OB Final review.
CH8 To CH17
CH8
1. Describe the steps in a typical building process.
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
Step 5
Problem or opportunity in team effectiveness.
Data gathering and analysis.
Planning for team improvement.
Actions to improve team functioning.
Evaluation of results.
2. How do team leader builds positive group ?
To help build positive norms, a team leader must:
1. Act as a positive role model.
2. Carefully select members for the team.
3. Assure support and reward members for performing as desired.
4. Set meetings to review performance.
5. Provide feedback, discuss and agree on goals.
3. How do cohesiveness and conformity to norms inflrunce
team performance ?
A basic rule of team dynamic is that members of highly cohesive groups
tend to conform to group norms.
When group norms are
positive for performing.
When group norms are
negative for performing.
the conformity is likely to
creat high performance
outcomes.
the conformity is likely to
creat low performance
outcomes.
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3. How can inter team competition be bad and good for
organization ?
Inter-team competition can create problems in the way groups work
with one another.
An organization is a cooperative system in which groups are well
integrated and help one another out as needed.
When groups get competitive, good and bad results might appear.
Good side of competition.
Bad side of competition.
- They will develop a negative stereotypes of
one another instead of giving a positive view.
- Competition would increase
creativity and encourage
focused efforts.
- They would consider each other as enemies
and become hostile instead of taking each
other as a mutual partners.
* The potential negative side must be considered.
CH9
1. What are heuristics and how can they affect individual
decision making?
Heuristics are simplifying strategies or shortcuts used to make decisions.
Make it easier to deal with uncertainty and limited information common to
problem situations.
Common heuristics include:
1. availability-making decision based on recent events.
2. representativeness-making decisions based on similar events.
3. anchoring and adjustment-making decisions based on historical
precedents.
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2. What are the differences between individual, consultative
and team decision?
individual
Individual or Authority
decisions manager or team
leader uses information
that he or she possesses
and decides what to do
without involving others.
consultative
Consultative decisions
manager or team leader
seek input from other
people and then, based on
this information, the
decision maker take the
final choice.
team decision
group members work
together to make the
final choice, and made
when the manager or
team leader asks others
to participate in problem
solving.
3. What is escalating commitment and why it is important?
Escalating commitment is a continuous and renewed effort on a previously
chosen course of action, even though it is not working.
This can lead to a waste of time, money and other resources. Escalating
commitment is encouraged by the popular adage.
Why it is important:
It pursues a course of action offering more valuable results.
4. How do managers or team leader deal with problem and propriety ?
Most people are too busy to respond to every problem that comes their way. The
effective manager and team leader knows when to delegate decision to others.
How to set proprieties and when to abstain from acting altogether.
Before dealing with a specific problem, leader must Ask Questions like:
- is the problem east to deal with?
- Is this solvable problem within the context of the organization?
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CH 10
1. List and discuss three conflicts situtaions faced by managers.
Managers can be faced with the following conflict situations:
1. Vertical conflict: Conflict that occurs between hierarchical levels.
2. Horizontal conflict:
3. Line-staff conflict:
conflict that occurs between those at the same hierarchical
level.
conflict that occurs between line and staff representatives.
4. Role conflict: Conflict that occurs when the communication of task expectations is
inadequate or upsetting.
2. Discuss major indirect conflict management approaches.
The major indirect conflict management approaches include the following:
1. Appeals to common goals: involves focusing the attention of potentially conflicting
parties on one mutually desirable conclusion.
2. Hierarchical referral: using the chain of command for conflict resolution.
3. Organizational redesign: including decoupling, buffering, linking pins, and
liaison groups.
4. Use of myths and scripts: managing superficially through behavioral routines
(scripts) or to hide conflict by denying the necessity to
make a tradeoff in conflict resolution
3. What are the conditions a manager use avoidance or accommodation ?
You should acknowledge that different styles may be appropriate
under different conditions.
Avoidance is the extreme form of non attention and is most
commonly used when: - The issue is trivial.
- when more important issues are pressing.
- when individuals need to cool off.
An accommodation strategy is used when an issue is more important
to the other party than it is to you, or to build social credits.
