Organizational Behavior 4th edition Michael A. Hitt, Adrienne Colella, C. Chet Miller - Solutions

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What does it mean to say managers should organize for both exploration and exploitation?
Do you think factory employees would typically be more resistant to changes in production methods, changes in structure, or changes in culture? Why? What steps could managers take to overcome this resistance?
“Change requires more coordination than does the performance of normal organizational tasks. Any time you change something, you discover its connections to other parts of the organization, which have to be changed as well.” Discuss whether you agree or disagree with this quote, and why.
A noted organization theorist said, "Pressure for change originates in the environment. Pressure for stability originates within the organization." Do you agree? Discuss.
Of the five elements in Exhibit required for successful change, which element do you think managers are most likely to overlook? Discuss.
How do the underlying values of organization development compare to the values underlying other types of change? Why do the values underlying OD make it particularly useful in shifting to a constructive culture?
The manager of R&D for a drug company said that only 5% of the company's new products ever achieve market success. She also said that the industry average is 10% and wondered how her organization might increase its success rate. If you were acting as a consultant, what advice would you give her
Why are decision mistakes usually accepted in organizations but penalized in college courses and exams that are designed to train managers?
A professional economist once told his class, "The individual decision maker should process all relevant information and select the economically rational alternative." Do you agree?
If managers frequently use experience and intuition to make complex, nonprogrammed decisions, how do they apply evidence-based management, which seems to suggest that managers should rely on facts and data?
The Carnegie model emphasizes the need for political coalition in the decision making process. When and why are coalitions necessary?
What are the three major phases in Mintzberg's incremental decision process model? Why might an organization recycle through one or more phases of the model?
An organization theorist once told her class, "Organizations never make big decisions. They make small decisions that eventually add up to a big decision." Explain the logic behind this statement.
Why would managers in high-velocity environments worry more about the present than the future? Would an individual manager working in this type of environment be more likely to succeed with a rational approach or an intuitive approach? Discuss.
Can you think of a decision you have made in your personal, school, or work life that reflects a stronger desire to avoid a loss than to make a gain? How about a time when you stayed with an idea or project for too long, perhaps even escalating your commitment, to avoid a failure? Discuss.
1. Describe the change in management style at Perdue Farms. 2. How would you classify Perdue Farms organizational design? 3. What challenges does Perdue Farms face in the 21st Century? The history of Perdue Farms is dominated by seven themes: quality, growth, geographic expansion, vertical
When Burton Lee took over as plant manager for the New Haven division of a large manufacturing company, he saw the opportunity to transform the lowest performing unit as a pathway to his promotion into top management. 1. What model of decision-making did Lee Burton favor and why? 2. What was the
Give an example from your personal experience of how differences in tasks, personal background, and training lead to conflict among groups. How might task interdependence have influenced that conflict?
Some researchers argue that the concept of exchange underlying the principle of reciprocity (trading something of value to another for what you want) is the basis of all influence. Do you agree? Discuss. To what extent do you feel obligated to return a favor that is done for you?
Consumer products giant Procter & Gamble and Internet leader Google have entered into a marketing partnership. What organizational and environmental factors might determine which organization will have more power in the relationship?
In a rapidly changing organization, are decisions more likely to be made using the rational or political model of organization? Discuss.
What is the difference between power and authority? Is it possible for a person to have formal authority but no real power? Discuss.
Discuss ways in which a department at a health insurance company might help the organization cope with the increased power of large hospital systems such as Carilion by obtaining prior information, prevention, or absorption.
R&D has greater power in company B than in the other firms. Discuss possible strategic contingencies that give R&D greater power in this firm.
State University X receives 90 percent of its financial resources from the state and is overcrowded with students. It is trying to pass regulations to limit student enrollment. Private University Y receives 90 percent of its income from student tuition, and has barely enough students to make ends
A financial analyst at Merrill Lynch tried for several months to expose the risks of investments in subprime mortgages, but he couldn’t get anyone to pay attention to his claims. How would you evaluate this employee’s power? What might he have done to increase his power and call notice to the
The engineering college at a major university brings in three times as many government research dollars as does the rest of the university combined. Engineering appears wealthy and has many professors on full-time research status. Yet, when internal research funds are allocated, engineering gets a
(a) What is organizational behavior? (b) Why is it important for managers and aspiring managers to study OB using a strategic approach? (c) Can the study of a field such as psychology substitute for a strategic approach to organizational behavior? Why or why not?
(a) What makes an organization an organization?(b) What are the defining characteristics?
What is human capital? Be specific.
How does human capital provide the basis for competitive advantage?
What is positive organizational behavior and can it contribute to an associate’s productivity?
(a) What are the five characteristics of high-involvement management?(b) What evidence exists to support the effectiveness of this approach?
