MGMT Practice Exam 1 (Ch. 2, 5, 6)
Which of the following acronyms refer to the personality dimensions in the five-factor model? A. MBTIA B. CANOE C. VALUE D. MARSE E. SMART
Answer: CANOE Explanation: The "Big Five" personality factors are represented by the handy acronym CANOE, which includes conscientiousness, agreeableness, neuroticism, openness to experience, and extraversion.
________ characterizes people who are quiet, shy, and cautious. A. Introversion B. Openness to experience C. Conscientiousness D. Neuroticism E. Agreeableness
Answer: Introversion Explanation: Introversion characterizes people who are quiet, shy, and cautious.
________ is the degree to which a job requires completion of a whole or identifiable piece of work, such as assembling an entire broadband modem rather than just soldering in the circuitry. A. Skill variety B. Task significance C. Job feedback D. Job rotation E. Task identity
Answer: Task identity Explanation: Task identity is the degree to which a job requires completion of a whole or identifiable piece of work.
People who value their independence and personal uniqueness have A. high individualism. B. high collectivism. C. high power distance. D. low uncertainty avoidance. E. low openness to experience.
Answer: high individualism
Which of the following psychological empowerment dimensions is possessed by employees when they care about their work and believe that what they do is important? A. meaning B. self-determination C. competence D. impact E. freedom
Answer: meaning Explanation: One element of psychological empowerment is meaning. Meaning occurs when employees care about their work and believe that what they do is important.
________ 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
Answer: Intrinsic motivation Explanation: 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.
________ 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
Answer: Task significance Explanation: Task significance is the degree to which the job affects the organization and/or larger society.
Rewards work best when they are valued. Which reward below would an employee most likely 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
Answer: a product of their choice from a list Explanation: It seems obvious that rewards work best when they are valued. The solution, of course, is to ask employees what they value.
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
Answer: job rotation Explanation: 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.
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.
Answer: They give employees the right to purchase company stock at a predetermined price up to a fixed expiration date. Explanation: Stock options give employees the right to purchase company stock at a predetermined price up to a fixed expiration date.
Tess 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 task A. analyzability. B. interdependence. C. responsibility. D. variability. E. autonomy.
Answer: interdependence
________ is the process of assigning tasks to a job. A. Job specialization B. Scientific management C. Job design D. Cycle time E. Efficiency
Answer: Job design Explanation: The ideal, at least from the organization's perspective, is to find the right combination so that work is performed efficiently but employees are engaged and satisfied. Job design—the process of assigning tasks to a job, including the interdependency of those tasks with other jobs—tries to balance these potentially competing effects of efficiency and motivation.
Which personality trait in the dark triad is considered the most sinister? A. psychopathy B. Machiavellianism C. narcissism D. neuroticism E. agreeableness
Answer: psychopathy Explanation: Psychopathy is often considered the most sinister of the triad. It refers to social predators who ruthlessly dominate and manipulate others, yet without empathy or any feelings of remorse or anxiety.
The ________ principle states that everyone in the group should receive the same outcomes. A. equality B. need C. equity D. procedural E. distributive
Answer: equality Explanation: An equality principle operates when we believe that everyone in the group should receive the same outcomes, such as when everyone gets subsidized meals in the company cafeteria.
For rewards to be relevant, they should be tied to A. profit-sharing goals. B. performance within the employee's control. C. stock performance. D. uncontrollable situational factors. E. management success.
Answer: performance within the employee's control Explanation: Companies need to align rewards with performance within the employee's control. The more employees see a "line of sight" between their daily actions and the reward—the more they are motivated to improve performance.
According to goal setting theory, goals must be within the employee's control. In other words, goals must be A. exciting. B. specific. C. measurable. D. achievable. E. relevant.
Answer: relevant Explanation: Goals need to be relevant to the individual's job and within his or her control. For example, a goal to reduce waste materials would have little value if employees don't have much control over waste in the production process.
What are the three elements of motivation that affect voluntary behavior? A. direction, intensity, persistence B. impact, drives, direction C. direction, persistence, self-efficacy D. primary needs, drives, intensity E. intensity, strength, valence
Answer: direction, intensity, persistence Explanation: Motivation is defined as the forces within a person that affect the direction, intensity, and persistence of voluntary behavior. In short, motivated employees exert varying levels of effort (intensity), for varying lengths of time (persistence), toward various goals (direction).
