Match the List I with List II and select the correct answer by using the codes given below :List IList II(a) Chester Barnard(1) Organisation and Innovation(b) Henry Fayol(2) Zone of indifference(c) Herbert Simon(3) Gangplank(d) Chris Argyris(4) Bounded rationalityCodes :

The code is a-2, b-3, c-4, d-1.Chester Barnard, The Functions of the Executive (1938): the zone of indifference, the range of orders a subordinate accepts without questioning them.Henri Fayol: the gangplank, a bridge allowing people at the same level in different chains to deal directly.Herbert Simon: bounded rationality, the idea that decision-makers satisfice because their knowledge and time are limited.Chris Argyris: Organization and Innovation (1965).Option A gives Barnard Argyris's book, option C gives him Fayol's gangplank and option D gives him Simon's bounded rationality, so only B matches every pair.

Match List I with List II and select the correct answer from the codes given below :List IList II(a) Frederick Taylor(1) Management by Integration and self-control(b) Abraham Maslow(2) Two-factor theory(c) Chris Argyris(3) Reward theory(d) Frederick Herzberg(4) Need theoryCodes :

The code is a-3, b-4, c-1, d-2.Frederick Taylor: reward theory, since his differential piece-rate system pays workers who reach the standard task at a higher rate.Abraham Maslow: need theory, the hierarchy of needs from physiological needs to self-actualisation.Chris Argyris: integration of the individual and the organisation, the theme of his work on how formal organisations frustrate mature personalities.Frederick Herzberg: the two-factor (motivation-hygiene) theory.Only options B and D give Herzberg the two-factor theory, and of those only B gives Maslow need theory, so A, C and D are out.

Administrative Thought Questions and Answers

Q: The principle of unity of command was rejected by :(1) F.W. Taylor(2) Seclor Hudson(3) J.D. Millet(4) Herbert SimonCodes :

The answer is (1), (2), (3) and (4), all four writers.F.W. Taylor rejected unity of command with his functional foremanship, in which a worker took orders from eight specialist foremen. Herbert Simon, in The Proverbs of Administration (1946), showed that the principle contradicts specialisation, since an expert must be able to give orders in his field to people who report to someone else.Standard Indian textbooks also list Catheryna Seckler-Hudson and John D. Millett among its critics, because in practice specialists and field offices answer to more than one superior. Every code includes Taylor, so the question turns on the others, and each code that leaves out (2), (3) or (4) is incomplete.

Q: The essence of scalar principle is :

The essence of the scalar principle is unity of command.The scalar principle, Mooney and Reiley's scalar process and Fayol's scalar chain, arranges an organisation in a graded chain of authority from the top to the bottom. Each member stands in one line and receives orders from the one superior directly above him, which is what unity of command means. A chain in which a person had several masters would no longer be a single scalar line.Span of control is a separate principle about how many subordinates one superior can supervise. Communication travels along the chain, and co-ordination is the purpose the hierarchy serves, but neither is the defining feature of the chain itself.

Q: Find the odd one out :

The odd one out is structural theory.Structural theory is the classical approach of Gulick, Urwick and Fayol, which looks at an organisation as a formal structure of positions and authority designed by principles, and treats the people in it as interchangeable parts.The other three put people and their setting at the centre. Human relations theory, from the Hawthorne studies, stresses informal groups and social needs. Humanistic theory, in the work of Maslow, McGregor and Argyris, stresses self-actualisation and the fit between the individual and the organisation. A socio-economic approach looks at the social and economic environment in which people work. Structure without people is what sets option B apart.

Q: The 'Gangplank' refers to :

The gangplank refers to level jumping.Fayol's scalar chain makes communication travel up the line of authority and down again. For people at the same level in different departments that is slow, so Fayol allowed a direct link between them, with their superiors' consent and keeping them informed. This bridge across the chain, which jumps the levels in between, is the gangplank.Discipline, initiative and equity are three other entries among Fayol's fourteen principles of management. Discipline is obedience to agreements, initiative is freedom to propose and carry out plans, and equity is fair treatment. None of them is the gangplank.

