Deck 19: The Economy and Work

Question 1

What are physical and intellectual services that people contribute to the production process?

A)services
B)labour
C)capital
D)human technology

Answer 1

B

Question 2

In what sector do most workers engage?

A)primary sector
B)secondary sector
C)tertiary sector
D)advanced sector

Answer 2

B

Question 3

What term refers to tangible objects that are necessary or desired?

A)products
B)materials
C)goods
D)assets

Answer 3

C

Question 4

The general aims of retail stores such as The Bay,Aldo,and Le Chateau characterize what form of economy?

A)capitalism
B)communism
C)imperialism
D)socialism

Question 5

A person with a thousand shares in MTS,a publicly traded company,has which of the following?

A)capital
B)goods
C)services
D)labour

Question 6

What is McDonaldization built upon?

A)innovative techniques specifically devised for the post-industrial society
B)ideas and systems of industrial society,including bureaucracy and the assembly line
C)a division of labour reminiscent of pre-industrial society
D)the knowledge and specialized skills of managers and employees

Question 7

What social institution ensures the maintenance of society through the production,distribution,and consumption of goods and services?

A)work
B)the economy
C)politics
D)the government

Question 8

Hunting and fishing fit into which of the following categories?

A)primary sector production
B)secondary sector production
C)tertiary sector production
D)industrial production

Question 9

According to sociologists,the number of lower-paying,service sector positions actually has increased,often at the expense of workers.What term describes this phenomenon?

A)fast-food nation
B)McDonaldization
C)specialization
D)bureaucratization

Question 10

What name does the text give for wealth that is owned or used in business by a person or corporation?

A)money
B)property
C)assets
D)capital

Question 11

According to the text,which of these individuals would benefit the most from the post-industrial economy?

A)an information systems analyst
B)a craft worker
C)an artisan
D)a unionized worker at a Chrysler plant

Question 12

What economy is based on the provision of services rather than goods?

A)primary sector
B)secondary sector
C)industrial
D)post-industrial

Question 13

What is the most common form of employment in an industrial economy?

A)wage labour
B)people working for themselves
C)people working for a family member
D)salaried work

Question 14

A small-scale farm that produces enough for subsistence would be classified as which of the following?

A)primary sector
B)secondary sector
C)tertiary level
D)individual level

Question 15

Workers in the Alberta oil sands are involved in what form of production?

A)primary sector
B)secondary sector
C)tertiary sector
D)quaternary sector

Question 16

What is the most common form of employment in a post-industrial economy?

A)jobs like Jeff's;he works as an information systems analyst
B)jobs like Susan's;she works at a nail salon
C)self-employment like Mary's job;she operates a home business
D)jobs like Faaris's;he works at manufacturing children's toys

Question 17

Which of the following best reflects hunting and gathering societies?

A)The production units are large.
B)The division of labour is by occupational specialty.
C)Most goods are produced by family members.
D)The economy becomes distinct from family life.

Question 18

How does a sociological perspective on the economy differ from the study of economics?

A)Sociologists attempt to explain how the limited resources and efforts of a society are allocated among competing ends;economists study people's satisfaction with their jobs.
B)Economists focus on the complex workings of economic systems;sociologists focus on interconnections between the economy,other social institutions,and the social organization of work.
C)Sociologists study monetary policy,inflation,and the national debt;economists study the impact of multinational corporations on industrialized and developing nations.
D)Sociological perspectives on the economy focus only on the macrolevel;while economists focus on both macro- and microlevel economic systems.

Question 19

What characterizes a post-industrial economy?

A)a centralized workplace structure
B)a traditional workplace culture that emphasizes an eight-hour workday
C)a blurring of traditional boundaries between work and home
D)a separation of the lines of work and home

Question 20

Wendy's restaurants,Rogers Wireless,and Global Television are examples of service sectors within what type of economy?

A)primary sector economies
B)secondary sector economies
C)post-industrial economies
D)industrial economies

Question 21

Who advocated that capitalism works best without government intervention?

A)Karl Marx
B)Max Weber
C)Paul Martin
D)Adam Smith

Question 22

Which of the following is the best example of a mixed economy?

