All India Management Association (AIMA) 2008 M.B.A Marketing Management Managerial Effectiveness 08 - Question Paper

Question Paper Managerial Effectiveness - II (MB1A4): October 2008

   Answer all 100 questions.

   Each question carries one mark.

1    <Answer>

¹    An appraisal shows an employees strengths and weaknesses (what he/she is good at and at what he/she is not).

Which of the following is not a question that an appraisal should answer?

(a)    Has he/she done well?

(b)    Does he/she expect a promotion?

(c)    Is he/she likely to improve?

(d)    How can he/she improve?

(e)    What are his/her strengths?

2    <Answer>

². If Mr. Pranay, a manager of Proxy Solutions Pvt. Ltd., needs to make a decision regarding forming an alliance with another firm, which of the following aspects should he focus on, to make the decision?

(a)    The benefits from the alliance

(b)    The need to form an alliance

(c)    The need and benefits from the alliance

(d)    The drawbacks, if any from the alliance

(e)    The impact of the alliance on the employees.

3    <Answer>

³ The manager of a software firm is currently hiring people as a part of its expansion strategies. In order to make his approach effective, he needs to identify certain qualities in the candidate. What are the different qualities he should inspect for, in the prospective candidate?

I.	Talent.
II.	Experience.
III.	Intelligence.
IV.	Determination.
(a)	Both (I) and (II) above
(b)	Both (II) and (III) above
(c)	(I), (II) and (III) above
(d)	(I), (II) and (IV) above
(e)	All (I), (II), (III) and (IV) above.

4    <Answer>

⁴. Organizing means putting things in order. Organizing the 4Ms is the task of managers. Which of the following steps is not involved in organizing?

(a)	Identifying the objective
(b)	Preparing a list of activities
(c)	Dividing into units
(d)	Delegating work
(e)	Controlling.

5    <Answer>

⁵ Results like an increase in the market share by 2% or an increase in the profit margin by the third quarter are examples of

(a)    Establishing values

(b)    Direct results

(c)    Indirect results

(d)    Targeted results

(e)    Determined results.

⁶    Effective managers should contribute to the organization in maintaining good relations. Which of the following is/are not true regarding the self development of effective managers?

I.    They can contribute to the organization by improving themselves.

II.    They have to introspect the skills and knowledge to contribute to the organization.

III.    They have to work in teams to contribute to the organization.

IV.    They can contribute to the organization by developing others.

(a)    Only (II) above

(b)    Both (I) and (II) above

(c)    Both (III) and (IV) above

(d)    (I), (II) and (III) above

(e)    (I), (II) and (IV) above.

⁷    Effective managers recruit people based on their strengths even if they have some weaknesses. Which of the following is/are not true regarding the rules for staffing from strength?

I.    Managers should not recruit people based on a rigid structure.

II.    Managers should divide the job into small and simple activities.

III.    Managers should start with what the job requires a person to do rather than what he/she can do.

IV.    Managers should accept the weaknesses to make productive use of strengths.

(a)    Only (I) above

(b)    Both (I) and (II) above

(c)    Both (II) and (III) above

(d)    (I), (II) and (III) above

(e)    (I), (II) and (IV) above.

⁸    Managers have to perform many activities in a day and they have to be effective at each one of them. Which of the following statements are not true regarding posterioritizing?

I.    Posteriorities need not be handled immediately.

II.    Managers allow time pressures to decide the priority of an activity.

III.    Managers identify the important activities and perform one activity at a time.

IV.    Posteriority is a simple job.

(a)    Both (I) and (II) above

(b)    Both (II) and (IV) above

(c)    (I), (II) and (III) above

(d)    (II), (III) and (IV) above

(e)    All (I), (II), (III) and (IV) above.

⁹    Which of the following is not a basic activity that a manager should perform?

(a)	Planning
(b)	Selecting
(c)	Directing
(d)	Coordinating
(e)	Controlling.

¹⁰ The work of managers revolves around people and so they need to maintain good relations with everyone in the organization. Which of the following is not basically needed for good relations?

(a)	Communication
(b)	Team work
(c)	Vision
(d)	Self-development
(e)	Development of others.

¹¹ Effective managers should also make productive use of the strengths of superiors. Which of the following is true regarding managers, managing their superiors?

(a)    Managers should offer suggestions even if not asked

(b)    Managers can get acceptance from their superiors by flattering or toadying with them

(c)    Managers should point out the flaws of their superiors

(d)    Managing a superior is very difficult as they do not have any weakness

(e)    Managers should try to identify in what way their superiors are effective.

¹²    Bumout is not something that happens overnight. It takes place over a period. There are different stages in this period that ultimately lead to burnout. Which of the following is true regarding the third stage of the burnout life cycle?

(a)    The employees will have a lot of energy and enthusiasm

(b)    The employees will lose their interest and energy

(c)    The employees feel that their expectations were unrealistic

(d)    It takes a lot of time for employees to recover from burnout

(e)    The employees will be on the threshold of a heart attack.

¹³    Which of the following at the workplace is defined as allowing every member of an organization the time and resources to explore his inner self, desires, passions, ideas and purpose?

(a)	Meditation
(b)	Yoga
(c)	Spirituality
(d)	Exercise
(e)	Relaxation.

¹⁴ Stress in individual is defined as anything that disrupts the normal persons physical or mental well-being. Which of the following is/are the factor(s) that cause personal stress?

I.	Family stress.
II.	Job stress.
III.	Society related stress.
IV.	Health related stress.
(a)	Only (I) above
(b)	Both (II) and (III) above
(c)	(I), (II) and (III) above
(d)	(I), (III) and (IV) above
(e)	All (I), (II), (III), and (IV) above

¹⁵    The stress resulting from the conflict of organizational goals with personal goals is called organizational stress. Which of the following is/are organizational stressor(s)?

I.    Lack of organizational skills.

II.    Long work hours.

III.    Setting goals.

IV.    Job insecurity.

(a)    Only (II) above

(b)    Both (I) and (II) above

(c)    (I), (II) and (III) above

(d)    (I), (II) and (IV) above

(e)    All (I), (II), (III) and (IV) above.

¹⁶    Stress is a result of doing things at the wrong times. It is a result of mismanaging time striving hard to stick to deadlines. Which of the following is false regarding time and stress?

(a)    By developing the art of time management, people can reduce stress

(b)    Effective time management and stress management are inter-dependent

(c)    Time management includes performing tasks as per schedule

(d)    Working against deadlines can start to create stress in a persons life over a period of time

(e)    Stress management deals directly with time management.

¹⁷    Which of the following is a physical and physiological reaction to the changing technological environment?

(a)	E-stress
(b)	Health related stress
(c)	Organizational stress
(d)	Job stress
(e)	Time stress.

¹⁸    Bumout is not something that happens overnight. It takes place over a period. There are different stages in this period that ultimately lead to burnout. The second stage of the burnout life cycle is known as

(a)    Brownout stage

(b)    Awakening stage

(c)    Burnout stage

(d)    Honeymoon stage

(e)    Recovery stage.

