Chapter 01 Understanding Behavior, Human Relations, and Performance

Chapter 01 - Understanding Behavior, Human Relations, and Performance

Chapter 01

Understanding Behavior, Human Relations, and Performance

True / False Questions

1.According to the myths of human relations, technical skills are more important than human relations skills.
TrueFalse

2.According to recruiters at major corporations, seeking employees with stronger technical skills is a greater issue as compared to human relations skills.
TrueFalse

3.A leader can be highly effective even with poor human relations skills.
TrueFalse

4.Leadership skills cannot be developed.
TrueFalse

5.When a manager expects high levels of performance from employees, that manager is expressing his or her needs.
TrueFalse

6.Conflicts usually arise because of a lack of a win-win situation.
TrueFalse

7.Creating a win-win situation applies to human relations at all levels, not just management-employee relations.
TrueFalse

8.An employee giving a presentation to coworkers is an example of public relations.
TrueFalse

9.Group behavior consists of the things two or more people do and say as they interact.
TrueFalse

10.The three levels of behavior are individual, organizational, and global.
TrueFalse

11.Human relations take place at the individual and organizational levels.
TrueFalse

12.Human resource management is the collective behavior of an organization's individuals and groups.
TrueFalse

13.A formal organizational chart shows the multiple human relations interactions that are possible throughout the organization.
TrueFalse

14.Performance is always considered "high" when objectives are met.
TrueFalse

15.Performance levels are more meaningful when compared to past performance or the performance of others within and/or outside the organization.
TrueFalse

16.A system is a set of two or more interactive elements.
TrueFalse

17.Under the systems effect, each person affects the whole group/organization.
TrueFalse

18.An organization's performance is based on the independent performance of each individual and group.
TrueFalse

19.While people are the foundation of the organization, behavior and human relations are the foundation supporting performance.
TrueFalse

20.Frederick Taylor, known as the Father of Scientific Management, paid particular attention to the social needs of employees.
TrueFalse

21.Robert Owen was considered the first manager-entrepreneur to understand the need to improve the work environment and the employee's overall situation.
TrueFalse

22.Happy workers are always more productive than unhappy workers.
TrueFalse

23.Informal work groups have a powerful influence within an organization.
TrueFalse

24.Popular employees move higher up the management ladder faster than those who are not popular.
TrueFalse

25.Managers always control the motivating factors of employees.
TrueFalse

26.During the 1960s, William Ouchi published Theory X.
TrueFalse

27.Total quality management gained popularity in the 1980s.
TrueFalse

28.Having a poor memory for failure leads to happiness.
TrueFalse

29.Admitting you're wrong is often interpreted as a sign of weakness.
TrueFalse

30.Human relations problems often occur when the psychological contract is not met.
TrueFalse

Multiple Choice Questions

31.All of the following are true about human relations EXCEPT:
A.technical skills are not more important than human relations skills.
B.good human relations is not a factor that makes you more successful on the job.
C.human relations are more than common sense.
D.diversity is overemphasized.

32.Conflicts usually arise due to the lack of a(n) ______situation.
A.win-lose
B.organizational
C.win-win
D.controlled

33.The _____ approach realizes that an organization employs a whole individual, not just his or her job skills.
A.total opportunity
B.total person
C.total skills
D.total employee

34._____ fuels behavior.
A.Performance
B.Win-win situation
C.Holistic approach
D.Human relations

35.Behavior is what people _____.
A.see and say
B.do and say
C.learn and say
D.hear and say

36.Human relations take place at the _____ levels.
A.individual and group
B.group and organizational
C.individual, group, and organizational
D.individual and organizational

37.Level three of behavior focuses on:
A.the behavior of any one person in the organization.
B.on the behavior and human relations within groups.
C.on the behavior and human relations within and between groups.
D.the organization as a whole.

38.Which of the following statements about performance is incorrect?
A.Performance is a relative term.
B.Performance is usually measured on a continuum.
C.Performance cannot be high if profits are down.
D.Present performance is usually compared to prior periods.

39._____ is the extent to which expectations or objectives have been met.
A.Performance
B.Excellence
C.Attainment
D.Resource management

40.Which of the following approach focuses on the whole system with an emphasis on the relationships between its parts?
A.Performance
B.Systems
C.Attainment
D.Person

41.Industrialist and social theorist Robert Owen believed that:
A.analyzing and redesigning jobs more efficiently would lead to mass production.
B.happy worker is a productive worker.
C.profit would increase if the employees worked shorter hours, were paid adequately, and were provided with sufficient food and housing.
D.workers always acted rationally and were motivated simply by money.

42.During the depression of the 1930s, _____ forced management to meet employees' needs for better working conditions, higher pay, and shorter hours.
A.government agencies
B.tight labor markets
C.unions
D.increased competition

43.______introduced transactional analysis.
A.Eric Berne
B.Frederick Taylor
C.Robert Owen
D.Peter Drucker

44.Total quality management gained popularity in the _____.
A.1970s
B.1980s
C.1960s
D.1990s

45.______integrates common business practices in the United States and Japan into middle-ground framework appropriate for use in the United States.
A.Theory A
B.Theory X
C.Theory Y
D.Theory Z

46.Avoiding criticizing, condemning, or spreading rumors is associated with which of the following guideline to human relations?
A.Being positive
B.Being optimistic
C.Listening to people
D.Helping others

Short Answer Questions

47.What is an organization and why is it created?

48.What does the systems approach focus on?

49.Name three areas of behavioral science on which human relations is based.

50.What was Robert Owen's contribution to the subject of human relations?

51.To what does the Hawthorne Effect refer?

52.What is psychological contract?

53.What is the best way to get what you want from other people?

