Organizational Behavior - Chapter 6

59. Which of these job design actions is a form of job enlargement? A. increasing the number of tasks within the job B. establishing client relationships C. empowering employees D. forming natural work units E. establishing client relationships and forming natural work units

A. increasing the number of tasks within the job Feedback: Job enlargement adds tasks to an existing job. It might involve combining two or more complete jobs into one or just adding one or two more tasks to an existing job.

89. While Michael was breaking the e-mail habit, he started sharing sales reports and customer satisfaction surveys with the group. He was hoping to give the employees a sense of _____ about their importance. A. meaning B. self-determination C. competence D. impact E. freedom

A. meaning Feedback: When employees feel their job has meaning, they care about their work and believe that what they do is important.

85. This restructuring most likely increased each employee's A. sense of ownership. B. absenteeism. C. tendency to overwork. D. self-talk. E. competence.

A. sense of ownership. Feedback:With job enrichment, product and service quality tend to improve because job enrichment increases the jobholder's felt responsibility and sense of ownership over the product or service.

43. Which of the following is an advantage of job specialization? A. The quality of work increases. B. Jobs can be mastered quickly. C. Employees are more involved with their jobs. D. The work is less repetitive. E. Task specialization has no clear advantages to the organization.

B. Jobs can be mastered quickly. Feedback: Job specialization leads to shorter work cycles that give employees more frequent practice with the task, so jobs are mastered more quickly.

74. Which of these statements about self-leadership is true? A. Employees with a low degree of conscientiousness have a more natural tendency to apply self-leadership. B. Some elements of self-leadership come from sports psychology. C. Self-leadership is practiced by people with particular personality characteristics and cannot be learned. D. External locus of control helps in applying self-help strategies. E. Self-leadership behaviors are more frequently found in people with lower levels of extroversion.

B. Some elements of self-leadership come from sports psychology. Feedback: Self-leadership includes constructive thought processes that have been extensively studied in sports psychology

73. _______ is influencing oneself to establish the self-direction and self-motivation needed to perform a task. A. Self-reinforcement B. Self-talk C. Self-leadership D. Self-influence E. Self-steering

C. Self-leadership Feedback: The process of influencing oneself to establish the self-direction and self-motivation needed to perform a task is known as self-leadership.

34. Which one of the following types of rewards motivates employees to learn new skills? A. gainsharing B. job status C. competency-based D. membership/seniority E. task performance

C. competency-based Feedback: Competency-based rewards motivate employees to learn new skills. This tends to improve organizational effectiveness by creating a more flexible workforce; more employees possess multiple skills and can perform a variety of jobs, and they are more adaptive to embracing new practices in a dynamic environment.

20. The problem with membership- and seniority-based rewards is that they A. discourage people from remaining with the organization. B. are difficult to use in organizational settings. C. do not directly motivate job performance. D. increase turnover. E. discourage people from remaining with the organization and they do not directly motivate job performance.

C. do not directly motivate job performance. Feedback:Membership-based rewards do not directly motivate job performance; on the contrary, they discourage poor performers from seeking work better suited to their abilities. Instead, the good performers are lured to better-paying jobs.

70. A high degree of autonomy, task identity, and task significance are important conditions for A. job specialization. B. competency-based pay. C. empowerment. D. scientific management. E. a piece-rate system.

C. empowerment. Feedback: Employees are much more likely to experience self-determination when working in jobs with a high degree of autonomy and minimal bureaucratic control. They experience more meaningfulness when working in jobs with high levels of task identity and task significance. They experience more self-confidence when working in jobs that allow them to receive feedback about their performance and accomplishments.

87. This change most likely increased all of the following for each employee A. skill variety. B. task identity. C. task significance. D. dependence. E. autonomy.

D. dependence. Feedback: Skill variety refers to the use of different skills and talents to complete a variety of work activities. Task identity is the degree to which a job requires completion of a whole or identifiable piece of work. Task significance is the degree to which the job affects the organization and/or larger society. Autonomy is the degree to which a job gives employees the freedom, independence, and discretion to schedule their work and determine the procedures used in completing it.

30. Which of the following tend to create an ownership culture and align employee behaviors more closely to organizational objectives? A. job evaluations B. commissions C. piece-rate plans D. employee share-ownership plans E. stock option plans and employee share-ownership plans

E. stock option plans and employee share-ownership plans Feedback: Research indicates that employee stock ownership plans and stock options tend to create an ownership culture in which employees feel aligned with the organization's success.

15. Positive self-talk motivates employees by increasing their effort-to-performance expectancy.

TRUE Feedback: Self-talk refers to any situation in which we talk to ourselves about our own thoughts or actions. Positive self-talk creates a "can-do" belief and thereby increases motivation by raising our self-efficacy and reducing anxiety about challenging tasks. This way, it increases the effort-to-performance expectancy of employees.

3. Job status-based rewards potentially motivate employees to compete with each other.

TRUE Feedback:Job status-based rewards try to improve feelings of fairness, such that people in higher-valued jobs should get higher pay.These rewards also motivate employees to compete for promotions.

57. Task ______ is the characteristic of a job that refers to how much the job can be performed using known procedures and roles. A. analyzability B. interdependence C. responsibility D. variability E. autonomy

A. analyzability Feedback: The characteristic of a job that refers to how much the job can be performed using known procedures and roles is known as task analyzability.

32. _______ fullfills a variety of needs, influences emotions, and shapes or represents a person's self-concept. A. Status B. Promotions C. Money D. Values E. Desires

C. Money Feedback: Money fulfills a variety of needs, influences emotions, and shapes or represents a person's self-concept.

41. Rewards work best when they are valued. Which reward below would an employee value? A. a nice thank you card B. a $10 gift card to a local grocery store C. a wall plaque D. a product of their choice from a list E. an engraved paperweight

D. a product of their choice from a list Feedback: It seems obvious that rewards work best when they are valued. The solution, of course, is to ask employees what they value.

63. Which one of the following characteristic is considered the core motivational element of job design? A. skill variety B. task identity C. task significance D. autonomy E. job feedback

D. autonomy Feedback: Autonomy is considered the core motivational element of job design.

16. Which of the following is a disadvantage of financial rewards based on membership or seniority? A. It encourages hierarchy. B. It doesn't directly motivate performance. C. It reinforces status differences. D. It relies on subjective measurement of competencies. E. It may weaken job content motivation.

