ICAR AIEEA-PG Principles of Management & Organisational Behaviour: practice questions

1 · Nature and scope of management · easy

According to Robert Katz, which managerial skill becomes relatively more important as a manager moves from first-line supervision to top management?

1. Conceptual skill
2. Technical skill
3. Clerical skill
4. Manual skill

2 · Organising: line and staff, authority and responsibility · easy

Which statement about delegation is correct?

1. Responsibility can be delegated fully, but authority cannot be
2. Neither authority nor responsibility can ever be delegated at all
3. Authority can be delegated, but ultimate responsibility cannot
4. Both authority and ultimate responsibility pass fully to the subordinate

3 · Organising: line and staff, authority and responsibility · easy

A narrow span of control, other things equal, produces:

1. A flat structure with fewer levels of management
2. A matrix structure with two bosses for each employee
3. A structure with no line managers at all
4. A tall structure with more levels of management

4 · Controlling and management audit · easy

The principle that only significant deviations from standard should be reported to higher management is called:

1. Management by objectives
2. Unity of direction
3. Scalar chain
4. Management by exception

5 · Personality, perception, attitudes, values and learning · easy

Across many studies, which Big Five trait is the most consistent predictor of job performance?

1. Conscientiousness
2. Extraversion
3. Openness to experience
4. Agreeableness

6 · Motivation theories · easy

According to McClelland, people with a high need for achievement typically prefer:

1. Tasks of very high risk where the result depends mostly on chance
2. Tasks of no risk, done in groups where credit is shared equally
3. Tasks without any feedback, so that they can work undisturbed
4. Tasks of moderate risk with personal responsibility and quick feedback

7 · Motivation theories · easy

A manager who assumes that workers dislike work, avoid responsibility and must be closely controlled holds:

1. McGregor's Theory Y assumptions
2. Ouchi's Theory Z assumptions
3. Herzberg's motivator assumptions
4. McGregor's Theory X assumptions

8 · Stress and work-life balance · easy

The correct order of Selye's general adaptation syndrome is:

1. Resistance, alarm, exhaustion
2. Alarm, exhaustion, resistance
3. Alarm, resistance, exhaustion
4. Exhaustion, alarm, resistance

9 · Conflict management · easy

In the Thomas-Kilmann model, a style that is high on both assertiveness and cooperativeness, seeking a solution that fully satisfies both parties, is:

1. Compromising
2. Accommodating
3. Collaborating
4. Competing

10 · Conflict management · easy

In third-party dispute resolution, the key difference between a mediator and an arbitrator is that:

1. A mediator decides and binds the parties; an arbitrator only makes suggestions
2. A mediator helps the parties agree but does not decide; an arbitrator decides
3. A mediator must be a court judge; an arbitrator must be a government official
4. A mediator acts only for one party; an arbitrator acts only for the other one