Q&A Hero

Q: Strum Services provides content management services to major educational publishers. Due to low morale, the level of employee output has been below par, which has caused a backlog in work. Which of the following is one of the three steps in the Lewin's three-step change model? A) analysis B) movement C) evaluation D) dreaming E) designing

Q: Strum Services provides content management services to major educational publishers. Due to low morale, the level of employee output has been below par, which has caused a backlog in work. Which of the following, if true, would weaken the argument to use coercive techniques in this situation? A) The company cannot afford to hire temp workers to handle the backlog and complete the work on time. B) The company has taken several efforts to improve the level of employee morale and motivation. C) The company's current work volumes are quite high. D) The company recently learned that one of its clients utilizes the services of a rival content management firm. E) The company just finished its peak season, during which employees were required to work overtime and on weekends.

Q: Strum Services provides content management services to major educational publishers. Due to low morale, the level of employee output has been below par, which has caused a backlog in work. Which of the following, if true, would strengthen the argument to use coercive techniques in this situation? A) The company is on a tight deadline to complete a major project for an important client. B) The company is in its lean season and work volumes are low. C) The company can afford to hire temp workers to handle the backlog and complete the work on time. D) The company's workforce is comprised of employees with highly specialized skill sets. E) Employees are demotivated because of the company's stringent work culture.

Q: Who developed a three-step model for change that included unfreezing, movement, and refreezing? A) John Kotter B) David McClelland C) Douglas Surber D) Lawrence Summers E) Kurt Lewin

Q: You have threatened to eliminate positions and even to close down the company if your sales personnel don't change their attitudes. The method for overcoming resistance that you have chosen is ________. A) education and communication B) participation C) negotiation D) coercion E) cooptation

Q: You have decided to involve the sales personnel in planning for the change and in stocking appropriate new items to sell to gardeners. The method for overcoming resistance that you have chosen is ________. A) education and communication B) participation C) negotiation D) manipulation E) coercion

Q: Your company, Johnson Farm Products, has decided to expand its traditional business serving farm owners in order to include home gardeners in its customer base. This change is not met with enthusiasm by the sales personnel who have had good long-term relationships with area farmers. You know that the change will be difficult to implement if you cannot overcome the resistance of the sales personnel and obtain their cooperation. You have brought in the local extension agent to explain demographics and the changing nature of the area in which you live. The method for overcoming resistance that you have chosen is ________. A) education and communication B) participation C) negotiation D) manipulation and cooptation E) coercion

Q: The application of direct threats or force upon resisters is called ________. A) negotiation B) cooptation C) manipulation D) coercion E) arbitration

Q: "Buying off" the leaders of a resistance group by giving them a key role and seeking their advice not to find a better solution but to get their endorsement is an example of ________. A) coercion B) cooptation C) procedural fairness D) distributive bargaining E) operant conditioning

Q: Which tactic to overcome resistance to change is a relatively inexpensive way to gain the support of adversaries, but may backfire if the targets become aware of the tactic? A) negotiation B) conciliation C) manipulation D) coercion E) arbitration

Q: If individuals resisting change are included in making change decisions in an attempt to gain their support, this approach is called ________. A) cooptation B) exploitation C) arbitration D) coercion E) conciliation

Q: Management of a company threatens to close a manufacturing plant in the company whose employees are resisting an across-the-board pay cut. But this threat is actually untrue. In this case, which of the following tactics of overcoming resistance to change is being used by the management? A) procedural fairness B) negotiation C) conciliation D) manipulation E) arbitration

Q: Using covert influence to overcome resistance to change is called ________. A) negotiation B) conciliation C) education D) coercion E) manipulation

Q: Procedural fairness while implementing changes is especially important when ________. A) the organization is facing intense competition B) the employees have participated in the decision-making process C) the employees perceive the outcome as negative D) the environment in which the business operates is dynamic E) the employees are resisting the change due to group inertia

Q: Which of the following tactics for overcoming resistance to change is most likely to be beneficial when employees' fear and anxiety are high? A) manipulation B) building support and commitment C) participation D) implementing changes fairly E) coercion

Q: Which tactic for overcoming resistance to change basically assumes that the source of resistance lies in misinformation? A) implementing changes fairly B) participation C) education and communication D) coercion E) cooptation and manipulation

Q: After restructuring, your division has had trouble filling the open positions with appropriate candidates. The selection processes used by human resources have not yet adjusted to the new criteria required for the restructured job positions. This problem is an example of which kind of resistance to change? A) structural inertia B) limited focus of change C) group inertia D) threat to expertise E) threat to established power relationships

Q: Selective information processing is a major source of resistance to change. It indicates that ________. A) changes in organizational patterns may threaten the expertise of specialized groups so these groups tend to resist change B) individuals hear what they want to hear and they ignore information that challenges the world they've created C) limited changes in subsystems tend to be nullified by the larger system D) groups in the organization that control sizable resources often resist change E) even if individuals want to change their behavior, group norms may act as a constraint

