Path-Goal Theory Test Bank Part 2

48. Your supervisor expresses concern for your well-being when he learns of the passing of your father. He is using ______. A. directive behaviors B. achievement behaviors C. supportive behaviors D. participative behaviors Ans: C 49. Your supervisor is happy with your work and expresses confidence that you will bring the project in ahead of time and under budget. She is using ______. A. directive behaviors B. achievement behaviors C. supportive behaviors D. participative behaviors Ans: B 50. Path-goal theory is ______. A. descriptive B. prescriptive C. leader centered D. follower centered Ans: B 51. I am doing a task I do not really understand and wish my leader would clear up my confusion by telling me the first few steps. According to path-goal theory, which leadership style would help me the most? A. directive behaviors B. achievement behaviors C. supportive behaviors D. participative behaviors Ans: A 52. I am doing a task I find very boring and unchallenging. Which leadership style would help me the most? A. directive behaviors B. participative behaviors C. supportive behaviors D. achievement behaviors Ans: C 53. I am doing a task that is really difficult to understand, and I want to clarify the task and work out the details myself. Which leadership style would help me the most? A. directive behaviors B. participative behaviors C. supportive behaviors D. achievement behaviors Ans: B 54. This challenging new project is exciting and I cannot wait to see how great it is going to be when I am finished. Which leadership style would help me the most? A. directive behaviors B. participative behaviors C. supportive behaviors D. achievement behaviors Ans: D 55. Which of the following is most accurate about research to validate path-goal theory? A. A great deal of research has examined about directive and supportive leadership. B. Most studies have examined participative and achievement oriented leadership. C. Path-goal theory has been repeatedly validated in the academic community. D. No scientific studies have been conducted on path-goal theory. Ans: C 56. Despite the critiques, one of the key strengths of path-goal theory is its ______. A. practical nature B. basic focus on traits C. deep explanatory power D. emphasis on linkages Ans: A 57. Supportive leadership in path-goal theory is very similar to which concept from the Behavioral Approach? A. structure B. consideration C. motivation D. production Ans: A 58. Followers who need a high level of human interaction need ______. A. directive leadership B. participative leadership C. supportive leadership D. achievement-oriented leadership Ans: C 59. Followers who have internal locus of control benefit from ______. A. directive leadership B. participative leadership C. supportive leadership D. achievement-oriented leadership Ans: B 60. Followers with the desire to exceed expectations benefit from ______. A. directive leadership B. participative leadership C. supportive leadership D. achievement-oriented leadership Ans: D 61. Followers who prefer authoritarian leadership benefit from ______. A. directive leadership B. participative leadership C. supportive leadership D. achievement-oriented leadership Ans: A 62. My job is data entry, which I do all day long every day of the week. This is a(n) ______. A. complex task characteristic B. ambiguous task characteristic C. challenging task characteristic D. mundane task characteristic Ans: D 63. My job’s policies and procedures change regularly. This is a(n) ______. A. complex task characteristic B. unclear task characteristic C. challenging task characteristic D. mundane task characteristic Ans: B 64. My job does not have set ways of doing each task. This is a(n) ______. A. complex task characteristic B. ambiguous task characteristic C. repetitive task characteristic D. unchallenging task characteristic Ans: B 65. My job has many pieces that stretch my ability every day. This is a(n) ______. A. challenging task characteristic B. repetitive task characteristic C. unclear task characteristic D. mundane task characteristic Ans: A 66. My job as a leader using path-goal theory is to use a style that ______. A. that best fits the followers’ needs B. that best fits the followers’ needs and the type of job they are doing C. that best fits the leader’s style and the followers’ work style D. that best fits the followers’ characteristics Ans: B 67. I am really frustrated and unsatisfied with my work right now. I need my leader to ______. A. nurture me B. involve me C. challenge me D. direct me Ans: A 68. I am tired of doing the same old boring job. I need my leader to ______. A. challenge me B. involve me C. support me D. direct me Ans: C 69. I am doing a job that has ambiguous rules for which I need clarity. I need my leader to ______. A. challenge