Multiple Choice Quiz
1 Power in organizational settings is defined as:
A) using formal authority on others to achieve organizational goals.
B) any attempt to influence others using one's wit and knowledge.
C) the application of rewards and sanctions in ways that reinforce desired behaviour.
D) the capacity of a person, team, or organization to influence others.
E) cultivating social relationships with others for the purpose of accomplishing one's goals.
2 Jack is an employee at ABC Corporation. Susan is Jack's immediate supervisor. The contemporary literature on organizational power would say that:
A) Jack is dependent on Susan, whereas Susan is independent of Jack.
B) Jack and Susan are independent of each other.
C) Jack and Susan are interdependent.
D) Susan is dependent on Jack, whereas Jack is independent of Susan.
E) Susan and Jack are independent of each other.
3 Power which is strong enough to maintain a person's participation in the exchange relationship is:
A) referent power.
B) reward power.
C) legitimate power.
D) counterpower.
E) coercive power.
4 Which of these sources of power originate from the powerholder's own characteristics?
A) Reward
B) Expert
C) Referent
D) Legitimate
E) ‘b' and ‘c' only
5 Which of these sources of power is the capacity to influence others through formal authority?
A) Substitutability
B) Referent
C) Expert
D) Legitimate
E) Discretion
6 If a manager controls the allocation of pay, promotion, and work assignments, and then uses them to achieve compliance from employees, s/he is said to be using which source of power?
A) Referent
B) Reward
C) Expert
D) Counterpower
E) None of these
7 The capacity to influence others through the ability to apply punishment refers to __________ power.
A) referent
B) coercive
C) expert
D) legitimate
E) reward
8 Which source of power are employees gaining as society moves from an industrial to a knowledge-based economy?
A) Expert
B) Coercive
C) Referent
D) Legitimate
E) Reward
9 The right to control information flow and the form of power used most widely in highly bureaucratic firms is:
A) referent power.
B) legitimate power.
C) mentoring.
D) coercive power.
E) visibility.
10 Which of the following is a contingency of power in organizations?
A) Expertise
B) Coercion
C) Rewards
D) All of the above
E) None of the above
11 People and work units can increase their power through nonsubstitutability using all of these ways, EXCEPT:
A) controlling knowledge
B) differentiation.
C) visibility.
D) controlling labour.
E) controlling tasks.
12 All of the following increase the individual's visibility, EXCEPT:
A) take people-oriented jobs.
B) work on projects that require frequent interaction with executives.
C) display educational diplomas and awards.
D) locate your office near the elevator.
E) spend less time at work.
13 Cultivating social relationships with others to accomplish one's goals is known as:
A) Upward appeal.
B) persuasion.
C) networking.
D) creating obligations.
E) coalition formation.
14 While power is the capacity to influence others, influence refers to any:
A) application of silent authority.
B) behaviour that attempts to alter someone's attitudes or behaviour.
C) form of persuasion.
D) promise of benefits in exchange for compliance.
E) pooling of power and resources.
15 The knowledge and other resources available to people or social units due to a durable network that connects them to others is referred to as:
A) leadership
B) influence capital.
C) social capital.
D) silent authority.
E) coalition formation.
16 The process of learning the ropes of organizational life from a senior person in the company refers to:
A) networking.
B) visibility.
C) centrality.
D) mentoring.
E) discretion.
17 The practice of actively shaping our public image is:
A) centrality.
B) expert power.
C) impression management.
D) substitutability.
E) mentoring.
18 Organizational politics flourish under which of the following conditions?
A) Scarce resources
B) Resource allocation decisions are ambiguous
C) Organizational change
D) All of the above
E) ‘a' and ‘b' only.
19 People who frequently use power to manipulate others toward their own personal goals probably have:
A) a strong need for socialized power.
B) strong Machiavellian values.
C) expert power.
D) an external locus of control.
E) a high power distance.
20 People who are comfortable with getting more than they deserve, and who believe that deceit is a natural and acceptable way to achieve this goal have:
A) counterpower.
B) reward power.
C) centrality.
D) legitimate power.
E) Machiavellian values.