Deck 4: Job Analysis and Work Design

Question 1

"The IT specialist is responsible for the smooth running of all staff computers" is most likely an excerpt from which of the following?

A) a job position
B) a job specification
C) a job analysis
D) a job description

Answer 1

D

Question 2

What is a position?

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

Answer 2

B

Question 3

What is a job specification?

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

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Which of the following job analysis methods utilize "interviews"?

A) critical incidents, PAQ, and competency-based analysis
B) critical incidents and competency based analysis
C) task analysis and competency-based analysis
D) PAQ, task analysis, and critical incidents

Question 5

Which of the following is an example of a job specification?

A) To be a grocery store cashier, you need to know how to work a cash register, know the rules of the store, and know basic math.
B) To be a grocery store cashier, you have to deal with the public and be able to stand on your feet for long hours.
C) A grocery store cashier assists customers in paying for their grocery items and answering questions about products.
D) A grocery store cashier is responsible for making sure items are bagged or tagged, and that all customers pay for their items.

Question 6

Sally is interviewing an employee, asking him to describe his job, how it is performed, what work is done, and what tools and equipment are used. What style of job analysis is Sally performing?

A) the critical incidents style of job analysis
B) the task analysis style of job analysis
C) the PAQ style of job analysis
D) the occupation classification style of job analysis

Question 7

Which of the following is most correct when it comes to job analysis?

A) artificial inflation of job duties must always be double-checked against the NOC
B) a job analyst must weigh information obtained from the NOC above incumbent data
C) a job analyst must weigh manager information more heavily than job incumbent data
D) more information about the job is always better

Question 8

Which of the following can remedy discrepancies between the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the jobholder and the KSAs required for the job?

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

Question 9

If the criteria used to evaluate employee performance are vague and not job related, what is the most likely result?

A) the organization can be charged with unfair discrimination
B) the organization can suffer productivity losses
C) the organization can suffer from bad publicity
D) the organization can suffer from lack of trust and commitment from employees

Question 10

Which term refers to an analysis in which the emphasis is placed on characteristics of successful performers rather than standard duties?

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

Question 11

What is a job?

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

Question 12

Which of the following refers to a volume compiled by the Canadian federal government that contains standardized and comprehensive descriptions of approximately 25,000 occupational titles?

A) the National Occupational Classification
B) the Dictionary of Careers
C) the Job Classification Guide
D) the Job Description and Occupational Guide

Question 13

What is "appropriate university degree, five years of corporate experience, working knowledge of statistical analysis and software" an example of?

A) a job analysis
B) a job description
C) a job specification
D) a position

Question 14

What is the most important difference between competency-based analysis and all other forms of job analysis discussed in the text?

A) Competency-based analysis is better at keeping pace with the quickly changing nature of work.
B) Competency-based analysis relies solely on information obtained from job incumbents.
C) Competency-based analysis focuses on how the job is currently done.
D) Competency-based analysis requires a very high degree of training on the part of the analyst.

Question 15

What is the objective of the critical incident method of job analysis?

A) to challenge the employees with their false statements
B) to provide information for job evaluation based on the "critical" value of the job
C) to prioritize job duties and responsibilities
D) to identify critical job tasks

Question 16

What is the ultimate purpose of job analysis?

A) to make sure HR systems are valid
B) to organize work in a meaningful way
C) to have a sense of what employees should be or are doing in their jobs
D) to increase performance and productivity of the organization

Question 17

Which term refers to systematically investigating jobs by following a number of predetermined steps specified in advance?

A) job design
B) job evaluation
C) job analysis
D) job examination

Question 18

What is the job analysis technique that is worker-oriented and covers 194 different tasks?

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

Question 19

Human rights legislation requires that the specific performance requirements of a job be based on which of the following?

A) common practices in industry
B) past practices
C) valid job-related criteria
D) the National Occupational Classification

Question 20

What is the most important reason that job analysis is considered the cornerstone of HRM?

