ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR EXAM

Part A: Answer each of the following questions in a complete, well-thought-out paragraph or two. (Each answer is worth 20 points.)
1.Considering the two dimensions of Ken Thomas's model of personal conflict-management
styles, explain in the simplest terms how compromising is different from collaborating.

2.Compare the population ecology perspective with the view that categorizes organizations
as mechanistic or organic.

3.Explain the basic ideas of Fiedler's contingency model, and evaluate the conclusions
drawn from Fiedler's research in comparison with the managerial grid.

Part B: Answer each of the following questions in two or three sentences. (Each answer is worth 4 points.)
1. Explain the following diagram and present an example of how it may be applied.
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2.Explain the difference between role conflict and role ambiguity

3. Provide three examples each of programmed and nonprogrammed decisions. Do not use
the examples given in the textbook.
4.The supervisor of Department A wants to change the procedure for packing completed
units. He decides to have a department meeting and ask for suggestions and comments
from his employees. What tactic is this supervisor using and why?
5.During a performance appraisal, an employee is told that his production is satisfactory
but that coworkers find him abrasive and unpleasant to be around. After the appraisal,
the employee forgets about the criticism and ignores the supervisor's suggestions for
improvement. What is this employee guilty of? Explain.
6.Explain the concept of a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you were a manager, how would you use
this concept to your advantage?
7.Suppose you're in a meeting with your supervisor and your department coworkers. Your
supervisor asks you to demonstrate how you perform a particularly difficult task in your
job. How would you feel about this? Do you think you would do a good job of demonstrat­
ing the task? Does your answer agree with what the text has to say about the impact of
group properties on performance?
8.How does the author of your textbook answer the criticism that the principles of
organizational behavior are fairly obvious and could be derived from common sense?
9.Explain the relationship of legitimacy to power and authority.
10. Which type of organization, tall or flat, would be more likely to have a decentralized structure? Why?