Organizational Dynamics & Behavior Flashcards

An ombuds notices that a new policy has been implemented without employee input and is generating resistance. This is best explained by:

Answer: Lack of procedural justice in the change process

Procedural justice—fairness in how decisions are made—is critical to acceptance; exclusion from the process breeds resistance.

Which concept describes how power, once acquired, becomes self-reinforcing within organizations?

Answer: The Matthew effect in organizations

The Matthew effect ('the rich get richer') describes how existing power and resources attract more power and resources over time.

A department head uses their budget control to influence other units' behavior without formal authority over them. This is an example of:

Answer: Resource-based power and dependency

Controlling critical resources creates dependency, giving the resource holder informal power over those who need those resources.

Which organizational behavior concept explains why people in groups sometimes exert less effort than they would individually?

Answer: Social loafing

Social loafing occurs when individuals reduce their effort in a group because personal contributions feel less identifiable or accountable.

An ombuds visitor describes a workplace where rules are applied inconsistently based on personal relationships with the supervisor. This reflects:

Answer: Inequitable application of policy undermining fairness

Inconsistent rule application based on personal favoritism violates distributive and procedural justice, breeding resentment.

The concept of 'organizational silence' refers to:

Answer: Employees collectively withholding concerns and ideas from management

Organizational silence occurs when employees collectively choose not to voice concerns, often due to fear or perceived futility.

When an organization's structure and culture remain misaligned with its stated strategy, a key risk is:

Answer: Strategy execution failure due to structural-cultural drag

Culture and structure that contradict strategy create drag, causing initiatives to stall because informal systems undermine formal goals.