Deck 6: Designing a Motivating Work Environment

Question 1

Research shows that the psychological state of meaningfulness is the most important state for employee attitudes and behaviors.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

To increase the effectiveness of performance meetings, increase employee participation.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Attractive women are rated lower if they are employed in non-management jobs and higher if they are in management jobs.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

If used on a short-term basis, relative ranking appraisals may help an organization become more performance-oriented because they tend to weed out employees with persistent performance problems.

Question 5

Job enlargement involves moving employees from job to job at different intervals.

Question 6

Goal setting is one of the most influential theories of motivation.

Question 7

Leniency bias is a common problem in performance appraisals.

Question 8

Goal commitment is higher when employees have trust-based relationships with managers.

Question 9

The performance appraisal meeting is the most important component of a performance appraisal.

Question 10

Leaving employees free to choose job performance methods is an important element of scientific management techniques.

Question 11

Job specialization entails breaking down jobs into their simplest components.

Question 12

Adequate notice ensures that there is two-way communication during the performance appraisal process.

Question 13

The most effective goals are easy ones

Question 14

The job characteristics model is an attempt to design jobs for increased motivational potential.

Question 15

You are a Walt Disney Company management trainee.The first three months of your job you will be working in the restaurant and hospitality area.The next three months you will be in the merchandising area, followed by three months in lodging and finally, three months in park operations.The Walt Disney management trainee program is designed using the job rotation philosophy.

Question 16

In the most effective performance appraisal meetings, criticism of the individual personality traits is very important.

Question 17

Skill variety and task significance are the most important elements in deciding motivational potential.

Question 18

Quality expert Edward Deming has advocated for abolishing performance appraisals in the workplace.

Question 19

Access to information is a key factor in empowering employees.

Question 20

In a supermarket study, cashiers rotated through different departments had lower stress levels and less pain in their necks and shoulders.

Question 21

*Which of these are ways that REI shows a commitment to keeping and engaging employees?

A)Pay scale 20% above similar retailers.
B)Yay-days, profit-sharing, town hall meetings, and online campfire meetings.
C)Town hall meetings, profit-sharing and free equipment.
D)Yay-days, online campfire meetings, and free equipment.

Question 22

Even though goal setting is a good motivational tool, there is strong evidence that goal setting can also lead to unethical behavior.

Question 23

Some research shows that Chinese employees are more motivated than American employees when the goals set for them are very

Question 24

In a pay system based upon commission, rewarding only sales volume could encourage salesmen to heavily discount merchandise.

Question 25

One technique to reduce the likelihood of unethical behavior resulting from goal setting is to create multiple levels of goals and distribute rewards according to the goals achieved rather than rewarding only those who reach the highest goal.

Question 26

A key element of the scientific management philosophy is

A)using training and specific instructions to maximize task variety.
B)minimizing waste by identifying the most efficient method to perform the job, while still retaining high levels of autonomy.
C)expanding the nature of tasks performed by employees to add more variety to the job.
D)breaking down jobs into their simplest components to facilitate specialization.

Question 27

Research suggests Indian employees are more satisfied when they are empowered in the workplace than their counterparts in the United States or Poland.

Question 28

In China, goals high in specificity are more motivational in contrast to the low specificity goals preferred by employees in Western cultures, including the United States.

Question 29

*What type of organizational structure makes REI relatively unique among retailers?

A)The company is a co-op, owned by its customers.
B)The company is a co-op, owned by its employees.
C)The company is owned by the Anderson family.
D)The company gives out stock to customers who spend over $1,000 a year at the store.

Question 30

The notion of using incentives to increase performance is a very old idea, actually going back to the time of Napoleon.

Question 31

Scientific management's primary focus is

A)goal setting.
B)efficiency.
C)flexibility.
D)motivation.

Question 32

Gift cards as awards to employees are not appreciated because they are often purchased for stores and restaurants that employees do not frequent.

Question 33

Which of the following factors has the most influence on worker motivation?

A)pay
B)growth opportunities
C)job design
D)recognition

Question 34

Which of the following is an advantage to job specialization?

