OB13 TIF17 Organizational Culture PDF

Preview

Summary

notes...

Description

Chapter 17 Organizational Culture MULTIPLE CHOICE Institutionalization: A Forerunner of Culture 1.

When an organization takes on a life of its own, we can say that it has _____. a. acquired a culture b. developed subcultures c. evolved d. become immortal e. become institutionalized (e; Moderate; Institutionalization; p. 551) 2.

Which of the following is not true about institutionalization? a. It operates to produce common understandings about appropriate behavior. b. Acceptable modes of behavior become largely self-evident to its members. c. It means the organization has acquired immortality. d. The organization’s mission becomes stable. e. The organization becomes valued for itself. (d; Challenging; Institutionalization; p. 551) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} What Is Organizational Culture? 3.

_____is a shared system of meaning held by the organization’s members that distinguishes the organization from other organizations. a. Institutionalization b. Organizational culture c. Socialization d. Formalization e. Corporate image (b; Easy; Organizational Culture; p. 551) 4.

Which of the following is not a characteristic of organizational culture? a. attention to detail b. innovation c. formality orientation d. team orientation e. outcome orientation (c; Moderate; Characteristics of an Organizational Culture; pp. 551-552) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 5.

The key characteristic of organizational culture that addresses the degree to which employees are expected to exhibit precision is termed _____. a. accuracy orientation b. accountability c. attention to detail d. stability e. reactivity (c; Easy; Attention to Detail; p. 551)

355

6.

_____ orientation is the characteristic of organizational culture that addresses the degree to which management decisions take into consideration the effect of outcomes on people within the organization. a. Humanistic b. Community c. Team d. People e. Relationship (d; Moderate; People Orientation; p. 552) 7.

The key characteristic of organizational culture that addresses the degree to which people are competitive rather than easygoing is termed _____. a. assertiveness b. competitiveness c. aversiveness d. risk taking e. aggressiveness (e; Moderate; Aggressiveness; p. 552) 8.

The key characteristic of organizational culture that assesses the degree to which organizational activities emphasize maintaining the status quo in contrast to growth is termed _____. a. permanence b. aggressiveness orientation c. stability d. competitiveness e. reflexivity (c; Easy; Stability; p. 552) 9.

In contrasting organizational culture with job satisfaction, organizational culture is a(n) _____ term, while job satisfaction is a(n) _____ term. a. predictive; reactive b. implied; stated c. reflective; affective d. descriptive; evaluative e. inductive; deductive (d; Moderate; Organizational Culture and Job Satisfaction; p. 552) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 10.

The macro view of culture that gives an organization its distinct personality is its _____ culture. a. dominant b. subc. strong d. national e. marginal (a; Easy; Dominant Culture; p. 553) 11.

A dominant culture is _____. a. the sum of an organization’s subcultures b. defined by the leader of an organization c. synonymous with an organization’s culture d. usually a strong culture e. likely to be a weak culture (c; Moderate; Dominant Culture; p. 553)

356

12.

Cultures within an organization that are defined by departmental designations are often called _____. a. micro-cultures b. subcultures c. divisional cultures d. microcosms e. counter cultures (b; Moderate; Subcultures; p. 554) 13.

Which characteristic is not reflective of subcultures? a. includes core values of the organization b. typically defined by department designations c. includes values shared only within the organization d. usually defined by geographical separation e. includes values unique to members of a department or group (c; Moderate; Subcultures; pp. 553-554) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 14.

The primary or dominant values that are accepted throughout the organization are known as _____. a. foundational values b. core values c. shared values d. institutional traits e. manifestos (b; Easy; Core Values; p. 554) 15.

Which of the following terms is part of the definition of a strong culture? a. little influence over members’ behavior b. low behavioral controls c. narrowly shared values d. intensely held values e. weakly held values (d; Easy; Strong Cultures; p. 554) 16.

_____ are indicators of a strong organizational culture. a. High levels of dissention b. Weak managers c. Completely horizontal organizational charts d. Narrowly defined roles e. Widely shared values (e; Easy; Strong Cultures; p. 554) 17.

Which of the following is most likely to result from a strong organizational culture? a. low employee turnover b. low employee satisfaction c. high employee turnover d. high absenteeism e. none of the above (a; Moderate; Strong Cultures; p. 554)

357

18.

