Question 1

According to your textbook why would managers pursue the de-skilling of labour and simplifying of jobs?
A)It ensured the efficient extraction of surplus value.
B)It ensured labour could be controlled.
C)It created the need for managerial hierarchies.
D)all of these

Accepted Answer

De-skilling of labor and simplification of jobs allow for more efficient extraction of surplus value, easier control over labor, and create a need for managerial hierarchies to oversee the simplified tasks, thus all of these reasons are why managers might pursue this strategy.

Question 2

According to Harry Braverman,______ epitomized the methods capitalism required to institutionalize the de-skilling,control and exploitation of labour.
A)communism
B)scientific management
C)human relations
D)slavery

Accepted Answer

Harry Braverman argued that scientific management, or Taylorism, epitomized the methods capitalism used to institutionalize the de-skilling, control, and exploitation of labor. This approach aimed to increase efficiency and productivity by breaking down tasks into simpler components, which often led to the de-skilling of workers.

Question 3

Which of the following would be an example of Ritzer's McDonaldization applied to finding 'love'?
A)giving handmade chocolates to a person you desire
B)taking a person you desire for dinner at an exclusive restaurant
C)using a speed dating service
D)taking a date out for a Big Mac

Accepted Answer

Ritzer's McDonaldization refers to the process by which the principles of the fast food industry, such as efficiency, calculability, predictability, and control, are coming to dominate more and more sectors of society and more aspects of life. Using a speed dating service exemplifies these principles by attempting to make the process of finding a romantic partner more efficient and predictable.

Question 4

One reason why Braverman's work has been criticized is because he is seen as romanticizing the nature of work.What was another criticism of Braverman's ideas raised in your textbook?
A)He ignores that people need jobs to earn an income,even if it creates surplus value which favours capitalists and other investors.
B)He ignores the ability of people to resist management and control - sometimes in ingenious ways - both as individuals or collectives.
C)He is just too simplistic and negative.
D)all of these

Accepted Answer

Braverman's work has been criticized for overlooking the ways in which workers can resist management and control, highlighting a lack of consideration for worker agency.

Question 5

Max Weber identified three sources of authority,which one of the following is NOT one of those?
A)charismatic
B)traditional
C)bureaucratic
D)rational-legal

Accepted Answer

Max Weber identified three sources of authority as charismatic, traditional, and rational-legal. Bureaucratic authority is not listed among them; instead, it is often discussed as a characteristic of rational-legal authority.

Question 6

Ritzer argues that all aspects of our world are being rationalized through McDonaldization via four major mechanisms.One of those is the process of 'predictability',which of the following is an example such a mechanism?
A)using an explicitly stated and pre-programmed script so staff can quickly deal with customers
B)ensuring means of production - from produce through to staff - are of a minimal cost
C)using standardized procedures and machinery to produce standardized products and services so customers know what they are going to get irrespective of where or when they buy it
D)ensuring everyone wears the uniform,smiles at the customer and is extensively trained to ensure they stick to the pre-programmed script

Accepted Answer

Predictability in the context of McDonaldization refers to the standardization of products and services, ensuring that customers receive the same experience and outcome no matter where or when they engage with the service or product. This is exemplified by using standardized procedures and machinery to produce consistent results.

Question 7

What did George Ritzer term the application of goal-oriented rationality to all areas of human life?
A)rationalization
B)colonization
C)McDonaldisation
D)globalization

Accepted Answer

George Ritzer coined the term "McDonaldisation" to describe the process by which the principles of the fast-food industry, such as efficiency, calculability, predictability, and control, are becoming dominant in other sectors of society and throughout the world.

Question 8

According to your textbook,Braverman minimized the ability of ordinary people to exercise their human agency or power through resistance to control at work.This made Braverman ______.
A)an exponent of free will
B)a determinist
C)a wealthy man
D)an extremist

Accepted Answer

Braverman's perspective, as described, suggests that he viewed workers' behaviors and outcomes as largely determined by external forces (in this case, control at work), which aligns with determinist views. Determinism is the belief that all events, including human actions, are ultimately determined by causes external to the will.

Question 9

According to Ritzer,why might an organization like McDonalds not be as 'rational' as it appears on face value?
A)It uses enormous quantities of resources such as grains and beef.
B)It uses unhealthy products such as breads packed with sugar and uses wasteful packaging.
C)It actively avoids spontaneity,creativity and joy in discovery.
D)all of these

Accepted Answer

Ritzer's critique of organizations like McDonald's, encapsulated in his concept of "McDonaldization," points to the irrationality stemming from their hyper-rational focus on efficiency, predictability, calculability, and control. This includes the excessive use of resources (A), promoting unhealthy products and wasteful packaging (B), and stifling human creativity and spontaneity (C), all of which contribute to a broader societal irrationality despite the surface appearance of rational organization.

