Deck 7: Motivation in Organizations

Question 1

The motivational fit approach stipulates that motivation is based on the connection between qualities of ________ and requirements of the ________.

A) individuals; supervisor
B) individuals; job
C) the job; supervisor
D) the job; organization

Answer 1

B

Question 2

The concept of motivation is concerned with:

A) the drive, or energy, behind human behavior.
B) the direction behavior takes.
C) how long people will persist at attempting to meet their goal.
D) All of the above.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

When a manager is thinking about motivating people and is considering the choices available, he/she is considering the element of ________ in motivation.

A) arousal
B) direction
C) maintenance
D) need

Answer 3

B

Question 4

An individual's belief about having the capacity to perform a task is called:

A) goal commitment.
B) goal setting.
C) self-actualization.
D) self-efficacy.

Question 5

Bill is trying to get his first shift workers to stay on the job an extra two hours in order to meet a production volume goal, because a snow storm has delayed the arrival of second shift. Bill is concerned about the issue of:

A) motivation.
B) equity.
C) expectancy.
D) needs hierarchy.

Question 6

Which theory suggests that people are motivated to attain goals because doing so makes them feel successful?

A) Goal-settingtheory.
B) Social needs theory.
C) Self-efficacy theory.
D) Self-actualization theory.

Question 7

When speaking of motivation, it is apparent that:

A) the term motivation is synonymous with job performance.
B) single factors play the most important part in motivating an individual employee.
C) if arousal is high, direction is low, and maintenance is high, employees will only be moderately motivated.
D) motivation is just one predictor of job performance.

Question 8

Arousal is critical to the process of motivation because it:

A) defines the direction our actions take.
B) is the drive behind our behavior to attain goals.
C) helps one to maintain the behavior needed to reach goals.
D) explains the value of equity theory.

Question 9

When managers think about motivation, they must consider that:

A) people generally have one simple motive to their behavior.
B) employees can have several motives at the same time and they can be in conflict.
C) highly motivated workers always also are high performers.
D) money is a key motivator, the primary mover of human behavior.

Question 10

________ describes the duration of motivation, how long people will persist in seeking to meet their goals.

A) Arousal
B) Drive
C) Maintenance
D) Need

Question 11

Motivational fit is enhanced when people's characteristics ________.

A) have little to do with the unique requirements of the positions they seek
B) resemble the unique requirements of the positions they seek.
C) match the unique requirements of the positions they seek
D) None of the above

Question 12

Skills such as the capacity to work independently, to innovate, and to persist at solving difficult problems are important for:

A) factory workers.
B) call center operators.
C) research scientists.
D) department store cashiers.

Question 13

When an engineer is asked to lead a sales team, the engineer has been assigned:

A) a change goal.
B) a professional development goal.
C) a vertical stretch goal.
D) a horizontal stretch goal.

Question 14

Which is not an example of an outcome in an equity theory analysis?

A) salary
B) recognition
C) fringe benefits
D) units produced

Question 15

According to the motivational fit model:

A) it is not important for an individual's motivational traits and skills to match the requirements of his or her working environment.
B) it is important for an individual's motivational traits and skills to match the requirements of the job he or she performs.
C) it is important for an individual's motivational traits to match the requirements of the working environment, but not his or her skills.
D) it is important for an individual's skills to match the requirements of the working environment, but not his or her motivational traits.

Question 16

The degree to which people accept and strive to attain goals is:

A) self-actualization.
B) self-efficacy.
C) goal commitment.
D) goal setting.

Question 17

The process of determining specific levels of performance for workers to attain and then striving to attain them is called:

A) self-actualization requirements.
B) performance feedback.
C) organizational mission.
D) goal setting.

Question 18

People perform at a higher level when:

A) they are asked to do their best.
B) they are not assigned specific goals.
C) they are asked to meet a specific high performance goal.
D) they are only assigned stretch goals.

Question 19

The motivational fit approach specifies two traits as important. These are:

A) achievement, emotion.
B) achievement, emotion control.
C) achievement, anxiety.
D) anxiety, emotion control.

Question 20

In addition to traits, an individual's motivation is also determined by ________, the particular strategies used when he or she attempts to meet workplace objectives.

