 |
OSB611S - Organisational Behaviour - 2nd Opp - June 2023 |
|
|
1 Page 1 |
▲back to top |
nAmlBIA
OF SCJEnCE
untVERSITV
AnD
TECHnOLOGY
FACULTY OF COMMERCE, HUMAN SCIENCESAND EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT SCIENCES
QUALIFICATION: BACHELOR OF HUMAN RESOURCESMANAGEMENT
QUALIFICATION CODE: 07BHRM
LEVEL: 6
COURSECODE: OSB611S
COURSE NAME: ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR
SESSION:JULY 2023
DURATION: 3 HOURS
PAPER: THEORY
MARKS: 100
EXAMINER(S)
MODERATOR:
SECOND OPPORTUNITY EXAMINATION QUESTION PAPER
Mr. Ehrenfried Tjivii Ndjoonduezu
Ms. M Sezuni
INSTRUCTIONS
The paper consists of Section A, Band C. Answer ALL the questions.
Write clearly and neatly.
Number the answers clearly.
PERMISSIBLE MATERIALS
Examination paper.
Examination script.
THIS QUESTION PAPER CONSISTS OF 8 PAGES (Including this front page)
1
|
|
2 Page 2 |
▲back to top |
SECTION A
(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 values would be most likely to be considered a terminal value by
Rokeach?
a)
ambition
b)
broad-mindedness
c)
helpfulness
d)
a sense of accomplishment
e)
self-control
2. Penda has a small company that makes mustard. His local sales are low, and he wants to
reach a wider, national clientele by getting on the Web, so he has placed an online ad
for a Web designer and master. It is most likely that the majority of the job applicants
will be from the ____
generation.
a)
millennial
b)
boomer
c)
Xer
d)
veteran
e)
traditionalist
3.
Which of the following is not true about our perceptions of a target?
a) Objects that are close together will be perceived together rather than separately.
2
|
|
3 Page 3 |
▲back to top |
c)
Targets are usually looked at in isolation.
d)
Motion, sounds, size, and other attributes of a target shape the way we see it.
e)
Objects that are distant from one another will be perceived separately rather
than as a group.
4. Whenever Beverley is successful, she takes full credit for what has happened, but
whenever she is unsuccessful, she attributes her failure to being bewitched by one of
her fellow employees. She is guilty of ___ _
a) fundamental attribution error
b)
attribution bias
c)
the halo effect
d)
distinctiveness
e)
self-serving bias
5. A committee is made up of 12 managers: three each from the sales, production,
accounting, and human resources departments. They read a comprehensive study of the
company they work for and are asked which of its recommendations is most important.
In discussion, they find that the managers perceive that the most important
recommendations are those concerning their own departments. This finding is most
likely the result of what type of bias?
a)
selective perception
b)
halo effect
c)
Pygmalion effect
d)
self-serving bias
e)
projection
3
|
|
4 Page 4 |
▲back to top |
he/she compares to other individuals on the same characteristic. What is this short-cut
called?
a)
selective perception.
b)
contrast effects
c)
the halo effects
d)
prejudice
e)
stereotyping
7. Tommy knows that the title insurance company made a mistake on his property title.
Because of their mistake, his neighbour now has access to an easement road through his
25 acres of land. He can't use the acreage for pasture, because his neighbour insists that
the gates remain open. The title company has offered a N$40,000 settlement. Tommy
has decided to take the settlement rather than possibly lose in court if he were to sue
th e tit I e co m pa n y fa r mo re mo n e y. Tom m y' s decision is based on ________ .
a)
hindsight bias
b)
availability bias
c)
risk aversion
d)
randomness error
e)
escalation of commitment
8.
David's boss has just moved his software testing deadline up by two days. David was
working overtime to complete the assignment with the previous deadline, but now he
doesn't see how it will be physically possible to test every aspect of the software by the
new deadline. As a result, David will have to cut corners and only test certain aspects of
the product. He is sure there will be bugs that go unnoticed. David is a victim of which
organizational constraint?
a)
performance evaluations
b)
reward systems
c)
historical precedents
4
|
|
5 Page 5 |
▲back to top |
e}
system-imposed time constraints
9. What trait does a decision maker need to have if they are to fully appraise a problem
and even see problems that others are not aware of?
a}
creativity
b}
rationality
c}
conceptual style
d}
intuition
e}
individuality
10. What is the term used for an individual's personal evaluation of their ability to perform?
a}
expectancy
b}
autonomy
c}
self-efficacy
d}
task identity
e)
auto-discrimination
Question 2
True or False (Each question carries one (1) mark)
2.1 The overall evidence on job enrichment generally shows that it increases satisfaction,
reduces absenteeism, and reduces turnover costs.
2.2 Job enrichment increases the degree to which the worker controls the execution of
company plans.
2.3 Evidence confirms there is no real difference between men and women when it comes
to emotional reactions.
2.4 Displayed emotions are innate.
5
|
|
6 Page 6 |
▲back to top |
advantage over their opponents by doing so.
