Principles of Management C483 WGU – Flashcards
Unlock all answers in this set
Unlock answersquestion
Accommodation
answer
A style of dealing with conflict involving cooperation on behalf of the other party but not being assertive about one's own interests
question
Accounting audits
answer
Procedures used to verify accounting reports and statements
question
Acquisition
answer
One firm buying another
question
Activity-Based costing (ABC)
answer
A method of cost accounting designed to identify streams of activity and then to allocate costs across particular business processes according to the mount of time employees devote to particular activities
question
Adapters
answer
Companies that take the current industry structure and its evolution as givens, and choose where to compete.
question
Adverse impact
answer
When a seemingly neutral employment practice has a disproportionately negative effect on a protected group.
question
Advertising support model
answer
Charging fees to advertise on a site.
question
affective conflict
answer
Emotional disagreement directed toward other people
question
affiliate model
answer
Charging fees to direct site visitors to other companies' sites
question
affirmative action
answer
Special efforts to recruit and hire qualified members of groups that have been discriminated against in the past.
question
Alderfer's ERG theory
answer
A human needs theory postulating that people have three basic sets of needs that can operate simultaneously
question
arbitration
answer
The use of a neutral third party to resolve a labor dispute.
question
assessment center
answer
A managerial performance test in which candidates participate in a variety of exercises and situations.
question
assets
answer
The values of the various items the corporation owns.
question
Authentic leadership
answer
A style in which the leader is true to himself or herself while leading
question
autocratic leadership
answer
A form of leadership in which the leader makes decisions on his or her own and then announces those decisions to the group
question
autonomous work groups
answer
Groups that control decisions about and excution of a complete range of tasks
question
avoidance
answer
A reaction to conflict that involves ignoring the problem by doing nothing at all, or deemphasizing the disagreement.
question
balance sheet
answer
A report that shows the financial picture of a company at a given time and itemizes assets, liabilities, and stockholders' equity
question
balanced scorecard
answer
Control system combining four sets of performance measures: financial, customer, business process, and learning and growth
question
barriers to entry
answer
Conditions that prevent new companies from entering an industry
question
behavioral approach
answer
a leadership perspective that attempts to identify what good leaders do-that is, what behaviors they exhibit
question
benchmarking
answer
The process of comparing an organization's practices and technologies with those of other companies.
question
Bootlegging
answer
Informal work on projects, other than those officially assigned, of employees' own choosing and initiative
question
boundaryless organization
answer
organization in which there are no barriers to information flow.
question
bounded rationality
answer
`A less-than-perfect form of rationality in which decisions makers cannot be perfectly rational because decisions are complex and complete information is unavailable or cannot be fully processed.
question
Brainstorming
answer
A process in which group members generate as many ideas about a problem as they can; criticism is withheld until all ideas have been proposed.
question
bridge leaders
answer
A leader who bridges conflicting value systems or different cultures.
question
broker
answer
A person who assembles and coordinates participants in a network
question
budgeting
answer
The process of investigating what is being done and comparing the results with the corresponding budget data to verify accomplishments or remedy differences; also called budgetary controlling
question
buffering
answer
Creating supplies of excess resources in case of unpredictable needs
question
bureaucratic control
answer
The use of rules, regulations, and authority to guide performance
question
business incubators
answer
Protected environments for new, small businesses
question
business plan
answer
A formal planning step that focuses on the entire venture and describes all the elements involved in starting it.
question
Business strategy
answer
The major actions by which a business competes in a particular industry or market
question
Cafeteria benefit program
answer
An employee benefit program in which employees choose from a menu of options to create a benefit package tailored to their needs.
question
Caux Principles
answer
Ethical principles established by international executives based in Caux, Switzerland, in collaboration with business leaders from Japan, Europe, and the United States.
question
centralized organization
answer
An organization in which high-level executives make most decisions and pass them down to lower levels for implementation.
question
certainty
answer
The state that exists when decision makers have accurate and comprehensive information.
question
charismatic leader
answer
A person who is dominant, self-confident, convinced of the moral righteousness of his or her beliefs, and able to arouse a sense of excitement and adventure in followers.
question
chief information officer (CIO)
answer
Executive in charge of information technology strategy and development.
question
clan control
answer
Control based on the norms, values, shared goals, and trust among group members.
question
coaching
answer
Dialogue with a goal of helping another be more effective and achieve his or her full potential on the job.
