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OSB611S - ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR - 1ST OPP - JUNE 2024 |
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nAmlBIA unlVERSITY
OFSCIEnCEAno TECHnOLOGY
FACULTY OF COMMERCE, HUMAN SCIENCEAND EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT SCIENCES
QUALIFICATION: BACHELOR OF HUMAN RESOURCESMANAGEMENT
QUALIFICATION CODE: 07BHRM
LEVEL: 6
COURSE CODE: OSB611S
COURSENAME: ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR
SESSION: JUNE 2024
DURATION: 3 HOURS
PAPER: THEORY
MARKS: 100
EXAMINER(S}
FIRSTOPPORTUNITYEXAMINATION PAPER
Mr. Ehrenfried Tjivii Ndjoonduezu
MODERATOR:
Ms. M Sezuni
INSTRUCTIONS
1. The paper consists of Sections A, Band C. Answer ALLthe questions.
2. Write clearly and neatly.
3. Number the answers clearly.
PERMISSIBLEMATERIALS
1. Examination paper.
2. Examination script.
THIS QUESTION PAPERCONSISTSOF 6 PAGES(Including this front page)
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SECTIONA
(20 marks)
Question 1 (Each multiple-choice question carries one (1) mark)
Choose the correct answer to the questions that follow by indicating only the applicable
letter (i.e. a, b, c, d, ore) in your answer book.
1. Which of the following best describes a work team?
a) Individual efforts result in a greater performance than the sum of group inputs.
b) Group efforts result in a lower performance than the sum of individual inputs.
c) Group efforts result in a greater performance than the sum of individual inputs.
d) Individual efforts result in a greater performance than the sum of individual inputs.
e) Individual efforts result in a lower performance than the sum of individual inputs.
2. Evidence tends to suggest that performance across teams will be higher if an
organization ___ _
a) forms only teams high in conscientiousness
b) forms only teams low in conscientiousness
c) forms both teams high in conscientious and teams low in conscientiousness
d) seeds each team with a few people who score high on conscientiousness
e) seeds each team with a few people who score low on conscientiousness
3. After which stage of a group's development is there a relatively clear hierarchy of
leadership within the group?
a) norming
b) storming
c) development
d) evolution
e) forming
4. Which of the following is not a finding of Elton Mayo's Hawthorne studies?
a) A worker's behaviour and sentiments are closely related.
b) Group standards are highly effective in establishing individual worker output.
c) Money was less a factor in determining worker output than were group standards,
sentiments, and security.
d) Competition between groups will maximize group output.
e) Group influences are significant in affecting individual behaviour.
4. Which statement best describes the relationship of low performance norms such as
quality output, and cooperation, with group cohesiveness.
a) When productivity norms are high if cohesiveness is low productivity will be low.
b) Because of high group cohesiveness, if norms are low, productivity will still be high.
c) Because of high group cohesiveness, if norms are high, productivity will still be low.
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d) When productivity norms are high if cohesiveness is high productivity will be low.
e) Regardless of group cohesiveness, if norms are low, productivity will be low.
6. Which of the following is a not a management benefit of telecommuting?
a) larger labour pool for recruitment
b) higher productivity of employees
c) decreased office expenditures
d) improved morale in general
e) decreased benefits expenses
7. It's Marisol's first day on a new job. At first, she was very nervous, but when she was
introduced to her cubicle neighbour, Hanna, she was taken aback by Hanna's soothing
smile. Marisol knew that a person with such a beautiful smile could not be bad, and that
she would enjoy having her in such proximity.
a) contrast effects.
b) prototyping
c) the halo effect.
d) selective perception
e) profiling
8. Why is decision making a perceptual issue?
a) Decisions must be made on how to move from the current situation to some desired
state.
b) Middle and lower-level managers may have different perceptions on how to solve a
problem than their underlings or top-level managers.
c) Decision making is generally by consensus.
d) There may be more than one way to solve a problem.
e) Before a decision is made, a problem must be perceived to exist.
