ob chp04

Chapter 4 Personality and Values

MULTIPLE CHOICE

Personality

1. Which of the following statements about personality is correct?a. Personality is always stable.b. Personality is a part of a person.c. Personality is an aggregate whole.d. Personality is for the most part comprised of traits that cannot be measured.e. Personality is the primary source of emotions in most people.

(c; Easy; p. 106)

2. If personality characteristics were completely dictated by _____, they would be fixed at birth and no amount of experience could alter them.a. job satisfactionb. heredityc. environmentd. situationse. religion

(b; Easy; p. 106)

3. Research that examines _____ lends credibility to the argument that heredity plays an important part in determining personality.a. the stability of job satisfaction over timeb. twins who were raised togetherc. genetic studies of adultsd. situational behaviore. the norms of different cultures

(a; Challenging; p. 106)

4. Which of the following is an environmental force that shapes personality?a. genetic inheritanceb. genderc. heightd. brain sizee. experience

(e; Easy; p. 108)

5. “Bob is easy-going at home, but at work he becomes very tense and anxious.” This statement attributes Bob’s personality more to which of the following?a. heredityb. environmentc. situationd. locus of controle. culture

(c; Moderate; p. 108)

6. Why has so much attention been paid to personality traits in OB? Researchers have done this in order _____.a. to help in employee selection and in guiding career development decisions.b. to enable the easy evaluation of employee performancec. to help identify which people in a workforce will work best togetherd. to understand the motivation of outstanding workerse. to exclude potential trouble-makers from work.

63


7. You wish to hire a person who is innovative, individualistic, versatile, and entrepreneurial. Candidates for this position would ideally have what classification on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator?

a. INTJsb. ESTJsc. ENTPsd. ISFPse. ESTPs

(c; Challenging; p. 109)

8. All of the following are classifications on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator except _____.a. extroverted/introvertedb. sensing/intuitivec. perceiving/judgingd. independent/dependente. thinking/feeling

(d; Easy; p. 109)

9. How would someone who is described as an ESTJ on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator best be described?a. as a visionaryb. as a conceptualizerc. as an innovatord. as an organizere. as a leader

(d; Challenging; p. 109)

10. What does the Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator classification of “E or I” stand for?a. extroverted/intuitiveb. emotional/introvertedc. extroverted/introvertedd. emotional/intuitivee. sane/reflective

(c; Easy; P. 109)

11. What does the Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator classification of “S or N” stand for?a. sensing/intuitiveb. sensing/thinkingc. emotional stability/intuitived. emotional stability/thinkinge. sane/reflective

(c; Easy; p. 109)

12. The book Profiles of Genius profiled 13 contemporary businesspeople who created supersuccessful firms including Apple Computer, FedEx, Honda Motors, Microsoft, and Sony . It was found that all 13 were what type of thinkers?a. perceiving b. sensing c. intuitived. conscientious e. non-


13. What is the major problem with the Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator as a measure of personality?a. it is very difficult to administer

64

b. it forces a person to be categorized as either one type or another c. it does not include enough dimensions to differentiate all the variety of human personalityd. it tends to overemphasize intuitive personality traits over analytical personality traitse. it is very difficult to accurately interpret

(b; Challenging; p. 109-110)

14. Which of the following statements about the determinants of personality is true?a. Personality appears to have no determinants.b. Personality appears to be a result of external factors.c. Personality appears to be a result of mainly environmental factors.d. Personality appears to be a result of mainly hereditary factors.e. Personality appears to be a result of both hereditary and environmental factors.

(e; Easy; p. 110)

15. When predicting behavior, why is it important to consider the situation in which that behavior occurs?a. the external environment determines personalityb. personality is mutable: it changes according to the situationc. personality is determined by a mix of environmental and inherent factorsd. personality determines how well we adjust to the demands and requirements

of the environment.e. the different demands of different situations call forth different aspects of one’s

personality(e; Easy; p. 110)

16. A high score in which dimension of the Big Five model predicts good job performance for all occupational groups?

a. extraversion b. agreeableness c. conscientiousness d. emotional stability e. openness to experience


17. Which of the following is not included in the Big Five model?a. agreeablenessb. conscientiousnessc. intuitivenessd. emotional stabilitye. extraversion

(c; Easy; p. 110)

18. Which dimension of the Big Five model refers to an individual’s propensity to defer to others?a. conscientiousness b. agreeablenessc. extraversion d. feelinge. emotional stability

(b; Moderate; p. 110)

19. Which dimension of the Big Five model is a measure of reliability?a. extraversionb. agreeablenessc. conscientiousnessd. feelinge. emotional stability

65


20. Holland’s theory of personality-job fit argues that job satisfaction is highest and turnover lowest where _____.a. personality and occupation are in agreementb. an individual is highly motivatedc. salary is highd. felt emotions are displayede. compensation is high

(a; Easy; p. 112)

21. People who consistently believe they control their own destinies have a/an _____.a. high emotional stabilityb. internal locus of controlc. Type A personalityd. high propensity for risk-takinge. high self esteem

(b; Easy; p. 114)