¹⁹    Ms. Mona had been undergoing personal problems for the last two months. She could not give her hundred percent to work, hence her performance suffered. As the financial year was coming to an end, she had to spend more time in the office to meet the deadlines. It became difficult for her thereby; she resigned stating stress as the cause. The company can consider Mona undergoing stress due to

I.    Personal causes.

II.    Physiological imbalances.

III.    Psychological imbalances.

(a)    Only (I) above

(b)    Only (II) above

(c)    Both (I) and (II) above

(d)    Both (II) and (III) above

(e)    All (I), (II) and (III) above.

²⁰    Stress in individuals is defined as anything that disrupts the normal persons physical or mental well-being. Which of the following is the factor or stimulant that creates stress?

(a)    Yoga

(b)    Stressor

(c)    Meditation

(d)    Exercise

(e)    Delegation of work.

²¹    Which of the following triggers the body alarm, enhances attention, performance, and creativity of a person?

(a)	Eustress
(b)	Distress
(c)	Entrust
(d)	Internal stress
(e)	External stress.

²²    A certain level of stress can act as a motivator. In this regard, which of the following is/are true?

I.    Without stress a person becomes active and energetic.

II.    Good stress encourages a person to perform better.

III.    Some people work well only under pressure.

IV.    If the stress exceeds the resistance level of the individual, it can turn into eustress.

(a)    Only (I) above

(b)    Both (I) and (II) above

(c)    Both (II) and (III) above

(d)    (I), (II) and (IV) above

(e)    All (I), (II), (III) and (IV) above.

²³    Stress that occurs due to lack of resources or scarce resources at the work place is called job stress. Which of the following is not a job stressor?

(a)	Personal adequacy
(b)	Role conflicts
(c)	Setting medium and limited goals
(d)	Overwork and deadlines
(e)	Difficult clients.

²⁴    Holistic therapies allow the body to heal naturally. These therapies have no side effects and are reliable. In which of the following techniques, essential oils are used in the treatment process?

(a)    Massage therapy

(b)    Aromatherapy

(c)    Nutrition therapy

(d)    Physiotherapy

(e)    Reflexology.

²⁵    Technological advances have brought in vast changes in the channels of communication used in business. A manager has to be acquainted with and adept using various channels of communication. Which of these channels should not be used by the managers in the present modern business environment?

(a)    Video conferencing

(b)    Instant messaging

(c)    Emails

(d)    Postal services

(e)    Fax.

²⁶    A manager of a private firm is stressed out due to his position in the organization or due to his job. In this regard, which of the following is/are the stressor(s) involved in the managers stress?

I.	Overwork and deadlines.
II.	Job insecurity.
III.	Role conflicts.
(a)	Only (I) above
(b)	Only (II) above
(c)	Both (I) and (II) above
(d)	Both (I) and (III) above
(e)	All (I), (II) and (III) above.

²⁷    Once the time-wasters are identified, managers need to plan their time so as to realize their goals. Which of the following statements is/are true regarding planning time and resources?

I.    Planning involves preparing an action plan and selecting the course of action that would minimize wastage of time.

II.    Planning is vital for effective time management.

III.    Managers need to plan organizational resources keeping in mind goals and objectives without giving much thought to time constraints.

(a)    Only (I) above

(b)    Both (I) and (II) above

(c)    Both (I) and (III) above

(d)    Both (II) and (III) above

(e)    All (I), (II) and (III) above.

²⁸    Scheduling tasks and activities successfully is an important strategy for effective time management. It is therefore important for managers to balance their schedules and time. In this regard, which of the following statements is/are true?

I.    Regular review of a schedule help managers to identify the progress made and the time lags that need to be covered.

II.    They should have day-to-day milestones in a schedule to keep track of the work.

III.    Keeping track of the work on a daily basis allow managers to set aside some time for uncertainty.

(a)    Only (I) above

(b)    Only (II) above

(c)    Only (III) above

(d)    Both (I) and (II) above

(e)    All (I), (II) and (III) above.

²⁹    Time management is important in every facet of life but even more so in work life. In this regard, which of the following statements is/are true?

I.    Time management means spending time based on priorities and goals.

II.    Time management starts with analyzing the pattern of spending time only in work life.

III.    Time management has become more important in organizations due to the flatter organization structure.

(a)    Only (I) above

(b)    Only (II) above

(c)    Both (I) and (II) above

(d)    Both (I) and (III) above

(e)    All (I), (II) and (III) above.

³⁰    Wastage of time can occur due to internal and external factors. Internal time-wasters can be a result of

I.	Procrastination.
II.	Limited socialization.
III.	Efficiency.
(a)	Only (I) above
(b)	Only (II) above
(c)	Both (I) and (II) above
(d)	Both (I) and (III) above
(e)	All (I), (II) and (III) above.

³¹    Situations external to a manager, and which result in wastage of time, are called external time-wasters. Excessive usage of the internet is one of the reasons for external time wastage. In this context, which of the following statements is/are true?

I.    The internet can be a time-sink, draining the user of his/her time.

II.    Managers should encourage personal usage of the internet in the organization.

III.    Managers can delegate certain internet related tasks to subordinates to save time.

(a)    Only (I) above

(b)    Only (II) above

(c)    Both (I) and (II) above

(d)    Both (I) and (III) above

(e)    All (I), (II) and (III) above.

³²    Ketan is employed at Softpro Solutions, where he leads various projects catering to varied requirements. Ketan believes that meeting deadlines is the only way of managing time effectively and be successful at work. In the context of time abusers, he can be classified as

(a)	Preemptive
(b)	People pleaser
(c)	Perfectionist
(d)	Disturbance handler
(e)	Peace keeper.

³³ Time abusers are people who have the fear of being evaluated, fear of failure, fear of confrontation, etc. They can be mainly classified under various types; one of them is perfectionist. Which of the following statements is/are true regarding perfectionist?

I.    When a person takes more responsibility than he can handle, he is called a perfectionist.

II.    A perfectionist takes more than the allotted time to complete work because he/she is obsessed with producing quality work.

III.    A perfectionist takes too much time to perform even minor activities (like replying to a mail).

(a)    Only (I) above

(b)    Only (II) above

(c)    Both (I) and (II) above

(d)    Both (II) and (III) above

(e)    All (I), (II) and (III) above.

³⁴    An ideal plan should include components like the time factor, rewards, and grouping of tasks. Which of the following statements is/are false regarding rewards?

I.    A good plan includes rewards for meeting deadlines and targets.

II.    Rewards should serve to distract from the workflow.

III.    Rewards should allow people to get back to work quickly.

(a)    Only (I) above

(b)    Only (II) above

(c)    Only (III) above

(d)    Both (I) and (II) above

(e)    All (I), (II) and (III) above.

³⁵    Time logs are used by employees to fill in a detailed account of the time spent at the workplace. Which of the following is/are true regarding time logs?

