Question 1

Operant conditioning explains learning through:

Accepted Answer

Operant conditioning: behavior shaped by consequences.

Question 2

Tuckman’s first stage of group development is:

Accepted Answer

Forming is the initial stage.

Question 3

Which of the following is an organizational-level factor?

Accepted Answer

Culture is an organizational-level element.

Question 4

Herzberg’s motivators include:

Accepted Answer

Motivators: achievement, recognition, responsibility, growth.

Question 5

Attribution is the process of:

Accepted Answer

Attribution assigns causes to behavior or events.

Question 6

A clan culture focuses on:

Accepted Answer

Clan emphasizes teamwork, mentoring, loyalty.

Question 7

An internal locus of control person believes:

Accepted Answer

Internal LOC: outcomes controlled by self efforts.

Question 8

Stress is best defined as:

Accepted Answer

Stress arises when demands exceed coping ability/resources.

Question 9

A wheel communication network is characterized by:

Accepted Answer

Wheel has centralized communication.

Question 10

Conflict is best defined as:

Accepted Answer

Conflict is perceived opposition/negative impact.

Question 11

Functional conflict means conflict that:

Accepted Answer

Functional conflict can improve ideas and outcomes.

Question 12

The Big Five model includes:

Accepted Answer

OCEAN traits comprise the Big Five.

Question 13

Self-efficacy means:

Accepted Answer

Self-efficacy is confidence in ability to execute tasks.

Question 14

Equity theory focuses on:

Accepted Answer

Equity theory is about perceived fairness.

Question 15

Goal-setting theory says goals should be:

Accepted Answer

Clear, challenging goals with feedback motivate best.

Question 16

OB is best described as:

Accepted Answer

OB draws from psychology, sociology etc. and is application-oriented.

Question 17

A highly conscientious employee is likely to be:

Accepted Answer

Conscientiousness relates to organization and responsibility.

Question 18

Upward communication includes:

Accepted Answer

Upward includes reports, feedback, grievances.

Question 19

Resistance to change is often due to:

Accepted Answer

Fear/uncertainty cause resistance.

Question 20

Cohesiveness means:

Accepted Answer

Cohesiveness is attraction and commitment to group.

Question 21

Define learning in OB.

Accepted Answer

Learning is a relatively permanent change in behavior or behavior potential due to experience and practice.

Question 22

State one difference between leader and manager (one point).

Accepted Answer

A leader focuses on vision and inspiring people, while a manager focuses on planning and control.

Question 23

What are artifacts in Schein’s culture model?

Accepted Answer

Artifacts are visible cultural elements like dress code, symbols, office layout, rituals and ceremonies.

Question 24

What is cohesiveness?

Accepted Answer

Cohesiveness is the degree to which members are attracted to the group and motivated to remain in it.

Question 25

Write the three levels of analysis in OB (name only).

Accepted Answer

The three levels are: individual level, group level and organizational level.

Question 26

State any one type of conflict.

Accepted Answer

Interpersonal conflict.

Question 27

What is self-efficacy?

Accepted Answer

Self-efficacy is the belief in one’s ability to perform a specific task successfully.

Question 28

What is referent power?

Accepted Answer

Referent power is influence based on admiration, respect or charisma.

Question 29

What is locus of control?

Accepted Answer

Locus of control is a belief about whether outcomes are controlled by one’s own actions (internal) or by external forces (external).

Question 30

What is autocratic leadership?

Accepted Answer

Autocratic leadership is a style where the leader makes decisions alone and expects followers to obey.

Question 31

State the goals of OB (any three).

Accepted Answer

Goals of OB include:

1) Describe behavior at work.
2) Explain why behavior occurs.
3) Predict how people will behave in future situations.
(Any three goals can be written.)

Question 32

Write any three types of organizational culture with brief meaning.

Accepted Answer

Types of culture (any three):

1) Clan: teamwork and family-like environment.
2) Market: results, targets and competition.
3) Hierarchy: rules, procedures and stability.
(Also: Adhocracy—innovation and flexibility.)

Question 33

Explain any three perceptual errors/biases.

Accepted Answer

Common perceptual errors (any three):

1) Halo effect: one good trait leads to overall positive rating.
2) Stereotyping: judging a person based on group membership.
3) Projection: assuming others have the same feelings/thoughts as we do.

Question 34

Write any three barriers to communication with examples.

Accepted Answer

Barriers (any three) with examples:

1) Physical: noise, distance, poor seating.
2) Semantic: jargon, ambiguous words, language differences.
3) Psychological: ego, prejudice, stress, fear.

(Any three.)

Question 35

Write the Big Five traits and explain any three briefly.

Accepted Answer

Big Five traits are Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness and Neuroticism.

