Organizational Behavior By Eric Swanson

Part 1

1. After observing a conflict escalating between highly interdependent team members, Vincent realizes that it's time to step in and take a/an _______ approach to managing the conflict by rotating the employees to different teams.

A. conciliatory

B. attitudinal

C. behavioral

D. collaborative

2. Leadership has occurred when

A. a group has been stimulated to move in a new direction.

B. somebody takes charge and decides what to do.

C. someone tries to exert power or control over followers.

D. followers disobey new rules and objectives handed down from top management.

3. A pharmaceutical company has just lost a major source of grant funding and is forced to scale back plans for purchasing new equipment and other supplies. This situation, known as _______, can be a major source of organizational conflict between different departments.

A. resource scarcity

B. uncertainty

C. goal incompatibility

D. interdependence

4. As annual budget negotiations loom, several departments within a product manufacturing company are involved in _______ conflict over resource allocations, because each wants a larger share than the other.

A. intragroup

B. intergroup

C. cultural

D. vertical

5. Which of the following is a common element of negotiation?

A. The parties question whether or not they can reach an agreement.

B. There is no disagreement over goals or processes.

C. The parties are completely independent.

D. The parties are motivated and capable of influencing each other.

6. Effective leaders use emotional signals to stimulate _______ among those who follow them.

A. resonance

B. dissonance

C. noise

D. wavelengths

7. _______ is a source of organizational conflict because it calls into question accepted practices and procedures, opening the door for disagreement related to both goals and processes.

A. Resource scarcity

B. Interdependence

C. Uncertainty

D. Goal incompatibility

8. Kouzes and Posner suggest that one of the five "practices" through which leaders establish credibility is to step into the unknown and explore new ideas. This "practice" is referred to as

A. challenging the process.

B. encouraging the heart.

C. inventing new ways to get things done.

D. visioning.

9. According to the behavior approach to studying leadership, the extent to which a leader initiates group activity, organizes the group, and defines the way in which work is to be accomplished is represented by the term

A. persistence in the pursuit of goals.

B. the exercise of initiative.

C. the capacity to organize.

D. initiation of structure.

10. _______ can be a source of organizational conflict in the case of workers in different shifts disagreeing about work procedures, documentation, and organization of the workspace they share.

A. Resource scarcity

B. Interdependence

C. Goal incompatibility

D. Resource allocation

11. _______ is the rivalry between individuals or groups over an outcome and always has a winner and a loser.

A. Collaboration

B. Competition

C. Confidence

D. Conflict

12. Reviewing the results of the Ohio State University study on leadership behavior, Alessandra discovers that the term consideration refers to

A. a strong sense of personal identity.

B. a capacity to absorb stress.

C. the exercise of initiative in social situations.

D. the extent to which the leader is concerned with the welfare of the group.

13. _______ leadership is based on the principle that leaders remain true to their values, preferences, hopes, and aspirations, and act in a way that is consistent with those values and beliefs.

A. Value-based

B. Authentic

C. Shared

D. Collaborative

14. One of the ways leaders establish and maintain credibility is through "practicing what they preach." Kouzes and Posner describe this "practice" of credibility as

A. modeling the way.

B. integrity matching.

C. stepping into the unknown.

D. inspiring a shared vision.

15. As a manager, Costanza knows that by managing conflict properly, she can

A. push her team to win over other teams.

B. motivate unproductive employees to leave the organization.

C. mobilize diverse perspectives into productive solutions.

D. encourage Groupthink to achieve consensus.

16. Sometimes, Dana has to choose assertiveness over cooperation, and enforce a conflict management solution that is unpopular but needs to be implemented for the greater good of the organization. This approach to conflict management is known as

A. competition.

B. uncompromising.

C. operant.

D. assertion.

17. Deborah Ancona, director of the MIT Leadership Center, suggests that one of the specific capabilities of leadership involves developing an understanding of the environment in which an organization operates, a capability she refers to as

A. relating.

B. decomplexing.

C. sensemaking.

D. visioning.

18. Sarah and Jill have been assigned to the same team for a while, but their individual styles and values are so different that they're constantly struggling with _______ conflict.

