Deck 8: Human Resources

Question 1

In a piece-rate wage system,pay is based on the efficiency of the overall process.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

Flexibility has traditionally been used as a measure of job efficiency.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Scientific management divides jobs into their most elemental activities to simplify job design.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Companies with a quality focus generally give their employees the power to make decisions that will improve quality.

Question 5

Studies have shown that the success of Japanese companies is due to cultural factors.

Question 6

Studies have shown that the success of Japanese companies is due to management practices.

Question 7

Empowerment involves giving employees the authority and responsibility to innovate and act on their own.

Question 8

Achieving strategic quality goals for quality and customer satisfaction often requires teamwork and group participation.

Question 9

For most industrialized countries the difference between a company's success or failure is dependent on the capability of its human resources.

Question 10

Among the disadvantages of task specialization are high output,high costs,and extensive training.

Question 11

Successful quality-oriented firms recognize the importance of their employees when developing a competitive strategy.

Question 12

The motivation for companies to create alternative workplaces is primarily financial.

Question 13

Job rotation often requires cross training of employees.

Question 14

One advantage of an individual piece-rate system is that it provides strong incentives to ensure high quality.

Question 15

Motivation refers to the willingness of an employee to perform as needed to attain a goal or objective.

Question 16

With total quality management,employees receive broad job training making them more flexible in where they can work

Question 17

A piece-rate wage plan rewards employees for attaining company goals and objectives.

Question 18

Because services are labor intensive,human resources is becoming a more important strategic factor for service companies.

Question 19

An alternative workplace is a combination of nontraditional work locations and practices that supplements or replaces the traditional office.

Question 20

With total quality management,employees are usually given precise directions to achieve narrowly defined objectives.

Question 21

An 80% learning curve describes an improvement rate of 80% each time production doubles.

Question 22

Scientific Management involves breaking down jobs into elemental activities.

Question 23

A worker-machinechart illustrates the amount of time a worker and a machine are working or idle.

Question 24

Learning curves have limited application for assembly-lines with short,repetitive jobs.

Question 25

A graph that reflects the fact that repetition of tasks improves worker performance is referred to as a learning curve.

Question 26

Determining worker capabilities and responsibilities for a job is known as worker analysis.

Question 27

Fitting the task to the person in a work environment is known as job analysis.

Question 28

The objective of ergonomics is to make the best use of employees' capabilities while maintaining the employees' health and well-being.

Question 29

According to the U.S.Bureau of Statistics very few people entering the workforce over the past decade are members of minority groups.

Question 30

While still an important issue,diversity issues in U.S.companies is on the decline.

Question 31

In the U.S,affirmative action and equal opportunity are basically the same.

Question 32

The formal study of the individual human motions used to perform a task was developed by Frank and Lillian Gilbreth.

Question 33

A process flowchart is a graph showing the steps of a job or how a set of jobs fit together into the overall flow of the production process.

Question 34

By managing diversity a company can gain a competitive edge because all employees are given an opportunity to do their best.

Question 35

The interface of workers with machines is probably the least important aspect of job design.

Question 36

Learning curves are useful for measuring work improvement for repetitive,simple jobs requiring short times to complete.

Question 37

A worker-machine chart determines whether worker and machine tasks are strategically aligned.

Question 38

Globalization has resulted in an overall reduction in diversity related issues in the workplace.

Question 39

Job design includes determining the characteristics a worker needs to meet the job requirements.

Question 40

One of the prerequisites to job rotation is cross training.

Question 41

The gradual shift from treating employees as a replaceable part to embracing them as a valuable resource was primarily brought about by the trend toward

A)globalization.
B)quality management.
C)scientific management.
D)customization.

Question 42

The elements of job design include

A)task analysis.
B)worker analysis.
C)environmental analysis.
D)all of the above.

Question 43

A(n)__________________ is used to graphically analyze how the steps of a job fit together into the overall flow of the production process.

A)methods analysis
B)process flowchart
C)task analysis
D)environmental analysis

Question 44

All of the following are advantages of task specialization except

A)increased output.
B)lower labor costs.
C)reduced boredom..
D)minimal training.

Question 45

_________________ refers to the physical location of a job and the requisite surroundings.

A)Task analysis
B)Worker analysis
C)Methods analysis
D)Environmental analysis

Question 46

Motion study,the study of the individual human motions used in a task,was developed by

A)Henry Ford.
B)F.W.Taylor.
C)Frank and Lillian Gilbreth.
D)Frederick Herzberg.

Question 47

Allowing employees more control over their own work and some of the supervisory responsibilities is known as

A)vertical job enlargement.
B)empowerment.
C)horizontal job enlargement.
D)cross training.

Question 48

Advantages of empowerment include all of the following except

A)more attention to product quality.
B)higher productivity.
C)abuse of power.
D)more satisfying work.

