Deck 9: Motivating the Workforce

Question 1

What motivates employees to perform on the job is the focus of human relations.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

According to Maslow's hierarchy, a person buying insurance with income protection is attempting to satisfy physiological needs.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

The field of human relations has become increasingly important over the years as businesses strive to understand how to do all of the following EXCEPT

A) boost workplace morale.
B) motivate their ever more diverse employees to be more effective.
C) maximize employees' productivity.
D) boost company sales.
E) maximize employees' creativity.

Answer 3

boost company sales.

Question 4

Companies that are concerned with boosting workplace morale, maximizing employees' productivity and creativity, and motivating employees to be more effective are concerned with

A) sustainability.
B) control systems.
C) human relations.
D) behavior modification.
E) workplace capacity.

Question 5

Martin is an independent contractor in the plumbing industry. He receives work from several companies and individual customers. There are often multiple ways to fix a plumbing problem, and when given the option, Taylor sometimes chooses to use the fastest and easiest solution, rather than the best possible solution. What might explain Martin's tendency to avoid doing what he should do?

A) too much motivation
B) lack of motivation
C) engagement in his work
D) high morale
E) the perceived reward

Question 6

Lately, Frank has trouble starting his car, making him late for work. Today, his car won't start at all. Since there is no public transportation for him to get to work, he needs to get a new car. After shopping and comparing models, Frank is now ready to sign the paperwork on a new SUV. What is the "need" in this scenario?

A) having to shop and compare different models
B) the lack of available public transportation
C) requiring a car for work and not having one that functions
D) filling out the required paperwork to obtain a vehicle
E) selecting an SUV as his new way to get to work

Question 7

Jon is a salesman for a security company and has been working in his field for over 20 years. Recently, he noticed that his sales haven't been as high as the sales of some of his younger co-workers. He recognizes the need to increase his sales. What is something he might do to satisfy this need and achieve success?

A) sabotage the sales of his younger coworkers
B) stick with his tried and true traditional sales methods
C) pressure his existing customers to buy more computers
D) resign from his job and find a job that better fits his traditional sales skills
E) obtain additional training to improve his sales skills

Question 8

Hiroaki teaches karate at a large martial arts studio. He emphasizes self-discipline and self-motivation throughout the class. At the end of class, he always gives students a piece of candy from the treasure chest as reward for good discipline. One week he was out of candy, and several students threw tantrums, showing a lack of self-discipline. What should Hiroaki do if he wants students to show self-discipline even when there is no reward?

A) discuss the lifelong benefits of self-discipline
B) praise students showing self-discipline during class
C) continue to provide candy for showing self-discipline
D) provide rewards at the end of class other than candy
E) stop placing an emphasis on self-discipline and other values

Question 9

An employee who is emotionally involved and committed to his or her work is said to be

A) apathetic.
B) engaged.
C) indifferent.
D) sensitive.
E) lazy.

Question 10

Natasha is a cake designer. She often creates custom cakes for weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, and other large events. She is emotionally involved and committed to her work, which allows her to meet her customers' high expectations. Natasha can be described as

A) agile.
B) loyal.
C) versatile.
D) disengaged.
E) engaged.

Question 11

Tasty Joe is a chain of small coffee shops that are located in college towns and mostly employ students. The company offers flexible scheduling, employee scholarship programs, and opportunities for advancement. As a result, it has loyal employees who have high levels of productivity. Based on this scenario, employees of Tasty Joe should have

A) high morale.
B) low morale.
C) high rates of absenteeism.
D) low returns to stakeholders.
E) low levels of engagement.

Question 12

Culinary House, a cookbook publisher, has noticed that since more people are getting their recipes from the Internet, it is struggling to stay profitable. As a result, the company has decided to streamline its operations, laying off 50 employees and changing the way the company works to focus more on offering innovative digital cookbook applications. Many of the company's employees are frustrated with the changes, so in addition to the employees the company let go, several other employees have quit. This scenario is most closely related to

A) high morale.
B) low morale.
C) high employee engagement.
D) high levels of productivity.
E) low levels of turnover.

Question 13

Tatiana has always been passionate about fashion, so she went to fashion school to learn more about it and opened her own clothing boutique. She enjoys running her business and feels a deep sense of satisfaction every time she finds new styles to bring to her store. In this scenario, Tatiana is experiencing a(n)

A) extrinsic reward.
B) extrinsic motivation.
C) morale booster.
D) earned reward.
E) intrinsic reward.

