Deck 4: Job Analysis and Job Design

Question 1

If the criteria used to hire and evaluate employees are vague and not job-related, employers are less likely to find themselves being accused of discriminating against the members of protected classes.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

Employee interviewing is the most accurate method of job analysis because the employee is least likely to exaggerate essential job functions.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Kim lives in New York, Steve and Renee are in Houston, LeAnn is in Paris, and the rest of the project members are in Chicago. They use technology to work together as a virtual team.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Because a job analysis includes information about the requirements of someone doing a job, it provides the criteria for evaluating the performance of the people who do the work.

Question 5

O*Net Online, maintained by the Department of Labor, contains standardized and comprehensive job descriptions.

Question 6

Randy was asked to prepare a job analysis that includes important behaviors and job responsibilities performed by the jobholder that lead to job success. He is being asked to use the critical incident method of job analysis.

Question 7

Job analysis is the process of obtaining information about jobs through a process of determining what the duties, tasks, or activities of those jobs are.

Question 8

Requiring a high school diploma, even for a laborer job, is acceptable under the law if the company has a policy that all employees must be high school graduates.

Question 9

The law requires employers to be able to show that the job criteria they use to select employees for a particular position relate specifically to the duties for that job.

Question 10

A new position is being created in Tina's department. She has been asked to create a statement of the different duties, tasks, and responsibilities of the job. Tina is writing a job specification.

Question 11

The job title is of psychological importance as well as descriptive.

Question 12

One benefit to virtual teams is that they overcome the language and cultural barriers that often occur when people who are geographically dispersed try to work together on a project.

Question 13

Job descriptions, job specifications, and even job evaluations can now be downloaded quickly from O*NET.

Question 14

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, the purpose of essential functions in a job description is to help match job requirements to organizational goals.

Question 15

KSAOs refer to the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other attributes required of a person performing a job.

Question 16

Job specifications describe the duties, tasks, and responsibilities performed on the job and therefore play a key role in performance appraisal.

Question 17

Randy was asked to create a list of tasks and their descriptions that could be used as a basis to identify components of a job specific to his organization. He should complete a critical incident analysis to complete these tasks.

Question 18

Most job descriptions include a job title, a job identification section, and a job duties section.

Question 19

Job specifications usually cover two areas: (1) the skill required to perform the job, and (2) the level of autonomy inherent in the position.

Question 20

Inflating a job's responsibilities can occur unintentionally.

Question 21

Elaine studies and designs equipment and systems that are easy and efficient for employees to use so that their physical well-being is not compromised. Elaine works in job design.

Question 22

A review of certain positions at TRG Corp. revealed that those positions have a substantial impact on the work of others. According to the job characteristics model, these positions contain a high level of task identity.

Question 23

A review of certain positions at TRG Corp. revealed that employees had an amount of freedom to schedule work and perform activities. According to the job characteristics model, these positions lack skill variety.

Question 24

The job characteristics model suggests that a motivated, satisfied, and productive employee is one who (1) experiences meaningful work; (2) experiences responsibility for work outcomes; and (3) has knowledge of the results of his or her work activities.

Question 25

Alisa wants to motivate her team to improve performance by enhancing their pay and benefits. To do this, Alisa will adopt a job enrichment program.

Question 26

Because it focuses on employees' capabilities, the competency-based approach to job analysis emphasizes how the work is done rather than just what work is done.

Question 27

Alisa has started a program to enrich the jobs of the members of her staff by adding a greater variety of tasks to each job. She is using the technique of job enlargement.

Question 28

A review of certain positions at TRG Corp. revealed that those positions require completion of a whole and identifiable piece of work. According to the job characteristics model, these positions contain a high level of task identity.

Question 29

According to the job characteristics model, task identity requires performing a job from beginning to end.

Question 30

A review of certain positions at TRG Corp. revealed that those positions provide substantial freedom, independence, and discretion to the employees who hold them. According to the job characteristics model, these positions contain a high level of feedback.

Question 31

Adding more meaningful tasks to an employee's job in an effort to make it more rewarding is an example of job enrichment.

