Question 1

In social network analysis, groups can become too insular and fail to share what they have learned with people outside the group. This is a result of
A) intellect.
B) closure.
C) bridging relationships.
D) diverse knowledge.

Accepted Answer

Insularity and failure to share with outsiders is a result of group closure, where the group becomes too exclusive and insulated from outside perspectives and knowledge. The other options (intellect, bridging relationships, diverse knowledge) do not directly relate to this issue.

Question 2

In social network analysis, the importance of ties connecting heterogeneous people that help to ensure a wide range of diversity in information and perspective is known as
A) closure.
B) social supports.
C) redundancy.
D) bridging relationships.

Accepted Answer

Bridging relationships refer to ties that connect people from different social groups or communities, ensuring a diverse range of information and perspectives. These ties are important for preventing groupthink and promoting innovation and creativity. Closure, social supports, and redundancy are all important concepts in social network analysis, but they do not specifically refer to the importance of connecting heterogeneous people.

Question 3

One of the important limitations of social capital is that it can lead to ________ whereby people do not question shared beliefs.
A) skunkworks
B) think tanks
C) isolation
D) groupthink

Accepted Answer

Social capital can lead to groupthink, which is a phenomenon where members of a group prioritize maintaining harmony within the group over critical thinking and challenging of shared beliefs. This can result in flawed decision-making and a lack of creativity or innovation.

Question 4

Top executives can use email effectively for all of the following except
A) updates on company strategy.
B) executive perspectives on key issues.
C) overview of the executive work for the month.
D) updates on corporate intelligence.

Accepted Answer

Martin Sorrell, chairman of WPP Group PLC, the huge 17 billion USD advertising and public relations firm, is a strong believer in the use of email. He emails all of his employees once a month to discuss how the company is doing, address specific issues, and offer his perspectives on hot issues, such as new business models for the Internet. He believes that it keeps people abreast of what he is working on. Corporate intelligence generally is a market research activity that is shared on a need-to-know list that is different from an email blast across the company.

Question 5

The ________, ________, and ________ talent is a necessary but not sufficient condition for creating competitive advantages.
A) attraction; laissez-faire; retention of
B) observance; laissez-faire; regard for
C) attraction; development; retention of
D) observance; development; hands-off approach to

Accepted Answer

The sentence is referring to the talent of a company's employees, and the three factors being mentioned are attraction (i.e. being able to hire talented individuals), development (i.e. investing in employees' growth and learning), and retention (i.e. keeping talented employees in the company). Option A (laissez-faire) and Option B (observance and regard) do not accurately reflect the concepts being discussed in the sentence. Option D relates to a "hands-off approach", which is not explicitly mentioned in the sentence. Therefore, the best option is C because it accurately reflects the concepts being discussed in the sentence - attracting, developing, and retaining talent.

Question 6

Knowledge-based resources tend to be more ________ in nature and therefore they are ________ difficult to protect against loss (i.e., the individual quitting the organization) than other types of capital, such as equipment, machinery, and land.
A) explicit; less
B) explicitly; more
C) tacit; more
D) tacit; less

Accepted Answer

Knowledge-based resources are typically tacit in nature, meaning they are based on shared knowledge or expertise that is difficult to codify or transfer. Because of this, they are often more difficult to protect against loss when individuals leave the organization compared to explicit resources such as equipment or machinery which can be physically owned and transferred.

Question 7

Structural holes, according to Ron Burt of the University of Chicago, are the ________ gap between two groups and are common in organizations.
A) economic
B) social
C) interpersonal
D) relational

Accepted Answer

Structural holes refer to the social gap between two groups or individuals in an organization. This gap can lead to an opportunity for individuals who can bridge the gap by connecting these groups, thus providing access to new ideas, knowledge, and resources. Therefore, option B) social is the correct answer. Options A, C, and D are incorrect as they do not accurately describe the concept of structural holes.

Question 8

If employees are working effectively in teams and sharing their knowledge and learning from each other, they will be ________ to add value to the firm and they also will be ________ toleave the organization because of the loyalties and social ties that they develop over time.
A) more likely; more likely
B) less likely; more likely
C) less likely; less likely
D) more likely; less likely

Accepted Answer

If employees are working effectively in teams and sharing their knowledge and learning from each other, not only will they be more likely to add value to the firm, but they also will be less likely to leave the organization because of the loyalties and social ties that they develop over time.

