Page 117

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Is it possible for someone to be unmotivated, or is all behavior motivated?
It's completely normal to feel unmotivated at times, especially about work. Maybe there's
a task you've been lowering for weeks or a new project that's taken the wind out of your
sails. Whatever the cause, it can be absolute impossible to get things done when those
feelings success.
2. When has your level of performance been directly affected by your
motivation? By our ability? By the environment?
-The level of performance will be directly affected by motivation, ability and environment.
When the relationship P (performance) = M (motivation) + A (ability) + E (environment)
has been disrupted.
3. Identify examples from your own experience that support, and others that
refute/contradict Maslow’s hierarchy of need theory.
As we all know Maslow's hierarchy of needs suggests that if a lower need is not met, then
the higher ones will be ignored.
For example, if employees lack job security and are worried that they will be fired, they
will be far more concerned about their financial well-being and meeting lower needs such
as paying rent, different services, etc.
-contradict
4. Do you agree or disagree with the basic assumptions of Herzberg’s dual-
structure theory? Why?
I agree because the Presence of Hygiene factor will not cause satisfaction but their
absence will cause dissatisfaction
5. How do you evaluate yourself in terms of your needs for achievement,
affiliation, and power?
- Achievement (getting things done) Power (having influence over others) Affiliation
(having good relationships)
 - The need for achievement, power, and affiliation are three primary types of motives or
motivational drives that influence a broad spectrum of behavior, from how one interacts on
an interpersonal level to one’s choice of and/or success in an occupation. These motives
can be either implicit—that is, developed prior to the formation of language in the
developing infant—or self-attributed, meaning they developed as a result of social and
cultural influences. With an understanding of these sources of motivation, one can predict
occupational performance and managerial success; design jobs and provide incentives most
suited to an employee’s type of motivation; determine the contexts in which employees will
be most successful; and design training programs to enhance employee performance.
- People with a high need for affiliation are sociable, friendly, interested in social
interactions, and they prefer being in other people's company rather than on their own.
- the need for achievement, power, and affiliation are three primary types of motives or
motivational drives that influence a broad spectrum of behavior, from how one interacts
on an interpersonal level to one's choice of and/or success in an occupation.
6. Have you ever experienced inequity in a job or a class? How did it affect
you?
------?
7. Which is likely to be a more serious problem—perceptions of being under
rewarded or perceptions of being over rewarded?
- Perception is a way in which something is interpreted, understood or regarded. It
involves all our five senses. Perceptions of being under rewarded would help the person to
motivate to reduce it. The greater the felt inequity, the greater the motivation to reduce it. It
all begins with when an individual perceives inequity and then he experiences tension. So
he would do all the measures to reduce the tension and take action against it.
-over rewarded---
8. What are some managerial implications of equitytheory beyond those
discussed in the chapter?
- Equity theory has several implications for business managers, as follow: Employees
measure the totals of their inputs and outcomes. This means a working parent may accept
lower monetary compensation in return for more flexible working hours. Different
employees ascribe different personal values to inputs and outcomes.
 - Perceived unfairness may result in reduced input, such as less commitment or reduced
loyalty to the organization to balance the input-output ratio. It may also result in
distorted perceptions regarding referent groups such as employees and the organization.
9. Do you think expectancy theory is too complex for direct use in
organizational settings? Why orwhy not?
- The theory cannot be considered complex since it has only three components.
-The efforts
- Performance and
-outcomes only
. If an individual thinks that their effort and performance can change the outcome, the
outcome is certain to be achieved.
eg- a given company may uses expectancy theory to motivate employees to achieve
measurable, achievable and specific goals. Employees try to improve their job performance
levels to get valuable rewards. However, it seems to be idealistic because most people think
there is a high correlation/link between performance and reward.
10. Do the relationships between performance and satisfaction suggested by
Porter and Lawler seem valid? Cite examples that both support and refute
the model.
- Lawler believed that job satisfaction was driven by a motivational framework. This idea
deals with how a person measures job satisfaction based on what they got verses what they feel
they deserved. Satisfaction is determined by the difference between the exact amount a person
received and what they expected.
- Porter-Lawler's theory believes it is not job satisfaction that leads to better performance but
job performance (increased production or sales) leads to job satisfaction.
- The Porter and Lawler theory of motivation is based on the assumption that rewards cause
satisfaction and that sometimes performance produces reward. They hypothesize that the
relationship between satisfaction and performance is linked by another variable rewards.
- High job satisfaction is also linked to performance, which in turn is linked to higher profits.
Those employees who feel happy and content in their roles are much more likely to approach
the tasks that they need to carry out with enthusiasm and dedication.
- Job satisfaction and job performance are both very important aspects for companies and
employees. Job satisfaction is when the individual feels satisfied enough to perform the job
as expected. Job performance is how good or bad an employee actually does his / her job.
- Satisfaction is the act of fulfilling a need, desire, or appetite, or the feeling gained from
such fulfillment. Satisfaction means you've had enough — in a good way. When a product
says "Satisfaction guaranteed" it means you'll like it or they'll give you your money back.
11. Think of occasions on which you experiencedeach of the four types of
reinforcement.
- There are four sorts of reinforcement: positive, negative, discipline, and termination.

