IIA IIA Certifications IIA-CIA-PART4 Questions & Answers

• Question 381:

  Which of the following constitute initiating structure behavior?

  I. Defining duties

  II. Planning and organizing work

  III.

  Helping with work-related problems

  A.

  I and II only.

  B.

  I and Ill only.

  C.

  II and Ill only.

  D.

  I, II, and Ill.

  Correct Answer: A

  Initiating structure behavior is directed towards accomplishing tasks. Structure includes defining duties, establishing procedures, planning and organizing work. Consideration, on the other hand, is the establishment of a personal relationship between the leader and the subordinate. High consideration by the leader includes warmth towards the employee as a person, psychological support for the employee, and helpfulness with work-related problems.

• Question 382:

  A leader who explains decisions and provides opportunity for clarification is described as having which leadership style?

  A. Selling.

  B. Telling.

  C. Participating.

  D. Delegating.

  Correct Answer: A

  According to Hersey and Blanchard, a selling style of leadership provides a high degree of task orientation and a high degree of relationship orientation. This type of leader explains decisions and provides opportunities for clarification. Thus, upward and downward, two- way communication is active. This approach is more democratic than authoritarian.

• Question 383:

  Which of the following statements is true regarding leadership styles?

  A. The manager dictates all decisions to the employees, so communication is downward and tasks are clearly defined in authoritarian leadership.

  B. Employees in a group are given the authority and responsibility to make individual decisions in democratic leadership.

  C. The leader delegates substantial authority and employees participate in defining and assigning tasks in laissez-faire leadership.

  D. None of the answers are correct.

  Correct Answer: A

  When a manager uses an authoritarian leadership style, he or she dictates all decisions to the employees, so communication is downward. Moreover, tasks are clearly defined. This is considered the classical approach to leadership. Employees are not allowed to give input.

• Question 384:

  If a supervisor uses a supportive management approach, evidenced by positive feelings and concern for subordinates, a problem might result because:

  A. An approach based on pure power makes it difficult to motivate staff.

  B. This approach depends on material rewards for the worker.

  C. This approach depends on people who want to work, grow, and achieve.

  D. The manager must believe in the teamwork approach.

  Correct Answer: C

  Supportive management techniques orient workers toward performance rather than obedience or happiness. The leader should have positive feelings for his or her employees and should attempt to encourage participation and involvement. This approach is effective when used with employees who are motivated to work, improve themselves and their abilities, and accomplish goals.

• Question 385:

  Leadership situations vary with regard to the degree to which the leader can determine what subordinates will do, how the subordinates will do it, and what the results will be. Accordingto Fiedler's contingency theory, a leader with a relationship- oriented management style will be most effective when exerting:

  A. Great control.

  B. Moderate control.

  C. Little control.

  D. Great or little control.

  Correct Answer: B

  A relationship-oriented manager is employee centered. His or her self-esteem is strongly affected by personal interactions with subordinates. Fiedler indicated that such a manager is most effective when not faced with the extremes of high or low control situations. High control follows from strong position power, a structured task, and good leader- member relations. A low-control situation has just the opposite characteristics. Ina high-control environment, a concern for personal relations may be unimportant. In a low-control situation, therelationship orientedleader may be unable to provide the needed task structuring. Thus, themoderate controlsituation is best. An example is an assembly-line situation (a structured task) in which leader-member relations are poor.

• Question 386:

  Which of the following is true regarding the most recent traitist approach to leadership?

  A. The most recent traitist approach to leadership attempts to identify traits possessed by leaders.

  B. The most recent traitist approach to leadership has produced such a long list of leadership traits that, in effect, the approach identifies nothing.

  C. The most recent traitist approach to leadership is based on scholarship, dependability, and social participation.

  D. The most recent traitist approach to leadership is based on social skills, judgment, maturity, and emotional control.

  Correct Answer: D

  The most recent traitist approach is based on the emotional intelligence of leaders, that is, their social skills and judgment, maturity, and emotional control. These abilities can be learned, especially when a manager or employee understands that immaturity, erratic behavior, and uncontrolled negative emotions have a bad effect on the workplace.

• Question 387:

  Which of the following leadership types is best known as an agent of change?

  A. Participative leader.

  B. Traitist leader.

  C. Transformational leader.

  D. Free-rein leader.

  Correct Answer: C

  A transformational leader is an agent of change who attempts to inspire the members of the organization to aspire to, and to achieve, more than they thought was possible. Transformational leadership emphasizes vision, development of the individual, empowerment of the worker, and the challenging of traditional assumptions. The transformational leader normally has charisma, is motivational, provides intellectual stimulation to workers, and gives individualized consideration.

• Question 388:

  According to the contingency theory of leadership, a manager will be most effective when the manager:

  A. Consistently initiates structure.

  B. Adapts style to specific circumstances.

  C. Is task oriented.

  D. Is relationship oriented.

  Correct Answer: B

  Fred E. Fiedler's contingency theory of management holds that no single style of directing is best for all occasions. A successful director (leader) must, for each situation, balance his or her formal authority, the task structure, and the leader's relationships with the pertinent group members.

• Question 389:

  Management literature describes generic influence tactics that may be used to influence superiors, peers, or subordinates. Which of the following is the most commonly used influence tactic?

  A. An upward appeal.

  B. Exchange.

  C. Rational persuasion.

  D. Pressure.

  Correct Answer: C

  The most commonly used influence tactics are consultation, rational persuasion, and inspirational appeals. The least commonly used are pressure tactics, upward appeals, and exchange tactics. Rational persuasion tries to convince others by reliance on a detailed plan, supporting evidence, and reason. Rational persuasion is the method used most often by employees of participative managers.

• Question 390:

  Behavior modification is the management of environmental factors to encourage desirable behavior and to discourage undesirable behavior. Environmental factors include antecedents that:

  A. Reward each occurrence of a behavior.

  B. Ignore a behavior.

  C. Withdraw an unpleasant condition when a desired behavior occurs.

  D. Encourage a given behavior.

  Correct Answer: D

  Antecedents are cues that encourage but do not cause a given behavior. Managing antecedents involves eliminating barriers to good performance and replacing them with helpful aids. Barriers include unattainable objectives, poor training, confusing rules, andconflicting directions from management. Aids include challenging but attainable objectives, clear instructions, realistic plans, constructive suggestions, and acceptable work rules.