Question 1

Training workers to perform a variety of different tasks would represent which of the following forms of work organization flexibility?

Accepted Answer

A)   Pay flexibility.
B)   Work schedule flexibility.
C)   Functional flexibility.
D)   Numerical flexibility.

Question 2

Which of the following is a key feature of "total quality management"?

Accepted Answer

A)   An emphasis on continuous improvement in the production of goods or delivery of services.
B)   Less emphasis on the consumer compared to most other management approaches.
C)   Extensive consultation with workers about most aspects of their jobs.
D)   Heavy reliance on low-skill workers.

Question 3

Imagine that you were made the manager of a fast-food restaurant staffed largely by university students working part-time. If you could choose to implement any management system (or some part of it) that you wanted, what would you choose? Explain what your goals would be, and how this management approach would help you reach them.

Accepted Answer

Suggested student response: Students will likely take the position that the primary goal is business profitability, while a secondary goal would be satisfied workers. Based on previous chapters, they should have some sense of the type of business they are involved in (i.e., lower-tier services) and its reliance on nonstandard workers. This would make some types of management unlikely candidates (e.g., Swedish work reforms, advanced forms of QWL, the high-performance workplace model). Total quality management (TQM) with its emphasis on customer satisfaction and organizational culture approaches that try to motivate workers might be more likely (and have been used in the fast-food industry). A few students might insist that, since they could choose any approach they wanted, their goals would be more humanistic than profit-driven. This might lead to some interesting answers, but they should still be plausible.

Question 4

List the key features of what organizational analysts call a "high-performance workplace" (HPW). Which of these features, if any, are unique to the HPW approach to management?

Accepted Answer

A high-performance workplace (HPW) is ch...

Question 5

Ringi, a Japanese word describing a key component of Japanese management approaches, is best described by which of the following statements?

Accepted Answer

A)   An emphasis on reducing work-family conflict.
B)   Extensive participative decision making.
C)   Tasks assigned to work teams rather than individuals.
D)   Constant improvement.

Question 6

Briefly define and give an example of each: pay flexibility, functional flexibility, and numerical flexibility.

Accepted Answer

Pay flexibility refers to the ability of...

Question 7

A completely new workplace that offers opportunities for both technological and 	social innovations is best described by which of the following concepts?

Accepted Answer

A)   Sociotechnical incubator.
B)   Innovation transplant.
C)   Organizational restart.
D)   Greenfield site.

Question 8

Amitai Etzioni described different ways managers might try to gain control over 	workers. Which of the following management approaches would Etzioni likely label 	as an example of "normative control?"

Accepted Answer

A)   Lean production.
B)   Quality of working life programs.
C)   Organizational culture.
D)   Total quality management.

Question 9

Attempts to convince employees to identify with the "organizational culture" of their company are most similar to which of the following management approaches?

Accepted Answer

A)   Scientific management.
B)   Human relations management.
C)   Social and cultural capital management.
D)   Industrial betterment.

Question 10

Six central themes can be identified when reviewing the variety of new managerial paradigms that have emerged in the past several decades. In a sentence or two for each, identify and explain at least three of these themes.

Accepted Answer

1) Emphasis on employee empowerment: Man...

Question 11

Quality of working life (QWL) programs can involve a number of different techniques of job task and work organization redesign. In a sentence or two for each, describe four of these techniques.

Accepted Answer

1. Job enrichment: This technique involv...

Question 12

A chemical plant built in Sarnia, Ontario, in the late 1970s has come to be seen as a highly successful example of the introduction of new managerial paradigms. Describe the organizational innovations that were implemented, and why this managerial experiment was successful. If the same plant had been built 30 years later, what might have been different?

Accepted Answer

Suggested student response: Students should be able to describe some of the QWL innovations and recognize that union involvement from the outset and the fact that this was a "greenfield site" contributed to success. Answers to the second part of the question could develop in many ways, but should focus on managerial strategies that have emerged more recently. For example, students could speculate about what might have happened if lean production had been proposed by management, or if they had tried to rely on more part-time workers (numerical flexibility)-unions might have been resistant to participate. Alternatively, management might have proposed a high-performance workplace model, which would have involved less job security while providing other benefits to workers.

