Chapter 13
Organization ProcessApproaches
Multiple Choice Questions
1. System wide process interventions include which of the following:
a. change programs directed at improving processes
b. visioning
c. task accomplishment between groups
d. subsystems
e. all of the above
2. Which of the following should be avoided in a confrontation meeting?
a. working on relevant problems
b. members from different departments in same group
c. top management separated from other groups
d. superiors and subordinates in the same group
e. support for bringing up relevant issues
3. Successful large-group interventions require:
a. a compelling conference theme
b. appropriate participants
c. relevant tasks
d. all of the above
e. none of the above
4. From the choices below, which best describes the focus of a confrontation meeting?
a. a place to complain
b. a place to mobilize organizational problem-solving
c. a place to negotiate employee contracts
d. a place to reward individual contributors
5. Which of the following best describes how a microcosm group intervention succeeds?
a. parallel processes
b. energized people
c. concern for production
d. group interdependency
e. conflict
6. Identifying the core mission of an organization and assessing the organization’s responses to environmental expectations are two important aspects of what type of large group intervention:
a. open space methods
b. open system methods
c. diagnostic methods
d. conference methods
e. parallel process methods
7. Open-space methods for large-group interventions arenot characterized by
a. the “law of two feet”
b. the “Four Principles”
c. a formal agenda and structure
d. regular summaries of information for all members to review
8. When resolving intergroup conflict, attitudinal solutions require ______than behavioral solutions.
a. more skill & more time
b. more time & less skill
c. less time & more skill
d. less time & less skill
9. Open-systems methods for the large-group meeting begin with a
a. an open discussion about the future
b. selecting one representative from each organization group
c. diagnosis of the existing environment and how the organization relates to it
d. members creating a list of constraints to change
True/False Questions
10. The confrontation meeting intervention is a promising approach for mobilizing organization problem solving, particularly during highly effective organization performance.
11. Microcosm groups are small, representative groups who can solve problems in the group and recommend actions to address the problem in the larger system.
12. Intergroup relations interventions are necessary whenever there is conflict between two or more groups.
13. When the interdependence between conflicting groups is low and predictable, behavioral interventions work best.
14. Open-space methods for large-group interventions are highly structured processes.
15. Behavioral interventions help groups change their attitudes about one another.
16. The activity “appreciating the past” is a characteristic of the open-space method for a large-group meeting.
Essay Questions
17. Discuss the similarities and differences between an organization confrontation meeting and an intergroup conflict resolution intervention.
18. Describe the key success requirements for a microcosm group intervention.
19. Compare and contrast the open-systems and open-space methods for large-group interventions.
20. Describe the organizational situations that support each of the three types of systemwide process interventions, the organization confrontation meeting, the intergroup relations intervention, and the large-group intervention
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