A)Training costs are higher, but because of the specialized nature of tasks, they are learned more fully.
B)The nature of the jobs leads to lower absenteeism.
C)Staffing costs are lower because the repetitive nature of tasks makes skill requirements lower.
D)The nature of the jobs is especially effective in rapidly changing environments.

Question 35

Job specialization

A)is breaking down jobs into their simplest components and assigning them to employees so that each person will perform a few tasks in a repetitive manner.
B)refers to expanding the tasks performed by employees to add more variety.
C)involves moving employees from job to job at regular intervals.
D)allows workers more control over how they perform their own tasks.

Question 36

Countries high in power distance respond positively to appraisal systems where lower level employees give feedback to their managers.

Question 37

Merit pay is a permanent pay raise based on past performance.

Question 38

The use of stock options remains a popular incentive technique in start-up organizations.

Question 39

Research in Western countries suggests that empowerment is an effective tool to motivate employees.

Question 40

*For both customers and employees, REI follows one organizational purpose:

A)To put nature first
B)Share profits with customers
C)Share profits with employees
D)To connect people to nature

Question 41

Feedback refers to

A)the extent to which the job requires a person to utilize multiple high level skills.
B)the degree to which a person is in charge of completing an identifiable piece of work from start to finish.
C)the degree to which people learn how effective they are being at work.
D)the degree to which a person has the freedom to decide how to perform his tasks.

Question 42

Which of the following statements about job enrichment are true?

A)Job enrichment may lead to dissatisfaction with one's pay.
B)Job enrichment is a suitable technique to be used with any employee.
C)Job enrichment may be associated with reduced productivity and increased absenteeism.
D)The technique allows employees to try out other job roles.

Question 43

Which of the following statements is true about job design approaches?

A)Job rotation takes place only with lower level jobs in an organization.
B)Job enrichment may lead to employee frustration or dissatisfaction with pay.
C)Job specialization is effective in rapidly changing work environments.
D)Job enlargement implementation leads employees to feel less capable of performing job tasks.

Question 44

Skill variety refers to

A)the extent to which the job requires a person to utilize multiple high level skills.
B)the degree to which a person is in charge of completing an identifiable piece of work from start to finish.
C)whether a person's job substantially affects other people's health, work or well-being.
D)the degree to which a person has the freedom to decide how to perform his tasks.

Question 45

Autonomy refers to

A)the extent to which the job requires a person to utilize multiple high level skills.
B)the degree to which a person is in charge of completing an identifiable piece of work from start to finish.
C)whether a person's job substantially affects other people's health, work or well-being.
D)the degree to which a person has the freedom to decide how to perform his tasks.

Question 46

Maria works at a factory in Lima, Peru where she sews blue jeans for a major American firm.On Mondays, she sews the side seams of the jeans, on Tuesdays she sews on pockets, Wednesdays she presses finished jeans, Thursdays she folds jeans, packages sets of twelve in shrink wrap and places them in boxes, and on Friday she sews decorative stitching on the pockets and side seams.Maria is working under the job design technique of

A)job specialization.
B)job enrichment.
C)job enlargement.
D)job rotation.

Question 47

Job specialization can

A)increase the number of employees needed to complete the job.
B)minimize training costs.
C)lead to greater motivation among employees.
D)be very effective in rapidly changing environments.

Question 48

Task identity refers to

A)the extent to which the job requires a person to utilize multiple high level skills.
B)the degree to which a person is in charge of completing an identifiable piece of work from start to finish.
C)whether a person's job substantially affects other people's health, work or well-being.
D)the degree to which a person has the freedom to decide how to perform his tasks.

Question 49

Which of the following statements about job enlargement is accurate?

A)Job enlargement has more positive effects when employees are given more simple tasks.
B)When jobs are enlarged, employees view themselves as less capable.
C)Job enlargement is beneficial because it is positively related to higher quality customer service.
D)The intent behind job enlargement is to decrease the variety of tasks to be performed so that human resources are used effectively.

