BUAD 304 MIDTERM 1 EXAM QUESTIONS WITH
VERIFIED ANSWERS
Values, Attitudes & Ethics
guide our thinking and behavior across all situations (attitudes are feelings towards specific
objects, people or situations)
Organizational Behavior (OB)
a field of study devoted to understanding/managing people at work to provide attitudes +
behaviors
Contingency Approach
uses Organizational Behavior concepts that best suit the situation (avoids relying on "one best
way")
ex. a practice that wokred today may not work tomorrow, what worked with one employee may
not work with another
Hard vs. Soft Skills
Hard skills = technical expertise/knowledge required to do particular task Soft Skills=
interpersonal skills/personal attributes
4 Skills Most Desired by Employers
1. Critical Thinking 2. Problem Solving 3. Judgement and Decision Making 4. Active Listening
Portable Skills
not job specific relevant in every job, at every level/throughout career (soft skills)
Whistle-Blower's Dilemma
when people do wrong/unethical things -- do you "blow the whistle" and reveal behavior to
management?
Person-Situation Distinction
Person Factors: characteristics that give individual unique identities Situation
Factors: elements outside ourselves that influence what we do/the way we do it/ the result of
our actions
Interactional Perspective
behavior is a function of interdependent person/situation factors
Schwartz's Value Theory (motivate behavior)
,broad values in two opposing bipolar dimensions motivate our behavior: 1st Self-
Transcendence (concern for welfare of others) --> Self-Enhancement (pursuit of one's own
interest) & 2nd Openness to Change --> Conservation (conformity)
relative importance of values within dimensions is what drives behavior
Self-Transcendence (Schwartz)
First Bipolar Dimension: concern for welfare and interests of others (universalism, benevolence)
ex. you'll value spending time fighting for climate change over getting an A
Self-Enhancement (Schwartz)
First Bipolar Dimension: pursuit of one's own interests and relative success/ dominance over
others (power, achievement)
ex. youll value geting an A over fighting for equal rights
Openness to Change (Schwartz)
Second Bipolar Dimension: independence of thought, action, and feelings/ readiness for change
(stimulation, self-direction)
ex. value exploring, creativity, challenges over tradition
Conservation (Schwartz)
Second Bipolar Dimension: order, self-restriction, preservation of the past, resistance to change
(conformity, tradition, security)
ex. value tradition, religion over trying new things
Schwartz's 10 Broad Values within 2 Dimensions
Self-Transcendence = 1.Universalism 2.Benevolence. Conservation =3.Conformity 4.Tradition
5.Security Self-Enhancement = 6.Power 7.Achievement 8.Hedonism(pleasure) Openness to
Change 8,9.Stimulation 10. Self-Direction
Application of Schwartz's Theory
-supported by research
-predicts behavior
--
helps managers better manage workers by predicting motives, reduces chances of conflict,
determine whether values and goals are consistent
3 Components of Attitudes
Affective(feelings/emotions)
Cognitive (beliefs/ideas)
Behavioral (intentions/expectations)
**all influence behavior
Cognitive Dissonance
, psychological discomfort a person experiences when they simultaneously hold conflicting
cognitions (ideas, beliefs, values, emotions)
How to Reduce Cognitive Dissonance
1. change attitude/conflicting behavior 2. belittle the importance of the inconsistent behavior 3.
find elements that outweigh the dissonant ones
3 Determinants of Intention (predict/ influence intention and behavior)
1. attitude toward the behavior (favorable/unfavorable) 2. subjective norm (perceived social
pressure)
3. perceived behavioral control (easy/difficulty to perform)
Determinants of Intention in Practice
Consider: Donating Blood
1. Attitude towards behavior positive if you thought it was valuable for society 2. Subjective
Norm if your friends were all doing it too 3. Perceived Behavioral Control had time to
participate -ease
4 Key Workplace Attitudes
1. Organizational Commitment 2. Employee Engagement 3. Perceived Organizational Support 4.
Job Satisfaction
Organizational Commitment (Workplace Attitudes)
the extent an individual identifies with an organization/ commits to its goals
drivers= achievement, meaningfulness of work being performed, leader behavior
Psychological Contract (Organizational Commitment)
represent individuals perception about reciprocal exchange between them and another party
