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Management of Contemporary Organizations HROB 101 –
Midterm Exam Overview
Some information about the midterm exam:
o 45 questions (1minute 10 second per question)
o All multiple choice
o Topics covered are: Motivation Content and Process theories; Goal Setting;
Reinforcement; Job Design; and Groups & Teams.
o Sec 1 Wed., October 29 – Starts exactly at 12:00 noon.
o Sec 2 Wed., October 29 – Starts exactly at 1:30 pm.
o Sec 4 Wed., October 29 – Starts exactly at 4:30 pm
o The midterm exam will be in class and requires Respondus lockdown browser. Both
Mac and Windows versions of this software are available. Note:
Respondus lockdown browser is not available for use with Chromebook etc.
Note Sheet
o One side of a standard 8.5" x 11" sheet of paper
o Handwritten (must be legible) - Bring a physical copy.
o Content Suggestions: Key definitions and concepts from Videos & Chapters
o Other Instructions: Your cheat sheet will be collected at the end of the exam; You
may not share note sheets with other students.
o Identification Requirement To use the cheat sheet during the exam, you must
include the following at the top of the page (Please Capitalize)
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Full Name
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Student ID
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Course Name and Section
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Date of Exam
CHAPTER(s) 5 & 6 – Theories of Motivation; Designing a Motivating Work
Environment: Content and Process Theories, Goal Setting; Job Design
Define Motivation and the elements of work motivation (Direction of behavior; Level
of effort; Level of Persistence)
Motivation definition: the psychological process that initiates, directs and sustains
goal-oriented behavior in individuals.
Elements of work motivation:
Direction of behavior - the path employees take to accomplish tasks
Level of effort – the intensity of effort applied toward a goal
Level of persistence - the duration one maintains effort despite obstacles
Understand Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation
Intrinsic motivation: driven by internal rewards such as personal growth,
satisfaction, and achievement
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Extrinsic motivation: driven by external rewards such as pay, bonuses, recognition
Explain the following theories and provide an example of each theory:
 Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory
People are motivated by hierarchy of needs:
1. Physiological – basic survival
2. Safety - security and stability
3. Social – relationships and belonging
4. Esteem – recognition, respect, achievement
5. Self-Actualization – personal growth, realizing full potential
EX: company provides safe working condition/promotion opportunities
fulfills multiple levels of needs
 Herzberg’s two-factor theory
Hygiene factors: elements that prevent dissatisfaction (salary, policies, working
conditions)
Motivators: factors that increase satisfaction (achievement, recognition,
responsibility)
EX: a clean office avoids dissatisfaction (hygiene) while giving employees
responsibility for a key project motivates them (motivator)
 McClelland’s theory of needs
Three Needs:
1. Achievement: desire to excel and succeed
2. Power: Desire to control others
3. Affiliation: Desire to form close relationships
EX: a high-achievement employee sets ambitious sales targets, while a highpower manager seeks leadership positions
 Aldefer’s ERG theory (Read on the text)
Condenses Maslow into three categories
1. Existence: physical and material needs
2. Relatedness: relationships with others
3. Growth: personal development and self-fulfillment
ESG theory allows frustration-regression: if growth needs are unmet, focus may
shift back to existence or relatedness
 Expectancy Theory
Motivation depends on..
1. Expectancy: belief that effort  performance
2. Instrumentality: belief that performance  reward
3. Valence: Value of the reward
EX: a programmer works overtime if they believe it will lead to a promotion
which is highly valued
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 Equity Theory
Employees compare their input/output ratio to others.
EX: employee works 40hrs and earns 50,000 while a peer earns 60,000 for same
work, perceived inequity may reduce motivation
 Procedural Justice Theory
Focuses of fairness of processes used to make decisions
EX: employees are more satisfied with raises if the promotion process is transparent
and consistent.
 Goal Setting Theory
Specific and challenging goals lead to higher performance.
S: specific
M: measurable
A: achievable
R: relevant
T: time-bound
CHAPTER 5 -- Motivation: Reinforcement
Explain how we learn using the learning theories
Methods for shaping the behavior.
