The University of the South Pacific

Serving the Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.

SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT & PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

MG101: INTRODUCTION TO MANAGEMENT (Face to Face Mode) FINAL EXAMINATION-SEMESTER 1, 2012

Time Allowed 3 hours plus 10 minutes reading 100 marks (50% of final grade)
INSTRUCTIONS 1. This exam has four sections: a. Section A: Multiple Choice Questions: 10 marks b. Section B: True or False Questions: 10 marks c. Section C: Short Answers: 30 marks d. Section D: Case Studies Case 1: 20 marks Case 2: 30 marks 2. Answer all questions in Sections A, B & D. 3. Answer any 6 of 8 questions from Section C. 4. Write your answers in the answer booklet provided. A separate sheet is provided for Sections A and B to circle answers. Write down your ID number and names on this sheet as well and attach to the Answer Booklet. 5. For Sections C & D, begin answering each Section on a fresh page. 6. This exam is worth 50% of your overall mark. The minimum exam mark is 20/50.
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Section A: Multiple Choice Questions (Compulsory) Total: 10 marks, 0.5 mark per question
1. The __________ is an environment that contains a few players who do not directly compete against one another. A. B. C. D. E. anti-competitive environment monopoly environment hypercompetition environment oligopoly environment dysfunctional environment

2.

__________ is the process of allocating resources and putting strategies into action. A. B. C. D. E. Mission implementation Action planning Strategy implementation Vision activation Managerial budgeting

3.

__________ refer to special strengths that the organisation has or things the organisation does well in comparison with competitors. A. B. C. D. E. Special capabilities Favourable organisational attributes Special characteristics Organisational strength factors Core competencies

4.

A __________ strategy involves growth through expansion within the same business area. A. B. C. D. E. concentration diversification related diversification unrelated diversification vertical integration

5.

__________ involves growth by acquiring new businesses or entering business areas that are related to what the organisation already does. A. B. C. D. E. Concentration Related diversification Unrelated diversification Forward integration Vertical integration 2

6.

__________ occur(s) when two or more organisations join together in partnership to pursue an area of mutual interest. A. B. C. D. E. Vertical integration Horizontal integration Strategic alliances Strategic contracts Organisational collusion

7.

Michael Porter's generic strategies model identifies four fundamental strategies. Which of the following correctly describes these strategies? A. B. C. D. E. Introduction, growth, maturity and decline Stars, cash cows, dogs and question marks Growth, differentiation, incremental and emergent Differentiation, cost leadership, focused differentiation and focused cost leadership Growth, retrenchment, vertical integration and stability

8.

__________ describes a leader who brings to the situation a clear and compelling sense of the future as well as an understanding of the actions needed to get there successfully. A. B. C. D. E. Visionary leadership Participative leadership Consultative leadership Charismatic leadership Transformational leadership

9.

The three types of position power are __________, __________, and __________. A. B. C. D. E. Legitimate expert coercive Coercive expert reward Reward legitimate coercive Referent reward legitimate Expert referent legitimate

10.

__________ theories of leadership address the question: What personal characteristics separate effective leaders from ineffective leaders? A. B. C. D. E. Trait Behavioural Contingency Situational Path-goal

11.

__________ is concerned with the recurring pattern of behaviours exhibited by a leader. A. B. C. D. E. Behaviour leadership theory Situational control Supportive leadership Leadership style Democratic leadership

12.

__________ attempt to answer the question: 'When and under what circumstances is a particular leadership style preferable to others?' A. B. C. D. E. Power-based approaches to leadership Trait approaches to leadership Behavioural approaches to leadership Contingency approaches to leadership Ethical approaches to leadership

13.

In Hersey and Blanchard's situational leadership model, a manager who explains task directions persuasively and with much support uses which leadership style? A. B. C. D. E. Telling Selling Delegating Directing Participating

14.

A(n) ____________ leader develops special leader-follower relationships and inspires followers in extraordinary ways. A. B. C. D. E. participative charismatic transformational transactional old-fashioned

15.

__________ is change that occurs spontaneously and randomly and without the benefit of a change agent's attention. A. B. C. D. E. Performance change Crisis-induced change Unplanned change Innovative change Disruptive change

16.

The unfreezing, changing, and refreezing phases are all parts of what process? A. B. C. D. E. Planned change process Decision-making process Conflict resolution process Organisation design process Negotiation process

17.

__________ is the phase of stabilising the change and creating the conditions for its long-term continuity. A. B. C. D. E. Unfreezing Changing Transforming Refreezing Refocusing

18.

A force-coercion strategy for change involves the use of A. B. C. D. E. expertise and rational argument. referent and expert power. formal authority and/or rewards or punishments. shared power. creativity and innovation.

19.

__________ is often viewed as something that must be overcome in order for change to be successful. A. B. C. D. E. Political manoeuvring Power sharing Forced coercion Resistance to change Rational persuasion

20.

