Exam 10: Organizational Change and Innovation: Lifelong Challenges for the Exceptional Manager

In the Internet Age,retailers like Amazon and Apple are not constrained by physical shelf space and can offer consumers a much wider variety of products;yet small sales,one or two rather than millions of items at a time,can produce big profits.This development is an example of

Northstar Insurance is about to begin using a program that will change the way its adjusters settle insurance claims.Adjusters will be able to complete an adjustment and issue a check right at the scene of the accident.Although employees are uncertain that the new system will work,other insurance agencies have been successful with this approach.At Northstar Insurance,the new program represents ________ change.

A year after she assisted Thomas Engineering in making changes to an employee incentive plan,Kara,an OD consultant,is visiting the company to determine if the changes were helpful.Kara will compare sales and turnover data from the last three years to the current year.Kara is in the ______ stage of the OD process.

The marketplace is becoming less homogeneous and moving toward more niche products.

Firms such as General Motors and McDonald's actively collect information about customer preferences and try to address them in their new products.General Motors and McDonald's are actively trying to adapt to

Reactive change involves making carefully thought-out changes in anticipation of possible or expected problems or opportunities.

Links Cable Network has decided to offer a one-hour appointment window for customers needing installation or repair of its service,which will require the company to have several technicians on call.Links hopes this practice will give it an advantage over the competition,none of which have adopted such a practice.Links Cable Network is introducing a(n)______ change.

An organizational culture that celebrates failure helps foster innovation.

___________ change introduces a new practice to an organization but one that is not new to the industry.

Which of the following factors most reduces an organization's ability to learn from failure?

B corporations are ones whose stocks are not listed on NASDAQ or as part of the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

Which of the following is an inside force for change?

The invention of a machine to make plastic corks for wine bottles has severely affected companies that produce traditional cork.The invention of the machine for making plastic corks is an example of a(n)______ advancement.

This question has two parts;be sure to answer both.First,which four factors are essential to successful implementation of an OD program? Briefly explain each.Next,assume that you manage the U.S.office a multinational corporation that has offices in Europe,Asia,and South America.You are having difficulty with your company's product receiving many negative reviews on Amazon,Yelp,and other online review sites.Explain how you will improve the situation through awareness of each of the four factors.

Joan,a new manager,must enforce sales report deadlines,but her team is struggling.She creates a new system to streamline the process and helps everyone understand why the deadlines are important.On which of the following internal forces is Joan trying to have an impact?

This question contains multiple sections;be sure to answer each.First,list the three sources of resistance to change,giving an example of each.Next,define a change agent and explain his or her role in bringing about organizational change.Third,imagine that you are the CEO of ShopAtHome,a personalized shopping service.Currently you have 20 personal shoppers on staff.To compete better,you decide to change your way of doing business.Instead of meeting clients at their homes to discuss their clothing preferences and look through catalogs,your employees will now be required to pick each customer up at her home,take her to various stores,and work with her to choose the right clothes.This stronger focus on each customer means that each of your employees will have fewer clients,which means they may earn less money and commissions.Explain some types of resistance you might encounter from your employees and how you might address each one.

A technological innovation that improves the performance and speed of a computer's operating system would be considered a(n)______ innovation.

What are two myths about innovation?

Innovation is mostly the product of hard work and dedication rather than a "eureka" moment of epiphany.

________ change is made in response to arising problems or opportunities.BP's response to an explosion on a drilling platform in the Gulf of Mexico is an example of this kind of change.