1. The author defines organization development (OD) as ______.
a. an effort (1) planned, (2) organizationwide, and (3) managed from the top, to (4) increase organization effectiveness and health through (5) planned interventions in the organization’s “processes,” using behavioral-science knowledge.
b. being based on (1) a set of values, largely humanistic; (2) application of the behavioral sciences; and (3) open-systems theory, organization development is a systemwide process of planned change aimed toward improving overall organization effectiveness by way of enhanced congruence of such key organizational dimensions as external environment, mission, strategy, leadership, culture, structure, information and reward systems, and work policies and procedures.
c. the process of increasing organizational effectiveness and facilitating personal and organizational change through the use of interventions driven by social and behavioral science knowledge.
d. the process by which change is conducted and in which a change agent is more effective.
Ans: C
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Organization Development Defined
Difficulty Level: Easy
AACSB Standard: Reflective thinking
2. Many definitions of OD propose a consistent theme that an outcome of OD activities is ______.
a. organizational effectiveness
b. a full toolkit for OD practitioners to use
c. a set of core values
d. management consulting
Ans: A
Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: Organization Development Defined
Difficulty Level: Easy
AACSB Standard: Reflective thinking
3. Which of the following is considered the backdrop and purpose of organization development?
a. training and development
b. management consulting
c. change
d. employee participation
Ans: C
Cognitive Domain: Application
Answer Location: Making the Case for Organization Development
Difficulty Level: Medium
AACSB Standard: Analytical thinking
4. Which of the following are developed by OD practitioners so that change can be developed and integrated into the organization’s functioning?
a. toolkits
b. needs analyses
c. change agents
d. interventions
Ans: D
Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: Making the Case for Organization Development
Difficulty Level: Medium
AACSB Standard: Reflective thinking
5. Because change is inevitable, leaders must adapt to which type of organizational structure?
a. flat
b. hierarchical
c. line
d. matrix
Ans: D
Cognitive Domain: Analysis
Answer Location: Making the Case for Organization Development
Difficulty Level: Medium
AACSB Standard: Application of Knowledge
6. Becoming competent at ______ is a necessary and distinguishing characteristic of successful organizations.
a. training and development departments
b. organizational change
c. organizational culture
d. conflict resolution
Ans: B
Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: Making the Case for Organization Development
Difficulty Level: Hard
AACSB Standard: Reflective thinking
7. When speaking of organization development, what is being referred to?
a. specifically addressing employee participation in the public sector
b. emphasizing team development
c. coaching senior management
d. the management of certain kinds of changes, especially how people implement and are affected by them
Ans: D
Cognitive Domain: Analysis
Answer Location: Making the Case for Organization Development
Difficulty Level: Medium
AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge
8. In Example 1 regarding employee participation in the public sector, what contributed to increased collaboration and interaction among the groups?
a. management-employee working teams
b. departmental meetings
c. positive corporate culture
d. increased number of meetings
Ans: A
Cognitive Domain: Analysis
Answer Location: Example 1: Increasing Employee Participation in a Public Sector Organization
Difficulty Level: Hard
AACSB Standard: Interpersonal relations and teamwork
9. As a result of increased participation in the public sector, ______.
a. there appeared to be an enhanced acceptance of the change process
b. better communication did not result
c. access to training and development decreased
d. relationships with supervisors remained the same
Ans: A
Cognitive Domain: Analysis
Answer Location: Example 1: Increasing Employee Participation in a Public Sector Organization
Difficulty Level: Medium
AACSB Standard: Reflective thinking
10. What was hindering Vodaphone’s ability to remain a viable competitor, innovator, and leader in their market?
a. lack of training and development
b. employee turnover
c. the culture of the organization
d. the competitive environment
Ans: C
Cognitive Domain: Analysis
Answer Location: Example 2: Senior Management Coaching at Vodaphone
Difficulty Level: Hard
AACSB Standard: Analytical thinking
11. At Vodaphone, the company wanted to encourage a culture of ______ that made their own decisions and shared learning and development, speed, and accountability.
