Deck 9: Motivating, Satisfying, and Leading Employees

Question 1

XYZ Enterprises has just downsized, eliminating the middle-management positions into which many entry-level managers had hoped to be promoted. How might this affect XYZ Enterprises?
Employees at XYZ will likely see fewer inducements.
The psychological contract will likely be easier to manage now.
The person‒job fit is likely to be more on target now.
XYZ will likely see more contributions from employees.
There will be little change.

Answer 1

Employees at XYZ will likely see fewer inducements.

Question 2

Which of the following statements is true regarding employee behaviour?
Most employees in similar industries perform similarly.
Employee behaviors contribute directly to productivity and performance.
Employee behaviors contribute indirectly to productivity and performance.
Organizational citizenship behaviors are the total set of work-related behaviors that the organization expects employees to display.
Theft and sabotage result in indirect financial costs for an organization.

Answer 2

Employee behaviors contribute directly to productivity and performance.

Question 3

Self-awareness, empathy, and social skills are all part of
attitudes.
emotional intelligence.
personality.
self-esteem.
organizational citizenship.

Answer 3

emotional intelligence.

Question 4

Counterproductive behaviors include all of the following except
absenteeism.
turnover.
theft.
emotionality.
sexual harassment.

Question 5

Which statement is true regarding job satisfaction?
High levels of job satisfaction almost always lead to higher productivity.
High levels of job satisfaction do not necessarily lead to higher productivity.
Job satisfaction is sometimes called job commitment.
Job satisfaction is not an attitude.
It is not possible to say anything about the relationship between job satisfaction and productivity.

Question 6

A(n) _____ contract is the set of expectations held by employees concerning what they will contribute to an organization and what the organization will provide in return.
psychological
employee
inducements/contribution
leadership
attitudinal

Question 7

Patricia and Gita were debating the meaning of the term "psychological contract." Patricia would be correct if her meaning encompassed
the level of anxiety each employee displays when working.
the contract signed when taking a stress leave.
the set of expectations held by an employee concerning what he or she will contribute to an organization and what the organization will provide for the employee in return.
the satisfaction of each employee with regard to their paycheque.
the emotional role each employee plays in relation to other employees.

Question 8

Organizational citizenship refers to
employee behavior that contributes to the organization's bottom line.
behavior of employees who make a positive overall contribution to the organization.
those behaviors that are always easily defined and measured.
those behaviors that detract from organizational performance.
an employee who refuses to work overtime.

Question 9

What is the meaning of the term "turnover" when dealing with people in the organization?
Turnover measures the departure of employees from the organization.
Turnover measures the rate at which the finished goods inventory is sold during the year.
Turnover is the mental attitude about the job.
Turnover reflects the number of grievances submitted by employees.
Turnover measures the profitability of the firm per employee.

Question 10

Which of the following is not an organizational benefit of satisfied workers?
Fewer grievances
High turnover
Increased commitment to the employer
More loyalty to the organization
Higher level of effort

Question 11

A survey conducted by CareerBuilder revealed that managers placed a high priority on emotional intelligence when hiring. The survey also found that
women were more highly motivated than men.
managers put a higher priority on emotional intelligence than on mental intelligence.
immigrants were more highly motivated than any other group.
pay was not the most important motivating factor for workers.
the possibility of advancement was more important for men than for women.

Question 12

What is a contributing factor to the higher costs experienced by firms with a low level of employee job satisfaction?
Higher salary levels
Greater willingness to work overtime
Lower absenteeism
Increased loyalty to the organization
Higher turnover rates

Question 13

Motivation is
a characteristic in employees over which management has no control.
the set of forces that causes people to behave in certain ways.
a characteristic only of middle and upper management.
an inner characteristic that employees either have or don't have.
something that allows management to step aside and let the workers take control.

Question 14

Agreeableness, emotionality, and extroversion are all part of
EQ.
emotional intelligence.
personality.
attitude.
organizational commitment.

