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Robbins, Management: The Essentials, 4th
edition

Chapter 7: Managing change and innovation

MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the one alternative that best completes the
statement or answers the question.
1. [blank] is the process of taking a creative idea and turning it into something useful.
A. Imagination
B. Inspiration
C. Creativity
D. Innovation
Difficulty: Basic
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.1 Discuss techniques for stimulating innovation
Answer: D
2. Which of the following steps in the creativity process may take years before the idea finally
gels and the next step occurs?
A. Incubation
B. Innovation
C. Inspiration
D. Perception
Difficulty: Basic
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.1 Discuss techniques for stimulating innovation
Answer: A
3. The moment when all prior efforts in the innovative process successfully come together is
known as [blank].
A. innovation
B. perception
C. inspiration
D. incubation
Difficulty: Basic

Copyright © 2019 Pearson Australia (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty Ltd.) – 9781488616549 / Robbins,
Management: The Essentials, 4th edition
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.1 Discuss techniques for stimulating innovation
Answer: C
4. Using the system’s model, managers can promote innovation by having the right [blank].
A. mechanistic management structure
B. people and environment
C. outputs and resources
D. people and inputs
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.1 Discuss techniques for stimulating innovation
Answer: B
5. [blank] variables are thought to promote innovation.
A. Structural, human resource and cultural
B. Structural, ambiguous and tolerant
C. Organic, cultural and tolerant
D. Cultural, ambiguous and tolerant
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.1 Discuss techniques for stimulating innovation
Answer: A
6. An innovative organisation needs to tolerate risk because employees [blank] the creative
process.
A. making mistakes is not part of
B. being in physical danger is part of
C. making mistakes is part of
D. being in physical danger is not part of
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.1 Discuss techniques for stimulating innovation
Answer: C
7. Managers who want creative and innovative employees should [blank].
A. focus on ends rather than means
B. not place much emphasis on goals
C. stress that there is only one path to a goal
D. focus on means rather than ends
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.1 Discuss techniques for stimulating innovation
Answer: A
8. [blank] actively support innovation and every step of the process that leads to innovative
ideas.
A. Idea champions
B. Idea managers
C. Champion managers
D. All managers
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.1 Discuss techniques for stimulating innovation
Answer: A
9. Creativity is the ability to make unusual and meaningful associations between ideas.

Copyright © 2019 Pearson Australia (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty Ltd.) – 9781488616549 / Robbins,
Management: The Essentials, 4th edition
A. True
B. False
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.1 Discuss techniques for stimulating innovation
Answer: A
10. Inspiration marks the first step in the creative process.
A. True
B. False
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.1 Discuss techniques for stimulating innovation
Answer: B
11. Mechanistic organisations tend to inhibit innovation.
A. True
B. False
Difficulty: Basic
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.1 Discuss techniques for stimulating innovation
Answer: A
12. Time pressure tends to increase innovation.
A. True
B. False
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.1 Discuss techniques for stimulating innovation
Answer: B
13. Idea champions tend to be risk takers.
A. True
B. False
Difficulty: Basic
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.1 Discuss techniques for stimulating innovation
Answer: A

ESSAY. Write your answer in the space provided or on a separate sheet of


paper.
14. Define idea champions.
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Learning Outcome: 7.1 Discuss techniques for stimulating innovation
Answer: Idea champions are individuals who actively and enthusiastically support new ideas.
They build support for, overcome resistance to and ensure that innovations are implemented.

15. Define and discuss creativity and innovation in the workplace.


Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Learning Outcome: 7.1 Discuss techniques for stimulating innovation

Copyright © 2019 Pearson Australia (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty Ltd.) – 9781488616549 / Robbins,
Management: The Essentials, 4th edition
Answer: Creativity refers to the ability to combine ideas and make unusual and meaningful
associations between those ideas. An organisation that stimulates creativity develops unique
ways to work or novel solutions to problems. Innovation is the process of taking a creative idea
and turning it into a useful product, service or method of operation. An innovative organisation is
characterised by its ability to channel creativity into useful outcomes. When managers talk about
changing an organisation to make it more creative, they usually mean they want to stimulate and
nurture innovation.

16. Discuss the three sets of variables that have been found to stimulate innovation.
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Learning Outcome: 7.1 Discuss techniques for stimulating innovation
Answer: The three sets of variables that have been found to stimulate innovation are an
organisation’s structure, culture and human resource practices.
Structural variables: Research into the effect of structural variables on innovation shows that
organic structures positively influence innovation. Also, the easy availability of plentiful resources
provides a key building block for innovation. Third, frequent inter-unit communication helps break
down barriers to innovation.
Cultural variables: Innovative organisations tend to have similar cultures. They encourage
experimentation; reward both successes and failures; have few rules; tolerate risks, conflict and
impracticalities; provide lots of positive feedback and tend to focus on ends rather than means.
Human resource variables: Within the human resource category, innovative organisations
actively promote the training and development of their members so that their knowledge remains
current, offer their employees high job security to reduce the fear of getting fired for making
mistakes and encourage individuals to become ‘champions’ of change.

MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the one alternative that best completes the
statement or answers the question.
17. Change can’t be eliminated, so managers must learn to [blank] successfully.
A. prevent it
B. work around it
C. manage it
D. fight it
Difficulty: Basic
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: C
18. Which of the following is an example of a technology change within an organisation?
A. Workers wanting flexible hours
B. Workers switching from using Microsoft Outlook to Gmail
C. Forming teams to complete tasks
D. Workers wanting to telecommute
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Information technology
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: B

Copyright © 2019 Pearson Australia (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty Ltd.) – 9781488616549 / Robbins,
Management: The Essentials, 4th edition
19. Which of the following is an organisational people change?
A. Work methods that people use
B. Job redesign
C. Attitudes that people have
D. Authority relationships between people
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: C
20. Which of the following is an organisational structure change?
A. Resentment of bosses by employees
B. The building of a new workshop
C. A pay increase for all staff
D. Changing who reports to whom
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: D
21. Which of the following is an organisational technology change?
A. Employees accepting a new schedule
B. Purchase of a new refinement system
C. Widening of span of control
D. Employees expecting a raise
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Information technology
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: B
22. The Goods and Services Tax is an example of which of the following forms of environmental
change?
A. Technology
B. Internal
C. Labour markets
D. Government laws and regulations
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Application of knowledge
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: D
23. Which of the following is an internal force that can cause a company to make an
organisational change?
A. New safety requirements
B. A new ad campaign
C. Higher barriers of entry into the industry
D. New tax laws
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Application of knowledge
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process

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Management: The Essentials, 4th edition
Answer: B
24. Which of the following is an external force that would cause a company to make an
organisational change?
A. An organisation-wide restructuring
B. A weakening economy
C. The naming of a new CEO
D. A new operations system
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Application of knowledge
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: B
25. To compete with rival company Softech, Global Systems changes its management structure.
This is an example of [blank].
A. an internal change causing another internal change
B. an internal change causing an external change
C. an external change causing an internal change
D. an external change causing another external change
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Application of knowledge
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: C
26. A company’s workers asking to be able to celebrate Chinese holidays is an example of an
[blank] force for change.
A. internal strategy
B. employee attitude
C. internal workforce composition
D. external workforce composition
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Application of knowledge
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: C
27. Labour strikes are often the result of [blank] that may lead to changes in organisational
practices.
A. strategy
B. workforce composition
C. equipment
D. employee attitude
Difficulty: Complex
AACSB: Application of knowledge
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: D
28. In organisations, people who act as catalysts and assume the responsibility for managing the
change process are called [blank].
A. senior managers
B. change managers
C. change agents
D. idea champions