Question 13

Which of the following strategies might senior managers in a government department 	pursue if they wanted their department to be recognized as a "learning organization?"

Accepted Answer

A)   Watching carefully what their counterparts in other provinces were doing, so they 	could imitate their successes and avoid their mistakes.
B)   Paying close attention to what "clients" were saying, to learn what concerned them.
C)   Encouraging department employees to take training courses of many kinds.
D)   Paying close attention to what motivated employees in order to increase productivity.

Question 14

Many different managerial approaches have been developed in Europe, Japan, and North America over the past several decades, all trying to deal with "problems of bureaucracy." Which of the following new managerial paradigms has placed the most emphasis on employing nonstandard workers (e.g., part-time, temporary) ?

Accepted Answer

A)   The high-performance workplace.
B)   Lean production.
C)   Total quality management.
D)   The flexible firm.

Question 15

Which of the following is a key feature of "lean production" methods?

Accepted Answer

A)   A strong emphasis on keeping unions out of factories and other workplaces.
B)   An emphasis on reducing stress experienced by workers in their jobs.
C)   The elimination of kaizen in order to increase production.
D)   Emphasis on worker-initiated continuous improvement. D

Question 16

Which of the following is not one of the characteristics of a "winner" work organization, according to Tom Peters in his book Thriving on Chaos: Handbook for a Management Revolution?

Accepted Answer

A)   Obsession with responsiveness to customers.
B)   Leadership that loves change.
C)   Constant innovation in all areas.
D)   Clearly outlined bureaucratic control systems.

Question 17

Which of the following best describes the introduction of "high-performance 	workplaces" in North America?

Accepted Answer

A)   They are found more frequently in the lower-tier than in the higher-tier services.
B)   They may be leading to greater labour market segmentation.
C)   Unions have opposed them whenever they were introduced.
D)   They offer the best solution to the growing problem of social inequality.

Question 18

Piore and Sabel described what they saw as the future of manufacturing and called it 	"flexible specialization." Which of the following social theorists would likely have 	agreed that this is the direction we are heading?

Accepted Answer

A)   Karl Marx.
B)   Max Weber.
C)   Adam Smith.
D)   Daniel Bell.

Question 19

Which of the following is the best explanation for Japan's strong economic performance after its economy was basically destroyed during World War II?

Accepted Answer

A)   The strong work ethic of Japanese workers.
B)   Unique management approaches and organizational structures.
C)   Access to cheap labour in South Asia.
D)   Rapid introduction of automated technologies.

Question 20

Which of the following is a key feature of a "high-performance workplace?"

Accepted Answer

A)   An emphasis on a family-friendly work environment.
B)   A management system in which unions are consulted on all key decisions.
C)   A high level of job security for all employees.
D)   Extensive use of social media by management in their communication with workers.

Exam 9: In Search of New Managerial Paradigms

Training workers to perform a variety of different tasks would represent which of the following forms of work organization flexibility?

Correct Answer
verified

Which of the following is a key feature of "total quality management"?

Correct Answer
verified

List the key features of what organizational analysts call a "high-performance workplace" (HPW). Which of these features, if any, are unique to the HPW approach to management?

Correct Answer
Answered by ExamLex AI
A high-performance workplace (HPW) is ch...
View Answer

Ringi, a Japanese word describing a key component of Japanese management approaches, is best described by which of the following statements?

Correct Answer
verified

Briefly define and give an example of each: pay flexibility, functional flexibility, and numerical flexibility.

Correct Answer
Answered by ExamLex AI
Pay flexibility refers to the ability of...
View Answer

A completely new workplace that offers opportunities for both technological and social innovations is best described by which of the following concepts?

Correct Answer
verified

Amitai Etzioni described different ways managers might try to gain control over workers. Which of the following management approaches would Etzioni likely label as an example of "normative control?"

Correct Answer
verified

Attempts to convince employees to identify with the "organizational culture" of their company are most similar to which of the following management approaches?