B. It doesn't directly motivate performance. Feedback:Financial rewards based on membership or seniority don't directly motivate performance

23. Which of the following rewards motivate employees to compete for promotions? A. performance-based rewards B. competency-based rewards C. team-based rewards D. job status-based rewards E. membership- or seniority-based rewards

D. job status-based rewards Feedback:Job status-based rewards try to improve feelings of fairness, such that people in higher-valued jobs should get higher pay. These rewards also motivate employees to compete for promotions.

81. In order to have high self-leadership ability, you must also be A. a loner. B. an extrovert. C. a planner. D. critical of yourself. E. efficient.

B. an extrovert. Feedback: Some research suggests that self-leadership behaviors are more frequently found in people with higher levels of conscientiousness and extroversion. People with a positive self-concept evaluation (i.e., self-esteem, self-efficacy, and internal locus of control) are also more likely to apply self-leadership strategies.

11. According to the job characteristics model, experienced meaningfulness increases with the level of job feedback.

FALSE Feedback: Experienced meaningfulness refers to the belief that one's work is worthwhile or important. Skill variety, task identity, and task significance directly contribute to the job's meaningfulness. If the job has high levels of all three characteristics, employees are likely to feel that their jobs are highly meaningful. Knowledge of results increases with feedback from the job.

35. When you work for Starbucks, you are more than an employee—you are considered a partner. This benefit is shared with employees through A. piece-rate plans. B. gainsharing plans. C. employee stock ownership plans. D. team-based bonuses. E. skills-based pay.

C. employee stock ownership plans. Feedback: Employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) are organizational rewards that encourage employees to buy company stock, usually at a discounted price. The financial incentive occurs in the form of dividends and market appreciation of the stock.

67. Which of the following is a concept that is represented by four dimensions: self-determination, meaning, competence, and impact of the individual's role in the organization? A. specialization B. job enlargement C. empowerment D. task significance E. job rotation

C. empowerment Feedback:Empowerment is a psychological concept represented by four dimensions: self-determination, meaning, competence, and impact of the individual's role in the organization.

79. Which of the following elements does self-leadership include? A. job specialization B. task identity C. mental imagery D. job evaluation E. task significance

C. mental imagery Feedback: Self-leadership suggests that we need to mentally practice a task and imagine successfully performing it beforehand. This process is known as mental imagery.

75. Which of the following is the first step in self-leadership? A. establishing client relationships B. practicing gainsharing C. personal goal setting D. constructive thought patterns E. self-reinforcement

C. personal goal setting Feedback:The first step in self-leadership is to set goals for your own work effort. This step applies ideas such as identifying goals that are specific, relevant, and challenging.

45. In repetitive jobs, the positive effect of higher proficiency is easily offset by the negative effect of lower attentiveness and motivation caused by A. poor management. B. inefficient reward systems. C. tedious work patterns. D. disassociated job incumbents. E. competition between co-workers for status.

C. tedious work patterns. Feedback: In repetitive jobs, the positive effect of higher proficiency is easily offset by the negative effect of lower attentiveness and motivation caused by tedious work patterns.

Scenario A Steelweld, a car parts manufacturer, pays employees a higher hourly rate as they learn to master more parts of the work process. Employees earn $10 per hour when they are hired, and they can earn up to $20 per hour if they master all 12 work units in the production process. 82. Which of these reward systems is being applied by Steelweld? A.skill-based pay B. piece-rate pay C. job evaluation system D. seniority-based pay E. membership-based pay

A. skill-based pay Feedback:Skill-based pay plans are a specific variation of competency-based rewards in which people receive higher pay based on their mastery of measurable skills. At Steelweld, as employees learn to master more parts of the work process, they are paid a higher hourly rate.

26. Which of the following is an individual incentive? A. gainsharing plan B. piece-rate plan C. share option D. share ownership E. employee stock-ownership plan

B. piece-rate plan Feedback:Piece rate plan is a system in which employees earn money for each product they complete.

55. ______ can directly contribute to a feeling of experienced meaningfulness. A. Job feedback B. Work motivation C. Autonomy D. Task identity E. Knowledge of results

C. Autonomy Feedback:Work motivation and performance increase when employees feel personally accountable for the outcomes of their efforts. Autonomy directly contributes to this feeling of experienced responsibility. Employees must be assigned control of their work environment to feel responsible for their successes and failures.

47. One of the strongest advocates of job specialization was A. Abraham Maslow. B. Max Weber. C. Adam Smith. D. Frederick Taylor. E. Douglas McGregor.

D. Frederick Taylor. Feedback:One of the strongest advocates of job specialization was Frederick Winslow Taylor, an American industrial engineer who introduced the principles of scientific management in the early 1900s.

37. Which of the following is a reason that performance-based rewards have come under attack? A. Performance-based rewards discourage creativity. B. Performance-based rewards distance management from employees. C. Performance-based rewards distract employees from the meaningfulness of the work itself. D. Performance-based rewards act as a quick fix, ignoring the true causes of poor performance. E. Performance-based rewards are the true cause of increased performance.

E. Performance-based rewards are the true cause of increased performance. Feedback: Performance-based rewards have come under attack over the years for discouraging creativity, distancing management from employees, distracting employees from the meaningfulness of the work itself, and being quick fixes that ignore the true causes of poor performance.

97. Compare and contrast gainsharing with employee share ownership plans.

Employee share ownership plans (ESOPs) include any arrangement where employees are encouraged to buy shares of the company. The financial incentive occurs as dividends and market appreciation of the stock. Gainsharing, on the other hand, more directly rewards employees for reducing costs and increasing efficiency. Thus, gainsharing rewards employees for specific accomplishments (reducing waste), whereas ESOPs reward employees for holding shares in the company. ESOPs are similar to gainsharing to the extent that they encourage employees to minimize waste, but the reward (share values and dividends) is much less direct. ESOPs are organizational-level rewards because share values and dividends are based on corporate-wide performance. Gainsharing, on the other hand, is typically a team-based reward (although it can be applied across the entire organization). Employees in each work unit receive a bonus based on productivity improvements within the entire unit.

14. Self-leadership suggests that goals should be set by the employee's supervisor with or without the employee's involvement.

