Test bank organizational behavior robbins ch08 motivation from concept to applications

Organizational Behavior, 15e (Robbins/Judge)
Chapter 8 Motivation: From Concepts to Applications
1) ________ is an extrinsic means of motivation.
A) Recognition
B) Autonomy
C) Responsibility
D) Flexibility
E) Salary
Answer: E
Explanation: E) Salary or pay is one central means of motivation; it is a form of extrinsic motivation.
Page Ref: 240
LO: 1
Difficulty: Easy
Quest. Category: Concept
Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational
performance
2) Job design is defined as the ________.
A) degree to which the job rewards competence
B) way the elements in a job are organized
C) degree to which the job contributes to profit margins
D) degree of decision-making power with the immediate superiors
E) way the job is evaluated in terms of its relative worth to other jobs
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Job design is defined as the way the elements in a job are organized.
Page Ref: 240
LO: 1
Difficulty: Easy
Quest. Category: Concept
Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational
performance
3) With reference to the job characteristics model, which of the following defines skill variety?

A) the degree to which a job requires completion of a whole and identifiable piece of work
B) the degree to which work activities generate direct and clear information about performance
C) the degree to which a job provides the worker freedom in scheduling and procedure
D) the degree to which a job has an impact on the lives or work of other people
E) the degree to which a job requires a variety of different activities tapping different abilities
Answer: E
Explanation: E) The job characteristics model ( JCM) describes jobs in terms of five core job
dimensions: skill variety, the degree to which a job requires a variety of different activities; task identity,
the degree to which a job requires completion of a whole and identifiable piece of work; task
significance, the degree to which a job has an impact on the lives or work of other people; autonomy, the
degree to which a job provides the worker freedom in scheduling; and feedback, the degree to which
carrying out work activities generates direct and clear information about performance.

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Page Ref: 240
LO: 1
Difficulty: Easy
Quest. Category: Concept
Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational
performance
4) With reference to the job characteristics model, which of the following defines task identity?
A) the degree to which a job requires completion of a whole and identifiable piece of work
B) the degree to which work activities generate direct and clear information about performance
C) the degree to which a job provides the worker freedom in scheduling and procedure
D) the degree to which a job has an impact on the lives or work of other people
E) the degree to which a job requires a variety of different activities
Answer: A

Explanation: A) The job characteristics model ( JCM) describes jobs in terms of five core job
dimensions: skill variety, the degree to which a job requires a variety of different activities; task identity,
the degree to which a job requires completion of a whole and identifiable piece of work; task
significance, the degree to which a job has an impact on the lives or work of other people; autonomy, the
degree to which a job provides the worker freedom in scheduling; and feedback, the degree to which
carrying out work activities generates direct and clear information about performance.
Page Ref: 240
LO: 1
Difficulty: Easy
Quest. Category: Concept
Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational
performance
5) Adam Sears is an assembly line employee with Swenson Motors. Though Adam is popular among his
supervisors and colleagues, Adam experiences low morale and lack of motivation. He feels frustrated
that his job is restricted to fixing nuts and bolts on the car parts. He fears that he has no chances of
advancing in his career as he cannot completely assemble a car. Which of the following is true with
regard to Adam?
A) Adam's job has high task complexity.
B) Adam's job has a high span of control.
C) Adam's job has low role definition.
D) Adam's job has low task identity.
E) Adam's job has high task significance.
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Adam's job has low task identity. This means that the degree to which the job requires
the completion of a whole and identifiable piece of work is low.
Page Ref: 240
LO: 1
AACSB: Analytic Skills
Difficulty: Moderate
Quest. Category: Application

Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational
performance

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6) According to the job characteristics model, task significance is the degree to which ________.
A) a job requires completion of a whole and identifiable piece of work
B) a job generates direct and clear information about performance
C) a job provides the worker freedom in scheduling work and determining its procedure
D) a job bears an impact on the lives or work of other people
E) a job requires a variety of different activities
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Task significance is the degree to which a job has an impact on the lives or work of
other people.
Page Ref: 240
LO: 1
Difficulty: Easy
Quest. Category: Concept
Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational
performance
7) Samantha Barnes is an emergency medical technician. Recently, during an emergency call, she was
able to resuscitate a man who had a cardiac arrest. Subsequently, she spent some time calming the 12year-old daughter of the patient and looked after her till the rest of the patient's family arrived at the
hospital. Based on this description, it can be concluded that Samantha's job is high in ________.
A) task identity
B) feedback
C) extrinsic rewards
D) task significance
E) job rotation

Answer: D
Explanation: D) Although Samantha's job has many job characteristics, the description provided best
describes task significance. Task significance refers to the degree to which a job has an impact on the
lives of other people.
Page Ref: 240
LO: 1
AACSB: Analytic Skills
Difficulty: Moderate
Quest. Category: Application
Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational
performance
8) According to the job characteristics model, autonomy is defined as the degree to which ________.
A) a job requires completion of a whole and identifiable piece of work
B) a job generates direct and clear information about performance
C) a job provides the worker freedom, independence, and discretion
D) a job has an impact on the lives or work of other people
E) a job requires a variety of different activities
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Autonomy is the degree to which a job provides the worker freedom, independence,
and discretion in scheduling work and determining the procedures in carrying it out.