question
coalitional model
answer
Model of organizational decision making in which groups with differing preferences use power and negotiation to influence decisions.
question
cognitive conflict
answer
Issue-based differences in perspectives or judgments.
question
cohesiveness
answer
The degree to which a group is attractive to its members, members are motivated to remain in the group, and members influence one another.
question
collaboration
answer
A style of dealing with conflict emphasizing both cooperation and assertiveness to maximize both parties' satisfaction.
question
comparable worth
answer
Principle of equal pay for different jobs of equal worth.
question
competing
answer
A style of dealing with conflict involving strong focus on one's own goals and little or no concern for the other person's goals.
question
competitive environment
answer
The immediate environment surrounding a firm; includes suppliers, customers, rivals, and the like.
question
competitive intelligence
answer
Information that helps managers determine how to compete better.
question
compliance-based ethics programs
answer
Company mechanisms typically designed by corporate counsel to prevent, detect, and punish legal violations.
question
computer-integrated manufacturing (CIM)
answer
The use of computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing to sequence and optimize a number of production processes.
question
concentration
answer
A strategy employed for an organization that operates a single business and competes in a single industry.
question
concentric diversification
answer
A strategy used to add new businesses that produce related products or are involved in related markets and activities.
question
conceptual and decision skills
answer
Skills pertaining to the ability to identify and resolve problems for the benefit of the organization and its members.
question
concurrent control
answer
The control process used while plans are being carried out, including directing, monitoring, and fine-tuning activities as they are performed.
question
conflict
answer
Opposing pressures from different sources, occurring on the level of psychological conflict or of conflict between individuals or groups.
question
conglomerate diversification
answer
A strategy used to add new businesses that produce unrelated products or are involved in unrelated markets and activities.
question
contingency plans
answer
Alternative courses of action that can be implemented based on how the future unfolds.
question
continuous process
answer
A process that is highly automated and has a continuous production flow.
question
control
answer
Any process that directs the activities of individuals toward the achievement of organizational goals.
question
controlling
answer
The management function of monitoring performance and making needed changes.
question
cooperative strategies
answer
Strategies used by two or more organizations working together to manage the external environment.
question
coordination by mutual adjustment
answer
Units interact with one another to make accommodations to achieve flexible coordination.
question
coordination by plan
answer
Interdependent units are required to meet deadlines and objectives that contribute to a common goal.
question
core competence
answer
A unique skill and/or knowledge an organization possesses that give it an edge over competitors.
question
corporate governance
answer
The role of a corporation's executive staff and board of directors in ensuring that the firm's activities meet the goals of the firm's stakeholders.
question
corporate social responsibility (CSR)
answer
Obligation toward society assumed by business.
question
corporate strategy
answer
The set of businesses, markets, or industries in which an organization competes and the distribution of resources among those entities.
question
cost competitiveness
answer
Keeping costs low to achieve profits and be able to offer prices that are attractive to consumers.
question
current ratio
answer
A liquidity ratio that indicates the extent to which short-term assets can decline and still be adequate to pay short-term liabilities.
question
customer relationship management (CRM)
answer
A multifaceted process focusing on creating two-way exchanges with customers to foster intimate knowledge of their needs, wants, and buying patterns.
question
custom-made solutions
answer
New, creative solutions designed specifically for the problem.
question
debt-equity ratio
answer
A leverage ratio that indicates the company's ability to meet its long-term financial obligations.
question
decentralized organization
answer
An organization in which lower-level managers make important decisions.
question
defenders
answer
Companies that stay within a stable product domain as a strategic maneuver.
question
delegation
answer
The assignment of new or additional responsibilities to a subordinate.
question
departmentalization
answer
Subdividing an organization into smaller subunits.
question
development
answer
Helping managers and professional employees learn the broad skills needed for their present and future jobs.
question
development project
answer
A focused organizational effort to create a new product or process via technological advances.
question
devil's advocate
answer
A person who has the job of criticizing ideas to ensure that their downsides are fully explored.
question
dialectic
answer
A structured debate comparing two conflicting courses of action.
question
differentiation
answer
An aspect of the organization's internal environment created by job specialization and the division of labor.
question
differentiation strategy
answer
A strategy an organization uses to build competitive advantage by being unique in its industry or market segment along one or more dimensions.
