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WorksheetsChap 8 Motivation - From Concepts to Application
Total questions: 56
Worksheet time: 28mins
Which of the following is not one of the core job dimensions in the job characteristics model (JCM)?
task significance
feedback
autonomy
status
skill variety
Which of the following defines skill variety?
the degree to which a job requires completion of a whole and identifiable piece of work
the degree to which work activities generates direct and clear information about performance
the degree to which a job provides the worker freedom in scheduling and procedure
the degree to which a job has an impact on the lives or work of other people
the degree to which a job requires a variety of different activities
Which of the following defines task identity?
the degree to which a job requires completion of a whole and identifiable piece of work
the degree to which work activities generates direct and clear information about performance
the degree to which a job provides the worker freedom in scheduling and procedure
the degree to which a job has an impact on the lives or work of other people
the degree to which a job requires a variety of different activities
Which of the following defines autonomy?
the degree to which a job requires completion of a whole and identifiable piece of work
the degree to which work activities generates direct and clear information about performance
the degree to which a job provides the worker freedom in scheduling and procedure
the degree to which a job has an impact on the lives or work of other people
the degree to which a job requires a variety of different activities
Nikhil is a design manager for a production company. He independently assigns teams, chooses projects, researches trends, and is able to work from home two to three days a week. He provides a status report to the design director once a month. Based on this description, it’s safe to say that Nikhil’s job is high in which job characteristic?
task identity
feedback
autonomy
task significance
skill variety
Dashay is a new emergency medical technician. Yesterday she was called to an emergency in a home where a man suffered a heart attack. She was able to resuscitate the man, and while her partner were transporting him to the ambulance she spent 10 minutes calming the 12 year old daughter, who was at home alone with the father. Although exhausted at the end of the day, Dashay felt very good about the father’s prognosis and celebrated with a dinner out. Based on this description, it’s safe to say that Dashay’s job is high in which job characteristic?
task identity
feedback
autonomy
task significance
skill variety
In the job characteristics model (JCM), what three job dimensions combine to create meaningful work?
autonomy, task identity, and feedback
skill variety, autonomy, and task significance
skill variety, autonomy, and feedback
feedback, task identity, and task significance
skill variety, task identity, and task significance
According to the job characteristics model, which of the following results in the maximum internal rewards for an individual?
when they are given tangible rewards
when they learn that they personally have performed well on a task that they care about
when they initiate a program that enables them to work with a variety of like-minded colleagues
when their training is realized and their expectations are met
when they are always ready for praise for successfully completing an arduous task
What is another term for cross-training?
job enrichment
job sharing
job enhancement
job rotation
A trucking company routinely makes all of its office staff work for a week in the warehouse area: loading trucks, cleaning trucks, and doing other work which they are capable of. This program is an example of which of the following?
job rotation
job enlargement
job enrichment
job sharing
flex time
What is the main strength of job rotation?
it eliminates management involvement.
it increases motivation.
it increases productivity.
it decreases training costs
it decreases supervisor work load.
Aberdone Company has redesigned the jobs of the workers in accounts receivables. Instead of simply billing customers, they are now responsible for what used to be management tasks, such as for following up on non-payment, determining when bills will be sent to a collection agency, and what accounts receivables can be written off as non-collectable. What term would best be used to describe how the company is enforcing the job dimensions?
task combination
vertical job extension
formation of initial work units
establish the client relationships
opening feedback channels
How do most employees react to job enrichment?
decreased production
increased absenteeism
increased job satisfaction
decreased job satisfaction
increased turnover
Job enrichment increases the degree to which the worker controls the ______.
planning, execution, and evaluation of his or her work
planning, execution, and evaluation of company plans
horizontal integration of his or her tasks
feedback that a worker receives from his or her supervisor and peers
evaluation of his or her peers
Which one of the following is not one of the guidelines in developing jobs based on the job characteristics model?
form telecommuting units
establish client relationships
open feedback channels
combine tasks
expand jobs vertically
A firm introduces job enrichment in order to motivate its employees. Evidence would suggest that which of the following is the most likely result of this change?
reduced absenteeism and turnover costs
lower fixed costs
a drop in quality
a decrease in productivity
an increase in productivity
Liz is single with no children. She is a night person, and can not function until after her morning coffee, she enjoys waking up and getting ready, and watching or listening to the morning news. She detests the morning traffic jam, and is in a horrible mood if she has to deal with it. When looking for a 40 hour a week job, which of the following schedules would be most appealing for Liz?