--what employees expect to receive in return
breaching contract leads to lower commitment, satisfaction and performance
Increasing Organizational Commitment
3 General practices: 1. hire people with same values 2. honor psychological contract 3.
maintain fairness and trust
(ex. Edward Jones, Cicso, Google)
Employee Engagement (Workplace Attitudes)
engaged employees 'give their all'
components identified as 4 feelings; Urgency, Focus, Intensity, Enthusiasm
Increasing Employee Engagement
VERIFIED ANSWERS
Values, Attitudes & Ethics
guide our thinking and behavior across all situations (attitudes are feelings towards specific
objects, people or situations)
Organizational Behavior (OB)
a field of study devoted to understanding/managing people at work to provide attitudes +
behaviors
Contingency Approach
uses Organizational Behavior concepts that best suit the situation (avoids relying on "one best
way")
ex. a practice that wokred today may not work tomorrow, what worked with one employee may
not work with another
Hard vs. Soft Skills
Hard skills = technical expertise/knowledge required to do particular task Soft Skills=
interpersonal skills/personal attributes
4 Skills Most Desired by Employers
1. Critical Thinking 2. Problem Solving 3. Judgement and Decision Making 4. Active Listening
Portable Skills
not job specific relevant in every job, at every level/throughout career (soft skills)
Whistle-Blower's Dilemma
when people do wrong/unethical things -- do you "blow the whistle" and reveal behavior to
management?
Person-Situation Distinction
Person Factors: characteristics that give individual unique identities Situation
Factors: elements outside ourselves that influence what we do/the way we do it/ the result of
our actions
Interactional Perspective
behavior is a function of interdependent person/situation factors
Schwartz's Value Theory (motivate behavior)
,broad values in two opposing bipolar dimensions motivate our behavior: 1st Self-
Transcendence (concern for welfare of others) --> Self-Enhancement (pursuit of one's own
interest) & 2nd Openness to Change --> Conservation (conformity)
relative importance of values within dimensions is what drives behavior
Self-Transcendence (Schwartz)
First Bipolar Dimension: concern for welfare and interests of others (universalism, benevolence)
ex. you'll value spending time fighting for climate change over getting an A
Self-Enhancement (Schwartz)
First Bipolar Dimension: pursuit of one's own interests and relative success/ dominance over
others (power, achievement)
ex. youll value geting an A over fighting for equal rights
Openness to Change (Schwartz)
Second Bipolar Dimension: independence of thought, action, and feelings/ readiness for change
(stimulation, self-direction)
ex. value exploring, creativity, challenges over tradition
Conservation (Schwartz)
Second Bipolar Dimension: order, self-restriction, preservation of the past, resistance to change
(conformity, tradition, security)
ex. value tradition, religion over trying new things
Schwartz's 10 Broad Values within 2 Dimensions
Self-Transcendence = 1.Universalism 2.Benevolence. Conservation =3.Conformity 4.Tradition
5.Security Self-Enhancement = 6.Power 7.Achievement 8.Hedonism(pleasure) Openness to
Change 8,9.Stimulation 10. Self-Direction
Application of Schwartz's Theory
-supported by research
-predicts behavior
--
helps managers better manage workers by predicting motives, reduces chances of conflict,
determine whether values and goals are consistent
3 Components of Attitudes
Affective(feelings/emotions)
Cognitive (beliefs/ideas)
Behavioral (intentions/expectations)
**all influence behavior
Cognitive Dissonance
, psychological discomfort a person experiences when they simultaneously hold conflicting
cognitions (ideas, beliefs, values, emotions)
How to Reduce Cognitive Dissonance
1. change attitude/conflicting behavior 2. belittle the importance of the inconsistent behavior 3.
find elements that outweigh the dissonant ones
3 Determinants of Intention (predict/ influence intention and behavior)
1. attitude toward the behavior (favorable/unfavorable) 2. subjective norm (perceived social
pressure)
3. perceived behavioral control (easy/difficulty to perform)
Determinants of Intention in Practice
Consider: Donating Blood
1. Attitude towards behavior positive if you thought it was valuable for society 2. Subjective
Norm if your friends were all doing it too 3. Perceived Behavioral Control had time to
participate -ease
4 Key Workplace Attitudes
1. Organizational Commitment 2. Employee Engagement 3. Perceived Organizational Support 4.
Job Satisfaction
Organizational Commitment (Workplace Attitudes)
the extent an individual identifies with an organization/ commits to its goals
drivers= achievement, meaningfulness of work being performed, leader behavior
Psychological Contract (Organizational Commitment)
represent individuals perception about reciprocal exchange between them and another party
--what employees expect to receive in return
breaching contract leads to lower commitment, satisfaction and performance
Increasing Organizational Commitment
3 General practices: 1. hire people with same values 2. honor psychological contract 3.
maintain fairness and trust
(ex. Edward Jones, Cicso, Google)
Employee Engagement (Workplace Attitudes)
engaged employees 'give their all'
components identified as 4 feelings; Urgency, Focus, Intensity, Enthusiasm
Increasing Employee Engagement
