Multiple Choice

Question 1

Work and organisational psychology

Answer 1

A discipline that examines psychological implications of employees activity to ensure efficient production and well being of employees. 3 fokus ares: Working with people, work environment and production process.

Question 2

Peter Principle

Answer 2

A concept in management theory. States that advancement in position is based on the candidates performance in their previous roles rather than performance in their current role.

Question 3

Organisational chart

Answer 3

An illustration showing the formal lines of authority and the organisation’s official positions or division of labour.

Question 4

Functional organisation

Answer 4

A type of organisational structure that uses the principle of specialisation based on function or role. Allows decisions to be decentralised since issues are delegated to specialised persons or units, leaving them the responsibility of implementing, evaluating, or controlling the given procedure or goals. All authority stays within the functional manager (Hierarchal).

Question 5

Matrix organisation

Answer 5

Groups employees by both function and product simultaneously. In this structure one may not report to several managers, one section may report to one boss (e.g. product a) and the rest will report to a different boss (Product b).

Question 6

Divisional organisation

Answer 6

Consists of self-contained divisions. Employees who are responsible for certain market services or types of products are placed in divisional structure in order to increase their flexibility. Regional organisations are divisional e.g. US division, and EU division.

Question 7

Organisational culture.

Answer 7

Unique configuration of norms, values, beliefs, ways of behaving etc, that characterise the manner in which groups and individuals combine to get things done. It is the glue which holds the organisation together- gives members an organisational identity, facilitates collective commitment and promotes system stability by helping members make sense of their surroundings.

Question 8

Virtual organisations

Answer 8

The term virtual organisation is used to describe a network of independent firms that join together, often temporarily, to produce a service/product. These teams are usually located on geographically different locations and communicate through the use of electric communication to achieve common goals.

Question 9

Mintzberg (The managerial roles)

Answer 9

He divided between three different management roles: Interpersonal, informational and decisional.
Interpersonal: Figurehead, leader and liason (provide info).
Informational: monitor, disseminator and spokesperson (processing information).
Decisional: Entrepenour, problem handler, resource allocator and negotiator (using information).

Question 10

Legitimate power

Answer 10

Associated with having status and/pr formal job authority –> “the boss” (positional power)

Question 11

Referent power

Answer 11

Based on followers identification and liking for the leader —> “We like you” (personal power).

Question 12

Transformational leadership

Answer 12

Characterised by its charisma. Here the leader instills pride, faith and respect. Have a strong gift for seing what is really important. This leader have an individual consideration and treat each follower as a respected individual. –> Intellectual stimulation and emphasise problem solving and the use of reasoning before taking action.

Question 13

Situational leadership

Answer 13

There is no single “best” style of leadership. Effective leadership is task relevant, and the most successful leaders are those who adopt their leadership style to the performance readiness.

Question 14

Critical incident technique

Answer 14

a set of procedures used for collecting direct observations of human behavior that have critical significance and meet methodically defined criteria.
One can use CI technique by asking the interviewee to recall specific incidents or job behaviour that are characteristic of a highly effective performance and a highly ineffective performance in the job. The describing behaviours( characteristics) led to that event.

Question 15

Position analysis questionnaire

Answer 15

A job analysis questionnaire that evaluates job skill level and basic characteristics of applications for a set match of employment opportunity. It collects info in 6 divisions: info input, mental processes, work output, relationships with other persons, job context and job related variables.

Question 16

Assessment centre

Answer 16

A process where candidates are assessed to determine their suitability for specific types of employment. The candidates personality and aptitudes are determined by a variety of techniques including interviews, group exercises, presentations, examinations and psychometric testing.

Question 17

Behavioural interview

Answer 17

A type of job interview, where the interviewee is asked to provide examples from their past employment of specific situations and go through how they behaved in those circumstances. The logic is that past performance is predictive of future performance. This type of interview is thought to be the most accurate predictor of a candidate’s future performance.

e. g.:
- Give an example of an occasion when you used logic to solve a problem.

Question 18

Recruitment

Answer 18

Refers to the overall process of attracting, shortlisting, selecting and appointing suitable candidates for jobs within an organisation. Recruiter characteristics influence perceptions of job attributes, including company reputation.

Question 19

Organisational socialisation

Answer 19

A leaning and adjustment process, that enables an individual to assume an organizational role that fits both organizational and individual needs, it is a dynamic process- e.g. when an individual gets a new role within the organisation.