I.    Time logs should be used to improve the performance of managers and increase the organizations productivity.

II.    Time logs should be used only to monitor employees.

III.    Time logs alone can help to bring about efficient time management.

(a)    Only (I) above

(b)    Only (II) above

(c)    Both (I) and (II) above

(d)    Both (II) and (III) above

^(e)    All (I), (II) and (III) above.

³⁶    A manager who avoids or postpones taking important decisions for fear of being questioned about his/her work is termed as a/an

(a)	Time abuser
(b)	Internal time waster
(c)	External time waster
(d)	Type A personality
(e)	De-stressor.

³⁷    Genic Ltd., has set a goal to increase its market share by 10% this fiscal year. They also identified areas of goal setting toward which resources and efforts are to be channeled. They have also prepared a backup plan in case of change in environmental conditions. In this context, which of the following statements is/are not true?

I.    The goal described is vague.

II.    The measure of outcome is specified.

III.    Time allotted in case of deviation is clear.

(a)    Only (I) above

(b)    Only (II) above

(c)    Both (I) and(II) above

(d)    Both (II) and (III)above

(e)    All (I), (II) and (III) above.

³⁸    An ideal plan should include components like the time factor, rewards, and grouping of tasks. Which of the following statements is/are false regarding grouping of tasks?

I.    In a plan, similar or related activities cannot be grouped together for effective planning.

II.    Grouping of tasks allows managers to work on tasks effectively without loss of concentration or any deviations.

III.    Grouping of tasks that are not related may force managers to jump from one task to another.

(a)    Only (I) above

(b)    Only (II) above

(c)    Only (III) above

(d)    Both (I) and (II) above

(e)    All (I), (II) and (III) above.

³⁹ Many people use creativity and innovation interchangeably. Which of the following is/are the differences between creativity and innovation?

I.    The goal of creativity is to think beyond conventional ideas and the goal of innovation is to put these ideas into action.

II.    There can be creativity without innovation but no innovation without creativity.

III.    The process of innovation involves looking for solutions and ideas in the external environment.

(a)    Only (I) above

(b)    Only (II) above

(c)    Only (III) above

(d)    Both (I) and (II) above

(e)    Both (II) and (III) above.

^40. Creativity in managers is the capability to discover new ways of handling problem situations. It depends on the mental components of the individual. In this regard, which of the following statements are false?

I.    The ability to generate a large number of relevant ideas continuously with reference to a particular problem or situation is called the fluency component.

II.    The ability to face challenges thrown by complex situations, to enjoy efforts to analyze and resolve them is called the flexibility component.

III.    The ability to produce unusual, novel answers to questions and interpretations of situations is called originality.

IV.    The ability to view an aspect from different perspectives, to change approaches to problem solving is called the orientation component.

(a)    Both (I) and (II) above

(b)    Both (I) and (III) above

(c)    Both (II) and (IV) above

(d)    Both (III) and (IV) above

(e)    All (I), (II), (III) and (IV) above.

⁴¹ A manager solving a problem looks for various creative ideas in the environment and then analyzes the resources available to the organization to act on the idea. This process produces a/an

(a)    Creative overloading

(b)    Innovative solution

(c)    Creative solution

(d)    Exnovation

(e)    Creative benchmarking.

⁴².    Innovation involves a series of activities. Which of the following is not an activity in the innovation process?

(a)    Obtaining tools and experiences

(b)    Discovering new ideas

(c)    Selecting the most suitable idea

(d)    Mapping out a plan to put the idea into practice

(e)    Obtaining feedback on the implementation.

⁴³.    A creative solution involves coming up with original and new ideas. Which of the following is the most important stage in the creative process?

(a)    Exploring

(b)    Inventing

(c)    Selecting

(d)    Implementing

(e)    Feedback.

^44.    Creativity does not come easily to everyone. There may be several barriers to creativity. Which of the following is not a barrier to creativity?

(a)	Fear
(b)	Anxiety
(c)	Optimism
(d)	Stress
(e)	Environment.

⁴⁵* Lateral thinking is an effective technique to stimulate creativity and was made popular by Edward de Bono. Which of the following is/are not true regarding lateral thinking?

I.    It involves looking for solutions in unusual directions.

II.    This kind of thinking uses conventional approaches to solving problems.

III.    It looks for diverse and creative solutions.

(a)    Only (I) above

(b)    Only (II) above

(c)    Only (III) above

(d)    Both (I) and (II) above

(e)    Both (II) and (III) above.

46. Which of the following creativity enhancing techniques, help the group to develop a common viewpoint by looking for similarities in the diverse solutions of each of the participants and may give birth to a totally new idea?

(a)    Mind mapping

(b)    Guided visualization

(c)    Lateral thinking

(d)    Delphi technique

(e)    Checklist technique.

⁴⁷    To resolve a conflict in an organization, a manager is gathering information from the employees about their experiences of similar conflicts in the past. In this regard, which of the following techniques should the manager use?

(a)    Problem decomposition techniques

(b)    Information search techniques

(c)    Imaging techniques

(d)    Ideating techniques

(e)    Extremization techniques.

⁴⁸    Mr. Hoshinu has the ability to think from different angles. He is always sensitive to changes in the environment and curious enough to look for opportunities. He is adventurous and willing to take risks. In your opinion which factor can be an obstruction to his creativity?

(a)    Ability to think

(b)    Risk taking ability

(c)    Sensitivity

(d)    Curiosity

(e)    Adventurous nature.

^49> Creativity depends on four mental components of an individual. Which of the following is not a mental component of creativity?

(a)    Competitive component

(b)    Fluency component

(c)    Flexibility component

(d)    Originality component

(e)    Orientation component.

⁵⁰    The process of creative idea development has different stages. In which stage of creativity process, managers should identify what they have and what they want?

(a)    Exploring

(b)    Inventing

(c)    Selecting

(d)    Implementing

(e)    Feedback.

⁵¹    Positive emotions in the workplace are those which help in the achievement of organizational goals. Which of the following is not a factor fostered by positive emotions?

(a)	High morale
(b)	Improved performance
(c)	Job satisfaction
(d)	Inevitability
(e)	Healthy employees.

⁵² Negative emotions are toxic to an organization. If unchecked these emotions can lead to serious trouble affecting the normal work-flow of the organization. Which of the following is not a disadvantage of negative emotions?

(a)    Low productivity

(b)    High employee turnover

(c)    Reduction in product quality

(d)    Increased wastage in production process

(e)    Increased stockout costs.

53. Which of the following is true regarding the guidelines of preparation stage in developing emotional intelligence in an organization?

(a)    All the necessary competencies that need to be developed should be identified

(b)    One should use experimental methods to make training effective

(c)    Employees should be encouraged to use learned skills to improve performance

(d)    It is essential to identify the programs that need to be improved and retain those that are effective

(e)    The skills learned during training are applied in actual job situations.

⁵⁴    Modern organizations depend a lot on team work for accomplishing objectives. Which of the following is not a guideline to build emotionally intelligent team?

