Question 1

Narrative 6-3
Athabasca University has evolved over its nearly 50-year history. Course delivery has evolved along with Athabasca University-from text-based learning modules to video cassettes,partnerships with educational television,and now to an internet-enabled teaching and learning model that coexists with the text and video-based independent learning models. In 1994,Athabasca pioneered an online Executive MBA program. In addition to innovating learning models,Athabasca developed a Centre for Distance Education,which is globally known for its research into distance learning and offers graduate programs in the field.
-Refer to Narrative 6-3. Athabasca leverages the Centre for Distance Education to break down barriers and that celebrates new initiatives and ideas. What is this called?
A)a creative work environment  
B)an open system  
C)an adaptive culture  
D)a culture of change

Accepted Answer

The answer of Narrative 6-3
Athabasca University has evolved over its...

Question 2

Narrative 6-3
Athabasca University has evolved over its nearly 50-year history. Course delivery has evolved along with Athabasca University-from text-based learning modules to video cassettes,partnerships with educational television,and now to an internet-enabled teaching and learning model that coexists with the text and video-based independent learning models. In 1994,Athabasca pioneered an online Executive MBA program. In addition to innovating learning models,Athabasca developed a Centre for Distance Education,which is globally known for its research into distance learning and offers graduate programs in the field.
-Refer to Narrative 6-3. Which of the following stages did Athabasca University enter as it tried to compete with its online executive MBA product?
A)technological adaptation  
B)the era of dominant design  
C)the technological growth stage  
D)discontinuous change

Accepted Answer

The answer of Narrative 6-3
Athabasca University has evolved over its...

Question 3

Narrative 6-4
Emily Morgan is a 30-year veteran at Levi Strauss & Company. She joined the company as a secretary in the advertising department and slowly began rising through the ranks. The more she saw how the company worked,the more dissatisfied she became. In 1982,when talk of reinventing the company spread through headquarters and senior management began looking for volunteers,Morgan became a part of the change initiative. She led the team that designed the Develop Sources process,a system for working with suppliers. In 1995,Morgan became vice president for fulfillment,Asia. Her job was to convince Levi's Asian suppliers to adopt more efficient production and distribution techniques. The Asian suppliers were afraid of change. Once Morgan and her staff showed suppliers how use of the Develop Sources program would benefit them,Morgan's job to transform Levi's Asian operations became easier.
-Refer to Narrative 6-4. Which of the following elements did Morgan find strong in Asia initially?
A)change forces  
B)internal strengths  
C)frozen change  
D)resistance forces

Accepted Answer

The passage states that when Emily Morgan became vice president for fulfillment,Asia, the Asian suppliers were afraid of change, indicating that resistance forces were strong initially in Asia.

