Organizational-Behaviors-and-Leadership WGU Organizational Behaviors and Leadership (IBC1) Free Practice Exam Questions (2025 Updated)

According to the goal-setting theory of motivation, two critical factors contributing to goal achievement are goal specificity and feedback. Specific goals are clear and measurable, which helps individuals understand what is expected of them. Self-generated feedback allows individuals to monitor their own progress, make necessary adjustments, and stay motivated. In this scenario, the individual set a specific goal of selling an average of 10 items per call and making 25 sales calls, and kept a tally of calls and sales, providing self-generated feedback. Reference: Locke, E.A. & Latham, G.P. (2002). Building a Practically Useful Theory of Goal Setting and Task Motivation. American Psychologist.

Increasing group cohesiveness can be achieved by physically isolating the group, which encourages members to interact more frequently and develop stronger bonds. This isolation can help the group focus on their common goals and work together more effectively. Other options, such as making the group larger or decreasing the difficulty of becoming a group member, would likely decrease cohesiveness. Establishing more rigid roles might also hinder the flexibility needed for effective teamwork. Reference: Robbins, S.P. & Judge, T.A. (2019). Organizational Behavior, 18th Edition. Pearson.

According to attribution theory, three factors determine whether an observer attributes behavior to internal or external causes: distinctiveness, consensus, and consistency.

Distinctiveness: Whether the individual behaves differently in different situations.

Consensus: Whether others in the same situation behave similarly.

Consistency: Whether the individual behaves the same way over time.

Employee A’s perception of why Employee B was late would depend on these three factors. For example, if Employee B is rarely late (high distinctiveness), if many other employees were also late (high consensus), and if Employee B is usually punctual (high consistency), Employee A might attribute the lateness to an external cause such as traffic or weather conditions.

Problem-solving is a conflict resolution technique where parties involved meet to identify the problem and resolve it through open discussion. This technique focuses on finding a mutually beneficial solution and addressing the underlying issues causing the conflict, thus ensuring a more sustainable resolution.

While interpersonal skills, problem-solving, and decision-making skills are crucial, technical expertise is essential for the specific tasks at hand. In this case, management overlooked the necessity of technical skills, which are vital for the team members to effectively accomplish their work and meet project expectations.

References:

Robbins, S. P., & Judge, T. A. (2018). Organizational Behavior. Pearson.

Katzenbach, J. R., & Smith, D. K. (2003).The Wisdom of Teams: Creating the High-Performance Organization. Harper Business.

When a team struggles with procedural issues, the team leader should employ conflict resolution methods to address and resolve these issues. Conflict resolution techniques, such as negotiation, mediation, and open discussion, can help team members understand each other's perspectives, identify common ground, and agree on procedures that govern their performance. This approach helps build consensus and improve team dynamics.

Social loafing refers to the phenomenon where individuals exert less effort when working in a group than when working alone. This challenges the assumption that group productivity should equal the sum of individual productivity, as some members may rely on others to carry the workload, leading to reduced overall group efficiency.

Authoritative command involves the use of formal authority to resolve conflicts. In this case, the department head implements a new policy to eliminate the conflict by prohibiting eating at desks. This approach uses direct authority to change behavior and resolve the issue.

References:

Robbins, S. P., & Judge, T. A. (2018). Organizational Behavior. Pearson.

Thomas, K. W. (1992). Conflict and conflict management: Reflections and update. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 13(3), 265-274.

An organization can transmit its culture to its employees by using material symbols and specific language. Material symbols include the physical layout of the workplace, dress codes, and corporate logos, which convey the organization's values and norms. Specific language, including jargon and slogans, also plays a crucial role in reinforcing the cultural identity and shared understanding among employees. This approach is well-documented in studies on organizational culture transmission (Schein, 2017).

To develop team effectiveness, it is important to balance individual and team rewards. This approach ensures that individual contributions are recognized and rewarded, while also encouraging collaboration and collective effort towards team goals. This dual focus helps maintain motivation at both the individual and team levels, promoting overall team effectiveness.

Aggressiveness is one of the six primary characteristics that define an organization's culture. It refers to the degree to which employees are aggressive and competitive rather than easygoing. This characteristic influences how organizational goals are pursued and how competitive the organization is within its industry.

References:

Robbins, S. P., & Judge, T. A. (2017). Organizational Behavior (17th ed.). Pearson.

Cameron, K. S., & Quinn, R. E. (2011).Diagnosing and Changing Organizational Culture: Based on the Competing Values Framework (3rd ed.). Jossey-Bass.

Employee A exhibits an internal locus of control because they believe that their actions and decisions significantly influence the outcomes of the team's actions. This is evident from the fact that Employee A actively searches for additional information and takes the initiative, suggesting a belief in their ability to control events and outcomes.

Employee B, on the other hand, exhibits an external locus of control. They tend to perform better in structured, routine jobs and believe that outcomes are determined by luck or chance, indicating a belief that external factors control their fate rather than their own actions.