MGMT 417 – Management Studies – Academic Year 2026 –
Comprehensive Study Guide and Practice Material
What is the value of studying the changes other individuals or organizations have experienced?
- correct answer ✔✔ - Change can be interpreted in different ways
- Using the stories of change we can see how change means different things to different people
- Using the stories of change we can see a wide range of issues that affect why and how change
occurs
- Vicarious learning
What is the basic outline of the book describe in the 'roadmap of the book?' - correct answer
✔✔ - Images we have of ourselves as managers of change (Chapter 2)
- Why we think the organization needs to change (Chapter 3)
- How change unfolds and what change looks like (Chapter 4)
- How we go about developing what we think needs to change (Chapter 5)
- The approach we take to handling people's reactions to change (Chapter 6)
- The underlying 'theory' we use to implement change (Chapters 7 & 8)
- The importance we place on the role of vision in change (Chapter 9)
- The strategy we use & skills we need to communicate change (Chapters 10 & 11)
- The things we need to do to sustain change and make it 'stick' (Chapter 12)
What is the central observation to the 'roadmap of the book?' - correct answer ✔✔ Images we
have of ourselves as managers of change (Chapter 2)
What is meant by the idea of "Images of Change?" - correct answer ✔✔ They act as mental
models, pointing us in certain directions in order to make sense of things going on around us.
,What are the images of managing? - correct answer ✔✔ - Management as Control
- Management as Shaping
What activities are included in management as control? - correct answer ✔✔ Planning,
organizing, commanding, coordinating, and controlling.
In management as control, what is the hierarchical view of managing? - correct answer ✔✔
Top-down
How is the organization treated as in management as control? - correct answer ✔✔ A machine:
it is up to managers to drive the machine in specific directions, people are told what their roles
will be and departments and business units are allocated resources (inputs) so that the machine
can perform efficiently and produce the necessary products or services in which it is engaged
(outputs).
What is an image of management as shaping? - correct answer ✔✔ Participative style of
managing. People are encouraged to be involved in decisions and to help identify how things
can be done better. Assumption is that they are likely to have a better knowledge of how things
can be improved. Managing people is therefore about shaping their behavior in ways that
encourage them to take actions of most benefit to the organization.
How is the organization treated in the management as shaping image? - correct answer ✔✔
Like a living, breathing organism or person.
What is produced in the management as shaping approach? - correct answer ✔✔ Strong
corporate capabilities that provide the organization with a firm platform from which to both
respond to and shape the external changes and challenges it is likely to face.
Director - correct answer ✔✔ - Management as control
- Change outcomes achievable
, - Direct the organization in particular ways in order to produce the required change
- Assumption is that change is a strategic choice that managers make and the survival and
general well-being of the organization depends on them
Navigator - correct answer ✔✔ - Management as control
- Variety of factors external to managers mean that while they may achieve some intended
change outcomes, others will occur over which they have little control
- Outcomes are at least partly emergent rather than completely planned and result from a
variety of influences, competing interests, and processes
- This does not mean that managing change is something that is not able to be controlled;
rather "it is only partially controllable" with change managers navigating the process toward an
outcome, not all of which will be intentional
Caretaker - correct answer ✔✔ - Management as control
- Ability to exercise control is severely constrained by a variety of forces, both internally and
externally driven, that propel change relatively independent of a manager's intentions
- In this rather pessimistic image, at best managers are shepherding their organization along as
best as they can
Coach - correct answer ✔✔ - Change managers are able to intentionally shape the organizations
capabilities in particular ways
- Relies upon building in the right set of values, skills, and "drills" that are deemed to be the best
ones that organizational members will be able to draw on adeptly in order to achieve desired
organizational outcomes
Interpreter - correct answer ✔✔ - Creating meaning for other organizational members, helping
them to make sense of various organizational events and actions
- Some meanings - and therefore change intentions - are likely to be realized, other meanings
are likely to emerge from alternative interpretations and understanding held by other people
engaged in, or affected by, the particular change
Comprehensive Study Guide and Practice Material
What is the value of studying the changes other individuals or organizations have experienced?