Q: Who is the gospel of neutral principles of administration ?

The answer is Gulick.Luther Gulick, with Lyndall Urwick, is the leading voice of the classical or principles school. In the Papers on the Science of Administration (1937) he set out POSDCORB and argued that administration rests on universal principles that hold whatever the purpose or the politics of the organisation, which is the sense of 'neutral principles' in the question.Herbert Simon is the opposite case: he attacked those principles as 'proverbs' that contradict one another. Elton Mayo led the human relations studies at Hawthorne, which stressed informal groups and sentiment rather than formal principles. Fred Riggs is known for the ecological and comparative approach (the prismatic-sala model), not for universal principles.

Q: Which is not the base for selecting an alternative in decision-making process ?

The answer is Desired opinion.In the standard account of decision-making, once alternatives have been identified a manager chooses among them on three bases: experience (what has worked before), experimentation (trying an alternative out on a small scale) and research and analysis (breaking the problem into its parts and studying each, often with models). Each of these is a way of testing an alternative against evidence.A desired opinion is simply what someone would like the answer to be. Choosing an alternative because it matches a preferred view is not a recognised base of rational choice, so it is the one that does not belong.

Q: Which of the following principles of management is not propounded by Lyndall Urwick ?

The key gives Principle of Hierarchy as the one Urwick did not propound. I could not confirm this from a source.Lyndall Urwick, in The Elements of Administration and his papers on direction and control, treats administration as investigation, forecasting, planning, organisation, coordination, command and control, and he states principles for these steps, so the principles of investigation and of control are his. 'Principle of Experiment' is not a name found in his lists, which is a reason to doubt that the key picks the right odd one out.The key's choice of hierarchy rests on the idea that the scalar or hierarchical principle belongs to other writers such as Fayol and Mooney and Reiley. Urwick does discuss the scalar chain, so this item is a weak recall question; I kept the official key because I found nothing that proves it wrong.

Q: McGregor hypothesized that a manager’s assumption about human behavior predetermined :

McGregor held that a manager's assumptions predetermined his administrative style.In The Human Side of Enterprise (1960), Douglas McGregor argued that behind every managerial decision lie assumptions about human nature. A manager who holds Theory X assumptions (people dislike work, avoid responsibility and must be coerced) adopts a directive, controlling style. One who holds Theory Y assumptions (people find work natural, seek responsibility and exercise self-direction) adopts a participative, supportive style.Decision-making, interpersonal relations and the line of action a manager takes are all parts of that style, so each is too narrow. McGregor's point was about the whole manner of managing, which is why 'administrative style' is the answer.

11.

The principle of unity of command was rejected by :

(1) F.W. Taylor
(2) Seclor Hudson
(3) J.D. Millet
(4) Herbert Simon

Codes :

A.(1), (3) and (4)
B.(1) and (4)
C.(1), (2) and (3)
D.(1), (2), (3) and (4)

Exam Year(s)

MH SET - 2018, SET Exam - 2018,

Answer: D

The answer is (1), (2), (3) and (4), all four writers.

F.W. Taylor rejected unity of command with his functional foremanship, in which a worker took orders from eight specialist foremen. Herbert Simon, in The Proverbs of Administration (1946), showed that the principle contradicts specialisation, since an expert must be able to give orders in his field to people who report to someone else.

Standard Indian textbooks also list Catheryna Seckler-Hudson and John D. Millett among its critics, because in practice specialists and field offices answer to more than one superior. Every code includes Taylor, so the question turns on the others, and each code that leaves out (2), (3) or (4) is incomplete.

Discuss in Forum

12.

The essence of scalar principle is :

A.Unity of Command
B.Span of Control
C.Communication
D.Co-ordination

Exam Year(s)

MH SET - 2018, SET Exam - 2018,

Answer: A

The essence of the scalar principle is unity of command.

