Management Multiple Choice

According to the article High-performing teams: Lessons from the Pygmies by Kets de Vries, which of the below statements on team effectiveness is not correct? An effective team needs:


Respect and trust among team members
Mutual supportiveness and protectiveness
Open communication and confrontation of conflict,
A salient common objective requiring members’ interdependence,
Subordination of individual goals to group goals
A strong leader that can take difficult decisions

Which of the following steps does not belong to the analytical problem-solving model?


Step 1: Define the Problem
Step 2: Generate Alternative Solutions
Step 3: Discuss the Solutions with those Affected by the problem
Step 4: Evaluate and Select an Alternative
Step 5: Implement and Follow Up on the Solution

There are four sources of positional power of which Relevance, Visibility and Flexibility are three. Which one is missing?

There is a concept called “the Dirty Dozen”. It is twelve effects of stress in the organization. I.e. if you see them, you can assume that the organization is under stress. You do not have to learn them by heart, but you should recognize them when you see or experience them. Which one does not belong among “the Dirty Dozen”?


Politicized environment
Increased team-work
Scapegoating leaders
Threat-rigidity response

Which one of the following does not belong among the influencing “Three R” strategies?


Reason
Retraining
Reciprocity
Retribution

In Maslow’s pyramid of needs, the needs are ordered in a rising scale from the most elementary or indispensable to the higher levels of less immediate (according to Maslow) needs. Please rate them according to the urgency to satisfy the need. The most urgent shall come first:


Safety needs
Self-esteem
Love and belonging 
Physiological needs

What does the concept Cognitive Style refer to?

The way you relate to other people.
The way you gather and process information
The way you handle problems
The way you communicate

The Set-up-to-fail syndrome described in the article by Manzoni & Barsoux is a vicious downward spiral, composed of several phases. Which one of the phases described below does not belong to the Set-up-to-fail syndrome?


Starts with a positive or at least neutral relation
The Manager makes a mistake. Employee starts to doubt the manager and performs less well. Manager reacts by strengthened supervision.
Employee starts to doubt himself. Performs even worse.
Manager sees confirmation of employee’s mediocracy and further tightens supervision and the vicious downward spiral is set in motion

Disciplining is one way for a manager to influence behavior in the way he or she wants. Which of the following describes disciplining best?


Responding negatively to behavior to encourage future occurrences
Responding positively to behavior that you consider good
Linking desired behaviors with employee-valued outcomes
Linking unwanted behavior to outcomes that are less valued by the employee

Which one of the following is a conflict management strategy?


Allying
Attracting
Articulating
Avoiding

When delegating, there are five questions that must be answered by yourself and the “delegee” before delegating takes place. Which is the fifth question that is missing below?


Are you committed to the task? Would it be fun?
Do you see opportunities to learn through the delegated task?
Do you think we had shared values and perspectives in relation to the assignment; e.g. in terms of motivation and returns. What’s in it for you and me respectively?
Do you have sufficient time available to fulfil the assignment?

After the professor passed back the graded test, you heard a student remark, “I didn’t do well because I didn’t study enough”. Which locus of control does this student probably have?


Formal locus of control
Informal locus of control
External locus of control
Internal locus of control

Which of the following is not an area of self-awareness?


Emotional intelligence
(Personal) values
Learning (Cognitive) style
Attitude towards power
Core self-evaluation

According to the article Leading Clever People by Rob Goffee and Gareth Jones which of the following statements does not apply to clever people?


Clever people know their worth
Clever people know how to get funding for pet projects
Clever people expect instant access to higher-ups
Clever people are plugged into extensive knowledge net- works
Clever people will thank you for leading them well

You have just got a new job at a division of a large company. After a while, you realize that your boss, the manager of your division does not put much effort into improving the performance of the division. She is just trying to make everybody happy or satisfied. What type of manager is she?


