Mock Exam, Organizational Behaviour

Midterms Mock Exam: Oranizational Behaviour

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Organizational Behaviour
1. Define Organizational Behavior (OB) and explain its importance in modern business practices.
  • Organizational Behavior (OB) refers to the study of how individuals, groups, and structures impact behavior within organizations, with the aim of improving organizational effectiveness. Its importance lies in understanding factors such as motivation, communication, and group dynamics, which influence productivity and employee satisfaction, ultimately contributing to business success.
2. Enumerate and discuss the main behavioral science disciplines that contribute to the study of OB.
The major disciplines that contribute to Organizational Behavior are:

  1. Psychology – Focuses on individual behavior and mental processes.
  2. Social Psychology – Examines how people influence each other.
  3. Sociology – Studies social systems, group dynamics, and organizational culture.
  4. Anthropology – Provides insights into cultural differences and their impact on organizations.
    These disciplines help managers understand how to better manage people, culture, and interpersonal interactions within organizations.
3. What are the key roles of managers as described by Mintzberg, and how do they impact organizational effectiveness?
Mintzberg identifies three main categories of managerial roles:

  1. Interpersonal Roles – Include being a figurehead, leader, and liaison, which help in fostering relationships.
  2. Informational Roles – Managers act as monitors, disseminators, and spokespersons to manage information flow.
  3. Decisional Roles – They involve making strategic decisions as entrepreneurs, disturbance handlers, resource allocators, and negotiators.
    These roles are crucial for achieving efficiency, maintaining team dynamics, and ensuring that organizations respond effectively to challenges and opportunities.
4. Identify the core challenges and opportunities managers face when applying OB principles in a global and diverse workforce.
Managers today encounter challenges such as:

  1. Managing Workforce Diversity – Adapting to differences in gender, age, race, and cultural backgrounds.
  2. Globalization – Operating in different cultural environments with varying norms and legal requirements.
  3. Technological Change – Dealing with the impact of social media, AI, and remote work.
    Opportunities include fostering innovation, improving employee satisfaction through inclusion, and gaining a competitive advantage by leveraging diversity.
5. Explain the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and its relevance in promoting ethical behavior within organizations.
  • Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) involves self-regulated actions by organizations to benefit society and the environment beyond legal requirements. It enhances the company’s reputation, improves employee morale, and fosters positive customer relationships. CSR also encourages ethical behavior by aligning business goals with societal values, thus promoting sustainable business practices and contributing to long-term success.
Diversity
1. What are the two main types of diversity, and how do they influence workplace interactions?
The two main types of diversity are surface-level diversity and deep-level diversity.

  1. Surface-level diversity refers to visible characteristics such as age, gender, race, and ethnicity, which may activate stereotypes but do not reflect individual thoughts or feelings.
  2. Deep-level diversity includes values, personality, and work preferences, which become more significant over time as people interact and learn about each other.
    Understanding both types is crucial for effective teamwork and reducing conflicts based on superficial judgments.
2. Explain the concept of ability-job fit and its significance in organizational performance.
The ability-job fit refers to how well an individual’s abilities align with the requirements of a specific job. It ensures that employees can perform their tasks effectively, leading to better productivity and job satisfaction. Misalignment can result in stress, reduced efficiency, and increased turnover. Organizations must evaluate both the physical and intellectual abilities of employees to assign appropriate roles, improving performance and job engagement.
3. Enumerate the dimensions of intellectual abilities and describe their relevance in job performance.
The dimensions of intellectual abilities include:

  1. Number aptitude – Ability to perform arithmetic tasks quickly and accurately.
  2. Verbal comprehension – Understanding spoken or written words and their relationships.
  3. Perceptual speed – Identifying visual similarities and differences quickly.
  4. Inductive reasoning – Identifying patterns and solving problems logically.
  5. Deductive reasoning – Applying logic to assess arguments and draw conclusions.
  6. Spatial visualization – Imagining the impact of changes to spatial arrangements.
  7. Memory – Retaining and recalling past experiences.
    These abilities influence tasks requiring analytical thinking, problem-solving, and learning, making them essential for performance in various roles.
4. Discuss the role of diversity management in creating inclusive workplaces.
Diversity management involves strategies and programs designed to increase awareness of and sensitivity to individual differences within the workforce. It aims to create a supportive environment where employees feel valued and included, regardless of their backgrounds. Effective diversity management reduces discrimination, promotes innovation by leveraging diverse perspectives, and helps organizations attract and retain talent. It is essential for fostering an equitable workplace where everyone can contribute to their fullest potential.
5. What are the nine physical abilities listed in the document, and why are they important for certain job roles?
The nine physical abilities are:

