Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Full Download PDF of Test Bank For Organizational Behavior An Evidence Based Approach, 12th Edition: Luthans All Chapter
Full Download PDF of Test Bank For Organizational Behavior An Evidence Based Approach, 12th Edition: Luthans All Chapter
https://testbankmall.com/product/test-bank-for-introduction-to-
clinical-psychology-an-evidence-based-approach-2nd-edition-by-
hunsley-lee/
https://testbankmall.com/product/test-bank-for-language-
disorders-in-children-an-evidence-based-approach-to-assessment-
and-treatment-0205435424/
https://testbankmall.com/product/solution-manual-for-
organizational-behavior-an-experiential-approach-8-e-8th-
edition-0131441515/
https://testbankmall.com/product/test-bank-for-understanding-
nursing-research-building-an-evidence-based-practice-7th-edition/
Test Bank for Essentials of Organizational Behavior,
12th Edition by Robbins
https://testbankmall.com/product/test-bank-for-essentials-of-
organizational-behavior-12th-edition-by-robbins/
https://testbankmall.com/product/test-bank-for-organizational-
behavior-managing-people-and-organizations-12th-edition/
https://testbankmall.com/product/solution-manual-for-
organizational-behavior-managing-people-and-organizations-12th-
edition/
https://testbankmall.com/product/international-management-
culture-strategy-and-behavior-10th-edition-luthans-test-bank/
https://testbankmall.com/product/international-management-
culture-strategy-and-behavior-luthans-9th-edition-test-bank/
Chapter 01 - Introduction to Organizational Behavior: An Evidence-Based Approach
6. ‘Paradigm shift' refers to the situation in which those in the existing paradigm may not even
see the changes that are occurring, and therefore, cannot analyze the changes.
True False
1-2
Chapter 01 - Introduction to Organizational Behavior: An Evidence-Based Approach
7. Reasons for considerable resistance to change and difficulty to move from the old
management paradigm to the new can be explained by the "paradigm effect."
True False
8. The fact that today's managers are competent in their functional specialization is sufficient
to reiterate that most of them paid close attention to the conceptual and human dimensions of
their jobs.
True False
9. According to Theory X, if employees were kept happy, they would become high
performers.
True False
10. Theory X is the natural choice for most organizations in today's environment.
True False
11. Most of the practicing managers and their organizations cultures believe, fully implement,
and consistently adhere to a full-fledged HPWPs approach to management.
True False
12. The movement to not only recognize, but also do something about the "Knowing-Doing
Gap" is the movement towards evidence-based management.
True False
13. Most of the "new management practices" are essentially a readapted version of existing
"old management truths."
True False
1-3
Chapter 01 - Introduction to Organizational Behavior: An Evidence-Based Approach
14. The Hawthorne studies were more a result of planned study than a serendipitous
discovery.
True False
15. The Hawthorne effect postulates that the increase in productivity can be attributed to the
special attention received by the participants.
True False
16. Behavioral science is almost as old as the physical and biological sciences.
True False
17. According to meta-analysis, if one study shows that a management technique doesn't work
and another study shows that it does, an average of those results is the best estimate of how
well that management practice works (or doesn't work).
True False
18. The experimental design of research used in organizational behavior is largely borrowed
from sociology.
True False
19. The primary aim of any research design, establishing a cause-and-effect relationship, is
accomplished through the experimental design.
True False
20. Laboratory studies tend to have better external validity than field studies.
True False
1-4
Chapter 01 - Introduction to Organizational Behavior: An Evidence-Based Approach
21. According to Edward Tolman, behavior is reactive, and is directed towards situations.
True False
22. The social cognitive process can be a unifying theoretical framework for both cognition
and behaviorism.
True False
23. The behavioristic approach posits that cognitive processes such as thinking, expectancies,
and perception exist and are essential to predict and control or manage behavior.
True False
24. The behavioristic approach has been labeled as being mentalistic, while the cognitive
approach has been labeled deterministic.
True False
1-5
Chapter 01 - Introduction to Organizational Behavior: An Evidence-Based Approach
26. Which of the following is NOT an important environmental or contextual dimension for
organizational behavior?
A. Leadership
B. Globalization
C. Ethics
D. Diversity
28. David was recently promoted as the chief marketing officer for Izet Pvt. Ltd. David was
chosen because of his remarkable marketing skills and his experience as Vice-President for 15
years in a reputed marketing firm. Which of the following can be attributed as a reason for his
promotion?
A. Physical capital
B. Human capital
C. Social capital
D. Positive psychological capital
29. Ken is hired as a branch manager of a marketing firm only because of his networks with
important personalities and his connections with potential clients. Which of the following can
he best provide to the organization?
A. Physical capital
B. Relation capital
C. Social capital
D. Positive psychological capital
1-6
Chapter 01 - Introduction to Organizational Behavior: An Evidence-Based Approach
1-7
Chapter 01 - Introduction to Organizational Behavior: An Evidence-Based Approach
31. Which one of the following changes CANNOT be attributed to the dynamic,
technologically advanced work environment?
A. A change in work ethics
B. A change in the traditional employment contract
C. A change in the nature of the work
D. A change in the composition of the workforce
32. Which among the following does NOT signify the term "paradigm?"
A. A framework
B. A way of thinking
C. A scheme for understanding technology
D. A scheme for understanding reality
33. InvestorPro, an investment consulting firm plans to flatten its traditional hierarchy
structure. The intent is to eliminate authoritarian positions in its structure and create new ones
that are operationally logical. The top management agrees that none of the employees would
be laid-off but only transferred from their positions to the new ones. This plan, when
announced to its employees, is not taken well by lower- and middle- level management who
did not want the structure to be changed. When asked for a reason, they were not able to put a
strong argument. Which of the following best describes this effect?
A. Hawthorne effect
B. Paradigm effect
C. Audience effect
D. External validity
34. James Brian Quinn believes that the organization of enterprise and effective strategies will
depend more on development and deployment of _____ resources than on the management of
_____ assets.
A. intellectual; physical
B. human; monetary
C. technological; physical
D. natural; monetary
1-8
Chapter 01 - Introduction to Organizational Behavior: An Evidence-Based Approach
35. A manager following which of the following theories would be of the opinion that
employees are only interested in money?
A. Social assumptions theory.
B. Theory X.
C. Theory Y.
D. Theory Z.
36. Identify a method that was NOT used by traditional managers to solve management
problems and ensure maximum productivity in the past.
A. Devise monetary incentive plans
B. Ensure job security
C. Provide regular paid leave
D. Provide good working conditions
37. Among the following, identify which is NOT part of high performance work practices?
A. Job security
B. Self-managed teams
C. Pay for performance
D. Multi-source feedback system
38. Identify Jeff Pfeffer's "3 Its," correlating it to organizational behavior theory and research.
A. Believe it.
B. Spread it.
C. Do it.
D. Stick with it.
39. Pfeffer and Sutton identified five sources that prevented the implementation and
sustainability of the high performance work practices. Identify which is NOT one of the
sources.
A. Debilitating fear
B. Destructive internal competition
C. Mindless reliance on precedent
D. Poorly designed and complex hierarchy
1-9
Chapter 01 - Introduction to Organizational Behavior: An Evidence-Based Approach
41. Which among the following aspect of behavioral management was not emphasized by
early pioneers of practicing management, such as Alfred P. Sloan?
