WGU C715 Organizational Behavior Exam
WGU College of Business
2026/2027 Academic Year – Study Questions and Answers
90 Questions • 9 Sections • Estimated Time: 3 Hours • Passing Score: 70%
Instructions to Candidates:
1. This examination consists of 90 multiple-choice questions divided into nine sections covering the foundations of
organizational behavior, individual behavior and diversity, perception and decision making, motivation, group and
team dynamics, leadership and power, communication and culture, change and stress management, and integrated
OB applications.
2. Each question has four answer choices (A, B, C, D). Only one answer is correct. The correct answer is identified
by the [CORRECT] marker and the Correct Answer: line.
3. A detailed rationale follows each answer explaining the WGU C715-specific organizational behavior reasoning,
including theoretical frameworks, practical applications, evidence-based management, and organizational
performance considerations.
4. Cognitive levels are distributed approximately as: 30% recall, 50% application, 20% analysis. Approximately
75% of items are scenario-based; 25% are direct recall or definition.
5. Content reflects current 2026/2027 WGU C715 course competencies, evidence-based management principles,
and ethical leadership integration aligned with WGU College of Business standards.
Section 1: Foundations of Organizational Behavior (Q1-Q12)
This section evaluates the candidate's understanding of the definition and scope of organizational behavior,
contributing disciplines, OB models, contemporary challenges and opportunities, evidence-based management,
and the three levels of OB analysis.
Study Questions and Answers Page 1
,WGU C715 Organizational Behavior Exam WGU College of Business • 2026/2027 Academic Year
Q1: A regional operations manager is investigating why two distribution centers with identical staffing
levels, equipment, and processes produce dramatically different output and turnover rates. The manager's
investigation is best described as an application of:
A. Human resource management, because turnover is solely an HR function
B. Industrial engineering, because the issue is process design
C. Operations management, because the focus is on output and process efficiency
D. Organizational behavior, because the focus is on how individuals, groups, and structure affect behavior and
outcomes within an organization [CORRECT]
Correct Answer: D
Rationale:
Organizational behavior (OB) is defined as the systematic study and application of knowledge about how
individuals, groups, and structures act within organizations, with the goal of improving organizational effectiveness.
The manager's investigation focuses specifically on behavioral and structural causes of differing outcomes, which is
the core of OB. Operations management (A) focuses on production processes rather than people and structure.
Human resource management (C) is concerned with practices like hiring and compensation, not behavioral
diagnosis. Industrial engineering (D) is concerned with workflow and process design. WGU C715 emphasizes OB's
behavioral-systems orientation.
Q2: An OB analyst is studying how group coalitions form during budget negotiations and how power is
distributed across departments. The contributing discipline that MOST directly informs this analysis is:
A. Psychology, because coalitions are formed by individual motives
B. Anthropology, because budget negotiations are cultural rituals
C. Political science, because the study of power, conflict, and coalition behavior is central to political science
[CORRECT]
D. Sociology, because all group behavior is sociology
Correct Answer: C
Rationale:
Political science contributes to OB the study of power, conflict, coalition behavior, and intra-organizational politics.
Coalitions and power distribution during budget negotiations are explicitly political phenomena. Psychology (A)
focuses on the individual, not intergroup power. Anthropology (B) studies cultural patterns and symbols, not
political behavior. Sociology (D) studies groups broadly but does not specialize in power and conflict the way
political science does. WGU C715 requires candidates to identify the discipline most relevant to a given OB
question.
Study Questions and Answers Page 2
,WGU C715 Organizational Behavior Exam WGU College of Business • 2026/2027 Academic Year
Q3: A manufacturing firm offers employees steady pay, benefits, and job security in exchange for
compliance and loyalty, but provides little autonomy or personal growth. According to Schein's OB
models, this firm MOST closely exemplifies the:
A. Supportive model, because benefits signal organizational care
B. Collegial model, because loyalty is reciprocal
C. Autocratic model, because employees are dependent on the boss
D. Custodial model, because the employer relies on economic resources to satisfy employee needs in exchange
for compliance [CORRECT]
Correct Answer: D
Rationale:
Schein's custodial model depends on economic resources; the employer provides pay, benefits, and security, and
employees respond with passive compliance and dependence on the organization. The autocratic model (A) relies on
managerial power and obedience, not economic benefits. The supportive model (C) depends on leadership that helps
employees grow and achieve. The collegial model (D) depends on partnership and self-discipline. WGU C715
candidates must distinguish the five models by their underlying orientation and expected employee response.
Q4: A multinational technology firm expands into three new countries but finds that its standardized
performance review system is rated as unfair by local employees in each market. The OB challenge that
BEST explains this issue is:
A. Workforce diversity, because employees differ in needs and expectations across cultures [CORRECT]
B. Technology, because the review platform is hard to use
C. Ethics, because the firm is violating labor laws
D. Globalization, because the firm is operating in new countries
Correct Answer: A
Rationale:
Workforce diversity encompasses cultural, generational, and individual differences in needs, expectations, and
norms. A standardized performance review that feels unfair across cultures reflects a failure to account for diversity,
not merely a problem of operating in new markets. Technology (B) addresses platform usability, not fairness
perceptions. Ethics (C) is not the primary issue unless laws are being violated. Globalization (D) is a structural shift
but does not by itself explain why the system is rated unfair; diversity does. WGU C715 frames diversity as both a
challenge and an opportunity for OB practice.
