Q&A Hero

Q: _____ is behavior for or against a person or situation. A. Insight B. Prejudice C. Discrimination D. Perception

Q: _____ is the prejudgment of a person or situation based on attitudes. A. Intolerance B. Prejudice C. Repugnance D. Antipathy

Q: _____ refers to the degree to which differences exist among members of a group or an organization. A. Diversity B. Cohesiveness C. Viscidity D. Uniformity

Q: The Chinese are more long-term oriented than Americans.

Q: Employee assistance programs are planned, special efforts to recruit, hire, and promote women and members of minority groups.

Q: Sexism is any unwelcomed behavior of a sexual nature.

Q: If the people in authority in an organization do not take suitable action to stop a sexual harassment even after an employee reports it, the employee may take the complaint to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

Q: Individuals who are disabled can be required to meet the same productivity standards as other employees.

Q: Support for affirmative actions has increased manifold.

Q: Employers are required by law to pay premium wages or other costs to accommodate an employee's religious rights.

Q: It is legal to ask a candidate's height or weight if it is not a bona fide occupational qualification (BFOQ).

Q: During interviews, it is illegal to ask a person's maiden name or whether the person has changed his or her name.

Q: A bona fide occupational qualification (BFOQ) allows discrimination on the basis of religion, sex, or national origin where it is reasonably necessary to normal operation of a particular enterprise.

Q: Affirmative actions are aimed to promote members of groups at all levels in an organization.

Q: Prohibited information is information that does not relate to a bona fide occupational qualification for the job.

Q: The Civil Rights Act of 1991 provides possible compensation and punitive damages for discrimination.

Q: The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 prohibits discrimination against women because of pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions.

Q: The Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibits discrimination based on physical or mental disability.

Q: Women are not considered a legal minority.

Q: To help overcome prejudice and discrimination, organizations train their employees to value employee differences to help ensure high-quality relationships.

Q: To prejudge or stereotype a person or situation in and of itself is not harmful.

Q: Diversity refers to the degree to which differences exist among members of a group or an organization.

Q: Why do people resist change? Name the variables involved with resistance to change.

Q: Explain the stages in the change process.

Q: What are the different types of changes? Describe them.

Q: Can a multinational company have one organizational culture, or does it need to have different cultures based on its business unit in each country?

Q: (p. 386, 378-379) Which OD technique(s) can be used to improve consistency among professors in terms of work assignments and performance appraisals at your college? Which of the four reasons for resistance would be the dominant reason for faculty resistance to such a change? How would you rate the intensity, focus, and source of their resistance (see Exhibit 12.3, Resistance Matrix)?

Q: Do your professors use consistent standards in terms of the work they require in their courses and the performance appraisal grades they give? Or do some professors require more work than others? Do some give lots of As while others give lots of lower grades? Is this diversity in work requirements and performance appraisal positive or negative? Why does it exist?

Q: A professor's job is to facilitate student learning, evaluate student performance, and assign grades. Do you believe your learning performance is evaluated effectively? How could it be improved?

Q: One of the purposes of college is to train and develop students for future careers. How would you rate your overall college education?

Q: Using the seven dimensions of climate, describe your college's climate. Rate the morale of students as high or low, explaining your answer in detail.

Q: Describe your college's culture. Is it strong or weak? Are there any good slogans and/or symbols that help convey your college's culture? Give at least one new way (slogans/symbols, etc.) to promote your college's culture.

Q: Of the 11 methods for overcoming resistance to change, which one do you think is the best?

Q: Of the four reasons people resist change, which one do you think is the most common?

Q: Which single technology change has had the largest effect on your behavior?

Q: Identify an OD technique and explain how it is used by a specific organization, preferably one with which you have been associated.

Q: Describe a specific situation in which it would be appropriate to use the coaching model.

Q: Identify the performance measurement method(s) used to evaluate your job performance. Describe how you would improve the method(s).

Q: Describe the performance standards for a job you hold or have held. How would you improve them?

Q: State how you were trained to perform a specific job. Explain how the training affected your job performance. How could training at this organization be used to increase performance?

Q: Describe the morale at the organization.

Q: Describe the organizational climate at a firm for which you work or have worked, based on the seven dimensions of climate. Does or did the organization measure its climate? If so, how?

Q: Describe the organizational culture at a firm for which you work or have worked. Does or did the organization strive to have a strong positive culture? If so, how?

Q: Identify the cultural heroes, stories, slogans, symbols, and ceremonies for an organization you are or have been a member of.

Q: Give a specific example of when a change model would be helpful to a specific manager.

Q: Describe a situation in which you were resistant to change. Identify the intensity, source, and focus. Using Exhibit 12.3, which box (by number and statement) describes your resistance?

Q: Give one or more examples of a type of change you experienced in an organization. (Identify it as task change, structural change, technological change, or people change.)

Q: Describe an automation change in an organization, preferably one with which you have been associated.

Q: Describe the MIS at an organization, preferably one with which you have been associated. If you are not knowledgeable about the organization's MIS, talk with someone who is.

Q: Give reasons why managing change skills are important to managers in an organization for which you work or have worked.

