Deck 12: Motivation Across Cultures

Question 1

Work centrality is the ratio of time a person spends carrying out the core duties of his job to the amount of time he spends on executing non-essential duties related to the job.

Answer 1

True
Explanation: Work centrality can be defined as the importance of work in an individual's life relative to his or her other areas of interest. Research has shown that people from Japan have the highest level of work centrality in the world.

Question 2

The value of goal-setting theory remains intact across cultures.

Answer 2

False
Explanation: The value of goal-setting theory may well be determined by culture. In the case of Asian and Latin work groups, where collectivism is very high, the theory may have limited value for MNC managers in selected countries.

Question 3

The desire for absence of pain is a physiological need according to Maslow's hierarchy of needs.

Answer 3

False
Explanation: According to Maslow's hierarchy of needs, safety needs are desires for security, stability, and the absence of pain. Physiological needs are basic physical needs for water, food, clothing, and shelter.

Question 4

In the context of work motivation,the factors that are controlled by an organization relate more to Maslow's lower-level needs.

Question 5

Research generally shows that people throughout the world have needs that are similar to those described in Maslow's need hierarchy.

Question 6

Abraham Maslow postulated that everyone has six basic needs.

Question 7

The culture of a nation is the sole factor that influences the degree and type of work centrality within a country.

Question 8

One of the characteristics of high achievers identified by researchers is their tendency to be team players.

Question 9

Geert Hofstede found that job categories are a more effective way of examining motivation than need-satisfaction profiles.

Question 10

In general,although the process for motivation varies across cultures,the content remains the same from one culture to another.

Question 11

The achievement motivation theory holds that the need for achievement is innate.

Question 12

Process theories of work motivation explain how employee behavior is initiated,redirected,and halted.

Question 13

In the two-factor motivation theory,job-context variables such as salary,interpersonal relations,technical supervision,work conditions,and company policies and administration are referred to as hygiene factors.

Question 14

Content-oriented theories tend to focus on individual behavior in specific settings and are more sophisticated than process theories.

Question 15

A shortcoming of the equity theory is that it appears to be culture-bound.

Question 16

Firms in countries where individualism is low often feel that merit-based reward systems are too disruptive of their corporate culture and traditional values.

Question 17

The expectancy theory focuses on how motivation is affected by people's perception of how fairly they are being treated.

Question 18

The drive to satisfy safety needs is greater than the drive to satisfy any other type of need.

Question 19

Recent research reports that European Union (EU)workers see a strong relationship between how well they do their jobs and the ability to get what they want out of life.

Question 20

In the two-factor theory of motivation,the factors known as motivators relate mainly to Maslow's lower-level needs.

Question 21

In the Haire group's study on Maslow's need hierarchy,esteem needs were divided into two groups: esteem and _____.

A) stability
B) safety
C) autonomy
D) power

Question 22

One of the generally agreed-on starting assumptions about work motivation in the international arena is that the motivation process is:

A) universal.
B) indefinable.
C) reversible.
D) cyclical.

Question 23

Hofstede's research shows that _____ needs rank highest for professionals and managers.

A) safety and social
B) social and esteem
C) esteem and self-actualization
D) social and physiological

Question 24

Researchers have suggested that Maslow's theory needs a(n)_____.

A) capitalist perspective
B) collectivist perspective
C) individualist perspective
D) social individualist perspective

Question 25

In China,_____ is an important need and _____ is a goal.

A) group affiliation; professional achievement
B) professional achievement; individual success
C) group affiliation; harmony
D) individual success; harmony

Question 26

Which of the following needs is correctly matched with its descriptions?

A) Physiological needs consist of the needs for food, clothing, shelter, and other basic, physical needs.
B) Safety needs consist of the needs for power and status.
C) Social needs are the desires to reach one's full potential by becoming everything one is capable of becoming.
D) Self-actualization needs are the desires for security, stability, and the absence of pain.

Question 27

_____ is a psychological process through which unsatisfied wants or needs lead to drives that are aimed at goals or incentives.

A) Ability
B) Inducement
C) Assurance
D) Motivation

Question 28

The three basic elements in the process of motivation are:

A) needs, abilities, and desires.
B) desires, drives, and accomplishments.
C) needs, drives, and goal attainment.
D) perceptions, attitudes, and goal attainment.

Question 29

Which of the following needs is correctly matched with its description?

