Question 1

Texaco's management established themselves as leaders in the industry for recognizing early the importance of developing cultural diversity in its organization.

Accepted Answer

Texaco faced a major scandal in the mid-1990s due to allegations of racial discrimination, which highlighted the company's lack of attention to cultural diversity and the need for significant improvements in this area.

Question 2

Some types of homogeneity may be appropriate, or even essential, to effective operations and thus should be retained if justified after careful evaluation.

Accepted Answer

Homogeneity in certain contexts, such as in manufacturing processes, team skills, or system standards, can lead to increased efficiency, consistency, and quality, making it essential for effective operations.

Question 3

"People with disabilities" is one of the diversity task forces created by GM, designed to increase diversity.

Accepted Answer

GM has established various diversity task forces, including one focused on people with disabilities, to enhance diversity and inclusion within the company.

Question 4

Planned organizational change usually follows a revolutionary-not evolutionary-path.

Accepted Answer

Planned organizational change typically follows an evolutionary path, where changes are implemented in a gradual, step-by-step manner rather than through sudden, radical shifts. This approach allows for adjustments and refinements as the organization learns and adapts to the changes.

Question 5

United Technologies strives to be listed on the best-employer lists published in business magazines, and believes that having managing diversity effectively is one way to get on those best-employer lists.

Accepted Answer

United Technologies recognizes the importance of managing diversity effectively as a strategy to enhance its reputation as an employer, aiming to be listed on best-employer lists in business magazines. This approach aligns with broader corporate strategies that prioritize diversity and inclusion as key components of organizational success and attractiveness to potential employees.

Question 6

A big challenge that United Technologies faces is ensuring that all of their diverse employees understand their job requirements and specifications, because their diverse employees have less job experience.

Accepted Answer

Diversity in a workforce does not imply that employees have less job experience. United Technologies, like any large multinational corporation, faces challenges in ensuring all employees understand their job requirements, but this is not due to a lack of experience but rather the complexity of managing a diverse and global workforce.

Question 7

Awareness training is designed to provide accurate information about the many subcultures present in the organization.

Accepted Answer

Awareness training aims to educate employees about the diverse subcultures within an organization to promote understanding and inclusivity.

Question 8

It is not unusual for the implementation of cultural diversity in an organization to actually result in heightened conflict within the team.

Accepted Answer

While the goal of implementing cultural diversity in organizations is to foster inclusivity and innovation, it can initially lead to heightened conflict due to differences in communication styles, values, and work practices among team members from diverse backgrounds.

Question 9

All of the following about Darden Restaurants is(are) true except:

Accepted Answer

Darden Restaurants offers various benefits to its employees, but the specific claim that all employees receive 4 weeks of vacation and are expected to visit a foreign country once a year is not accurate. This detail does not reflect the company's standard employee benefits or expectations.

Question 10

In stating that diversity is a core value, Darden's management understands that they are inviting scrutiny from all of their stakeholders. To show their commitment to diversity as a core value, managers strive to:

Accepted Answer

Achieving minority and female representation at all levels, partnering with communities, and evaluating leaders against diversity objectives are all ways managers can show commitment to diversity as a core value.

Question 11

Which of the following is not considered one of the basic elements of a culture?

Accepted Answer

Shared knowledge, while important, is not typically classified as one of the core elements that define a culture. Culture is more about the shared values, assumptions, and norms that guide behaviors within a group.

Question 12

A __________ is the unique pattern of shared assumptions, values, and norms that shape the socialization, symbols, language, narratives, and practices of a group of people.

Accepted Answer

A culture encompasses the unique pattern of shared assumptions, values, and norms that influence the behaviors and practices of a group of people, including their socialization, symbols, language, narratives, and practices.

Question 13

Which of the following is not an observable element of culture?

Accepted Answer

Values are internal beliefs and principles that are not directly observable, unlike narratives, symbols, and socialization, which can be seen or experienced.

Question 14

At Enron, the culture of ___________ has been blamed for the unethical behaviors that eventually destroyed the company.

Accepted Answer

The culture of greed at Enron is widely recognized as a primary factor contributing to the unethical behaviors that led to the company's collapse. This culture encouraged excessive risk-taking and manipulation to achieve financial gain, ultimately resulting in one of the largest corporate scandals in history.

Question 15

The _____________ as a value at Darden Restaurants has resulted in the company being recognized by Fortune, Black Enterprise, and Hispanic Business as one of the best U.S. companies to work for.

Accepted Answer

The emphasis on diversity at Darden Restaurants has led to its recognition by notable publications as a top employer, highlighting the company's commitment to creating an inclusive work environment.

Question 16

Camila Cristiani has recently begun a new job at a large design firm. She realizes that the new organization differs from her old organization about what the notion of effectiveness means. What element of culture does this illustrate?

Accepted Answer

The notion of effectiveness within an organization is a fundamental belief about how things should be done, which falls under shared assumptions. These are the deeply embedded, taken-for-granted behaviors and ways of thinking that are usually unconscious but guide employees' actions and interpretations of their environment.

Question 17

__________ are the underlying thoughts and feelings that members of a culture take for granted and believe to be true.

Accepted Answer

Shared assumptions are the underlying thoughts and feelings that members of a culture take for granted and believe to be true. They form the deepest level of a culture's foundation, influencing behaviors, attitudes, and perceptions within the group.

Question 18

All of the following are true statements concerning shared assumptions in a culture except:

Accepted Answer

All the statements A, B, and C describe shared assumptions within specific organizations or contexts, making them true. Therefore, the statement "all of the above are true statements" is also true, leaving no exception.

Question 19

A __________ is a basic belief about something that has considerable importance and meaning to individuals and is stable over time.

Accepted Answer

A value is a basic belief about something that holds significant importance and meaning to individuals, and it tends to be stable over time.

Question 20

At Southwest Airlines, __________ is a shared value.

Accepted Answer

Southwest Airlines is known for its company culture that emphasizes having fun, which is a shared value among its employees.

Quiz 18: Understanding Organizational Culture and Cultural Diversity