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Page Ref: 240
LO: 1
Difficulty: Easy
Quest. Category: Concept
Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational

performance
9) According to the job characteristics model, ________ indicates the degree to which carrying out work
activities generates direct and clear information about your own performance.
A) task significance
B) autonomy
C) feedback
D) task identity
E) skill variety
Answer: C
Explanation: C) According to the job characteristics model, feedback indicates the degree to which
carrying out work activities generates direct and clear information about your own performance.
Page Ref: 241
LO: 1
Difficulty: Easy
Quest. Category: Concept
Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational
performance
10) Which of the following series of dimensions of the job characteristics model (JCM) combine to
create meaningful work?
A) autonomy, task identity, and feedback
B) skill variety, autonomy, and task significance
C) skill variety, autonomy, and feedback
D) feedback, task identity, and task significance
E) skill variety, task identity, and task significance
Answer: E
Explanation: E) The first three dimensions in JCM, skill variety, task identity, and task significance,
combine to create meaningful work that the incumbent will view as important, valuable, and
worthwhile.
Page Ref: 241
LO: 1

Difficulty: Moderate
Quest. Category: Concept
Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational
performance

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11) The core dimensions of the job characteristics model can be combined into a single predictive index
called ________.
A) extrinsic motivation score
B) personal outcome score
C) job diagnostic score
D) motivating potential score
E) potential development score
Answer: D
Explanation: D) The core dimensions of the job characteristics model can be combined into a single
predictive index, called the motivating potential score.
Page Ref: 242
LO: 1
Difficulty: Moderate
Quest. Category: Concept
Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational
performance
12) Which of the following statements is true of the job characteristics model?
A) The operation of the model is universal and unaffected by cultural factors.
B) The operation of the model is relatively individualistic in nature.
C) The operation of the model requires employees to have similar skill sets.
D) The operation of the model cannot be quantitatively measured.

E) The operation of the model fulfils only extrinsic motivational needs.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) The job characteristics model is relatively individualistic in nature as it considers the
relationship between the employee and his or her work. This suggests that job enrichment strategies may
not have the same effects in collectivist ic cultures as in individualistic cultures.
Page Ref: 242
LO: 1
Difficulty: Moderate
Quest. Category: Concept
Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational
performance
13) Which of the following statements is true regarding job rotation?
A) It decreases the flexibility with which an organization can adapt to a change.
B) It decreases employee motivation.
C) It decreases productivity in the short-run.
D) It decreases supervisory workload.
E) It decreases the flexibility in scheduling work.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Job rotation increases the flexibility with which an organization can adapt to a change.
It reduces boredom and increases motivation. Productivity tends to reduce when a worker moves into a
new position and supervisory workload tends to increase because supervisors may have to spend more
time answering questions and monitoring the work of recently rotated employees.

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Page Ref: 244
LO: 2
Difficulty: Easy

Quest. Category: Concept
Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational
performance
14) The periodic shifting of an employee from one task to another with similar skill requirements at the
same organizational level is defined as ________.
A) job enlargement
B) job analysis
C) job rotation
D) job sharing
E) job enrichment
Answer: C
Explanation: C) The periodic shifting of an employee from one task to another with similar skill
requirements at the same organizational level is called job rotation.
Page Ref: 243
LO: 2
Difficulty: Easy
Quest. Category: Concept
Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational
performance
15) A prerequisite condition for job rotation is the ________.
A) presence of high level of autonomy among workers
B) presence of high need for affiliation among workers
C) presence of employees with similar skill sets and requirements
D) presence of alternative work arrangements for employees to avail
E) presence of employee involvement programs
Answer: C
Explanation: C) The periodic shifting of an employee from one task to another with similar skill
requirements at the same organizational level is called job rotation.
Page Ref: 243
LO: 2

Difficulty: Easy
Quest. Category: Concept
Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational
performance