A) Physiological needs-the needs to interact and affiliate with others and the need to feel wanted by others
B) Safety needs-the desires for security, stability, and the absence of pain
C) Esteem needs-the needs for food, clothing, shelter, and other basic physical needs
D) Self-actualization needs-the needs for power and status

Question 30

Work motivation in terms of what arouses,energizes,or initiates employee behavior are explained by:

A) extrinsic theories.
B) content theories.
C) intrinsic theories.
D) process theories.

Question 31

The needs for power and status are included in:

A) esteem needs.
B) social needs.
C) physiological needs.
D) safety needs.

Question 32

The factors Welsh,Luthans,and Sommer observed among the Russian workforce that seemed to increase worker performance are:

A) value of extrinsic reward and participative techniques.
B) value of extrinsic reward and behavioral management.
C) participative techniques and behavioral management.
D) value of intrinsic reward and participative techniques.

Question 33

Content-oriented theories examine motivation in more general terms and are more useful in creating a composite picture of employee motivation in _____.

A) a particular country or region
B) universal terms
C) Western-leaning nations
D) Eastern-leaning nations

Question 34

Work-motivation theories can be broken down into two general categories,which are:

A) method and outcome.
B) internal and external.
C) implicit and explicit.
D) content and process.

Question 35

Maslow postulated that everyone has five basic needs,which constitute a need hierarchy.In ascending order,beginning with the most basic need,they are:

A) physiological, safety, social, esteem, and self-actualization needs.
B) social, safety, physiological, self-actualization, and esteem needs.
C) safety, physiological, esteem, self-actualization, and social needs.
D) esteem, social, physiological, safety, and self-actualization needs.

Question 36

A basic assumption of Maslow's theory is that:

A) lower-level needs must be satisfied before higher-level needs become motivators.
B) higher-level needs must be satisfied before lower-level needs become motivators.
C) there are more ways to satisfy lower-level needs than there are ways to satisfy higher-level needs.
D) a need that has been satisfied can continue to serve as a motivator.

Question 37

Nevis suggested that a Chinese hierarchy of needs would have four levels,which from lowest to highest would be:

A) self-actualization in the service of society, safety, social, and esteem.
B) belonging, physiological, safety, and self-actualization in the service of society.
C) social, esteem, physiological, and safety.
D) safety, physiological, esteem, and belonging

Question 38

Which of the following is a content theory of work motivation?

A) The hierarchy-of-needs theory
B) The goal-setting theory
C) The expectancy theory
D) The equity theory

Question 39

Most research in international human resource management has been _____.

A) context-oriented
B) content-oriented
C) procedure-oriented
D) process-oriented

Question 40

The needs to interact and affiliate with others are included in:

A) physiological needs.
B) safety needs.
C) social needs.
D) esteem needs.

Question 41

Which of the following theoriesstates that the belief held by people that they are not being treated fairly has a negative effect on their job performance?

A) Goal-setting theory
B) Equity theory
C) Motivation theory
D) Expectancy theory

Question 42

_____ theory holds that individuals can have a need to get ahead,to attain success,and to reach objectives.

A) Achievement motivation
B) Two-factor
C) Hierarchy of needs
D) Quality of life

Question 43

According to Herzberg's two-factor theory,which of the following conditions is necessary for employee satisfaction?

A) The presence of hygiene factors
B) The absence of hygiene factors
C) The presence of motivators
D) The absence of motivators

Question 44

A number of research efforts have been undertaken to replicate the two-factor theory,and in the main,they _____.

A) cast doubt on Herzberg's findings
B) support Herzberg's findings
C) are unable to either refute or support Herzberg's findings
D) prove Herzberg's findings to be utterly worthless

Question 45

MNCs would be wise to apply motivation-hygiene theory on a(n)_____ basis.

A) country-by-country or a regional
B) universal and global
C) unconditional and universal
D) continent-by-continent or a geographical

Question 46

Which researcher concluded that "the Herzberg model appears to have validity across occupational levels"?

A) David McClelland
B) George Hines
C) Maslow
D) Hofstede

Question 47

In work motivation,factors controlled by the organization,such as conditions,hours,earnings,security,benefits,and promotions are referred to as _____.

A) job-context factors
B) job-content factors
C) job-process factors
D) job-inducement factors

Question 48

Which of the following is a quality of high achievers identified by researchers?

A) High achievers always understate their victories and achievements.
B) High achievers tend to form warm, close relationships with their co-workers.
C) High achievers tend to be high risk takers.
D) High achievers want concrete feedback on their performance.

Question 49

According to a study on work motivation conducted in Zambia,which of the following is a factor that adds to work motivation?

A) Effort recognition
B) Appropriate rewards
C) Work nature
D) Supplemental training

Question 50

The two-factor theory of motivation holds that two sets of factors influence job satisfaction.These are _____.