- What is reinforcement?

Reinforcement tames unwanted behavior or encourages acceptable behavior. The goal of

reinforcement is to eliminate non-adapting behavior in a person’s life. Reinforcement has two
aspects:

 Stimulus
 Impact on the person’s behavior

 - Positive reinforcement: This involves adding something to increase response, such as

praising a child when they complete a designated task. This would motivate the child to
get involved in the task.
 Negative reinforcement: This involves removing something to increase response, such
as withholding payment until the person completes the job. The person would remain
motivated till the end of the job to acquire the payment.
 Punishment: This involves adding something aversive to modify behavior. For example,
yelling at a child for misbehaving. In this example, the child would associate every
negative behavior with punishments. This would prevent the child from repeating such
behavior.
 Extinction: This involves removing or taking away something to modify a certain
response. This is called negative punishment or extinction. For instance, a teenager
comes home late, and the parents curb their phone usage. Next time, the teenager would
think before breaking the curfew.

12. Identify the five forms of reinforcement that you receive most often (i.e.,
wages, grades, etc.). On what schedule do you receive each of them?
- Step 1 of 4
Identification of the five forms of reinforcement that is received most often by Mr. X:

• Reward points

• Appraisal through weekly visit

• Extra monetary benefits through uninformed visit

• Punishment

• Grades

- The five forms of reinforcement that an employee receives are salary hike, recognition, gifts,
bonus, and promotion.
13. What is your opinion about the ethics of OB mod?
- Is Organization Behavior Modification (OB Mod)
- n the words of Stephen Robbins “OB Mod is a programme where managers identify
performance-related employee behaviour and then implement an intervention strategy to
strengthen desirable behaviour and weaken undesirable behaviors”.
- cGregor's Theory X and Theory Y — According to this model, managers who promote a
conducive work environment by providing employee development opportunities (Theory
Y) are more successful than managers who micromanage all organizational aspects (Theory

X).28 ፌብሩ 2022

- Studying OB models helps predict and analyse the behaviours of individuals in
organisations to promote a healthier working environment and employee satisfaction.
- Organizational behavior is the study of human behavior in an organizational setting.
This includes how individuals interact with each other in addition to how individuals
interact with the organization itself. Organizational behavior is a critical part of human
resources, though it is embedded across a company.