A) the information comes from job incumbents who know the job the best
B) it is done in a scientifically sound and valid way
C) the information it collects serves so many HRM functions
D) it is required by law

Question 21

Kirk is learning a new job by watching his coworkers and asking questions. He notices that some of his coworkers stress the importance of certain tasks, while others don't do these tasks at all. This has left Kirk somewhat stressed by what he should and should not be doing in his new role. What does Kirk need?

A) a job description
B) a job analysis
C) information from the NOC
D) job specifications

Question 22

Which organizational situation is most likely to result in employees who feel empowered?

A) The employees are allowed to set their own work schedules so they can have better work-life balance.
B) The employees are allowed to spend a few minutes every day coming up with creative ideas for the suggestion box.
C) The employees have access to sensitive information so they can make more informed decisions about their work.
D) The employees have a large training budget and they are allowed to spend their training dollars on courses they choose and as they see fit.

Question 23

What factors does Herzberg describe as key to enriching jobs?

A) pay, promotion, pension, purpose, and perks
B) achievement, recognition, growth, responsibility, and performance of the whole job
C) safety needs, social needs, self-esteem needs, and self-actualization
D) skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy, and feedback

Question 24

Employee empowerment is a technique of involving employees in their work through which of the following processes?

A) development
B) administration
C) combination
D) inclusion

Question 25

Vertical job enrichment can be best accomplished through which of the following?

A) assigning less work to each employee
B) providing performance results to employees
C) forming teams that have greater authority for self-management
D) increasing salaries and benefits for employees

Question 26

According to the work of Herzberg, through which method can managers enrich the jobs of employees?

A) adding more responsibility to jobs
B) increasing benefits
C) improving the quality of employee supervision
D) removing safety hazards

Question 27

What is the main reason for organizing employee involvement groups?

A) to identify safety concerns
B) to recognize and correct discrimination issues
C) to have employees use their knowledge to identify and solve organizational problems
D) to reduce employee complaints, thereby fostering organizational success

Question 28

What can result from generically written job descriptions?

A) role ambiguity
B) continuous improvement
C) restructuring
D) self-motivation

Question 29

Which term refers to any effort that makes work more rewarding or satisfying by adding more meaningful tasks to an employee's job?

A) job enlargement
B) a job characteristic
C) job enrichment
D) job rotation

Question 30

In which situation would a job design be recommended?

A) New technology has drastically changed the way that work is done in a manufacturing plant shop floor and employees are finding there is a lot more spare time.
B) Due to a recent change in upper management and benefit policies, several hundred highly skilled employees have recently left the organization and moved to a competitor.
C) The culture of the organization is deemed by an external consultant to be "stagnant" and in need of a change.
D) Members of the organization are trying to form a union.

Question 31

Which of the following is an accurate description of the five core job dimensions of Hackman and Oldham's job characteristics model?

A) skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy, and feedback
B) feedback, task identity, job identity, skill variety, and autonomy
C) autonomy, feedback, job security, task identity, and skill variety
D) skill variety, task identity, job security, autonomy, and feedback

Question 32

Which of the following is an example of an employee involvement group?

A) a group of employees who meet after work hours to discuss their interest in hiking and other outdoor activities
B) a group of employees who come together once a year to brainstorm new workflow ideas
C) a group of employees who meet weekly to brainstorm a sequel to a popular product line
D) a group of employees who are allowed to take specialized training courses in statistical analysis and cause-and-effect diagrams

Question 33

What two characteristics do group/team techniques have in common?

A) enhancing collaboration and increasing synergy
B) enhancing collaboration and improving morale
C) improving morale and increasing synergy
D) enhancing communication and increasing synergy

Question 34

According to the job characteristics model, what three psychological states of a jobholder result in motivated, satisfied, and productive employees?

