MGMT 363 - EXAM I QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Organizational Behavior (OB) - Answers -the field of study devoted to understanding,
explaining, and ultimately improving the attitudes and behaviors of individuals and
groups in organizations.
Human Resource Management - Answers -takes the theories and principles studies in
OB and explores the "nuts-and-bolts" applications of those principles in organizations.
Strategic Management - Answers -focuses on the product choices and industry
characteristics that affect an organization's profitability
[OB Foundations] Industrial & Organizational Psychology - Answers -Job performance
and individual characteristics
[OB Foundations] Social Psychology - Answers -Satisfaction, emotions, and team
processes
[OB Foundations] Sociology - Answers -Team characteristics and organizational
structure
[OB Foundations] Economics - Answers -Motivation, learning, and decision making
[Video Clip] "Office Space"
***shown 09/28/13*** - Answers -Not committed, doesn't cope with stress very well, not
a good job performer, and not too much job satisfaction present.
[A Brief History] Scientific Management - Answers -Fredrick Taylor - late 19th, early
20th century
Objective, scientifically driven approach to studying OB. Focus on efficiency and
productivity in organizations.
***i.e. Assembly line. Process is created and then taught to others.
[A Brief History] Human Relation Movement - Answers -Hawthorne studies @ Western
Electric Co. (1924-1932)
More humanistic approach (feelings, thoughts, and actions matter).
***i.e. Lighting and its effects on productivity. "Illusion of concern for the workers was
very important".
[A Brief History] Theory X and Theory Y (McGregor, post WWII) - Answers -Managers'
assumptions regarding employees dictate their practice:
~X: Controlling employees and holding on to power. Think employees do not like to
work.
~Y: Involving employees and sharing power. Believe work is a part of who you are and
don't naturally dislike work. Work is and extension of one's self.
,[Integrative Model of Organizational Behavior] Individual Outcomes (2 subgroups) -
Answers -1.) Job Performance
2.) Organizational Commitment
[Integrative Model of Organizational Behavior]
Individual Mechanisms (5 subgroups)
***We have control over - Answers -1.) Job Satisfaction
2.) Stress
3.) Motivation
4.) Trust, Justice, and Ethics
5.) Learning and Decision Making
[Integrative Model of Organizational Behavior]
Individual Characteristics (2 subgroups) - Answers -1.) Personality and Cultural Values.
2.) Ability
[Integrative Model of Organizational Behavior]
Group Mechanisms (4 subgroups) - Answers -1.) Teams: Characteristics and Diversity
2.) Teams: Processes and Communication
3.) Leadership: Power and Negotiation
4.) Leadership: Styles and Behaviors
[Integrative Model of Organizational Behavior]
Organizational Mechanisms (2 subgroups) - Answers -1.) Organizational Structure
2.) Organizational Culture
Resource-based view (6 resources) - Answers -1.) Financial Resource (revenue and
equity)
2.) Physical Resource (buildings, machines, and technology)
3.) Knowledge, decision-making, culture, ability, and wisdom
4.) Image, culture, and goodwill
5.) Human Resource (people)
6.) Information Resource (data)
What makes a resource valuable? (2 items) - Answers -1.) Rare
2.) Inimitable
Rare (examples) - Answers -Resource and people
***i.e. Mainframe programmer example
Inimitable (3 characteristics) - Answers -1.) History - A collective pool of experience,
wisdom, and knowledge that benefits the organization
2.) Numerous Small Decisions - People make many small decisions day-in & day-out,
week-in and week-out.
3.) Socially Complex Resources - Culture, teamwork, trust, and reputation
, Research Evidence shows... - Answers -- OB practices were associated with better firm
performance
- Firms that valued OB had a 19% higher survival rate than firms that did not value OB
- Good people comprise a valuable resource for companies
- There is no "magic bullet" OB practice: one thing that, in-and-of itself, can increase
profitability
- "Rule of One-Eighth" (described later)
Rule of One-Eighth (describe) - Answers -- 1/2 of the organizations will not believe
there is a connection between people and profits
***of that 1/2 that do believe...
- 1/2 of those who see the connection will try to make a single change, rather than
attempting to make comprehensive changes.
***of that 1/2 that do make comprehensive changes...
- 1/2 will persist long enough for those changes to make a difference.
1/2 x 1/2 x 1/2 = 1/8
Method of Experience - Answers -People hold firmly to some belief because it is
consistent with their own experiences and observations
Method of Intuition - Answers -People hold firmly to some belief because it "just stands
to reason" - it seems obvious or self-evident
Method of Authority - Answers -People hold firmly to some belief because some
respected official, agency, or source, has said it is so.
Method of Science - Answers -People accept some belief because scientific studies
have tended to replicate that result using a series of samples, settings, and methods.
[Scientific Studies]
Theory - Answers -A collection of assertions - both verbal and symbolic - that specify
how and why variables are related, as well as the conditions in which they should (and
should not) be related.
Tells a story and supplies the familiar who, what, where, when, and why elements found
in any newspaper or magazine article.
[Scientific Studies]
Hypothesis - Answers -Written predictions that specify relationships between variables
[Scientific Studies]
Correlations - Answers -- Describes the statistical relationship between two variables.