Which ethical principle says that the benefits and burdens of similar individuals should be the same; otherwise they should be proportional? A. utilitarianism B. ethics of care C. distributive justice D. individual rights E. moral imperative
Answer: distributive justice Explanation: The distributive justice principle says that the benefits and burdens of similar individuals should be the same; otherwise, they should be proportional. For example, employees who contribute equally in their work should receive similar rewards, whereas those who make a lesser contribution should receive less.
________ is an individual's emotional and cognitive (logical) motivation, particularly a focused, intense, persistent, and purposive effort toward work-related goals. A. Goal setting B. Organizational comprehension C. Organizational justice D. Employee engagement E. Affiliation
Answer: Employee engagement Explanation: An individual's emotional and cognitive (logical) motivation, particularly a focused, intense, persistent, and purposive effort toward work-related goals is employee engagement.
Which of the following work environment factors would support self-leadership? A. The managers are controlling. B. The company does not emphasize measuring performance. C. Employees have some degree of autonomy. D. Managers do not trust their employees. E. Managers do not provide motivating language.
Answer: Employees have some degree of autonomy Explanation: The work environment influences the extent to which employees engage in self-leadership. Specifically, employees require some degree of autonomy to engage in most aspects of self-leadership. They also feel more confident with self-leadership when their boss is empowering rather than controlling, using motivating language, and demonstrating trust in employees. Employees are also more likely to engage in self-monitoring in companies that emphasize continuous measurement of performance.
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.
Answer: Employees perceive a weak connection between their effort and the reward Explanation: 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.
Employees at CyberTech perform repetitive jobs that have resulted in boredom as well as repetitive strain injury. Technology makes it difficult to combine existing jobs, but the company wants to make employees more multiskilled. Which of the following would best help CyberTech to improve this situation? A. Encourage employees to engage in mental imagery. B. Introduce job specialization. C. Introduce a gainsharing plan for all production employees. D. Introduce job rotation. E. Introduce job enrichment by having each employee produce the entire product rather than a small part of it.
Answer: Introduce job rotation Explanation: Job rotation is the practice of moving employees from one job to another. It supports multiskilling (employees learn several jobs), which increases workforce flexibility in staffing the production process and in finding replacements for employees on vacation.
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 discourage creativity.
Answer: It doesn't directly motivate performance Explanation: Financial rewards based on membership or seniority don't directly motivate performance.
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 reduces anxiety. E. It must occur only after the task has been accomplished.
Answer: It improves self-efficacy and reduces anxiety Explanation: Positive self-talk creates a "can-do" belief and thereby increases motivation by raising our self-efficacy and reducing anxiety about challenging tasks.
Which of the following statements about the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is true? A. It advocates the view that thinking and feeling are not important in decision making. B. It is no longer used in organizations. C. Research has concluded that the MBTI does a poor job of measuring Jung's psychological types. D. It is poor predictor of job performance and is not recommended for employment selection or promotion decisions. E. The MBTI combines 16 pairs of traits into four distinct types.
Answer: It is poor predictor of job performance and is not recommended for employment selection or promotion decisions. Explanation: MBTI has a number of benefits, but it is usually a poor predictor of job performance and is generally not recommended for employment selection or promotion decisions.
________ 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
Answer: Job feedback Explanation: 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.
Which of the following is an advantage of job specialization? A. The quality of work decreases. B. Jobs can be mastered quickly. C. Employees cannot envision the overall product or service. D. The work is less repetitive. E. Task specialization has no clear advantages to the organization.
Answer: Jobs can be mastered quickly Explanation: Job specialization leads to shorter work cycles that give employees more frequent practice with the task, so jobs are mastered more quickly.
________ is the core characteristic of individuals who exhibit the dark triad personality traits. A. Low power distance B. High introversion C. Low humility D. High empathy E. Strong ethic of care
Answer: Low humility Explanation: Dishonesty is a core characteristic of the dark triad, so people with these traits are more likely to lie and deceive others at work. Similarly, they malevolently undermine others to maximize their own gains.
________ characterizes people with high levels of anxiety, hostility, depression, and self-consciousness. A. Extraversion B. Openness to experience C. Conscientiousness D. Neuroticism E. Agreeableness
Answer: Neuroticism Explanation: Neuroticism characterizes people with high levels of anxiety, hostility, depression, and self-consciousness.
