Question Paper
Leadership and Change Management (MB3H1H) : October 2008


Section A : Basic Concepts (30 Marks)

·  This section consists of questions with serial number 1 - 30.

·  Answer all questions.

·  Each question carries one mark.

·  Maximum time for answering Section A is 30 Minutes.

1. / In a business world that is constantly changing, an organization needs both leaders and managers, if they are to survive and grow. Which of the following statements is/are not the characteristic(s) of leadership?
I. Leadership deals with aligning people.
II. Leadership provides a direction for change.
III. Leadership involves motivating people.
IV. Leadership deals with organizing and staffing.
(a) / Only (I) above
(b) / Only (IV) above
(c) / Both (I) and (III) above
(d) / Both (II) and (III) above
(e) / All (I), (II), (III) and (IV) above.
/ <Answer>
2. / Which of the following attributes of effective leaders enhances integrity, which is a personal virtue of an organization?
(a) / Self-awareness
(b) / Self-regulation
(c) / Motivation
(d) / Empathy
(e) / Social skills.
/ <Answer>
3. / In which of the following leadership styles, the leader keeps his employees happy and creates harmony among them thus ensuring better communication and sharing of ideas, while providing inspiration and building trust?
(a) / Autocratic style
(b) / Authoritative style
(c) / Benevolent style
(d) / Coaching style
(e) / Democratic style.
/ <Answer>
4. / Tannenbaum and Schmidt’s continuum indicates different patterns of leadership behavior. In which of the following patterns of behavior a leader arrives at a decision, seeks the approval of his subordinates and gives his subordinates an opportunity to understand its line of thinking and intentions?
(a) / Leader as an announcer
(b) / Leader as a seller
(c) / Leader as a clarifier
(d) / Leader as a senior partner
(e) / Leader as seeker.
/ <Answer>
5. / Which of the following subordinates do not have a certain amount of power in relation to the leader?
(a) / Subordinates who have skills which are difficult to replace
(b) / Subordinates who have exclusive information or knowledge
(c) / Subordinates who maintain good relation with their leaders
(d) / Subordinates whose jobs are crucial and have a high impact on the boss’s performance
(e) / Subordinates whose jobs are not related to other jobs in the organization.
/ <Answer>
6. / Persuasion skills can be improved by tailoring the arguments/presentation to the decision making style of the leader in the group. In this regard, which of the following statements is/are not true regarding followers?
(a) / Followers are not early adopters
(b) / Followers rely on past decisions made under similar circumstances
(c) / Followers are the easiest to persuade
(d) / Followers do not like innovative and new ideas
(e) / Followers are responsible decision makers.
/ <Answer>
7. / If a story teller talks about his experiences in his early career and in another company, the narrated experience should relate to the company’s current challenges. In such case, the components that are necessary for shaping great stories that build leadership is termed as
(a) / Level specific
(b) / Dramatic
(c) / Context-specific
(d) / Learning value
(e) / Use of role models.
/ <Answer>
8. / Organizations take certain critical steps to bring about change or link leadership development to company goals. In which of the following steps, companies use Kirkpatrick levels to quantify the impact of leadership programs on business results?
(a) / Future orientation
(b) / Execution
(c) / Integration
(d) / Consciousness
(e) / Evaluation of Development efforts.
/ <Answer>
9. / According to Bennis and Nanus, which of the following learnings ensures long-term survival by bringing change, renewal, and restructuring?
(a) / Individual learning
(b) / Group learning
(c) / Innovative learning
(d) / Maintenance learning
(e) / On job learning.
/ <Answer>
10. / By using which of the following a leader can put the parties of a conflict situation at ease and demonstrate his willingness to help them arrive at a mutually acceptable solution?
(a) / Passive listening
(b) / Active listening
(c) / Nonverbal communication
(d) / Mediation skills
(e) / Questioning skills.
/ <Answer>
11. / The coaching that takes place when the subordinate is performing up to the expectations and wants to acquire new skills to perform at higher levels is termed as
(a) / Performance management coaching
(b) / Situational coaching
(c) / Intensive coaching