Q: Limited focus of change is a major source of resistance to change that originates from an organizational source. It indicates that ________. A) groups in the organization that control sizable resources often resist change B) changes in organizational patterns may threaten the expertise of specialized groups so these groups tend to resist change C) organizations have structural inertia that acts as a counterbalance to sustain stability D) organizations consist of a number of interdependent subsystems and one can't be changed without affecting the others E) even if individuals want to change their behavior, group norms may act as a constraint

Q: Which of the following is an example of an organizational source of resistance to change? A) limited focus of change B) security C) fear of the unknown D) selective information processing E) habit

Q: As a result of changing technology and unstable environment, your company is planning to undertake restructuring of the business. The employees in your company are worried about this upcoming change and many of them are anxious due to a fear that they will lose their jobs as a result of this change. But that is not the case. The company only wants to restructure its business units, and it is not planning to cut down on jobs. In such a situation, which of the following techniques is most likely to be used by your company to deal with the employees' resistance to change? A) implementing changes fairly B) education and communication C) participation D) manipulation and cooptation E) coercion

Q: Which of the following is an example of an individual source of resistance to change? A) limited focus of change B) product orientation C) fear of the unknown D) structural inertia E) employee orientation

Q: Organizations have built-in mechanisms-like their selection processes and formalized regulations-to produce stability. When an organization is confronted with change, these mechanisms act as a counterbalance to sustain stability. Which of the following organizational sources of resistance to change is represented by these mechanisms? A) group inertia B) selective information processing C) employee-orientation D) structural inertia E) product- orientation

Q: Which of the following resistances to change is implicit? A) strike B) increased error C) resignation D) complaint E) work slowdown

Q: Which of the following resistances to change is overt and immediate? A) loss of loyalty B) increased absenteeism C) loss of motivation D) increased error E) complaint

Q: A(n) ________ resistance to change clouds the link between the change and the reaction to it and may surface weeks, months, or even years later. A) overt B) immediate C) active D) explicit E) deferred

Q: It is easiest for management to deal with resistance when it is ________. A) concealed B) deferred C) passive D) implicit E) overt

Q: Which of the following reactions from employees is preferable as a response to change? A) silence B) apathy C) resignation D) open discussion E) increase in the use of sick time

Q: ________ are persons who act as catalysts and assume the responsibility for managing refinement activities. A) Early adopters B) Free riders C) Laggards D) Change agents E) Whistle-blowers

Q: A paper sales company designs and offers a new method of purchasing and shipping commercial quantities of paper through its Web site. The company used to do its business through its sales representative. This is an example of a(n) ________ change. A) accidental B) secondary C) planned D) cognitive E) integrated

Q: An example of change in competition is ________. A) U.S. manufactured Toyota vehicles B) collapse of Enron Corporation C) Iraq-U.S. war D) increased interest in urban living E) a decrease in interest rates

Q: Fony Corp., headquartered in China, is a leading manufacturer of electronic devices and solutions intended for professional markets. The company is considering upgrading the technology currently being used at Fony's manufacturing facility located in Guangdong that specializes in producing lithium-ion batteries, which are used to power laptops, cameras, cell phones, and other similar gadgets. The new technology is expected to increase efficiency levels and will also allow for greater adherence to quality standards. Which of the following, if true, would most weaken the argument that Fony Corp. should upgrade its technology? A) Employees fear that the new technology will render them obsolete. B) The company will be able to recover the cost of the technology within four years of implementation. C) The new technology is expected to reduce the company's overall cost of production. D) The company's main client is threatening legal action after it had to recall nearly 2 million notebooks owing to defective batteries. E) The technology which the company is considering adopting was recently developed and has not yet been successfully implemented in a real business context.

Q: Fony Corp., headquartered in China, is a leading manufacturer of electronic devices and solutions intended for professional markets. The company is considering upgrading the technology currently being used at Fony's manufacturing facility located in Guangdong that specializes in producing lithium-ion batteries, which are used to power laptops, cameras, cell phones, and other similar gadgets. The new technology is expected to increase efficiency levels and will also allow for greater adherence to quality standards. Which of the following, if true, would most strengthen the argument that Fony Corp. should upgrade its technology? A) The market for consumer electronics such as laptops, cameras, cell phones, and other similar gadgets is in the late maturity stage. B) Fony will be able to recover the cost of the new technology within eight years. C) Fony's main client account is at risk after the client had to recall nearly 2 million notebooks owing to defective batteries. D) The existing technology is currently functioning at the optimal level and the cost of maintenance is minimal. E) Fony last upgraded its technology six years ago and it has an adequate budget to fund the acquisition.

