Descriptive science
what do people do?
Interpretive science
how and why does it happen?
Prescriptive science
what should people do, and how can we make it happen?
What is OB?
- The science of behavior in work organizations
- An applied social science that draws on more bas...
OAM 330 MIDTERM EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2023
Descriptive science - answer what do people do?
Interpretive science - answer how and why does it happen?
Prescriptive science - answer what should people do, and how can we make it happen?
What is OB? - answer - The science of behavior in work organizations
- An applied social science that draws on more basic social sciences
Why OB? - answer Those who work in and with organizations are often not the purely rational actors we assume.
What is the peter principle? - answer You will rise to the level of your incompetence... and stay there.
Why do 2 out of 5 CEOs fail in their first 18 months? - answer Not lack of intelligence or competence, but interpersonal skills.
What is a solution to employee theft and what is the result? - answer Kill the thrill: - Loan policy: employees can borrow equipment
- Can return equipment without any questions Result:
- Thrill was gone: "Stealing something you could get for free wasn't anything to brag about."
- Theft dropped to near zero - Materials "returned by the truckload"
- Most of it was done by spouses who were tired of hiding bulky equipment in their garages
Why not increase monitoring to combat employee theft? - answer Expensive
Trust: - Surveillance suggest "we don't trust you." - Creates an US vs THEM mentality
- Decreases morale
Makes theft normative: - Suggests that everyone is doing it
- Surveillance sometimes increases costs of employee theft
What are the limitations of intuition as an approach? - answer - Incomplete information - Many "common sense" opinions have been empirically disproven
What are the limitations of experience as an approach? - answer - Missing data
- Reluctance to experiment
What are the limitations of systematic study as an approach? - answer ???
What are the four principles of Evidence Based Management? - answer 1) Relies on systematic empirical studies- understanding relationships based on scientific evidence
2) Behavior is not random 3) Behavior is often predictable- if we know how people perceived the situation and what's important to them
4) Managers should make decisions based on the latest available evidence, like doctors
Does courtesy increase sales? Why? - answer No
What 7-11 customers want: fast service
Do sports teams that stay together longer become more effective? - answer Yes
Benefits of shared experience: learn to trust, coordinate, utilize individual strengths, and compensate for individual weaknesses
OB study of sports teams 1980-1994:
Shows benefit of shared experience, teams that stay together win more games, in part due to more assists
Does shared experience have diminishing returns? Why? - answer Yes
- Teams become less open to new routines
- Opponents develop counter-strategies
It is important to build shared experience through stable membership, and then eventually rotate some members and/or coaches
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller GUARANTEEDSUCCESS. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for £11.48. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.