Deck 6: Motivating Others

Question 1

Artists enjoy very high task identity because they see their work through from beginning to end.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Insurance underwriters have a low Job Characteristics score on task identity.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

The platinum rule states "Treat others how you wish them to treat you."

Answer 3

False

Question 4

From a managerial perspective,valence beliefs point to the critical importance of linking rewards directly to desired performance.

Question 5

According to the Job Characteristics Model,high skill variety assures low absenteeism.

Question 6

Instrumentality is the belief that a given level of performance will lead to specific outcomes.

Question 7

Research has found that those high in equity sensitivity are more input-oriented.

Question 8

McClelland's motivation theory identifies human needs that may be satisfied by power,affiliation,or achievement.

Question 9

Our motivation levels rise any time we face the challenge of a low probability of success.

Question 10

The Job Characteristics Model of motivation has nine core dimensions.

Question 11

Maslow's highest order need is self-actualization.

Question 12

McClelland's need for achievement is the drive to excel.

Question 13

When instrumentality is high,the person believes: "I have the knowledge,skills,and abilities to get the job done."

Question 14

McGregor's Theory of X and Y acknowledges that if a higher-order need is frustrated,an individual may regress to increase the satisfaction of a lower-order need that appears easier to satisfy.

Question 15

Money is the only real motivator.

Question 16

With regard to great management,treating everyone the same is a great recipe for mediocrity or worse.

Question 17

McClelland argues that a high need for affiliation can often be problematic for managers.

Question 18

Low performance is always attributable to low motivation.

Question 19

Alderfer's ERG theory demonstrates that more than one need may motivate at the same time.

Question 20

Once an employee experiences inequity,balance cannot be restored.

Question 21

AJ missed 20 free throws in last week's basketball game and his team lost by three points.This week he has practiced free throws for two hours a day.Expectancy theory explains this action as:

A)autonomy.
B)instrumentality.
C)valence.
D)power.
E)affiliation.

Question 22

In equity theory,_________ include(s)hours worked,work quality,education,and experience.

A)ratios
B)perceptual action
C)objective action
D)inputs
E)outputs

Question 23

Goal-setting research indicates that a goal of "do your best" is no better than having no goal at all.

Question 24

Workers make personal equity judgments based on:

A)past experiences.
B)social comparison.
C)family expectations.
D)perceptual actions.
E)managerial advice.

Question 25

Workers attempt to restore equity on the job through _________________,such as taking longer lunch breaks or requesting a pay raise.

A)behavioral actions
B)perceptual actions
C)peer comparisons
D)social comparisons
E)equity sensitivity

Question 26

Setting a goal for a person to be creative is normally effective.

Question 27

When workers experience inequity,they:

A)revert to lower-order needs.
B)rely on their peer group for support.
C)take action to restore balance.
D)adjust work attitudes.
E)advance to higher-order needs.

Question 28

SMART goals are specific,moderate,actionable,revised,and timely.

Question 29

Maxine and Morton shared office space and performed the same job for the eight years they worked at ABSee Graphics.One Friday,Maxine opened her pay envelope to find an amount twice as much as her usual pay.She was happily puzzled until she noticed Morton's name on the check.She exclaimed,"That's not fair! We do the same work.We should get the same pay!" Maxine's response illustrates:

A)social pressure.
B)input identity.
C)social comparison.
D)perceptual action.
E)behavioral action.

Question 30

A sense of outside pressure is increased when goals are made public.

Question 31

The process of linking consequences with voluntary behaviors is referred to as operant conditioning.

Question 32

Establishing client relationships enhances task identity and task significance.

Question 33

Behavior modification can create the conditions for game-playing and suboptimization.

Question 34

Equity theory rests on the perception of:

A)fairness.
B)affiliation.
C)equality.
D)promotion.
E)comparison.

Question 35

Which of the following is a motivational myth?

A)Money is a motivator.
B)Employees are motivated by a variety of things.
C)Punishment can be an effective motivator.
D)Low performance may be due to low motivation or ability to perform the task.
E)Lack of motivation stems largely from apathetic and lazy people.