question
discounting the future
answer
A bias weighting short-term costs and benefits more heavily than longer-term costs and benefits.
question
diversification
answer
A firm's investment in a different product, business, or geographic area.
question
diversity training
answer
Programs that focus on identifying and reducing hidden biases against people with differences and developing the skills needed to manage a diversified workforce.
question
divestiture
answer
A firm selling one or more businesses.
question
divisional organization
answer
Departmentalization that groups units around products, customers, or geographic regions.
question
domain selection
answer
Entering a new market or industry with an existing expertise.
question
dynamic network
answer
Temporary arrangements among partners that can be assembled and reassembled to adapt to the environment.
question
ecocentric management
answer
Its goal is the creation of sustainable economic development and improvement of quality of life worldwide for all organizational stakeholders.
question
economic responsibilities
answer
To produce goods and services that society wants at a price that perpetuates the business and satisfies its obligations to investors.
question
economies of scope
answer
Economies in which materials and processes employed in one product can be used to make other, related products.
question
egoism
answer
An ethical system defining acceptable behavior as that which maximizes consequences for the individual.
question
emotional intelligence
answer
The skills of understanding yourself, managing yourself, and dealing effectively with others.
question
empowerment
answer
The process of sharing power with employees, thereby enhancing their confidence in their ability to perform their jobs and their belief that they are influential contributors to the organization.
question
entrepreneur
answer
Individual who establishes a new organization without the benefit of corporate sponsorship.
question
entrepreneurial orientation
answer
The tendency of an organization to identify and capitalize successfully on opportunities to launch new ventures by entering new or established markets with new or existing goods or services.
question
entrepreneurial venture
answer
A new business having growth and high profitability as primary objectives.
question
entrepreneurship
answer
The pursuit of lucrative opportunities by enterprising individuals.
question
environmental scanning
answer
Searching for and sorting through information about the environment.
question
environmental uncertainty
answer
Lack of information needed to understand or predict the future.
question
equity theory
answer
A theory stating that people assess how fairly they have been treated according to two key factors: outcomes and inputs.
question
ethical climate
answer
In an organization, the processes by which decisions are evaluated and made on the basis of right and wrong.
question
ethnocentrism
answer
The tendency to judge others by the standards of one's group or culture, which are seen as superior.
question
executive champion
answer
An executive who supports a new technology and protects the product champion of the innovation.
question
expatriates
answer
Parent-company nationals who are sent to work at a foreign subsidiary.
question
expectancy
answer
Employees' perception of the likelihood that their efforts will enable them to attain their performance goals.
question
expectancy theory
answer
A theory proposing that people will behave based on their perceived likelihood that their effort will lead to a certain outcome and on how highly they value that outcome.
question
external audit
answer
An evaluation conducted by one organization, such as a CPA firm, on another.
question
external environment
answer
All relevant forces outside a firm's boundaries, such as competitors, customers, the government, and the economy.
question
extinction
answer
Withdrawing or failing to provide a reinforcing consequence.
question
extrinsic rewards
answer
Rewards given to a person by the boss, the company, or some other person.
question
failure rate
answer
The number of expatriate managers of an overseas operation who come home early.
question
feedback control
answer
Control that focuses on the use of information about previous results to correct deviations from the acceptable standard.
question
feedforward control
answer
The control process used before operations begin, including policies, procedures, and rules designed to ensure that planned activities are carried out properly.
question
Fiedler's contingency model of leadership effectiveness
answer
A situational approach to leadership postulating that effectiveness depends on the personal style of the leader and the degree to which the situation gives the leader power, control, and influence over the situation.
question
final consumer
answer
Those who purchase products in their finished form.
question
flexible benefit programs
answer
Benefit programs in which employees are given credits to spend on benefits that fit their unique needs.
question
flexible factories
answer
Manufacturing plants that have short production runs, are organized around products, and use decentralized scheduling.
question
flexible processes
answer
Methods for adapting the technical core to changes in the environment.
question
force-field analysis
answer
An approach to implementing the unfreezing/moving/refreezing model by identifying the forces that prevent people from changing and those that will drive people toward change.
question
formalization
answer
The presence of rules and regulations governing how people in the organization interact.
question
framing effects
answer
A decision bias influenced by the way in which a problem or decision alternative is phrased or presented.
question
franchising
answer
An entrepreneurial alliance between a franchisor (an innovator who has created at least one successful store and wants to grow) and a franchisee (a partner who manages a new store of the same type in a new location).
