Peter Scholtes developed a matrix which looks at the relationship between how much a leader is perceived to care, and how competent the leader is perceived to be. This matrix is often called the ‘trust matrix’.
Based on Scholte’s Trust matrix, which of the following terms would apply to a leader that the team thinks cares a lot, and is also very capable?
- A . Trust
- B . Distrust
- C . Affection
- D . Respect
A
Explanation:
This is regarded as the most effective place to be on the matrix, and it is labelled ‘trust’.
In other words, the team trusts the leader a great deal because the leader is both competent and cares.
Giving employees the right to make modest decisions in an independent and self-directing way, on behalf of the organisation. Trusting employees to do the right thing, for example, when faced with a customer complaint.
- A . Entitlement
- B . Empowerment
- C . Endowment
- D . Endorsement
B
Explanation:
Empowerment enables some decision-making to be at the ‘lowest level’ of the organisation, often creating enhanced levels of customer and job satisfaction. Empowerment can sometimes include small-scale authority to commit modest funds. Empowerment can enable staff to ‘own’ a problem.
The other terms shown are not relevant.
‘Other people are only ever in it for themselves, and never act for honourable or unselfish reasons’.
- A . Skepticism
- B . Empiricism
- C . Cynicism
- D . Schism
C
Explanation:
A more extreme view than skepticism, not even allowing for honourable motives.
Such a person is a ‘cynic’.
In the context of this course, such a person would be likely to resist change, perhaps believing that there are ulterior motives around the need for change.
Where an organisational internal customer / user deliberately circumvents the procurement function, and buys from an external supplier without following due procedure. This is commonly called:
- A . Compliant spend
- B . Tail spend
- C . Iceman spend
- D . Maverick spend
D
Explanation:
Maverick spend is outside of organisational procedure, and can undermine the benefits of professional procurement.
Maverick spend should be actively discouraged.
Management studies and experiments over several decades have found that increased participation of workers in decision-making about changes tends to lead to (choose one):
- A . Longer holidays / higher pay / more sunshine
- B . Never-ending debates / time-wasting / indecision
- C . Overcoming of resistance to change / increased co-operation and productivity
- D . Industrial stoppages / strikes / sabotage
C
Explanation:
Consultation and involvement have been shown to enhance the likelihood of co-operation with pro-posed changes, thus participation and consultation is one often effective method of overcoming resistance to change.
According to CIPS / Profex, which one of the following is not a connected stakeholder? Select one.
- A . Shareholders
- B . Suppliers
- C . Customers
- D . Trade unions
D
Explanation:
The correct answer is trade unions, although I can think of a few trade union leaders who would like to think of themselves as being connected.
According to the Profex book for this subject, connected stakeholders ‘are not part of the organisa-tion, but have direct legal, contractual or commercial dealings’ with a firm.
An expediter would be expected to primarily:
- A . Undertake purchasing research
- B . Deliver in-house procurement training
- C . Chase up late or potentially late deliveries
- D . Pay invoices
C
Explanation:
Chase up late or potentially late deliveries – a task which in an ideal procurement world, would be unnecessary. I am hoping that ‘in the real world’ the volume of this type of activity is in decline.
‘Positivity’ is about (choose one):
- A . A tendency to develop theories
- B . A ‘can do’ attitude
- C . Adopting a particular viewpoint
- D . Knowledge of electronics
B
Explanation:
This is a reference to the idea that by thinking positively, one can achieve more – by having a ‘can do’ attitude.
The other answers are puns on the word ‘positivity’. More or less.
‘I have my doubts about that’.
- A . ‘I’m not so sure’.
- B . A realist
- C . A fellow traveller
- D . A skeptic
- E . A cynic
D
Explanation:
The answer is someone who is skeptical – they’re not completely cynical, but they’re not too sure.
Also spelt: ‘sceptic’.
Thinking of Tannenbaum and Schmidt’s work, which of the following terms describes a leader @who is not a dictator, but nonetheless makes the decisions. The team depends heavily on the lead-er, and what the leader says’.
- A . Autocratic
- B . Dictatorial
- C . Laissez-faire
- D . Democratic
A
Explanation:
The QUESTION gives us the clue that the answer is not dictatorial.
Both democratic and laissez-faire are less dogmatic than is suggested in the QUESTION.
You will probably want to be fairly clear on Tannenbaum and Schmidt’s ideas for your assessment, I should think.
According to CIPS, which of the following are not included in the five ‘rights’ of procurement and supply?
- A . Goods
- B . Source
- C . Manner
A, B C
Explanation:
All three of them.
CIPS appears to have excluded these three possible candidates for inclusion, concentrating instead
on quantity, quality, price, place, time. Or QQPPT.
Thinking about the STEP / PESTEL / STEEPLE model, into which two categories would taxation most suitably fall?
- A . Socio-cultural
- B . Political
- C . Technological
- D . Economic
B, D
Explanation:
This should be a straightforward QUESTION. Taxation is determined by politicians and can affect the economy significantly.
PEST, which appears in your syllabus, can be expanded into PESTEL or STEEPLE. They are all appropriate.