Question 49

Which of the following would most likely be used to redesign or improve existing jobs?

A)methods analysis
B)technology analysis
C)environmental analysis
D)task analysis

Question 50

In a piece-rate wage system pay a worker's pay is based on

A)total output.
B)job rating.
C)job classification.
D)total time.

Question 51

The principles of motion study relate to all of the following categories except

A)the human body.
B)the efficient use of capital.
C)the workplace.
D)the efficient use of equipment and machinery.

Question 52

______________ involves the horizontal movement or a worker between two or more jobs.

A)Cross training
B)Empowerment
C)Alternative workplace
D)Job rotation

Question 53

Advantages of telecommuting include all of the following except

A)reduced turnover.
B)decreased absenteeism and leave usage.
C)flexible work schedules.
D)direct visual surveillance of employees.

Question 54

Fitting the task to the employee in a work environment is known as

A)motivation.
B)worker analysis.
C)ergonomics.
D)task analysis.

Question 55

The amount of time a worker and a machine are working or idle on a job is illustrated by a

A)process flowchart
B)worker analysis
C)task analysis
D)worker-machine chart

Question 56

___________ illustrate the improvement rate of workers as a job is repeated.

A)Learning curves
B)Process curves
C)Learning charts
D)Process charts

Question 57

______________ gives employees the responsibility and authority to make decisions.

A)Cross training
B)Empowerment
C)Job rotation
D)Horizontal job enlargement

Question 58

Assigning a worker a complete unit of work with clearly defined start and end points is referred to as

A)vertical job enlargement.
B)job rotation.
C)horizontal job enlargement.
D)empowerment.

Question 59

Determining how tasks fit together to form a job is referred to as

A)worker analysis.
B)task analysis.
C)environmental analysis.
D)ergonomics.

Question 60

An incentive plan that encourages employees to achieve a company's goals and objectives is referred to as

A)a piece-rate wage plan.
B)gainsharing.
C)profit sharing.
D)overtime.

Question 61

List 5 of the attributes of good job design identified by Frederick Herzberg.

Question 62

How has the trend toward quality management changed the way companies view their employees?

Question 63

Which of the following is not a true statement regarding learning curves?

A)learning curves can help managers project labor requirements
B)learning curves are not affected by product modifications
C)learning curves are useful in developing production scheduling plans
D)learning curves can help make overall product cost estimates

Question 64

Define the three categories of the elements of job design.

Question 65

What is the difference between cross training and job rotation?

Question 66

A company has accepted a contract to produce a special electric motor.The number of direct labor hours required to produce the first motor is 250.If an 85% learning curve applies to the production of motors then the number of labor hours needed to produce the 4th motor is

A)212.5 hours.
B)180.6 hours.
C)153.5 hours.
D0 37.5 hours

Question 67

Briefly describe the principles of scientific management.

Question 68

A graph that illustrates the improvement rate of workers as a job is repeated is known as a

A)learning curve.
B)process flowchart.
C)worker-machine chart.
D)task analysis chart.

Question 69

A 90% learning curve indicates

A)a 90% increase in processing time per unit as output doubles.
B)a 90% decrease in processing time per unit as output doubles.
C)a 10% increase in processing time per unit as output doubles.
D)a 10% decrease in processing time per unit as output doubles.

Question 70

In what ways have advances in information technologies changed the working environment?

Question 71

List the three categories of the principles of motion study and give two rules for each category.

Question 72

A learning curve reflects the fact that

A)each time the number of units produced doubles,the processing time per unit decreases by a constant percentage.
B)each time the number of units produced doubles,the processing time per unit increases by a constant percentage.
C)each time the number of units produced doubles,the processing time per unit increases by 10%.
D)each time the number of units produced doubles,the processing time per unit remains the same.

Question 73

The direct labor time required to produce the first sailboat of a particular model was 3000 hours.If the company believes that an 80% learning curve applies to the production of this model sailboat then the direct labor time required to produce the 2nd boat is estimated to be

A)600 hours.
B)2,400 hours.
C)3,600 hours.
D)4,000 hours.

Question 74

Briefly discuss the advantages and disadvantages of scientific management.

Question 75

The direct labor times required to produce the first four units of a new product are shown below:

Based on this data the estimated learning or improvement rate is

A)100%.
B)90%.
C)85%.
D)80%.

Question 76

Briefly discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using learning curves.

Question 77

What is empowerment and why is it important to total quality management (TQM)?

Question 78

A learning curve illustrates that increasing the number of cumulative units produced ________ the labor required per unit.

A)increases
B)eliminates
C)decreases
D)does not impact

Question 79

The direct labor hours required to produce the first two units of a new product are 2,000 and 1,800,respectively.Using a 90% learning rate the company would estimate the direct labor hours for the 5th unit to be

A)1692.4 hours.
B)1620.0 hours.
C)1566.0 hours.
D)1523.2 hours.