question
frontline managers
answer
Lower-level managers who supervise the operational activities of the organization.
question
functional organization
answer
Departmentalization around specialized activities such as production, marketing, and human resources.
question
functional strategies
answer
Strategies implemented by each functional area of the organization to support the organization's business strategy.
question
garbage can model
answer
Model of organizational decision making depicting a chaotic process and seemingly random decisions.
question
gatekeeper
answer
A team member who keeps abreast of current developments and provides the team with relevant information.
question
genius of the and; organizational ambidexterity
answer
Ability to achieve multiple objectives simultaneously.
question
global model
answer
An organizational model consisting of a company's overseas subsidiaries and characterized by centralized decision making and tight control by the parent company over most aspects of worldwide operations; typically adopted by organizations that base their global competitive strategy on cost considerations.
question
goal displacement
answer
A condition that occurs when a decision-making group loses sight of its original goal and a new, less important goal emerges.
question
goal-setting theory
answer
A motivation theory stating that people have conscious goals that energize them and direct their thoughts and behaviors toward a particular end.
question
group maintenance behaviors
answer
Actions taken to ensure the satisfaction of group members, develop and maintain harmonious work relationships, and preserve the social stability of the group.
question
growth need strength
answer
The degree to which individuals want personal and psychological development.
question
Hersey and Blanchard's situational theory
answer
A life-cycle theory of leadership postulating that a manager should consider an employee's psychological and job maturity before deciding whether task performance or maintenance behaviors are more important.
question
high-involvement organization
answer
A type of organization in which top management ensures that there is consensus about the direction in which the business is heading.
question
horizontal communication
answer
Information shared among people on the same hierarchical level.
question
host-country nationals
answer
Natives of the country where an overseas subsidiary is located.
question
human capital
answer
The knowledge, skills, and abilities of employees that have economic value.
question
human resources management (HRM)
answer
Formal systems for the management of people within an organization.
question
hygiene factors
answer
Characteristics of the workplace, such as company policies, working conditions, pay, and supervision, that can make people dissatisfied.
question
illusion of control
answer
People's belief that they can influence events, even when they have no control over what will happen.
question
incremental model
answer
Model of organizational decision making in which major solutions arise through a series of smaller decisions.
question
independent strategies
answer
Strategies that an organization acting on its own uses to change some aspect of its current environment.
question
informing
answer
A team strategy that entails making decisions with the team and then informing outsiders of its intentions.
question
initial public offering (IPO)
answer
Sale to the public, for the first time, of federally registered and underwritten shares of stock in the company.
question
inpatriate
answer
A foreign national brought in to work at the parent company.
question
inputs
answer
Goods and services organizations take in and use to create products or services.
question
instrumentality
answer
The perceived likelihood that performance will be followed by a particular outcome.
question
integration
answer
The degree to which differentiated work units work together and coordinate their efforts.
question
integrity-based ethics programs
answer
Company mechanisms designed to instill in people a personal responsibility for ethical behavior.
question
intermediary model
answer
Charging fees to bring buyers and sellers together.
question
intermediate consumer
answer
A customer who purchases raw materials or wholesale products before selling them to final customers.
question
internal audit
answer
A periodic assessment of a company's own planning, organizing, leading, and controlling processes.
question
international model
answer
An organizational model that is composed of a company's overseas subsidiaries and characterized by greater control by the parent company over the research function and local product and marketing strategies than is the case in the multinational model.
question
interpersonal and communication skills
answer
People skills; the ability to lead, motivate, and communicate effectively with others.
question
intrapreneurs
answer
New-venture creators working inside big companies.
question
intrinsic reward
answer
Reward a worker derives directly from performing the job itself.
question
ISO 9001
answer
A series of quality standards developed by a committee working under the International Organization for Standardization to improve total quality in all businesses for the benefit of producers and consumers.
question
job enlargement
answer
Giving people additional tasks at the same time to alleviate boredom.
question
job enrichment
answer
Changing a task to make it inherently more rewarding, motivating, and satisfying.
question
job maturity
answer
The level of the employee's skills and technical knowledge relative to the task being performed.
question
job rotation
answer
Changing from one routine task to another to alleviate boredom.
question
just-in-time (JIT)
answer
A system that calls for subassemblies and components to be manufactured in very small lots and delivered to the next stage of the production process just as they are needed.
