management chapter 15 practice questions

Which plan is a reward system where an organization pays an employee a certain amount of money for every unit he or she produces?

Piece-rate incentive

Stitches, Inc. is a specialty clothing manufacturer. Clothing is produced in bulk quantities and then customized with monograms and other unique embellishments before final shipment. Employees on the custom stitching line are compensated for each individual item completed. What type of reward system is used in the custom stitching department?

Piece-rate incentive plan

As a new employee, Yui likes to meet with her manager regularly to see what she did well and how she can improve. She sets difficult goals and likes specific and immediate feedback. Which type of need does Yui have?

Achievement

According to expectancy theory, in order for motivated behavior to occur, which condition must be met?

A person must believe that if effort is expended, high performance will result.

Maxwell struggles to cover daily and monthly living expenses, and both he and his wife work full-time jobs to support their family of four. Maxwell works a second job on weekends in hope of being able to purchase their first home next year. He and his wife constantly worry about what might happen if either of them loses their job. Based on Maslow's hierarchy of needs, which of Maxwell's needs are being met?

Physiological

As a manager, Dajhia has created a culture in which her employees participate in making decisions about their work, and she gives them an opportunity to learn new things. Which type of need is Dajhia hoping to help her employees fulfill?

self-acutalization

Equity theory suggests that people view their outcomes and inputs in the form of a ratio and then compare it to _____.

someone else's ratio of inputs to outcomes

Which of the following refer(s) to an approach to motivation that tries to answer the question, "What factors motivate people?"

Content perspectives

What is the most general form of merit pay?

Annual salary increases

Mikel runs the marketing department, and he assigns accounts to groups of employees instead of just one employee. He allows the group to control the work, including who does the work and when it is done. Which type of method does Mikel use to empower his employees?

Decentralized teams

Which of the following suggests that people's needs are grouped into three possible overlapping categories and that more than one level of need can cause motivation at the same time?

ERG theory

According to Frederick Taylor and his traditional approach to motivation, what is the primary thing that motivated everyone?

Economic gain

Sabine's company allows all employees to become meaningful stakeholders in the organization. What type of group-level reward system does Sabine's company use?

Employee stock ownership plans

In what way is a Scanlon plan different from other gainsharing plans?

Employees receive the majority of the cost savings that the plan achieves

Which of the following best describes flextime?

Employees select the hours they work.

According to Herzberg, what do managers try to achieve by providing hygiene factors at appropriate levels?

Employees who are not dissatisfied

Which of the following contends that people are motivated to seek rewards that reflect their level of effort and performance?

Equity theory

Although she makes a good salary, Arayla does not think she gets the recognition she deserves from her supervisor or her colleagues. According to Maslow's hierarchy, which need is not being met?

Esteem

After taking night classes and receiving his degree, Raphael agreed to stay in his current job, but has found he is bored and unchallenged. He is evaluating his current job and his desire to stay longer. Which step in the motivation framework is Raphael in?

Evaluation of need satisfaction

Tariq runs a small manufacturing plant, and he knows how skilled his employees are. Recently, he started offering a bonus for any suggestion implemented that increases productivity or decreases costs. What is Tariq doing to allow his employees a greater say in how they do their jobs?

Extending participation

Employees at LevelTech are paid every Friday. This is an example of reinforcement that is provided on which type of schedule?

Fixed-interval

Jolanta's department using a reward system. When employees offer ideas that save the company money, the group will receive up to 20 percent of the money the company saves. Which type of reward system does Jolanta's department use?

Gainsharing

As a highly organized person, Eli writes a list of things he wants to achieve each day. Each of those things will help him accomplish longer-term goals that he has. Which of the following describes the extent to which Eli is personally interested in reaching his goals?

Goal commitment

Ugar wants to reward positive behaviors, but he wants to do so in a way that is most effective. What should Ugar do to reward his employees for those behaviors he wants to encourage?

He should provide reinforcements after a variable number of observed behaviors.

Recently, Lupita has not been performing as well at work as she used to. She has been showing up to work late and claims the work simply is boring and unfulfilling. What should Lupita's manager do to strengthen Lupita's performance?

He should try to determine the nature of Lupita's problem.

During a staff meeting, L'Meese told her staff about impending budget cuts and asked her staff for their suggestions. By including her employees in the decision-making process, what did L'Meese likely achieve?

Higher levels of commitment to the decision

Which of the following is not part of a typical compensation plan for senior executives?

Hourly wages

Which approach to motivation claims that contributions to the work environment have value to both the worker and the organization?