The scalar principle, Mooney and Reiley's scalar process and Fayol's scalar chain, arranges an organisation in a graded chain of authority from the top to the bottom. Each member stands in one line and receives orders from the one superior directly above him, which is what unity of command means. A chain in which a person had several masters would no longer be a single scalar line.

Span of control is a separate principle about how many subordinates one superior can supervise. Communication travels along the chain, and co-ordination is the purpose the hierarchy serves, but neither is the defining feature of the chain itself.

Discuss in Forum

13.

Match the List I with List II and select the correct answer by using the codes given below :

List I	List II
(a) Chester Barnard	(1) Organisation and Innovation
(b) Henry Fayol	(2) Zone of indifference
(c) Herbert Simon	(3) Gangplank
(d) Chris Argyris	(4) Bounded rationality

Codes :

A.a-1, b-2, c-3, d-4
B.a-2, b-3, c-4, d-1
C.a-3, b-4, c-1, d-2
D.a-4, b-1, c-2, d-3

Exam Year(s)

MH SET - 2018, SET Exam - 2018,

Answer: B

The code is a-2, b-3, c-4, d-1.

Chester Barnard, The Functions of the Executive (1938): the zone of indifference, the range of orders a subordinate accepts without questioning them.
Henri Fayol: the gangplank, a bridge allowing people at the same level in different chains to deal directly.
Herbert Simon: bounded rationality, the idea that decision-makers satisfice because their knowledge and time are limited.
Chris Argyris: Organization and Innovation (1965).

Option A gives Barnard Argyris's book, option C gives him Fayol's gangplank and option D gives him Simon's bounded rationality, so only B matches every pair.

Discuss in Forum

14.

Find the odd one out :

A.Human relations theory
B.Structural theory
C.Socio-economic theory
D.Humanistic theory

Exam Year(s)

MH SET - 2018, SET Exam - 2018,

Answer: B

The odd one out is structural theory.

Structural theory is the classical approach of Gulick, Urwick and Fayol, which looks at an organisation as a formal structure of positions and authority designed by principles, and treats the people in it as interchangeable parts.

The other three put people and their setting at the centre. Human relations theory, from the Hawthorne studies, stresses informal groups and social needs. Humanistic theory, in the work of Maslow, McGregor and Argyris, stresses self-actualisation and the fit between the individual and the organisation. A socio-economic approach looks at the social and economic environment in which people work. Structure without people is what sets option B apart.

Discuss in Forum

15.

The 'Gangplank' refers to :

A.Discipline
B.Initiative
C.Equity
D.Level jumping

Exam Year(s)

MH SET - 2018, SET Exam - 2018,

Answer: D

The gangplank refers to level jumping.

Fayol's scalar chain makes communication travel up the line of authority and down again. For people at the same level in different departments that is slow, so Fayol allowed a direct link between them, with their superiors' consent and keeping them informed. This bridge across the chain, which jumps the levels in between, is the gangplank.

Discipline, initiative and equity are three other entries among Fayol's fourteen principles of management. Discipline is obedience to agreements, initiative is freedom to propose and carry out plans, and equity is fair treatment. None of them is the gangplank.

Discuss in Forum

16.

Match List I with List II and select the correct answer from the codes given below :

List I	List II
(a) Frederick Taylor	(1) Management by Integration and self-control
(b) Abraham Maslow	(2) Two-factor theory
(c) Chris Argyris	(3) Reward theory
(d) Frederick Herzberg	(4) Need theory

Codes :

A.a-1, b-4, c-2, d-3
B.a-3, b-4, c-1, d-2
C.a-2, b-1, c-3, d-4
D.a-4, b-3, c-1, d-2

Exam Year(s)

MH SET - 2018, SET Exam - 2018,

Answer: B

The code is a-3, b-4, c-1, d-2.

Frederick Taylor: reward theory, since his differential piece-rate system pays workers who reach the standard task at a higher rate.
Abraham Maslow: need theory, the hierarchy of needs from physiological needs to self-actualisation.
Chris Argyris: integration of the individual and the organisation, the theme of his work on how formal organisations frustrate mature personalities.
Frederick Herzberg: the two-factor (motivation-hygiene) theory.