(d) / Performance enhancement coaching
(e) / Formal coaching.
/ <Answer>
12. / To be a successful coach one should not act as a
I. Judge.
II. Patient observer.
III. Colleague.
IV. Teacher.
(a) / Only (I) above
(b) / Only (II) above
(c) / Both (I) and (II) above
(d) / Both (III) and (IV) above
(e) / All (I), (II), (III) and (IV) above.
/ <Answer>
13. / Which of the following statements is/are true regarding the differences between work groups and teams?
I. Work groups have single strong leader while leadership roles are shared by team members in teams based on needs and circumstances.
II. Work groups have individual and mutual accountability where as in teams there is no scope for mutual accountability.
III. The purpose of groups is always same as the mission of the organization but the team shapes its purpose by taking the top management expectations into consideration.
(a) / Only (I) above
(b) / Only (II) above
(c) / Both (I) and (III) above
(d) / Both (II) and (III) above
(e) / All (I), (II) and (III) above.
/ <Answer>
14. / Activities such as interviews, surveys, and experiments that generally involve more than one person can be termed as
(a) / Team performances
(b) / Organizational performances
(c) / Individual performances
(d) / Collective work-products
(e) / Group activities.
/ <Answer>
15. / In which of the following leadership approaches that foster team performance, the leader can address the team directly about the urgency and importance of its mission and can also offer direct compensation for contribution to the team?
(a) / Spend time together
(b) / Be concerned about first impressions
(c) / Let the team redefine purpose and goals
(d) / Value contribution and positive feedback
(e) / Recruit for skill and potential.
/ <Answer>
16. / Organizations are increasingly becoming conscious of the need to be more choosy about their CEOs. Human resource departments are giving more attention to this issue. In this context, the task of selecting future CEOs can be disastrous, if
(a) / The incumbent CEO alone accomplishes the task
(b) / A committee is assigned for the task
(c) / The committee is cohesive and effective
(d) / The committee does not have more than five members
(e) / The committee evaluates the company’s top management team and its leadership development.
/ <Answer>
17. / Narcissistic leaders who work for long hours, sacrificing their personal lives by spending all their time and energy at work and even when they are not in their workplace, they spend their time thinking and planning for work can be characterized as
(a) / Relentless
(b) / Workaholics
(c) / Power Hungry
(d) / Ruthless
(e) / Loyal towards the organization.
/ <Answer>
18. / Jim Collins has classified different levels of leaders. Which of the following is not a characteristic of Level 5 leaders?
(a) / Level 5 leaders are a paradoxical blend of fierce and personal humility
(b) / Level 5 leaders are stubborn and ruthless yet humble
(c) / Level 5 leaders are often more bothered about their personal greatness than the company’s greatness
(d) / Level 5 leaders are highly ambitious for their company
(e) / Level 5 leaders accomplish great things for their organizations and they never take credit.
/ <Answer>
19. / Which of the following do the narcissistic leaders use to convince other members in a meeting, that what he is talking is plain common sense and truth?
(a) / Charisma
(b) / Compelling vision
(c) / Metaphors
(d) / Empathy
(e) / Self-esteem.
/ <Answer>
20. / E-commerce needs a different outlook on manufacturing and commerce. But with e-commerce, organizations can create competitive advantage through this function. In this context, which of the following is/are false regarding e-commerce?
I. E-commerce does not simply cover the distance but it eliminates the distance.
II. Leadership in the age of e-commerce is more about connecting technology than connecting people.
III. E-commerce cannot operate in any market without maintaining a physical presence there.
(a) / Only (I) above
(b) / Only (II) above
(c) / Both (I) and (II) above
(d) / Both (II) and (III) above
(e) / All (I), (II) and (III) above.
/ <Answer>
21. / According Larry E.Greiner, an organization evolves through five stages. In which of the following stages the management does not communicate very frequently with the lower level management?
(a) / The creativity stage
(b) / The stage of direction-setting
(c) / The stage of decentralization
(d) / The stage of coordination
(e) / The stage of collaboration.
/ <Answer>