Question 15

________ refers to the extent to which people have positive attitudes toward their jobs, while _______ refers to the overall attitude people have toward their workplace.
Organizational commitment; morale
Morale; organizational commitment
Motivation; human relations
Job satisfaction; morale
Morale; job satisfaction

Question 16

Christine is a programmer for a software company. In terms of a psychological contract, her _____ include her education, skills, effort, time, and energy, while her ________ include a good place to work, nice benefits, and a large salary.
promises; commitments
commitments; satisfaction
contributions; inducements
inducements; contributions
satisfaction; commitments

Question 17

Terry experiences a high degree of enjoyment from performing his job. The term that identifies this enjoyment is known as
conscientiousness.
human relations.
motivation.
job satisfaction.
extroversion.

Question 18

What is the meaning of the term "job satisfaction"?
An action on the part of management which makes the employees believe they are receiving special attention
Satisfaction with the quality of leadership that employees are receiving
The overall attitude people have toward their workplace
The extent to which people have positive attitudes toward their jobs
None of these

Question 19

Compared to workers with high morale and job satisfaction, workers with poor morale and job dissatisfaction are
more likely to quit.
more likely to enjoy their job.
more likely to have reduced absenteeism.
less productive.
all of these.

Question 20

A good person‒job fit is a situation in which
the employee's contributions and the company's inducements balance.
the employee's contributions slightly exceed the company's inducements.
the company's inducements slightly exceed the employee's contributions.
the person hired for the job is qualified for it.
the person has the right psychological makeup for the job.

Question 21

Which is the best illustration of a Theory X manager?
Believes that people's social and esteem needs must be met by the organization
Believes that people are naturally energetic, responsible, and interested in being productive
Believes that people are naturally irresponsible, uncooperative, and must be threatened in order to be productive
Has a high concern for production and an equally high concern for people
Believes that people want to balance inputs and output

Question 22

What was the result of the Hawthorne studies that puzzled the researchers?
The redesigned jobs made the work easier and faster for the employees.
Worker productivity increased when pay was increased.
Productivity went up when the amount of lighting was increased.
The differential percent pay system was ineffective in increasing productivity.
Increased lighting levels improved productivity, but so did lowering lighting levels.

Question 23

Time and motion studies
are the basis of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Model.
determine how best to perform a job most efficiently.
helped with the Hawthorne studies.
are crucial for improving human resources.
are conducted mainly by aerospace engineers.

Question 24

What was the original intent of the Hawthorne studies?
To study the relationships within a hierarchy of human needs
To examine the relationship between changes in workers' physical environments and worker output
To measure the impact of employee satisfaction on employee output
To redesign jobs at the Western Electric Plant
To assist Henry Ford in the layout of an assembly line

Question 25

What conclusions did business managers draw from scientific management?
Because salary is a hygiene factor, wages do not motivate workers to produce more.
The informal group was relatively unimportant.
Goal setting increased worker output.
Business firms had to provide for food, water, shelter, and sleep for their workers to increase output.
Paying workers a higher wage and redesigning the job into simple tasks would dramatically increase output.

Question 26

The concept of finding the "one best way" to do a job was a key feature of
scientific management.
Herzberg's two-factor theory.
Maslow's study of human needs.
the Hawthorne studies.
expectancy theory.

Question 27

Which of the following is correct regarding scientific management?
Job analysis permitted the breakdown of the jobs into easily repeated tasks, which increased the production rate.
Improved lighting increased the production rate.
Individual workers received lower wages even though their production increased.
Firms permitted their employees to determine how the job would be performed.
All of these

Question 28

A manager makes several changes in his employees' working environment to see if morale increases. Assuming the Hawthorne Effect is operating, which of the following is most likely to result?
Employees will be annoyed with the changes.
Some of the changes will work better than others.
There will be no effect because the cause of the employees' morale problems has not been identified.
No environmental changes can be made in the employees' work environment due to the nature of their work.
Employee productivity will increase irrespective of which changes are made.

Question 29

The Theory Y approach works best for people who
are motivated by basic needs.
are naturally energetic and growth oriented.
are uncooperative and irresponsible.
have a high concern for salary.
want to earn a lot of money.

Question 30

A theory Y manager
believes that people's social and esteem needs must be met by the organization.
believes that people are naturally irresponsible and must be threatened in order to be productive.
has a high concern for production and an equally high concern for people.
believes that people are naturally cooperative and interested in being productive.
believes that the most important needs are security and esteem needs.