(a)    Before a team gets down to work the members of the team should get to know each other

(b)    Each one has to find out how the other team members are doing

(c)    There is no need to ensure that the goals of the team are in line with the organizational goals

(d)    Emotions of the team members should be accepted and attention should be on problem solving

(e)    Feedback from members outside the team on the teams performance can be solicited.

⁵⁵    Howard Gartner, a Harvard psychologist, proposed multiple intelligence model which describes seven kinds of intelligence. Of these, two were different from the usual skills related to intelligence like verbal or arithmetic skills. Which of the following is/are true regarding these two skills?

I.    The skills were related to emotions and differentiated emotional capacities and intellectual capacities.

II.    The skills were social adeptness and knowing ones inner world.

III.    The ability or skill to use emotion to assist the thought process.

(a)    Only (I) above

(b)    Only (II) above

(c)    Both (I) and (II) above

(d)    Both (I) and (III) above

(e)    All (I), (II) and (III) above.

⁵⁶. Which of the following measures are taken for sorting out the issues before they become toxic in an organization?

I.    Managers should be able to perceive any negative vibes that exist in the organization.

II.    Managers should have full authority to take critical decisions in extreme situations.

III.    Managers should be active speakers not active listeners.

IV.    Managers should have empathy for people.

(a)    Both (I) and (II) above

(b)    Both (I) and (IV) above

(c)    Both (II) and (III) above

(d)    Both (II) and (IV) above

(e)    All (I), (II), (III) and (IV) above.

⁵⁷ Emotional Intelligence is a form of social intelligence that involves the ability to monitor ones own and others feelings and emotions, to discriminate among them and to use this information to guide ones thinking and actions. Which of the following is false regarding learning emotional intelligence?

(a)    Emotional ineffectiveness of a person has its root in habits which he/she has acquired in childhood

(b)    The learning process of emotional intelligence relies more on practice than on theory

(c)    Emotional abilities are based in the subcortex of human brain

(d)    Training programs help in developing emotional intelligence in organization

(e)    Learning emotional intelligence is an easy task.

58. Negative emotions are destructive to the goals of the organization and thus have to be managed. Peter Frost described negative emotions in terms of seven deadly ins. In this regard, which of the following is not one of the seven ins?

(a)	Intention
(b)	Institutional
(c)	Insensitivity
(d)	Inevitability
(e)	Individuality.

⁵⁹ The word emotion comes from the Latin word motere which means to move. This denotes that all emotions

induce a desire to
(a)	Act
(b)	Stay
(c)	Force
(d)	Learn
(e)	Guide.

⁶⁰    Emotional intelligence is important for developing ones career. The career development of people depends on different qualities they possess. Which of the following is/are true regarding emotional intelligence in career development?

I.    A person with high emotional intelligence will have self-awareness, self-control, empathy and social skills.

II.    A person with high emotional intelligence will help to identify the needs of customers and to have better relationships.

III.    Lack of emotional intelligence can ruin ones career.

IV.    Lack of emotional intelligence in organization will increase customer retention.

(a)    Only (I) above

(b)    Both (II) and (IV) above

(c)    (I), (II) and (III) above

(d)    (II), (III) and (IV) above

(e)    All (I), (II), (III) and (IV) above.

⁶¹    The study of distinction between emotional capacities and the intellectual capacities of individuals carried out by Dr. Peter Salovey and Dr. John Mayer, identified four abilities and skills required for emotional intelligence. According to them, which of the following is not among the four branches of emotional intelligence?

(a)    The ability to be aware of emotions

(b)    The ability to recognize emotions

(c)    The ability to outsource various activities effectively

(d)    The ability to manage emotions

(e)    The ability to use emotion to assist the thought process.

62. Negative emotions manifest in the form of spreading rumors, wasting the resources of the organization, hostility toward colleagues, etc. Which of the following is not an indicator for the existence of negative emotions at work place?

(a)    Employees who are not suited for the job

(b)    Constant fear of change in the organization

(c)    Very high or low levels of stress

(d)    Absence of quality councils

(e)    Lack of recognition for good work.

⁶³ Ms. Shelovah senior testing engineer, identified some serious error while running a software and reported it back to the project head. In response it was stated that it is not an error but the problem was with the interface used in the software. As Ms. Shelovah did not have the authority to probe further, she left the matter as it was so as not to disturb the functioning of the organization. Which of the following approaches was practiced while managing the

conflict?
(a)	Avoiding
(b)	Accommodating
(c)	Competing
(d)	Collaborating
(e)	Compromising.

⁶⁴    Some managers may try to hide their weaknesses from others, but this may prove detrimental to the interests of the organization. Whatever is the weakness, the first step in overcoming the weakness is

(a)    Postponing the work due to lack of weakness

(b)    Having an awareness of weakness

(c)    Changing the attitudes

(d)    Imitating others

(e)    Communicating with others.

⁶⁵    Ms. Lousie strongly believes that strong interpersonal skills help to bind team members from diverse background. Interpersonal skills allow them to share knowledge, ideas with others. They also perform to the best. Which of the following is an essential quality of good interpersonal skills?

(a)    Not willing to accept responsibility

(b)    Bad negotiation skills

(c)    Not listening to others

(d)    Ability to influence the behavior of others negatively

(e)    Ability to get along with others.

⁶⁶    Managers need to have good interpersonal skills if they are to be successful. Knowing about the qualities of their own-strengths and weaknesses refers to which of the following interpersonal competencies?

(a)    Self-awareness

(b)    Control

(c)    Motivation

(d)    Communication skills

(e)    Acknowledging the interests of subordinates.

⁶⁷    For managers, as in case of, any person it is extremely important to always take an optimistic view. The optimism exhibited by the managers trickles down to the subordinates and

(a)    Makes them to interfere in others works

(b)    Makes them go beyond their limits

(c)    Makes them feel not to participate in management

(d)    Makes them motivated and perform better

(e)    Makes them take lenience.

⁶⁸    When a manager is unable to mould his subordinates by his performance and behavior then he cannot be good at interpersonal skills. Which of the following abilities the manager is lacking in this situation?

(a)    Ability to listen to others

(b)    Ability to influence the behavior of others positively

(c)    Ability to manage behavior in personal interaction

(d)    Ability to get along with others

(e)    Ability to learn from mistakes.

⁶⁹    The behavior of others can be observed and interpreted during the process of interactions. If a manager knows the personality characteristics of each employee well, they will be in a better position to do which of the following?

(a)    Understand the compensation to be paid for the posts

(b)    Understand the personal issues of the employee

(c)    Understand the extent of jobs

(d)    Understand the behaviors of the employees

(e)    Understand the essential qualities of the jobs to be performed.

⁷⁰    Some people who fail to use their assertive skills are likely to be manipulative try to make others do what they do not really want to do. Others may be extremely aggressive and tend to provide over-directions in the workplace. Still others may adopt passive positions at the workplace just to avoid confrontations. In which of the following ways, the assertive people would behave?

(a)	Uncertain path
(b)	Unusual path
(c)	Usual path
(d)	Middle path
(e)	Peculiar path.