Question 4

Narrative 6-5
Bill Gore started the W.L. Gore Company when he left DuPont to develop innovative uses for Teflon (PTFE),the then new non-stick plastic. Today,W.L. Gore is best known for Gore-Tex,a waterproof,windproof,and temperature-resistant fabric that breathes and does not trap perspiration and body heat. Gore-Tex is used for coats,gloves,camping and hiking gear,and for protective outerwear worn by firefighters and military,emergency,and medical personnel.
But in recent years,Gore-Tex sales have steadily declined. A number of alternative fabrics,such as Entrant GII and eVENT,work nearly as well but cost only $6 to $8 per yard compared to $15 to $30 per yard for Gore-Tex. So W.L. Gore must reduce its dependence on Gore-Tex,which accounts for 21 percent of its $1.6 billion in revenues,by consistently developing other innovative products.
In general,W.L. Gore goes for dramatic rather than incremental improvements. On its website,it declares that Gore's products are designed to be the highest quality in their class and revolutionary in their effect.
Gore created Glide dental floss,which doesn't shred,tear,and get caught in your teeth. Glide is a thin,Teflon-like tape which was soon the number two floss in the market,and today is the number one floss recommended by dental professionals. Gore then sold Glide to Procter & Gamble,but still makes Glide for P&G,earning substantial profits. It then reinvested in other innovative products,such as CleanStream filters for vacuum cleaners;Radome,used to cover microwave transmission sites (think of the large golf-ball structures you sometimes see around airports);stent-grafts for medical treatment;and many more.
Gore frequently asks potential customers for help when designing new products (e.g.,design iterations and testing). For example,the Gore engineer developing Elixir acoustic guitar strings talked to another Gore engineer who played the guitar. They,in turn,asked experienced guitar players to give them feedback on the product. Thanks to Elixir strings' thin plastic coating,their resistance to dust,skin fragments,dirt,and oil lends a better sound for five times longer than normal guitar strings. Elixir strings now have a 35 percent share of the market.
Gore also provides flexible options for innovation by making time for dabbling. Everyone in the company is encouraged to spend 10 percent of their time on new ideas or products. If those ideas have potential,a Gore sponsor,typically a more senior person,will guide and coach that employee on how to further advance the idea or product. When ideas or innovations are to the point where further development requires a significant investment by the company,they are reviewed by a multifunctional team that goes through an exercise called Real,Win,Worth. They ask: Is the opportunity real
 Is there really somebody out there that will buy this
 Can we win
 What do the economics look like
 Can we make money doing this
 Is it unique and valuable
 Can we have a sustained advantage [such as a patent]
-Refer to Narrative 6-5. Elixir,Gore's acoustic guitar string,is coated with a thin layer of plastic that avoids the accumulation of dust,microscopic layers of skin (from musicians' fingers),and dirt and oil,all of which affect musical quality and sound. What process did Gore employees use to develop Elixir?
A)transitional innovation  
B)compression design  
C)dominant design  
D)incremental change

Accepted Answer

The process used to develop Elixir acoustic guitar strings involved asking experienced guitar players for feedback and creating a thin plastic coating to resist dust,skin fragments,dirt,and oil. This approach suggests that W.L. Gore employs an incremental change strategy, making small improvements to existing products through customer feedback and testing.

Question 5

A firm that pays retention bonuses,payable only if they stay to a critical point,to key executives to guide them through a tumultuous period in the firm's history is most likely in which stage of organizational decline? A)blinded B)inaction C)faulty action D)crisis

Accepted Answer

The firm is most likely in the crisis stage of organizational decline, as evidenced by the need for key executives to guide them through a tumultuous period. The use of retention bonuses indicates that the firm is actively taking steps to address the crisis and retain key talent during a critical time.

Question 6

Narrative 6-4
Emily Morgan is a 30-year veteran at Levi Strauss & Company. She joined the company as a secretary in the advertising department and slowly began rising through the ranks. The more she saw how the company worked,the more dissatisfied she became. In 1982,when talk of reinventing the company spread through headquarters and senior management began looking for volunteers,Morgan became a part of the change initiative. She led the team that designed the Develop Sources process,a system for working with suppliers. In 1995,Morgan became vice president for fulfillment,Asia. Her job was to convince Levi's Asian suppliers to adopt more efficient production and distribution techniques. The Asian suppliers were afraid of change. Once Morgan and her staff showed suppliers how use of the Develop Sources program would benefit them,Morgan's job to transform Levi's Asian operations became easier.
-Refer to Narrative 6-4. What specific technique for dealing with resistance to change did Morgan use to convince the Asian suppliers that it was in their best interest to adopt the Develop Sources process?
A)coercion  
B)top management support  
C)education and communication  
D)direction

Accepted Answer

Morgan and her staff used education and communication to show the Asian suppliers how the use of the Develop Sources program would benefit them. By convincing the suppliers that it was in their best interest to adopt the new process, Morgan was able to overcome their resistance to change.

