Question 1

An approach to job design that attempts to redesign tasks to optimize operation of a new technology while preserving employees' interpersonal relationships and other human aspects of the work is called a(n)
A) Technology audit.
B) Development project.
C) Sociotechnical system.
D) Sociological innovation.
E) Ergonomic approach.

Accepted Answer

Sociotechnical systems are an approach to job design that attempts to redesign tasks to optimize operation of a new technology while preserving employees' interpersonal relationships and other human aspects of the work.

Question 2

Which of the following describes a product champion?
A) Has the status, authority, and resources to support an innovation.
B) Promotes a new technology throughout the organization.
C) Develops a new technology.
D) Coordinates the technological efforts of various business units.
E) Assesses technological implications.

Accepted Answer

The product champion, often at the risk of his or her position and prestige, promotes an idea throughout the organization, searching for support and acceptance.

Question 3

In a traditional factory, compensation practices usually include
A) Individual incentives.
B) Hourly wages.
C) Seniority pay.
D) Job classifications.
E) All of the above.

Accepted Answer

According to Table 17.4, all of these are compensation practices in the traditional factory.

Question 4

Which of the following describes a technical innovator?
A) Has the status, authority, and resources to support an innovation.
B) Promotes an idea throughout the organization.
C) Develops a new technology.
D) Coordinates the technological efforts of various business units.
E) Assesses technological implications.

Accepted Answer

The technical innovator develops the new technology or has the key skills needed to install and operate the technology. This person possesses the requisite technical skills, but he or she may not have the managerial skills needed to push the idea forward and secure acceptance within the organization.

Question 5

Max worked at the Purvis Mining Company as a technician. Max developed a device that improved the separation process. The section supervisor, Dean, thought that Max's device was so clever that the company should make it widely available for all technicians. Dean convinced a number of other managers to have their employees try Max's innovation. Dean's role in developing the new device is that of
A) An entrepreneur.
B) A technical innovator.
C) An executive champion.
D) A product champion.
E) A technology officer.

Accepted Answer

Dean is a product champion because he is promoting the idea throughout the organization, searching for support and acceptance.

Question 6

For which of the following reasons might a firm choose to trade technology?
A) For proprietary ownership.
B) Cost efficiencies.
C) To build barriers to entry.
D) To gain competitive advantage.
E) To enhance product differentiation.

Accepted Answer

Technology trading is becoming increasingly common because of the high cost of developing advanced technologies independently.

Question 7

Which of the following is one of 3M's rules for an innovative corporate culture?
A) Focus on the product.
B) Inspire entrepreneurship.
C) Set goals for revenue.
D) Encourage divisions to grow.
E) Tolerate failure.

Accepted Answer

According to Table 17.3, one of 3M's rules is to tolerate failure. 3Mers know that if their ideas fail, they still will be encouraged to pursue other innovative ideas. Management knows that mistakes will be made and that destructive criticism kills initiative.

Question 8

In most situations, the simplest, easiest, and most cost-effective way to acquire new technology is to
A) Buy it.
B) Develop it internally.
C) License it from others.
D) Develop a joint venture.
E) Purchase the owner of the technology.

Accepted Answer

Most technology already is available in products or processes that can be purchased openly. In most situations, this is the simplest, easiest, and most cost-effective way to acquire new technology.

Question 9

Natalie has developed and patented a new process for recycling discarded tires. A multinational corporation has expressed an interest in buying her company in order to gain access to the technology and keep it exclusively for itself. Should Natalie sell her company, the buyer will have acquired technology via
A) Acquisition of the technology owner.
B) A joint venture.
C) A licensing agreement.
D) Contracted development.
E) Purchase.

Accepted Answer

If a company lacks a technology but wishes to acquire proprietary ownership, it might purchase the company that owns the technology.

Question 10

When adoption of a new technology requires the redesign of jobs and the redesign optimizes the social and technical efficiency of work, the design is referred to as a(n) ________ approach.
A) sociotechnical system
B) structural system
C) technology-oriented system
D) remodeling system
E) ergonomic

Accepted Answer

The sociotechnical system approach to work redesign specifically calls for redesigning tasks in a manner that jointly optimizes the social and technical efficiency of work.

Question 11

An executive who supports a new technology and protects the product champion of the innovation is a(n)
A) Technical innovator.
B) Technology defender.
C) Executive champion.
D) Personnel champion.
E) Technology officer.

Accepted Answer

Sponsorship for an innovation comes from the executive champion, who has the status, authority, and financial resources to support the project and protect the product champion.