A. Hierarchical structure
B. Specialization
C. Management functions of planning and controlling
D. Human dimension
42. The relay room studies phase of the Hawthorne studies concluded that:
A. the productivity would increase if the length of workday was reduced.
B. productivity was directly proportional to rest breaks.
C. productivity was independent to the method of payment.
D. the independent variables by themselves were not causing the change in the dependent
variable.
43. Increased productivity under controlled conditions can be attributed solely to the fact that
the participants in the study are given special attention and that they are enjoying a novel,
interesting experience. This can be referred to as:
A. social facilitation.
B. the paradigm effect.
C. groupthink.
D. the Hawthorne effect.
1-10
Chapter 01 - Introduction to Organizational Behavior: An Evidence-Based Approach
44. Which one of the following variables is NOT responsible for separating the old human
relations movement and the evidence-based approach to the field of organizational behavior?
A. Experimental design
B. Nature of employment
C. Group dynamics
D. Styles of leadership and supervision
45. Organizational behavior researchers strive to attain all of the following hallmarks of any
science EXCEPT:
A. prediction.
B. understanding/explanation.
C. control.
D. diversification.
46. _____ is based on the idea, "An average of two contradicting management study results is
probably the best estimate of how well or not that management technique works."
A. Experimental design
B. Meta-analysis
C. Controlling factors
D. Law of averages
47. The reason for the existence of the many theories in the field of organizational behavior is
due to the _____ of the variables involved.
A. objectivity and multidimensionality
B. variance and complexity
C. logicality and unidirectional behavior
D. complexity and multidimensionality
1-11
Chapter 01 - Introduction to Organizational Behavior: An Evidence-Based Approach
49. Which of the following is NOT among the three most often used designs in organizational
behavior research today?
A. The questionnaire
B. The case
C. The survey
D. The experiment
50. Which of the following involves the manipulation of independent variables to measure
their effect on, or the change in, dependent variables, while everything else is held constant or
controlled?
A. The survey
B. The case
C. The experiment
D. The questionnaire
51. The _____ employed are/is the key to the successful use of the experimental design.
A. variables
B. controls
C. creativity
D. personnel
52. Which of the following tends to be more theoretically oriented and at the macro level of
analysis?
A. Organizational behavior
B. Organization theory
C. Organization development
D. Human resource management
53. Which of the following tends to be more application oriented and at the macro level of
analysis?
A. Organizational behavior
B. Organization theory
C. Organization development
D. Human resource management
1-12
Chapter 01 - Introduction to Organizational Behavior: An Evidence-Based Approach
54. Which of the following tends to be more theoretically oriented and at the micro level of
analysis?
A. Organizational behavior
B. Organization theory
C. Organization development
D. Human resource management
55. Which of the following tends to be more application oriented and at the micro level of
analysis?
A. Organizational behavior
B. Organization theory
C. Organization development
D. Human resource management
56. The cognitive approach uses concepts all of the following concepts EXCEPT:
A. expectancy.
B. attitude.
C. demand.
D. intention.
57. Applied to the field of organizational behavior, a cognitive approach has traditionally
dominated all of the following units of analysis EXCEPT:
A. personality and attitudes.
B. motivation.
C. goal setting.
D. research analysis.
1-13
Chapter 01 - Introduction to Organizational Behavior: An Evidence-Based Approach
58. Which of the following is NOT a true statement about behavioristic framework?
A. Ivan Pavlov and John B. Watson used classical conditioning experiments to formulate the
stimulus-response (S-R) explanation of human behavior.
B. Ivan Pavlov and John B. Watson concentrated mainly on the impact of the stimulus and
felt that learning occurred when the R-S connection was made.
C. Skinner believed that the consequences of a response could better explain most behaviors
than eliciting stimuli could.
D. For Skinner, behavior is a function of its contingent environmental consequences.
59. According to social learning, behavior can best be explained in terms of a continuous
reciprocal interaction among all of the following determinants EXCEPT:
A. cognitive.
B. behavioral.
C. motivational.
D. environmental.
60. The cognitive part of the SCT recognizes the influential contribution of thought processes
to all of the following EXCEPT human:
A. motivation.
B. attitudes.
C. action.
D. perceptions.
61. Bill is a trainee executive in an accounting firm. He knows that in order to do well in his
career, he needs to perform well. He has set internal standards for himself so that he can
evaluate the discrepancy between the standard and the performance in order to improve it.
A. Forethought
B. Symbolizing
C. Self-regulatory
D. Self-reflective
1-14
Chapter 01 - Introduction to Organizational Behavior: An Evidence-Based Approach
62. Peter is a new marketing research executive in a reputed marketing firm. During the first
week of his work, he finds out about the performance of his peers and supervisor and what
they receive for it. According to Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory, which human capability
is Peter concentrating on?
A. Forethought
B. Observational
C. Symbolizing
D. Self-reflective
63. Travis is a new recruit in an advertising firm. During his first week of work, he plans his
actions, anticipates the consequences, and determines the level of desired performance.
According to Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory, which human capability is Travis
concentrating on?
A. Forethought
B. Symbolizing
C. Self-regulatory
D. Self-reflective
64. Ruth has recently completed her first project as a project manager. She analyses her
project to understand how well it went, to perceptually determine how well she can handle
projects in the future. According to Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory, which human
capability is Ruth concentrating on?
A. Forethought
B. Symbolizing
C. Self-regulatory
D. Self-reflective
1-15
Chapter 01 - Introduction to Organizational Behavior: An Evidence-Based Approach
Essay Questions
66. Define paradigm. What are the recent causes for a paradigm shift? What are its
consequences?
68. What is the manager's perception of employees according to Theory X? Does this
approach still work? Why? What is the assumption of the new perspective?
1-16
Chapter 01 - Introduction to Organizational Behavior: An Evidence-Based Approach
69. List the sources that seem to prevent the majority of managers from effective
implementation and sustainability?
1-17
Chapter 01 - Introduction to Organizational Behavior: An Evidence-Based Approach
73. When does a study have internal validity? What are its threats? How can they be
overcome?
1-18
Chapter 01 - Introduction to Organizational Behavior: An Evidence-Based Approach
76. Summarize the relationship of organizational behavior to other closely related disciplines.
1-19
Chapter 01 - Introduction to Organizational Behavior: An Evidence-Based Approach
78. Discuss the differences in opinions of "Ivan Pavlov and John B. Watson" and "B. F.
Skinner."
79. Describe the basic human capabilities according to Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory.
1-20
Chapter 01 - Introduction to Organizational Behavior: An Evidence-Based Approach
1. (p. 5) The major challenge and critical competitive advantage for any organization is the
human resource of that company.
TRUE
Difficulty: Easy
2. (p. 6) Casey, a relationship manager in a bank creates value for her organization through her
networks, connections, and friends. These values can be referred to as "positive psychological
capital."
FALSE
Difficulty: Medium
3. (p. 6) Roger, a sales manager for Heust Pvt. Ltd., is impressed with his new sales executive,
Tim. According to Roger, Tim is optimistic, can perform well under pressure, and is very
confident about what he does. These qualities can be referred to as "positive psychological
capital."
TRUE
Difficulty: Medium
1-21
Chapter 01 - Introduction to Organizational Behavior: An Evidence-Based Approach
4. (p. 7) The problems with human organizations and the solutions over the ages have
undergone drastic changes compared to their emphasis and surrounding environmental
context.
FALSE
Difficulty: Hard
Difficulty: Easy
6. (p. 8) ‘Paradigm shift' refers to the situation in which those in the existing paradigm may not
even see the changes that are occurring, and therefore, cannot analyze the changes.