Copyright © 2019 Pearson Australia (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty Ltd.) – 9781488616549 / Robbins,
Management: The Essentials, 4th edition
Difficulty: Basic
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: C
29. Compared to internal managers, outside consultants generally try to initiate changes that are
[blank].
A. less effective
B. more cautious
C. more drastic
D. less objective
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: C
30. In the calm waters metaphor change is the [blank].
A. raft
B. captain
C. storm
D. captain
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: C
31. The white-water rapids metaphor envisions an organisation as a [blank].
A. large ship on a roiling sea
B. small raft on a calm river
C. small raft on a raging river
D. large ship on a calm sea
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: C
32. In the white-water rapids metaphor, managing change is a [blank].
A. storm to be avoided
B. continual process
C. university course
D. driving force
Difficulty: Basic
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: B
33. Which change metaphor is consistent with a world that is increasingly dominated by
information, ideas and knowledge?
A. Calm waters
B. Force field analysis
C. Process consultation

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Management: The Essentials, 4th edition
D. White-water rapids
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Application of knowledge
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: D
34. The final step in Lewin’s three-step description of the change process is [blank].
A. freezing the status quo
B. changing to a new state
C. freezing the new state
D. unfreezing the new state
Difficulty: Basic
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: C
35. According to Lewin, what is the purpose of refreezing?
A. To eliminate the need for future change.
B. To direct behaviour away from the status quo.
C. To stabilise the new situation.
D. To promote movement away from existing equilibrium.
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: C
36. In the calm waters metaphor, increasing the driving force and decreasing the restraining
force are ways to [blank].
A. freeze the situation
B. balance the waters
C. achieve equilibrium
D. distract the storm
Difficulty: Complex
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: C
37. In Lewin’s calm waters metaphor, the goal of introducing change is to [blank].
A. establish a new equilibrium state
B. change the current equilibrium state
C. eliminate the equilibrium state
D. reach a state of constant change
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: A
38. Lewin’s calm waters metaphor today is increasingly thought to be [blank].
A. obsolete
B. an apt description of the current situation
C. a blueprint for the future

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Management: The Essentials, 4th edition
D. illogical
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: A
39. Which phenomenon in today’s business climate has made the white-water rapids metaphor
popular?
A. Constant and chaotic change
B. Reduced competition
C. Corporations that are too powerful
D. Organisations that resist change
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Reflective thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: A
40. Writing laws to reward industries for reducing carbon emissions in an effort to combat global
climate change can be best described as an example of which of the following?
A. Implementing change
B. Unfreezing the status quo
C. Freezing a change into place
D. Refreezing the status quo
Difficulty: Complex
AACSB: Application of knowledge
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: B
41. Kurt Lewin originated some of his most important insights on change introduction by studying
which of the following?
A. Family vacations during World War I
B. Family food habits during World War II
C. Blocking and driving forces in basketball
D. Force fields in physics
Difficulty: Basic
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: B
42. Lewin’s force field analysis identified [blank] forces that compete when people try to achieve
a goal.
A. magnetic
B. enormous
C. physical push-and-pull
D. driving and blocking
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: D
43. Lewin’s force field analysis might view a company [blank] as a blocking force for change.

Copyright © 2019 Pearson Australia (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty Ltd.) – 9781488616549 / Robbins,
Management: The Essentials, 4th edition
A. decreasing centralisation
B. becoming more mechanistic
C. rewarding innovation and creativity
D. becoming more organic
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: B
44. Today’s economic climate can be compared to a university lecture that [blank].
A. lasts exactly one hour
B. focuses on only one topic all semester
C. may last twenty minutes or three hours
D. focuses on several topics during the semester
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Application of knowledge
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: C
45. Organisation development helps employees [blank].
A. deal with unplanned change
B. avoid unpleasant change
C. deal with planned change
D. avoid all types of change
Difficulty: Basic
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: C
46. When organisation development efforts are planned, leaders are attempting to change an
organisation’s [blank].
A. culture
B. status quo
C. financial goals
D. span of control
Difficulty: Basic
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: A
47. A key element of organisational development is its reliance on [blank] participation.
A. managerial
B. employee
C. community
D. technological
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: A

10

Copyright © 2019 Pearson Australia (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty Ltd.) – 9781488616549 / Robbins,
Management: The Essentials, 4th edition
48. In process consultation, [blank] observe and analyse an organisation to find ways to improve
interpersonal processes.
A. top-level managers
B. outside consultants
C. company efficiency specialists
D. ordinary employees
Difficulty: Basic
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: B
49. The primary goal of the OD method called team building is to [blank].
A. increase trust and openness
B. play games such as volleyball to build morale
C. identify troublemakers
D. increase efficiency
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: A
50. Intergroup development is an OD method that focuses on [blank].
A. increasing competition between work groups
B. increasing trust within a single work group
C. increasing competition within a single work group
D. increasing trust between work groups
Difficulty: Basic
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: D
51. Any organisational activity that assists with implementing planned change can be viewed as
an organisational change techniques.
A. True
B. False
Difficulty: Basic
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: A
52. An example of a change in structure is an organisation becoming more decentralised.
A. True
B. False
Difficulty: Basic
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: A
53. Training employees to adopt a safety-first focus illustrates a change in structure.
A. True
B. False

11

Copyright © 2019 Pearson Australia (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty Ltd.) – 9781488616549 / Robbins,
Management: The Essentials, 4th edition
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: B
54. An aggressive new competitor in the marketplace is an external force that creates a need for
organisational change that companies today frequently face.
A. True
B. False
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: A
55. Labour markets are an external force that creates a need for organisational change.
A. True
B. False
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: A
56. The decision of an organisation to bring in new equipment from the outside is an example of
an external force that creates a need for organisational change.
A. True
B. False
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Application of knowledge
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: B
57. In an organisation, a manager, an internal staff specialist or an outside consultant who
specialises in change implementation can be a change agent.
A. True
B. False
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: A
58. Consultants are less likely to be change agents than internal managers.
A. True
B. False
Difficulty: Basic
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: B
59. The calm waters metaphor dominates current thinking of practising managers and
academics.
A. True

12

Copyright © 2019 Pearson Australia (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty Ltd.) – 9781488616549 / Robbins,
Management: The Essentials, 4th edition
B. False
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: B
60. Kurt Lewin developed the three-step change process.
A. True
B. False
Difficulty: Basic
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: A
61. In the white-water rapids metaphor of change, managers should expect change at specific
times only.
A. True
B. False
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: B
62. The number of managers who face white-water rapids metaphor conditions is becoming the
norm.
A. True
B. False
Difficulty: Basic
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: A
63. Organisation development (OD) consists of efforts to help organisational members deal with
unplanned changes.
A. True
B. False
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: B
64. One important reason why organisation development (OD) efforts are needed is that even
planned change can be very upsetting to members of an organisation.
A. True
B. False
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: A

13

Copyright © 2019 Pearson Australia (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty Ltd.) – 9781488616549 / Robbins,
Management: The Essentials, 4th edition
ESSAY. Write your answer in the space provided or on a separate sheet of
paper.
65. Describe an organisational change in structure.
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: Changing organisational structure includes any alteration in authority relationships,
coordination mechanisms, degree of centralisation, job design or similar organisation structure
variables.

66. Describe an organisational change in people.


Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: Changes in people refer to changes in employee attitudes, expectations, perceptions or
behaviours. The human dimension of change requires a workforce that’s committed to quality
and continuous improvement.