FALSE Feedback: Self-leadership involves setting goals alone, rather than having them assigned by or jointly decided with a supervisor. Research suggests that employees are more focused and perform better when they set their own goals, particularly in combination with other self-leadership practices.

4. Inconsistencies and bias in reward systems are often increased because of gainsharing.

FALSE Feedback:Inconsistencies and bias can be minimized through gainsharing, ESOPs, and other plans that use objective performance measures.

103. Your supervisor is intrigued by the concept of self-leadership and wants to know more about it. Discuss how she can encourage self-leadership and which conditions would encourage self-leadership to be more likely to occur.

Students should distinguish between personal and situational factors that facilitate self-leadership. Personal factors: As with other initiatives, behavior begins with the individual himself/herself. For example people who have higher levels of conscientiousness and extroversion are more likely to engage in self-leadership. This is also the case with individuals who have a positive self-concept and internal locus of control. Situational factors: Employees who are given a high degree of autonomy tend to engage in self-leadership. Bosses can encourage their staff to engage in self-leadership when they empower rather than control them. Moreover, companies that emphasize continuous measurement of performance may lead staff to engage in more self-monitoring, which is an important component of self-leadership.

54. _____ is the degree to which employees can tell how well they are doing on the basis of direct sensory information from the job itself. A. Job feedback B. Job evaluation C. Task identity D. Task significance E. Job rotation

A. Job feedback Feedback: Job feedback is the degree to which employees can tell how well they are doing on the basis of direct sensory information from the job itself.

46. Which of the following is a criticism of Taylor's theory of scientific management? A. Job-related social and psychological factors were ignored by emphasizing only money as a worker incentive. B. Organizations and departments that need rapid decision making and flexibility may suffer with this approach. C. Too much authority may be vested in too few people. D. The theory was too simplistic to be applicable to the real world. E. Taylor treated the principles as universal truths for management.

A. Job-related social and psychological factors were ignored by emphasizing only money as a worker incentive. Feedback: Frederick Winslow Taylor and his contemporaries focused on how job specialization reduces labor "waste" by improving the mechanical efficiency of work (i.e., skills matching, faster learning, less switchover time). Yet they didn't seem to notice how this extreme job specialization adversely affects employee attitudes and motivation.

62. _____ is the use of different talents to complete a variety of work activities. A. Skill variety B. Task identity C. Task significance D. Autonomy E. Job feedback

A. Skill variety Feedback: Skill variety refers to the use of different skills and talents to complete a variety of work activities.

39. Team rewards A. are better for employees who work in interdependent jobs. B. are highly discouraged. C. use competition instead of cooperation. D. are preferred by low-collectivism cultures. E. ignore employee preferences.

A. are better for employees who work in interdependent jobs.Feedback: Team rewards are better than individual rewards when employees work in highly interdependent jobs, because it is difficult to measure individual performance in these situations. Team rewards also encourage cooperation, which is more important when work is highly interdependent. A third benefit of team rewards is that they tend to support employee preferences for team-based work. One concern, however, is that employees (particularly the most productive employees) in the United States and many other low-collectivism cultures prefer rewards based on their individual performance rather than team performance.

27. A mid-sized city introduced a reward system whereby employees would find ways to reduce costs and increase work efficiency. Every employee would receive a portion of the surplus budget resulting from these cost savings. Which of the following reward systems is this city using? A. gainsharing plan B. commission system C. piece-rate plan D. share option plan E. commission plan

A. gainsharing plan Feedback: Gainsharing calculates bonuses from the work unit's cost savings and productivity improvement. Gainsharing plans also create a reasonably strong link between effort and performance, because much of the cost reduction and labor efficiency is within the team's control. The city is encouraging employees to find ways to reduce costs and increase work efficiency.

44. Which of these contemporary organizational behavior practices was popularized by Fredrick Taylor in his work on scientific management? A. goal setting B. job enrichment C. membership-based reward system D. seniority-based reward system E. competency-based reward system

A. goal setting Feedback: Scientific management consists of a toolkit of activities. Some of these interventions—employee selection, training, goal setting, and work incentives—are common today but were rare until Taylor popularized them.

Scenario E Staff Up! is determined to begin to grow their own leaders because they see it as being key to success. They know they will have to work with each employee to build their skills. Answer the following questions. 91.In Scenario E, Jillian has a determination but she is struggling to complete her professional development plan for the upcoming year. She needs guidance with A.goal setting. B. thought strategies. C. designing natural rewards. D. self-monitoring. E. self-reinforcement.

A. goal setting. Feedback:Self-leadership refers to leading oneself toward objectives, so the process necessarily begins by setting goals. These goals are self-determined, rather than assigned by or jointly decided with a supervisor. Research suggests that employees are more motivated and perform better when they set their own goals, particularly in combination with other self-leadership practices.

Scenario C A cable TV company redesigned jobs so that one employee interacts directly with customers, connects and disconnects their cable service, installs their special services, and collects overdue accounts in an assigned area. They also decided to do away with scripted customer interaction manuals and allow each employee to determine how best to interact with each customer. Previously, each task was performed by a different person, and the customer interacted only with someone at the head office. 86. This change is an example of A.increasing job enrichment by establishing client relationships. B. encouraging self-reinforcement. C. introducing job rotation. D. increasing job specialization. E. introducing job feedback.

A. increasing job enrichment by establishing client relationships. Feedback: A job enrichment strategy, called establishing client relationships, involves putting employees in direct contact with their clients rather than using the supervisor as a go-between. By being directly responsible for specific clients, employees have more information and can make decisions affecting those clients.

18. Which one of the following rewards represents the largest part of most paychecks? A. membership-based rewards B. job status-based rewards C. individual job performance-based rewards D. competency-based rewards E. team performance-based rewards

A. membership-based rewards Feedback: Membership-based and seniority-based rewards (sometimes called "pay for pulse") represent the largest part of most paychecks. Some employee benefits, such as free or discounted meals in the company cafeteria, remain the same for everyone, whereas others increase with seniority

52. A unique feature of Herzberg's motivator-hygiene theory is that it A. states that improving motivators increases job satisfaction but does not decrease job dissatisfaction. B. states that employees can be satisfied with their jobs but not motivated to perform their jobs. C. identifies job specialization as the main source of higher need fulfillment. D. views job satisfaction and dissatisfaction as opposites. E. recognizes money as the primary motivator in organizational settings.