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4. Differentiate between distributive and integrative negotiation.
- Distributive negotiation.
focuses on staking out
positions and claiming
parts of the available "pie."
- Distributive negotiation can lead to:
competition, compromise or accommodation.
- it tends to be:
1. win-lose oriented in all cases.
- Forms of Distributive negotiation:
soft negotiation:
one party is willing
to sacrifice in order to
reach an agreement.
hard negotiation:
- Integrative negotiation.
focuses on the merits of an
issue and attempts to
enlarge the available "pie."
- Integrative negotiation can lead to:
Avoidance, compromise
or collaboration.
- It tends to be:
1. more win-win oriented
2. seeks to satisfy the needs and
interests of all parties.
the parties maximize their
self-interests and hold out
to get their own way.
CH 11
1. Why is channel richness a useful concept for managers ?
Because it describe the capacity of a communication channel to convey and
move information.
The choice of the channel may have a lot of impact on the effectiveness of a
communication attempt. Ex Of channels: Lean channel.
Richer channel (face to face).
2. Why is communication between lower and higher level sometimes filtered ?
Status effects can conflict with the effectiveness of communication between
lower and higher levels in an organization.
It’s about filtering or modifying the information to make it as attractive as possible
to the recipient especially when it’s a negative information so that the low level
members take it nicely And respond.
Some results of filtering:
- high-level decision makers in organizations sometimes act on inaccurate or
incomplete information.
- they just aren’t getting good information from their subordinates even though
their intentions are good.
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3. What is the key to using active listening effectively ?
Active listening works by:
1. increasing the flow of information to help the communicator
analyze the issue being processed.
2. focusing on the conversation the listener helps increase information
flow to open up communication by listening for content and feelings.
3. Using reinforcing statements to support those feelings and create a
safe environment.
4. After processing the information the listener must help to identify a
course of action by turning to reflecting and advising statements that
help represent what the communicator expressed.
CH 12
1. Identify and explain at least three guidelines for the acquisition of
1) position power
2)personal power by managers
In position power there is:
- Reward power represents the extent to which a manager can use
extrinsic and intrinsic rewards to control other people.
- Process power indicates the control that a manager has over
methods of production and analysis.
- Information power illustrates the access or control of information.
In personal power there is
- Expert defines the ability to control another's behavior through the
possession of knowledge, experience or judgment.
- Referent is the ability to control another's behavior because the person
wants to identify with the power source.
- Coalition represents the ability to control another's behavior indirectly
because of reciprocal obligation to you or larger group.
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CH 13
1. define leadership and contract it with management.
It’s the Process of:
- influencing others to understand and agree about what needs to be done and
how to do it.
- facilitating individual and collective efforts to accomplish shared objectives.
Role of management:
Role of leadership:
is to promote stability or to enable
the organization to run smoothly.
is to promote adaptive or
useful changes.
2. How do situational contigency theories rlate to behavioral
approaches to leadership theory ?
The effects of leader traits are improved by their relation with situational
contingencies.
Prosocial power motivation, or power oriented toward benefiting others, is
likely to be most important in situations where decision implementation
requires lots of persuasion and social influence.
Strong or weak situations also make a difference.
3. What are the characteristics of low and high LMX relationship ?
High-Quality LMX
is characterized by a deep-seated relationship based on mutual
trust, support and respect. also described as the ‘In Group’.
Low-Quality LMX
is a perfunctory task driven approach that is about doing the job
and nothing more. also described as the ‘Out Group’.
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4. Describe the difference between transactional and
transformational theories of leadership.
Transactional leadership
Involves leader-follower exchanges necessary for achieving routine
performance that is agreed upon by leaders and followers.
- Uses various kinds of rewards for accomplishment.
- Watches for differences from rules and standards and taking corrective action.
- occur only if standards not met.
- Laissez faire style – avoids making decisions.
Charismatic/transformational leadership
is not uniformly better
- Approaches with special emphasis on vision often emphasize training.
- Dark-side charismatic leaders can have negative effects on followers.
CH 14
1. Explain 3 ways in which shared leadership can be used
in a self directed work teams.