Indulging
Ignoring
Imposing
Integrating

Which (there may be more than one right answer) of the following statements are correct? (This is a question about ”the Stick” and ”the Carrot”):


Disciplining is responding negatively to behavior to discourage future occurrences
Rewarding is responding negatively to encourage future occurrences
Disciplining is responding in a positive way to link behavior to employee valued outcomes
Rewarding is linking desired behaviors with employee-valued outcomes

One or several of the below listed needs is/ are not among Murray’s manifest needs. Which one:


Need for empathy
Need for power
Need for affiliation
Need for achievement
Need for feedback

SMART is an acronym for how goals should be designed in order to be most effective. Are the words that begin with S,M,A,R,T respectively below the right ones for SMART Goals as you have learnt them? Please mark any or several words you believe do not fit and write the word you think fits:


Stretched
Measurable
Aligned
Realistic
Time-bound

The four sources of personal power based on personal attributes are not the four below. Mark which one that does not belong and fill in the right word:


Centrality
Flexibility
Organizational level (”Title”)
Relevance

Which one of the following is NOT a Task facilitating role?


Direction giving
Information seeking
Fault-finding
Elaborating
Urging

Which one of the following is NOT a Blocking role?


Premature decision making
Presenting opinions as facts
Rejecting on non-factual grounds
Pulling rank
Confronting

Which one of the following is NOT a constraint in the analytical problem-solving model


Symptoms are often confused with the real problem
Confusing information
Consensus on the problem
The first acceptable solution is usually accepted
Gathering information is costly

You have just brought your team together. What should you do in this early stage of your team’s development?


Focus on the task accomplishment over helping members become comfortable with one another
Focus on helping members become comfortable with one another regarding task accomplishment
Encourage open discussion and consensus decision making
Expect obedience to your directions

Which is best when generating alternatives?


Evaluate the alternatives as they are proposed; this saves time.
Focus on the short term; bad decisions in the short term means there is no long term to worry about.
Evaluate the alternatives after all alternatives have been proposed
Separate alternatives apart from one another.

During a brainstorming session, George remarks, “I think we are getting a little off track. Let’s stay focused!” He has violated which rule?


Evaluate the alternatives as they are being generated.
All different types of ideas should be encouraged.
Quality takes precedence over quantity.
He did not violate a rule.

If your team’s development was in the storming stage, which of the following behaviors would you most likely see?


Dependence
Coalitions being formed
Conformity to standards and expectations
Unconditional commitment to the team

To know one’s self, which is most prescribed?


Self-examination and meditation
Do not cross the sensitive line
Involve others
Be highly selective about who to get information from

A distributive negotiation can be defined as:


a negotiation where there are essentially no limits to how much the party can receive
a negotiation where the available resources are growing steadily, and the purpose of the negotiation is mainly to divide and apportion the growth
a negotiation which is dividing fixed or decreasing resources
a negotiation which responsibility is distributed to new delegates in order to solve a standstill in the negotiations

Which of the following does not belong to the Dirty Dozen, i.e. the (negative) outcomes of stress in an organization:


Loss of loyalty
Decreasing morale
Scapegoating leaders
Long-term perspective

According to the article by Goffee and Jones, clever people:


Are not aware of their worth
Won’t thank you for leading them well
Expect instant access; ignore hierarchy
Belong to extensive knowledge networks

”SMART” goals are defined by the words beginning with the letters S, M, A, R and T. One of the five words below does not fit in. Which one:


Specific
Measurable
Aligned
Rational
Time-bound

Which of the following statements is (most) false?


Everybody can have power
Everybody can be empowered
Empowerment does not ”steal” power from others
Getting power means that somebody else loses power

Which of the following statements is (most) true?


Self-efficacy is a wider concept than self-determination
One part of self- determination is that you have the ability to decide your salary
Self-determination means that you have the discretion to decide when you work, but it is expected that you work ”24/7”
Self-determination is self-efficacy plus a sense of choice or freedom to act (choice of method, effort to put in, the pace of work and when the task shall be completed)

The likelihood a reward will actually reinforce a specific performance-enhancing behavior depends on the extent to which the reward recipient (1) actually values the specific reward, (2) believes the reward allocation process was handled fairly, and (3) receives the reward in a timely manner. Which statements are correct?