enter at 8:00 a.m. and leave at 3:00 p.m., Monday through Friday
enter and leave any time between 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday
enter at 8:00 a.m. and leave at 7:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday, Friday off
enter at 6:00 a.m. and leave at 3:00 p.m., Monday through Friday
enter at 9:00 a.m. and leave at 1:00 p.m., Monday through Friday
Sue wants to go back to work after having taken a few years off while the kids are young. Her husband earns a good living, and they both want Sue to be available for the children’s events and at home after school. School gets out at 2:20. When looking for a job, which of the following schedules would be most appealing for Sue?
impossible but inspirational
difficult but attainable
slightly beyond a person's actual potential
only marginally challenging
easily attained
Beyond redesigning the nature of the work itself and involving employees in decisions, another approach to making the work environment more motivating is to allow flexible work arrangements. Which of the following is designed to give an employee greater control of their schedule?
flex time
job sharing
job rotation
telecommuting
job enrichment
An arrangement that allows two or more individuals to split a traditional 40-hour-a-week job is called _____.
flex time
job sharing
job rotation
telecommuting
job enrichment
Which of the following is the principal drawback from job sharing?
drawing on multiple talents for one job
increased benefits costs for two employees
difficulty in finding compatible partners
too much job flexibility is hard to manage
difficulty in coordinating schedules
Janice and Shunli are both senior software analysts. They have worked together on projects for six years and get along great. Janice is pregnant and anticipating the arrival of her first child. Shunli would like to experiment with opening his own business as a home and installation consultant. They both need some flexibility. Which of the following alternative job structures would be best for Janice and Shunli?
flex time
telecommuting
job rotation
job sharing
job enrichment
Which of the following has not been shown to be a benefit of flex time?
reduced absenteeism
improved productivity
increased meaningfulness
increased satisfaction
Which of the following is a job that does not lend itself to telecommuting?
a supervisor who spends most of her time researching on the computer
a writer of copy for an advertising firm
a car salesman who demonstrates the features of a new model of car
a telemarketer who uses the phone to contact clients
a product support specialist who fields calls from rare customers
Which of the following is a not a management benefit of telecommuting?
larger labor pool for recruitment
higher productivity of employees
decreased office expenditures
improved morale in general
decreased benefits expenses
After completing cooking school with outstanding grades and recommendations, Joe and Gary both looked forward to working in restaurants. Joe found work as a short-order cook in a cramped diner. On many shifts he worked alone, and had to cook all of a large number of meals on outdated equipment. Gary found work in a concert hotel kitchen. He had a small staff helping him prepare a choice of three or four elaborate meals to order. Gary became a highly respected chef, while Joe left the restaurant industry.
This example illustrates that an individual needs what in order to perform well?
ability and technical skills
motivation to perform
supportive work context
adequate compensation
feedback from superiors
What is the term used for a participative process that uses the entire capacity of employees and is designed to encourage increased commitment to the organization's success?
MBO
employee involvement
reengineering
JCM
job sharing
What is the distinct characteristic common to all participative management programs?
joint decision making
autonomy
empowerment
productivity enhancement
quality awareness
Participative management is a method of management where _____.
subordinates make corporate decisions and management helps carry out those decisions
other management participates in the organizations strategic planning
subordinates share a degree of decision-making power with their immediate superiors
low-level workers meet occasionally with the CEO to discuss problems within their department
low-level workers are responsible for making corporate policy decisions
Research studies conducted on the participation-performance relationship show that the use of participation _____.
enhances job satisfaction
increases motivation
has only a modest influence on employee productivity
greatly influences on employee attitudes
lawer costs considerably
Research shows that works councils tend to be ineffective for which of the following reasons?
Members of works councils tend to side with management when making decisions for fear of being punished.
Works councils represent the wishes of employees that are often at odds with the best direction of an organization.
Works councils are dominated by management and their input has little impact on employees or the organization.
Works councils insert an extra element into decision making which slows the response of an organization to changing conditions.
Members of works councils are, in general, not qualified to make large decisions concerning the direction of an organization
What is the goal of representative participation?
for workers to own the firms where they work
to help workers’ self-esteem
to provide greater motivation and productivity
to redistribute power within the organization
to empower high-level managers
What is the name for employees who sit on a company’s board of directors and represent the interests of the firm’s employees?
board representatives
works councils
quality circles
union representatives
board leaders
Experience shows that the greatest value of representative participation is which of the following.
increased motivation
increased satisfaction
symbolic
decreased absenteeism
increased commitment
Which of the following is Theory X consistent with?
the autocratic style of managing people
participative management
job enrichment
the cognitive evaluation theory
none of the above
Which of the following is not true?
