Q&A Hero

Q: Compliance occurs when you agree internally with a decision, action, or request, are enthusiastic about it and are likely to exert unusual effort to carry it out. ⊚ true ⊚ false

Q: In the language of organizational theory, political behavior results in the displacement of power. ⊚ true ⊚ false

Q: The higher the substitutability of a subunit, the greater is its power within the organization. ⊚ true ⊚ false

Q: Performance feedback is typically not necessary for newly empowered employees. ⊚ true ⊚ false

Q: Effective empowerment requires that employees must be only given enough information to carry out their immediate tasks. ⊚ true ⊚ false

Q: Coercive influence is considered by some experts to be more powerful than any part or structure of an organization. ⊚ true ⊚ false

Q: Having access to relevant and important information is power. ⊚ true ⊚ false

Q: Individuals who influence decision-making processes and their outcomes must have formal authority. ⊚ true ⊚ false

Q: According to Kanter, if one has the ability to get cooperation, they do not need access to resources, information and support to have power over others. ⊚ true ⊚ false

Q: Organizations with very few levels of management between the customer and top leadership are likely to have a less balanced distribution of power than traditional organizations with multiple layers of management. ⊚ true ⊚ false

Q: The use of expert or referent power results in compliance, but not commitment. ⊚ true ⊚ false

Q: The use of coercive power seldom results in resistance. ⊚ true ⊚ false

Q: Structure impacts informal power through its effect on information and communication flows within the system. ⊚ true ⊚ false

Q: Expert, legitimate, reward, and coercive power are largely prescribed by the organization. ⊚ true ⊚ false

Q: Experts have power even when their formal position in the organizational hierarchy is low. ⊚ true ⊚ false

Q: One must be in a position of authority to possess coercive power. ⊚ true ⊚ false

Q: Even if a reward has no value to an individual, it is likely to influence behavior. ⊚ true ⊚ false

Q: A person's zone of indifference can widen or narrow, depending on the situation. ⊚ true ⊚ false

Q: Possessing legitimate power ensures that all of your orders will be followed by your subordinates. ⊚ true ⊚ false

Q: Legitimate power is also called authority or position power. ⊚ true ⊚ false

Q: No individual or group can have power in isolation. ⊚ true ⊚ false

Q: Power is considered an attribute of a particular person. ⊚ true ⊚ false

Q: Influence is the capability to get someone to do something. ⊚ true ⊚ false

Q: What is impression management and how might an interviewee use it?

Q: What is self-handicapping?

Q: Researchers recommend that a managers' behavior satisfy certain criteria to be considered ethical. What are those criteria?

Q: A number of frequently used influence tactics were discussed in the text. How many have you witnessed being played in organizations of which you are a member? What other tactics have you seen used?

Q: Political games are played at all organizational levels by both managers and non-managers. Identify three purposes for which these games are played.

Q: Briefly explain, what was the major finding of the Milgram studies.

Q: How does substitutability impact subunit power?

Q: Subunit power is influenced by three factors, what are they?

Q: What is a strategic contingency?

Q: Assume that the printing process is a strategic contingency for a publishing company and that only one group of employees knows how to operate the printing press. How could the environment be changed to more evenly balance power within the printing department?

Q: In the case of self-managed teams, empowerment can be fostered by delegating additional formal decision-making control to the team. What benefit does this produce for the team?

Q: Identify three strategies or techniques a manager can employ to empower his or her employees.

Q: Despite the commonsense appeal of empowering employees, empowerment is not universally embraced for a number of reasons. List three.

Q: How has empowerment been defined by Conger and Kanungo?

Q: What is the difference between data, information, and knowledge?

Q: Kanter argues that power stems from multiple sources. What are they?

Q: Sources of interpersonal power can be divided into two major categories. What are these categories with what sources of power are they associated?

Q: Organizational authority has three characteristics, what are they?

Q: Which power would you prefer to develop for yourself: expert power or legitimate power? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each of these sources of power?

Q: What is the difference between power and influence?

Q: If a potential behavior cannot pass the three ethical criteria it may still be considered ethical in the particular situation if it passes the criterion of __________________. A) do no harm B) extreme need C) strategic contingencies D) overwhelming factors

Q: Which of the following is not a factor associated with political skills? A) sociability B) interpersonal influence C) networking ability D) apparent sincerity

Q: There is nothing wrong with the acquisition and use of power if it is done in a professional and _______________ manner. A) logical B) ethical C) systematic D) consistent

Q: Researchers recommend that a manager's behavior satisfy all of the following criterion to be ethical except: A) Utilitarian outcomes B) Organizational goals C) Individual rights D) Distributive justice

Q: In impression management, _______________ is designed to project an impression of you as a nice, thoughtful, or friendly person. A) consultation B) inspiration C) pressure D) ingratiation

Q: An employee who uses _______________ to convince her teammates to pursue a certain approach to a project is likely to hurt her image as a team player. A) impression management B) self-promotion C) intimidation D) self-handicapping

Q: In impression management, _______________ is used to create the impression that you are participative and that you want, value, and respect input from the person you are trying to influence. A) consultation B) inspiration C) pressure D) ingratiation

Q: Researchers report that those who use _______________ behaviors and logic to convince others have a greater chance of succeeding at their careers than do those who do not use these tactics. A) consultative B) inspirational C) ingratiating D) pressuring

Q: The influence tactic of _______________ may result inresistance. A) coalition B) exchange C) pressure D) Any tactic may result if it is used in an unskillful manner or if the request being made is clearly objectionable.