Self-efficacy is a wider concept than self-determination
One part of self- determination is that you have the ability to decide your salary
Self-determination means that you have the discretion to decide when you work, but it is expected that you work ”24/7”
Self-determination is self-efficacy plus a sense of choice or freedom to act (choice of method, effort to put in, the pace of work and when the task shall be completed)

The likelihood a reward will actually reinforce a specific performance-enhancing behavior depends on the extent to which the reward recipient (1) actually values the specific reward, (2) believes the reward allocation process was handled fairly, and (3) receives the reward in a timely manner. Which statements are correct?


All the statements are correct
Statement 1 is correct
Statements 2 and 3 are correct
Statements 1 and 2 are correct

In the workplace, which co-workers would people most likely interact with?


Creative co-workers
Co-workers with diverse social values
Co-workers with different self-awareness traits
Co-workers similar to them

Your boss states, “Conceptual blocks are easy to overcome. Also, everyone develops some conceptual blocks over time, and we need some to cope with everyday life.” Should you agree or disagree?

Agree
Disagree

After the professor passed back the graded test, you heard a student remark, “I didn’t do well because the professor gave us tricky questions.” Which locus of control does this student probably have?


Internal locus of control
External locus of control
High tolerance for ambiguity
Small locus of control

Which best describes core self-evaluation?

 
The extent to which people accurately evaluate how others think about them
The extent to which people are able to diagnose their own emotions
The extent to which people value themselves and feel proficient as individuals
The extent to which people want affection

Which is true about creative problem solving?


It is a skill that can be taught.
It is something people are born with.
It is always better than analytical problem solving.
It is something that only certain people can learn.

If you were designing a reward program for your employees, what assumptions could you make?



 
That all employees in similar positions value similar rewards.
That what I (as a manager) value, my employees will value as well
That a cafeteria-style incentive program would probably be successful
That preferences for rewards can be categorized by demographic information.

This is your first meeting with your team. What should you do?


Challenge other team members’ points of view
Articulate the future for the team
Begin to focus on task-facilitating roles and relationship-building roles
Make introductions to be certain everyone knows one another

Your boss remarks to you that proactive leadership can avoid a situation where team members question the legitimacy of the team’s direction, the leader, and the roles of other team members. How should you respond?

 
Agree
Disagree - questioning by team members about the direction of the team is a natural phase of development
There is not enough information to know how to respond

Which of the below statements does not illustrate benchmarking practices?
Comparative standards – vs. competitors
Reciprocity standards – vs. your trading partners
Goal standards – vs. your own stated objectives
Improvement standards – vs. your own previous successful performance

The so-called SMART goals is an acronym (first letters form a word – SMART) with five letters. Each letter symbolizes a word. Which of the words below does not belong to the SMART acronym?

 
Specific
Measurable
Alienated
Realistic
Time-bound

Murray’s manifest needs are three. Which of the below is not one of these?

 
Need for Achievement
Need for Affiliation
Need for Reason
Need for Power

When delegating tasks, certain rules are important to keep in mind. Which one of the below is least important? (In the sense that there are other things which are more important).
Do you have the right qualifications in relation to task and responsibilities?
Are there opportunities to delay the delegation?
Do you see opportunities to learn through the delegated task?
Do you have sufficient time available to fulfil the assignment?

Which one of the below is not a source of personal power?

Working experience (defined as: number of years worked)
Personal attraction (charisma etc.)
Effort (how hard you work)
Legitimacy (formal power)

Which one of the following four is not an influencing strategy?
Reason
Reciprocity
Retribution
Resources

What is your Cognitive Style?
Your cognitive style refers to the manner in which you gather and process information
Your cognitive style describes how you handle relational problems at work
Your cognitive style is crucial for how you appear in large gatherings of people
Your cognitive style is directly related to your charisma

Which one of the below is not a measure to counter-act diminishing ability?
Refit (the task)
Restyle (the employee)
Retrain (the employee)
Release (fire)
Reassign (to a new role)

The outcome and effect of stress in an organization is sometimes called the” Dirty dozen”. Which one of the below conditions does not belong to the Dirty Dozen?

 
Short term perspective
Loss of loyalty
Scapegoating leadership
Decentralization --> Centralization instead

Which of the below models is correct?