6
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16) Managers at Flavors, a restaurant chain, train their employees such that in the absence of employees,
someone trained in the same skills can step in and do the job equally well. Thus, many modules in
training are extensive as they provide employees with details of the skill sets required for different jobs.
In practice, this lengthy training program does help the company as a well-trained and flexible
workforce is at their disposal at all times. The managers at Flavors use ________.
A) job rotation
B) vertical enhancement
C) telecommuting
D) job sharing
E) flextime
Answer: A
Explanation: A) This is an example of job rotation, or the periodic shifting of an employee from one
task to another with similar skill requirements at the same organizational level .
Page Ref: 243, 244
LO: 2
AACSB: Analytic Skills
Difficulty: Easy
Quest. Category: Application
Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational
performance
CalTrack Services has been facing employee-related issues like decreased productivity, low morale, and

poor organizational commitment in recent times. At a meeting to discuss strategies to address these
issues of immediate concern, Joe McEnroe, the production manager, proposed that the roles of
employees working on key projects be enhanced to increase autonomy. He felt that this would enhance
productivity, motivation, and accountability. Taking a cue from McEnroe, Paul Wilbur suggested job
rotation as a solution to the problem they were facing. Paul felt that a change of job roles would make
the employees keener to learn and perform. He emphasized that job rotation would help management
create a larger skill base to choose from, depending on the needs of specific projects.

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17) Which of the following, if true, would weaken the argument of adopting job rotation?
A) The employees of the company have similar skill sets which are suited to transfer of learning.
B) The company has been conducting professional training programs to keep all employees up-to-date
with the developments in the field.
C) AmWeb, one of the major rival firms, witnessed a substantial rise in profits following its crosstraining program for employees.
D) The research evidence favoring job rotation has rarely used samples from the service industry.
E) The company is now entering its busiest business season with multiple project deadlines.
Answer: E
Explanation: E) Job rotation is the periodic shifting of an employee from one task to another with
similar skill requirements at the same organizational level. With the busiest business season coming up,
time is at a premium for this company, and job rotation, though beneficial in the long run, will result in
wastage of time for all employees involved; it will also cause a drop in the immediate productivity. If the
employees of the company have similar skill sets which are suited to transfer of learning, then this
would strengthen the argument in favor of adopting job rotation. The fact that the company has been
conducting professional training programs to keep all employees up-to-date with the developments in
the field does not weaken the argument of adopting job rotation. The fact that AmWeb, one of the major
rival firms, witnessed a substantial rise in profits following its cross-training program for employees
does not strengthen or weaken the argument of adopting job rotation for CalTrack. The fact that research

evidence favoring job rotation has rarely used samples from the service industry does not strengthen or
weaken the argument of adopting job rotation.
Page Ref: 244
LO: 2
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Difficulty: Hard
Quest. Category: Critical Thinking
Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational
performance

8
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18) Which of the following, if true, would strengthen the argument in favor of adopting job rotation?
A) The company is currently facing numerous budget constraints.
B) The company can enhance productivity of existing employees in various areas for different projects.
C) Two front-level managers have resigned in the last quarter as they were not promoted.
D) The company has launched a new brand which is cannibalizing one of its existing products.
E) The company has recently given employees new responsibilities by combining their routine tasks into
natural work units.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) If the company can enhance productivity of existing employees in various areas for
different projects, then this would strengthen the argument for adopting job rotation. The strengths of job
rotation are that it reduces boredom, increases motivation, and helps employees better understand how
their work contributes to the organization. An indirect benefit is that employees with a wider range of
skills give management more flexibility in scheduling work, adapting to changes, and filling vacancies.
Since CalTrack needs to increase productivity, job rotation would help the company create a pool of
workers who are skilled in different areas that are important for different projects. If the company is
currently facing numerous budget constraints, it would weaken the argument of adopting job rotation.

The fact that two front-level managers have resigned in the last quarter as they were not promoted does
not strengthen the argument in favor of adopting job rotation. The fact that the company has launched a
new brand which is cannibalizing one of its existing products does not strengthen the argument of
adopting job rotation. If the company has recently given employees new responsibilities by combining
their routine tasks into natural work units, then this does not strengthen the argument in favor of
adopting job rotation.
Page Ref: 244
LO: 2
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Difficulty: Hard
Quest. Category: Critical Thinking
Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational
performance
19) One of the methods of job enrichment is to expand jobs vertically. This method involves modifying
the ________ dimension of the job.
A) task significance
B) autonomy
C) feedback
D) task identity
E) skill variety
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Expanding jobs vertically involves gives employees responsibilities and control
formerly reserved for management.Thus it modifies the autonomy dimension of the job.
Page Ref: 244
LO: 2
Difficulty: Easy
Quest. Category: Concept
Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational
performance

9
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20) Job enrichment is the process of ________.
A) periodic shifting of an employee from one task to another with similar skill requirements at the same
organizational level
B) expansion of jobs by increasing the degree to which the worker controls the planning, execution, and
evaluation of the work
C) redistribution of power within the organization through work councils and board representations
D) distribution of a significant degree of power between subordinates and supervisors
E) evaluation of an employee wherein subordinates, peers, and managers provide comprehensive
feedback
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Job enrichment expands jobs by increasing the degree to which the worker controls the
planning, execution, and evaluation of the work.
Page Ref: 244
LO: 2
Difficulty: Easy
Quest. Category: Concept
Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational
performance
21) The job characteristics model describes five dimensions of a job. A job can be enriched by
modifying one or more of these five dimensions. Which of the following methods of job enrichment
involves modifying skill variety and task identity dimensions of a job?
A) combining tasks
B) forming natural work units
C) establishing client relationships
D) expanding jobs vertically
E) opening feedback channels

