Deck 6: Motivation: Goal Setting and Reward Programs

Question 1

Skill-based pay compensates employees for the specific jobs they are performing.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

Which of the following motivational aspects of goal setting states that goals motivate individuals to act?

A) Goals regulate effort.
B) Goals direct attention.
C) Goals increase persistence.
D) Goals foster strategies and action programs.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

One of the problems associated with flexible benefits programs is that it does not allow organizations to control their costs.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

For a goal to be effective, it should be written in general terms and very easy for an employee to achieve.

Question 5

If employees perceive that goals can be reached by luck or with little effort, they tend to dismiss the goals as irrelevant and not follow through with the actions needed to reach them.

Question 6

According to "Change Competency: Nucor's Profit-Sharing Program," Nucor's profit sharing plan is based in part on the company's ability to build new plants worldwide.

Question 7

Employees who set extremely high, difficult goals may experience less job satisfaction than employees who set lower, more easily achievable goals.

Question 8

In "Learning from Experience: Enterprise Rent-A-Car," Enterprise's initial business strategy focused only on airport car rentals.

Question 9

In the model of goal setting, a goal serves as a(n) ______ because it allows people to compare their present performance to what is required to achieve the goal.

A) condition
B) motivator
C) objective
D) challenge

Question 10

The timing of a reward is not important; a reward will be motivating regardless of when it is given.

Question 11

Flexible benefit programs and cafeteria-style benefit programs are one-in-the-same.

Question 12

In "Learning From Experience: Enterprise Rent-A-Car," the reason cited for low employee turnover at Enterprise is

A) the high base salary employees receive immediately upon being hired.
B) the company's flexible work schedules.
C) the generous benefits package employees receive.
D) the practice of having employees work in teams of less than 10 people.

Question 13

Danae and her team want to reduce the amount of time it takes to unload, sort, and assemble merchandise that arrives at the warehouse. They have developed a couple of approaches to help them achieve this goal. What motivational aspect of goal setting does this MOST represent?

A) Goals direct attention.
B) Goals foster strategies and action programs.
C) Goals regulate effort.
D) Goals increase persistence.

Question 14

Drew was given a goal of revamping the company's website; however, he does not know how to use the coding software on which the website was built. Given this limitation, this is still an effective goal because it forces Drew to learn new job skills.

Question 15

In "Across Cultures Competency: Hewlett-Packard," Bonnie Nixon-Gardiner started a training program to teach Chinese suppliers how to prevent labor and environmental abuses.

Question 16

Jess and her manager set forth a sales goal for her to meet for the upcoming quarter. Jess is committed to reaching the goal, but feels it is too challenging. Because of this, Jess will most likely expend little effort in reaching this goal.

Question 17

The process of specifying desired outcomes toward which individuals, teams, departments, and organizations will strive and is intended to increase organizational efficiency and effectiveness is referred to as

A) learning.
B) goal setting.
C) task management.
D) motivation.

Question 18

In "Ethics Competency: Fake Accounts at Wells Fargo," Wells Fargo was accused of creating an overly aggressive sales culture by assigning unrealistic sales goals and not sufficiently overseeing employees.

Question 19

"Diversity Competency: Lockheed Martin MS2 Team," outlines the "Embrace Diversity" campaign. This campaign revolved around the use of postcards that explored themes of diversity.

Question 20

The process of setting goals is an important motivational tool that directly affects the performance of employees in an organization.

Question 21

Task ______ refers to the cognitive processing that is needed by a person to solve a task

A) reinforcement
B) complexity
C) commitment
D) ability

Question 22

"Across Cultures Competency: Hewlett-Packard" discusses Bonnie Nixon-Gardiner's effort to have Dell, IBM, Intel, and other companies join with Hewlett-Packard in formulating the Electronic Industry Code of Conduct. This code of conduct addresses all of the following EXCEPT

A) banning the use of child labor.
B) banning unauthorized inspections of plants.
C) banning the use of forced labor
D) banning excessive overtime.

