Deck 12: Motivating Employees: Achieving Superior Performance in the Workplace

Question 1

According to equity theory,employees who feel they are being underrewarded are more likely to support organizational change,more apt to cooperate in group settings,and less apt to turn to arbitration and the courts to remedy real or imagined wrongs.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

A manager should administer punishment in public in front of employees because the embarrassment enhances the punishment and its effectiveness.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Intrinsic motivation is not as long lasting as extrinsic motivation,and intrinsic motivation has a less positive impact on task performance.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Most workers rate monetary benefits higher than a caring boss.

Question 5

Which of the following is not a simple model of motivation?

A)unfulfilled need
B)motivation
C)behaviors
D)rewards
E)punishment

Question 6

Content perspectives,also known as need-based perspectives,include all except which one of the following theories?

A)Deci and Ryan's self-determination theory
B)Herzberg's two-factor theory
C)McClelland's acquired needs theory
D)equity theory
E)Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory

Question 7

To be most motivating,goals should be specific and challenging but achievable.

Question 8

Motivation cannot be directly observed in another's behavior;it must be inferred from one's behavior.

Question 9

To use positive reinforcement,give praise to employees not for showing up for work on time (an expected part of any job)but for showing up early.

Question 10

New research shows that the cubicle is not a motivational environment,stifling creativity and morale for many workers.

Question 11

Maslow's levels of needs,in order from lowest (most basic)to highest level,are

A)self-actualization,esteem,love,safety,and physiological.
B)safety,love,esteem,self-actualization,and physiological.
C)physiological,safety,self-actualization,esteem,and love.
D)safety,physiological,esteem,love,and self-actualization.
E)physiological,safety,love,esteem,and self-actualization.

Question 12

Those with a high need for achievement may be the least efficient managers because they may resist making decisions that make others resent them.

Question 13

John's manager just told his team about this year's contest,the winner of which will receive an all-expense paid trip to Bangkok.John does not like to travel to places where he can't speak the language,so he is not very enthusiastic.This reward has a high valence for John.

Question 14

The task significance for a craftsperson who goes through all the steps to build a handmade acoustic guitar is higher than it is for an assembly-line worker who just installs windshields on cars.

Question 15

General Electric paid employees who were smokers up to $750 to quit and stay off cigarettes.This program was three times as successful as a different GE "quit smoking" program in which employees received no paid incentives.The $750 in the first program is an example of an intrinsic reward.

Question 16

To motivate employees,employers need to primarily focus on fulfilling the top level of Maslow's hierarchy of needs,self-actualization.

Question 17

______ is the set of psychological processes that arouse and direct goal-directed behavior.

A)Self-actualization
B)Productivity
C)Self-determination
D)Reinforcement
E)Motivation

Question 18

Simplified,repetitive jobs lead to job dissatisfaction,poor mental health,and a low sense of accomplishment and personal growth.

Question 19

Goal-setting theory suggests that behavior tends to be repeated if it has positive consequences and tends not to be repeated if it has negative consequences.

Question 20

Ricardo's sales manager just informed his sales team that all sales in January will earn an extra 5 percent commission.The team gets right to work,being motivated by a(n)

A)extrinsic reward.
B)physiological need.
C)high need for power.
D)intrinsic reward.
E)hygiene factor.

Question 21

For managers,the importance of Maslow's contribution is that he showed that workers

A)are interested only in compensation that helps them fulfill physiological needs.
B)are as complex as their organization.
C)have needs beyond that of just earning a paycheck.
D)expect an employer to fulfill every level in their hierarchy of needs.
E)have needs that cannot be understood by their employer.

Question 22

According to Herzberg,which of the following is an example of a hygiene factor?

A)responsibility
B)advancement
C)the work itself
D)recognition
E)interpersonal relationships

Question 23

______________ is a model of motivation that explains how people strive for fairness and justice in social exchanges or give-and-take relationships.

A)Esteem theory
B)Equity theory
C)Hygiene theory
D)Expectancy theory
E)Goal-setting theory

Question 24

Sharon has excelled as an auditor for a large financial consulting firm.She loves building mutually beneficial relationships and is extremely well liked by her clients.Sharon likely has a

A)low need for affiliation.
B)low need for power.
C)low need for achievement.
D)high need for achievement.
E)high need for affiliation.