A. intrapersonal

B. interpersonal

C. intergroup

D. intragroup

19. The term _______ refers to finding an acceptable solution to conflict that all parties can minimally accept.

A. satisficing

B. compromising

C. enforcing

D. bargaining

20. One of the characteristics often used to define conflict is that it's

A. functional.

B. short-term.

C. non-disruptive.
D. inevitable.

Part 2

1. _______ changes are often developed in the course of a planning process that considers the mission, vision, and values of the organization.

A. Strategic

B. Discontinuous

C. Incremental

D. Grassroots

2. The patterns of believing or acting that are taken for granted to the point where they are not even questioned are collectively referred to as

A. no-fly zones.

B. forces or energies that move organization members to act.

C. basic underlying assumptions.

D. values.

3. The ideas that people consciously describe as the principles that shape the way they behave are known as

A. values.

B. double-loops.

C. espoused theories.

D. perceptual biases

4. In order to sharpen his political skills, Ricardo knows that he has to develop _______, the ability to read and respond to changing situations, and also to communicate this ability to others as sincere and genuine, which results in trust.

A. networking ability

B. social awareness

C. interpersonal influence

D. sincerity

5. The goal of a _______ structure is to provide a high level of integration between function and product without extensive resources.

A. hybrid

B. functional

C. matrix

D. product/divisional

6. As the CEO of a broadcast television network, Leslie's power is derived primarily from the authority associated with his title or official position. Which source of power does this authority represent?

A. Coercive

B. Expert

C. Referent

D. Legitimate

7. Max Weber proposed all of the following types of power or domination except

A. charismatic.

B. legal-rational.

C. traditional.

D. expert.

8. In Denhardt and Denhardt's model of leadership for change, the first step for managers aspiring to lead change involves

A. implementing specific changes while at the same time encouraging a broader positive attitude toward change.

B. assessing the organizations' environment and the need for change.

C. planning for change both strategically and pragmatically.

D. building support for the change process both through conversation and through modeling the change process in the managers' own behavior.

9. According to Rosabeth Moss Kanter, structural characteristics of organizations that perpetuate powerlessness tend to

A. increase productivity in hopes of gaining more power.

B. increase compliance, but not commitment.

C. compel changes in reward and recognition structures.

D. result in counterproductive behavior.

10. As an organizational development consultant, Zee begins by forming a _______, consisting of about 10 to 12 members who come together for an extended period to create its own agenda, its own norms and expectations, and its own models for appropriate behavior.

A. third-party intervention group

B. T-group

C. process group

D. internal commitment group

11. _______ are essential to resolving conflicts and to organizational effectiveness.

A. Self-serving processes

B. Executives

C. Political processes

D. Hierarchical power structures

12. One of the ways organizations can foster a positive organizational climate is by focusing on

A. a view of power based on hierarchy and performance.

B. exclusiveness based on goals and values.

C. connectedness based on valuing differences and communication.

D. an approach to power based on tradition and reward.

13. The number of elements that an organization must consider when examining environmental uncertainty is referred to as

A. interpretation.

B. the rate of change.

C. sectors.

D. complexity.

14. Before formulating a strategy, managers typically perform a/an _______ analysis.

A. mission

B. boundary spanning

C. SWOT

D. E/S

15. Which of the following proactive influence tactics involves making a request based on values and ideals?

A. Rational persuasion

B. Personal appeal

C. Ingratiation

D. Inspirational appeal

16. Two organizations have created a strategic alliance by creating a subsidiary for the specific purpose of sharing technologies. This type of alliance is known as a/an

A. joint venture.

B. acquisition.

C. joint contract.

D. merger.

17. A SWOT analysis typically involves examining an organization's strengths and weakness, as well as environmental _______ and threats.

A. objectives

B. objections

C. options

D. opportunities

18. One of the ways people can increase their own power through minimizing their dependence on others is to

A. increase other people's access to alternative sources of getting what they need.

B. increase other's dependence on them.

C. increase their demands on others on whom they depend.

D. decrease alternative sources of getting what they want.

19. Some researchers have argued that the design of organizational arrangements should not be limited to questions of organizational structure, but should include

A. departments, technology, and human resources.

B. quality of work life, conflict management, and diversity.

C. strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

D. structures, processes, and systems.

20. Sigmund has helped design a _______ structure for his organization, which offers a number of benefits including flexibility, greater ability to deal with an uncertain environment, and responsiveness to customers.

A. functional

B. hybrid

C. product/divisional

D. matrix