A) automatic responses
B) time-management skills
C) motivational skills
D) task representations

Question 21

To help strengthen employee commitment to goals, an organization should:

A) involve employees in the goal-setting process.
B) set the highest possible goals.
C) provide feedback about performance.
D) provide monetary incentives along with specific goals.

Question 22

Research on feedback and goal setting has shown that job performance is:

A) enhanced more by feedback than by goal setting.
B) enhanced more by goal setting than by feedback.
C) enhanced most when feedback and goal setting are used together.
D) not affected by feedback when goal setting is used.

Question 23

Research on employees' actions to redress inequities on the job shows that:

A) they generally will not take behavioral action.
B) they may change their behavior, but not their thinking.
C) they may change their thinking, but not their behavior.
D) they will respond much as equity theory suggests.

Question 24

The best established finding about goal-setting is that:

A) employees resist goals they don't have a part in setting.
B) the more impossible the goal, the better the performance.
C) several incremental goals are less motivating than one major goal.
D) performance increases with specific assigned goals.

Question 25

According to equity theory, an underpaid person might do which of the following?

A) Ask for a raise
B) Steal from the company
C) Work less hard
D) All of these.

Question 26

Expectancy theory proposes that behavior is the result of ________.

A) expectancy
B) instrumentality
C) valence
D) All of the above

Question 27

The key to equity theory is the:

A) outcomes the employee receives for his/her effort.
B) employee's perception regarding the balance of outcomes to inputs.
C) employee's commitment to the job and company.
D) employee's inputs.

Question 28

If a worker believes that his/her effort will result in excellent performance, and that the reward is one the worker values, but the worker does not expect that his/her performance will be rewarded, expectancy theory proposes that the worker's motivation will be:

A) moderate.
B) high.
C) low.
D) zero.

Question 29

Stretch goals, in which managers perform tasks they have never done before are known as:

A) horizontal stretch goals.
B) vertical stretch goals.
C) equity goals.
D) expectancy goals.

Question 30

According to equity theory, if Sam believes that the ratio of his outcomes/inputs is greater than the ratio of Joe's outcomes/inputs, then Sam will:

A) experience guilt.
B) lower his inputs.
C) raise his outcomes.
D) experience anger.

Question 31

In expectancy theory, ________ is the belief that one's performance will be rewarded.

A) instrumentality
B) expectancy
C) valence
D) procedural justice

Question 32

Equity theory suggests that managers should:

A) avoid transparency in pay practices.
B) strive to pay all employees equitably.
C) use pay scales as a bludgeon to keep employees in line.
D) use overpayment to increase long-run performance.

Question 33

Research has shown that people will work at the highest level when performance goals are:

A) general and easy to reach
B) specific and difficult, yet realistic
C) specific and exceptionally difficult
D) general and somewhat difficult

Question 34

Workers who perceive inequity but are unwilling to change their inputs may address the problem by:

A) asking for a raise.
B) changing the way they think about the situation.
C) taking a second job to earn more money.
D) reducing their outcomes.

Question 35

In equity theory:

A) is as bad to overpay employees as to underpay them.
B) underpayment can be justified to employees.
C) it is better to overpay than underpay.
D) few employees care about the issue of overpayment or underpayment.

Question 36

Stretch goals, in which higher levels of current activities are aggressively pursued, are known as:

A) horizontal stretch goals.
B) vertical stretch goals.
C) equity goals.
D) expectancy goals.

Question 37

Goal-setting theory is closely tied to the self-management concept of:

A) self-monitoring.
B) self-efficacy.
C) self-esteem.
D) None of the above.

Question 38

According to expectancy theory, ________ represent what employees believe is expected of them on the job.

A) performance norms
B) role perceptions
C) departmental impressions
D) normative judgments

Question 39

According to goal setting theory, an assigned goal serves as a motivator because:

A) of the additional fear element present over the possibility of displeasing the boss.
B) it provides information about how well one is performing a task.
C) of the requirement of acceptance of the assigned goal as a personal goal.
D) it influences the individual's self-efficacy positively.

Question 40

In expectancy theory, ________ is the belief that high amounts of effort will lead to good performance.

A) instrumentality
B) expectancy
C) valence
D) procedural justice

Question 41

The skill variety, task identity, and task significance together create the critical psychological state of:

A) personal responsibility.
B) accountability.
C) experienced meaningfulness.
D) knowledge of results.

