Deck 1: Managers and Managing

Question 1

Management teaches people not yet in positions of authority how to lead coworkers, solve conflicts between them, achieve team goals, and thus increase performance.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Managers affect society directly with their decisions regarding the use of resources.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

The essential tasks of management include planning, organizing, leading, and controlling.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

At a recent staff meeting, Jim was praised by his CEO for always choosing the right goals to pursue. The quality that Jim displays here is efficiency.

Question 5

Categorizing people according to their salary into various departments of an organization is known as organizing.

Question 6

A low-cost strategy allows an organization to attract customers by selling goods of inferior quality at a very low price.

Question 7

Strategies are a cluster of decisions concerning what organizational goals to pursue, what actions to take, and how to use resources to achieve these goals.

Question 8

An outcome of the controlling function should be the ability to measure the organization's performance accurately.

Question 9

Organizational performance is a measure of how efficiently and effectively managers use available resources to satisfy customers and achieve organizational goals.

Question 10

An organization's resources include assets such as people and their skills, know-how, and experience.

Question 11

As a part of planning, managers establish accurate measuring and monitoring systems to evaluate how well the organization has achieved its goals.

Question 12

Leading is the process that mangers use to select the goals for the organization.

Question 13

First-line managers are responsible for the daily supervision of the nonmanagerial employees who perform the specific activities necessary to produce goods and services.

Question 14

Organizations are effective when managers minimize the amount of input resources.

Question 15

Efficiency is a measure of the appropriateness of the goals that managers have selected for the organization to pursue and the degree to which the organization achieves those goals.

Question 16

Management is the planning, organizing, leading, and controlling of resources in order to achieve organizational goals both effectively and efficiently.

Question 17

Organizations are collections of people who work together and coordinate their actions to achieve a wide variety of goals.

Question 18

Planning strategies is a simple and straightforward process, since it is done under circumstances when the result is known and assured.

Question 19

During the planning process, managers lay out the lines of authority and responsibility between different individuals and groups.

Question 20

Managers engaged in the controlling function of management energize their employees and ensure they understand their role in achieving organizational goals.

Question 21

Top managers require the least conceptual skills because their primary responsibilities are planning and organizing.

Question 22

The array of technical skills managers need depends on their position in their organizations.

Question 23

The importance of planning, organizing, leading, and controlling remains the same irrespective of a manager's position in the managerial hierarchy.

Question 24

IT cannot be used to empower employees as it decreases the scope of their job responsibilities.

Question 25

Modern IT's ability to improve efficiency has decreased the incidence of downsizing in recent years.

Question 26

Outsourcing hinders the development of new products.

Question 27

Empowering employees can lead to so many kinds of performance gains that organizations often use their reward systems to promote empowerment.

Question 28

Despite global competition and advances in information technology, the tasks and responsibilities of managers have undergone little change in recent years.

Question 29

The ability to distinguish between the cause and the effect of a problem in an organization is an important part of the technical skills of a manager.

Question 30

The lower a manager's position is in the organization's hierarchy, the lesser time she spends in leading and controlling the first-line managers of the organization.

Question 31

Restructuring cannot be accomplished by reducing levels in the hierarchy.

Question 32

Restructuring boosts the morale of employees.

Question 33

Human skills are innate and cannot be learned.

Question 34

First-line managers are unlikely to be affected by restructuring.

Question 35

First-line managers typically supervise middle managers.

Question 36

Employees involved in total quality management (TQM) are responsible for finding new and better ways to perform their jobs.

Question 37

The job-specific skills required to perform a particular type of work or occupation at a high level are called conceptual skills.

Question 38

The amount of time that managers spend planning and organizing resources decreases as they ascend the hierarchy within the organization.

Question 39

An organization's competitive advantage does not derive from departmental skills.

Question 40

Top managers are responsible for the performance of all departments.

Question 41

_____ is a measure of how efficiently and effectively managers use available resources to satisfy customers and achieve organizational goals.

A) Organizational input
B) Diversification
C) Organizational performance
D) Product development
E) Differentiation

Question 42

The measure of how productively an organization uses its resources to achieve a goal is known as _____.