Page 141

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. What are the primary advantages and disadvantages of job specialization?
Were they the same in the early days of mass production?
 - While an advantage of mass production is that it can reduce labor costs, employees who
remain part of an assembly line may lack motivation because their tasks are repetitive. The
boredom caused by repetitive work can lead to low employee morale and increased levels
of turnover.
- Advantages and Disadvantages of Job specialization:
S.no Pros of Job Specialization Cons of Job Specialization
1 Boosts productivity Become outdated after a point
2 Finding a proper job Masters one skill
3 Security in the job Omitted from all positions of managers
4 Helps employers become independent Gets monotonous
Defined skill set Becomes outdated
1
2 Upward growth Mastering one skill set
3 Good package Omitted from managerial positions
4 Defines quality and excellence Gets boring
Cannot multitask
5 Brings in trust
What is the main disadvantage of job specialization?
The downside of job specialization tends to be that people can only do one task. They aren't
trained to multitask or handle multiple areas of a workplace. As a result, when a critical expertise
is lost, the process can suffer.
the advantages of work specialization include:

 Employees can be an expert to some degree in their specific task.

 Higher levels of productivity.
 Lower quality control costs.
 Job security for employees due to specialized skills.
 Higher profit potential.

Mass Production: Examples, Advantages, and Disadvantages

By
Caroline Banton
Updated March 23, 2023
Reviewed by Charles Potters

What Is Mass Production?

Mass production is the manufacturing of large quantities of standardized products, often

using assembly lines or automation technology. Mass production facilitates the efficient
production of a large number of similar products.

Mass production is also referred to as flow production, repetitive flow production, series
production, or serial production.
In mass production, mechanization is used to achieve high volume, detailed organization of
material flow, careful control of quality standards, and division of labor. An early example of the
demand for standardized products in large quantities came from military organizations and their
need for uniforms and other supplies. Precision machining equipment has led to large-scale
demand for mass-produced products created cheaply with small workforces.

Key Takeaways

 Mass production is the manufacturing of large quantities of standardized products,

often using assembly lines or automation technology.
 Mass production has many advantages, such as producing a high level of precision,
lower costs from automation and fewer workers, higher levels of efficiency, and prompt
distribution and marketing of an organization’s products.
 Henry Ford, founder of Ford Motor Co., developed the assembly line technique of mass
production in 1913.

Understanding Mass Production

Henry Ford, founder of Ford Motor Co. (F), developed the assembly line technique of mass
production. In 1913, he pioneered the moving assembly line for production of the Ford Model T
automobile. The reduced manufacturing time for parts allowed the company to apply the same
method to chassis assembly and drastically reduced the time it took to build the Model T
automobile.1

Ford continued to refine the process, even hiring someone who studied the way people moved
most efficiently. From 1908 to 1927, Ford built more than 15 million Model T cars.2 As a result
of Ford’s mass production, cars became something that the general public could afford, rather
than a luxury item that only a limited number of people had access to. Since then, Ford’s concept
of time- and space-efficient production has been adopted by most industries, lowering the costs
of everyday items.

Click Play to Learn What Mass Production Is

Advantages of Mass Production

Mass production has many advantages. If production is stringently monitored, mass production
can result in a high level of precision because production line machines have preset parameters.
Mass production also results in lower costs because the automated assembly line production
process requires fewer workers.

In addition, mass production can create higher levels of efficiency because mass-produced items
can be assembled at a quicker rate through automation. Rapid assembly aids the prompt
distribution and marketing of an organization’s products that, in turn, can create a competitive
advantage and higher profits for a company. For example, McDonald’s (MCD) has a competitive
advantage in the fast-food industry because of the speed at which it can produce a meal for time-
conscious customers.
Disadvantages of Mass Production

However, not everything about mass production is beneficial. Establishing an automated

assembly line is capital-intensive and requires a significant up-front investment of time and
resources. If there is an error in the production design, an extensive investment of time and
money may be necessary to redesign and rebuild mass production processes.

A revision of the mass production processes may be required for reasons other than errors. For
example, if a pharmaceutical company has a comprehensive assembly line in place for the
production of a popular drug, it would be time-consuming and expensive for them to respond to
a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulatory change requiring a different production
process.

