Q&A Hero

Q: When approaching a formal approval process, change agents should utilize all of the following strategies EXCEPT:a. Identify the decision-maker’s attitude and work with that personb. Be as vague about the project as possible in order to set accurate expectationsc. Connect the project to the vision and strategy of the organizationd. Use the appropriate process to legitimize the proposal

Q: If leadership has a low tolerance for ambiguity, the approval process is likely to be:a. More rigorousb. More straightforwardc. Quickerd. Lengthy

Q: Incremental changes require ______________, while larger more influential changes require _____________.a. Less dedication, sustained passionb. More employee buy-in, leadership commitmentc. Fewer resources, formal approvald. Numerous task forces, town hall meetings

Q: Leveraging structural and systematic change will create major animosity with ones employees.a. Trueb. False

Q: While having a good strategy is important, it is ineffective if which characteristic isnt present?a. Delegationb. Oversightc. Alignmentd. Dedication

Q: Which decision should be made first?a. Structureb. Culturec. Tasksd. Strategy

Q: There is one best way to structure an organization.a. Trueb. False

Q: In the implementation stage, which reporting structure is most effective?a. Brainstorming sessionsb. Task forcec. Town hall meetingd. Having the people who generate ideas also make the decisions

Q: How does an organizations design impact the behavior of its members?a. Design either inhibits or facilitates collaborationb. Design suits some personalities better than othersc. Design determines the size an organization can reachd. Design inhibits creativity

Q: Organizations need to align their formal structures and systems with the environment.a. Trueb. False

Q: What kinds of lateral relations will help increase information flow?

Q: What is the role of information systems?a. To develop needed information and get it to the right peopleb. To make sure all employees understand what’s going on in the organizationc. To keep employees accountable for mistakes they may be makingd. To develop annual reports for shareholders

Q: One way that organizations can reduce their information-processing challenges is by:a. Sending more emailsb. Adding slack resourcesc. Making departments more reliant on each otherd. Working harder and longer

Q: As uncertainty ____________, the amount of information that needs to be processed between decision makers _______________.a. Decreases, increasesb. Increases, decreasesc. Increases, increasesd. Increases, stays the same

Q: In what kinds of industries would an organic organization work best?

Q: Which of the following kinds of organizations is most likely to be mechanistic?a. A tech start-upb. A schoolc. A nuclear power plantd. An architecture firm

Q: Which of the following is not a characteristic of a mechanistic organization?a. Tasks are broken down into separate partsb. There is a narrow span of controlc. There is a straightforward planning processd. Communication is abundant and flows horizontally

Q: The formality of an organization is defined by the extent to which structures and processes of the organization are written down and expected to be followed.a. Trueb. False

Q: Organizations that have a more decentralized decision-making process tend to be structured in what way?a. Hierarchicalb. Flatc. Formald. Informal

Q: What part of structure does the chain of command reflect?a. The formal power structureb. The informal power structurec. The organization’s cultured. The change process

Q: What are common ways that larger, more complex companies are organized?a. Larger companies tend to be organized purely by functionb. Every product and category is integrated into each department to ensure integrationc. Departments may be organized by product or geographic area, and there may be people who specialize, bringing together all parts of the organizationd. They consolidate all locations to manage all aspects of the company more closely from one entity

Q: What is integration?a. How much one task overlaps with anotherb. The degree in which each individual tasks fits in with the organization’s overall missionc. The degree to which responsibility is meaningfully assigned instead of having unnecessary levels of management and bureaucracyd. The extent to which all disparate tasks and jobs are combined into a cohesive whole

Q: How does the degree of differentiation change over the life an organization?a. Differentiation generally remains stable throughout the life of the organizationb. As the number of employees increases, there is greater differentiationc. As an organization becomes more successful and profitable, there is a greater need to differentiate tasksd. As a workforce becomes more embedded and cross-trained, the degree of differentiation diminishes

Q: Some organizations do not require any formalization because they are so small.a. Trueb. False

Q: Which of the following is not an example of formal systems?a. Strategic planning, accounting and control systemsb. Pay and reward practicesc. Performance managementd. Organizational culture

Q: What are formal structures designed for?a. To support the strategic direction of the firm by enhancing efficiency and effectivenessb. To clarify roles and responsibilitiesc. To ensure accountability and oversightd. To create a coherent organization chart

Q: Visions should be clear, challenging, and tangible.a. Trueb. False

Q: A vision can be used to strengthen or transform existing cultures.a. Trueb. False

Q: What are some factors that obstruct managerial judgment and lead to organizational failure?