Human Resources

As a manager, Zereth provides her team with broad goals, then allows them to be self-directed in carrying out routine activities that support those goals. Which of the following does Zereth use to motivate her employees?

Human relations approach

Apoorva believes her employees value the contributions they make to the organization, and as a manager, she wants to create a work environment that makes full use of the human resources available. Which type of approach to motivation does Apoorva follow?

Human resources

According to Herzberg's two-factor theory of motivation, which of the following is a hygiene factor on the job?

Interpersonal relations

Which of the following is true of job sharing?

It allows the organization to benefit from the talents of more people.

Which of the following compensation plans formally base at least some meaningful portion of compensation on the relative value of the contributions of employees?

Merit pay plans

Which of the following is the set of forces that cause people to behave in certain ways?

Motivation

Why are piece-rate incentive plans prone to fail?

Performance is not always under the worker's control

Kamiya has a strong desire to be influential in her group and to control what goes on in her environment. Which type of needs would Kamiya be considered high in?

Power

Woojin likes to be in control of his environment, and he is a very good manager. He rarely misses time from work and is considered to be a superior performer by his managers. Which of the following needs likely accounts for Woojin's behavior?

Power

Which of the following are approaches to motivation focusing on why people choose certain behavioral options to satisfy their needs and how they evaluate their satisfaction after they have attained those goals?

Process perspectives

Which type of reinforcement is designed to weaken or decrease a behavior?

Punishment

Olesia has worked for the same company for five years and knows she does a good job. Recently, a new employee was hired in her department, and Olesia heard the new person is being paid more than she is. According to equity theory, what might Olesia do because she feels underrewarded?

Reduce the inequity

Nour enjoys her job and meeting new people. She is also very good with new clients because she makes them feel at ease. According to the ERG theory of motivation, what does Nour rate highly in?

Relatedness

What is the most common form of individual incentive?

Sales commissions

Teresita feels unchallenged at work and is bored. She wants projects that have more challenge, so she began talking to other managers who may need help. Which process in the motivation framework is Teresita experiencing?

Search for ways to satisfy the need

According to Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory, the need for housing and clothing is a part of which type of need?

Security

Even though he is only 25 years old, Manoj saves 10 percent of his pay in the company-sponsored pension plan so that he can enjoy a worry-free retirement. Which of the following levels on Maslow's hierarchy is Manoj striving for in retirement?

Security

Marah, who works in accounts receivable, is a full-time employee. Her husband has recently had some health issues, and Marah is struggling to maintain a full-time work schedule while caring for her husband. How would job sharing help Marah?

She could work part time while another employee works the rest of her shift.

Ella is a high school student with a high need for achievement. Which of the following is most likely to be true of Ella?

She has a desire to assume personal responsibility.

Which of the following has led to the increased popularity and success of telecommuting?

Sophistication and power of communication technology

For many executives, which type of incentive makes up the largest share of their salary mix?

Stock options

What is the underlying assumption of a gainsharing program?

The employer and the employees all have the same goal

What is the basic assumption of the human relations approach to motivation?

The need to feel useful and important is more important than money.

During her performance review, Sushil was asked to identify a goal that she would like to achieve. This goal was then incorporated into her review, and her ability to achieve this goal would affect her performance rating and potential for a pay increase. Why did Sushil's manager ask her to develop her own goals?

To better understand expectancies and the link between performance and reward

According to Taylor, why are people willing to perform difficult and unpleasant work?

To earn money that is more important than the unpleasant work

In terms of employee motivation, what is the manager's goal?

To encourage employees to work as hard as possible

When Aisha met with her team last week, she asked them to offer suggestions on how to streamline a process in the department, even though Aisha already had a good idea of what she wanted to do about the issue. What was Aisha's goal in seeking the input from her team, even though she had already made a decision?

To enhance motivation

Which approach to motivation is based on the premise that managers know more about the job than workers and therefore should be paid more?

Traditional approach

If employees at LevelTech are "caught in the act" of doing good work, they receive a $100 prepaid debit card. The managers all have a number of these cards, and they can hand them out whenever they want to. Employees never know when one of the managers may drop by and "catch" them. Which type of reinforcement schedule is being used in this company?

Variable-interval

When are individual incentive pay plans most effective?

When rewards occur on a real-time basis

According to the Porter-Lawler extension, when would a person most likely be satisfied with rewards?