- Can be positive or negative and range from 0 (no statistical relationship) to +/- 1 (a
perfect statistical relationship)
Organizational Behavior (OB) - Answers -the field of study devoted to understanding,
explaining, and ultimately improving the attitudes and behaviors of individuals and
groups in organizations.
Human Resource Management - Answers -takes the theories and principles studies in
OB and explores the "nuts-and-bolts" applications of those principles in organizations.
Strategic Management - Answers -focuses on the product choices and industry
characteristics that affect an organization's profitability
[OB Foundations] Industrial & Organizational Psychology - Answers -Job performance
and individual characteristics
[OB Foundations] Social Psychology - Answers -Satisfaction, emotions, and team
processes
[OB Foundations] Sociology - Answers -Team characteristics and organizational
structure
[OB Foundations] Economics - Answers -Motivation, learning, and decision making
[Video Clip] "Office Space"
***shown 09/28/13*** - Answers -Not committed, doesn't cope with stress very well, not
a good job performer, and not too much job satisfaction present.
[A Brief History] Scientific Management - Answers -Fredrick Taylor - late 19th, early
20th century
Objective, scientifically driven approach to studying OB. Focus on efficiency and
productivity in organizations.
***i.e. Assembly line. Process is created and then taught to others.
[A Brief History] Human Relation Movement - Answers -Hawthorne studies @ Western
Electric Co. (1924-1932)
More humanistic approach (feelings, thoughts, and actions matter).
***i.e. Lighting and its effects on productivity. "Illusion of concern for the workers was
very important".
[A Brief History] Theory X and Theory Y (McGregor, post WWII) - Answers -Managers'
assumptions regarding employees dictate their practice:
~X: Controlling employees and holding on to power. Think employees do not like to
work.
~Y: Involving employees and sharing power. Believe work is a part of who you are and
don't naturally dislike work. Work is and extension of one's self.
,[Integrative Model of Organizational Behavior] Individual Outcomes (2 subgroups) -
Answers -1.) Job Performance
2.) Organizational Commitment
[Integrative Model of Organizational Behavior]
Individual Mechanisms (5 subgroups)
***We have control over - Answers -1.) Job Satisfaction
2.) Stress
3.) Motivation
4.) Trust, Justice, and Ethics
5.) Learning and Decision Making
[Integrative Model of Organizational Behavior]
Individual Characteristics (2 subgroups) - Answers -1.) Personality and Cultural Values.
2.) Ability
[Integrative Model of Organizational Behavior]
Group Mechanisms (4 subgroups) - Answers -1.) Teams: Characteristics and Diversity
2.) Teams: Processes and Communication
3.) Leadership: Power and Negotiation
4.) Leadership: Styles and Behaviors
[Integrative Model of Organizational Behavior]
Organizational Mechanisms (2 subgroups) - Answers -1.) Organizational Structure
2.) Organizational Culture
Resource-based view (6 resources) - Answers -1.) Financial Resource (revenue and
equity)
2.) Physical Resource (buildings, machines, and technology)
3.) Knowledge, decision-making, culture, ability, and wisdom
4.) Image, culture, and goodwill
5.) Human Resource (people)
6.) Information Resource (data)
What makes a resource valuable? (2 items) - Answers -1.) Rare
2.) Inimitable
Rare (examples) - Answers -Resource and people
***i.e. Mainframe programmer example
Inimitable (3 characteristics) - Answers -1.) History - A collective pool of experience,
wisdom, and knowledge that benefits the organization
2.) Numerous Small Decisions - People make many small decisions day-in & day-out,
week-in and week-out.
3.) Socially Complex Resources - Culture, teamwork, trust, and reputation
, Research Evidence shows... - Answers -- OB practices were associated with better firm
performance
- Firms that valued OB had a 19% higher survival rate than firms that did not value OB
- Good people comprise a valuable resource for companies
- There is no "magic bullet" OB practice: one thing that, in-and-of itself, can increase
profitability
- "Rule of One-Eighth" (described later)
Rule of One-Eighth (describe) - Answers -- 1/2 of the organizations will not believe
there is a connection between people and profits
***of that 1/2 that do believe...
- 1/2 of those who see the connection will try to make a single change, rather than
attempting to make comprehensive changes.
***of that 1/2 that do make comprehensive changes...
- 1/2 will persist long enough for those changes to make a difference.
1/2 x 1/2 x 1/2 = 1/8
Method of Experience - Answers -People hold firmly to some belief because it is
consistent with their own experiences and observations
Method of Intuition - Answers -People hold firmly to some belief because it "just stands
to reason" - it seems obvious or self-evident
Method of Authority - Answers -People hold firmly to some belief because some
respected official, agency, or source, has said it is so.
Method of Science - Answers -People accept some belief because scientific studies
have tended to replicate that result using a series of samples, settings, and methods.
[Scientific Studies]
Theory - Answers -A collection of assertions - both verbal and symbolic - that specify
how and why variables are related, as well as the conditions in which they should (and
should not) be related.
Tells a story and supplies the familiar who, what, where, when, and why elements found
in any newspaper or magazine article.
[Scientific Studies]
Hypothesis - Answers -Written predictions that specify relationships between variables
[Scientific Studies]
Correlations - Answers -- Describes the statistical relationship between two variables.
- Can be positive or negative and range from 0 (no statistical relationship) to +/- 1 (a
perfect statistical relationship)