A) meaningfulness of work, task significance, and autonomy
B) meaningfulness of work, responsibility for completion of a whole identifiable piece of work, and knowledge of work results
C) meaningfulness of work, responsibility for outcomes, and knowledge of work results
D) meaningfulness of work, responsibility for outcomes, and fair compensation

Question 35

What is the core job dimension that describes the degree to which a job has a substantial impact on the lives or work of other people?

A) skill variety
B) task identity
C) task significance
D) autonomy

Question 36

What is the goal of ergonomics?

A) to fit the job to the work environment
B) to fit the job to the equipment
C) to fit the job to the person
D) to fit the job to the work schedule

Question 37

What is the main difference between job analysis and job design?

A) Job analysis looks at jobs as they currently are; job design is about reorganizing work.
B) Job analysis is required to ensure that HR functions are based on sound and valid data; job design is focused on compensation and the financial worth of the work.
C) Job analysis is a process; job design is a function.
D) Job analysis is the study of jobs as currently performed; job design is concerned with changing job structures to improve efficiency.

Question 38

What is an important limitation of relying on job descriptions?

A) they tend to narrow the scope of activities of the jobholder
B) they may be misunderstood by the jobholder
C) they may include illegal specifications
D) they are associated with poor employee morale

Question 39

Which term refers to the degree to which a job has substantial freedom, independence, and discretion for an individual in determining work schedules and procedures?

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

Question 40

An owner of a mall-based retail shop chain has asked front-line sales associates to attend a twice-yearly all-day meeting where they share ideas about possible new products, innovations, and ideas about improving work flow. What is the owner most likely attempting to implement?

A) job involvement
B) job enrichment
C) brainstorming
D) a culture audit

Question 41

What is crucial in effective employee involvement groups?

A) the group membership must change regularly
B) group members must not be rewarded; participation must be completely voluntary
C) managers must evaluate group recommendations before implementation
D) all recommendations must be implemented in at least some small way in order not to lose the sense of empowerment

Question 42

What kind of team uses advanced computer and telecommunications technology to link team members who are geographically dispersed?

A) a content team
B) a whole team
C) an advanced team
D) a virtual team

Question 43

Which is the best advice for "virtual teams" to be successful?

A) Team members should NOT meet in person.
B) Team members should meet in person at least occasionally.
C) All team members should understand advanced computer and telecommunications technology so that breakdowns in communication do not occur frequently.
D) Team members should be selected based on certain personal characteristics such as a collaborative mindset.

Question 44

A job consists of different duties and responsibilities performed by one person.

Question 45

Scenario 4.2
CanBank is a new financial institution with a workforce that values work-life balance. The CEO, Aren Ami, wants to experiment with different work schedules so as to address the needs of the employees. He is considering several options: a 4-day, 40-hour workweek; allowing employees to choose start and end times for the workday provided they work a certain number of hours per week; allowing two or more employees to perform a job normally done by one person; and allowing some employees to do work from home that is normally done in the office. The CEO knows that there are pros and cons of each option that he has to weigh.
Refer to Scenario 4.2. What is the term for the option where employees work 4-day, 40-hour workweeks?

A) flextime
B) telecommuting
C) job sharing
D) compressed workweek

Question 46

Which of the following is most likely to result in a successful telecommuting situation?

A) The telecommuters have to check in frequently throughout the day to let their managers know exactly what they are working on and how it is going.
B) The managers who are trained in formalized telecommuting procedures make random calls to the telecommuters at home to ensure all is going well and work is getting done.
C) The telecommuters are expected to attend regular on-site meetings and are trained in technical aspects of telecommuting.
D) Telecommuting is only allowed when the work at hand does not involve interaction of any kind.

Question 47

What is an important drawback of allowing employees to telecommute?