Q: The influence tactic of consultation is most likely to result in _______________. A) resistance B) compliance C) commitment D) peer pressure

Q: ________ has identified 13 types of political games played in organizations. A) Henry Mintzberg B) John Milgram C) Peter Drucker D) Robert Konopaske

Q: _______________ are used to gain your support for a course of action, by letting you participate in the planning for the action. A) Consultation tactics B) Inspirational appeals C) Ingratiating tactics D) Coalition tactics

Q: _______________ are used to create a sense of obligation, because someone is doing something nice for you. A) Consultation tactics B) Inspirational appeals C) Ingratiating tactics D) Coalition tactics

Q: _______________ are used to gain your support by seeking the help of others to persuade you, or by using the support of others as an argument for you to also give your support. A) Consultative tactics B) Inspirational appeals C) Ingratiating tactics D) Coalition tactics

Q: Politics and political behavior are found: A) only in large organizations B) only in small organizations C) in both small and medium sized organizations D) in all organizations

Q: _______________ is used to convince you that a particular course of action is logically the best course because it is in your best interest. A) An inspirational appeal B) A personal appeal C) Consultation D) Rational persuasion

Q: All of the following were presented in the text as reasons or purposes for which political games are played except: A) To increase productivity B) To resist authority C) To counter the resistance to authority D) To build power bases

Q: A study that assessed the political skill of about 700 employees suggested that political skill can be accurately broken down into _____ distinct factors. A) 3 B) 4 C) 5 D) 7

Q: Which of the following was deemed the most important personal characteristic of effective organizational politicians? A) Being logical B) Having self-confidence C) Being articulate D) Being highly intelligent

Q: A study of 700 employees suggested that political skill can accurately be broken down into all of the following factors except: A) Social astuteness B) Interpersonal influence C) Networking ability D) Survival instincts

Q: _______ demonstrated how powerful perceived power can in his Stanford Prison Experiment. A) Clark B) Milgram C) Zimbardo D) French and Raven

Q: The Milgram studies focused on _______________. A) the effects of punishment on learning B) obedience to authority C) the impact of environment on perceptions of role D) the impact of subordinate-leader relations

Q: If an organization can obtain alternative sources of the _______________ to perform the job done by a subunit, that subunit's power will be diminished. A) skill B) information C) resources D) All of the choices are correct.

Q: _________ zero centrality. A) Staff subunits have B) The least information providing subunits have C) The most geographically separated subunits have D) No subunit has

Q: According to Hickson, "The ____ a subunit copes with uncertainty, the _____ its power within the organization." A) more, greater B) less, greater C) more, less D) None of the above. Hickson did not address this point.

Q: An example of coping by ________________ might be one subunit taking a problem employee from another in an attempt to retrain and redirect that employee. A) absorption B) cooperation C) training D) transfer

Q: Which of the following is an example of substitutability? A) Preventing market share decline by product development B) Absorbing problems from other units C) Being in an urgent or immediacy position D) Possessing needed skills or expertise to perform the tasks of other units

Q: All else being equal, a subunit possesses power if its activities have more _______________ impact than those of other subunits. A) immediate or urgent B) financial C) emotional or disgruntlement D) visible

Q: Forecasting is an example of coping by _______________. A) prevention B) information C) absorption D) deflection

Q: Within the context of strategic contingency theory, a strategic contingency is A) a plan that will be used only in the event that the primary plan is unattainable. B) a reserve of funds to be used in case of emergency. C) an alternative plan of strategic importance. D) an event or activity that is extremely important for accomplishing organizational goals.

Q: All of the following are types of subunit coping activities except: A) Prevention B) Information C) Absorption D) Deflection

Q: The power differential between subunits is influenced by: A) The degree or ability to cope with uncertainty B) The centrality of the subunit C) The substitutability of the subunit D) All of the choices are correct.

Q: _______________ is defined as sharing power and authority with subordinates to increase their confidence and effectiveness. A) Mentoring B) Empowerment C) Substitutability D) Control

Q: All of the following are reasons why employee empowerment is not universally embraced except: A) Managers fear the loss of power, control, and authority. B) Employees are not able to make responsible decisions. C) Empowered employees displace too many managers. D) Empowering employees was attempted before, and it failed.

Q: ____________ is defined as a conclusion or analysis derived from data and information. A) Data leveraging B) Information application C) K2 D) Knowledge

Q: Microsoft, Google, and Walmart became prominent, profitable companies because they used the _______________ of their employees to gain a competitive advantage in their industries. A) knowledge B) experience C) creativity D) All of the choices are correct.

Q: A manager is powerful because he or she does or has all of the following except: A) Allocates required resources B) Makes crucial decisions C) Access to important information D) Extensive training