While an advantage of mass production is that it can reduce labor costs, employees who remain
part of an assembly line may lack motivation because their tasks are repetitive. The boredom
caused by repetitive work can lead to low employee morale and increased levels of turnover.

Manufacturers are experimenting with the integration of three-dimensional (3D) printers in the
mass production of everyday products.

Example of Mass Production

Mass production now touches most of what American consumers buy, from cars to clothing to
toothbrushes. For example, in 1953, every marshmallow Peep took 27 hours to make by hand.
With the introduction of the assembly line, this time requirement had been reduced to six
minutes per Peep, and an average of 4.2 million Peeps were made every day in 2003.3

Ford took its assembly lines one step further, introducing robots that could unload a die-casting
press in 1961. Now robotics play a major part in much mass production, with humans standing in
as quality assurance.4

Does mass production mean lower wages for workers?

In some areas, factory workers are paid less and work in dismal conditions. However, this does
not have to be the case. Workers in the United States tend to make higher wages and often have
unions to advocate for better working conditions. Elsewhere, mass production jobs may come
with poor wages and working conditions.

Is mass production expensive to set up?

Creating a mass production system can be expensive to set up and even more expensive to alter
if changes need to be made after the production has already started. The cost of setup is generally
offset by the efficiency with which products are made once the system is up and running.
Does mass production produce quality items?

It can. As Henry Ford proved, very complex products can be made successfully using assembly
line techniques. However, if there are unforeseen problems with an element of your product, that
issue can be replicated thousands of times before it may be noticed. This is why product recalls
are frequent among mass-produced items.

2. Under what circumstances might job enlargementbe especially effective?

Especially ineffective?How about job rotation?
- nlarging highly specialized jobs leads to a number of advantages: it creates a wider range
of activities, it reduces monotony, it teaches a variety of skills and helps career growth, it
earns a higher wage and it gives more autonomy, accountability, and responsibility.
- The definition of job enlargement is adding additional activities within the same level to
an existing role. This means that a person will do more, different activities in their current
job.
- Enlarging highly specialized jobs leads to a number of advantages: it creates a wider
range of activities, it reduces monotony, it teaches a variety of skills and helps career
growth, it earns a higher wage and it gives more autonomy, accountability, and
responsibility.
- Job enlargement focuses on the quantity aspect, namely by adding more tasks. It's not like
job enrichment, which focuses on quality. Under job enrichment, companies provide
additional tasks with more varied challenges. In addition, companies also provide greater
responsibility, autonomy, and flexibilit

3. Do any trends today suggest a return to job specialization?

- The process of focusing one's occupational concentration on a specific area of expertise.

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specialization

“I’m going to clean the garage this weekend‚ it’s going to be a real project. Your boss
come to you on that clean‚ sunny day afternoon and says”‚ I have a small project for you
that you should be able to finish by the close of the business. What do all those projects
have in common? They all have the essential elements: A project is temporary A project
is undertakings and it has temporary in nature; that means has a clearly defined start and
finish. A project has progressive elaboration.

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generaliztion or specialization

Generalization or Specialization?
------------------------------------------------------------------------- I remember the days when
if I fell ill‚ my mother would take me to a general physician. The doctor would prescribe
some medicines as per his initial diagnosis of the illness and past experience. In case of a
failure in effectiveness of the medicine‚ other options were sought to address the illness.
Zooming ahead to 2012‚ today we look at specialization in all fields. Today if the child’s
ear

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Specialization in Undergraduates

Brady Brajavich Specialization: does it belong in higher education? Some say

yes‚ because it creates much more intelligent individuals in their respective fields. Others
say no‚ because without the liberal arts‚ individuals will lack the necessary skills to
succeed in today’s work environment. Both sides have well supported arguments‚ and
often when one begins to think they’ve made a decision on which they agree with‚ they
are swayed the other way. After reading‚ “Should Undergraduates Specialize