Question 42

If a job is redesigned to include more tasks at the same level, but the skills needed to do the job are neither changed nor increased, then that job has been ________.

A) vertically loaded
B) enriched
C) psychologically adjusted
D) horizontally loaded

Question 43

The job characteristics model is especially effective in describing the behavior of workers who are high in:

A) self-actualization.
B) self-monitoring.
C) instrumentality.
D) growth-need strength.

Question 44

According to the job characteristics model, a worker's knowledge of the actual results of work activities is determined by:

A) task significance.
B) feedback.
C) autonomy.
D) skill variety.

Question 45

Establishing client relationships can enhance the core job dimension of:

A) autonomy.
B) skill variety.
C) task identity.
D) feedback.

Question 46

The job characteristics model expands on which element of job redesign?

A) Critical psychological states
B) Job enlargement
C) Job enrichment
D) Job expectancy

Question 47

The degree of impact a job is believed to have on others is known as:

A) task identity.
B) task significance.
C) autonomy.
D) skill variety.

Question 48

Jessica is trying to increase the freedom and discretion that employees have in scheduling and planning their work. Based on the job characteristics model, Jessica is trying to increase:

A) task significance.
B) autonomy.
C) task identity.
D) skill variety.

Question 49

The expectancy theory suggests that motivation may be enhanced by

A) administering low-valence rewards to employees.
B) providing all employees with the same rewards.
C) implementing a pay for performance plan.
D) eliminating instrumentality.

Question 50

Supervisors at the Johnson Corp. help introduce a work motivation program based on providing continuous informal and formal feedback. This action addresses the critical psychological state of:

A) personal responsibility.
B) accountability.
C) experienced meaningfulness.
D) knowledge of results.

Question 51

The Motivating Potential Score (MPS) is:

A) a summary index of how motivated employees are.
B) a score for how successful a company has been at motivating employees.
C) a summary index of a job's potential for motivating people.
D) None of these.

Question 52

In expectancy theory, ________ influence job performance.

A) role perceptions
B) skills and abilities
C) opportunities to perform
D) All of the above

Question 53

The extent to which a job requires doing different activities using several skills and talents is known as:

A) task identity.
B) task significance.
C) autonomy.
D) skill variety.

Question 54

The extent to which a job requires completing a whole piece of work from beginning to end is known as:

A) task identity.
B) task significance.
C) autonomy.
D) skill variety.

Question 55

To enrich a job, an employer might:

A) allow employees to decide how to do their jobs.
B) increase the number of tasks without increasing responsibilities.
C) horizontally load the job.
D) Do all of the above.

Question 56

The extent to which employees have the freedom and discretion to plan and schedule their jobs as desired is known as:

A) task identity.
B) task significance.
C) autonomy.
D) skill variety.

Question 57

A company's managers want to clearly link valued rewards to the job performances needed to attain them. Which of the following will help them accomplish that purpose?

A) Let workers decide for themselves what they need to do to earn valued rewards.
B) Level the playing field so that everyone's performance will be the same.
C) Implement a suggestion system so that employees can share their feelings.
D) Make absolutely clear what workers must do to obtain valued rewards.

Question 58

Managers can put expectancy theory to work by ________.

A) implementing a pay-for-performance plan
B) training people to do their jobs more efficiently
C) offering a cafeteria-style benefit plan
D) All of the above

Question 59

According to one research study, employees in a large financial services company who had their jobs enlarged improved their performance:

A) and overall company performance improved.
B) but the rate of employee error increased a year later.
C) and job satisfaction remained unchanged.
D) but organizational commitment decreased.

Question 60

Job enrichment programs have a number of limitations including:

A) generally poor/weak job performance results.
B) poor acceptance by upper management.
C) a dramatic increase in compensation costs.
D) lack of employee acceptance.

Question 61

If individual arousal and direction are strong enough, the lack of a maintenance step in the motivation process will not decrease individual motivation.

Question 62

Feedback to employees is very important in enhancing employee motivation for goal attainment.