Describe the people-related problems or issues Ann Wood faced during the day. Did she handle these effectively? If not, what do you believe she should have done?
Is Ann Wood a high-involvement manager? If so, provide evidence. If not, how well do you think she’ll perform in her new job as head of marketing?
Assume that Ann Wood wants her managers and associates to be the foundation for her department’s competitive advantages. Use the framework summarized in Exhibit 1-2 in the chapter text to assess the degree to which Ann’s people are a source of competitive advantage now.
1. Describe how Whole Foods uses human capital as a course of competitive advantage.2. Identify the aspects of high-involvement management contained in Whole Foods approach to managing its associates.
What is organizational diversity, and how does diversity management differ from affirmative action? Do these programs have anything in common? Distinguish between multicultural, plural, and monolithic organizations. How might these organizations differ in the types of policies they use? For
What trends are driving a more diverse workforce and the need to effectively manage diversity? How is the shift in the demographic characteristics likely to affect organizational diversity? What other changes are occurring in the environment that contributes to the importance of managing diversity
Why is successfully managing diversity important to high-involvement work organizations? Give specific examples.
What roadblocks do discrimination, prejudice, and stereotyping create in an organization attempting to manage a diverse workforce? What other roadblocks are there to successfully managing diversity?
What can individuals, leaders, and organizations do to effectively manage diversity? What does a diversity program need in order to be effective? How could you determine if your diversity program was effective?
How do social identities, power differentials, and poor structural integration affect the successful management of diversity?
1. Compared to other companies in the service sector, is Whole Foods more or less likely to experience discrimination problems? Explain your answer.2. How could Whole Foods’ democratic model of selection interfere with the development or continuance of a diverse workforce? What should it do to
(a) What are the three types of international involvement available to associates and managers?(b) What problems can be encountered with each type?
How do opportunities for international involvement differ in firms emphasizing multidomestic, global, and transnational strategies? Which type would you prefer and why?
(a) What are the key dimensions of national culture that influence the success of high-involvement management? (b) How should high-involvement management be adapted to differences in culture?
What are several international standards for ethical behavior by businesses (refer to the Caux Principles)? Briefly, discuss each one.
Based on operant conditioning principles, Social Cognitive Theory, and conditions for learning, what aspects of managerial behavior, the work environment, and the individual are likely to influence associate learning?
Integrating what was covered about training, what are the important components of an effective associate training program? How do these components relate to the basic principles of learning?
What factors influence the way we perceive people? How might these factors influence the judgments an interviewer makes about a job applicant?
What information is likely to influence how we make causal attributions about others’ behavior? How might the attribution process influence a manager’s performance appraisal of an associate?
1. To what extent do you think training and associate learning would be more important for Whole Foods compared to other grocery stores? 2. What type of perceptual problems on the part of associates and the public may have resulted from the scandal regarding John Mackey’s blog activities?
What is meant by the term personality? How do the Big Five and other personality traits influence behavior and performance in the workplace? Give an example of someone you know whose personality did not fit the job he or she had. What was the outcome?
(a) What is intelligence and (b) What is its effect in the workplace?
How are attitudes similar to and different from personality? How do attitudes form? How can managers influence job satisfaction and organizational commitment? Why should organizations care about job satisfaction and organizational commitment?
What is the relationship between emotions and behavior? Why is emotional intelligence important for career success?
1. Given the nature of Whole Foods’ jobs and the way in which associates are selected, what type of personality traits would be important for Whole Foods associates to possess? 2. Compared to the industry average, Whole Foods has a low turnover rate and is consistently ranked as a great place to
(a) What do we mean by work motivation, and (b) How does it relate to performance? (c) Why is individual work motivation important to organizational success?
(a) What assumptions do Maslow’s need hierarchy and ERG theory make about human motivation? (b) How do managers use these theories to motivate associates?
(a) How do need for achievement, need for affiliation, and need for power differ? (b) How do these needs relate to work performance and motivation? (c) How would you distinguish McClelland’s notion of needs from those of other content theorists?
(a) What does Herzberg’s two-factor theory of motivation have to say about human motivation? (b) How has it influenced current management practice?
(a) What does expectancy theory suggest about people and motivation at work? (b) When does expectancy theory best explain motivation? (c) What implications does this theory have for managers?
(a) What do equity theory and ideas for procedural justice suggest about motivation? (b) How do fairness judgments influence work and motivation? (c) How can managers ensure associates perceive that judgments are made fairly?
(a) What are the basic tenets of goal-setting theory? (b) What should a manager keep in mind when engaging in goal setting with his or her associates?
Considering the various theories of motivation, what can managers do to increase motivation?
1. Are Whole Foods team members likely to experience problems with procedural and/or distributive justice? Explain. 2. Which of the motivational practices are emphasized by Whole Foods in its management system? Tying rewards to performance? Designing enriched jobs? Providing feedback?