Q: Which of the following is not a strategy for avoiding groupthink?a. Have the leader play an impartial roleb. Solicit input from informed outsiders and expertsc. Establish a methodical decision-making processd. Self-censoring and conflict avoidance

Q: What are strategic frames?a. Strategic plans that are developed as part of the change processb. Flexible frames that center around core valuesc. Sets of assumptions about how the world works that may act as blindersd. Framework to develop change plans and strategic direction

Q: How does existing culture impact organizational change efforts?a. Culture is generally supportive of organizational changeb. Since change often flies in the face of culture, it is one of the biggest stumbling blocks of changec. Culture represents a more difficult barrier in poorly performing firms than successful firmsd. Culture is simple to alter to new change projects

Q: What best describes the approach of information and education?a. Identifying common goals and using them to surmount resistanceb. Helping the organization understand that it is near a crisisc. Build awareness and support through dissemination of informationd. Use higher-order values to motivate others

Q: Charisma is essential for change agents to have.a. Trueb. False

Q: What is the challenge with the approach of identifying a transformational vision?a. It may be seen as superficial or easily ignoredb. It may be too hard to craftc. Change agents may take the vision too seriouslyd. It isn’t as effective as other approaches

Q: What are the risks and benefits of generating an organizational crisis when one doesnt already exist in order to mobilize staff?

Q: What is the recommended balance between extrinsic and intrinsic rewards?a. Organizations should stay away from extrinsic rewards entirely to avoid bribery and unethical behaviorb. Since intrinsic cannot really be controlled, organizations should focus on what extrinsic rewards will drive behaviorc. Some intrinsic rewards and moderate equitable extrinsic rewards nested in teams increase communication and commitmentd. Organizations should aim for a 50/50 split to keep rewards in balance

Q: Which of the following accurately defines systems thinking?a. Understanding the rigid processes that enable things to get done within an organizationb. Focusing on root causes and recognizing interdependencies across the organization’s boundariesc. Isolating and solving problems in individual departmentsd. Making sure all the systems in the organizations are not silos

Q: Which of the following attributes are included in Judge and Douglass eight dimensions related to readiness?a. Accountable culture and trusting followersb. Compliant middle management and ambitious leadershipc. Stable culture and opinionated followersd. Excessive communications and knowledgeable champions

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Q: What factors determine organizational readiness for change?a. The number of organizational change projects done in the pastb. Leadership commitment and member confidence in the leadershipc. The amount of money available to incentivize employees to buy ind. The size of the organization

Q: The vision for change must be created before the organization can focus on the need for change.a. Trueb. False

Q: What pitfalls listed below are not necessarily from a lack of self-awareness?a. Believing that your perspective is held by everyoneb. Misconstruing cues and concerns as feedback rather than resistancec. Lacking nuanced understanding of why others may disagree or have concernsd. Running out of resources to adequately invest in the change project

Q: What is the biggest benefit of a change leader being self-aware?a. They are freer to ask questions and seek help when they need itb. They can only focus on what they’re good atc. It allows them to act quickly without excessive analysisd. It gives them confidence to lead others through the change

Q: Internal data that change leaders should consider include all of the following except:a. Customer retention and satisfactionb. Profitabilityc. Whether or not employees pick up litter around the officed. Strategic intentions of competitors

Q: It is very unlikely that change leaders will ever overcommunicate during a change project.a. Trueb. False

Q: Why should change leaders take time to understand the perspectives of stakeholders throughout the change process?a. To ostracize people who don’t agree with the changeb. To move effectively, enlist their support, and minimize resistancec. To convince them that you care about their opiniond. To track how many people have bought in and how many are resisting

Q: What kinds of data from the external environment should leaders monitor and why?

Q: Leaders should not attempt to track all external data.a. Trueb. False

Q: What situation makes it easiest to instigate change?a. The stakes are low so the organization can change graduallyb. Everything else is stable so people only have to accept one change instead of manyc. When everyone else’s organizations are changing so people don’t feel left outd. When there is an external urgency to complete the change

Q: In order to foster an understanding of the need for change, change leaders should do which of the following?a. Make sense out of internal and external data, understand the perspectives of stakeholders and their own concerns and perspectivesb. Engage the marketing team to communicate the vision and plan clearlyc. Persuade everyone to adopt their point of view so they have complete buy-ind. Work to understand how they compare against competitors so that they can put the need for change in a larger context

Q: When considering a change project, there are only a few choices on how and what to allocate resources to.a. Trueb. False

Q: At the beginning of a change project, when are leaders in a position to engage others in the conversation about the plan going forward?a. Once the leaders have a town hall meeting arranged and a catchy vision that will drive actionb. Once everyone in the organization understands the problem and has given their input on how to reactc. Once leaders determine the need for change, the choices available, develop a change vision, and develop a shared understanding about the situationd. Once the urgency is so enormous that the organization has no other choice but to close its doors

Q: What is responsibility diffusion?a. When there is sufficient responsibility to go aroundb. When responsibility is subdivided so granularly that it is difficult to return completed tasks to one cohesive final productc. When people feel stressed but no one is entirely sure what their responsibilities ared. When multiple people are involved and everyone stands by, assuming someone else will act

Q: What is the main reason that change management programs often fail?a. Despite a shared awareness of the change vision, no one wants to change their routineb. There is confusion about why change is needed and what needs to changec. Employees hear too much information about the change and get boredd. The change program isn’t right for the organization

Q: According to the book, past experiences may cause employees to react to change in what ways?a. With blind acceptanceb. With urgencyc. With complianced. With cynicism

Q: The need for change is always clear and dramatic.a. Trueb. False

Q: Which model in this chapter resonates most strongly with you and why?