1. Behavior-Focused Strategies
Behavior-focused strategies tend to increase self-awareness, leading to the
handling of behaviors involving necessary but not always pleasant tasks.
2. Self-Rewards
It helps if you, as a team member, set high but reachable goals and provide
yourself with rewards when they are reached.
Self-rewards can be:
- quite useful in moving behaviors toward goal attainment.
- real or imaginary.
3. Constructive Thought Patterns
Constructive thought patterns focus on the creation or alteration of cognitive
thought processes.
- Self-analysis and improvement of belief systems.
- mental imagery of successful performance outcomes.
- positive self-talk can help.
Developing a mental image of the necessary actions allows you to think about
what needs to be accomplished and how it will be accomplished before the stress of
performance takes hold.
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2. What are the three core qualities of a spiritual leader ?
1. Vision:
Defining the destination and journey, reflecting high ideals,
encouraging hope/faith.
2. Altruistic love:
Trust/loyalty as well as forgiveness/acceptance/honesty, courage, and
humility.
3. Hope/Faith:
Endurance, perseverance, do what it takes, have stretch goals.
3. what should a manager do when forces for unplanned changes appear ?
Not all change in organizations is the result of a change agent’s direction.
Unplanned changes can occur spontaneously or randomly.
They may be:
- disruptive such as a wildcat strike that ends in a plant closures.
- beneficial such as an interpersonal conflict that results in a new
procedure designed to improve the flow of work between two departments.
When the forces of unplanned change appear, the goal is to act quickly in
order to minimize negative consequences and maximize possible benefits.
In many cases, an unplanned change can be turned into an advantage.
4. What internal and external forces push for changes in organization ?
• Internal forces for change
include those found in different lifecycle demands as the organization
passes from birth through growth and toward maturity.
Internal forces also include the political nature of organizations as
reflected in authority and reward systems.
• External forces for change
are found in the relationship between an organization and its environment.
Examples
- the pressures of mergers.
-strategic alliances.
- divestitures.
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CH 15
1. Describe 5 steps taylor cox suggested for multicuotural organization.
The organization should:
1. develop pluralism with the objective of multi-based socialization. members of
different naturally occurring groups need to educate one another to increase
knowledge and eliminate stereotyping.
2. fully integrate its structure so that there is no direct relationship between a
naturally occurring group and any specific job. for example, there is no different
between male or female jobs.
3. integrate the informal networks by eliminating barriers and increasing
participation. it must break down existing societally based informal groups.
4. break the relation between naturally occurring group identity and the
identity of the firm.
5. actively work to eliminate interpersonal conflict based on either the group
identity or the natural backlash of the largest societally based grouping.
2. List three aspects that help individuals and groups work
together effectively.
- Deciding who is a member of the group and who is not, and deciding
how to allocate power, status, and authority.
- Developing an informal understanding of acceptable and
unacceptable behavior, and who will get rewards and sanctions for
specific types of actions.
- Separating friends from enemies. Working out ways to
communicate and develop guidelines for friendships.
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3. What are the Major elements of a strong corporate culture ?
- A belief that ritual and ceremony are important to members and to
building a common identity.
- A well-understood sense of the informal rules and expectations so that
employees and managers know what is expected of them.
- A belief that what employees and managers do is important and that it is
essential to share information and ideas.
CH 16
1. What is the Difference between output goal and system goals ?
Output goals.
- Define the type of business the organization is in.
- Provide some substance to the more general aspects of mission statements.
System goals.
- Concerned with the conditions within the organization that are expected to
increase the organization’s survival potential.
- Typical systems goals include growth, productivity, stability, harmony,
flexibility, prestige, and human-resource maintenance.
2. describe the types of control usd in organizations ?
1- Output controls:
- focus on desired targets and allow managers to use their own methods to
reach defined targets.
- Most modern organizations use output controls as part of an overall
method of managing by exception.
- Output controls are popular because they promote flexibility and
creativity as well as facilitate dialogue concerning corrective action.
2- Process controls:
attempt to specify the manner in which tasks are accomplished.
