Question 1

Briefly describe individual incentive pay plans.

Accepted Answer

Generally speaking,individual incentive plans reward individual performance on a real-time basis.Rather than increasing a person's base salary at the end of the year,an individual instead receives some level of salary increase or financial reward in conjunction with demonstrated outstanding performance in close proximity to when that performance occurred.Individual incentive systems are most likely to be used in cases where performancecan be objectively assessed in terms of number of units of output or similar measures rather than on a subjective assessment of performance by a superior.

Question 2

Which of the following attempts to increase both the number of tasks a worker does and the control the worker has over the job?

Accepted Answer

A)  Job enlargement 
B)  Job rotation 
C)  Job characteristics 
D)  Job enrichment 
E)  Personality-job fit 
A)  Job enlargement 
B)  Job rotation 
C)  Job characteristics 
D)  Job enrichment 
E)  Personality-job fit D

Question 3

A(n) _____ is the most general form of a merit-pay plan.

Accepted Answer

A)  quarterlybonus 
B)  monthlyincentive 
C)  annual salary increase 
D)  gainsharing arrangement 
E)  skill-based pay 
A)  quarterlybonus 
B)  monthlyincentive 
C)  annual salary increase 
D)  gainsharing arrangement 
E)  skill-based pay C

Question 4

The ____ approach is an alternative to job specialization that considers the work system and employee preferences.

Accepted Answer

A)  job enlargement 
B)  job rotation 
C)  job characteristics 
D)  job enrichment 
E)  work teams 
A)  job enlargement 
B)  job rotation 
C)  job characteristics 
D)  job enrichment 
E)  work teams

Question 5

Scenario 14.1
Wilkinson Inc., a manufacturer of baby strollers, experiences a decline in sales in the first quarter of a financial year.The top management of Wilkinson meets to discuss ways to improve sales and decides to employ a range of performance-enhancement techniques for its employees.It then entrusts department heads to frame suitable plans for their respective departments.
-Refer to Scenario 14.1.The management directs the customer service department to design an online response page where customers can record their experiences and offer suggestions for improvement.These suggestions will be directed to individual workers through respective departments and necessary measures would be taken to improve quality and customer experience.Which of the following aspects of the job characteristics approach is given importance by Wilkinson?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 6

Which of the following is true of the productivity measurement and evaluation system (ProMES)?

Accepted Answer

A)  It incorporates ideas from goal setting to feedbackand includes incentives for improvement. 
B)  It rewards employees on the basis of number of units produced or total sales achieved. 
C)  It allows senior managers of a company to purchase company stocks in the future at a predetermined rate. 
D)  It allows employees maximum flexibility to choose work hours and location. 
E)  It allows organizations to use the service of employees who might not be able to work at a given site. 
A)  It incorporates ideas from goal setting to feedbackand includes incentives for improvement. 
B)  It rewards employees on the basis of number of units produced or total sales achieved. 
C)  It allows senior managers of a company to purchase company stocks in the future at a predetermined rate. 
D)  It allows employees maximum flexibility to choose work hours and location. 
E)  It allows organizations to use the service of employees who might not be able to work at a given site.

Question 7

Organizations offering flexible work hour plans decide a _____ during which every employee must be at work.

Accepted Answer

A)  regular time 
B)  core time 
C)  full-time 
D)  flextime 
E)  part time 
A)  regular time 
B)  core time 
C)  full-time 
D)  flextime 
E)  part time

Question 8

_____is thesystematic and simultaneous application of positive reinforcementand either punishment or extinction.

Accepted Answer

A)  Job rotation 
B)  Behavior modification 
C)  Gainsharing 
D)  Job enlargement 
E)  Goal setting 
A)  Job rotation 
B)  Behavior modification 
C)  Gainsharing 
D)  Job enlargement 
E)  Goal setting

Question 9

Which of the following is NOT an issue surrounding the use of telecommuting?