⁷¹    In excess, negative emotions can prove to be another major block to interpersonal interactions. This applies primarily in the case of negative emotion, anger. Which of the following is the best possible action in such situations?

(a)    To shout on others

(b)    To stop the interaction

(c)    To continue the interaction

(d)    To discuss with others

^(e)    To mould the interaction in different way.

⁷²    If two or more people meet one another, sooner or later one of them will speak or give some other indication of acknowledging the presence of others. This is known as

(a)    Transactional stimulus

(b)    Transmission analysis

(c)    Co-existence analysis

(d)    Co-operative stimulus

(e)    Corporate stimulus.

⁷³    Interpersonal skills are the essential skills required for interacting and connecting with others. In this regard, which of the following is the unit of social intercourse?

(a)    Exhibit

(b)    Response

(c)    Transaction

(d)    Transfer

(e)    Transmission.

⁷⁴    In the collaborative approach, the needs of both the parties involved in the conflict are met. Which of the following is the basic assumption in this approach?

(a)    Conflict is a natural part of life and can be solved

(b)    Conflict is a major part of life and can be solved

(c)    Conflict is natural part of life and cannot be solved

(d)    Conflict is artificial part of life and can be solved

^(e)    Conflict is artificial part of life and cannot be solved.

⁷⁵    Assertiveness is essential in solving problems in organizations in such a way that all the parties concerned are able to come out of the situation in which of the following way?

(a)    Disparate way

(b)    Dissatisfied way

(c)    Reasonably satisfied way

(d)    Perfect satisfied way

^(e)    Super satisfied way.

⁷⁶    Mr. Cary always takes an optimistic view and determines ways in which his subordinates can perform better. He believes that with personal interactions and the ability to treat everyone in the organization with respect ultimately affects the performance of the organization. Which of the following describes the essential interpersonal competencies of managers?

(a)    Self-awareness

(b)    Control

(c)    Motivation

(d)    Acknowledging the interests of subordinates

^(e)    Communication skills.

⁷⁷    Mr. Timberlake was not satisfied with his pay scale and wanted an increment. He preferred not to be in a passive position and expressed his opinion assertively. Which of the following is important in being assertive?

(a)    Body language

(b)    Being aggressive

(c)    Manipulative

(d)    Solving problems

^(e)    Being satisfied.

⁷⁸    When an organization fails to change a processing method that has been proven to be less effective than newer methods now available, it can be stated that the organization is dealing with

(a)    Structural inertia

(b)    Habit

(c)    Fear of the unknown

(d)    Fear of economic threats

(e)    Selective perception.

⁷⁹    Relations with subordinates can be difficult to handle. Leaders, even when they are effective, are dependant on certain key subordinates. Which of the following types of subordinates do not have power in relation to the leader?

(a)    Subordinates who have skills which are difficult to replace

(b)    Subordinates who have unique or exclusive information or knowledge

(c)    Subordinates who maintain good relationships with their leaders

(d)    Subordinates whose jobs are not crucial and who have a low impact on the performance of the boss

(e)    Subordinates whose jobs are related to other important jobs in the organization.

⁸⁰    Leadership requires vision, which is the ideal situation where the leader wants the organization to be. Which of the following does not encompass the vision of a leader?

(a)    Vision should be a symbol of the organizations distinctive qualities like culture, values, etc.

(b)    Vision should align with the direction and purpose of the organization

(c)    Vision should motivate the employees to reach their full potential

(d)    Vision should be communicated and shared occasionally

(e)    Vision should instill qualities like belief, passion, loyalty and enthusiasm among employees.

⁸¹    Organizations have three levels of people such as executive team members, middle level managers and line staff. Which of the following are true regarding executive team members?

I.    People in this team need recognition and sense of ownership.

II.    They could be allowed to participate in strategic processes.

III.    Senior executives can get recognition by interacting regularly with the media.

IV.    They value a sense of stability.

(a)    Both (I) and (III) above

(b)    Both (II) and (IV) above

(c)    (I), (II) and (III) above

(d)    (I), (III) and (IV) above

(e)    All (I), (II), (III) and (IV) above.

⁸²    Which of the following characteristics of a leader is the ability to coach, advice and teach people and to help the newcomers in the organization and also includes the skill to listen actively?

(a)	Dependability
(b)	Flexibility
(c)	Integrity
(d)	Judgment
(e)	Individual consideration.

⁸³ Effective leaders have a vision for their organizations which goes much beyond the results. Which of the following are the objectives that a vision should meet?

I.    It should help the subordinates attain a sense of responsibility and significant purpose in the functioning of the organization.

II.    The employees should be able to understand the vision and the values of the leader.

III.    It should be clear and communicated properly.

IV.    It should instill enthusiasm among the followers.

(a)    Both (I) and (II) above

(b)    Both (III) and (IV) above

(c)    (I), (II) and (III) above

(d)    (I), (III) and (IV) above

(e)    All (I), (II), (III) and (IV) above.

⁸⁴. Who among the following executives are talkative, dominant, captivating, enthusiastic, persistent, and have the ability to absorb large amounts of information?

(a)	Charismatics
(b)	Skeptics
(c)	Followers
(d)	Controllers
(e)	Thinkers.

⁸⁵    Persuasion is a form of communication which is aimed at making a person or a group accept as their own a product, person, idea, or opinion that they would otherwise not support. Which of the following is/are the factor(s) for the failure of persuasion?

I.    When the focus is more on the way message is presented.

II.    When the focus is more on the content of the message.

III.    Due to ineffective presentation of facts.

(a)    Only (I) above

(b)    Only (II) above

(c)    Both (I) and (II) above

^(d)    Both (I) and (III) above

(e)    Both (II) and (III) above.

⁸⁶    While trying to persuade a group of executives, it is important to identify the decision maker in the group and his/her decision making style. Which of the following is not true while attempting to persuade controllers?

(a)    A persuader should try to overcome the internal fears of the controller

(b)    The persuader should provide all the necessary information to the controller

(c)    The persuader should put forward an argument that is structured, linear and credible

(d)    As controllers can be self-absorbed during meetings, persuader should be prepared for long silences during presentations

(e)    The persuader should try to force controller to take quick decisions.

⁸⁷    Executives can be classified into five groups based on the basis of their decision making type. Which of the following statements are true regarding followers?

I.    They rely on past decisions made under similar circumstances.

II.    They are early adopters.

III.    They are open to learning.

IV.    They consider themselves as innovative and forward thinking.

(a)    Both (I) and (III) above

(b)    Both (II) and (IV) above

(c)    (I), (II) and (III) above

(d)    (I), (III) and (IV) above

(e)    All (I), (II), (III) and (IV) above.

⁸⁸. The ability to motivate others is the major skill that leaders require. Which of the following is/are true in this regard?

I.    Leaders can motivate by cultivating an environment in the organization in which work is considered inspiring and satisfying.

II.    Leaders should have a clear understanding of the situation in question and also an insight into the nature of human beings.