Correct Answer
verified

Six central themes can be identified when reviewing the variety of new managerial paradigms that have emerged in the past several decades. In a sentence or two for each, identify and explain at least three of these themes.

Correct Answer
Answered by ExamLex AI
1) Emphasis on employee empowerment: Man...
View Answer

Quality of working life (QWL) programs can involve a number of different techniques of job task and work organization redesign. In a sentence or two for each, describe four of these techniques.

Correct Answer
Answered by ExamLex AI
1. Job enrichment: This technique involv...
View Answer

Which of the following strategies might senior managers in a government department pursue if they wanted their department to be recognized as a "learning organization?"

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Which of the following is a key feature of "lean production" methods?

Correct Answer
verified
D

Which of the following is not one of the characteristics of a "winner" work organization, according to Tom Peters in his book Thriving on Chaos: Handbook for a Management Revolution?

Correct Answer
verified

Which of the following best describes the introduction of "high-performance workplaces" in North America?

Correct Answer
verified

Piore and Sabel described what they saw as the future of manufacturing and called it "flexible specialization." Which of the following social theorists would likely have agreed that this is the direction we are heading?

Correct Answer
verified

Which of the following is the best explanation for Japan's strong economic performance after its economy was basically destroyed during World War II?

Correct Answer
verified

Which of the following is a key feature of a "high-performance workplace?"

Correct Answer
verified

Exam 9: In Search of New Managerial Paradigms

Training workers to perform a variety of different tasks would represent which of the following forms of work organization flexibility?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following is a key feature of "total quality management"?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

List the key features of what organizational analysts call a "high-performance workplace" (HPW). Which of these features, if any, are unique to the HPW approach to management?

Correct AnswerAnswered by ExamLex AIA high-performance workplace (HPW) is ch...View AnswerShow Answer

Ringi, a Japanese word describing a key component of Japanese management approaches, is best described by which of the following statements?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Briefly define and give an example of each: pay flexibility, functional flexibility, and numerical flexibility.

Correct AnswerAnswered by ExamLex AIPay flexibility refers to the ability of...View AnswerShow Answer

A completely new workplace that offers opportunities for both technological and social innovations is best described by which of the following concepts?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Amitai Etzioni described different ways managers might try to gain control over workers. Which of the following management approaches would Etzioni likely label as an example of "normative control?"

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Attempts to convince employees to identify with the "organizational culture" of their company are most similar to which of the following management approaches?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Six central themes can be identified when reviewing the variety of new managerial paradigms that have emerged in the past several decades. In a sentence or two for each, identify and explain at least three of these themes.

Correct AnswerAnswered by ExamLex AI1) Emphasis on employee empowerment: Man...View AnswerShow Answer

Quality of working life (QWL) programs can involve a number of different techniques of job task and work organization redesign. In a sentence or two for each, describe four of these techniques.

Correct AnswerAnswered by ExamLex AI1. Job enrichment: This technique involv...View AnswerShow Answer

Which of the following strategies might senior managers in a government department pursue if they wanted their department to be recognized as a "learning organization?"

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following is a key feature of "lean production" methods?

Correct AnswerverifiedD

Which of the following is not one of the characteristics of a "winner" work organization, according to Tom Peters in his book Thriving on Chaos: Handbook for a Management Revolution?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following best describes the introduction of "high-performance workplaces" in North America?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Piore and Sabel described what they saw as the future of manufacturing and called it "flexible specialization." Which of the following social theorists would likely have agreed that this is the direction we are heading?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following is the best explanation for Japan's strong economic performance after its economy was basically destroyed during World War II?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following is a key feature of a "high-performance workplace?"

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Correct Answer
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Correct Answer
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Correct Answer
Answered by ExamLex AI
A high-performance workplace (HPW) is ch...
View Answer

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
Answered by ExamLex AI
Pay flexibility refers to the ability of...
View Answer

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
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Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
Answered by ExamLex AI
1) Emphasis on employee empowerment: Man...
View Answer

Correct Answer
Answered by ExamLex AI
1. Job enrichment: This technique involv...
View Answer

Correct Answer
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Correct Answer
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Correct Answer
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D

Correct Answer
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Correct Answer
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