Question 1

Gain-sharing is a compensation approach in which all employees share cost savings equally.

Accepted Answer

Gain-sharing is a compensation approach that rewards employees based on the company's efficiency and productivity gains. It is typically based on a formula that divides cost savings or profit increases among all employees who contributed to achieving those gains, rather than being distributed equally to all employees.

Question 2

In a total quality organization,management teams,natural work teams,self-managed teams,and virtual teams typically work on routine business activities

Accepted Answer

In a total quality organization, various teams work on routine business activities to improve quality, eliminate waste, and continually improve processes. These teams may include management teams, natural work teams, self-managed teams, and virtual teams.

Question 3

Deming was strongly opposed to traditional performance appraisal systems because the performance factors are beyond the control of the individual being appraised.

Accepted Answer

Deming believed in the concept of system thinking, which suggests that individual performance is influenced by organizational factors and processes beyond their control. As a result, evaluating individual performance based on metrics or factors beyond their control is not an effective way to improve overall organizational performance.

Question 4

Studies indicate that cash and non-cash recognition works better for clerical and hourly workers than for managers and professional employees.

Accepted Answer

Studies suggest that cash and non-cash recognition seem to be most effective for motivating and engaging clerical and hourly workers, whereas managers and professional employees may be more motivated by challenging and meaningful work assignments, opportunities for career development, and other non-monetary incentives.

Question 5

Master Black Belts work across the organization to develop and coach teams,conduct training,and lead change,but are typically not members of Six Sigma project teams.

Accepted Answer

Master Black Belts are typically not members of Six Sigma project teams because they work across the organization to develop and coach teams, conduct training, and lead change.

Question 6

One area that has remained constant as human resource management practices have evolved is the level of investment in training.

Accepted Answer

The level of investment in training has not remained constant; it has fluctuated over time due to various factors such as economic conditions, technological advancements, and changing organizational priorities.

Question 7

Research has found that as employee satisfaction increases,customer satisfaction increases.

Accepted Answer

Numerous studies have shown a positive correlation between employee satisfaction and customer satisfaction. When employees are happy and engaged, they are more likely to provide excellent customer service, which leads to higher customer satisfaction ratings. In contrast, dissatisfied employees are more likely to deliver poor customer service, which can negatively impact customer satisfaction.

Question 8

According to Herzberg's Two-Factor theory,maintenance factors motivate workers to work harder.

Accepted Answer

Maintenance factors (also known as hygiene factors) are not motivators, but rather prevent job dissatisfaction. Examples of maintenance factors include salary, job security, working conditions, and company policies. Herzberg's theory suggests that motivating factors (such as achievement, recognition, and personal growth) are what truly drive employee performance and job satisfaction.

Question 9

Research has shown that the effectiveness of supervisors is positively related to cooperation and negatively related to competitiveness.

Accepted Answer

Research has indeed shown that supervisors who foster a cooperative environment are more effective, while those who promote competitiveness may be less effective. This is because competitiveness can lead to conflicts and a lack of teamwork among employees, while cooperation encourages collaboration and mutual support.

Question 10

Traditionally managed firms viewed human resource management's role as personnel management.

Accepted Answer

Traditionally, human resource management was seen as merely managing personnel or administrative tasks such as payroll and benefits.

Question 11

Several common approaches to work design-job enlargement,job rotation,and job enrichment-are contrary to Hackman and Oldham's model.

Accepted Answer

Hackman and Oldham's model supports job enlargement, job rotation, and job enrichment as these approaches can enhance job characteristics like skill variety, task identity, and autonomy, which are central to their Job Characteristics Model.

Question 12

The "storming" stage of a team's life cycle is the productive,brain-storming stage when team members generate ideas for solving problems.

Accepted Answer

The "storming" stage is characterized by conflict and competition as team members assert their opinions and vie for positions, not primarily focused on brainstorming or productivity.

Question 13

Peer evaluations are eliminated by most organizations that adopt total quality.

Accepted Answer

Peer evaluations are actually encouraged in organizations that adopt total quality as it allows for feedback and collaboration among employees to improve processes and results.

Question 14

Autonomy is a job characteristic that has been found to have an impact on critical psychological states according to Hackman and Oldham's model.

Accepted Answer

Autonomy is one of the five core job characteristics identified by Hackman and Oldham's model, and it has been found to have a positive impact on the critical psychological states of meaningfulness of work, responsibility for outcomes, and knowledge of results.

Question 15

Research has indicated that determining who the stakeholders are for a Six Sigma project is an important lesson learned by participants on these project teams.

Accepted Answer

Identifying and engaging with stakeholders is important to ensure project success and to address any issues or concerns that may arise during the project. Failure to identify stakeholders can result in poor buy-in, lack of support, and project failure.

Question 16

Under the Taylor philosophy,the foreman's role was to assure that the work force met productivity standards.

Accepted Answer

This is true according to the principles of Taylorism, which emphasized strict control over workers to ensure maximum efficiency and productivity. The foreman was seen as responsible for enforcing these standards and motivating workers to meet them.

Question 17

Job design refers to how employees are organized in formal and informal units such as departments and teams,while work design refers to responsibilities and tasks assigned to individuals.

Accepted Answer

Job design refers to the process of organizing tasks, duties, and responsibilities into a productive unit of work, while work design focuses on how these tasks and responsibilities are structured and executed by individuals or teams.

Question 18

The criteria for hiring customer-contact employees is shifting from attributes such as enthusiasm and resourcefulness towards criteria based on cognitive and technical skills.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The criteria for hiring customer-contact employees is...

Question 19

ISO 9000:2000 addresses the subject of human resources more comprehensively than does the Baldrige Award.

Accepted Answer

The Baldrige Award criteria include a comprehensive focus on human resources, addressing workforce engagement, development, and management, whereas ISO 9000:2000 primarily focuses on quality management systems and does not cover human resources as extensively.

Question 20

Leading practices in human resource management include an emphasis on individual achievements.

Accepted Answer

Leading practices in human resource management often emphasize teamwork, collaboration, and collective achievements rather than focusing solely on individual accomplishments.

Quiz 6: High Performance Workforce Management