A) effectiveness
B) product differentiation
C) efficiency
D) empowerment
E) product development

Question 43

A company with a low level of efficiency and low level of effectiveness is most likely to produce:

A) a product that customers want, but that is too expensive for them to buy.
B) a product that customers want at a quality and price they can afford.
C) a low-quality product that customers do not want.
D) a high-quality product that customers do not want.
E) a high-quality product that the company makes a profit on.

Question 44

Robert is the product manager at Digital Digs, LLC, a company that manufactures computer accessories. He is known for his effectiveness and efficiency, qualities that are highly regarded in the company where he works. Which of the following can be fittingly inferred with regard to Digital Digs?

A) Its products meet consumer needs, but are too expensive for them to buy.
B) Its products meet consumer needs at a price they can afford.
C) Its products are usually non-durable.
D) Its products have limited utility.
E) Its products are mostly complex in design.

Question 45

Marietta is the product manager at Fireflies Ltd., a company that designs and manufactures clothes and fashion accessories. Noticing the rising popularity of rhinestone jewelry and the fact that only a handful of stores actually stocked it, she decided to take advantage of the latent demand in the market. Marietta knew that she was taking a risk by committing organizational resources to pursuing this idea, but was confident about the merit of her decision. In deciding the allocation of resources for attaining her goals, which managerial task can Marietta be said to be performing?

A) Leading
B) Organizing
C) Planning
D) Restructuring
E) Controlling

Question 46

Toy Town makes and sells jigsaw puzzles and strategy board games. Its products are of excellent quality, but fail to meet consumer needs. Which of the following is most likely to be true with regard to Toy Town?

A) It has a high level of efficiency and low level of effectiveness.
B) It has a high level of effectiveness and low level of efficiency.
C) Its product manager chooses the wrong goals to pursue and uses the resources inadequately.
D) Its product manager chooses the right goals to pursue and uses the resources wisely.
E) Its product manager responds quickly to change.

Question 47

In which of the following managerial tasks do managers select appropriate goals for the organization?

A) Organizing
B) Leading
C) Planning
D) Controlling
E) Restructuring

Question 48

The measure of the appropriateness of the goals selected by management for the organization and the degree to which the organization accomplishes these goals is known as _____.

A) efficiency
B) task management
C) effectiveness
D) diversification
E) differentiation

Question 49

Emma is a highly efficient manager. This implies that she:

A) minimizes the amount of input resources without compromising quality.
B) is slow to respond to change and perceives organizational change as harmful.
C) does not favor flexibility in planning
D) spends lavishly on resources.
E) works for longer hours than do most of her colleagues.

Question 50

A company with a low level of efficiency and high level of effectiveness is most likely to produce:

A) a product that customers want, but that is too expensive for them to buy.
B) a product that customers want at a quality and price they can afford.
C) a low-quality product that customers do not want.
D) a high-quality product that customers do not want.
E) a high-quality product that the company makes a profit on.

Question 51

Oceania Unlimited Inc. is a tourism agency that offers special holiday packages in the Pacific region. Every year, as an incentive, the most efficient and effective manager in the network gets an all-expenses-paid trip to one of Oceania's islands. Which of the following managers is most likely to meet these requirements?

A) Nico, who chooses the right goals to pursue, and spends more than he needs on resources
B) Karen, who chooses the right goals to pursue, and makes clever use of resources to achieve them
C) Douglas, who chooses the right goals to pursue and displays an overly rigid approach to planning
D) Barrie, who chooses unrealistic goals, and tries hard to succeed
E) Leo, who chooses appropriate goals, but is slow in decision making

Question 52

Which of the following is true of organizational performance?

A) It increases with an increase in efficiency and effectiveness.
B) It increases with a decrease in efficiency and effectiveness.
C) It remains unchanged with a decrease in efficiency and effectiveness.
D) It decreases with an increase in efficiency and effectiveness.
E) It remains unchanged with an increase in efficiency and effectiveness.

Question 53

Craig is a highly effective manager. This implies that he:

A) is likely to spend lavishly on resources.
B) is highly compliant.
C) disfavors employee empowerment.
D) chooses appropriate goals and then achieves them.
E) is overly ambitious.

