UGC NET Management Previous Year Solved Papers MCQ - July 2016

6 Which process is used by a person (perceiver) to deal with conflicting messages, and conflicting data?

Perceptual Defense: It is the tool used by the perceiver to deal with conflicting data and conflicting messages, Defense mechanisms including denial - modification in the data, modification in the perception.
> Justification of personal attitude belief in spite of data received.
> One defense mechanism worth mentioning is projection. One interprets the behavior of the other in accordance with their own beliefs and behavior.
> Contextual dimensions influence of the interpretation of the stimuli.
> Contextual factors like interpersonal context, organizational context and the background of the person are worth considering.

7 Assertion (A): The physiological needs are essential for living but they are determined by the social environment.
Reason (R): These needs may be motivators in backward countries but in a developed country, these needs are supposed to be satisfied, hence, they may not be considered motivators.

8 The basic emphasis of _________ theory of organizational design is on flat structure, decentralization and provision of informal organization.

Neo-Classical writers gave an organizational design which is a modification of classical structure in the following ways:
(a) Flat structure: As against the tall structure of the classical theory, the Neoclassical theory suggests a flat structure. Tall and flat structures are extensions of the concept of span of control. Tall structure with narrow span creates problems of communication, motivation and expense. In a flat structure, the scalar chain is shorter. As a result communication and motivation tend to be more effective.
(b) Decentralization: The Neo-classical theory suggests decentralization which is closely related to a flat structure. The decentralized structure allows initiative and autonomy at lower levels.
(c) Informal Organisation: The Classical theorists did not consider informal organization. Neo-classical writers suggested that both formal and informal organizations are interdependent and both must be studied for a complete understanding of behavior in organizations. Formal organization represents deliberate or official channels of interactions. But it suffers from several weaknesses. Therefore, an informal organization is created to plug its loopholes and to satisfy the social and psychological needs of people. Management neither creates nor can it eliminate informal groups. It should use these groups to improve communication and to overcome resistance to change.
Neo-classical organization theory has attempted to overcome the limitations of classical theory. It is certainly more humanistic and is an improvement over the Classical theory. It has introduced behavioral sciences in the study of organizational functioning. This is really a valuable contribution.

9 The result variables as the component of a mathematical model for measuring the system’s effectiveness and efficiency in management science include _____.

10 Assertion (A): Reinforcement plays a central role in the learning process.
Reason (R): Reinforcement strengthens the response preceding it and induces repetitions of the response.

Principles of Learning: Reinforcement and Punishment
Reinforcement and punishment play a central role in the learning process. Most learning experts agree that reinforcement is more important than punishment and is the single most important principle of learning. Yet, there is still some controversy over its theoretical explanation. The first theoretical treatment given to reinforcement in learning and the framework that still dominates today is Thorndike’s classic law of effect.
Reinforcement
An often-cited circular definition of reinforcement says that it is anything the person finds rewarding, This definition is of little value because the words “reinforcing” and “rewarding” are used interchangeably, but neither one is operationally defined. A more operational definition can be arrived at by reverting to the law of effect. Under this law, reinforcement can be defined as anything that both increases the strength of response and tends to induce repetitions of the behavior that preceded the reinforcement. A reward is simply something that the person who presents it deems to be desirable.
Reinforcement is functionally defined. Something is reinforcing only if it strengthens the response preceding it and induces repetitions of the response. For example, a manager may ostensibly reward an employee who found an error in a report by publicly praising the employee. Yet upon examination, it is found that the employee is embarrassed and chided by coworkers, and error-finding behavior decreases in the future. In this example, the “reward” is not reinforcing. Even though there is this technical difference between a reward and reinforces, the terms are often used interchangeably.