54.There are three ways to solve a human relations problem. What are they?

Essay Questions

55.Explain why human relations skills are important.

56.Discuss the goal of human relations.

57.Describe the relationship between individual and group behavior and organizational performance.

58.Describe the relationship between behavior, human relations, and organizational performance.

59.Briefly describe the history of the study of human relations.

60.State some of the trends and challenges in the field of human relations.

61.Explain the nine guidelines for effective human relations.

62.Identify your personal low and high human relations ability and skill levels.

63.Identify five personal human relations goals for the course.

64.In your own words, explain why human relations skills are important to you. How will they help you in your career?

65.Give an example, personal if possible, of a situation when the goal of human relations was met. Explain how the individual's needs were met and the organizational objectives achieved.

66.Give a specific example, personal if possible, that supports the total person approach. Explain how an individual's job performance was affected by off-the-job problems.

67.Give two specific examples of your involvement in human relations--one positive and one negative. Also identify the level of behavior for each example.

68.Give two specific examples of how human relations affected your performance—one positive and the other negative. Be specific in explaining the effects of human relations in both cases.

69.Give a specific example, personal if possible, of the Hawthorne effect . It could be when a teacher, coach, or boss gave you special attention that resulted in your increased performance.

70.Explain how one of the trends and challenges could personally affect your human relations.

71.Do you believe that you can and will develop your human relations abilities and skills through this course? Explain your answer.

72.Which two of the nine to human relations guidelines need the most effort on your part? Which two need the least? Explain your answers.

73.Give a specific example of a human relations problem in which you elected to change yourself rather than the other person or situation. Be sure to identify your changed behavior.

74.In your opinion, which myth about human relations holds back the development of human relations skills more than any of the others?

75.Which person's contribution to the history of human relations do you find to be the most impressive?

76.Which one of the trends or challenges do you believe is the most relevant to the field of human relations?

77.Which one of the nine guidelines to effective human relations do you think is the most important?

78.Of the three ways to handle human relations problems, which ones are the easiest and hardest for you?

79.Of the intrapersonal, interpersonal, and leadership skills, which one is your strongest? Your weakest?

Multiple Choice Questions

80.James gave the board of directors a presentation on the product launch plan for their new product. His presentation was highly appreciated as it covered most of the queries that the directors had about this launch. This example best illustrates ______.
A.behavior
B.performance
C.total person approach
D.human relations

81.My boss let me out early from work to see my son play in a football game. All I had to do was get all my work done for the day before I left. This example best illustrates ______.
A.behavior
B.performance
C.the goal of human relations
D.human relations

True / False Questions

82.An employee receiving training on the first day of work is an example of human relations.
TrueFalse

Multiple Choice Questions

83.Jenny and Mary work on a project together and attend department meetings. Their actions are considered as:
A.behavior.
B.performance.
C.systems effect.
D.human relations.

84.The members of the marketing department are having a meeting. There is a lot of disagreement over the content of the next ad. This example best illustrates what level of behavior?
A.Individual
B.Group
C.Organizational
D.Customary

True / False Questions

85.The manager is developing a part-time employee work schedule for the next week. This example best illustrates the organizational level of behavior.
TrueFalse

86.The production department just set a record for the highest number of units made in an eight-hour period. This example best illustrates the goal of human relations.
TrueFalse

87.The production manager is having a discussion with the team members on the best ways to meet the excessive product demands within the stipulated time frame. This example best illustrates group performance.
TrueFalse

Multiple Choice Questions

88._____ failed to recognize the social needs of employees.
A.Elton Mao
B.Robert Owen
C.Tom Peters
D.Frederick Taylor

True / False Questions

89.Frederick Taylor conducted research to determine the characteristics of successful organizations.
TrueFalse

90.Robert Owen refused to employ children under the age of 11.
TrueFalse

91.Eric Berne introduced transactional analysis (TA).
TrueFalse

92.Elton Mayo developed Theory Z.
TrueFalse

93.Technology has enabled the innovation and speed we have now in the global economy.
TrueFalse

94.External factors play an important role in affecting a firm's competition levels.
TrueFalse

Fill in the Blank Questions

95.The focus of level ______is on the behavior and human relations within and between groups.
______

96._____ behavior is the collective behavior of an organization's individuals and groups.
______

97._____ is the extent to which expectations or objectives have been met.
______

98._____ and human relations are the foundation supporting performance.
______

99.Edward Lawler suggested the use of ______management, which includes greater levels of participation at the lowest level of the organization.
______

100.The ______is the shared expectations between people.
______

Chapter 01 Understanding Behavior, Human Relations, and Performance Answer Key

True / False Questions

1.(p.4)According to the myths of human relations, technical skills are more important than human relations skills.
TRUE

Bloom's Taxonomy: Knowledge
Difficulty: Easy
Learning Objective: 1

2.(p.4)According to recruiters at major corporations, seeking employees with stronger technical skills is a greater issue as compared to human relations skills.
FALSE

Recruiters at major corporations say technical skills are not an issue; they seek job candidates with strong human relations skills.

Bloom's Taxonomy: Knowledge
Difficulty: Easy
Learning Objective: 1

3.(p.4)A leader can be highly effective even with poor human relations skills.
FALSE

Effective leaders usually have good human relations skills.

Bloom's Taxonomy: Knowledge
Difficulty: Medium
Learning Objective: 1

4.(p.5)Leadership skills cannot be developed.
FALSE

Research supports that leadership skills can be developed.

Bloom's Taxonomy: Knowledge
Difficulty: Easy
Learning Objective: 1

5.(p.5)When a manager expects high levels of performance from employees, that manager is expressing his or her needs.
FALSE

It means that the manager is identifying organizational objectives.