The perceived probability that a specific behavior or performance level will lead to a particular outcome is which element of expectancy theory? A. E-to-P B. valence C. P-to-O D. P-to-E E. E-to-V
Answer: P-to-O Explanation: P-to-O expectancy is the perceived probability that a specific behavior or performance level will lead to a particular outcome.
________ 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
Answer: Self-monitoring Explanation: Self-monitoring is the process of keeping track at regular intervals of one's progress toward a goal by using naturally occurring feedback.
Which of the following does scientific management include? A. Assigning employees to fixed hourly wages. B. Systematically dividing a job into its smallest possible elements and assigning these divided tasks to employees who are best qualified to perform them. C. Combining tasks so employees perform an entire work process from beginning to end. D. Encouraging employees to set their own goals and have positive thoughts about their work performance. E. Encouraging employees to complete an entire task single handedly.
Answer: Systematically dividing a job into its smallest possible elements and assigning these divided tasks to employees who are best qualified to perform them. Explanation: The practice of systematically partitioning work into its smallest elements and standardizing tasks to achieve maximum efficiency is known as scientific management. Job specialization occurs when the work required to serve a customer—or provide any other product or service—is subdivided into separate jobs assigned to different people.
________, an important factor in OB, refers to how similar a person's values hierarchy is to the values hierarchy of another entity, such as the employee's team or organization. A. Espoused values B. Enacted values C. Value congruence D. Value symmetry E. Valence
Answer: Value congruence Explanation: Values congruence refers to how similar a person's values hierarchy is to the values hierarchy of another entity, such as the employee's team or organization. An employee's values congruence with team members increases the team's cohesion and performance. Congruence with the organization's values tends to increase the employee's job satisfaction, loyalty, and organizational citizenship. It also tends to reduce stress and turnover.
According to equity theory, what is the basis used by employees when determining if a decision is equitable? A. a rational calculation of cost-benefit B. organizational policies C. a comparison of input-outcome ratios D. the belief that all employees should receive the same rewards E. the extent to which the decision impacts them alone
Answer: a comparison of input-outcome ratios Explanation: Feelings of equity are explained by equity theory, which says that employees determine whether a decision is equitable by comparing their own outcome-input ratio to the outcome-input ratio of another person or group.
In the four-drive theory, achievement, competence, status, and self-esteem are produced by the drive to A. comprehend. B. defend. C. acquire. D. bond. E. affiliate.
Answer: acquire Explanation: The drive to acquire is the drive to seek, take, control, and retain objects and personal experiences. It produces various needs, including achievement, competence, status, and self-esteem. The drive to acquire also motivates competition.
Based on the Big Five, employees who are trusting, helpful and considerate are A. agreeable. B. conscientious. C. neurotic. D. open to experience. E. extraverted.
Answer: agreeable Explanation: Agreeableness describes people who are trusting, helpful, good-natured, considerate, tolerant, selfless, generous, and flexible. People with low agreeableness tend to be uncooperative and intolerant of others' needs as well as more suspicious and self-focused.
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.
Answer: are better for employees who work in interdependent jobs. Explanation: 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.
Which job characteristic(s) affect(s) experienced responsibility for work outcomes? A. feedback from job and skill variety B. autonomy C. skill variety, task identity, and task significance D. task identity E. task significance
Answer: autonomy
People with a high need for achievement A. desire power as means to help others. B. choose moderately challenging tasks. C. desire power for its own sake. D. have a strong need for approval from others. E. lack an entrepreneurial spirit.
Answer: choose moderately challenging tasks Explanation: People with a high need for achievement choose moderately challenging tasks, desire unambiguous feedback and recognition for their success, and prefer working alone rather than in teams.
Which of the following motivates employees to continuously learn skills that will keep them employed? A. job evaluation systems B. job status rewards C. competency-based rewards D. individual performance-based rewards E. membership-based rewards
Answer: competency-based rewards Explanation: Competency-based rewards motivate employees to learn new skills. This tends to improve organizational effectiveness by creating a more flexible workforce; more employees are multiskilled and can perform a variety of jobs, and they are more adaptive to embracing new practices in a dynamic environment.
For most jobs, which Big Five factor is the best overall predictor of task performance? A. conscientiousness B. neuroticism C. extroversion D. openness to experience E. agreeableness
Answer: conscientiousness Explanation: Conscientiousness stands out as the best overall personality predictor of proficient task performance for most jobs. The specific conscientiousness traits of industriousness (achievement, self-discipline, purposefulness) and dutifulness are the best predictors of proficient task performance.