The common types of process controls are:
1) policies, procedures, and rules.
2) formalization and standardization.
3) total quality management controls.
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3. What is the advantages and didadvantages of funtional
departmentation and matrix departmentation ?
Functional departmentation:
Disadvantages:
Advantages:
1- May reinforce the narrow training
1- Yields very clear task assignments,
of individuals.
consistent with an individual's
training.
2- May yield narrow, boring, and
routine jobs.
2- Within department can easily build
on one another’s knowledge, training,
3- Communication across technical
and experience.
area is complex and difficult.
3- Provides an excellent training
4- "Top management overload" with too
ground for new managers.
much attention to cross-functional
problems.
4- It is easy to explain.
5- Individuals may look up the
organizational hierarchy for direction
and reinforcement rather than focus
attention on products, services, or
clients.
5- Takes advantage of employee
technical quality
Matrix departmentation:
Advantages:
1- it combines the strengthens of
both functional and divisional
departmentation.
1- it is expensive.
2- it provides a blending of
technical and market emphasis in
organization operation in complex
environment.
3- authority and responsibilities
may overlap, causing conflict.
3- it provides a series of managers
able to converse with both technical
and marketing personnel.
Disadvantages:
2- unity of command is lost.
4- It is difficult to explain to
employees.
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CH 17
1. Explain whay large firms could not use a simple structure ?
A very large firm could use a simple structure but Its changes of reaching Its
goals and surviving could be small.
As the firm grows so does the complexity Inside, and Individuals become
overwhelmed If the firm does not evolve Into bureaucracy.
Bureaucracy Involved labor that Is divided so that each worker was specialized.
Every worker would have well defined responsibilities and authorities.
To complete this specialization: - The organization should be arranged hierarchically.
- Authority should be arranged from bottom up.
- A worker should be promoted only on the basis of merit
and technical competence.
- Employees must work under rules and guidelines that
were impersonal and applied to all staffers equally.
2. Describe the effects of operations technology on an organization from both
thompon's and woodward's point of view.
Thompson’s view of technology. Thompson view is divided into three categories:
1.Intensive.
An intensive technology occurs when uncertainty exists as to how to produce the
desired outcomes, to pool knowledge and resources to solve the problem.
This technology often occurs in research and development of organizations.
2. Mediating.
A mediating technology allows various parties to become interdependent.
3. Long linked
Long linked technology has a unique effect on organization and more commonly
known as industrial technology.
This type of knowledge allows organizations to produce goods in mass quantities.
Woodward’s view of technology. Woodward view is divided into three areas:
1. Small-batch production.
Crafts persons are often characterized as a small producers who must alter
production to fit the needs of each client.
2. Mass production.
Mass production technology deals with the production of uniform goods for a mass
market to Maximise speed while limiting product styles.
3 Continuous-process custom goods.
It deals with a continuous process technology like oil refineries and chemical
plants. These industries are intensely automated and produce the same products
without variation.
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3. Explain the deployment of IT and its uses in organizations.
IT development is the combination of machines, producers and system
used to gather, store, analyze and disseminate information for
translating it into knowledge.
IT uses:
1. IT provides a partial substitute for:
- Operations.
- Process controls.
- Methods of coordination.
- IT provides a strategic capability.
2. Financial institutions created completely new aspects of their
industry based on IT.
3. Replaces process controls and informal coordination mechanisms.
4. Provides complex decision-support systems for middle and lower
managers with programs to aid in analyzing complex problems.
5. Empowers individuals, expanding their jobs and making them both
interesting and challenging
4. What are the primary determinants of environmental complexity ?
1.Environmental richness. The environment is richer when:
-the economy is growing.
-Individuals are improving their education.
-Everyone that the organization relies on is prospering.
In rich environments, more organizations survive even if
they have poorly functioning organisational designs.
2.Environmental interdependence.
The link between external interdependence and organizational designs
is often subtle and indirect. The organization may:
- co-opt powerful outsiders by including them.
- adjust its overall design strategy to gain the demand of a more
powerful external element.
3.Uncertainty and volatility.
