Question 1

The purpose of the bank wiring observation room experiment, which is one of the phases of the Hawthorne studies, was to analyze ________.

Accepted Answer

The bank wiring observation room experiment was designed to analyze the impact of social relationships in a work group, specifically the effect of group dynamics and informal social interactions on worker productivity.

Question 2

D&B Inc., conducted a review of its organizational practices, and concluded that changes to the current system would result in increased efficiency. The company proposed a change in work timings and remuneration policies and implemented it for a trial period. When the employees were surveyed by their managers to discover their reaction to the changes, most employees noted that the new system boosted productivity, though a few reported that accommodating to the new system was difficult. However, management decided to go ahead and implement the new system. The actions of the management can be explained by Fayol's principle of ________.

Accepted Answer

The management's decision to go ahead and implement the new system despite some employees reporting difficulties accommodating to it reflects Fayol's principle of subordination of the individual to the general interest, where the interest of the organization is prioritized over the interests of the individual employees.

Question 3

One of the general principles of management explained by Fayol is "unity of command." What does this principle mean?

Accepted Answer

Unity of command means that each worker should receive orders from only one manager, preventing confusion and conflicting directions.

Question 4

Gene Co., a pharmaceutical company, directs its management to increase production through an understanding of people. The company believes that if managers understand their people and adapt their organizations to them, organizational success will follow. Which management approach is Gene Co. adopting in this scenario?

Accepted Answer

Gene Co. is adopting the behavioral approach in this scenario by focusing on understanding and adapting to their employees. The behavioral approach emphasizes the importance of understanding human behavior and motivation in the workplace to improve organizational success.

Question 5

If BFL followed the management approach of the human relations movement, which one of the following will be the MOST likely outcome?

Accepted Answer

The human relations movement emphasizes the importance of interpersonal relationships and communication in the workplace. Regular training for managers to enhance technical and interpersonal skills aligns with this approach, as it fosters better communication and relationships, leading to increased productivity.

Question 6

The Hawthorne Studies sparked the ________, a people-oriented approach to management in which the interaction of people in organizations is studied to judge its impact on organizational success.

Accepted Answer

The Hawthorne Studies are known for sparking the human relations movement in management, which focuses on the importance of human interactions and relationships within organizations. The behavioral study movement, scientific management movement, "one best way" model, and motion studies initiative are all different approaches to management that were popular before or after the human relations movement.

Question 7

Abraham Maslow believed that managers must understand the physiological, safety, social, esteem, and ________ needs of organization members.

Accepted Answer

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs theory suggests that individuals have five levels of needs, beginning with physiological needs such as food, water, and shelter, followed by safety needs, social needs, and esteem needs. The final level is self-actualization, which involves fulfilling one's full potential. Therefore, the missing need in the list provided is self-actualization.

Question 8

In Fayol's principles of management, "decentralization" implies that ________.

Accepted Answer

Decentralization refers to the delegation of decision-making authority to lower-level employees or departments. This implies that the importance of the subordinate role should be increased, as they are given more responsibility and decision-making power. Therefore, option B is the correct answer.

Question 9

Each manager in an organization possesses certain amounts of authority. For example, the president possesses the most authority; the first-line supervisor, the least. According to Fayol, this is known as ________.

Accepted Answer

The scalar chain is the principle that each manager in an organization has a defined level of authority, with the topmost position possessing the most authority and the lowest position possessing the least.

Question 10

The ultimate objective of the human relations approach is to ________.

Accepted Answer

The human relations approach aims to study and analyze the interaction of workers in organizations to enhance organizational success. It focuses on improving communication, creating positive work relationships, and developing the skills of workers to increase their job satisfaction and productivity. Options A, B, and C are not the main objectives of the human relations approach, and option D only addresses a specific aspect of work tasks rather than the overall goals of the approach.

Question 11

Fayol presented work specialization as the best way to use the ________ resources of the organization.

Accepted Answer

Fayol believed that work specialization allowed for the efficient use of human resources by assigning specific tasks to workers based on their skills and abilities. This would enable workers to become experts in their respective tasks and increase productivity. While capital, monetary, material, and technological resources may also be important factors in organizational efficiency, Fayol's focus on work specialization specifically pertains to the use of human resources.

Question 12

Jane, a manager in a soda company, believes that the classical approach to management will help her to schedule her employees' tasks and handle people better. But using only the classical approach may not be the ideal approach because ________.

Accepted Answer

The classical approach to management focuses on increasing efficiency and productivity through a scientific approach to job design and task scheduling, but it does not adequately address the human variables involved in production. Therefore, using only this approach may not be the ideal approach for managing employees.

Question 13

One of the phases of the Hawthorne studies was the relay assembly test room experiments. The experimenters believed that if they studied productivity long enough, under different working conditions, they would discover the working conditions that maximized production. Thus, these experiments originally had a ________ orientation.

Accepted Answer

The Hawthorne studies, including the relay assembly test room experiments, started with a scientific management orientation. The researchers were looking for the most efficient way to increase productivity and believed that studying and manipulating working conditions would lead to this outcome. However, as the experiments progressed and unexpected results emerged, the focus shifted towards a behavioral management perspective.

Question 14

Which one of the following conclusions was drawn by the experimenters from the bank wiring observation room experiment?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which one of the following conclusions was...

Question 15

The management science approach suggests that managers can best improve their organizations by ________.

Accepted Answer

The management science approach is based on using scientific and mathematical techniques to analyze and solve operational problems. Thus, the best way for managers to improve their organizations is by applying the scientific method and mathematical techniques to identify and solve problems, make decisions, and optimize processes.

Question 16

One of the general principles of management suggested by Fayol is centralization. What is centralization?

Accepted Answer

Centralization refers to the concentration of decision-making authority at the top level of an organization, which means that the importance of the subordinate role is lowered. This is in contrast to decentralization, which involves delegating decision-making authority to lower levels of the organization.

Question 17

Which of the following conclusions was drawn by the experimenters from the relay assembly test room experiments of the Hawthorne studies?

Accepted Answer

The Hawthorne studies found that there was no consistent relationship between productivity and lighting intensity. While the initial hypothesis was that increasing light intensity would lead to increased productivity, the experiments showed that productivity varied for reasons other than lighting. Therefore, choice B is the best conclusion drawn from the relay assembly test room experiments.

Question 18

Hawthorne study results helped managers to see that ________.

Accepted Answer

The Hawthorne study results led to the realization that understanding what motivates employees is a critical part of management. The study revealed that productivity increased not only due to changes in physical working conditions but also due to social and psychological factors such as job satisfaction, morale, and motivation.

Question 19

The Hawthorne Studies were conducted in two phases: the relay assembly test room experiments and the bank wiring observation room experiment. Which of the following approaches was developed based on these studies?

Accepted Answer

The Hawthorne Studies were the basis of the behavioral approach, which focuses on understanding and managing human behavior in organizations.

Question 20

Lynn is a manager in an organization that produces optical fiber cables. She follows the Fayol principle of "esprit de corps" in her interactions with the team. Which of the following does this imply?

Accepted Answer

The principle of "esprit de corps" emphasizes the importance of creating a harmonious and upbeat team environment where individuals work together towards achieving a common goal. Therefore, Lynn's interactions with her team would reflect this principle, and her team members are likely to enjoy working together in a positive and supportive setting. Thus, the correct choice is E.

Quiz 2: Managing: History and Current Thinking