Chp 10/11
Motivation is a drive that some people have and others don't have. True False
False All people have motivation in different amounts for different things. A person may be highly motivated to perform one task and not at all motivated to perform another. Therefore, it is incorrect to describe some individuals as generally "motivated" or "unmotivated."
McClelland thinks that having a high nAch guarantees that a person will be a good manager. True False
False Managers with high nAch may be good at achieving their own personal goals, but they may not be good at encouraging and helping others achieve similar goals. So having a high nAch is no guarantee that a person will be a good manager
The job characteristics model, or JCM, holds that the three core job dimensions - skill variety, task identity, and task significance - combine to give work true meaning. True False
True The JCM sees those three dimensions together combing to create "meaningful work." Managers who design jobs that feature those characteristics are likely to get employees who value the work that they do.
Vroom's expectancy theory would say that a worker with a higher expectation of performance will apply more effort to a job. True False
True In expectancy theory, a person assesses the task and estimates how much effort will be needed. The effort applied will generally match the effort estimated, as long as the situation seems reasonable and possible and the goal is desirable.
The second variable in expectancy theory requires the worker to ask him- or herself: If I perform at a given level, how likely is it that I will ________? a. attain the reward or outcome I am looking for b. be promoted to a higher position in the company c. keep my job d. be noticed by my superiors
a. attain the reward or outcome I am looking for The second expectancy theory variable is the performance-reward link: Will my performance result in the reward that has been offered? This reward can be anything, so being promoted, keeping one's job, and being noticed by superiors are too specific to be the correct responses. Attaining the hoped-for reward or outcome gives a generic reward, so it is the correct response.
A manager with a Theory X view of human nature would ________. a. be unlikely to allow workers to work independently b. be likely to let workers work independently c. allow workers to monitor themselves d. trust his workers
a. be unlikely to allow workers to work independently A Theory X manager would lack a sense of trust, so he would not allow his workers to monitor themselves or work completely on their own. Without a sense of trust, the Theory X manager would be unlikely to let workers work on their own, making that the correct response.
The most influential of McClelland's needs by far has been ________. a. need for achievement b. need for power c. need for recognition d. need for affiliation
a. need for achievement McClelland identified three basic needs, the need for power, affiliation, and achievement. nAch by far has received the most attention and has had the most influence on managerial theory, making need for achievement the correct response. The other McClelland needs, nPow and nAff, have not been extensively studied or tested in academic circles. Finally, need for recognition is incorrect because it is not one of McClelland's official categories.
The JCM contends that ________ are required in meaningful work. a. skill variety, task identity, and task significance b. skill variety, autonomy, and feedback c. task identity, autonomy, and feedback d. task significance, autonomy, and feedback
a. skill variety, task identity, and task significance Skill variety (how many skills are used in a job), task identity (how whole the work product is), and task significance (how important the job is to the world) are identified in JCM as the dimensions that collectively make up meaningful work. The correct choice correctly identifies these components, while the other three choices include only one or two of the recognized dimensions of meaningful work.
Equity theory compares your own outcomes-to-input ratio to that of ________. a. your boss b. a referent c. the input-to-output ratio of another worker d. the input-to-output ratio of an idealized worker
b. a referent In equity theory, an individual's own output-to-input ratio gets compared to other entities, which are termed referents. Referents include individuals who hold a similar job position, systems the job holder is familiar with, or the job holder's individual set of values and requirements. The two choices regarding input-to-output ratios are incorrect because they identify input-to-output rather than output-to-input ratios of referents. Your boss is incorrect because the boss is not a peer and therefore would not qualify as a legitimate referent with which to gauge one's situation.
According to Maslow, a person stranded on a desert island would ________ before she worried about making weapons. a. look for other people b. build a house c. start a family d. establish her status on the island
b. build a house Maslow would see looking for other people and starting a family as social needs, and establishing island status as an esteem need. All three of these needs would come after building a house, which would qualify as supplying oneself with shelter, making that the correct response.