Question 36

Employees with a low growth need strength may be very content to work in a relatively unenriched environment.

Question 37

Bettie comments to George,"Of course Don makes a lot more than we do! He's a movie star.We are short order cooks." Which of the following is an accurate equity theory observation?

A)Bettie has high equity sensitivity.
B)George has low perceptual ability.
C)Don is not part of Bettie's comparison group.
D)Don's ratio is lower than George's outcomes.
E)Bettie is intrinsically motivated.

Question 38

Behavior extinction occurs when an aversive consequence is added.

Question 39

In the bucket analogy of motivation,key sources of motivation are:

A)person,manager,and job.
B)person,rewards,and affiliation.
C)affiliation,power,and achievement.
D)safety,rewards,and esteem.
E)manager,power,and achievement.

Question 40

The final step of behavior modification is developing and implementing an intervention strategy.

Question 41

Larry thrives on challenge.He sets challenging goals,and when he meets those goals,he sets new ones.Larry is motivated by McClelland's ______________ need.

A)achievement
B)affiliation
C)power
D)security
E)relationship

Question 42

Mindy,a tenured college professor,tells her friend,"I really like this job.I get to set my own hours,work on books from start to finish.I do almost everything I really like to do - talk,think,and write.I know I make a difference in some of the students' lives.At any rate,I think I do.I haven't had an evaluation in nearly five years." Does Mindy's job have a high motivation potential score (MPS)?

A)Yes.Skill variety is excellent.
B)No.Task significance is low.
C)Yes.Task identity is clear.
D)No.Feedback is low.
E)Yes.Autonomy is contained.

Question 43

McClelland's learned needs theory:

A)has limited application in a global environment.
B)acknowledges that managers are primary motivators.
C)replaces expectancy and equity theories.
D)is the central theory from an applied perspective.
E)addresses the person as the source of motivation.

Question 44

Which of the following JCM interventions would enhance the greatest number of core characteristics?

A)Combine tasks
B)Group tasks into natural work units
C)Establish client relationships
D)Vertically load jobs
E)Open feedback channels

Question 45

__________________ is the process of linking consequences with voluntary behaviors.

A)Need for achievement
B)Operant conditioning
C)Organizational behavior modification
D)Self-esteem
E)Managerial modeling

Question 46

A hospital administrator assigns the worst shift to a nurse who talks too much on the phone during the day.This action is an example of:

A)positive reinforcement.
B)extinction.
C)punishment.
D)negative reinforcement.
E)generalized reinforcement.

Question 47

Which of the following is the most difficult operant conditioning strategy to transfer from the laboratory to the work environment?

A)Extinction
B)Punishment
C)Positive reinforcement
D)Negative reinforcement
E)generalized reinforcement

Question 48

Which of the following JCM interventions would enhance the greatest number of specifically task-related core characteristics?

A)Combine tasks
B)Group tasks into natural work units
C)Establish client relationships
D)Vertically load jobs
E)Open feedback channels

Question 49

An employee who likes to control the behavior of others,who volunteers for leadership positions,and is willing to be assertive when decisions need to be made expresses McClelland's ___________ motivational need.

A)achievement
B)affiliation
C)association
D)power
E)relationship

Question 50

Bong Hi thinks the social environment of work is more important than the work to be done.He is motivated by McClelland's ____________ need.

A)association
B)social
C)power
D)affiliation
E)community

Question 51

Susanne,a secretary,has come in late to work every day for the past month.Ed,her boss,has covered the phones,made his own coffee,and been trapped with unexpected early morning visitors.Susanne gets more late every week.He said nothing until last week's sarcastic comment,"Alarm clock broken again?" Susanne had laughed and patted him on the cheek as she sauntered in.Ed went to HR and learned the "red hot stove" discipline technique.Next time Susanne walks in late,he plans to fire her.Do you approve of Ed's plan?

A)Yes.It is consistent with the rules of the company.
B)No.If he has done nothing so far,this is not expected.
C)No.Firing is not a powerful action.
D)Yes.Extinction works well in this type of situation.
E)Yes.This negative reinforcement should solve the problem.