Q: Tescra Education is an educational publishing company that provides textbooks in the area of higher education. The company has been in business for almost 20 years now and has earned substantial profits during this period. Which of the following trends, if true, would drive the company to change its business strategy? A) a rise in the cost of electronic products such as iPads and e-book readers and subscription charges for educational apps B) an upward trend in students' preference for face-to-face interaction with instructors using traditional classroom learning techniques C) a need for learning environments where students feel safe to apply the knowledge they've acquired in the classroom to real-life situations D) a decrease in the number of people going back to school to upgrade their skills, due to an economic boom E) an increase in the number of laws and regulations related to intellectual property

Q: Organizations are increasingly adjusting their processes and positioning their products as environment friendly and sustainable in order to increase their appeal to consumers. This is a response to changes in ________. A) demographic trends B) social trends C) cultural trends D) legal requirements E) nature of the workforce

Q: An example of change in the nature of the workforce is an increase in ________. A) college attendance B) mergers and consolidations C) capital investment D) divorce rates E) cultural diversity

Q: Discuss the problems underlying the work-life conflict and explain some of the techniques that an organization can use to help employees achieve the work-life balance.

Q: Sophia is a valued employee in your department. She is positive and dependable but lacks ambition and has stagnated in her position this year. She also is consistently late on deadlines, although the work she turns in is usually flawless. Choose one of the performance evaluation methods discussed in the chapter and use it to evaluate the three most popular sets of criteria for Sophia. Explain why your evaluation method is strong or weak and how it could be improved.

Q: Provide some suggestions for improving performance evaluations.

Q: Describe and discuss the two most popular forced comparison methods of performance evaluation.

Q: Describe and discuss the critical incidents method of performance evaluation.

Q: Describe and discuss the use of written essays as a means of performance evaluation.

Q: What are the three most popular sets of criteria for evaluating employee performance?

Q: What purposes do performance evaluations serve in organizations?

Q: What are the three major types of behavior that constitute performance at work?

Q: Imagine that you are a manager of a multifaceted manufacturing operation with a new crew of twenty arriving for training. The crew is comprised of different types of learners. Describe a training program comprised of three different sessions that would cater to four different individual learning styles. State whether each of the training sessions would be on-the-job or off-the-job training and whether it is formal or informal.

Q: Discuss e-learning and its advantages and disadvantages.

Q: Compare and contrast between on-the-job training and off-the-job training.

Q: Provide a workplace example of informal training for technical skills and another for problem-solving skills.

Q: Describe the four general skill categories addressed by most employee training activities.

Q: Describe the contingent selection stage in the selection process.

Q: Compare and contrast unstructured interview and behavioral structured interview.

Q: Describe disadvantages of the selection interview.

Q: Describe and discuss work-sample tests and assessment centers and the contexts in which they can be used effectively.

Q: Briefly explain any three types of written tests that are typically used in the employee selection process.

Q: Describe and discuss three substantive selection devices used to assess job candidates once they have passed an initial screening.

Q: Define initial selection and identify the devices used during the initial selection stage.

Q: Time pressures are the primary problem underlying work-life conflicts.

Q: The performance review should be designed more as a counseling activity than as a judgment process.

Q: Due process systems provide individuals with adequate notice of what is expected of them.

Q: Appraisers should be as close as possible in organizational level to the individual being evaluated.

Q: As the number of evaluators increases, the probability of attaining more accurate information increases.

Q: The group order ranking method of performance evaluation combines major elements from the critical incident and graphic rating scale approaches.

Q: Graphic rating scales are less time consuming to develop and administer and allow for quantitative analysis and comparison.

Q: The critical incidents method of performance evaluation focuses the evaluator's attention on the difference between executing a job effectively and executing it ineffectively.

Q: The 360-degree appraisal method takes into consideration feedback from co-workers, customers, and subordinates.

Q: Individual traits are the strongest performance evaluation criteria.

Q: Performance evaluations identify training and development needs.

Q: A formal mentoring program is an example of an off-the-job training method.

Q: The most popular off-the-job training method is live classroom lectures.

Q: Most formal training involves employees simply helping each other out.

Q: Technical training has become increasingly important because of changes in organizational design.

Q: Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, firms cannot require employees to pass a medical exam before or after a job offer is made.

Q: In assessment centers, candidates are evaluated as they go through several days of exercises that simulate real problems they would confront on the job.

Q: Performance-simulation tests have lower face validity (which measures whether applicants perceive the measures to be accurate) than written tests.

Q: A test that measures factors such as dependability, carefulness, responsibility, and honesty is referred to as a task variability test.

Q: Substantive selection methods are the heart of the selection process and include written tests, performance tests, and interviews.

Q: Letters of recommendation are a form of background check.

Q: The goal of initial selection is to determine the most qualified applicants from among those who meet basic qualifications.

Q: The government passes a new law requiring all companies to offer employees unpaid time off to care for their children. This would harm the economic competitiveness of the nation's businesses as companies must be free to set their own employment policies without mandated parental-leave regulations. Which of the following, if true, would weaken the argument? A) A parental-leave law will serve to strengthen the family as a social institution in this country. B) Most businesses in the country already offer employees some form of parental leave. C) Some of the countries with the most economically competitive businesses have strong parental-leave regulations. D) The proposed parental-leave law does not apply to small-scale industries. E) In most polls, a majority of citizens say they favor passage of a parental-leave law.