A) inducement and subsistence
B) advancement and responsibility
C) hygiene factors and motivators
D) recognition and rewards

Question 51

A criticism of Herzberg's theory is that it:

A) classifies money as a hygiene factor.
B) is not simple enough for laymen to understand.
C) lacks validity across occupational levels.
D) does not hold true for managerial jobs.

Question 52

In work motivation,factors internally controlled,such as responsibility,achievement,and the work itself,are referred to as _____.

A) job-process factors
B) job-inducement factors
C) job-content factors
D) job-context factors

Question 53

According to survey results,which of the following is the least important goal for professional technical personnel from various countries?

A) Benefits
B) Security
C) An efficient department
D) A successful company

Question 54

Which of the following hygiene factors was regarded as a source of satisfaction rather than dissatisfaction in a study that tested the Herzberg theory in an Israeli kibbutz?

A) salary
B) working conditions
C) interpersonal relations
D) technical supervision

Question 55

As discovered by researchers,high-achievement needs can be developed in people by teaching them how to:

A) daydream in positive terms.
B) become team players.
C) patiently wait for feedback.
D) become high risk takers.

Question 56

Researchers like Hofstede recommend that multinational companies (MNCs)should focus on giving _____ to their lower-level personnel in different countries.

A) physical rewards
B) autonomous roles
C) honest feedback
D) challenging tasks

Question 57

Based on survey results,the top-ranking goal for professional technical personnel from various countries is _____.

A) personal time
B) friendly department
C) autonomy
D) training

Question 58

According to the two-factor theory,efforts to motivate human resources must provide recognition,a chance to achieve and grow,advancement,and _____.

A) power
B) responsibility
C) interesting work
D) good working conditions

Question 59

Which of the following factors would be classified as a motivator as per Herzberg's two-factor theory of motivation?

A) Interpersonal relations
B) Working conditions
C) Career advancement
D) Company policies

Question 60

According to the two-factor theory of motivation,taking care of hygiene factors could lead to:

A) a decrease in satisfaction
B) a decrease in dissatisfaction
C) an increase in dissatisfaction
D) an increase in satisfaction

Question 61

What are the differences between job-context factors and job-content factors?

Question 62

What characteristics of high achievers did David McClelland identify?

Question 63

Which of the following is a reason why workers in America and Japan work long hours?

A) Economic stagnation
B) Low employee turnover
C) High cost of living
D) Globalized national cultures

Question 64

_____ designs are job designs that blend personnel and technology.

A) Sociotechnical
B) Sociocultural
C) Socioengineering
D) Sociohostilic

Question 65

A worker's quality of work life (QWL)is directly related to his or her country's:

A) predominant religious beliefs
B) geographic location
C) governmental structure
D) culture

Question 66

Expectancy theory postulates all of the following except that:

A) effort will lead to performance.
B) performance will lead to specific outcomes.
C) outcomes will be of value to the individual.
D) employees are controlled by their external environment.

Question 67

What are the two different approaches (or basic types of theories)used to study motivation? Which approach has been used more extensively in international management research? Why?

Question 68

What are sociotechnical job designs?

Question 69

Use of _____ to motivate employees is very common in countries with high individualism.

A) fringe benefits
B) job security
C) participative techniques
D) financial incentives

Question 70

Which of the following is a true statement of the to the quality of work life (QWL)in Japan?

A) In Japan, there is strong uncertainty avoidance.
B) The feminity index for Japan is high.
C) Japanese workers are always given a say in what goes on in the organization.
D) The Japanese do not rate money as an important motivator

Question 71

The importance of work in an individual's life relative to other areas of interest is referred to as:

A) work prominence
B) work centrality
C) work salience
D) work objectivity

Question 72

"Balance in synergy" would require a moving away from all of the following except:

A) individualistic thinking
B) avoidance of risk taking
C) holistic and idealistic thinking
D) emphasis on control

Question 73

Which of the following statements is true regarding the goal-setting theory?

A) It focuses on how an individual's perception of how fairly he is being treated affects his job performance.
B) Unlike many theories of motivation, it has been continually refined and developed.
C) It postulates that motivation is largely influenced by a multiplicative combination of a person's belief.
D) Most of the research on it has been conducted outside the United States.

Question 74

_____ consists of a job's content,the methods that are used on the job,and the way in which the job relates to others in the organization.

A) Job design
B) Task portfolio
C) Job composition
D) Job structure

Question 75

What are the basic assumptions on which the hierarchy-of-needs theory rests?