Deck 13: Exercising Control

Question 1

To be effective, controls need to be accepted by the people they affect.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

The process of assuring that organizational objectives are achieved is known as planning.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Controlling is defined as the management function that involves comparing actual performance with planned performance and taking corrective action if needed to ensure that objectives are achieved.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Standards must be monetary if they are to be realistically used.

Question 5

Feedback controls take place while activities are occurring.

Question 6

Physical standards refer to the speed with which the job should be done.

Question 7

Staff departments should not influence the process of setting performance standards.

Question 8

It is generally impractical to exercise control until after a particular job is complete.

Question 9

Tangible standards are not measurable.

Question 10

In terms of performance, supervisors must decide both how and how often to measure performance.

Question 11

In order for control to be effective, performance must be continually monitored.

Question 12

The first step in the controlling function is actually a planning step.

Question 13

Feedforward controls are preventive controls that try and anticipate problems before they occur.

Question 14

Intangible standards should not be part of the control process.

Question 15

The benefits of controls should be worth their cost of installation and operation.

Question 16

Controlling and leading are so closely related that they are referred to as "Siamese twins."

Question 17

Controlling is closely related to organizing.

Question 18

Controls should be timely.

Question 19

Time standards are intangible standards that are difficult to measure.

Question 20

Concurrent controls are sometimes referred to as "screening controls."

Question 21

Control:

A) Is the process of comparing actual performance to planned performance.
B) Involves fixing problems that do occur.
C) Involves foreseeing things that could go wrong and taking steps to prevent them.
D) All of the above.

Question 22

Failure to meet standards is usually caused solely by poor employee attitudes.

Question 23

Because sales supervisors seldom see their employees, they have no effective way to exercise control.

Question 24

Inspecting components for defects before sending them to production is an example of:

A) Feedforward control.
B) Concurrent control.
C) Positive control.
D) Feedback control.

Question 25

When performance deviates from standard, the supervisor should investigate to try to determine what caused the deviation, before taking corrective action.

Question 26

The process of ensuring that objectives are achieved is:

A) Planning.
B) Controlling.
C) Organizing.
D) Leading.

Question 27

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of effective control systems?

A) Controls need to focus on appropriate activities.
B) Controls should be timely.
C) Controls should cost more than the benefits they create.
D) Controls should be accepted by those they affect.

Question 28

Strategic control points are located at the end of an activity.

Question 29

Under management by exception, a 1% drop in sales volume might be ignored, while a 20% drop would be investigated.

Question 30

Which of the following is NOT one of the three types of control systems?

A) Concurrent.
B) Feedforward.
C) Conclusive.
D) Feedback.

Question 31

When results are substantially above standard, it is not important to determine why the deviation occurred.

Question 32

Because of information technology, decision making and control have been shifted upward to higher management.

Question 33

Performance should never be measured simply by observation; some written report should always be used.

Question 34

Marsha goes out to buy an umbrella, prior to any forecast of rain.Her action is most similar to which of the following methods of control?

A) Concurrent.
B) Feedforward.
C) Feedback.
D) Positioning.

Question 35

____ and control are so closely related that they are called the Siamese twins of management.

A) Planning.
B) Organizing.
C) Staffing.
D) Leading.

Question 36

____ are controls that measure activities that are already complete.

A) Feedforward controls.
B) Concurrent controls.
C) Positive controls.
D) Feedback controls.

Question 37

When deviations from standard occurs, supervisors should only obtain input from their own departments.

Question 38

Direct observation of workers is always impractical for the supervisor.

Question 39

____ are controls that occur while an activity is taking place.

A) Feedforward controls.
B) Concurrent controls.
C) Positive controls.
D) Feedback controls.

Question 40

If no deviations from standard are found, the fourth and final step in the control process is unnecessary.

Question 41

As a result of the information revolution:

A) Decision making has been shifted downward to lower levels of management.
B) Control has been shifted upward to higher levels of management.
C) Power has been shifted upward to higher levels of management.
D) All of the above.

Question 42

Which of the following would be an intangible standard?

A) Cooperative attitudes
B) Minimum size tolerances
C) Quality and durability of materials
D) All of the above

Question 43

The first step in the controlling process is to:

A) Measure performance.
B) Set performance standards.
C) Take corrective actions.
D) Compare actual performance against standard.

