OBHR Chapter 4
The process of obtaining detailed information about jobs is known as job ____________
analysis
Which of the following statements is true about divisional structures for an organization in contrast to functional structures?
- Divisional structures can exploit consumer opportunities faster. OR, NOT AND same Q different A - Division structures can result in one unit achieving gains at the expense of another unit.
Job analysis is an important to line managers for which of the following reasons? (Select all that apply)
- Managers need to understand the possible dangers associated with a job to ensure work is being done safely. - Understanding job requirements is critical to making intelligent hiring decisions.
Which of the following statements are true about work process in the analysis of work flow? (Select all that apply.)
- Work process are activities used to produce a given output. - Every work process consists of operating procedures. - Operating procedures include tasks used to produce output.
Which of the following are potential uses of the information gathered through performance appraisal? (Select all that apply.)
- compensate employees for high performance - demonstrate reasoning behind punishment of employees for low performance
Managers utilizing the motivational approach to job design will focus on increasing the meaningfulness of jobs through which types of the following interventions? (Select all that apply)
- giving employees the freedom to make decisions - giving employees tasks that they feel are important
Which of following are potential drawbacks of a divisional structure? (Select all that apply.)
- self-cannibalization - inability of units to see the "big picture" - inefficiency
Why do companies perform a work-flow analysis? (Select all that apply.)
- to determine what tasks need to be performed to create an output - to determine what skills are needed by employees in order to create an output
Which of the following is true of teams?
... overloaded
______ seeks to connect workers with jobs that they find fulfilling and will perform well.
Career planning
Which of the following conditions would require the use of job design?
Creation of a new work unit
________ is the degree to which work units are grouped based on functional similarity or similarity of work flow.
Departmentalization
Which of the following types of organization structures would be most appropriate in a volatile environment?
Divisional
________ 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
True or false: Lean production makes use of technology and large groups of low-skilled employees.
False
True or false: Work processes should be studied before the work outputs of a work unit are identified.
False
______ 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.
Which of the following best describes centralization?
It is the degree to which decision-making authority resides at the top of the organizational chart.
According to the ______, jobs can be described by five features: skill variety, task identity, autonomy, feedback, and task significance.
Job Characteristics Model
______ helps managers understand work flow, select the best applicants for jobs, improve employees' job performance, and ensure the safety of workers.
Job analysis
______ is performed so that each job can be paid fairly and in accordance with the organization's pay structure.
Job evaluation
The U.S. Department of Labor currently produces the ______, a resource that provides information about various occupations and the qualifications needed to do them.
Occupational Information Network
Which of the following replaced the Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT) in 1998?
Occupational Information Network (O*NET)
______ is the process that organizations use to determine how well an employee is doing at his or her job.
Performance appraisal
The ______ is a survey that is useful in job analysis process.
Position Analysis Questionnaire
Which of the following is the term that refers to the reduced attention of a person who is interacting with multiple media?
absence presence
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, roughly 10% of U.S. workers are engaged in which of the following?
alternative work arrangements
The biological approach to job design is derived from which disciplines?
biomechanics, work physiology, and occupational medicine
The degree to which decision-making authority resides at the top of the organizational chart is referred to as ______
centralization
The money an organization invests in equipment is calculated in terms of ______ per worker.
capital spending
Which of the following describes the process by which current workers in an organization are matched with jobs in the organization that suit their qualifications and interests?
career planning
The mechanistic approach to job design is derived from what discipline?
classical industrial engineering
Managers in ______ structures often need to have more on-the-job know-how and a greater ability to think critically. They have decision-making responsibility.
divisional
Organizations using a ______ structure are made up of different units that operate somewhat independently.
divisional
A(n) ______ has relatively low rates of centralization.
divisional structure
Which of the following are potential conditions that lead to a need for redesigning jobs? (Select all that apply.)
decreases in work-group size increases in work loads in a work group
The first step in identifying which applicants are most qualified during human resource selection is to ______.