Question 31

Which theory suggests that some managers believe that people are naturally responsible and growth oriented, self-motivated, and interested in being productive?
Maslow's hierarchy of needs
Litwin's theory of organizational effort
McGregor's theory
Herzberg's theory
Equity theory

Question 32

Kathy believes that her workers are naturally energetic, growth-oriented, self-motivated, and interested in being productive. Her beliefs closely parallel the ________ theory of motivation.
Theory Y
Theory X
two-factor theory
expectancy theory
hierarchy of needs

Question 33

David thinks his workers are naturally lazy and uncooperative and must therefore be either punished or rewarded to be made productive. David subscribes to the theory of motivation called
the hierarchy of needs.
Theory Y.
Theory X.
two-factor theory.
expectancy theory.

Question 34

Among the flaws of scientific management is that it
does not recognize the importance of money as a motivator.
does time-and-motion studies.
was a success with manual labour jobs.
doesn't see that there are factors other than money that contribute to job satisfaction.
relies too much on input from employees.

Question 35

What is the "Hawthorne Effect"?
The observed effect that pay is an important motivator for workers.
An increase in employee output caused by almost any management action which makes workers believe that they are receiving special attention.
Increased lighting levels caused increased productivity.
It refers to the human need for self-fulfillment.
The discovery that the informal group at work can counteract management objectives.

Question 36

The classical theory of motivation says that
workers are motivated when attention is paid to them by supervisors.
workers are motivated almost solely by money.
workers are motivated almost solely by status.
there are many different factors that contribute to motivation.
some factors prevent dissatisfaction and some factors contribute to satisfaction.

Question 37

If managers were to implement lessons learned from the Hawthorne Studies, they would
eliminate informal groups as they are relatively unimportant.
pay workers a higher wage as it would cause them to increase their production.
have managers who used the Theory X principles.
pay more attention to employees.
none of these.

Question 38

Steve is trying to increase the productivity of his workers. He decides to offer an incentive of 25 cents for each unit over the average number produced in the last 3 weeks. Steve is following the ________ theory of motivation.
equity
two-factor
Theory X
classical
hierarchy of needs

Question 39

"Smith! Jones! You good-for-nothing, lazy, freeloaders!" This statement exemplifies a ________ approach to motivation.
expectancy theory
equity theory
Theory Y
hierarchy of needs
Theory X

Question 40

Maslow's hierarchy of needs shows which of the following five needs in order starting from the lowest needs?
Psychological, esteem, security, self-actualization, and social needs
Social, physiological, esteem, security, and self-actualization needs
Physiological, esteem, security, social, and self-actualization needs
Physiological, security, social, esteem, and self-actualization needs
Psychological, security, social, esteem, and self-actualization needs

Question 41

In Herzberg's two-factor theory, which of the following would be the MOST reliable indication that a morale problem in a work team is primarily due to a lack of motivators?
Team members like the building and location where they work.
A survey of team members shows that most of them have a good sense of how important their work is.
Some of the team members have difficulty relating to each other.
Deidra's team members report getting negative messages about customers from other parts of the company.
Team members have not expressed any dissatisfaction with their work conditions.

Question 42

Regarding the two-factor theory, which one of the following statements is true?
The opposite of dissatisfaction is satisfaction.
Hygiene factors impact dissatisfaction.
The opposite of satisfaction is dissatisfaction.
Hygiene factors deal with the content of the job.
None of these statements is true

Question 43

Annie offered all her subordinates a free dinner at a well-known Mexican restaurant if they reduced their error rate to 2 percent. The error rate stayed the same and later she found out that no one liked Mexican food. This is an illustration of the ________ theory of motivation.
equity
expectancy
human relations
two-factor
hierarchy of needs

Question 44

Which of the following helps explain why some people do not work as hard as they can when their salaries are based purely on seniority?
Two-factor theory
Maslow's hierarchy of needs
Scientific management
Goal-setting theory
Expectancy theory

Question 45

Joe wonders, "If I work hard will I get a pay raise?" Joe then concludes that "No, I won't receive a raise." This type of reasoning is important in
Theory X.
scientific theory.
expectancy theory.
negative attitudes.
equity theory.