  1. Dynamic strength – Exerting muscular force repeatedly over time.
  2. Trunk strength – Using core muscles effectively.
  3. Static strength – Exerting force against external objects.
  4. Explosive strength – Expending energy in sudden bursts.
  5. Extent flexibility – Moving the back and trunk muscles to their maximum range.
  6. Dynamic flexibility – Performing rapid flexing movements repeatedly.
  7. Body coordination – Synchronizing different body parts for complex movements.
  8. Balance – Maintaining equilibrium despite destabilizing forces.
  9. Stamina – Sustaining effort over extended periods.
    These abilities are particularly important for jobs requiring physical exertion, such as construction, sports, and emergency services, ensuring both safety and performance in physically demanding roles.

Here are five essay questions based on the content of the PDF on attitudes and job satisfaction. Each question invites students to explore core concepts with answers wrapped in the requested format.

Attitudes and Job Satisfaction
1. Describe the three components of an attitude and provide examples of each.
The three components of an attitude are:

  1. Affective Component – This refers to the emotional aspect of an attitude. For example, feeling frustrated with a long commute.
  2. Cognitive Component – This is the opinion or belief segment of an attitude, such as believing that “remote work increases productivity.”
  3. Behavioral Component – This reflects the intention to behave in a certain way, like deciding to find a new job due to dissatisfaction with current working conditions.
    These components together influence how individuals react to various situations in the workplace.
2. Explain the concept of cognitive dissonance and how individuals resolve it.
Cognitive dissonance occurs when there is a conflict between two or more attitudes or between behavior and attitudes. For example, an employee might feel uncomfortable working overtime if they value work-life balance. To resolve dissonance, individuals can:

  1. Change their attitude or behavior (e.g., accepting that overtime is necessary occasionally).
  2. Minimize the importance of the conflict (e.g., viewing overtime as a rare occurrence).
  3. Seek justification for the behavior (e.g., focusing on the rewards of overtime).
    Reducing cognitive dissonance helps individuals align their beliefs and behaviors to avoid psychological discomfort.
3. What are the different types of organizational commitment, and how do they affect employee behavior?
The three types of organizational commitment are:

  1. Affective Commitment – Emotional attachment to the organization, resulting in employees staying because they want to.
  2. Normative Commitment – A sense of obligation to remain, often driven by moral or ethical reasons.
  3. Continuance Commitment – Staying with the organization due to the perceived economic costs of leaving.
    Employees with strong affective commitment are more likely to engage actively, while those with continuance commitment may stay despite low job satisfaction.
4. How does job satisfaction influence absenteeism and employee turnover?

Job satisfaction has a direct but varying impact on absenteeism and turnover:

  • Absenteeism: There is generally a negative relationship between job satisfaction and absenteeism, but this relationship can be weak when organizations offer liberal leave policies.
  • Turnover: There is a stronger negative correlation between job satisfaction and turnover, meaning dissatisfied employees are more likely to leave. However, this effect is moderated by job opportunities elsewhere; employees may stay despite dissatisfaction if they lack better options.

5. Define Organizational Citizenship Behavior (OCB) and explain its role in the workplace.
Organizational Citizenship Behavior (OCB) refers to voluntary actions by employees that are not part of their formal job requirements but promote the effective functioning of the organization. For example, an employee helping a colleague meet a deadline or bringing in coffee for the team.
OCB enhances teamwork, improves morale, and contributes to organizational success by fostering a supportive work environment. Employees who feel fairly treated and engaged are more likely to exhibit OCB, leading to improved performance and customer satisfaction.

Here are five essay questions based on the content of the PDF on emotions and moods. Each question encourages students to explore key ideas and answer in a thoughtful, essay format, with responses wrapped as requested.

