British Columbia Institute of Technology

BUSA 1305

Chapter 2 Supervision Challenges

1)Recent changes brought about with globalization affect interactions between supervisors and employees. These changes include all of the following EXCEPT                                                   .

1. 1. ethical issues
   2. use of robotics in manufacturing
   3. continuous-improvement programs
   4. e-business enhancements
   5. workforce diversity

2. North American companies have responded directly to                                                  by improving quality and reducing costs.
   1. newer manufacturing methods
   2. offshoring
   3. pricing requirements
   4. changes in technology
   5. global competition

3. While some in the public have been slower to accept it, organizations have become increasingly global in their perspectives and accept the reality that national borders no longer define                                  .
   1. corporations
   2. mergers and acquisitions
   3. workforce composition
   4. the ability of a company to be successful
   5. research and development efforts

4. A company’s                                              is no longer a good gauge of where it does business or the nationality of its employees.
   1. core business identity
   2. national origin

1. 3. workforce composition
   4. the ability of a company to be successful
   5. research and development efforts

5. A borderless world introduces new challenges for supervisors, which range from how supervisors view people from foreign countries to how they develop an understanding of                                                       

1. 1. employees’ languages
   2. employee’s dietary requirements
   3. foreigners
   4. these immigrating employees’ cultures.
   5. authoritarian leadership styles

6.                                   means we see things solely through our own eyes and from our uniquely American perspective.
   1. Nationalism
   2. Parochialism
   3. Cultural uniqueness
   4. American exceptionalism
   5. American pride

7. Changing the American perception that their practices as being better than practices in other cultures first

                                                             .

1. 1. requires a global corporate presence
   2. requires understanding different cultures and their environments.
   3. mandates hiring persons of other cultures.
   4. requires understanding how we share those practices globally.
   5. requires education of other cultures and environments.

8. Understanding                                          is critical to the success of supervising others in the global village.
   1. other languages
   2. cultural differences

1. 3. global trade
   4. cultural environments
   5. economic globalization

9. Geert Hofstede analyzed various aspects of different countries’ cultures and found that a country’s culture has a major effect on                                                                .
   1. corporate policies and procedures
   2. domestic and global trade relations.
   3. a corporation’s global success.
   4. a company’s ability to succeed in a global economy
   5. on employees’ work-related values and attitudes.

10. Hofstede’s findings group countries according to such cultural variables as

                                                                                        .

1. 1. status differences, societal uncertainty, and assertiveness.
   2. language differences, religious differences, and societal uncertainty.
   3. aggressiveness, religious differences, and ability to assimilate.
   4. ability to assimilate, religious differences, and language differences.
   5. societal certainty, ability to assimilate, and assertiveness.

11. Hofstede’s findings group countries according to such cultural variables. What do these variables indicate?
    1. A country’s willingness to globalize trade
    2. A country’s cultural fit with U.S. values and culture
    3. A country’s financial ability to provide infrastructure for manufacturing
    4. A country’s means of dealing with its people and how the people see themselves
    5. A country’s ability to furnish necessary labor for offshoring activities

12. A U.S. supervisor may have difficulties if sent to a Pacific Rim country because the U.S. is a strongly

1. 1. individualistic society
   2. collectivist society

1. 3. authoritarian society
   4. nationalistic society
   5. dictatorial society

13. When working with people from different cultures, we informally learn the differences that exist between their culture and ours so it is important that supervisors be                                                            .
    1. autocratic and firm
    2. flexible and adaptable
    3. focused and specific
    4. empathetic and kind
    5. flexible and understanding

14. Americans in general have previously held a rather parochial view of the world. Explain parochialism and why it is important to understand different cultures and environments.

15. Although making predictions can be viewed as an exercise in futility, evidence supports the idea that supervisors need to concern themselves with                                            .
    1. continuous improvement.
    2. quality measures
    3. change.
    4. a focus on training.
    5. performance improvement.

16. Opportunities will abound for those prepared to accept and deal with the                                               .
    1. age of the knowledge worker.
    2. age of high tech.
    3. age of the Internet.
    4. age of globalization.
    5. information age.