Any three explained briefly:
1) Conscientiousness: responsible, organized and dependable.
2) Extraversion: sociable, energetic and outgoing.
3) Agreeableness: cooperative, trusting and helpful.

Question 36

Explain how organizational culture is created, maintained and changed. Use a flow-style answer with a small table.

Accepted Answer

Organizational culture is created, maintained and sometimes changed through leadership and organizational systems.

**1) Creating culture:**
Culture often begins with the founder’s values, early success stories and the people hired in the initial stages.

**2) Maintaining culture:**

| Method | How it maintains culture |
|---|---|
| Selection | hires people who fit values |
| Socialization | induction and training teach “how we do things” |
| Rewards | reinforces desired behaviors |
| Leadership | leaders act as role models |

**3) Changing culture:**
Culture change needs a clear diagnosis and alignment of systems. Steps include defining desired values, communicating continuously, changing HR and reward systems, and reinforcing new behaviors until they become routine.

Culture change is challenging because basic assumptions are deep and employees may resist. Hence, leaders must be consistent and patient.

Thus, culture is managed through people practices, leadership behavior and reinforcement mechanisms.

Question 37

Explain Lewin’s change management model and show how to reduce resistance during each step.

Accepted Answer

Lewin’s model explains organizational change in three steps: unfreezing, changing and refreezing.

```mermaid
flowchart LR
  A[Unfreeze] --> B[Change] --> C[Refreeze]
```

| Step | Meaning | How to reduce resistance |
|---|---|---|
| Unfreeze | create readiness and urgency | communicate need for change, involve employees, address fears |
| Change | implement new methods | training, support, clear roles, quick problem solving |
| Refreeze | stabilize new behavior | align rewards/appraisal, reinforce new norms, standardize processes |

Resistance reduces when employees understand benefits, receive skill support and see consistent leadership actions.

Therefore, Lewin’s model helps implement change in a structured way and sustain it over time.

Question 38

Explain leadership theories (trait, behavioral and situational) with a comparison table and conclude.

Accepted Answer

Leadership theories explain why some leaders are effective.

| Theory | Main idea | Strength | Limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trait theory | leaders have certain traits | highlights key personal qualities | ignores situation; no universal trait list |
| Behavioral theory | leadership is based on behaviors (task/people) | behaviors can be learned and trained | same behavior may not work everywhere |
| Situational/contingency theory | best style depends on situation and followers | flexible and practical | needs correct diagnosis of situation |

Trait theory emphasizes qualities like integrity and confidence. Behavioral theory focuses on what leaders do, such as task orientation and consideration. Situational theories say leaders must adapt depending on follower readiness and task conditions.

Therefore, modern leadership development combines personal qualities, trainable behaviors and situational understanding for effective results.

Question 39

Explain attribution theory (Kelley’s model) and relate it to performance appraisal. Use a table.

Accepted Answer

Attribution is the process of explaining why a person behaves in a particular way. In workplaces, attributions influence how supervisors evaluate employees, especially during performance appraisal.

**Kelley’s attribution model** suggests that we decide whether the cause is internal (person) or external (situation) by using three cues:

| Cue | What it asks | Meaning for attribution |
|---|---|---|
| Consensus | Do others behave similarly? | High consensus suggests external cause; low suggests internal |
| Distinctiveness | Does this person behave differently in other tasks? | High distinctiveness suggests external; low suggests internal |
| Consistency | Does the person behave this way repeatedly over time? | High consistency supports the same cause being stable |

**Link with performance appraisal:**
If an employee misses a deadline, a fair manager should check: Did many employees miss it (consensus)? Does the employee miss only this type of task (distinctiveness)? Does it happen repeatedly (consistency)? This reduces unfair blame and improves trust.

Therefore, correct attribution helps managers give realistic feedback, avoid bias and make better HR decisions.

Question 40

Discuss group roles and norms and explain how they influence team effectiveness. Use a table.

Accepted Answer

Group roles and norms are important parts of group dynamics. They shape how members behave, communicate and coordinate work.

**Group roles** are expected behavior patterns. **Group norms** are shared rules about acceptable behavior.

| Element | Meaning | Examples | Effect on effectiveness |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roles | expected behaviors | coordinator, initiator, harmonizer | clear roles reduce confusion and improve coordination |
| Norms | shared rules | punctuality, quality standards, communication style | positive norms increase discipline and productivity |

If roles are unclear, members may duplicate work or avoid responsibility. If norms promote poor behavior (e.g., “do minimum work”), even a cohesive group may perform badly. On the other hand, strong positive norms (quality, cooperation) improve commitment and results.

Therefore, managers should clarify roles, set healthy norms and correct negative norms to improve team effectiveness.

Organizational Behavior — Question Paper

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