Emotions and Moods
1. Differentiate between emotions, moods, and affect, providing examples of each.
Emotions are intense feelings directed at someone or something, such as anger after a disagreement. Moods are less intense feelings without a specific trigger, like feeling content for no particular reason. Affect is a broad term encompassing both emotions and moods, representing the range of feelings people experience. For instance, a person may feel joyful (emotion) in response to good news and stay in a positive mood for the rest of the day.
2. Explain the concept of emotional labor and its impact on employees in the workplace.
Emotional labor refers to the process of managing emotions to meet organizational expectations during interpersonal interactions. Employees in service roles, such as customer service representatives, often engage in emotional labor by displaying positive emotions, even when they don’t feel that way. This can lead to emotional dissonance, where there is a conflict between felt and displayed emotions, potentially causing burnout and stress. Managing emotional labor effectively is crucial for employee well-being and customer satisfaction.
3. Discuss the significance of emotional intelligence (EI) in the workplace and identify its five components.
Emotional intelligence (EI) is the ability to recognize and manage one’s emotions and those of others. The five components of EI are:

  1. Self-awareness – Knowing how you feel.
  2. Self-management – Controlling impulses and emotions.
  3. Self-motivation – Maintaining motivation and perseverance.
  4. Empathy – Understanding others’ emotions.
  5. Social skills – Managing relationships effectively.
    High EI improves leadership, decision-making, and interpersonal relationships, making it a valuable trait for workplace success.
4. What is the Affective Events Theory (AET), and how does it explain the relationship between emotions and job performance?
The Affective Events Theory (AET) suggests that emotions are responses to workplace events, influencing both job performance and satisfaction. According to the theory, personality and mood affect the intensity of emotional responses. Positive or negative emotional fluctuations throughout the day impact performance and satisfaction. For example, receiving praise can uplift mood and increase productivity, while workplace conflicts may cause frustration and reduce focus. AET highlights the importance of managing emotions to maintain job satisfaction and effectiveness.
5. How do cultural differences influence the expression of emotions, and what are some examples?
Cultures vary in how they value and express emotions. For example, Western cultures tend to view pride as a positive emotion, while Eastern cultures may see it as undesirable. Additionally, gestures like smiling can carry different meanings across cultures: in Western countries, a smile indicates happiness, whereas in some Middle Eastern contexts, it can be interpreted as a sign of attraction. These differences highlight the importance of cultural awareness when interpreting emotions in a globalized workplace.

Here are five essay questions based on the content of the PDF on personality and values. Each question encourages students to engage with the concepts and present their thoughts in essay form, with answers wrapped as requested.

Personality Values
1. Describe the Big Five personality traits and explain how they impact workplace behavior.
The Big Five personality traits include:

  1. Extroversion – Sociable and assertive individuals who thrive in group settings.
  2. Agreeableness – Cooperative and trustworthy, promoting teamwork.
  3. Conscientiousness – Organized and dependable, leading to higher performance.
  4. Openness to Experience – Imaginative and curious, often fostering creativity.
  5. Emotional Stability – Calm under stress, contributing to effective decision-making.
    These traits influence job performance, leadership effectiveness, and interpersonal relationships in the workplace, with conscientiousness often being the most predictive of high job performance.
2. Explain the concept of core self-evaluation and its components. How does it influence job performance?
Core self-evaluation refers to an individual’s fundamental assessment of themselves, influencing their behavior and motivation. The two main components are:

  1. Self-esteem – A person’s overall sense of self-worth or personal value.
  2. Locus of control – The extent to which individuals believe they have control over events.
    Individuals with positive core self-evaluations are more motivated, handle challenges better, and are generally more successful in their roles, contributing to higher job performance and satisfaction.
3. What is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), and why should it not be used for employee selection?
The MBTI categorizes individuals into one of 16 personality types based on four dimensions:

  1. Extraversion vs. Introversion – Preference for interaction vs. solitude.
  2. Sensing vs. Intuition – Focus on details vs. big picture.
  3. Thinking vs. Feeling – Emphasis on logic vs. personal values.
  4. Judging vs. Perceiving – Preference for structure vs. spontaneity.
    While MBTI can be useful for self-awareness and career development, it should not be used for employee selection because it lacks a direct correlation with job performance, making it an unreliable predictor for hiring decisions.
4. Discuss the difference between terminal and instrumental values according to the Rokeach Value Survey.
In the Rokeach Value Survey, values are divided into:

