Organizational Dynamics & Behavior Flashcards

An ombuds notices that a department consistently produces more complaints than others. Which organizational behavior concept best explains this pattern?

Answer: Systemic cultural or structural dysfunction

Persistent complaint patterns from a single unit typically signal systemic cultural or structural issues rather than individual factors.

Which leadership theory focuses on the exchange relationship between leaders and followers, where each party receives something of value?

Answer: Transactional leadership

Transactional leadership is based on exchanges—leaders provide rewards or punishments in return for follower compliance or performance.

A visitor to an ombuds describes feeling excluded from informal networks despite strong performance. This is most related to which organizational concept?

Answer: Informal organization and in-group dynamics

Informal organizations and in-group dynamics can exclude high performers who lack social connections to influential networks.

When an organization's espoused values conflict with its enacted values, this gap is known as:

Answer: Organizational hypocrisy

Organizational hypocrisy occurs when stated values diverge from actual behavior, eroding trust and credibility.

An ombuds observes that employees avoid raising concerns because they fear being seen as 'not a team player.' This reflects which organizational dynamic?

Answer: Conformity pressure suppressing voice

Conformity pressure can silence legitimate concerns when employees fear social sanctions for deviating from group norms.

Which type of organizational conflict is most likely to be productive when managed well?

Answer: Task or cognitive conflict at moderate levels

Moderate task conflict can improve decision quality by surfacing diverse perspectives, unlike relationship or status conflicts.

The concept of 'psychological safety' in teams, as studied by Amy Edmondson, refers to:

Answer: A shared belief that interpersonal risk-taking is safe

Psychological safety is the shared team belief that members can speak up, take risks, and admit mistakes without fear of punishment.