QUESTION BANK

ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR

UNIT 1:

1. “Since Behavior is generally predictable, there is no need to formally study OB”.

Discuss.

2. What are the three levels of analysis in OB Model? Are they related? If so, how?

3. Define OB and explain the history and developments in the field of OB?

4. Discuss the various cognitive functions like intelligence, creativity and problem solving.

5. What do you understand by Learning? Explain the process of learning with example.

6. Explain the importance of organizational behavior in the field of management.

7. How does perception affect the organizational processes? What role does perception play

in the field of OB?

8. Discuss the various factors affecting the perception of employees in an organization.

9. Discuss the current applications and future trends in OB.

UNIT 2

1. Most People believe that biological factors are important in determining the personality

of a person” Comment on this statement by taking various biological factors relevant for

personality and their impact.

2. What do you understand by attitude? Discuss the various components of attitude with

example.

3. Explain the various theories of personality with their implications in the field of

Management.

4. Motivation is a product of values one seeks and ones estimation of the probability that a

certain action will lead to these values. Discuss the idea contained in the statement.
5. What can the management do to satisfy the various levels of workers as shown in

Maslow’s Model?

6. “Expectancy theory is one of the most complex intricate and logical theories of

motivation” Examine the truth in this statement.

7. Compare and contrast Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs theory with Herzbergs two factor

theory.

8. a) Does Motivation come from within a person or is it a result of the situation? Explain.

b)Why people behave differently? What role a motivation plays in an organization?

9. “Leadership is the process by which an executive directs, guides and influence the work

of other” Explain. Also discuss the significance of leadership in management.

10. “A good leader is not necessarily a good manager” Discuss this statement and compare

leadership with management.

11. “Leader effectiveness is contingent upon whether the style used in appropriate to the

demands of the situation.” Critically examine the leadership theory that advocates this

view.

12. “Most effective leaders show great concern for both the task and people” Comment on

the validity of the statement providing a theoretical framework

13. Develop an example in which you operationalize the path-goal theory.

14. Is leader a born or made? Justify your views with contemporary examples.

UNIT -3

1. Explain the concept of ‘group’ and ‘group dynamics’ and the various steps involved in
the group development process.
2. Distinguish between formal and informal group.
3. a) What is the various ways of power distribution in any organization?
b) Define Organizational Politics. Why do organizational members resort to politics?

4. Discuss the causes of politics in an organization with example.

5. In what ways do groups behave differently to individuals?

6. To what extent is ‘cohesiveness’ in groups a ‘good thing’?

7. What are various elements in TQM?

8. Take examples of any three industries and define the term “quality” for their

respective industries.

UNIT -4

1. The focus of OD is on Organizations and making them functions better, that is, on total

system change’. Elaborate the comment.

2.a) What are the goals of an OD program?

b)Organizational Development is all about change. Explain how OD practices help in

bringing about change in the Organization.

3. What are the basic functions of organization culture? Describe the basic element and

determinants of organization culture?

4. What is OD Intervention? Discuss any two types of Intervention and their significance to

the organization.

5. How does organization culture create its impact on workforce? Suggest measures for

developing organization culture?

6. How to create and sustained a good organization culture?

7. How employees learn culture? What are the factors affecting organizational culture?

8. Write a short note on Impression Management.

Change Management :

1. “People resist change for the sake of resistance” Comment

2. “Change is highly important to the success of an organization but many people have the

tendency covertly to resist it” Explain this statement and point out the reasons for

resistance to change.
3. “Resistance to change is an irrational response” Do you agree or disagree? Explain.

4. Discuss the change and its effect on employees and organization? Discuss how a manager

manages change effectively?

Conflict Management:

1. “Even organizations which we consider to be ideal ones are not free from conflicts” Can

you apply your theoretical knowledge to explain how conflicts arise in any organization”.

2. Are conflicts functional or dysfunctional? Is elimination of all conflicts possible? Why?

3. Explain the nature and sources of conflict in the organization?

4. “Both too low and too high levels of conflict have deleterious effects on organization

performance” Discuss.