Question 32

UniTel has created a job design task force and assigned it to study the work cycles within various functional areas to determine how to reduce the time needed to complete the cycle. This task force is taking an industrial engineering approach to job design.

Question 33

In the job characteristics model, task significance refers to the degree to which the job has a substantial impact on the lives or work of other people.

Question 34

Part of Sally's duties involve job analysis. She began researching software programs that she could use to aid her in this process and discovered that using software is not recommended for this. In fact, software programs, more often than not, actually hinder the job analysis process.

Question 35

Alisa has initiated a program to motivate her staff by encouraging them to become innovators and managers of their own work. She is using the technique of employee empowerment.

Question 36

Managers of businesses where employees perform many different job tasks must be concerned about writing specific job descriptions because federal guidelines and court decisions require job requirements to be based on valid job-related criteria.

Question 37

One way that firms can attract employees who prioritize a work-life balance is to offer telecommuting.

Question 38

Employee empowerment occurs when an organization allows its employees to participate in the decisions that affect the overall strategic direction of the organization.

Question 39

Federal guidelines and court decisions now permit that performance requirements of a job may be based on invalid job-related criteria.

Question 40

A critical aspect of industrial engineering is the establishment of time standards for a particular work cycle.

Question 41

An organization-specific list of tasks and their descriptions used as a basis to identify components of a job is known as

A)functional job analysis.
B)the critical incident method.
C)task inventory analysis.
D)competency-based analysis.

Question 42

Characteristics of successful teams include commitment to shared goals, open communication, shared leadership, and clear role assignments.

Question 43

Organizations can help prevent some of the problems a team experiences by determining how to compensate team members individually and jointly for its achievement.

Question 44

Neil is interested in job design. He feels that the design of equipment that accommodates human capabilities is more important to business success than just time and efficiency. Ergonomics would be a good field of study for him to pursue.

Question 45

The concept of work teams holds that employees, not managers, are in the best position to contribute to work performance.

Question 46

A job description is

A)a group of related activities and duties of a job.
B)a set of different duties and responsibilities performed by one employee.
C)a statement of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform a job.
D)a statement of the tasks, duties, and responsibilities of a job.

Question 47

The employees at UniTel have the option to do entirely different jobs on a rotating schedule. The workers who participate in this program are taking advantage of flextime.

Question 48

Employee empowerment refers to a situation in which workers are enthusiastic and immersed in their work to the degree that it improves the performance of their companies.

Question 49

UniTel is going through a restructuring process. The goal is to structure the organization around projects, rather than around jobs. UniTel is in the process of dejobbing.

Question 50

A job specification is

A)a group of related activities and duties.
B)a set of different duties and responsibilities performed by one employee.
C)a statement of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required of a person to perform a job.
D)a statement of the tasks, duties, and responsibilities of a job to be performed.

Question 51

In order to make it clear to all team members how everyone should behave, it is important that teams establish

A)a mission
B)ground rules.
C)goals.
D)effective communication.

Question 52

A job analysis approach that utilizes an inventory of the various types of work activities that can constitute any job is known as

A)functional job analysis.
B)the critical incident method.
C)task inventory analysis.
D)the position analysis questionnaire system.

Question 53

The job specifications section should also include interpersonal skills if a competency-based job analysis approach is used.

Question 54

The Fair Labor Standards Act requires the payment of overtime to regular workers who work more than eight hours in a day.

Question 55

Telecommuting is effective in retaining valued employees.

Question 56

A compressed work week includes anything less than 40 hours worked per week.

Question 57

A job analysis method by which behaviors that can lead to success and to failure on the job are identified is known as

A)functional job analysis.
B)the critical incident method.
C)task inventory analysis.
D)the position analysis questionnaire system.

Question 58

The major advantage of the compressed workweek is that it makes it easier for organizations to comply with federal laws regarding overtime.

Question 59

Job sharing is effective with employees who desire to phase into retirement.

Question 60

Employers using the compressed workweek may be required to pay overtime to employees under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Question 61

Josef is thinking about applying for a new job. When he reviews the job description, which of the following should he expect to find in the job specifications section?