A. states that improving motivators increases job satisfaction but does not decrease job dissatisfaction. Feedback: Motivator-hygiene theory proposes that employees experience job satisfaction when they fulfill growth and esteem needs (called motivators), and they experience dissatisfaction when they have poor working conditions, job security, and other factors categorized as lower-order needs (called hygiene factors). Herzberg argued that only characteristics of the job itself motivate employees, whereas the hygiene factors merely prevent dissatisfaction.

17. Which of the following is an advantage of using competency-based financial rewards? A. It minimizes the stress of insecurity. B. It motivates employees to compete for promotions. C. It improves workforce flexibility. D. It motivates task performance. E. It minimizes pay discrimination.

C. It improves workforce flexibility. Feedback:One advantage of competency-based rewards is that it improves workforce flexibility.

25. According to the survey conducted by Kelly Services, Global Variations in Performance-Based Pay, what percentage of Americans say their pay is "variable, such that a portion is dependent upon your individual performance/productivity" targets? A. 25 percent B. 32 percent C. 43 percent D. 51 percent E. 67 percent

B. 32 percent Feedback:In the graph titled "Global Variations in Performance-Based Pay" in the text, 32 percent of Americans say their pay is "variable, such that a portion is dependent upon your individual performance/productivity" targets.

40. _____ occurs when the source of motivation is controlled by the individual and experienced from the activity itself. A. Reward B. Intrinsic motivation C. Performance increase D. Extrinsic motivation E. Unexpected effect

B. Intrinsic motivation Feedback: Intrinsic motivation occurs when the source of motivation is controlled by the individual and experienced from the activity itself. In other words, companies motivate employees mainly by designing interesting and challenging jobs.

80. _____ is the process of keeping track at regular intervals of one's progress toward a goal by using naturally occurring feedback. A. Job feedback B. Self-monitoring C. Natural grouping D. Job specialization E. Task significance

B. Self-monitoring Feedback: Self-monitoring is the process of keeping track at regular intervals of one's progress toward a goal by using naturally occurring feedback.

53. _____ is the degree to which the job affects the organization and/or larger society. A. Skill variety B. Task significance C. Job feedback D. Job rotation E. Task identity

B. Task significance Feedback: Task significance is the degree to which the job affects the organization and/or larger society.

29. Which of the following is true about stock option plans? A. They refer to bonuses from the work unit's cost savings and productivity improvement. B. They give employees the right to purchase company stock at a predetermined price up to a fixed expiration date. C. They directly award bonuses to employees based on cost savings and increased labor productivity. D. They tend to weaken employee commitment to the organization. E. They encourage employees to buy company stock, usually at a discounted price or through a no-interest loan.

B. They give employees the right to purchase company stock at a predetermined price up to a fixed expiration date. Feedback: Stock options give employees the right to purchase company stock at a predetermined price up to a fixed expiration date.

77. Before meeting a new client, a salesperson visualizes the experience of meeting the person and effectively answering some of the challenging questions the client might ask. This activity is an example of A. poor performance. B. constructive thought patterns. C. rewarding competencies. D. job rotation. E. empowerment.

B. constructive thought patterns. Feedback:Before beginning a task and while performing it, employees should engage in positive (constructive) thoughts about that work and its accomplishment.

48. According to Taylor, the most effective companies have A. supervisors who oversee multiple areas. B. detailed procedures and work practices developed by engineers. C. employees who oversee the work of supervisors. D. a lack of time for goal setting. E. minimal work incentives as they are distracting.

B. detailed procedures and work practices developed by engineers. Feedback: According to Taylor, the most effective companies have detailed procedures and work practices developed by engineers, enforced by supervisors, and executed by employees. Even the supervisor's tasks should be divided: One person manages operational efficien inspection, and another is the disciplinarian. Taylor and other industrial engineers demonstrated that scientific management significantly improves work efficiency.

50. Which of the following jobs might have difficulty working within Taylor's scientific management principles? A. CEO B. factory line worker C. marketing executive D. school principal E. professional development coach

B. factory line worker Feedback: Job specialization also undermines work quality by disassociating job incumbents from the overall product or service. By performing a small part of the overall work, employees have difficulty striving for better quality or even noticing flaws with that overall output.

33. The motivational effect of money is _____ was previously believed, and this effect is due more to its symbolic value than to what it can buy. A. less than B. greater than C. fewer than D. similar to what E. inconsequential to

B. greater than Feedback: The motivational effect of money is much greater than was previously believed, and this effect is due more to its symbolic value than to what it can buy.

A large retail organization previously divided work among its four employee-benefits staff into distinct specializations. One person answered all questions about superannuation (pension plans), another answered all questions about various forms of paid time-off (e.g., vacations), and so on. These jobs were recently restructured so that each employee-benefits person answers all questions for people in a particular geographic area. One staff member is responsible for all employee-benefits inquiries from anyone in a particular geographic region. 84. This job restructuring is an example of A. self-leadership. B. job enrichment. C. job rotation. D. scientific management. E. self-monitoring.

B. job enrichment. Feedback:One way to increase job enrichment is by combining highly interdependent tasks into one job. This is known as a natural grouping approach. By forming natural work units, jobholders have stronger feelings of responsibility for an identifiable body of work. They feel a sense of ownership and therefore tend to increase job quality. In this case, a staff member is responsible for all employee-benefits inquiries from anyone in a particular geographic region.

51. According to Herzberg, which of the following is a hygiene factor? A. autonomy B. job security C. responsibility D. personal growth E. esteem need

B. job security Feedback:Motivator-hygiene theory proposes that employees experience job satisfaction when they fulfill growth and esteem needs (called motivators), and they experience dissatisfaction when they have poor working conditions, job security, and other factors categorized as lower-order needs (called hygiene factors).

22. Which of the following type of reward systems uses job evaluations? A. competency-based reward systems B. job status-based reward systems C. individual performance reward systems D. seniority-based reward systems E. task performance-based reward systems

B. job status-based reward systems Feedback: Job status reward systems use job evaluations to measure job worth.

72. With the right individuals, job characteristics, and organizational environment, empowerment can substantially improve motivation and performance. However, organizational and cultural conditions can limit the extent to which the conditions for empowerment produce feelings of empowerment because of A. decreased autonomy. B. lack of trust in leadership. C. improved motivation. D. increased performance. E. unlimited communication.