Question 9

The use of sophisticated information sharing platforms has increased in recent years in many organizations. This has helped to
A) facilitate internal and external collaboration.
B) keep employees satisfied with social networks.
C) override the need for email.
D) increase paperwork.

Accepted Answer

Sophisticated information sharing platforms such as collaboration tools, project management software, and social intranets facilitate internal and external collaboration, making it easier for teams to communicate and work together on projects. These platforms help organizations streamline workflows, improve communication, and increase productivity. They also allow for more transparency and accountability in the workplace. Therefore, option A is the best choice. Option B is incorrect because sophisticated information sharing platforms are not related to employee satisfaction with social networks. Option C is also incorrect because these platforms do not override the need for email, as email is still a necessary communication tool in many workplaces. Option D is incorrect because sophisticated information sharing platforms typically aim to reduce paperwork and streamline processes.

Question 10

Social networks can assist with career success. One of the advantages of having a large social network is
A) it can help provide more complete and unbiased perspectives on issues.
B) it creates ways to guard secrets.
C) it can create ways to solve problems alone.
D) it organizes ways to isolate problems from solutions.

Accepted Answer

Having a large social network can provide access to diverse perspectives and opinions, allowing for more well-rounded problem-solving and decision-making. These varying perspectives can also help in avoiding biased or incomplete information.

Question 11

Social capital has downsides. Which of the following is a downside?
A) High social capital may breed groupthink.
B) Socialization processes are inexpensive.
C) Individuals may be more willing to collaborate on joint projects.
D) Management commitment is easy to obtain.

Accepted Answer

High social capital may lead to a strong pressure to conform to group norms and may discourage dissent and creative thinking, which can result in groupthink. The other choices are either not downsides or are unrelated to social capital's downsides.

Question 12

Advantages of effective social networks for career success include all the following except
A) access to private information.
B) greater redundancy in knowledge sources.
C) access to diverse skill sets.
D) greater power.

Accepted Answer

Effective social networks can play a key role in the advancement and success of a personal career. A personal social network potentially can provide three unique advantages:private information, access to diverse skill sets, and power.

Question 13

The Cisco Integrated Workforce Experience (IWE) platform is a social business platform designed to facilitate ________ and ________ collaboration and decentralize decision making.
A) internal; network-side
B) external; personal
C) external; individual
D) internal; external

Accepted Answer

The Cisco IWE platform is designed for internal and external collaboration, indicating a mix of both internal and external parties involved. Additionally, the platform aims to decentralize decision making, implying that decision making is not restricted to a single individual or network-side entity. Therefore, the best choice is D - internal and external collaboration.

Question 14

Social network analysis is helpful because the configuration of the group member social ties within and outside the group affects the extent to which members connect to individuals whodoall of the following except
A) convey needed resources.
B) have the opportunity to exchange information and support.
C) ensure that everyone has the same perspective on strategic and operational issues.
D) have the motivation to treat each other in positive ways.

Accepted Answer

Social network analysis focuses on how social ties and connections affect the exchange of resources, information, and support among group members. While the configuration of social ties can impact how well members connect with individuals who convey resources, exchange information, and provide support, it does not necessarily ensure that everyone has the same perspective on strategic and operational issues. This is more closely related to factors such as communication and decision-making processes within the group.

Question 15

Tying knowledge workers to a firm is part of the objective of the development of
A) intellectual capital.
B) explicit knowledge.
C) human capital.
D) social capital.

Accepted Answer

The development of social capital (that is, the friendships and working relationships among talented individuals) gains importance, because it helps tie knowledge workers to a given firm.

Question 16

An advantage of effective social networks that might help in career success is
A) public information from personal contacts.
B) private information from personal contacts.
C) trustworthy public information.
D) untrustworthy private information.

Accepted Answer

Private information from personal contacts can offer something not found in publicly available sources, such as the release date of a new product or knowledge about what a particular interviewer looks for in candidates. Private information can give managers an edge, though it is more subjective than public information because it cannot be easily verified by independent sources, such as Dunn and Bradstreet. Consequently, the value of your private information to others-and the value of private information of others to you-depends on how much trust exists in the network of relationships.

Question 17

Which of the following reasons explains why painter Vincent van Gogh died penniless, while painter Pablo Picasso left a 740 million USD estate upon his death?
A) Van Gogh had a wider range of social connections.
B) Picasso had a wider range of social connections and bridging relationships.
C) Picasso was a solitary node with few connections.
D) Van Gogh was a hub who embedded himself in a vast network that stretched across various social lines.