Legal, environmental and ethical have been added by some writers to expand the original PEST model.
Spot the one which is one of the seven wastes.
- A . Refectories
- B . Defectives
- C . Defects
- D . Rejects
C
Explanation:
Defects, from Taiichi Ohno’s work.
Goals should be either / or (choose two):
- A . SMARTIES
- B . SMARTA
- C . SMART
- D . SMARTLY
B, C
Explanation:
Specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, time-bound, and possibly actionable or accountable. ‘Smartly’ is an adverb which is not relevant, and for those who don’t know, ‘Smarties’ are a branded chocolate sweet.
Thinking of the cultural web (Johnson and Scholes), which of the following refers to the idea that past events will be recurringly discussed and kept alive by current employees telling newcomers, reinforcing certain aspects of culture?
- A . Rituals
- B . Stories
- C . Power structures
- D . Organisational structures
C
Explanation:
An easy one. ‘telling’ in the QUESTION surely gives the game away.
Stories are increasingly seen as being powerful within organisations, with many Chief Executives now receiving coaching on story-telling.
‘A person who sees the big picture. Thinks accurately and carefully. May lack energy and the ability to inspire others’.
Which one Belbin’s team roles is being described here?
- A . Resource-investigator
- B . Co-ordinator
- C . Plant
- D . Monitor / evaluator
D
Explanation:
Monitor / evaluator.
Please see your textbook for descriptions of all nine roles.
Conscious knowledge of one’s own character and feelings C a cornerstone of emotional intelligence C sometimes described as ‘know thyself’:
- A . Self-selection
- B . Self-development
- C . Self-awareness
- D . Self-interest
C
Explanation:
Being aware of one’s own strengths and weaknesses, one’s effect on others, etc – self-awareness. It is in your own self-interest to drive carefully, as well as being in the interests of other road-users. The people who become CIPS members self-select through their application to the Institute for membership, and through their studies.
The potential benefits of a cross-functional team are just that C potential. None is guaranteed. How-ever, some benefits seem more likely than others.
Which one of the following suggested benefits is least likely to automatically follow from the creation of an effective cross-functional team?
- A . Reduced stock levels
- B . Motivation
- C . Improved communication
- D . Sharing knowledge
A
Explanation:
Knowledge-sharing, improved communication and even increased motivation are likely (especially in the early days), of a cross-functional team.
Reduced stock levels may be one of the outcomes of the use of cross-functional teams, but it need-n’t necessarily follow, nor may it be necessary / desirable. The other factors shown here are usually highly desirable.
Kotter and Schlesinger suggested six approaches to organisational change. One approach is based on the idea that people don’t really understand, and by increasing their understanding, commitment could be won. This relatively soft approach to change is called:
- A . Participation
- B . Education
- C . Facilitation
- D . Coercion
B
Explanation:
It’s unlikely to be coercion as the QUESTION tells us it’s a soft approach.
Facilitation suggests helping the employees along quite a bit to accept the change.
Participation suggests employees will have some say in decision-making.
And the QUESTION speaks of ‘increasing understanding’ – it’s ‘Education’.
Kotter and Schlesinger’s work here follows a relatively common approach to the thinking in management literature about Change – a continuum from real soft gentle ‘this is what we’re thinking’ through to ‘do this or else’ with a metaphorical baton in management’s hand.
A cross-functional team is created to help progress the development of a new product in a manufacturing business.
Which two of the following activities are unlikely to be allocated to the representative from the accounting and finance function?
- A . To calculate anticipated sales demand at the target price
- B . Calculate the expected overall cost of the product
- C . Plan the recruitment of additional staff and training of them
- D . Check that the expected cost provides a suitable profit margin
A, C
Explanation:
Calculating sales demand is likely to be a sales / marketing activity; planning the recruitment / train-ing of staff is likely to be a human resources activity.
The other two activities shown are likely to be right up accounting and finance’s street.
Where there is transformational change coupled with a rapid rate of change (‘big bang’), is this:
- A . Evolution
- B . Reconstruction
- C . Adaptation
- D . Revolution
D
Explanation:
This a description of Revolution.
The other answers shown may be the subject of other questions in this test.
‘A person who is reliable in seeing a task through to the end’. From the ‘doing / acting’ section, which of the Belbin team roles is being described here?
- A . (An easy one C perhaps too easy)
- B . Shaper
- C . Completer / finisher
- D . Implementer
C
Explanation:
Completer / finisher.
‘seeing a task through to the end’ gives the game away.
‘A person who cares for individuals and the team, a good listener, finds it hard to take difficult decisions’.
From the ‘concern for people and feelings’ section of Belbin’s roles:
- A . Resource-investigator
- B . Co-ordinator
- C . Teamworker
B
Explanation:
Teamworker.
Peter Kraljic first published his Portfolio Purchasing Model in a paper entitled ‘Purchasing Must Become Supply Management’ in the Harvard Business Review in September of which year?
- A . 1943
- B . 2013
- C . 1983
- D . 2003
C
Explanation:
It was in 1983.
