WGU C208 FINAL OA ACTUAL STUDY GUIDE
180-Question Comprehensive Exam with Answers and Rationales
1. Which three individuals within an organization could play the role of change agent? (Select
three.)
A) CEO
B) Consultant
C) Employee
D) Shareholder
E) Supplier
Correct Answer: A, B, C – A change agent is one who initiates a change effort. CEOs,
consultants, and employees can all serve as change agents at different levels of the
organization. Shareholders and suppliers typically do not initiate change from within.
2. Which of the eight steps described by Kotter is the first step a change leader takes when
implementing a change?
A) Form a powerful guiding coalition
B) Create a vision
C) Establish a sense of urgency
D) Communicate the vision
Correct Answer: C – Kotter's first step is establishing a sense of urgency to motivate
stakeholders. Without urgency, subsequent steps lack momentum.
3. Place the stages of Everett Rogers' Diffusion of Innovation model in order from 1 (earliest)
to 5 (latest).
A) Knowledge, Persuasion, Decision, Implementation, Confirmation
B) Persuasion, Knowledge, Decision, Confirmation, Implementation
C) Decision, Knowledge, Persuasion, Implementation, Confirmation
D) Knowledge, Decision, Persuasion, Implementation, Confirmation
Correct Answer: A – The correct order is Knowledge → Persuasion → Decision →
Implementation → Confirmation. Knowledge is first exposure, then persuasion forms attitudes,
decision commits, implementation executes, and confirmation reinforces.
4. The head of human resources of a large company is considering changes to the employee
benefits program but is unsure how the employees will respond to these changes. Which type
of change model should this person employ?
A) Prescriptive
B) Descriptive
C) Normative
D) Predictive
,Correct Answer: B – Descriptive change models are used for understanding what is going on in
an organization. When unsure of employee response, a descriptive model helps diagnose the
situation.
5. Which two ways does iteration contribute to change initiatives? (Select two.)
A) It creates a sense of urgency within the organization
B) It guarantees immediate success
C) It helps guard against regression to old ways of doing things
D) It eliminates the need for leadership
Correct Answer: A, C – Iteration creates urgency and helps prevent regression. It does not
guarantee success or eliminate leadership needs.
6. What is essential for a leader to communicate when undertaking organizational change?
A) Detailed financial projections
B) A consistent vision of the end result of the change
C) The names of all employees who will be terminated
D) The exact timeline for every task
Correct Answer: B – A consistent vision of the end result is essential. Without a clear vision,
employees lack direction and motivation.
7. Which statement best describes the use of employee rewards and punishments in
advancing organizational change?
A) Rewards and punishments are the only tools needed
B) Rewards and punishments are not sufficient on their own to persuade employees to accept
change
C) Punishments are more effective than rewards
D) Rewards should never be used during change
Correct Answer: B – Rewards and punishments alone are insufficient. Change requires vision,
communication, and engagement beyond simple incentives.
8. Which aspect of a change initiative is measured by return on investment?
A) Its popularity among employees
B) Its efficiency or value
C) Its speed of implementation
D) Its impact on company culture
Correct Answer: B – ROI measures efficiency and value. It quantifies financial and operational
benefits relative to cost.
9. A manager attempting to implement a change initiative finds the employees strongly
embrace the organization's mission and feel the urgency to change. The manager is grateful
,for the workers' reactions because the manager is very uncomfortable using power tools to
coerce support of the initiative. In which sector does this manager most likely work?
A) For-profit
B) Nonprofit
C) Government
D) Manufacturing
Correct Answer: B – Nonprofit organizations often rely on mission alignment and intrinsic
motivation rather than coercive power.
10. Refer to the case study: Cellular Systems Inc. - 20/20 Vision. How should the vice president
proceed now that the directors have voiced their objections and concerns about the new
targets?
A) Immediately terminate the directors who objected
B) Schedule an additional meeting in one week and ask the directors to present their own plans
on how they will meet the new targets
C) Abandon the new targets entirely
D) Implement the targets without further discussion
Correct Answer: B – Involving objectors in solution development builds buy-in and addresses
concerns constructively.
11. Which stage in Kurt Lewin's change model involves changes being institutionalized in the
corporate culture?