Question 20

Motion study

Answer 20

Motion study refers to the science of eliminating wastefulness resulting from ill-directed and inefficient motions. The aim is to find the scheme of cost wastage out of labour –> reducing cost.

Question 21

Performance management

Answer 21

This is a continous process of identifying measuring, and developing the performance of individuals and teams, as well as aligning performance with the strategic goals of the organisation.

Question 22

Mentoring

Answer 22

Career and psychological support from manager/leader

Question 23

Double-loop learning

Answer 23

Entails the modification of goals or decision-making rules in the light of experience. Double-loop learning is used when it is necessary to change the mental model on which a decision depends.

Question 24

Gnatt diagram

Answer 24

A bar chart that illustrates a project schedule.

Question 25

Learning organisation

Answer 25

Organisations where people continually expand their capacity to create the results they truly desire. Where new and expansive patterns of thinking are nurtured: Systems thinking, personal mastery, mental models, shared vision and team learning.

Question 26

Organisational development

Answer 26

Planned approach to change organisational behaviour. Phases:

1) Exploration phase
2) Planning phase
3) Action phase
4) Integration phase

Question 27

Ergonomics

Answer 27

Also referred to as “human factors”. It is the application of scientific information concerning humans, to the design of objects, systems and environment for human use. Ergonomics mainly focus on safety, effectiveness and comfort. e.g. that the office desk is appropriate size for the employee to avoid back pain etc.

Question 28

Job analysis

Answer 28

A set of procedures to identify the content of a job in terms of activities involved and attributes or job requirements needed to perform the job activities. Job analysis provides info for the organisations which helps to determine which employees are best fit for specific jobs.

Question 29

Aptitude testing

Answer 29

An aptitude test is designed to assess what a person is able to learn or do given the right education and instruction. It represents a person’s level of competency to perform a certain type of task, often used to assess career suitability.

Question 30

Johari Window 
(Adjectives)

Answer 30

A technique that helps people better understand their relationship with themselves and others. Primarily used in corporate settings.
Procedure:
- Subjects pick a number of adjectives from a list, choosing ones they feel describe their own personality.
- The subjects peers then get the same list, and each pick an equal number of adjectives that describe the subject.
- These adjectives are then inserted into a two-by-two grid of four cells.

Question 31

Hawthorne effect (observer effect)

Answer 31

A type of reactivity in which individuals modify an aspect of their behaviour in response to their awareness of being observed.

Question 32

Development centre

Answer 32

A development centre is a set of days where the participants are actively involved in the assessment of their own and others behaviour as a part of their professional development.

Question 33

Employee turnover

Answer 33

in HR, turnover is the act of replacing an employee with a new employee.

Question 34

The performance-potential matrix

Answer 34

One of the most widely used tools in succession planning and development –> cost effective.

Question 35

Training needs analysis

Answer 35

The process of identifying the gap in employee training and related training needs. TNA is the first stage in the training process, and involves a procedure to determine whether training will address the problem which has been
identified.

Question 36

Anticipatory socialisation

Answer 36

The process, facilitated by social interactions in which non-group members learn to take on the values and standards of groups that they aspire to join. Its the process of changing one’s attitudes and behaviours in preparation for a shift in one’s role.

Question 37

Agile team

Answer 37

Small group assigned to the same project or effort. Here roles, and responsibilities do not matter as much as results.

Question 38

Work-life balance

Answer 38

Is a term used to describe the balance that an individual needs between time allocated for work and other aspects of life.

Question 39

Burnout

Answer 39

A persistant, physical, mental or emotional exhaustion caused by long-term stress.

Question 40

Work sample test

Answer 40

Work sample tests are the methods used to judge a person’s ability to do an assigned job and evaluating them, based on their performance in the particular job.

Question 41

Adhocracy

Answer 41

A flexible and informal form of organisation that is defined by a lack of formal structure. Based on non-performance and spontaneity. It is the opposite of bureaucracy.

Question 42

Bureaucracy

Answer 42

Refers to non-elective government officials and an administrative policy making group. It is the admin system governing any large institution (business, organisation), whether publicly owned or privately owned.

Question 43

Laissez-Faire

Answer 43

An economic theory in which transactions between private parties are free from government interventions, such as regulation, privileges, tariffs etc.

It is believed that the less the government is involved in the economy, the better business will be —> Free market capitalism

Question 44

Experiential learning

Answer 44

The process of learning through experience. The dimensions of experiential learning are analysis, initiative and immersion. It reflects real world experience, e.g. doing an internship vs a semester at university (the latter would be academic learning, not experiential)