determine duties for a job and figure out what qualifications an individual needs to perform the job successfully
Which of the following refers to the technology and facilities needed to create a product from raw materials?
equipment
Which of the following are inputs? (Select all that apply)
equipment raw materials human skills
What is another term for the biological approach to job design?
ergonomics
Organizations perform job _______ to determine the dollar value of a job.
evaluation
Unlike the biological approach, which focuses on physical capabilities and limitations, the perceptual-motor approach focuses on which of the following?
human mental capabilities and limitations
Which of the following characteristics of divisional structures helps them 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. (Remember to type only one word in the blank.)
functional
An organization with a ______ structure is highly centralized and departmentalized.
functional
The jobs in an organization using a(n) ___________ structure tend to be very focused and specific, with very little room for workers to make their own decisions.
functional
A disadvantage of a ______ is that individual workers may grasp their department's mission, but not that of the larger company.
functional structure
Effective ______ 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 describes the analysis of an organization's staffing requirements?
human resource planning
The perceptual-motor approach to job design is derived from which the following?
human-factors literature
In regard to a work-unit activity analysis, which of the following are raw inputs? (Select all that apply.)
information data materials
Performing a(n) ______ helps an organization match the appropriate people with the appropriate jobs for them.
job analysis
A list of the tasks, duties, and responsibilities (TDRs) that a position entails is called a ______.
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
Managers who make changes to existing jobs are performing ______.
job redesign
The list of knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics (KSAOs) that are necessary for successful performance of a job is known as a ______.
job specification
What are the types of information most helpful when performing a job analysis? (Select all that apply.)
job specification job description
Which of the following disadvantages is an organization with a functional structure most likely to face?
lack of sensitivity toward subtle differences in products or clients
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? (Select all that apply.)
level of lighting in the workspace design of the workspace
Divisional structures are characterized by
low levels of centralization.
Decision-making autonomy, task significance, and interdependence characterize the ________ approach to job design.
motivational
The way jobs are connected vertically and horizontally throughout a company is referred to as which of the following?
organization structure
Organization structure is usually depicted by way of a(n) ______, which presents relationships between employees and their responsibilities.
organizational chart
The motivational approach to job design is derived from which discipline?
organizational psychology
Which of the following offers a cross-sectional overview of the relationships between individual workers and units that create output?
organizational structure
Errors in job analysis are likeliest to arise from which of the following?
outdated job descriptions
The product of a work unit is known as a(n) ______.
output
Providing a written justification for why an employee who has performed ineffectively should be disciplined is a part of
performance appraisal
Which of the following are components identified in a work-unit activity analysis? (Select all that apply.)
raw inputs human resources equipment
The resources that will be converted into the work unit's product are known as ______.
raw materials
Which was one of the first examples of the mechanistic approach to job design in the workplace?
scientific management
A(n) ______ is the individual's level of proficiency at doing a specific action, whereas a(n) ______ is his or her overall aptitude.
skill; ability
Which aspect of the Job Characteristics Model motivates employees the most?
task significance
In carrying out a job analysis, who is considered to have the most accurate information about what is actually done on the job?
the job incumbent
Because they form organically, social networks in the workplace are more ______ than formal organizational charts.
volatile
When obtaining job analysis information, under which of the following circumstances are the ratings of several job incumbents doing the same job likely to disagree?
when the job is complex
By closely examining workplace social networks, companies are able to determine which of the following?
which employees over-communicate
The Position Analysis Questionnaire (PAQ) contains 194 items that represent ________, work conditions, and job characteristics.
work behaviors
Which is the section of the Position Analysis Questionnaire (PAQ) concerned with the physical activities, tools, and devices used by an employee to perform his or her job?
work output
By performing a(n) ______, an organization determines the raw input, equipment, and human resources needed to produce an output.
work-flow analysis
Which of the following is the term that describes the process of examining the actions that are required in order for a product to be made or a service to be provided?
work-flow design
The process of analyzing the tasks necessary for production of a product describes
workflow design