Question 1

Identify a true statement about a self-control system.

Accepted Answer

A self-control system is designed to provide guidelines and limitations, ensuring that employees act within the bounds of acceptable behavior. This helps to prevent chaos and maintain order within the organization. Option A is incorrect because a self-control system does not allow employees to do whatever they want. Option C is incorrect because a self-control system does impose boundaries and guidelines. Option D is incorrect because the purpose of a self-control system is to give employees greater autonomy and control over their own behavior.

Question 2

Curtis is the manager of a footwear store. He carefully chooses his staff members and recruits employees who are attentive, friendly, and articulate. He trains his subordinates to treat customers with respect and courtesy. This scenario illustrates that Curtis uses _____.

Accepted Answer

Curtis is using normative control by setting expectations for how customers should be treated and ensuring his employees follow those expectations through training and recruitment.

Question 3

Tiana runs a music school. She is very passionate about music. Hence, she has appointed teachers who share the same love for music. Her employees are hired on the basis of their attitude and traits that contribute to enhancing the learning experience of her students. This scenario illustrates that Tiana uses _____.

Accepted Answer

Tiana is using normative control by hiring employees who share her passion for music and values that contribute to enhancing the learning experience of her students. This type of control relies on shared values and beliefs to promote a desired behavior.

Question 4

Which of the following is a difference between normative control and concertive control?

Accepted Answer

Normative controls are driven by strong organizational cultures, whereas concertive controls usually arise when companies give work groups complete autonomy and responsibility for task completion.

Question 5

Darius runs a recruitment agency. He believes that employment empowers people to lead better lives. His employees also share the same belief. Darius trains his employees to find the right candidates for the clients. Likewise, his employees derive satisfaction by helping candidates find their dream jobs. This scenario illustrates that Darius uses _____.

Accepted Answer

Darius uses normative control, which is based on shared values, beliefs, and norms. He and his employees share the belief that employment empowers people to lead better lives, and they are motivated to find the right candidates for their clients and help candidates find their dream jobs based on this shared belief.

Question 6

Anaya owns a store that sells leather products made from mushroom caps. She cares for the environment and the welfare of the animals. To run her business successfully, she employs people who think outside the box and wish to protect animals from exploitation. This is an example of _____.

Accepted Answer

Normative control refers to the management approach where employees are guided by shared values and norms, aligning with Anaya's focus on environmental care and animal welfare.

Question 7

Concertive controls are based on:

Accepted Answer

Concertive controls are based on beliefs that are shaped and negotiated by work groups, emphasizing the role of group dynamics and peer pressure in guiding behavior.

Question 8

JBC Customs only hires people who are curious and eager to learn as its managers believe that those are the two traits every employee needs to have if they want to contribute anything of value to the company. Every applicant is carefully screened, and only those applicants who have these two traits are chosen to proceed further in the hiring process. In this scenario, JBC Customs is using _____.

Accepted Answer

Normative control is when a company shapes the norms and values of its employees to align with the company's goals. JBC Customs is selecting employees based on specific traits that align with the company's values, which is an example of normative control.

Question 9

The editorial team at Levine Corp. enjoys full autonomy. There are no managers in the team. The members make hiring and budgeting decisions, and they work in close coordination with each other. In this scenario, the editorial team is using _____.

Accepted Answer

The editorial team is using concertive control, which is a form of control in which employees regulate their own behavior by using shared values, norms, goals, and rewards. In this case, the team has no formal manager, and they are making decisions and working together based on their shared understanding of their roles and responsibilities. This form of control empowers employees and fosters collaboration and accountability within the team.

Question 10

The second phase in the development of concertive control involves:

Accepted Answer

The second phase in the development of concertive control involves the formalization of objective rules to guide and regulate behavior. This is done in order to ensure that all members of the group are aware of the expectations and standards that are in place, and to provide a framework for decision-making and conflict resolution.

Question 11

Leonel owns a luxury car showroom. He hires staff members who are communicative and pleasant and possess knowledge on the cars they are selling. His employees share the same love for cars as him. This scenario illustrates that Leonel uses _____.