TRUE
Difficulty: Easy
1-22
Chapter 01 - Introduction to Organizational Behavior: An Evidence-Based Approach
7. (p. 8) Reasons for considerable resistance to change and difficulty to move from the old
management paradigm to the new can be explained by the "paradigm effect."
TRUE
Difficulty: Easy
8. (p. 10) The fact that today's managers are competent in their functional specialization is
sufficient to reiterate that most of them paid close attention to the conceptual and human
dimensions of their jobs.
FALSE
Difficulty: Hard
9. (p. 10) According to Theory X, if employees were kept happy, they would become high
performers.
TRUE
Difficulty: Easy
10. (p. 11) Theory X is the natural choice for most organizations in today's environment.
FALSE
Difficulty: Easy
11. (p. 11) Most of the practicing managers and their organizations cultures believe, fully
implement, and consistently adhere to a full-fledged HPWPs approach to management.
FALSE
Difficulty: Medium
1-23
Chapter 01 - Introduction to Organizational Behavior: An Evidence-Based Approach
12. (p. 12) The movement to not only recognize, but also do something about the "Knowing-
Doing Gap" is the movement towards evidence-based management.
TRUE
Difficulty: Easy
13. (p. 13) Most of the "new management practices" are essentially a readapted version of
existing "old management truths."
TRUE
Difficulty: Medium
14. (p. 14) The Hawthorne studies were more a result of planned study than a serendipitous
discovery.
FALSE
Difficulty: Medium
15. (p. 15) The Hawthorne effect postulates that the increase in productivity can be attributed to
the special attention received by the participants.
TRUE
Difficulty: Easy
16. (p. 16) Behavioral science is almost as old as the physical and biological sciences.
FALSE
Difficulty: Medium
1-24
Chapter 01 - Introduction to Organizational Behavior: An Evidence-Based Approach
17. (p. 17) According to meta-analysis, if one study shows that a management technique doesn't
work and another study shows that it does, an average of those results is the best estimate of
how well that management practice works (or doesn't work).
TRUE
Difficulty: Easy
18. (p. 18) The experimental design of research used in organizational behavior is largely
borrowed from sociology.
FALSE
Difficulty: Easy
19. (p. 19) The primary aim of any research design, establishing a cause-and-effect relationship,
is accomplished through the experimental design.
TRUE
Difficulty: Easy
20. (p. 19) Laboratory studies tend to have better external validity than field studies.
FALSE
Difficulty: Easy
21. (p. 21) According to Edward Tolman, behavior is reactive, and is directed towards
situations.
FALSE
Difficulty: Medium
1-25
Chapter 01 - Introduction to Organizational Behavior: An Evidence-Based Approach
22. (p. 21) The social cognitive process can be a unifying theoretical framework for both
cognition and behaviorism.
TRUE
Difficulty: Easy
23. (p. 22) The behavioristic approach posits that cognitive processes such as thinking,
expectancies, and perception exist and are essential to predict and control or manage
behavior.
FALSE
Difficulty: Medium
24. (p. 22) The behavioristic approach has been labeled as being mentalistic, while the cognitive
approach has been labeled deterministic.
FALSE
Difficulty: Medium
25. (p. 23) Personality characteristics such as conscientiousness can serve as an example for
organizational participants.
TRUE
Difficulty: Medium
1-26
Chapter 01 - Introduction to Organizational Behavior: An Evidence-Based Approach
26. (p. 5) Which of the following is NOT an important environmental or contextual dimension
for organizational behavior?
A. Leadership
B. Globalization
C. Ethics
D. Diversity
Difficulty: Easy
27. (p. 6) Human resource of an organization includes all of the following EXCEPT:
A. human capital.
B. social capital.
C. positive psychological capital.
D. relations capital.
Difficulty: Easy
28. (p. 6) David was recently promoted as the chief marketing officer for Izet Pvt. Ltd. David
was chosen because of his remarkable marketing skills and his experience as Vice-President
for 15 years in a reputed marketing firm. Which of the following can be attributed as a reason
for his promotion?
A. Physical capital
B. Human capital
C. Social capital
D. Positive psychological capital
Difficulty: Medium
1-27
Chapter 01 - Introduction to Organizational Behavior: An Evidence-Based Approach
29. (p. 6) Ken is hired as a branch manager of a marketing firm only because of his networks
with important personalities and his connections with potential clients. Which of the
following can he best provide to the organization?
A. Physical capital
B. Relation capital
C. Social capital
D. Positive psychological capital
Difficulty: Medium
30. (p. 6) Which of the following best explains positive psychological capital?
A. What you know
B. Who you know
C. What you say
D. Who you can become
Difficulty: Easy
31. (p. 6) Which one of the following changes CANNOT be attributed to the dynamic,
technologically advanced work environment?
A. A change in work ethics
B. A change in the traditional employment contract
C. A change in the nature of the work
D. A change in the composition of the workforce
Difficulty: Medium
32. (p. 8) Which among the following does NOT signify the term "paradigm?"
A. A framework
B. A way of thinking
C. A scheme for understanding technology
D. A scheme for understanding reality
Difficulty: Easy
1-28
Chapter 01 - Introduction to Organizational Behavior: An Evidence-Based Approach
33. (p. 8) InvestorPro, an investment consulting firm plans to flatten its traditional hierarchy
structure. The intent is to eliminate authoritarian positions in its structure and create new ones
that are operationally logical. The top management agrees that none of the employees would
be laid-off but only transferred from their positions to the new ones. This plan, when
announced to its employees, is not taken well by lower- and middle- level management who
did not want the structure to be changed. When asked for a reason, they were not able to put a
strong argument. Which of the following best describes this effect?
A. Hawthorne effect
B. Paradigm effect
C. Audience effect
D. External validity
Difficulty: Medium
34. (p. 8) James Brian Quinn believes that the organization of enterprise and effective strategies
will depend more on development and deployment of _____ resources than on the
management of _____ assets.
A. intellectual; physical
B. human; monetary
C. technological; physical
D. natural; monetary
Difficulty: Medium
35. (p. 10) A manager following which of the following theories would be of the opinion that
employees are only interested in money?
A. Social assumptions theory.
B. Theory X.
C. Theory Y.
D. Theory Z.
Difficulty: Easy
1-29
Chapter 01 - Introduction to Organizational Behavior: An Evidence-Based Approach
36. (p. 10) Identify a method that was NOT used by traditional managers to solve management
problems and ensure maximum productivity in the past.
A. Devise monetary incentive plans
B. Ensure job security
C. Provide regular paid leave
D. Provide good working conditions
Difficulty: Medium
37. (p. 11) Among the following, identify which is NOT part of high performance work
practices?
A. Job security
B. Self-managed teams
C. Pay for performance
D. Multi-source feedback system
Difficulty: Medium
38. (p. 11) Identify Jeff Pfeffer's "3 Its," correlating it to organizational behavior theory and
research.
A. Believe it.
B. Spread it.
C. Do it.
D. Stick with it.
Difficulty: Medium
39. (p. 11) Pfeffer and Sutton identified five sources that prevented the implementation and
sustainability of the high performance work practices. Identify which is NOT one of the
sources.
A. Debilitating fear
B. Destructive internal competition
C. Mindless reliance on precedent
D. Poorly designed and complex hierarchy
Difficulty: Medium
1-30
Chapter 01 - Introduction to Organizational Behavior: An Evidence-Based Approach
40. (p. 12) If practitioners take on a more "Practitioner-Scientific" role and academicians assume
a more "Scientific-Practitioner" role, it would result in a movement towards:
A. evidence-based management.
B. relation management.
C. social facilitation.
D. positive psychological capital.
Difficulty: Easy
41. (p. 13) Which among the following aspect of behavioral management was not emphasized
by early pioneers of practicing management, such as Alfred P. Sloan?
