Deck 13: Work and the Economy

Question 1

As the division of labour increased, social relations among workers became more hierarchical.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Unions and professional organizations create collateral labour markets.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Henry Ford was the originator of the deskilling thesis.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

The Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire is a recent example of the poor working conditions that often accompany worker exploitation.

Question 5

The secondary labour market is disproportionately made up of high-skilled, well-educated workers.

Question 6

Computers extend and increase high levels of skill, while at the same time, computers replace low-skill jobs.

Question 7

The human relations style of management advocated less authoritarian leadership on the shop floor.

Question 8

The private ownership of property is one of the defining characteristics of capitalism.

Question 9

Productivity refers to the farming sector, fishing, logging, and mining.

Question 10

Scientific management is often used to refer to mass production, assembly-line work.

Question 11

Branch plants are typically set up in low-wage, low-tax nations.

Question 12

Women and men are entering the labour force at a similar rate today.

Question 13

Labour market segmentation began to develop after World War II, and continued to the present.It was a time when large business organizations emerged.

Question 14

A key feature of "good jobs" is the high degree of autonomy that workers often experience.

Question 15

The institution that organizes the production, distribution, and exchange of goods and services is the political system.

Question 16

Quality circles originated in the United States and Canada.

Question 17

Communism is the name Karl Marx gave to the classless society that, he said, is bound to develop out of capitalism.

Question 18

The Canadian Medical Association is an example of a labour-market shelter.

Question 19

Five major banks in Canada control the vast majority of all banking assets in the nation.

Question 20

More likely than not, deskilling is taking place in the old economy-for instance, assembly-line manufacturing.

Question 21

Vijay, a recent immigrant from India, has a degree in business administration and 15 years of experience.He has only been able to find work as a clerk at a car rental agency.In thinking about the barriers between primary and secondary markets, what most likely accounts for his lack of success in getting a job for which he is qualified?

A)There are too few entry-level positions in the primary labour market.
B)There are too many entry-level positions in the secondary labour market.
C)He lacks the required training and skill set for a job in the primary labour market.
D)He lacks an informal network that would link him to a primary-labour-market job.

Question 22

Kate started her career as an assistant professor at a small university and has quickly moved up the ranks to become an associate professor.She is looking forward to becoming a full professor before she reaches age 40.According to the labour market development model, what is the name of the setting she works within?

A)the segmented labour market
B)the primary labour market
C)the secondary labour market
D)the professional labour market

Question 23

Why were scientific management principles introduced into the workplace?

A)to improve worker morale
B)to increase worker autonomy
C)to increase work productivity
D)to increase worker skill levels

Question 24

Zoe works as a journalist, examining the employment situation in her province.She notices that the larger organizations tend to provide better pay, better benefits, and greater job security than the smaller businesses.What stage of the labour market development model is she observing?

A)worker resistance
B)labour homogenization
C)labour market segmentation
D)initial proletarianization

Question 25

According to the textbook, which of the following is a distinctive feature of democratic socialism?

A)five-year state plans to establish national economic activities
B)a lack of government involvement in the economy
C)significant government intervention in the market
D)a high level of public ownership

Question 26

Which of the following is one defining feature of corporations?

A)Corporations are taxed at the same rate as individuals.
B)Corporations are taxed at a lower rate than individuals.
C)Corporation owners are responsible for harms they cause.
D)Corporation owners are responsible for debts the corporation accrues.

Question 27

Because wage levels and other benefits are established by supply and demand, what type of market is the secondary labour market?

A)a free market
B)a closed market
C)a flexible market
D)a bull market

Question 28

Brian works a split shift at the drive-through window at a local fast food franchise.He makes minimum wage and no benefits.What type of job would the authors of the textbook argue he has?

A)a decent job
B)a dead-end job
C)an industry job
D)a market job

Question 29

What kind of organization is the Society of Graphic Designers of Canada most likely to be?

A)a worker cooperative
B)an expert council
C)a trade union
D)a professional association

Question 30

Shannon is a skilled typist who works part-time for a large "temp" agency.According to the textbook, what is Shannon most likely to experience at a higher rate than other office workers?

A)job satisfaction
B)challenging work
C)mental health issues
D)sexual harassment

Question 31

Who is responsible for the introduction of the assembly line into the workplace?

A)Frederick W.Taylor
B)Kenneth Thomson
C)William Gates
D)Henry Ford

Question 32

Of the Canadians working at or below minimum wage, what proportion work part-time?

A)one-quarter
B)one-third
C)one-half
D)two-thirds

Question 33

Which of the following is a distinctive feature of capitalism?

A)private ownership of Crown corporations
B)cooperation in the pursuit of collective goals
C)private ownership of property
D)public ownership of the means of production

Question 34

According to the deskilling thesis, what do owners stand to gain by separating "conception to execution" in the workplace?

A)productivity
B)profit
C)control
D)organization

Question 35

According to the textbook, which of the following is most likely to be resistant to the operation of a free market?

