MGMT 314 - Week 5 Quiz 2 | Full
Questions and Answers | 2026 Updated |
100% Correct.
1. A software team consistently meets deadlines but members report feeling exhausted
and uninspired. According to Herzberg's two-factor theory, which action would most
directly address the root cause of their low motivation?
A. Increase their base salary by 10%.
B. Provide more frequent performance feedback from supervisors.
C. Redesign tasks to include more challenging and meaningful work.
D. Improve the physical workspace with ergonomic furniture.
Answer: C. Redesign tasks to include more challenging and meaningful work.
Rationale: Herzberg's motivators (e.g., challenging work, responsibility) drive satisfaction,
while hygiene factors (pay, supervision, workspace) only prevent dissatisfaction. The team's
exhaustion and lack of inspiration indicate a deficit in motivators, so redesigning tasks to
be more meaningful directly addresses the root cause. Salary, feedback, and workspace are
hygiene factors that would not create lasting motivation.
2. A manager uses a coercive leadership style during a crisis, then shifts to a
democratic style once stability returns. This behavior best illustrates which leadership
concept?
A. Transactional leadership
B. Situational leadership
C. Transformational leadership
D. Laissez-faire leadership
Answer: B. Situational leadership
Rationale: Situational leadership involves adapting one's style to the readiness level of
followers and the demands of the situation. The manager's shift from coercive to
democratic as the crisis resolves demonstrates this adaptability. Transactional leadership
focuses on rewards and punishments, transformational on inspiration, and laissez-faire on
non-interference.
Page 1 of 50
,3. During the storming stage of team development, which intervention is most
appropriate for a team leader?
A. Allow the team to resolve conflicts independently without any guidance.
B. Facilitate open communication and help clarify roles and goals.
C. Assign individual tasks to avoid interpersonal friction.
D. Disband the team and form a new one with different members.
Answer: B. Facilitate open communication and help clarify roles and goals.
Rationale: In the storming stage, conflicts arise as members assert opinions and compete
for roles. Effective leaders facilitate communication, clarify goals, and mediate
disagreements to help the team progress to norming. Avoiding conflict or disbanding the
team would prevent development.
4. Which of the following best describes the concept of 'escalation of commitment' in
decision-making?
A. Increasing resources to a failing course of action to justify previous investments.
B. Committing to a decision only after all alternatives have been thoroughly evaluated.
C. Delegating a decision to a higher authority when uncertain.
D. Making a decision based on the most recent information available.
Answer: A. Increasing resources to a failing course of action to justify previous
investments.
Rationale: Escalation of commitment occurs when decision-makers continue to invest in a
failing project due to sunk costs and a desire to justify prior choices. The other options
describe rational decision-making processes or delegation, not escalation.
Page 2 of 50
,5. A company's culture emphasizes innovation and risk-taking, but its reward system
only promotes employees who avoid mistakes. This misalignment is most likely to
produce which outcome?
A. Increased creative problem-solving among employees.
B. A strong sense of psychological safety.
C. Employee cynicism and reduced innovation.
D. Higher employee retention due to clear expectations.
Answer: C. Employee cynicism and reduced innovation.
Rationale: When espoused values (innovation) conflict with enacted values (punishing
mistakes), employees perceive hypocrisy, leading to cynicism and risk-averse behavior. This
undermines innovation and psychological safety. Retention may also suffer as employees
become disengaged.
6. In Kotter's eight-step model for leading change, which step immediately follows
'creating a sense of urgency'?
A. Empowering broad-based action
B. Forming a powerful guiding coalition
C. Generating short-term wins
D. Anchoring new approaches in the culture
Answer: B. Forming a powerful guiding coalition
Rationale: Kotter's second step is forming a powerful guiding coalition-a group with
enough authority to lead the change. Empowering action, short-term wins, and anchoring
come later in the sequence.
Page 3 of 50
, 7. A manager uses a 'tell and sell' approach when introducing a new process,
providing clear instructions and explaining benefits. According to the communication
process model, this is an example of:
A. Two-way communication with feedback.
B. One-way communication from sender to receiver.
C. Nonverbal communication.
D. Grapevine communication.
Answer: B. One-way communication from sender to receiver.
Rationale: The 'tell and sell' approach involves the sender transmitting information and
persuading the receiver without seeking input, which is one-way communication. Two-way
communication requires feedback and dialogue. Nonverbal and grapevine are different
channels.
8. Which of the following is a key characteristic of a self-managed work team?
A. A designated supervisor assigns tasks and monitors progress.
B. Members collectively plan, schedule, and evaluate their own work.
C. Team members work independently on separate tasks with no interaction.
D. Decision-making authority resides solely with top management.
Answer: B. Members collectively plan, schedule, and evaluate their own work.
Rationale: Self-managed teams are autonomous groups that take responsibility for
planning, scheduling, and evaluating their work, often including hiring and performance
management. The other options describe traditional or individualistic work structures.