A. Hierarchical structure
B. Specialization
C. Management functions of planning and controlling
D. Human dimension
Difficulty: Easy
42. (p. 14) The relay room studies phase of the Hawthorne studies concluded that:
A. the productivity would increase if the length of workday was reduced.
B. productivity was directly proportional to rest breaks.
C. productivity was independent to the method of payment.
D. the independent variables by themselves were not causing the change in the dependent
variable.
Difficulty: Medium
43. (p. 15) Increased productivity under controlled conditions can be attributed solely to the fact
that the participants in the study are given special attention and that they are enjoying a novel,
interesting experience. This can be referred to as:
A. social facilitation.
B. the paradigm effect.
C. groupthink.
D. the Hawthorne effect.
Difficulty: Easy
1-31
Chapter 01 - Introduction to Organizational Behavior: An Evidence-Based Approach
44. (p. 15) Which one of the following variables is NOT responsible for separating the old
human relations movement and the evidence-based approach to the field of organizational
behavior?
A. Experimental design
B. Nature of employment
C. Group dynamics
D. Styles of leadership and supervision
Difficulty: Hard
45. (p. 16) Organizational behavior researchers strive to attain all of the following hallmarks of
any science EXCEPT:
A. prediction.
B. understanding/explanation.
C. control.
D. diversification.
Difficulty: Easy
46. (p. 17) _____ is based on the idea, "An average of two contradicting management study
results is probably the best estimate of how well or not that management technique works."
A. Experimental design
B. Meta-analysis
C. Controlling factors
D. Law of averages
Difficulty: Easy
47. (p. 17) The reason for the existence of the many theories in the field of organizational
behavior is due to the _____ of the variables involved.
A. objectivity and multidimensionality
B. variance and complexity
C. logicality and unidirectional behavior
D. complexity and multidimensionality
Difficulty: Medium
1-32
Chapter 01 - Introduction to Organizational Behavior: An Evidence-Based Approach
Difficulty: Easy
49. (p. 18) Which of the following is NOT among the three most often used designs in
organizational behavior research today?
A. The questionnaire
B. The case
C. The survey
D. The experiment
Difficulty: Easy
50. (p. 19) Which of the following involves the manipulation of independent variables to
measure their effect on, or the change in, dependent variables, while everything else is held
constant or controlled?
A. The survey
B. The case
C. The experiment
D. The questionnaire
Difficulty: Easy
51. (p. 19) The _____ employed are/is the key to the successful use of the experimental design.
A. variables
B. controls
C. creativity
D. personnel
Difficulty: Medium
1-33
Chapter 01 - Introduction to Organizational Behavior: An Evidence-Based Approach
52. (p. 20) Which of the following tends to be more theoretically oriented and at the macro level
of analysis?
A. Organizational behavior
B. Organization theory
C. Organization development
D. Human resource management
Difficulty: Easy
53. (p. 20) Which of the following tends to be more application oriented and at the macro level
of analysis?
A. Organizational behavior
B. Organization theory
C. Organization development
D. Human resource management
Difficulty: Easy
54. (p. 20) Which of the following tends to be more theoretically oriented and at the micro level
of analysis?
A. Organizational behavior
B. Organization theory
C. Organization development
D. Human resource management
Difficulty: Easy
55. (p. 20) Which of the following tends to be more application oriented and at the micro level
of analysis?
A. Organizational behavior
B. Organization theory
C. Organization development
D. Human resource management
Difficulty: Easy
1-34
Chapter 01 - Introduction to Organizational Behavior: An Evidence-Based Approach
56. (p. 21) The cognitive approach uses concepts all of the following concepts EXCEPT:
A. expectancy.
B. attitude.
C. demand.
D. intention.
Difficulty: Medium
57. (p. 21) Applied to the field of organizational behavior, a cognitive approach has traditionally
dominated all of the following units of analysis EXCEPT:
A. personality and attitudes.
B. motivation.
C. goal setting.
D. research analysis.
Difficulty: Medium
58. (p. 22) Which of the following is NOT a true statement about behavioristic framework?
A. Ivan Pavlov and John B. Watson used classical conditioning experiments to formulate the
stimulus-response (S-R) explanation of human behavior.
B. Ivan Pavlov and John B. Watson concentrated mainly on the impact of the stimulus and
felt that learning occurred when the R-S connection was made.
C. Skinner believed that the consequences of a response could better explain most behaviors
than eliciting stimuli could.
D. For Skinner, behavior is a function of its contingent environmental consequences.
Difficulty: Hard
59. (p. 23) According to social learning, behavior can best be explained in terms of a continuous
reciprocal interaction among all of the following determinants EXCEPT:
A. cognitive.
B. behavioral.
C. motivational.
D. environmental.
Difficulty: Easy
1-35
Chapter 01 - Introduction to Organizational Behavior: An Evidence-Based Approach
60. (p. 23) The cognitive part of the SCT recognizes the influential contribution of thought
processes to all of the following EXCEPT human:
A. motivation.
B. attitudes.
C. action.
D. perceptions.
Difficulty: Easy
61. (p. 24) Bill is a trainee executive in an accounting firm. He knows that in order to do well in
his career, he needs to perform well. He has set internal standards for himself so that he can
evaluate the discrepancy between the standard and the performance in order to improve it.
A. Forethought
B. Symbolizing
C. Self-regulatory
D. Self-reflective
Difficulty: Medium
62. (p. 24) Peter is a new marketing research executive in a reputed marketing firm. During the
first week of his work, he finds out about the performance of his peers and supervisor and
what they receive for it. According to Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory, which human
capability is Peter concentrating on?
A. Forethought
B. Observational
C. Symbolizing
D. Self-reflective
Difficulty: Medium
1-36
Chapter 01 - Introduction to Organizational Behavior: An Evidence-Based Approach
63. (p. 24) Travis is a new recruit in an advertising firm. During his first week of work, he plans
his actions, anticipates the consequences, and determines the level of desired performance.
According to Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory, which human capability is Travis
concentrating on?
A. Forethought
B. Symbolizing
C. Self-regulatory
D. Self-reflective
Difficulty: Medium
64. (p. 24) Ruth has recently completed her first project as a project manager. She analyses her
project to understand how well it went, to perceptually determine how well she can handle
projects in the future. According to Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory, which human
capability is Ruth concentrating on?
A. Forethought
B. Symbolizing
C. Self-regulatory
D. Self-reflective
Difficulty: Medium
Essay Questions
65. (p. 6) Discuss the importance given to employees in organizations over time.
At first employees were considered a cost, then human resources, and now are becoming
widely recognized as "human capital" (what they know—education, experience, skills). Even
going beyond human capital are the more recently recognized "social capital" (who they
know—networks, connections, friends) and "positive psychological capital" (who they are—
confidence, hope, optimism, resiliency) and (who they can become—one's possible, authentic
self).
Difficulty: Medium
1-37
Chapter 01 - Introduction to Organizational Behavior: An Evidence-Based Approach
66. (p. 8) Define paradigm. What are the recent causes for a paradigm shift? What are its
consequences?
The term paradigm is used to mean a broad model, a framework, a way of thinking, or a
scheme for understanding reality. According to Joel Barker, a paradigm establishes the rules
(written or unwritten), defines the boundaries, and tells one how to behave within the
boundaries to be successful.
