Organizational Behavior: Managing People and Organizations
15th Edition
Ricky W. Griffin, Jean M. Phillips
TEST BANK
Includes All Chapters (1 to 16)
|| Answers Included ||
Test Bank | Organizational Behavior: Managing People and Organizations, 15th Edition by Ricky W. Griffin, Phillips
,Chapter 1 - Introduction to Organizational Behavior
1. What is organizational behavior?
a. The study of human behavior in organizational settings, the interface between human behavior and the
organization, and the organization itself.
b. The study of financial performance and strategic planning within business organizations and corporate
structures.
c. The analysis of market trends and consumer purchasing patterns that influence organizational decision-making
processes.
d. The examination of technological systems and operational procedures used to maximize organizational
efficiency and productivity.
ANSWER: a
RATIONALE: Organizational behavior encompasses three key areas: human behavior within
organizations, how individuals interact with organizational systems, and the
organization as an entity. This comprehensive definition distinguishes OB from
other business disciplines by focusing specifically on the human element.
DIFFICULTY: Medium
REFERENCES: Chapter 1, Section 1-1a
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGA.PHIL.27.1.1 - Describe organizational behavior, including the impact it has
on both personal and organizational success
KEYWORDS: Remember
2. Which four basic functions characterize managerial work?
a. Planning, organizing, leading, controlling
b. Hiring, training, evaluating, promoting
c. Marketing, financing, producing, distributing
d. Researching, developing, testing, implementing
ANSWER: a
RATIONALE: These four functions represent the fundamental activities that managers perform
across all organizational levels. Planning involves determining future direction,
organizing creates structure, leading motivates people, and controlling monitors
progress toward goals.
DIFFICULTY: Medium
REFERENCES: Chapter 1, Section 1-2a
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGA.PHIL.27.1.2 - Identify the basic management functions and essential skills
that make up the management process and relate them to organizational behavior
KEYWORDS: Remember
3. What is competitive advantage?
a. Anything that gives a firm an edge over rivals in attracting customers and defending itself against competition
b. The ability to produce goods and services at the lowest possible cost while maintaining acceptable quality
standards
c. The process of developing unique products that command premium prices in specialized market segments
d. The capacity to expand business operations through mergers and acquisitions in related industry sectors
ANSWER: a
RATIONALE: Competitive advantage is a broad concept that encompasses any factor allowing an
Page 1
, organization to outperform competitors. This can include cost leadership,
differentiation, superior service, or other strategic advantages that help attract and
retain customers.
DIFFICULTY: Medium
REFERENCES: Chapter 1, Section 1-3a
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGA.PHIL.27.1.3 - Discuss the strategic context of organizational behavior,
including the relationships between strategy and organizational behavior
KEYWORDS: Remember
4. What is the scientific method in organizational behavior research?
a. A method of knowledge generation that relies on systematic studies that identify and replicate results using
various methods, samples, and settings
b. A technique for collecting employee feedback through surveys and interviews to improve workplace
satisfaction and productivity
c. An approach to organizational design that emphasizes efficiency through time-and-motion studies and
standardized procedures
d. A framework for evaluating organizational performance using financial metrics and operational benchmarks
across industry sectors
ANSWER: a
RATIONALE: The scientific method provides a systematic approach to understanding
organizational phenomena through rigorous testing and replication. This approach
helps distinguish reliable knowledge from intuition or common-sense assumptions
about workplace behavior.
DIFFICULTY: Medium
REFERENCES: Chapter 1, Section 1-5f
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGA.PHIL.27.1.4 - Identify and describe contextual perspectives on
organizational behavior
KEYWORDS: Remember
5. What is organizational citizenship?
a. The behavior of individuals that makes a positive overall contribution to the organization
b. The legal obligation that employees must follow company policies and governmental regulations
c. The formal training programs designed to develop employee skills and professional competencies
d. The process of evaluating employee performance and providing feedback for continuous improvement
ANSWER: a
RATIONALE: Organizational citizenship refers to voluntary behaviors that go beyond formal job
requirements but benefit the organization. These behaviors include helping
colleagues, working overtime when needed, and supporting organizational goals
beyond basic performance expectations.
