RSM Leadership and Ethics 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: RSM's EMBA and MBA programs emphasize 'cross-cultural leadership.' Why is this particularly important for RSM graduates?
- Most graduates work only in the Netherlands
- RSM's diverse student body and global alumni network means graduates regularly lead multicultural teams (Correct answer)
- Cross-cultural skills are legally required in the EU
- It replaces the need for technical business skills
Correct answer: RSM's diverse student body and global alumni network means graduates regularly lead multicultural teams
RSM draws students from over 50 countries, and its global business focus means graduates must lead teams spanning multiple cultures and value systems.
Question 2: In ethical decision-making, 'whistleblowing' refers to what action?
- Announcing a company's quarterly earnings
- An employee reporting unethical or illegal activities within their organization (Correct answer)
- A regulatory body auditing a company's accounts
- A CEO publicly disclosing strategic plans
Correct answer: An employee reporting unethical or illegal activities within their organization
Whistleblowing occurs when an insider discloses wrongdoing, often at personal risk, to expose ethical or legal violations within an organization.
Question 3: Which leadership style is characterized by giving team members significant autonomy and minimal supervision?
- Autocratic leadership
- Servant leadership
- Laissez-faire leadership (Correct answer)
- Transactional leadership
Correct answer: Laissez-faire leadership
Laissez-faire leadership delegates decision-making to employees with little intervention, trusting them to self-manage effectively.
Question 4: The concept of 'triple bottom line' in business ethics refers to measuring company performance in which three areas?
- Revenue, costs, and profit
- People, planet, and profit (Correct answer)
- Shareholders, customers, and employees
- Innovation, efficiency, and growth
Correct answer: People, planet, and profit
The triple bottom line framework, coined by John Elkington, evaluates social, environmental, and financial performance — people, planet, and profit.
Question 5: In Hofstede's cultural dimensions, 'power distance' measures what aspect of organizational culture?
- The physical distance between company headquarters and subsidiaries
- The degree to which less powerful members accept and expect unequal power distribution (Correct answer)
- A company's market capitalization relative to competitors
- The gap between executive and entry-level salaries
Correct answer: The degree to which less powerful members accept and expect unequal power distribution
High power distance cultures accept hierarchical differences without question, while low power distance cultures expect more equitable power sharing.
Question 6: What is 'servant leadership,' a concept frequently discussed in RSM leadership courses?
- A style where leaders prioritize their own career advancement
- An approach where the leader's primary role is to serve and empower their followers (Correct answer)
- Leadership based on strict rule enforcement
- A hierarchical model common in government institutions
Correct answer: An approach where the leader's primary role is to serve and empower their followers
Servant leadership, developed by Robert Greenleaf, holds that leaders exist to serve their teams, focusing on others' growth, well-being, and success.
Question 7: Which ethical principle holds that individuals should act only according to rules they would be willing to see universally applied?
- The golden rule of reciprocity
- Kant's categorical imperative (Correct answer)
- Mill's principle of utility
- Rawls' veil of ignorance
Correct answer: Kant's categorical imperative
Kant's categorical imperative requires that actions be based on maxims you would want applied universally, ensuring impartiality and consistency in ethics.
RSM Leadership and Ethics 2
RSM's EMBA and MBA programs emphasize 'cross-cultural leadership.' Why is this particularly important for RSM graduates?