Unit 1 & Chapter 1 Introduction

Which scenario best illustrates how organizations turn intellectual capital into high performance?

• A firm pairs expert mentoring with cross-functional projects

• A firm replaces training with strict performance quotas

• A firm hires more staff without changing team structures

• A firm centralizes decisions to reduce employee autonomy

A classmate says, “I don’t need feedback because I already know my strengths.” Using the Johari Window, which area is most likely to stay large if they avoid feedback, and why does that matter for career growth?

• Blind Area stays large, hiding habits others notice

• Open Area stays large, encouraging transparent communication

• Hidden Area stays large, reducing personal privacy risks

• Unknown Area stays large, proving untapped natural talents

A retailer forms a small team to run its Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn accounts to answer customer questions, promote events, and respond to complaints. What main benefit of technology in modern business does this scenario illustrate?

• Automation eliminates most customer service roles

• Face-to-face meetings are usually mandatory

• Physical distance hardly matters for coordination

• Online ads always replace traditional promotions

A graduate wants to improve job prospects by using online tools. Which plan best applies strategic thinking about building a career in today’s economy?

• Avoid social networking sites for privacy reasons

• Rely on a paper résumé and wait for openings

• Create a multimedia résumé and seek internships

• Apply only to full-time roles without placements

A company sets a goal to improve representation of women and minorities in senior roles while reducing biased promotion practices. Which strategy best addresses the glass ceiling effect?

• Use blind resume reviews for all hiring rounds

• Offer generic teamwork workshops for all employees

• Increase overtime to test leadership commitment

• Rotate managers every quarter to refresh teams

A retail firm expands into several countries and builds teams with varied ages, cultures, and abilities. Which outcome most likely results from combining workforce diversity with globalization?

• Simpler communication in every location

• Uniform marketing across all regions

• Lower need for cross-cultural training

• More innovative ideas for global customers

A firm restructures using the shamrock organization. Which staffing mix best reflects this model’s intent to stay flexible while controlling costs?

• Core managers with multiple layers of permanent supervisors

• Large permanent workforce across all functions and sites

• Primarily freelancers with minimal internal leadership

• Core professionals plus outsourced specialists plus temporary staff

A diagram shows an organization receiving resource inputs, running a transformation process, and producing outputs. Which change would most likely improve output quality without increasing resource inputs?

• Shorten delivery routes after products leave the plant

• Expand advertising to boost short-term product demand

• Hire more suppliers to provide additional raw materials

• Redesign workflows to reduce process bottlenecks

A manager restructures a team’s workflow to produce the same quality outputs with fewer hours and less rework. What does this primarily demonstrate?

• Quality of work life emphasizing job enrichment

• Productivity focused on employee engagement growth

• Performance efficiency using fewer resources for outputs

• Performance effectiveness improving customer satisfaction goals

A store’s weekly sales are below target. Which sequence shows effective use of the controlling function leading into organizing and leading?

• Measure results, assign staff to tasks, inspire commitment

• Set a bold vision, create budgets, evaluate outcomes

• Hire more people, check performance, set new goals

• Redesign structure first, motivate employees, then plan