Deck 4: Job Design and Job Analysis

Question 1

An organization may want to consider using job simplification because it can have which of the following effects?

A) It increases the amount of time an employee is actually doing the job rather than thinking about their work.
B) The level of competencies required to perform the job is reduced, which may make recruitment easier.
C) Employee training is more targeted and may not take as long, thereby saving the company money.
D) A and C are correct.
E) All of the above are correct.

Answer 1

E

Question 2

A factory which produces bicycles has one employee who assembles the frame, one who attaches the handle bars, one who attaches the wheels, one who does a quality check, and another who packs the bicycle before sending it off to the distribution warehouse. This organization uses which approach to job design?

A) Motivation
B) Efficiency
C) Effectiveness
D) Task identity
E) Task significance

Answer 2

B

Question 3

The competencies for a job identify things such as the level of education and the number of years of experience required to hold the job, and are also known as:

A) a competitive advantage.
B) job specifications.
C) a job description.
D) essential duties.
E) job identification.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Every job, even those that are similar in nature such as an RN and LPN, require different types of levels of KSAs in order for the person performing the job to be successful. KSAs stands for:

A) kindness, sincerity, and admiration
B) knowledge, self esteem, and aptitude
C) knowledge, skills, and abilities
D) keenness, skills, and achievement
E) knowledge, skills, and accountability

Question 5

Which of the following statements is most accurate in regard to teams?

A) By definition, employees on parallel teams have similar education and years of experience on the job in order to keep the membership of team consistent.
B) Teams function best when they report to and have oversight by a management member who is not a formal part of the team.
C) In order to have quick resolution to issue a project team is best made up of just those who will be using the final product or process that results from the team's work.
D) When designing jobs with a team environment in mind employee communication and relationships are enhanced.
E) The use of teams is applicable in any situation and is always effective at improving employee morale.

Question 6

Evan has been a staff accountant for 5 years. During his time with the firm six other accountants have been added to the team who all report to an Accounting Manager, Irene. Irene's job is going to require her to travel more so she has decided to make Evan a senior staff accountant and have him supervise the team of staff accountants in her absence. In regard to Jim's new role, this is an example of:

A) Job enlargement
B) Job rotation
C) Job enrichment
D) Participation
E) Job Specialization

Question 7

Annie attended secretarial school and has been an administrative assistant for the past 10 years. She enjoys clerical and administrative support type of work. She has no desire to return to school to further her education or to ever be a supervisor. The thought of having to deal with that additional stress and responsibility makes her uneasy. Annie has a low:

A) task significance.
B) skill variety.
C) job simplification.
D) grown need strength.
E) psychological state.

Question 8

By selecting a motivational approach over an efficiency approach to job design there may be:

A) decreased employee satisfaction.
B) less employee errors.
C) more employee errors.
D) less challenging work.
E) more standardization of work.

Question 9

Megan is currently a Secretary I, which involves completing basic clerical duties such as typing letters, filing and processing mail. Her supervisor has started to have her update financial reports and take minutes for the weekly management team meeting. This is an example of which job design method?

A) Job enlargement
B) Job rotation
C) Job enrichment
D) Participation
E) Job specialization

Question 10

A case worker for an adoption agency has a chance to impact people's lives each day in a very personal and dramatic way. This person most likely experiences which of the following job dimensions as part of their work?

A) Skill variety
B) Task identity
C) Task significance
D) Autonomy
E) Feedback

Question 11

Helen is the Employee Benefits Coordinator for her organization. She orients new employees to their benefits, then enrolls them in their insurance plans, and answers any questions they may have. Helen's job was most likely created by using:

A) job specialization.
B) a time and motion study.
C) job simplification.
D) skill variety.
E) job enlargement.

Question 12

The store manager has decided that rather than have the cashiers take inventory at the end of each shift, he will complete the inventory himself each morning when he arrives so that he can stay on top of what needs to be ordered. In regard to the cashiers, this is an example of:

A) job specialization.
B) a time and motion study.
C) job simplification.
D) skill variety.
E) job enlargement.

Question 13

In order to determine what types of competencies are necessary to perform a job successfully an organization must complete a:

A) job description.
B) job design.
C) job characteristics model.
D) job analysis.
E) job simplification.