When they are perceived as equitable

Norman's job requires that he works 40 hours a week. Because of certain family obligations, it is difficult for him to work on Tuesdays. So Norman works an extra two hours each of the other days of the week so that he can have Tuesdays off. This arrangement is known as _____.

a compressed work schedule

Bhavik loves working with numbers and wants to do work in accounting, but he does not have the necessary skills. In this situation, his individual performance will be negatively impacted by _____.

ability

When an employee is careful to return on time from a lunch break to keep from being reprimanded, this behavior is known as _____.

avoidance

Kaia's company has just started a safety program for the plant floor in order to improve safety. For every month that the plant has no on-the-job injuries, all employees receive a bonus. What is Kaia's company using to motivate employees?

behavior modification

Which type of executive compensation is determined by the performance of the organization with the board of directors sometimes determining distribution?

bonuses

According to the goal-setting theory, when developing goals for employees, they should be _____.

clear and precise

Amina uses work teams in her department, and she allows them to plan and direct their own work. What is Amina's role for her work teams?

coach

Willa's employer has announced a goal of increasing production by 12 more units each day, a challenging but reasonable number. Because Willa will not be paid any extra for reaching this goal, she is not willing to work harder to produce the extra units. Which attribute of the expanded goal-setting theory is not being met in this example?

commitment

As a nurse, Raj works four ten-hour days per week. This allows him to have better control over patient care. Which type of scheduling does Raj's hospital use?

compressed

Which of the following must be present in any reinforcement method in order for it to be effective?

consistency

Raul's department uses flextime, but all employees must be at the office each afternoon between 1:00 and 4:00. What is this required block of time when employees must be in the office called?

core

Which of the following allows employees to spend part of their time working offsite, usually at home?

telecommunicating

In goal-setting theory, the extent to which a goal is challenging and requires effort is called goal _____.

difficulty

Rabeya gives her employees a lot of freedom as to how they get their work done and the goals they set for themselves. She also allows them to make decisions that will allow them to resolve issues that arise. What does Rabeya use to motivate her employees?

empowerment

Which of the following enables workers to set their own work goals, make decisions, and solve problems within their sphere of responsibility and authority?

empowerment

TruTech wants to reward employees for outstanding performance, however the reward needs to be a one-time reward based on the specific level of performance. TruTech should consider using ____.

incentives

In addition to various theories, research has focused on other needs that are important to organizations, including achievement, affiliation, and power. Which type of needs are these?

individual

New approaches to performance-based rewards include _____

individualizing the reward system

The variable-ratio schedule of reinforcement _____.

is most powerful in maintaining desired behaviors

Eva reviews daily reports to identify errors. Then she meets with representatives from the purchasing and inventory departments to discuss ways to eliminate or prevent recurring problems. Which type of motivational strategy is Eva's organization using by allowing her to make decisions about her work?

participation

To have the best chance of encouraging employees to work harder or better, rewards need to be tied specifically to _____.

performance

Jewel knows that if she can get a new client to sign the deal, she will receive a nice bonus. Because of this, she is putting in long days to ensure everything is perfect before her client meeting. Jewel's perception that her efforts will result in a signed contract is an example of _____.

performance-to-outcome expectancy

Ahmed performs management by engaging in a wandering around leadership style. He stops by each of his departments at least once a day, interacting with employees throughout the office. When he sees behavior that impresses him, he praises the individual who is demonstrating the type of behavior he wants to reinforce at his company. Which type of reinforcement method is Ahmed exercising?

positive

Destani's company just instituted an organization-wide incentive in which a certain amount of money, based on the company's earnings, is placed into a pool. At the end of the year, that money is evenly divided and distributed to all employees. This type of reward system is an example of _____.

profit sharing

Ahmed is trying to determine the best way to motivate his staff. Some of the options include pay raises, bonuses, promotions, nicer offices, and more responsibility. To determine the desirability of each of these outcomes, Ahmed should measure its _____.

valence

Jolanta told her manager she will be late for work today because of an appointment. Her manager knew Jolanta would make up the hours, either by staying late or working on the weekend. Which type of work arrangement does Jolanta have?

variable

Renee loves working outdoors and enjoys her job for a yard maintenance and landscaping company. This week, her mower broke down three times, and she was not able to finish two of the yards she was supposed to cut. In this situation, her individual performance was negatively impacted by _____.

work environment

Which of the following encompasses the resources needed to do the job?

work environment

Geert has worked on Junhua's construction crew for five years. The job site and expectations are consistent with those in previous years. Yet this year Geert has been both unreliable and unproductive. What is most likely the cause of Geert's poor performance?

A lack of motivation

Based on the motivation framework, what is the first step in motivation?

A need or deficiency

According to the basic expectancy model, what should effort be combined with to result in performance?

Ability and environmental factors

Which need, similar to Maslow's belongingness, is a desire for human companionship and acceptance?

