Question 1

________ are linked strictly to organizational performance.

Accepted Answer

Gain-sharing plans are directly linked to organizational performance because they involve sharing the financial benefits of improved productivity, cost savings, or other performance improvements with employees. Piece-rate plans (A) and commission plans (C and D) are incentive-based pay systems that may encourage individual performance, but do not necessarily tie directly to organizational performance.

Question 2

During her 20-year career, Sue Riley has been an accountant, a roofer, a certified financial planner, and a small claims court judge. She also has managed a pizza restaurant, a plumbing store, and a sewer plant. This type of career is known as a(n) ________.

Accepted Answer

A transitory career involves frequently changing jobs or roles, often in different fields, which aligns with Sue Riley's diverse career path.

Question 3

A ________ reflects a one-time commitment to a certain kind of job that is maintained throughout a person's working life.

Accepted Answer

A steady-state career reflects a one-time commitment to a certain kind of job that is maintained throughout a person's working life, indicating a consistent focus on a particular vocational area.

Question 4

The principle of ________ suggests that jobs of equivalent value to an organization should carry the same pay rates, without regard to the nature of the work itself or the personal characteristics of the people performing the work.

Accepted Answer

The principle of comparable worth suggests that jobs of equivalent value to an organization should carry the same pay rates, without regard to the nature of the work itself or the personal characteristics of the people performing the work. Procedural justice focuses on fairness in the processes used to make decisions, while distributive justice is concerned with the fair distribution of resources. Compensatory equity deals with the perceived fairness of the outcomes received by individuals based on their contributions.

Question 5

The ________ captures the idea that careers are not tied to a single organization and that people will have a variety of work experiences in different organizations over the course of their working lives.

Accepted Answer

The term "boundaryless career" specifically captures the idea that individuals will have experiences with multiple organizations, and suggests that career paths will be less linear and structured than in the past. The other choices may be related to this idea, but do not capture this particular concept as directly or completely.

Question 6

Bob Shaffer is frustrated. He has been working for 22 years and feels his chances of obtaining a promotion or finding a new job with added responsibilities are insignificant. Bob just doesn't feel productive at times and knows the number of upper-level positions that would meet his needs is much smaller now due to downsizing. In which career stage is Bob?

Accepted Answer

Bob is in the midcareer stage, characterized by a plateau in career advancement opportunities and feelings of stagnation, often due to organizational changes like downsizing.

Question 7

In what stage are workers more apt to be perceived as slower and less productive?

Accepted Answer

Late career workers are more apt to be perceived as slower and less productive due to age-related physical and cognitive decline, experience plateauing, and potential resistance to change.

Question 8

Chris Ryan developed a strong background in understanding mechanical issues while serving in the U.S. Navy and as a repair technician after she finished her enlistment. Chris later moved on to a position selling technical equipment in which she had to discuss highly technical issues with customers. She recently joined Seismic Computational, Inc., as a marketing specialist in its technical instrumentation division. There she directs the advertising and promotion of the company's highly complex technical equipment to a very knowledgeable group of consumers. This type of career is known as a(n) ________.

Accepted Answer

Chris Ryan's career path can be described as a spiral career, as she has built upon her technical expertise and experience in different industries, eventually landing in a marketing role in the technical instrumentation division of Seismic Computational, Inc. This type of career path involves both vertical and lateral movements, as well as opportunities for skill development and advancement in different areas.

Question 9

Bud Lewis is a toolmaker for Precision, Inc. He started as a toolmaker when he was 18 and has worked as a toolmaker and at Precision, Inc. for the past 22 years. Bud enjoys his work and is skilled at it. This type of career is known as a(n) ________.

Accepted Answer

A steady-state career is one in which an individual remains in the same type of job throughout their working life. Bud Lewis's long-term commitment to working as a toolmaker at Precision, Inc. exemplifies a steady-state career, as he has maintained the same type of work for 22 years.

Question 10

As college students prepare to graduate, they begin to try to find a job that will be a good start in the chosen career. Students try to learn as much as possible about potential jobs and organizations from sources ranging from college placement offices to career/job fairs to personal contacts. This is called the ________ stage.

Accepted Answer

The answer of As college students prepare to graduate, they...

Question 11

In a ________, a person progresses through a sequence of jobs, and each job entails progress over the prior one in terms of responsibility, skills needed, and level in the hierarchy of an organization.