In equity theory, distributive justice is concerned with which of the following? a. comparing one individual to an entire system b. comparing output-to-input ratios among individuals c. comparing output-to-input ratios among large groups d. comparing fairness between different cultures
b. comparing output-to-input ratios among individuals Originally, equity theory focused almost exclusively on distributive justice, a comparison of an individual's outcomes-to-input ratio to that of another individual. The correct choice identifies distributive justice. Comparing one individual to an entire system identifies procedural justice in which rather than compare oneself to other individuals, the worker evaluates the fairness of the entire system—not the correct response here. The remaining two choices are incorrect because they compare groups, not individuals.
The job characteristics model (JCM) maintains that ________ is critical to motivating workers. a. how workers are treated b. how jobs are designed c. equal treatment for all d. setting goals
b. how jobs are designed The JCM postulates that if jobs are designed correctly, workers will be more productive, more motivated, and happy in their jobs. The theory encompasses a large range of issues that include setting proper goals and good treatment for workers. However, job design is by far the most critical element to JCM making "how jobs are designed" the correct response and the other responses incorrect.
A manager with a Theory Y view of human nature would be likely ________. a. not to try to challenge his workers b. to try to challenge his workers c. to try to intimidate his workers d. to monitor his workers closely
b. to try to challenge his workers A Theory Y point of view holds that people respond best to positive motivators, such as a challenge. This makes trying to challenge his workers the correct response and eliminates not challenging them. Intimidation and close monitoring are both Theory X methods of motivation, so both are incorrect for this question.
According to Herzberg, in order to provide employees with job satisfaction, managers should concentrate on ________. a. salary and status b. working conditions c. achievement and recognition d. security
c. achievement and recognition Of the choices provided, only achievement and recognition identify what Herzberg called motivators that are determining factors for job satisfaction. Salary, status, working conditions, and security are all hygiene factors, which according to Herzberg affect job dissatisfaction but not job satisfaction. Therefore, achievement and recognition is the correct response.
Surprisingly, most successful managers don't have this. a. high IQ b. high nPow c. high nAch d. low IQ
c. high nAch The talent that some of the best managers have is not for achieving personal goals but rather to be a facilitator and help others to achieve goals. Accordingly, this type of manager does not have a high nAch, making high nAch the correct response. There is no evidence that successful managers have either a low or a high IQ, so neither of these two choices would be correct answers for this question. One would not be surprised if a successful manager had high nPow, so that choice is incorrect.
In goal-setting theory, which of the following is the best kind of feedback? a. feedback from a superior b. feedback from a peer c. self-feedback d. group feedback
c. self-feedback Evidence shows that worker performance improves if the worker gets feedback on how he is doing. The most effective kind of feedback is self-generated, making self-feedback the correct response and eliminating feedback from outsiders that include a superior, a colleague, or a group of coworkers.
Acme Corporation Acme Corporation's management feels that employees could be more motivated by their jobs. The jobs were enriched earlier and some improvements were seen in motivation. In addition to these changes, Acme managers explained how important their product was to the world economy. Which core dimension in the job characteristics model is this? a. skill variety b. task identity c. task significance d. autonomy
c. task significance The managers, in calling attention to the importance of the work product, are recognizing the JCM core dimension called task significance. The other core dimensions listed here do not match the description, so they are incorrect responses. Skill variety refers to variety in job tasks. Task identity refers to providing a discrete and whole work product. Autonomy refers to independence for workers.
According to Herzberg, when an extremely dissatisfied employee gets an improved salary and working conditions, he ________. a. becomes more motivated and more satisfied b. becomes less motivated and less satisfied c. becomes more dissatisfied and his motivation increases d. becomes less dissatisfied and his motivation is unaffected
d. becomes less dissatisfied and his motivation is unaffected In Herzberg's view, dissatisfaction is not involved with motivation. Factors that cause dissatisfaction can be improved—which will decrease dissatisfaction but at the same time will not affect motivation one way or another. Putting these ideas together, the choices regarding becoming more motivated and more satisfied as well as becoming less motivated and less satisfied can be eliminated as correct answer because both involve motivation. The choice regarding becoming more dissatisfied and increasing motivation simply gets the situation wrong, as dissatisfaction would not increase. This leaves the correct response, which indicates that dissatisfaction would decrease and motivation would not change.