22. Which of the following tends to be true in individuals who have an internal locus of control?a. They are less satisfied with their jobsb. They have lower absenteeism ratesc. They are less alienated from the work settingd. They display strong OCBe. They are self-confident


23. Which of the following statements about people with positive core self-evaluations is true?a. they set goals which are easily obtainableb. they do not attribute positive outcomes to their own actionsc. they are overconfident d. they take responsibility less frequentlye. they tend to obtain more complex and challenging jobs

(e; Moderate; p. 114)

24. What is the term used for the degree to which people like or dislike themselves?a. Self-esteemb. Authoritarianismc. Locus of controld. Machiavellianisme. Efficacy

(a; Easy; p. 114)

25. Which of the following statements about people with high self-esteem is correct?a. They are less likely to take unpopular standsb. They tend to be more satisfied with their jobsc. They are less likely to choose an unconventional jobd. They tend to be more concerned with pleasing otherse. They are over-confident.

(b; Challenging; p. 114)

26. What personality characteristic centers on whether a person is unemotional, pragmatic and believes that ends can justify means?a. authoritarianismb. Machiavellianismc. Type A personality

66

d. risk-takinge. Narcissism

(b; Easy; p. 115)

27. Which of the following would be the statement most likely made by an individual high in Machiavellianism?a. “It does not matter so much whether I am right or wrong, as long as I am the center of

attention.”b. “I do what I think needs to be done. I don’t need someone else to tell me what is right.”c. “I’ll do whatever I have to do to get ahead.”d. ”I’ll put it all on the line if I have to; you’ve got to play big to win big.”e. “I move fast; if you get in my way I’ll run you down.”


28. A high Mach would be most suited for which of the following positions?a. A manager who leads a team of geographically distant consultants.b. A human resources manager who ensures staff firings do not place the company in legal

jeopardy.c. A ombudsman who investigates consumer complaints and mediates their outcome.d. An auditor who checks that all company accounts are kept properly.e. A real estate broker, negotiating in the lease of large amounts of office space.

(e; Moderate; p. 115)

29. How would you describe an individual who is capable of presenting striking contradictions between who they are in public and who they are privately?a. low Machb. high Machc. low self-monitoringd. high self-monitoringe. narcissistic

(d; Moderate; p. 116)

30. Which of the following statements about low self-monitors is true?a. They have a low behavioral consistency between who they are and what they do.b. They tend to rate their performance much more highly than do outside observers..c. They tend to pay less attention to the behavior of others than high self-monitors.d. They usually receive high performance ratings.e. They tend to thrive in areas that require them to take risks.


31. High self-monitors will most likely be well-suited to which of following positions?a. One that requires them to play multiple roles.b. One that requires them not to yield to outside pressure.c. One that requires them to operate independently for long periods of time.d. One that requires them to take risks.e. One that requires a great deal of creativity.

(a; Moderate; p. 116)

32. Which of the following has the highest intrinsic risk-taking propensity?a. an accountant performing auditing activitiesb. a stock trader in a brokerage firmc. a computer technologistd. a marketing representativee. a school crossing guard

(b; Easy; p. 117)

67

33. What term is used to describe the personality of an individual who is aggressively involved in an incessant struggle to achieve more and more in less and less time?a. Type A personalityb. Type B personalityc. proactive personalityd. narcissistic personalitye. high Mach personality

(a; Easy; p. 117)

34. Which of the following is true of people with a Type A personality?a. They tend to be more successful than people with a Type B personality.b. They play for fun and relaxation.c. They are obsessed with numbers and measure their success in terms of how much of

everything they acquire.d. They generally feel little need to discuss their achievements.e. They are generally content with their place in the world.


35. During an annual review Mitchel made the following assertion: “When I look at myself and my performance I see that what I have achieved is outstanding and has, not surprisingly, won me the admiration and envy of most of my colleagues. I notice that every-one keeps talking about me; they are all just waiting to find out what triumph I will pull off next! In short, I don’t just deserve a raise, but need one, since without me, let’s face it, the place would simply fall apart.”Which of the following is probably the best descriptor of Mitchel’s personality?a. Type Ab. external locus of controlc. high-self monitoringd. narcissistice. high Mach


36. Which of the following behaviors is most likely in someone with a Type A personality?a. To be highly creativeb. To enjoy leisure and quiet time alonec. To eat his meals quicklyd. To concentrate on one task at a timee. To take long lunches and play pool

(c; Easy; p. 117)

37. Which of the following is not a characteristic of the Type B personality? a. A Type B does not suffer from a sense of time urgency, with its accompanying impatience.b. A Type B plays for fun and relaxation.c. A Type B strives to think or do two or more things at once.d. A Type B can relax without guilt.e. A Type B does not need to discuss their achievements.