A)The skills required to perform the job
B)The location of the job
C)The person to whom the jobholder reports
D)The date of the job posting

Question 62

What is true of the job title?

A)It is of psychological importance as it provides status to the employee.
B)It indicates the level within the occupational hierarchy occupied by the jobholder.
C)It may indicate the basic duties involved in the job.
D)All of these are correct.

Question 63

Quite often, discrepancies between the knowledge, skills, and abilities of a jobholder and the KSAOs required for the job can be remedied by

A)training.
B)discipline.
C)cooperation.
D)corporate leadership.

Question 64

Dave and Kara need to gather job analysis information. They might use all of the following methods EXCEPT for which one?

A)Diaries
B)Applications
C)Questionnaires
D)Observations

Question 65

Most job descriptions contain all of the following EXCEPT

A)the job title.
B)a job identification section.
C)a job duties section.
D)a job evaluation section.

Question 66

Josef is considering a new job. Which section of the job description should he refer to in order to find out about the location of the job and the reporting relationships involved?

A)Job duties section
B)Job identification section
C)Job title
D)Job specification

Question 67

Based upon the work of Hackman and Oldham, which of the following is NOT one of the five core job dimensions related to psychological states?

A)Skill variety
B)Task identity
C)Task significance
D)Task isolation

Question 68

Isabelle is given direct and clear information about the effectiveness of her performance. This __________ allows her to have better work outcomes.

A)task identity.
B)autonomy.
C)feedback.
D)task variety.

Question 69

Neil analyzes equipment and work systems to improve efficiency while protecting the physical well-being of employees. He is involved in what field of study?

A)Ergonomics
B)Functional job analysis
C)Industrial engineering
D)Competency-based analysis

Question 70

The Americans with Disabilities Act requires that job duties and responsibilities must be

A)essential job functions for job success.
B)adjusted to describe the reasonable accommodations that an employer is willing to provide.
C)limited to not more than twenty individual job tasks.
D)written by job incumbents most familiar with the job.

Question 71

Job analysis is called the cornerstone of HRM because

A)the information obtained is proactive.
B)it is the first job given to new HRM employees.
C)the information it collects serves many HRM functions.
D)it is required by the law.

Question 72

The process of obtaining information about jobs by determining their duties, tasks, or activities is called

A)job design.
B)job evaluation.
C)job analysis.
D)job search.

Question 73

__________ is the process of studying and designing equipment and systems that are easy and efficient for people to use and that ensure their physical well-being.

A)Dejobbing
B)Industrial engineering
C)Ergonomics
D)Autonomy

Question 74

Under which method of analyzing jobs might you video workers doing their jobs for later study?

A)Interviews
B)Questionnaires
C)Observation
D)Diaries

Question 75

Which popular method of job analysis was pioneered by the U.S. Air Force?

A)Dynamic job analysis
B)Team-based analysis
C)Task inventory analysis
D)Competency-based analysis

Question 76

One objective of the critical incident method of job analysis is to

A)challenge the employees with their false statements.
B)provide information for job evaluation based on the critical value of the job.
C)prioritize job duties and responsibilities.
D)determine which actions were ineffective.

Question 77

In a fast-moving environment where job analysis must accommodate change, many organizations may adopt a __________, which looks at characteristics of successful performers rather than just standard duties.

A)dynamic job analysis
B)team-based analysis
C)strategic analysis of jobs
D)competency-based analysis

Question 78

A job analyst should confirm accuracy of information provided by employees by obtaining additional information from all of the following EXCEPT

A)the employees.
B)the managers.
C)job analysts from a different organization.
D)individuals who perform the same job.

Question 79

Job data may be obtained in all of the following ways EXCEPT from

A)guidelines on employee selection procedures.
B)interviews with jobholders.
C)observations by HR personnel.
D)questionnaires completed by employees and supervisors.

Question 80

The statements in a job description covering job duties or essential job functions are usually arranged in

A)alphabetical order.
B)numerical order.
C)order of importance.
D)sequential order.