Answer: A
Explanation: A) Combining tasks puts fractionalized tasks back together to form a new and larger
module of work. Thus, it involves modifying skill variety and task identity dimensions of a job.
Page Ref: 244
LO: 2
Difficulty: Moderate
Quest. Category: Concept
Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational
performance
22) Beyond redesigning the nature of the work itself and involving employees in decisions, another
approach to making the work environment more motivating is to alter work arrangements to meet
employee needs. Which of the following is designed to give an employee greater control of their
schedule?
A) flextime
B) gainsharing
C) job rotation
D) job enlargement
E) job enrichment
Answer: A
Explanation: A) With flextime, employees can schedule their work hours to align with personal
demands, reducing tardiness and absences, and they can work when they are most productive.
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Page Ref: 246, 247
LO: 3
Difficulty: Easy
Quest. Category: Concept
Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational

performance
23) Employees who use the flextime option have to ________.
A) work from the office for three days of the week
B) work from home on a relatively permanent basis
C) work from the office based on a schedule fixed with the compatible partner they function with
D) work from the office during the common core period and put in the extra hours as per their
convenience
E) work from home only two days a week
Answer: D
Explanation: D) With flextime, employees can schedule their work hours to align with personal
demands, reducing tardiness and absences, and they can work when they are most productive.
Employees must work a specific number of hours per week but are free to vary their hours of work
within certain limits. All employees have to be at the office for the common core period and flextime
employees enjoy flexibility as to when they put in the extra hours.
Page Ref: 246, 247
LO: 3
Difficulty: Easy
Quest. Category: Concept
Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational
performance
24) An arrangement that allows two or more individuals to split a traditional 40-hour-a-week job is
called ________.
A) flextime
B) job sharing
C) gainsharing
D) telecommuting
E) job rotation
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Job sharing allows two or more individuals to split a traditional 40-hour-a-week job.
One might perform the job from 8:00 A.M. to noon and the other from 1:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M. or the two

could work full but alternate days.
Page Ref: 247, 248
LO: 3
Difficulty: Easy
Quest. Category: Concept
Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational
performance

11
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25) Janice and Shane are both senior software analysts. They have worked together on projects for six
years and get along very well. Janice is anticipating the arrival of her first child and will not be able to
work on a full-time basis in the future. Shane is also contemplating opening his own business as a home
media installation consultant and does not want to continue to work full time. They both need some
income. Which of the following alternative job structures would be best for Janice and Shane?
A) job enlargement
B) telecommuting
C) job rotation
D) job sharing
E) job enrichment
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Since Janice and Shane are looking to work for fewer than the normal work hours
required, the best option for them would be to participate in job sharing, which allows two or more
individuals to split a traditional 40-hour-a-week job. The other structure options are still 40-hour-a-week
commitments.
Page Ref: 247, 248
LO: 3
AACSB: Analytic Skills

Difficulty: Moderate
Quest. Category: Application
Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational
performance
26) Which of the following statements is true regarding job sharing?
A) It expands jobs by increasing the degree to which the worker controls the planning, execution, and
evaluation of the work.
B) It is also called cross-training.
C) It allows two or more individuals to split a traditional 40-hour-a-week job.
D) It involves periodic shifting of an employee from one task to another with similar skill requirements
at the same organizational level.
E) Job sharing is a method of job enrichment.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Job enrichment expands jobs by increasing the degree to which the worker controls the
planning, execution, and evaluation of the work. Job sharing is not a method of job enrichment, it is an
alternative work arrangement. Job rotation involves periodic shifting of an employee from one task to
another with similar skill requirements at the same organizational level and it is also called crosstraining. Job sharing allows two or more individuals to split a traditional 40-hour-a-week job.
Page Ref: 247, 248
LO: 3
Difficulty: Easy
Quest. Category: Concept
Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational
performance

12
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27) Which of the following alternative work arrangements enables the organization to draw on the
talents of more than one individual in a given job?