Question 52

Tony's Turkey Products makes holiday turkeys.Tony grows the turkeys;Daniel kills the turkeys;Rachel plucks and cooks them;Sara arranges the turkeys on a platter;Lisa decorates with candied fruits,greens,and other seasonal toppings;Chris delivers the turkeys;Bobby cleans the food preparation area;and Gloria takes the orders and does the billing.None of these employees especially like the work,but they like each other.No one has quit in 20 years and no one calls in sick.Do you have advice,according to the JCM?

A)Bobby should go out into the community more to increase his task significance.
B)Combining the jobs of Sara and Lisa will enhance their autonomy.
C)Tony should kill the turkeys.That change would vertically load the rest of the operation.
D)Chris and Daniel should switch jobs each week,increasing feedback.
E)Changing the work does not affect employees with low growth need strength.

Question 53

Employees with high equity sensitivity place a great deal of importance on:

A)fringe benefits.
B)personal worth.
C)using one's abilities.
D)personal accomplishment.
E)benefiting their organization.

Question 54

Marty has a very high need for achievement and very low needs for affiliation and power.Which of the following would be the best job choice for him?

A)Sales
B)Corporate management
C)Politics
D)Support staff
E)Information systems

Question 55

A hospital administrator tells a nurse who talks on the phone too much that he will quit paging her every 15 minutes if she quits the phone calls.This action is an example of:

A)positive reinforcement.
B)negative reinforcement.
C)generalized reinforcement.
D)extinction.
E)punishment.

Question 56

Gloria said,"The best thing about my job is I can choose my own hours and pick my own clients." She appreciated the high ___________ of the job,according to the Job Characteristics Model (JCM).

A)freedom
B)task significance
C)feedback
D)responsibility
E)autonomy

Question 57

McClelland's needs framework includes:

A)fairness,ratios,and input.
B)love,security,and safety.
C)extraversion,introversion,and sensing.
D)achievement,affiliation,and power.
E)realistic,social,and conventional.

Question 58

A regional air carrier had high employee turnover in a variety of customer service jobs.Exit interviews revealed that employees left because they were bored.Job 1 employees sold tickets at the counter.Job 2 employees tagged and handled baggage.Job 3 employees announced departing flights.Job 4 employees announced arriving flights.Job 5 employees took boarding passes for departing passengers.Job 6 employees addressed the needs and concerns of passengers.Which of the following JCM interventions would make boring work more fulfilling?

A)Making Job 2 functions part of the rest of the jobs would enhance feedback,autonomy,variety,and identity.
B)Making Job 3 functions part of the rest of the jobs would enhance feedback,autonomy,variety,and identity.
C)Making Job 4 functions part of the rest of the jobs would enhance feedback,autonomy,variety,and identity.
D)Making Job 5 functions part of the rest of the jobs would enhance feedback,autonomy,variety,and identity.
E)Making Job 6 functions part of the rest of the jobs would enhance feedback,autonomy,variety,and identity.

Question 59

Roger's sales suggestion box usually contains at least three requests to move staff meetings from Monday morning to any other time.Monday afternoon is the usual preference.Roger told his sales staff,"If we exceed quota this month by 10 percent,we will move staff meetings from Monday morning to Monday afternoons." What behavior modification strategy did Roger use?

A)Punishment
B)Positive reinforcement
C)Negative reinforcement
D)Extinction
E)Alternate affirmation

Question 60

Perhaps the two most universally recognized and evidence-based theories that support the notion of the manager as a source of motivation are:

A)needs hierarchy and emergent needs.
B)job characteristics and process control.
C)goal setting and behavior modification.
D)feedback and performance reward.
E)career focus and emotional intelligence.