38. People with which type of personality trait commonly make poor decisions because they make them too fast.a. High self-esteemb. Type Asc. Type Bsd. Self-monitorse. Extroverts

(b; Easy; p. 118)

68

39. Which of the following terms best describes people who show initiative, take action, and persevere until meaningful change occurs?.a. type A personalitiesb. high self esteemc. proactive personalitiesd. high conscientiousnesse. high Mach


40. It is estimated that about 50 percent of the North American population is Type A., while a much smaller percentage of the Swedish population is Type A. Which of the following is the most likely explanation for why this is so?a. the dominant personality characteristics of a country’s population influences its culture.b. the ethnic background of North America gives a genetic predisposition towards Type A

personalitiesc. in general, North Americans have far less leisure time than do Swedesd. North Americans believe that they can dominate their environmente. achievement and material success are more highly valued in North America than in Sweden

(e; Challenging; p. 119)

41. In broad terms, one can say that in North America, people believe that they can dominate their environment, while in Middle Eastern countries, people believe that life is essentially preordained. If this is true, what differences would you expect between the workforces of Canada and Kuwait?a. The Kuwaiti workforce will have a smaller percentage of narcissists than the Canadian

workforce.b. The Kuwaiti workforce will have a smaller percentage of internals than the Canadian

workforce.c. The Kuwaiti workforce will have a larger percentage of type A’s than the Canadian workforce.d. The Kuwaiti workforce will have a larger percentage of self-monitors than the Canadian

workforce.e. This difference would probably not give rise to discernable differences between the

workforces.(b; Moderate; p. 119)

42. Which of the following personality traits is most likely to help achieve career success?a. proactiveb. high S.Ec. Type Ad. extroverte. agreeable


43. Which of the following is the most powerful determinant of the dominant personality characteristics of a country’s population?a. the country’s political systemb. the country’s culturec. the values held by that populationd. the country’s legal systeme. the country’s gender distribution


Values

69

44. Which of the following terms describes basic convictions that “a specific mode of conduct or end state of existence is personally or socially preferable to an opposite mode of conduct.”a. Valuesb. Attitudesc. Convictionsd. Preferencese. Affectual preferences

(a; Easy; p. 120)

45. What does the content attribute of a value state?_.a. That the value is complete.b. That the value is important.c. That the value is strongly or weakly held.d. The behavior associated with that value.e. That the value is not transient.

(b; Moderate; p. 120-121)

46. When we rank an individual’s values in order of their _____, we obtain the person’s value system.a. intensityb. contentc. contextd. social acceptancee. social needs


47. Which of the following statements about values is true?a. Values are flexible.b. Values are synonymous with attitudes.c. Values tend to be consistent among occupational groups.d. Values are fairly stable over time.e. Values change easily when they are called into question.


48. What is the difference between terminal and instrumental values, as proposed by Rokeach?a. Terminal values are the goals that a person would like to achieve during his or her lifetime,

while the instrumental values are the preferable modes of behavior in achieving these values.b. Instrumental values are the goals that a person would like to achieve during his or her lifetime,

while terminal values are the preferable modes of behavior in achieving theses values.c. Terminal values are the highest values in a person’s value system, while instrumental values

are the ones that are most often used.d. Instrumental values are the values that are used in day to day life, terminal values are those

that come into play at times of great stress. e. Terminal values are the values shared by the group as a whole, instrumental values are the

values that differ within a group and give rise to conflict.(a; Moderate; p. 121)

49. Values are important to organizational behavior because they _____.a. allow the study of alignment of organizational policies.b. lay the foundation for the understanding of attitudes and motivation.c. form the supporting foundation for the study of ethics.d. are an integral part of culture.e. encourage ethical behavior.


50. Which of the following values would be most likely to be considered a terminal value by Rockeach?

70

a. ambitionb. broad-mindednessc. helpfulnessd. A sense of accomplishment e. self-control


51. Which of the following terminal values was ranked as the most important by executives?a. family securityb. self-respectc. equalityd. freedome. social security


52. What is the term used to describe workers who entered the workforce in the 1950’s and early 1960’s?a. boomersb. nextersc. Xersd. veteranse. all of the above


53. Which category of dominant work values is most likely to characterize a 55-year-old employee in the U.S.?a. hard working, conservative, conforming; loyalty to the organizationb. team-orientated, honest, self-reliant, loyal to relationships.c. success, achievement, ambition, dislike of authority; loyalty to careerd. work/life balance, team-oriented, dislike of rules; loyalty to relationships e. confident, financial success, self-reliant but team-oriented; loyalty to both self and

relationships(c; Challenging; p. 123)

54. What is the term used to describe those members of the population whose lives have been shaped by globalization, MTV, AIDS, and computers; and who value flexibility, life options, and the achievement of job satisfaction?a. veteransb. boomersc. nextersd. Xerse. hexers

(d; Easy; p. 123)

55. Throughout the mid-1970s in the U.S., the managerial ranks were dominated by Veterans. When faced with ethical dilemmas, their decisions were made in terms of what was best for _____.a. their organizationb. their familyc. societyd. them on an individual basise. their children


56. What cohort of workers in the U.S. are most likely to balk at having to work extensive overtime and weekends?.a. Veterans

71

b. Boomersc. Nextersd. Xerse. Traditionalists


57. What term is used for those who entered the U.S. work force from the mid-1960s through the mid-1980s?a. Veteransb. Boomersc. Nextersd. Xerse. Traditionalists