Study Questions and Answers Page 3
, WGU C715 Organizational Behavior Exam WGU College of Business • 2026/2027 Academic Year
Q5: A hospital CEO refuses to adopt a popular management practice promoted by a consulting firm,
instead requesting peer-reviewed evidence of its effectiveness in similar hospital settings. This decision is
BEST described as an application of:
A. Evidence-based management, because the CEO is basing decisions on the best available scientific evidence
[CORRECT]
B. Intuitive decision making, because the CEO trusts their gut
C. Bounded rationality, because the CEO has limited information
D. Critical thinking, because the CEO is criticizing the consultant
Correct Answer: A
Rationale:
Evidence-based management (EBM) is the systematic use of the best available scientific evidence to inform
decisions, rather than relying on fads, anecdotes, or untested consultant claims. The CEO's request for
peer-reviewed evidence is a textbook application of EBM. Intuitive decision making (B) is the opposite of what the
CEO is doing. Bounded rationality (C) describes decision limits imposed by information and cognitive constraints,
not a deliberate search for evidence. Critical thinking (D) is a related competency but is broader than the specific
practice of EBM. WGU C715 emphasizes EBM as a foundational OB competency.
Q6: An OB consultant is hired to reduce interdepartmental conflict at a mid-sized insurance firm. The
consultant begins by examining formal reporting relationships, team composition, and reward systems
before addressing individual personalities. This approach reflects the OB principle that:
A. Organizational structure has no impact on individual behavior
B. Only organizational-level analysis matters for conflict
C. Group-level factors are always more important than individual factors
D. Behavior is best understood at three levels of analysis: individual, group, and organizational, and structural
factors often shape individual behavior [CORRECT]
Correct Answer: D
Rationale:
The three levels of OB analysis are individual, group, and organizational. Skilled practitioners recognize that
structural factors (reward systems, reporting relationships, team composition) at the group and organizational levels
often shape individual behavior, so they diagnose structure before attributing problems to personalities. Choice A
overstates the primacy of group factors. Choice C is incorrect; structure clearly shapes behavior. Choice D is
incorrect; individual and group factors matter as much as organizational ones. WGU C715 candidates must apply
the multi-level framework to diagnosis.
Study Questions and Answers Page 4
WGU College of Business
2026/2027 Academic Year – Study Questions and Answers
90 Questions • 9 Sections • Estimated Time: 3 Hours • Passing Score: 70%
Instructions to Candidates:
1. This examination consists of 90 multiple-choice questions divided into nine sections covering the foundations of
organizational behavior, individual behavior and diversity, perception and decision making, motivation, group and
team dynamics, leadership and power, communication and culture, change and stress management, and integrated
OB applications.
2. Each question has four answer choices (A, B, C, D). Only one answer is correct. The correct answer is identified
by the [CORRECT] marker and the Correct Answer: line.
3. A detailed rationale follows each answer explaining the WGU C715-specific organizational behavior reasoning,
including theoretical frameworks, practical applications, evidence-based management, and organizational
performance considerations.
4. Cognitive levels are distributed approximately as: 30% recall, 50% application, 20% analysis. Approximately
75% of items are scenario-based; 25% are direct recall or definition.
5. Content reflects current 2026/2027 WGU C715 course competencies, evidence-based management principles,
and ethical leadership integration aligned with WGU College of Business standards.
Section 1: Foundations of Organizational Behavior (Q1-Q12)
This section evaluates the candidate's understanding of the definition and scope of organizational behavior,
contributing disciplines, OB models, contemporary challenges and opportunities, evidence-based management,
and the three levels of OB analysis.
Study Questions and Answers Page 1
,WGU C715 Organizational Behavior Exam WGU College of Business • 2026/2027 Academic Year
Q1: A regional operations manager is investigating why two distribution centers with identical staffing
levels, equipment, and processes produce dramatically different output and turnover rates. The manager's
investigation is best described as an application of:
A. Human resource management, because turnover is solely an HR function
B. Industrial engineering, because the issue is process design
C. Operations management, because the focus is on output and process efficiency
D. Organizational behavior, because the focus is on how individuals, groups, and structure affect behavior and
outcomes within an organization [CORRECT]
Correct Answer: D
Rationale:
Organizational behavior (OB) is defined as the systematic study and application of knowledge about how
individuals, groups, and structures act within organizations, with the goal of improving organizational effectiveness.
The manager's investigation focuses specifically on behavioral and structural causes of differing outcomes, which is
the core of OB. Operations management (A) focuses on production processes rather than people and structure.
Human resource management (C) is concerned with practices like hiring and compensation, not behavioral
diagnosis. Industrial engineering (D) is concerned with workflow and process design. WGU C715 emphasizes OB's
behavioral-systems orientation.