Question 61

Sharon Kendall,a single mother of three,was the best secretary in the accounting division for more than a decade.Sharon excelled at the detail work in report preparation,liked the variety of dealing with the people in the department,and managed occasional outside division contact very well.Five to seven secretaries shared the division work.Sharon usually helped out on parts of many projects and seldom followed a project or document set from start to finish.Four years ago,Sharon's manager,Ryan Reece,rewarded Sharon's excellent work with the ability to arrange a flexible work schedule.Since then,Sharon has attended all of her sons' soccer games and her daughter's recitals.Recently,Ryan walked past Sharon's desk and asked,"How's everything?" Sharon replied,"The kids are great,but I'm starting to get bored with this job." Ryan hurried to the corporate motivation expert."Sharon is a great employee.How can we keep her?" They came up with three options.The first was to write a piece for the corporate newsletter featuring Sharon.There was an "EMPLOYEE EXCELLENCE FOCUS" section.In addition to the article,the featured employee was given a $500 bonus.The second idea was to promote her to division secretary supervisor,giving her oversight of all the accounting division secretarial staff and their work.She would have her own office,a nice raise,and regular 9 to 5 working hours.The third option was to send her to an accounting and finance technical school for six months.This option would bring more money,more challenge,more opportunity,and a work cubicle on the fifth floor with other accountants.The consultant mentioned that a slot in the next cycle of the accounting school had just opened up.Ryan thanked the consultant for all his help and arranged to take Sharon to lunch to tell her of his solution to her boredom.Ryan began the lunch with,"You scared me when you said you were bored at work.I was afraid you would resign.So,I went to corporate and have found the perfect solution." Ryan ended his news about the accounting school with,"So,it's all set.You fly to the coast next Monday,and when you get back in six months,you'll have a new office on the fifth floor.You have been the best secretary ever in this division.I know you will be a great accountant.Congratulations!" He extended his hand to Sharon.Sharon stabbed Ryan's hand with a fork and shouted,"You insensitive jerk.I quit!" Puzzled,Ryan rubbed his hand as Sharon rushed out of the restaurant.Please refer to this scenario for the following question.
Is there a way for Ryan Reece to keep Sharon from leaving at this point? Use any relevant motivational theory in your discussion.These six "prescriptions" from the text may be helpful: recognize individual differences;set good goals;strive for fairness;link rewards and punishments to performance;give credit where credit is due;and,model the way.

Question 62

Describe a serious workplace violation (time falsification,theft,etc. )that you have witnessed.If you were the manager,how would you administer punishment effectively? First,justify punishment as your choice of behavior modification strategy.

Question 63

Two of your group members have been underperforming for quite a while now.As their manager,you have tried a variety of techniques to boost their performance,including extra training,goal setting,performance-linked appropriate rewards,etc.However,none of the techniques have had any significant effect.As a last resort,you seek advice from a performance consultant.She teaches you the "red hot stove" technique.How will you use this technique?

Question 64

Outline the various skills needed to improve motivation using the expectancy theory.

Question 65

Sharon Kendall,a single mother of three,was the best secretary in the accounting division for more than a decade.Sharon excelled at the detail work in report preparation,liked the variety of dealing with the people in the department,and managed occasional outside division contact very well.Five to seven secretaries shared the division work.Sharon usually helped out on parts of many projects and seldom followed a project or document set from start to finish.Four years ago,Sharon's manager,Ryan Reece,rewarded Sharon's excellent work with the ability to arrange a flexible work schedule.Since then,Sharon has attended all of her sons' soccer games and her daughter's recitals.Recently,Ryan walked past Sharon's desk and asked,"How's everything?" Sharon replied,"The kids are great,but I'm starting to get bored with this job." Ryan hurried to the corporate motivation expert."Sharon is a great employee.How can we keep her?" They came up with three options.The first was to write a piece for the corporate newsletter featuring Sharon.There was an "EMPLOYEE EXCELLENCE FOCUS" section.In addition to the article,the featured employee was given a $500 bonus.The second idea was to promote her to division secretary supervisor,giving her oversight of all the accounting division secretarial staff and their work.She would have her own office,a nice raise,and regular 9 to 5 working hours.The third option was to send her to an accounting and finance technical school for six months.This option would bring more money,more challenge,more opportunity,and a work cubicle on the fifth floor with other accountants.The consultant mentioned that a slot in the next cycle of the accounting school had just opened up.Ryan thanked the consultant for all his help and arranged to take Sharon to lunch to tell her of his solution to her boredom.Ryan began the lunch with,"You scared me when you said you were bored at work.I was afraid you would resign.So,I went to corporate and have found the perfect solution." Ryan ended his news about the accounting school with,"So,it's all set.You fly to the coast next Monday,and when you get back in six months,you'll have a new office on the fifth floor.You have been the best secretary ever in this division.I know you will be a great accountant.Congratulations!" He extended his hand to Sharon.Sharon stabbed Ryan's hand with a fork and shouted,"You insensitive jerk.I quit!" Puzzled,Ryan rubbed his hand as Sharon rushed out of the restaurant.Please refer to this scenario for the following question.
Evaluate Ryan Reece's efforts to increase Sharon Kendall's motivation.Use these six "prescriptions" from the text: recognize individual differences;set good goals;strive for fairness;link rewards and punishments to performance;give credit where credit is due;and,model the way.