DIFFICULTY: Medium
REFERENCES: Chapter 1, Section 1-5c
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGA.PHIL.27.1.5 - Discuss the role of organizational behavior in managing for
effectiveness, including the role of research in organizational behavior
KEYWORDS: Remember
Page 2
, 6. According to the organizational behavior framework, what four sets of factors operate between environmental context
and organizational effectiveness?
a. Individual factors, group and team factors, leadership factors, organizational factors
b. Financial resources, human resources, technological resources, information resources
c. Planning activities, organizing structures, leading behaviors, controlling mechanisms
d. Cost leadership strategies, differentiation approaches, specialization tactics, growth initiatives
ANSWER: a
RATIONALE: The framework identifies four key categories of factors that influence
organizational effectiveness: individual characteristics and behaviors, group and
team dynamics, leadership approaches, and organizational structure and culture.
These factors interact within the environmental context to determine outcomes.
DIFFICULTY: Medium
REFERENCES: Chapter 1, Section 1-6
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGA.PHIL.27.1.6 - Summarize the framework around which this book is
organized
KEYWORDS: Remember
7. What is scientific management?
a. An approach based on the belief that productivity is maximized when organizations use precise instructions
based on time-and-motion studies
b. A leadership philosophy that emphasizes employee empowerment and participative decision making in
organizational settings
c. A research methodology that uses statistical analysis to identify correlations between workplace variables and
performance outcomes
d. A strategic planning process that integrates market analysis with organizational capabilities to achieve
competitive advantage
ANSWER: a
RATIONALE: Scientific management, developed by Frederick Taylor, focused on finding the
most efficient ways to perform work through systematic study and standardization.
This approach emphasized rationalization and precise procedures to maximize
productivity.
DIFFICULTY: Medium
REFERENCES: Chapter 1, Section 1-4a
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGA.PHIL.27.1.4 - Identify and describe contextual perspectives on
organizational behavior
KEYWORDS: Remember
8. What is the Hawthorne effect?
a. When people improve some aspect of their behavior or performance simply because they are being assessed
b. The tendency for employees to resist organizational changes that threaten their job security or status
c. The phenomenon where group members make poor decisions to avoid conflict and maintain consensus
d. The process by which individual productivity decreases when working in larger groups or teams
ANSWER: a
RATIONALE: The Hawthorne effect was discovered during studies at Western Electric, where
researchers found that workers improved performance regardless of the specific
Page 3
15th Edition
Ricky W. Griffin, Jean M. Phillips
TEST BANK
Includes All Chapters (1 to 16)
|| Answers Included ||
Test Bank | Organizational Behavior: Managing People and Organizations, 15th Edition by Ricky W. Griffin, Phillips
,Chapter 1 - Introduction to Organizational Behavior
1. What is organizational behavior?
a. The study of human behavior in organizational settings, the interface between human behavior and the
organization, and the organization itself.
b. The study of financial performance and strategic planning within business organizations and corporate
structures.
c. The analysis of market trends and consumer purchasing patterns that influence organizational decision-making
processes.
d. The examination of technological systems and operational procedures used to maximize organizational
efficiency and productivity.
ANSWER: a
RATIONALE: Organizational behavior encompasses three key areas: human behavior within
organizations, how individuals interact with organizational systems, and the
organization as an entity. This comprehensive definition distinguishes OB from
other business disciplines by focusing specifically on the human element.
DIFFICULTY: Medium
REFERENCES: Chapter 1, Section 1-1a
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGA.PHIL.27.1.1 - Describe organizational behavior, including the impact it has
on both personal and organizational success
KEYWORDS: Remember
2. Which four basic functions characterize managerial work?
a. Planning, organizing, leading, controlling
b. Hiring, training, evaluating, promoting
c. Marketing, financing, producing, distributing
d. Researching, developing, testing, implementing
ANSWER: a
RATIONALE: These four functions represent the fundamental activities that managers perform
across all organizational levels. Planning involves determining future direction,
organizing creates structure, leading motivates people, and controlling monitors
progress toward goals.
DIFFICULTY: Medium
REFERENCES: Chapter 1, Section 1-2a
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGA.PHIL.27.1.2 - Identify the basic management functions and essential skills
that make up the management process and relate them to organizational behavior
KEYWORDS: Remember
3. What is competitive advantage?
a. Anything that gives a firm an edge over rivals in attracting customers and defending itself against competition
b. The ability to produce goods and services at the lowest possible cost while maintaining acceptable quality
standards
c. The process of developing unique products that command premium prices in specialized market segments
d. The capacity to expand business operations through mergers and acquisitions in related industry sectors
ANSWER: a
RATIONALE: Competitive advantage is a broad concept that encompasses any factor allowing an
Page 1
, organization to outperform competitors. This can include cost leadership,
differentiation, superior service, or other strategic advantages that help attract and
retain customers.
