HR MGT Exam Review: Ch. 4

Which activity helps an organization determine the raw input, equipment, and human resources needed to produce an output?

work-flow analysis

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, roughly 10% of U.S. workers are engaged in which of the following?

Alternative work arrangements

_____ is the degree to which decision-making authority resides at the top of the organizational chart.

Centralization

From what discipline is the mechanistic approach to job design is derived?

Classical Industrial Engineering

Which of the following conditions would require the use of job design?

Creation of a new work unit

What are the most critical dimensions of organization structure?

Departmentalization Centralization

Which of the following types of organization structures would be most appropriate in a VOLATILE environment?

Divisional

Which type of organizational structure has relatively low rates of centralization?

Divisional

Which of the following statements is true about divisional organizational structures in contrast to functional structures?

Divisional structures can exploit consumer opportunities faster.

Which of the following statements is true about organizations with divisional structures in contrast to those with functional structures?

Divisional structures can mean one unit achieves gains at the expense of another.

Which of the following refers to the technology and facilities needed to create a product from raw materials?

Equipment

What is another term for the biological approach to job design?

Ergonomics

______ is concerned with examining the interface between individuals' physiological characteristics and the physical work environment.

Ergonomics

True or false: In terms of work-flow analysis, work output refers to physical objects but not intangible services.

False (CAN REFER TO BOTH Physical Objects & Intangible Services)

Which activity identifies the best and most capable potential employees?

Human resource selection

Which of the following statements is accurate concerning recent changes in technological capabilities?

Interruptions, such as incoming texts or emails, can distract a worker performing a complicated task.

What types of information are most helpful when performing a job analysis?

Job Description Job Specification

What tool helps an organization match the appropriate people with the appropriate jobs for them?

Job analysis

What tool helps managers understand work flow, select the best applicants for jobs, improve employees' job performance, and ensure the safety of workers?

Job analysis

What term describes a list of the tasks, duties, and responsibilities (TDRs) entailed by a position?

Job description

What is the term for the process of defining how work will be performed and the tasks that will be required in a given job?

Job design

What tool is used to depict organizational structure in terms of relationships between employees and their responsibilities?

Organizational chart

Which term describes the way jobs are connected vertically and horizontally throughout a company?

Organizational structure

Errors in job analysis are most likely to arise from which of the following?

Outdated job descriptions

The ______ is a survey that is useful in job analysis process.

Position Analysis Questionnaire (PAQ)

What term is used to describe the resources that will be converted into the work unit's product?

Raw materials

Which was one of the first examples of the mechanistic approach to job design in the workplace?

Scientific Management

Which are reasons that job analysis is important to line managers?

Understanding job requirements is critical to making intelligent hiring decisions. Understanding the possible dangers associated with a job helps ensure work is being done safely.

Which section of the Position Analysis Questionnaire (PAQ) is concerned with the physical activities, tools, and devices used by employees to perform their jobs?

Work output

What term describes the reduced attention of a person who is interacting with multiple media?

absence presence

The process of obtaining detailed information about jobs is known as job ____.

analysis

The process of obtaining detailed information about jobs is known as job _____

analysis

From which discipline is the biological approach to job design derived?

biomechanics, work physiology, and occupational medicine

The money an organization invests in equipment is calculated in terms of ______ per worker.

capital spending

Which of the following are potential uses of the information gathered through performance appraisal? (Select all that apply.) Multiple select question.

compensate employees for high performance demonstrate reasoning behind punishment of employees for low performance

Which of the following are raw inputs in a work-unit activity analysis?

data materials information

What is the first step in identifying which applicants are most qualified during human resource selection?

determine duties for a job and figure out what qualifications an individual needs to perform the job successfully

Which of the following are inputs?

equipment raw materials human skills

Which of the following characteristics helps divisional structures to be more creative and able to respond quickly to change?

focus on work-flow

A(n) ____ organization structure is best in steady, relatively unchanging environments where outputs can be produced efficiently.

functional

What type of organizational structure is highly centralized and departmentalized?

functional

A disadvantage of a ______ is that individual workers may grasp their department's mission, but not that of the larger company.

functional structure

Which types of interventions can managers employ to increase the meaningfulness of jobs?

giving employees tasks that they feel are important giving employees the freedom to make decisions

What is the focus of the perceptual-motor approach?

human mental capabilities and limitations

Which activity requires managers to determine the skills needed to perform the organization's jobs, as well as the number of people needed to perform those jobs?

human resource planning

Which of the following are components identified in a work-unit activity analysis?

human resources raw inputs equipment

From which of the following is the perceptual-motor approach to job design derived?

human-factors literature

Which of following are potential drawbacks of a divisional structure?

inefficiency self-cannibalization inability of units to see the "big picture"

Work processes originally developed in Japan that focus on manufacturing goods with a minimum amount of time, materials, money, and people are referred to as ____ production.

lean

Which of the following issues would likely be of interest to an ergonomics researcher?

level of lighting in the workspace design of the workspace

What are factors in lean production?

maximized use of technology skilled workers custom products *****

What tool is used to depict organizational structure in terms of relationships between employees and their responsibilities?

organizational chart

What term describes the process that organizations use to determine how well an employee is doing at his or her job?

performance appraisal

What term is used to describe the resources that will be converted into the work unit's product?

raw materials

A(n) ______ is a level of proficiency at doing a specific action, whereas a(n) _____ is an overall aptitude.

skill; ability

Why do companies perform a work-flow analysis?

to determine what skills are needed by employees in order to create an output to determine what tasks need to be performed to create an output

Because they form organically, social networks in the workplace are more ______ than formal organizational charts.

volatile

Which of the following are companies able to determine by closely examining workplace social networks?

which employees over-communicate