Self-actualization most closely corresponds to ________. a. satisfying basic animal needs b. fitting in with others c. feeling aware of one's strengths d. becoming a whole person
d. becoming a whole person Self-actualization fits in with self-fulfillment and reaching one's potential, both fitting best with becoming a whole person. Being aware of one's strengths, fitting in with others, or satisfying basic needs are not synonymous with self-fulfillment, so all three choices are incorrect.
A theory that suggests that employees compare their inputs and outputs from a job to the ratio of relevant others is known as ________. a. action motivation b. goal setting c. reinforcement theory d. equity theory
d. equity theory Equity theory holds that workers measure their situation against ideals to evaluate how well they are doing in the workplace. What workers generally measure is the ratio of how much they get out of a job to how much they put in—outcomes-to-input. This identifies equity theory as the correct response and the other choices mentioned in this question incorrect.
key element of expectancy theory might be summarized by saying ________. a. most people are motivated by money b. everyone is always motivated by fear of failure c. everyone is motivated by the same thing d. everyone is motivated by something different
d. everyone is motivated by something different Expectancy theory maintains that different rewards motivate people in different ways. This rules out money, fear of failure, or the "same thing" as choices because all three imply that there is a universal motivator. Only "everyone being motivated by something different" expresses the idea that there is no universal motivator, so it is the correct response.
In countries with high levels of uncertainty avoidance, which of the following would you expect? a. little acceptance of risk and high achievement need b. high acceptance of risk and high achievement need c. high acceptance of risk and low achievement need d. little acceptance of risk and low achievement need
d. little acceptance of risk and low achievement need By definition, high uncertainty avoidance indicates a culture that avoids risk, eliminating the two choices indicating high acceptance of risk. Evidence shows that low risk acceptance also correlates with low achievement, making "little acceptance of risk and low achievement need" the correct response and eliminating "little acceptance of risk and high achievement need" because it identifies high achievement need.
According to Herzberg's Motivation-Hygiene theory, ________ are associated with job satisfaction. a. rewards b. punishments c. hygiene factors d. motivators
d. motivators Herzberg sees motivation as driven purely by internal factors—a worker's sense of achievement, appreciation, growth, and so on. These internal factors are termed motivators by Herzberg, making motivators the correct response, and eliminating the other responses.
A referent in equity theory refers to which of the following? a. a theoretical worker b. other people and systems only c. oneself only d. other people, systems, or oneself
d. other people, systems, or oneself Referents in equity theory can be other workers, a system to which you can compare yourself, or your own values and sense of fairness. This makes other people, systems, or oneself the correct response. The other three choices are not correct because all three are incomplete—they fail to name all of the different types of referents.
Application of Early Theories of Motivation Three managers work at the Pabco Company. Aaron really "cracks the whip" on his employees and firmly believes in strict controls and punishment for those employees who do not perform up to company expectations. Zach has very few controls and believes that as long as people know what their objectives are, they will exercise self-control and self-direction. Susan has been trying to improve working conditions and manager-employee relations to increase the level of productivity in her department. Zach has the desire to develop and use his own abilities and potential to the maximum, an example of the ________ need in Maslow's hierarchy of needs. a. esteem b. safety c. social d. self-actualization
d. self-actualization The highest-order need in Maslow's system is self-actualization, in which individuals stretch their potential and seek self-fulfillment, something that Zach is doing here. In seeking the highest goals, Zach is going beyond lower-level safety needs, mid-level social needs, or not quite as high-level esteem needs.
In expectancy theory, a person may have the ability to reach a certain goal, but lack motivation because ________. a. the goal is too easy b. the goal is too hard c. the person's desire to reach the goal is too strong d. the person has no strong desire to reach the goal
d. the person has no strong desire to reach the goal The valence or attractiveness that a goal has for an individual is critical to motivation. A goal that is worth everything to one individual might be meaningless to a second individual. Expectancy theory takes this fact into account, maintaining that there is no universally agreed-upon reward that will guarantee high motivation. The person having no strong desire is the correct response here, since it states that motivation is reduced when valence for a goal is low. How easy or hard the goal is to reach may affect attainment of a goal but not motivation to reach the goal, so those choices are not correct. The person's desire to reach the goal being too strong is incorrect because it identifies a situation of high, not low motivation.