The impact of globalization, diversity, and ethics, a turbulent, very problematic economy, and
a workforce described as a "blend of traditionally trained baby boomers, in-your-face Gen
Xers, people with inadequate literacy skills from disadvantaged areas, and techies raised on
computers," has led to a paradigm shift.
Paradigm shifts invalidate advantages of certain firms (e.g., consider the well-known
problems of almost all auto, financial and retail firms in recent years) and create new
opportunities for others (e.g., Google and Costco).
Difficulty: Medium
Paradigm effect is a situation in which those in the existing paradigm do not even see the
changes that are occurring, let alone reason and draw logical inferences and perceptions about
the changes. This results in considerable resistance to change and difficulty to move from the
old management paradigm to the new.
Difficulty: Medium
1-38
Chapter 01 - Introduction to Organizational Behavior: An Evidence-Based Approach
68. (p. 10-11) What is the manager's perception of employees according to Theory X? Does this
approach still work? Why? What is the assumption of the new perspective?
According to Theory X, managers think that their employees are basically lazy, that they are
interested only in money, and that if you can make them happy, they would be high
performers.
This approach no longer works. The major fault with the traditional approach is that it
overlooks and oversimplifies far too many aspects of the problem. Human behavior at work is
much more complicated and diverse than is suggested by the economic-security-working-
conditions approach. Although good pay, job security, and working conditions are necessary,
it is now evident that such a simplistic approach falls far short of providing a meaningful
solution to the complex challenges.
The new perspective assumes that employees are extremely complex and that there is a need
for theoretical understanding backed by rigorous empirical research before applications can be
made for managing people effectively.
Difficulty: Hard
69. (p. 11) List the sources that seem to prevent the majority of managers from effective
implementation and sustainability?
1. Hollow talk
2. Debilitating fear
3. Destructive internal competition
4. Poorly designed and complex measurement systems
5. Mindless reliance on precedent
Difficulty: Easy
1-39
Chapter 01 - Introduction to Organizational Behavior: An Evidence-Based Approach
Difficulty: Medium
Meta-analysis is based on the idea that if one study shows that a management technique
doesn't work and another study shows that it does, an average of those results is probably the
best estimate of how well that management practice works (or doesn't work).
Difficulty: Easy
72. (p. 18-19) Explain experimental design used in organizational behavior research today.
The experimental design is borrowed largely from psychology, where it is used extensively.
A primary aim of any research design is to establish a cause-and-effect relationship. The
experimental design offers the best possibility of accomplishing this goal. All other factors
being equal, most organizational behavior researchers prefer this method of testing
hypotheses. An experiment involves the manipulation of independent variables to measure
their effect on, or the change in, dependent variables, while everything else is held constant or
controlled.
Difficulty: Medium
1-40
Chapter 01 - Introduction to Organizational Behavior: An Evidence-Based Approach
73. (p. 19) When does a study have internal validity? What are its threats? How can they be
overcome?
A study has internal validity if there are no plausible alternative explanations of the reported
results other than those reported.
The threats to internal validity include uncontrolled intervening events that occur between the
time the preexperiment measurement is taken and the time the postexperiment measurement is
taken.
The threats to internal validity can be overcome with careful design of the study.
Difficulty: Medium
A study has external validity when the results are applicable to a wide range of people and
situations. External validity is concerned with the generalizability of the results obtained.
Difficulty: Medium
Difficulty: Medium
1-41
Chapter 01 - Introduction to Organizational Behavior: An Evidence-Based Approach
76. (p. 20) Summarize the relationship of organizational behavior to other closely related
disciplines.
Figure 1.2 explains the relationship of organizational behavior to other closely related
disciplines, which include organization theory (OT), organization development (OD), and
human resource management (HRM).
Organization theory tends to be more theoretically oriented and at the macro level of analysis.
Organizational behavior tends to be more theoretically oriented and at the micro level of
analysis.
Organization development tends to be more application oriented and at the macro level of
analysis.
Human resource management tends to be more application oriented and at the micro level of
analysis.
Difficulty: Hard
77. (p. 20-21) Explain the cognitive approach to organizational behavior. How is it helpful?
The cognitive approach to human behavior has many sources of input. The cognitive
approach gives people much more "credit" than the other approaches. The cognitive approach
emphasizes the positive and freewill aspects of human behavior and uses concepts such as
expectancy, demand, and intention. Cognition, which is the basic unit of the cognitive
framework, can be simply defined as the act of knowing an item of information. Under this
framework, cognitions precede behavior and constitute input into the person's thinking,
perception, problem solving, and information processing.
Concepts such as cognitive maps can be used as pictures or visual aids in comprehending a
person's "understanding of particular, and selective, elements of the thoughts (rather than
thinking) of an individual, group or organization."
Difficulty: Medium
1-42
Chapter 01 - Introduction to Organizational Behavior: An Evidence-Based Approach
78. (p. 21-22) Discuss the differences in opinions of "Ivan Pavlov and John B. Watson" and "B.
F. Skinner."
Ivan Pavlov and John B. Watson stressed the importance of dealing with observable behaviors
instead of the elusive mind that had preoccupied earlier psychologists. They used classical
conditioning experiments to formulate the stimulus-response (S-R) explanation of human
behavior. Both Pavlov and Watson felt that behavior could be best understood in terms of S-
R. A stimulus elicits a response. They concentrated mainly on the impact of the stimulus and
felt that learning occurred when the S-R connection was made.
Skinner felt that the early behaviorists helped explain respondent behaviors (those behaviors
elicited by stimuli) but not the more complex operant behaviors. Skinner found through his
operant conditioning experiments that the consequences of a response could better explain
most behaviors than eliciting stimuli could. He emphasized the importance of the response-
stimulus (R-S) relationship. The organism has to operate on the environment in order to
receive the desirable consequence. The preceding stimulus does not cause the behavior in
operant conditioning; it serves as a cue to emit the behavior. For Skinner, behavior is a
function of its contingent environmental consequences.
Difficulty: Hard
79. (p. 24) Describe the basic human capabilities according to Bandura's Social Cognitive
Theory.
Figure 1.4 summarizes the five basic human capabilities, which include:
1. Symbolizing: It is the process by which employees process visual experiences into
cognitive models that then serve as guides for future actions.
2. Forethought: It is the process in which employees plan their actions, anticipate the
consequences, and determine the level of desired performance.
3. Observational: It is the process in which employees learn by observing the performance of
referent (peers or supervisors) and credible others (high performers), and the consequences
they receive for their actions.
4. Self-regulatory: It is the process in which employees self-control their actions by setting
internal standards and by evaluating the discrepancy between the standard and the
performance in order to improve it.
5. Self-reflective: It is the process in which employees reflect back on their actions and
perceptually determine how strongly they believe they can successfully accomplish the task in
the future given the context (0 - 100% certainty).
Difficulty: Hard
1-43
Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
CHAPTER XII
RONALD THOYNE DISAPPEARS
The next move in this very curious game was made by Pepster who
called on me a few days after my interview with Ronald Thoyne.
“I have a warrant for Tulmin’s arrest,” he announced.
“Yes,” I said, “I am not surprised. I could see you were edging that
way.”
“It’s the right way. Tulmin has disappeared.”
“Has he? That is interesting at least.”
“Yes, he went from White Towers to Lennsdale—that is Mr. Thoyne’s
house, you know. Thoyne engaged him the day after the inquest
and he went at once. And now he has gone altogether.”