me B. involve me C. nurture me D. direct me Ans: B 70. A strength of the path–goal theory is ______. A. it is very complex and has many aspects to it B. empirical research partially supports its validity C. it attempts to integrate motivation from expectancy theory D. it clearly explains the relationship between motivation and leader behaviors Ans: C 71. Path–goal theory ______. A. is not a practical model B. is a practical model C. is not prescriptive D. has high validity Ans: B 72. According to path–goal theory, when an employee’s tasks are complex and challenging and the employee has a high need to excel, the boss should apply ______. A. directive behaviors B. supportive behaviors C. participative behaviors D. achievement oriented behaviors Ans: D 73. There are multiple leader behaviors, task characteristics, and follower characteristics in path-goal theory that must be assessed correctly and integrated for effective leadership. This is a ______. A. strength of path-goal theory B. criticism of path-goal theory C. leader benefit of path-goal theory D. organizational benefit of path-goal theory Ans: B 74. Principles of path–goal theory ______. A. are applied in many leadership training programs B. easy for leaders to apply to their followers C. consistent with organizational leadership training topics D. can be used for all types of tasks at all levels of leadership Ans: D 75. An advantage of using path-goal theory is ______. A. it connects both work tasks and leader-member exchanges for effective leadership B. it connects both work setting and skill development of followers C. it connects the work tasks and follower needs for effective leadership D. it connects leaders with followers by focusing on followers first Ans: C 76. Path–goal theory was developed to ______. A. explain how leaders motivate followers to be satisfied and successful in their work B. explain how to get all followers in the in-group C. explain how motivation improves follower service orientation D. explain how authoritarian leader behaviors are inappropriate in the work setting Ans: A 77. In path–goal theory, leaders can chose from ______ types of behaviors. A. two B. three C. four D. five Ans: C 78. Karina sorts and files medical records all day long. She is bored. Path–goal theory suggests Karina would be best motivated by ______. A. higher goals B. stricter deadlines C. involvement in decisions D. regular lunch with her boss Ans: D 79. A special focus of path–goal theory is on helping followers overcome ______. A. self-limiting behaviors B. obstacles C. complexity D. expectancy Ans: B 80. Path–goal theory supports the idea that ______. A. leaders should be fair by treating all followers the same way B. followers should take the primary role in the leadership process C. leaders should give followers what is missing in their environment D. followers should expect leaders to inspire them with lofty goals Ans: C True/False 1. Path–goal theory is based on motivation principles drawn from expectancy theory. Ans: T 2. Once a leader adjusts his/her style to match a follower’s needs, he/she should continue to use that style with that follower. Ans: F 3. According to path–goal theory, achievement-oriented leadership is most effective in settings where followers are required to perform unambiguous tasks. Ans: F 4. In work settings where the formal authority system is weak, leadership becomes a tool that helps subordinates by making the rules and work requirements clear. Ans: T 5. Path-goal theory predicts that subordinates who have strong needs for affiliation prefer directive leadership. Ans: F 6. Participative leadership is effective with subordinates who have a an internal locus of control. Ans: T 7. Path-goal leadership is an approach to leadership for which many management training programs have been developed. Ans: F 8. Path–goal theory is a lot like coaching and mentoring in Mumford’s Skills Model. Ans: F 9. Supportive behaviors in path-goal theory are similar to supportive behaviors in the situational approach. Ans: T 10. Path–goal theory predicts that subordinates who are authoritarian prefer directive leadership. Ans: T Short Answer 1. Prior to the introduction path–goal theory, studies of leadership examined leaders and, to a lesser extent, followers. What new element did path goal theory introduce to the study of leadership? Ans: Path goal theory takes into consideration the organizational setting (or work setting or task characteristics). 