Example questions Chapter 16 Essentials of Organizational Behavior (Robbins/Judge)

Essentials of Organizational Behavior, 12e (Robbins/Judge)
Chapter 16 Organizational Culture

1) Alessio's boss doesn't care whether Alessio works at home, at the office, or from his beach
house. All he cares about is that the project is completed on time, on budget, and with exemplary
quality. Which characteristic of organizational culture best describes this aspect of Alessio's job?
A) low risk taking
B) high outcome orientation
C) high attention to detail
D) low aggressiveness
E) high stability
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Outcome orientation is the organizational culture characteristic that describes
the degree to which management focuses on results or outcomes rather than on the techniques
and processes used to achieve them. Alessio's boss has a high focus on outcome.
Diff: 2
AACSB: Analytic Skills
Objective: Organizational Culture
Quest. Category: Application
LO: 1

2) Which of the following is not a characteristic of organizational culture?
A) attention to detail
B) innovation and risk raking
C) process orientation
D) team orientation
E) outcome orientation
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Seven primary characteristics seem to capture the essence of an organization's
culture: innovation and risk taking, attention to detail, outcome orientation, people orientation,
team orientation, aggressiveness, and stability.
Diff: 2
Objective: Characteristics of an Organizational Culture
Quest. Category: Concept/Definitional
LO: 1




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, 3) Which of the following characteristics of an organization's culture indicates the degree to
which management decisions take into consideration the effect of outcomes on employees within
the organization?
A) attention to detail
B) outcome orientation
C) team orientation
D) people orientation
E) stability
Answer: D
Explanation: D) People orientation indicates the degree to which management decisions take
into consideration the effect of outcomes on people within the organization.
Diff: 2
Objective: People Orientation
Quest. Category: Concept/Definitional
LO: 1

4) "Stability" is one of the seven primary characteristics that captures the essence of an
organization's culture. It indicates the degree to which ________.
A) employees are encouraged to be innovative and take risks
B) management focuses on results or outcomes rather than on the techniques and processes used
to achieve them
C) management decisions take into consideration the effect of outcomes on people within the
organization
D) work activities are organized around teams rather than individuals
E) organizational activities emphasize maintaining the status quo in contrast to growth
Answer: E
Explanation: E) Stability indicates the degree to which organizational activities emphasize
maintaining the status quo in contrast to growth.
Diff: 2
Objective: Characteristics of an Organizational Culture
Quest. Category: Concept/Definitional
LO: 1

5) The key characteristic of organizational culture that addresses the degree to which people are
competitive rather than easygoing is termed ________.
A) assertiveness
B) team orientation
C) aversiveness
D) risk taking
E) aggressiveness
Answer: E
Explanation: E) Aggressiveness describes the degree to which people are aggressive and
competitive rather than easygoing.
Diff: 1
Objective: Aggressiveness
Quest. Category: Concept/Definitional
LO: 1

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