CH 6 Northouse TB

1. Path-goal theory could be best described as a ______. A. great person theory B. transformational theory C. motivational theory D. behavioral theory

2. Using the path-goal approach, expectancy theory suggests that ______. A. leaders' needs and followers' needs overlap B. followers are motivated if they think completing a task will result in a valuable payoff C. a leader should try to help followers reach their fullest potential D. followers are motivated regardless of ability

3. In path-goal theory, the three main components are ______. A. leader style, follower characteristics, and work setting B. supportive leadership, directive leadership, and participative leadership C. follower characteristics, task characteristics, and supportive leadership D. leadership, followers, and task

4. The researcher who consistently studied path-goal theory from the 1970s to 1990s is ______. A. Bass B. Hersey C. Vroom D. House

5. Path-goal theory is similar to the situational approach in that ______. A. path-goal does not suggest leaders should be flexible B. path-goal does not take followers into consideration C. path-goal requires leaders to adapt to followers' needs D. path-goal and situational both take the work setting into account

6. Motivation in path-goal theory is conceptualized using ______. A. psychodynamic theory B. great man theory C. expectancy theory D. leader-member exchange theory

7. Leadership generates motivation by ______. A. adjusting style to commitment of followers B. setting high expectations C. using only directive behaviors D. clarifying the path to goal accomplishment

8. Leaders adjust their behaviors based on ______. A. follower characteristics and work-setting characteristics B. follower characteristics and follower productivity C. follower characteristics and leader characteristics D. follower characteristics and team prototype

9. Expectancy theory is about ______. A. clearing the path for followers B. rewarding followers for meeting their goals C. establishing work group norms D. anticipating leaders' needs

10. The path-goal leader adjusts to the characteristics of the follower and ______. A. the characteristics of the work setting B. the characteristics of the team members C. the prototype of the in-group members D. the skills of the followers

11. If an employee is uncertain that her efforts will pay off, then path-goal theory suggests ______. A. the employee should move to the company's out-group B. the leader should prove that the employee's effort will be rewarded C. additional obstacles should be introduced to challenge the employee D. the employee is on the wrong path

12. The underlying assumption of expectancy theory is that followers will be motivated if ______. A. they believe their leaders are capable B. they believe their leaders are motivated C. they believe they are doing the right thing D. they believe their efforts will result in a certain outcome

13. Expectancy theory, when applied in path-goal leadership says ______. A. leaders need to find the right reward to motivate followers B. make the same rewards available to all followers C. leaders should show motivation in multiple ways D. followers are expected to motivate other followers

14. Which researcher(s) focused on how leaders motivate followers to accomplish designated goals? A. Kotter B. Fisher C. Hersey and Blanchard D. House

15. Which researcher(s) conceptualized motivation from the perspective of the expectancy theory of motivation? A. Kotter and Bennis B. Vroom C. Hersey and Blanchard D. House

16. Which two path-goal leader behaviors are also leader behaviors in the situational approach? A. participative and directive B. supportive and authoritative C. supportive and directive D. achievement-oriented and directive

17. Which of the following leadership theories expects the leader to continually be concerned about subordinate motivation? A. situational leadership theory B. contingency theory C. path-goal theory D. leader-member exchange theory

18. Path-goal theory is about how leaders ______ subordinates to accomplish designated ______. A. assign; tasks B. allow; goals C. motivate; goals D. influence; tasks

19. The directive leadership behavior in path-goal theory is similar to ______. A. delegating in the SLII model B. initiating structure in the Ohio State studies C. consideration in the University of Michigan studies D. employee orientation in the University of Michigan studies

20. It is accurate to say that directive leadership ______. A. attempts to make work challenging B. provides performance standards C. invites shared decision making D. is feedback oriented

21. Your supervisor gives you a new project. You are informed that you have exactly 1 week to complete it and are handed an outline of what the final project should resemble. According to path-goal theory, which behavior best describes your supervisor? A. supportive B. directive C. participative D. achievement oriented

22. Each week your supervisor holds a meeting to which he invites you and all the other employees to give feedback regarding current projects. According to path-goal theory, which behavior best describes your supervisor? A. supportive B. directive C. participative D. achievement oriented

23. According to path-goal theory, leadership does all of the following except ______. A. clarifies the path to reaching goals B. defines the goals for the follower C. provides support to the follower D. introduces challenging obstacles

24. Challenging followers to perform work at the highest levels possible is an example of which leadership behavior? A. supportive B. directive C. participative D. achievement oriented

25. Followers who have strong needs for affiliation prefer which type of leadership behavior? A. supportive B. directive C. participative D. achievement oriented

26. According to path-goal theory, as the followers' perception of their own ability and competence increases, the need for ______. A. supportive leadership goes down B. supportive leadership goes up C. directive leadership goes up D. directive leadership goes down

27. According to path-goal theory, directive leadership should be used when employees ______. A. believe that outside circumstances control their lives B. believe they are in charge of their lives C. feel competent to complete their work D. want to help make decisions

28. Path-goal theory suggests that leaders should respond to dogmatic/authoritarian followers from a ______. A. directive style B. supportive style C. participative style D. achievement style