Accepted Answer

A linear career is characterized by a clear progression through a sequence of jobs that require increasing responsibility, skills, and seniority within an organization. This type of career is often associated with traditional hierarchical organizations, where employees are expected to move up the ranks through a series of promotions or lateral moves. In contrast, a spiral career (C) refers to a career path that is characterized by frequent changes in direction, skills, and industries, and does not necessarily follow a linear progression. Steady-state (A) and transitory (D) careers are not commonly used terms in career development literature.

Question 12

A manager wants to base his employee's salaries on the principle of comparable worth. He plans to rank each of his employees in different categories to determine the worth of each job he manages. In which category should the manager NOT rank his employees when determining comparable worth?

Accepted Answer

Traits are inherent qualities or characteristics of a person, and cannot be compared or ranked among individuals. Comparable worth focuses on evaluating the skills, knowledge, and effort required for a job, as well as the working conditions and responsibilities, to determine fair and equitable compensation for employees performing similar jobs. Therefore, traits should not be considered in determining comparable worth.

Question 13

Which of the following is LEAST LIKELY one of the reasons why midcareer workers often experience career plateaus?

Accepted Answer

Option D is the least likely reason why midcareer workers often experience career plateaus. As midcareer workers are still focused on their career development and growth, it is unlikely that they would lose interest in promotion opportunities due to personal endeavors. Options A, B, and C are all common reasons why midcareer workers experience career plateaus.

Question 14

You, as a college student, are deciding the kind of career you want and determining the qualifications and experience you will need in order to land a good career-starting job. You are in the ________ career stage.

Accepted Answer

The description fits the preparation for work career stage, which is characterized by researching and determining the necessary qualifications and experience for a desired career, as well as making steps towards gaining those qualifications (such as getting a degree or internship experience). This stage typically occurs during college or shortly after graduation, as individuals prepare to enter the workforce. The other answer choices do not fit this description as well. The early career stage usually follows the first job or two after graduation, and involves learning and establishing oneself in a chosen career. The transformational career stage involves a significant shift in one's career path, often due to a life-changing event or realization. The organizational entry stage refers specifically to the process of adjusting to a new job and the company culture that comes with it.

Question 15

Employees in the ________ generally have been in the workforce between 20 and 35 years and often face the challenge of remaining productive.

Accepted Answer

The midcareer stage is characterized by employees who have been in the workforce for 20-35 years and are often faced with the challenge of remaining productive.

Question 16

Starting as a loading dock clerk, Ted Arnold has worked his way up to vice president of administration in his 20 years at Owens and Clark Co. Despite his initial job, Ted was the loading dock supervisor, the transportation manager, and director of services before being promoted to his current job. Ted's career can be BEST characterized as a ________.

Accepted Answer

Ted Arnold's career progression from a loading dock clerk to vice president of administration, through various roles within the same company, exemplifies a linear career path, characterized by upward movement within a single profession or industry.

Question 17

________ fluctuate directly in proportion to sales that are made.

Accepted Answer

Full commission plans pay employees a percentage of the sales they make. Therefore, the employee's income will fluctuate directly in proportion to the sales they generate. Piece-rate plans pay employees for each item produced, so it may not fluctuate directly with sales, while partial commission plans and pay-as-you-go plans may include other factors that affect income besides sales.

Question 18

Most of the career opportunities that organizations use to motivate their members are built on the idea that as people gain experience, they should be given the opportunity to assume more responsible positions in an organization. This describes the career category known as ________.

Accepted Answer

The description of gaining more responsibility as one gains experience aligns with the linear career category, which involves a clear upward progression through positions of increasing responsibility in a specific field or job function. The other options do not fit this description.

Question 19

In what way do spiral careers differ from transitory careers?

Accepted Answer

Spiral careers involve a progression of jobs that are interconnected and build upon each other, leading to growth and advancement within a particular field. Transitory careers, on the other hand, involve moving between unrelated jobs or fields, without a clear progression or advancement plan. Therefore, the key difference between spiral and transitory careers is the relationship of jobs held to each other.

Question 20

In a ________, an employee is paid for each unit he or she produces.

Accepted Answer

The piece-rate plan pays employees based on the number of units they produce. This means the more they produce, the more they will get paid.

Quiz 8: Pay Careers and Changing Employment Relationships