Question

Umar, a general manager in a fast-food chain, has employees all under the age of 25, and most of his workers are good employees. However, Umar still believes his workers are irresponsible and lack ambition. Umar is a Theory X manager.

1) True
2) False

Answer 1

It is true that Umar is a Theory X manager, because he views his employees, who are actually good workers, as being irresponsible and lacking ambition, which aligns with the assumptions of Theory X management.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement that Umar, a general manager in a fast-food chain, is a Theory X manager is True. Theory X assumes that workers are inherently lazy and unproductive, requiring control and the use of punishments by management. Although Umar's employees are described as good employees, his belief that they are irresponsible and lack ambition reflects the assumptions associated with Theory X, which contrasts with Theory Y where managers believe employees are motivated and capable, and where employees are involved in decision-making and problem-solving processes. Thus, despite the experiences of business school professor Jerry Newman who found fast-food workers to be honest, hardworking, and skilled, Umar's management approach aligns with Theory X. This underscores how individual managers may hold different perspectives on their workforce compared to broader findings.