Question 14

Marco works at a grocery store. He started six months ago as a bagger, but recently, his boss recognized his hard work, promoted him to cashier, and gave him a raise. Marco's promotion and raise are examples of

A) extrinsic rewards.
B) intrinsic rewards.
C) personal rewards.
D) extrinsic motivators.
E) intrinsic motivators.

Question 15

What is NOT a tactic employers can use to retain good employees?

A) create a positive organizational culture
B) provide training and mentoring
C) provide opportunities for employee growth
D) limit communication with employees
E) provide adequate incentives and recognition

Question 16

Hallie manages a fitness club, which employs front desk personnel, personal trainers, and fitness instructors. She wants to motivate her employees to work hard and maintain high levels of productivity. What should Hallie do to motivate her employees?

A) discourage a work/life balance since it creates stress among employees
B) provide growth opportunities for employees
C) create a competitive culture
D) refrain from internal recruiting
E) do not offer feedback or provide too much "coaching"

Question 17

Nancy works in a factory that produces dolls and other toys. To improve productivity, Nancy's manager broke down each job into its component tasks, determined the best way to perform each task, and specified the output to be achieved by each worker performing the task. As a result, Nancy is expected to add arms and legs to 50 dolls per day. She is paid $2.50 per doll, but if she exceeds 50 dolls in a day, she receives an additional $1.50 per doll. This scenario relates to

A) the Hawthorne effect.
B) Maslow's hierarchy of needs.
C) Herzberg's two-factor theory.
D) McGregor's Theory X.
E) the classical theory of motivation.

Question 18

Nolan works for a flashlight manufacturing company. He is paid a fixed amount for every unit he manufactures at the factory. He is paid higher rates for exceeding his set target. The payment system in this scenario is an example of the ________ system.

A) barter
B) piece-rate
C) bonus
D) over-time
E) salary

Question 19

In his classical theory of motivation, Frederick Taylor believed that two things would improve worker productivity: linking pay to output and

A) job rotation.
B) flextime.
C) job specialization.
D) negative reinforcement.
E) punishment.

Question 20

Elton Mayo and his team conducted research on workplace conditions and productivity at the Hawthorne Works Plant of the Western Electric Company from 1924 to 1932. Throughout the study, as Mayo and his team introduced various physical conditions, the workers' productivity increased. When the researchers asked the workers about their behavior, they expressed

A) confusion because they thought their productivity had decreased.
B) satisfaction because their supervisor had asked for their help and cooperation in the study.
C) frustration because it was difficult to remain productive under the various physical conditions.
D) appreciation because they were being paid for their participation.
E) concern that they were planning to introduce worse physical conditions.

Question 21

What was the ultimate result of the Hawthorne studies?

A) They led to companies paying workers more to increase their productivity.
B) They led to companies providing better physical work conditions to increase productivity.
C) They led managers to believe that it is impossible to understand workers' needs, beliefs, and expectations.
D) They marked the beginning of a concern for human relations in the workplace.
E) They led to the belief that nothing will motivate workers who are not intrinsically motivated.

Question 22

According to Maslow's theory, a ________ person feels that he or she is living life to its fullest in every way.

A) safety conscious
B) socially accepted
C) physiologically fit
D) high esteem
E) self-actualized

Question 23

According to Maslow, humans devote all their efforts to satisfying ________ needs until they are met. Only when these needs are met can people focus their attention on satisfying the next level of needs.

A) social
B) physiological
C) security
D) esteem
E) self-actualization

Question 24

Brandon works as an electrician, going into people's homes and offices to set up and repair electrical systems. When he sees a dangerous condition, he reports it to the home or business owner immediately and begins working to fix the situation. He wears safety goggles and gloves while he is working, and he has a comprehensive insurance plan with income protection in the event that he becomes unable to work. Brandon's actions are most related to Maslow's ________ needs.

A) security
B) social
C) physiological
D) self-actualization
E) esteem

Question 25

Al works for a company that books vacation rentals. He is a competitive person, so he needs to feel like he can bring in more customers and book more rentals than the other employees. When he is able to book more rentals than his co-workers, he feels a high level of self-respect as well as respect from others. This scenario describes how Al fulfills his ________ needs.