67. Give two examples of internal forces that create a need for change.
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: Students’ answers will vary. Possible forces include a change to an organisation’s
strategy, a change to the composition of an organisation’s workforce changes in terms of age,
education, gender, nationality or a change to employee attitudes.

68. Define a change agent.


Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: Change agents are people who act as catalysts and assume the responsibility for
managing the change process. They can be managers within the organisation, internal staff
specialists or outside consultants whose expertise is in change implementation.

69. What is a process consultation?


Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: A process consultation is part of organisational development (OD) approach to change.
In process consultation, outside consultants help managers understand and act on process
elements. These elements might include, for example, workflow, informal relationships among
unit members and formal communications channels. Consultants give managers insight into what
is going on. It’s important to recognise that consultants are not there to solve these problems.
Rather, they act as coaches to help managers diagnose the interpersonal processes that need

14

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Management: The Essentials, 4th edition
improvement. If managers, with the consultants’ help, cannot solve the problem, the consultants
will often help managers find experts who can.

70. Who is Kurt Lewin? List two major lessons from his work.
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: Kurt Lewin was a German-American psychologist known for his studies of group
dynamics. He was often called the father of modern psychology. According to Lewin, changes
are more easily introduced through group decision making than through lectures and individual
appeals. Changes are also more readily accepted when people feel they have an opportunity to
be involved in the change rather than being simply asked or told to change. Lewin also originated
the idea of force field analysis, a framework for looking at the factors that influence a change
situation.

71. In a short essay, discuss two external forces – fluctuations in labour markets and
technological forces – that bring about the need for change.
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: Fluctuation in labour markets can often force managers to make changes. Organisations
that need special kinds of employees must change their human resource management activities
to attract and retain skilled employees in the areas of greatest need. For example, if the market
suddenly experiences a shortage of highly skilled technical workers, a company may need to
change its hiring or compensation practices to make sure it can secure the employees it needs.
Technological forces can also cause companies to make enormous changes. For example, a
small publishing company may now find it possible to do its own production in-house rather than
farm it out to vendors. This would require the hiring and training of new staff, the purchase of
new facilities and it would also require managers to learn new skills and techniques.

72. In a short essay, describe the calm waters view of organisational change.
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: The calm waters metaphor is best illustrated by Lewin’s three-step description of the
change process. According to Lewin, successful change can be planned and requires first to
unfreeze the status quo, then to change to a new state and finally to refreeze to make the
change permanent. In this view, any current status quo can be considered a stable equilibrium
state. To move from this equilibrium, unfreezing is necessary. Unfreezing can be thought of as
preparing for the needed change. Unfreezing can be achieved by increasing driving forces,
which are forces that drive change and direct behaviour away from the status quo, or by
decreasing restraining forces, which are forces that resist change and push behaviour towards
the status quo, or combining the two approaches.

73. Describe the dominant view of organisational change today.


Difficulty: Complex
AACSB: Written and oral communication

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Management: The Essentials, 4th edition
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: The dominant view is similar to the white-water rapids view of organisational change. In
the white-water rapids metaphor, the organisation is seen as a small raft navigating a raging river
with uninterrupted white-water rapids. Aboard the raft are half a dozen people who have never
worked together before, who are totally unfamiliar with the river, who are unsure of their eventual
destination and who, as if things weren’t bad enough, are travelling at night. In the white-water
rapids metaphor, change is the status quo and managing change is a continual process. Today,
many managers never get out of the rapids and face constant internal and external forces in the
environment.

74. In a short essay, explain the three types of organisational change.


Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: Organisational changes are typically classified in one of three categories: changes in
the people, structure or technology of an organisation. Changing structure includes any change
in how a company is organised. For example, any changes that involve altering such things as
work specialisation, departmentalisation, chain of command, span of control, centralisation and
decentralisation, and formalisation would be changes of structure.
Changing technology encompasses modifications in the way work is performed or the methods
and equipment that are used. For example, when an organisation obtains new equipment or
modifies its production line procedure it is changing the company’s technology. Organisational
change in people refers to changes in attitudes, behaviours, expectations or perceptions that
employees have. For example, when employees become committed to a more open, organic,
collaborative kind of work culture, an organisational change in people has occurred.

75. In a short essay, explain organisation development (OD).


Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: Organisation development (OD) is the effort to assist members of an organisation as
they deal with a planned change. The focus of OD is to constructively change the attitudes and
values of organisation members so they can accept and embrace planned changes, becoming
more effective in achieving the new goals of the organisation.

76. In a short essay, list and explain four common organisation development (OD) techniques.
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Learning Outcome: 7.2 Define organisational change and compare and contrast views on the
change process
Answer: Team building is using activities that help team members learn how each member thinks
and works, with the focus of increasing members’ trust and openness towards each other.
Intergroup development is changing the attitudes, stereotypes and perceptions that work groups
have about each other. Process consultation is when an outside consultant helps the manager
understand how processes are affecting the way work is being done. Survey feedback is a
technique for assessing attitudes and perceptions and then clarifying problems employees are
encountering.

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Management: The Essentials, 4th edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the one alternative that best completes the
statement or answers the question.
77. Which term is used to describe people’s perception of the world and its operations?
A. Mental efforts
B. Mental graphs
C. Mental maps
D. Mental models
Difficulty: Basic
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.3 Explain why change might be unsuccessful
Answer: C

78. One reason people often resist change is that they [blank]
A. don’t see a need for it
B. feel unsupported
C. lack self-confidence
D. are new to a job
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.3 Explain why change might be unsuccessful
Answer: A
79. Older workers tend to resist change more than younger workers because they [blank].
A. have more invested in the current system
B. are more willing to quit their job if they don’t like the change
C. have less to lose
D. have less confidence in themselves
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.3 Explain why change might be unsuccessful
Answer: A
80. Which kind of resistance to change is most likely to be beneficial to a company?
A. Uncertainty
B. Fear of losing status or possessions
C. Conflict with company goals
D. Habit
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.3 Explain why change might be unsuccessful
Answer: C
81. Employees at a company protest a change that allows an automatic answering system to
answer phone inquiries, claiming that the company is becoming ‘depersonalised’. They are
most likely resisting change due to [blank].
A. habit
B. fear of losing status
C. conflicts with company goals
D. uncertainty
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Application of knowledge
Learning Outcome: 7.3 Explain why change might be unsuccessful
Answer: C

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Management: The Essentials, 4th edition
82. A technique that helps employees deal with change that appeals to their sense of logic is
[blank].
A. influence and persuasion
B. manipulation
C. coercion or threats to employees
D. education and communication
Difficulty: Basic
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.3 Explain why change might be unsuccessful
Answer: D
83. A technique that helps employees shape the change that includes them in the decision-
making process is [blank].
A. participation
B. bargaining
C. coercion
D. persuasion
Difficulty: Basic
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.3 Explain why change might be unsuccessful
Answer: A
84. When an entire workforce threatens to go on strike to protest a work change, managers
might try this method of reducing resistance to change.
A. Education and communication
B. Facilitation and support
C. Negotiation
D. Participation
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Application of knowledge
Learning Outcome: 7.3 Explain why change might be unsuccessful
Answer: C
85. When managers threaten to fire workers unless they agree to go along with new company
policies, they are using which of the following?
A. Coercion
B. Manipulation
C. Education and communication
D. Negotiation
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Application of knowledge
Learning Outcome: 7.3 Explain why change might be unsuccessful
Answer: A
86. When a manager attempts to buy off a key leader who opposes change by offering her a
promotion, he is using which of the following methods of reducing resistance to change?
A. Co-optation
B. Negotiation
C. Coercion
D. Manipulation
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Application of knowledge
Learning Outcome: 7.3 Explain why change might be unsuccessful
Answer: A
87. One reason people resist change is that it substitutes ambiguity for uncertainty.

