All of the following are reasons why Nucor Steel is so effective at motivating its employees EXCEPT
a. the incentive system penalizes lower performers but offers no limits on how much can be made by those that perform well.
b. the firm has a centralized structure that retains decision making at upper levels in the organization.
c. employees have the opportunity to fix problems that they see occurring during production.
d. there is a great deal of task flexibility as some duties of managers have been pushed down to lower level line employees.
(b) Medium/Comprehension
37. Which of the following factors has the most influence on worker motivation?
a. pay
b. growth opportunities
c. job design
d. recognition
(c) Easy/Knowledge
38. Scientific management’s primary focus is
a. goal setting.
b. efficiency.
c. flexibility.
d. motivation.
(b) Medium/Analysis
39. Key elements of the scientific management philosophy include all of the following EXCEPT
a. using training and specific instructions to minimize the number of workers needed on jobs.
b. minimizing waste by identifying the most efficient method to perform the job.
c. expanding the nature of tasks performed by employees to add more variety to the job.
d. breaking down jobs into their simplest components to facilitate specialization.
(c) Medium/Analysis
40. Job specialization
a. is breaking down jobs into their simplest components and assigning them to employees so that each person will perform a few tasks in a repetitive manner.
b. refers to expanding the tasks performed by employees to add more variety.
c. involves moving employees from job to job at regular intervals.
d. allows workers more control over how they perform their own tasks.
(a) Easy/Knowledge
41. Which of the following is an advantage to job specialization?
a. Training costs are higher, but because of the specialized nature of tasks, they are learned more fully.
b. The nature of the jobs leads to lower absenteeism.
c. Staffing costs are lower because the repetitive nature of tasks makes skill requirements lower.
d. The nature of the jobs is especially effective in rapidly changing environments.
(c) Difficult/Evaluation
42. Job rotation
a. is breaking down jobs into their simplest components and assigning them to employees so that each person will perform a few tasks in a repetitive manner.
b. refers to expanding the tasks performed by employees to add more variety.
c. involves moving employees from job to job at regular intervals.
d. allows workers more control over how they perform their own tasks.
(c) Easy/Knowledge
43. Job enlargement
a. is breaking down jobs into their simplest components and assigning them to employees so that each person will perform few tasks in a repetitive manner.
b. refers to expanding the tasks performed by employees to add more variety.
c. involves moving employees from job to job at regular intervals.
d. allows workers more control over how they perform their own tasks.
(b) Easy/Knowledge
44. Job enrichment
a. is breaking down jobs into their simplest components and assigning them to employees so that each person will perform few tasks in a repetitive manner.
b. refers to expanding the tasks performed by employees to add more variety.
c. involves moving employees from job to job at regular intervals.
d. allows workers more control over how they perform their own tasks.
(d) Easy/Knowledge
45. Frederick Taylor’s work led to a fundamental change in management philosophy. The change
a. was understanding that managers could not influence the output levels of employees.
b. was understanding that repetitive activities are the direct result of job generalization.
c. paved the way for today’s automation and standardization.
d. was increasing the complexity of jobs in the workplace for greater productivity.
(c) Difficult/Analysis
46. The local high school band needs to raise money to pay for a trip to New York City. It decides to sell sandwiches. Early Saturday morning, 20 volunteers report to the school cafeteria to make sandwiches. Stations are set up to make the 500 sandwiches ordered for that day. Station one has four individuals cutting sandwich buns, station two has four individuals placing the meats on the rolls, station three, etc. The individual who devised the sandwich-making production plan is operating under a
a. job specialization approach.
b. job rotation approach.
c. job enlargement approach.
d. job enrichment approach.
(a) Difficult/Synthesis
47. Job specialization can
a. increase the number of employees needed to complete the job.
b. minimize training costs.
c. lead to greater motivation among employees.
d. be very effective in rapidly changing environments.
(b) Difficult/Evaluation
48. Which of the following statements is INACCURATE about job rotation?
a. Rotation is the regular movement of employees through firm jobs.
b. Rotation leads to increased likelihood that turnover will be reduced in the firm.
c. Rotation is an opportunity for employees to acquire new skills.
d. Rotation leads to slightly elevated blood pressure measured in employees using the process due to their movement between jobs.
(d) Medium/Comprehension
49. All of the following are advantages of job rotation EXCEPT
a. employees become cross-trained due to their movement between jobs.
b. employees become less marketable after rotating because their skill sets become very company-specific.
c. managers have greater scheduling flexibility in a job rotation system.
d. employees experience less boredom in a job rotation system.
(b) Medium/Comprehension
50. Stuart works on an auto assembly line. Last year he was responsible for welding the upper panel of the wheel well onto the left rear wheel area. This year, he is responsible for welding all parts of the entire left rear wheel area. This auto assembly line underwent a job re-design using the ________ ________technique.
a. job specialization.
b. job enrichment.
c. job rotation.
d. job enlargement.
(d) Medium/Application