29. Followers with an internal locus of control believe ______. A. that leaders are in charge of events that occur in their lives B. that fate and change are in charge of events that occur in their lives C. that they are in charge of the events that occur in their lives D. that the organization is in charge of the events that occur in their lives

30. House introduced new behaviors in his reformulated path-goal theory in 1996. These include all of the following except ______. A. inherent trait approach B. group-oriented decision process C. work facilitation D. work-group representation and networking

31. In contexts where the group norms are weak or non-supportive, leadership assists in building ______ and ______. A. rules; clarification B. cohesiveness; role responsibility C. roles; responsibility D. psychological structure; task clarity

32. Path-goal theory suggests that leaders should respond to autonomous group members with unstructured tasks from a ______. A. directive style B. supportive style C. participative style D. achievement style

33. Tasks that are unclear and ambiguous call for leadership input that ______. A. provides structure B. provides support C. removes obstacles D. is achievement oriented

34. Path-goal theory suggests all of the following except ______. A. that task and subordinate characteristics affect leadership effectiveness B. that leaders should help subordinates around their difficulties by removing obstacles C. that subordinates with an external locus of control should be directed D. that leaders need confidence and articulateness

35. With path-goal theory incorporating so many different aspects of leadership within its model, which of the following could be argued? A. the practical use of the theory is not valid B. it fails to determine the role of motivation C. it allows the leader to have a wider range of options as leader D. it is difficult to use the theory fully when trying to improve the leadership process

36. Path-goal theory does not clearly show how ______. A. leader behaviors affect follower motivation levels B. motivation is achieved by followers C. whether or not leaders can adapt behaviors to different situations D. the best context for supportive behaviors

37. Path-goal theory suggests that leaders should respond to followers who need affiliation from a(n) ______. A. achievement style B. supportive style C. directive style D. participative style

38. Path-goal theory suggests that leaders should respond to followers who need clarity and control from a(n) ______. A. achievement style B. supportive style C. directive style D. participative style

39. Path-goal theory suggests that leaders should respond to followers who need to excel from a(n) ______. A. achievement style B. supportive style C. directive style D. participative style

40. Followers with external locus of control believe ______. A. that fate is in charge of life's events B. that they are in charge of life's events C. that interactions with others control life's events D. that personal relationships control life's events

41. Manuel has a good sense of who he is and is confident that what he does and how he responds to situations will help him achieve his goals. Manuel has ______. A. external locus of control B. need for affiliation C. internal locus of control D. authoritarian disposition

42. Susan feels that others in her organization and in her personal life have more influence over her and her career and life path. Susan has ______. A. autonomous locus of control B. need for affiliation C. internal locus of control D. external locus of control

43. The new behaviors House identified in his reformulated path-goal review in 1996 have the same essential premise as the original work which is ______. A. to match leader behavior to follower competence and commitment B. to describe task and relationship behaviors C. to identify competencies of leaders D. to give followers what is missing in their workplace

44. Leaders who invite their followers to share in the decision-making process are using ______. A. directive behaviors B. achievement behaviors C. supportive behaviors D. participative behaviors

45. Leaders who challenge their followers to perform their very best are using ______. A. directive behaviors B. achievement behaviors C. supportive behaviors D. participative behaviors

46. Leaders who are friendly and approachable are using ______. A. directive behaviors B. achievement behaviors C. supportive behaviors D. participative behaviors

47. Leaders who give followers instructions about task accomplishment are using ______. A. directive behaviors B. achievement behaviors C. supportive behaviors D. participative behaviors

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

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

50. Path-goal theory is ______. A. descriptive B. prescriptive C. leader centered D. follower centered

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

58. Followers who need a high level of human interaction need ______. A. directive leadership B. participative leadership C. supportive leadership D. achievement-oriented leadership

59. Followers who have internal locus of control benefit from ______. A. directive leadership B. participative leadership C. supportive leadership D. achievement-oriented leadership

60. Followers with the desire to exceed expectations benefit from ______. A. directive leadership B. participative leadership C. supportive leadership D. achievement-oriented leadership

61. Followers who prefer authoritarian leadership benefit from ______. A. directive leadership B. participative leadership C. supportive leadership D. achievement-oriented leadership

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

71. Path-goal theory ______. A. is not a practical model B. is a practical model C. is not prescriptive D. has high validity

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

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

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

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

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

77. In path-goal theory, leaders can chose from ______ types of behaviors. A. two B. three C. four D. five

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

79. A special focus of path-goal theory is on helping followers overcome ______. A. self-limiting behaviors B. obstacles C. complexity D. expectancy

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

True/False 1. Path-goal theory is based on motivation principles drawn from expectancy theory.

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.

3. According to path-goal theory, achievement-oriented leadership is most effective in settings where followers are required to perform unambiguous tasks.

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.

5. Path-goal theory predicts that subordinates who have strong needs for affiliation prefer directive leadership.

6. Participative leadership is effective with subordinates who have a an internal locus of control.

7. Path-goal leadership is an approach to leadership for which many management training programs have been developed.

8. Path-goal theory is a lot like coaching and mentoring in Mumford's Skills Model.

9. Supportive behaviors in path-goal theory are similar to supportive behaviors in the situational approach.

10. Path-goal theory predicts that subordinates who are authoritarian prefer directive leadership.