2. In a sentence, explain what path–goal theory is designed to explain. Ans: Path-goal theory is designed to explain how leaders can help followers along the path to their goals by selecting specific behaviors best suited to followers’ needs and to the situation followers are working in. 3. According to path–goal theory, when a follower encounters some type of obstacle at work, the leader should help. What are two actions the leader can take? Ans: Remove the obstacle for the follower or help the follower to find a way around it. 4. Jared just started a new job as a project manager at consulting firm, and his boss Kathy challenged him to establish a social media strategy for the company. The company currently has no social media presence. Jared is comfortable working on his own and has an internal locus of control. Using path-goal theory, what leadership behavior would you recommend Kathy apply, and what is one action you recommend she take? Ans: Kathy should apply participative leadership with Jared. She should invite him to share in decision making, consult with him, get his ideas, integrate his suggestions. 5. Briefly describe one criticism of path–goal theory. Ans: Students may answer with any of the following: Path–goal theory is too complex and confusing to be useful; Path–goal theory has only received partial support from empirical research; Path–goal theory does not go far enough in explaining how leaders’ behaviors affect followers’ motivations; Path–goal theory puts so much emphasis on the leader’s responsibility to the follower that it suggests followers may become overlydependent on their leaders. Essay 1. In path–goal theory, when tasks are ambiguous, three different styles of leadership are prescribed. How would a leader know which one to choose? Ans: After assessing task characteristics, the leader should assess group members’ orientations. If they like psychological structure and certainty, then the leader should use a directive style. If members have a strong sense of agency and like to be involved in decision making, then a participative style of leadership is called for. For members who are self-motivated and strive to excel, an achievement-oriented leadership style would be most effective. 2. How can a leader’s style affect a follower’s motivation? Ans: The path–goal approach is based on expectancy theory, “which suggests that subordinates will be motivated if they think they are capable of performing their work, if they believe their efforts will result in a certain outcome, and if they believe that the payoffs for doing their work are worthwhile.” Leaders motivate by making subordinates’ paths to their goals clear and their work conditions more satisfying. This involves choosing the leader behaviors that best fit subordinate needs (affiliation, etc.) and task characteristics (formal authority, group norms, etc.). 3. Path-goal theory is criticized for its over-emphasis on the leader and not so much on the follower. This may lead to follower dependence on the leader. What would you recommend to an organization wanting to avoid such outcomes? Give examples using specific behaviors you would recommend for a leader. Ans: Answer should give an overview of the following behaviors and then offer supported suggestions: directive behavior, supportive behavior, participative behavior, and achievement-oriented behavior. 4. Both the directive and supportive leader behaviors in the path-goal approach are quite similar to the leader behaviors of the same name in the situational approach. Participative and achievement-oriented behaviors are different from the other two behaviors in situational approach (coaching and delegating). Compare and contrast these four behaviors using your knowledge of both the situational approach and path–goal approach. Ans: Answers will vary but should include a discussion of each of the four behaviors. Coaching--is high supportive and high directive. There is a high level of involvement with the follower, which is somewhat similar to participative in path-goal. However, in coaching the leader makes the final decision, and in participative behavior the decisions are made with input from the followers. Delegating--is low supportive and low directive. It is used in situational approach when the leader trusts the followers because they are competent and committed. The achievement-oriented style in path-goal might have some similarities because leaders use this style with followers who have a high need to excel and are welcoming of challenges. 5. One of the follower characteristics in path-goal theory is perception of one’s own ability. As perception of ability goes up, directive leadership should go down. Why is this? And what is the effect on the follower if directive leadership continues to be used? Ans: When followers feel as if they know what they are doing, having a leader that tells them what to do and how to do it can feel punitive and redundant. Continuing to direct this follower may make them resentful of the leader and it could actually decrease their motivation, exactly the opposite of the focus of path–goal, which is to keep motivation of followers high.