B. lack of trust in leadership. Feedback:With the right individuals, job characteristics, and organizational environment, empowerment can substantially improve motivation and performance. However, organizational and cultural conditions can limit the extent to which the conditions for empowerment produce feelings of empowerment. A few studies have observed, for example, that increased autonomy and discretion does not result in higher feelings of empowerment in high-power distance cultures because this self-determination conflicts with the norms of high power distance (deferring to the boss's power). Trust in leadership is another important contingency regarding whether employees feel empowered when structural conditions for empowerment are present

Scenario D Michael is a new manager for a high-powered company. He has inherited a unit that has low morale, poor performance, and high turnover. He needs to find a way to empower his employees. Based on the information below, identify which dimension he has chosen to employ. 88. The first thing Michael did was stop the micromanagement of the employees' daily time, where they were e-mailing the entire team "here," "at lunch," "on break," etc. This is an example of A. meaning. B.self-determination. C. competence. D. impact. E. job rotation.

B. self-determination. Feedback:Empowered employees feel that they have freedom, independence, and discretion over their work activities when they have self-determination.

92. Manuel is often seen sitting at his desk mumbling. When asked if all is alright, he often comments that he cannot perform like the others on his team. He is engaging in A. goal setting. B. self-talk. C. mental imagery. D. self-monitoring. E. self-reinforcement.

B. self-talk. Feedback: Self-talk refers to any situation in which we talk to ourselves about our own thoughts or actions. The problem is that most self-talk is negative; we criticize much more than encourage or congratulate ourselves. Negative self-talk undermines our confidence and potential to perform a particular task. In contrast, positive self-talk creates a "can-do" belief and thereby increases motivation by raising our self-efficacy and reducing anxiety about challenging tasks.

65. Tasha is new to the team. She comes with quite the résumé of experience, yet it is from another company. She will need to interact with others to get the job done by sharing materials, information, and expertise. She will be engaging in A. task analyzability. B. task interdependence. C. task responsibility. D. task variability. E. task autonomy.

B. task interdependence. Feedback:One social characteristic is the extent to which the job requires employees to interact with other people (coworkers, clients, government representatives, etc.). This required social interaction is associated with emotional labor, as well as with task interdependence, which is the extent to which employees need to share materials, information, or expertise with each other.

28. Gainsharing plans tend to A. increase efficiency without paying employees any financial reward. B. distribute a portion of company profits to employees in the form of company stock. C. create a reasonably strong effort-to-performance expectancy. D. reward individuals for their own personal performance rather than team or organizational performance. E. increase efficiency without paying employees any financial reward, creating a reasonably strong effort-to-performance expectancy.

C. create a reasonably strong effort-to-performance expectancy. Feedback: Gainsharing plans create a reasonably strong link between effort and performance, because much of the cost reduction and labor efficiency is within the team's control.

64. Jalen takes his work very seriously. He feels his work has direct impact on the job outcomes. He has a sense of A. experienced meaningfulness. B. job feedback. C. experienced responsibility. D. task identity. E. knowledge of results.

C. experienced responsibility. Feedback: Autonomy directly contributes to feelings of experienced responsibility—a sense of being personally accountable for the work outcomes.

58. Which of the following minimizes health risks from repetitive strain and heavy lifting because employees use different muscles and physical positions in the various jobs? A. job feedback B. job enlargement C. job rotation D. job enrichment E. task identity

C. job rotation Feedback: Job rotation is the practice of moving employees from one job to another. It minimizes health risks from repetitive strain and heavy lifting because employees use different muscles and physical positions in the various jobs.

42. Which of the following refers to the result of the division of labor in which work is subdivided into separate jobs assigned to different people? A. piece-rate system B. job rotation C. job specialization D. profit-sharing bonus E. gainsharing plan

C. job specialization Feedback: Job specialization refers to the result of the division of labor in which work is subdivided into separate jobs assigned to different people.

93. As the unit supervisor, Dionne has begun to allow flexible scheduling for those who want to try it. She is hoping by allowing the flexibility, production will increase. Which self-leadership strategy is she employing? A. goal setting B. thought strategy C. natural reward D. self-monitoring E. self-reinforcement

C. natural reward Feedback: Self-leadership recognizes that employees actively craft their jobs. To varying degrees, they can alter tasks and work relationships to make the work more motivating.

31. When applied to non-management employees, which of the following has a weak connection between the reward and individual effort? A. piece-rate pay B. commission C.profit-sharing bonus D. gainsharing plan E. job evaluation

C. profit-sharing bonus Feedback: The main problem with ESOPs, stock options, and profit sharing is that employees often perceive a weak connection between their individual effort and corporate profits or the value of company shares.

71. Empowerment is higher in organizations that A. require employees to trust leadership. B. limit the amount of risk-taking. C. provide formal training programs. D. make resources available to a few. E. reward those who follow the rules.

C. provide formal training programs Feedback:Empowerment is higher in organizations that demonstrate a commitment to employee learning by providing formal training programs and nurturing a learning orientation culture (which encourages informal learning and discovery).

66. Johnson Inc. has introduced job rotation to the line workers. Management is hoping that they will see less injuries and improved A. attention to detail. B. attendance. C. workforce flexibility. D. communication. E. attrition rates.

C. workforce flexibility. Feedback: There are three potential benefits of job rotation. First, it increases skill variety throughout the workday, which seems to improve employee motivation and satisfaction to some extent. A second benefit of job rotation is that it minimizes health risks from repetitive strain and heavy lifting because employees use different muscles and physical positions in the various jobs. A third benefit is that job rotation supports multiskilling (employees learn several jobs), which increases workforce flexibility in staffing the production process and in finding replacements for employees on vacation.

36. Why don't organizational rewards improve motivation or performance very much? A. Employees see a decrease in firm performance when there are rewards. B. Employees see a lack of alignment with the organization's success. C. Employees think their compensation is tied to the firm's prosperity. D. Employees perceive a weak connection between their effort and the reward. E. Employees receive increased pay reductions during prosperous times.

D. Employees perceive a weak connection between their effort and the reward. Feedback: One reason why organizational rewards don't improve motivation or performance very much is that employees perceive a weak connection between their individual effort and the determinants of those rewards.