Only options B and D give Herzberg the two-factor theory, and of those only B gives Maslow need theory, so A, C and D are out.

Discuss in Forum

17.

Who is the gospel of neutral principles of administration ?

A.Gulick
B.Mayo
C.Simon
D.Riggs

Exam Year(s)

MH SET - 2019, SET Exam - 2019,

Answer: A

The answer is Gulick.

Luther Gulick, with Lyndall Urwick, is the leading voice of the classical or principles school. In the Papers on the Science of Administration (1937) he set out POSDCORB and argued that administration rests on universal principles that hold whatever the purpose or the politics of the organisation, which is the sense of 'neutral principles' in the question.

Herbert Simon is the opposite case: he attacked those principles as 'proverbs' that contradict one another. Elton Mayo led the human relations studies at Hawthorne, which stressed informal groups and sentiment rather than formal principles. Fred Riggs is known for the ecological and comparative approach (the prismatic-sala model), not for universal principles.

Discuss in Forum

18.

Which is not the base for selecting an alternative in decision-making process ?

A.Experience
B.Experimentation
C.Research and analysis
D.Desired opinion

Exam Year(s)

MH SET - 2019, SET Exam - 2019,

Answer: D

The answer is Desired opinion.

In the standard account of decision-making, once alternatives have been identified a manager chooses among them on three bases: experience (what has worked before), experimentation (trying an alternative out on a small scale) and research and analysis (breaking the problem into its parts and studying each, often with models). Each of these is a way of testing an alternative against evidence.

A desired opinion is simply what someone would like the answer to be. Choosing an alternative because it matches a preferred view is not a recognised base of rational choice, so it is the one that does not belong.

Discuss in Forum

19.

Which of the following principles of management is not propounded by Lyndall Urwick ?

A.Principle of Investigation
B.Principle of Control
C.Principle of Hierarchy
D.Principle of Experiment

Exam Year(s)

MH SET - 2019, SET Exam - 2019,

Answer: C

The key gives Principle of Hierarchy as the one Urwick did not propound. I could not confirm this from a source.

Lyndall Urwick, in The Elements of Administration and his papers on direction and control, treats administration as investigation, forecasting, planning, organisation, coordination, command and control, and he states principles for these steps, so the principles of investigation and of control are his. 'Principle of Experiment' is not a name found in his lists, which is a reason to doubt that the key picks the right odd one out.

The key's choice of hierarchy rests on the idea that the scalar or hierarchical principle belongs to other writers such as Fayol and Mooney and Reiley. Urwick does discuss the scalar chain, so this item is a weak recall question; I kept the official key because I found nothing that proves it wrong.

Discuss in Forum

20.

McGregor hypothesized that a manager’s assumption about human behavior predetermined :

A.his administrative style
B.his decision-making
C.his interpersonal relations
D.his line of action

Exam Year(s)

MH SET - 2019, SET Exam - 2019,

Answer: A

McGregor held that a manager's assumptions predetermined his administrative style.

In The Human Side of Enterprise (1960), Douglas McGregor argued that behind every managerial decision lie assumptions about human nature. A manager who holds Theory X assumptions (people dislike work, avoid responsibility and must be coerced) adopts a directive, controlling style. One who holds Theory Y assumptions (people find work natural, seek responsibility and exercise self-direction) adopts a participative, supportive style.

Decision-making, interpersonal relations and the line of action a manager takes are all parts of that style, so each is too narrow. McGregor's point was about the whole manner of managing, which is why 'administrative style' is the answer.

Administrative Thought Questions and Answers

Topics

Other Subjects

Tags: Administrative Thought Questions and Answers

About Us

Administrative Thought Questions and Answers

Topics

Other Subjects

Tags: Administrative Thought Questions and Answers

About Us

Stay informed about all important Dates & Notifications