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Management: The Essentials, 4th edition
A. True
B. False
Difficulty: Basic
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.3 Explain why change might be unsuccessful
Answer: B
88. Change threatens the investments already made in the status quo.
A. True
B. False
Difficulty: Basic
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.3 Explain why change might be unsuccessful
Answer: A
89. Negotiation twists and distorts facts to reduce resistance to change.
A. True
B. False
Difficulty: Basic
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.3 Explain why change might be unsuccessful
Answer: B
90. Education is a good way to overcome resistance to change due to misinformation.
A. True
B. False
Difficulty: Basic
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.3 Explain why change might be unsuccessful
Answer: A
91. One disadvantage of using participation to overcome barriers to change is that it is time-
consuming.
A. True
B. False
Difficulty: Basic
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.3 Explain why change might be unsuccessful
Answer: A
92. Facilitation and support is a helpful approach when resisters are fearful and anxiety ridden.
A. True
B. False
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.3 Explain why change might be unsuccessful
Answer: A
93. When views of the past are over-complicated, they prevent people from seeing the need for
change.
A. True
B. False
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.3 Explain why change might be unsuccessful
Answer: B

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Management: The Essentials, 4th edition
94. Research shows that people return to past habits when new methods fail to produce instant,
positive consequences.
A. True
B. False
Difficulty: Basic
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.3 Explain why change might be unsuccessful
Answer: A

ESSAY. Write your answer in the space provided or on a separate sheet of


paper.
95. Define participation, when it should be used, its advantages and disadvantages.
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Learning Outcome: 7.3 Explain why change might be unsuccessful
Answer: Participation is a technique for overcoming a barrier to organisational change. It involves
bringing those individuals directly affected by the proposed change into the decision-making
process. Their participation allows these individuals to express their feelings, increase the quality
of the process and increase employee commitment to the final decision. It should be used when
resisters have the expertise to make a contribution. Its advantage is the increase in involvement
and acceptance. Its disadvantages are that it is time-consuming and has potential for a poor
solution.

96. Define mental maps.


Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Learning Outcome: 7.3 Explain why change might be unsuccessful
Answer: Mental maps are cognitive maps or images about how the world operates, which people
use to make sense of their environment and act within it. Mental maps create habitual patterns
for thinking about and behaving in certain situations.

97. Discuss why people resist change due to the fear of losing possessions. Include an example
to support your answer.
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Learning Outcome: 7.3 Explain why change might be unsuccessful
Answer: People resist change out of fear of losing items that they already possess after having
made considerable investment in the status quo. For example, suppose a scientific research
company decides to reward employees strictly on new discoveries that they make or contribute
to. Young, ambitious workers who haven’t accomplished much yet might think this is a great
idea. Older workers who in a sense are resting on accomplishments and status established in
the past, however, might see the new system as a threat: they are giving up their old standing
and forced to earn their new standing. Understandably, these older workers might feel
threatened and would resist such a change.

98. What role do old habits play in changing organisational behaviour?


In a short essay, discuss why people resist change when they think it is incompatible with
organisational goals. Include an example to support your answer.

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Copyright © 2019 Pearson Australia (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty Ltd.) – 9781488616549 / Robbins,
Management: The Essentials, 4th edition
Difficulty: Complex
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Learning Outcome: 7.3 Explain why change might be unsuccessful
Answer: Even when people see the need for change and successfully alter their behaviour, the
change process may still fail if they revert to their old ways. Research shows that people
return to past habits when new methods fail to produce instant, positive consequences. This may
occur because a new approach takes a while to master and doesn’t immediately produce
positive results. It may also be because the process of mastering a new approach can make
people feel lost and unsure about whether they are improving. If they are uncertain about
whether the effort they are investing in the change is working, they will give up. When changes
fail to produce immediate results, the past positive consequences of old behaviours outweigh the
pressure to use new ones and people revert to their previous habits.

MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the one alternative that best completes the
statement or answers the question.
99. Stress in the workplace is an adverse reaction that people have in response to [blank].
A. having too much confidence in themselves
B. lack of ambition
C. demands, constraints and opportunities
D. too much ambition
Difficulty: Basic
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.4 Describe what managers need to know about employee stress
Answer: C
100. An actor on stage getting ‘up’ for a performance is an example of which of the following?
A. A positive aspect of stress
B. A negative aspect of stress
C. A condition not related to stress
D. Both a positive and a negative aspect of stress
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Application of knowledge
Learning Outcome: 7.4 Describe what managers need to know about employee stress
Answer: A
101. Potential stress can become actual stress when the outcome of an event is uncertain and
[blank].
A. publicly viewed
B. important to the individual
C. hard for the individual to understand
D. has little impact on the individual
Difficulty: Blank
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.4 Describe what managers need to know about employee stress
Answer: B
102. The symptoms of stress may be [blank].
A. physical, psychological and behavioural
B. physical or spiritual
C. internal or external
D. autonomous, dependent and interdependent

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Copyright © 2019 Pearson Australia (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty Ltd.) – 9781488616549 / Robbins,
Management: The Essentials, 4th edition
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.4 Describe what managers need to know about employee stress
Answer: A
103. Adverse psychological effects of stress include [blank].
A. rapid speech
B. boredom
C. absenteeism
D. elevated heart rate
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.4 Describe what managers need to know about employee stress
Answer: B
104. Which job characteristic tends to lessen stress?
A. Role overload
B. Procrastination
C. Autonomy
D. Absenteeism
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.4 Describe what managers need to know about employee stress
Answer: C
105. An employee’s blood pressure rises, indicating a(n) [blank] symptom of stress.
A. emotional
B. physical
C. behavioural
D. psychological
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.4 Describe what managers need to know about employee stress
Answer: B
106. The more [blank] between an employer’s tasks and the tasks of others, the more potential
stress there is.
A. diversity
B. information
C. autonomy
D. interdependence
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.4 Describe what managers need to know about employee stress
Answer: D
107. A stressor is defined as [blank].
A. a personal or job-related factor that causes stress
B. an emotion that causes stress
C. a person who causes stress
D. an attitude that causes stress
Difficulty: Basic
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.4 Describe what managers need to know about employee stress
Answer: A

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Management: The Essentials, 4th edition
108. A soccer player who feels stress from trying to raise his goal scoring average and is
about to shoot a penalty is experiencing [blank] stress.
A. role demand
B. role conflict
C. task demand
D. interpersonal
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Application of knowledge
Learning Outcome: 7.4 Describe what managers need to know about employee stress
Answer: C
109. An offence basketball player who is suddenly asked to play defence would be likely to
experience [blank] stress.
A. role demand
B. role overload
C. role ambiguity
D. role conflict
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Application of knowledge
Learning Outcome: 7.4 Describe what managers need to know about employee stress
Answer: D
110. Erin stays late at the office most evenings and often brings work home with her on
weekends. Despite complaints from her family, Erin believes she must put in this time in order
to succeed in her organisation. Erin is most likely experiencing [blank].
A. role conflict
B. role overload
C. interpersonal demand
D. task demand
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Application of knowledge
Learning Outcome: 7.4 Describe what managers need to know about employee stress
Answer: A
111. Which of the following might reduce a sense of task demand stress for a worker?
A. Uncomfortably high temperatures in the workplace
B. Close monitoring by her supervisor
C. Autonomy in the workplace
D. Overcrowded conditions
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.4 Describe what managers need to know about employee stress
Answer: C
112. Which of the following is an interpersonal demand?
A. Excessive organisational rules
B. Lack of social support from colleagues
C. A domineering manager
D. Unclear role expectations
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.4 Describe what managers need to know about employee stress
Answer: C
113. Malik constantly strives to excel. He must always get the highest grade in the class and
has a sense of urgency about him at all times. Malik probably has which of the following?

