Organizational Behavior, page 1

ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR
Study guide for test 1 MANA 5320

Critical Thinking

1. A. Identify and discuss each element of the critical

thinking model discussed in class.

B. Discuss the question of a federally mandated minimum

wage using all elements of the critical thinking model.

2. A. Identify and discuss each element of the critical

thinking model discussed in class.

B. Discuss the usefulness of affirmative actions as a means

to foster opportunity for selected groups using all elements
of the critical thinking model.

3. A. Identify and discuss each element of the critical

thinking model discussed in class.

B. Discuss the question of the use of stereotyping using

all elements of the critical thinking model.

Motivation and Reward

4. What are the major dimensions of behaviorist and cognitive

theories of motivation?

5. Would a very strong need for achievement ever be dysfunctional

for a manager's performance?

Expectancy Theory

6. Organizational behaviorists often debate the issue of

increasing employee motivation by altering job content
versus job context.
a. Explain the job content versus job controversy to
motivation.
B Identify several motivational theories which support each
position.
c. Which position do you support and why?
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7. A number of problems plague organizational reward systems.
One problem is the over reliance on systems rewards at
the expense of individual rewards. Another is the
failure of systems rewards to motivate even membership.
Yet another problem is the limited number of individual
rewards available and the failure of these limited
numbers to be effective in motivating performance.

a. Explain the concepts of systems rewards and individual

rewards. Give examples of each.
b. Using the examples in part a, explain why the systems
rewards often fail to motivate membership and suggest
possible solutions that may increase their impact on
membership motivations.
c. Why have organizations increased their use of systems
rewards within organization over the last fifty years.

8. It was suggested in class that Expectancy Theory of Motivation

is not in conflict with Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Theory
or Herzberg's Motivation-Hygiene Theory of Motivation but
"adds a new and valuable dimension". In essence, compare
and contrast.

9. Herzberg's Two Factor theory has been described as a limited

motivational theory which tends to be culturally bound and
more descriptive than prescriptive.

a. Identify and explain all parts of Herzberg's Two Factor

theory.
b. Compare and contrast Herzberg's Two Factor Theory with
operant conditioning and explain why the operant model
is a more general and prescriptive theory.

10. Identify and explain David McClelland’s Need Theory?

11. Coach Paul Wyczawski says his team is not motivated like it
should be, and he does not understand why. He has hired you
as a consultant to diagnose the nature of the team's
motivational problems. Coach Wyczawski asked you to
approach this job within the context of Vroom's Expectancy
Theory of Motivation. What all would you do to arrive at
the diagnosis? (Please underline the key words in your
answer to facilitate readability.)

12. a. Using your knowledge of the expectancy theory of

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motivation, identify the necessary conditions for money
to motivate performance.

b. Salary as used in many organizations often fails to

motivate greater performance. Explain and be specific
in your answer.

13. Relate performance appraisal to the expectancy theory of

motivation by explaining the impact of performance appraisal
on EI, EII, and preference if any. (In your answer please
define EI, EII, and preference.)

14. Identify the concept of individual rewards and systems

rewards and explain their impact on motivation.

15. Identify the limitations or problems associated with the

expectancy model of motivation.

16. Define the following concepts as they relate to your behavior

and expectations in this course:

a. Effort
b. Performance
c. Outcome

In addition, define the following:

a. EI
b. EII
c. Net preference

17. Using Herzberg's article, "Motivation-Hygiene Profiles,"

explain how these profiles can be used in conjunction with
expectancy theory to increase employee motivation. In your
answer briefly describe Herzberg's Two Factor Theory.

18. Ralph has a not-so-good background in mathematics. His high

school teachers were not strong, and Ralph did not really
put much into his math subjects. His aptitude tests almost
always suggest he is better in non-math related areas. When
he came to USM as a freshman, Ralph put off taking any math
in his first year and made B's and C's in all of his
courses. But in the fall of his sophomore year, he
registered for finite math. To encourage his son to do well
in finite, Ralph's dad told him he would pay for a 3-day
skiing trip to Colorado in December if he made a B or
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better. Ralph said he would enjoy such a trip, but he
actually was not all that enthusiastic about it. But one
thing he knows for sure, his father is a man of his word.
Use expectancy theory as your frame of reference.

a. What is Ralph's probable level of motivation in the

finite math course when the semester started?
b. What are all the reasons why his motivation is at the
level you indicated in part a?
c. What all could be done (be specific) to raise Ralph's
motivation to a higher level?
d. Of the suggestions you made in part c, which one do you
believe would have the greatest impact?