Accepted Answer

These two artists enjoyed sharply contrasting levels of success during their lifetimes. Effective social networks provide many advantages for the firm. They can play a key role in the career advancement and success of an individual. A personal social network potentially can provide three unique advantages:private information, access to diverse skill sets, and power. Bridging relationships in a social network connect otherwise disconnected people. Employees who bridge disconnected people tend to receive timely, diverse information because of their access to a wide range of heterogeneous information flows. Such bridging relationships span a number of different types of boundaries.

Question 18

The use of information technology (e.g., email) has increased in recent years in many organizations. This has helped to
A) make more effective use of time in every situation.
B) communicate information efficiently.
C) restrict social network growth.
D) create smaller social networks.

Accepted Answer

The use of information technology, such as email, has increased efficiency in communication within organizations. It allows information to be shared quickly and easily among multiple parties, leading to improved communication and collaboration. Using email can be more efficient than face-to-face or phone communication, as it provides a record of the conversation and allows people to respond at their convenience. It is not necessarily related to making more effective use of time in every situation, restricting social network growth, or creating smaller social networks.

Question 19

Knowledge workers often exhibit ________ loyalties to their colleagues and their profession relative to their employing organization.
A) fewer
B) less favorable
C) no
D) greater

Accepted Answer

Knowledge workers, who are highly skilled professionals, often have a strong sense of professional pride and identity, and are more likely to identify with and be loyal to their profession and colleagues than to their employing organization. Therefore, D is the correct choice stating that they exhibit greater loyalties to their colleagues and their profession relative to their employing organization.

Question 20

The power of a manager, traditionally, was embedded in the hierarchy of the firm. As organizational structures flatten, this power is repositioned in the ________ of the network. Thesepeople are not necessarily at the top of the hierarchy or even experts in their fields.
A) clients
B) brokers
C) employees
D) suppliers

Accepted Answer

As the text states, with flattened organizational structures, the power of a manager is repositioned in the "network." This implies that brokers, who connect different parts of the network, are the ones who hold this power. The other options (clients, employees, and suppliers) are not connected to this concept of a repositioned power within the network.

Quiz 4: Recognizing a Firm's Intellectual Assets Moving beyond a Firm's Tangible Resources

In social network analysis, groups can become too insular and fail to share what they have learned with people outside the group. This is a result of

In social network analysis, the importance of ties connecting heterogeneous people that help to ensure a wide range of diversity in information and perspective is known as

One of the important limitations of social capital is that it can lead to ________ whereby people do not question shared beliefs.

Top executives can use email effectively for all of the following except

The , , and talent is a necessary but not sufficient condition for creating competitive advantages.

Knowledge-based resources tend to be more in nature and therefore they are difficult to protect against loss (i.e., the individual quitting the organization) than other types of capital, such as equipment, machinery, and land.

Structural holes, according to Ron Burt of the University of Chicago, are the ________ gap between two groups and are common in organizations.

If employees are working effectively in teams and sharing their knowledge and learning from each other, they will be to add value to the firm and they also will be toleave the organization because of the loyalties and social ties that they develop over time.

The use of sophisticated information sharing platforms has increased in recent years in many organizations. This has helped to

Social networks can assist with career success. One of the advantages of having a large social network is

Social capital has downsides. Which of the following is a downside?

Advantages of effective social networks for career success include all the following except

The Cisco Integrated Workforce Experience (IWE) platform is a social business platform designed to facilitate and collaboration and decentralize decision making.

Social network analysis is helpful because the configuration of the group member social ties within and outside the group affects the extent to which members connect to individuals whodoall of the following except

Tying knowledge workers to a firm is part of the objective of the development of

An advantage of effective social networks that might help in career success is

Which of the following reasons explains why painter Vincent van Gogh died penniless, while painter Pablo Picasso left a 740 million USD estate upon his death?

The use of information technology (e.g., email) has increased in recent years in many organizations. This has helped to

Knowledge workers often exhibit ________ loyalties to their colleagues and their profession relative to their employing organization.

The power of a manager, traditionally, was embedded in the hierarchy of the firm. As organizational structures flatten, this power is repositioned in the ________ of the network. Thesepeople are not necessarily at the top of the hierarchy or even experts in their fields.