A)a wealthy financier
B)a small business owner
C)a physician
D)a municipal worker

Question 36

According to the textbook, which of the following is a major problem with the deskilling thesis?

A)It lacks an analysis of specific job categories.
B)It primarily occurs in "old economy" jobs.
C)It overlooks the bottom of the occupational hierarchy.
D)It focuses too much attention on the occupational structure as a whole.

Question 37

What do we call work that requires a low skill level, is poorly paid, has little autonomy and few, if any, benefits?

A)a bad job
B)dire employment
C)a straitened circumstance
D)negative work

Question 38

Silvio has low-wage employment where he works long hours, is regularly exposed to toxic substances, and is three times more likely to suffer an industrial illness than others in similar jobs.According to the textbook, in what industry is Silvio most likely employed?

A)auto mechanics
B)silviculture and forestry
C)electronics assembly
D)pulp and paper

Question 39

What do we call organizations that work to promote workers' collective interests and rights?

A)collectives
B)cooperatives
C)confederations
D)unions

Question 40

Which of the following principles is advocated by the human relations school of management?

A)less attention to unclear demands by workers
B)more careful selection and training of personnel
C)greater attention to corporate management
D)increased authoritarian leadership on the job

Question 41

Which of the following jobs is most likely to be unionized in Canada?

A)lawyer
B)hospital lab technician
C)retail clerk
D)auto mechanic

Question 42

What distinctive feature characterizes a communist economic system?

A)state ownership of property
B)competition in the pursuit of collective profit
C)private ownership of the military
D)a free market

Question 43

In the middle of the 1800s, Willie was forced to close his blacksmith shop and get work in the new textile mill.According to the stages of labour market development model, which stage does Willie's situation characterize?

A)worker resistance
B)labour homogenization
C)labour market segmentation
D)initial proletarianization

Question 44

In which of the following respects are unions and professional associations alike?

A)Both intervene with governments to promote secondary labour.
B)Both bargain for collective agreements for their members.
C)Both oppose the creation of non-standard work.
D)Both act as labour-market shelters from loss of jobs and pay cuts.

Question 45

Kristin is a policy analyst for the provincial government.Which sector of the economy is she engaged in?

A)the primary sector
B)the secondary sector
C)the tertiary sector
D)the social reproduction sector

Question 46

Janet and her partner Sylvie have an organic farm.They sell vegetables in the summer at the local farmers' market and run a "brown box" program in the winter, delivering vegetables to local subscribers' doorsteps.Which sector of the economy are Janet and Silvie engaged in?

A)the primary sector
B)the secondary sector
C)the tertiary sector
D)the social reproduction sector

Question 47

Carlos is a recent immigrant from Guatemala, and he works most of the year in construction.When construction slows down in the winter, he plays music at a local lounge.According to the labour market development model, what is the name of the setting he works within?

A)the primary labour market
B)the secondary labour market
C)the segmented labour market
D)the proletarian labour market

Question 48

What do we call work that requires a high level of education, is highly paid, has a high level of autonomy, and has possibilities for promotion?

A)positive work
B)superior employment
C)a quality occupation
D)a good job

Question 49

The largest concessions to workers have been made in nations with the highest proportion of which of the following types of workers?

A)young workers
B)professional workers
C)unionized workers
D)technological workers

Question 50

According to Ester Reiter's research on fast-food workers in Toronto, what were the workers trained to do?

A)to make the best food possible regardless of the ingredients available
B)to continue smiling regardless of how obnoxious customers may be
C)to advance their careers in the industry by undercutting other workers
D)to provide only mediocre service to elderly customers and youth

Question 51

In 2013, approximately what proportion of Canadian workers were part-time employees?

A)one-fifth
B)one-quarter
C)one-third
D)one-half

Question 52

Harbinder is a lawyer for a busy Toronto law firm.How much of Canada's population is engaged in the same sector of the economy as she is?

A)one-quarter
B)one-third
C)one-half
D)three-quarters

Question 53

There are a number of reasons why the increase in part-time work in Canada may not be problematic.Which of the following reflects one of these reasons?

A)Some people wish to work part-time and can afford to do so.
B)Some people require a consistent and stable work schedule.
C)Some people move from job to job as a means of advancing their careers.
D)Some people enjoy the challenge of holding several part-time jobs at once.

Question 54

Over the final third of the twentieth century, what is believed to be responsible for speeding the pace of change from the industrial to postindustrial economies?

A)Fordism
B)Taylorism
C)computer technology
D)scientific management

Question 55

One outcome of the introduction of computers to the workplace is a reduction in which of the following?

A)the number of bad jobs
B)the quality of bad jobs
C)the number of good jobs
D)the quality of good jobs

Question 56

Connie and her daughters all work in a salmon processing plant on the north coast of British Columbia.Which sector of the economy are they engaged in?

A)the primary sector
B)the secondary sector
C)the tertiary sector
D)the social reproduction sector

Question 57

Which of the following is the fastest-growing category of part-time workers?

A)underage part-time workers
B)involuntary part-time workers
C)white-collar part-time workers
D)previously retired part-time workers

Question 58

Which of the following is linked to increased rates of substance abuse, stress, aggression, and depression in Canada?