58. What cohort of workers in the U.S. are most loyal to their careers?.a. Veteransb. Boomersc. Nextersd. Xerse. Traditionalists


59. The most recent entrants to the U.S. workforce are _____.a. Veteransb. Boomersc. Nextersd. Xerse. Traditionalists

(c; Easy; p. 124)

60. In the U.S., employees who are how old are most likely to leave a job in mid-career to pursue another that provides more leisure time?a. 20’sb. 30’sc. 40’sd. 50’se. 60’s


61. Which of the following researchers produced a comprehensive analysis of variation among cultures?a. Maslowb. Hofstedec. Festingerd. Skinnere. Freud

(b; Moderate; p. 125) 62. Which of the following is not one of Hofstede’s five dimensions of national culture?

a. power distanceb. flexibility versus rigidityc. individualism versus collectivism:d. long-term versus short-term orientation: e. uncertainty avoidance


72

63. What is the measure of the extent to which people in a country accept the fact that power in institutions and organizations is distributed unequally?a. caste acceptanceb. collectivismc. power distanced. masculinitye. rigidity


64. Which of Hofstede’s dimensions is the degree to which people in a country prefer structured to unstructured situations?a. collectivismb. power distancec. long-term orientationd. uncertainty avoidancee. idiocentricity

(d; Easy; p. 125)

65. Which of the following is most likely to be a country with high power distance?a. An individualist country like Australiab. A long term oriented country like Japanc. An uncertainty avoiding country like Uruguayd. A collectivist country like Guatemalae. A masculine country like Greece


66. Which of the following is not one of the cultural dimensions identified by the GLOBE team?a. assertivenessb. future orientationc. humane orientationd. age differentiatione. power distance


67. Which of the following cultural dimensions identified by GLOBE does not have an equivalent in Hofstede?

a. future orientationb. power distancec. performance orientationd. individualism/collectivisme. gender differentiation

(c; Moderate; p. 125-129)

Country In-group collectivism

Individualism/collectivism Performance orientation

Humane orientation

Power distance

Country A 4 3 1 2 5Country B 3 5 2 1 3Country C 2 1 3 5 4Country D 5 2 4 3 1Country E 1 4 5 4 268. The above table shows the relative rankings of five countries in five of GLOBE’s cultural

dimensions. In which country are people most likely to identify with and take pride in the company they work for?a. Country A

73

b. Country Bc. Country Cd. Country De. Country E

(e; Challenging; p. 129)

Linking an Individual’s Personality and Values to the Workplace

69. According to Holland’s personality–job fit theory, what are consequences of a good fit between personality and occupation?a. a low level of stressb. a high level of accomplishmentc. high satisfaction and low turnoverd. maximum performance and efficiency e. a high rate of turnover

(c; Easy; p. 131)

70. The “enterprising” personality from Holland’s typology of personality and congruent occupations would exhibit which of the following personality characteristics?a. imaginative, disorderly, idealisticb. shy, genuine, persistentc. sociable, friendly, cooperatived. self-confident, ambitious, energetice. conforming, efficient, practical,


71. _____ developed a Vocational Preference Inventory questionnaire that contains 160 occupational titles.

a. Maslowb. Hollandc. Hofsteded. Herzberge. Surber

(b; Easy; p. 131)

72. You are seeking to fill the position of corporate accountant, and have administered Holland’s Vocational Preference Inventory questionnaire to all candidates. You would suspect that the questionnaire would indicate that the best candidates for the position would have which of the following personality types?a. conventionalb. realisticc. enterprisingd. investigativee. social


73. Which one of the following statements is true about the six personality types developed in Holland’s personality-job fit theory? Each of the six types has a _____.a. supplemental personality styleb. congruent personality stylec. congruent occupational environmentd. supplemental occupational environmente. supplemental skill set


74

74. The “realistic” personality from Holland’s typology of personality and congruent occupations would be well suited for which of the following jobs?a. painterb. accountantc. mechanicd. lawyere. biologist


TRUE/FALSE

Personality

75. All our behavior is shaped by our personalities.(True; Easy; p. 106)

76. Personality is part of the way in which an individual reacts to and interacts with others.(False; Easy; p. 106)

77. Personality looks at the parts of the person rather than the aggregate whole.(False; Easy; p. 106) 78. An adult’s personality is proven to be made up of both hereditary and situational factors,

moderated by environmental conditions.(False; Moderate; p. 106)

79. If personality characteristics were completely dictated by heredity, they would be fixed at birth and no amount of experience could alter them.

(True; Moderate; p. 106)

80. A trait can be described as a characteristic or behavior that is sometimes exhibited in a few situations.

(False; Moderate; p. 106)

81. Researchers have found that genetics accounts for about 50 percent of the personality differences and more than 40 percent of the variation in occupational and leisure interests in studies of identical twins.

(False; Challenging; p. 107)

82. Studies of adults lend strong support to the power of heredity in determining personality.False; Moderate; p. 107)

83. Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is a 100-question personality test that types four characteristics into sixteen personality types.