Question 23

To say that the relation of goal difficulty to performance is curvilinear means that

A) performance levels off as the limits of a person's ability are approached.
B) goal difficulty increases the closer a person comes to attaining the goal.
C) goal difficulty levels off the closer a person comes to attaining the goal.
D) performance increases as the limits of a person's ability are approached.

Question 24

What links one's performance to the challenge of attaining a goal?

A) moderators
B) contingencies
C) mediators
D) factors

Question 25

The two key attributes of challenging goals are

A) goal consistency and goal identification.
B) goal expectations and goal reinforcement
C) goal commitment and goal motivators.
D) goal clarity and goal difficulty.

Question 26

Which moderator relates to the information given to an employee regarding his or her performance?

A) ability
B) complexity
C) commitment
D) feedback

Question 27

There are three specific limitations to goal setting. Which of the following is NOT one of those limitations?

A) Successful goal setting takes longer when employees are given complicated tasks that require a considerable amount of learning.
B) Goal setting doesn't work when employees lack the skills and abilities needed to perform at a high level.
C) Successful goal setting requires management to constantly monitor an employee's progress, which is time consuming for the manager.
D) Goal setting can lead to significant problems when it rewards the wrong behaviors.

Question 28

How do specific, difficult goals affect motivation and performance?

A) It causes individuals to withdraw and forego achieving the goals.
B) It causes individuals to exert the necessary effort to achieve the goals.
C) It causes individuals to resent the person who set forth the goals.
D) It causes individuals to feel a sense of failure at not being able to meet the goals.

Question 29

All of the following show how setting difficult goals motivates individuals to achieve high performance EXCEPT

A) difficult but achievable goals prompt employees to concentrate on achievement of the goals.
B) difficult goals motivate employees to spend lots of time and effort on developing methods for achieving them.
C) difficult goals increase employees' persistence in trying to achieve them.
D) difficult goals encourage employees to work together to find a solution.

Question 30

All of the following are advantages of setting ethical goals EXCEPT

A) it creates clear distinctions between those who follow the rules and those who don't.
B) it helps employees identify what the organization deems as acceptable behavior.
C) it legitimizes the consideration of ethics as part of decision making.
D) it avoids uncertainties among employees about what is right and wrong.

Question 31

Luke has been given a goal of analyzing the company's social media presence. The problem is that Luke is not very tech savvy and is not that familiar with all the social media platforms the company currently uses. What can Luke's manager do to overcome this limitation?

A) familiarize Luke with the social media outlets the company uses and have him attend training sessions on social media analytics
B) give Luke a chance to figure the problem out on his own, and if he is unsuccessful, pass the goal off to another employee
C) offer Luke assurances that he has all the tools and knowledge to accomplish the goal and have other employees encourage him as well
D) Do nothing. It is Luke's responsibility to figure out how to attain the goals that his company directs him to complete.

Question 32

As outlined in the "Diversity Competency: Lockheed Martin MS2 Team," the campaign set forth by the MS2 team was focused on

A) product innovation.
B) employee-management relations.
C) embracing diversity.
D) corporate social responsibility.

Question 33

The management system known as Management by Objectives uses specific goals that are challenging but not impossible in order to ______ employees.

A) reward
B) motivate
C) deter
D) promote

Question 34

Robert thinks the goal he set for his employee, Sean is too complex. What can Robert do to help Sean meet this goal?

A) Robert should rewrite the goal entirely to make it less complex.
B) Robert should break the goal into subgoals that can Sean can attain.
C) Robert should do nothing. A complex goal is a good test of an employee's ability.
D) Robert should let Sean come up with his own set of goals.

Question 35

Which one of the following is NOT an aspect of the SMART goal system?

A) Goals should be motivating to the employee.
B) Goals should specify target dates for completion.
C) Goals should support the organization's mission.
D) Goals should be stated in precise terms.

Question 36

Hadley has been tasked with completing a research assignment by the end of the month. Although she did not set this goal for herself and the timeframe will make it hard to complete the assignment, Hadley is determined to complete the research on time. This illustrates a high level of

A) task complexity.
B) goal commitment.
C) goal clarity.
D) goal ability.