A) telecommuting
B) flextime
C) gainsharing
D) profit-sharing
E) job sharing
Answer: E
Explanation: E) Job sharing allows an organization to draw on the talents of more than one individual in
a given job. It is an opportunity to get two heads but pay for only one.
Page Ref: 248
LO: 3
Difficulty: Moderate
Quest. Category: Concept
Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational
performance
28) Which of the following is the major drawback of job sharing from management's perspective?
A) increase in supervisory workload
B) increased costs for providing supporting infrastructure (such as desk and computer) to two employees
instead of one
C) difficulty in finding compatible partners
D) difficulty in designing the reward structure
E) difficulty in coordinating schedules
Answer: C
Explanation: C) The major drawback of job sharing from management's perspective is finding
compatible pairs of employees who can successfully coordinate the intricacies of one job.
Page Ref: 248
LO: 3
Difficulty: Moderate
Quest. Category: Concept
Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational
performance

13
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29) After the training and development manager at Add Worth, Nicole Hayes, resigned, the CEO has
made it a priority that the position be filled soon by someone of equal expertise and experience as
Nicole. To locate the right candidate, Jennifer Ray, the HR manager, has been contacting recruitment
firms, checking job sites, and pushing for referrals from the employees. However, she has only found
candidates with little or no experience in the field who were willing to work full time for the position. At
the next meeting with the CEO, Jennifer proposes an alternative strategy; she suggests hiring two
experienced candidates who are open to the idea of handling the training needs on a part-time basis as a
team. The CEO listens to her proposal but is not too convinced by it. Which of the following, if true,
would strengthen Jennifer's proposal to use work sharing for the vacant position?
A) Trainers are exempted from the requirement of being at the office throughout the common core
period of the workday.
B) The employees of the company on the work council have planned to demand the flextime option.
C) A good proportion of the company's prized workforce comprises employees from the baby boomer
generation who are set to retire in the impending future.
D) The headhunting firms that Jennifer contacted are usually helpful in generating a good pool of
potential candidates.
E) A rival firm recently adopted telecommuting to reduce administrative costs cutting into its bottom
line.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) The fact that a good proportion of the company's prized workforce comprises
employees of the baby boomer generation, who are set to retire in the near future, does strengthen the
implementation of job sharing. Job sharing is useful as it helps utilize the talent of employees who do
not wish to work full time like retirees and housewives. If trainers are exempted from the requirement of
being at the office throughout the common core period of the workday, that does not favor the adoption
of job sharing. The fact that the employees of the company on the work council have planned to demand

the flextime option does not favor the adoption of job sharing. The fact that the headhunting firms that
Jennifer contacted are usually helpful in generating a good pool of potential candidates, does not mean
that Add Worth must adopt job sharing. The fact that a rival firm recently adopted telecommuting to
reduce administrative costs cutting into its bottom line does not strengthen the argument that Add Worth
must implement job sharing.
Page Ref: 248
LO: 3
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Difficulty: Hard
Quest. Category: Critical Thinking
Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational
performance
30) The option of working at home at least 2 days a week on a computer linked to the employer's office
is termed as ________.
A) work sharing
B) social loafing
C) offshoring
D) telecommuting
E) homeshoring
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Telecommuting refers to an alternative work arrangement that enables the employee to
work at home at least 2 days a week on a computer linked to the employer's office.

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Page Ref: 248
LO: 3
Difficulty: Easy

Quest. Category: Concept
Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational
performance
31) Amanda McPherson is a working mother with one child and an ailing parent to look after in addition
to her duties as a wife and job responsibilities as a legal consultant. Since Amanda always felt pressed
for time, the news that the consultancy she worked for would allow her to work from home two days a
week came as a great relief to her. She now feels more motivated to work for the company as the
company has taken into account her personal and professional needs. The company has allowed Amanda
to use the option of ________.
A) gainsharing
B) offshoring
C) telecommuting
D) homeshoring
E) work sharing
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Telecommuting refers to an alternative work arrangement that enables the employee to
work at home at least 2 days a week on a computer linked to the employer's office.
Page Ref: 248
LO: 3
AACSB: Analytic Skills
Difficulty: Moderate
Quest. Category: Application
Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational
performance
32) An MNC in a developing country is operating amidst severe space constraints, and the
infrastructural conditions in the city are bad, causing a lot of lost man-hours. Anticipating rapid growth
in the months to come, the company has created a recruitment plan based on its revenue expectations.
However, it wants to manage this expansion without undertaking an expensive physical expansion.
Which of the following could be a solution for the company?
A) profit-sharing

B) groupshifting
C) telecommuting
D) gainsharing
E) codetermining
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Telecommuting refers to an alternative work arrangement that enables the employee to
work at home at least 2 days a week on a computer linked to the employer's office.
Page Ref: 248
LO: 3
AACSB: Analytic Skills
Difficulty: Moderate
Quest. Category: Application
Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational
performance
15
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33) For management, the major downside of telecommuting is ________.
A) decreased productivity
B) increased turnover
C) reduced morale
D) difficulty in scheduling work
E) less direct supervision of employees
Answer: E
Explanation: E) The potential pluses of telecommuting for management include a larger labor pool from
which to select, higher productivity, less turnover, improved morale, and reduced office space costs. The
major downside for management is less direct supervision of employees.
Page Ref: 249
LO: 3

