Principles-of-Management Principles of Management at Western Governors University(IAC1) Question and Answers

The organizational concept that best describes a manager assigning tasks to various employees is the division of labor. This concept involves breaking down work into specialized tasks that different workers or groups perform. It aims to increase efficiency and productivity by allowing employees to focus on specific functions where they can develop expertise.

Division of Labor(Answer C): This refers to the assignment of different tasks to different employees, allowing for specialization and increased efficiency in the workplace​​.

Segmentation(Answer A),Teamwork(Answer B), andIntegration(Answer D): These concepts relate to different aspects of organizational structure and functioning but do not specifically describe the assignment of tasks to employees.

A common consideration for starting a new business venture is finding the right opportunity. This involves identifying a viable market need or problem that the new business can address effectively. It also includes evaluating the feasibility, potential profitability, and personal fit of the business idea. Entrepreneurs must thoroughly assess opportunities to ensure that their venture can achieve success and sustainability​​.

When a computer manufacturer purchases the company that supplies computer chips for the company, it is using a vertical integration strategy. Vertical integration involves expanding a company's operations into different stages of production within the same industry, such as acquiring suppliers or distributors, to increase control over the supply chain and reduce costs​​.

When developing a quality management system, the step that involves answering the question, "If you were the customer, how would you like us to operate?" is known ascustomerization. This process is focused on tailoring and personalizing the customer experience to meet individual needs and preferences, thus ensuring that the company's operations align closely with customer expectations and desires. By prioritizing the customer's perspective, businesses can enhance satisfaction and loyalty, which are critical components of an effective quality management system​​.

The process used to verify that deliverables are correct and complete is known as Quality Control. Quality control involves the operational techniques and activities used to fulfill requirements for quality. It includes activities such as measuring, examining, and testing to gauge one or more characteristics of a product or service and the comparison of these with specified requirements to determine conformity.

Quality Control(Answer A): This process is a part of the quality management focused on fulfilling quality requirements. It involves monitoring specific project results to determine if they comply with relevant quality standards and identifying ways to eliminate causes of unsatisfactory performance​​.

Quality Assurance(Answer D): This process is about ensuring that quality standards and processes are adhered to, and that the final products meet those standards. While it helps prevent defects by focusing on the process used to make the product, it is not directly involved in verifying the deliverables themselves​​.

Quality Collaboration(Answer B) andQuality Cooperative(Answer C): These terms are not standard processes in quality management as defined in the principles of management, thus making them incorrect choices for this question.

The textbook clearly states that quality control involves the steps taken to monitor results and ensure that they meet the required standards, making it the correct choice for verifying that deliverables are correct and complete​​.

When a company does something especially well in comparison to its competitors, this is evident through its core capabilities. Core capabilities refer to a firm's resources and skills that are fundamental to its business and competitive advantage. These capabilities enable the firm to differentiate itself from competitors, achieve better performance, and maintain a strong market position​​.

The stage of the conflict process considered distinct because of its importance in intervening between perceptions or emotions and overt behavior is intentions. Intentions reflect how an individual plans to behave in a conflict situation, mediating the transition from perception and feelings to actions. This stage is crucial as it involves decisions about how to approach the conflict, whether to compete, collaborate, avoid, accommodate, or compromise​​.

The value chain describes the full range of activities that businesses go through to bring a product or service from conception to delivery and beyond. The concept was popularized by Michael Porter in his 1985 book "Competitive Advantage: Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance."

Definition and Scope: A value chain encompasses all the processes involved in the creation of a product or service. This includes:

Sourcing raw materials.

Production processes.

Marketing and sales.

Distribution and delivery.

Customer service post-delivery.

Primary Activities:

Inbound Logistics: Receiving, storing, and disseminating inputs of the product.

Operations: Transforming inputs into the final product.

Outbound Logistics: Collecting, storing, and distributing the product to customers.

Marketing and Sales: Persuading customers to purchase the product.

Services: Activities that maintain and enhance the product's value, such as customer service.

Support Activities:

Procurement: Acquiring the resources a company needs to operate.

Technology Development: Research and development, IT, automation, etc.

Human Resource Management: Recruiting, hiring, training, and retaining workers.

Firm Infrastructure: Organizational structure, control systems, company culture, etc.

Example of Value Chain: The textbook provides an example of Walmart's value chain to illustrate how a company adds value at each step of the process, from procurement to delivery​​.

Importance: Understanding and optimizing the value chain allows companies to identify where they can add value, reduce costs, and gain competitive advantage. Companies can use this analysis to find opportunities for improvement, innovation, and efficiency in their processes.

Religious preference inappropriately affects decision making when a real estate agent uses her religious background as a basis for accepting bids on property that is for sale. This situation reflects discrimination and bias, as decisions are being influenced by personal religious beliefs rather than objective criteria. Such actions can lead to unethical practices and violate principles of fair treatment and equality​​.

The stage in the change process that the team is experiencing is contemplation. In this stage, the team is aware of the problem and is considering potential solutions but has not yet committed to a specific action. This stage involves discussions and evaluations of different options without definitive decisions being made​​.

When considering equal employment opportunity law for a promotion decision, characteristics such as fitness level can be used, provided they are relevant to the job requirements. Characteristics like religion, disability status, and age are protected under EEO laws and cannot be used as criteria for employment decisions. Fitness level, however, can be considered if it is a bona fide occupational qualification necessary for the performance of the job​​.