OB Chapter 8

Lavon has been feeling dissatisfied with his position of late. Particularly, he feels that he is underutilized. According to motivation theories, what should Lavon's supervisor do? A) fire him B) promote him C) include him in revising his job description D) mentor him to use his time better E) appoint him to numerous committees

c

One of the methods of job enrichment is to expand jobs vertically. This method involves modifying the ________ dimension of the job. A) task significance B) autonomy C) feedback D) task identity E) skill variety

b

A skill-based pay plan is also called a ________ pay plan. A) piece-rate B) profit sharing C) merit-based D) knowledge-based E) commission-based

d

According to the job characteristics model, task significance is the degree to which ________. A) a job requires completion of a whole and identifiable piece of work B) work activities generates direct and clear information about performance C) a job provides the worker freedom in scheduling and procedure D) a job affects the lives or work of other people E) a job requires a variety of different activities

d

Anya is a graphic designer in a firm specializing in making logos for their clients. Last week, she got client specifications on how to make a new logo. She was able to create a prototype, and having got it initially reviewed by her immediate supervisor, she made changes until the client was satisfied with her final product. Based on this description, it's safe to say that Anya's job is high in ________ and ________. A) task significance; feedback B) autonomy; skill variety C) feedback; skill variety D) task identity; feedback E) skill variety; autonomy

d

Janice and Shunil are both senior software analysts. They have worked together on projects for six years and get along great. Janice is pregnant and anticipating the arrival of her first child and she is not willing to work full time. Shunil would like to experiment with opening his own business as a home media installation consultant, and does not want to continue to work full time. They both need some income. Which of the following alternative job structures would be best for Janice and Shunil? A) job enlargement B) telecommuting C) job rotation D) job sharing E) job enrichment

d

Jason works at home at least 2 days a week on a computer linked to his employer's office. He goes to work at odd hours and returns as he pleases. Which of the following terms accurately represents Jason's work arrangement? A) autonomy B) job sharing C) flextime D) telecommuting E) task identity

d

Ned is particularly adept at designing and creating new fashions. In which of the following would Ned have the highest level of task identity? A) doing alterations at the dry cleaners B) creating custom bridal gowns in a bridal store C) creating custom gowns and suits for a pageant store D) working as a private tailor for a local real estate agent E) working as a stylist for a local celebrity

d

Samantha is an emergency medical technician. Yesterday, due to an emergency, she was called to a house where a man suffered a heart attack. She was able to resuscitate the man, and while her colleagues were transporting him to the ambulance she spent 10 minutes calming the 12-year-old daughter, who was home alone with the father at that time. Based on this description, it's safe to say that Samantha's job is high in ________. A) task identity B) feedback C) reward D) task significance E) skill variety

d

Which of the following is an example of an intrinsic reward? A) bonus B) profit-sharing plan C) employee stock option D) employee recognition E) gainsharing

d

Which of the following is not one of the core job dimensions in the job characteristics model (JCM)? A) task significance B) feedback C) autonomy D) reward E) skill variety

d

Which of the following may be a disadvantage of introducing this type of pay plan? A) It increases supervisory work load. B) It encourages social loafing. C) It generally decreases the profitability of the organization. D) It does not address the level of performance. E) It tends to reduce employee job satisfaction.

d

While setting pay levels initially, an organization has to balance internal equity and external equity. Here external equity indicates ________. A) the amount of growth opportunities the job provides to the employee B) the worth of the job to the employee C) the worth of the job to the organization D) competitiveness of an organization's pay relative to pay elsewhere in its industry E) the amount of job satisfaction the job provides to the employee

d

For management, the major downside of telecommuting is ________. A) decreased productivity B) increased turnover C) reduced morale D) difficulty in scheduling work E) less direct supervision of employees

e

In the job characteristics model (JCM), which three core job dimensions combine to create meaningful work? A) autonomy, task identity, and feedback B) skill variety, autonomy, and task significance C) skill variety, autonomy, and feedback D) feedback, task identity, and task significance E) skill variety, task identity, and task significance

e

Theory Y ________. A) advocates job sharing B) if implemented, reduces intrinsic employee motivation C) encourages telecommuting D) encourages fixed pay structure E) is consistent with participative management

e

What is an advantage of bonuses over a merit-based pay plan? A) Employees don't view bonuses as a part of their salary. B) Bonuses improve flexibility of the workforce. C) Bonuses are paid based on a formula. D) Bonuses improve performance of the group as a whole. E) Employees are rewarded for recent performance.