A)the United States
B)Sweden
C)the former Soviet Union
D)Canada

Question 23

How did the gasoline company Ultramar restrict competition in Quebec and Atlantic Canada in 1996?

A)by refusing to sell gasoline to independent station owners
B)by selling gasoline at its own stations for less than it charged independent station owners
C)by preventing delivery trucks from leaving the storage areas,thus cutting off the supply of gasoline to independent station owners
D)by temporarily setting prices so high that smaller competitors were forced out of business

Question 24

Which of the following perspectives would argue that McDonald's and other fast-food chains exploit young and minority workers for corporate profits?

A)functionalist theory
B)conflict theory
C)feminist theory
D)symbolic interactionist theory

Question 25

A large corporation called Family Friends owns the businesses Children's Only,Kids Can Vitamins,and Animal Power Juice,which are all marketed to families as children's health products.Which of the following describes it best?

A)monopoly
B)oligopoly
C)shared monopoly
D)conglomerate

Question 26

Workers at an auto manufacturing plant are frustrated with failing to get meaning out of their work and just focus on the cheque they get every two weeks.What are they likely experiencing?

A)work segmentation
B)alienation
C)job anomie
D)worker dissatisfaction

Question 27

What perspective blames business cycles on capitalist greed?

A)functionalist theory
B)conflict theory
C)interactionist theory
D)postmodern theory

Question 28

What kind of economic and political system combines private ownership of some of the means of production,governmental distribution of some essential goods and services,and free elections?

A)democratic socialism
B)socialism
C)capitalism
D)social capitalism

Question 29

Between 2005 and 2009,North America experienced which of the following?

A)a recession
B)a trough
C)inflation
D)a correction

Question 30

Which term refers to the rise and fall of economic activity relative to long-term growth in the economy?

A)a peak-trough
B)a corporate procedure
C)the productivity cycle
D)the business cycle

Question 31

Which of the following is most typical of the economic system found in China?

A)private ownership of the means of production
B)a laissez-faire policy
C)centralized decision making
D)the pursuit of individual profit

Question 32

If prices for groceries,gas,and other products have undergone an increase in your community,what is happening?

A)a trough
B)a recession
C)inflation
D)an expansion period

Question 33

What policy is based on the assumption that capitalism can work best without government intervention?

A)the government intervention model
B)capitalist reduction
C)laissez-faire
D)oligopoly

Question 34

What perspective argues that the economy is the means by which needed goods and services are produced and distributed in a society?

A)interactionist theory
B)postmodern theory
C)functionalist theory
D)conflict theory

Question 35

Which term refers to an economy based on public ownership of the means of production,the pursuit of collective goals,and centralized decision making?

A)socialism
B)capitalism
C)communism
D)a mixed economy

Question 36

Sun Blockers Sunglasses Inc.builds new centres of operation,hires 400 more employees,and increases production.This company is in which of the following periods?

A)trough
B)recession
C)inflation
D)expansion

Question 37

McDonalds is which of the following?

A)a global corporation
B)an economic concentrated business
C)a multinational corporation
D)a capitalist intermonopoly

Question 38

Much of the beer sold in Canada is produced by a few companies,although beer is sold under a variety of brand names.This would be an example of which of the following?

A)a monopoly
B)a branding company
C)an oligopoly
D)a conglomerate

Question 39

What happened under early monopoly capitalism between 1890 and 1940?

A)Most ownership rapidly shifted to individuals.
B)Most ownership rapidly shifted to shareholder groups.
C)Most ownership rapidly shifted to huge corporations.
D)Most ownership rapidly shifted to bureaucracies.

Question 40

Which tenet underlies capitalism's promotion of the idea that people should maximize their own personal gain and that this will ultimately benefit the wider society?

A)centralized decision making
B)competition
C)lack of government intervention
D)pursuit of personal profit

Question 41

Which of the following theories focuses on the meaning of work and job satisfaction as a source of personal identity?

A)functionalist theory
B)interactionist theory
C)conflict theory
D)postmodern theory

Question 42

In 2009,approximately how many of those working in managerial positions in Canada were women?