5. Discuss conflict resolution techniques? What are the strengths and weaknesses of each?

Business communication:

1. Does new technology upskill or deskill workforces?

2. Give some examples and illustrations of the positivist view of advanced business
communication technologies.

Long Answer questions:

Unit 1
 Describe the general history of management theory and practice and frame how
organizational behavior has developed from these into a discreet field.
 Describe organizational behavior and differentiate between the three levels of influence
 Describe contemporary issues and topics in organizational behavior
 Describe the history of social progress in the workplace
 Describe the complexity of diversity in the workplace
 Describe how contemporary organizations both benefit and struggle with diversity oriented
themes and topics
 Describe the history of business ethics as a topic in organizational behavior
 Describe the methods to encourage ethical behavior in contemporary organizations

Unit 2
  Describe how individual personality and behavior impacts the typical contemporary work
experience
 Describe how the modern workplace can both homogenize/conform behavior, and
encourage individuality and personal expression
 Describe how “motivation” operates in organizational behavior
 Describe various theories of motivation
 Discuss impact of motivation in the workplace
 Describe the types of decisions made in different types of organizations

Unit 3:
 Explain and explore the tension between individual versus groups and group dynamics in
organizational life
 Describe the relationship between general group and team management with various
structures and techniques
 Describe the study and theories of group and teamwork


UNIT 4

 Discuss stress and the consequences of stress in an organization

 Describe how theories and concepts around work–life balance affect notions of workplace
stress management
 Describe the key components of effective communication in contemporary organizational
life
 Discuss the importance of technology and various methods of communication available
 Discuss the other issues in workplace communication
 Describe why conflict resolution, “crucial conversations,” and other higher stakes
communication is necessary to study in organizations
 Discuss the history of negotiating techniques within organizational behavior
 Describe why conflict resolution, “crucial conversations,” and other higher stakes
communication is necessary to study in organizations
 Discuss the history of negotiating techniques within organizational behavior
 Describe the history of leadership as a topic inside organizational behavior
 Discuss the pros and cons of leadership styles and topics
  Describe the history, context and utility of the distinction between leadership and
management

UNIT 5

 Describe the key components of effective communication in contemporary organizational

life
 Discuss the importance of technology and various methods of communication available
 Discuss the definition and levels of organizational culture
 Describe the external factors associated with organizational culture
 Describe the internal factors associated with organizational culture
 Discuss change management as it functions in organizational behavior
 Discuss various ways change has succeeded and failed in contemporary examples and
organizations

Case study :

Assignment: Motivation in the Workplace

Scenario

In a meeting with members of Informational Systems operations area, you ask middle managers
about the recent sub-par performance in the department and their thoughts about the reasons
behind it. They state that their performance goals are set too high, with the vast majority of their
employees missing their individual targets across the board.In your education and training to be
an organizational behavior consultant, you studied various needs-based motivational theories:

• Maslow’s hierarchy and the five categories of basic human needs

• The ERG theory which compressed Maslow’ five categories to three;

• The Two-Factor theory, which describes factors that either motivate people or make them
dissatisfied
• The Acquired-Needs model, which describes stable and dominant characteristics in
human beings that drive behavior

Your Task

Which of the motivational theory/theories do you think is best for describing human behavior in
the workplace? Based on that, how would you construct a work environment using reward
strategies, work-life balance considerations, and other approaches outlined in the module?

CASE STUDY 2:

Assignment: Leadership and Management

Scenario

When you joined Workplace Solutions Consulting three years ago, you were required to
participate in an intensive interview process. After going through preliminary interviews with
individuals of the same rank/title and a manager-level person in your division, you then met with
the Director of the Consulting division. Everyone you met thus far from the organization seemed
smart, outgoing, and friendly.Apparently the interview process had gone well as you were then
scheduled to meet with company executives and officers. First, the VP of Customer Service, then
the CFO, and finally the CEO of Workplace Solutions Consulting. The VP of Customer Service
seemed highly meticulous in her interview questions, asking for detail behind every answer to
her questions. She posed scenario questions to you regarding situations in which she was
involved with tasks assigned on a daily basis.

Then you met with the CFO. He was a graduate of one of the nation’s military academies (it was
apparent from the office decorations and diplomas). His questions carried implication regarding
your self-organization. Do you make daily lists? How do you prioritize your lists? How do you
keep your calendar? He even asked to see your daily planner.Finally it was time to meet with the
CEO. After the interviews with the VP and the CFO, you could only imagine what you were
getting into with the company’s top leader. When you sat down with the person who had built
this incredible company, imagine your surprise when he turned out to be the most pleasant,
genuine, thoughtful, and enthusiastic individual you had ever met. He explained that his job as
CEO was to ensure that every employee had what they needed to succeed. He told me that if you
were hired, he would be working for you. You could not sign up fast enough to join his
company!
Your Task

Part I

What a variety of leadership styles, roles, and traits—and all in one interview process! Which
interviewer do you think you would work best with? Why do you prefer the leadership styles,
roles, and traits they demonstrated?