One issue with membership and seniority-based rewards is that they A. do not directly motivate job performance. B. reinforce status differences. C. rely on subjective measures of competence. D. may discourage creativity. E. are team-based.
Answer: do not directly motivate job performance Explanation: Membership- and seniority-based rewards potentially reduce turnover and attract job applicants (particularly those who desire predictable income). However, they do not directly motivate job performance; on the contrary, they discourage poor performers from seeking work better suited to their abilities. Instead, good performers are more easily lured to better-paying jobs.
Motivation starts with our ________, which generate emotions that put us in a state of readiness to act. A. drives B. intensity C. persistence D. logic E. direction
Answer: drives Explanation: Drives are innate and universal, which means that everyone has them and they exist from birth. Drives are the starting point of motivation because they generate emotions that put people in a state of readiness to act on their environment.
Empowerment includes all of the following characteristics except A. self-determination. B. meaning. C. competence. D. impact. E. effort.
Answer: effort Explanation: The most widely accepted definition is that empowerment is a psychological experience represented by four dimensions: self-determination, meaning, competence, and the impact of the individual's role in the organization.
Needs are essentially ________ that we become consciously aware of and channel toward particular goals and associated behaviors. A. emotions B. norms C. goals D. motivation E. behavior
Answer: emotions Explanation: Drives, and the emotions generated by these drives, form human needs. We define needs as goal-directed forces that people experience. They are the motivational energy from emotions that are channeled toward particular goals and associated behaviors to correct deficiencies or imbalances. In other words, needs are the emotions that eventually come into our consciousness.
Liam was often praised by his former boss for his excellent customer service skills. But his new boss doesn't say anything to Liam about how well he serves customers. Over time, Liam's customer service performance decreases. This is an example of A. positive reinforcement. B. negative reinforcement. C. extinction. D. punishment. E. reverse motivation.
Answer: extinction Explanation: A third type of consequence of OB Mod is extinction. Extinction consequence occurs when the target behavior decreases because no consequence follows it. For instance, research suggests that performance tends to decline when managers stop congratulating employees for their good work.
Negative reinforcement is often confused with ________, even though it is the opposite. A. self-regulation B. punishment C. self-reinforcement D. self-actualization E. guidance
Answer: punishment Explanation: The fourth consequence in OB Mod, called negative reinforcement, is often confused with punishment. It's actually the opposite; negative reinforcement occurs when the removal or avoidance of a consequence increases or maintains the frequency or future probability of a specific behavior.
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. skill-based pay
Answer: gainsharing plan Explanation: 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.
Senior executives at CloudStore must make a decision that will affect many people, and the decision may produce good or bad consequences for those affected. This decision A. has a high degree of ethical sensitivity. B. is one in which decision makers should rely only on utilitarianism rule of ethics. C. has a low degree of ethical sensitivity. D. has a high degree of moral intensity. E. should be taken with complete conscience.
Answer: has a high degree of moral intensity Explanation: Moral intensity is the degree to which an issue demands the application of ethical principles. The moral intensity of a situation is higher when (a) the consequences of the decision could be very good or bad, (b) there is high agreement by others that the decision outcomes are good or bad, (c) there is a high probability that the good or bad outcomes will occur, and (d) many people will experience the consequences of the decision.
Most employees in the social services section of a government department have frequent interaction with people who are unemployed or face personal problems. Which of the following personality factors is best suited to employees working in these jobs? A. high neuroticism B. external locus of control C. high introversion D. high agreeableness E. low motivation
Answer: high agreeableness Explanation: Agreeableness is a personality dimension that includes the traits of being trusting, helpful, good-natured, considerate, tolerant, selfless, generous, and flexible. An employee in the social service section should have agreeableness to work well.
Frederick Winslow Taylor was one of the strongest advocates of A. low levels of job specialization. B. self-leadership. C. job enrichment. D. high levels of job specialization. E. employee empowerment.
Answer: high levels of job specialization Explanation: 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.
Rosa is the advertising head of a firm. She is extremely imaginative, creative, and curious. Rosa most likely has which of the following? A. high uncertainty avoidance value B. high openness to experience personally C. high security personal value D. low neuroticism personality E. high conformity personal value
Answer: high openness to experience personally Explanation: Openness to experience refers to the extent to which people are imaginative, creative, unconventional, curious, nonconforming, autonomous, and aesthetically perceptive.
