being a great manager, as managerial roles often focus more on leadership and interpersonal skills.

Question 19

Communication competency is essential to effective managerial performance. Which of the following activities do not require this competency?

Accepted Answer

All the activities listed involve communication skills, whether it's face-to-face interaction, negotiating, or understanding non-verbal cues, making communication competency essential for each.

Question 20

Which of the following is true concerning informal communication?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following is true concerning...

Quiz 1: Developing Managerial Competencies