Accepted Answer

Normative control is when employees are guided by shared values and norms, such as a passion for cars, which aligns with Leonel's hiring practice.

Question 12

Which of the following is true of concertive control?

Accepted Answer

Concertive control is a form of organizational control in which team members monitor and regulate each other's behavior to align with team norms and values. Therefore, a team member's behavior has to satisfy the rest of his or her team members.

Question 13

The design team at Lance Inc. follows its own set of norms. The team decides its membership, and all the team members are expected to make their own schedules and carry out the work according to the planned schedule. In this scenario, the design team is using _____.

Accepted Answer

Concertive control is when a team or group collectively decides on norms and rules, and members are expected to adhere to these self-imposed guidelines.

Question 14

Identify a difference between bureaucratic control and concertive control.

Accepted Answer

C  Under bureaucratic control, workers focus on pleasing their superiors, while concertive control involves meeting team expectations. Concertive control is based on group-negotiated beliefs, unlike bureaucratic control.

Question 15

Lydia owns a fashion store for women, and her main focus is on providing quality customer service. The staff is trained to treat customers with utmost care and provide them with reliable fashion advice. Lydia carefully chooses her staff and appoints people who are attentive, friendly, and have a good fashion sense. In this case, Lydia is using _____.

Accepted Answer

Lydia is using normative control, which involves shaping the norms and values of employees to align with the organization's goals, such as providing excellent customer service and fashion advice.

Question 16

Lia runs a day care center. She is very particular about the kind of attention her staff lends to the children who come to the day care center. She hires employees who love children and are capable of taking care of them with utmost patience. Her employees are attentive, proactive, and sensitive to the needs of the children. This scenario illustrates that Lia uses _____.

Accepted Answer

Lia uses normative control, which focuses on shaping employees' behavior by creating a shared sense of values, beliefs, and norms. Lia looks for employees who love children and are patient with them, indicating that she values a certain type of behavior and personality in her employees. By hiring employees who share her values and beliefs, Lia shapes their behavior through normative control.

Question 17

Which of the following is essential for normative control to work?

Accepted Answer

Normative control relies on employees following social norms and values set by the organization. This requires hiring employees who share those values and can contribute to the desired organizational culture. Therefore, managers must select and hire the right people for normative control to work effectively. Setting up performance evaluation systems and limiting outsourcing work may be useful for overall organizational control, but they are not specific to normative control. Allowing employees to control their own behavior would be counterproductive for normative control.

Question 18

_____ usually arise when companies give work groups complete autonomy and responsibility for task completion.

Accepted Answer

Concertive controls usually arise when companies give work groups complete autonomy and responsibility for task completion. With concertive controls, the group is responsible for monitoring and sanctioning the behavior of its members, rather than relying on external controls from management or supervisors. The group develops its own norms and values to guide behavior, and members are held accountable to each other for adhering to these norms. This type of control is often used in team-based or self-managing organizational structures.

Question 19

As long as the associate editors at Zeal Publishing accurately proofread at least 100 pages of manuscript each day, they are free to create their own schedules and work styles to achieve their daily target. Zeal Publishing appears to be following a _____ system.

Accepted Answer

This system is an example of self-control, where employees are given the autonomy to manage their own work and schedules as long as they meet specific targets or goals.

Question 20

Gary is the founder of an animal shelter; he shares a special bond with animals. Hence, he prefers to employ people who care for animals. The caretakers at his shelter are hardworking, trustworthy, and sensitive to the needs of the rescued animals. This is an example of _____.

Accepted Answer

This is an example of normative control, where the founder has established a shared set of values and expectations among the employees based on their caring for animals. There is no indication of bureaucratic control, as there are no specific rules and procedures that employees must follow, and no indication of objective control, as there are no clearly defined metrics or standards for performance. Concertive control, which involves an emphasis on teamwork and shared decision-making, may be present, but there is not enough information provided to determine this.

Quiz 16: Control