chaptert 9 Flashcards
The “traditional” approach to strategic control is sequential. Which of the following is not one of the steps in the sequence?
A. Action plans are submitted by lower level managers.
B. Performance is measured against the predetermined goal.
C. Strategies are implemented.
D. Strategies are formulated and top management sets goals.
A. Action plans are submitted by lower level managers.
The primary drawback of “traditional” strategic control systems is
A. they are only appropriate when the environment is stable and simple.
B. goals and objectives cannot be measured with a high level of certainty.
C. they lead to complacency.
D. they lack the flexibility needed to adjust to changes in the environment.
D. they lack the flexibility needed to adjust to changes in the environment.
For businesses facing complex and turbulent business environments
A. goals and objectives that are uncertain prevent opportunism.
B. traditional strategic controls are usually inappropriate.
C. complacency about predetermined milestones can prevent adaptability.
D. detailed plans are needed to maintain order.
B. traditional strategic controls are usually inappropriate.
Contemporary approaches to strategic control rely primarily on A. feedback controls. B. single-loop learning. C. double-loop learning. D. comparative learning.
C. double-loop learning.
Informational control systems ask
A. Is the organization “doing things right”?
B. Is the organization “doing the right things”?
C. Are rules and regulations being followed as information is processed?
D. Is the organization’s environment a necessary and sufficient condition for success?
B. Is the organization “doing the right things”?
The benefits of continuous monitoring include
A. enhancing the organization’s ability to respond with speed and flexibility.
B. replacing the time-consuming process of organizational learning.
C. dramatically altering the organization’s response to its competitive environment.
D. all of these.
A. enhancing the organization’s ability to respond with speed and flexibility.
Which of the following is NOT one of the characteristics of a contemporary control system?
A. It is a key catalyst for an ongoing debate about underlying data, assumptions, and action plans.
B. It must focus on constantly changing information that is strategically important.
C. It circumvents the need for face-to-face meetings among superiors, subordinates, and peers.
D. It generates information that is important enough to demand regular and frequent attention.
C. It circumvents the need for face-to-face meetings among superiors, subordinates, and peers.
Top managers at ABC Company meet every Friday to review daily operational reports and year-to-date data. This is an example of A. behavioral control. B. informational control. C. strategy formulation. D. strategy implementation.
B. informational control.
Complete the following sentence: "As firms simultaneously downsize and face the need for increased coordination across organizational boundaries, a control system based primarily on \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ is dysfunctional." A. boundaries and constraints B. culture and rewards C. organizational loyalty D. innovation and risk taking
A. boundaries and constraints
All of the following are examples of how organizational culture exerts behavioral control EXCEPT
A. culture helps maintain control by creating behavioral norms.
B. culture generates unwritten standards of acceptable behavior.
C. culture encourages individual identification with the organization and its objectives.
D. culture sets explicit boundaries.
D. culture sets explicit boundaries.
The late Sam Walton, founder of Walmart, used to give pep rallies at local Walmart stores. What purpose did this serve?
A. It was used to remind employees of Walmart’s rules and regulations.
B. It helped reinforce and sustain Walmart’s culture.
C. It demonstrated to employees the importance of articulating explicit goals and objectives.
D. It made Walmart’s reward system very explicit.
B. It helped reinforce and sustain Walmart’s culture.
Which of the following is NOT one of the characteristics of reward and incentive systems?
A. They represent a poor means of influencing an organization’s culture.
B. They focus efforts on high-priority tasks.
C. They motivate high levels of individual and collective task performance.
D. They represent an effective control mechanism.
A. They represent a poor means of influencing an organization’s culture.
Complete the following sentence: "Individual rationality \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ organizational rationality." A. is a good indicator of B. will ensure C. is often the opposite of D. does not always guarantee
D. does not always guarantee
When subcultures emerge that have shared values opposite from the dominant culture of an organization
A. organizational cohesiveness increases.
B. information is shared rather than hoarded.
C. individuals begin working at cross purposes.
D. individuals gain insights into overarching goals and objectives.
C. individuals begin working at cross purposes.
All of the following are characteristics of effective reward and incentive systems EXCEPT
A. performance measures are clear and highly visible.
B. the structure is fixed to assure employees of consistency.
C. the compensation system is perceived as fair and equitable.
D. objectives are well understood, and broadly accepted
B. the structure is fixed to assure employees of consistency.
The causes of counterproductive behavior in organizations include
A. lack of a clear understanding of organizational goals and objectives.
B. motivated self-interest.
C. outright malfeasance.
D. all of these.
D. all of these.