Question 10

What is the central idea of McDonaldization,as termed by George Ritzer?
A)The principles applied to large chains of fast food restaurants being applied to more and more sectors of society - even love and intimacy.
B)The spread of McDonalds around the world will provide wonderful opportunities for employment.
C)The spread of McDonalds around the world will help solve world hunger in developing nations.
D)The principles applied to large chains of fast food restaurants being applied to more and more sectors of society - even love and intimacy,and the spread of McDonalds around the world will provide wonderful opportunities for employment.

Accepted Answer

The central idea of McDonaldization, as termed by George Ritzer, is the process by which the principles of the fast food industry, such as efficiency, calculability, predictability, and control, are coming to dominate more and more sectors of American society as well as the rest of the world. This includes areas not traditionally associated with fast food, such as education, work, healthcare, travel, leisure, dieting, politics, the family, and virtually every other aspect of society.

Question 11

Ritzer argues that all aspects of our world are being rationalized through McDonaldization via four major mechanisms.One of those is the process of 'calculability',which of the following is an example such a mechanism?
A)using an explicitly stated and pre-programmed script so staff can quickly deal with customers
B)ensuring means of production - from produce through to staff - are of a minimal cost
C)using standardized procedures and machinery to produce standardized products and services so customers know what they are going to get irrespective of where or when they buy it
D)ensuring everyone wears the uniform,smiles at the customer and is extensively trained to ensure they stick to the pre-programmed script

Accepted Answer

Calculability emphasizes quantity over quality, focusing on measurable outcomes like cost efficiency, which is reflected in ensuring minimal production costs.

Question 12

How did Edwards (1979)extend Braverman's arguments about managerial control?
A)He argued that management would one day become labour.
B)He argued that one day labour would revolt against management and overthrow their oppressors.
C)He argued that management could control labour indirectly through machinery and technology.
D)He argued that management would one day become labour and that one day labour would revolt against management and overthrow their oppressors.

Accepted Answer

Edwards extended Braverman's arguments by discussing how management could exert control over labor indirectly through the use of machinery and technology, rather than just through direct supervision or hierarchical structures. This concept is part of what Edwards termed "technical control," which is a key component of his theory on the transformation of the workplace and labor processes.

Question 13

Ritzer argues that all aspects of our world are being rationalized through McDonaldization via four major mechanisms.One of those is the process of 'control',which of the following is an example such a mechanism?
A)using an explicitly stated and pre-programmed script so staff can quickly deal with customers
B)ensuring means of production - from produce through to staff - are of a minimal cost
C)using standardized procedures and machinery to produce standardized products and services so customers know what they are going to get irrespective of where or when they buy it
D)ensuring everyone wears the uniform,smiles at the customer and is extensively trained to ensure they stick to the pre-programmed script

Accepted Answer

The answer of Ritzer argues that all aspects of our...

Question 14

Karl Marx argued that when labourers exchanged their labour for a wage,to make a profit the capitalist must gain more from the exchange.This profit is technically referred to as ______.
A)exploitation
B)surplus value
C)exchange profit
D)robbery

Accepted Answer

Karl Marx referred to the profit gained by capitalists from the difference between the value of the product produced by laborers and the actual wage paid to them as "surplus value." This concept is central to his critique of capitalism, where he argues that the capitalist system inherently exploits workers by paying them less than the value of what they produce.

Question 15

Which one of the following is NOT one of Harry Braverman's three principle arguments about the outcomes of Taylor's scientific management?
A)knowledge of the labour process comes under management control
B)separation of 'mental' labour and 'manual' labour
C)empowerment of labour through simpler jobs
D)management control of labour through de-skilling

Accepted Answer

Harry Braverman's critique of Taylorism, as outlined in his seminal work "Labor and Monopoly Capital," does not include the empowerment of labor through simpler jobs as one of the outcomes of scientific management. Instead, Braverman argues that Taylorism leads to the de-skilling of workers, the separation of mental and manual labor, and the consolidation of knowledge and control of the labor process under management, all of which serve to disempower workers.