a. empowered teams
b. collaboration
c. top-down management
d. command and control
Ans: A
Cognitive Domain: Application
Answer Location: Example 2: Senior Management Coaching at Vodaphone
Difficulty Level: Medium
AACSB Standard: Reflective thinking
12. Which of the following is not considered a benefit of empowered teams at Vodaphone?
a. shared learning and development
b. improved decision making speed
c. increased accountability
d. political blame
Ans: D
Cognitive Domain: Analysis
Answer Location: Example 2: Senior Management Coaching at Vodaphone
Difficulty Level: Hard
AACSB Standard: Analytical thinking
13. What was the “command and control” issue at Vodaphone?
a. value system
b. IT system
c. coaching program
d. culture of blame
Ans: D
Cognitive Domain: Application
Answer Location: Example 2: Senior Management Coaching at Vodaphone
Difficulty Level: Easy
AACSB Standard: Interpersonal relations and teamwork
14. What was the purpose of Vodaphone’s leadership coaching program?
a. to train new managers in their positions
b. to encourage a new, collaborative management style
c. to exchange information among those that previously did not share their work
d. to provide employees with the belief they were looking to improve
Ans: B
Cognitive Domain: Analysis
Answer Location: Example 2: Senior Management Coaching at Vodaphone
Difficulty Level: Medium
AACSB Standard: Reflective thinking
15. One benefit of the leadership coaching program at Vodaphone included which of the following?
a. managers continued their traditional way of running their organization
b. coaching goals were established
c. teams were more confident in their decisions as managers empowered them
d. competition decreased over time
Ans: C
Cognitive Domain: Analysis
Answer Location: Example 2: Senior Management Coaching at Vodaphone
Difficulty Level: Hard
AACSB Standard: Interpersonal relations and teamwork
16. Because of stress that healthcare workers endure, OD professionals have found that they need clear roles, social support, and professional autonomy to reduce which of the following?
a. job satisfaction
b. job dissatisfaction
c. professional stress
d. burnout and turnover
Ans: D
Cognitive Domain: Application
Answer Location: Example 3: Team Development in a Cancer Center
Difficulty Level: Medium
AACSB Standard: Analytical thinking
17. Which of the following interventions were utilized as part of the initial series of three 2-day workshops at the Cancer Center?
a. role play and dramatic exercises
b. strategic maps
c. interviews
d. challenge courses
Ans: A
Cognitive Domain: Application
Answer Location: Example 3: Team Development in a Cancer Center
Difficulty Level: Medium
AACSB Standard: Interpersonal relations and teamwork
18. ______ can be beneficial to learn one another’s role in an effort to see how others view them.
a. Interviews
b. OD interventions
c. Role play or dramatic exercises
d. Surveys
Ans: C
Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: Example 3: Team Development in a Cancer Center
Difficulty Level: Easy
AACSB Standard: Written and oral communication
19. ______ can be used to gather detailed information regarding an intervention and assess how progress has been made.
a. Surveys
b. Interviews
c. Role play
d. Workshops
Ans: B
Cognitive Domain: Application
Answer Location: Example 3: Team Development in a Cancer Center
Difficulty Level: Medium
AACSB Standard: Written and oral communication
20. The Northern California Community sought to utilize OD interventions to solve their ______.
a. limited growth
b. housing problem
c. communication issues
d. lack of diversity
Ans: B
Cognitive Domain: Analysis
Answer Location: Example 4: A Future Search Conference in a Northern California Community
Difficulty Level: Hard
AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge
21. What was meant by having a “vertical slice” of citizen groups being represented in the Northern California Community?
a. groups represented a mirror image of the community
b. a top-down approach was utilized
c. a bottom-up approach was utilized
d. citizens were randomly selected
Ans: A
Cognitive Domain: Analysis
Answer Location: Example 4: A Future Search Conference in a Northern California Community
Difficulty Level: Hard
AACSB Standard: Reflective thinking
22. What type of change prompted ABA to reorganize into a three-division structure?
a. new management
b. new corporate policies
c. global expansion
d. technology changes
Ans: C
Cognitive Domain: Analysis
Answer Location: Example 5: A Long-Term Strategic Change Engagement
Difficulty Level: Medium
AACSB Standard: Diverse and multicultural work environments
23. Which approach was utilized at ABA in order to kick off the organizational change effort to communicate messages to the staff?