2.6 Marcia and Antonio work well together on projects because they both enjoy an
energetic work environment. This is an example of surface-level diversity working for an
employer.
2.7 If there is an inconsistency between an individual's attitude on a specific issue and his or
her behaviour, there are only two courses of action available-alter the attitude or alter
the behaviour.
2.8 Positive affect is a mood dimension consisting of excitement, self-assurance, and
cheerfulness at one end and boredom, sluggishness, and tiredness at the other.
2.9 Individuals with Holland's "investigative" personality are well suited for careers as small
business managers.
2.10 Instrumental values are preferable modes of behaviour or means of achieving one's
terminal values.
Section B
Question 3
1.
Case Incident 2
Thanks for Nothing
(13 marks)
Though it may seem fairly obvious that receiving praise and recognition from one's company is a
motivating experience, sadly many companies are failing miserably when it comes to saying "thanks" to
their employees. According to Curt Coffman, global practice leader at Gallup, 71 percent of U.S. workers
are "disengaged," essentially meaning that they could care less about their organization. Coffman states,
"We're operating at one-quarter of the capacity in terms of managing human capital. It's alarming."
Employee recognition programs, which became more popular as the U.S. economy shifted from
industrial to knowledge-based, can be an effective way to motivate employees and make them feel
valued. In many cases, however, recognition programs are doing "more harm than good" according to
Coffman.
6
|
|
7 Page 7 |
▲back to top |
Take Ko, a SO-year-old former employee of a dot-com in California. Her company proudly instituted a
rewards program designed to motivate employees. What were the rewards for a job well-done?
Employees would receive a badge which read "U Done Good" and, each year, would receive a T-shirt as a
means of annual recognition. Once an employee received 10 "U Done Good" badges, he or she could
trade them in for something bigger and better-a paperweight. Ko states that she would have preferred
a raise. "It was patronizing. There wasn't any deep thought involved in any of this." To make matters
worse, she says, the badges were handed out arbitrarily and were not tied to performance. And what
about those T-shirts? Ko
states that the company instilled a strict dress code, so employees couldn't even wear the shirts if they
wanted to. Needless to say, the employee recognition program seemed like an empty gesture rather
than a motivator.
Even programs that provide employees with more expensive rewards can backfire, especially if the
rewards are given insincerely. Eric Lange, an employee of a trucking company, recalls the time when one
of the company's vice presidents achieved a major financial goal for the company. The vice president,
who worked in an office next to Lange, received a Cadillac Seville as his company car and a new Rolex
wristwatch that cost the company $10,000. Both were lavish gifts, but the way they were distributed left
a sour taste in the vice president's mouth. He entered his office to find the Rolex in a cheap cardboard
box sitting on his desk, along with a brief letter explaining that he would be receiving a 1099 tax form in
order to pay taxes on the watch. Lange states of the vice president, "He came into my office, which was
right next door, and said, 'Can you believe this?"' A mere 2 months later, the vice president pawned the
watch. Lange explains, "It had absolutely no meaning for him."
Such experiences resonate with employees who may find more value in a sincere pat on the back than
gifts from management that either are meaningless or aren't conveyed with respect or sincerity.
However, sincere pats on the back may be hard to come by. Gallup's poll found that 61 percent of
employees stated that they haven't received a sincere "thank you" from management in the past year.
Findings such as these are troubling, as verbal rewards are not only inexpensive for companies to hand
out but also are quick and easy to distribute. Of course, verbal rewards do need to be paired sometimes
with tangible benefits that employees value-after all, money talks. In addition, when praising
employees for a job well-done, managers need to ensure that the praise is given in conjunction with the
7
|
|
8 Page 8 |
▲back to top |
also know what actions to take to be rewarded in the future.
Questions
1.
If praising employees for doing a good job seems to be a fairly easy and obvious
motivational tool, why do you think companies and managers don't often do it? (4)
2.
As a manager, what steps would you take to motivate your employees after observing
them perform well?
(6)
3. Are there any downsides to giving employees too much verbal praise? What
might these downsides be and how could you alleviate them as a manager?(3)
SECTION C
(67)
Question 4
4.1 Discuss some of the errors in perceptual judgement made by interviewers in job
interviews.
(10}
4.2 Define conformity. Explain the relationship that conformity has with deviant work
behaviour?
{10}
4.3 Deshi is upset with her supervisor because she was denied her requested vacation days,
which were given to another worker. She is experiencing a very low level of job
satisfaction, but cannot afford to quit her job. Describe three negative, passive
responses that Deshi might take due to her dissatisfaction. Imagine that her manager
actively catches her in a manifestation of workplace deviance. Predict the outcome of
Deshi's behaviour.
(10)
4.4 Explain how stereotyping can cause problems for some managers when making ethical
decisions. Provide an example.
(8)
4.5 Describe the relationship between cohesiveness and productivity?
(8)
4.6 Describe the Big Five personality dimension of emotional stability and explain how it can
predict behaviour at work.
(9)
4.7 According to Two-Factor Theory, how might a manager motivate employees? (12}
8