Organizational behavior Exam Questions

Question 1: Differentiate between organizational behavior and behavior?

Organizational behavior is studying human behavior in an organizational setting using a systematic study of actions and attitudes (Kumar, 2019). Behavior refers to an individual’s actions and attitude in an organizational setting (Kumar, 2019).

Question 2: Organizational behavior is primarily concerned with group interactions (True, False)

False

 Organizational behavior is not only concerned with group interactions, but it is composed of four elements; people, structure, technology, and the external environment, which coordinate to achieve organizational goals (Kumar, 2019).

Question 3: Which of the aspects in organizational behavior is not associated with the study of individuals?

1. Motivation
2. Attitudes
3. Perception
4. Roles

Organizational behavior deals with motivation, attitudes, and perceptions that mold up individuals’ behavior (Kumar, 2019)

What Motivates Employees

Question 4: Critically explain the meaning of motivation in organizational behavior.

There is no single definition of motivation. Different scholars have defined it differently, but all definitions focus on stimulating employees to achieve some designated goal. Motivation is the stimulation of emotions or desires that operates in an individual prompting them to perform a particular thing (Gopalan et al., 2020).

Question 5: Discuss one theory of motivation

Maslow’s Need Hierarchy Theory

 Maslow summarizes motivating factors into five needs (Taormina & Gao, 2013). These needs are; Physiological needs, the need for safety and security, the need to belong, self-esteem, and the need for self-actualization. The unsatisfied need dominates, activating an individual to fulfill it. Satisfied needs do not motivate, and individuals seek higher needs when basic lower needs are satisfied.

Question 6: Maslow argued that basic lower needs in the hierarchy must be satisfied before the next  higher level of need is achieved ( True  or False)

True

These needs are arranged in the order of importance under the assumption that a low-level need is satisfied before the next higher level need (Taormina & Gao, 2013).

Determinants of personality

Question 7: What is personality? What are its major determinant?

Personality is a combination of a person’s characters and qualities that forms a unique identity perceived by the public. The major determinants of personality are the cognitive, physical, situational experiences,  environmental and heredity factors (Piotrowski & Wojciechowska, 2016)

Question 8: The following statements are true about personality except?

1. Personality refers to the way people behave and react to situations that face them.
2. Personality is a process of taking in the environmental factors.
3. Personality is determined by psychological, biological, and situational factors.

Personality does not involve emulating the environmental factors but how people react when faced with a particular situation.

Question 9: The following are true about people with type B personalities except?

1.  Achievements entice them.
2. They do not stress themselves to excel.
3. They respond positively to failures.
4. They find it hard to accept failures.

 People with type  B personalities are more positive about failures than type A who find it difficult to accept failures (Sharma & Jain, 2015).

Perception

Question 10: What is the relationship between perception and organizational behavior?

Perception helps shape individuals’ behavior on how they react to different situations in an organization (McDonald, 2012). Additionally, employees’ perceptions allow them to form certain impressions and make inferences about other people and activities in an organization.

Question 11: What is the difference between perception and personality?

Perception is a subjective process of making impressions and inferences (McDonald, 2012). Personality is how a person behaves towards a  particular situation in their environment (Sharma & Jain, 2015).

Question 12: Common perception mistakes often influence our perception of other people but have little or no effect when communicating with others. (True or False)

Perception errors will affect both our perception and communication with others.