Question 1

The assumptions and values that direct everyone in the organization toward the "right way" of doing things are called

Accepted Answer

A)  organizational culture.
B)  organizational structure.
C)  organizational socialization.
D)  organizational politics.
E)  transformational leadership. A

Question 2

One advantage of countercultures is that they:

Accepted Answer

A)  rarely exist in real organizations.
B)  maintain the organization's standards of performance and ethical behaviour.
C)  prevent organizations from developing a corporate culture.
D)  ensure that corporate mergers occur without any culture clashes.
E)  Countercultures never make organizations more effective. B

Question 3

A major consulting firm is offering a special service whereby it is able to determine the organization's dominant culture and some of its subcultures.The firm says that it does this by statistically analyzing the words and phrases in the company's annual reports,news releases and public speeches by the company's senior executives.The consultancy claims that this is an effective way of identifying the organization's culture because it does not collect any information inside the organization and,consequently,doesn't take time from any employees.Discuss the merits and limitations of this consultancy's ability to determine an organization's culture.

Accepted Answer

Understanding an organization's culture requires painstaking assessment of many artifacts because they are subtle and often ambiguous.Consequently,we should be skeptical about claims that a consultancy can assess an organization's culture quickly through an analysis of public statements.Moreover,public statements are more likely to express an organization's espoused values-the values people say they believe in-rather than its enacted values-the values that actually guide individual decisions and behaviour in the workplace.To effectively analyze an organization's culture,consultants need to investigate subtle artifacts,ranging from daily rituals to the physical workspace.

Question 4

A deculturation strategy of merging two corporate cultures should be applied:

Accepted Answer

A)  never,because deculturation destroys both cultures.
B)  when both firms operate successfully in different industries.
C)  when employees in the acquired firm want to hold on to their firm's culture even though it does not fit the external environment.
D)  when both firms have weak cultures.
E)  whenever one firm has more power over another firm in a merger.

Question 5

Employees with a transactional psychological contract:

Accepted Answer

A)  do not expect immediate correction to any short-term imbalances.
B)  are more likely to engage in organizational citizenship behaviours.
C)  have a long-term attachment with a broad array of subjective expectations.
D)  have all of the above.
E)  have none of the above.

Question 6

The pre-employment stage of organizational socialization would be more effective if:

Accepted Answer

A)  employers avoided forming a psychological contract.
B)  employers and job applicants gave and received accurate information about each other.
C)  employers and applicants experienced reality shock when meeting each other for the first time.
D)  job applicants distorted their resumé in order to be offered employment.
E)  all of these conditions existed.

Question 7

Office space and paintings hung on walls can be artifacts that symbolize the organization's culture.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 8

Some recently-graduated engineering students mentioned that they are disillusioned with their first full-time jobs following graduation.These students claim that this disillusionment mainly occurs because organizations aren't honest with job applicants.Use your knowledge of the pre-employment stages of organizational socialization to explain whether or not their allegations are true.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Some recently-graduated engineering students mentioned that they...

Question 9

Most studies have found that reward systems have little or no effect on strengthening corporate culture.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 10

The best way to determine an organization's shared assumptions is to:

Accepted Answer

A)  interview executives.
B)  look for evidence of its corporate value statements.
C)  observe employees,analyze their decisions,and debrief them on their actions.
D)  read public relations statements produced by the organization.
E)  ask customers to evaluate the company's effectiveness.

Question 11

Many organizations like to think that they integrate organizational cultures when merging or acquiring other companies.What does this mean and under what conditions is this strategy most likely to succeed?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Many organizations like to think that they...

Question 12

At what stage of socialization do people FIRST learn about the organization and job?

Accepted Answer

A)  Role management
B)  Encounter
C)  Pre-employment
D)  Reality shock
E)  Disillusionment

Question 13

Which strategy for merging two distinct cultures is recommended when the two companies are in unrelated industries and have cultures that seem to work well for them?

Accepted Answer

A)  Deculturation
B)  Assimilation
C)  Separation
D)  Integration
E)  None of these strategies is recommended in this situation.

Question 14

Which of the following is a characteristic of an adaptive corporate culture?

Accepted Answer

A)  Employees hold a common mental model that the organization's success depends on their personal well-being.
B)  Employees engage in continuous improvement of internal processes to serve external stakeholders.
C)  Employees wait for opportunities to arrive.
D)  Employees tend to take the view that any activity beyond their job description is not their job.
E)  All of these are characteristic of adaptive cultures.

Question 15

different types of artifacts that your friend should consider when deciphering the culture of the computer network firm.Your friend is a job applicant,so your answer should relate to the experience of being recruited into an organization.

Accepted Answer

The answer of different types of artifacts that your friend...

Question 16

How do espoused values relate to the concept of organizational culture?

Accepted Answer

A)  Espoused values represent the shared assumptions within an organization's culture.
B)  Espoused values are what leaders and employees rely on to guide their decisions and behaviours.
C)  Espoused values are mainly used to decipher an organization's culture.
D)  Espoused values are the values that corporate leaders want others to believe guide the organization's decisions and actions.
E)  Espoused values are articulated mental models.

Question 17

A strong organizational culture improves the firm's effectiveness,but only if the cultural values are aligned with its external environment.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 18

Organizational stories are most effective at communicating organizational culture:

Accepted Answer

A)  never; organizational stories always overinflate the organization's true culture.
B)  only when they are told by senior executives to the public.
C)  when they describe real people,are assumed to be true,and are known by employees throughout the organizations.
D)  when they are true and descriptive rather than prescriptive.
E)  when they are known by all stakeholders.

Question 19

Companies with strong organizational cultures are more effective than companies with weak cultures:

Accepted Answer

A)  because such organizations do not have subcultures.
B)  if the cultural values emphasize customer service rather than cost efficiency.
C)  if their cultural values are compatible with the organization's external environment.
D)  if there is high turnover among production employees.
E)  never; companies with weak cultures are almost always more effective than those with strong cultures.

Question 20

Which of the following is an artifact rather than a cultural content?

Accepted Answer

A)  Values
B)  Language
C)  Assumptions
D)  Beliefs
E)  Both language and assumptions are artifacts.

Exam 14: Organizational Culture

The assumptions and values that direct everyone in the organization toward the "right way" of doing things are called

One advantage of countercultures is that they:

A deculturation strategy of merging two corporate cultures should be applied:

Employees with a transactional psychological contract:

The pre-employment stage of organizational socialization would be more effective if:

Office space and paintings hung on walls can be artifacts that symbolize the organization's culture.

Most studies have found that reward systems have little or no effect on strengthening corporate culture.

The best way to determine an organization's shared assumptions is to:

Many organizations like to think that they integrate organizational cultures when merging or acquiring other companies.What does this mean and under what conditions is this strategy most likely to succeed?

At what stage of socialization do people FIRST learn about the organization and job?

Which strategy for merging two distinct cultures is recommended when the two companies are in unrelated industries and have cultures that seem to work well for them?

Which of the following is a characteristic of an adaptive corporate culture?

different types of artifacts that your friend should consider when deciphering the culture of the computer network firm.Your friend is a job applicant,so your answer should relate to the experience of being recruited into an organization.

How do espoused values relate to the concept of organizational culture?

A strong organizational culture improves the firm's effectiveness,but only if the cultural values are aligned with its external environment.

Organizational stories are most effective at communicating organizational culture:

Companies with strong organizational cultures are more effective than companies with weak cultures:

Which of the following is an artifact rather than a cultural content?