Question 25

Even when he started his first job,Will was not content to be just one of the employees.His boss noticed that he often coached his coworkers about ways to improve their work,even when it wasn't his job.Will probably has a

A)high need for achievement.
B)high need for affiliation.
C)high need for attention.
D)low need for achievement.
E)high need for power.

Question 26

According to Maslow,the need for status,reputation,and recognition is part of a person's _____ needs.

A)self-actualization
B)love
C)esteem
D)safety
E)physiological

Question 27

Which of the following is a process perspective on motivation?

A)self-determination theory
B)job characteristics model
C)two-factor theory
D)goal-setting theory
E)acquired needs theory

Question 28

According to Herzberg's theory,the first thing managers of employees who dislike their jobs should do is to

A)provide opportunities for achievement.
B)publicly recognize good performance.
C)create opportunities for personal growth and advancement.
D)make sure pay levels,policies,and working conditions are reasonable.
E)increase employees' responsibility and opportunity for leadership.

Question 29

After three shuttle accidents in three months,one of which resulted in a critical injury to a driver,Citywide Shuttle drivers received additional training,and the company retrofitted all shuttles with new braking systems.Which of Maslow's needs are addressed by Citywide Shuttle's actions?

A)self-actualization
B)safety
C)love
D)esteem
E)physiological

Question 30

According to Herzberg,which of the following is an example of a motivating factor?

A)the work itself
B)pay
C)working conditions
D)company policy
E)supervisors

Question 31

_______ perspectives are theories that try to understand the thought processes by which people decide how to act.

A)Needs-based
B)Reinforcement
C)Job design
D)Process
E)Cognitive

Question 32

According to the acquired needs theory,the desire to influence others is part of the need for

A)power.
B)affiliation.
C)self-actualization.
D)relatedness.
E)achievement.

Question 33

Using self-determination theory to motivate employees at Cloud9,a data storage company,the vice chair makes 10-20 phone calls a day to thank special employees "caught doing something right." The vice chair is fulfilling her employees' ______ needs.

A)competence
B)autonomy
C)relatedness
D)equity
E)love

Question 34

McClelland's need for achievement corresponds most closely to

A)Maslow's self-actualization needs.
B)Herzberg's hygiene factors.
C)equity theory.
D)Deci and Ryan's self-determination theory.
E)expectancy theory.

Question 35

According to Herzberg's two-factor theory,in the zone between the motivating factors and the hygiene factors,employees are

A)dissatisfied.
B)satisfied.
C)unmotivated.
D)neither satisfied nor dissatisfied.
E)stagnant.

Question 36

Clint is a branch manager for a large freight company.He has noticed low morale lately,perhaps because of the cramped quarters,stricter policies,and lack of raises this year.According to Herzberg,Clint should first concentrate on

A)hygiene factors.
B)needs for achievement.
C)esteem needs.
D)motivating factors.
E)growth needs.

Question 37

To achieve psychological growth,according to the self-determination theory,people need to satisfy the three innate needs: _______,autonomy,and competence.

A)affiliation
B)power
C)relatedness
D)pay
E)safety

Question 38

According to Herzberg's two-factor theory,only ______ factors can make employees satisfied with their jobs.

A)growth
B)affiliation
C)motivating
D)hygiene
E)security

Question 39

An accounting firm reimburses employees for tuition and fees if they complete job-related coursework with a B or better.The accounting firm's tuition-reimbursement policy helps its employees meet their _______ needs.

A)love
B)esteem
C)self-actualization
D)safety
E)physiological

Question 40

Sue is very aggressive at her job,and her coworkers complain that she often manipulates them and her boss in order to get ahead.She attempts to direct everything and everyone,regardless of the consequences to others or even the organization itself.Sue is expressing what type of need for power?

A)legitimate
B)autonomous
C)personal
D)organizational
E)institutional

Question 41

Which of the following is the best statement of a goal?

A)Give your very best effort.
B)Get through most of those reports by 9
/1)
C)Increase customer satisfaction.
D)Reduce production errors by 10 percent by the end of the quarter.
E)Be late to work less often.

Question 42

______ involves division of an organization's work among its employees and applies motivational theories to jobs to increase satisfaction and performance.

A)Job enlargement
B)Job development
C)Job simplification
D)Job design
E)Job enrichment

Question 43

When workers perceive they are being treated fairly on the job,they are most likely to

A)pass up promotional opportunities.
B)support organizational change.
C)be a whistle-blower.
D)show improved safety practices.
E)seek additional education.

