Chapter 6: Motivation and Performance GCU MGT 420

The potential disadvantages of job simplification include all of the following EXCEPT: a) loss of efficiency in the face of lower quality. b) reduction in the skills required to perform a job. c) higher turnover rates. d) higher absenteeism rates. e) demand for higher wages to compensate for unappealing jobs. Ans: b

b

Rankings, paired comparisons, and forced distributions are types of which performance appraisal method? a) Absolute b) Definitive c) Comparative d) Discretionary e) Conclusive Ans: c

c

All of the following are core job characteristics as identified by Hackman and Oldham EXCEPT: a) skill variety. b) task significance. c) autonomy. d) motivating potential. e) task identity. Ans: d

d

According to the integrated model of individual work motivation, a person's job performance is influenced most directly by all of the following EXCEPT: a) ability. b) experience. c) work effort. d) organization support such as resources and technology. e) supervision. Ans: e

e

Alternative work arrangements commonly used today include all of the following EXCEPT: a) job sharing. b) telecommuting. c) flexible working hours. d) compressed workweek. e) job rotation. Ans: e

e

If your roommate asks you to describe the potential advantages of job simplification, you would include all of the following EXCEPT: a) increasing operating efficiency by reducing the number of skills required to do a job. b) being able to hire low-cost labor. c) keeping the needs for job training to a minimum. d) emphasizing the accomplishment of repetitive tasks. e) increased employee turnover. Ans: e

e

Jason works as a social worker at a local hospital. He loves his job and derives great satisfaction from feeling as though he has helped others and made a difference in the community. Jason is motivated by __________ rewards. a) unexpected b) implied c) outside d) extrinsic e) intrinsic Ans: e

e

A comprehensive approach to performance appraisal that uses the evaluations of bosses, peers, and subordinates as well as self-ratings, customer ratings, and ratings of others outside the work unit is known as a(n) a) total evaluation. b) 360 degree assessment. c) worldwide evaluation d) inside and outside evaluation. e) bottom-up/top-down evaluation. Ans: b

b

Accenture and Booz Allen Hamilton offer suggestions for attracting and retaining talented working mothers. These include all of the following EXCEPT: a) offering increased pay and extended time for maternity leave. b) requiring employees to take challenging jobs requiring travel. c) setting up mentoring and networking systems. d) making sure new mother feel they are wanted back at work. e) keeping in contact with employees who are on maternity leave. Ans: b

b

All of the following are correct statements regarding the behaviorally anchored rating scales EXCEPT: a) it is known by the acronym BARS. b) the procedure for developing a behaviorally anchored rating scale approach starts with the employee documenting job requirements. c) behavioral descriptions include both superior and inferior performance. d) once a large sample of behavioral descriptions is collected, each behavior is evaluated to determine the extent to which it describes good versus bad performance. e) the final step of the process is to develop a rating scales in which the anchors are specific critical behaviors, each reflecting a different degree of performance effectiveness. Ans: b

b

All of the following are steps in a typical sequence of performance management EXCEPT: a) identifying and set clear and measurable performance goals. b) assigning people into the roles required to perform job responsibilities. c) taking performance measurements to monitor goal progress. d) providing feedback and coaching on performance results. d) using performance assessment for human resource management decisions. Ans: b

b

From which perspective do performance measures facilitate decisions relating to planning for and gaining commitment to the continued training and personal development of workers? a) Growth b) Developmental c) Retention d) Turnover e) Promotional Ans: b

b

In a(n) __________, employees are rewarded by being given company stock or by being allowed to purchase it at a price below market value. a) single payoff b) ESOP c) gain-sharing plan d) individualized payoff e) lump-sum increase Ans: b

b

Regarding job enrichment, OB scholars __________. a) believe that job enrichment is relevant for some cultures, but not for most cultures b) have been reluctant to recommend job enrichment as a universal solution to all job performance and satisfaction problems c) view job enrichment as "the answer" to the majority of performance and satisfaction problems in business today d) believe that job enrichment is for everyone e) believe that job enrichment is pertinent to some industries but not to most industries Ans: b