III.    Leaders should have a clear set of goals and expectations, which involves a direction to employees.

(a)    Only (I) above

(b)    Only (II) above

(c)    Both (I) and (II) above

(d)    Both (II) and (III) above

(e)    All (I), (II) and (III) above.

⁸⁹ Which of the following are the mediatory skills required by leaders to arrive at a win-win solution in conflict

situations?
I.	Flexibility and resilience.
II.	The capacity to demonstrate empathy.
III.	The ability to personalize situations.
IV.	Open-mindedness.
V.	Willingness to hear all sides without interruption.
(a)	Both (I) and (III) above
(b)	Both (II) and (V) above
(c)	(I), (II), (IV) and (V) above
(d)	(II), (III), (IV) and (V) above
(e)	All (I), (II), (III), (IV) and (V) above.

90. Which of the following characteristics of a leader is the ability to work independently, assuming responsibility for actions done and also for mistakes committed and the ability to keep promises?

(a)	Dependability
(b)	Flexibility
(c)	Integrity
(d)	Judgment
(e)	Individual consideration.

91. Which of the following characteristics of a leader is the ability to do what is good for the organization and workforce even in the face of difficulties?

(a)	Intellectual stimulation
(b)	Courage
(c)	Dependability
(d)	Charisma
(e)	Integrity.

92.    Developing leadership skills is a continuous process, which needs to be sharpened throughout a persons career. Which of the following questions are to be considered for developing leadership skills?

I.    How do I increase the value of my organization?

II.    Am I able to instill trust among the people in the organization?

III.    How do I inspire and motivate my stockholders?

IV.    Am I able to communicate effectively?

(a)    Both (I) and (III) above

(b)    Both (II) and (IV) above

(c)    (I), (II) and (IV) above

(d)    (I), (III) and (IV) above

(e)    (II), (III) and (IV) above.

93.    In Japanese culture women are given less importance for their feminine values when compared to Netherlands which gives more importance to feminine values. Which of the following is/are considered as feminine value(s)?

I.	Assertiveness.
II.	Solidarity.
III.	Competitiveness.
IV.	Quality of life.
(a)	Only (IV) above
(b)	Both (I) and (II) above
(c)	Both (II) and (III)	above
(d)	Both (II) and (IV)	above
(e)	(II), (III) and (IV)	above

I.	What is considered as appropriate behavior in one culture may not be considered appropriate in another culture.
II.	In international business, hurting the sentiments of people from another culture may cause distrust.
III.	Working with people from different parts of the world can be a daunting task.
(a)	Only (I) above
(b)	Only (II) above
(c)	Both (I) and (II) above
(d)	Both (II) and (III) above
(e)	All (I), (II) and (III) above.
Societies with wide differences among individuals in terms of income and power, are said to be having
(a)	Low degree of uncertainty avoidance
(b)	High uncertainty avoidance
(c)	High power distance
(d)	Low power distance
(e)	Collectivism.

96. Non-verbal communication plays an important role in influencing communication and the conduct of business. The use of eyes in the process of communication is called

(a)	Kinesics
(b)	Proxemics
(c)	Synectics
(d)	Paralanguage
(e)	Oculesics.

97.    In developing intercultural competency, first and foremost, there should be an awareness about the various factors that cause differences between the cultures. Which level of Beamers model is referred here?

(a)    Acknowledging cultural diversity

(b)    Organizing information according to stereotypes

(c)    Asking questions to challenge stereotypes

(d)    Analyzing communication episodes

(e)    Generating fluent messages from other cultures.

98.    An appropriate type of conversation in one culture may be regarded as inappropriate in another culture. In China, which of the following is/are the recommended topic(s) of conversation?

I.    Chinese attractions.

II.    Arts and calligraphy.

III.    Health of family members.

(a)    Only (I) above

(b)    Only (II) above

(c)    Both (I) and (II) above

(d)    Both (II) and (III) above

(e)    All (I), (II) and (III) above.

99.    A lack of cultural understanding does not result in which of the following unintended mistakes?

(a)    Being culturally offensive

(b)    Making cultural blunders

(c)    Failing in negotiations

(d)    Ruining personal relationships

(e)    Cultural adaptability.

100.    Mrs. Nelly got married six months back. Earlier, she used to work overtime in the case of urgency. Now as she is married she is taking steps to balance her work-life. As part of this she is asking for flexible working hours. Organizations too have realized the fact and are taking measures in this regard like shift in the organization work culture and focus on results. Which of the following is not part of work-life balance?

(a)    Holistic therapies

(b)    Changing social scene

(c)    Changing work culture

(d)    Increased work time

(e)    Dual income families.

END OF QUESTION PAPER

Suggested Answers Managerial Effectiveness - II (MB1A4): October 2008

ANSWER    REASON

B An appraisal should answer the following questions:

Has he/she done well?

Is he/she likely to improve?

How can he/she improve?

What are his/her strengths?

Hence option (b), Does he/she expect a promotion? is not the correct answer.Where he/she has not done well?, is the correct answer.

B The first step in the decision making process involves identifying and defining the problem. The managers may face either a general situation or a unique situation, such as making a decision on forming an alliance or not. In the case of making a decision on an alliance, an effective manager should first try to understand the need for such an alliance.

E Effective managers select people for tasks based on their talent, apart from their experience, intelligence, and determination.

4.    E The steps involved in organizing are:

Identify the objectives

Preparing a list of activities Dividing into units Delegating work Coordination.

Hence the option (e) is the correct answer.

5.    B Results like an increase in the market share by 2% or an increase in the profit

margin by the third quarter are example of Direct results.

6.    C Managers can contribute to the organization by improving and developing

themselves. They have to introspect on the skills and knowledge that are required for them to effectively contribute what they can do to the organization. The other options, working in teams and developing others are not true regarding the self development of an effective manager.

7.    C Effective managers should remember the following rules while recruiting staff:

They should not recruit people based on a rigid structure as the job can be modified based on the right person.

They should not divide the job into small and simple activities but should make it challenging.

They should start with what a person can do rather than what his/her job requires him/her to do.

They should accept the weakness to make productive use of strength.

Hence option (c) is the correct answer.

8.    D Posteriorities are activities that need not be handled immediately and also it is a

very challenging job. They do not allow time pressures to decide the priority of an activity. Managers identify the important activities and perform one acitivity at a time is prioritizing but not posterioritizing. Hence option (d) is the right answer.

9.    B The basic activities that a manager should perform are as follows:

   Planning

Organizing

Directing

Coordinating

Controlling

Hence the option (b) is the correct answer.

10.    C What managers basically need to maintain good relations are:

   Communication

Team work Self development Development of others.

Hence option (c) is the answer.

11.    E Managers should try to identify in what way their superiors are effective. A

simple habit or a manner may make a superior effective. Effective managers identify these habits and use them constructively.

12.    B In the third stage of the burnout life cycle the employees lose their interest and

energy. Stress results in exhaustion, loss of concentration, and shows symptoms of burn out.