Question 14

John is an expediter for a paper goods manufacturer. He has been asked to track how much time he spends traveling to and from each department delivering supplies and how much time he spends unloading and loading supplies onto his delivery cart. This is an example of:

A) job specialization.
B) assembly line work.
C) job simplification.
D) a time and motion study.
E) performance feedback.

Question 15

A personal care aide in a nursing home interacts closely with her patients and is able to see how they improve. She receives comments from them and their family members about the caring and compassionate way she performs her work. This individual is most likely experiencing which of the job dimensions?

A) Skill variety
B) Task identity
C) Task significance
D) Autonomy
E) Feedback

Question 16

In order for job design to be effective in improving an organization's performance, managers must first understand the role that each job plays in the organization as it relates to competitive advantage, and mangers must:

A) determine how the work will be completed by employees who perform each job.
B) decide who will fill each job.
C) create employment advertisements that fit each job title.
D) complete a time and motion study.
E) determine how each job will impact customer satisfaction.

Question 17

Jacob has been asked to lead a team of his coworkers during the installation of some new computer equipment in their department. Once the equipment has been installed and tested the team's work will be completed. This is an example of which type of team?

A) Work team
B) Parallel team
C) Project team
D) Self managed team
E) Both C and D are correct.

Question 18

A company which designs and creates handmade baskets has each employee create the basket from start to finish to ensure a quality product. The employees doing this work most likely experience which of the following job dimensions?

A) Skill variety
B) Task identity
C) Task significance
D) Autonomy
E) Feedback

Question 19

In general, jobs are designed to accomplish organizational goals by using which of the following methods?

A) Motivation and rewards
B) Efficiency and standardization
C) Motivation and ability
D) Efficiency and effectiveness
E) Motivation and efficiency

Question 20

All of the following are normally included on a job description EXCEPT:

A) required education level.
B) number of years of experience required.
C) types of computer skills necessary to perform the job.
D) job title.
E) hourly pay rate.

Question 21

Jim, an Executive Assistant to two Vice Presidents, is assigned a project from one VP which needs to be completed by 8am tomorrow morning. He is already working on a lengthy report which must be completed by tomorrow at 8am as well for the other VP. Jim is most likely experiencing:

A) role conflict.
B) role overload.
C) role underload.
D) role ambiguity.
E) role redesign.

Question 22

All of the following approaches to job design focus on motivating employees EXCEPT:

A) Job specialization
B) Job enlargement
C) Job enrichment
D) Job rotation
E) Teams

Question 23

You have asked your employee Judy to take on the task of completing the monthly sales report and distribute it to the appropriate staff. Judy has been your secretary for several years and you see this as an opportunity for her to learn something new and expand her role. However, Judy hasn't told you that she is feeling uneasy about taking on this new assignment and is concerned about the level of responsibility she has been given. Judy is most likely experiencing:

A) role conflict.
B) role overload.
C) role underload.
D) role ambiguity.
E) role redesign.

Question 24

Observing a job as part of a job analysis would fit best with which of the following positions?

A) Accountant
B) Data entry clerk
C) Insurance salesperson
D) Shoe store manager
E) Toy assembler

Question 25

When creating job specifications for a position the items should:

A) be written as if the position was entry level.
B) be based on the KSAs required to perform the job successfully.
C) include those things that are preferred as opposed to required to perform the job successfully.
D) be kept as a separate document from the job description.
E) be based on the education level and experience of the last person that held the position.

Question 26

How does the job description and job specifications play a role in the recruitment process?

A) The education level of all applicants is surveyed to determine what to include on the job description for the education requirement.
B) The two items play a very limited role since both are used for employees not applicants.
C) Task statements are written to fit the capabilities of the applicant who is selected for the position.
D) Having accurate job descriptions with clear job specifications allows the hiring manager to easily compare the applicants qualifications with those on the job description in order to select the best candidate.
E) The appropriate job title must be selected so that the employment advertisement can be written accurately.

Question 27

You recently started your own landscaping business and employ three other workers. Due to the stage of development and the size of your company which of the following statements is most accurate?