A) self-actualization
B) security
C) social
D) physiological
E) esteem

Question 26

Liam got laid off from his job at a chemical supply company. His company has promised to pay him for three months following the layoff. Before he was laid off, he was focused on selling more than any of his co-workers. Since the layoff, he has shifted his focus to finding a new source of income. What does this scenario highlight about laid off workers, in terms of Maslow's hierarchy of needs?

A) Since they have already reached the high-level esteem needs, they don't go back to the previous levels of needs.
B) They revert all the way back to focusing on physiological needs.
C) They focus on social needs, which are especially important after a significant life event like a layoff.
D) They shift their focus from high-level esteem needs to the need for security.
E) They shift their focus from high-level self-actualization needs to the need to be accepted by others.

Question 27

Tiana has a job as a lab technician. She makes a good annual salary and her job is secure. Which of Maslow's needs would these hygiene factors help Tiana satisfy?

A) esteem and self-actualization
B) physiological and security
C) physiological and social
D) social and security
E) self-actualization and physiological

Question 28

A company has started using methods to give employees more responsibility and control and to involve them more in their work. The company views employees as team members and encourages them to share their ideas about how to improve its technology products. What is the benefit to using these methods?

A) They satisfy employees' physiological and security needs.
B) They eliminate every potential source of dissatisfaction and high turnover.
C) They motivate employees to higher levels of productivity and quality.
D) They weed out employees who don't have ideas to contribute.
E) They give employees the chance to use their minds and abilities and are seen as more important than a good salary.

Question 29

Juanita manages a large boarding stable that employs several people who clean stalls, feed the horses, teach riding lessons, and do training rides on boarders' horses. According to Herzberg's theory, what can Juanita do to motivate her employees to work harder, in terms of content of the work itself?

A) She can provide comfortable and safe working conditions.
B) She can use fair company policies.
C) She can provide job security.
D) She can involve them in the stable's processes and decisions.
E) She can pay adequate wages.

Question 30

Tahlia manages a grocery store, which employs several baggers, cashiers, floor managers, and stockroom workers. According to Herzberg's theory, what can Tahlia do to ensure that her employees are satisfied with their work setting?

A) She can provide adequate wages.
B) She can help them achieve their goals.
C) She can recognize their hard work.
D) She can give them more responsibility over their work.
E) She can offer advancement opportunities.

Question 31

McGregor's Theory X assumes that workers

A) avoid responsibility.
B) are full of ambition.
C) are committed to their jobs.
D) use their jobs to fulfill social needs.
E) do not mind solving organizational problems.

Question 32

McGregor's Theory Y assumes that workers

A) are lazy.
B) naturally like to work.
C) prefer to be directed.
D) must be forced to do their jobs.
E) have little ambition.

Question 33

The managers of a meat packing plant believe that the average person dislikes work and will avoid it when possible. As a result, they focus on coercing, controlling, directing, and threatening their workers with punishment to get them to work toward achieving the company's objectives. One method they initiated was an employee ranking system that ranked 50 percent of employees as below expectations. This company has adopted

A) Maslow's hierarchy of needs.
B) Herzberg's hygiene factors.
C) Herzberg's motivational factors.
D) McGregor's Theory Y perspective.
E) McGregor's Theory X perspective.

Question 34

Felicia is the principal of a charter school. She believes that her employees like to work and that under proper conditions, they will seek out responsibility in an attempt to satisfy their social, esteem, and self-actualization needs. What theory of management would Felicia most likely follow?

A) McGregor's Theory X
B) Ouchi's Theory Z
C) Herzberg's two-factor theory
D) Maslow's hierarchy of needs
E) McGregor's Theory Y

Question 35

What is a major difference between the Theory X and Theory Y views of management?

A) Theory X takes into account people's needs for companionship, esteem, and personal growth, whereas Theory Y does not.
B) Theory Y takes into account people's needs for companionship, esteem, and personal growth, whereas Theory X does not.
C) Theory Y managers maintain more control and supervision over their employees than Theory X managers.
D) Theory X managers believe that workers like to work, while Theory Y managers believe that the average worker dislikes work and will avoid it when possible.
E) Theory Y managers believe that the average worker prefers to be directed, while Theory X managers believe that people will exercise self-direction and self-control to achieve objectives to which they are committed.

Question 36

What is the difference between Theory X and Theory Y managers as it relates to Maslow's hierarchy of needs?