The unanimity of a strong culture contributes to all of the following except _____. a. cohesiveness b. loyalty c. higher product quality d. organizational commitment e. close ties between workers within the organization (c; Moderate; Strong Cultures; p. 554) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 19.

A strong culture can act as a substitute for which of the following? a. institutionalization b. formalization c. socialization d. organizational rules e. social support (b; Moderate; Strong Culture versus Formalization; p. 554) 20.

High formalization in an organization creates all of the following except _____. a. predictability b. cohesiveness c. orderliness d. consistency e. none of the above (b; Moderate; Formalization; p. 554) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} What Do Cultures Do? 21.

Culture performs all the following functions except _____. a. displaying the dominance of particular organizations b. enhancing social system stability c. conveying a sense of identity for organization members d. facilitating commitment to something larger than individual self-interest e. defining boundaries (a; Easy; Culture’s Functions; p. 555) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 22.

As organizations have widened spans of control, flattened structures, introduced teams, reduced formalization, and empowered employees, the _____ provided by a strong culture ensures that everyone is pointed in the same direction. a. rules and regulations b. shared meaning c. rituals d. socialization e. rigid hierarchy (b; Challenging; Culture’s Functions; p. 556) 23.

Culture may be a liability because it is a barrier to _____. a. change b. diversity c. mergers and acquisitions d. all of the above e. none of the above (d; Moderate; Culture as a Liability; p. 557)

358

24.

Culture is most likely to be a liability when _____. a. it increases the consistency of behavior b. the organization’s environment is dynamic c. the organization’s management is ineffectual d. it reduces ambiguity e. countercultures are integrated into the dominant cultures (b; Moderate; Barriers to Change; p. 557) 25.

Consistency of behavior is an asset to an organization when it faces _____. a. a dynamic environment b. an unknown environment c. social upheaval d. massive changes e. a stable environment (e; Moderate; Barriers to Change; p. 557) 26.

In recent years, _____ has become the primary concern in acquisitions and mergers. a. cultural compatibility b. cultural synergy c. financial advantages d. product synergy e. value dominance (a; Moderate; Barriers to Acquisitions and Mergers; p. 557) Creating and Sustaining Culture 27.

The ultimate source of an organization’s culture is _____. a. top management b. the environment c. the country in which the organization operates d. the organization’s founders e. the belief systems of it employees (d; Moderate; Culture Creation; p. 558) 28.

Culture creation occurs in all of the following ways except when _____. a. founders hire and keep employees who think and feel the way they do b. founders indoctrinate and socialize employees to their way of thinking and feeling c. founders develop their vision covertly d. founders’ behavior acts as a role model e. founders refuse to be constrained by previous ideologies (c; Moderate; Culture Creation; p. 558) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 29.

All of the following are factors that serve to sustain organizational cultures except _____. a. selection b. orientation c. socialization d. top management e. frugality (e; Moderate; Sustaining a Culture; p. 559) {AACSB: Analytic Skills}

359

30.

The selection process helps sustain the organization’s culture by _____. a. establishing and enforcing norms b. ensuring that candidates fit well within the organization c. socializing the applicant d. identifying individuals who have the skills to perform certain jobs e. rewarding conformity (b; Moderate; Selection; p. 559) 31.

The selection process helps candidates learn about an organization. If employees perceive a conflict between their values and those of the organization, this gives them a chance to _____. a. work to change the organization b. express their concerns c. inform the organization of appropriate changes d. self-select out of the applicant pool e. rectify their cognitive dissonance (d; Moderate; Selection; p. 560) 32.

Top management has a major impact on the organization’s culture through _____. a. establishing norms that filter down through the organization b. ensuring a proper match of personal and organizational values c. socializing new applicants in the pre-hiring phase d. providing a framework for metamorphosis of new hires e. properly rewarding management’s initiatives (a; Moderate; Top Management; p. 560) 33.

The process through which employees are adapted to an organization’s culture is called _____. a. personalization b. mentoring c. socialization d. institutionalization e. intimidation (c; Moderate; Socialization; p. 561) 34.

Which of the following is not a stage of the socialization process? a. prearrival b. encounter c. metamorphosis d. ritual e. none of the above (d; Moderate; Stages of Socialization; p. 561) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 35.