  1. Terminal values – Desirable end-states, such as happiness, success, or social recognition.
  2. Instrumental values – The means to achieve terminal values, such as honesty, hard work, or politeness.
    Understanding the alignment between an individual’s instrumental and terminal values is essential for organizations to foster meaningful work environments and enhance employee satisfaction.
5. How does Hofstede’s cultural framework explain differences in workplace behavior across cultures?
Hofstede’s framework identifies several dimensions that influence behavior across cultures:

  1. Power Distance – Acceptance of unequal power distribution.
  2. Individualism vs. Collectivism – Preference for individual achievement vs. group loyalty.
  3. Masculinity vs. Femininity – Focus on achievement vs. nurturing relationships.
  4. Uncertainty Avoidance – Comfort with ambiguity and change.
  5. Long-term vs. Short-term Orientation – Emphasis on future planning vs. immediate results.
    These cultural dimensions help organizations understand and adapt to diverse workforces, improving cross-cultural communication and collaboration.

Here are five essay questions based on the content of the PDF on perception and individual decision-making. Each question prompts students to explore essential concepts and elaborate on them, with answers wrapped as requested.

Perception and Individual Decision Making
1. Explain the concept of attribution theory and the factors that determine internal and external attributions.
Attribution theory explores how people determine the causes of others’ behavior, categorizing them as either internal (caused by personal traits) or external (due to environmental factors). The three main factors are:

  1. Distinctiveness – Whether the behavior is unusual for the person in different situations.
  2. Consensus – Whether others behave similarly in the same situation.
  3. Consistency – Whether the behavior occurs repeatedly over time.
    For example, if an employee is late only occasionally (low consistency), the cause may be external, such as unexpected traffic.
2. What is the fundamental attribution error, and how does it impact workplace interactions?
The fundamental attribution error refers to the tendency to overemphasize internal factors (like personality) and underestimate external factors when judging others’ behavior. For example, if a colleague misses a deadline, we may assume they are lazy (internal) rather than considering external factors like excessive workload. This bias can create misunderstandings, strain relationships, and affect teamwork if managers and employees do not accurately assess the true causes of behavior.
3. Describe the common perceptual shortcuts used in judging others and provide examples for each.
Several perceptual shortcuts influence how we judge others:

  1. Selective Perception – We see what we want to see based on our interests and experiences. For instance, managers may overlook poor behavior in top performers.
  2. Halo Effect – Forming a general impression of someone based on a single trait, like assuming a well-dressed employee is competent.
  3. Contrast Effect – Evaluating someone relative to others recently encountered, such as viewing a good candidate poorly after interviewing an excellent one.
  4. Projection – Attributing personal traits to others, like assuming others share the same work ethic.
  5. Stereotyping – Judging someone based on group identity, such as assuming certain traits based on gender or race.
    These shortcuts can simplify decision-making but often lead to biased judgments.
4. Compare the rational decision-making model with bounded rationality in the context of organizational decision-making.
The rational decision-making model assumes that individuals can identify problems clearly, evaluate all options, and select the optimal solution. It follows structured steps like defining the problem, identifying criteria, and evaluating alternatives. However, bounded rationality acknowledges that humans cannot process all information due to limitations in time, cognitive ability, and available data. Instead of maximizing outcomes, individuals opt for satisficing, selecting the first satisfactory solution rather than the best. This approach reflects how decisions are made in real-world settings, especially under pressure.
5. How do individual biases and errors affect decision-making, and what strategies can reduce their impact?
Common biases and errors in decision-making include:

  1. Overconfidence Bias – Believing too strongly in one’s ability to make accurate decisions.
  2. Anchoring Bias – Relying too heavily on the first piece of information received.
  3. Confirmation Bias – Focusing only on information that supports existing beliefs.
  4. Escalation of Commitment – Continuing a failing course of action despite negative feedback.
  5. Hindsight Bias – Believing an outcome was predictable after it has occurred.
    To reduce these biases, decision-makers should focus on clear goals, seek disconfirming evidence, avoid over-relying on early information, and increase the number of alternatives considered. Combining rational analysis with intuition can also enhance decision-making.

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