A)the increased time pressure that many workers experience
B)the awful working conditions that accompany primary-labour-market jobs
C)the humiliating effects of working in secondary-labour-market jobs
D)the inability for people to find even minimum-wage employment

Question 59

Jessie has a position as a front-counter worker at a fast-food chain.She often endures putdowns by older customers and ridicule by teens who go to the same school as her.Based on Reiter's research, how will Jessie most likely respond to these humiliations?

A)walk off the job
B)yell at the customers
C)smile at the customers
D)invite the customers to talk to management

Question 60

Daniel sits on the board of directors for a marketing corporation, a diamond exploration company, and a grocery chain.What do we call the situation he is in?

A)conglomerates
B)oligopolies
C)corporations
D)interlocking directorates

Question 61

A number of occupations in Canada have associations that license people working in the field, and only those in good standing with their associations get to use the occupational title and perform work in that field.What term best describes the effect of these licensing practices?

A)job-restrictive associations
B)occupational havens
C)labour-market shelters
D)limited-access shelters

Question 62

The question of whether free or regulated markets are better for society lies at the heart of much scholarly controversy.Why do many economic sociologists find this division too simplistic?

A)Regulation is not an either/or issue but a matter of degree.
B)Markets are regulated in the same way for all groups.
C)The costs and benefits of regulation are distributed in one way.
D)Some markets are neither free nor regulated.

Question 63

What percentage of Canadian workers are employed in organizations that have more than 500 employees?

A)5
B)10
C)15
D)20

Question 64

David is a member of the Cree First Nation, and he has found work as a welder's helper on the oil pipeline in Northern Alberta.According to the labour market development model, what is the name of the setting he works within?

A)the segmented labour market
B)the primary labour market
C)the secondary labour market
D)the proletarian labour market

Question 65

Which sector of the economy is manufacturing part of?

A)the social reproduction sector
B)the primary sector
C)the secondary sector
D)the tertiary sector

Question 66

What do we call the German system that grants workers input into an organization's overall business strategy?

A)Taylorism
B)Fordism
C)codetermination
D)unionization

Question 67

Regarding the importance of skilled labour in the current economy, what did Braverman and Zuboff do in their analyses?

A)They underestimated it.
B)They exaggerated it.
C)They ignored it.
D)They made it central to their analyses.

Question 68

Kristin is a computer programmer for the provincial government.Which sector of the economy is she engaged in?

A)the primary sector
B)the secondary sector
C)the tertiary sector
D)the social reproduction sector

Question 69

According to the textbook, how many paid vacation days are guaranteed to workers annually in Canada?

A)0
B)5
C)10
D)15

Question 70

Because wage levels and other benefits are established by the forces of supply and demand, as well as by the power of those employed in it, what type of market is the primary labour market?

A)a free market
B)a closed market
C)a flexible market
D)a regulated market

Question 71

What happened to the rate of part-time workers in Canada between 1976 and 2013?

A)It decreased by one-third.
B)It decreased by one-half.
C)It more than doubled.
D)It more than tripled.

Question 72

What do we call people who have had extensive educations in highly specialized fields and enjoy a high degree of autonomy at work?

A)professionals
B)gatekeepers
C)bourgeoisie
D)practitioners

Question 73

Which sector of the economy is agriculture part of?

A)the social reproduction sector
B)the primary sector
C)the secondary sector
D)the tertiary sector

Question 74

Which of the following was credited with gains made in quality and productivity in the North American auto industry in the 1980s and 1990s?

A)scientific management practices
B)authoritarian management practices
C)broader-based unionization
D)worker participation programs

Question 75

Which of the following did the "human relations" school of management do?

A)It introduced joint or cooperative business ownership.
B)It emphasized more efficient means of organizing work.
C)It showed that workers are not motivated by wages alone.
D)It pushed managers to reintroduce scientific management.

Question 76

According to the textbook, why do youth in particular have a difficult time accepting ridicule and humiliation in the workplace?

A)Their personal values are contradicted by this treatment.
B)They have grown up in an anti-bullying culture.
C)They have been socialized to engage mainly in actions that boost self-esteem.
D)They have little ability to cope with workplace pressure.

Question 77

Who introduced scientific management principles into the workplace?

A)Frederick W.Taylor
B)Kenneth Thomson
C)William Gates
D)Henry Ford

Question 78

Alfred produces the parts for a very specialized piece of machinery and then sells them to a supplier.Which societal institution is Alfred engaged in with his activities?

A)the family
B)the state
C)the law
D)the economy

Question 79

Who developed the deskilling thesis?

A)John Lie
B)Shoshana Zuboff
C)Harry Braverman
D)David Gordon

Question 80

Selena works part-time at a grocery store and is hoping to gain enough hours to reach full-time status so she can both pay her rent and eat.What kind of worker is Selena?

A)a tertiary sector part-time worker
B)a white-collar part-time worker
C)an involuntary part-time worker
D)an anti-part-time worker