question
knowledge management
answer
Practices aimed at discovering and harnessing an organization's intellectual resources.
question
Kohlberg's model of cognitive moral development
answer
Classification of people based on their level of moral judgment.
question
labor relations
answer
The system of relations between workers and management.
question
large batch
answer
Technologies that produce goods and services in high volume.
question
lateral leadership
answer
Style in which colleagues at the same hierarchical level are invited to collaborate and facilitate joint problem solving.
question
law of effect
answer
A law formulated by Edward Thorndike in 1911 stating that behavior that is followed by positive consequences will likely be repeated.
question
Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) theory
answer
Highlights the importance of leader behaviors not just toward the group as a whole but toward individuals on a personal basis.
question
leading
answer
The management function that involves the manager's efforts to stimulate high performance by employees.
question
lean manufacturing
answer
An operation that strives to achieve the highest possible productivity and total quality, cost effectively, by eliminating unnecessary steps in the production process and continually striving for improvement.
question
learning organization
answer
An organization skilled at creating, acquiring, and transferring knowledge, and at modifying its behavior to reflect new knowledge and insights.
question
legal responsibilities
answer
To obey local, state, federal, and relevant international laws.
question
legitimacy
answer
People's judgment of a company's acceptance, appropriateness, and desirability, generally stemming from company goals and methods that are consistent with societal values.
question
Level 5 leadership
answer
A combination of strong professional will (determination) and humility that builds enduring greatness.
question
liabilities
answer
The amounts a corporation owes to various creditors.
question
life-cycle analysis (LCA)
answer
A process of analyzing all inputs and outputs, through the entire "cradle-to-grave" life of a product, to determine total environmental impact.
question
line departments
answer
Units that deal directly with the organization's primary goods and services.
question
logistics
answer
The movement of the right goods in the right amount to the right place at the right time.
question
low-cost strategy
answer
A strategy an organization uses to build competitive advantage by being efficient and offering a standard, no-frills product.
question
macroenvironment
answer
The general environment; includes governments, economic conditions, and other fundamental factors that generally affect all organizations.
question
make-or-buy decision
answer
The question an organization asks itself about whether to acquire new technology from an outside source or develop it itself.
question
management audit
answer
An evaluation of the effectiveness and efficiency of various systems within an organization.
question
management by objectives (MBO)
answer
A process in which objectives set by a subordinate and a supervisor must be reached within a given time period.
question
management myopia
answer
Focusing on short-term earnings and profits at the expense of longer-term strategic obligations.
question
management teams
answer
Teams that coordinate and provide direction to the subunits under their jurisdiction and integrate work among subunits.
question
managing diversity
answer
Managing a culturally diverse workforce by recognizing the characteristics common to specific groups of employees while dealing with such employees as individuals and supporting, nurturing, and utilizing their differences to the organization's advantage.
question
market control
answer
Control based on the use of pricing mechanisms and economic information to regulate activities within organizations.
question
mass customization
answer
The production of varied, individually customized products at the low cost of standardized, mass-produced products.
question
matrix organization
answer
An organization composed of dual reporting relationships in which some managers report to two superiors—a functional manager and a divisional manager.
question
maximizing
answer
A decision realizing the best possible outcome.
question
mechanistic organization
answer
A form of organization that seeks to maximize internal efficiency.
question
media richness
answer
The degree to which a communication channel conveys information.
question
mentors
answer
Higher-level managers who help ensure that high-potential people are introduced to top management and socialized into the norms and values of the organization.
question
middle-level managers
answer
Managers located in the middle layers of the organizational hierarchy, reporting to top-level executives.
question
mission
answer
An organization's basic purpose and scope of operations.
question
monolithic organization
answer
An organization that has a low degree of structural integration—employing few women, minorities, or other groups that differ from the majority—and thus has a highly homogeneous employee population.
question
motivators
answer
Factors that make a job more motivating, such as additional job responsibilities, opportunities for personal growth and recognition, and feelings of achievement.
question
moving
answer
Instituting the change.
question
multicultural organization
answer
An organization that values cultural diversity and seeks to utilize and encourage it.
question
multinational model
answer
An organizational model that consists of the subsidiaries in each country in which a company does business, with ultimate control exercised by the parent company.
question
needs assessment
answer
An analysis identifying the jobs, people, and departments for which training is necessary.