Theory Y aligns with the participative management style.
Employee involvement programs provide intrinsic motivation.
Theory X aligns with the autocratic style of managing people.
Employee involvement is incompatible with two-factor theory.
Implementing decisions can help satisfy an employee’s needs for achievement.
Which of the following are all forms of variable-pay programs?
piece-rate pay plan, merit-based pay plan, gainsharing
profit sharing, lump-sum bonuses, extended vacations
wage incentive plans, flex time, piece-rate
employee benefits, extended vacations, wage incentive plans
wage incentives, bonuses, flex time
Which of the following is not one of the most widely used variable-pay programs?
piece-rate wages
merit-based pay
flat pay
employee stock ownership
profit-sharing plans
Which of the following is an example of a piece-rate plan?
time and a half for overtime
$2 for each unit produced
productivity bonus
commission
none of the above
What is the term used for a pay plan where pay levels are based on how many skills employees have or how many jobs they can do?
a variable pay plan
flexible pay
skill-based pay
gainsharing
ESOP
A certain corporation ties its compensation for front-line operations managers to developing their skills in leadership, workforce development, and functional excellence. What is this sort of compensation scheme called?
job-based pay
training-based pay
individual merit-based pay
skill-based pay
development-based pay
What is an advantage of bonuses over merit pay?
Employees don’t view bonuses as pay.
Pay levels are based on employees’ skills.
Bonuses are paid based on a formula.
Bonuses are based on an objective output.
Employees are rewarded for recent performance.
Much of the compensation of traders at Symelco, a metals trading company, is in the form of stock options. The amount of options distributed is based on the company's net profits. What sort of compensation plan is this?
profit sharing
gainsharing
merit based
ESOP
employee ownership
What is the name for an incentive plan where improvements in group productivity determine the total amount of money that is allocated?
ESOP
gainsharing
profit sharing
piece rate
employee ownership
How is gainsharing an improvement on profit sharing?
it focuses on productivity gains rather than profits
it rewards specific behaviors
it does not distribute profits, only gains in profits
it rewards behaviors that are less influenced by external factors
In what sort of companies is gainsharing most popular?
large manufacturing companies
large service organizations
small, non-unionized manufacturing companies
small, privately-held companies
non-profit organizations
What sort of plan is a company-established benefit plan where employees acquire stock as part of their benefits?
MBO program
job re-design
ESOP
quality circle
piece rate
Research on employee stock ownership programs indicates that they are deeply successful in doing which of the following?
increasing employee satisfaction
reducing salaries
encouraging productivity
increasing employee expectations
What is the term used for the situation where employees are allowed to pick and choose from among a menu of benefit options?
flexible pay
benefit menu options
flexible benefits
benefit participation
flex time
Why are flexible benefit plans consistent with expectancy theory’s thesis?
They allow organizations to minimize costs associated with benefits.
They provide a suite of tangible benefits that can be offered as motivational tools.
Organizational rewards should be linked to each individual employee’s goals.
They make employment efforts providing such programs more attractive.
The motivation to build data benefits promotes productivity.
Corina works full time for a pharmaceutical company, but her husband is a freelance writer who works from home and helps care for their baby daughter. Which of the following benefits plans is Corina most likely to choose?
one plan fits all
none
modular core plan
modular core-plus plan
extra vacation time
Which of the following is a form of recognition?
personal congratulation
job enlargement
job sharing
flexible benefit packages
profit sharing
Laura only makes minimum wage, but she loves that her supervisor regularly compliments her and she has been chosen employee of the month twice this year. Which of the following is Laura's attitude most likely a function of?
recognition
motivation
goal setting
involvement
reactance
Financial incentives are the greatest motivator in the short term perspective, but over time it is ______ motivation.
benefit
money
recognition
payables
obligations
Which of the following is not a problem with recognition programs?
The rewards are intrinsic
They motivate less than money in the short term
They are subject to corruption
Managers can manipulate the system
The rewards are subjective.
Researchers report that which of the following was considered by employees to be the most powerful workplace motivator?
recognition
money
opportunity for advancement
autonomy
vacation time