Accepted Answer

A)  It requires employees to travel to office and receive their assignments. 
B)  It becomes more difficult for unions to organize workers. 
C)  It is difficult for new employees to become socialized into an organization. 
D)  Some individuals lack the self-discipline to conduct work in an unconstrained environment. 
E)  It increases employees' sense of alienation at work. 
A)  It requires employees to travel to office and receive their assignments. 
B)  It becomes more difficult for unions to organize workers. 
C)  It is difficult for new employees to become socialized into an organization. 
D)  Some individuals lack the self-discipline to conduct work in an unconstrained environment. 
E)  It increases employees' sense of alienation at work.

Question 10

Which of the following is a disadvantage of implementing compressed workweek arrangements?

Accepted Answer

A)  Individuals who lack the discipline to work in unconstrained environments misuse the arrangement. 
B)  Labor unions face difficulty in organizing workers. 
C)  The greater number of days off affects the social aspects of jobs. 
D)  Employees are more likely to be forced to work overtime. 
E)  It is more likely that he or she will lose work time to deal with personal business. 
A)  Individuals who lack the discipline to work in unconstrained environments misuse the arrangement. 
B)  Labor unions face difficulty in organizing workers. 
C)  The greater number of days off affects the social aspects of jobs. 
D)  Employees are more likely to be forced to work overtime. 
E)  It is more likely that he or she will lose work time to deal with personal business.

Question 11

Which of the following is NOT an example of an incentive pay system?

Accepted Answer

A)  Delgado Inc.provides its sales personnel with additional incentives every time a he or she sells beyond the daily target. 
B)  Wilkinson Corp.offers a cash prize to the worker who develops the best solution to an organizational problem. 
C)  A jewelry store chain offers annual bonuses to its workers who are highly productive. 
D)  An airline pays its pilots a base salary plus a bonus depending on the number of their "on-time" flights. 
E)  QuLine Inc.provides a higher salary to engineers with a Master's degree than to those with a Bachelor's degree. 
A)  Delgado Inc.provides its sales personnel with additional incentives every time a he or she sells beyond the daily target. 
B)  Wilkinson Corp.offers a cash prize to the worker who develops the best solution to an organizational problem. 
C)  A jewelry store chain offers annual bonuses to its workers who are highly productive. 
D)  An airline pays its pilots a base salary plus a bonus depending on the number of their "on-time" flights. 
E)  QuLine Inc.provides a higher salary to engineers with a Master's degree than to those with a Bachelor's degree.

Question 12

Job rotation involves moving employees from one job to another in order to enhance skills and flexibility.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 13

Which of the following statements reflects the challenges faced by contemporary human resource departments in the context of cybersecurity?

Accepted Answer

A)  Confidentiality requirements for sensitive data are denying profitable employment opportunities to a large population. 
B)  Every desktop computer, laptop, or hand-held device isvulnerable to attack in an organization. 
C)  Large organizations have significantly reduced the benefits they provide to employees due to the increasing importance given to cybersecurity. 
D)  The human resource personnel in various organizations is finding it increasingly difficult to make the employees understand the importance of cybersecurity training programs. 
E)  Increasing an organization's employee presence on social media is a huge task. 
A)  Confidentiality requirements for sensitive data are denying profitable employment opportunities to a large population. 
B)  Every desktop computer, laptop, or hand-held device isvulnerable to attack in an organization. 
C)  Large organizations have significantly reduced the benefits they provide to employees due to the increasing importance given to cybersecurity. 
D)  The human resource personnel in various organizations is finding it increasingly difficult to make the employees understand the importance of cybersecurity training programs. 
E)  Increasing an organization's employee presence on social media is a huge task.

Question 14

James is an employee at a specialty hospital.His job duties vary from day to day in any given week.On Mondays, he reviews and files patient charts.On Tuesdays and Thursdays, he collects lab specimens from patients.On Wednesdays, he enters lab results into the computer database and on Fridays, he does insurance paperwork.Which of the following motivational approaches to the redesign of work is being exemplified in this scenario?

