WGU Organizational-Behavior Exam With Confidence Using Practice Dumps

Astrong organizational cultureis one in which the core values are both intensely held and widely shared by the members. One of the primary advantages of such a culture is theformation of strong employee commitment. When employees believe in and identify with the organization's values, they are more likely to be dedicated to its goals and more willing to put in extra effort to see the organization succeed.

A strong culture also serves to reduce turnover because it creates a high level of agreement among members about what the organization stands for. This unanimity of purpose builds cohesiveness and loyalty. Furthermore, a strong culture acts as a substitute for formalization; it tells employees how they are expected to behave without the need for thick manuals or rigid rules. While it can have liabilities (as noted in Q32), the immediate organizational benefit is a motivated, committed workforce that shares a common sense of direction.

ASelf-managed work teamis a group of employees (typically 10 to 15) who perform highly related or interdependent jobs and take on many of the responsibilities of their former supervisors. In a traditional work structure, a supervisor would handle tasks such as planning and scheduling work, assigning tasks to members, making operating decisions, and taking action on problems. In a self-managed environment, the team collectively takes over these managerial duties.

These teams may even select their own members and evaluate each other’s performance. The goal of organizing into self-managed teams is to increase employee involvement and empowerment, theoretically leading to higher job satisfaction and productivity through synergy and collective control. Unlike "problem-solving teams," which only make recommendations, self-managed teams have the authority to implement solutions and take full responsibility for outcomes. While this can be highly effective, the success of self-managed teams depends heavily on the organizational culture and the level of training provided to employees. If members are not prepared for the interpersonal demands of self-management—such as resolving internal conflicts or managing the pace of work—the team can struggle. However, when properly implemented, self-managed teams represent the highest level of team autonomy in organizational design.

Values represent basic convictions that a specific mode of conduct or end-state of existence is personally or socially preferable to an opposite mode. In Organizational Behavior, Milton Rokeach created the Rokeach Value Survey (RVS), which classifies values into two distinct sets: Terminal values and Instrumental values.

Terminal valuesrefer to desirable end-states of existence. These are the goals a person would like to achieve during their lifetime, such as world peace, prosperity, or a sense of accomplishment.Instrumental values, on the other hand, refer to preferable modes of behavior or means of achieving the terminal values. Being "ambitious" and "cheerful" are behavioral traits or methods that an individual employs to reach their ultimate goals. For instance, being ambitious (an instrumental value) is the "means" an employee uses to achieve the "end" of financial success or career status (a terminal value). Similarly, being cheerful is a mode of conduct that might help an individual achieve the terminal goal of social recognition or happiness. Therefore, because these descriptions focus on thehowof behavior rather than thewhatof ultimate life goals, they are strictly categorized as instrumental values. Understanding these values is crucial for managers because they influence motivation and how employees perceive organizational rewards and culture.