Tasksheet 7: Organizational Outcome and Workforce Reduction

What percentage of employers permanently reduced their workforce between January 1990 and 1992?

• 34%

• 74%

• 44%

• 54%

Which aspects showed no difference between organizations that reduced and those that did not reduce their workforce?

• Productivity

• Quality of product or service

• Innovation

• Labor relations

What negative impact did organizations report after making a permanent reduction in the workforce?

• Better communication

• Greater resistance to change

• Reduction of conflicts

• Increased job satisfaction

What type of studies are rare in the literature on workforce reduction?

• Individual level studies

• Large-scale organizational level studies

• Case studies

• Market studies

What has been recognized as a problem in downsizing efforts?

• They are always successful

• They are well planned

• They are responses to complex problems

• They do not affect employee morale

What type of problems are grouped in current research on workforce reduction?

• Production problems

• Financial problems

• Labor relations problems

• Marketing problems

Answer explanation

Current research on workforce reduction primarily focuses on labor relations problems, as these issues directly impact employee morale, retention, and the overall dynamics between management and staff during downsizing.

Which authors mention the lack of help in the literature to address non-financial problems?

• Cascio and Wagar

• American Management Association

• None of the above

• Ford and Perrewe

What percentage of surveyed Canadian organizations did not reduce their workforce?

• 54%

• 34%

• 24%

• 46%

Answer explanation

46% of surveyed Canadian organizations did not reduce their workforce, indicating that the majority chose to reduce their staff levels during the survey period.

What has recently begun to be investigated in relation to workforce reduction?

• Customer satisfaction

• Production costs

• Marketing strategies

• Determinants and consequences

What is considered a result of the permanent reduction of the workforce?

• Increased innovation

• Greater customer satisfaction

• Improvement in service quality

• Growing conflicts

Answer explanation

A permanent reduction in the workforce can lead to growing conflicts due to increased workload on remaining employees, potential job insecurity, and decreased morale, making this the most relevant outcome among the choices.