e

What is another term for cross-training? A) work enrichment B) job sharing C) work enlargement D) job enhancement E) job rotation

e

Which of the following is a not a management benefit of telecommuting? A) larger labor pool for recruitment B) higher productivity of employees C) decreased office expenditures D) improved morale in general E) decreased salary expenses

e

With reference to the job characteristics model, which of the following defines skill variety? A) the degree to which a job requires completion of a whole and identifiable piece of work B) the degree to which work activities generates direct and clear information about performance C) the degree to which a job provides the worker freedom in scheduling and procedure D) the degree to which a job has an impact on the lives or work of other people E) the degree to which a job requires a variety of different activities

e

Beyond redesigning the nature of the work itself and involving employees in decisions, another approach to making the work environment more motivating is to alter work arrangements. Which of the following is designed to give an employee greater control of their schedule? A) flextime B) job centralization C) job rotation D) job enlargement E) job enrichment

a

Connie works as a nurse at the local hospital. She was very pleased recently when she was awarded "Employee of the Month", received her picture on the wall, and a gift card to the hospital commissary. Which type of reward has Connie received? A) both intrinsic and extrinsic B) just intrinsic C) just extrinsic D) neither intrinsic nor extrinsic E) variable intrinsic and extrinsic

a

How does gainsharing help the group as a whole? A) The high performers pressure weaker ones to work harder and improve overall performance. B) The high performers can help the low performers by taking on their responsibility. C) The new employees and low performers do not have a part in the overall gains accrued to the group. D) The group's overheads are distributed evenly across the group. E) The group's responsibilities are distributed evenly across the group.

a

Job enrichment increases the degree to which the worker controls the ________. A) planning, execution, and evaluation of the work B) planning, execution, and evaluation of company plans C) horizontal integration of his or her tasks D) evaluation of his or her peers E) feedback that a worker receives from his or her supervisor and peers

a

Laura only makes minimum wage, but she loves her job. Her supervisor regularly compliments her and she has been chosen employee of the month twice this year. Based on this information, which of the following is most likely to be the reason Laura likes her job? A) recognition B) motivation C) goal setting D) empowerment E) autonomy

a

Managers at Precision Technologies, a custom-machine shop in Indiana, train workers on all the company's equipment so they can move around as needed in response to incoming orders. Based on this information, which of the following methods is most likely being used by Precision Technologies? A) job rotation B) job enlargement C) job enrichment D) job sharing E) flextime

a

Ned is particularly adept at designing and creating new fashions. In which of the following would Ned have the highest level of autonomy? A) doing alterations at the dry cleaners B) creating custom bridal gowns in a bridal store C) creating custom gowns and suits for a pageant store D) working as a private tailor for a local real estate agent E) working as a stylist for a local celebrity

a

Patrick and Allison work at a local car dealership as sales persons and are paid on both salary and commission. What type of pay related motivation is being used? A) variable-pay program B) internal equity C) external equity D) skill-based plan E) flexible benefits

a

Research on employee stock ownership plans indicates that they ________. A) increase employee satisfaction B) decrease company profits C) reduce stress experienced by employees D) decrease productivity of employees E) increase employee turnover

a

Shawna works as a sales agent at a local big box electronics retailer in the camera department. Though she has been successful in her position, she has grown a bit tired and is suffering from overroutinization. Which of the following would be the best opportunity for job rotation for Shawna? A) moving to sales in the computer department B) moving to customer service C) moving to human resources D) moving to assistant manager E) moving to a new store

a

The evidence on job enrichment shows it ________. A) reduces absenteeism B) increases supervisory workload C) reduces satisfaction D) increases turnover cost E) reduces employee motivation

a

The job characteristics model describes five dimensions of a job. A job can be enriched by modifying one or more of these five dimensions. Which of the following methods of job enrichment involves modifying skill variety and task identity dimensions of a job? A) combining tasks B) forming natural work units C) establishing client relationships D) expanding jobs vertically E) opening feedback channels

a

Which of the following is Theory X consistent with? A) the autocratic style of managing people B) participative management C) job enrichment D) the cognitive evaluation theory E) two-factor theory

a

Which of the following is a form of recognition? A) personal congratulations B) job enlargement C) job sharing D) flexible benefit packages E) profit sharing

a

Which of the following is not one of the methods of enriching jobs based on the job characteristics model? A) allow flexible work time B) establish client relationships C) open feedback channels D) combine tasks E) expand jobs vertically

a

Which of the following is the distinct characteristic common to all participative management programs? A) joint decision making B) autonomy C) commitment D) productivity enhancement E) quality improvement

a

Which of the following statements is true regarding an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP)? A) Under this plan employees acquire stock often at below-market prices. B) Research on ESOPs indicates that it does not affect employee satisfaction. C) ESOPs for top management tend to increase unethical behavior. D) Research on ESOPs indicates that ESOPs drastically improve employee performance. E) ESOPs are also called competency-based pay plans.