A) Unfreezing
B) Changing
C) Moving
D) Refreezing
Correct Answer: D – Refreezing institutionalizes changes into culture. Unfreezing prepares for
change, and changing implements new behaviors.
12. Which stage in Kurt Lewin's change model involves people employing new skills and
attitudes and being rewarded by the organization for doing so?
A) Unfreezing
B) Changing
C) Refreezing
D) Moving
Correct Answer: C – Refreezing involves reinforcement through rewards and institutionalization.
13. In Lewin's 3-stage change model, the "unfreezing" stage primarily involves:
A) Implementing new processes
B) Reinforcing new behaviors
, C) Creating readiness for change and overcoming resistance
D) Celebrating success
Correct Answer: C – Unfreezing creates readiness by challenging old behaviors and reducing
resistance.
14. Which change model focuses on the psychological transition individuals experience rather
than the organizational change itself?
A) Kotter's 8 Steps
B) Lewin's 3 Stages
C) Bridges' Transition Model
D) McKinsey 7-S
Correct Answer: C – Bridges' Transition Model focuses on the psychological transition
individuals experience.
15. Bridges' Transitional Model consists of which three stages?
A) Unfreezing, Changing, Refreezing
B) Knowledge, Persuasion, Decision
C) Ending/Losing/Letting Go, The Neutral Zone, New Beginning
D) Forming, Storming, Norming
Correct Answer: C – The three stages are Ending/Losing/Letting Go, The Neutral Zone, and New
Beginning.
16. In the Bridges' Transitional Model, which of the following would NOT be a suggestion for
managing Stage 1?
A) Acknowledge the loss openly
B) Develop short-term goals and interim structures
C) Expect and accept signs of grieving
D) Provide information repeatedly
Correct Answer: B – Developing short-term goals is associated with later stages. Stage 1 focuses
on acknowledging endings and managing loss.
17. Which of the following creativity techniques encourages radical statements to generate
new ideas?
A) Brainstorming
B) Mind mapping
C) Provocation Technique
D) Six Thinking Hats
Correct Answer: C – The Provocation Technique, developed by Edward de Bono, introduces
radical statements to provoke fresh thinking.
180-Question Comprehensive Exam with Answers and Rationales
1. Which three individuals within an organization could play the role of change agent? (Select
three.)
A) CEO
B) Consultant
C) Employee
D) Shareholder
E) Supplier
Correct Answer: A, B, C – A change agent is one who initiates a change effort. CEOs,
consultants, and employees can all serve as change agents at different levels of the
organization. Shareholders and suppliers typically do not initiate change from within.
2. Which of the eight steps described by Kotter is the first step a change leader takes when
implementing a change?
A) Form a powerful guiding coalition
B) Create a vision
C) Establish a sense of urgency
D) Communicate the vision
Correct Answer: C – Kotter's first step is establishing a sense of urgency to motivate
stakeholders. Without urgency, subsequent steps lack momentum.
3. Place the stages of Everett Rogers' Diffusion of Innovation model in order from 1 (earliest)
to 5 (latest).
A) Knowledge, Persuasion, Decision, Implementation, Confirmation
B) Persuasion, Knowledge, Decision, Confirmation, Implementation
C) Decision, Knowledge, Persuasion, Implementation, Confirmation
D) Knowledge, Decision, Persuasion, Implementation, Confirmation
Correct Answer: A – The correct order is Knowledge → Persuasion → Decision →
Implementation → Confirmation. Knowledge is first exposure, then persuasion forms attitudes,
decision commits, implementation executes, and confirmation reinforces.
4. The head of human resources of a large company is considering changes to the employee
benefits program but is unsure how the employees will respond to these changes. Which type
of change model should this person employ?
A) Prescriptive
B) Descriptive
C) Normative
D) Predictive
,Correct Answer: B – Descriptive change models are used for understanding what is going on in
an organization. When unsure of employee response, a descriptive model helps diagnose the
situation.
5. Which two ways does iteration contribute to change initiatives? (Select two.)
A) It creates a sense of urgency within the organization
B) It guarantees immediate success
C) It helps guard against regression to old ways of doing things
D) It eliminates the need for leadership
Correct Answer: A, C – Iteration creates urgency and helps prevent regression. It does not
guarantee success or eliminate leadership needs.