Question 46

How can a business firm help an employee meet self-actualization needs?
Provide a challenging job
Provide a wage high enough to buy food and provide for shelter
Provide a respected job title and a large office
Offer a social network at the business
Offer a pension plan

Question 47

Samantha is finally publishing her first computer manual. According to Maslow, which need is being met?
Physiological
Ego
Security
Self-actualization
Concern for production

Question 48

Which of Maslow's hierarchy of needs is being addressed by the employer that offers a pension fund to workers?
Security
Social
Physiological
Retirement
Self actualization

Question 49

The two-factor theory states that
there are two aspects to motivation: content, which deals with the content of a job, and environment, which deals with satisfaction.
there are two aspects to motivation: hygienes, which prevent dissatisfaction, and motivators, which contribute to satisfaction.
there are two factors that increase job satisfaction.
there are two aspects to motivation: hygienes, which contribute to satisfaction, and motivators, which prevent dissatisfaction.
recognition of the completion of a difficult task is an important factor.

Question 50

Larry's subordinates are neither satisfied nor dissatisfied. Of the following, which is the best move to create satisfaction among his subordinates, assuming that Larry subscribes to Herzberg's ideas?
Improve the company policies on vacation time
Spend more time with them to get to know them better
Delegate more responsibility to them
Get everyone new desks and equipment
Increase everyone's pay

Question 51

It is correct to say about Herzberg's two-factor theory that
only the presence of money can increase employee job satisfaction.
Herzberg's hygiene factors are roughly equivalent to Maslow's lower level needs.
if good hygiene factors are present, an employee will be satisfied.
if motivation factors are present, an employee will not be dissatisfied.
the two factors are Theory X and Theory Y.

Question 52

Which of the following theories suggests that people are motivated to work toward rewards that they want and believe they have a reasonable chance of obtaining?
Scientific management
Equity theory
Expectancy theory
Two-factor theory
Goal-setting theory

Question 53

In the hierarchy of needs model, all of the following would have to be satisfied before the individual would seek status and a job title except
a decent pension plan.
friends at work.
a decent salary.
a challenging job.
a secure place to live.

Question 54

Tina is the most productive employee in her department. When her manager retires, Tina doesn't apply for the job, in spite of her excellent record and the pay and prestige associated with the job. She believes that the job will go to someone who has more seniority. Based on expectancy theory, Tina doesn't apply for the job based on
the performance‒rewards issue.
her personal goals.
the effort‒performance issue.
the rewards‒personal goals issue.
none of these.

Question 55

The fundamental presumption in Maslow's hierarchy of needs is
security needs are more important than physiological needs.
self-actualization needs can never really be satisfied.
social needs are less important than esteem needs.
a satisfied need is not a motivator.
social needs are more important than all other needs.

Question 56

Which of the following is a motivating factor in Herzberg's two-factor theory?
Good supervision
A challenging job
Salary
Company policy
Social interaction

Question 57

Harriet thinks that Maslow's hierarchy of needs model is very relevant for her workers. She also knows that their physiological needs are being met. What job-related things can she do to satisfy her workers' concerns about the next level of need?
Good friends at work
A respected job title
A sense of belonging to the company
Job security
Challenging job assignments

Question 58

Which of the following is true about the hierarchy of needs theory?
Once a need has been satisfied, it becomes a motivator.
People's individual needs do not vary much.
Lower-level needs must be met before higher-level needs emerge.
Higher-level needs must be met before lower-level needs emerge.
The more a need is satisfied, the more it becomes a motivator.

Question 59

Tim tries to motivate his employees by making sure that pay and working conditions meet employee expectations and then providing employees with responsibility and recognition. Tim likely subscribes to the ________ theory of motivation.
scientific management
hierarchy of needs
two-factor
equity
expectancy

Question 60

The people who work for Frank are very dissatisfied. Assuming that Maslow's hierarchy is correct, which of the following actions is the likely best first step to motivate his subordinates?
Improve their pay and job security
Restructure their jobs so they are more interesting
Create more opportunity for subordinates to learn new things
Institute an "employee of the month" program
Delegate more responsibility to employees

Question 61

Usha thinks that the best way to stop undesirable behaviour is to apply negative consequences to employees who exhibit it. Usha is using
punishment.
omission.
positive reinforcement.
negative reinforcement.
none of these.

Question 62

When people feel inequitably treated they may do all of the following except
work harder.
reduce their effort.
find different people to compare themselves with.
complain.
work shorter hours.