a. top-down approach
b. bottom-up approach
c. centralized decision making
d. decentralized decision making
Ans: A
Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: Example 5: A Long-Term Strategic Change Engagement
Difficulty Level: Medium
AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge
24. At ABA, what was the purpose of external consultants coaching managers after employee survey results were collected?
a. to demonstrate commitment to the organization
b. it was part of the consultants’ contract
c. managers did not understand the survey data
d. to guide self-exploration and personal development
Ans: D
Cognitive Domain: Analysis
Answer Location: Example 5: A Long-Term Strategic Change Engagement
Difficulty Level: Hard
AACSB Standard: Analytical thinking
25. What did survey results at ABA indicate was a common area of improvement across the management team?
a. communication and technology skills
b. personal leadership and communication skills
c. communication and time management skills
d. technology and personal leadership skills
Ans: B
Cognitive Domain: Analysis
Answer Location: Example 5: A Long-Term Strategic Change Engagement
Difficulty Level: Hard
AACSB Standard: Written and oral communication
26. Over what time period did OD interventions occur at ABA to assist with the strategic change initiative?
a. 1 year
b. 2 years
c. 3 years
d. 4 years
Ans: D
Cognitive Domain: Application
Answer Location: Example 5: A Long-Term Strategic Change Engagement
Difficulty Level: Medium
AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge
27. What data indicated positive feelings from employees regarding the changes that occurred at ABA?
a. interviews
b. observations
c. focus groups
d. anecdotal reports
Ans: A
Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: Example 5: A Long-Term Strategic Change Engagement
Difficulty Level: Easy
AACSB Standard: Reflective thinking
28. Which of the following was noted by leaders as a result of the change at ABA?
a. more trusting relationships
b. expanded locations
c. increased technology usage
d. new employees
Ans: A
Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: Example 5: A Long-Term Strategic Change Engagement
Difficulty Level: Medium
AACSB Standard: Analytical thinking
29. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, which are among the largest employers in the United States?
a. private sector businesses
b. public sector businesses
c. federal, state, and local governments
d. international governments
Ans: C
Cognitive Domain: Application
Answer Location: Example 5: A Long-Term Strategic Change Engagement
Difficulty Level: Medium
AACSB Standard: Reflective thinking
30. OD can be distinguished from ______ in specific functional areas such as finance, marketing, corporate strategy, IT, or supply chain management.
a. training and development
b. management consulting
c. human resource development
d. career development
Ans: B
Cognitive Domain: Application
Answer Location: Management Consulting
Difficulty Level: Medium
AACSB Standard: Analytical thinking
31. OD practitioners would not do which of the following to make recommendations about how an organization carries out an activity for future change?
a. assist in implementation of recommended changes
b. use consultation as a form of process advice
c. use one content area of expertise
d. offer relevant processes and techniques to make changes
Ans: C
Cognitive Domain: Analysis
Answer Location: Management Consulting
Difficulty Level: Hard
AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge
32. Which of the following is not a key aspect of training and development, rather it is a focus of OD?
a. learning is the sole objective, such as a new skill, system, or procedure
b. systemic organizational change efforts
c. needs assessment, course development, technology usage, and on-the-job training
d. programs developed for large audiences
Ans: B
Cognitive Domain: Analysis
Answer Location: Training and Development
Difficulty Level: Hard
AACSB Standard: Analytical thinking
33. Change carried out through OD is intended to be ______ and ______.
a. short-term; permanent
b. long-term; permanent
c. short-term; immediate
d. long-term; immediate
Ans: B
Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: Short Term
Difficulty Level: Medium
AACSB Standard: Reflective thinking
34. Which of the following is a true statement regarding “toolkits” and OD?
a. Seeking tools without knowledge about the OD process is likely to prevent OD success.
b. OD toolkits can provide quick fixes to organizational problems.
c. Practitioners can easily provide clients with what they want and need.
d. Problems requiring OD often involve instrumented training or standard models.
Ans: A
Cognitive Domain: Analysis
Answer Location: The Application of a Toolkit
Difficulty Level: Hard
AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge
35. OD is ______.
a. a rigid procedure for moving an organization from point A to point B
b. a band-aid that organizations can use to solve problems in a quick and efficient manner
c. being attuned to the social and personal dynamics of an organization, demonstrating flexibility in problem solving
d. a standardized set of procedures and tools that all organizations can benefit from
Ans: C
Cognitive Domain: Analysis
Answer Location: The Application of a Toolkit
Difficulty Level: Hard
AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge
36. Academic audiences prefer ______ over the use of ______ in terminology.
a. operation development; organizational development
b. organization development; organizational development
c. organizational development; organization development
d. organization development; operational development
Ans: B
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Who This Book Is For
Difficulty Level: Easy
AACSB Standard: Reflective thinking
37. Organizational members is more inclusive terminology which is best suited to involve which group?
a. managers and executives
b. leaders
c. employees
d. non-profit groups
Ans: D
Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: Who This Book Is For
Difficulty Level: Easy
AACSB Standard: Interpersonal relations and teamwork
38. Reading published OD case studies allows one to ______.
a. implement the same set of interventions to solve an organizational issue
b. develop a deeper understanding of OD and learn from successes and struggles
c. appreciate the ease that OD interventions can be implemented
d. design training programs that mirror those within the given case
Ans: B
Cognitive Domain: Application
Answer Location: Overview of the Book
Difficulty Level: Medium
AACSB Standard: Reflective thinking
39. Analysis of OD case studies allow one to develop which of the following skills, which are central to the value that a practitioners brings to the client?