People in countries with ________ tend to have a high respect and priority for money. A. high power distance B. low power distance C. no power distance D. a strong egalitarian culture E. a weak egalitarian culture
Answer: high power distance Explanation: People in countries with high power distance (such as China and Japan) tend to have a high respect and priority for money.
A culture which values formal relationships, obedience to authority, and an unequal distribution of power has A. high power distance. B. low power distance. C. high collectivism. D. low uncertainty avoidance. E. high individualism.
Answer: high power distance Explanation: Power distance refers to the extent to which people accept unequal distribution of power in a society. Those with high power distance value unequal power. Those in higher positions expect obedience to authority; those in lower positions are comfortable receiving commands from their superiors without consultation or debate. People with high power distance also prefer to resolve differences through formal procedures rather than direct informal discussion.
XYZ Corp. provided training and clarified job requirements. This practice improves employee motivation by A. increasing employee needs. B. reducing feelings of inequity. C. improving E-to-P expectancies. D. improving P-to-O expectancies. E. increasing outcome valence.
Answer: improving E-to-P expectancies Explanation: E-to-P expectancies are influenced by the individual's belief that he or she can successfully complete the task. Some companies increase this can-do attitude by assuring employees that they have the necessary skills and knowledge, clear role perceptions, and necessary resources to reach the desired levels of performance. An important part of this process involves matching employee abilities to job requirements and clearly communicating the tasks required for the job. Similarly, E-to-P expectancies are learned, so behavior modeling and supportive feedback typically strengthen the individual's belief that he or she is able to perform the task.
A manager should ________ in order to increase an employee's expected satisfaction with outcomes resulting from desired performance. A. provide training B. reward all employees the same C. accurately measure job performance D. individualize rewards E. hire employees with the required skills
Answer: individualize rewards Explanation: One way to increase the outcome valence is to individualize rewards. The valence of a reward varies from one person to the next because they have different needs. One solution is to individualize rewards by allowing employees to choose the rewards of greatest value to them.
People experience self-actualization by applying their skills and knowledge, observing how their talents achieve meaningful results, and experiencing personal growth through learning. These are the conditions for A. intrinsic motivation. B. extrinsic motivation. C. the need for achievement. D. the need for affiliation. E. the need for power.
Answer: intrinsic motivation Explanation: People experience self-actualization by applying their skills and knowledge, observing how their talents achieve meaningful results, and experiencing personal growth through learning. These are the conditions for intrinsic motivation.
A problem with the utilitarian principle of ethical decision making is that A. it focuses on the consequences of our actions, not on how we achieve those consequences. B. there is no agreement on what activities are of the greatest benefits to the affected. C. it is difficult to predict the "trickle-down" benefits to those people who are least well off in society. D. it is difficult to create a cost-benefit analysis because of the immeasurable outcomes. E. it chooses the option that provides the minimum acceptable degree of satisfaction to those affected.
Answer: it is difficult to create a cost-benefit analysis because of the immeasurable outcomes. Explanation: One problem is that utilitarianism requires a cost-benefit analysis, yet many outcomes aren't measurable. Another problem is that utilitarianism could justify actions that other principles would consider immoral because those means produce the greatest good overall.
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
Answer: job specialization Explanation: Job specialization refers to the result of the division of labor in which work is subdivided into separate jobs assigned to different people.
Yuki, a manager, is very conventional, resistant to change, habitual, and does not accept new ideas very easily. This implies that Yuki has A. low neuroticism. B. low customary thinking. C. high extraversion. D. high agreeableness. E. low openness to experience.
Answer: low openness to experience
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
Answer: membership- and seniority-based pay Explanation: 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 more easily lured to better-paying jobs.
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
Answer: membership-based rewards Explanation: 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.
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
Answer: membership/seniority-based rewards Explanation: 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.
People who have obsessive beliefs about their own superiority have which of the following traits? A. Machiavellianism B. narcissism C. humility D. psychopathy E. neuroticism
Answer: narcissism Explanation: Narcissism is evident in people who have an obsessive belief in their superiority and entitlement. Along with their grandiose, inflated self-view, narcissists have an excessive need for attention, so they aggressively engage in self-promotion, exhibitionism, and other attention-seeking behaviors.