“Engaged him as what?”
“Same as Clevedon—valet, and so on.”
“How do you know?”
“I put someone on to watch him of course. I wasn’t going to let him
slip away. But he has managed it, at least so my man reports and
he must be a damned fool, as I told him. He hasn’t been seen for
two days.”
“Your man hasn’t?”
“No, I mean Tulmin.”
“Thoyne should know where he is.”
“He says he doesn’t but I haven’t seen him myself. I am going up to
Lennsdale now to question him. Would you care to come?”
At first I thought not, and then I altered my mind. After all, Thoyne
really was right in the thick of it.
When we reached Thoyne’s house Pepster took the lead and rang
lustily at the bell, which was one of the old-fashioned type with a
long, hanging handle of cast-iron. He had to ring three times before
he obtained any response and then the door was slowly opened to
disclose a very old, white-headed man standing blinking at us with
watery eyes. To Pepster’s question as to whether Mr. Thoyne was at
home he only shook his head, but whether in negative reply or
merely in stupidity we could not quite make out. The old man’s face
at all events was devoid of expression.
“Do you mean he is not at home?” I demanded sharply.
“We will see for ourselves,” Pepster said, pushing past the old man
into the hall. “Now, then, who else is in the house, and be careful
what you say or we may be taking you with us.”
Pepster was very angry that Tulmin had slipped through his fingers
and apparently regarded the old man as an ally of the enemy.
“Taking me with you!” the old fellow cried, in the quavering accents of
age. “Taking me where?”
“To prison, old chap,” Pepster replied cheerfully. “People who won’t
answer questions often find themselves in gaol.”
It was pure bluff and Pepster’s superiors would probably have had
something rather drastic to say had they overheard it. But the
detective knew pretty well how far to go, and with whom it was safe
to go even that distance.
“But, dear sir, I have done nothing wrong,” the old man said,
manifesting a sudden fluency which caused Pepster to turn on him
with a sharp glance. “I am a very old man, gentlemen, seventy-
seven, and I have never been in any trouble of that sort, never,
gentlemen.”
“You are making for it now,” Pepster rejoined dryly.
“But, gentlemen, I—”
“Look here,” Pepster said, “we asked you a question—where’s
Thoyne? If you mean to answer that, get going, and quick. If you
don’t mean to answer it, don’t talk at all.”
“But, sir, I—”
“Where’s Mr. Thoyne?”
“But, gentlemen, if you would—”
“Where’s Mr. Thoyne?”
“He—I don’t know.”
“Is he in the house?”
“I don’t know.”
“What do you mean, you don’t know?”
“I don’t know who Mr. Thoyne is, I—I never heard of him.”
“You are in his house.”
“Yes”
“Where are the other people—the servants—the housekeeper—?”
“There is nobody here but me, gentlemen, truly there is nobody
here. I am alone in the house, me, Silas Ballaker, seventy-seven—”
“How long have you been in this house?”
“Not long—I came to-day—”
“Came to-day—what do you mean, you came to-day?”
“Sir, I am Silas Ballaker and—”
“Yes, you said that before, and you are seventy-seven years of age.
Neither statement interests us. We want Mr. Thoyne.”
“Hallo! hallo!” cried suddenly a new voice. “Silas, who are these
gentlemen? Ha! Mr. Pepster, I did not recognise you. Have you
come to take my house?”
“No, Mr. Bannister,” Pepster replied slowly. “I haven’t come to take
any house.”
He paused, a little irresolute, knowing that Mr. Bannister was a
different proposition from old Silas Ballaker and that he would have
to be a little more careful.
“May I ask what you are doing here?” Pepster went on.
“Now is that a kindly personal inquiry from a friend or is it asked in an
official capacity?”
Mr. Bannister was a little fat man, with two small, keen eyes peering
out of a sallow, bearded face.
“Oh, purely personal,” Pepster replied, a little impatiently. “We came
to see Mr. Thoyne. I was merely surprised to see you where we
expected—someone else.”
“Oh, Thoyne, yes, he was my tenant. But he has gone. Gave me
notice some days ago, paid me up and cleared out. A good tenant,
very good. I was sorry to lose him—yes. He said he was going back
to America and he left this morning. I sent old Silas here as
caretaker. Good old chap, Silas, but—”
He tapped his head significantly with the forefinger of his right hand.
The old man did not see the movement but he caught the words.
“They have come to take me to prison,” he said mournfully.
“To prison!” cried Mr. Bannister. “Nonsense! What for? What have
you been doing, old Silas?”
“I haven’t been doing nothing,” Silas quavered. “But this stout
gentleman seemed mortally offended and—”
“Oh, we’ll see, we’ll see,” Mr. Bannister said. “Now, Mr. Pepster,
what does all this mean?”
“We want to see Mr. Thoyne and—”
“He isn’t here.”
“Well, we should like to look through the house—”
“Yes, yes, and no doubt you have a search warrant?”
“I have no search warrant,” Pepster said patiently. “I am asking your
permission.”
“No, no, let’s do everything in order. No warrant, no search. An
Englishman’s house, et cetera, you know. Can’t be done, Mr.
Pepster, can’t be done. Think what would happen if the papers got
hold of it. High-handed action by a Peakborough detective—eh?”
“The papers will not get hold of it if you don’t tell them,” Pepster said
quietly.
“Oh, one never knows. How do these fellows get hold of things? It’s
wonderful, but, you know, it’s their job. And your Chief is just a bit
nervous, isn’t he?”
“I could get a warrant in an hour,” Pepster said.
“Well, why not? The house won’t disappear in an hour. It will still be
here and so will old Silas. But if it’s Thoyne you want, a warrant’ll
not help you. He isn’t here.”
“His furniture is,” I interposed.
“No,” Mr. Bannister replied, with an oily smile, “you are wrong there
also. The furniture’s mine. I let it furnished.”
“Did you see Mr. Thoyne go?” I asked.
“Yes, I was here. He handed me the key.”
“Had he a man named Tulmin with him?”
“He had a servant, a little man, but I don’t know what his name was.”
“They have gone away together,” Pepster said, turning to me.
“Come along, there’s nothing more to do here!”
“If you want to go through the house—” Mr. Bannister began.
“We don’t,” Pepster rejoined promptly. “We’ll take your refusal and if
anything occurs we’ll call you as a witness.”
“But—”
“Is Thoyne in the house?”
“He isn’t.”
“Then good day to you.”
We turned away and though Mr. Bannister did not quite seem to like
it, he made no effort to detain us.
“Yes, they’ve gone away together,” Pepster repeated, as we strolled
towards Stone Hollow. “Why has Thoyne taken Tulmin out of the
way?”
“It may be only a coincidence,” I observed.
“It would be a curious coincidence,” Pepster remarked. “Not that I
rule coincidences out myself. They happen. I have run up against
some very queer instances in my time. I once had a case in which a
man prepared a dose of poison for another man. The latter died of
poison and the other gave himself up to justice. A clear case—but
when the post-mortem took place it was found that the victim had
died of quite another sort of poison altogether. He had, in fact,
committed suicide and had never taken the dose prepared for him by
the would-be murderer!”
“But if this isn’t a coincidence, then there must be an explanation,” I
said. “How would this do? Ronald Thoyne quarrels with Sir Philip
Clevedon over Miss—over a woman. Then Thoyne pays Tulmin to
assassinate Sir Philip. That is why Thoyne took the man into his
service so promptly. But they find the chase getting too hot for them
and so they clear out. What?”