(True; Easy; p. 109)

84. A recent study of contemporary businesspeople who created extremely successful firms found that all of these individuals were NTs.

(True; Challenging; p. 109)

85. In the Meyers-Briggs typology, N stands for intuitive.(True; Moderate; p. 109)

86. In the Meyers-Briggs typology, S stands for sensible.(False; Easy; p. 109)

75

87. In the Meyers-Briggs typology, P stands for preparedness.(False; Moderate; p. 109)

88. If you were looking for an employee who was an organizer, you would probably choose one whose type is INFP.


89. A substantial body of research supports the MBTI as a valid measure of personality.(False; Easy; p. 109)

90. An impressive body of research supports that five basic personality dimensions underlie all others.


91. The Big Five Model factor termed “extraversion” is probably a good predictor of job performance in most professions.


92. Conscientiousness refers to an individual’s propensity to defer to others.(False; Moderate; p. 110)

93. Individuals with an internal locus of control believe they are masters of others.(False; Easy; p. 114)

94. Individuals who rate high in external locus of control are more satisfied with their jobs and have lower absenteeism rates.


95. Individuals who have an internal locus of control tend to have a positive core self-evaluation.(True; Challenging; p. 114)

96. Overall evidence shows that employees with an internal locus of control tend to perform better on their jobs.


97. Externals should do well in jobs that are well structured and routine and in which success depends heavily on complying with the direction of others.


98. In managerial positions, low SEs will tend to be concerned with pleasing others.(True; Moderate; p. 114)

99. Low SEs tend to be more satisfied with their jobs than high SEs.(False; Moderate; p. 114)

100. Studies show that while narcissists thought they were better leaders than their colleagues, their supervisors actually rated them as worse leaders..


101. Janet keeps emotional distance from her coworkers and believes that the ends can justify the means. Janet would rate high in Machiavellianism.


102. Self-monitoring refers to an individual’s ability to adjust his or her behavior to external, situational factors.


76

103. High self-monitors tend to pay less attention to the behavior of other people than do low self monitors.


104. Low self-monitors show high behavioral consistency.(True; Moderate; p. 116)

105. Low risk-takers make more rapid decisions.(False; Moderate; p. 116)

106. Evidence demonstrates that decision accuracy is the same for high and low risk-taking managers.(True; Moderate; p. 116)

107. Individuals with Type B personalities exhibit characteristics highly prized by the North American culture.


108. Zack is always moving and is impatient. He prefers work to leisure and seems obsessed with numbers. Zack probably has a Type B personality.

(False; Easy; p. 117)

109. People with Type A personalities are rarely concerned with time.(False; Easy; p. 117)

110. Those with Type B personalities feel no need to display or discuss their achievements unless such exposure is demanded by the situation.


111. People with Type B personalities tend to operate under more stress than those with Type A personalities.

(False; Easy; p. 117-118)

112. People with Type A personalities tend to be creative.(False; Challenging; p. 117-118)

113. The five personality factors identified in the Big Five Model appear in almost all cross-cultural studies.


114. Each culture has a common personality type.(False; Moderate; p. 119)

115. It is estimated that about 50 percent of the North American population have Type A personalities.(True, Moderate, p. 119)

Values

116. The content attribute of a value says that a mode of conduct is important.(True; Easy; p. 120-121)

117. When we rank an individual’s values in terms of the intensity of those values, we obtain that person’s value system.


118. Values cannot be classified because of their spiritual and theological basis.

77

(False; Easy; p. 120-121)

119. Values tend to be stable and enduring.(True; Easy; p. 121) 120. Values generally influence attitudes and behavior.(True; Moderate; p. 121)

121. Instrumental values are preferable modes of behavior, or means of achieving one’s terminal values.


122. Milton Rokeach developed a survey that assesses terminal and instrumental values.(True; Challenging; p. 121)

123. RVS values are fairly stable and consistent among groups.(False; Easy; p. 121)

124. Boomers place a great deal of emphasis on achievement and material success.(True; Moderate; p. 123)

125. Veterans tend to be more loyal to their country and less loyal to their employer.(False; Moderate; p. 123)

126. The lives of Xers have been shaped by war, women’s lib, AIDS, and computers.(False; Moderate; p. 123)

127. Terminal values such as a sense of accomplishment and social recognition rank high with Nexters.


128. Values are often set at an early age.(False; Moderate; p. 124)

129. Managers consistently report that the action of their bosses is of little importance in influencing ethical and unethical behavior in their organizations.

(False; Easy; p. 124)

130. The loyalty of Boomers is to their careers.(True; Moderate; p. 124)

131. Geert Hofstede produced a very widely referenced approach for analyzing variations among cultures.


132. Collectivism refers to a cultural attribute describing a loosely knit social framework in which people tend to the interests of their immediate family.


