The research and development (R & D) function of a business:

(i) Is primarily concerned with market research
(ii) Can improve existing products as well as developing completely new products
(iii) Has been less important for firms manufacturing computers to meet an industry standard than for those firms developing the next generation of computers
(iv) Is always undertaken under contract by specialist external consultancies

Which of the above statements are correct?

Managers Jill and Paul are talking about how to resolve a business problem. Jill suggests that a committee should be formed to discuss the issues. Paul argues that committees are:

(i) Time-consuming and expensive
(ii) They invite a compromise instead of a clear-cut decision

Which of these statements is true?

Josh, Joanne, Ed, and Sue all work for D Co. Josh works in the finance department. Joanne works in the human resources department. Ed is Sue's line manager in the purchasing department.

Which of the staff members would be involved with payroll administration?

Diane carries out routine processing of invoices in the purchasing department of L Co. Joanne is Diane's supervisor. Lesley is trying to decide how many staff will be needed if some proposed new technology is implemented. Tracey is considering the new work that L Co will be able to offer and the new markets it could enter, once the new technology is well established.

Which member of L Co carries out tactical activities?

U Ltd produces a portfolio of products and focuses its efforts and resources on persuading customers to buy them.

This is an example of which type of 'orientation'?

Which of the following is NOT one of the terms used by Hofstede to describe a key dimension of culture?

Janet works for a toy company called K Co. She telephones Mary at P Co on a daily basis to order parts. Janet has no contact with customers but does deal with complaint letters from D Group, an organisation against slave labour. D Group believe that K Co use slave labour in the toy manufacturing factories.

Which of the following are internal stakeholders of K Co?

Research has indicated that workers in country A display characteristics such as toughness and the desire for material wealth and possessions, while workers in country B value personal relationships, belonging and the quality of life.

According to Hofstede's theory, these distinctions relate to which of the following cultural dimensions?

Culture is the collective programming of the mind which distinguishes the members of one ....................................... from another.

Which word or phrase most accurately completes the definition?

Who defined organisational culture as 'the set of shared, taken-for-granted implicit assumptions that a group holds and that determines how it perceives, thinks about and reacts to its environment'?

Which of the following is a role of the Secretary of a committee?

Which of the following would NOT be an objective of stakeholder management in relation to major suppliers?

Jeff, Jane and Jaitinder work in different departments in the firm XYZ Co. They are members of the permanent 'staff committee' which meets on a monthly basis to discuss staff issues such as pensions and benefits. Their purpose is to listen to communication from staff within their department and raise issues on behalf of their department at committee meetings.

What is the name given to this type of committee?

BZ Ness Ltd is an organisation with a strongly traditional outlook. It is structured and managed according to classical principles: specialisation, the scalar chain of command, unity of command and direction. Personnel tend to focus on their own distinct tasks, which are strictly defined and directed.
Communication is vertical, rather than lateral. Discipline is much prized and enshrined in the rule book of the company.

From the scenario, what sort of culture does BZ Ness Ltd have, using Harrison's classifications?

Which is the 'deepest' set of underlying factors which determine culture, and the hardest to manage?

Which of the following is/are objectives of human resource management?

1. To meet the organisation's social and legal responsibilities relating to the human resource
2. To manage an organisation's relationship with its customers
3. To develop human resources that will respond effectively to change

Ali is responsible for preparing and issuing documents prior to a meeting, then acting on and communicating decisions following the meeting. What is his role?

Josina has been appointed Chair of a remuneration committee. She is responsible for which of the following duties?

Which of the following statements is true?

Services have certain qualities which distinguish them from products. Because of their ....................................... , physical elements such as vouchers, tickets, confirmations and merchandise are an important part of service provision.

Which of the following words most accurately completes the sentence?

Mr Q is manager of a division which is undergoing a business downturn. He tries to shelter the workforce from the effects of downsizing: taking time for consultation, organising counselling and refusing to institute compulsory redundancies.

Which of the following cultural types identified in the Hofstede model does this manager represent?

The audit committee and remuneration committee of a company are examples of which of the following?