17. Those who                                                            will be the ones who survive in the high tech world.
    1. embrace knowledge and continuously learn new skills
    2. understand new technologies
    3. adjust to a global economy
    4. have advanced degrees
    5. have a background in technology

18. In the past four decades, technologies have made organizations more productive and, in some cases, helped them                                                                                 .
    1. advance their R&D efforts
    2. expand globally
    3. offshore manufacturing
    4. create and maintain a competitive advantage
    5. reduce costs and downsize labor

19. Technological advances involve                                                           any process for changing inputs (raw materials) into outputs (goods and services).
    1. deploying new methods and
    2. combining any performance improvement measure with
    3. integrating technology with
    4. integrating manufacturing techniques with
    5. focusing on

20. In addition to changing inputs into greater outputs in manufacturing, technological advancements are

also used to                                                                  

1. 1. process financial information.
   2. deploy social media.
   3. to enable Internet search technologies.
   4. improve quality measures.
   5. provide better, more useful information.

21. How does technology change the supervisor's job?

22. The term                                is becoming the standard label to describe the online buying and selling of products or services.
    1. e-business
    2. electronic funds transfer

D. online marketing

E. e-marketing

E. e-commerce

23.                                    refers to the full breadth of activities included in a successful Internet-based enterprise.
    1. e-business
    2. electronic funds transfer

D. online marketing

E. e-marketing

E. e-commerce

24. E-business includes the following EXCEPT                                                                              .
    1. developing strategies for running Internet-based companies
    2. the challenge of finding offshore software developers at the right price
    3. identifying a different kind of leader to run a virtual business
    4. collaborating with partners to electronically coordinate design and production
    5. improving communication with suppliers and customers

25. Recruiting and hiring the right talent for an e-business can be challenging for a supervisor. Of the following, which is the MOST challenging characteristic a supervisor may face in recruiting effectively:
    1. Employee has to be smart
    2. Employee has to have a high level of professional expertise
    3. Employee is willing to commit to long-term employment
    4. Employee has to have a high level of technical ability
    5. Employee has to be able to survive in demanding cultures of e-business firms

26. How are e-businesses rewriting the rules of business communications?

27. The single most important human resource issue in organizations today may be

                                                                           in light of increasing workforce diversity.

1. 1. adapting organizational policies and practices
   2. adjusting to changes in immigration policies
   3. adapting policies toward gender pay equity
   4. adapting to cultural differences
   5. adapting hiring practices

28. Because of increasing workforce diversity, companies and their supervisors must ensure that

                                                                           are appropriate for such diverse groups of people.

1. 1. their pay scales
   2. their training and development programs
   3. work/life balance policies
   4. their motivational programs and techniques
   5. their benefit programs and packages

29. Supervisors must be flexible enough in their supervisory style to seek the involvement of all employees and be aware of the fact                                                                                              
    1. they must respect all cultures and understand the differences.
    2. that all employees are differently motivated in terms of what they want and need from work.
    3. that working parents need special treatment.
    4. that all businesses need to furnish child and elder care.
    5. that there is a need to speak different languages to accommodate non-English speakers.

30. Of the following groups, which represent the largest and most significant skilled group who have have had an enormous effect on the U.S. economy?
    1. Generation X
    2. Generation Z
    3. Generation Y
    4. Millennials
    5. Baby Boomers

31. Mass departure of a generational group has the potential to create a large labor shortage. The group’s departure makes it much more difficult for supervisors to direct job activities needed to

1. 1. reach financial targets
   2. to implement innovation programs
   3. accomplish organizational goals.
   4. to replace experienced talent
   5. achieve research and development goals.

32.                                         often surface as a cause for tension in the workplace and can become a concern for the supervisor.
    1. Generational differences
    2. Work schedule preferences
    3. Cultural differences
    4. Religious differences
    5. Work-life balance issues

33. What is workforce diversity? What is the impact of the growth of diversity in the workforce on supervisors?

34. Downsizing is a reduction in workforce and reshaping of operations to create “lean and mean” organizations. The goals of organizational downsizing are                                                                                   .