A) lower performance due to distractions at home
B) dishonesty about hours worked
C) less creativity due to loss of workplace synergies
D) increased absenteeism

Question 48

Scenario 4.1
Mike Brassington is the CEO of Canada Steel, a firm that produces steel products for a global market. To improve on one of its products which has received some criticisms on its quality, Canada Steel wants to put together a team that will involve different people in the organization, across different departments, so as to utilize their skills in a manner that would be more productive than if they worked separately. Mike has two ideas on how to design these teams. First, he can put together a group of experienced people from different departments (e.g., marketing, engineering, etc.)to solve the problem (Team 1). Second, he can allow interested employees to have online discussions voluntarily (Team 2). He also has to decide on how to measure the success of the team's efforts.
Refer to Scenario 4.1. Which of the following occurs when the interaction and outcome of team members is greater than the sum of their individual parts?

A) job sharing
B) synergy
C) cooperation
D) team enrichment

Question 49

What is an organizational benefit of job sharing?

A) less absenteeism
B) less turnover
C) higher productivity
D) better performance

Question 50

Team synergy is heightened when team members engage in behaviours such as support, active listening, consensus decision making, and which of the following?

A) unanimity
B) prioritizing options
C) regular meeting times
D) disagreement

Question 51

What is the term for the type of work schedule in which employees can adjust their daily starting and quitting times provided that they work a certain number of hours per day or week?

A) a compressed workweek
B) a shorter workweek
C) a flextime arrangement
D) an adaptable schedule

Question 52

Scenario 4.1
Mike Brassington is the CEO of Canada Steel, a firm that produces steel products for a global market. To improve on one of its products which has received some criticisms on its quality, Canada Steel wants to put together a team that will involve different people in the organization, across different departments, so as to utilize their skills in a manner that would be more productive than if they worked separately. Mike has two ideas on how to design these teams. First, he can put together a group of experienced people from different departments (e.g., marketing, engineering, etc.)to solve the problem (Team 1). Second, he can allow interested employees to have online discussions voluntarily (Team 2). He also has to decide on how to measure the success of the team's efforts.
Refer to Scenario 4.1. According to the text, what is a potential challenge for Team 1?

A) different cultures among group members
B) leadership support
C) Web/Internet support
D) determining compensation for team accomplishments

Question 53

Scenario 4.2
CanBank is a new financial institution with a workforce that values work-life balance. The CEO, Aren Ami, wants to experiment with different work schedules so as to address the needs of the employees. He is considering several options: a 4-day, 40-hour workweek; allowing employees to choose start and end times for the workday provided they work a certain number of hours per week; allowing two or more employees to perform a job normally done by one person; and allowing some employees to do work from home that is normally done in the office. The CEO knows that there are pros and cons of each option that he has to weigh.
Refer to Scenario 4.2. What is the term for the option where employees choose start and end times for their workdays provided they work a specified number of hours in the week?

A) job sharing
B) telecommuting
C) shortened workweek
D) flextime

Question 54

Scenario 4.1
Mike Brassington is the CEO of Canada Steel, a firm that produces steel products for a global market. To improve on one of its products which has received some criticisms on its quality, Canada Steel wants to put together a team that will involve different people in the organization, across different departments, so as to utilize their skills in a manner that would be more productive than if they worked separately. Mike has two ideas on how to design these teams. First, he can put together a group of experienced people from different departments (e.g., marketing, engineering, etc.)to solve the problem (Team 1). Second, he can allow interested employees to have online discussions voluntarily (Team 2). He also has to decide on how to measure the success of the team's efforts.
Refer to Scenario 4.1. Which of the following is NOT a way for Mike to measure the success of the team?

A) through the level of cooperation and trust of team members
B) through whether the goals of the team are achieved
C) through the pay increases of the team
D) through the way in which conflicts are resolved

Question 55

Scenario 4.1
Mike Brassington is the CEO of Canada Steel, a firm that produces steel products for a global market. To improve on one of its products which has received some criticisms on its quality, Canada Steel wants to put together a team that will involve different people in the organization, across different departments, so as to utilize their skills in a manner that would be more productive than if they worked separately. Mike has two ideas on how to design these teams. First, he can put together a group of experienced people from different departments (e.g., marketing, engineering, etc.)to solve the problem (Team 1). Second, he can allow interested employees to have online discussions voluntarily (Team 2). He also has to decide on how to measure the success of the team's efforts.
Refer to Scenario 4.1. What does research demonstrate as key to ensuring the success of the team?