Question 44

After standards are set, supervisors:

A) have completed the controlling function.
B) must actually monitor performance.
C) must perform the production activities themselves.
D) should monitor only tangible standards.

Question 45

Which of the following is NOT a step in the control process?

A) Establish supervisory authority.
B) Compare actual performance against standards.
C) Establish standards of performance.
D) Take corrective action.

Question 46

When actual performance and standards differ, what would be the appropriate corrective action?

A) Change the standard.
B) Improve performance.
C) Change the way performance is measured.
D) Any of the above could be appropriate.

Question 47

Which of the following would be a tangible standard?

A) Employee morale.
B) Profit margin.
C) Desirable attitude.
D) All of the above.

Question 48

Monetary standards would include all of the following EXCEPT:

A) Labor costs.
B) Deadlines.
C) Profit margins.
D) Maintenance costs.

Question 49

Deviations from standard:

A) Should be investigated only if they are below standard.
B) Should be investigated randomly.
C) Should be investigated if they are significant or recurring.
D) Should be handled by the employees themselves.

Question 50

If sales fall 5% below budget, the sales manager takes no action.If, however, sales fall 20% below forecast, the sales manager and the district manager schedule a sales review meeting.This is an example of:

A) Preventive controls.
B) Management by exception.
C) Intangible standards.
D) Management by objectives.

Question 51

Using ____ a supervisor focuses on critical control needs and allows employees to handle most routine deviations from standard.

A) Positive control.
B) Management by exception.
C) Maslow's hierarchy.
D) Standard deviation.

Question 52

In deciding how to measure performance, the supervisor should:

A) Develop a meaningful, valid method of measurement.
B) Rely on personal observation only.
C) Try to use a method that can be easily beaten.
D) All of the above.

Question 53

The performance measurement point located sufficiently early in an activity to allow any corrective actions to be taken to accomplish the objective is known as:

A) The standard.
B) Management by exception.
C) The strategic control point.
D) Management by objectives.

Question 54

The deadline by which a job should be completed is a:

A) Time standard.
B) Monetary standard.
C) Physical standard.
D) Numerical standard.

Question 55

A(n) ____ occurs when actual performance is less or greater than standard.

A) Control point.
B) Objective.
C) Deviation.
D) Goal.

Question 56

Concurrent controls are also known as:

A) Conclusive controls.
B) Responsive controls.
C) Trigger controls.
D) Screening controls.

Question 57

Standards are set:

A) By the supervisor on the basis of familiarity with the jobs being performed.
B) By the supervisor after consultation with employees and other supervisors.
C) By staff departments.
D) All of the above.

Question 58

Using management by exception:

A) Supervisors develop actions to be taken before or during the course of a job, to prevent things from going wrong.
B) Supervisors develop measurement methods that are valid, reliable, and meaningful.
C) Supervisors establish a point of activity where performance is measured early enough so that corrective action can be taken.
D) Supervisors focus attention on the most crucial control needs, and allow employees to handle routine deviations.

Question 59

Physical standards relate to the ____ of the product.

A) Quality.
B) Durability.
C) Weight.
D) All of the above.

Question 60

Which of the following is NOT one of the methods by which managers can measure performance?

A) Personal observation.
B) Experimentation.
C) Automatic methods.
D) Inspections.

Question 61

Distinguish between tangible and intangible standards.

Question 62

List the steps in the controlling process.

Question 63

Define monetary standards.Give an example.

Question 64

If deviations from standards have occurred, managers should take corrective actions.As cited in the text, what are some of the actions that managers can take?

Question 65

Define management by exception.

Question 66

Briefly identify and explain the characteristics of an effective control system.

Question 67

Identify the three basic phases of control.

Question 68

Identify and define two types of tangible performance standards that can be set.Give an example of each.

Question 69

Which two management functions are referred to as "the Siamese twins?"

Question 70

How are standards set? What role does the supervisor play?

Question 71

What impact has technology had on control in organizations?

Question 72

Identify the basic ways a supervisor can measure performance.

Question 73

Define each of the three types of control systems.