MHA 701 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
OB is short for... - Answer -Organizational Behavior
What is OB? - Answer -Applied behavioral science. The study of indv. and group
dynamics in an organizational setting.
3 Goals of OB - Answer -Explain, predict, and manage behavior.
Taylorism - Answer -From Ind. Rev, Frederick Taylor believed in efficiency by
economizing time, energy, and production resources. Ex: Henry Ford Assembly Line
When did OB movement begin? - Answer -1920s, Hawthorne Studies at Harvard
Why were Hawthorne Studies important? - Answer -Showed important influence of
human factors on worker productivity
Hawthorne Effect - Answer -Bias that occurs when people know they are being studied
Illumination Experiments - Answer -Lighting did not effect productivity, attention to
employees did.
Relay-Assembly Group Experiments - Answer -Improved group dynamics, not
conditions, increased productivity.
Bank-Wiring Observation Room Experiment - Answer -No relationship b/w conditions
and productivity, productivity only influenced by group dynamics.
Theory X - Answer -Douglas McGregor. Employees are unintelligent and lazy, should
be closely controlled.
Theory Y - Answer -Douglas McGregor. Employees are creative and competent, want
meaningful work.
US Demographics - Answer -Changed dramatically in past 40 years, expected more
change in next 30. Whites will make up less than 50% of population.
Diversity - Answer -Full range of similarities and differences in group, including gender,
age, race/ethnicity, social class, org role, religion, sexual orientation, physical abilities,
etc.
Equity - Answer -Fair treatment, access, opportunity, and advancement for all. Strives
to remove barriers that prevent some groups from participating.
, Inclusion - Answer -Creating env. where anyone can feel welcomed, respected, and
supported and can participate.
Age - Answer -Slow growth has lead to larger populations of older people while
younger populations decrease. Attributed to baby boomers and increasing life spans.
Issues w/Aging Population - Answer -Limited geriatric training. Less likely to receive
care. Excluded from clinical trials.
Gender - Answer -Whole population evenly split among M/F, with variance in groups.
High M to F ratio in young adults, decreases in population age.
How do changing demographics affect healthcare? - Answer -Organizations must
reduce disparities in care provided to underrep. populations. Must be diverse, equitable,
inclusive for both pts and employees.
Diversity Management - Answer -Strategically driven process emphasizing building
skills and creating policies to address changing demographics.
Cultural Competency - Answer -Ongoing commitment of appropriate practices and
policies for diverse populations, goal of providing better care. Also include linguistic
competency. Orgs should reflect the populations they serve.
Perception - Answer -Closely related to attitudes. Process by which one interprets and
organizes sensation to produce meaningful experience. May differ from reality.
What influences perception? - Answer -One's awareness and acceptance of stimuli.
Selective Perception - Answer -Indv. limits processing of external stimuli by selecting
what they see based on beliefs, experiences, and attitudes.
Broadbent Filter Theory - Answer -Due to limited capacity, one must practice selective
perception. Will select stimuli that is most relevant.
Attribution Theory - Answer -Heidler, 1958. Help explain behaviors, people with act on
beliefs whether or net they are valid. Two behavioral motives:
1. Need to understand surrounding world
2. Need to control environment
Attributions are internal, external, stable, or unstable.
External Attribution - Answer -Causality from outside force
Internal Attribution - Answer -Causality from internal factors
Attribution Trends - Answer -Workers tend to overemphasize external factors for neg
events, internal factors for pos events.
OB is short for... - Answer -Organizational Behavior
What is OB? - Answer -Applied behavioral science. The study of indv. and group
dynamics in an organizational setting.
3 Goals of OB - Answer -Explain, predict, and manage behavior.
Taylorism - Answer -From Ind. Rev, Frederick Taylor believed in efficiency by
economizing time, energy, and production resources. Ex: Henry Ford Assembly Line
When did OB movement begin? - Answer -1920s, Hawthorne Studies at Harvard
Why were Hawthorne Studies important? - Answer -Showed important influence of
human factors on worker productivity
Hawthorne Effect - Answer -Bias that occurs when people know they are being studied
Illumination Experiments - Answer -Lighting did not effect productivity, attention to
employees did.
Relay-Assembly Group Experiments - Answer -Improved group dynamics, not
conditions, increased productivity.
Bank-Wiring Observation Room Experiment - Answer -No relationship b/w conditions
and productivity, productivity only influenced by group dynamics.
Theory X - Answer -Douglas McGregor. Employees are unintelligent and lazy, should
be closely controlled.
Theory Y - Answer -Douglas McGregor. Employees are creative and competent, want
meaningful work.
US Demographics - Answer -Changed dramatically in past 40 years, expected more
change in next 30. Whites will make up less than 50% of population.
Diversity - Answer -Full range of similarities and differences in group, including gender,
age, race/ethnicity, social class, org role, religion, sexual orientation, physical abilities,
etc.
Equity - Answer -Fair treatment, access, opportunity, and advancement for all. Strives
to remove barriers that prevent some groups from participating.
, Inclusion - Answer -Creating env. where anyone can feel welcomed, respected, and
supported and can participate.
Age - Answer -Slow growth has lead to larger populations of older people while
younger populations decrease. Attributed to baby boomers and increasing life spans.
Issues w/Aging Population - Answer -Limited geriatric training. Less likely to receive
care. Excluded from clinical trials.
Gender - Answer -Whole population evenly split among M/F, with variance in groups.
High M to F ratio in young adults, decreases in population age.
How do changing demographics affect healthcare? - Answer -Organizations must
reduce disparities in care provided to underrep. populations. Must be diverse, equitable,
inclusive for both pts and employees.
Diversity Management - Answer -Strategically driven process emphasizing building
skills and creating policies to address changing demographics.
Cultural Competency - Answer -Ongoing commitment of appropriate practices and
policies for diverse populations, goal of providing better care. Also include linguistic
competency. Orgs should reflect the populations they serve.
Perception - Answer -Closely related to attitudes. Process by which one interprets and
organizes sensation to produce meaningful experience. May differ from reality.
What influences perception? - Answer -One's awareness and acceptance of stimuli.
Selective Perception - Answer -Indv. limits processing of external stimuli by selecting
what they see based on beliefs, experiences, and attitudes.
Broadbent Filter Theory - Answer -Due to limited capacity, one must practice selective
perception. Will select stimuli that is most relevant.
Attribution Theory - Answer -Heidler, 1958. Help explain behaviors, people with act on
beliefs whether or net they are valid. Two behavioral motives:
1. Need to understand surrounding world
2. Need to control environment
Attributions are internal, external, stable, or unstable.
External Attribution - Answer -Causality from outside force
Internal Attribution - Answer -Causality from internal factors
Attribution Trends - Answer -Workers tend to overemphasize external factors for neg
events, internal factors for pos events.