A) Theory X managers focus on self-actualization needs, while Theory Y managers only focus on physiological and security needs.
B) Theory X managers focus on esteem and social needs, while Theory Y managers only focus on self-actualization needs.
C) Theory X managers only focus on self-actualization needs, while Theory Y managers focus on all the other types of needs.
D) Theory X managers focus on the high-level needs, while Theory Y managers focus on the low-level needs.
E) Theory X managers focus on physiological and security needs, while Theory Y managers address Maslow's high-level needs as well as physiological and security needs.

Question 37

Chester's Crab House has several locations in Massachusetts and New Jersey. Each location has a restaurant manager who runs his or her location as he or she sees fit. The restaurant chain has achieved success by empowering its employees to make their own decisions and follow their passions. Which management theory does Chester's Crab House follow?

A) Herzberg's two-factor theory
B) Maslow's hierarchy of needs
C) McGregor's Theory Y
D) McGregor's Theory X
E) Ouchi's Equity Theory

Question 38

Which is an assumption of Theory Y?

A) The average worker has relatively little ambition.
B) Organizations today do not make full use of workers' intellectual potential.
C) The average worker will be productive only when threatened with punishment.
D) Decisions must be made in an autocratic fashion.
E) Input from subordinates is not necessary.

Question 39

At Just Right Thermostats, managers and workers share responsibilities, managers stress employee participation in all aspects of company decision making, and employment is long term. What theory of management does Just Right Thermostats follow?

A) Theory X
B) Theory Y
C) the two-factor theory
D) Theory Z
E) Maslow's hierarchy of needs

Question 40

What theory is based on the idea that employees try to maintain fairness or balance between inputs and outputs as compared to others in similar positions?

A) expectancy theory
B) equity theory
C) Theory X
D) Theory Y
E) Reinforcement theory

Question 41

Lisa learned that although she and Linda were both hired as part-time sales clerks at the same time and have similar backgrounds, Linda is paid $2 more per hour. Lisa decided to ask her boss for $2 more per hour because she thinks the pay is unfair. This scenario is related to which management theory?

A) equity theory
B) Theory X
C) expectancy theory
D) Theory Y
E) Theory Z

Question 42

Taryn, Kate, and Jillian all work at a department store in the mall. They have been working there for the same amount of time, and they all have similar educational and employment backgrounds. Jillian has just discovered that Taryn and Kate both make more money than her. What is an unethical or illegal behavior Jillian may exhibit to equalize the situation?

A) She may look for a job at a different company.
B) She may ask for a raise or promotion.
C) She may ask to have Taryn and Kate's inputs increased.
D) She may equalize the situation by stealing items from the store.
E) She may try to get Taryn and Kate's outputs decreased.

Question 43

Sean is a marketer at Second Chance Car Company, and he wants to inform the market of the benefits of buying used cars over expensive new cars. He invests his efforts in creating advertisements that emphasize the company's low prices and service guarantee to reach the company's target market and compete with the large car dealerships in the area. This scenario relates most directly to

A) equity theory.
B) expectancy theory.
C) goal-setting theory.
D) Theory X.
E) Theory Y.

Question 44

Naveen, the manager of Not Just Any Burger, a chain of restaurants, gives awards on a monthly basis to employees with the highest productivity. Naveen's action is based on

A) the expectancy theory.
B) Theory Z.
C) Theory X.
D) Skinner's behavior modification theory.
E) hygiene factors of the two-factor theory.

Question 45

Frontline Industries annually rewards the top ten employees, in terms of goal achievement, with a trip to Hawaii. What effect will Frontline Industries' action most likely have on employee behavior?

A) It will lead to employee dissatisfaction and increased turnover.
B) It will eliminate bad behavior from employees.
C) It will demotivate employees who don't receive the reward.
D) It will motivate all employees to work hard to achieve company goals.
E) It will provide quick results but may lead to undesirable long-term side effects.

Question 46

April, a coffee shop manager, penalizes employees for reporting late to work. This measure has gone a long way in ensuring that employees arrive on time. The step taken by April best reflects

A) the expectancy theory.
B) Skinner's behavior modification theory.
C) Theory X.
D) Theory Z.
E) hygiene factors of the two-factor theory.

Question 47

Which statement accurately reflects the two strategies used in Skinner's behavior modification theory?