Difficulty: Moderate
Quest. Category: Concept
Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational
performance
34) Telecommuting is an option that suits professionals like ________.
A) trainers
B) nurses
C) analysts
D) receptionists
E) sales representatives
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Three categories of professionals are most suitable for the option of telecommuting.
These are: routine information-handling tasks, mobile activities, and professional and other knowledgerelated tasks. Writers, attorneys, analysts, and employees who spend the majority of their time on
computers or the telephone are natural candidates.
Page Ref: 249
LO: 3
Difficulty: Moderate
Quest. Category: Concept
Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational
performance
35) Which of the following factors represents the influence of social aspects of the work environment on
motivation?
A) task identity
B) autonomy
C) feedback
D) interdependence
E) skill variety
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Some social characteristics that improve job performance include interdependence,
social support, and interactions with other people outside work. Social interactions are strongly related

to positive moods and give employees more opportunities to clarify their work role and how well they
are performing. Social support gives employees greater opportunities to obtain assistance with their
work.

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Copyright © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall


Page Ref: 250
LO: 3
Difficulty: Moderate
Quest. Category: Concept
Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational
performance
36) The job characteristic model fails to consider the role ________ plays in employee motivation.
A) job design
B) meaningfulness
C) social support
D) growth need
E) responsibility
Answer: C
Explanation: C) The job characteristics model is relatively individualistic in nature as it considers only
the relationship between the employee and his or her work and does not consider social aspects. Policies
such as job rotation, worker empowerment, and employee participation have positive effects on
productivity, at least partially because they encourage more communication and a positive social
environment. Some social characteristics that improve job performance include interdependence, social
support, and interactions with other people outside work. Social interactions are strongly related to
positive moods and give employees more opportunities to clarify their work role and how well they are
performing. Social support gives employees greater opportunities to obtain assistance with their work.
Page Ref: 249, 250

LO: 3
Difficulty: Moderate
Quest. Category: Concept
Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational
performance
37) ________ is a participative process that uses employees' input to increase their commitment to the
organization's success.
A) Job enrichment
B) Employee involvement
C) Vertical integration
D) Groupshifting
E) Job sharing
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Employee involvement is a participative process that uses employees' input to increase
their commitment to the organization's success. The logic is that if workers are engaged in decisions that
affect them and have increased autonomy, they will become more motivated, committed, productive, and
satisfied with their jobs.
Page Ref: 250
LO: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Quest. Category: Concept
Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational
performance

17
Copyright © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall


38) To be effective, an employee involvement program must ________.
A) rightsize the company by eliminating obsolete positions

B) incorporate the unique demands of different cultures
C) mandatorily establish work councils in the company
D) eliminate the influence of employees in managerial decision making
E) implement autocratic ways of handling its employees
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Employee involvement programs differ among countries. Studies have shown how an
employee involvement program that was successful in one cultural context backfired among employees
of another culture. Thus, to be successful, an employee involvement program must incorporate the
unique demands of different cultures.
Page Ref: 251
LO: 4
Difficulty: Moderate
Quest. Category: Concept
Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational
performance
39) Which of the following is the distinct characteristic of participative management programs?
A) joint decision making
B) representative participation
C) performance norms
D) establishment of work councils
E) autocratic decision making
Answer: A
Explanation: A) The distinct characteristic common to all participative management programs is joint
decision making, in which subordinates share a significant degree of decision-making power with their
immediate superiors.
Page Ref: 251
LO: 4
Difficulty: Moderate
Quest. Category: Concept
Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational

performance
40) Participative management is a method of management where ________.
A) representatives of workers form work councils and these councils must be consulted when
management makes decisions about employees
B) few representatives of workers sit on a company's board of directors
C) subordinates share a significant degree of decision-making power with their immediate superiors
D) low-level workers meet occasionally with the CEO to discuss problems within their department
E) low-level workers are responsible for making corporate policy decisions
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Participative management is joint decision making, in which subordinates share a
significant degree of decision-making power with their immediate superiors.

18
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Page Ref: 251
LO: 4
Difficulty: Moderate
Quest. Category: Concept
Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational
performance
41) The two major forms of employee involvement are participative management and ________.
A) organizational restructuring
B) job sharing
C) representative participation
D) job rotation
E) job enlargement
Answer: C
Explanation: C) The two major forms of employee involvement are participative management and

representative participation.
Page Ref: 251
LO: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Quest. Category: Concept
Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational
performance
42) Representative participation is characterized by ________.
A) joint decision making by employees and management
B) democratic leadership behaviors
C) open and honest two-way communication
D) a significant positive impact on employee morale and performance
E) compliance with the legal need to redistribute power within organizations
Answer: E
Explanation: E) Representative participation is a widely legislated form of employee involvement
aimed at redistributing power within an organization and putting labor on a more equal footing with the
interests of management and stockholders. This is done by letting workers be represented by a small
group of employees who actually participate.
Page Ref: 251
LO: 4
Difficulty: Moderate
Quest. Category: Concept
Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational
performance