A) Job design is very open and flexible.
B) Employees are asked to cross train in all areas due to the need to multitask.
C) The breadth of competencies required of employees may be greater than in a large company.
D) There are most likely fewer rules about how business is carried out than in a large company.
E) All of the above are correct.

Question 28

Defining the essential functions of a job will come in handy if an organization needs to:

A) create a employee recognition program.
B) design a retiree benefits package.
C) evaluate ways to increase employee productivity.
D) put together a self managed work team.
E) provide a reasonable accommodation to an employee.

Question 29

When conducting a job analysis which of the following is most likely to result in exaggerated or inflated information?

A) Interviewing the person currently holding the job
B) Observing the person doing the job
C) Interviewing the supervisor of job
D) Using O*NET
E) Interviewing the HR manager

Question 30

If you are looking at a job analysis report that includes behavioral categories which have been identified as necessary to perform the job, such as "customer service," "communication," "teamwork," and "accountability," you are most likely looking at a report which was generated using which method of job analysis?

A) Critical incident approach
B) Position Analysis Questionnaire
C) Functional Job Analysis
D) Task inventory approach
E) Job element approach

Question 31

When interviewing someone as part of the job analysis process it is best to:

A) start immediately with a set list of questions.
B) let the conversation go where it may, allowing the interviewee determine what is discussed.
C) not allow follow up questions as it could alter the results.
D) design a list of specific questions in order to compare responses of all interviewees.
E) go with the interviewees first response and not make corrections to their statements.

Question 32

Job sharing is a flexible work arrangement which:

A) allows employees to set their start and stop time around a set of core hours.
B) allows two employees to work part time to complete the tasks of one full time job.
C) allows employees to reduce the number of days they work by increasing the number of hours they work each day.
D) allows employees to work 9 days in a two week pay period.
E) allows employees to work primarily day shift hours.

Question 33

Jill, your administrative assistant, has been complaining to you about how behind she is in her work and how overwhelmed she is by the tasks she is being asked to perform. In order to get a better idea of the duties, tasks and responsibilities of her role you have decided a job analysis needs to be performed. Which method of job analysis will be most helpful?

A) Observe Jill performing her job.
B) Give Jill a questionnaire to complete about her job.
C) Have Jill keep a diary of her work for several days.
D) Interview Jill about her job duties.
E) Gather data from O*NET.

Question 34

Job analysis techniques differ based on whether they focus on which of the following items?

A) Recruitment method and/or selection process used for the job
B) Competencies and/or tasks required of the job
C) Knowledge and/or skills required of the job
D) Motivation and/or ability required of the job
E) Job description and/or performance evaluation used for the job

Question 35

If an organization is pursuing a cost leadership strategy jobs are designed to maximize efficiencies, and therefore the scope of the job is:

A) more narrow than if the company had pursued a differentiation strategy.
B) less narrow than if the company had pursued a differentiation strategy.
C) not impacted by pursing a cost leadership strategy.
D) focused on providing autonomy and empowerment.
E) Both A and D are correct.

Question 36

A task inventory approach:

A) focuses on work dimensions that involve data, people, and things.
B) creates examples of successful and unsuccessful job performance.
C) describes the training and education necessary to perform the job.
D) could involve those currently holding the job to keep a diary and report on that tasks necessary to perform the job.
E) compares jobs which are very dissimilar by finding those things which may apply to all of the jobs.

Question 37

Offering a variety of flexible work arrangements does all of the following EXCEPT:

A) provides employees with work/life balance.
B) retains employees who may have otherwise had to leave the company.
C) attracts employees who need special work arrangements due to personal or family needs.
D) has a negative impact on women, who are most likely to request special arrangements.
E) can have a positive outcome related to shareholder returns.

Question 38

All of the following are accurate statements about job analysis EXCEPT:

A) It provides an understanding about what types of skills and abilities are necessary to perform a job.
B) It occurs after a recruitment and selection strategy has been designed.
C) It is a key support function that human resources provides to an organization.
D) It ultimately results in the creation of a job description for each position within an organization.
E) It involves studying the duties and responsibilities of a job.

Question 39

All of the following statements are accurate about standardized job analysis methods EXCEPT:

A) They generally use one tool such as diaries or interviews to collect information.
B) They work best when you need to analyze many different jobs.
C) They focus on work tasks rather than behaviors.
D) They allow for comparison of dissimilar jobs by focussing on similar job dimensions.
E) They can be used to determine the worth of a position for compensation purposes.