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Management: The Essentials, 4th edition
A. Type A personality
B. Both Type A and Type B personality
C. Neither Type A nor Type B personality
D. Type B personality
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Application of knowledge
Learning Outcome: 7.4 Describe what managers need to know about employee stress
Answer: A
114. André is a very relaxed, easy-going person who appears to have all the time in the world.
She is never too busy to stop and chat for a moment. Andrémost likely has a [blank]
personality.
A. Type A
B. both Type A and Type B
C. neither Type A nor Type B
D. Type B
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Application of knowledge
Learning Outcome: 7.4 Describe what managers need to know about employee stress
Answer: D
115. To reduce stress, managers need to make sure that employees [blank].
A. have a break every three hours
B. have jobs that match their abilities
C. maximise their productivity
D. don’t work too many hours
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.4 Describe what managers need to know about employee stress
Answer: B
116. Job redesigns are good ways to reduce stress that employees feel from [blank].
A. boredom only
B. work overload only
C. boredom overload
D. work overload or boredom
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.4 Describe what managers need to know about employee stress
Answer: D
117. Stress from an employee’s personal life can best be helped by this.
A. Job redesign
B. MBO
C. Employee assistance programs
D. Performance planning programs
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.4 Describe what managers need to know about employee stress
Answer: C
118. Studies show that [blank] personalities show negative effects from stress.
A. both Type A and Type B
B. Type A
C. Type B
D. neither Type A nor Type B

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Copyright © 2019 Pearson Australia (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty Ltd.) – 9781488616549 / Robbins,
Management: The Essentials, 4th edition
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.4 Describe what managers need to know about employee stress
Answer: A
119. The effects of employee assistance programs (EAPs) [blank].
A. increase job satisfaction, morale and reputation as a good employer
B. help employees deal with their personal problems
C. help employees complete their tasks on time
D. help employees decide on the appropriate training for them
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.4 Describe what managers need to know about employee stress
Answer: A
120. Stress can arise from an opportunity.
A. True
B. False
Difficulty: Basic
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.4 Describe what managers need to know about employee stress
Answer: A
121. All types of stress have negative outcomes for the individual and should be avoided.
A. True
B. False
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.4 Describe what managers need to know about employee stress
Answer: B
122. Autonomy on the job tends to increase stress.
A. True
B. False
Difficulty: Basic
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.4 Describe what managers need to know about employee stress
Answer: B
123. An employee who feels unsettled because he is not sure what his responsibilities are is
experiencing role overload stress.
A. True
B. False
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.4 Describe what managers need to know about employee stress
Answer: B
124. Role conflict is created when an employee does not feel confident that she can achieve
her goals.
A. True
B. False
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.4 Describe what managers need to know about employee stress
Answer: A
125. Karoshi is a Japanese term meaning death from overwork.

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Management: The Essentials, 4th edition
A. True
B. False
Difficulty: Basic
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.4 Describe what managers need to know about employee stress
Answer: A
126. An effective way to reduce workplace stress is to make sure that employees are
appropriately matched to their jobs.
A. True
B. False
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Outcome: 7.4 Describe what managers need to know about employee stress
Answer: A

ESSAY. Write your answer in the space provided or on a separate sheet of


paper.
127. Define employee assistance programs (EAPs).
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Learning Outcome: 7.4 Describe what managers need to know about employee stress
Answer: Employee assistance programs (EAPs) are work-based programs designed to detect,
identify and help resolve work and personal problems that affect employee well-being and
performance. Programs usually offer counselling services to employees but may also include
mediation and training and are often also made available to employees’ family members. Many
EAPs focus on assisting employees with personal issues and some also address work-related
trauma or stress. For example, ANZ Bank’s EAP includes trauma counselling for employees who
are victims of armed hold-ups. The return on investment in EAPs can include greater job
satisfaction, higher morale and a reputation as a good employer, as well as reductions in sick
and stress leave, fewer or less-costly compensation claims and less absenteeism. It’s estimated
that US companies spend almost $1 billion each year on EAPs. Studies suggest that most of
these companies save $5 to $16 for every EAP dollar spent.

128. Define eustress and distress.


Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Learning Outcome: 7.4 Describe what managers need to know about employee stress
Answer: Eustress is positive stress that can be functional and motivate people to action. Distress
is negative stress.

129. Identify some causes of stress and describe some typical symptoms of stress in the
workplace.
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Learning Outcome: 7.4 Describe what managers need to know about employee stress
Answer: Stress can be caused by personal factors and by job-related factors. Clearly, change of
any kind – personal or job-related – has the potential to cause stress, as it can involve demands,
constraints or opportunities. Because organisational changes are frequently created in a climate

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Management: The Essentials, 4th edition
Test Bank for Management The Essentials 4th AUS Edition by Robbins

of uncertainty and around issues that are important to employees, it’s not surprising that
organisational change is a common stressor. Stress is exhibited in a number of ways. Stress
symptoms can be grouped under three general categories: physical, psychological and
behavioural. All of these can significantly affect an employee’s work. Physical signs of stress
include such symptoms as a rise in blood pressure, heart rate or changes in metabolism.
Behavioural stress symptoms in the workplace include productivity changes, absenteeism and
substance abuse. Psychological symptoms include tension, anxiety, boredom and
procrastination.

130. Discuss ways that managers can help reduce job-related stress for their employees.
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Learning Outcome: 7.4 Describe what managers need to know about employee stress
Answer: Managerial options to deal with job-related stress begin with job suitability for
employees. Managers need to make sure that an employee’s abilities match his or her job
requirements. When employees are in over their heads, their stress levels typically will be high. A
realistic job preview and good communication can minimise stress. A performance planning
program such as MBO can clarify job responsibilities, provide clear performance goals and
reduce unsettling feelings of ambiguity that employees have through feedback. Job redesign is
also a way to reduce stress. If stress can be traced to boredom or to work overload, jobs should
be redesigned to increase challenge or to reduce the workload. Redesigns that increase
opportunities for employees to participate in decisions and to gain social support have also been
found to lessen stress.

131. Explain ways that managers can help reduce stress for their employees that originates
outside of the workplace.
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Learning Outcome: 7.4 Describe what managers need to know about employee stress
Answer: Stress from an employee’s personal life raises two problems. First, stress from an
employee’s personal life can be difficult for the manager to control directly, since the manager
has no access to the employee’s home life and no way to change the conditions that the
employee experiences. Second, there are ethical issues to consider when dealing with an
employee’s personal life. Specifically, does the manager have the right to intrude, even in
seemingly innocuous ways, in an employee’s personal life? If a manager believes that she is not
overstepping ethical boundaries and the employee is receptive, there are two major approaches
the manager can consider: employee assistance programs and wellness programs. Employee
assistance programs can provide counselling, advice and other forms of assistance for
employees with troubles that include alcoholism, finances and legal issues. Employee wellness
programs can help employees with such things as weight control, smoking, physical fitness,
nutrition and violence issues.