13.    C Spirituality at the workplace is defined as allowing every member of an

organization the time and resources to explore his inner self, desires, passions, ideas and purpose

14.    D Various factors that cause personal stress are:

   Family stress

Health related stress and Society related stress.

Hence the option (d) is the correct answer.

15.    D The various organizational stressors are:

   Lack of organization skills

Long work hours Job insecurity.

Hence the option (d) is the correct answer.

16.    E The option (e), stress management deals directly with time management is false.

Because, stress management deal indirectly with time management, as time management is a measure to keep stress under control.

17.    A E-stress or techno stress is a physical and physiological reaction to the changing

technological environment.

18.    B The second stage of the burnout life cycle is also known as the awakening stage.

19.    A    Stress is a physiological and psychological imbalance. It arises due to the

demand on a person and the inability on the person to meet. In this case she was undergoing stress due to personal reasons.

20.    B A stressor is a factor or stimulant that creates stress.

21.    A Eustress triggers the body alarm, enhances attention, performance, and creativity

of a person.

A certain level of stress can act as a motivator. Without stress, a person becomes lethargic and dull. Good stress encourages a person to perform better. However, if this stress exceeds the resistance level of the individual, it can turn into distress. Also, while some people tend to work better under pressure, there are others who cannot bear the last minute syndrome.

Some of the common job stressors are Difficult clients/sub ordinates/superiors/colleagues and some of the other stressors are personal inadequacy, role conflicts, setting high goals, Overwork and deadlines. Therefore setting medium and limited goals is not a stressor.

Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils in the treatment process. The oils are derived from plants and flowers. They are popular for improving emotional and physical health.

Due to technological advances todays managers must use communication channels such as Video conferencing, emails, couriers, fax, instant messengers etc but not the Postal services which may delay the communication process.

Job stress occurs due to the following common stressors:

-    Difficult clients/ subordinates/ superiors/ colleagues

-    Personal inadequacy

-    Role conflicts

-    Setting high goals

-    Overwork and deadlines.

I.    Planning involves preparing an action plan and selecting the course of action that would minimize wastage of time.

II.    Planning is vital for effective time management.

III.    Managers need to plan these resources keeping in mind goals and objectives as well as the time constraints of their organization.

I.    Regular review of a schedule help managers to identify the progress made and the time lags that need to be covered.

II.    They should have day-to-day milestones in a schedule to keep track of the work.

III.    Keeping track of the work on a daily basis allow managers to set aside some time for uncertainty.

I. Time management means spending time based on priorities and goals.

Statement (II) is not true since time management starts with analyzing the pattern of spending time both in personal and work life.

III. Time management has become more important in organizations due to the flatter organization structure.

Internal time-wasters can be a result of:

Procrastination

Excessive socialization

Inefficiency

31.    D I. The Internet can be a time-sink, draining the user of his/her time.

II.    Managers should restrict personal usage of the Internet in the organization.

III.    Managers can delegate certain Internet related tasks to subordinates to save time.

32.    A (a) Preemptive people are always ahead of schedule and are obsessed with

deadlines and schedules.

(b)    When a person takes more responsibility than he can handle, he is called a people pleaser.

(c)    A person who is obsessed with quality of the resultant work is called a perfectionist.

(d)    As a disturbance handler, managers are required to take corrective action during disputes or crises.

(e)    Peacekeepers try to avoid conflict at any cost. Their attitude often causes a serious threat to the leadership aspirations of many people.

33.    D I. When a person takes more responsibility than he can handle, he is called a

YES man.

II.    He/she takes more than the allotted time to complete work because he/she is obsessed with producing quality work.

III.    He/she takes too much time to perform even minor activities (like replying to a mail).

34.    B I. A good plan includes rewards for meeting deadlines and targets.

II.    Reward should not serve to distract from the workflow.

III.    It should allow people to get back to work quickly.

35.    A Time logs should be used only to improve performance and effectiveness and

not to monitor employees.

Time logs alone cannot help to bring about efficient time management.

36.    A A time abuser is a person who has a constant fear of being evaluated or being

questioned about his/her work by a superior and so resorts to procrastination

37.    A Goal should be specific having numerical and quantitative value related to

desired results.

38.    A Statement (I) is not true since, in a plan similar or related activities can be

grouped together for effective planning.

II.    Grouping of tasks allows managers to work on tasks effectively without loss of concentration or any deviations.

III.    Grouping of tasks that are not related may force managers to jump from one task to another.

39.    D The process of creativity involves looking for solutions and ideas in the external

environment

Creativity in managers is the capability to discover new ways of handling

problem situations. It depends on four mental components of the individual.

They are:

I.    The ability to generate a large number of relevant ideas continuously with reference to a particular problem or situation. This is called the fluency component.

II.    The ability to face challenges thrown by complex situations, to enjoy efforts to analyze and resolve them. This is called the orientation component.

III.    The ability to produce unusual, novel answers to questions and interpretations of situations. This is called originality.

IV.    The ability to view an aspect from different perspectives, to change approaches to problem solving. This is called the flexibility component.

A manager solving a problem looks for various creative ideas in the environment

and then analyzes the resources available to the organization to act on the idea.

This process produces an innovative solution.

Innovation involves a series of activities. It involves discovering new ideas, selecting the most suitable one, mapping out a plan to put the idea into practice, obtaining feedback on the implementation.

Exploring: This stage involves identifying possible courses of action for a given problem or a situation. This is the most important stage in the creative process.

Common barriers are:

a)    Fear

b)    Anxiety

c)    Pessimism

d)    Stress

e)    Environment.

Lateral thinking uses unconventional approaches to solving problems.

Guided visualization helps a group to develop a common viewpoint. It helps the group to look for similarities in the diverse solutions of each of the participants and may give birth to a totally new idea.

Information search techniques involve searching for information to solve a problem.

Sensitive/resistance to change is a barrier that affects the subconscious mind acting as obstruction to creative ideas.

49.    A Competitiveness is a personality characteristic for individual to sustain

themselves.

50.    A Exploring: This stage involves identifying possible courses of action for a given

problem, or a situation. The managers should identify what they have and what they want.

51. D    Inevitability is the among the Peter Frosts seven ins which describe negative

emotions. All other options are positive emotions.

52.    E Stock out costs are costs associated with demand when stocks have been

depleted, generally lost sales or backorder costs.

All other options are disadvantages of negative emotions.

53.    A In the preparation stage all the necessary competencies that need to be developed

should be identified.

The guideline that one should use experimental methods to make training effective is meant for Training stage.

The guideline that employees should be encouraged to use learned skills to improve performance is meant for Application stage.

Option (d) is a guideline for Evaluation stage.

Option (e) is applicable to Application stage.

54.    C The statement there is no need to ensure that the goals of the team are in line

with the organizational goals is false with regard to building intelligent teams in an organization as there is a need to ensure that the goals of the team are in line with the organizational goals.