The correct order for the stages of the socialization process is _____. a. prearrival, metamorphosis, encounter b. prearrival, encounter, ritual c. prearrival, ritual, encounter d. prearrival, encounter, metamorphosis e. prearrival, ritual, arrival (d; Moderate; Stages of Socialization; p. 561) {AACSB: Analytic Skills}

360

36.

The socialization stage that encompasses the learning that occurs before a new member joins an organization is known as_____ socialization. a. prearrival b. encounter c. metamorphosis d. ritual e. systemic (a; Easy; Prearrival Stage; p. 561) 37.

The employee compares her expectations to organizational reality in which stage of socialization? a. prearrival b. encounter c. metamorphosis d. ritual e. analysis (b; Moderate; Encounter Stage; p. 561) 38.

If there is a basic conflict between the individual’s expectations and the reality of working in an organization, the employee is most likely to be disillusioned and quit during which stage of socialization? a. prearrival b. ritual c. encounter d. metamorphosis e. reflection (c; Easy; Encounter Stage; p. 562) 39.

The time when a new employee sees what the organization is really like and realizes that expectations and reality may diverge is called the _____ stage. a. encounter b. exploration c. establishment d. metamorphosis e. mirroring (a; Moderate; Metamorphosis Stage; p. 562) 40.

Employee attitudes and behavior change during the _____ stage of socialization. a. establishment b. transformation c. encounter d. metamorphosis e. cocoon (d; Easy; Metamorphosis Stage; p. 562) 41.

New employees are usually comfortable with their organizations by the end of the _____ stage of socialization. a. encounter b. exploration c. establishment d. metamorphosis e. adaptation (d; Moderate; Metamorphosis Stage; p. 562)

361

How Employees Learn Culture 42.

Which of the following is not a means of transmitting culture within an organization? a. stories b. aversion therapy c. rituals d. language e. material symbols (b; Easy; Transmitting Culture; p. 564) 43. or

_____ typically contain(s) a narrative of events about the organization’s founders, rule breaking,

reactions to past mistakes. a. Stories b. Material symbols c. Rituals d. Language e. Reflections (a; Easy; Stories; p. 564) 44.

Which one of the following terms is not a component of rituals? a. material symbols b. sequenced activities c. repetition d. key values e. reinforcement (a; Moderate; Rituals; p. 564) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 45.

Rituals perform all of the following functions except that of _____. a. reinforcing the key values of the organization b. emphasizing the organization’s goals c. revealing the company’s bottom line in terms of net profit d. reinforcing the company’s perspective on which people are important e. revealing the company’s view of which people are expendable (b; Easy; Rituals; p. 564) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 46.

All of the following are examples of rituals except _____. a. anniversary parties honoring long-time employees b. annual award meetings c. fraternity initiations d. the placement of offices within corporate headquarters e. singing company songs (d; Moderate; Rituals; p. 564) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 47.

All of the following are examples of material symbols except _____. a. top executives’ use of the company jet b. a swimming pool for the employees to use c. new employee orientations d. luxury cars for executives e. private parking spots (c; Moderate; Material Symbols; pp. 564-565) {AACSB: Analytic Skills}

362

Creating an Ethical Organizational Culture 48.

An organizational culture most likely to shape high ethical standards is one that _____. a. is high in risk tolerance b. is low-to-moderate in aggressiveness c. focuses on means as well as outcomes d. all of the above e. none of the above (d; Moderate; Ethical Organizational Culture; p. 566) {AACSB: Ethical Reasoning} 49.

To create a more ethical culture, management should do all of the following except _____. a. serve as a visible role model b. cover up unethical acts c. provide ethical training d. communicate ethical expectations e. provide protective mechanisms (b; Easy; Creating an Ethical Organizational Culture; p. 567) {AACSB: Ethical Reasoning} {AACSB: Analytic Skills} Creating a Positive Organizational Culture 50.

What does a positive organizational culture do? a. uses positive reinforcement instead of punishment b. rarely uses rewards c. emphasizes individual growth d. emphasizes building on the organization’s strengths e. emphasizes organizational vitality (c; Moderate; Creating a Positive Organizational Culture; p. 567) Spirituality and Organizational Culture 51.