Page 4 of 50
Questions and Answers | 2026 Updated |
100% Correct.
1. A software team consistently meets deadlines but members report feeling exhausted
and uninspired. According to Herzberg's two-factor theory, which action would most
directly address the root cause of their low motivation?
A. Increase their base salary by 10%.
B. Provide more frequent performance feedback from supervisors.
C. Redesign tasks to include more challenging and meaningful work.
D. Improve the physical workspace with ergonomic furniture.
Answer: C. Redesign tasks to include more challenging and meaningful work.
Rationale: Herzberg's motivators (e.g., challenging work, responsibility) drive satisfaction,
while hygiene factors (pay, supervision, workspace) only prevent dissatisfaction. The team's
exhaustion and lack of inspiration indicate a deficit in motivators, so redesigning tasks to
be more meaningful directly addresses the root cause. Salary, feedback, and workspace are
hygiene factors that would not create lasting motivation.
2. A manager uses a coercive leadership style during a crisis, then shifts to a
democratic style once stability returns. This behavior best illustrates which leadership
concept?
A. Transactional leadership
B. Situational leadership
C. Transformational leadership
D. Laissez-faire leadership
Answer: B. Situational leadership
Rationale: Situational leadership involves adapting one's style to the readiness level of
followers and the demands of the situation. The manager's shift from coercive to
democratic as the crisis resolves demonstrates this adaptability. Transactional leadership
focuses on rewards and punishments, transformational on inspiration, and laissez-faire on
non-interference.
Page 1 of 50
,3. During the storming stage of team development, which intervention is most
appropriate for a team leader?
A. Allow the team to resolve conflicts independently without any guidance.
B. Facilitate open communication and help clarify roles and goals.
C. Assign individual tasks to avoid interpersonal friction.
D. Disband the team and form a new one with different members.
Answer: B. Facilitate open communication and help clarify roles and goals.
Rationale: In the storming stage, conflicts arise as members assert opinions and compete
for roles. Effective leaders facilitate communication, clarify goals, and mediate
disagreements to help the team progress to norming. Avoiding conflict or disbanding the
team would prevent development.
4. Which of the following best describes the concept of 'escalation of commitment' in
decision-making?
A. Increasing resources to a failing course of action to justify previous investments.
B. Committing to a decision only after all alternatives have been thoroughly evaluated.
C. Delegating a decision to a higher authority when uncertain.
D. Making a decision based on the most recent information available.
Answer: A. Increasing resources to a failing course of action to justify previous
investments.
Rationale: Escalation of commitment occurs when decision-makers continue to invest in a
failing project due to sunk costs and a desire to justify prior choices. The other options
describe rational decision-making processes or delegation, not escalation.
Page 2 of 50
,5. A company's culture emphasizes innovation and risk-taking, but its reward system
only promotes employees who avoid mistakes. This misalignment is most likely to
produce which outcome?
A. Increased creative problem-solving among employees.
B. A strong sense of psychological safety.
C. Employee cynicism and reduced innovation.
D. Higher employee retention due to clear expectations.
Answer: C. Employee cynicism and reduced innovation.
Rationale: When espoused values (innovation) conflict with enacted values (punishing
mistakes), employees perceive hypocrisy, leading to cynicism and risk-averse behavior. This
undermines innovation and psychological safety. Retention may also suffer as employees
become disengaged.
6. In Kotter's eight-step model for leading change, which step immediately follows
'creating a sense of urgency'?
A. Empowering broad-based action
B. Forming a powerful guiding coalition
C. Generating short-term wins
D. Anchoring new approaches in the culture
Answer: B. Forming a powerful guiding coalition
Rationale: Kotter's second step is forming a powerful guiding coalition-a group with
enough authority to lead the change. Empowering action, short-term wins, and anchoring
come later in the sequence.
Page 3 of 50
, 7. A manager uses a 'tell and sell' approach when introducing a new process,
providing clear instructions and explaining benefits. According to the communication
process model, this is an example of:
A. Two-way communication with feedback.
B. One-way communication from sender to receiver.
C. Nonverbal communication.
D. Grapevine communication.
Answer: B. One-way communication from sender to receiver.
Rationale: The 'tell and sell' approach involves the sender transmitting information and
persuading the receiver without seeking input, which is one-way communication. Two-way
communication requires feedback and dialogue. Nonverbal and grapevine are different
channels.
8. Which of the following is a key characteristic of a self-managed work team?
A. A designated supervisor assigns tasks and monitors progress.
B. Members collectively plan, schedule, and evaluate their own work.
C. Team members work independently on separate tasks with no interaction.
D. Decision-making authority resides solely with top management.
Answer: B. Members collectively plan, schedule, and evaluate their own work.
Rationale: Self-managed teams are autonomous groups that take responsibility for
planning, scheduling, and evaluating their work, often including hiring and performance
management. The other options describe traditional or individualistic work structures.
Page 4 of 50