Question 12

It was recently announced that a state university had agreed to develop (or try to develop) a new hybrid seed for northern climates. The company that has provided the funding for this project hopes to sell the hybrid in the former Soviet Union. The company is attempting to acquire technology through
A) State funding.
B) Internal development.
C) Technology trading.
D) Licensing.
E) Contracted development.

Accepted Answer

If a technology is not available and a company lacks the resources or time to develop it internally, it may contract the development from outside sources such as a university.

Question 13

Whose role is to develop new technology or to install and operate new technologies?
A) A chief technology officer.
B) An executive champion.
C) A product champion.
D) A technical innovator.
E) An organization's information technology group.

Accepted Answer

The technical innovator develops new technology or has the key skills needed to install and operate the technology. This person possesses the requisite technical skills, but he or she may not have the managerial skills needed to push the idea forward and secure acceptance within the organization.

Question 14

Seniority rewards in a traditional factory and skill-based pay rewards in integrated manufacturing are examples of ________-contingent compensation.
A) organization
B) job
C) person
D) culture
E) performance

Accepted Answer

According to Table 17.4, seniority rewards in a traditional factory and skill-based pay rewards in integrated manufacturing are examples of person-contingent compensation.

Question 15

Innovation is most effectively pursued in organizations that
A) Minimize bureaucracy.
B) Unleash creativity.
C) Implement development projects.
D) Use a sociotechnical systems approach.
E) Do all of these.

Accepted Answer

All of these are approaches that managers use to organize for innovation.

Question 16

The executive in charge of technology strategy and development is the
A) Executive champion.
B) Information resource officer.
C) Product champion.
D) Technical innovator.
E) Chief information officer.

Accepted Answer

The chief information officer (CIO) is the executive in charge of information technology strategy and development.

Question 17

When two or more companies jointly pursue specific new technology development by bringing together diverse skills and resources,
A) Antitrust regulations have been violated.
B) A competitive advantage has been realized.
C) Technology trading has occurred.
D) A research partnership has been formed.
E) Licensing is required.

Accepted Answer

Research partnerships are arrangements designed to jointly pursue specific new technology development. Typically each member enters the partnership with different skills or resources needed for development to succeed.

Question 18

Which of the following describes an executive champion?
A) Has the status, authority, and resources to support an innovation.
B) Promotes an idea throughout the organization.
C) Develops a new technology.
D) Coordinates the technological efforts of various business units.
E) Assesses technological implications.

Accepted Answer

Sponsorship for an innovation comes from the executive champion, who has the status, authority, and financial resources to support the project and protect the product champion.

Question 19

A focused organizational effort to create a new product or process via technological advances is called
A) A development project.
B) A sociotechnical system.
C) Benchmarking.
D) Technology scanning.
E) Technological strategy.

Accepted Answer

A development project is a focused organizational effort to create a new product or process via technological advances. For example, when MTV launched channels aimed at various Asian American markets, the company used development projects embedded in a culture that values innovation.

Question 20

In this scenario, Saul is an example of
A) A laggard.
B) The late majority.
C) The early majority.
D) An early adopter.
E) An innovator.

Accepted Answer

A laggard is the last to adopt a given technology. Laggards are often isolated and highly conservative in their views. They are extremely suspicious of innovation and change.

Quiz 17: Managing Technology and Innovation

An approach to job design that attempts to redesign tasks to optimize operation of a new technology while preserving employees' interpersonal relationships and other human aspects of the work is called a(n)

Which of the following describes a product champion?

In a traditional factory, compensation practices usually include

Which of the following describes a technical innovator?

For which of the following reasons might a firm choose to trade technology?

Which of the following is one of 3M's rules for an innovative corporate culture?

In most situations, the simplest, easiest, and most cost-effective way to acquire new technology is to

When adoption of a new technology requires the redesign of jobs and the redesign optimizes the social and technical efficiency of work, the design is referred to as a(n) ________ approach.

An executive who supports a new technology and protects the product champion of the innovation is a(n)

Whose role is to develop new technology or to install and operate new technologies?

Seniority rewards in a traditional factory and skill-based pay rewards in integrated manufacturing are examples of ________-contingent compensation.

Innovation is most effectively pursued in organizations that

The executive in charge of technology strategy and development is the

When two or more companies jointly pursue specific new technology development by bringing together diverse skills and resources,

Which of the following describes an executive champion?

A focused organizational effort to create a new product or process via technological advances is called

In this scenario, Saul is an example of