Q: Which of the following does not represent a proposition of Staceys Complexity Theory?a. Organizations operate in a linear fashion, communicating information in a predictable wayb. If an organization becomes too stable it will be unable to change as neededc. People within an organization can’t control the long-term futured. Organizations are constantly drawn to stability and instability at the same time

Q: Which of the following may be true about Greiners model in practice?a. It allows for sufficient ambiguity to account for differences in organizationsb. Managers can and should seek a point of complete equilibrium where all aspects of the organization work in harmonyc. Organizations that develop differently than Greiner’s model can still be successfuld. It allows leaders to develop all necessary perspectives and get rid of all biases and preferences during the change process

Q: Greiner believes that rapid, discontinuous changes are disruptive and detrimental to organizations and can be avoided by careful management.a. Trueb. False

Q: Large change projects and incremental changes face drastically different challenges.a. Trueb. False

Q: What are the four quadrants of Quinns model?a. Financial, customer, internal processes, and learning & growthb. Human resources, internal processes, open systems, and rational economicc. Human resources, financial, marketing, and salesd. Internal, external, stakeholders, and mission

Q: What is a major strength of Quinns model?a. It has four quadrants, which makes it easy to rememberb. It views the organization from a single perspective, which makes analysis more straightforwardc. Everything the organization needs can be mastered and orchestrated by one skilled change agentd. It links organizational and individual levels of analysis, giving direction to the organization as a whole but also what is required for each role

Q: What are the two dimensions that underlie Quinns four frames?a. An internal-external dimension and a control-flexibility dimensionb. An employer-employee dimension and a culture-control dimensionc. An informal-formal dimension and a theoretical-realistic dimensiond. An environmental-core competency dimension and a profit-mission dimension

Q: What is double loop learning?a. Asking two sources when a question or challenge arisesb. A version of continuous improvement effortsc. Questioning not only incremental modifications but also assumptions those modifications were based ond. Working in teams to assess step-by-step change projects

Q: How does Stermans model differ from Nadler and Tushmans model?a. Nadler and Tushman’s model considers more perspectives of the organizationb. Nadler and Tushman focus on alignment; Sterman focuses on the consideration of a wide variety of variables at playc. Nadler and Tushman’s model considers dynamic forces; Sterman’s model encourages linear thinkingd. Nadler and Tushman’s model relies on fit to drive decision making; Sterman’s model stresses causal thinking

Q: A tight congruence within an organization should be its number one priority.a. Trueb. False

Q: Describe a situation youre familiar with when an organization did not have a good internal fit and the consequences of that shortfall.

Q: The need for change can always be identified by looking at an organizations external environment.a. Trueb. False

Q: An emphasis on internal fit between organizational components usually focuses on ______________, while a focus on external fit with the environment often focuses on ___________.a. Fit, financialsb. Efficiency, effectivenessc. Culture, customersd. Size, sales

Q: Which of the following is a good example of a change based on fit?a. A company works to empower employees to increase morale and institutes a more rigid supervisory structure to manage costsb. The organization hires brilliant employees to fill gaps in low-level jobs to have the best employees at every levelc. The organization has traditionally valued a relaxed and informal workplace to foster creativity, and the HR department enforces a strict dress code policy to increase professionalism and the organization’s reputationd. A company moves to an open floor plan and also works to revise formal systems to include more collaboration and teamwork in decision making

Q: Thoroughly understanding that the system is dynamic should have which of the following impacts on organizations?a. Leaders should understand that they can only focus on so much and choose one aspect of the external environment to focus on wellb. Since external factors are changing, internal systems need to change alsoc. The patterns of thinking that have developed over time are reliable as new conditions arised. No matter what changes in the environment, the same people in an organization will always have the most influence

Q: Once an organizational diagnosis is made, it is good for approximately two years.a. Trueb. False

Q: Describe the three critical elements of Nadler and Tushmans model for change agents.

Q: What best describes an organizations outputs?a. Outputs include products and services, as well as the satisfaction of employees and customersb. Outputs are an organization’s carbon footprint and environmental impactc. Outputs can be evaluated on a purely financial leveld. Outputs only apply to the organization as a whole

Q: Which is true when considering the people in an organization?a. They exist separately from tasks, informal and formal structures, and should be considered in isolationb. Most people are flexible and can easily fit into any rolec. Since everyone is so different, it’s not worth the effort to try to understand how people will react to changed. Some individuals are more critical of the change process than others

Q: How should a change agent approach dysfunctional norms?a. Ignore them because the other aspects of change require more attention and focusb. Understand that they can’t be changed without completely turning over the staffc. Make them explicit and identify the resulting organizational dynamicsd. Mandate a change to keep the organization functional

Q: According to Nadler and Tushman, which of the following is an aspect of the formal organization?a. Buildings and real estateb. Reporting relationshipsc. Cultured. Reputation

Q: Every organization organizes its work generally the same.a. Trueb. False