Affiliation

Dorina has an internship at a firm she has always wanted to work for. She knows this firm hires entry-level employees only if they do well in their internships, so Dorina is working hard to achieve her goals during the internship. In this case, which type of outcome will have the highest valence for Dorina?

An entry-level job offer

In which way does avoidance act as a reinforcement?

By allowing escape from undesirable consequences

Aviva is trying to save money for college this fall, and her current job does not offer any overtime. After speaking with her manager, Aviva took on some of the harder, less desirable jobs, with the idea that this type of work would result in a higher hourly wage. At this point, Aviva is at what step in the motivation framework?

Choice of behavior to satisfy need

Julius is looking at various motivational tools for his department. Before he decides on one, he decides to try and determine which factor or factors really motivate people. Which view of motivation is Julius using?

Content perspective

During his performance review, Ramon was given objectives that included dates and levels of expectation. Which of the following was his manager using to help Ramon achieve these goals?

Goal specificity

According to the ERG theory, which need corresponds to the physiological and security needs?

Growth

Nila finds her work very fulfilling. While salary is important to her, Nila is most satisfied with the recognition she receives for her efforts on a cross-departmental work team. Her supervisor and team leader have both expressed the company's gratitude for her contributions and praise for her performance. Based on the two-factor theory of motivation, Nila's satisfaction derives from which type of factors?

Motivation

Renee works for a landscaping company in an entry-level position. She would like to make more money so she can buy a car. At this point, Renee is at what step in the motivation framework?

Need deficiency

A number of employees at Sweetie Pies bakery have been coming in to work late, which disrupts scheduling and overall productivity. The managers introduced a reward schedule based upon punctuality, providing rewards for individuals and to the staff each month without tardiness. What technique is Sweetie Pies bakery using?

Organizational behavior modification

Louisa works in a warehouse where all promotions are on a schedule based on length of employment. Every six months she can expect a modest raise in salary, with promotions to the next level every 18 months. There is nothing Louisa can do to increase the raise amount or secure a promotion any sooner. In this situation, which type of expectancy is very weak?

Performance-to-outcome expectancy

As a sales rep, Polani is paid a low base salary and makes commissions on every sale. However, she does not feel she makes enough and has asked her manager for a raise. Her manager told Polani that if she wants to make more money, she will have to work harder. Which motivation theory does this manager subscribe to?

expectancy

Which theory suggests that motivation depends on how much we want something and how likely we think we are to get it?

expectancy

As an intern, Dezmon believes that if he does a good job, he will be offered a full-time position after college. Therefore, he looks for opportunities to demonstrate his skills and to develop creative solutions. Which process perspective is the basis for Dezmon's behavior?

expectancy theory

During a staff meeting, Eloisa made a rude comment about a coworker who missed a deadline. Eloisa's manager ignored the comment and moved on to the next topic. Which type of reinforcement did Eloisa's manager use to discourage this type of behavior?

extinction

Which type of reinforcement weakens previously rewarded behavior?

extinction

Which type of reinforcement provides the least incentive for good work?

fixed-interval

For every fifth new hire, Kumar, a staffing specialist, receives a bonus. Which type of reinforcement schedule is Kumar's company using?

fixed-ratio

Jay is an estimator for Madlo Tree Service. He receives a bonus for every fifth customer who accepts his estimate and signs a contract with Madlo. This is an example of reinforcement that is provided on a _____.

fixed-ratio schedule

Because of the nature of the work done in Ozlem's department, work must be done on site. However, Ozlem has found that many of her employees want to get out earlier to be home when their children get home from school. An almost equal number of employees find it difficult to be at their desks by 8:30 in the morning. What type of work schedule should Ozlem try?

flextime

The Porter-Lawler extension of expectancy theory states that _____.

high performance leads to high satisfaction

Randi needed to hire an assistant. She found only two candidates who were able to meet her needs, but neither one of them was able to work full time. After consulting with the HR manager, Randi was able to split the job between the two candidates, with one working in the morning and the other in the afternoon. This arrangement is known as _____.

job sharing

Lou received a nice bonus for bringing in a project ahead of schedule and under budget. This motivates Lou and others to achieve these goals on future projects. What did Lou's manager use to strengthen behavior?

positive reinforcement

Which type of reinforcement would a speeding ticket be?

punishment

Which approach to motivation argues that when behavior is rewarded, it is more likely to be repeated, and behavior that results in punishment is less likely to be repeated?

reinforcement theory

According to Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory, belongingness needs _____.

relate to social processes

Pallavi has found that she does not need all her employees in the office every day, and she has invested in software that will allow employees to work from home. Which type of work schedule is Pallavi moving employees to?

telecommuting