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Work Specialization

Work specialization and Division of labor Work specialization is the process of focusing
one occupational concentration on a specific area of expertise. An increase in job
specialization among employees can make them less flexible since it tends to reduce their
ability to perform other types of work within the business that fall outside their particular
specialty. In work specialization‚ the entire job is broken down into steps‚ each step
completed by a separate individual. Individual workers specialize

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4. What are the strengths and weaknesses of job enrichment? When might it be
useful?
- A definition. Job enrichment is a process that is characterized by adding dimensions to
existing jobs to make them more motivating. Examples of job enrichment include adding
extra tasks (also called job enlargement), increasing skill variety, adding meaning to jobs,
creating autonomy, and giving feedback.
- The purpose of job enrichment is to expand the tasks that each employee performs,
allow them to perform tasks in different ways, and ultimately give them more control
over their work. This makes work more stimulating and helps to motivate employees to do
their best work.
- ob enrichment offers employees an opportunity to do tasks that are different than what
was originally outlined in their job descriptions and job objectives.
- Job enrichment is one of the many ways in which employers can boost the motivation and
morale of their staff. As a result of increased responsibilities, employees may choose to
work in groups to perform tasks effectively and increase their productivity.M

- Did you mean: What are the strengths and weaknesses of job enrichment? When might it be
useful?

What is Job Enrichment?

S.no Advantages Disadvantages
1 Learning new skills Increases work load
2 Boosts energy of the employee by reducing boredom Additional skills needed
3 Creates a positive and better working environment Lack of knowledge
4 Increases the chances of recognition and reward Incapability
- The Advantages & Disadvantages of Job Enrichment

 Advantage: Learn New Skills. ...

 Advantage: Reduce Boredom. ...
 Advantage: Receive Recognition. ...
 Advantage: Employee Motivation. ...
 Disadvantage: Lack of Training. ...
 Disadvantage: Increase Workload. ...
 Disadvantages: Conflict With Non-Participants. ...
 Disadvantage: Poor Performance.
5. Do you agree or disagree that individual differencesaffect how people
respond to their jobs? Explain.
- Individual differences play a key role in how employees handle workplace stress and
also heavily influence workplace dynamics and culture. Some personality traits have been
linked to toxic working environments where scapegoating and bullying are rife
- Individual differences are the ways in which people differ from each other. Every member
of an organization has its own way of behavior. It is important for managers to
understand individual differences because they influence the feelings, thoughts, and
behavior of employees.
- Individuals differ from each other in many characteristics of life. For example:- Changes
among individuals can be found in physical forms like in height, weight, color, complexion
strength, etc., the difference in intelligence, achievement, interest, attitude, aptitude,
learning habits, motor abilities, skill.1
- personal identities like age, height, weight, gender, race, country of origin, religious
affiliation, familial status, level of education. And organizational identities like the industry
they work in, the size of their organization, and their own tenure, department, or position level.30
ጁላይ 2018

6. What are the primary similarities and differences between job enrichment
and the approach proposed by job characteristics theory?
- The two are most comparable in that they both seek to boost employee engagement and
work satisfaction. The work characteristic theory, on the other hand, stresses the
significance of the job design and its effect on employee motivation, while job enrichment
concentrates on increasing the amount and quality of tasks.
- he job characteristics model uses job design to make jobs better. Jobs are broken down
into specific tasks, and employees receive authority to carry those tasks out. This autonomy
gives employees more control over their work environment and increases their job
satisfaction.
- Both job enlargement and job enrichment have the advantage of motivating staff by
injecting more variety into their workplace. However, each method also has its own very

specific benefits – and certain disadvantages or risks.14 ኦክቶ 202

7. What are the motivational consequences ofincreased employee involvement
from the frameof reference of expectancy and equity theories?
- Employees will have higher expectations for themselves as a result of increased employee
involvement since it suggests that they are being given more autonomy and control over
their work, and as a result, they will be more motivated to perform well.
- Employee involvement gives employees a sense of belonging to the organization. As a
result, they become more dependable. They accept greater responsibility for their work and
achieve better results. This increases the possibilities for creative thinking and problem-
solving in the workplace.
- Under the Equity theory, if an individual perceived himself to be under-rewarded then
he will be motivated to decrease the inequity by decreasing his performance. On the
other hand, the Expectancy theory suggests that the individual may increase her