A)between 5 and 10 percent
B)between 11 and 19 percent
C)between 20 and 25 percent
D)between 35 and 40 percent

Question 43

At Davidson Tooling Co.new employees are trained to perform a concise series of steps.What technique does this demonstrate?

A)mass production
B)Fordism
C)scientific management
D)post-Fordism

Question 44

According to sociologist George Ritzer,Dairy Queen's use of a soft-drink dispenser with a sensor exemplifies which of the following?

A)McDonaldization
B)Taylorism
C)professionalization
D)Fordism

Question 45

At a sewing factory,Alice and her co-workers are paid for the number of blouses they produce.What is this system called?

A)unit-pay system
B)the positive reinforcement system
C)the piece-rate system
D)the unit-produced system

Question 46

Which of the following employees likely has the greatest job satisfaction?

A)Leila,who is not involved in the decision-making process
B)Kristine,whose work is closely supervised and knows exactly what is expected
C)Mina,who has very few responsibilities on the job
D)Jody,who feels she plays an important part in the outcome of her work

Question 47

A nurse who has deep concern for her patients and does whatever possible to maintain their dignity,health,and safety is demonstrating which of the following?

A)self-regulation
B)autonomy
C)altruism
D)humanitarianism

Question 48

What has historically justified gender inequality in wages?

A)the view that men are breadwinners
B)the view that men are predominantly in low-wage jobs
C)the view that structured factors make it difficult for women to achieve equality
D)the view that the financial needs of women should be recognized

Question 49

Which of the following statements demonstrates the implications of Rosabeth Kanter's research?

A)Structural sources of gender bias are at work.
B)Individual sources of gender bias are at work.
C)The status as "token" is sufficient explanation for gender bias.
D)Social structures are gender neutral,leading to minimal gender bias.

Question 50

Who is most likely to resist gender equality?

A)both males and females
B)men who benefit from gender bias
C)women who benefit from gender bias
D)those who do not benefit from gender bias

Question 51

Alienation is most closely associated with which of the following?

A)a feeling of control over one's job
B)having a job that is enjoyable
C)a sense of personal satisfaction with work
D)having very little power in one's job

Question 52

How are categories of jobs that involve similar activities at different work sites classified?

A)as occupations
B)as professions
C)as work titles
D)as job clusters

Question 53

Which of the following jobs is the most autonomous?

A)iron worker
B)lawyer
C)office manager
D)factory shift supervisor

Question 54

At a sporting manufacturing plant,stationed along a conveyer belt are hundreds of employees,each with a specific task to perform,ultimately contributing to the production of bicycles.This demonstrates which of the following?

A)Taylorism
B)Fordism
C)professionalization
D)McDonaldization

Question 55

What allows members of many professions to use their power to resist attempts by others to provide a service?

A)professional licence for services
B)legislation that gives members a monopoly on the provision of particular services
C)the status as professionals
D)workplace culture

Question 56

Why is the scientific management approach seen as contributing to the deskilling of work?

A)Workers have to learn so many complicated skills for their jobs that they are incapable of learning anything else.
B)The jobs have been broken down into a serious of routinized procedures so they can be learned by anyone.
C)This sort of work leads to increased production,which reduces job satisfaction.
D)The scientific management approach actually leads to workers being underworked,due to the simplicity of the steps involved.

Question 57

Why is job satisfaction generally high among lawyers,doctors,and dentists?

A)high levels of prestige and power over other workers
B)high levels of income,autonomy,and authority
C)low levels of demands and responsibility
D)moderate to low levels of specialization

Question 58

Which of the following control the operation of an organization?

A)professionals
B)administrators
C)managers
D)supervisors

Question 59

The ongoing struggle between workers and employers is of particular interest to what kind of theorist?

A)a functionalist theorist
B)an interactionist theorist
C)a conflict theorist
D)a postmodern theorist

Question 60

Dr.George Davidson,a professor of chemistry,has what kind of occupation?

A)a profession
B)a career
C)a primary work position
D)an elite occupation

Question 61

What is the official term for the percentage of unemployed persons in the labour force actively seeking jobs?

A)the poverty rate
B)the unemployment rate
C)the rate of joblessness
D)the jobless quotient

Question 62

What name would a sociologist give to jobs that differ from the employment norms of the society in which they are located?