Question 37

Certain conditions must come together for managers to gain the benefits of a goal-setting program. Which of the following is NOT one of those conditions?

A) breaking complex goals into smaller subgoals
B) having employee commitment to the goal
C) providing feedback on employee progress toward the goal
D) having knowledge and ability to attain the goal

Question 38

Which of the following is an external reward?

A) pride in one's accomplishment
B) a sense of achievement
C) a feeling of being successful
D) a paid vacation

Question 39

In the SMART goal system, a goal that is ______ means it is stated in precise rather than vague terms.

A) measurable
B) timebound
C) specific
D) realistic

Question 40

In the goal-setting model, the primary focus is on

A) how the employee interacts with coworkers.
B) the employee's satisfaction with his or her performance.
C) the employee's ability to attain the goal.
D) whether the work is challenging enough.

Question 41

Studies on the potential for goals to motivate unethical behavior have found that unethical behavior increases when

A) management does not keep track of employees' progress toward the goal.
B) people do not have the necessary skills and ability to achieve the goal.
C) an employee is given a goal that is too complicated.
D) a financial incentive was tied to the goal.

Question 42

Which of the following is a diagnostic question a leader might ask to diagnose potential problems with low- or average-performing employees?

A) Did the employee ask enough questions?
B) Were enough rewards given to the employee?
C) Was the employee punished for not attaining a goal?
D) Were the goals set forth challenging?

Question 43

Research shows that the ability of rewards to motivate individual and team performance depends on six factors which include all the following EXCEPT

A) availability.
B) consistency.
C) durability.
D) equity.

Question 44

Paying employees according to their value in the labor market in terms of knowledge and abilities is the premise behind

A) skill-based pay programs.
B) flexible benefit plans.
C) profit-sharing programs.
D) informal reward systems.

Question 45

What is the most common outcome of severe dissatisfaction among employees?

A) defiance
B) work avoidance
C) aggression
D) quitting

Question 46

A(n) ______ program provides employees with a portion of the company's earnings.

A) informal reward
B) skill-based
C) flexible benefit
D) profit-sharing

Question 47

Which of the following statements is TRUE regarding the ability of awards to motivate?

A) The clearer the link between goal achievement and rewards, the better able rewards are to motivate desired behavior.
B) External rewards, such as a gift card to a restaurant, will last longer than intrinsic rewards.
C) Employees' will be more motivated when they know that everyone will receive the same reward regardless of the work performed.
D) Rewards that are given in private are more motivating than those that are visible throughout the entire organization.

Question 48

Which of the following is a limitation of informal rewards?

A) They are difficult to implement.
B) They are often ignored by leaders as being trivial.
C) They are not very flexible.
D) They are least cost-effective method.

Question 49

All the following are recommendations to ensure the success of a profit-sharing program EXCEPT

A) make sure only managers are involved in the program's creation.
B) set clear goals for the program.
C) tie the program to the company's strategies.
D) ensure employees understand the metrics that the program is measuring.

Question 50

Informal rewards are MOST effective when they

A) are presented as a group award.
B) are valued by the individual.
C) are given after some time has elapsed.
D) are not directly related to the desired behavior.

Question 51

Nick is evaluating the success of his company's profit-sharing program and asks you for your input. What advice would you give Nick that will help him gauge his program's effectiveness?

A) Give the program time to succeed. It takes two or three years for a program to change overall company performance.
B) If you tie the program to the company's strategies, it will be too hard to evaluate whether the program is successful.
C) Make sure the goals of the program are general in nature; specific goals will be too hard to meet.
D) Only let management be involved in the creation of the program; employee input complicates the process.

Question 52

According to "Ethics Competency: Fake Accounts at Wells Fargo," what was the result of the investigations into unsanctioned practices by Wells Fargo?

A) Wells Fargo has revamped its incentive plan and no longer has goals tied to product sales.
B) Wells Fargo has eliminated the use of customer satisfaction surveys to determine bonus pay for employees.
C) Wells Fargo has eliminated any incentive plan for employees to earn more pay.
D) Under the face of numerous lawsuits, Wells Fargo declared bankruptcy and is now out of business.

