Exam 2: Organizational Culture and the Organizational Environment

Manifestations of Culture (Scenario) Jacob is vice-president of human resources at Z-Mart, a large chain of department stores with 120 locations across Canada. He is developing a short orientation video to help new employees learn about the organization's culture. The video will begin with the story of Z-Mart's founder, Ziggy Zigwig, and how he started the company with one small store in Hamilton in 1960 and eventually built it into a national chain based on a simple philosophy: "cheaper is better." Today, Ziggy's founding values continue to guide employees and managers as they continually look for ways to reduce prices and pass the savings along to customers. Next, the video will discuss the daily Z-Mart chant, and how each morning the store managers lead all the employees in a rousing store anthem that ends with everyone shouting, "CHEAPER IS BETTER!" The chant usually takes place in the comfortable employee lounges located at the back of every store. Finally, the video will explain some of the key terminology used at Z-Mart. For example, all sales clerks are called "associates," managers are called "partners," and a price reduction is affectionately called a "ziggy" as a nod to the company's founder! -Calling a price reduction a "ziggy" is an example of ________.

Corporate rituals are repetitive sequences of activities that express and reinforce the key values of an organization.

he External Environment (Scenario) DigiTech Corporation is a manufacturer of handheld language translation devices. There are many forces in the external environment that influence DigiTech, and its managers are monitoring them closely. One factor is the upcoming federal election. If elected, the leading political candidate has promised to cut corporate taxes to help stimulate the economy. Another factor is the emergence of new competitors with products similar to DigiTech's best-selling model: the Speak-Easy. Advances in the processing speed of computer chips have shortened product development cycles and made it easier for new companies to enter the market. Unfortunately, the recent increase in competition has led to supplier shortages of key components such as microphones and micro-speakers and has left DigiTech scrambling to find new sources! -In DigiTech's specific environment,the number of ________ is increasing and there are shortages among its key ________.

In a short essay,differentiate between the symbolic view and the omnipotent view of management.Include specific examples of each view to support your answer.

The size of offices,the elegance of furnishings,and executive perks such as health club memberships are all examples of corporate ________.

In "aggressive" cultures,employees exhibit competitiveness.

One significant factor that will impact the size of the workforce for businesses in Canada in the future is ________.

An organizational culture that is most likely to shape high ethical standards is one that is low in risk tolerance and focused primarily on outcomes.

Which type of culture would most likely include characteristics such as friendliness,attentiveness,good listening skills,and widespread empowerment?

In a short essay,describe the factors that influence the strength of an organization's culture and discuss the impact of a strong organizational culture on employees and the organization.

Dimensions of Culture (Scenario) Todd works for SeaLan Tech, a small environmental consulting firm that has just been purchased by Zerex, Inc., a large biomedical research organization. The work environment at SeaLan had always been friendly and cooperative; people worked in teams and were encouraged to take risks. However, after meeting with the management of the new parent company, Todd believes there are considerable differences between the organizational cultures of Zerex and SeaLan. He is concerned that the new company will eliminate SeaLan's old culture, and he does not like the prospects. -Managers at Zerex have informed Todd that they will require a higher standard of precision and accuracy in his monthly reports.This relates to which dimension of organizational culture?

Organizations today recognize that diversity in the workplace ________.

Environmental uncertainty can be divided into two dimensions: degree of trust and degree of integration.

As economic growth has languished,social discontent over ________ has increased.

Managers need to establish explicit stakeholder partnerships ________.

Define environmental uncertainty.Briefly discuss the dimensions of environmental uncertainty and how it impacts managers' work.

Environmental Uncertainty (Scenario) It is safe to say that managers do not have complete control over organizational outcomes; the environment has a significant impact. It is important for managers to learn both what the components of the environment are and how the environment will affect their organizations. -An online brokerage company such as E*TRADE that is dealing with many environmental components and requires a high level of knowledge about Internet operations is operating in a highly ________ environment.

The view of managers as omnipotent is consistent with the stereotypical picture of the take-charge business executive who can overcome any obstacle in carrying out the organization's objectives.

he External Environment (Scenario) DigiTech Corporation is a manufacturer of handheld language translation devices. There are many forces in the external environment that influence DigiTech, and its managers are monitoring them closely. One factor is the upcoming federal election. If elected, the leading political candidate has promised to cut corporate taxes to help stimulate the economy. Another factor is the emergence of new competitors with products similar to DigiTech's best-selling model: the Speak-Easy. Advances in the processing speed of computer chips have shortened product development cycles and made it easier for new companies to enter the market. Unfortunately, the recent increase in competition has led to supplier shortages of key components such as microphones and micro-speakers and has left DigiTech scrambling to find new sources! -The external environment of DigiTech consists of which two components?

The first step in managing external stakeholder relationships is to identify who the stakeholders are.The second step is to determine ________.