Question 16

Ritzer argues that all aspects of our world are being rationalized through McDonaldization via four major mechanisms.One of those is the process of 'efficiency',which of the following is an example of such a mechanism?
A)using an explicitly stated and pre-programmed script so staff can quickly deal with customers
B)ensuring means of production - from produce through to staff - are of a minimal cost
C)using standardized procedures and machinery to produce standardized products and services so customers know what they are going to get irrespective of where or when they buy it
D)ensuring everyone wears the uniform,smiles at the customer and is extensively trained to ensure they stick to the pre-programmed script

Accepted Answer

Efficiency in the context of McDonaldization refers to the streamlining of processes to achieve outcomes faster and with less effort. Using a pre-programmed script for staff to quickly deal with customers exemplifies this mechanism by reducing service time and increasing predictability.

Question 17

The idea that people obey orders because they believe those giving the orders act in accordance to a set of given rules and regulations is called______.
A)irrational beliefs system
B)rational-legal precepts
C)managerialism
D)functionalism

Accepted Answer

The concept described is known as "rational-legal authority," a term coined by sociologist Max Weber. It refers to a form of leadership in which authority is largely tied to legal rationality, legal legitimacy, and bureaucracy. The term "rational-legal precepts" closely aligns with this idea, emphasizing obedience to a system of rules and regulations that are seen as rational and legally established.

Question 18

George Ritzer is important because he ______.
A)franchised McDonalds
B)developed Starbucks
C)ate loads of fast food
D)analysed social trends

Accepted Answer

George Ritzer is known for analyzing social trends, particularly for his work on the McDonaldization of society, which examines how principles of the fast food industry have come to dominate other sectors of society and our daily lives.

Question 19

Which one of the following theorists was credited with developing the concept of bureaucratic organization?
A)Karl Marx
B)Adam Smith
C)Max Weber
D)Jack Bureaucrat

Accepted Answer

Max Weber is credited with developing the concept of bureaucratic organization, emphasizing a structured and rule-based approach to management and organization.

Question 20

Which of the following would be typical of Braverman's view on management?
A)Management is nothing but a tool of the capitalist.
B)Middle management and the capitalist were equals.
C)Management are delegated the responsibility of operating surveillance systems on labour.
D)Management is nothing but a tool of the capitalist,and management are delegated the responsibility of operating surveillance systems on labour.

Accepted Answer

Braverman's view, as outlined in his work on the labor process, posits that management acts as an instrument of the capitalist class to control and surveil labor, ensuring productivity and minimizing resistance. This perspective emphasizes the role of management in enforcing the interests of capital through oversight and control mechanisms.

Quiz 13: Managing Principles

According to your textbook why would managers pursue the de-skilling of labour and simplifying of jobs?

According to Harry Braverman,______ epitomized the methods capitalism required to institutionalize the de-skilling,control and exploitation of labour.

Which of the following would be an example of Ritzer's McDonaldization applied to finding 'love'?

One reason why Braverman's work has been criticized is because he is seen as romanticizing the nature of work.What was another criticism of Braverman's ideas raised in your textbook?

Max Weber identified three sources of authority,which one of the following is NOT one of those?

Ritzer argues that all aspects of our world are being rationalized through McDonaldization via four major mechanisms.One of those is the process of 'predictability',which of the following is an example such a mechanism?

What did George Ritzer term the application of goal-oriented rationality to all areas of human life?

According to your textbook,Braverman minimized the ability of ordinary people to exercise their human agency or power through resistance to control at work.This made Braverman ______.

According to Ritzer,why might an organization like McDonalds not be as 'rational' as it appears on face value?

What is the central idea of McDonaldization,as termed by George Ritzer?

Ritzer argues that all aspects of our world are being rationalized through McDonaldization via four major mechanisms.One of those is the process of 'calculability',which of the following is an example such a mechanism?

How did Edwards (1979) extend Braverman's arguments about managerial control?

Ritzer argues that all aspects of our world are being rationalized through McDonaldization via four major mechanisms.One of those is the process of 'control',which of the following is an example such a mechanism?

Karl Marx argued that when labourers exchanged their labour for a wage,to make a profit the capitalist must gain more from the exchange.This profit is technically referred to as ______.

Which one of the following is NOT one of Harry Braverman's three principle arguments about the outcomes of Taylor's scientific management?

Ritzer argues that all aspects of our world are being rationalized through McDonaldization via four major mechanisms.One of those is the process of 'efficiency',which of the following is an example of such a mechanism?

The idea that people obey orders because they believe those giving the orders act in accordance to a set of given rules and regulations is called______.

George Ritzer is important because he ______.

Which one of the following theorists was credited with developing the concept of bureaucratic organization?

Which of the following would be typical of Braverman's view on management?