Question 44

Randy complained to his boss,Maryann,that he received the same bonus this quarter as everyone else,despite the longer hours he had worked and his higher level of experience,production,and efficiency.If Maryann can't change the bonus,she should expect that Randy might respond in any of the following ways

A)ignoring his feeling of resentment and trying harder in next quarter.
B)transferring.
C)quitting.
D)reducing his production.
E)reducing his hours.

Question 45

In equity theory,employees are motivated to

A)resolve feelings of injustice and see fairness in the rewards they expect for task performance.
B)work harder when they have more freedom.
C)correct themselves when they aren't working hard enough.
D)blame others when they miss work or fail at tasks.
E)work just hard enough to get what they want.

Question 46

A technician who is responsible for keeping an airport's control tower's electronic equipment in working order has higher ____________ than a person wiping down cars in a carwash.

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

Question 47

After struggling with the accounting training,Peter is unsure whether he can complete the end-of-year financial reporting with no errors in the time allotted.In this case,Peter is low on the ______ element of expectancy theory.

A)valence
B)outcomes
C)expectancy
D)instrumentality
E)performance

Question 48

The HR manager told Jim that the company pays the total health insurance costs for a family of four.As a single man,this benefit did not seem especially important to him right now.Here,Jim is low on the ______ element of the expectancy theory.

A)expectancy
B)instrumentality
C)valence
D)outcomes
E)significance

Question 49

At his review last year,Bryan was promised a 20 percent raise if he met his production goals.Raises were included in today's paychecks,and although Bryan has met all of his goals,he received only a cost-of-living raise.In the future,Bryan's ______ will probably be ______.

A)instrumentality;high
B)valence;low
C)expectancy;low
D)instrumentality;low
E)expectancy;high

Question 50

When using goal-setting theory to motivate employees,managers should

A)set targets that are beyond employees' reach.
B)set goals that are easily achievable.
C)set general goals that are emotionally appealing.
D)hold employees responsible for getting feedback.
E)help workers understand and accept the goals.

Question 51

Job ______ is the opposite of ______.

A)rotation;job focus
B)rotation;job enlargement
C)loading;job enrichment
D)enlargement;job enrichment
E)enlargement;scientific management

Question 52

______ is the process of building into a job such motivating factors as recognition and achievement.

A)MBO
B)Job enrichment
C)Job satisfaction
D)Job enlargement
E)Horizontal loading

Question 53

______ is the expectation that successful performance of the task will lead to the desired outcome.

A)Expectancy
B)Reinforcement
C)Valence
D)Effort
E)Instrumentality

Question 54

Michele's job as an accounting assistant was recently modified to include reconciling bank accounts and making deposits,two tasks previously done by the accounting manager.This increase in responsibility would best be described as

A)job development.
B)job enlargement.
C)job satisficing.
D)job enrichment.
E)job design.

Question 55

According to goal-setting theory,goal setting helps motivate you by doing all the following except

A)directing your attention toward goal-relevant tasks and away from irrelevant ones.
B)making obstacles become challenges to be overcome,not reasons to fail.
C)making it more likely you will realize success.
D)regulating the effort expended.
E)taking attention away from real work.

Question 56

Research shows that simplified jobs lead to all the following except

A)job dissatisfaction.
B)poor mental health.
C)low sense of accomplishment.
D)low personal growth.
E)increased productivity.

Question 57

Goal-setting theory suggests that employees can be motivated by goals that have all of the following characteristics except

A)specific.
B)achievable.
C)linked to an action plan.
D)little or no feedback.
E)challenging.

Question 58

__________ is the process of increasing the number of tasks in a job to increase variety and motivation.

A)Job rotation
B)Job design
C)Job development
D)Job enlargement
E)Job enrichment

Question 59

The theory under which people make the choice that promises them the greatest reward if they think they can get it is

A)goal-setting theory.
B)equity theory.
C)reinforcement theory.
D)expectancy theory.
E)two-factor theory.

Question 60

Of the following,which is not a core job characteristic?

A)autonomy
B)skill variety
C)task significance
D)teamwork
E)task identity

Question 61

A Scanlon plan is a type of ______ compensation plan.

A)pay-for-knowledge
B)pay-for-performance
C)benchmarking
D)gainsharing
E)profit-sharing

Question 62

Which of the following is not an advisable criterion for an effective incentive plan?

A)The rewards are believable and achievable.
B)Measurable rewards are linked to performance.
C)The rewards require record-setting performance.
D)The rewards satisfy individual needs.
E)The rewards are agreed on by the manager and employees.