a. communication and organizational
b. problem-solving and communication
c. problem-solving and critical-thinking
d. critical-thinking and communication
Ans: C
Cognitive Domain: Analysis
Answer Location: Analyzing Case Studies
Difficulty Level: Medium
AACSB Standard: Analytical thinking
40. What is the benefit of utilizing case studies to study OD?
a. to see what scenarios have been shared in the profession
b. to determine effectiveness of the progress of the profession
c. to help one learn the role and thought process of an OD consultant or change agent through realistic examples
d. to practice empathy with professionals in the profession
Ans: C
Cognitive Domain: Analysis
Answer Location: Analyzing Case Studies
Difficulty Level: Medium
AACSB Standard: Reflective thinking
True/False
1. It is proposed that an outcome of organization development is organizational effectiveness.
Ans: T
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Organization Development Defined
Difficulty Level: Easy
AACSB Standard: Reflective thinking
2. Large-scale organizational change is often simple and met without skepticism.
Ans: F
Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: Making the Case for Organization Development
Difficulty Level: Easy
AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge
3. To become effective, productive, and satisfying to members, organizations need to change.
Ans: T
Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: Making the Case for Organization Development
Difficulty Level: Easy
AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge
4. OD is not concerned with a diverse variety of issues to address problems involving organizations, teams, or individuals.
Ans: F
Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: What Organization Development Looks Like
Difficulty Level: Easy
AACSB Standard: Interpersonal relations and teamwork
5. OD is the same as management consulting.
Ans: F
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: What Organization Development Is Not
Difficulty Level: Easy
AACSB Standard: Analytical thinking
6. OD work is confined to training activities as part of training and development.
Ans: F
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: What Organization Development Is Not
Difficulty Level: Medium
AACSB Standard: Analytical thinking
7. Real OD work involves more than the prescribed “toolkit.”
Ans: T
Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: What Organization Development Is Not
Difficulty Level: Easy
AACSB Standard: Reflective thinking
8. OD includes anyone who must lead organizational change as part of his or her role.
Ans: T
Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: Who This Book Is For
Difficulty Level: Easy
AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge
Essay
1. Several examples of case studies of OD in action were provided in the chapter. Discuss components/variables of these cases that indicate these are appropriate examples of OD.
Ans: Responses may vary. The answer should point out components of OD and how they were addressed within the various case studies that were shared.
Cognitive Domain: Application
Answer Location: What Organization Development Looks Like
Difficulty Level: Hard
AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge
2. Discuss why organizations need to experience change.
Ans: To become effective, productive, and satisfying to members, organizations need to change. Change is required at the organizational level as customers demand more, technologies are development with a rapidly changing life cycle, and investors demand results. Organizations are required to develop new strategies, economic structures, technologies, organizational structures, and processes. Change is also required of people. There are cultural differences, changes in communication, and a changing diverse workforce. New skills are required, and the ability to adapt is a must.
Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: Making the Case for Organization Development
Difficulty Level: Medium
AACSB Standard: Interpersonal relations and teamwork; Diverse and multicultural work environments
3. How does OD differ from management consulting?
Ans: There is differentiation between the two in specific functional areas. Consulting where the practitioner offers content advice falls under the heading of management consulting, whereas OD offers consultation on the process used to reach a desired goal.
Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: What Organization Development Is Not
Difficulty Level: Medium
AACSB Standard: Analytical thinking
4. How does OD differ from training and development?
Ans: OD work is not confined to training activities. Specific training and development activities can be addressed as these are not the key areas of OD practitioners.
Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: What Organization Development Is Not
Difficulty Level: Easy
AACSB Standard: Analytical thinking
5. Why is OD considered to address long-term change?
Ans: Change is intended to be long-term and/or permanent. Even if interventions are short-term, the intended or resulting changes are to be long-term. Systemic changes are developed that are likely long lasting.
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: What Organization Development Is Not
Difficulty Level: Easy
AACSB Standard: Analytical thinking