b

Since stock prices can fall as well as rise, there is a risk associated with respect to __________ and that risk must be considered in respect to the motivational value of such pay systems. a) merit pay systems b) ESOPs c) lump-sum increases d) lump-sum payments e) fringe benefit systems Ans: b

b

A method of performance appraisal whereby each person is directly compared with every other person being rated is known as a(n) _______________. a) paired comparison b) behaviorally anchored rating scales c) forced distribution d) ranking e) graphic rating scale Ans: a

a

All of the following statements about gain sharing are true EXCEPT: a) gain sharing plans decrease personal responsibility. b) gain-sharing plans involve a specific measurement of productivity combined with a calculation of a bonus designed to offer workers a share of any increase in total organizational productivity. c) gain sharing increases work motivation because of pay-for-performance incentives. d) with gain sharing, employees have a greater sense of personal responsibility for making performance contributions to the organization. e) gain sharing encourages workplace cooperation and teamwork. Ans: a

a

For a performance appraisal system to be reliable, it must __________. a) provide consistent results each time it is used. b) be used in a wide cross-section of industries. c) be statistically robust. d) be used across hierarchical levels in an organization. e) actually measure people on relevant job characteristics. Ans: a

a

One disadvantage of skill-based pay is __________. a) the possible higher pay and training costs that are not offset by greater productivity b) managers do not like working with a skill-based pay program c) the program can be implemented quickly d) that workers learn to do one another's jobs e) workers know in advance what is required to receive a pay rate Ans: a

a

The most common form of __________ is a "4-40" schedule--that is, 40 hours of work is accomplished in four 10-hour days. a) the compressed workweek b) job sharing c) flexible working hours d) job simplification e) telecommuting Ans: a

a

The typical reward systems of organizations emphasize __________. a) a mix of intrinsic and extrinsic rewards b) only intrinsic rewards c) only extrinsic rewards d) only intrinsic rewards for high-level positions e) only extrinsic rewards for high-level positions Ans: a

a

Which of the following is a defining characteristic of the "best" job design? a) A job design that meets organizational requirements for high performance. b) A job design that offers an occasional fit with individual skills and needs. c) A job design that does not provide opportunities for job satisfaction. d) A job design that randomly meets organizational requirements for high performance. e) A job design that does not meet individual or organizational requirements for high performance. Ans: a

a

Which of the following is not a correct way of raising a motivating potential score? a) Reducing tasks to create smaller jobs. b) Opening feedback channels to enable workers to know how well they are doing. c) Establishing client relationships to enable employees to experience feedback directly from customers. d) Employing vertical loading to create more planning opportunities. e) Employing vertical loading to create more controlling responsibilities. Ans: a

a

Which of the following statements is NOT correct with regard to skill-based pay? a) Although it has popular appeal, it is a fairly slow-growing pay innovation. b) Skill-based pay compensates people for the mix and depth of skills they possess. c) A potential advantage of skill-based pay is flexibility. d) A potential disadvantage of skill-based pay is higher training costs. e) A potential advantage of skill-based pay is employee cross-training. Ans: a

a

A company that requires employees to be at work between 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. but allows them to schedule their remaining work day to fit personal needs is using __________. a) the compressed workweek b) job sharing c) flexible working hours d) elastic scheduling e) telecommuting Ans: c

c

According to the integrated model of individual work motivation, whether or not a work setting proves motivational for an individual depends on the __________. a) support given by the individual's team members b) level of pay the person receives c) availability of rewards and their perceived value d) amount of camaraderie the individual believes exist in the workplace e) quality of supervision and direction the individual receives Ans: c

c

Frederick Taylor's principles of scientific management include all of the following EXCEPT: a) developing a science for each job that covers rules of motion, standard work tools, and supportive work conditions. b) hiring workers with the right abilities for the job. c) increasing job content by giving workers more responsibility. d) training and motivating workers to do their jobs according to the science. e) supporting workers by planning and assisting their work using the job science. Ans: c