Question 7

Narrative 6-3
Athabasca University has evolved over its nearly 50-year history. Course delivery has evolved along with Athabasca University-from text-based learning modules to video cassettes,partnerships with educational television,and now to an internet-enabled teaching and learning model that coexists with the text and video-based independent learning models. In 1994,Athabasca pioneered an online Executive MBA program. In addition to innovating learning models,Athabasca developed a Centre for Distance Education,which is globally known for its research into distance learning and offers graduate programs in the field.
-Refer to Narrative 6-3. Athabasca University continues to innovate its online collaborative learning model,used for the executive MBA,at the same time as it provides an individualized,self-paced learning option for other courses. What does the existence of both technologies exemplify?
A)design substitution  
B)modular management  
C)design competition  
D)hierarchical management

Accepted Answer

The existence of both technologies exemplifies design competition, as they are two different approaches to distance learning offered by Athabasca University that compete with each other.

Question 8

Narrative 6-4
Emily Morgan is a 30-year veteran at Levi Strauss & Company. She joined the company as a secretary in the advertising department and slowly began rising through the ranks. The more she saw how the company worked,the more dissatisfied she became. In 1982,when talk of reinventing the company spread through headquarters and senior management began looking for volunteers,Morgan became a part of the change initiative. She led the team that designed the Develop Sources process,a system for working with suppliers. In 1995,Morgan became vice president for fulfillment,Asia. Her job was to convince Levi's Asian suppliers to adopt more efficient production and distribution techniques. The Asian suppliers were afraid of change. Once Morgan and her staff showed suppliers how use of the Develop Sources program would benefit them,Morgan's job to transform Levi's Asian operations became easier.
-Refer to Narrative 6-4. What was the result of the unfreezing,change intervention,and refreezing processes used by Morgan and her team?
A)motivated Asian suppliers  
B)management of the Asian suppliers' resistance to change  
C)creation of a more dynamic work environment  
D)coordination of a creative work environment

Accepted Answer

The result of the unfreezing, change intervention, and refreezing processes used by Morgan and her team was management of the Asian suppliers' resistance to change. Morgan was able to convince the Asian suppliers to adopt more efficient production and distribution techniques by showing them how use of the Develop Sources program would benefit them. This indicates that Morgan and her team successfully managed the resistance to change by the Asian suppliers.

Question 9

Narrative 6-4
Emily Morgan is a 30-year veteran at Levi Strauss & Company. She joined the company as a secretary in the advertising department and slowly began rising through the ranks. The more she saw how the company worked,the more dissatisfied she became. In 1982,when talk of reinventing the company spread through headquarters and senior management began looking for volunteers,Morgan became a part of the change initiative. She led the team that designed the Develop Sources process,a system for working with suppliers. In 1995,Morgan became vice president for fulfillment,Asia. Her job was to convince Levi's Asian suppliers to adopt more efficient production and distribution techniques. The Asian suppliers were afraid of change. Once Morgan and her staff showed suppliers how use of the Develop Sources program would benefit them,Morgan's job to transform Levi's Asian operations became easier.
-Refer to Narrative 6-4. Why did Levi's decide in 1982 to change the way it was conducting business?
A)to protect its competitive advantage  
B)to downsize its workforce  
C)to make outsourcing more economically feasible  
D)to create economies of scale

Accepted Answer

The narrative does not provide a clear reason for why Levi's decided to change the way it was conducting business in 1982. It only mentions that talk of reinventing the company spread through headquarters and senior management began looking for volunteers. However, it can be inferred from the context that the company may have wanted to protect or improve its competitive advantage, as they were seeking to make changes to their operations.