Q2: An OB analyst is studying how group coalitions form during budget negotiations and how power is
distributed across departments. The contributing discipline that MOST directly informs this analysis is:
A. Psychology, because coalitions are formed by individual motives
B. Anthropology, because budget negotiations are cultural rituals
C. Political science, because the study of power, conflict, and coalition behavior is central to political science
[CORRECT]
D. Sociology, because all group behavior is sociology
Correct Answer: C
Rationale:
Political science contributes to OB the study of power, conflict, coalition behavior, and intra-organizational politics.
Coalitions and power distribution during budget negotiations are explicitly political phenomena. Psychology (A)
focuses on the individual, not intergroup power. Anthropology (B) studies cultural patterns and symbols, not
political behavior. Sociology (D) studies groups broadly but does not specialize in power and conflict the way
political science does. WGU C715 requires candidates to identify the discipline most relevant to a given OB
question.
Study Questions and Answers Page 2
,WGU C715 Organizational Behavior Exam WGU College of Business • 2026/2027 Academic Year
Q3: A manufacturing firm offers employees steady pay, benefits, and job security in exchange for
compliance and loyalty, but provides little autonomy or personal growth. According to Schein's OB
models, this firm MOST closely exemplifies the:
A. Supportive model, because benefits signal organizational care
B. Collegial model, because loyalty is reciprocal
C. Autocratic model, because employees are dependent on the boss
D. Custodial model, because the employer relies on economic resources to satisfy employee needs in exchange
for compliance [CORRECT]
Correct Answer: D
Rationale:
Schein's custodial model depends on economic resources; the employer provides pay, benefits, and security, and
employees respond with passive compliance and dependence on the organization. The autocratic model (A) relies on
managerial power and obedience, not economic benefits. The supportive model (C) depends on leadership that helps
employees grow and achieve. The collegial model (D) depends on partnership and self-discipline. WGU C715
candidates must distinguish the five models by their underlying orientation and expected employee response.
Q4: A multinational technology firm expands into three new countries but finds that its standardized
performance review system is rated as unfair by local employees in each market. The OB challenge that
BEST explains this issue is:
A. Workforce diversity, because employees differ in needs and expectations across cultures [CORRECT]
B. Technology, because the review platform is hard to use
C. Ethics, because the firm is violating labor laws
D. Globalization, because the firm is operating in new countries
Correct Answer: A
Rationale:
Workforce diversity encompasses cultural, generational, and individual differences in needs, expectations, and
norms. A standardized performance review that feels unfair across cultures reflects a failure to account for diversity,
not merely a problem of operating in new markets. Technology (B) addresses platform usability, not fairness
perceptions. Ethics (C) is not the primary issue unless laws are being violated. Globalization (D) is a structural shift
but does not by itself explain why the system is rated unfair; diversity does. WGU C715 frames diversity as both a
challenge and an opportunity for OB practice.
Study Questions and Answers Page 3
, WGU C715 Organizational Behavior Exam WGU College of Business • 2026/2027 Academic Year
Q5: A hospital CEO refuses to adopt a popular management practice promoted by a consulting firm,
instead requesting peer-reviewed evidence of its effectiveness in similar hospital settings. This decision is
BEST described as an application of:
A. Evidence-based management, because the CEO is basing decisions on the best available scientific evidence
[CORRECT]
B. Intuitive decision making, because the CEO trusts their gut
C. Bounded rationality, because the CEO has limited information
D. Critical thinking, because the CEO is criticizing the consultant
Correct Answer: A
Rationale:
Evidence-based management (EBM) is the systematic use of the best available scientific evidence to inform
decisions, rather than relying on fads, anecdotes, or untested consultant claims. The CEO's request for
peer-reviewed evidence is a textbook application of EBM. Intuitive decision making (B) is the opposite of what the
CEO is doing. Bounded rationality (C) describes decision limits imposed by information and cognitive constraints,
not a deliberate search for evidence. Critical thinking (D) is a related competency but is broader than the specific
practice of EBM. WGU C715 emphasizes EBM as a foundational OB competency.
Q6: An OB consultant is hired to reduce interdepartmental conflict at a mid-sized insurance firm. The
consultant begins by examining formal reporting relationships, team composition, and reward systems
before addressing individual personalities. This approach reflects the OB principle that:
A. Organizational structure has no impact on individual behavior
B. Only organizational-level analysis matters for conflict
C. Group-level factors are always more important than individual factors
D. Behavior is best understood at three levels of analysis: individual, group, and organizational, and structural
factors often shape individual behavior [CORRECT]
Correct Answer: D
Rationale:
The three levels of OB analysis are individual, group, and organizational. Skilled practitioners recognize that
structural factors (reward systems, reporting relationships, team composition) at the group and organizational levels
often shape individual behavior, so they diagnose structure before attributing problems to personalities. Choice A
overstates the primacy of group factors. Choice C is incorrect; structure clearly shapes behavior. Choice D is
incorrect; individual and group factors matter as much as organizational ones. WGU C715 candidates must apply
the multi-level framework to diagnosis.
Study Questions and Answers Page 4