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warrant such protection. Her chin is tattooed and the nails of her
fingers and toes are stained deep orange with henna. She has a
great tray on her head and is calling out her wares in the strangest
language: “Buy my oranges! They are sweet as honey, and I know
that God will make my basket light.”
This is in Arabic, and one hears the same extravagant sort of talk
all about him. Here two Turks meet and salute each other. They
almost fight in their struggle each to humble himself first by kissing
the hand of the other. After they have done so a third passes and
they all say: “Naharak sayed”—“May thy day be happy and blessed.”
There are no more polite people on earth than these
Mohammedans, whose everyday talk is poetry.
I can always amuse myself for days in watching the trading in the
bazaars. I saw an Egyptian woman buying some meat to-day. The
butcher’s whole stock consisted of a couple of sheep, one of which
hung from a nail on the wall. The woman drew her finger nail along
the piece she wished to take home, and the butcher sawed it off with
a clasp knife. He weighed it on a pair of rude scales, and the woman
objected, saying that he had given her too much. He then took one
end of the strip of meat in his hand, and putting the other end in his
mouth, severed it by drawing the knife quickly across it. He handed
the piece he had held in his mouth to the woman, who took it and
paid for it, evidently seeing nothing out of the way in his methods.
In the bazaars the merchants sit in little booths no bigger than the
packing-box of a piano. A ledge about two feet high, and of about the
same width, runs along the front of the store, on which the
customers sit. A purchaser is usually offered coffee, and asked to
take a smoke out of the long-stemmed water pipe of the proprietor. It
takes a great time to make a deal, for the Mohammedan always asks
three times what he expects to get, and never comes down without
bargaining. The better merchants all keep book accounts, which they
foot up in Arabic characters, taking the ink out of a brass inkstand
with a handle a foot long which is so made that it will contain the pen
as well as the ink. This inkwell is thrust into the belt of the gown
when the proprietor leaves his shop.
If one is not satisfied at one place he can go to another. In the
Cinnamon Bazaar there are dozens of stores that sell nothing but
spices, and in the Shoemakers’ Bazaar are the gorgeously
embroidered slippers and red-leather shoes, turned up at the toes,
worn by all good Mohammedans. In the Silver Bazaar the jewellers
are at work. They use no tools of modern invention. Their bellows is
a bag of goatskin with a piece of gun-barrel for the mouth and two
sticks like those used for the ordinary fire bellows at the end. One’s
only guarantee of getting a good article is to buy the silver, have it
tested by the government assayer, and let the jeweller make it up
under his own eyes. Poor jewellery is often sold, and I remember
buying a silver bracelet for a friend during a visit to Cairo which
looked very pretty and very barbaric, but six months after its
presentation it began to change colour, and proved to be brass
washed with silver.
I see many watches displayed, for there is now a craze among the
peasants of Egypt to own watches. They want a cheap article, and in
many cases buy a fresh watch every year. As a result the Swiss and
Germans have been flooding the country with poor movements, put
up in fancy German silver, nickel, and gun-metal cases, and are
selling them at two dollars and upward apiece. They are not equal to
our timepieces which sell at one dollar. Some of these watches are
advertised as of American make, and sell the quicker on that
account. I doubt not that a good American watch would sell well and
displace the poor stuff now sent in by the Swiss. In one bazaar only
brass articles are shown, while in another nothing but rugs are sold.
The Persian Bazaar and the Turkish Bazaar are managed by men of
these nations. In fact, wandering through the business parts of Cairo,
one can see types of every oriental people on the globe.
CHAPTER VIII
INTIMATE TALKS WITH TWO KHEDIVES

To-day Egypt is governed by a king. Her last sovereign had the


title of sultan, and for fifty years before that she was ruled by
khedives. There were four khedives in that time, and with two of
them I had face-to-face chats. The first was with Tewfik Pasha,
whom I met in the Abdin Palace during my second visit to Cairo. The
other was with Abbas Hilmi, the son and successor of Tewfik, with
whom I talked sixteen years later. Abbas Hilmi’s pro-German
intrigues finally led to his being deposed by the British and to the
establishment of the Protectorate, which ended in the nationalization
of Egypt under a ruler with the title of king.
I give you here the stories of the two interviews, reproducing the
notes I made at the time.

I have just returned from a long audience with the Khedive of


Egypt. Khedive is a Persian-Arabic word, meaning “king,” and
Mohammed Tewfik occupies much the same position now as the
Pharaohs did in the days of Moses. It is true that he is in a measure
the vassal of the Sultan of Turkey to whom he pays a tribute of about
three and three quarter million dollars a year, and that he has also
several European advisers who keep sharp watch over the revenues
of his kingdom to see that a great part of them go to the interest on
the debts that he and his predecessors have contracted with the
bankers of Europe. But he is, nevertheless, the king of Egypt, and as
kings go to-day, he has more power than many other monarchs. His
residence in Cairo is a grand palace with hundreds of rooms filled
with magnificent furniture. He drives about the city with soldiers
carrying swords, riding prancing horses in front of his carriage, and
with a score of cavalry following behind. He has five hundred
thousand dollars a year for his personal expenses, and he has
several palaces besides the one he occupies in Cairo.
It was at the Abdin Palace that I met His Highness to-day. The
interview had been arranged by the American consul general. We
left his office together in the consular carriage. The dragoman of the
legation, a bright-eyed Syrian in the most gorgeous of Turkish
clothes of brown covered with gold embroidery and with a great
sword shaped like a scimitar clanking at his side, opened the
carriage door for us and took his seat by the coachman. The Arabian
Jehu cracked his whip and away we went through the narrow
streets. We drove by the modern European mansions of the rich
Greeks, past the palaces of Egyptian princes from which came the
sweet smell of orange flowers and over which whispered broad
spreading palms. We then went through a business street amid
droves of donkeys, through a caravan of camels, by veiled women
clad in black, past the palace in which Ismail Pasha had his harem
when he was khedive, and on into a great square of many acres. On
the right of this square were vast barracks filled with Arab troops in
blue uniforms and fezzes. A regiment of Egyptian troops was going
through a gymnastic drill, performing the motions as well to-day as
they did at the time when our American General Stone was their
commander and when General Grant reviewed them and said that
they seemed to be good soldiers for everything except fighting.
The Abdin Palace, built in the form of a great horseshoe, is at the
end of this square. It is a vast building of two stories, of brown
stucco, with many windows and a grand entrance way in the centre.
At the left there is a door leading to the harem, and as our carriage
drove up we were passed by a closed coach drawn by two
magnificent Arabian horses. On the box beside the liveried
coachman sat a scowling eunuch whose black skin and dark clothes
were all the more sombre by contrast with his bright red skullcap. In
front of the carriage ran two fleet syces with wands or staffs held up
in the air in front of them, warning plebeians to get out of the way. I
was told that the carriage was that of a princess who was about to
make a call upon the Khedivieh, or queen. These runners, who are a
part of every nobleman’s turnout, are among the most picturesque
sights of Egypt.
At the door of the palace stood two pompous soldiers with great
swords in their hands. They were in Turkish costumes with
embroidered jackets of blue and gold and full zouave trousers of
blue broadcloth. Upon their heads were turbans, and their faces
made me think of the fierce troops that conquered this land in the
days of the Prophet. Passing up the massive steps we came to the
palace door which was opened by an Arab clad in European clothes
and wearing the red fez, which the Egyptian never takes off in the
house or out of it. We were ushered into a grand entrance hall,
floored with marble mosaic, the walls of which were finished in
cream and gold. In front of us a staircase so wide that two
wagonloads of hay could be drawn up it without touching led by easy
flights to the second floor, while at the right and the left were the
reception rooms for visitors and halls leading to the apartments
reserved for the chamberlains, masters of ceremonies, and other
officers of the royal household. After chatting a moment with one or
two of the cabinet ministers, who were just passing out after a
council with His Highness, we moved on up the stairs. In one of the
drawing rooms on the second floor we were met by another Egyptian
official in black clothes and red fez who conducted us to a reception
room, the door of which stood open, and motioned us to enter.
In the centre of this room, which was not larger than a good-sized
American parlour, there stood all alone a man of about thirty-six
years of age. He was dressed in a black broadcloth coat buttoning
close up at the neck like that of a preacher. Lavender pantaloons
showed below this, fitting well down over a pair of gaiter-like pumps.
On the top of his rather handsome head was a fez of dark red with a
black silk tassel. This man was the Khedive of Egypt. He is, I judge,
about five feet six inches in height and while rather thick-set, does
not weigh more than one hundred and fifty pounds. His frame is well
rounded, his head is large, and his features are clean cut. He has a
nose slightly inclined to the Roman. His forehead is high, and the
dark brown eyes that shine from under it change from the grave to
the smiling during his conversation. The Khedive extended his hand
and said he was glad to see me and that he liked to have Americans
come to Cairo. Seating himself on a divan, with one leg doubled up
under him, he motioned me to join him. There was an absence of
pomp or snobbishness in his manner, and though dignified he did not
put on half the airs of the average backwoods member of our House
of Representatives. As he seated himself, his black coat opened so
that I had a chance to note the contrast between his costume and
that of the gorgeous rajahs whom I have met in India. His only
jewellery consisted of a set of pearl studs the size of the smallest of
peas and a watch chain of thin links of gold. He wore a cheap black
bow tie in his white turnover collar, and his cuffs, though
scrupulously clean, had not the polish of the American laundry.
Besides being a good French scholar, Tewfik Pasha speaks
English, and that was the language used in our conversation. In
speaking of his life as Khedive, he said:
“I am told that many people envy me my position. They say that I
am a young man whose lot must be a pleasant one. They do not
understand the troubles that surround me. Many a time I would have
been glad to lay down all the honours I have for rest and peace. The
ten years of my reign have been equal to forty years of work and of
worry. If life were a matter of pleasure I would be a fool to remain on
the throne. I believe, however, that God put man on the world for a
purpose. Duty, not pleasure, is the chief end of man. I do the best I
can for my country and my people, and I feel happiest when I do the
most work and when my work is the hardest.”
“In the famous Abdin Palace I interviewed Tewfik Pasha, when he was Khedive
of Egypt, and later, in the same audience room, talked with Abbas Hilmi, his son
and successor.”
The gorgeous kavass is essential to the official dignity of the representative of
foreign governments in Cairo. Besides attending on the person of minister or
consul general on state occasions, he also serves as major domo and general
“fixer.”