DIFFICULTY: Medium
REFERENCES: Chapter 1, Section 1-3a
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGA.PHIL.27.1.3 - Discuss the strategic context of organizational behavior,
including the relationships between strategy and organizational behavior
KEYWORDS: Remember
4. What is the scientific method in organizational behavior research?
a. A method of knowledge generation that relies on systematic studies that identify and replicate results using
various methods, samples, and settings
b. A technique for collecting employee feedback through surveys and interviews to improve workplace
satisfaction and productivity
c. An approach to organizational design that emphasizes efficiency through time-and-motion studies and
standardized procedures
d. A framework for evaluating organizational performance using financial metrics and operational benchmarks
across industry sectors
ANSWER: a
RATIONALE: The scientific method provides a systematic approach to understanding
organizational phenomena through rigorous testing and replication. This approach
helps distinguish reliable knowledge from intuition or common-sense assumptions
about workplace behavior.
DIFFICULTY: Medium
REFERENCES: Chapter 1, Section 1-5f
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGA.PHIL.27.1.4 - Identify and describe contextual perspectives on
organizational behavior
KEYWORDS: Remember
5. What is organizational citizenship?
a. The behavior of individuals that makes a positive overall contribution to the organization
b. The legal obligation that employees must follow company policies and governmental regulations
c. The formal training programs designed to develop employee skills and professional competencies
d. The process of evaluating employee performance and providing feedback for continuous improvement
ANSWER: a
RATIONALE: Organizational citizenship refers to voluntary behaviors that go beyond formal job
requirements but benefit the organization. These behaviors include helping
colleagues, working overtime when needed, and supporting organizational goals
beyond basic performance expectations.
DIFFICULTY: Medium
REFERENCES: Chapter 1, Section 1-5c
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGA.PHIL.27.1.5 - Discuss the role of organizational behavior in managing for
effectiveness, including the role of research in organizational behavior
KEYWORDS: Remember
Page 2
, 6. According to the organizational behavior framework, what four sets of factors operate between environmental context
and organizational effectiveness?
a. Individual factors, group and team factors, leadership factors, organizational factors
b. Financial resources, human resources, technological resources, information resources
c. Planning activities, organizing structures, leading behaviors, controlling mechanisms
d. Cost leadership strategies, differentiation approaches, specialization tactics, growth initiatives
ANSWER: a
RATIONALE: The framework identifies four key categories of factors that influence
organizational effectiveness: individual characteristics and behaviors, group and
team dynamics, leadership approaches, and organizational structure and culture.
These factors interact within the environmental context to determine outcomes.
DIFFICULTY: Medium
REFERENCES: Chapter 1, Section 1-6
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGA.PHIL.27.1.6 - Summarize the framework around which this book is
organized
KEYWORDS: Remember
7. What is scientific management?
a. An approach based on the belief that productivity is maximized when organizations use precise instructions
based on time-and-motion studies
b. A leadership philosophy that emphasizes employee empowerment and participative decision making in
organizational settings
c. A research methodology that uses statistical analysis to identify correlations between workplace variables and
performance outcomes
d. A strategic planning process that integrates market analysis with organizational capabilities to achieve
competitive advantage
ANSWER: a
RATIONALE: Scientific management, developed by Frederick Taylor, focused on finding the
most efficient ways to perform work through systematic study and standardization.
This approach emphasized rationalization and precise procedures to maximize
productivity.
DIFFICULTY: Medium
REFERENCES: Chapter 1, Section 1-4a
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ORGA.PHIL.27.1.4 - Identify and describe contextual perspectives on
organizational behavior
KEYWORDS: Remember
8. What is the Hawthorne effect?
a. When people improve some aspect of their behavior or performance simply because they are being assessed
b. The tendency for employees to resist organizational changes that threaten their job security or status
c. The phenomenon where group members make poor decisions to avoid conflict and maintain consensus
d. The process by which individual productivity decreases when working in larger groups or teams
ANSWER: a
RATIONALE: The Hawthorne effect was discovered during studies at Western Electric, where
researchers found that workers improved performance regardless of the specific
Page 3