performance if he perceives the outcome strongly to be desirable.29 ማርች

8. What motivational problems might result froman organization’s attempt to

set up work teams?
- Lack of Trust in Management

Regardless of the team's results and recommendations, management makes all the
decisions. If members of work team feel their decisions or outcomes won't be supported by
management, they will quickly lose the motivation needed to complete a project. Trust goes
both ways.
- These reasons fall into four categories — a quartet we call the motivation traps. Namely, they
are 1) values mismatch, 2) lack of self-efficacy, 3) disruptive emotions, and 4) attribution
errors. Each of these four traps has distinct causes and comes with specific strategies to release
an employee from its clutches.13 ማርች 2019
- Motivation factors included in Hertzberg's theory include the work itself, growth,
recognition, advancement, achievement and responsibility. When employees feel a sense
of satisfaction and inclusion in all or most of these areas, their motivation is likely to
increase.
- Lack of Employee Rewards or Pay
A lack of a reward system, including a sales bonus or special monthly recognition, can
 create a motivational issue in the workplace as employees believe management or
ownership takes high worker productivity for granted.
- Sirota's Three-Factor Theory argues that there are three crucial factors that motivate your
people. These are Equity/Fairness, Achievement and Camaraderie. You can help to ensure
that your team members remain motivated and positive by incorporating each of these
factors into their work.

9. Which form of a flexible work schedule mightyou prefer?

- Simply put, flexible work arrangements are alternate arrangements or schedules from
the traditional working day and week. Employees may choose a different work schedule
to meet personal or family needs. Alternatively, employers may initiate various schedules
to meet their customer needs.
- We consider how it can offer the capacity to adapt your office and provide a more
attractive and more productive working space.

 Part-time work. One of the most basic examples of flexible working is part-time work. ...
 Job sharing. ...
 Job splitting. ...
 Compressed working. ...
 Staggered hours/shift work. ...
 Annualized hours. ...
 Reduced retirement.

- ossible reduction of need for additional time off for personal appointments: Working a
flexible schedule gives employees an opportunity to take care of personal business without
having to ask for additional time off such as assisting family members with elder care
appointments, taking care of banking needs or other
- Forms of flexibility

 Numerical. Numerical flexibility is adjusting the number of employees based on the

needs of the employer. ...
 Functional. Functional flexibility is the extent to which employees can be assigned to
different roles. ...
 Temporal. ...
 Locational. ...
 Financial.

Here are five tips for managing flexible schedule workers:

 1. Do your homework and make a plan. If you're going to offer flexibility, start by
investigating the options. ...
2. Ensure communication. ...
3. Monitor the success of flex, then update your plans. ...
4. Be fair, but also firm. ...
5. Set a good example.

10. How do you think you would like tele commuting?

- Also known as 'telework' or 'work from home', telecommuting is an arrangement that
allows employees to work away from the company's offices.
- mployees who telecommute tend to enjoy a more flexible work schedule, since they can
work at their own pace without pressure or micromanagement. Fewer distractions.
Employees don't have to deal with common workplace distractions such as office noise and
work gossip. Higher productivity.

