Pass the WGU Courses and Certificates Principles-of-Management Questions and answers with CertsForce

The most effective conflict-resolution technique for creating a shared goal that cannot be attained without the cooperation of each of the conflicting parties is the establishment of superordinate goals.

Superordinate Goals(Answer B): Superordinate goals are overarching goals that are important to both parties in a conflict and require their cooperation to be achieved. These goals help conflicting parties to focus on common objectives and work together to achieve them, thereby reducing conflict and promoting collaboration​​.

Communication(Answer A): While communication is crucial in conflict resolution, it alone may not create a shared goal that necessitates cooperation.

Avoidance(Answer C): Avoidance is a passive approach that generally postpones the conflict rather than resolving it.

Authoritative Command(Answer D): This involves using authority to resolve the conflict, which may not create cooperation or shared goals among the parties.

The source of conflict between older tenured faculty and younger, nontenured faculty members at the university is structure. Structural conflicts arise due to hierarchical or organizational arrangements that create differences in status, power, or access to resources. In this scenario, the inability to terminate older tenured faculty regardless of their competence creates a structural conflict with the younger nontenured faculty who may feel disadvantaged or undervalued​​.

The competitive force reduced by barriers such as government policies, capital requirements, brand identification, and cost disadvantages is the threat of new entrants. These barriers make it difficult for new firms to enter an industry and compete with established companies, thereby protecting existing firms from new competitors​​.

The stage in the change process that the team is experiencing is contemplation. In this stage, the team is aware of the problem and is considering potential solutions but has not yet committed to a specific action. This stage involves discussions and evaluations of different options without definitive decisions being made​​.

In strategic human resource planning, reconciling employee supply and demand is crucial when addressing a labor deficit. This involves analyzing the current workforce, predicting future staffing needs, and developing plans to ensure the organization has the right number of employees with the appropriate skills.

Reconcile Employee Supply and Demand(Answer C): This process involves assessing the current workforce, forecasting future needs, and developing strategies to meet those needs. It ensures that the organization can meet its strategic goals by having the right people in the right places at the right times​​.

Plan to Reduce Turnover Through Nonfinancial Rewards(Answer A) andImplement Employee Conflict Resolution System(Answer B): While important for employee retention and workplace harmony, these do not directly address the immediate issue of a labor deficit.

Establish Strategic Goals for Improvement of Manufacturing Performance(Answer D): This is relevant to overall strategic planning but not specific to addressing a labor deficit.

The purpose of the Six Sigma Quality approach is to analyze the causes of product defects and to reduce variability in manufacturing and business processes. Six Sigma uses statistical methods to identify and eliminate defects, aiming for near perfection in production processes. It involves steps like defining the problem, measuring key aspects, analyzing the data, improving processes, and controlling the future process performance​​.

The value chain describes the full range of activities that businesses go through to bring a product or service from conception to delivery and beyond. The concept was popularized by Michael Porter in his 1985 book "Competitive Advantage: Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance."

Definition and Scope: A value chain encompasses all the processes involved in the creation of a product or service. This includes:

Sourcing raw materials.

Production processes.

Marketing and sales.

Distribution and delivery.

Customer service post-delivery.

Primary Activities:

Inbound Logistics: Receiving, storing, and disseminating inputs of the product.

Operations: Transforming inputs into the final product.

Outbound Logistics: Collecting, storing, and distributing the product to customers.

Marketing and Sales: Persuading customers to purchase the product.

Services: Activities that maintain and enhance the product's value, such as customer service.

Support Activities:

Procurement: Acquiring the resources a company needs to operate.

Technology Development: Research and development, IT, automation, etc.

Human Resource Management: Recruiting, hiring, training, and retaining workers.

Firm Infrastructure: Organizational structure, control systems, company culture, etc.

Example of Value Chain: The textbook provides an example of Walmart's value chain to illustrate how a company adds value at each step of the process, from procurement to delivery​​.

Importance: Understanding and optimizing the value chain allows companies to identify where they can add value, reduce costs, and gain competitive advantage. Companies can use this analysis to find opportunities for improvement, innovation, and efficiency in their processes.

The activity of creating a corporate project team to develop a new product is called intrapreneurship. Intrapreneurship refers to the practice of fostering innovation and entrepreneurial skills within an organization by allowing employees to act like entrepreneurs while working within the company. This approach encourages the development of new products and services and enhances organizational growth​​.

When considering equal employment opportunity law for a promotion decision, characteristics such as fitness level can be used, provided they are relevant to the job requirements. Characteristics like religion, disability status, and age are protected under EEO laws and cannot be used as criteria for employment decisions. Fitness level, however, can be considered if it is a bona fide occupational qualification necessary for the performance of the job​​.

A company might choose to adopt an organic structure instead of a mechanistic structure because it is less rigid and emphasizes flexibility. Organic structures are characterized by low levels of formalization and standardization, decentralized decision-making, and a greater degree of employee empowerment. This flexibility allows the organization to adapt quickly to changes in the environment, fostering creativity and innovation​​.