19. Discuss and identify the uses of the following diagnostic

techniques for identifying EII problems. Define EII in your
answer.
a. Communication
b. Organizational analysis
c. Managerial analysis

20. Using the expectancy theory of motivation, diagnose your own

level of motivation in this course by answering the
following questions. (Unless you have perfect scores on all
the quizzes you have a motivation level of less than 1.)

a. What is your probable level of motivation in this course?

b. What are all the reasons why your motivation is at the
level you indicate in part a?
c. What could be done (be specific) to raise your motivation
to a higher level? Give all of them.
d. Of the suggestions you made in part c, which one do you
believe would have the greatest impact?

21. a. Using the expectancy theory of motivation, what is

effort, performance, and outcomes in this course?
b. Using the expectancy theory of motivation, briefly define
the following concepts: EI, EII, and net preference.
c. What is your level of motivation in this course? Discuss
why your level of motivation is at this level.

22. A friend approaches you about a problem employee where he

works. Your friend explains that the problem employee has a
bad attitude. Convince your friend that he should be
concerned about the problem employee's behavior and not his
Organizational Behavior, page 5
attitude. (In essence, give as many reasons as possible to
explain why the emphasis should be on behavior as opposed to
attitude.)

23. One of your colleagues at work has come to you. He said he

has been "accused" twice in the past week of being a poor
listener. He asks you what a person can do to be a better
listener. Tell him seven ways to improve.

24. You have been approached by the owner, big boss, or head
honcho of an organization where you currently work or have
worked and he or she wants to learn about organizational
culture. Specifically:

A. Explain the following concepts: organizational culture,

public knowledge, private knowledge and rule governed
behavior.

B. Identify and explain key roles in the transmittal of

organizational culture.

C. Using material from part A and B as well as your

knowledge of formal organizational rewards and other
knowledge you may have, develop a model for altering
the culture of the organization referred to in
the original question.

25. Organizational culture is receiving increasing attention in

the literature.

a. Identify the concept of organizational culture. In short,

what is it and why is it important?

b. Identify the concepts of public knowledge and private

knowledge.

c. Discuss how rule governed behavior is disseminated within an

organization with special attention being given to specific
roles such as storytellers, heroes, etc.

d. Develop a paradigm for management to change the culture or

influence control over the culture.

26. It has been suggested in class that the annual merit pay
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increases do not motivate greater levels of performance but
are important in terms of equity.

a. Identify and explain Adam's Theory of Inequity.

b. Explain the concept of pay equity.
c. Explain why the annual merit pay increase is unlikely to
motivate greater levels of performance even when based
on actual performance levels.

27. In the article, "Pay Secrecy the Boomerang Effect," it was

suggested that pay secrecy may be harmful to employee
productivity

A. Briefly explain the following theories:

1. Festinger's Social Comparison Theory
2. Festinger's Cognitive Dissonance Theory
3. Adam's Theory of Inequity

B. In a broader context then pay secrecy, how are these

theories relevant to management?
Organizational Behavior, page 7
28. A number of problems plague organizational reward systems.
One problem is the over reliance on systems rewards at the
expense of individual rewards. Another is the failure of
systems rewards to motivate membership. Yet, another
problem is the limited number of individual rewards
available and the failure of these to be effective in
motivating performance.

a. Explain the concepts of systems rewards and individual

rewards. Give examples of each.

b. Using the examples in part a, explain why the systems rewards

often fail to motivate membership and suggest possible
solutions that may increase their impact on membership
motivation.

c. Organizations have increasingly relied on systems rewards at

the expense of individual rewards over the last 50
years. What factors would account for this trend.

29. You have been approached by a top executive who wants to know
the motivational impact of annual merit pay increases.
Include in your answer references to the expectancy theory
of motivation, reinforcement schedules, organizational
culture and Adam's theory of equity.

30. The use of punishment and discipline are a real part of

organization life and "there is considerable evidence that
punishment can be an effective tool under certain
conditions". Identify the condition that can help
punishment be an effective means of altering behavior and
include a brief discussion of that "Hot Stove Rule."