c

In the context of performance appraisal dimensions and standards, which type of measures are typically obtained from the evaluator's observation and rating? a) Output b) Input c) Activity d) Sustainability e) Engagement Ans: c

c

Job simplification is a job design approach that __________. a) identifies the best job-fits between job applicants and job requirement b) ensures that jobs do not become too difficult to perform over time c) standardizes work procedures and employs people in clearly defined and highly specialized tasks d) uses simple checklists to monitor high job performance e) creates many opportunities for promotions into more complex jobs Ans: c

c

Skill-based pay plans reward people __________. a) based on their knowledge and education b) based on their experience c) for the mix and depth of skills they possess d) for the particular job assignment they hold e) at the same level of other people with the same job title Ans: c

c

The degree to which the job gives the employee substantial freedom, independence, and discretion in scheduling the work and determining the procedures used in carrying it out is referred to as: a) skill variety. b) task identity. c) autonomy. d) job feedback. e) task significance. Ans: c

c

The research of Lawler generally concludes that __________. a) Americans believe that they are paid more fairly than workers in other countries b) pay must be combined with fringe benefits to create a significant total compensation package for employees c) for pay to serve as a motivator, high levels of job performance must be viewed as the path through which high pay can be achieved d) managers do not believe that they pay their workers enough money e) workers do not feel that they are paid fairly Ans: c

c

When Jason rates Jamie on several different dimensions and gives a similar rating for each dimension, which of these errors has occurred? a) Personal bias error b) Recency error c) Halo error d) Leniency error e) Central tendency error Ans: c

c

When your manager increases your job content by giving you more responsibility for planning and evaluating duties, which job design approach is being used? a) Job simplification b) Job enlargement c) Job enrichment d) Job rotation e) Process reengineering Ans: c

c

Which of the following statements does NOT accurately describe what is needed to make a merit pay plan work well? a) Merit pay should be based on realistic and accurate measures of individual work performance. b) Merit pay should create a belief among employees that they must perform at high levels to achieve high pay. c) Merit pay should be higher for those employees whom the manager personally favors. d) Merit pay should clearly differentiate between high and low performers in the amount of pay received. e) Managers should avoid confusing "merit" aspects of a pay increase with "cost-of-living" adjustments. Ans: c

c

__________ is a method of performance appraisal that uses a small number of performance categories, such as "very good," "good," "adequate," and "very poor," and slots a certain proportion of people into each category. a) Paired comparison b) Critical incident diary c) Forced distribution d) Ranking e) Management by objectives Ans: c

c

A performance appraisal that involves ordering each individual from best to worst on each performance dimension being considered is called a(n) _________________. a) Paired comparison b) Critical incident diary c) Forced distribution d) Ranking e) Management by objectives Ans: d

d

ABC Manufacturing is able to employ two persons as one by having one person work mornings and the other person work afternoons on the same job. ABC is reaping the benefits of: a) a compressed work week. b) flextime. c) flexible working hours. d) job sharing. e) telecommuting. Ans: d

d

Although research supports the logic and theoretical benefits of merit pay, it also indicates that __________. a) human resources specialists are necessary to administer merit pay plans b) employees are overpaid for the jobs they perform c) employees like merit pay plans d) the implementation of merit pay plans is not easy e) managers believe that merit pay plans properly reflect employee productivity Ans: d

d

Bill is an employee at Burgers-Are-Us. He works hard each and every day so that his picture may be displayed in the restaurant lobby and that he might earn the title "Employee-of-the-Month." Bill is motivated by __________ rewards. a) expected b) implied c) valence d) extrinsic e) intrinsic Ans: d

d

In the context of performance appraisal dimensions and standards, the goal of meeting product specification standards is an example of a(n) __________. a) activity measure b) differential measure c) input measure d) output measure e) sustainability measure Ans: d

d

Intrinsic rewards __________. a) such as pay and benefits are important to employees b) are exemplified by symbolic tokens of accomplishment such as posted award certificates c) are positively valued work outcomes that are given to an individual or group d) do not require the participation of another person or source in the work setting e) are given to an individual or group by some other person or source in the work setting Ans: d