A) Punishing unacceptable behavior and rewarding appropriate behavior are equally effective ways to modify behavior.
B) Behaviors that are punished are just as likely to be repeated as behaviors that are rewarded.
C) In general, punishing unacceptable behavior is a more effective way to modify behavior than rewarding appropriate behavior.
D) In general, rewarding appropriate behavior is a more effective way to modify behavior than punishing unacceptable behavior.
E) Both punishing unacceptable behavior and rewarding appropriate behavior can have undesirable long-term side effects.

Question 48

Soumya manages a small diner. She notices some of her employees stealing fries and other food off patron's plates before bringing the food out to the tables. When she sees employees doing this, she punishes them by taking a portion of their tips and distributing that money to the employees who don't steal food from plates. What is an undesirable long-term side effect that may result from such punishments?

A) stealing food will be eliminated
B) employees may not notice issues related to food quality
C) employees may escalate to stealing money
D) there may be increased turnover
E) there may be increased competition among employees

Question 49

Lighthouse Inc., a publishing company, allows its employees to try out a variety of positions, ranging from editing to designing cover pages. The practice at Lighthouse Inc. best exemplifies

A) job sharing.
B) job rotation.
C) flextime.
D) diversity.
E) specialization.

Question 50

Historically, Tom's Tool Works has used specialization to increase productivity. However, Tom has noticed that his employees seem bored with their regular tasks and productivity is actually declining. Tom decides to reduce employee boredom by allowing workers to perform a greater variety of tasks and learn new skills. He is most likely adopting

A) job enlargement.
B) job enrichment.
C) job rotation.
D) flextime.
E) job sharing.

Question 51

Job enlargement strategies differ from job rotation strategies in that job enlargement

A) allows employees to move from one job to another, while job rotation adds more tasks to a job.
B) increases job satisfaction more than job rotation.
C) does not totally eliminate the problem of boredom, while job rotation does.
D) is used to cross-train self-directed work teams, while job rotation crafts new jobs and job relationships.
E) allows people to see new places and learn new skills, while job rotation does not.

Question 52

Gretchen works for a home decor store. Her normal tasks include cleaning the store fixtures, helping customers find what they are looking for, and ringing up customer purchases. One day, she notices that several of the shelves are empty, so she goes into the back room and finds merchandise to fill the shelves. When she shows her manager, Alicia, what she has done, Alicia is so impressed that she asks Gretchen to check all the shelves on a weekly basis and stock any empty shelves with new merchandise. This scenario best describes job

A) rotation.
B) enrichment.
C) reduction.
D) sharing.
E) enlargement.

Question 53

What strategy benefits both companies and employees since it increases a company's ability to recruit and retain workers and allows employees to balance work and home life by allowing them to choose their starting and ending times, as long as they are there during a specified core period?

A) job rotation
B) compressed workweeks
C) flextime
D) job enlargement
E) job sharing

Question 54

Vicki works as a medical transcriptionist. She is required to log in 40 hours in four days and take three days off. Vicki's work schedule is an example of

A) flextime.
B) a compressed workweek.
C) job sharing.
D) job enrichment.
E) job enlargement.

Question 55

What strategy is being used by a company that allows its employees to work full-time in less than the typical five-day work week?

A) a compressed workweek
B) a flextime workweek
C) telecommuting
D) job sharing
E) job enrichment

Question 56

Tanker Corp., an oil tank manufacturing company, allocates one task to an employee working from 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and allocates the same task to be completed by another employee working from 12:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. This is an example of job

A) enrichment.
B) enlargement.
C) sharing.
D) rotation.
E) specification.

Question 57

Samantha and Geri both work as receptionists at a medical office. Samantha works from 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., so she can be home when her daughter gets home from school. Geri works from 12:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., so she can attend graduate school classes in the morning. How does this arrangement benefit the company?

A) The company has employees who prioritize work over other obligations.
B) The company reduces its operating costs because its actual hours of operation are reduced.
C) The company can better serve its customers because it has more customer coverage over longer hours.
D) The company's workstations and facilities can be better utilized because of staggered employee use.
E) The company has the skills of two people for one job.

Question 58

Lawlor Inc., a pharmaceutical company, allows its employees to work at home a few days per week, staying connected via computers, modems, and telephones. This arrangement is called

A) job rotation.
B) job enlargement.
C) telecommuting.
D) a compressed workweek.
E) flextime.

Question 59

Define human relations and explain its role in business.

Question 60

Herzberg's motivational factors and Maslow's esteem and self-actualization needs are similar. Explain how organizations can meet these needs.

Question 61

How do managers motivate employees during economic fluctuation?