78. According to the self-leadership model, which of the following is true about positive self-talk? A. It should never be practiced on the job. B. It represents the most important way to monitor our own performance. C. It occurs when employees are unable to control their own behavior on the job. D. It improves self-efficacy and employee motivation. E. It must occur only after the task has been accomplished.

D. It improves self-efficacy and employee motivation. Feedback: Positive self-talk creates a "can-do" belief and thereby increases motivation by raising our self-efficacy and reducing anxiety about challenging tasks.

24. Which of the following is true about skill-based pay plans? A. They discourage employees from learning new jobs. B. They create a psychological distance between employees and managers. C. They discourage poor performers from leaving the organization. D. They can be expensive because they motivate employees to spend more time learning new jobs. E. They motivate employees to compete for promotions.

D. They can be expensive because they motivate employees to spend more time learning new jobs. Feedback: Skill-based pay plans are a specific variation of competency-based rewards in which people receive higher pay based on their mastery of measurable skills. Skill-based pay systems measure specific skills, so they are usually more objective. However, they are expensive because employees spend more time learning new tasks.

49. The scientific management toolkit consists of all of the following A. employee selection. B. training. C. goal setting. D. clarity on the big picture. E. work incentives.

D. clarity on the big picture. Feedback: Scientific management consists of a toolkit of activities. Some of these interventions—employee selection, training, goal setting, and work incentives—are common today but were rare until Taylor popularized them. However, scientific management is mainly associated with high levels of job specialization and standardization of tasks to achieve maximum efficiency.

76. Which of the following steps occurs in self-leadership immediately after identifying goals that are specific, relevant, and challenging? A. designing natural rewards B. self-monitoring C. self-reinforcement D. constructive thought patterns E. track keeping

D. constructive thought patterns Feedback:Before beginning a task and while performing it, employees should engage in positive (constructive) thoughts about that work and its accomplishment. This step occurs immediately after personal goal setting.

68. Employees are said to be empowered when they A. practice job specialization. B. experience self-reinforcement. C. engage in positive self-talk. D. experience freedom and discretion. E. engage in mental imagery.

D. experience freedom and discretion. Feedback: Empowered employees feel that they have freedom, independence, and discretion over their work activities.

90. At the next unit meeting, Michael asked for feedback on what was working and what needed improvements. He wanted the employees to feel free to share their opinions because their work was key to the success of the company. He wanted them to see their A. meaning. B. self-determination. C. independence. D. impact. E. capacity.

D. impact. Feedback:Empowered employees view themselves as active participants in the organization; that is, their decisions and actions have an impact on the company's success.

69. Which of the following is a component of empowerment? A. overconfidence B. fate C. mental imagery D. meaning E. dependence

D. meaning Feedback:Empowerment is a psychological concept represented by four dimensions: self-determination, meaning, competence, and impact of the individual's role in the organization. Employees who feel empowered care about their work and believe that what they do is important. This is referred to as meaning.

38. How can companies improve the pay-performance linkage? A. rely on few sources of information B. apply rewards once a year C. use rewards in small doses D. through gainsharing and ESOPs E. demonstrate the success of competitive strategies

D. through gainsharing and ESOPs Feedback: Inconsistencies and bias can be minimized through gainsharing, ESOPs, and other plans that use objective performance measures. Where subjective measures of performance are necessary, companies should rely on multiple sources of information. Companies also need to apply rewards soon after the performance occurs, and in a large-enough dose (such as a bonus rather than a pay increase), so employees experience positive emotions when they receive the reward.

56. Task _____ is the characteristic of a job that refers to how predictable job duties are from one day to the next. A. analyzability B. interdependence C. responsibility D. variability E. autonomy

D. variability Feedback: The characteristic of a job that refers to how predictable job duties are from one day to the next is called task variability.

61. A video journalist's job consists of operating the camera, reporting the story, and often editing the work, whereas these three tasks were traditionally performed by three people. Video journalism is an example of A. self-leadership and job enlargement. B. job enrichment and self-leadership. C. job enlargement and job specialization. D. job specialization and self-leadership. E. job enrichment and job enlargement.

E. job enrichment and job enlargement. Feedback: One way to increase job enrichment is by combining highly interdependent tasks into one job. This natural grouping approach is reflected in the video journalist job. Video journalist was earlier described as an enlarged job, but it is also an example of job enrichment because it naturally groups tasks together to complete an entire product (i.e., a news story).

19. Which reward system tends to discourage poor performers from voluntarily leaving the organization? A. performance-based pay B. skill-based pay C. piece-rate rewards D. competency-based pay E. membership- and seniority-based pay

E. membership- and seniority-based pay Feedback:Membership- and seniority-based rewards potentially attract job applicants (particularly those who desire predictable income) and reduce turnover. However, they do not directly motivate job performance; on the contrary, they discourage poor performers from seeking work better suited to their abilities. Instead, the good performers are lured to better-paying jobs.

21. Which of the following are "golden handcuffs" that potentially increase continuance commitment? A. performance-based rewards B. job status-based rewards C. team-based rewards D. competency-based rewards E. membership/seniority-based rewards

E. membership/seniority-based rewards Feedback:Some of the membership/seniority-based rewards are "golden handcuffs"—they discourage employees from quitting because the deferred bonuses or generous benefits are not available elsewhere. However, golden handcuffs potentially weaken job performance because they generate continuance rather than affective commitment.

60. Which of the following is the primary aspect of job enlargement? A. autonomy B. affiliation C. job feedback D. growth-need strength E. skill variety

E. skill variety Feedback:Job enlargement adds tasks to an existing job. It might involve combining two or more complete jobs into one or just adding one or two more tasks to an existing job. Either way, skill variety increases because there are more tasks to perform. Research suggests that simply giving employees more tasks won't affect motivation, performance, or job satisfaction. These benefits result only when skill variety is combined with more autonomy and job knowledge.

83. Which of the following is most likely a benefit Steelweld is trying to achieve with this reward system? A. the attraction of applicants B. the minimization of pay discrimination C. the motivation of task performance D. the creation of an ownership culture E. the improvement of workforce flexibility

E. the improvement of workforce flexibility Feedback: One of the advantages of competency rewards (i.e., skill-based pay) is that it improves workforce flexibility.

95. ClamCo, a large energy company, was once a bureaucratic organization that valued long service and promotions through a steep hierarchy. After several years of difficult change, it is now a much flatter organization that places more responsibility with self-directed work teams. Explain what changes ClamCo probably would have made to align its reward system with this new corporate philosophy.