As the Khedive said these words I thought of the thorns which


have filled the pillow of his reign. I thought of how, upon his entering
manhood, his father Ismail was deposed and he was put upon the
throne. I thought of how he boxed the ears of the messenger who
came to tell him he had succeeded to that uncomfortable seat. I
thought of his trouble under foreign dictation. I thought of the plots
and nearly successful rebellion of Arabi Pasha, of the revolution of
the Mahdi, of the creditors who to-day are grinding Egypt between
their upper and nether millstones, of the danger of assassination,
and of the other perils that are ever present about the throne of an
oriental monarch. Recalling all these things, I could appreciate why
his mouth hardened and his eyes grew sad when he spoke thus to
me.
The talk then turned upon the condition of Egypt and its future, but
as to these matters Tewfik was reticent. He spoke proudly of the
reforms which he had inaugurated in government and of the fact that
now, though the taxes were heavy, every peasant knew just what he
would have to pay and that the taxes were honestly collected. He
spoke of the improvement of the courts and said that the pasha and
the fellah were equal before the law. “When I came to the throne,”
said he, “the people were surprised that I put the prince on the same
footing as other people. Now, there is no difference in justice. The
prince and the peasant are the same in our courts, and the former
may be punished like the latter.”
At this point, coffee and cigarettes were brought in by the servants
of the palace. The coffee was à la Turque. It was served in little china
cups shaped like egg cups, in holders of gold filigree, each holding
about three tablespoonfuls of rich black coffee as thick as chocolate
and as sweet as molasses. There were neither saucers nor spoons.
Trying to follow the Khedive’s example I gulped down half the
contents of the cup at a swallow. It was as hot as liquid fire. I could
feel the top of my mouth rising in a blister, the tears came into my
eyes, and my stomach felt as though it had taken an internal Turkish
bath. Tewfik Pasha took the boiling mixture without winking and went
on talking as though his throat were used to scalding fluids.
Surprised to see him refuse a cigarette, I asked him if he did not
smoke. He replied:
“No! I neither smoke nor drink. I do not drink for two reasons. I
believe a man is better off without it, and, what is of more moment to
me, it is against the laws of life as laid down in the Koran. We do not
believe it right to drink anything intoxicating and good Moslems drink
neither wine nor liquor. I believe that every man should be faithful to
the religion which he professes. My faith is that of Islam and I try to
follow it as well as I can. I am not illiberal in it, however, for I tolerate
all religions and all sects in my kingdom. We have Copts, Jews, and
Christians, and your missionaries are at work in the land. They make
very few converts, if any, among the people of my faith, but they
have schools in Upper Egypt that are doing much in the way of
education.”
The consul general here spoke of the Khedive’s knowledge of the
Koran, mentioning the fact that His Majesty knows the whole book by
heart. There is no doubt that Tewfik has as much faith in his religion
as we have in ours. He spoke with some pride of the Mohammedan
conversions in Africa and the fact that there are more than one
hundred millions of people in the world who believe the same as he
does. We talked of the band of one hundred American Catholics,
who are stopping in Egypt on their way to the Holy Land, and the
Khedive said he was interested in these pilgrims who are following
the footsteps of Joseph and Mary. He spoke of the immense sums
brought into Egypt by tourists and said that it bettered the business
of his country.
Throughout our whole conversation the talk was of the most
cordial and unceremonious character and I left the palace with the
impression that the Khedive of Egypt is a man of great sense and of
more than ordinary ability. He stands well with his people. Indeed,
the leading men in Cairo tell me he would do much for Egypt if he
were not hampered by foreign intervention. He gave up a number of
his palaces a year or so ago and he is, for a king, most economical.
Had other rulers of the past been equally careful, Egypt would be a
rich country to-day instead of being ridden with debts. He is a man of
domestic tastes, and though a Mohammedan and an oriental king,
he is the husband of but one wife to whom he is as true as the most
chaste American. A friend of Tewfik Pasha reported to me a talk he
recently had with him upon this subject in which the Khedive
expressed himself strongly in favour of monogamy: “I saw,” said he,
“in my father’s harem the disadvantages of a plurality of wives and of
having children by different wives, so I decided before I came to
manhood that I would marry but one woman and would be true to
her. I have done so, and I have had no reason to regret it.”
From what I can learn the ruler’s family life is a happy one. He is
much in love with his wife, who is said to be one of the cleverest
women of Egypt. A woman friend of hers, who visits often at the
royal harem, tells me that this queen of Egypt is both beautiful and
accomplished. She keeps up a big establishment separate from that
of the Khedive, and when she sits down to dinner or breakfast it is
not with her husband, but with her own ladies. The Khedive eats with
his officers, according to Mohammedan etiquette, and his
apartments, or the salumlik, are separate from hers. Both she and
her husband have done much to break down the rigidity of
Mohammedan social customs. Tewfik Pasha takes the Khedivieh
with him wherever he goes, though she usually travels in a separate
train or car. She has stuck to the Khedive through the stormiest days
of his reign. During the last war she refused to take refuge on the
English gunboats when invited to do so.
Both the Khedive and the Khedivieh are wrapped up in their four
children. They have two boys and two girls. The boys are Abbas
Hilmi, who will be fifteen years old in July, and Mehemet Ali, who is
two years younger. These boys are now at school in Berlin. They
speak French, English, German, and Arabic, and they are, I am told,
very clever. The girls are rather pretty, cream-complexioned maidens
of eight and ten, who are as much like American girls as they can be
considering their surroundings. They wear European clothes and
may be seen along the sea shore at Alexandria, walking together
and swinging their hats in their hands like other little girls at our
summer resorts. They have European governesses and talk French
quite well.
In Cairo sixteen years later I found on the throne Abbas Hilmi who
was a boy at school when I had my interview with his father. Again
through the courtesy of our consul general an audience with the
Khedive was arranged for me, and together we went to the palace to
pay our respects. Here is the story of my visit:
In the very room where I met Tewfik Pasha I was received in the
same cordial and informal manner by his son, the present Khedive.
He does not look much like his father. He is a trifle taller and seems
to have more dignity, perhaps because in place of his father’s simple
garb Abbas Hilmi wears the more formal frock coat and striped
trousers of modern officialdom.
Though stripped of most of their political powers, the khedives surrounded
themselves with all the trappings of rulership, and made the most of the
magnificence of the Abdin Palace in Cairo, where they granted audiences and
gave grand balls.
One of the most famous hotels in the world is Shepheard’s, at Cairo, through
which for many years leading characters of all nations have passed on their way to
the East or to the West. Its site was once part of the garden of Princess Kiamil,
daughter of Mehemet Ali.