Question 40

The Position Analysis Questionnaire:

A) measures work related behaviors which are needed to perform a variety of tasks in different jobs.
B) compares different jobs by focusing on those job dimensions which may apply to all jobs.
C) results distinguish excellent performance from poor performance.
D) focuses on the competencies required to perform the job.
E) identifies the tasks required to successfully perform the job.

Question 41

Ideally, job specifications should be determined before advertising for a job so that they can be included in the ad and attract the right candidates.

Question 42

All of the following are considered categories of reasonable accommodation according to the EEOC EXCEPT:

A) Making changes to give people with disabilities equal access to the benefits and privileges fo employment.
B) Changing a job application process to permit people with disabilities to be considered for a job.
C) Making changes to a job to allow people with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.
D) All of the above are correct.
E) Only A and C are correct.

Question 43

All of the following are correct regarding telecommuting EXCEPT:

A) It provides flexibility in regard to the hours an employee can work.
B) Technology costs may not make it a good option for some organizations.
C) Working relationships are improved due to "as needed" interactions that occur.
D) It allows an employee to work from whatever location is most convenient to them.
E) It saves the employee commuting costs and can ultimately have an environmental impact.

Question 44

Detailing the essential functions of a job can be useful if an organization needs to defend a discrimination charge under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Question 45

All of the following are correct regarding virtual teams EXCEPT:

A) Organizations are limited as to where virtual teams can be based out of.
B) The growth of telecommuting has increased the popularity of virtual teams.
C) It does not require team members to be in the same physical location.
D) Using them improves an organization's ability to access to more people to be part of a team.
E) The employee's technological know-how may limit their ability to be part of virtual team.

Question 46

Labor force trends which are important to consider when designing a job are:

A) telecommuting and flextime.
B) work/life balance and offering appropriate flexible work arrangements.
C) technology and globalization.
D) employee concerns and flexible work arrangements.
E) competencies available in the work force and the aging work force.

Question 47

Stress on the job is categorized as being most likely caused by:

A) lack of a flexible work schedule and low wages.
B) decreased benefits and lack of recognition.
C) safety concerns and too much autonomy.
D) the physical demands of the job and the types of tasks performed.
E) technology and globalization.

Question 48

Allowing an employee to set their own break and meal times is an example of job enrichment.

Question 49

All of the following are examples of employees most likely experiencing physical work related stress EXCEPT:

A) A discount store manager who routinely sits, walks, bends, lifts and stoops throughout the day.
B) An assembly line worker who performs work which requires them to repeatedly stoop and lift 205 pound boxes onto a conveyer belt all day.
C) A construction worker who works around loud equipment and machinery all day long.
D) An employee who works at a meat packing plant and has to work around animal blood and body parts all day long.
E) An accountant during tax season who has over 200 tax returns to prepare in less than three months.

Question 50

Job design has no relationship or impact on competitive advantage.

Question 51

How well a job is designed can make or break how successful an employee is at contributing to an organizations competitive advantage.

Question 52

Rather than employees retiring completely some organizations offer a "phased out" retirement whereby employees take a part time or "as needed" position to help fill "hard to fill" vacancies while still being able to be a contributing member of the work force. This is an example of how important it is to consider ________ when designing jobs.

A) technology
B) labor force trends
C) the aging work force
D) telecommuting
E) compressed work weeks

Question 53

Quality circles are generally established to handle on going processes and are an example of a work team.

Question 54

In regard to job design, a company must consider such things as whether the country they are operating in has a collectivism or individualist culture, for example, and must also consider:

A) the education level of the local work force.
B) the supply of workers available in the country that have the required job specifications.
C) whether they should offer flexible work arrangements.
D) Only A and B are correct.
E) None of these choices are correct.

Question 55

Job specialization involves breaking down jobs so they can be designed to eliminate steps or handoffs.