Question 63

Victoria runs a flower shop.She recently made some changes so that one employee answers phones and completes the order and payment process,while another creates arrangements,and a third packages and delivers floral arrangements.Previously,each employee was responsible for the order from the phone call through the delivery.Victoria has made changes to

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

Question 64

Which of the following is NOT a contingency factor in the job characteristics model?

A)autonomy
B)knowledge
C)skills
D)desire for personal growth
E)context satisfactions such as right working conditions and pay

Question 65

______ is the process of strengthening a behavior by withdrawing something negative.

A)Negative reinforcement
B)Positive reinforcement
C)Extinction
D)Intrinsic motivation
E)Punishment

Question 66

A sales commission is an example of a ______ compensation plan.

A)pay-for-knowledge
B)profit-sharing
C)gainsharing
D)pay-for-performance
E)Scanlon

Question 67

Nancy's employer distributes checks at the end of each quarter,representing an equitable portion of 5 percent of the company's pretax profits for the previous period.These checks represent

A)pay for performance.
B)pay for knowledge.
C)profit sharing.
D)a bonus.
E)gainsharing.

Question 68

As a maintenance person for the air force,Alex services aircraft engines,which protects the lives and safety of military personnel and increases their ability to conduct missions.Alex's job has a high level of

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

Question 69

_______ is the extent to which a job allows an employee to make decisions about scheduling different tasks and deciding how to perform them.

A)Horizontal loading
B)Skill variety
C)Autonomy
D)Task significance
E)Task identity

Question 70

Because the production division at Heavenly Gates Inc.is $10,000 below budget due to process improvements,this year 30 percent of the savings will be returned to the division to spend as desired,as a form of

A)pay for performance.
B)pay for knowledge.
C)gainsharing.
D)profit sharing.
E)stock options.

Question 71

____________ is the theory that attempts to explain behavior change by suggesting that behavior with positive consequences tends to be repeated while behavior with negative consequences tends not to be repeated.

A)Acquired needs theory
B)Equity theory
C)Expectancy theory
D)Reinforcement theory
E)Two-factor theory

Question 72

A supervisor told a salesperson who had not made any calls to clients and therefore did not make quota,"Well,if this continues in the next 30 days,you'll probably be let go." The supervisor provides an example of _____ by presenting the likely negative outcome to the salesperson.

A)negative reinforcement
B)punishment
C)extinction
D)intrinsic motivation
E)positive reinforcement

Question 73

When using punishment,a manager should

A)ignore undesirable behaviors.
B)save reprimands until the end of the workday,or preferably before a weekend.
C)make sure that other employees witness the punishment.
D)do it in conjunction with positive reinforcement.
E)punish even minor infractions,to appear consistent.

Question 74

It has been two years since any employee has received a bonus at Tech Outlet,and the possibility of getting one no longer seems to motivate employees.In this case,management has inadvertently applied

A)expectancy.
B)negative reinforcement.
C)intrinsic motivation.
D)extinction.
E)punishment.

Question 75

In using reinforcement,a manager should

A)clearly communicate the desired behavior.
B)reward both desired and undesired behavior.
C)give all employees the same rewards to ensure fairness.
D)save rewards for weekly or monthly celebrations.
E)avoid using punishment.

Question 76

José has a summer job hand-dyeing shirts that will be sold on the boardwalk.He is paid $5.00 per shirt.José is being paid on a ______ compensation plan.

A)profit-sharing
B)pay-for-knowledge
C)bonus
D)pay-for-performance
E)gainsharing

Question 77

Ted's manager required him to give up his company car because he had missed sales goals for four consecutive quarters.Ted's manager used

A)punishment.
B)negative reinforcement.
C)extinction.
D)intrinsic motivation.
E)feedback.

Question 78

The motivating potential score (MPS)is calculated as part of using

A)reinforcement theory.
B)McClelland's acquired needs theory.
C)equity theory.
D)goal-setting theory.
E)the job characteristics model.

Question 79

_______ is the use of desirable consequences to strengthen a particular behavior.

A)Constructive feedback
B)Extinction
C)Intrinsic motivation
D)Negative reinforcement
E)Positive reinforcement

Question 80

_____ is the weakening of behavior by ignoring it or making sure it is not reinforced.

A)Positive reinforcement
B)Intrinsic motivation
C)Punishment
D)Extinction
E)Negative reinforcement