Question 54

A company with a high level of efficiency and low level of effectiveness is most likely to produce:

A) a high-quality product that does not address the relevant market segment.
B) a high-quality product that customers can afford.
C) a low-quality product that customers do not want.
D) a high-quality product that customers do not want.
E) a high-quality product that the company makes a profit on.

Question 55

Which of the following does planning involve in an organization?

A) Establishing task relationships that allow people to work together
B) Developing strategies for how to achieve high performance
C) Motivating individuals to achieve organizational goals
D) Establishing accurate measuring and monitoring systems
E) Measuring how well the organization has achieved its goals

Question 56

A company with a high level of efficiency and effectiveness is most likely to produce:

A) a product that customers want, but that is too expensive for them to buy.
B) a product that customers want at a quality and price they can afford.
C) a product that is inexpensive and non-durable.
D) a high-quality product that has limited utility for customers.
E) a product that requires customers to invest in expensive service packages.

Question 57

Jack Sprouts Inc. is a company based in Riverdale that markets canned vegetables. In recent years, Jack Sprouts' business has declined considerably owing to a weak focus on quality. Holding the managers responsible for the declining sales figures, the CEO of Jack Sprouts decided to lay off those who lacked effectiveness and were inefficient. Who among the following is most likely to be laid off by Jack Sprouts' CEO?

A) Elise, who is ambitious and favors directional planning
B) Kerry, who spends lavishly on resources and is averse to taking responsibilities
C) Juan, who chooses appropriate goals to pursue but does not always succeed due to resource constraints
D) Margo, who sets high targets for himself and his team, and makes best use of available resources to meet them
E) Andy, who plans carefully and only chooses realistic goals to pursue

Question 58

A(n) _____ is a collection of people who work together and coordinate their actions to achieve a wide variety of goals.

A) control group
B) talent pool
C) organization
D) focus group
E) quality circle

Question 59

The Art Hub makes and sells paintings, sculptures, and small craft items. Its products meet consumer needs, but are often too expensive to buy. Which of the following is most likely to be true with regard to the company?

A) It has a high level of efficiency and low level of effectiveness.
B) It has a high level of effectiveness and low level of efficiency.
C) Its product manager chooses the wrong goals to pursue and uses the resources inadequately.
D) Its product manager chooses the right goals to pursue and uses the resources wisely.
E) Its product manager chooses inappropriate goals to pursue, but uses the resources wisely.

Question 60

Which of the following is an element of planning?

A) Encouraging all employees to perform at a high level to help the organization achieve its vision and goals
B) Using power, personality, and communication skills to coordinate the activities of people and groups
C) Establishing alliances between different organizations to share resources and produce new goods and services
D) Deciding which goals the organization will pursue and what strategies will achieve those goals
E) Organizing people into departments according to the kinds of job-specific tasks they perform

Question 61

_____ is the managerial task that involves managers using their power, personality, influence, persuasion, and communication skills to coordinate people and groups so their activities and efforts are in harmony.

A) Leading
B) Planning
C) Strategizing
D) Reviewing
E) Controlling

Question 62

The outcome of the control process is:

A) the ability to measure performance accurately and regulate organizational efficiency and effectiveness.
B) the ability to formulate effective business strategies and plan the allocation of resources.
C) the ability to attract customers by producing goods and services more cheaply than any competitor.
D) the ability to motivate employees to perform at a high level.
E) the ability to decide what organizational goals to pursue.

Question 63

SkyGen, an airlines company, appointed an engineer to be the link between the company's R&D department and the government contractor who is sponsoring the designing and prototyping of a new fighter airplane. According to Mintzberg, the engineer appointed by SkyGen to be the link between the company's R&D department and the government contractor is playing the role of a _____.

A) monitor
B) leader
C) figurehead
D) resource allocator
E) liaison

Question 64

Which of the following tasks does a manager perform when he/she energizes employees and enables them to understand the part he/she plays in achieving organizational goals?