Question 10

Narrative 6-5
Bill Gore started the W.L. Gore Company when he left DuPont to develop innovative uses for Teflon (PTFE),the then new non-stick plastic. Today,W.L. Gore is best known for Gore-Tex,a waterproof,windproof,and temperature-resistant fabric that breathes and does not trap perspiration and body heat. Gore-Tex is used for coats,gloves,camping and hiking gear,and for protective outerwear worn by firefighters and military,emergency,and medical personnel.
But in recent years,Gore-Tex sales have steadily declined. A number of alternative fabrics,such as Entrant GII and eVENT,work nearly as well but cost only $6 to $8 per yard compared to $15 to $30 per yard for Gore-Tex. So W.L. Gore must reduce its dependence on Gore-Tex,which accounts for 21 percent of its $1.6 billion in revenues,by consistently developing other innovative products.
In general,W.L. Gore goes for dramatic rather than incremental improvements. On its website,it declares that Gore's products are designed to be the highest quality in their class and revolutionary in their effect.
Gore created Glide dental floss,which doesn't shred,tear,and get caught in your teeth. Glide is a thin,Teflon-like tape which was soon the number two floss in the market,and today is the number one floss recommended by dental professionals. Gore then sold Glide to Procter & Gamble,but still makes Glide for P&G,earning substantial profits. It then reinvested in other innovative products,such as CleanStream filters for vacuum cleaners;Radome,used to cover microwave transmission sites (think of the large golf-ball structures you sometimes see around airports);stent-grafts for medical treatment;and many more.
Gore frequently asks potential customers for help when designing new products (e.g.,design iterations and testing). For example,the Gore engineer developing Elixir acoustic guitar strings talked to another Gore engineer who played the guitar. They,in turn,asked experienced guitar players to give them feedback on the product. Thanks to Elixir strings' thin plastic coating,their resistance to dust,skin fragments,dirt,and oil lends a better sound for five times longer than normal guitar strings. Elixir strings now have a 35 percent share of the market.
Gore also provides flexible options for innovation by making time for dabbling. Everyone in the company is encouraged to spend 10 percent of their time on new ideas or products. If those ideas have potential,a Gore sponsor,typically a more senior person,will guide and coach that employee on how to further advance the idea or product. When ideas or innovations are to the point where further development requires a significant investment by the company,they are reviewed by a multifunctional team that goes through an exercise called Real,Win,Worth. They ask: Is the opportunity real
 Is there really somebody out there that will buy this
 Can we win
 What do the economics look like
 Can we make money doing this
 Is it unique and valuable
 Can we have a sustained advantage [such as a patent]
-Refer to Narrative 6-5. What feature did Gore-Tex fabric give its manufacturer when it was introduced?
A)discontinuous change  
B)competitive advantage  
C)product-driven vision  
D)generational product

Accepted Answer

Gore-Tex fabric gave its manufacturer a competitive advantage when it was introduced as a waterproof, windproof, temperature-resistant fabric that breathes and does not trap perspiration and body heat. However, with the decline in sales, the company needs to reduce its dependence on Gore-Tex and consistently develop other innovative products.

Question 11

Which of the following actions is most appropriate for a firm in Stage 5 of organizational decline?
A)prompt action  
B)corrective action  
C)effective reorganization  
D)dissolution

Accepted Answer

In Stage 5 of organizational decline, the organization has typically exhausted its options for recovery, making dissolution the most appropriate action to take. This stage is characterized by a severe and irreversible loss of organizational viability.

Question 12

When Firm A announces a round of job cuts and "belt tightening," which stage of organizational decline is it in?
A)blinded  
B)inaction  
C)faulty action  
D)crisis

Accepted Answer

The "faulty action" stage is characterized by the organization recognizing issues and attempting to address them, often through cost-cutting measures like job cuts, which may not address the root causes of decline.