The original paper is available for purchase for a very modest fee from the Harvard Business Review website. The original paper is lucid, thought-provoking and in my opinion desirable reading for any-one who wishes to seriously learn about procurement. Especially tutors of procurement – ask your CIPS tutor if they’ve read the original work!
If you’re having trouble understanding what some of all this ‘Kraljic talk’ is about, treat yourself for $5 to the original work – the matrix has since been much discussed and developed, but is widely misunderstood, even by many who should know better. Professor Kraljic will appreciate the royal-ties. 🙂
‘A person may exert power on the basis of their formal authority or status’
Which of the French and Raven sources of power is being described here?
- A . Reward
- B . Referent
- C . Legitimate
- D . Expert
C
Explanation:
The Chief Executive has power because they are in the post of the Chief Executive.
The Head of Procurement has power because they carry that job title.
They may also have other sources of power such as expert power, or charisma, but the correct response to the QUESTION is ‘legitimate’.
‘Coercive’ and ‘informational’ can also be sources of power not shown in the question.
Which one of the following is very commonly seen as being the primary role of the procurement function (especially by those outside the procurement function)?
- A . And yet on many occasions, it should not be the primary focus.
- B . Cost reduction
- C . Sourcing new materials for products under development
- D . Developing deep relationships with long-term suppliers of key goods and services
- E . Participating in international procurement conferences and developing staff
A
Explanation:
Cost reduction is often seen as being not only the primary role, but sometimes the only role, of the
procurement function.
The other answer options give an indication of what activities can sometimes be more significant.
Which one is not part of Lewin’s Force Field Analysis model (overcoming resistance to change)?
- A . Change
- B . Unchange
- C . Refreeze
- D . Unfreeze
B
Explanation:
The answer to this QUESTION is ‘unchange’ which is simply made up.
Unfreeze, change, refreeze is the basic Lewin model – the other possible answers to the question.
Easier said than done.
Which of the following is a benefit from compliance with procurement processes and procedures? Select all that apply.
- A . Reducing error
- B . Minimising the likelihood of damage to the organisation’s reputation
- C . Avoiding unnecessary costs
- D . Reducing the opportunity for fraud / crime
A, B, C, D
Explanation:
All of these options apply.
‘A person who is reliable in seeing a task through to the end’.
Which of the Belbin team roles is being described here? (An easy one C perhaps too easy)
- A . Implementer
- B . Shaper
- C . Completer / finisher
C
Explanation:
Completer / finisher sees the task through to the end.
A scarce resource, in my experience…
Where there is transformational change coupled with a slow rate of change, is this:
- A . Evolution
- B . Adaptation
- C . Revolution
- D . Reconstruction
A
Explanation:
This is a description of Evolution.
The others answers given may be the subject of other questions in this test.
The view that financial rewards are welcome, but are not everything; that workers are willing to take on responsibility and enjoy a problem-solving approach is in line with Theory (Douglas McGregor):
- A . Y
- B . A
- C . Z
- D . X
A
Explanation:
Theory Y
Workers are happY to be at work.
People are inherently happy at work.
Workers seek responsibility.
Financial reward at work is welcome, but motivation, job satisfaction and recognition are equally A.
- A . important.
- B . Theory X
- C . Theory Y
C
Explanation:
This is Theory Y.
X and Y are theoretical extremes for discussion purposes – they do not necessarily reflect real-life situations.
As a manager, do I tend towards X or Y? In the real world, as a manager of people, that’s a really challenging questions.
A functional organisation structure can lead to a ‘xxxx’ effect whereby employees do not communicate effectively horizontally across the structure with each other. Choose one to replace ‘xxxx’.
- A . Silo
- B . Ratio
- C . Halo
- D . Oreo
A
Explanation:
It’s a ‘silo effect’. Essentially this is about ‘walls’ being unintentionally created between functions of the organisation. Silos in the original sense are used for storing grain (tall thin buildings, common in the American mid-West); more recently for storing military missiles.
In the organisation this lack of ease in communicating can dent the performance of the organisation.
The other answers offered are irrelevant with Oreo being a type of ‘much loved’ American biscuit.
So anyway, ‘silo’.
Which two of the following are ‘soft’ factors, within the framework of the ‘McKinsey 7S’ model?
- A . Strategy
- B . Systems
- C . Style
- D . Shared values
C, D
Explanation:
Shared values and style.
The other two shown being ‘hard’ ie more tangible factors.
Nobody said these tests were meant to be easy…
Peter Scholtes identified ten behaviours (have you noticed ho it’s always ten, never nine or eleven?) which commonly create problems in teams.
Which are the three out of the four shown, which are genuine Scholte terms to describe these undesirable behaviours?
- A . Feuding
- B . Plops
- C . Jousting
- D . Wanderlust
A, B, D
Explanation:
The three terms which Scholtes actually used are feuding, plops and wanderlust. Jousting is entirely made-up for this test.
Feuds are arguments based on personality or background.
Plops are ideas expressed by a team member, and ignored by everyone else. They just plop and are ignored.
Wanderlust is when the team or elements of it go off at a tangent, discussing irrelevant issues.