Question 1

What change was associated with the Industrial Revolution?

Accepted Answer

The Industrial Revolution led to a significant population boom due to improvements in agriculture, transportation, and manufacturing. This resulted in increased economic opportunities and migration to urban areas, leading to higher population densities. However, this population growth also brought challenges such as overcrowding and public health concerns.

Answer: E
 The Industrial Revolution brought about improvements in housing conditions, as new technologies were developed to construct buildings more efficiently and quickly. This led to more reliable and safer living conditions for many people, particularly in urban areas where housing was previously inadequate. Other changes associated with the Industrial Revolution, such as improved sanitation and healthcare, also contributed to better living conditions.

Question 2

Advertising, engineering, marketing, product design, and web design are all examples of:

Accepted Answer

Knowledge work refers to work that involves the creation, use, and dissemination of information and knowledge. Advertising, engineering, marketing, product design, and web design all require specialized knowledge and skills, and involve the use of information and knowledge to create products, services, or messages that meet the needs and wants of customers. Therefore, they are considered examples of knowledge work.

Question 3

Given that the greater the division of labor in a society, the greater the degree of inequality, which type of economic system would you expect to be the most equal?

Accepted Answer

Hunting and gathering societies have a very low level of division of labor, and therefore very little differentiation in social and economic roles. This typically results in a relatively equal distribution of resources and a lower degree of inequality. In contrast, industrial, information, and postmodern societies have high levels of division of labor, with many specialized roles and highly differentiated economic and social statuses, resulting in higher degrees of inequality. Horticultural societies may have some division of labor, but generally not to the same degree as industrial, information, or postmodern societies.

Question 4

The theory that the capacity of microchips will double every 18 months is called:

Accepted Answer

The theory that the capacity of microchips will double every 18 months is known as Moore's Law, named after the co-founder of Intel, Gordon Moore.

Question 5

Why did so many people dislike working on assembly lines?

Accepted Answer

Workers on assembly lines typically only performed one small task repeatedly, and never saw the final product. This lack of variety and sense of accomplishment led to dissatisfaction among workers.

Question 6

Welfare agencies run by for-profit firms are an example of:

Accepted Answer

Welfare agencies run by for-profit firms are an example of capitalism shaping human service institutions. This means that the provision of social services is being influenced by capitalist economic principles, such as the pursuit of profit and competition in the marketplace. This can have both positive and negative consequences for the provision of social services, depending on how well the market mechanisms work to ensure efficient and effective service delivery.

Question 7

Cell phone users can buy a ringtone version of a song in just a few seconds. This means that somewhere there is a paid worker sitting at a computer using software to edit a digital copy of the original song into a 20-second ringtone. What can you say about this worker?

Accepted Answer

The worker is using software to edit a digital copy, indicating that she is likely a knowledge worker who is skilled in digital technology.

Question 8

What change caused people to migrate to cities from rural areas?

Accepted Answer

The switch to a manufacturing economy led to the growth of factories and urbanization, as people moved to cities in search of employment in these factories.

Question 9

What new technology was integral to the Industrial Revolution?

Accepted Answer

The steam engine was a revolutionary technology that powered many of the machines and vehicles of the Industrial Revolution. It allowed for significant increases in productivity and efficiency in industries such as textiles, transportation, and coal mining. Other technologies such as the microchip, jet airplane, and Internet came much later. The automobile did not become widespread until the early 20th century, after the Industrial Revolution had already occurred.

Question 10

Someone who works giving acupuncture to dogs in order to relieve their stress is:

Accepted Answer

The person is a service worker who provides acupuncture to dogs in order to relieve their stress.

Question 11

Where did the Industrial Revolution begin?

Accepted Answer

The Industrial Revolution is said to have begun in England in the late 18th century, with the emergence of new inventions and manufacturing processes that led to significant economic and social changes. This period of rapid industrialization and technological advancements ultimately spread to other parts of Europe, North America, and other regions of the world.