Question 50

Stuart works on an auto assembly line.Last year he was responsible for welding the upper panel of the wheel well onto the left rear wheel area.This year, he is also responsible for welding all parts of the entire left rear wheel area.This auto assembly line underwent a job re-design using the ________ ________technique.

A)job specialization.
B)job enrichment.
C)job rotation.
D)job enlargement.

Question 51

Which of the following statements is accurate regarding job rotation?

A)Rotation is the regular movement of employees through firm jobs.
B)Rotation leads to increased turnover.
C)Rotation is an opportunity for employees to use skills they already have.
D)Rotation leads to slightly elevated blood pressure measured in employees using the process due to their movement between jobs.

Question 52

Job enlargement

A)is breaking down jobs into their simplest components and assigning them to employees so that each person will perform few tasks in a repetitive manner.
B)refers to expanding the tasks performed by employees to add more variety.
C)involves moving employees from job to job at regular intervals.
D)allows workers more control over how they perform their own tasks.

Question 53

The local high school band needs to raise money to pay for a trip to New York City.It decides to sell sandwiches.Early Saturday morning, 20 volunteers report to the school cafeteria to make sandwiches.Stations are set up to make the 500 sandwiches ordered for that day.Station one has four individuals cutting sandwich buns, station two has four individuals placing the meats on the rolls, station three, etc.The individual who devised the sandwich-making production plan is operating under a

A)job specialization approach.
B)job rotation approach.
C)job enlargement approach.
D)job enrichment approach.

Question 54

Frederick Taylor's work led to a fundamental change in management philosophy.The change

A)was understanding that managers could not influence the output levels of employees.
B)was understanding that repetitive activities are the direct result of job generalization.
C)paved the way for today's automation and standardization.
D)was increasing the complexity of jobs in the workplace for greater productivity.

Question 55

Job enrichment

A)is breaking down jobs into their simplest components and assigning them to employees so that each person will perform few tasks in a repetitive manner.
B)refers to expanding the tasks performed by employees to add more variety.
C)involves moving employees from job to job at regular intervals.
D)allows workers more control over how they perform their own tasks.

Question 56

Olaf works on an assembly line in an Oslo factory.Last month the assembly line processes were overhauled.Olaf is still responsible for soldering electrical contacts on an appliance component, but now he is also expected to review each component for quality defects after he solders.If he notes any defects, he can place the component in the scrap bin.If he scraps five such pieces in succession, he is permitted to press an emergency button above his station, which stops the assembly line completely.This job re-design is a reflection of the _____ ______________ philosophy.

A)job rotation
B)job enlargement
C)job enrichment
D)job specialization

Question 57

Which of the following is a core job characteristic in Hackman and Oldham's job characteristics model?

A)role variety
B)task importance
C)feedback
D)pay

Question 58

Which of the following is an advantage of job rotation?

A)employees become cross-trained due to their movement between jobs.
B)managers have greater scheduling flexibility in a job rotation system.
C)employees experience less boredom in a job rotation system.
D)all of the above.

Question 59

Task significance refers to

A)the extent to which the job requires a person to utilize multiple high level skills.
B)the degree to which a person is in charge of completing an identifiable piece of work from start to finish.
C)whether a person's job substantially affects other people's health, work or well-being.
D)the degree to which a person has the freedom to decide how to perform his tasks.

Question 60

Job rotation

A)is breaking down jobs into their simplest components and assigning them to employees so that each person will perform a few tasks in a repetitive manner.
B)refers to expanding the tasks performed by employees to add more variety.
C)involves moving employees from job to job at regular intervals.
D)allows workers more control over how they perform their own tasks.

Question 61

Which of the following statements regarding the relationship between feedback and performance is true?

A)The mere presence of feedback is sufficient to motivate employees to better performance.
B)Regardless of whether feedback is positive or negative in nature, employees will feel motivated by it.
C)Feedback is detrimental to performance in about one-third of the cases.
D)The manner in which feedback is delivered has no bearing on its motivation effects.

Question 62

Which of the following is considered an outcome in Hackman and Oldham's job characteristics model?

