OAM 330 MIDTERM QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED
ANSWERS
Organizational Behavior - Answers - Applied social science that draws on more basic
social sciences; primarily psychology, as well as some sociology, political science, and
economics
Descriptive Science - Answers - What do people do?
Interpretive Science - Answers - how and why does it happen?
Prescriptive Science - Answers - what should people do, and how can we make it
happen?
Limitations of Intuition approach - Answers - Not always right, we're not good at gauging
accuracy
Limitations of Experience approach - Answers - Missing data, reluctance to experiment
Limitations of Systematic Study approach - Answers - Expensive, time-consuming,
resistance
Evidence-based management - Answers - relies on systematic empirical studies -
understanding relationships based on scientific evidence
belief that behavior is not random
behavior is often predictable - if we know how people perceive the situation and what's
important to them
Empirical evidence - Answers - Evidence arising from your senses, experience, and
observation
Examples: measuring growth of plant, test scores are empirical evidence for getting into
Emory
Limitations of the Rational Analysis Model (weighted decisions) - Answers - Bounded by
uncertainty and ambiguity (could lack information)
Bounded by imperfections of the mind
Decision making biases - Answers - Cognitive shortcut/mental rule of thumb: anchoring,
confirmation bias, overconfidence, escalation of commitment, availability, and loss
aversion
ANSWERS
Organizational Behavior - Answers - Applied social science that draws on more basic
social sciences; primarily psychology, as well as some sociology, political science, and
economics
Descriptive Science - Answers - What do people do?
Interpretive Science - Answers - how and why does it happen?
Prescriptive Science - Answers - what should people do, and how can we make it
happen?
Limitations of Intuition approach - Answers - Not always right, we're not good at gauging
accuracy
Limitations of Experience approach - Answers - Missing data, reluctance to experiment
Limitations of Systematic Study approach - Answers - Expensive, time-consuming,
resistance
Evidence-based management - Answers - relies on systematic empirical studies -
understanding relationships based on scientific evidence
belief that behavior is not random
behavior is often predictable - if we know how people perceive the situation and what's
important to them
Empirical evidence - Answers - Evidence arising from your senses, experience, and
observation
Examples: measuring growth of plant, test scores are empirical evidence for getting into
Emory
Limitations of the Rational Analysis Model (weighted decisions) - Answers - Bounded by
uncertainty and ambiguity (could lack information)
Bounded by imperfections of the mind
Decision making biases - Answers - Cognitive shortcut/mental rule of thumb: anchoring,
confirmation bias, overconfidence, escalation of commitment, availability, and loss
aversion