Question 13

Narrative 6-5
Bill Gore started the W.L. Gore Company when he left DuPont to develop innovative uses for Teflon (PTFE),the then new non-stick plastic. Today,W.L. Gore is best known for Gore-Tex,a waterproof,windproof,and temperature-resistant fabric that breathes and does not trap perspiration and body heat. Gore-Tex is used for coats,gloves,camping and hiking gear,and for protective outerwear worn by firefighters and military,emergency,and medical personnel.
But in recent years,Gore-Tex sales have steadily declined. A number of alternative fabrics,such as Entrant GII and eVENT,work nearly as well but cost only $6 to $8 per yard compared to $15 to $30 per yard for Gore-Tex. So W.L. Gore must reduce its dependence on Gore-Tex,which accounts for 21 percent of its $1.6 billion in revenues,by consistently developing other innovative products.
In general,W.L. Gore goes for dramatic rather than incremental improvements. On its website,it declares that Gore's products are designed to be the highest quality in their class and revolutionary in their effect.
Gore created Glide dental floss,which doesn't shred,tear,and get caught in your teeth. Glide is a thin,Teflon-like tape which was soon the number two floss in the market,and today is the number one floss recommended by dental professionals. Gore then sold Glide to Procter & Gamble,but still makes Glide for P&G,earning substantial profits. It then reinvested in other innovative products,such as CleanStream filters for vacuum cleaners;Radome,used to cover microwave transmission sites (think of the large golf-ball structures you sometimes see around airports);stent-grafts for medical treatment;and many more.
Gore frequently asks potential customers for help when designing new products (e.g.,design iterations and testing). For example,the Gore engineer developing Elixir acoustic guitar strings talked to another Gore engineer who played the guitar. They,in turn,asked experienced guitar players to give them feedback on the product. Thanks to Elixir strings' thin plastic coating,their resistance to dust,skin fragments,dirt,and oil lends a better sound for five times longer than normal guitar strings. Elixir strings now have a 35 percent share of the market.
Gore also provides flexible options for innovation by making time for dabbling. Everyone in the company is encouraged to spend 10 percent of their time on new ideas or products. If those ideas have potential,a Gore sponsor,typically a more senior person,will guide and coach that employee on how to further advance the idea or product. When ideas or innovations are to the point where further development requires a significant investment by the company,they are reviewed by a multifunctional team that goes through an exercise called Real,Win,Worth. They ask: Is the opportunity real
 Is there really somebody out there that will buy this
 Can we win
 What do the economics look like
 Can we make money doing this
 Is it unique and valuable
 Can we have a sustained advantage [such as a patent]
-Refer to Narrative 6-5. Which kind of innovation is encouraged at W.L. Gore?
A)transitional  
B)compression  
C)dominant design  
D)incremental

Accepted Answer

W.L. Gore encourages dominant design innovation, focusing on creating revolutionary products that are the highest quality in their class, rather than making small, incremental improvements.

Question 14

Narrative 6-5
Bill Gore started the W.L. Gore Company when he left DuPont to develop innovative uses for Teflon (PTFE),the then new non-stick plastic. Today,W.L. Gore is best known for Gore-Tex,a waterproof,windproof,and temperature-resistant fabric that breathes and does not trap perspiration and body heat. Gore-Tex is used for coats,gloves,camping and hiking gear,and for protective outerwear worn by firefighters and military,emergency,and medical personnel.
But in recent years,Gore-Tex sales have steadily declined. A number of alternative fabrics,such as Entrant GII and eVENT,work nearly as well but cost only $6 to $8 per yard compared to $15 to $30 per yard for Gore-Tex. So W.L. Gore must reduce its dependence on Gore-Tex,which accounts for 21 percent of its $1.6 billion in revenues,by consistently developing other innovative products.
In general,W.L. Gore goes for dramatic rather than incremental improvements. On its website,it declares that Gore's products are designed to be the highest quality in their class and revolutionary in their effect.
Gore created Glide dental floss,which doesn't shred,tear,and get caught in your teeth. Glide is a thin,Teflon-like tape which was soon the number two floss in the market,and today is the number one floss recommended by dental professionals. Gore then sold Glide to Procter & Gamble,but still makes Glide for P&G,earning substantial profits. It then reinvested in other innovative products,such as CleanStream filters for vacuum cleaners;Radome,used to cover microwave transmission sites (think of the large golf-ball structures you sometimes see around airports);stent-grafts for medical treatment;and many more.
Gore frequently asks potential customers for help when designing new products (e.g.,design iterations and testing). For example,the Gore engineer developing Elixir acoustic guitar strings talked to another Gore engineer who played the guitar. They,in turn,asked experienced guitar players to give them feedback on the product. Thanks to Elixir strings' thin plastic coating,their resistance to dust,skin fragments,dirt,and oil lends a better sound for five times longer than normal guitar strings. Elixir strings now have a 35 percent share of the market.
Gore also provides flexible options for innovation by making time for dabbling. Everyone in the company is encouraged to spend 10 percent of their time on new ideas or products. If those ideas have potential,a Gore sponsor,typically a more senior person,will guide and coach that employee on how to further advance the idea or product. When ideas or innovations are to the point where further development requires a significant investment by the company,they are reviewed by a multifunctional team that goes through an exercise called Real,Win,Worth. They ask: Is the opportunity real
 Is there really somebody out there that will buy this
 Can we win
 What do the economics look like
 Can we make money doing this
 Is it unique and valuable
 Can we have a sustained advantage [such as a patent]
-Refer to Narrative 6-5. Gore's approach to innovation is to use frequent design iterations,frequent testing,regular milestones,multifunctional teams,and powerful leadership. What approach to innovation does the company use?
A)experiential  
B)transitional  
C)vision-driven  
D)generational