question
negative reinforcement
answer
Removing or withholding an undesirable consequence.
question
network organization
answer
A collection of independent, mostly single-function firms that collaborate on a good or service.
question
nonprogrammed decisions
answer
New, novel, complex decisions having no proven answers.
question
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
answer
An economic pact that combined the economies of the United States, Canada, and Mexico into one of the world's largest trading blocs.
question
offshoring
answer
Moving work to other countries.
question
one-way communication
answer
A process in which information flows in only one direction—from the sender to the receiver, with no feedback loop.
question
open-book management
answer
Practice of sharing with employees at all levels of the organization vital information previously meant for management's eyes only.
question
open systems
answer
Organizations that are affected by, and that affect, their environment.
question
operational planning
answer
The process of identifying the specific procedures and processes required at lower levels of the organization.
question
opportunity analysis
answer
A description of the good or service, an assessment of the opportunity, an assessment of the entrepreneur, specification of activities and resources needed to translate your idea into a viable business, and your source(s) of capital.
question
optimizing
answer
Achieving the best possible balance among several goals.
question
organic structure
answer
An organizational form that emphasizes flexibility.
question
organizational behavior modification (OB mod)
answer
The application of reinforcement theory in organizational settings.
question
organization chart
answer
The reporting structure and division of labor in an organization.
question
organization development (OD)
answer
The systemwide application of behavioral science knowledge to develop, improve, and reinforce the strategies, structures, and processes that lead to organizational effectiveness.
question
outplacement
answer
The process of helping people who have been dismissed from the company regain employment elsewhere.
question
parading
answer
A team strategy that entails simultaneously emphasizing internal team building and achieving external visibility.
question
parallel teams
answer
Teams that operate separately from the regular work structure, and exist temporarily.
question
participation in decision making
answer
Leader behaviors that managers perform in involving their employees in making decisions.
question
path-goal theory
answer
A theory that concerns how leaders influence subordinates' perceptions of their work goals and the paths they follow toward attainment of those goals.
question
perception
answer
The process of receiving and interpreting information.
question
performance appraisal (PA)
answer
Assessment of an employee's job performance.
question
performance gap
answer
The difference between actual performance and desired performance.
question
philanthropic responsibilities
answer
Additional behaviors and activities that society finds desirable and that the values of the business support.
question
pluralistic organization
answer
An organization that has a relatively diverse employee population and makes an effort to involve employees from different gender, racial, or cultural backgrounds.
question
power
answer
The ability to influence others.
question
principle of exception
answer
A managerial principle stating that control is enhanced by concentrating on the exceptions to or significant deviations from the expected result or standard.
question
proactive change
answer
A response that is initiated before a performance gap has occurred.
question
probing
answer
A team strategy that requires team members to interact frequently with outsiders, diagnose their needs, and experiment with solutions.
question
procedural justice
answer
Using fair process in decision making and making sure others know that the process was as fair as possible.
question
product champion
answer
A person who promotes a new technology throughout the organization in an effort to obtain acceptance of and support for it.
question
profit and loss statement
answer
An itemized financial statement of the income and expenses of a company's operations.
question
programmed decisions
answer
Decisions encountered and made before, having objectively correct answers, and solvable by using simple rules, policies, or numerical computations.
question
project and development teams
answer
Teams that work on long-term projects but disband once the work is completed.
question
prospectors
answer
Companies that continuously change the boundaries for their task environments by seeking new products and markets, diversifying and merging, or acquiring new enterprises.
question
pseudotransformational leaders
answer
Leaders who talk about positive change but allow their self-interest to take precedence over followers' needs.
question
psychological contract
answer
A set of perceptions of what employees owe their employers, and what their employers owe them.
question
psychological maturity
answer
An employee's self-confidence and self-respect.
question
quality circles
answer
Voluntary groups of people drawn from various production teams who make suggestions about quality.
question
quality of work life (QWL) programs
answer
Programs designed to create a workplace that enhances employee well-being.
question
reactive change
answer
A response that occurs under pressure; problem-driven change.
question
ready-made solutions
answer
Ideas that have been seen or tried before.
question
recruitment
answer
The development of a pool of applicants for jobs in an organization.
question
reflection
answer
Process by which a person states what he or she believes the other person is saying.
question
refreezing
answer
Strengthening the new behaviors that support the change.