55.    C The correct answer is I The skills were related to emotions and differentiated

emotional capacities and intellectual capacities, II The skills were social adeptness and knowing ones inner world are related to verbal or arithmetic skills given by Howard Gartner. Whereas statement III. The ability or skill to use emotion to assist the thought process is given by Salovey and Mayer who identified four abilities and skills required for emotional intelligence and called them the four branches of emotional intelligence.

56.    B Statement (I). Managers should be able to perceive any negative vibes that exist

in the organization and (IV). Managers should have empathy for people. Also Managers should be good listeners of what others in the organization have got to say about the work situations.

57.    E Learning emotional intelligence is a difficult task as emotional ineffectiveness of

a person has its roots in habits acquired in childhood and these habits over a period of time become deeply entrenched. All other options are true about learning of emotional intelligence

58.    E Individuality is not among the seven ins of negative emotions asdescribed by

Peter Frost. Following are the 7 ins which describe negative emotions: Intention, incompetence, infidelity, insensitivity, intrusiveness, institutional and inevitability.

59.    A The word emotion comes from the Latin word motere which means to move this

denotes that all emotions induce a desire to act.

60.    C The following are true with regard to emotional intelligence in career

development

I.    A person with high emotional intelligence will have self-awareness, self-control, empathy and social skills.

II.    A person with high emotional intelligence will help to identify the needs of customers and to have better relationships.

III.    Lack emotional intelligence can ruin ones career.

61.    C The ability to outsource various activities effectively is not a branch of

emotional intelligence but is related to operations management. All other options are the four branches of emotional intelligence.

62. D Absence of quality councils will effect the quality of the products or services in an organization and is not related to negative emotions. All other options belong to indicators of negative emotions.

63.    A Avoidance is a short term approach to conflict management. Avoidance can be

physical or psychological. Physical avoidance is in the form of refusing to take while psychological avoidance involves refusing to acknowledge the existence of a problem.

64.    B Some managers may try to hide their weaknesses from others, but this may

prove detrimental to the interests of the organization. Whatever the weaknesses, having an awareness of them is the first step in overcoming them.

65.    E Interpersonal skill refers to a persons ability to interact effectively with other

members of the organization like subordinates, peers, and superiors and connecting with others.

66.    A Managers have to be aware of their own qualities- their strengths and

weaknesses. This is known as self awareness.

67.    D The optimism exhibited by the managers trickles down to the subordinates and

motivates them to better performance.

68.    B From the context it is clear that the manager is not able to influence his

subordinates with his behavior.

69.    D If managers know the personality characteristics of each employee well, they

will be in a better position to understand their behaviors.

70.    D People who fail to use their assertive skills are likely to be manipulative try to

make others do what they do not really want to do. Others may be extremely aggressive and tend to provide over-directions in the workplace. Still others may adopt passive positions at the workplace just to avoid confrontations. But assertive people would be able to take a middle path in such situations.

71.    B Excess negative emotions can prove to be another major block to interpersonal

interactions. This applies primarily in the case of negative emotion, anger. The best possible course of action in such a situation would be to stop the interaction till the people involved are able to get their emotions under control.

72.    A If two or more people meet one another, sooner or later one of them will speak

or give some other indication of acknowledging the presence of others. This is called transactional stimulus.

73.    C The unit of social intercourse is called a transaction.

74.    A In collaborative approach, the basic assumption is that conflict is a natural part

of life and that it can be solved.

75.    C Assertiveness is essential in solving problems in organizations in such a way that

all the parties concerned are able to come out of the situation reasonably satisfied.

76.    C Motivation encompasses optimism and determination. Determination is an

important aspect of motivation. Optimism motivates subordinates to perform better.

77.    A When trying to communicate assertively, the body language should not give

impression of aggressiveness. It should correspond with what you are trying to say and how you are saying it.

78.    A Organizations usually develop structures and processes that help them in

achieving their goals. On the basis of these processes, recruitment, training and development take place in organizations. Organizations get accustomed to these processes and consequently are unwilling to make any changes.

79.    D Subordinates whose jobs are not crucial and who have a low impact on the

performance of the boss do not have power in relation to the leader.

80.    D Vision should be communicated and shared frequently and not occasionally.

81.    A Statement (II) is not true because middle lever managers could be allowed to

participate in strategic processes.

Statement (IV) is not true because line employees value a sense of stability.

The remaining statements (I) and (III) are true.

82.    E Individual consideration is the ability to coach, advise, and teach people

and to help the newcomers in the organization and also includes the skill to listen actively.

83.    E A vision should meet the following objectives: It should help the subordinates

attain a sense of responsibility and significant purpose in the functioning of the organization. The employees should be able to understand the vision and the values of the leader. It should be clear and communicated properly. It should instill enthusiasm among the followers.

84.    A Charismatics are talkative, dominant, captivating, enthusiastic, persistent, and

have the ability to absorb large amounts of information.

85.    E    Persuasion fails when the focus is more on the content of the message rather

than on the way it is presented. Failure to persuade is often caused by the ineffective presentation of facts.

Controllers take a lot of time to arrive at decisions unlike skeptics who take decisions fast. So the persuader should not try to force a controller to take quick decisions.

Statement (II) is not true because followers are afraid of making the wrong choice and, therefore they are never early adopters. Hence, the remaining statements (I), (III) and (IV) are true.

All the statements are true. Leaders can motivate by cultivating an environment in the organization in which work is considered inspiring and satisfying. Leaders should have a clear understanding of the situation in question and also an insight into the nature of human beings. Leaders should have a clear set of goals and expectations, which involves a direction to employees.

The mediatory skills required by leaders to arrive at a win-win solution in conflict situations are such as open-mindedness, flexibility and resilience, the capacity to demonstrate empathy, a sense of timing, patience and the willingness to hear all sides without interruption.

Statement (III) is not correct because leaders should have the ability to depersonalize situations.

Dependability is the ability to work independently, assuming responsibility for actions done and also for mistakes committed, and the ability to keep promises.

Courage is the ability to do what is good for the organization and workforce even in the face of difficulties.

For developing leadership skills, a leader has to considered some questions. They are How do I increase the value of my organization?

Am I able to instill trust among the people in the organization?

Am I able to communicate effectively?

According to the concept of Masculinity Vs Femininity , Assertiveness and competitiveness are considered male values, whereas Solidarity and quality of life are regarded as feminine values.

All the statements are true.

Societies with wide differences among individuals in terms of income and power, are said to be having high power distance.

The use of eyes in the process of communication is called Oculesics.

The factors which cause differences between the cultures must be considered to know the cultural diversity. People who come from high context cultures may have very little awareness about the diversity in culture.

In some cultures like china ,they like discussing the issues like Chinese attractions, arts, and health of family members are considered as appropriate.

Managers must try to understand cultural differences and adapt to that particular countrys culture which is know as cultural adaptability. A lack of cultural understanding results in unintended mistakes such as being culturally offensive, making cultural blunders, failing in negotiations and ruining personal relationships .

100. A Holistic therapies is not a part of work-life balance. It is a technique to deal with avoiding stress. Holistic therapies allow body to heal naturally. They are the oldest technique used for reducing stress, having no side effects and are reliable.

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