Earlier, ClamCo relied on seniority and job status-based rewards. It rewarded people with longer service, possibly with higher pay, larger pensions, and longer vacations. It relied on status-based rewards so that employees were motivated to rise through the hierarchy. For example, ClamCo probably defined each job narrowly and carefully measured its worth using quantitative job evaluation techniques. The company probably also rewarded job status through perquisites such as larger offices and preferred parking. In its reformation as a leaner, flatter organization, ClamCo would ideally move away from a status-based reward system toward a competency-based reward system. It would identify competencies for each broadly defined job group and reward people who excel on these competencies. It would use a pay structure with wide ranges so that employees move within the band, rather than expecting pay increases through promotions. Competency rewards would also include skill-based pay for members of self-directed work teams. This increases employee flexibility through multi-skilling.

101. The chief executive officer of a mid-sized manufacturing company has hired you to design the work site and to make any other changes necessary for employees to feel more empowered. Briefly define "empowerment," and describe three important conditions you would ensure to improve empowerment among the employees.

Empowerment is defined as a psychological concept represented by four dimensions: self-determination, meaning, competence, and impact of the individual's role in the organization. The textbook describes several factors that support empowerment. Students can describe any three of these, preferably the most important factors. Autonomy: To generate beliefs about self-determination, employees must work in jobs with a high degree of autonomy with minimal bureaucratic control. Task identity: To maintain a sense of meaningfulness, jobs must have high levels of task identity. Task significance: This is needed to maintain a sense of meaningfulness. Job feedback: To maintain a sense of self-confidence, jobs must provide sufficient feedback. Information and resources: Employees experience more empowerment in organizations where information and other resources are easily accessible. Learning orientation culture: Empowerment also requires a learning orientation culture. In other words, empowerment flourishes in organizations that appreciate the value of the employee learning and that accept reasonable mistakes as a natural part of the learning process. Trust in employees: Empowerment requires corporate leaders who trust employees and are willing to take the risks that empowerment creates.

12. The dimension of "meaning" in discussing empowerment is when employees view themselves as active participants in the organization; that is, their decisions and actions have an influence on the company's success.

FALSE Feedback: The dimension of "Impact" in discussing empowerment is when employees view themselves as active participants in the organization; that is, their decisions and actions have an influence on the company's success.

6. Job design is the result of division of labor, in which work is subdivided into separate jobs assigned to different people

FALSE Feedback:Job design is the process of assigning tasks to a job, including interdependency of those tasks with other jobs

2. Job evaluation mainly supports the competency approach to rewards.

FALSE Feedback:Many organizations reward employees to some extent on the basis of the status or worth of the jobs they occupy. In some parts of the world, companies measure job worth through job evaluations.

8. Job specialization increases training costs and makes it more difficult for companies to match employee aptitudes to jobs for which they are best suited.

FALSE Feedback:Specialized jobs require fewer physical and mental skills to accomplish the assigned work, so less time and fewer resources are needed for training. It also tends to increase work efficiency as employees with specific aptitudes or skills can be matched more precisely to the jobs for which they are best suited.

5. Companies should use individual-level performance-based pay when jobs are highly interdependent.

FALSE Feedback:Team rewards are better than individual rewards when employees work in highly interdependent jobs, because it is difficult to measure individual performance in these situations.

99. Briefly explain the benefits and problems of job specialization.

Job specialization potentially improves work efficiency. One reason for this higher efficiency is that employees spend less time changing activities because they have fewer tasks to juggle. Even when people can change tasks quickly, their mental attention lingers on the previous task, which slows down performance on the new task. A second reason for increased work efficiency is that specialized jobs, require fewer physical and mental skills to accomplish the assigned work, so less time and fewer resources are needed for training. A third reason is that shorter work cycles give employees more frequent practice with the task, so jobs are mastered more quickly. A fourth reason specialization tends to increase work efficiency is that employees with specific aptitudes or skills can be matched more precisely to the jobs for which they are best suited. On the other hand, too much specialization will reduce employee performance because it begins to have a negative effect on employee motivation. Job specialization often reduces work quality because employees see only a small part of the process. At extreme levels of specialization, employees are bored with their work, are more likely to quit or be absent from their jobs, and are less likely to care about product/service quality. The company may have more difficulty hiring people for the job or may face unionization, both of which may increase wage rates. These problems offset the efficiency gains from specialization.

102. Self-leadership provides a different way of thinking about motivating employees. Identify and fully describe three of the elements of the self-leadership model, and briefly explain how self-leadership differs from other applied motivation practices.

Self-leadership refers to the process of influencing oneself to establish the self-direction and self-motivation needed to perform a task. This differs from other applied motivation practices because it recognizes that employees motivate themselves, whereas the other concepts assume that companies must do things to motivate employees. There are five elements in the self-leadership model. Students can fully describe any three of these. 1. Personal goal setting: Effective organizations establish norms whereby employees have a natural tendency to set their own goals to motivate themselves. This applies the ideas on goal setting, such as identifying goals that are specific, relevant, and challenging. Goals are set alone, rather than being assigned by or jointly decided with a supervisor. 2. Constructive thought patterns: This includes both self-talk and mental imagery. Self-talk refers to any situation in which a person talks to him- or herself about his or her own thoughts or actions. The statements that we make to ourselves affect our self-efficacy, which, in turn, can influence our behavior and performance in a particular situation. Self-talk also affects how well we figure out the best way to accomplish new or complex tasks. Mental imagery involves mentally practicing a task and imagining successfully performing it beforehand. By mentally walking through the activities required to accomplish the task, we begin to see problems that may occur. Imagining successful performance of the task beforehand increases goal commitment and motivates us to complete the task effectively. 3. Designing natural rewards: Employees can find ways to make the job itself more motivating. One way to build natural rewards into the job is to alter the way a task is accomplished. People often have enough discretion in their jobs to make slight changes to suit their needs and preferences. 4. Self-monitoring: This is the process of keeping track of one's progress toward a goal. It includes the notion of consciously checking naturally occurring feedback at regular intervals. Self-monitoring also includes designing artificial feedback (e.g., computer printouts, instrument dials, etc.) where natural feedback does not occur. 5. Self-reinforcement: Self-reinforcement occurs whenever an employee has control over a reinforcer but doesn't "take" the reinforcer until completing a self-set goal. This might involve taking a break after completing a task to a preset goal, or it may involve changing to a more interesting task after completing a boring task.

