Question 1

One basic tenet of job specialization is that employees perform
A) a variety of challenging tasks.
B) below their capabilities.
C) inefficiently.
D) standardized tasks.
E) unproductively.

Accepted Answer

Job specialization involves employees focusing on specific, standardized tasks to increase efficiency and productivity.

Question 2

________ can directly contribute to a feeling of experienced responsibility.
A) Job feedback
B) Task significance
C) Autonomy
D) Task identity
E) Knowledge of results

Accepted Answer

Autonomy directly contributes to a feeling of experienced responsibility as it gives individuals the freedom to make decisions and take ownership of their work.

Question 3

Job enlargement mainly increases which of the following?
A) autonomy
B) affiliation
C) job feedback
D) growth-need strength
E) skill variety

Accepted Answer

Job enlargement involves increasing the number of tasks or duties in a job, which primarily increases the skill variety required for the job.

Question 4

A video journalist's job consists of operating the camera, reporting the story, and often editing the work, whereas these three tasks were traditionally performed by three people. Video journalism is an example of
A) self-leadership and job enlargement.
B) job enrichment and self-leadership.
C) job enlargement and job specialization.
D) job specialization and self-leadership.
E) job enrichment and job enlargement.

Accepted Answer

Video journalism involves combining multiple tasks into one role, which is an example of job enlargement (increasing the number of tasks) and job enrichment (adding more responsibility and variety).

Question 5

________ is the use of different talents to complete a variety of work activities.
A) Skill variety
B) Task identity
C) Task significance
D) Autonomy
E) Job feedback

Accepted Answer

Skill variety refers to the use of different talents to complete a variety of work activities.

Question 6

Fred takes his work very seriously. He feels his work has direct impact on the job outcomes. He has a sense of
A) experienced meaningfulness.
B) job feedback.
C) experienced responsibility.
D) task identity.
E) knowledge of results.

Accepted Answer

Fred feels his work has a direct impact on job outcomes, which indicates he has a sense of experienced responsibility for the results of his work.

Question 7

Tess is new to the team. She comes with quite the résumé of experience, yet it is from another company. She will need to interact with others to get the job done by sharing materials, information, and expertise. She will be engaging in task
A) analyzability.
B) interdependence.
C) responsibility.
D) variability.
E) autonomy.

Accepted Answer

Interdependence refers to the need for team members to rely on each other to complete tasks, which involves sharing materials, information, and expertise.

Question 8

Johnson Inc. has introduced job rotation to the line workers. Management is hoping that they will see less injuries and improved
A) attention to detail.
B) attendance.
C) workforce flexibility.
D) communication.
E) attrition rates.

Accepted Answer

Job rotation can lead to improved workforce flexibility as employees become skilled in multiple tasks, allowing them to adapt to different roles as needed.

Question 9

Which of the following is a potential reason for lower task proficiency when using job rotation?
A) Lower training costs.
B) Employees are always assigned tasks that match their aptitude.
C) Employees have more time to perfect their performance for the various tasks.
D) The impact of attention residue.
E) It is easier to measure individual accountability.

Accepted Answer

Attention residue refers to the cognitive impact of switching tasks, which can reduce focus and efficiency, leading to lower task proficiency.

Question 10

One way to increase job enrichment is through ________, which combines highly interdependent tasks into one job,
A) growth-need strength
B) client relationships
C) natural groupings
D) job rotation
E) task identity

Accepted Answer

Natural groupings involve combining tasks that are highly interdependent into one job, thereby increasing job enrichment by providing employees with a more holistic and meaningful work experience.

Question 11

A job is ________ when employees are given more responsibility for scheduling, coordinating, and planning their own work.
A) enlarged
B) enriched
C) specialized
D) rotated
E) naturally grouped

Accepted Answer

Job enrichment involves giving employees more responsibility and control over their work, including scheduling, coordinating, and planning.

Question 12

Psychological empowerment is higher in organizations that
A) require employees to trust leadership.
B) limit the amount of risk-taking.
C) provide formal training programs.
D) make resources available to a few.
E) reward those who follow the rules.

Accepted Answer

Providing formal training programs enhances employees' skills and knowledge, leading to increased confidence and empowerment.

Question 13

With the right individuals, job characteristics, and organizational environment, psychological empowerment can substantially improve motivation and performance. However, organizational and cultural conditions can limit the extent to which the conditions for empowerment produce feelings of empowerment because of
A) decreased autonomy.
B) lack of trust in leadership.
C) improved motivation.
D) increased performance.
E) unlimited communication.

Accepted Answer

The answer of With the right individuals, job characteristics, and...

