Organizational Behavior and Design Individual Assignment (20 marks)

Read the following questions carefully and write a brief hand-written answer on the spaces provided.
As it is an individual work, identical answers will not be marked.
Name:
ID No.

1. During a diversity management session, a manager suggests that stereotypes are a necessary part of
working with others. “I have to make assumptions about what’s in the other person’s head, and stereotypes
help me do that,” she explains. “It’s better to rely on stereotypes than to enter a working relationship with
someone from another culture without any idea of what they believe in!” Discuss the merits of and
problems with the manager’s statement.

2. Assume that you are a project leader in one large organization operating in Ethiopia. Assume also that in
your top management meetings, you have recognized that the management members do not know the
importance of team in the organization and do not practice self-directed team. Explain to the management
how team work is important, its advantages and disadvantages, and self-directed teams contribute to
organizational success. Substantiating your explanation with example is an asset.
3. Suppose that you give all candidates applying for a management trainee position a personality test that
measures the five dimensions in the five-factor model. Which personality traits would you consider to be
the most important for this type of job? Explain your answer.

4. “Emotional intelligence is more important than cognitive intelligence in influencing an individual’s

success.” Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Support your perspective.

5. Explain the statement “organizational Behavior knowledge is developed on the belief that organizational
events have contingencies.”