Question 1

Labor standards can help a firm determine expected production, which in turn enables

Accepted Answer

Labor standards provide a clear definition for what constitutes a fair day's work, which both managers and workers can use to understand performance expectations.

Question 2

Which of the following is not a method used to set labor standards?

Accepted Answer

Government laws and regulations are not a method used to set labor standards. However, they are a legal requirement that organizations must comply with in order to ensure fair labor practices and protect the rights of workers. The other options listed are all commonly used methods for setting labor standards.

Question 3

In time studies, average observed time for an element is

Accepted Answer

Average observed time for an element is the sum of all times recorded during observations divided by the number of observations. It is simply the arithmetic mean of all the observations. It is used as a basis for determining normal time and productivity.

Question 4

A time study is being conducted to determine the standard time for a job that is made up of several elements. This standard time requires as input(s)

Accepted Answer

The standard time for a job that is made up of several elements requires the average observed time for each element as input. This is because each element may have different times and factors that contribute to it, and taking the average observed time for each element ensures that the standard time is a fair representation of the entire job. The other options (B, C, D, and E) do not necessarily account for the variability between elements and would not provide an accurate standard time.

Question 5

Timing a sample of a worker's performance and using it to set a standard is the work measurement technique of

Accepted Answer

Timing a worker's performance and using it to set a standard is known as time studies. This technique is used to establish the standard time needed to complete a particular task or process, and it helps to identify areas for improvement or optimization. Predetermined time standards, methods time measurement, and work sampling are other work measurement techniques, but they involve different methods of establishing standards. Left-hand, right-hand charting is not a recognized work measurement technique.

Question 6

Labor standards are defined as the

Accepted Answer

Labor standards refer to the amount of time required to perform a job or a specific task within a job. These standards are used to measure worker productivity and can be used to set realistic expectations for how long it should take to complete certain tasks. Choices A, B, C, and D are not accurate definitions of labor standards.

Question 7

A worker completed a job 10 times during a period in which a normal, trained employee completed the task 8 times. What is the worker's performance rating?

Accepted Answer

The worker's performance rating is calculated by dividing the number of tasks they completed by the number of tasks a normal, trained employee completed, then multiplying by 100 to get a percentage. So, $ \frac{10}{8} \times 100 = 125\% $.

Question 8

Suppose that the allowance factor for a job is .5 and the normal time is 5 hours. What is the standard time?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Suppose that the allowance factor for a...

Question 9

A manager who is conducting a time study now needs an accuracy of ±0.1 minutes, rather than ±0.2 minutes as in the past. Because of this change in accuracy, the adequate sample size becomes

Accepted Answer

The sample size required is inversely proportional to the square of the desired level of accuracy. Since the desired level of accuracy is reduced by half (from 0.2 to 0.1), the sample size must be four times as large to achieve the same level of confidence. Thus, the correct answer is D.

Question 10

Which of the following techniques may not provide reliable and accurate time standards?

Accepted Answer

Historical experience may not always provide reliable and accurate time standards because it relies on past data that may not accurately reflect current processes, technologies, or work methods. Other methods like MTM, time studies, work sampling, and predetermined time standards are more systematic and analytical, thus generally providing more reliable and accurate measurements.

Question 11

Normal time for a stopwatch study is equal to

Accepted Answer

Normal time in a stopwatch study is calculated by multiplying the average time by the performance rating. This adjusts the observed time for the worker's performance level.

Question 12

For a time study, the three factors that determine how large a sample size to take are

Accepted Answer

The correct factors that determine the sample size for a time study are needed accuracy (how precise the results need to be), desired confidence level (how sure you want to be about the results), and the standard deviation of the initial sample (which measures the variability of the data). These factors directly impact the calculation of sample size in statistical studies, including time studies.

Question 13

Labor standards can help to determine

Accepted Answer

Labor standards encompass all aspects of labor, including the labor content of a product, staffing needs, incentive plans, and efficiency. Therefore, all of the listed choices are correct.

Question 14

"Schematic used to investigate movement of people or material" describes a(n)

Accepted Answer

A flow diagram is commonly used to investigate the movement of people or materials. It visually represents the steps or stages of a process or system and depicts how the people or materials move through these steps or stages. Activity charts and operations charts are also used to represent the steps of a process, but may not specifically focus on the movement of people or materials. Right-hand/left-hand charts are used to depict manual or clerical activities involved in a process.

Question 15

In time studies, normal time is

Accepted Answer

Normal time is calculated by multiplying the average observed time by a performance rating factor to adjust for the worker's performance level.

Question 16

Labor standards were pioneered by Frank and Lillian Gilbreth and

Accepted Answer

Labor standards were pioneered by Frank and Lillian Gilbreth along with Frederick Taylor, who is often credited as the father of scientific management. Eli Whitney is known for his invention of the cotton gin, Henry Ford for his assembly line production methods, and Alan Smith is not a notable figure in the field of labor standards. GE is a company and not an individual known for pioneering labor standards.

Question 17

The visual workplace

Accepted Answer

The visual workplace uses low-cost visual devices to share information, which is an effective means of rapid communication in a dynamic workplace. It also replaces difficult-to-understand paperwork and eliminates non-value added activities by making problems and standards visual. Therefore, all of the choices listed are correct.

Question 18

Which of the following is not a use of labor standards?

Accepted Answer

All of the options provided are uses of labor standards. Labor standards are used for calculating labor content of items, estimating costs and time required for production, determining crew size and work balance, and establishing wage-incentive plans.

Question 19

Standard time

Accepted Answer

Standard time accounts for both the performance rating factors, which adjust the observed time based on the worker's speed relative to a standard performance, and for allowances, which account for necessary breaks, fatigue, and delays.

Question 20

Ethical work environment decisions by managers may be guided by

Accepted Answer

Ethical work environment decisions should be guided by state agencies, trade associations, insurers, and employees. State agencies may provide regulations and guidelines for ethical practices, trade associations may have codes of ethics and best practices, insurers may have policies that require certain ethical standards, and employees may have firsthand knowledge and experiences that inform ethical decision making. All of these sources can contribute to creating a strong ethical work environment.

Quiz 10: Human Resources, Job Design, and Work Measurement