Accepted Answer

A)  Job enrichment 
B)  Job enlargement 
C)  Job characteristics 
D)  Personality-job fit 
E)  Job rotation 
A)  Job enrichment 
B)  Job enlargement 
C)  Job characteristics 
D)  Personality-job fit 
E)  Job rotation

Question 15

Scenario 14.1
Wilkinson Inc., a manufacturer of baby strollers, experiences a decline in sales in the first quarter of a financial year.The top management of Wilkinson meets to discuss ways to improve sales and decides to employ a range of performance-enhancement techniques for its employees.It then entrusts department heads to frame suitable plans for their respective departments.
-Refer to Scenario 14.1.The human resource department proposes to arrange feedback sessions for employees in order to enhance their performance.Through these sessions, employees would get a clear idea of what they do and what is expected of them.Which of the following approaches to performance feedback should Wilkinsonadopt to ensure employee productivity?

Accepted Answer

A)  Lecturing an employee on the outcome of performance-appraisal interview 
B)  Avoiding criticism to uphold an employee's confidence and morale 
C)  Providing feedback annually in tandem with the annual performance-appraisal interview 
D)  Balancing both positive and negative attributes of an employee's performance 
E)  Focusing on the present and avoiding discussion on an employee's future prospects 
A)  Lecturing an employee on the outcome of performance-appraisal interview 
B)  Avoiding criticism to uphold an employee's confidence and morale 
C)  Providing feedback annually in tandem with the annual performance-appraisal interview 
D)  Balancing both positive and negative attributes of an employee's performance 
E)  Focusing on the present and avoiding discussion on an employee's future prospects

Question 16

Which of the following is a work schedule plan that involves employees working 40 hours, five days a week but with some employee control over starting and ending times for work each day?

Accepted Answer

A)  Flexible work hour plan 
B)  Compressed workweek schedule 
C)  Home work program 
D)  Individual incentive plan 
E)  Cafeteria-style benefits plan 
A)  Flexible work hour plan 
B)  Compressed workweek schedule 
C)  Home work program 
D)  Individual incentive plan 
E)  Cafeteria-style benefits plan

Question 17

Which of the following is a true statement about the assessment of organizational success?

Accepted Answer

A)  A firm's stock price provides a complete evaluation of organizational success. 
B)  The accurate method of assessing an organization's success is by measuring the number of units produced. 
C)  An organization's success needs to be assessed by examining the state of multiple indicators. 
D)  Financial indicators are more important than human resource indicators while assessing an organization's success. 
E)  An effective performance-enhancement program has no impact on an organization's success. 
A)  A firm's stock price provides a complete evaluation of organizational success. 
B)  The accurate method of assessing an organization's success is by measuring the number of units produced. 
C)  An organization's success needs to be assessed by examining the state of multiple indicators. 
D)  Financial indicators are more important than human resource indicators while assessing an organization's success. 
E)  An effective performance-enhancement program has no impact on an organization's success.

Question 18

Which of the following incentive compensation systems allows an organization to pay an employee a certain amount of money for each unit of output he or she produces?

Accepted Answer

A)  Piece-rate plan 
B)  Merit-pay plan 
C)  Bonus 
D)  Commission 
E)  Knowledge-based pay 
A)  Piece-rate plan 
B)  Merit-pay plan 
C)  Bonus 
D)  Commission 
E)  Knowledge-based pay

Question 19

Which of the following measures do modern organizations adopt to retain talented and mobile employees?

Accepted Answer

A)  Designing formal policies regarding ownership of Twitter accounts 
B)  Examining employees' online presence and activities 
C)  Favoring employees who follow a particular religious faith 
D)  Offering lavish, unusual, and expensive benefits 
E)  Educating employees to avoid conducting businesses in public places 
A)  Designing formal policies regarding ownership of Twitter accounts 
B)  Examining employees' online presence and activities 
C)  Favoring employees who follow a particular religious faith 
D)  Offering lavish, unusual, and expensive benefits 
E)  Educating employees to avoid conducting businesses in public places

Question 20

Which of the following incentive reward systems distributes thecost savings resulting from a work team's suggestion among all employees in an organization?