Accepted Answer

Gore's approach to innovation, characterized by frequent design iterations, frequent testing, regular milestones, multifunctional teams, and powerful leadership, aligns with the experiential approach. This approach emphasizes learning through action, experimentation, and adapting based on feedback, which is evident in Gore's product development processes.

Question 15

Narrative 6-4
Emily Morgan is a 30-year veteran at Levi Strauss & Company. She joined the company as a secretary in the advertising department and slowly began rising through the ranks. The more she saw how the company worked,the more dissatisfied she became. In 1982,when talk of reinventing the company spread through headquarters and senior management began looking for volunteers,Morgan became a part of the change initiative. She led the team that designed the Develop Sources process,a system for working with suppliers. In 1995,Morgan became vice president for fulfillment,Asia. Her job was to convince Levi's Asian suppliers to adopt more efficient production and distribution techniques. The Asian suppliers were afraid of change. Once Morgan and her staff showed suppliers how use of the Develop Sources program would benefit them,Morgan's job to transform Levi's Asian operations became easier.
-Refer to Narrative 6-4. In order to maintain a competitive advantage in the clothing industry,Levi's had to create new,more efficient methods of dealing with its suppliers. What is the term for the process of Levi's discontinuing inefficient methods of dealing with suppliers through substituting electronic networks for outdated systems?
A)dominant design  
B)competitive advantage  
C)innovation stream  
D)comparative differential

Accepted Answer

The term for the process of discontinuing inefficient methods of dealing with suppliers through substituting electronic networks for outdated systems is referred to as innovation stream. This is because it involves introducing new technologies and processes to achieve greater efficiency and effectiveness in business operations. Levi's was able to maintain a competitive advantage in the clothing industry by innovating and implementing new methods of working with suppliers.

Question 16

Narrative 6-4
Emily Morgan is a 30-year veteran at Levi Strauss & Company. She joined the company as a secretary in the advertising department and slowly began rising through the ranks. The more she saw how the company worked,the more dissatisfied she became. In 1982,when talk of reinventing the company spread through headquarters and senior management began looking for volunteers,Morgan became a part of the change initiative. She led the team that designed the Develop Sources process,a system for working with suppliers. In 1995,Morgan became vice president for fulfillment,Asia. Her job was to convince Levi's Asian suppliers to adopt more efficient production and distribution techniques. The Asian suppliers were afraid of change. Once Morgan and her staff showed suppliers how use of the Develop Sources program would benefit them,Morgan's job to transform Levi's Asian operations became easier.
-Refer to Narrative 6-4. Which of the following roles does Emily Morgan exemplify?
A)ombudsperson  
B)mentor  
C)organizational liaison  
D)change agent

Accepted Answer

Emily Morgan exemplifies the role of a change agent. She led the team that designed the Develop Sources process and transformed Levi's Asian operations by convincing suppliers to adopt more efficient production and distribution techniques.