133. Organizations in a society high in uncertainty avoidance are likely to have more rules.(True; Challenging; p. 125)

134. It is consistent for a country with a democratic government to rank below average on power distance.


78

135. U.S. culture ranked above average on power distance according to Hofstede.(False; Moderate; p. 127)

136. The GLOBE research program is an ongoing cross-cultural investigation of leadership and national culture.


137. GLOBE’s future orientation dimension is essentially equivalent to Hofstede’s long-term/short-term orientation.


138. The GLOBE dimensions have replaced Hofstede’s dimensions.(False; Easy; p. 129)

139. Twenty years ago, it would have been fair to say that organizational behavior did not have an American bias.


Linking an Individual’s Personality and Values to the Workplace

140. Individuals with Holland’s “investigative” personality are well suited for careers as small business managers.


141. Holland’s “conventional” personality, placed in the position of a cost accountant, is likely to be dissatisfied and quit.


SCENARIO-BASED QUESTIONS

Application of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

You are assembling a team to work on a long-term project which requires creativity, stamina, and farsightedness. The only piece of information available to you is the Myers-Briggs Type of each of the applicants. These results are shown below:

Candidate Alan Brenda Cameron Drusilla EllenMyers Briggs Type

INTJ ESTJ ENTP ESFP INFP

142. You need to choose a lead person for the team. This person must be a visionary; combining an original mind with great drive. Who would be the best candidate based on their Myers Briggs Type?a. Alanb. Brendac. Camerond. Drusillae. Ellen


143. You are looking for an organizer, a person on whom you can depend to be practical and realistic. Who would be the best candidate based on their Myers Briggs Type?a. Alanb. Brenda

79

c. Camerond. Drusillae. Ellen


144. You need a person who is innovative, individualistic, versatile, and attracted to entrepreneurial ideas. Who would be the best candidate based on their Myers Briggs Type?a. Alanb. Brendac. Camerond. Drusillae. Ellen


Application of the Big Five Model

You are the manager of a small boutique. You have decided to apply the Big Five Model in order to understand your employees and their work habits because it is generally supported by an impressive body of research. You want to use the five dimensions of personality to match individuals with jobs to which they are well-suited.

145. Michelle Jackson, one of your newest employees, is an extravert. Which of the following statements is least likely to be true?a. Michelle will probably attend the company picnicb. Michelle will probably have a large number of relationshipsc. Michelle will be friendly and outgoingd. Michelle will perform well on specialized, detail-oriented taskse. Michelle will be suited to a managerial or sales position.


146. You know that your customers are demanding and sometimes difficult. Which personality dimension taps a person’s ability to withstand stress?a. extraversionb. judgingc. conscientiousnessd. emotional stabilitye. intellect

(d; Moderate; p. 110) 147. Jane Simpson rates low on conscientiousness. This would this lead you to suspect that which of

the following statements is most likely to be true about Jane?a. She will be easily distracted.b. She will find comfort in the familiar.c. She will be nervous, depressed, and insecure.d. She will be comfortable with solitude.e. She will be very dim-witted.


148. You wish to predict how strong organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) is in each of your employees. Which of the five facets of personality will probably be of the most interest in this case?a. extraversionb. agreeablenessc. conscientiousnessd. emotional stability

80

e. intellect(c; Challenging; p. 110)

Application of Major Personality Attributes Influencing OB

Mary Wood is a new manager. She recognizes that personality attributes can help to explain and predict employee behavior.

149. Mary’s employee, Bob, has a low absenteeism rate. He takes responsibility for his health and has good health habits. He is likely to have a(an) _____.a. internal locus of controlb. external locus of controlc. high Mach scored. high emotional stability levele. high narcissism


150. Mary has an opening for a position requiring a lot of face to face interaction with others. She should identify the employee with a(an) ______ for a good fit.a. high self-monitoring tendencyb. low self-monitoring tendencyc. internal locus of controld. external locus of controle. high SE


151. Another position requires an employee who can take unpopular stands. She should identify the employee with a(an) _____ for a good fit.a. high SEb. low SEc. internal locus of controld. external locus of controle. high Mach score

(a, Challenging; p. 114)

Application of Person-Job Fit Theory

You have decided to use Holland’s Typology of Personality and Congruent Occupations to help your friends who are college seniors recognize which jobs they would be well-suited for. Monica is shy, stable and persistent. Neil is ambitious and energetic and likes to dominate conversations. Jessica is idealistic, impractical and very imaginative. Walter is efficient and practical, but he lacks imagination and tends to be inflexible. Chris is an original thinker, with an analytical and independent intelligence.

152. Monica is majoring in interior design. Her personality type is “realistic” according to Holland’s Typology. Which of the following statements is correct?a. Monica’s personality type is well-suited to her major.b. Monica is better suited to be a bank teller.c. Interior design is incongruent with her personality type.d. Interior design is congruent with a “social” personality type.e. Monica prefers physical to mental activities.

(c; Moderate; p. 131) 153. Which of your friends is best suited to being an accountant?

a. Walterb. Neilc. Jessica

81

d. Monicae. Chris

(a; Moderate; p.131)

154. Which of your friends is most likely to find a successful career as a writer?a. Walterb. Neilc. Jessicad. Monicae. Chris


155. Who might be well-suited to being a lawyer?a. Walterb. Neilc. Jessicad. Monicae. Chris


Application of Contemporary Work Cohorts

You have just been promoted to manage a sales group. Your group is made up of ten people who range in age from 27 to 62. You have read that there are certain dominant work values for each age group and think that this may help you understand your group.