Accepted Answer

A)  Gainsharingplan 
B)  Scanlon plan 
C)  Merit-pay plan 
D)  Sales commission 
E)  Piece-rate plan 
A)  Gainsharingplan 
B)  Scanlon plan 
C)  Merit-pay plan 
D)  Sales commission 
E)  Piece-rate plan

Briefly describe individual incentive pay plans.

Which of the following attempts to increase both the number of tasks a worker does and the control the worker has over the job?

A(n) _____ is the most general form of a merit-pay plan.

The ____ approach is an alternative to job specialization that considers the work system and employee preferences.

Which of the following is true of the productivity measurement and evaluation system (ProMES)?

Organizations offering flexible work hour plans decide a _____ during which every employee must be at work.

_____is thesystematic and simultaneous application of positive reinforcementand either punishment or extinction.

Which of the following is NOT an issue surrounding the use of telecommuting?

Which of the following is a disadvantage of implementing compressed workweek arrangements?

Which of the following is NOT an example of an incentive pay system?

Job rotation involves moving employees from one job to another in order to enhance skills and flexibility.

Which of the following statements reflects the challenges faced by contemporary human resource departments in the context of cybersecurity?

Which of the following is a work schedule plan that involves employees working 40 hours, five days a week but with some employee control over starting and ending times for work each day?

Which of the following is a true statement about the assessment of organizational success?

Which of the following incentive compensation systems allows an organization to pay an employee a certain amount of money for each unit of output he or she produces?

Which of the following measures do modern organizations adopt to retain talented and mobile employees?

Which of the following incentive reward systems distributes thecost savings resulting from a work team's suggestion among all employees in an organization?

The Nature of Human Resource Management

The Legal Environment

The Global Environment

The Competitive Environment

Information for Making Human Resource Decisions

Human Resource Decision Making in Organizations

Recruiting, Selecting, Training, and Developing Employees

Managing a New and Diverse Workforce

Compensation & Benefits

Performance Appraisal & Career Management

Managing Labor Relations

Safety, Health, Well-Being, & Security

Motivation at Work

Filters

Exam 14: Managing & Enhancing Performance: The Big Picture

Briefly describe individual incentive pay plans.

Which of the following attempts to increase both the number of tasks a worker does and the control the worker has over the job?

A(n) _____ is the most general form of a merit-pay plan.

The ____ approach is an alternative to job specialization that considers the work system and employee preferences.

Which of the following is true of the productivity measurement and evaluation system (ProMES)?

Organizations offering flexible work hour plans decide a _____ during which every employee must be at work.

_____is thesystematic and simultaneous application of positive reinforcementand either punishment or extinction.

Which of the following is NOT an issue surrounding the use of telecommuting?

Which of the following is a disadvantage of implementing compressed workweek arrangements?

Which of the following is NOT an example of an incentive pay system?

Job rotation involves moving employees from one job to another in order to enhance skills and flexibility.

Which of the following statements reflects the challenges faced by contemporary human resource departments in the context of cybersecurity?

Which of the following is a work schedule plan that involves employees working 40 hours, five days a week but with some employee control over starting and ending times for work each day?

Which of the following is a true statement about the assessment of organizational success?

Which of the following incentive compensation systems allows an organization to pay an employee a certain amount of money for each unit of output he or she produces?

Which of the following measures do modern organizations adopt to retain talented and mobile employees?

Which of the following incentive reward systems distributes thecost savings resulting from a work team's suggestion among all employees in an organization?

The Nature of Human Resource Management

The Legal Environment

The Global Environment

The Competitive Environment

Information for Making Human Resource Decisions

Human Resource Decision Making in Organizations

Recruiting, Selecting, Training, and Developing Employees

Managing a New and Diverse Workforce

Compensation & Benefits

Performance Appraisal & Career Management

Managing Labor Relations

Safety, Health, Well-Being, & Security

Motivation at Work

Filters