A)extra-legal
B)lower tier
C)marginal
D)dysfunctional

Question 63

Which of the following changes in the nature of the workplace demonstrates the impact of communications technology on work?

A)Working at a fixed workstation is required.
B)Knowledge workers do not benefit from technology.
C)Many workers are not tied to a fixed place of employment.
D)Working from home lowers productivity and efficiency.

Question 64

What term defines legal and illegal market-based transactions not reported to the revenue-gathering agency?

A)the secret economy
B)the local economy
C)the underground economy
D)the global economy

Question 65

In 2012,what was the unemployment rate for adult males?

A)approximately 1 percent
B)approximately 3 percent
C)approximately 6 percent
D)approximately 8 percent

Question 66

Which of the following groups had a lower-than-average chance of being unemployed in Canada in recent years?

A)people from the Atlantic provinces
B)Aboriginal peoples
C)people over age 25
D)persons with a disability

Question 67

Heather cleans six different homes each week.As such,she is a part-time worker employed several hours a week by each household.Which of the following is characteristic of the conditions of workers such as Heather?

A)protection under labour legislation with benefits
B)unionized work
C)lack of regularity,stability,and adequacy
D)overrepresentation of men

Question 68

Conner is hired for road construction.What explains his unemployment during the winter months?

A)He is a temporary worker.
B)He is an occasional worker.
C)He is a contingent worker.
D)He is a part-time worker.

Question 69

Why was the United Automobile Workers strike against General Motors in 1937 in Oshawa,Ontario,so important?

A)It marked the first time the provincial government refused to become involved in union-related issues.
B)It marked the beginning of industrial unionism in Canada.
C)The workers lost,which resulted in a major setback for the trade union movement.
D)It marked the end of industrial unionism,which up until that point had a stranglehold on most factories in Canada.

Question 70

What are part-time work,temporary work,and subcontracted work referred to as?

A)structured
B)contingent
C)tiered
D)secondary

Question 71

Which of the following goes along with working as a server in the hospitality industry?

A)higher pay,but less prestige than those in higher tiers
B)low wages,few benefits,and no security
C)job security and adequate pay
D)lower pay,but more prestige than those in higher tiers

Question 72

Which of the following countries has the highest rate of union membership among workers?

A)Sweden
B)Japan
C)Canada
D)the United States

Question 73

Steve routinely does landscaping and odd household jobs for friends and neighbours,who pay him "under the table." In which of the following is Steve a participant?

A)the secret economy
B)the illegal economy
C)the barter economy
D)the underground economy

Question 74

Which statement best summarizes the text's discussion of part-time work?

A)Employers benefit by hiring working on a part-time basis because it helps cut costs and maximize profits.
B)Many people are forced to work full-time because they lack opportunities for part-time employment.
C)Most part-time workers are adults,many of whom are working while in a training program.
D)Men are much more likely to hold part-time jobs than women are.

Question 75

In 2009,what percentage of part-time workers were men?

A)15 percent
B)30 percent
C)40 percent
D)50 percent

Question 76

The argument that we are moving into a post-industrial,information-based economy implies which of the following?

A)Technology is overtaking traditional jobs,such as factory and clerical work.
B)Computer programming and call centres will become less common.
C)The information age has more potential for jobs for everyone.
D)A mass workforce will replace an elite workforce.

Question 77

When a huge coal mine in a small town closes,workers are forced to find other employment.A high-technology firm has moved to the community,but very few of the former mine employees have the required skills to work there.This exemplifies which of the following?

A)job loss
B)lack of labour unions
C)unemployment rate
D)unemployment

Question 78

Which of the following is a consequence of automation?

A)increased privacy for employees
B)the increased necessity for managers
C)deskilling manager's jobs
D)difficulties in measuring productivity

Question 79

Why is the unemployment rate an incomplete measure?

A)It includes those actively searching for work.
B)It includes students.
C)It excludes those who have stopped looking for work.
D)It excludes part-time workers.

Question 80

In 2012,what was the unemployment rate for adult females?

A)approximately 8 percent
B)approximately 6 percent
C)approximately 3 percent
D)approximately 1 percent