Part II

What combination of leadership style, role, and trait would be best for the following business
situations:

• A company with routine and unskilled job functions.

• A company with dangerous job functions (toxic waste handling or heavy equipment
operation).

• A company preparing to disrupt an existing market with ground-breaking technology.

• A company preparing for an IPO.

Please explain your thoughts for each situation.

You have yet to meet with the folks in Finance at Informational Systems as part of your
consulting work for Workplace Solutions Consulting, so you contact the admin for the CFO to
set up a meeting. You are told that the CFO is on travel, but you could meet with the Director-
level people the next day. At that meeting you get the three Directors in a conference room
where they proceed to open up and share their frustrations with working with the CFO. They
state that she is difficult to work for because she doesn’t listen to anyone and makes all decisions
without consulting them at all.

Discussion Prompt

What type of leadership is the CFO displaying? What are the benefits of this type leader? What
are the limitations? Under what conditions would this type of leadership be successful?
CASE STUDY :

Discussion: Organizational Culture

Your next meeting with Informational Systems is with senior leadership. You give them an
update on your progress and thank them for their support of the project. They ask you what you
think about their corporate culture. Some members of the leadership group think that things are
just fine, while others believe that the current culture needs improvement and may be negatively
affecting performance. You reply that you are still in the process of gathering information, but
think to yourself that things could be better based on your experiences with employees thus far.

Discussion Prompt

In your opinion, what would make the biggest impact on organizational culture: a new code of
conduct, a new hiring policies/processes, or leadership change? Why?

CASE STUDY :

Assignment: Individual and Group Behavioral Theories Applied to the Workplace

Scenario

In your role as a consultant for Workplace Solutions Consulting, you are typically working at
customer sites and from a home office when not on travel. You take advantage of technology to
stay connected to your team and management to keep current on your project and developments
at company headquarters.We have initially explored the benefits and challenges inherent in being
a remote employee on a virtual team for Workplace Solutions Consulting LLC in Discussion:
Individual Personalities and Behaviors. Let’s turn our attention to the team dynamic of how
individuals work together, blending skills, experience, and most important, personalities to
achieve goals.

Your Task

Part I

Using the Myers-Briggs Indicator methodology, what four letter code would best represent a
personality best suited for this remote location/virtual team workplace situation? Why?
Part II

How does the balance between individuality and conformity affect individuals in a team
environment? How much structure do you feel is appropriate for a successful team?

Part III

Considering the Big Five personality assessment model (OCEAN), to what extent do you believe
these traits would be impacted if the work environment were to be changed to a strictly-
structured physical workplace setting?

CASE STUDY:

Discussion: Individual Personalities and Behaviors

In your role as a consultant for Workplace Solutions Consulting, you are typically working at
customer sites and from a home office when not on travel. You take advantage of technology to
stay connected to your team and management to keep current on your project and developments
at company headquarters.

Discussion Prompt

What are the advantages in this arrangement for you as an individual? What are the challenges?

CASE STUDY:

Discussion: Communication in the Workplace

Informational Systems has had a poor quarterly performance. You are meeting with the VP of
Finance who is charged with communicating the results to employees. She explains to you her
challenge to put together a communication that is honest about the numbers, but doesn’t crush
company morale.
Discussion Prompt

With what you know about communication barriers, how could you be more effective in your
personal communications? Is there a difference in communicating good news versus bad news?

CASE STUDY:

Discussion: Managing Groups and Teams

In your role at Workplace Solutions Consulting, you are part of a “client-facing” team. Your
team consists of you (a business development expert), a technical SME (subject-matter expert), a
process-improvement specialist, and a support technician. The team members work
independently on mutually agreed-upon activities that support the common team goal. All are
remote, but get together each morning via phone conference for a 10-minute status check and a
weekly web meeting to review progress and plan for the following week.

Discussion Prompt

What is the most effective team you have ever been in? How structured were the activities and
roles? What are the advantages and disadvantages of team structure in your experience?

CASE STUDY:

Discussion: Organizational Change

As the lead consultant for Workplace Solutions Consulting, you are the one to deliver the
recommendations for organizational change to the management of Informational Systems. Some
of the ideas involve centralizing some duplicated administration functions in regional locations
and others involve de-centralizing product departments to break down silo walls across locations.
The bottom line: although all of these changes are for the better for organization, they will be
quite disruptive to the personnel at IS.

Discussion Prompt

What steps would you take to prepare the organization for the upcoming organizational changes?