- correct answer ✔✔ - Change can be interpreted in different ways
- Using the stories of change we can see how change means different things to different people
- Using the stories of change we can see a wide range of issues that affect why and how change
occurs
- Vicarious learning
What is the basic outline of the book describe in the 'roadmap of the book?' - correct answer
✔✔ - Images we have of ourselves as managers of change (Chapter 2)
- Why we think the organization needs to change (Chapter 3)
- How change unfolds and what change looks like (Chapter 4)
- How we go about developing what we think needs to change (Chapter 5)
- The approach we take to handling people's reactions to change (Chapter 6)
- The underlying 'theory' we use to implement change (Chapters 7 & 8)
- The importance we place on the role of vision in change (Chapter 9)
- The strategy we use & skills we need to communicate change (Chapters 10 & 11)
- The things we need to do to sustain change and make it 'stick' (Chapter 12)
What is the central observation to the 'roadmap of the book?' - correct answer ✔✔ Images we
have of ourselves as managers of change (Chapter 2)
What is meant by the idea of "Images of Change?" - correct answer ✔✔ They act as mental
models, pointing us in certain directions in order to make sense of things going on around us.
,What are the images of managing? - correct answer ✔✔ - Management as Control
- Management as Shaping
What activities are included in management as control? - correct answer ✔✔ Planning,
organizing, commanding, coordinating, and controlling.
In management as control, what is the hierarchical view of managing? - correct answer ✔✔
Top-down
How is the organization treated as in management as control? - correct answer ✔✔ A machine:
it is up to managers to drive the machine in specific directions, people are told what their roles
will be and departments and business units are allocated resources (inputs) so that the machine
can perform efficiently and produce the necessary products or services in which it is engaged
(outputs).
What is an image of management as shaping? - correct answer ✔✔ Participative style of
managing. People are encouraged to be involved in decisions and to help identify how things
can be done better. Assumption is that they are likely to have a better knowledge of how things
can be improved. Managing people is therefore about shaping their behavior in ways that
encourage them to take actions of most benefit to the organization.
How is the organization treated in the management as shaping image? - correct answer ✔✔
Like a living, breathing organism or person.
What is produced in the management as shaping approach? - correct answer ✔✔ Strong
corporate capabilities that provide the organization with a firm platform from which to both
respond to and shape the external changes and challenges it is likely to face.
Director - correct answer ✔✔ - Management as control
- Change outcomes achievable
, - Direct the organization in particular ways in order to produce the required change
- Assumption is that change is a strategic choice that managers make and the survival and
general well-being of the organization depends on them
Navigator - correct answer ✔✔ - Management as control
- Variety of factors external to managers mean that while they may achieve some intended
change outcomes, others will occur over which they have little control
- Outcomes are at least partly emergent rather than completely planned and result from a
variety of influences, competing interests, and processes
- This does not mean that managing change is something that is not able to be controlled;
rather "it is only partially controllable" with change managers navigating the process toward an
outcome, not all of which will be intentional
Caretaker - correct answer ✔✔ - Management as control
- Ability to exercise control is severely constrained by a variety of forces, both internally and
externally driven, that propel change relatively independent of a manager's intentions
- In this rather pessimistic image, at best managers are shepherding their organization along as
best as they can
Coach - correct answer ✔✔ - Change managers are able to intentionally shape the organizations
capabilities in particular ways
- Relies upon building in the right set of values, skills, and "drills" that are deemed to be the best
ones that organizational members will be able to draw on adeptly in order to achieve desired
organizational outcomes
Interpreter - correct answer ✔✔ - Creating meaning for other organizational members, helping
them to make sense of various organizational events and actions
- Some meanings - and therefore change intentions - are likely to be realized, other meanings
are likely to emerge from alternative interpretations and understanding held by other people
engaged in, or affected by, the particular change