156. As you work with Tom, who is 27 years old, you are likely to find that he _____.a. desires financial successb. prefers leisure timec. sees the company merely as a vehicle for his careerd. highly values securitye. none of the above


157. Amy is 50 years old. You are not surprised to find that she _____.a. desires financial successb. prefers leisure timec. sees the company merely as a vehicle for her careerd. highly values securitye. none of the above


158. You find that Jerry, who is 30 years old, is not typical for his age group because he _____.a. is very loyal to the companyb. puts a great deal of emphasis on securityc. values financial success over leisure timed. all the abovee. none of the above


159. Andrew is now 60 years old. You are not surprised to find that he _____.a. places a great deal of importance on family securityb. trades off salary increases for increased leisure timec. seeks meaning in his workd. tends to emphasize the terminal value of freedome. strives to secure a solid grip on retirement benefits

82


Applications of Hofstede’s Framework

Suppose that you are a Human Resource Manager for Prentice Corporation. You are in charge of developing a training program for managers coming to the United States from your subsidiaries around the world. You have decided to use the Hofstede Framework for discussing cultural differences that they might expect to find. Use your knowledge of the work of Hofstede to answer the following questions.

160. Your Indonesian managers will need to be especially aware of the difference that exists between their country and the United States in the degree of _____ of the two cultures.a. life quality b. individualismc. power distanced. uncertainty avoidancee. self-esteem


161. The GLOBE study determined that which of the following countries was most like the U.S. on individualism/collectivism?a. Hong Kongb. Germanyc. Japand. Chinae. Pakistan


162. Each of the following are elements of Hofstede’s framework except _____.a. power distanceb. uncertainty avoidancec. future orientationd. individualism vs. collectivisme. masculinity vs. femininity


163. Which of the following countries ranks highest in long-term orientation?a. United Statesb. Francec. Russiad. Chinae. Australia


SHORT DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

164. List and describe the three determinants of personality.

Personality is determined by heredity, environment, and the situation. Heredity refers to those factors that were determined at conception. The heredity approach argues that the ultimate explanation of an individual’s personality is the molecular structure of the genes, located in the chromosomes. Among the factors that exert pressures on our personality formation are the culture in which we are raised; our early conditioning; the norms among our family, friends, and social groups; and other influences that we experience. These environmental factors play a substantial role in shaping our personalities. The situation influences the effects of heredity and environment on personality. An individual’s personality, although generally stable and consistent, does change in different situations.

83

The different demands of different situations call forth different aspects of one’s personality. (Pages 106)

165. Identify and briefly describe the five key traits in the Big Five personality model.

The five key traits in the Big Five personality model are extroversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, emotional stability, and openness to experience. Extroversion captures one’s comfort level with relationships. Agreeableness refers to an individual’s propensity to defer to others. Conscientiousness is a measure of reliability. Emotional stability taps a person’s ability to withstand stress. Openness to experience addresses one’s range of interests and fascination with novelty. (Page 109)

166. What is locus of control? What is the difference between an internal and external locus of control?

A person’s perception of the source of his or her fate is termed locus of control. Those who believe that they control their destinies are said to have an internal locus of control. Those who see their lives as being controlled by outside forces are said to have an external locus of control. (Pages 114)

167. Describe the Type B personality and its relationship to success.

Type Bs do not suffer from a sense of time urgency or with its accompanying impatience. They feel no need to display or discuss either their achievements or accomplishments. Type B’s play for fun and relaxation, and can relax without guilt. They are rarely harried by the desire to obtain an increasing number of things. (Pages 117-118)

168. Name and describe the value dimensions of culture identified by Hofstede.

Power distance is the degree to which people accept that power in institutions and organizations is distributed unequally. Individualism/collectivism is the degree to which people prefer to act as individuals or as members of a group. Achievement/nurturing is the degree to which values such as assertiveness, the acquisition of money and material goods and competition prevail versus the degree to which people value relationships, and show sensitivity and concern for the welfare of others. Uncertainty avoidance is the degree to which people prefer structured over unstructured situations. Long-term/short-term orientation is the degree to which people look to the future or to the past and present. The latter emphasizes respect for tradition and fulfilling social obligations. (Page 125)

MEDIUM LENGTH DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

169. Discuss the “Big Five” model of personality.

The five-factor model of personality is typically called the “Big Five.” In addition to providing a unifying personality framework, research on the Big Five also has found important relationships between these personality dimensions and job performance. The five key traits in the Big Five personality model are extroversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, emotional stability, and openness to experience. Extroversion captures one’s comfort level with relationships. Agreeableness refers to an individual’s propensity to defer to others. Conscientiousness is a measure of reliability. Emotional stability taps a person’s ability to withstand stress. Openness to experience addresses one’s range of interests and fascination with novelty. (Page 109)