(a) What do we mean by stress? (b) What are the distinguishing features of psychological and physiological stress, acute and chronic stress, and eustress and dystress? (c) Does all stress result in negative consequences?
What are the general causes of workplace stress according to the demand–control model? What are the general causes of stress according to the effort–reward imbalance model? What implications do these models have for creating a high involvement workplace?
(a) What types of people are likely to experience the most stress at work? (b) If you are experiencing too much stress, what can you do to help manage it?
What impact does associate stress have on organizational and individual effectiveness? Why is stress so costly for organizations?
What can organizations do to prevent and manage workplace stress? How can individuals manage their own stress? What specific c changes can they make?
1. Based on the demand-control and effort-reward models of stress, are Whole Foods team members like to experience a great deal of stress? Executives? 2. Does Whole Foods need a wellness program? Why or why not?
(a) What is leadership, and(b) Why is it important for organizations?
(a) Are leaders born or made? (b) Explain your answer. (c) What are the core characteristics possessed by effective leaders?
Considering the findings from the Michigan and Ohio State studies and research on the managerial grid, what do you think is the most effective leadership style?Give reasons to support your choice.
(a) What key situational variables are related to leadership effectiveness in Fiedler’s model of leadership effectiveness and (b) In the path-goal model of leadership? (c) In what ways do contingency models fall short in specifying a complete picture of leadership effectiveness?
(a) How do transactional and transformational leaders differ? (b) What kind of results can be expected from each type of leader?
How do the leader-member exchange and servant-leadership models differ? What roles do gender and culture differences play in influencing perceptions of leadership effectiveness and actual effectiveness?
1. Is John Mackey a transformational leader? Why or why not? 2. Based on contingency theories of leadership, what approach to leaderships seems best for Whole Foods team leaders?
How would you describe an effective communication process?
What does interpersonal communication entail? Regarding this form of communication, please answer the following questions: a. How do formal and informal communication processes differ? b. What is the role of communication styles? c. What is media richness, and how do different communication
What is the purpose of organizational communication? Regarding this form of communication, please answer the following questions: a. What are the advantages and disadvantages of the various types of communication networks? b. How are upward, downward, and horizontal communication accomplished?
What are six individual barriers to effective communication? Which of these seems most important to you and why? What are six organizational barriers to effective communication? Which one seems most important and why?
1. Whole Foods’ open-book policy allows all associates to have full access to all information about the company and its executives. (a) Would this degree of open communication work as well in other companies? Why or why not? (b) What impact do you think this degree of transparency has on the
What are the basic steps in decision making? How should a decision maker approach the problem-definition step? Why do decision makers usually fail to achieve optimal decisions?
What are the major factors to consider in individual decision making? Related to this type of decision making, please consider the following questions: What are the four Jungian decision styles, and how do they influence decisions and effectiveness in the workplace? Give an example of a person you
What are the major factors to consider in group decision making? Related to this type of decision making, please consider the following questions:Compare the four primary pitfalls of group decision making. If you had to choose one of the primary pitfalls of group decision making, which would you
What factors should a manager consider when deciding on the level of associate involvement in a decision? What shortcomings do you see in the Vroom–Yetton model?
1. What decision styles does John Mackey appear to use? Do these fit the situation? 2. What group decision-making pitfalls appear most likely within Whole Foods teams and which decision-making techniques would you recommend to counter those pitfalls?
What makes a collection of people a team? How does a team differ from a group? What are some different types of teams?
What influences the effectiveness of teams? Be sure to address each of the following specific questions: a. Which composition factors should a manager consider in designing an effective team? Would these factors differ depending on the type of team being formed? b. What are the important aspects
1. What policies and procedures does Whole Foods enact that allows it to develop successful associate teams? 2. What impact do you think that the process of allowing team members to vote on hiring new members has on the dynamics and performance of the Whole Foods teams?
Under what circumstances can conflict be functional? When is conflict dysfunctional? Which of the basic types of conflict are likely to be dysfunctional, and why?
What is conflict escalation, and what conditions make it likely? In general, how can people respond to conflict, and under what circumstances is each type of response most effective?
Describe basic negotiating strategies and the tactics most likely to accomplish those strategies. Which strategy fits your personality the best?
Why is the exercise of power necessary for organizations to operate effectively? What are some of the ways in which people gain power in organizations?
Why is political behavior common in organizations? How do people go about carrying out political behavior, and what makes them successful at it?
1. Whole Foods’ “Declaration of Interdependence” states that two of the company’s core values are “creating wealth through profits” and “caring about our communities and the environment.” Often, these two values are in conflict in many companies. How does Whole Foods resolve this
Compare and contrast the structural and structuring aspects of organizational structure.

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Organizational Behavior 4th edition Michael A. Hitt, Adrienne Colella, C. Chet Miller - Solutions

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