Chapter 7 JOB DESIGN AND WORK SCHEDULES

a

An enriched job typically includes the element of a. control over resources. b. indirect communication authority. c. routine experiences. d. limited personal accountability

a

Airplane mechanic Clyde tells his boss, "This job is killing my back. Crawling into small places every day is more than I can tolerate." Which job sub-dimension is Clyde complaining about? a. ergonomics b. interdependence c. skill variety d. work methods autonomy

d

An experiment about noise levels with female clerical workers demonstrated that the workers exposed to noise a. increased their productivity levels. b. capitalized more on ergonomic features of their work furniture. c. experienced inner-ear damage. d. developed high levels of stress hormones in the blood.

a

A job contains high task significance when the a. work output touches the lives of many people. b. work output earns a profit for the firm. c. job holder has varied working hours. d. job holder receives frequent feedback from the boss.

d

A major benefit of job specialization is that it allows for a. a flexible work force. b. enrichment of virtually all jobs. c. excellent coordination of contributors to a total job. d. the development of expertise at all occupational levels.

d

A major characteristic of a high-performance work system in a manufacturing environment is that a. workers are allowed limited rest breaks. b. time and motion studies dictate work methods. c. supervisors make all the important decisions. d. workers participate in making decisions that have an impact.

c

According to the method of creating high-performance jobs by adjusting resources, bookkeeper Pam will perform at her best when she a. gets paid more than most bookkeepers. b. creates her own resources. c. gets all the resources she needs to do her job. d. consults regularly with a human resources specialist.

c

According to the policy of job sharing, a. high-paid workers share pay with low-paid workers. b. workers without an office share get to use the offices of those belonging to managers. c. two part-time workers share one job. d. workers delegate work to those lower in rank.

c

A potential disadvantage of telecommuting is that working at home is likely to a. contribute to decreased productivity. b. lead to inflexible work schedules for telecommuters. c. reinforce negative tendencies such as procrastination. d. increase real estate costs for the corporation.

a

A study showed that a major reason why employees are hesitant to use the flextime option is that they a. are concerned about appearing uncommitted to work. b. dislike starting work so early. c. dislike staying so late at work. d. cannot afford the reduction in pay.

b

Before implementing a program of job enrichment it is recommended that the manager a. grant immediate pay increases. b. find out if employees want an enriched job. c. rewrite job descriptions for all employees involved. d. empower employees to enrich their own jobs.

b

Contingent workers a. share jobs with other employees. b. are only hired when they are needed. c. always work less than 40 hours per week. d. work for more than one employer at a time.

c

Control over method in job enrichment means that the worker a. communicates directly with the client or customer. b. must present to management an analysis of the best method. c. chooses the method to accomplish the assigned task. d. must try a new method for accomplishing the task.

c

In the job characteristics model, a task is significant when it a. provides direct information about performance. b. offers the job holder freedom. c. has a heavy impact on other people. d. enables a person to do a complete job.

b

Marvin's job involves selling used trucks. To boost his job satisfaction, Marvin's boss authorizes him to tell the dealer when a truck needs a paint job in order to sell. Which task characteristic has been added to Marvin's job? a. feedback from the job b. decision-making authority c. work methods autonomy d. task significance

c

Priscilla, a customer service representative at a call center, adds to her job by asking customers how much they liked their previous purchase. Priscilla is engaged in job a. simplification. b. rotation. c. crafting. d. specialization.

a

Which of the following is the least effective method for preventing cumulative trauma disorder? a. use the computer mouse whenever possible b. rotate jobs to reduce repetitive hand and body movements c. install equipment that minimizes awkward hand and body movements d. use voice recognition systems as a substitute for keyboarding

a

Which one of the following is not a common type of job crafting? Making changes in a. the pay structure of a job. b. the number and types of job tasks. c. the interactions with others on the job. d. one's view of a job.

a

Workers with high job involvement will a. identify psychologically with their work. b. involve others in getting their work done. c. separate their self-image from their work. d. search for horizontal job loading.

c

Zeke is in charge of stocking shelves in the soft-drink aisle in a supermarket. To apply job enlargement, the store manager might a. allow Zeke to do market research about soft-drink consumption. b. schedule Zeke to switch back and forth between stocking the soft-drink and pet-food aisles. c. give Zeke the additional permanent assignment of also stocking the dry-cereal section. d. assign Zeke flexible working hours.