Question 63

Table 7.2
John is working on his department's annual plan. Employee performance has been okay and commitment to his department's goals moderate. In the past John has asked his employees to do their best. This year he is asking each employee to work with him in determining exactly what that employee is going to accomplish this year. John wants his people to feel the goals are theirs, to invest in their accomplishment. He wants them to believe that they can accomplish these goals. He thinks he can help this whole process by meeting with each employee quarterly and talking about where the department is and where the employee is in regards to goal accomplishment.
Refer to Table 7.2. In the past what principle of goal setting did John violate?

A) Goal commitment
B) Assigning specific goals
C) Setting difficult but acceptable goals
D) Providing feedback on goal attainment

Question 64

Table 7.1
Shue-Fan is surprised at the amount of motivational energy her recent "pep-talk" seems to have created in her staff. They seem to be very concerned about making her happy and making a good impression on her. As she ponders their reaction, she concludes that her emphasis on helping her employees develop their potential is really paying off. An employee approaches her and asks if their team could create a team T-shirt and wear it on casual dress day. Shue-Fan agrees. Finally, Shue-Fan decides the company ought to do more to recognize employee accomplishments, so she proposes a company-wide recognition/awards program.
Refer to Table 7.1. Shue-Fan is surprised by the motivational element of:

A) arousal.
B) direction.
C) maintenance.
D) performance.

Question 65

Table 7.3
Randy, Marvin, and Mary Virginia sell for Made-for-You. As they are having lunch together, Randy discovers that he is receiving a higher commission rate than Marvin or Mary Virginia. When he excuses himself, Marvin and Mary Virginia start talking about how Randy sells less than they do, has higher expenses, and has less time with the company than they do. They are doing a slow burn by the time Randy returns to the table.
Refer to Table 7.3. Mary Virginia, in comparison to Randy, may be in the state of:

A) equitable payment.
B) low instrumentality.
C) underpayment inequity.
D) overpayment inequity.

Question 66

Table 7.2
John is working on his department's annual plan. Employee performance has been okay and commitment to his department's goals moderate. In the past John has asked his employees to do their best. This year he is asking each employee to work with him in determining exactly what that employee is going to accomplish this year. John wants his people to feel the goals are theirs, to invest in their accomplishment. He wants them to believe that they can accomplish these goals. He thinks he can help this whole process by meeting with each employee quarterly and talking about where the department is and where the employee is in regards to goal accomplishment.
Refer to Table 7.2. John's concern about his people's believing they can accomplish the goals is a concern over:

A) goal commitment.
B) how goals are assigned.
C) the setting of difficult but acceptable goals.
D) how to provide feedback on goal attainment.

Question 67

Table 7.4
The production department is implementing a job design program. Alfonso has been given the responsibility. Leading a team of managers and hourly employees, Alfonso is to come up with the best way to implement the program. As techniques are discussed, it appears that the workers are reluctant to accept management's push to give each employee more tasks to perform while not increasing responsibility or the needed task skills. The hourly workers want more control over their jobs and greater responsibilities. Alfonso explains they still need to determine what elements need to be enriched for the program to work. He further explains that employees have reported through an organizational survey that their first desire is to experience meaningfulness in their jobs, and they don't really want increased responsibility and accountability, feeling it will add too much stress to their jobs.
Refer to Table 7.4. Management wants what type of job design program?

A) Job enlargement
B) Vertical job loading
C) Job enrichment
D) Job characteristics model approach

Question 68

Table 7.4
The production department is implementing a job design program. Alfonso has been given the responsibility. Leading a team of managers and hourly employees, Alfonso is to come up with the best way to implement the program. As techniques are discussed, it appears that the workers are reluctant to accept management's push to give each employee more tasks to perform while not increasing responsibility or the needed task skills. The hourly workers want more control over their jobs and greater responsibilities. Alfonso explains they still need to determine what elements need to be enriched for the program to work. He further explains that employees have reported through an organizational survey that their first desire is to experience meaningfulness in their jobs, and they don't really want increased responsibility and accountability, feeling it will add too much stress to their jobs.
Refer to Table 7.4. Based on the employee survey, not the opinion of the employees on the committee, which job dimensions should the group not enrich?

A) Skill variety
B) Task identity
C) Autonomy
D) All of the above.

Question 69

Susie is excessively apprehensive and nervous about most things in her life.We can say that Susie is suffering from emotion control.

Question 70

Fred provides his subordinates with information that lets them know how they are doing. This is an example of:

A) combining tasks.
B) opening feedback channels.
C) establishing client relationships.
D) loading jobs vertically.