Question 53

Bradley is thinking about instituting a reward system in his company. The problem is each person has different qualifications and abilities. He wants to pay those with more expertise more money. Which reward system would be MOST appropriate in this case?

A) a profit-based program
B) a skill-based program
C) a flexible benefits program
D) an informal reward program

Question 54

Which of the following examples BEST illustrates a reward that will motivate?

A) If Carlos runs his production line without errors, his boss will thank him in private and put his name in a drawing for an extra day off work.
B) During the year, Pam's employees all work differing amounts of hours. Even so, Pam gave them all a $500 bonus at the end of the year.
C) At the clothing store where Dana works, employees are given free clothes as a reward for exceeding sales goals.
D) Jess' manager has complimented her hard work and has told her she will receive a raise if the company increases its overall revenue.

Question 55

Which of the following statements regarding goal setting is FALSE?

A) Goal setting doesn't work when employees lack the skills and ability to perform at a high level.
B) Effective goal setting eliminates the problem of rewarding the wrong behaviors.
C) Goal setting takes longer when employees are given complicated tasks that require a considerable amount of time.
D) Goal setting has often been shown to increase performance in a variety of settings.

Question 56

According to "Change Competency: Nucor's Profit-Sharing Program," how are employee bonuses determined?

A) by the number of "safe working days" the team accumulates
B) by the quality and tons produced and shipped by a team
C) by the amount of total hours worked by the team
D) on an individual basis and not on a team effort

Question 57

Gift cards, personal time off, or casual dress days are called

A) intrinsic awards.
B) on-the-spot awards.
C) non-motivating rewards.
D) private awards.

Question 58

The reduced likelihood of individuals and teams having an impact on the overall performance of the organization is a limitation of

A) informal reward programs.
B) profit-sharing programs.
C) skill-based pay programs.
D) flexible benefit programs.

Question 59

Because employees may feel that they can do little to influence the organization's overall profitability, ______ programs may have the least motivating impact on employees.

A) skill-based
B) informal reward
C) profit-sharing
D) flexible benefit

Question 60

Rewards that result from interactions between people are referred to as ______ rewards.

A) intrinsic
B) social
C) informal
D) flexible

Question 61

Which of the following is a limitation of skill-based pay programs?

A) Rewards are not given for specific performance.
B) They are often ignored by leaders as being ineffective.
C) Labor costs increase as employees' skills increase.
D) They cannot be tailored to fit individual employee needs.

Question 62

If an organization has a particularly low budget to be used for employee training, which reward system would be least appropriate?

A) informal reward programs
B) skill-based pay systems
C) profit-sharing programs
D) flexible benefit programs

Question 63

In which culture is seniority a key factor in the selection of a reward system?

A) power distance
B) uncertainty avoidance
C) individualistic
D) gender role orientation

Question 64

For the various types of cultures, list the factors that are important in the selection of a reward system.

Question 65

What six factors affect the ability of rewards to motivate individuals or teams to high performance?

Question 66

Describe the two key attributes of challenging goals?

Question 67

Flexible benefit programs are also known as

A) cafeteria-style benefit programs.
B) pick-and-choose benefit programs.
C) performance-based benefit programs.
D) fluctuating benefit programs.

Question 68

The goal-setting model has four motivational aspects. Describe them.

Question 69

Discuss the five conditions that must come together for managers to gain the benefits of a goal-setting program.

Question 70

The benefit plan that offers employees the opportunity to tailor a benefit package to their needs is

A) a skill-based pay program.
B) a profit-sharing benefit program.
C) a flexible benefit program
D) an informal reward program.

Question 71

Describe the things that help to make a successful profit-sharing program.

Question 72

Describe the limitations of goal setting.

Question 73

Describe the strengths and limitations of the different types of reward programs?

Question 74

When are informal rewards most effective?

Question 75

Describe the factors that act as moderators to buffer the relationship between goals and performance.