GEB Chapter 7

Harry is a supervisor in a small automotive shop. He spends a lot of his time training some workers, while helping others solve some of the problems they have in doing their jobs. He also runs the diagnostic machine. Harry spends time on:
a)staffing skills.
b) human relations skills.
c) conceptual skills.
d) technical skills.

d

"We believe in creating loyal customers by providing a superior experience at a great value. We are committed to direct relationships, providing the best products and services based on standards-based technology, and outperforming the competition with value and a superior customer experience." This statement is a part of Dell’s:

a) functional objectives.

b) mission statement.

c) short-term strategy.

d) near-term goals.

b

Select the statement that best substantiates why we say, "The role of management is changing."

a) Future managers must have their ear and eye toward domestic issues because the goal is to bring jobs back to the U.S. by eliminating outsourcing.

b) Managers will evolve toward measuring and evaluating individual employee performance and eliminate employees who prefer not to work independently.

c) Contemporary managers will focus on global issues and green issues, and continue to emphasize the team approach to work.

d) Contemporary managers will emphasize structure and less creative thinking, particularly during recessionary times.

c

Sergey Brin and Larry Page are the founders of Google. Most would agree that they have a superb product, but in order to grow, the company needed more structure. Together, they agreed to hire Eric Schmidt to join the executive team as the executive chairman. Schmidt quickly began performing the ________ function, where he created well-structured departments and hired skilled people to perform the various functions of the business.
a) planning
b) organizing
c) contingency planning
d) controlling

b

The first step in developing a knowledge management system is:
a) setting goals and developing action plans.
b) finding answers to questions from the SWOT analysis.
c) establishing high performance standards.
d) determining what knowledge is most important.

d

The recent financial crisis created problems for companies because:
a) companies had to cut managers and lay off many workers.
b) it was difficult to find available workers to fill jobs in basic manufacturing.
c) management moved away from the team concept to an emphasis on discipline and order giving as more workers refused to leave jobs.
d) managers found many options for financing as banks looked for more customers.

a

Measuring performance relative to objectives and standards is part of ___________.

a) using technical skills

b) directing

c) decision making

d) controlling

d

A traditional tool that serves as a way of evaluating a company’s current business situation is called the SWOT Analysis. This is an acronym for ___________.
a) Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats
b) Strategize it, Write it, Obtain it, Trust it
c) Strategic, Willingness, Oneness, Tactics
d) Say it, Weigh it, Own it, Try it

a

Which of the following control standards is stated most effectively?
a) Praise employees more often this month.
b) Cut the number of finished product rejects.
c0 Increase sales of our top-end product from 2000 in the first quarter to 3000 during the same period by 2017.
d) Empower employees to make more decisions next year.

c

Cara started a small business a little less than 10 years ago. The business employed several social workers and nurses that visited and cared for persons who had left hospital care, but were not quite ready to be on their own at home. As the CEO of the firm, Cara decided it was time to hire a business operations manager and a marketing manager to handle the details of the business. Which of the following functions of management was Cara primarily performing?
a) Leading
b) Controlling
c) Organizing
d) Planning

c

Which of the following is not characteristic of a leader?
a) A leader will always attempt to keep operations from changing.
b) A leader will establish corporate values.
c) A leader will emphasize corporate ethics.
d) A leader has a vision and rallies others around the vision.

a

The controlling function closes the loop for managers. It answers the question: "Did we succeed in what we set out to do?" Which of the following business departments has a very important role in the controlling function?
a) Retail sales clerks
b) Accounting department
c) Preliminary design engineers
d) Shipping department

b

After 8 years of working for a company that installed underground sprinkling systems for golf courses, Jake was ready to venture into his own business. As he prepared his SWOT analysis, he evaluated where he stood at this time. He was fortunate to have $100,000 financing to get the business under way. He knew of three skilled installers who were willing and interested to work for him, and he was aware that new construction was at an all-time low, with several residential properties being foreclosed. In reviewing his list, you would categorize these events as __________.

a) two strengths and one opportunity

b) two strengths and one threat

c) three opportunities and one threat

d) three opportunities and one weakness

b

Which of the following is a false statement?
a) Companies are organizing so that customers have more influence.
b) General consensus is that larger companies are more responsive to customer needs than smaller companies.
c) Companies are looking at the best way to organize to respond to the needs of customers.
d) Many large firms are being restructured into smaller, customer-focused units.

b

Which of the following leadership styles focuses on making decisions without consulting others?
a) Autocratic
b) Plutonomous
c) Participative
d) Team-based

a

Most businesses follow a logical process when performing the planning function. It is important to understand ______________________, before embarking upon creating future long-term goals, objectives, and strategies.
a) how to evaluate job descriptions and specifications
b) how to measure objectives
c) the current situation
d) the needs of secondary suppliers

c

All managers do planning. Allison is a general manager for a large toy store. Each day she plans the number of employees she will have in each department, including the number of cashiers. She plans the break schedules and the freight delivery schedules. In the business world, we refer to this type of planning as ___________.

a) operational planning

b) contingency planning

c) strategic planning

d) tactical planning

a

As managers perform all four management functions, we recognize that ________ is required. For example, when making plans, the manager must typically choose between two or three alternatives, that have pros and cons.
a) decision making
b) operational planning
c) tactical planning
d) tabulating

a

Dave facilitated a hiring committee for his advertising company. Six employees (including two managers) met together to discuss applicants and select the finalists for a copywriter position in the public relations department. Although the head of public relations would have the final nod on the candidate that would ultimately be hired, the evaluative work of the committee was very important because this group would send forward those persons they believed would be good work colleagues. In setting up this type of hiring process, the head of public relations was utilizing a(n) __________ style of leadership.
a) contingent
b) participative
c) autocratic
d) free-rein

b

Contemporary managers ___________.
a) become specialists in only one or two functional areas.
b) function solely as intermediaries between workers and labor unions.
c) must closely supervise highly skilled workers who would like to "do their own thing."
d) emphasize teamwork and cooperation, and act as coaches, rather than bosses.

d

Technical skills that apply to the business at hand are most often necessary at __________.

a) lower levels of management

b) mid-levels of management

c) the board of directors level

d) higher levels of management

a

A mobile veterinary business, Preferred Pet Care, Inc., created a mission statement long before it opened its doors for business. The mission statement referred to the unique characteristic of the business: a traveling pet unit whose veterinarians went to the home of the pet owner, rather than the pet owner bringing the pet to the clinic. What other criteria should be considered for the mission statement?
a) A description of the management team and the firm’s long-term financial goals.
b) A description of the management team and its global perspective.
c) A description of the customers it serves and a statement about its social responsibility to the area where it operates.
d) A description of the firm’s SWOT analysis and its organization chart.

c

At Schwinn, managers of various new departments in the company were told, "Go out and shape the department the way you feel is best. You have total freedom and support." Schwinn’s managers operate under a system of:
a) participative leadership.
b) productive delegation techniques.
c) ree-rein leadership.
d) autonomous decision making.

c

The management function of ___________ includes hiring, motivating and retaining the best people to accomplish the company’s objectives.
a) staffing
b) controlling
c) planning
d) leading

a

Ben oversaw the work of six pharmaceutical sales managers in the southeast region of the U.S. Each sales manager managed a team of 8-10 pharmaceutical sales representatives that developed relationships with doctors, clinics, hospital pharmacies and local drug stores. Ben met regularly with four others in his company whose jobs were similar to his position. How would you describe the level of management Ben has achieved?
a) Top management
b) Supervisory management
c) Middle management
d) First-line management

c