98. Briefly describe some of the important strategies for improving reward effectiveness.

Some of the important strategies for improving reward effectiveness are: Link rewards to performance: Inconsistencies and bias can be minimized through gainsharing, ESOPs, and other plans that use objective performance measures. Where subjective measures of performance are necessary, companies should rely on multiple sources of information. Companies also need to apply rewards soon after the performance occurs, and in a large-enough dose (such as a bonus rather than a pay increase) so that employees experience positive emotions when they receive the reward. Ensure that rewards are relevant: Companies need to align rewards with performance within the employees control. The more employees see a "line of sight" between their daily actions and the reward, the more they are motivated to improve performance. Reward systems also need to correct for situational factors. Salespeople in one region may have higher sales because the economy is stronger there than elsewhere, so sales bonuses need to be adjusted for such economic factors. Use team rewards for interdependent jobs: Team rewards are better than individual rewards when employees work in highly interdependent jobs, because it is difficult to measure individual performance in these situations. Team rewards also encourage cooperation, which is more important when work is highly interdependent. They also tend to support employee preferences for team-based work. Ensure that rewards are valued: It seems obvious that rewards work best when they are valued. Yet companies sometimes make false assumptions about what employees want, with unfortunate consequences. The solution, of course, is to ask employees what they value. Watch out for unintended consequences: Performance-based reward systems sometimes have an unexpected—and undesirable—effect on employee behaviors. The solution here is to carefully think through the consequences of rewards and, where possible, test incentives in a pilot project before applying them across the organization.

94. Briefly describe how organizations reward people for job status. Discuss three potential problems with rewarding employees for their job status.

Students' answers will vary. Almost every organization rewards employees to some extent on the basis of the status worth of the jobs they occupy. In some parts of the world, companies measure job worth through job evaluations. Most job evaluation methods give higher value to jobs that require more skill and effort, have more responsibility, and have more difficult working conditions. Along with receiving higher pay, employees with more valued jobs sometimes receive larger offices, company-paid vehicles, and other perks. Job status-based rewards try to improve feelings of fairness, such that people in higher valued jobs should get higher pay. These rewards also motivate employees to compete for promotions. However, job status-based rewards can result in three potential problems. First, job status-based rewards potentially encourage bureaucratic hierarchy rather than market responsiveness. Second, these rewards reinforce a status mentality, whereas Generation-X and Generation-Y employees expect a more egalitarian workplace. Third, status-based pay potentially motivates employees to compete with each other for higher status jobs and to raise the value of their own jobs by exaggerating job duties and hoarding resources.

10. Employees assembling complete computer modems would have higher task identity than those assembling only one component and passing it along to others for further assembly.

TRUE Feedback: Task identity is the degree to which a job requires completion of a whole or identifiable piece of work. Employees assembling complete computer modems would have higher task identity than those assembling only one component and passing it along to others for further assembly

9. The job characteristics model identifies five core job characteristics and three psychological states.

TRUE Feedback:The job characteristics model identifies five core job dimensions that produce three psychological states. Employees who experience these psychological states tend to have higher levels of internal work motivation (motivation from the work itself), job satisfaction (particularly satisfaction with the work itself), and work effectiveness.

13. Employees are more likely to feel empowered in jobs with a high degree of autonomy, task identity, and task significance.

TRUE Feedback:Employees are more likely to experience self-determination when working in jobs with a high degree of autonomy and minimal bureaucratic control. They experience more meaningfulness when working in jobs with high levels of task identity and task significance. They experience more self-confidence when working in jobs that allow them to receive feedback about their performance and accomplishments.

7. Job specialization increases efficiency because it includes fewer mental and physical skills, shorter work cycles, less variety of tasks, and more precise job matching.

TRUE Feedback:Job specialization potentially improves work efficiency. One reason is that employees have less variety of tasks to juggle. A second reason for increased work efficiency is that employees can become proficient more quickly in specialized jobs. There are fewer mental and physical skills to learn and therefore less time to train and develop people for high performance. Third, shorter work cycles give employees more frequent practice with the task. Fourth, specialization tends to increase work efficiency in that employees with specific aptitudes or skills can be matched more precisely to the jobs for which they are best suited.

1. The largest portion of most paychecks is based on a person's membership and seniority in an organization.

TRUE Feedback:Membership-based and seniority-based rewards (sometimes called "pay for pulse") represent the largest part of most paychecks. Some employee benefits, such as free or discounted meals in the company cafeteria, remain the same for everyone, whereas others increase with seniority.

96. Describe a reward system that would best motivate employees to learn several jobs. Identify potential disadvantages of this reward system.

The best type of reward system to motivate employees to learn more jobs is a competency-based reward system and, in particular, a skill-based pay (SBP) plan. In a skill-based pay plan, employees earn higher pay rates with the number of skill modules they have mastered, even though they perform only one job at a particular time. Competency-based rewards motivate employees to learn new skills. This tends to improve organizational effectiveness by creating a more flexible workforce; more employees possess multiple skills and can perform a variety of jobs, and they are more adaptive to embracing new practices in a dynamic environment. However, competency-based pay plans have not always worked out as well as promised by their advocates. They are often over-designed, making it difficult to communicate these plans to employees. Skill-based pay systems measure specific skills, so they are usually more objective. However, they are expensive because employees spend more time learning new tasks.

100. Explain the three critical psychological states that affect employee motivation and satisfaction in the context of the job characteristics model.

The first critical psychological state is experienced meaningfulness—the belief that one's work is worthwhile or important. Skill variety, task identity, and task significance directly contribute to the job's meaningfulness. If the job has high levels of all three characteristics, employees are likely to feel that their jobs are highly meaningful. The meaningfulness of a job drops as one or more of these characteristics declines. The second psychological state is experienced responsibility. Work motivation and performance increase when employees feel personally accountable for the outcomes of their efforts. Autonomy directly contributes to this feeling of experienced responsibility. Employees must be assigned control of their work environment to feel responsible for their successes and failures. The third critical psychological state is knowledge of results. Employees want information about the consequences of their work effort. Knowledge of results can originate from coworkers, supervisors, or clients. However, job design focuses on knowledge of results from the work itself.