22. / Systematic change is more focused and carefully constructed. It is often characterized by orderliness. The following are the good examples for systematic change except
(a) / Quality improvements
(b) / Work reprogramming
(c) / Benchmarking
(d) / Repositioning strategy
(e) / Strategic planning.
/ <Answer>
23. / Rejuvenation is an organic change that happens in many ways. Which of the following is underway in an organization when its middle level managers are successful in inducing change by taking sound initiative?
(a) / Inadvertent rejuvenation
(b) / Imperative rejuvenation
(c) / Steady rejuvenation
(d) / Driven rejuvenation
(e) / Advertent rejuvenation.
/ <Answer>
24. / Reform is a change that occurs in a calculated and systematic way. Which of the following reforms is meant to bring about organic change directly and are steady and consistent?
(a) / Educated reform
(b) / Imperative reform
(c) / Energized reform
(d) / Systematic reform
(e) / Planned reform.
/ <Answer>
25. / Which of the following statement(s) is/are true regarding organic change?
I. Organic change is stimulated by specialists.
II. Organic change is fragmented and anarchical in nature.
III. Groups infusing such change may work at cross-purposes and engage in fighting over resources.
(a) / Only (I) above
(b) / Only (II) above
(c) / Both (I) and (II) above
(d) / Both (II) and (III) above
(e) / All (I), (II) and (III) above.
/ <Answer>
26. / The role of middle level managers is crucial in managing change. Which of the following statement(s) is/are not true regarding middle level managers as change agents?
I. Middle level managers connect and align between the top management’s aspirations and strategic intent, market realities and the capabilities of work force.
II. Middle level managers can not bring about change in the actions of people around them.
III. They influence the actions of the people reporting to them as well as the people who they report to.
(a) / Only (I) above
(b) / Only (II) above
(c) / Both (I) and (II) above
(d) / Both (II) and (III) above
(e) / All (I), (II) and (III) above.
/ <Answer>
27. / In some organizations, the senior HR people are referred to as “change directors”. In this context, which of the following are true regarding the new roles of the HR department?
I. To define company’s vision in financial terms.
II. To act as the guardian of company’s culture.
III. To play a key role in the development of business strategy.
IV. To train, educate and develop managers by providing the tools and techniques necessary for ushering in the desired change.
(a) / Both (I) and (II) above
(b) / Both (I) and (III) above
(c) / (I), (II) and (IV) above
(d) / (II), (III) and (IV) above
(e) / All (I), (II), (III) and (IV) above.
/ <Answer>
28. / Disruptive innovation helps the customer meet his needs, but at a far lower price and more conveniently. In this context, which of the following is true regarding disruptive innovation?
(a) / Disruptive innovators compete against existing consumption
(b) / The product or service that emerges out of disruptive innovation serves people who were either not served earlier or were used to poor service
(c) / The product or service that emerges out of disruptive innovation serves people who were already being served well
(d) / Disruptive innovation goes systematically
(e) / There is a defined structure for disruptive innovation.
/ <Answer>
29. / Transforming an organization requires initiative, cooperation and willingness of the employees and managers in the organization to make sacrifices. In which of the following steps, suggested by John P. Kotter, the guiding coalition attempts to cash in on the credibility generated through short-term wins?
(a) / Establishing a sense of urgency
(b) / Creating a guiding coalition
(c) / Communicating the changing vision
(d) / Scoring short-term wins
(e) / Consolidating change.
/ <Answer>
30. / Organizational culture is significantly influenced by the mental models the employees in an organization hold. Which of the following is true regarding mental models of employees in an organization?
(a) / Changing the mental models of employees is one way to change organizational structure
(b) / Mental models of employees are invaluable for day-to-day living
(c) / Mental models of employees represent situation exactly as it is
(d) / Mental models of employees determine how people see the world influence
(e) / Mental models of employees influence organizational culture.
/ <Answer>

END OF SECTION A