In Schwartz's values circumplex, the _________ quadrant includes hedonism, stimulation, and self-direction. A. openness to change B. self-enhancement C. conservation D. self-transcendence E. self-awareness
Answer: openness to change Explanation: The quadrant called openness to change refers to the extent which a person is motivated to pursue innovative ways. This quadrant includes self-direction, stimulation, and hedonism.
The strength of needs is impacted by self-concept, social norms and ________, which amplify or suppress emotions. A. past experience B. engagement C. goals D. persistence E. sleep
Answer: past experience Explanation: People develop different intensities of needs in a particular situation. An individual's self-concept (as well as personality and values), social norms, and past experience amplify or suppress emotions, thereby resulting in stronger or weaker needs.
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
Answer: personal goal setting Explanation: 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.
Which of the following is an individual incentive? A. gainsharing plan B. piece-rate plan C. stock options D. profit sharing E. employee stock-ownership plan
Answer: piece-rate plan Explanation: A piece rate plan is a system in which employees earn money for each product they complete.
Which type of justice is higher when the decision maker demonstrates neutrality, allows everyone involved to have their say, and allows an appeal of the decision? A. procedural justice B. distributive justice C. interactional justice D. equality E. inequity tension
Answer: procedural justice Explanation: Procedural justice is the perception that appropriate procedural rules have been applied throughout the decision process. Procedural justice tends to be higher, for example, when the decision maker demonstrates neutrality (no favoritism), allows everyone involved to have their say, and allows an appeal of the decision.
A high degree of autonomy, task identity, and task significance are important conditions for A. job specialization. B. competency-based pay. C. psychological empowerment. D. scientific management. E. a piece-rate system.
Answer: psychological empowerment
Catrina decided to do a more enjoyable task after completing a task that she disliked. This instance is an example of A. self-reinforcement. B. personal goal setting. C. job design. D. self-monitoring. E. self-talk.
Answer: self-reinforcement Explanation: Self-reinforcement occurs whenever an employee has control over a reinforcer but doesn't "take" the reinforcer until completing a self-set goal. For example, self-reinforcement occurs when you decide to do a more enjoyable task after completing work that you dislike.
Job enlargement mainly increases which of the following? A. autonomy B. affiliation C. job feedback D. growth-need strength E. skill variety
Answer: skill variety Explanation: 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.
According to ________, people learn by observing or hearing about what happened to other people, not just by directly experiencing the consequences. A. positive reinforcement theory B. four-drive theory C. Maslow's theory D. learned needs E. social cognitive theory
Answer: social cognitive theory
Which of the following tend to create an ownership culture and align employee behaviors more closely to organizational objectives? A. job evaluations and commissions B. commissions and stock option plans C. piece-rate plans and gainsharing plans D. employee share-ownership plans and piece-rate plans E. stock option plans and employee share-ownership plans
Answer: stock option plans and employee share-ownership plans
One strategy to support psychological empowerment is to enhance ________, which refers to changing the workplace conditions or environment. A. cultural empowerment B. job specialization C. structural empowerment D. physical empowerment E. leadership empowerment
Answer: structural empowerment Explanation: When leaders say they are "empowering" the workforce, they actually mean that they are changing the work environment to support psychological empowerment. A wide variety of workplace conditions—often called structural empowerment practices—potentially enhance or support psychological empowerment.
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. demonstrates the success of competitive strategies
Answer: through gainsharing and ESOPs Explanation: 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.
People with high collectivism A. accept unequal distribution of power. B. also have low individualism. C. value harmonious relationships in the groups to which they belong. D. value thrift, savings, and persistence. E. appreciate the unique qualities that distinguish themselves from others.
Answer: value harmonious relationships in the groups to which they belong. Explanation: Highly collectivist people define themselves by their group memberships, emphasize their personal connection to others in their in-groups, and value the goals and well-being of people within those groups.
Studies have shown that performance-based rewards A. are universally effective. B. only work in the manufacturing sector. C. work best when performance is subjectively defined. D. will motivate most employees but only under the right conditions. E. work better for male employees than female.
Answer: will motivate most employees but only under the right conditions. Explanation: 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. One study even found that very large rewards (relative to the usual income) can result in lower, rather than higher, performance. While these issues have kernels of truth under specific circumstances, they do not necessarily mean that we should abandon performance-based pay. Reward systems do motivate most employees, but only under the right conditions.