9. How would someone who is described as an ESTJon the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
best be described.
a) as a visionary
b) as a conceptualizer
c) as an innovator
d) as an organizer
e) as a leader
10. Why are agreeable people usually less successful in their careers?
a) They aren't happy in their lives.
b) They aren't liked by superiors.
c) They don't make many friends.
d) They don't negotiate well.
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e} They aren't successful in school.
Question 2
True or False {Each question carries one {1} mark}
2.1 If individuals perceive the dissonance to be an uncontrollable result, they are less
likely to be receptive to attitude change.
2.2 All the following are moderating variables in the attitude behavior relationship:
importance of the attitude, its applicability, its accessibility, social pressures, and
direct experience.
2.3 An adult's personality is proven to be made up only of situational factors, moderated
• by environmental conditions.
2.4 Critics of El {Emotional Intelligence} have criticized it for being poorly defined.
2.5 The concept of bounded rationality assumes that the decision maker will complicate
the problem.
2.6 Intuitive decision analysis must operate independently of rational analysis.
2.7 The three-component model of creativity proposes that individual creativity requires
expertise, creative-thinking skills, and intrinsic task motivation.
2.8 From management's perspective, the greatest appeal of skill-based pay plans is
decreased payroll costs.
2.9 Traditional benefit packages were designed for the typical employee of the 1950s; a
stereotype that now fits fewer than 10% of employees.
2.10 Flexible spending plans allow employees to set aside up to the dollar amount offered
in the plan to pay for services.
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SECTION B
[9]
Question 3
Ethical Dilemma
Is There Room for Snooping in an Organization's Culture?
Many companies spy on their employees-sometimes with and sometimes without their
knowledge or consent. Organizations differ in their culture of surveillance. Some differences
are due to the type of business. A U.S. Department of Defense contractor has more reason-
perhaps even an obligation-to spy on its employees than does an orange juice producer.
However, surveillance in most industries is on the upswing. There are several reasons,
including the huge growth of two sectors with theft and security problems- services and
information technology, respectively-and the increased availability of surveillance
technology.
Consider the following surveillance actions and decide for each whether it would never be
ethical (mark N), would sometimes be ethical (mark 5), or would always be ethical (mark A).
For those you mark S, indicate on what factors your judgment would depend.
1. Sifting through an employee's trash for evidence of wrongdoing
2. Periodically reading e-mail messages for disclosure of confidential information or
inappropriate use
3. Conducting video surveillance of workspace
4. Monitoring Web sites visited by employees and determining the appropriateness
and work relatedness of those visited.
5. Taping phone conversations
6. Posing as a job candidate, an investor, a customer, or a colleague (when the real
purpose is to solicit information)
Questions
3.1 Would you be less likely to work for an employer that engaged in some of these?
Why or why not?
(4)
3.2 Do you think use of surveillance says something about an organization's culture? (5)
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SECTION C
Question 4
(71 marks)
4.1 Patrice has just been passed up for a promotion and is still earning less than $40,000
a year. He is experiencing a very low level of job satisfaction. Describe two active
responses that Patrice might take due to his dissatisfaction. Design a plan that
Patrice's immediate supervisor can use to diffuse the situation and keep Patrice on
board with the company.
(10}
4.2 Briefly explain the arguments for and against emotional intelligence.
(12}
4.3 Describe the Big Five personality dimension of conscientiousness and explain how it
can predict behaviour at work.
(10}
4.4 According to Two-Factor Theory, how might a manager motivate employees? (9)
4.5 Evaluate the variable-pay programs in terms of their impact on motivation and
productivity.
(12}
4.6 Discuss the weaknesses of group decision making.
(10}
4.7 The team effectiveness model identifies four categories of key components making
up effective teams. Discussthese four categories and give examples of each category.
(8}
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