A) Planning
B) Leading
C) Controlling
D) Monitoring
E) Strategizing

Question 65

Abby, the CEO of Little Angel Photography, reviews the performance of her company over the last quarter to determine whether they are meeting the planned sales and profitability goals. In this instance, which managerial task is she performing?

A) Planning
B) Organizing
C) Delegating
D) Controlling
E) Structuring

Question 66

Daniel, a manager at Joe's Fish Shack, monitors the performance of workers in his department to check if the quality of their work is meeting the performance standards of the company. In doing so, which managerial task is Daniel performing?

A) Planning
B) Staffing
C) Organizing
D) Structuring
E) Controlling

Question 67

Supervisors are also referred to as _____.

A) first-line managers
B) middle managers
C) top managers
D) interim managers
E) executive managers

Question 68

In _____, managers evaluate how well the organization is accomplishing its goals.

A) leading
B) planning
C) organizing
D) disseminating
E) controlling

Question 69

In which of the following managerial tasks are work relationships restructured to facilitate the interaction and cooperative efforts of organizational members, all of whom strive to achieve organizational goals?

A) Planning
B) Leading
C) Reviewing
D) Controlling
E) Organizing

Question 70

_____ involves encouraging all employees to perform at a high level to help the organization achieve its vision and goals.

A) Planning
B) Leading
C) Reviewing
D) Controlling
E) Organizing

Question 71

James, the manager of Andy's Candy, a popular confectioner in Illinois, is in charge of outlining future organizational goals to employees at company meetings and emphasizing the ethical guidelines which employees are expected to follow at work. According to Mintzberg, he is performing the role of a _____.

A) figurehead
B) negotiator
C) monitor
D) liaison
E) resource allocator

Question 72

Controlling is the managerial task that involves:

A) deciding what organizational goals to pursue.
B) obtaining customers by producing goods and services more cheaply than any competitor.
C) taking any corrective actions needed to maintain or improve performance.
D) using personality to establish equilibrium in the workplace.
E) motivating people to perform at a high level.

Question 73

Melissa, the HR manager of a publishing house, has been asked to increase the level of efficiency at the workplace. She decides to restructure work relationships within the company and categorize people into departments according to the kinds of job-specific tasks they perform. Which of the following managerial tasks is Melissa performing?

A) Planning
B) Leading
C) Organizing
D) Controlling
E) Consolidating

Question 74

When a manager informs employees about changes taking place in the external and internal environments that will affect them and the organization she plays the role of a(n) _____ according to Mintzberg.

A) entrepreneur
B) disseminator
C) disturbance handler
D) monitor
E) liaison

Question 75

According to Mintzberg's typology, a manager who commits organizational resources to develop innovative goods and services is a(n) _____.

A) entrepreneur
B) negotiator
C) figurehead
D) liaison
E) disseminator

Question 76

According to Mintzberg's typology, a manager who evaluates the performance of other managers in different tasks and takes corrective action to improve their performance is a _____.

A) disseminator
B) figurehead
C) monitor
D) spokesperson
E) negotiator

Question 77

Which of the following managerial tasks does a manager perform when he/she articulates a clear organizational vision for the organization's members to accomplish?

A) Organizing
B) Leading
C) Staffing
D) Controlling
E) Planning

Question 78

Following an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the CEO of an American petroleum company took the responsibility for correcting the environmental damages caused by his company. According to Mintzberg's typology, in doing so, he is performing the role of a _____.

A) liaison
B) disturbance handler
C) monitor
D) disseminator
E) figurehead

Question 79

In an interview with a television channel, the Public Relations manager of KP Oil explained what his company intended to do to tackle the threat to marine life caused by an oil spill in the Pacific Ocean. The oil spill was caused by a tanker ship accident carrying crude oil for the company. According to Mintzberg, the PR manager of KP Oil is playing the role of a _____.

A) liaison
B) figurehead
C) leader
D) disseminator
E) spokesperson

Question 80

According to Mintzberg's typology, a manager who establishes agreements with other organizations about pooling company resources while working on joint projects is a(n) _____.

A) figurehead
B) entrepreneur
C) monitor
D) negotiator
E) disseminator