Question 17

Narrative 6-2
An Internet strategy enabled Nestlé to change its way of doing business and allowed the company to change its staid,risk-averse culture. Nestlé leaders overhauled company processes-from buying raw materials to processing purchase orders to marketing the roughly 2,000 products under its 200 brands.
-Refer to Narrative 6-2. Which type of change did Nestlé use to reinvent the company?
A)activity-oriented  
B)results-driven  
C)generational  
D)vision-driven

Accepted Answer

Nestlé's approach to reinventing the company by overhauling processes across various aspects of its business, from procurement to marketing, is indicative of a results-driven change. This type of change focuses on achieving specific outcomes and improvements in performance.

Question 18

Narrative 6-4
Emily Morgan is a 30-year veteran at Levi Strauss & Company. She joined the company as a secretary in the advertising department and slowly began rising through the ranks. The more she saw how the company worked,the more dissatisfied she became. In 1982,when talk of reinventing the company spread through headquarters and senior management began looking for volunteers,Morgan became a part of the change initiative. She led the team that designed the Develop Sources process,a system for working with suppliers. In 1995,Morgan became vice president for fulfillment,Asia. Her job was to convince Levi's Asian suppliers to adopt more efficient production and distribution techniques. The Asian suppliers were afraid of change. Once Morgan and her staff showed suppliers how use of the Develop Sources program would benefit them,Morgan's job to transform Levi's Asian operations became easier.
-Refer to Narrative 6-4. Which of the following characteristics did Levi's most likely NOT have prior to the reinvention of the company in 1982?
A)a history of innovation discontinuity  
B)design iteration  
C)competitive advantage  
D)a creative work environment

Accepted Answer

The answer of Narrative 6-4
Emily Morgan is a 30-year veteran...

Question 19

Narrative 6-3
Athabasca University has evolved over its nearly 50-year history. Course delivery has evolved along with Athabasca University-from text-based learning modules to video cassettes,partnerships with educational television,and now to an internet-enabled teaching and learning model that coexists with the text and video-based independent learning models. In 1994,Athabasca pioneered an online Executive MBA program. In addition to innovating learning models,Athabasca developed a Centre for Distance Education,which is globally known for its research into distance learning and offers graduate programs in the field.
-Refer to Narrative 6-3. Which of the following terms applies to why Athabasca developed the online executive MBA in 1994?
A)technological subtraction  
B)technological discontinuity  
C)process obsolescence  
D)process addition

Accepted Answer

Athabasca University developed the online executive MBA in 1994 as a form of technological discontinuity, which refers to a significant shift or breakthrough in technology that disrupts or changes the status quo, in this case, introducing a new way of delivering education through the internet.

Question 20

Narrative 6-2
An Internet strategy enabled Nestlé to change its way of doing business and allowed the company to change its staid,risk-averse culture. Nestlé leaders overhauled company processes-from buying raw materials to processing purchase orders to marketing the roughly 2,000 products under its 200 brands.
-Refer to Narrative 6-2. In terms of organizational development,what type of intervention did Nestlé use?
A)unit  
B)large system  
C)unit-focused  
D)results-focused

Accepted Answer

Nestlé used a large system intervention by overhauling company processes from buying raw materials to processing purchase orders to marketing its products. This type of intervention involves changing the entire system or organization rather than just a specific unit or aspect.

Quiz 6: Innovation and Change

A firm that pays retention bonuses,payable only if they stay to a critical point,to key executives to guide them through a tumultuous period in the firm's history is most likely in which stage of organizational decline?

Which of the following actions is most appropriate for a firm in Stage 5 of organizational decline?

When Firm A announces a round of job cuts and "belt tightening," which stage of organizational decline is it in?