1. 1. a first step toward offshoring
   2. greater efficiency and reduced costs.
   3. reducing the cost of benefits
   4. a move toward manufacturing efficiencies
   5. bureaucratic organizing

35. To deal effectively with factors in a rapidly changing business environment, such as increased global

competition, companies had to                                                                                 .

1. 1. improve manufacturing processes
   2. offshore their business operations
   3. hire more immigrant workers
   4. become more flexible about how work got done.
   5. consider merging or being acquired

36. Explain why actions related to downsizing do not achieve the stated goals in all cases.

37. Activities in an organization that enhance processes that result in the improved quality of goods and services produced is described as                                                               .
    1. continuous improvement
    2. process enhancement
    3. kaizen
    4. manufacturing automation
    5. management by objectives

38. Continuous-improvement programs expand                                                  beyond the traditional definition to include everyone involved with the organization, either internally or externally.
    1. the term customer
    2. the term supplier
    3. the term management
    4. the term quality
    5. the term efficiency

39. Of the following, which is NOT considered a foundation of continuous improvement?
    1. Exclusive focus on the product improvement
    2. Seek continuous improvement

1. 3. Improve quality throughout the organization
   4. Measure accurately
   5. Involve employees

40. Although continuous-improvement plans have been criticized by some for                                                            , their overall record is good.
    1. creating more costs throughout the organization
    2. overpromising and underperforming
    3. increasing the potential for offshoring
    4. increasing labor costs
    5. creating scenarios where downsizing is warranted

41. Although implementing continuous-improvement methods is a positive start in many organizations, these methods generally focus on                                                                 .
    1. manufacturing
    2. management reorganization
    3. cost reductions
    4. incremental change
    5. sweeping change

42. Unfortunately, ongoing incremental change can avoid facing up to the possibility that what the organization may really need is radical or quantum change, referred to as                                                               .
    1. continuous improvement
    2. work process engineering
    3. manufacturing automation
    4. re-engineering
    5. organizational overhaul

43. Explain the impact and implications on supervisors of continuous-improvement and process engineering.

44. Tomorrow’s successful supervisors will be those who have learned to “thrive on chaos.” Of the following, which is NOT one of the major reasons for this shift?
    1. Organizations now understand that chaos creates a healthier work environment.
    2. Change is taking place at an unprecedented rate.
    3. New competitors spring up overnight
    4. Downsized organizations mean fewer workers to complete necessary work.
    5. Constant innovations in computer and telecommunications technologies.

45. Supervisors must quickly identify various signs that a business unit is in trouble. Which of the following is NOT one of those signs?
    1. Performance declines
    2. Unexplained budget surpluses
    3. Unnecessary and cumbersome policies
    4. Tolerance of work incompetence
    5. Fear of conflict and taking risks

46. One of the key components in handling a disaster is to have a plan in place. Briefly describe some of the most important elements of a disaster recovery plan.

47.                                                    is an obligation that organizations have to society.
    1. Corporate survival
    2. Profit maximization
    3. Fair treatment of immigrant workers
    4. Sustainability
    5. Social responsibility

48. Social responsibility tries to align                                                                        with what is good for society

1. 1. social obligations
   2. global management objectives
   3. organizational long-term goals
   4. sustainability goals and objectives
   5. organizational short-term goals

49.                                                  is the foundation of a business’s social involvement.

1. Social obligation
2. Sustainability
3. Corporate profit making
4. Organizational effectiveness
5. Good management

50.                              commonly refers to the rules or principles that define right and wrong conduct.

1. 1. Corporate conduct
   2. Religious values
   3. Moral behavior
   4. Ethics
   5. Social responsibility

51. Formal documents that state an organization’s primary values and ethical rules it expects employees to follow are known as                                                               .
    1. codes of ethics
    2. ethical guidelines
    3. religious values
    4. corporate mission statements
    5. corporate value statements

52. In situations involving ethics, it’s impossible to predict what you’ll face. It helps if you

                                                                                   .

1. 1. decide on a case-by-case basis
   2. do not get yourself involved in an ethical dilemma
   3. just ignore an unethical dilemma
   4. leave ethical dilemmas to management to resolve
   5. prepare ahead of time and anticipate how you will handle ethical dilemma

53. Explain why the role a supervisor plays in establishing ethical behavior in a department is critical.