A)task significance
B)feedback
C)satisfaction
D)task variety

Question 63

A fashion designer who creates pieces for a large fashion house for a New York or Paris runway show has

A)high task identity.
B)low task identity.
C)low skill variety.
D)low autonomy.

Question 64

Which of the following best describes the elements of Hackman and Oldham's job characteristics model?

A)Three psychological states lead to five core job characteristics which lead to five outcomes.
B)Five core job characteristics lead to five outcomes which produce three psychological states.
C)Five core job characteristics lead to three psychological states which lead to five outcomes.
D)Three psychological states lead to five outcomes which are analyzed for five core job characteristics.

Question 65

Structural empowerment

A)refers to making a person powerless.
B)is the degree to which a person has higher order needs such as esteem and self-actualization.
C)refers to the aspects of the work environment that give employees discretion, autonomy and the ability to do jobs effectively.
D)is the degree to which a person has the freedom to decide how to perform his tasks.

Question 66

In order to increase the feedback you receive, you could

A)avoid asking your superior for feedback.Managers will look less favorably upon you if you continually bother them for feedback.
B)develop a positive relationship with your manager.
C)defend yourself by explaining your behavior when you receive negative feedback.
D)seek positive feedback rather than negative feedback.

Question 67

Which of the following statements is true about empowerment?

A)The notion of empowerment is appropriate for all employees.
B)Empowerment is a relatively
C)Employees who are nervous about empowerment may also worry about the increased responsibility.
D)Empowerment is not related to job performance.

Question 68

___________ is an example of felt empowerment.

A)Meaningful work
B)Leadership style
C)Organizational structure
D)Organizational climate

Question 69

Which of the following psychological states has research identified as the most important for employee attitudes and behaviors?

A)responsibility
B)knowledge of results
C)motivation
D)meaningfulness

Question 70

Which of the following factors determine empowerment?

A)structure
B)access to information
C)leadership style
D)all of the above

Question 71

To empower your employees,

A)retain information on the job until it is absolutely needed.
B)take away employee power so your manager accountability is not compromised.
C)make sure managers continue to manage in such a manner that they are stepping in with routine responses to issues.
D)change the company structure so employees have more power on the job.

Question 72

According to the formula for the motivating potential score of a job, the most important elements in deciding motivation potential are

A)skill variety and autonomy.
B)task significance and task identity.
C)autonomy and feedback.
D)skill variety and feedback.

Question 73

One of the dimensions of structural empowerment is

A)meaningful work.
B)confidence that you can perform the job.
C)feeling that one has autonomy at work.
D)access to information.

Question 74

*Which of these is NOT a way to enrich a job through job crafting?

A)Changing the content of the job
B)Changing the way the person thinks about the job
C)Changing the type of interactions with other people related to the job
D)Changing the perks that go with the job

Question 75

Which of the following is considered a psychological state in Hackman and Oldham's job characteristics model?

A)motivation
B)meaningfulness
C)creativity
D)engagement

Question 76

Which of the following is true regarding the motivating potential of a job?

A)An employee whose expectation for his job is to pay the bills will have high growth strength.
B)Even though a job is designed with the express purpose of motivating individuals, some employees may not find the job motivational.
C)Career stage does not influence the importance of the five core characteristics.
D)Employees with high growth need strength will respond less favorably to jobs with high motivating potential.

Question 77

*Which of these is NOT one of the job components that research indicates increase the motivation of a job?

A)Autonomy
B)Feedback
C)Task significance
D)Creativity

Question 78

*Since the Hackman and Oldham model was developed in the 1970s, jobs have changed in what way?

A)Increased in autonomy and skill variety
B)Increased in turnover and job satisfaction
C)Decreased in task identify and responsibility
D)Decreased in motivation and satisfaction

Question 79

The "M" in "SMART" goals stands for

A)Measurable
B)Motivating
C)Minimal
D)Management

Question 80

Employee autonomy

A)makes the employees more reactive in doing their jobs.
B)increases motivation at work.
C)decreases employee creativity.
D)decreases employee effectiveness.