d

Merit pay is an attempt to make pay contingent upon __________. a) tenure in the organization b) specific competencies c) a willingness to acquire and develop job related skills d) performance e) years of experience in the industry Ans: d

d

The __________, __________, __________ relationship underlies the logic of any performance-based pay system. a) performance; consistency; growth b) hiring; work; performance c) selection; performance; growth c) promotion; merit; reward d) effort; performance; reward e) assignment; performance; increase Ans: d

d

The awarding of cash bonuses is especially common in the __________ of organizations. a) lower ranks b) non-exempt levels c) union members d) senior executive ranks e) contingency workforce Ans: d

d

Which of the following increases job breadth by having the worker perform more and different tasks, but all at the same level of responsibility and challenge? a) Job enrichment b) Job reengineering c) Job embellishment d) Job enlargement e) Job simplification Ans: d

d

Which of the following statements about job rotation is correct? Job rotation: a) standardizes job tasks and employs people in very routine jobs. b) increases job content by giving workers more responsibility for planning and evaluating duties. c) increases job variety by adding new tasks of similar difficulty to a job. d) increases task variety by shifting workers among jobs involving tasks of similar difficulty. e) defines job tasks and the work arrangements to accomplish them. Ans: d

d

__________ are positively valued work outcomes that are given to an individual or group by some other person or source in the work setting. a) Expected rewards b) Implied rewards c) Valence rewards d) Extrinsic rewards e) Intrinsic rewards Ans: d

d

__________ is a pay system that links pay and performance by giving the workers the opportunity to share in productivity gains through increased earnings. a) Skill-based pay b) Sanctioned pay c) Performance pay d) Gain sharing e) Statutory pay Ans: d

d

__________ is a system that rewards people for acquiring and developing job-relevant skills. a) Entitlement pay b) Gain-sharing pay c) Merit pay d) Skill-based pay e) Expert pay Ans: d

d

__________ rewards employees based on the entire organization's performance. a) A merit pay plan b) A skill-based pay c) A gain-sharing plan d) A profit-sharing plan e) A flexible benefits plan Ans: d

d

A performance appraisal system is valid only if it _____________. a) provides consistent results each time it is used b) is statistically robust c) is used in a wide cross-section of industries d) is used across hierarchical levels in an organization e) actually measures people on relevant job content Ans: e

e

All of the following statements about profit-sharing are true EXCEPT: a) profit sharing is somewhat similar to gain sharing. b) profit sharing rewards individuals according to some measure of organizational performance. c) profit sharing plans do not reward employees for specific productivity gains. d) profit sharing plans reward employees based on overall organizational profits. e) profit sharing plans have no criticisms. Ans: e

e

When Cynthia lumps everyone together around the average, or middle, category; this gives the impression that there are no very good or very poor performers on the dimensions being rated, which of these errors has occurred? a) Personal bias error b) Recency error c) Halo error d) Leniency error e) Central tendency error Ans: e

e

When measuring employee performance, managers should make sure that measurements are all of these EXCEPT: a) based on clear job performance criteria. b) accurate in assessing performance. c) providing a defensible basis for differentiating between high and low performance. d) useful as feedback that can help future performance. e) always positive as to not discourage employees. Ans: e

e

Which of the following are considered advantages of skill-based pay? a) Flexibility b) Employee cross-training c) Fewer supervisors d) More individual control over compensation e) A reduction in compensation costs Ans: e

e

Which of the following is a positive statement about telecommuting? a) Isolation from co-workers b) Decreased identification with the work team c) Management of telecommuters d) Technical difficulties with the computer linkages e) Freedom to be their own boss Ans: e

e

Which statement regarding comparative methods of performance appraisal is incorrect? a) It is a method that seeks to identify one's relative standing among those being rated. b) Forced distribution is a method of comparative performance appraisal. c) This method explains how much better one person is on a given dimension when compared to another person. d) Ranking is one method of comparative performance appraisal. e) Critical incident diaries are probably the most utilized comparative method of performance appraisal. Ans: e

e