a

Which of the following statements is true regarding gainsharing? A) Gainsharing focuses on productivity gains rather than profits. B) Gainsharing involves paying employees based on the number of new skills acquired by them in a specific time period. C) Gainsharing does not distribute profits, only gains in profits. D) Employees working under gainsharing plans have a greater feeling of psychological ownership. E) Gain sharing encourages social loafing.

a

Which of the following statements is true regarding participative management? A) Participative management typically has only a modest influence on variables such as employee productivity and motivation. B) The two most common forms are works councils and board representatives. C) It is called "the most widely legislated form of employee involvement around the world." D) Research evidence on participative management indicates that it is a sure means for improving employee performance. E) Participative management involves few representatives of workers sitting on the company's board of directors.

a

Which of the following terms best describes employees who sit on a company's board of directors and represent the interests of the firm's employees? A) board representatives B) works councils C) quality circles D) union representatives E) board leaders

a

With reference to the job characteristics model, which of the following defines task identity? A) the degree to which a job requires completion of a whole and identifiable piece of work B) the degree to which work activities generates direct and clear information about performance C) the degree to which a job provides the worker freedom in scheduling and procedure D) the degree to which a job has an impact on the lives or work of other people E) the degree to which a job requires a variety of different activities

a

Job ________ expands jobs by increasing the degree to which the worker controls the planning, execution, and evaluation of the work. A) sharing B) enrichment C) centralization D) enlargement E) rotation

b

A ________ pay plan pays for individual performance based on performance appraisal ratings. A) piece-rate B) merit-based C) skill-based D) profit sharing E) competency-based

b

Aberdone Company has redesigned the jobs of the workers in accounts receivables. Instead of simply billing customers, they are now responsible for what were once management tasks, such as following up on non-payment, determining when bills will be sent to a collection agency, and which accounts receivables can be written off as non-collectable. Which of the following methods of job enrichment is used in this example? A) task combination B) vertical job expansion C) formation of natural work units D) establishing client relationships E) opening feedback channels

b

An advantage of the ________ plan is that benefits accrue to groups of workers, high-performing workers pressure weaker performers to work harder, improving performance for the group as a whole. A) merit-based pay B) gainsharing C) skill-based pay D) piece-rate pay E) profit sharing

b

An arrangement that allows two or more individuals to split a traditional 40-hour-a-week job is called ________. A) flextime B) job sharing C) job rotation D) telecommuting E) job enrichment

b

As a manager, you like the plan because it ________. A) reduces the stress experienced by the employees on the job B) increases workforce flexibility C) decreases social loafing D) decreases payroll costs E) decreases employee turnover

b

The job characteristics model describes five dimensions of a job. A job can be enriched by modifying one or more of these five dimensions. Which of the following methods of job enrichment involves modifying task identity and task significance dimensions of a job? A) combining tasks B) forming natural work units C) establishing client relationships D) expanding jobs vertically E) opening feedback channels

b

The two most common forms of representative participation are ________ and board representatives. A) quality circles B) work councils C) employee unions D) task teams E) self-regulatory organization

b

What is the main strength of job rotation? A) It eliminates management involvement. B) It increases motivation. C) It increases productivity. D) It decreases training costs. E) It decreases supervisor work load.

b

Which of the following is an example of a piece-rate plan? A) $20 for each hour of work B) $2 for each unit produced C) productivity bonus D) commission E) paying employees based on number of skills

b

Which of the following statements is true regarding employee recognition? A) Employee recognition is an extrinsic reward. B) Critics argue that employee recognition programs are highly susceptible to political manipulation by management. C) Employee recognition programs are expensive. D) Nonfinancial incentives such as recognition are more motivating in the short term but in the long run financial incentives are more motivating. E) Employee stock option is a more powerful workplace motivator than recognition.

b

________ is a formula-based group incentive plan that uses improvements in group productivity from one period to another to determine the total amount of money allocated. A) An employee stock ownership plan B) Gainsharing C) Profit sharing D) A piece-rate pay plan E) A merit-based pay plan

b

________ is a participative process that uses employees' input to increase their commitment to the organization's success. A) Job enrichment B) Employee involvement C) Organizational reengineering D) Corporate restructuring E) Job sharing

b

According to research findings, which of the following is more likely to be motivating for the employees in the long run? A) commissions B) merit-based pay C) recognition D) bonuses E) stock options

c

According to the job characteristics model, ________ indicates the degree to which carrying out work activities generates direct and clear information about your own performance. A) task significance B) autonomy C) feedback D) task identity E) skill variety