19
Copyright © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall


43) The two most common forms of representative participation are ________ and board

representatives.
A) quality circles
B) work councils
C) employee unions
D) task teams
E) cross-functional teams
Answer: B
Explanation: B) The two most common forms of representative participation are work councils and
board representatives.
Page Ref: 251
LO: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Quest. Category: Concept
Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational
performance
44) The main drawback of representative participation as an employee involvement measure is that
________.
A) it is a time-consuming process
B) it is able to exert its impact only in the short run
C) it is primarily symbolic in its impact
D) it is consistent with the Theory Y view of motivation
E) it is likely to require a major change in organizational roles
Answer: C
Explanation: C) The influence of representative participation on working employees seems to be
minimal. Works councils are dominated by management and have little impact on employees or the
organization. While participation might increase the motivation and satisfaction of employee
representatives, there is little evidence this trickles down to the employees they represent. The greatest
value of representative participation is symbolic. If one is interested in changing employee attitudes or in
improving organizational performance, representative participation would be a poor choice.
Page Ref: 252

LO: 4
Difficulty: Moderate
Quest. Category: Concept
Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational
performance

20
Copyright © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall


45) Woodworth & Baines is a retail chain that has taken up numerous measures to improve employee
attitude, motivation, and organizational performance. New training programs, employee engagement
initiatives, and an employee welfare council were the three main strategies implemented as part of the
employee empowerment program. Norman Kilner was one of twenty employees nominated to the
employee welfare council where they were required to interact with the management to promote the
interests of the employees. Additionally, the job roles of these twenty employees were vertically
enhanced to give them more autonomy in the organization. However, six months into the employee
empowerment program, a survey by HR revealed no actual change in employee attitudes. Similarly, a
survey conducted by the production manager revealed that work productivity had not increased by any
substantial measure either. Which of the following, if true, would best explain this outcome?
A) Management strengthened the regulations relating to employee absenteeism in this period.
B) Management retained the degree of control they had in the organizational affairs.
C) The company moved from a merit-based to a piece-rate pay system in the last quarters.
D) The employees performed poorly because of the lack of training and development programs.
E) Management implemented a 360-degree feedback system for performance appraisals.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) The fact that management retained the degree of control they had in the organizational
affair does explain this outcome. The influence of representative participation on working employees
seems to be minimal. Works councils are dominated by management and have little impact on
employees or the organization. While participation might increase the motivation and satisfaction of

employee representatives, there is little evidence this trickles down to the employees they represent. The
fact that management strengthened the regulations relating to employee absenteeism in this period does
not explain this outcome. The fact that the company moved from a merit-based to a piece-rate pay
system in the last quarters does not explain this outcome. The outcome cannot be attributed to the
employees lacking training. The fact that management implemented a 360-degree feedback system for
performance appraisals does not explain this outcome.
Page Ref: 252
LO: 4
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Difficulty: Hard
Quest. Category: Critical Thinking
Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational
performance
46) Which of the following is Theory X consistent with?
A) the autocratic style of managing people
B) the principles of participative management
C) the vertical enhancement of jobs to enhance autonomy
D) the use of recognition and achievements to motivate employees
E) the reduced need of supervision and direction from managers
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Theory Y is consistent with participative management and Theory X with the more
traditional autocratic style of managing people.
Page Ref: 252
LO: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Quest. Category: Concept
Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational
performance
21
Copyright © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall

47) Internal equity refers to the ________.
A) list of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required in a particular job
B) arrangement of the elements of different jobs in the organization
C) worth of the job to the organization
D) organization's pay relative to pay elsewhere in its industry
E) framework of tasks, duties, and responsibilities that the job involves
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Internal equity refers to the worth of the job to the organization. It is usually established
through a technical process called job evaluation.
Page Ref: 252
LO: 5
Difficulty: Easy
Quest. Category: Concept
Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational
performance
48) The external competitiveness of an organization's pay relative to elsewhere in the industry is
measured by its ________.
A) external benefit
B) external rotation
C) external costs
D) external equity
E) external liability
Answer: D
Explanation: D) The external competitiveness of an organization's pay relative to pay elsewhere in its
industry is defined as external equity.
Page Ref: 252
LO: 5
Difficulty: Easy