170. Discuss the Rokeach Value Survey. Include definitions and discussion of terminal values and instrumental values.

84

Milton Rokeach created the Rokeach Value Survey (RVS). The RVS consists of two sets of values, with each set containing 18 individual value items. One set, called terminal values, refers to desirable end-states of existence. These are goals that a person would like to achieve during his or her lifetime. The other set, called instrumental values, refers to preferable modes of behavior, or means of achieving the terminal values. People in the same occupations or categories tend to hold similar values. (Pages 121-122)

171. Compare Hofstede’s cultural dimensions with the GLOBE framework.

The Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness research program identified nine dimensions on which national cultures differ. Assertiveness is essentially equivalent to Hofstede’s quantity-of-life dimensions. Future orientation is equivalent to Hofstede’s long-term/short term orientation. Gender differentiation is the extent to which a society maximizes gender role differences. Uncertainty avoidance, power distance, and individualism/collectivism were also identified by Hofstede. In-group collectivism encompasses the extent to which members of a society take pride in membership in small groups. Performance orientation is the degree to which a society encourages and rewards group members for performance improvement and excellence. Humane orientation is defined as the degree to which a society encourages and rewards individuals for being fair, altruistic, generous, caring, and kind to others. This is close to Hofstede’s quality-of-life dimension. (Pages 125-128)

172. Describe what is meant by the terms “person-job fit” and “person-organization fit.” Which is more important in today’s environment and why?

The person-job fit theory was developed by John Holland. It is based on the notion of fit between an individual’s personality characteristics and his or her occupational environment. The theory argues that satisfaction is highest and turnover lowest when personality and occupation are in agreement. The key points of this model are: (1) there do appear to be intrinsic differences in personality among individuals, (2) there are different types of jobs, and (3) people in job environments congruent with their personality types should be more satisfied and less likely to voluntarily resign than should people in incongruent jobs.

The person-organization fit essentially argues that people leave organizations that are not compatible with their personalities. People with high extraversion, for example, fit better with aggressive and team-oriented cultures, while people with high agreeableness will match up better with a supportive organizational climate.

Today’s environment is much more dynamic and requires employees who are able to readily change tasks and move fluidly between teams. In such settings, it is probably more important that employees’ personalities fit with the overall organization’s culture than with the characteristics of any specific job. (Pages 130-132)

COMPREHENSIVE ESSAYS

173. What is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and how might it be used by managers?

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is one of the most widely used personality frameworks. It is essentially a 100-question personality test that asks people how they usually feel or act in particular situations. On the basis of the answers individuals give to the test, they are classified as extroverted or introverted (E or I), sensing or intuitive (S or N), thinking or feeling (T or F), and perceiving or judging (P or J). These classifications are then combined into sixteen personality types. The MBTI has a place in training and development, since it can help employees to better understand themselves. It can also provide aid to teams by helping members better understand each other. (Pages 109)

85

174. Examine the personality-job performance relationship.

The past 20 years have seen significant advances in finding connections between personality and job fit, largely due to the findings surrounding the Big Five. For example, it is sound advice to seek employees who score high on conscientiousness,. Similarly, identifying those candidates high in extraversion when screening candidates for managerial and sales positions should also should pay dividends. There is impressive evidence that people who score high on conscientiousness, extraversion, and emotional stability are likely to be highly motivated employees. Of course, situational factors need to be taken into consideration. Factors such as job demands, the degree of required interaction with others, and the organization’s culture are examples of situational variables that moderate the personality-job performance relationship. So you need to evaluate the job, the work group, and the organization to determine the optimum personality fit. (Page 110-111)

175. Discuss the importance of values.

Values are important to the study of organizational behavior because they lay the foundation for the understanding of attitudes and motivation and because they influence our perceptions. Individuals enter an organization with preconceived notions of what “ought” and what “ought not” to be. These notions are not value free. They contain interpretations of right and wrong. Values cloud objectivity and rationality. Values generally influence attitudes and behavior. (Page 121)

176. Discuss the five value dimensions of national culture described by Hofstede. Explain where the United States ranks on each of the five dimensions.

Geert Hofstede’s framework analyzes variations among cultures. He found that managers and employees vary on five value dimensions of national culture. They are power distance, individualism/collectivism, masculinity/femininity, uncertainty avoidance, and long-term/short-term orientation. Power distance is the degree to which people in a country accept that power in institutions and organizations is distributed unequally. Individualism is the degree to which people in a county prefer to act as individuals rather than as members of groups.

Collectivism is the equivalent of low individualism. Masculinity/femininity is the degree to which the culture favors traditional masculine roles such as achievement, power, and control versus a culture that views men and women as equals.. The degree to which people in a country prefer structured over unstructured situations is uncertainty avoidance. People in cultures with long-term orientations look to the future and value thrift and persistence. A short-term orientation values the past and present, and emphasizes respect for tradition and fulfilling social obligations.

The United States scored low on power distance and uncertainty avoidance. The U.S. also ranks low in long-term orientation. The U.S. is in the middle ranks for masculinity/femininity The U.S. is ranked highest on individualism. (Page 125)

86

ob chp04

Economy & Finance

personality traits

shapes personality

personality characteristics

sanereflective c easy

experience e easy

type of thinkers

thinkingfeeling d easy

estps c challenging