- dvantages of Telecommuting

 Employees are generally less stressed, happier and more productive working at home,
while employers benefit from less employee absenteeism, increased output and retention
of good employees.
 Employees save time and money by not commuting, and employers save office space.
 Remote workers report better balance, more productivity

Roughly one-third of parents cite child care as a major reason they telework. And most
say working from home hasn't impacted their ability to advance in their career. There are
downsides, though: 60% of remote workers feel less connected to their colleagues.18
ፌብሩ 2022
 Working from home allows employees to enjoy more flexibility since they can often
work whenever they are more creative. The advantage of work-life balance is what
motivates many employees to join the remote workforce.24 ጁን 2022

Page 227

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Some have argued that people, not organizations,make decisions and that the
study of “organizational”decision making is therefore pointless. Doyou agree
with this argument? Why or why not?
- Organizational decisions reflect the basic policy of the company. They are usually made
by the managers, but can be delegated to others. Personal decisions cannot be delegated as
they concern the manager as an individual and not as a part of the organization.1
Which of the factors is not a reason for decision-making in organizations being a complex
process?
The correct answer is Modern information systems enable people to evaluate a range of
possible outcomes. It refers to making choices among alternative courses of action—which may
also include inaction
What are the types of decisions in an organisation explain briefly?

Decision making can also be classified into three categories based on the level at which they
occur. Strategic decisions set the course of organization. Tactical decisions are decisions about
how things will get done. Finally, operational decisions are decisions that employees make each
day to run the organization.
What are the factors affecting decision-making in an organisation?

The manager's decision depends on a number of factors, like the manager's knowledge,
experience, understanding and intuition.

 Certainty. ...
 Risk. ...
 Uncertainty. ...
 Define the Problem. ...
 Identify Limiting Factors. ...
 Develop Potential Alternatives. ...
 Analyze the Alternatives. ...
 Selecting Alternatives.
2. What information did you use in deciding toenter the school you now
attend?

- As a new graduate, you might not have much job experience to discuss in an interview. As a
result, interviewers try to learn about your skills, personality and interests through other lines of
questioning. This can include questions about your background and your education.

In this article, we discuss why the interview question "Why did you choose this school?" is asked
and how you can answer it effectively with sample answers.

Interviewers ask you about your college choice to learn more about your decision-making
process. They are usually less concerned about the specific school and more interested in
how you made your choice and the factors that are important to you. As a new graduate or
applicant for an entry-level position, you may not have much job experience for
interviewers to discuss. Choosing a college or university can offer similar insights into your
professional goals and personal interests.
- I chose this college because of your highly rated [area of study program]. I've had a
passion for this field for a long time and I'm excited to learn from that faculty that have
built such a great program. I think my skills and learning style will be a great fit for the

program.22 ዲ

- nclude information about your skills and natural talents in your answer. Consider
mentioning how your skills align with the subject matter. Focus on your unique strengths
that could contribute to your success in the course. Discuss the skills you hope to further

develop through the course.3 ፌብሩ 2023

3. When your alarmgoes off eachmorning, you have adecision tomake: whether
to get up and go to schoolor work, or to stay in bed and sleep longer. Is this a
Programmed or non-programmed decision? Why?

4. Describe at least three points in the decisionmakingprocess at which

information plays animportant role.

5. How does the role of information in the rationalmodel of decision making

differ from the role ofinformation in the behavioral model?
6. Why does it make sense to discuss several differentmodels of decision
making?

7. Can you think of a time when you satisficedwhen making a decision? Have
you ever
Suboptimized?

8. Describe a situation in which you experienced

escalation of commitment to an ineffective
course of action. What did you do about it? Do
you wish you had handled it differently? Why or
why not?

9. How comfortable or uncomfortable are you in

making risky decisions?

10. Do you consider yourself to be relatively more or

less creative? Recall an instance in which you
made a discovery using the four phases of the
creative process.
Page 315-316

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. How is communication in organizations an
individual process as well as an organizational
process?

2. Describe a situation in which you tried to carry

on a conversation when no one was lisetening.

3. Discuss the thre primary purposes of organizational

 communication.
Were any messages sent during the
“conversation”?

4. A college classroom is a forum for a typical

attempt at communication as the professor tries
to communicate the subject to the students.
Describe classroom communication in terms of
the basic communication process outlined in the
chapter.

5. Is there a communication network (other than

professor-to-student) in the class in which you
are using this book? If so, identify the specific
roles that people play in the network. If not, why
has no network developed? What would be the
benefits of having a communication network in
this class?