6. What is essential for a leader to communicate when undertaking organizational change?
A) Detailed financial projections
B) A consistent vision of the end result of the change
C) The names of all employees who will be terminated
D) The exact timeline for every task
Correct Answer: B – A consistent vision of the end result is essential. Without a clear vision,
employees lack direction and motivation.
7. Which statement best describes the use of employee rewards and punishments in
advancing organizational change?
A) Rewards and punishments are the only tools needed
B) Rewards and punishments are not sufficient on their own to persuade employees to accept
change
C) Punishments are more effective than rewards
D) Rewards should never be used during change
Correct Answer: B – Rewards and punishments alone are insufficient. Change requires vision,
communication, and engagement beyond simple incentives.
8. Which aspect of a change initiative is measured by return on investment?
A) Its popularity among employees
B) Its efficiency or value
C) Its speed of implementation
D) Its impact on company culture
Correct Answer: B – ROI measures efficiency and value. It quantifies financial and operational
benefits relative to cost.
9. A manager attempting to implement a change initiative finds the employees strongly
embrace the organization's mission and feel the urgency to change. The manager is grateful
,for the workers' reactions because the manager is very uncomfortable using power tools to
coerce support of the initiative. In which sector does this manager most likely work?
A) For-profit
B) Nonprofit
C) Government
D) Manufacturing
Correct Answer: B – Nonprofit organizations often rely on mission alignment and intrinsic
motivation rather than coercive power.
10. Refer to the case study: Cellular Systems Inc. - 20/20 Vision. How should the vice president
proceed now that the directors have voiced their objections and concerns about the new
targets?
A) Immediately terminate the directors who objected
B) Schedule an additional meeting in one week and ask the directors to present their own plans
on how they will meet the new targets
C) Abandon the new targets entirely
D) Implement the targets without further discussion
Correct Answer: B – Involving objectors in solution development builds buy-in and addresses
concerns constructively.
11. Which stage in Kurt Lewin's change model involves changes being institutionalized in the
corporate culture?
A) Unfreezing
B) Changing
C) Moving
D) Refreezing
Correct Answer: D – Refreezing institutionalizes changes into culture. Unfreezing prepares for
change, and changing implements new behaviors.
12. Which stage in Kurt Lewin's change model involves people employing new skills and
attitudes and being rewarded by the organization for doing so?
A) Unfreezing
B) Changing
C) Refreezing
D) Moving
Correct Answer: C – Refreezing involves reinforcement through rewards and institutionalization.
13. In Lewin's 3-stage change model, the "unfreezing" stage primarily involves:
A) Implementing new processes
B) Reinforcing new behaviors
, C) Creating readiness for change and overcoming resistance
D) Celebrating success
Correct Answer: C – Unfreezing creates readiness by challenging old behaviors and reducing
resistance.
14. Which change model focuses on the psychological transition individuals experience rather
than the organizational change itself?
A) Kotter's 8 Steps
B) Lewin's 3 Stages
C) Bridges' Transition Model
D) McKinsey 7-S
Correct Answer: C – Bridges' Transition Model focuses on the psychological transition
individuals experience.
15. Bridges' Transitional Model consists of which three stages?
A) Unfreezing, Changing, Refreezing
B) Knowledge, Persuasion, Decision
C) Ending/Losing/Letting Go, The Neutral Zone, New Beginning
D) Forming, Storming, Norming
Correct Answer: C – The three stages are Ending/Losing/Letting Go, The Neutral Zone, and New
Beginning.
16. In the Bridges' Transitional Model, which of the following would NOT be a suggestion for
managing Stage 1?
A) Acknowledge the loss openly
B) Develop short-term goals and interim structures
C) Expect and accept signs of grieving
D) Provide information repeatedly
Correct Answer: B – Developing short-term goals is associated with later stages. Stage 1 focuses
on acknowledging endings and managing loss.
17. Which of the following creativity techniques encourages radical statements to generate
new ideas?
A) Brainstorming
B) Mind mapping
C) Provocation Technique
D) Six Thinking Hats
Correct Answer: C – The Provocation Technique, developed by Edward de Bono, introduces
radical statements to provoke fresh thinking.