In times of change, investments quickly become outmoded, and
internal operations no longer work as expected.
The organizational design response to uncertainty and volatility is to
opt for a more flexible organic form.
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.‫ ﺗﺠﻤﯿﻌﺎت ﻣﻦ ﻧﻤﺎذج ﻓﺎﯾﻨﻞ ﺳﺎﺑﻘﺔ‬-
Short Questions.
1. What is perception ? what are the common perceptual distortions ?
Perception:
Common
perceptual
distortions:
The process by which people select ,
organize, interpret, retrieve and respond
to information from the world around
them is known as perception.
Stereotypes.
hallo effects.
selective.
perception.
projection.
contrast effects.
Self fulfilling prophecy.
2. How do content theories of motivation and process theories of
motivation differ?
Content theories focus primarily on individual needs.
Process theories focus on the thought or cognitive processes that take place
within the minds of people and that influence people’s behavior.
individual needs:
the physiological or psychological deficiencies that people seek to reduce or
eliminate.
3. Define Job enrichment.
Job enrichment is the practice of enhancing job content by
building into it more motivating factors such as
- responsibility.
- achievement.
- recognition.
- personal growth.
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4. What is conflict? In what ways are managers involved with conflict?
- Conflict occurs whenever disagreements exist in a social situation
over issues of substance or whenever emotional antagonisms create
frictions between individuals or groups.
- Managers can spend considerable time dealing with conflict,
including conflicts in which the manager or leader is directly
involved as one of the principal actors.
5. What are supportive communication principles?
a set of tools focused on joint problem solving In order to avoid defensiveness
and disconfirmation.
Defensiveness occurs when
individuals feel they are being attacked and they need to protect themselves.
Disconfirmation occurs when
an individual feels his self-worth is being questioned.
6. What is the difference between unplanned change and planned
change?
Unplanned change.
occurs spontaneously or randomly, and it may be disruptive or beneficial.
When unplanned change begin to appear, the appropriate goal is to act
quickly to minimize any negative consequences and maximize any
possible benefits.
Planned change.
is the result of specific efforts by a change agent in direct response to
someone’s perception of a performance gap.
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Long Questions.
1. What is horizontal specialization? Identify and briefly
describe three common forms of horizontal specialization.
Horizontal specialization is a division of labor that establishes specific
work units or groups within an organization, and is often referred to as
the process of departmentation.
Three common forms of horizontal specialization are:
1- functional
departmentation
that involves grouping
individuals by skill,
knowledge, and action.
2- divisional
departmentation
that groups individuals
and resources by products,
territories, services, clients,
or legal entities.
3- matrix
departmentation
that simultaneously
uses both the functional
form and the divisional
form.
2. What are the two traditions in organizational politics?
1. tradition builds on the Machiavellian philosophy of obtaining and
holding power through political action.
- the management of influence obtain ends not sanctioned by the
organization or to obtain sanctioned ends through non-sanctioned
influence means.
- In this view, managers are often considered to be political when they
seek their own goals or use means that are not currently authorized by
the organization or that push legal limits.
2. tradition treats organizational politics as a necessary function
resulting from differences in the self-interests of individuals.
- In this view, organizational politics is the art of creative compromise
among competing interests.
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3. Briefly describe the differing emphases of the trait perspectives
of leadership, the behavioral perspectives of leadership, and
situational contingency theories of leadership.
1. The trait perspectives of leadership
assume that traits like:
- emotional maturity
- self-improvement
- personal integrity
- cognitive sharpness among others
play a central role in differentiating between leaders and nonleaders or in predicting leader or organizational outcomes.
2. The behavioral perspectives
assume that the behaviors of leaders are the key factors in leadership
effectiveness and outcomes.
In long terms, the leader behaviors focus on dealing with people and the
tasks to be accomplished.
3. The situational contingency theories
go beyond the trait and behavioral perspectives, recognizing that
leader traits and behaviors can act in conjunction with situational
contingencies to determine leader and organizational outcomes.
Factors of Situational contingencies:
- the nature of the tasks.
- the degree of stability of the environment.
- the organization’s structure.
- the leader’s position power, among others.
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