Question 66

Sharon Kendall,a single mother of three,was the best secretary in the accounting division for more than a decade.Sharon excelled at the detail work in report preparation,liked the variety of dealing with the people in the department,and managed occasional outside division contact very well.Five to seven secretaries shared the division work.Sharon usually helped out on parts of many projects and seldom followed a project or document set from start to finish.Four years ago,Sharon's manager,Ryan Reece,rewarded Sharon's excellent work with the ability to arrange a flexible work schedule.Since then,Sharon has attended all of her sons' soccer games and her daughter's recitals.Recently,Ryan walked past Sharon's desk and asked,"How's everything?" Sharon replied,"The kids are great,but I'm starting to get bored with this job." Ryan hurried to the corporate motivation expert."Sharon is a great employee.How can we keep her?" They came up with three options.The first was to write a piece for the corporate newsletter featuring Sharon.There was an "EMPLOYEE EXCELLENCE FOCUS" section.In addition to the article,the featured employee was given a $500 bonus.The second idea was to promote her to division secretary supervisor,giving her oversight of all the accounting division secretarial staff and their work.She would have her own office,a nice raise,and regular 9 to 5 working hours.The third option was to send her to an accounting and finance technical school for six months.This option would bring more money,more challenge,more opportunity,and a work cubicle on the fifth floor with other accountants.The consultant mentioned that a slot in the next cycle of the accounting school had just opened up.Ryan thanked the consultant for all his help and arranged to take Sharon to lunch to tell her of his solution to her boredom.Ryan began the lunch with,"You scared me when you said you were bored at work.I was afraid you would resign.So,I went to corporate and have found the perfect solution." Ryan ended his news about the accounting school with,"So,it's all set.You fly to the coast next Monday,and when you get back in six months,you'll have a new office on the fifth floor.You have been the best secretary ever in this division.I know you will be a great accountant.Congratulations!" He extended his hand to Sharon.Sharon stabbed Ryan's hand with a fork and shouted,"You insensitive jerk.I quit!" Puzzled,Ryan rubbed his hand as Sharon rushed out of the restaurant.Please refer to this scenario for the following question.
What would you have done in Ryan Reece's position to address Sharon Kendall's boredom? Use expectancy theory to diagnose the issue.Apply at least one relevant theory from each of these areas: personal,job,and managerial.
There may be nothing really wrong with Sharon.Students should suggest probing further.If students do take the boredom expression at face value,there are lots of good options.Expectancy theory would quickly reveal lack of valence in any changes that hurt Sharon's family life.Maslow or McClelland would be the best choices for discussion of personal motivation.Again,Sharon's children are an issue now.A good suggestion would include discussing her long range plans and goals.What could she do when the children are older,out of school? Goal setting fits well with the long-range strategy.Some short-term positive reinforcement might also be a good proposal.Students could make good suggestions using the job characteristics model in a number of ways: some discussion of task combination,encouraging client relationships,or vertically loading.

Question 67

Pete has been working with the same investment bank for the last five years.During a casual chat with his friend in HR,he finds out that Tom,a new hire in the same group,has been offered a salary almost double that of Pete's.Tom has similar education qualifications as Pete but has lesser experience.Discuss Pete's options for restoring a sense of equity.