question
relationship-motivated leadership
answer
Leadership that places primary emphasis on maintaining good interpersonal relationships.
question
relativism
answer
Philosophy that bases ethical behavior on the opinions and behaviors of relevant other people.
question
reliability
answer
The consistency of test scores over time and across alternative measurements.
question
resources
answer
Inputs to a system that can enhance performance.
question
return on investment (ROI)
answer
A ratio of profit to capital used, or a rate of return from capital.
question
rightsizing
answer
A successful effort to achieve an appropriate size at which the company performs most effectively.
question
risk
answer
The state that exists when the probability of success is less than 100 percent and losses may occur.
question
Sarbanes-Oxley Act
answer
An act passed into law by Congress in 2002 to establish strict accounting and reporting rules in order to make senior managers more accountable and to improve and maintain investor confidence.
question
satisficing
answer
Choosing an option that is acceptable, although not necessarily the best or perfect.
question
self-designing teams
answer
Teams with the responsibilities of autonomous work groups, plus control over hiring, firing, and deciding what tasks members perform.
question
semiautonomous work groups
answer
Groups that make decisions about managing and carrying out major production activities but get outside support for quality control and maintenance.
question
servant-leader
answer
A leader who serves others' needs while strengthening the organization.
question
shapers
answer
Companies that try to change the structure of their industries, creating a future competitive landscape of their own design.
question
shared leadership
answer
Rotating leadership, in which people rotate through the leadership role based on which person has the most relevant skills at a particular time.
question
simultaneous engineering
answer
A design approach in which all relevant functions cooperate jointly and continually in a maximum effort aimed at producing high-quality products that meet customers' needs.
question
situational analysis
answer
A process planners use, within time and resource constraints, to gather, interpret, and summarize all information relevant to the planning issue under consideration.
question
situational approach
answer
Leadership perspective proposing that universally important traits and behaviors do not exist, and that effective leadership behavior varies from situation to situation.
question
skunkworks
answer
A project team designated to produce a new, innovative product.
question
small batch
answer
Technologies that produce goods and services in low volume.
question
small business
answer
A business having fewer than 100 employees, independently owned and operated, not dominant in its field, and not characterized by many innovative practices.
question
smoothing
answer
Leveling normal fluctuations at the boundaries of the environment.
question
social capital
answer
Goodwill stemming from your social relationships; a competitive advantage in the form of relationships with other people and the image other people have of you.
question
social facilitation effect
answer
Working harder when in a group than when working alone.
question
sociotechnical systems
answer
An approach to job design that attempts to redesign tasks to optimize operation of a new technology while preserving employees' interpersonal relationships and other human aspects of the work.
question
span of control
answer
The number of subordinates who report directly to an executive or supervisor.
question
specialization
answer
A process in which different individuals and units perform different tasks.
question
staff departments
answer
Units that support line departments.
question
stakeholders
answer
Groups and individuals who affect and are affected by the achievement of the organization's mission, goals, and strategies.
question
standardization
answer
Establishing common routines and procedures that apply uniformly to everyone.
question
stockholders' equity
answer
The amount accruing to the corporation's owners.
question
strategic alliance
answer
A formal relationship created among independent organizations with the purpose of joint pursuit of mutual goals.
question
strategic control system
answer
A system designed to support managers in evaluating the organization's progress regarding its strategy and, when discrepancies exist, taking corrective action.
question
strategic leadership
answer
Behavior that gives purpose and meaning to organizations, envisioning and creating a positive future.
question
strategic management
answer
A process that involves managers from all parts of the organization in the formulation and implementation of strategic goals and strategies.
question
strategic maneuvering
answer
An organization's conscious efforts to change the boundaries of its task environment.
question
strategic planning
answer
A set of procedures for making decisions about the organization's long-term goals and strategies.
question
strategic vision
answer
The long-term direction and strategic intent of a company.
question
stretch goals
answer
Targets that are particularly demanding, sometimes even thought to be impossible.
question
structured interview
answer
Selection technique that involves asking all applicants the same questions and comparing their responses to a standardized set of answers.
question
subscription model
answer
Charging fees for site visits.
question
substitutes for leadership
answer
Factors in the workplace that can exert the same influence on employees as leaders would provide.
question
subunits
answer
Subdivisions of an organization.
question
superordinate goals
answer
Higher-level goals taking priority over specific individual or group goals.