Question 71

Table 7.4
The production department is implementing a job design program. Alfonso has been given the responsibility. Leading a team of managers and hourly employees, Alfonso is to come up with the best way to implement the program. As techniques are discussed, it appears that the workers are reluctant to accept management's push to give each employee more tasks to perform while not increasing responsibility or the needed task skills. The hourly workers want more control over their jobs and greater responsibilities. Alfonso explains they still need to determine what elements need to be enriched for the program to work. He further explains that employees have reported through an organizational survey that their first desire is to experience meaningfulness in their jobs, and they don't really want increased responsibility and accountability, feeling it will add too much stress to their jobs.
Refer to Table 7.4. The hourly workers are favoring what type of job design program?

A) Job enlargement
B) Vertical job loading
C) Job enrichment
D) Job characteristics model approach

Question 72

In most situations, an individual who performs a task well can be considered to be highly motivated.

Question 73

Table 7.2
John is working on his department's annual plan. Employee performance has been okay and commitment to his department's goals moderate. In the past John has asked his employees to do their best. This year he is asking each employee to work with him in determining exactly what that employee is going to accomplish this year. John wants his people to feel the goals are theirs, to invest in their accomplishment. He wants them to believe that they can accomplish these goals. He thinks he can help this whole process by meeting with each employee quarterly and talking about where the department is and where the employee is in regards to goal accomplishment.
Refer to Table 7.2. John's new goal-setting plan is building on which goal-setting principle?

A) Goal commitment
B) Assigning specific goals
C) Setting difficult but acceptable goals
D) Providing feedback on goal attainment

Question 74

The job characteristics model specifies all of the following principles EXCEPT:

A) combine tasks.
B) opening feedback channels.
C) establishing client relationships.
D) loading jobs horizontally.

Question 75

Table 7.3
Randy, Marvin, and Mary Virginia sell for Made-for-You. As they are having lunch together, Randy discovers that he is receiving a higher commission rate than Marvin or Mary Virginia. When he excuses himself, Marvin and Mary Virginia start talking about how Randy sells less than they do, has higher expenses, and has less time with the company than they do. They are doing a slow burn by the time Randy returns to the table.
Refer to Table 7.3. What is Randy's likely future behavior based on his discovery?

A) He'll work less hard seeing there is little connection between performance and pay in his company.
B) He may adjust his thinking to the point of rationalizing why he should receive the higher pay.
C) He'll be angry.
D) He'll do nothing but collect his check.

Question 76

Stretch goals, in which managers perform tasks they have never done before, are known as horizontal stretch goals.

Question 77

Table 7.3
Randy, Marvin, and Mary Virginia sell for Made-for-You. As they are having lunch together, Randy discovers that he is receiving a higher commission rate than Marvin or Mary Virginia. When he excuses himself, Marvin and Mary Virginia start talking about how Randy sells less than they do, has higher expenses, and has less time with the company than they do. They are doing a slow burn by the time Randy returns to the table.
Refer to Table 7.3. In this case it appears that Randy is in a state of:

A) equitable payment.
B) valence.
C) underpayment inequity.
D) overpayment inequity.

Question 78

Table 7.4
The production department is implementing a job design program. Alfonso has been given the responsibility. Leading a team of managers and hourly employees, Alfonso is to come up with the best way to implement the program. As techniques are discussed, it appears that the workers are reluctant to accept management's push to give each employee more tasks to perform while not increasing responsibility or the needed task skills. The hourly workers want more control over their jobs and greater responsibilities. Alfonso explains they still need to determine what elements need to be enriched for the program to work. He further explains that employees have reported through an organizational survey that their first desire is to experience meaningfulness in their jobs, and they don't really want increased responsibility and accountability, feeling it will add too much stress to their jobs.
Refer to Table 7.4. Based on the employee survey, which job dimensions should the group focus on enriching?

A) Autonomy
B) Task identity
C) Feedback
D) None of the above.

Question 79

Goal-setting theory argues that people are more committed to attaining a goal if they are unsure of the outcome.

Question 80

Managers can increase employee motivation by giving them more responsibility and control. This is done by:

A) loading jobs vertically.
B) enlarging jobs.
C) loading jobs horizontally.
D) increasing feedback and task significance.