Question 14

Studies have indicated that increased autonomy and discretion does not result in higher feelings of empowerment in cultures that value
A) low power distance.
B) high power distance.
C) money.
D) trust.
E) citizenship.

Accepted Answer

In cultures that value high power distance, hierarchical structures are respected, and increased autonomy may not align with cultural norms, thus not necessarily leading to feelings of empowerment.

Question 15

A wide variety of workplace conditions, referred to as ________, potentially enhance or support psychological empowerment.
A) employee empowerment practices
B) natural groupings
C) structural empowerment practices
D) bureaucratic control
E) motivating tools

Accepted Answer

Structural empowerment practices are organizational strategies and conditions that enhance employees' sense of empowerment by providing them with the necessary resources, information, and support.

Question 16

Studies indicate that most of our self-talk is
A) positive.
B) negative.
C) neutral.
D) unconscious.
E) directed at others.

Accepted Answer

Research shows that a significant portion of self-talk tends to be negative, as people often focus on their perceived shortcomings or failures.

Question 17

Self-leadership behaviors are more frequently found in people who
A) are younger rather than older.
B) have higher levels of conscientiousness personality.
C) have an external locus of control.
D) lack self-efficacy.
E) lack self-esteem.

Accepted Answer

People with higher levels of conscientiousness are more likely to engage in self-leadership behaviors because they are typically more organized, responsible, and self-disciplined.

Question 18

A large retail organization previously divided work among its four employee-benefits staff into distinct specializations. One person answered all questions about superannuation (pension plans), another answered all questions about various forms of paid time-off (e.g., vacations), and so on. These jobs were recently restructured so that each employee-benefits person answers all questions for people in a particular geographic area. One staff member is responsible for all employee-benefits inquiries from anyone in a particular geographic region.
-This job restructuring is an example of
A) self-leadership.
B) job enrichment.
C) job rotation.
D) scientific management.
E) self-monitoring.

Accepted Answer

This job restructuring is an example of job enrichment because it involves expanding the roles of employees to include a wider variety of tasks, thereby increasing their responsibility and autonomy.

Question 19

A large retail organization previously divided work among its four employee-benefits staff into distinct specializations. One person answered all questions about superannuation (pension plans), another answered all questions about various forms of paid time-off (e.g., vacations), and so on. These jobs were recently restructured so that each employee-benefits person answers all questions for people in a particular geographic area. One staff member is responsible for all employee-benefits inquiries from anyone in a particular geographic region.
-This restructuring most likely increased each employee's
A) sense of ownership.
B) absenteeism.
C) tendency to overwork.
D) self-talk.
E) competence.

Accepted Answer

This restructuring likely increased each employee's sense of ownership because they are now responsible for all inquiries from a specific geographic area, giving them more control and responsibility over their work.

Question 20

A cable TV company redesigned jobs so that one employee interacts directly with customers, connects and disconnects their cable service, installs their special services, and collects overdue accounts in an assigned area. They also decided to do away with scripted customer interaction manuals and allow each employee to determine how best to interact with each customer. Previously, each task was performed by a different person, and the customer interacted only with someone at the head office.This change most likely increased all of the following for each employee except
A) skill variety.
B) task identity.
C) task significance.
D) dependence.
E) autonomy.

Accepted Answer

The change likely increased skill variety, task identity, task significance, and autonomy, but it decreased dependence as employees now have more control and responsibility over their tasks.

Quiz 6: Applied Performance Practices

One basic tenet of job specialization is that employees perform

________ can directly contribute to a feeling of experienced responsibility.

Job enlargement mainly increases which of the following?

A video journalist's job consists of operating the camera, reporting the story, and often editing the work, whereas these three tasks were traditionally performed by three people. Video journalism is an example of

________ is the use of different talents to complete a variety of work activities.

Fred takes his work very seriously. He feels his work has direct impact on the job outcomes. He has a sense of

Tess is new to the team. She comes with quite the résumé of experience, yet it is from another company. She will need to interact with others to get the job done by sharing materials, information, and expertise. She will be engaging in task

Johnson Inc. has introduced job rotation to the line workers. Management is hoping that they will see less injuries and improved

Which of the following is a potential reason for lower task proficiency when using job rotation?

One way to increase job enrichment is through ________, which combines highly interdependent tasks into one job,

A job is ________ when employees are given more responsibility for scheduling, coordinating, and planning their own work.

Psychological empowerment is higher in organizations that

Studies have indicated that increased autonomy and discretion does not result in higher feelings of empowerment in cultures that value

A wide variety of workplace conditions, referred to as ________, potentially enhance or support psychological empowerment.

Studies indicate that most of our self-talk is

Self-leadership behaviors are more frequently found in people who