Question 12

Which of the following is one of the primary principles of capitalism?

Accepted Answer

Privatization of the means of production is one of the primary principles of capitalism. It means that the ownership and control of the factors of production such as land, labor, capital, and entrepreneurship are in the hands of private individuals and not the government. This principle is crucial to the functioning of a capitalist economy as it encourages innovation, competition and efficiency in the allocation of resources.

Question 13

How has the Information Revolution changed the nature of work and the economy?

Accepted Answer

The Information Revolution has shifted the economy away from the production of goods and towards the production of knowledge and services. This has led to the growth of industries such as technology, finance, and healthcare, which rely heavily on information and expertise rather than physical goods.

Answer: A
 The Information Revolution has made it easier for people to work remotely, which has led to less pressure to urbanize. This is because people can now work from anywhere that has an internet connection, reducing the need to live close to their place of work.

Answer: B, D, and E are incorrect choices because they do not accurately reflect the ways in which the Information Revolution has changed the nature of work and the economy. B is incorrect because the ability to work from home has actually increased as a result of the Information Revolution. D is incorrect because the global economy has become more integrated as a result of advances in communication and transportation technology. E is also incorrect because the Information Revolution has led to deeper integration of the global economy.

Question 14

What technological development is most associated with the Information Revolution?

Accepted Answer

The microchip, also known as the integrated circuit, is the technological development most associated with the Information Revolution. It paved the way for the development of computers, mobile devices, and the internet, all of which have transformed the way we access and share information.

Question 15

The economic system in place in industrialized nations during the first half of the twentieth century is often called "Fordism" by sociologists. It is a system characterized by the increasingly efficient mass production of goods. Why do you think this system is called "Fordism"?

Accepted Answer

The economic system is called "Fordism" after Henry Ford, who is credited with inventing the assembly line and implementing mass production techniques in his automobile factories. This system was characterized by standardization, specialization, and the use of machinery to produce goods at a lower cost and faster rate.

Question 16

Someone who works primarily with information and develops or uses knowledge in the workplace is called:

Accepted Answer

A knowledge worker is someone who is primarily involved in dealing with information and knowledge in the workplace, such as researchers, analysts, consultants, and educators. The other options are not involved in information or knowledge-based work, and thus are not appropriate choices.

Question 17

In a capitalist system, what do workers have available to sell?

Accepted Answer

In a capitalist system, workers have their own labor available to sell. This is in exchange for wages or a salary. The other options (raw materials, artisan goods and crafts, stocks and bonds, and many different commodities) may be available for sale, but they are not usually sold by workers themselves.

Question 18

New innovations in farming like mechanized seed spreaders and new techniques of crop rotation were part of what macro-level social change?

Accepted Answer

The innovations mentioned, such as mechanized seed spreaders and crop rotation, were part of the Agricultural Revolution – a macro-level social change that transformed farming practices and led to increased food production and population growth.

Question 19

In 2008 and 2009, the United States government initiated a large-scale economic bailout of the banking and auto industries, in which the government invested enormous amounts of money, becoming the majority shareholder in some corporations. According to the text this means that:

Accepted Answer

The fact that the US government invested in the banking and auto industries and became the majority shareholder in some corporations does not mean that the United States is a communist or socialist country. It also does not mean that the US is an example of pure capitalism. Rather, this action reflects a capitalist nation with a degree of socialism in government subsidies to businesses.

Question 20

The economy is not only about money, but also about:

Accepted Answer

The production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services are the fundamental building blocks of the economy. Although other factors may be important, such as social and cultural values, they are not central to understanding the mechanics of economic activity.

Answer: D
 Cooperation is an important aspect of economic activity, as individuals and groups work together to produce goods and services, and to distribute and consume them in a way that benefits everyone. Competition is also present, but cooperation is arguably more significant in creating a functional economy.

Quiz 11: The Economy, Work, and Working