The psychology of innovation: Reading answers

The passage opens

Answers 27–40

1. 27

   The example of the 'million-dollar quartet' underlines the writer's point about

   C: having a shared objective. Multiple choice

2. 28

   James Watson suggests that he and Francis Crick won the race to discover the DNA code because they

   A: were conscious of their own limitations. Multiple choice

3. 29

   The writer mentions competitions on breakfast cereal packets as an example of how to

   D: strengthen commitment to an idea Multiple choice

4. 30

   In the last paragraph, the writer suggests that it is important for employees to

   B: feel that their contributions are valued. Multiple choice

5. 31

   Employees whose values match those of their employers are more likely to

   G: remain in their jobs. Matching sentence endings

   “the fit between an employee's values and a company's values makes a difference to what contribution they make and whether, two years after they join, they're still at the company”

6. 32

   At times of change, people tend to

   E: avoid risk. Matching sentence endings

   “innovation is, in part, a process of change, and under that pressure we, as a species, behave differently, "When things change, we are hard-wired to play it safe”

7. 33

   If people are aware of what they might lose, they will often

   A: take chances. Matching sentence endings

   “Studies show that we invariably take more gambles when threatened with a loss than when offered a reward.”

8. 34

   People working under a dominant boss are liable to

   F: ignore their duties. Matching sentence endings

   “The wrong kind of leadership will lead to what Cialdini calls "captainitis, the regrettable tendency of team members to opt out of team responsibilities that are properly theirs"”

9. 35

   Employees working in organisations with few rules are more likely to

   B: share their ideas. Matching sentence endings

   “"the only rule was that there were no rules".This environment encouraged a free interchange of ideas, which led to more creativity with form, function, colour and materials that revolutionised attitudes to furniture design.”

10. 36

    The physical surroundings in which a person works play a key role in determining their creativity.

    NO Yes / No / Not Given

    “There are, nevertheless, people working in luxurious, state-of-the-art centres designed to stimulate innovation who find that their environment doesn't make them feel at all creative.And there are those who don't have a budget, or much space, but who innovate successfully.”

11. 37

    Most people have the potential to be creative.

    YES Yes / No / Not Given

    “almost every individual can be creative in the right circumstances.”

12. 38

    Teams work best when their members are of equally matched intelligence.

    NOT GIVEN Yes / No / Not Given

13. 39

    It is easier for smaller companies to be innovative.

    NOT GIVEN Yes / No / Not Given

14. 40

    A manager's approval of an idea is more persuasive than that of a colleague.

    NO Yes / No / Not Given

    “Research shows that peer power, used horizontally not vertically, is much more powerful than any boss's speech.”

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