Question 63

Pay, praise, promotions, suspensions, and firings are examples of
reinforcement.
job enrichment.
empowerment.
participation.
management by objectives.

Question 64

A football team signed a rookie defensive back at a higher rate of pay than any of its team veterans were paid. After that, the team almost immediately began to play more poorly. This decline can best be explained using
goal-setting theory.
equity theory.
Maslow's hierarchy of needs.
two-factor theory.
expectancy theory.

Question 65

In order to motivate his subordinates, Phil has offered them all a free dinner if they can complete a large project they are working on by the end of the month. But everyone thinks that the input they need won't be received in time for them to complete their report. Phil has ignored a requirement of the ________ theory.
human relations
two-factor
hierarchy of needs
equity
expectancy

Question 66

When Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment gives out "good job" cards to employees who do outstanding work, this is an example of what reinforcement strategy?
Punishment
Omission
Positive reinforcement
Negative reinforcement
None of these

Question 67

Aaron, a sales manager, selects MBO because the biggest advantage is
creating specific performance evaluation criteria.
automatic setting of subordinate goals by managers.
reducing employee turnover.
increased employee motivation.
reducing time spent in meetings.

Question 68

Which of the strategies for enhancing job satisfaction is also used as a tool for managing the planning process?
Management by objectives
Theory X and Y
Reinforcement and punishment
Participative management and empowerment
Job enrichment

Question 69

Marshall thinks that the best way to stop undesirable behaviour on the part of his subordinates is to simply ignore it. Marshall is using ________ as a strategy.
punishment
omission
positive reinforcement
negative reinforcement
none of these

Question 70

Joe was hired out of college for a starting salary of $55 000 a year. Two months after he started, he found out that Nancy was hired at the same time for $65 000. At first he was angry but then he found out that she had five years of previous experience and that she knew two more computer languages than he did. Then he wasn't angry anymore. This illustrates the ________ motivation theory.
two-factor
expectancy
hierarchy of needs
human relations
equity

Question 71

Which motivational theory assumes that employees assess their ratio of contribution to return and then compare that ratio to the perceived ratio of other employees?
Scientific management
The Grinnell effect
Hawthorne
Goal setting
Equity

Question 72

The first step in establishing an effective MBO program is to
establish overall organizational goals.
communicate organizational goals to subordinates.
set goals for each subordinate.
find out what the subordinate's goals are.
meet with subordinates to establish goals.

Question 73

Which of the following is key to a successful MBO program?
Punishment
Job enrichment
Organizational enrichment
Collaborative action
Rewards

Question 74

Marlene is a strong believer in reinforcement as a strategy for motivating people to do good work. She therefore presents desired consequences to employees when they exhibit behaviour she desires. She is using
punishment.
omission.
positive reinforcement.
negative reinforcement.
none of these.

Question 75

Paying bonuses to salespeople who exceed quotas is an example of
job enrichment.
positive reinforcement.
participation.
empowerment.
management by objectives.

Question 76

Some companies try to give workers a large amount of discretion so they feel empowered. At Morning Star Company, the world's largest tomato processor, the empowerment program includes all of the following features except
workers write up a mission statement which describes how they will contribute to the overall goals of the company.
employees are expected to propose the hiring of new people if they are overloaded or if they see a need that should be met.
each employee develops a "Colleague Letter of Understanding" with other employees who are affected by the person's work.
workers have the right to set their own salary.
at the end of the year, employees receive feedback on their performance from colleagues with whom they have a Letter of Understanding.

Question 77

Don has started to arrive at work on time in order to avoid getting hollered at by his boss. Don is responding to what reinforcement strategy?
Punishment
Omission
Positive reinforcement
Negative reinforcement
None of these

Question 78

________ is designed to change behavior by withholding negative consequences if employees exhibit desirable behaviour.
Punishment
Omission
Positive reinforcement
Negative reinforcement
None of these

Question 79

Which is not one of the characteristics of good goals?
Specific
Almost impossible to reach
Time-framed
Measurable
Moderately difficult

Question 80

Which system involves giving employees a voice in how they do their jobs and how the company is managed?
Management by objectives
Reinforcement theory
Participative management and empowerment
Equity theory
Expectancy theory