Quest. Category: Concept
Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational
performance
49) ________ bases a portion of an employee's pay on some individual and/or organizational measure of
performance.
A) Guaranteed pay program
B) Variable-pay program
C) Flexible benefits program
D) Modular plans program
E) Base pay program
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Variable-pay programs base a portion of an employee's pay on some individual and/or
organizational measure of performance.
Page Ref: 253
LO: 5
Difficulty: Easy
Quest. Category: Concept
Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational
performance
22
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50) The ________ pay plan has long been popular as a means of compensating production workers by
paying a fixed sum for each unit of production completed.
A) competency-based
B) gainsharing
C) piece-rate
D) profit sharing
E) merit-based

Answer: C
Explanation: C) The piece-rate pay plan has long been popular as a means of compensating production
workers by paying a fixed sum for each unit of production completed. A pure piece-rate plan provides no
base salary and pays the employee only for what he or she produces.
Page Ref: 254
LO: 5
Difficulty: Easy
Quest. Category: Concept
Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational
performance
51) Which of the following is an example of a piece-rate plan?
A) $20 for each hour of work
B) $2 for each unit produced
C) stock options at cheaper prices
D) straight commission plan
E) spot bonuses
Answer: B
Explanation: B) The piece-rate pay plan is a means of compensating production workers by paying a
fixed sum for each unit of production completed. Paying $2 for each unit produced represents a piecerate pay plan.
Page Ref: 254
LO: 5
AACSB: Analytic Skills
Difficulty: Moderate
Quest. Category: Application
Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational
performance
52) Which of the following statements is true regarding a merit-based pay plan?
A) It bases pay levels on how many skills employees have or how many jobs they can do.
B) It is also called competency-based pay plan.
C) Unions typically resist merit-based pay plan.

D) It distributes compensation based on an established formula designed around a company's
profitability.
E) A typical merit-based pay plan provides no base salary and pays the employee only for what he or she
produces.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) A merit-based pay plan pays for individual performance based on performance
appraisal ratings. Unions typically resist merit pay plans. A pure piece-rate pay plan provides no base
salary and pays the employee only for what he or she produces.

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Page Ref: 253, 255
LO: 3
Difficulty: Easy
Quest. Category: Concept
Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational
performance
53) A ________ pay plan pays for individual performance based on performance appraisal ratings.
A) piece-rate
B) merit-based
C) employee stock ownership
D) profit sharing
E) gainsharing
Answer: B
Explanation: B) A merit-based pay plan pays for individual performance based on performance
appraisal ratings.
Page Ref: 254
LO: 5

Difficulty: Easy
Quest. Category: Concept
Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational
performance
54) Daichi Inc. is a Japanese software development firm known for its high quality products. Recently,
the company held its annual conference and awarded all those employees who were in the top five
percent with substantial monetary rewards. Their performance was evaluated on the basis of target
achievement, client feedback, and quality ratings. Employees whose performance had not changed
drastically were given a minor raise and those who faired badly received no incentives. Many employees
blamed the company of creating differences among employees because they felt that it would harm the
company in the long run, but Daichi Inc. truly believes that to retain and motivate its best performers, a
large incentive is a good step. Daichi Inc. is using a(n) ________ here.
A) piece-rate plan
B) employee stock ownership plan
C) modular plan
D) merit-based plan
E) flexible benefits plan
Answer: D
Explanation: D) A merit-based pay plan pays for individual performance based on performance
appraisal ratings. Daichi Inc. rewarded these employees on the basis of meritorious performance.
Page Ref: 254
LO: 5
AACSB: Analytic Skills
Difficulty: Moderate
Quest. Category: Application
Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational
performance

24
Copyright © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall

55) Which of the following represents a pay plan that rewards employees for recent performance rather
than historical performance?
A) bonus
B) flexible benefits
C) modular plans
D) cafeteria plans
E) base salary
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Bonuses are used in a pay plan that rewards employees for recent performance rather
than historical performance.
Page Ref: 255
LO: 5
Difficulty: Easy
Quest. Category: Concept
Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational
performance
56) What is an advantage of bonuses over merit-based pay plan?
A) Employees don't view bonuses as a part of their salary.
B) Bonuses improve flexibility of the workforce.
C) Bonuses are paid based on a formula.
D) Bonuses improve performance of the group as a whole.
E) Employees are rewarded for recent performance.
Answer: E
Explanation: E) The incentive effects of performance bonuses are generally higher than those of merit
pay because, rather than paying for performance years ago (that was rolled into base pay), bonuses
reward recent performance.
Page Ref: 255
LO: 5

Difficulty: Moderate
Quest. Category: Concept
Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational
performance
57) In which of the following variable-pay programs is the pay level based on how many skills
employees have or how many jobs they can do?
A) bonuses
B) piece-rate pay
C) skill-based pay
D) gainsharing
E) merit-based pay
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Skill-based pay is a pay plan that sets pay levels on the basis of how many skills
employees have or how many jobs they can do.
Page Ref: 256
LO: 5
Difficulty: Easy
Quest. Category: Concept
Learning Outcome: Describe the major theories of motivation and relate them to organizational
performance
25
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