c

According to the job characteristics model, autonomy is defined as the degree to which ________. A) a job requires completion of a whole and identifiable piece of work B) work activities generates direct and clear information about performance C) a job provides the worker freedom in scheduling the work D) a job has an impact on the lives or work of other people E) a job requires a variety of different activities

c

Almost every country in Western Europe requires companies to practice ________, called "the most widely legislated form of employee involvement around the world." A) participative management B) corporate restructuring C) representative participation D) management by objectives E) organizational reengineering

c

Amalgamated Industries manufactures parts for furniture. Management has decided to change the method of payment to a skill-based pay plan. You are interested in increasing your current compensation and see this as an opportunity. You should expect to earn more if you ________. A) volunteer for overtime B) increase your production C) cross-train in other jobs D) become a specialist E) improve the quality of your work

c

In which of the following variable-pay programs is the pay level based on how many skills employees have or how many jobs they can do? A) bonuses B) piece-rate pay C) skill-based pay D) gainsharing E) merit-based pay

c

Increasingly, research on motivation focuses on approaches that link motivational concepts to changes in the way ________ is/are structured. A) organizational design B) payment C) work D) benefits E) organizational culture

c

John is a design manager for a production company. He independently assigns teams, chooses projects, researches trends, and is able to work from home two to three days a week. He provides a status report to the design director once a month. Based on this description and as per the job characteristics model, it's safe to say that John's job is high in ________. A) task identity B) feedback C) autonomy D) task significance E) skill variety

c

Ned is particularly adept at designing and creating new fashions. In which of the following would Ned have the highest level of skill variety? A) doing alterations at the dry cleaners B) creating custom bridal gowns in a bridal store C) creating custom gowns and suits for a pageant store D) working as a private tailor for a local real estate agent E) working as a stylist for a local celebrity

c

Participative management is a method of management where ________. A) representatives of workers form work councils and these councils must be consulted when management makes decisions about employees B) few representatives of workers sit on a company's board of directors C) subordinates share a significant degree of decision-making power with their immediate superiors D) low-level workers meet occasionally with the CEO to discuss problems within their department E) low-level workers are responsible for making corporate policy decisions

c

The ________ pay plan has long been popular as a means of compensating production workers by paying a fixed sum for each unit of production completed. A) competency-based B) gainsharing C) piece-rate D) profit sharing E) merit-based

c

The periodic shifting of an employee from one task to another with similar skill requirements at the same organizational level is called job ________. A) enlargement B) expansion C) rotation D) sharing E) enrichment

c

The two major forms of employee involvement are participative management and ________. A) organizational restructuring B) job sharing C) representative participation D) job rotation E) job enlargement

c

Vance and Jared were both recently hired to be program directors at an urban university. Vance attended a large, historic university while Jared attended a branch campus of a regional university. Jared is paid 15% more than Vance. The best explanation for this is ________. A) Jared is a better negotiator B) Vance did not do well in school C) Jared's position is worth more to the university D) Vance's position is not important to the university E) the institution is not competitive within the industry

c

Which of the following is a job that does not lend itself to telecommuting? A) an attorney who spends most of her time researching on the computer B) a copywriter for an advertising firm C) a car salesman who demonstrates the features of a new model of car D) a telemarketer who uses the phone to contact clients E) a product support specialist who handles queries sent by customers

c

Which of the following is the major drawback of job sharing from management's perspective? A) increase in supervisory workload B) increased costs for providing supporting infrastructure (such as desk and computer) to two employees instead of one C) difficulty in finding compatible partners D) difficulty in designing the reward structure E) difficulty in coordinating schedules

c

Which of the following statements is true regarding job rotation? A) It decreases the flexibility with which an organization can adapt to a change. B) It decreases employee motivation. C) It decreases productivity. D) It decreases supervisory workload. E) It decreases the flexibility in scheduling work.

c

Which of the following statements is true regarding job sharing? A) It expands jobs by increasing the degree to which the worker controls the planning, execution, and evaluation of the work. B) It is also called cross-training. C) It allows two or more individuals to split a traditional 40-hour-a-week job. D) It involves periodic shifting of an employee from one task to another with similar skill requirements at the same organizational level. E) Job sharing is a method of job enrichment.

c

You are looking at flextime and realize that it will probably work least well for which of the following jobs? A) insurance billers B) custodial workers C) receptionist D) equipment maintenance staff E) IT personnel

c

You notice that members of the janitorial staff are low skilled and are suffering from overroutinization of their work. They are most likely to be motivated by ________. A) employee stock options B) skill-based pay plan C) job rotation D) merit-based pay plans E) gainsharing

c