Midterm 2 - Chapter 9

Question 1

Explicit Knowledge

Answer 1

Knowledge that is easily communicated and available to everyone. Usually found in manuals

Question 2

Tacit Knowledge

Answer 2

Knowledge that employees can only learn through experience. Most important strategic asset a company possesses

Question 3

Reinforcement

Answer 3

Used to induce desirable behavour or reduce undesirable behavour. Tendency to repeat behaviours that result in positive consequences and avoid those that result in negative ones

Question 4

Antecedents

Answer 4

Condition that precedes behaviour; goals, rules, instructions, information that tells employees what is expected of them

Question 5

Positive Reinforcement

Answer 5

When a positive outcome follows a desired behaviour. Most common. To be successful, employee needs to see a direct link between their behaviour and desired outcome

Question 6

Negative Reinforcement

Answer 6

An unwanted outcome is removed following a desired behaviour.

Question 7

Punishment

Answer 7

When an unwanted outcome follows an unwanted behaviour

Question 8

Extinction

Answer 8

Removal of a positive outcome following an unwanted behaviour. Common

Question 9

Schedules of Reinforcement

Answer 9

The timing of when contigencies are applied or removed; timing is important. 5 types: 1. continuous 2. fixed interval 3. variable interval 4. fixed ratio 5. variable ratio

Question 10

Continuous Reinforcement

Answer 10

A specific consequence follows each and every occurrence of a certain behaviour. Impractical, least long lasting. Better for new behaviours

Question 11

Fixed Interval Schedule

Answer 11

Reinforcement occurs at fixed time period. Most common form of reinforcement schedule. Workers are rewarded after a certain amount of time and length between reinforcement periods stays the same. Better for new behaviours

Question 12

Variable Interval Schedule

Answer 12

Reinforcement occurs at random periods of time

Question 13

Fixed Ratio Schedule

Answer 13

Reinforcement occurs following a fixed number of desired behaviours

Question 14

Variable Ratio System

Answer 14

Behaviours are reinforced after a varying number of them have been shown. Lead to higher levels of performance than fixed schedules. May not be appropriate sometimes.

Question 15

Social Learning Theory

Answer 15

Theory that argues that people in organizations learn by observing others.

Question 16

Behavioural Modelling

Answer 16

When employees observe the actions of others, learn from what they observe and then repeat the observed behavour. Continual process

Question 17

Learning Orientation

Answer 17

A predisposition or attitude according to which building competence is deemed more important by an employee than demonstrating competence

Question 18

Performance Prove Orientation

Answer 18

A predisposition or attitude by which employees focus on demonstrating their competence so others think favourably of them

Question 19

Performance Avoid Orientation

Answer 19

A predisposition or attitude by which employees focus on demonstrating their competence so that others will not think poorly of them. Work on tasks theyre good at. Enter learning situations with fears of looking bad

Question 20

Programmed Decisions

Answer 20

Decisions that are somewhat automatic because the decision maker’s knowledge allows them to recognize the situation and the course of action to take. High levels of explicit and tacit knowledge, many decisions = programmed variety

Question 21

Non-Programmed Decision

Answer 21

Decisions made by employees when a problem is new, complex or not recognized. As employees move up in company, less and less programmed decisions

Question 22

Rational Decision Making Model

Answer 22

Step by step approach to making decisions that is designed to maximize outcomes by examining all available alternatives. Relevant when people dont recognize problems as one they have dealt with. Steps: 1. identify criteria important in making decision 2. list all available alternative solutions 3. evaluation of all solutions against criteria 4. select alternative that results in best outcome 5. implement alternative

Question 23

Limited Information - Bounded Rationality

Answer 23

The notion that people do not have the ability or resources to process all available information and alternatives when making a decision. People have to filter and simplify information to make sense of complex environment; leads to missing information when perceiving problem, alternatives and results

Question 24

Limited Information - Satisficing

Answer 24

When a decision maker chooses the first acceptable alternative considered. Done because people cannot consider every single alternative. Decision makers come up with alternatives that are straightforward, familiar and similar to what theyre doing

Question 25

Faulty Perceptions - Selective Perception

Answer 25

The tendency for people to see their environment only as it affects them and as it is consistent with their expectations

Question 26

Faulty Perceptions - Projection Bias

Answer 26

The faulty perception by decision makers that others think, feel, and act the same way we do. Limits out ability to develop appropriate criteria for decisions

Question 27

Faulty Perceptions - Social Identity Theory

Answer 27

A theory that people identify themselves based on the various groups to which they belong and judge others based on the groups they associate with. Availability bias - the tendency for people to base their judgements on information that is easier to recall

Question 28

Faulty Attributions - Fundamental Attribution Error

Answer 28

The tendency for people to judge others' behaviours as being due to internal factors

Question 29

Faulty Attributions - Self Serving Bias

Answer 29

When one attributes one's own failure to external factors and success to internal factors

Question 30

Faulty Attributions - Consensus

Answer 30

Used by decision makers to attribute cause; whether other individuals behave the same way under similar circumstances

Question 31

Faulty Attributions - Distinctiveness

Answer 31

Used by decision makers to attribute cause; whether the person being judged acts in a similar fashion under different circumstances

Question 32

Faulty Attributions - Consistency

Answer 32

Used by decision makers to attribute cause; whether this individual has behaved this way before under similar circumstances

Question 33

Faulty Attributions - Internal Attribution

Answer 33

= Low consensus, low distinctiveness, high consistency

Question 34

Faulty Attributions - External Attribution

Answer 34

= High consensus, high distinctiveness, low consistency

Question 35

Escalation of Commitment

Answer 35

A common decision making error in which the decision maker continues to follow a failing course of action. People have a tendency, when presented with a series of decisions to escalate their commitment to previous decisions even if they were failures. Strongest when money invested and project close to completion

Question 36

Importance of Learning

Answer 36

Learning moderately correlated to job performance. Learning moderately correlated to task performance. Learning = less relevant to citizenship and counterproductive behaviours. Learning weakly correlated to organizational commitment. Higher levels of job knowledge = slight increase in emotional attachment to firm

Question 37

Communities of Practice

Answer 37

Groups of employees who learn from one another through collaboration over an extended period of time

Question 38

Transfer of Training

Answer 38

Occurs when employees retain and demonstrate the knowledge, skills and behaviours required for their job after training ends

Question 39

Climate for Transfer

Answer 39

An organizational environment that supports the use of new skills. Degree to which trainee's manager support importance of the newly acquired knowledge and skills and stresses their application to the job. Creating climate for transfer of knowledge is imperative to success of formal learning system