Q: Danny is a manager at Ideas Corp. He heads a promising team that is performing well. The team members are well-coordinated and are good at solving problems. Which of the following team-building agendas should be taken up to review the team's methods of operation? A. Climate building B. Closure C. Process and structure evaluation D. Problem solving

Q: Which of the following is a typical team-building agenda? A. Climate building B. Performance appraisal C. Personality building D. Providing feedback to employees

Q: Diana has noticed that her production team members are not as efficient as the other team members. The team has lately been under pressure for delayed deliveries. On the other hand, the team has managed to increase the quality of the product. Which of the following organizational development (OD) techniques would be most appropriate for solving this problem? A. Survey feedback B. Team building C. Force field analysis D. Performance appraisal

Q: _____ is a technique that diagrams the current level of performance, the hindering factors against change, and the driving factors toward change. A. Performance appraisal B. Survey feedback C. Process consultation D. Force field analysis

Q: _____ is an organizational development (OD) technique that uses a questionnaire to gather data that are used as the basis for change. A. Force field analysis B. Management by objectives C. Survey feedback D. Managerial grid

Q: Ian is a clerical worker. He sorts files, as do the other ten employees in the department. All the employees know that they are supposed to place the files in the exact place when they are finished so that others can find them when they need them. As a rule, employees should have only one file out at a time. Ian's supervisor notices that Ian has five files on his desk of which one is a file that another employee urgently needs. Which of the following steps of the coaching model should Ian's supervisor take immediately after describing to Ian his current behavior? A. Refer to past feedback. B. Describe desired performance. C. Get a commitment to the change. D. Use disciplinary action.

Q: Ryan works in an ice cream parlor. He has been told that the tables should be cleaned up quickly after customers leave so that the next customers do not have to sit at dirty tables. It's a busy night. Ryan's boss finds dirty dishes on two unoccupied tables while Ryan is socializing with some friends instead of cleaning up. Which of the following steps of the coaching model should Ryan's boss ideally take first? A. Refer to past feedback. B. Get a commitment to the change. C. Describe desired performance. D. Describe current performance.

Q: The managers and employees of Apex Co. work together to improve performance. The organization involves its employees in setting goals and objectives. Which of the following organizational development (OD) techniques does Apex Co. implement? A. Team building B. Survey feedback C. Training and development D. Performance appraisal

Q: Which of the following steps should one take in the performance appraisal process immediately after job responsibilities are determined? A. Coach employees. B. Conduct informal performance appraisals. C. Develop standards and measurement methods. D. Prepare for the formal performance appraisal interviews.

Q: Which of the following steps of the coaching model should a manager take immediately after describing the current low performance of an employee? A. Refer to past feedback. B. Describe desired performance. C. Get a commitment to the change. D. Praise the work being done.

Q: Which of the following is the first step of the coaching model? A. Refer to past feedback. B. Describe desired performance. C. Get a commitment to the change. D. Describe current performance.

Q: The term _____ describes performance levels in the areas of quantity, quality, time, and cost. A. demographics B. standards C. norms D. symbols

Q: Which of the following is a desired result of performance appraisal? A. Increased turnover B. Reflexive decision making C. Enhanced truancy D. Decreased absenteeism

Q: _____ is the ongoing process of evaluating an employee's execution of a job. A. Employee survey B. Job evaluation C. Integrated audit D. Performance appraisal

Q: Kate's manager decides that Kate has to learn French for her overseas assignment in three months. With which of the following steps of the training cycle can this statement be best identified? A. Setting objectives B. Preparing for training C. Conducting needs assessment D. Measuring and evaluating results

Q: "This is how you operate the machine." With which of the following steps of the training cycle can this statement be best identified? A. Setting objectives B. Conducting the training C. Preparing for training D. Measuring and evaluating results

Q: "At the end of this session, you should be able to use the software to update your work." With which of the following steps of the training cycle can this statement be best identified? A. Setting objectives B. Conducting needs assessment C. Preparing for training D. Measuring and evaluating results

Q: "I can see a lot of improvement in your presentation skills." With which of the following steps of the training cycle can this statement be best identified? A. Step 1: Conducting needs assessment B. Step 2: Setting objectives C. Step 3: Conducting the training D. Step 4: Measuring and evaluating results

Q: Which of the following is the first step in conducting a job instructional training (JIT)? A. Trainer presentation of the job B. Trainee performance of the job C. Preparation of the trainee D. Follow-up

Q: Which of the following is the first step in the training cycle? A. Conducting needs assessment B. Setting objectives C. Preparing for training D. Conducting the training

Q: _____ is the process of developing the ability to perform both present and future jobs. A. Sensitization B. Retention C. Development D. Orientation

Q: _____ is the process of developing the necessary skills to perform one's present job. A. Retention B. Training C. Sensitization D. Orientation

Q: A(n) _____ is a person responsible for an organizational development (OD) program. A. active agent B. change agent C. symbiotic agent D. program agent

Q: _____ is the ongoing planned process of change used as a means of improving an organization's effectiveness in solving problems and achieving its objectives. A. Organizational development B. Organizational culture C. Organizational dynamics D. Organizational climate

Q: "The supervisor and my team members are very supportive and encourage participation in all tasks." Which of the following terms best associates with this statement? A. Organizational structure B. Organizational culture C. Organizational climate D. Organizational development

Q: Which of the following dimensions of organizational climate refers to the degree of satisfaction with human relations? A. Support B. Structure C. Responsibility D. Warmth

Q: _____ is the relatively enduring quality of the internal environment of an organization as perceived by its members. A. Organizational climate B. Organizational culture C. Organizational capital D. Organizational development

Q: Which of the following statements is true of a strong culture organization? A. It does not enforce behavior. B. It discourages employees from taking risks. C. It has clear values that are shared to the extent of similar behavior. D. It is a source of resistance and turmoil.

Q: Ron Peters, the founder of Culminate Corp., delivered an inspirational speech at the National Conference on Entrepreneurship. Which of the following terms best associates with this statement? A. Organizational climate B. Organizational culture C. Organizational structure D. Organizational development

Q: "Mark, my colleague, has been invited to attend his company's annual dinner for outstanding performers." Which of the following terms best associates with this statement? A. Organizational culture B. Organizational climate C. Organizational structure D. Organizational development