Organizations that promote a spiritual culture _____. a. have organized religious practices b. adopt a corporate religion c. recognize that people have both a mind and a spirit d. de-emphasize community in the work place e. tend to downplay the importance of employee satisfaction (c; Moderate; Workplace Spirituality and Organizational Culture; p. 570) Global Implications 52.

How might U.S, managers be culturally sensitive? a. discuss religion more b. discuss politics frequently c. listen more d. speak quickly e. talk in a high tone of voice (c; Moderate; Workplace Spirituality and Organizational Culture; p. 573) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} {AACSB: Multicultural and Diversity} TRUE/FALSE 53. A strong organizational culture creates volatility within an organization. (False; Moderate; Organizational Culture; p. 550) Institutionalization: A Forerunner of Culture 363

54. The idea of viewing organizations as cultures is a relatively recent phenomenon. (True; Easy; Organizational Culture; p. 550) 55.

Culture as an independent variable affecting employee’s attitudes and behavior can be traced back more than 50 years to the notion of institutionalization. (True; Moderate; Institutionalization; p. 551) 56.

When an organization has become institutionalized, its original goals become ingrained throughout the organization. (False; Easy; Institutionalization; p. 551) What Is Organizational Culture?

57. Organizational culture is a set of key characteristics that an organization values. (True; Easy; Organizational Culture; p. 551) 58.

The degree to which employees are encouraged to be innovative and take risks is termed aggressiveness. (False; Moderate; Innovation and Risk-Taking; p. 551) 59.

The degree to which management focuses on results rather than on techniques and processes is termed results orientation. (False; Moderate; Outcome Orientation; p. 552) 60.

Individuals with different backgrounds in an organization will tend to describe the organization’s culture in similar terms. (True; Moderate; Organizational Culture; p. 553) 61. “Dominant culture” refers to cultures that value aggressive personalities. (False; Moderate; Dominant Culture; p. 553) 62. Research demonstrates that subcultures act to undermine the dominant culture. (False; Moderate; Subcultures; p. 554) 63. Subcultures rarely influence the behavior of an organization’s members. (False; Easy; Subcultures; p. 554) 64. Strong cultures have a greater impact on employees’ behavior than do weak cultures. (True; Easy; Strong versus Weak Cultures; p. 554) 65. One specific result of a weak culture should be lower employee turnover. (False; Moderate; Weak Cultures; p. 554) 66. A strong culture can act as a substitute for rules and regulations. (True; Challenging; Strong Culture versus Formalization; p. 554) What Do Cultures Do? 67. Culture has a boundary-defining role; it creates distinctions between one organization and others. (True; Moderate; Culture’s Functions; p. 555)

364

68. Organizational culture serves to reinforce the self-interest of individual employees. (False; Moderate; Culture’s Functions; p. 555) 69.

Culture is the social glue that holds an organization together by providing appropriate standards for what employees should say and do. (True; Easy; Culture’s Functions; p. 555) 70. Culture by definition is tangible and explicit. (False; Easy; Culture’s Functions; p. 556) 71. Culture increases ambiguity for employees. (False; Easy; Culture as a Liability; p. 557) 72. A strong culture can be a liability for an organization. (True; Moderate; Culture as a Liability; p. 557) 73. An entrenched culture can be a burden to an organization when it faces a dynamic environment. (True; Moderate; Barriers to Change; p. 557) 74. A strong culture provides a supportive atmosphere for diversity. (False; Moderate; Barriers to Diversity; p. 557) {AACSB: Multicultural and Diversity} 75. Strong cultures encourage individuality. (False; Moderate; Barriers to Diversity; p. 557) {AACSB: Multicultural and Diversity} 76.

The success of a merger depends most strongly upon the example set by the top management of the merged organizations. (False; Challenging; Barriers to Acquisitions and Mergers; p. 557) Creating and Sustaining Culture 77. The selection process involved with hiring an employee is a two-way process. (True; Easy; Selection; p. 560) 78. The values within an organization’s culture tend to flow down from top management. (True; Easy; Top Management; p. 560) 79.

Senior executives establish norms that filter down through the organization as to whether risk taking is desirable. (True; Moderate; Top Management; p. 560) 80. Socialization is the process that defines group interaction patterns. ...