“Is that the story?” Pepster demanded, evidently impressed.
“No,” I replied, “I am quite sure it isn’t. But it would fit the facts up to
date, wouldn’t it?”
“I shall go after Tulmin, anyway,” Pepster rejoined.
I nodded smilingly, but did not further discuss the matter though I
divined Thoyne’s move. He had taken Tulmin away in order to divert
suspicion from young Clevedon. How far Thoyne had taken Tulmin
into his confidence I did not know. Perhaps he had bluffed him as he
had tried to bluff me. And at all events he would have paid him well.
Whatever faults Thoyne may have possessed any form of parsimony
was certainly not one of them.
CHAPTER XIII
THE VICAR’S STORY
It was by means of the Vicar that the story was carried a stage
further. I had made the old man’s acquaintance soon after I first
came to Cartordale and had conceived a great liking for the gentle,
kindly old parson and his bustling, energetic, rather autocratic wife.
The Rev. Herbert Wickstead was an elderly man, with a thin,
colourless face, short-sighted eyes and a scholarly stoop. As a
preacher, he was not very much, for, though he did some hard
thinking and was now and again original, he possessed very little gift
for literary expression and none at all for oratory. Nor was he very
much more successful in parochial work, though that did not greatly
matter since his wife—Mrs. Vicar, as she was generally labelled—
possessor of the quickest of tongues and the kindest of hearts, took
the heaviest part of that burden upon her own shoulders.
I met him by the vicarage on the afternoon of the day following our
visit to Thoyne’s house and when he asked me to go in and have
some tea I accepted chiefly because I thought he, or at any rate Mrs.
Vicar, might be able to tell me some of the things I wanted to know.
You see, I was still very much of a stranger in Cartordale with only a
vague and shadowy knowledge of its people. In some ways that
may have been a gain though, generally speaking, it was a
handicap. He began on one of the subjects uppermost in my mind
almost as soon as we were seated at the table.
“I was very sorry to learn to-day that we are losing Mr. Thoyne,” the
Vicar said, in his halting drawl.
He took off his spectacles and polished them with the corner of his
handkerchief, peering mildly at the rest of us the while, though his
remark had evidently been addressed to his wife.
“He very seldom came to church,” Mrs. Vicar snapped.
“No, not frequently,” the Vicar admitted, “not so frequently as I could
have wished. But he was very generous—very. Any story of
distress or need was very sure of a sympathetic hearing. I have
dipped rather deeply into his purse more than once.”
“Who told you he was leaving?” his wife asked.
The Vicar selected a slice of bread-and-butter with great deliberation
from the plate before him.
“I was sorry I had no opportunity of bidding him good-bye,” he went
on, apparently ignoring his wife’s question though most likely he had
not heard it. “True I saw him yesterday but I had no chance then. I
was returning from a visit to Sarah Blooms—poor woman—”
“She died this morning,” his wife chimed in, a little snappily I thought,
though that may have been because I was not quite used to her
conversational style.
“Ah, yes—dear me! dear me!”
The Vicar relapsed into silence.
“You were telling us, sir—?” I ventured, after a pause.
“Yes, yes, of course, I was returning from my visit to Sarah Blooms
and was passing the end of Pallitt’s Lane when Mr. Thoyne passed
me in his motor-car. There was a lady with him, Miss Clevedon, I
think, though I could not be very sure of that.”
“Were they alone in the car?” I asked.
“Oh, yes, as far as I could see, quite alone.”
“With Mr. Thoyne driving, perhaps?”
“Oh, no, they were in the body of the car. There was the chauffeur
and another man on the front, a servant, I think.”
“You did not recognise the second man?”
“Well, no, to tell you the truth I did not take particular notice of him.”
It was at least level betting that the second man was Tulmin. But
what interested me most was the fact of Kitty Clevedon’s presence in
the car. It seemed to suggest that whatever was going on, she had a
hand in it.
“I have heard their names coupled more than once—Mr. Thoyne and
Miss Clevedon,” Mrs. Vicar declared.
“Is that so?” the Vicar queried. “I had not heard it. But it would be a
very suitable match too. He has money and physical strength and
she has youth and beauty. That should make an ideal combination.
They seemed very happy and comfortable—I noticed that. As they
passed me he was talking to her, but they both saw me. Thoyne
nodded to me as they went past.”
“And how do you know he’s gone for good?” Mrs. Vicar demanded.
“Oh, yes, it was Miss Kitty who told me that. I met her again an hour
or two later and I asked her if she thought Mr. Thoyne would take the
chair next Wednesday. She said he couldn’t because he had left
Cartordale and had given up his house. She said, I think, that he
was going abroad—”
“On his yacht, I expect,” Mrs. Vicar chimed in.
“Lucky man!” I interjected. “So he possesses a yacht, does he?”
“A lovely vessel,” Mrs. Vicar replied, with enthusiasm. “I haven’t
seen it, but he gave us a lecture with limelight views, ‘Round the
World by Steam’ he called it, and he showed us a lot of pictures of
his yacht. The Sunrise its name is, and he says he gave it that name
because he uses it to go where the sun is—one of the privileges of
wealth, Mr. Holt,” she added, with a sigh.
“Had Mr. Thoyne been long in Cartordale?” I asked.
“Oh, well, it would be about two years, or, let me see, perhaps a little
longer,” Mrs. Vicar replied. “He fought in the war, you know, and was
wounded. He stayed as a lodger for some months at Lepley’s Farm
and then took Lennsdale which belongs to Mr. Bannister of
Peakborough, an auctioner and agent and all sorts of things
generally, who lets it furnished—”
“Lepley,” I murmured, “that name seems familiar—”
“Yes,” Mrs. Vicar went on, right in her element now, “you will be
thinking of the girl who gave evidence at the inquest, Nora Lepley,
tall, good-looking, with dark eyes. She lives at the farm though she
sometimes stays at White Towers with her aunt, the housekeeper
there. I remember there was some talk about Ronald Thoyne and
Nora Lepley, but there was nothing in it, or, anyway nothing came of
it. Talk’s easy in a place like this, you know—there is nothing else to
do. And there’s always been plenty of talk round Nora Lepley—”
“A good girl, my dear, a good girl,” the Vicar mildly interposed.
“Oh, yes, quite,” Mrs. Vicar admitted.
“Exceptionally well able to take care of herself I should imagine,” was
my own comment, whereat Mrs. Vicar nodded emphatically.
It was two days after that conversation that I met Detective Pepster
in the village.
“Ah, Mr. Holt,” he said, “I was coming to see you. I have found out
where Mr. Thoyne is.”
“Why,” I returned, “there was no particular mystery about that, was
there? He’d made none so far as I know. What is the point?”
“Well—he disappeared.”
“Disappeared? Do you call it that? He left the furnished house he’d
been occupying and went off to his yacht, the Sunrise, but that isn’t
disappearing.”
“No—well, perhaps in a way it isn’t. But I’m going to interview Mr.
Ronald Thoyne for all that and with a warrant in my pocket—”
“It hardly seems likely that Thoyne—”
“I don’t put my money on what is likely,” Pepster interrupted. “I’ve
been had that way. I once had a case of the theft of a diamond ring.
There were only three men possible—a bookmaker who’d once been
in prison for horse-doping, a defaulting bankrupt and a clergyman. I
arrested the horse-doper and kept an eye on the bankrupt, but it was
the parson who had the ring.”
“You ought to write your reminiscences,” I remarked dryly.
“I am looking forward to doing so when my pension falls due,”
Pepster returned, entirely unabashed. “But, now, let’s talk business.