6. Why might educators typically focus most

communication training on the written and
oral methods and pay little attention to the
nonverbal methods? Do you think that
more training emphasis should be placed
on nonverbal communication? Why or
why not?

7. Is the typical classroom means of transferring

information from professor to student an effective
form of communication? Where does it
break down? What are the communication
 problems in the college classroom?

8. Who is responsible for solving classroom communication

problems: the students, the professor,
or the administration?

9. Have you ever worked in an organization in

which communication was a problem? If so, what
were some causes of the problem?

10. What methods were used, or should have been

used, to improve communication in the situation
you described in question 9?

11. Would the use of advanced computer information

processing or telecommunications have
helped solve the communications problem you
described in question 9?

12. What types of communication problems will new

telecommunications methods probably be able to
solve? Why?

13. What types of communications would NOT

be appropriate to send by e-mail? Or by
voice mail?

14. Which steps in the communication process are

usually left out, or at the very least poorly done,
when e-mail and voice mail are used for
communication?
Page 420-21

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Recall instances in which you have experienced
each of the three primary forms of conflict.

2. In general, is one form of conflict likely to be

more costly to an organization than the others?
Why or why not?

3. Are certain forms of conflict more likely than

others to be associated with each level of interdependence?
In what way?

4. Have you ever been a party to conflict that had

positive benefits? What were the details?

5. How comfortable are you personally in dealing

with conflict?

6. What is the primary risk of trying to stimulate

moderate levels of conflict in a situation characterized
by lethargy?

7. Relate the various methods of resolving conflict

to the primary forms of conflict. That is, for
example, what conflict resolution methods are
most likely to be useful in dealing with task
conflict?

8. Describe various ways in which conflict and

negotiations may be related.

9. Recall an instance in which you negotiated

something and describe it in terms of
the discussion of negotiation in this
 chapter.

10. Why don’t people engaged in all negotiation

situations try to adopt a Win-Win mentality?
Page 452

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Define “organization structure” and explain
its role in the process of managing the
organization.

2. What is the purpose of organization structure?

What would an organization be like without a
structure?

3. In what ways are aspects of the organization

structure analogous to the structural parts of the
human body?

4. How is labor divided in your college or university?

In what other ways could your college or
university be departmentalized?

5. What types of organizations could benefit from a

small span of control? What types might benefit
from a large span of control?

6. Discuss how increasing formalization might

affect the role conflict and role ambiguity of
employees.

7. How might the impact of formalization differ for

research scientists, machine operators, and bank
 tellers?

8. How might centralization or decentralization

affect the job characteristics specified in job
design?

9. When a group makes a decision, how is responsibility

for the decision apportioned among the
members?

10. Why do employees typically want more authority

and less responsibility?

11. Consider the job you now hold or one that you

held in the past. Did your boss have the authority

to direct your work? Why did he or she have this
authority?

12. Describe at least four features of organization

structure that were important parts of the classic

view of organizing.

Page 486
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. What are the differences between universal
Approaches and contingency approaches to
Organization design?

2. Define “organizational environment” and “organizational

technology.” In what ways do these
concepts overlap?

3. Identify and describe some of the environmental

 and technological factors that affect your college
or university. Give specific examples of how they
affect you as a student.

4. How does organization design usually differ for

large and small organizations?

5. What might be the advantages and disadvantages

of structuring the faculty members at your
college or university as an autonomous work
group?

6. What do you think are the purposes, goals, and

strategies of your college or university? How are
they reflected in its structure?

7. Which of Mintzberg’s pure forms is best illustrated

by a major national political party (Democratic
or Republican)? A religious organization?
A football team?The U.S. Olympic Committee?

8. In a matrix organization, would you rather be a

project leader, a functional department head, or a
highly trained technical specialist? Why?

9. Discuss what you think the important design

considerations will be for organization designers
in the year 2020.

10. How would your college or university be different

if you rethought or reengineered the way in

which it is designed?