Get premium membership and access revision papers, questions with answers as well as video lessons.
Leadership And Organization Behavior(Hrmg 544) Question Paper
Leadership And Organization Behavior(Hrmg 544)
Course:Business Administration
Institution: Kenya Methodist University question papers
Exam Year:2010
TIME : 3 HOURS
INSTRUCTIONS Answer Question ONE(Compulsory) and any other THREE Questions
Question 1
READ THIS CASE AND ANSWER THE QUESTIONS THAT FOLLOW
Kent Sikes is a junior at State University. He has taken a job in the biggest factory in his home town. He was told to report to the warehouse supervisor the first day at work. The supervisor assigned him to a small group of workers who were responsible for loading and unloading the boxcars that supplied the materials and carried away the finished goods of the factory.
After two weeks on the Job, Kent was amazed at how little the workers in his crew had accomplished. It seemed that they were forever standing around and talking or, in some cases, even going off to hide when there was work to be done. Kent often found himself alone offloading a boxcar while the other members of the crew were off messing around some place else. When Kent complained to his coworkers they made it very plain that if he did not like it, he could quit, but if he complained to the supervisor, he would be sorry. Although Kent has been excluded from any of the crew activities, such as taking breaks together or having a Friday afternoon beer after work he went up to one of the older members of the crew and said, what’s up you guys? am trying to do my job. The money is good and I just do not give a hang about this place I will be leaving to go back to school in a few weeks, and I wish I could have gotten to know you all better, but frankly I am glad am not like you guys.”
The older worker replied “son, if you had been here as long as I have, you would be just like us.”
a) Using theories of group formation explain the possible reasons for the group formation of this crew. What types of groups exist in this case? (5 marks)
b) Place this work group in the Schachter study. What role does the supervisor play in the performance of this group? (4 marks)
c) What are the major informal roles of the crew members and Kent? What status position does Kent have with the group and why? (10 marks)
d) Why has not Kent been accepted by the group? Do you agree with the older workers last statement in the case? Why or not? (6 marks)
Question 2
a) Stress can be either helpful or harmful to job performance depending on its level, Discuss (15 marks)
b) Discuss four management practices that should help reduce employee stress. (10 marks)
Question 3
THROWING AWAY A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY
Roger Allen was a man on the move. Everyone in the firm felt that someday he would be company president. To listen to his boss, Harry Walden, it was only a matter of time before Roger would be at the helm.
The current president of the firm was a marketing person. She had worked her way up from field salesperson to president by selling both the product and her competency to customers and the company alike. In a manner of speaking, the marketing department was the “well-oiled” road to the top. Roger was the number-one salesperson and, according to the grapevine, was due to get Harry Walden’s job when the latter retired in two years. However, Roger was not sure that he wanted to be vice president of marketing. Another slot was opening up in international sales. Roger knew nothing about selling to Europe, but this was the firm’s first venture outside the United States, and he thought he might like to give it a try. He talked to Harry about it, but the vice president tried to discourage him. In fact, Harry seemed to think that Roger was crazy to consider the job at all. “Rog,” he said, “that’s no place for you. Things are soft and cozy back here. You don’t have to prove yourself to anyone. You are number one around here. Just sit tight and you will be president. Do not go out and make some end runs. Just keep barreling up the middle for four yards on each carry, and you will score the big touch down.” Roger was not convinced. He thought perhaps it would be wise to discuss the matter with the president herself. This he did. The president was very interested in roger’s ideas about international marketing. “If you really think you would like to head up this office for us, I will recommend you for the job.”
After thinking the matter over carefully, Roger decided that he would much rather go to Europe and try to help establish a foothold over there than sit back and wait for the stateside opening. He told his decision to Harry. “Harry, I have talked to the president, and she tells me that this new opening in international sales is really going to get a big push from the company. It is where the action is. I realize that I could sit back and take it easy for the next couple of years, but I think I would rather have the international job.” Harry again told Roger that he was making a mistake. “you are throwing away a golden opportunity. However, if you want it, I will support you.”
A week later, when the company selected someone else from sales to head the international division, Roger was crushed. The president explained the situation to him in this way: “I thought you wanted the job and I pushed for you. However, the other members of the selection committee voted against me. I can tell you that you certainly did not sell Harry very strongly on you idea. He led the committee to believe that you were really undecided about the entire matter. In fact, I felt rather foolish telling them how excited you were about the whole thing, only to have Harry say he had talked to you since that time and you were not that sure at all. When Harry got done, the committee figured you had changed your mind after talking to me, and they went on to discuss other likely candidates.”
a) Who had power in this organization? What type of power did Harry Walden have? (9marks)
b) Do you think Roger played company politics well? If so, why didn’t he get the international sales job? (6 marks)
c) What would you do if you were Roger? What political strategies could be used? (10 marks)
Question 4
a) Resistance to change is often viewed negatively. Describe the pros and cons of resistance to change in an organization. (15 marks)
b) Discuss the pros and cons of Charles Darwins (adapted) statement: “It is not the strongest (organization) that survives, but the ones most responsive to change.” (10 marks)
Question 5
A manger once told a subordinate “to be a good leader, you must first become a good follower.” Discuss what it means to be a good follower, whether you agree with the statement, and why or why not. (25marks)
Question 6
A certain employee of a given large company made the following comments “This job isn’t right for me. I like to have more input on decisions that affect me. I don’t get enough feedback on if I am doing a good job or not, and the company keeps people in the dark about where it is headed. Basically I feel like an interchangeable part most of the time”.
a) What lessons can the management of the company learn from this case (10 marks)
b) What can the organization do to change the attitude of this employee (5marks)
c) i) Why do so many promising employees leave the jobs ? (5 marks)
ii) Why do many others stay on but perform at minimal level? (5 marks)
More Question Papers