A school among the Moslems is a simple matter, consisting usually of young


men sitting at the feet of a teacher whose sole textbook and equipment are the
Koran, lengthy passages of which are learned by rote.

My conversation with His Highness covered a wide range. It dealt


with the present prosperity of Egypt, and I could see that he
understands both his country and its people. He thinks that the Nile
valley has by no means reached the maximum of its development,
and says that by increasing the dams and drainage facilities Egypt
might yield much greater crops than she does now. I spoke to him
about having met his father, mentioning the great interest that Tewfik
Pasha showed in Egypt and its future. The Khedive expressed a
similar desire to do all he could for the Egyptians, but practically the
only matters in which he has full sway are those regarding his own
estates, his management of which shows great business capacity.
He has an allowance of five hundred thousand dollars a year out of
the public treasury, but in addition he owns thousands of acres of
valuable lands, so his private property must be worth many millions
of dollars. He handles this in such a way that it pays well, his
experiments and improvements being the talk of farmers and
business men throughout the Nile valley.
I have heard a great deal of these khedivial farms since I have
been in Egypt. Abbas Hilmi inherited much land from his father, but
he has other large tracts, which he himself has redeemed from the
desert, and yet others which he has made good by draining. Not far
from Cairo he owns twenty-five hundred acres which a few years
ago were covered with swamps, quagmires, and hillocks. He bought
this cheap and then began to improve it. He cut down the hills,
drained the swamps, and put water on the land. At present that
estate is paying over sixty thousand dollars a year, bringing His
Highness thirty per cent. and upward on his investment.
He has another great farm not far from Alexandria which was all
desert not long ago. The Khedive has irrigated it and thus turned four
thousand waste acres into cultivated fields. Farm villages have
grown up about them and His Highness has so laid out the estate
with trees and flowers that it is said to be like an earthly paradise. In
one place he has a plantation of fifteen thousand mulberry bushes,
the leaves of which furnish food for his silkworms. This estate is at
Montzah, a few miles out of Alexandria, on a beautiful bay of the
Mediterranean Sea. Abbas Hilmi has built a palace there, or rather
two palaces, a little one for himself and a larger one for his family. In
other parts of the estate he is carrying on all sorts of breeding
experiments. He has chicken houses and rabbit hutches as well as a
tower containing thousands of pigeons.
The Khedive is interested in fine stock and is doing much to
improve that of Egypt. On his various farms he has high-bred horses,
cattle, and sheep. He has a large number of Arabian thoroughbred
horses, and some Jersey, Swiss, and other fine breeds of cows. His
water buffaloes, known here as gamoushes, are far better than any
others of the Nile valley. He is also breeding cattle for oxen and
mules for draft animals. He has a school on his estate near Cairo
where two hundred boys are being educated to take places on his
various properties. This school is run at his own expense, the boys
being taught farming and surveying as well as reading, writing, and
arithmetic. The course of study lasts for five years, at the end of
which the graduate is pretty sure of a good position as a steward or
overseer on one of the khedivial farms.
Abbas Hilmi has made a great deal of money within the last three
or four years. He is investing largely in Cairo and is building
apartment houses with elevators, telephones, electric lights,
bathrooms, and all other modern improvements. He has a brick
factory on one of his estates near here, and his profits from cotton
and other crops must be very large.
Abbas Hilmi’s wife is the Princess Ikbal Hanem, whom he married
when he was about twenty. She is said to be both accomplished and
beautiful, but like all Mohammedan ladies, she leads a secluded life,
and does not appear at the great functions at the palace. She is not
seen at the Khedive’s grand ball, given to his officials and the
foreigners about once a year, to which something like fifteen hundred
guests are invited. She is present, all the same, however, for she has
a screened chamber looking down upon the ballroom, with the
curtains so arranged that she can watch the dancing and flirting
while she herself is unseen. Her Majesty has gorgeous apartments
in each of the palaces and a little court of her own of which the noble
ladies of Egypt are a part.
CHAPTER IX
EL-AZHAR AND ITS TEN THOUSAND MOSLEM
STUDENTS

The biggest university of the Mohammedan world is situated in


Cairo. It has, all told, over ten thousand students, and its professors
number more than four hundred. Its students come from every
country where Mohammedanism flourishes. There are hundreds
here from India, and some from Malaya and Java. There are large
numbers from Morocco, as well as from Algeria, Tunisia, and Tripoli.
There are black Nubians, yellow-skinned Syrians and Turks, and
boys from southeastern Europe with faces as fair as our own. There
are long-gowned, turbaned Persians, fierce-eyed Afghans, and
brown-skinned men from the Sudan and from about Kuka, Bornu,
and Timbuktu. The students are of all ages from fifteen to seventy-
five, and some have spent their lives in the college.
This university has been in existence for almost a thousand years.
It was founded A.D. 972, and from that time to this it has been
educating the followers of the Prophet. It is to-day perhaps the
strongest force among these people in Egypt. Ninety-two per cent. of
the inhabitants of the Nile valley are Mohammedans and most of the
native officials have been educated here. There are at least thirty
thousand men in the public service among its graduates, while the
judges of the villages, the teachers in the mosque schools, and the
imams, or priests, who serve throughout Egypt are connected with it.
They hold the university in such high regard that an order from its
professors would be as much respected as one from the
government, if not more.
A fifteen-minutes drive from the hotel quarter through the bazaars of the Mouski
and the narrow “Street of the Booksellers” brings one to the university of El-Azhar,
for 900 years the educational centre of the Moslem world.

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