 
Performance = Aptitude x Commitment
Ability = Desire x Aptitude
Performance = Ability x Motivation
Motivation = Desire x Training

In the workplace, which co-workers would people most likely interact with?
 
Creative co-workers
Co-workers with diverse social values
Co-workers with different self-awareness traits
Co-workers similar to them

After the professor passed back the graded test, you heard a student remark, “I didn’t do well because the professor gave us tricky questions.” Which locus of control does this student probably have?

 
Internal locus of control
External locus of control
High tolerance for ambiguity
Small locus of control

Sponsoring team members’ ideas, orchestrating their implementation, and fostering extraordinary performance are needed from the team leaders. You are in which stage of team development?

 
Forming
Norming
Storming
Performing

Your boss remarks to you that proactive leadership can avoid a situation where team members question the legitimacy of the team’s direction, the leader, and the roles of other team members. How should you respond?
Agree
Disagree - questioning by team members about the direction of the team is a natural phase of development
There is not enough information to know how to respond

What is the natural tendency of people in resolving problems?
 
select the first reasonable solution that comes to mind.
select the first reasonable problem that comes to mind.
select the best solution after evaluating all the alternatives.
None of the answer choices are correct.

Which one of the following is not a “Conceptual blocker” to creative thinking and problem
solution?

A) Complacency
B) Constancy
C) Commitment
D) Consistency

19.Managers may be inhibited or unwilling to empower subordinates. Which of the four below-mentioned
reasons does the textbook not include among the three most common causes?
A) Belief in Theory X
B) Personal need to be in charge and control
C) Personal insecurities
D) Complex and turbulent environments

20. Which two of the following statements are not correct? (This is a question about ”the Stick”
and ”the Carrot”)
A) Rewarding is responding negatively to encourage future occurrences
B) Rewarding is linking desired behaviors with employee-valued outcomes
C) Disciplining is responding in a positive way to link behavior to employee-valued outcomes
D) Disciplining is responding negatively to behavior to discourage future occurrences

21. (4 points possible) One or several of the below listed needs is/ are not among Murray’s
manifest needs. Which one (s)?
a) Need for power
b) Need for rationality 
c) Need for affiliation
d) Need for monetary compensation
d) Need for achievement

22. (4 points possible) SMART is an acronym for how goals should be designed in order to be
most effective. Are the words that begin with S,M,A,R,T respectively below the right ones for
SMART Goals as you have learnt them? Please mark any one or several of the words if you
believe it or they do not fit and write the word you think fits

a) Specific
b) Measurable
c) Aligned
c) Rational
d) Time-bound

23. (4 points possible) The four sources of personal power based on personal attributes are not
the four below. The correct four sources are the antecedents (or harbingers) of XX, which is the
false alternative below. Mark which one that does not belong among the sources and fill in the
right word:
a) Expertise
b) Trust
c) Personal attraction
d) Legitimacy (formal power)

24. (4 points possible) The four sources of positional power are not the four positional attributes
below. Mark which one that does not belong and fill in the right word:
A) Seniority (number of years in the company)
B) Centrality
C) Relevance
D) Flexibility

25. Which one of the following is NOT a Task Facilitating role?:
A) Over-generalizing
B) Information seeking
C) Direction giving
D) Summarizing
E) Urging

26. Which one of the following is NOT a Blocking role?
A) Rejecting on non-factual grounds
B) Harmonizing
C) Presenting opinions as facts
D) Pulling rank
E) Premature decision making

27. Which one of the following is NOT a constraint in the analytical problem solving model?
A) The first acceptable solution is usually accepted
B) Symptoms are often confused with the real problem
C) Alternatives are not based on what was successful in the past
D) Lack of consensus on the problem
E) Gathering information is costly (time-consuming)

28. Which is best when generating alternatives? 
a) Evaluate the alternatives as they are proposed; this saves time. 
b) Focus on the short term; bad decisions in the short term means there is no long term to worry
about. 
c) Evaluate the alternatives after all alternatives have been proposed 
d) Separate alternatives apart from one another.