question
supervisory leadership
answer
Behavior that provides guidance, support, and corrective feedback for day-to-day activities.
question
supply chain management
answer
The managing of the network of facilities and people that obtain materials from outside the organization, transform them into products, and distribute them to customers.
question
survivor's syndrome
answer
Loss of productivity and morale in employees who remain after a downsizing.
question
switching costs
answer
Fixed costs buyers face when they change suppliers.
question
SWOT analysis
answer
A comparison of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats that helps executives formulate strategy.
question
360-degree appraisal
answer
Process of using multiple sources of appraisal to gain a comprehensive perspective on one's performance.
question
tactical planning
answer
A set of procedures for translating broad strategic goals and plans into specific goals and plans that are relevant to a distinct portion of the organization, such as a functional area like marketing.
question
task performance behaviors
answer
Actions taken to ensure that the work group or organization reaches its goals.
question
task specialist
answer
An individual who has more advanced job-related skills and abilities than other group members possess.
question
team maintenance specialist
answer
Individual who develops and maintains team harmony.
question
team training
answer
Training that provides employees with the skills and perspectives they need to collaborate with others.
question
technical innovator
answer
A person who develops a new technology or has the key skills to install and operate the technology.
question
technical skill
answer
The ability to perform a specialized task involving a particular method or process.
question
technology audit
answer
Process of clarifying the key technologies on which an organization depends.
question
technology life cycle
answer
A predictable pattern followed by a technological innovation, from its inception and development to market saturation and replacement.
question
termination interview
answer
A discussion between a manager and an employee about the employee's dismissal.
question
third-country nationals
answer
Natives of a country other than the home country or the host country of an overseas subsidiary.
question
time-based competition (TBC)
answer
Strategies aimed at reducing the total time needed to deliver a good or service.
question
top-level managers
answer
Senior executives responsible for the overall management and effectiveness of the organization.
question
total organization change
answer
Introducing and sustaining multiple policies, practices, and procedures across multiple units and levels.
question
total quality management (TQM)
answer
An integrative approach to management that supports the attainment of customer satisfaction through a wide variety of tools and techniques that result in high-quality goods and services.
question
traditional work groups
answer
Groups that have no managerial responsibilities.
question
trait approach
answer
A leadership perspective that attempts to determine the personal characteristics that great leaders share.
question
transactional leaders
answer
Leaders who manage through transactions, using their legitimate, reward, and coercive powers to give commands and exchange rewards for services rendered.
question
transcendent education
answer
An education with five higher goals that balance self-interest with responsibility to others.
question
transfer price
answer
Price charged by one unit for a good or service provided to another unit within the organization.
question
transformational leader
answer
A leader who motivates people to transcend their personal interests for the good of the group.
question
transnational model
answer
An organizational model characterized by centralizing certain functions in locations that best achieve cost economies; basing other functions in the company's national subsidiaries to facilitate greater local responsiveness; and fostering communication among subsidiaries to permit transfer of technological expertise and skills.
question
transnational teams
answer
Work groups composed of multinational members whose activities span multiple countries.
question
two-factor theory
answer
Herzberg's theory describing two factors affecting people's work motivation and satisfaction.
question
two-way communication
answer
A process in which information flows in two directions— the receiver provides feedback, and the sender is receptive to the feedback.
question
tyranny of the or
answer
The belief that things must be either A or B and cannot be both; that only one goal and not another can be attained.
question
unfreezing
answer
Realizing that current practices are inappropriate and that new behavior is necessary.
question
union shop
answer
An organization with a union and a union security clause specifying that workers must join the union after a set period of time.
question
unity-of-command principle
answer
A structure in which each worker reports to one boss, who in turn reports to one boss.
question
universalism
answer
The ethical system stating that all people should uphold certain values that society needs to function.
question
valence
answer
The value an outcome holds for the person contemplating it.
question
validity
answer
The degree to which a selection test predicts or correlates with job performance.
question
value
answer
The monetary amount associated with how well a job, task, good, or service meets users' needs.
question
value chain
answer
The sequence of activities that flow from raw materials to the delivery of a good or service, with additional value created at each step.
question
vertical integration
answer
The acquisition or development of new businesses that produce parts or components of the organization's product.
question
virtue ethics
answer
Perspective that what is moral comes from what a mature person with "good" moral character would deem right.
question
Vroom model
answer
A situational model that focuses on the participative dimension of leadership.