 Positive & negative reinforcement
Positive reinforcement: reward desired behavior (bonus for meeting sales targets)
Negative reinforcement: remove an unpleasant stimulus after desired behavior
(canceling mandatory weekend shifts after meeting a project deadline)
 Punishment & extinction
Punishment: Negative behavior followed by negative consequences (verbal warning
for repeated tardiness)
Extinction: Remove positive consequences for undesired behavior (ignoring minor
complaints to reduce attention seeking behavior)
 Schedules of Reinforcement (read on the text)
Continuous: Every correct behavior is rewarded
Intermittent: reward occurs only sometimes
Define OB Mod.
Application of reinforcement principles to influence employee behavior.
Step 1: identify behavior to be modified
Step 2: Measure the baseline level
Step 3: Analyze its outcomes
Step 4: Intervene
Step 5: Evaluate and maintain
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Provide examples in organizations of how learning concepts are applied in
organizations (e.g., employee discipline etc.)
Employee training, discipline, performance incentives
CHAPTER 6 -- Motivation: Job design
Identify Early approaches to Job design (job enrichment, job specialization etc.)
 Job Enlargement
Increases range of tasks associated with job (cashier also does inventory)
 Job Enrichment
Increasing job to make it more complex: responsibility, autonomy, decision making
(employee designs their own work schedule)
 Job specialization
Breaking work into simple, repetitive tasks to increase efficiency (assembly line
worker performing single task)
Define employee empowerment and types of empowerments (read on the text)
Giving employees authority, autonomy and responsibility. Types: decision making
empowerment, skill-based empowerment, team-based empowerment.
Identify Job Crafting Approaches
Employees redesign their own jobs to increase engagement.
EX: a marketer takes on social media strategy to use personal strengths.
Note: Greater emphasis will be placed on Chapter 5 & 6 for the exam.
You need to know theories very well.
You need to be able to link the theories with application (e.g., OB Mod & Employee
discipline)
CHAPTER (9) – Managing Groups and Teams
Identify different types of groups
 Formal Groups (examples)
Officially established by organization EX: project team, research teams, virtual
teams, department
 Informal Groups (examples)
Naturally forming social connections. EX: friendship groups, interest groups
Describe the model of group development
 The five stage model
1. Forming - Understand boundaries of team
2. Storming – Commit to ideas you bring to team
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3. Norming – People cooperate with each other
4. Performing – confident working within your roles
5. Adjourning – Separate from your team
 Punctuated Equilibrium
Groups experience long periods of stability interrupted by sudden changes that
accelerate performance.
Forming pattern  InertiaPunctuated EquilibriumProcess RevisionInertia
Identify key major factors in explaining group behavior
Group Norms, group Roles, group size, group cohesion, group composition, group
status, task structure, leadership
Define and describe the importance of the following key factors of group structure
 Size: Larger groups may have coordination issues; smaller groups
are more flexible
 Composition: Skills, personalities, diversity
 Roles: Assigned or emergent behavior expected from group
members
 Tasks: Nature of work affects group dynamics
 Norms: Shared expectations guide behavior.
 Cohesion: Degree of member attraction to group; too much cohesion
may cause.
Define the following terms:
 Social Loafing: Reduced effort in larger groups
 Social Facilitation effect: Improved performance in presence of
others
 Synergy: Combined efforts to produce better results
 Group Think: Consensus-seeking overrides critical thinking
EX: Ignoring project risks to maintain harmony
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 Idiosyncrasy Credit: Tolerance for deviant behavior due to past
contributions. EX: veteran team member can suggest risky ideas.
Define Team Contract & Psychological Safety (read on the text)
Team Contract: Agreement outlining responsibilities and expectations
Psychological Safety: Shared belief that it’s safe to task risks without punishment
Describe the difference between groups and teams (read on the text)
Groups v . Teams
Share info  Goal  Collective performance
Neutral Synergy  Positive
Individual Accountability individual/mutual
Random  Skills complementary
Team Leadership and Autonomy
Varies from highly controlled to self-managed teams
Identify types of teams (read on the text)
Functional, cross functional, self-managed, virtual, problem solving, project based