Question 68

Identify the five JCM interventions.How can they help design more fulfilling work (according to the JCM)?

Question 69

You are the manager of a call service center.You have identified a few members of your team who have the education and required skills to perform well,but are woefully short of accomplishing their goals.How will you go about diagnosing their motivational problems?
The following are some important questions that will help guide you through the diagnostic process:
• Are goals and performance expectations clearly communicated and understood?
• Does the person (or people)in question have the skills,training,and self-confidence needed to perform as asked?
• Is performance rewarded clearly and in a timely fashion? Does the person have strong reason to believe that if the work is performed,the outcome will be delivered?
• Is the outcome important to the person? Do I really know what that person values at this point in time,and how do I know it? Am I offering something that person has told me he/she values?
• Are rewards proportional to effort and administered in a direct and timely way? Have you made sure that the outcomes are proportional to the effort needed?
• Is the job designed to maximize the core job dimensions? What can be done to make the job more motivating?

Question 70

Joe's new manager Martha has heard about Joe's star performer status.However,she has seen only average performance from him.In a face-to-face meeting with Joe,she finds out that his old manager used to reward Joe's hard work with more work.Bonuses were usually not linked to performance.Moreover,Joe would have really appreciated rewards like some extra time off and a flexible schedule so that he could take care of his elderly parents.His previous manager always promised those rewards but never actually gave them.Suggest how Martha can motivate Joe in light of the expectancy theory.

Question 71

Sharon Kendall,a single mother of three,was the best secretary in the accounting division for more than a decade.Sharon excelled at the detail work in report preparation,liked the variety of dealing with the people in the department,and managed occasional outside division contact very well.Five to seven secretaries shared the division work.Sharon usually helped out on parts of many projects and seldom followed a project or document set from start to finish.Four years ago,Sharon's manager,Ryan Reece,rewarded Sharon's excellent work with the ability to arrange a flexible work schedule.Since then,Sharon has attended all of her sons' soccer games and her daughter's recitals.Recently,Ryan walked past Sharon's desk and asked,"How's everything?" Sharon replied,"The kids are great,but I'm starting to get bored with this job." Ryan hurried to the corporate motivation expert."Sharon is a great employee.How can we keep her?" They came up with three options.The first was to write a piece for the corporate newsletter featuring Sharon.There was an "EMPLOYEE EXCELLENCE FOCUS" section.In addition to the article,the featured employee was given a $500 bonus.The second idea was to promote her to division secretary supervisor,giving her oversight of all the accounting division secretarial staff and their work.She would have her own office,a nice raise,and regular 9 to 5 working hours.The third option was to send her to an accounting and finance technical school for six months.This option would bring more money,more challenge,more opportunity,and a work cubicle on the fifth floor with other accountants.The consultant mentioned that a slot in the next cycle of the accounting school had just opened up.Ryan thanked the consultant for all his help and arranged to take Sharon to lunch to tell her of his solution to her boredom.Ryan began the lunch with,"You scared me when you said you were bored at work.I was afraid you would resign.So,I went to corporate and have found the perfect solution." Ryan ended his news about the accounting school with,"So,it's all set.You fly to the coast next Monday,and when you get back in six months,you'll have a new office on the fifth floor.You have been the best secretary ever in this division.I know you will be a great accountant.Congratulations!" He extended his hand to Sharon.Sharon stabbed Ryan's hand with a fork and shouted,"You insensitive jerk.I quit!" Puzzled,Ryan rubbed his hand as Sharon rushed out of the restaurant.Please refer to this scenario for the following question.
Which of the three options was the best one to address Sharon's boredom? Include personal,job,and managerial issues in your discussion.

Question 72

Describe a few of the common motivational myths.

Question 73

Discuss the five core job dimensions that the Job Characteristics Model (JCM)identifies.Give an example of at least one profession which scores high for each job dimension.

Question 74

Which of the four reinforcement strategies is the most difficult to transfer from the lab to the work environment? Why?

Question 75

Discuss McClelland's learned needs theory.