Question 56

Alex was asked at the last minute to take on some additional responsibilities while his coworker is out on FMLA leave. He now supervises two employees who were once his peers and he has been asked to develop and present a report to the board of directors about a project, which he was only partially involved in, by the end of the month. Alex explained to his supervisor that he is "stressed out" with taking on these new duties in addition to continuing with his normal duties. All of the following may be an appropriate course of action to address Alex's job stress EXCEPT:

A) Redistribute some of Alex's normal duties to others so that he doesn't feel so overwhelmed.
B) Have a coworker who was more involved in the project help Alex design the report and give the presentation with him.
C) Let Alex redesign his job to best suit his capabilities and then delegate what he no longer wants to do.
D) Set up routine check ins with Alex so that he can communicate his concerns, progress, and any questions he may have.
E) Discuss alternative work schedules that may help Alex deal with any work/life balance issues he is having since taking on the added responsibilities.

Question 57

The knowledge an employee has is what makes up their competency to be able to perform the job.

Question 58

Job simplification results in narrowly focused jobs that involve a lot of repetition and little decision making authority.

Question 59

At XYZ Accounting Firm the staff accountant positions require that the individual selected be a CPA. The firm is having difficulty locating someone full time to fill the job who already has their CPA. They have received many resumes from recent graduates who don't meet all of the qualifications. In addition, other staff who are having to take on the duties of the vacant position are beginning to take issue with the extra work they have had to do. What may they want to consider doing to resolve this issue?

A) Redesign the job to enhance job satisfaction dimensions such as job enlargement.
B) Continue searching until they find someone because compromising the job qualifications is not an option.
C) Lower the qualifications and hire a recent graduate who they can train and then have them become a CPA.
D) Split the job into two part time positions, one which would handle CPA level tasks and the other which would be a lower level accounting position.
E) Both C and D are correct.

Question 60

Task significance is related to how important an employee feels having been acknowledged or reward after completing a task.

Question 61

A disadvantage of using diaries to collect job analysis information is that employees may record only those tasks that they view as important.

Question 62

The competency level of the available work force in the community where the organization is located can impact the way jobs are designed.

Question 63

A manager should consider which ________ to emphasize when designing a job as well as how many and how simple or ________ they will be.

Question 64

The goal of job design is to create jobs which help an organization attain a ________ in the market.

Question 65

To gather information about the warehouse technician position, George followed the employee who currently holds the position during a typical day and recorded what he saw. This is a job analysis technique known as interviewing.

Question 66

To compare the jobs of Staff Accountant, HR Generalist, and Marketing Representative you would look at the data, people and things related to these jobs in order to perform a Functional Job Analysis.

Question 67

OSHA impacts job design by requiring jobs to be designed with the health and safety of employees in mind, such as detailing what personal protective equipment an employee may need to wear as part of the job.

Question 68

Hiring an applicant then designing the job specifications around their qualifications is the best way to ensure success on the job for the employee.

Question 69

A company in its early stages of growth most likely have employees who hold more generalist type of roles in their functional area as opposed to specializing in certain tasks.

Question 70

The questionnaire method of job analysis is best used when you need to collect job information from a large group of employees as the same time.

Question 71

Every job analysis should identify the competencies, otherwise known as the ________, ________, and ________, needed to perform the job.

Question 72

An automobile manufacture most likely uses the ________ approach to job design, whereas an automobile dealership most likely uses the ________ approach to job design.

Question 73

Using virtual teams to accomplish work can expand your available labor force to across the globe.

Question 74

Job analysis is best completed by the individual who will manage the position rather than involving human resources.

Question 75

When given a new task with limited instructions on how to perform it, an employee may have a lot of questions and experience role ambiguity.

Question 76

Allowing an employee to rotate to different departments in order to learn new skills is a way to create ________ in order to motivate them, according to the job characteristics model.

Question 77

A company that has as strategy of differentiation in regard to customer service should design jobs to include an emphasis on qualifications such as strong interpersonal and communication skills.

Question 78

The job analysis method which focuses only on the knowledge, skills and abilities required to do the job is known as the task inventory approach.

Question 79

Smaller organizations must take more time and effort to design very detailed jobs due to the small number of employees and the need to ensure that every detail of a job is documented so it is clear who is assigned to do which tasks.

Question 80

Working four 12 hour shifts this week and then working four 8 hours shifts the next week is an example of a compressed workweek.