The warrant isn’t for Thoyne himself, but for Tulmin. Thoyne will
come into it later—accessory after or before the fact, you know.
Tulmin will do to be going on with.”
“You think Thoyne has taken Tulmin on board the yacht with him?”
“I don’t know—perhaps—perhaps not. But Thoyne has spirited
Tulmin away somehow, somewhere. Isn’t that clear? And why has
he done it?”
“Yes, I know, you explained before that Thoyne had paid Tulmin to
murder Sir Philip—”
“No, Mr. Holt, that was your theory,” Pepster explained patiently.
“And you said you didn’t believe it. No, Thoyne may have done the
murder himself, or he may not, and Tulmin may have spotted him at
it. But, to tell the truth, I’m not worrying about that just now. It is
Tulmin I want. There’s enough against him to be going on with,
anyway, and I mean to get him and to learn why Thoyne carried him
off. Will you come down to Ilbay with me?”
“Ilbay?”
“Yes, the yacht’s there.”
“When do you go?”
“To-morrow.”
“No,” I said slowly, “I can’t go to-morrow. I could go the next day, but
not to-morrow.”
“Well, that’ll do,” he replied. “There’s a breakdown in the machinery
and he can’t shift for at least four days. I’ve got that much anyhow.
The day after to-morrow, then. I’ll send you a list of the trains.”
An hour or so later I called at Hapforth House and was shown into
the presence of Lady Clevedon and Miss Kitty.
“Well,” said the old lady, a little tartly, “have you made any
discoveries?”
“Yes,” I returned equably, “several. But I have run up against a brick
wall and I’ve come to you to pull it down for me. I can’t get over it or
under it or round it.”
“I don’t know what you are talking about!” the old lady cried irascibly.
“The question is—do you know who killed Philip Clevedon?”
“Well,” I said, “it depends. Perhaps I do, and possibly I am wrong.”
I glanced casually at Miss Kitty Clevedon, over whose pretty face
some inward emotion had drawn a greyish pallor that extended even
to her lips. It was quite certain that the last thing she wanted to hear
was the name of the person who had killed Sir Philip Clevedon. But
she was seated a little behind the old lady who noticed nothing.
CHAPTER XIV
KITTY SENDS A TELEGRAM
The old lady ceased reading and glanced at Kitty over the top of her
spectacles.
“What is behind it?” she cried. “Tell me, what is behind it all?”
“I don’t know,” Kitty said. “How should I know?”
“But—was it—who was it?”
“It may have been—Nora Lepley.”
I think she uttered the name quite on the spur of the moment and
with no previous intention of taking that way out. At all events, for a
moment or two the suggestion seemed rather to impress the old
lady, then she shook her head.
“I don’t say that Nora Lepley—Philip Clevedon was like all other
men, I dare say, no better and no worse. But he wouldn’t want to
marry her. They might fight over Nora Lepley, yes, but it wouldn’t be
because either of them wanted to marry her.”
“Why shouldn’t they want to marry Nora—she is very nice?” Kitty
said.
“Don’t talk nonsense, child,” the old lady cried.
“These are democratic days—” I was beginning, but the old lady
turned on me almost ferociously.
“I wasn’t asking you for your views,” she said. “And we’ll leave it at
that. These two men quarrelled over Nora Lepley, or Jane Smith, or
Martha Tompkins, and so—”
I rose from my seat and stood regarding them with a smile.
“And so my question goes unanswered,” I murmured, “and my brick
wall remains.”
The old lady looked from me to Miss Kitty Clevedon and then back
again.
“Yes,” she said, “and that ends the case. You must drop it—do you
hear?—drop it. I am getting in deeper than I thought.”
I laughed quietly and then went towards the door.
“I am seeing Mr. Thoyne at Ilbay to-morrow,” I said, pausing there to
make quite sure Kitty heard me, “and I will ask him.”
I left them, probably wondering what might be the precise meaning
of that last promise—or was it a threat?—and finding my way out
strolled slowly down to the big gates.
Once in the public road, however, I indulged in a course of action
that might possibly have seemed a little strange to an uninitiated
spectator. First of all I stood glancing here and there around me as if
looking for someone or something. Then I made my way to the side
of the road and clambered to the top of a small pile of boulders on
the summit of which I found a seat on a flat stone, so placed that I
was invisible to anyone coming from Hapforth House or proceeding
in either direction along the road. Having made myself as
comfortable as the circumstances permitted, I took out my watch.
“Now for the test,” I murmured. “Unless I am out in all my deductions
Kitty Clevedon will emerge from Hapforth House in something like
half an hour.”
In point of fact it was precisely twenty-three minutes, and curiously
enough she did exactly as I had done—stood outside the big gates
and looked carefully about her in all directions. But there the
resemblance ended. She did not, like me, climb any of the
neighbouring rocks, but set off at a smart pace in the direction of
Cartordale village, whither also in a very few minutes I followed her.
“Mistake number one, young lady,” I murmured. “You should have
taken your car into Midlington. You wouldn’t have lost much time
and you would have made it safe. Now, then, for the post office.”
I was right again. It was into the little village post office that Kitty
Clevedon turned. I did not follow her, but instead stepped into the
garden that ran alongside the house and sat myself down on a rustic
seat that stood just below a small window, and was hidden from the
roadway by a huge, black, soft-water butt. It had been a discovery of
my own, made quite casually a few days previously, and merely
noted as I noted everything. From that seat it was possible to hear
quite plainly the tapping of the telegraph instrument within. Ah, there
it was now, tap-tap-tap-tap, H, TAP-tap-TAP, K, TAP-tap, N—oh, yes,
of course “H. knows—”
Poor Kitty! She did not dream that the man she dreaded was seated
under that little window reading her message as easily as if she had
shown him the form on which she had written it. “H. knows your
address and is coming to-morrow to see you.” I sped out of the
garden and through the village, and taking a short cut met Kitty on
her way back to Hapforth House. I was strolling along dragging my
stick behind me, and I stopped as I reached her.
“Have you sent your telegram to Mr. Thoyne?” I asked.
She was trying to bluff me and I did not mean to spare her. Why
should I? It was she who had declared war.
“My—my—I do not understand you, Mr. Holt,” she stammered, for
once taken off her guard.
“Quite a random shot of mine,” I replied smilingly. “I inadvertently let
out that I was going to Ilbay to see Mr. Thoyne, and it was natural
you should want to warn him.”
“But what have I to do with—with Mr. Thoyne, and why should I want
to warn him? Why shouldn’t you visit him if you wish?”
“But you did send him a wire, didn’t you?” I persisted.
“You are impertinent, Mr. Holt!” she cried.
“Yes, I fear I am,” I agreed. “One often has to be in such jobs as
this. And it is your own fault, you know.”
“My fault!”
“Yes, you challenge me by your whole attitude. Your visit that night
—”
“I have already denied any visit.”
“You adhere to that—good. But, don’t you see that that is the
challenge? And now we have this quarrel between Thoyne and Sir
Philip Clevedon—”
She turned on me swiftly with flaming cheeks and eyes that sparkled
angrily, but I interrupted the coming outburst.
“I am sorry I have offended you,” I said, “but I am afraid that was
inevitable. You would have done better to trust me. Anyway, I am in
this case and I intend to solve the problem it presents. If it is to be
war between us—”
“I do not understand you, Mr. Holt.”
“Let it be war, then, and we’ll fight it out.”
And I continued on my way, still dragging my stick behind me.