A) establishing a fair pay system
B) establishing ground rules to guide the team's work
C) ensuring cultural cohesion among team members
D) ensuring a common workplace "language" for team members

Question 56

What is an organizational benefit of job sharing?

A) reduced labour costs
B) reduced turnover
C) reduced training costs
D) reduced employee appraisals

Question 57

Scenario 4.2
CanBank is a new financial institution with a workforce that values work-life balance. The CEO, Aren Ami, wants to experiment with different work schedules so as to address the needs of the employees. He is considering several options: a 4-day, 40-hour workweek; allowing employees to choose start and end times for the workday provided they work a certain number of hours per week; allowing two or more employees to perform a job normally done by one person; and allowing some employees to do work from home that is normally done in the office. The CEO knows that there are pros and cons of each option that he has to weigh.
Refer to Scenario 4.2. Which of the following is NOT a reason cited for flextime?

A) improving organizational culture
B) meeting the challenges of age diversity
C) improving customer service by extending operating hours
D) improving quality of employees' work

Question 58

Scenario 4.1
Mike Brassington is the CEO of Canada Steel, a firm that produces steel products for a global market. To improve on one of its products which has received some criticisms on its quality, Canada Steel wants to put together a team that will involve different people in the organization, across different departments, so as to utilize their skills in a manner that would be more productive than if they worked separately. Mike has two ideas on how to design these teams. First, he can put together a group of experienced people from different departments (e.g., marketing, engineering, etc.)to solve the problem (Team 1). Second, he can allow interested employees to have online discussions voluntarily (Team 2). He also has to decide on how to measure the success of the team's efforts.
Refer to Scenario 4.1. What is the term for the first type of team Mike is considering, where he will put together different people from different units (Team 1)?

A) process improvement team
B) self-directed team
C) virtual team
D) quality improvement team

Question 59

In addition to creating synergy within an organization, group techniques can also do which of the following?

A) increase employee commitment to the organization's goals
B) increase job and pay satisfaction
C) increase employee engagement
D) decrease employee absenteeism

Question 60

A statement of the different duties, tasks, and responsibilities of a job is known as a job description.

Question 61

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

Question 62

A problem with job descriptions is that they tend to broaden the scope of activities performed by a jobholder.

Question 63

Common methods of analyzing jobs include interviews, questionnaires, observation, and diaries.

Question 64

There are many methods of job analysis and many different ways of compiling the data, but all of the methods rely on some form of employee/job incumbent interview.

Question 65

The competency-based approach to job analysis focuses on standard job duties, tasks, and the like.

Question 66

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

Question 67

Relying on generic job descriptions tends to reduce role ambiguity.

Question 68

The critical incident method focuses on employee behaviours critical to job success.

Question 69

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

Question 70

Discrepancies between knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs)and job requirements provide clues to training needs.

Question 71

The critical incidents method of job analysis is based on interviewing the job incumbent/employee.

Question 72

The standard format for job descriptions is contained in the Dictionary of Occupational Titles.

Question 73

Job analysis is an important step toward ensuring an organization's HR practices are valid and job-related.

Question 74

An example of a job-related specification might be to require three to five years' experience for a job as senior compensation analyst.

Question 75

Human resource information systems have limited potential to impact the job analysis process.

Question 76

Ultimately, the purpose of job analysis is to value a job and establish its pay rate.

Question 77

Job analysis is now considered outdated because it can't keep up with the current state of change in today's fast-paced work world.

Question 78

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 79

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

Question 80

To promote uniformity across organizations, the National Occupational Classification should be used as the sole source for classifying jobs.