In the context of planned organisational change, the letters "OD" stand for A. B. C. D. E. organisation design. organisation development. organisational diversity. open design. operating decisions.

Section B: True/False Questions (Compulsory) Total: 10 marks, 0.5 mark per question
1. Kathy notices that most of her co-workers take extended lunch breaks. Kathy doesn't do this, but feels she is therefore justified in working a little less hard during the day. Kathy's decision to work 'less hard' is best explained by the equity theory of motivation. (T/F)

2.

In the expectancy theory of motivation, the value the individual assigns to possible rewards and other work-related outcomes is called valence. (T/F)

3.

A basic premise of reinforcement theory states that behaviour that results in pleasant outcomes is likely to be repeated, and behaviour that results in unpleasant outcomes is not likely to be repeated. This premise is known as the law of effect. (T/F)

4.

A manager nodding to express approval to a subordinate who is making a useful comment during a staff meeting is an example of positive reinforcement. (T/F)

5.

A manager who issues a written reprimand to an employee who reports late for work one day is using punishment. (T/F)

6.

Nancy received $2000 for substantially exceeding her quarterly performance goals. Nancy received incentive compensation under bonus pay plan. (T/F)

7.

Barbara works in a company that pays all the employees a portion of net profits earned at the end of each quarter. Barbara's company offers its employees profit-sharing which is type of incentive compensation. (T/F)

8.

Paying for job relevant skills is pay for knowledge or skill-based pay. (T/F)

9.

Employment discrimination occurs when someone is denied a job or a job assignment for reasons that are not job relevant. (T/F)

10.

A job analysis provides useful information that can be used to develop job descriptions and job specifications. (T/F)

11.

Recruitment is a set of activities designed to attract a qualified pool of job applicants to an organization. (T/F) 6

12.

Job rotation is a training device that offers opportunities for persons to spend time in different jobs and expand their range of job capabilities. (T/F)

13.

A training technique that demonstrates, through personal behaviour, what is expected of others is called modeling. (T/F)

14.

A career plateau is a position from which someone is unlikely to move to a higher level of work responsibility. (T/F)

15.

The degree to which people are treated the same without regard to ethnicity, race, gender and age is the concept of distributive justice. (T/F)

16.

An executive who assumes that ethical standards are universal in nature and should apply absolutely across cultures and national boundaries is operating under ethical universalism. (T/F)

17.

When some action must be taken but there is not a clear 'right' or 'wrong' approach, a person is faced with an ethical dilemma. (T/F)

18.

Lobbying enables executives to have their positions and preferences communicated directly to government officials. (T/F)

19.

Personal contacts and networks enables executives to get to know important people in government. (T/F)

20.

An organisation that is following a proactive social responsibility strategy would likely take a leadership role in identifying and responding to emerging social issues. (T/F)

Section C: Short Answers (Choices) Answer any 6 of the 8 questions Total: 30 marks, 5 marks per question

1.

Describe the difference between strategic and tactical plans?

2.

Discuss the benefits of scenario planning for individuals and organizations?

3.

What is external control? Identify and describe three types of external control?

4.

Briefly describe the progressive discipline system?

5.

Explain the concepts of formal structure and informal structure?

6.

What is the organising function? Why is it important? How does it relate to the other management functions?

7.

Differentiate between job sharing and work sharing?

8.

Discuss the ways of coping with workplace stress?

Section D: Case Study (Case Study 1) This Section is Compulsory

Acme Minerals Extraction Company

Total: 20 marks

(Source: Samson, D., and Daft, R.L. 2003. Fundamentals of Management. Thompson, Australia: 468). Questions: 1. What type of team is used in the case study? Explain? (3 marks) 2. Why do you think that the team project succeeded in the first plant but is not working in the sister plant? (11 marks) 3. What advice would you given Suzanne Howard and her team for improving employee involvement climate at the sister plant? (6 marks) 9

Section D: Case Study (Case Study 2) This Section is Compulsory

Total: 30 marks

Case for critical thinking: Business communication in Asia

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(Source: Schmerhorn, J. R., Davidson, P., Poole, D., Simon, A., Woods, P., Chau, S. L., 2011.
Management. (4th Ed.). John Wiley and Sons, Australia. Pp. (483-484).

Questions: Imagine that you are about to become a manager in a multinational organisation, and will be required to interact regularly with the both the companys Asian office and other stakeholder organisations in Asia. Answer the following questions.

1. Give a brief synopsis of the case study? (3 marks)

2. What might be some potential barriers to effective communication? (5 marks)

3. What would be the advantages and disadvantages of the various communication channels? (6 marks)

4. How could perception potentially affect intended communication messages? (8 marks)

5. What factors might you need to be particularly aware of in negotiation situations? (8 marks)

The End!

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