Question 1

A factory manufacturing line was slow to produce products and was failing to meet quotas.The manager recommendation was to do a time-and-motion study.This is a strong first step.

Accepted Answer

A time-and-motion study can help identify areas of inefficiency in a manufacturing line and suggest ways to improve productivity. It is a commonly used method to increase efficiency and meet quotas.

Question 2

The perceptual-motor approach generally increases the job's cognitive demands.

Accepted Answer

The perceptual-motor approach focuses on improving an individual's physical interaction with their environment, emphasizing the development of motor skills and the perception of stimuli, rather than increasing cognitive demands.

Question 3

Which of the following questions should be addressed right after the inputs required for production have been established?
A)What materials,data,and information are needed?
B)What special equipment,facilities,and systems are needed?
C)What knowledge,skills,and abilities are needed by those performing the tasks?
D)What tasks are required in the production of the output?
E)What product,information,or service is provided?

Accepted Answer

Once the inputs are established, the next step is to determine the specific tasks required to produce the output.

Question 4

Which of the following is true of how job design and job analysis have functioned in the past?
A)Job design has focused on making existing jobs more motivating.
B)Job analysis has been oriented toward changing the job.
C)Job design has been oriented toward information gathering.
D)Job design has focused on evaluating existing jobs.
E)Job analysis has focused on revamping existing jobs.

Accepted Answer

Job design has focused on making existing jobs more motivating in order to increase job satisfaction and productivity, while job analysis has generally been used to gather information about the tasks, duties, and responsibilities of a job in order to make decisions about recruitment, selection, training, and compensation.

Question 5

How does lean production differ from "batch work" methods?
A)It stresses the need for using the maximum number of people for production.
B)It has fewer employees who are well trained.
C)It has more opportunity to cut costs by laying off employees.
D)It emphasizes the use of maximum materials.
E)It employs a large number of low-skilled workers.

Accepted Answer

Lean production involves a focus on reducing waste and increasing efficiency through continuous improvement and involvement of all employees. This includes having a smaller number of well-trained employees who are capable of performing multiple tasks and are empowered to make decisions to improve the production process. In contrast, "batch work" methods typically involve a large number of employees performing specialized tasks in a rigid, linear production process. This can lead to inefficiencies and increased costs due to overproduction, waiting, and excess inventory. Lean production aims to eliminate these inefficiencies by maximizing value-added work and minimizing non-value-added work.

Question 6

When team members on Kami's unit craft their professional goals for the new year,she is expecting at least one goal to be tied to the unit's goals.How will she measure the individuals' performance based on this link?
A)The level of task interdependence should be higher than the level of outcome interdependence.
B)The level of sharing rewards for task accomplishment should be higher than the level of cooperation.
C)Individual pay raises need to play a major role in terms of defining rewards.
D)Individual accountability of behavior should be a critical indicator of performance.
E)Teams should not be given autonomy or allowed to be flexible in how they use their time and skills.

Accepted Answer

By emphasizing individual accountability of behavior, Kami can evaluate each team member's performance based on how well they are aligning with the unit's goals. This will require each person to take ownership of their actions and work towards the common objective, which is critical in achieving success as a team. The other options do not address the issue of measuring individual performance based on the link to unit goals.

Question 7

Work-flow design is the process of
A)allocating resources required for completing a task.
B)assigning the task to a particular job category or person.
C)analyzing the tasks necessary for the production of a product.
D)evaluating the resource input and the actual output of a task.
E)comparing the results of a task with its objectives.

Accepted Answer

Work-flow design involves analyzing the tasks necessary for the production of a product or service in order to create an efficient and effective process. While allocating resources, assigning tasks, evaluating inputs and outputs, and comparing results are all important aspects of work-flow design, they are all secondary to the initial step of analyzing the necessary tasks.

Question 8

Which stage in a work-unit activity analysis focuses on the product,information,or service provided?
A)Raw inputs
B)Equipment
C)Output
D)Activity
E)Human resource input

Accepted Answer

The output stage in a work-unit activity analysis focuses on the product, information, or service provided. This stage is where the final result of the activity is produced and delivered to the customer or user. The other stages in the analysis, such as raw inputs and equipment, are concerned with the resources and inputs needed to produce the output.

Question 9

Which of the following best explains outcome interdependence in relation to teams?
A)The level to which an individual team member has to contribute to achieve the team's output
B)The amount of resources shared among team members to help them accomplish the team's task
C)The extent to which an individual team member leans on the other team members to achieve his or her output
D)The level of input required from the team as a whole to complete its set tasks
E)The level to which the reward for task accomplishment is shared among the team members

Accepted Answer

Outcome interdependence refers to the extent to which team members share equally in the rewards (or penalties) that result from the team's performance. This concept emphasizes the shared outcomes or consequences experienced by team members as a result of their collective work.

Question 10

Which of the following is the primary role of an efficiency expert?
A)Looking for additional resources to increase productivity
B)Implementing a system that can store excess inventories
C)Introducing new equipment that will increase output
D)Removing every bit of waste in production operations
E)Employing more people to complete a task more quickly

Accepted Answer

The primary role of an efficiency expert is to identify and eliminate waste in production operations, which ultimately leads to increased productivity and reduced costs. The other options (A, B, C, E) are not the primary role of an efficiency expert, although they may be part of their job responsibilities.

Question 11

The tasks performed as a part of job analysis
A)are mutually exclusive of those of job design.
B)focus primarily on creating new jobs.
C)focus primarily on revamping existing jobs.
D)have a passive,information-gathering orientation.
E)have a proactive orientation toward changing the job.

Accepted Answer

The tasks performed as a part of job analysis have a passive, information-gathering orientation. They involve gathering data about what tasks, duties, and responsibilities are involved in a particular job, and then using that data to create job descriptions, as opposed to actively changing or designing the job.

Question 12

The motivational approach views attitudinal variables and behavioral variables as the most important outcomes of job design.

Accepted Answer

The motivational approach focuses on the impact of job design on employee attitudes and behaviors, recognizing that these outcomes are crucial for achieving high levels of motivation, job satisfaction, and performance.

Question 13

All efficiency-producing changes result in dissatisfying work,and all changes that promote satisfaction create inevitable inefficiencies.

Accepted Answer

This statement is a false dichotomy. It assumes that there can only be two options: efficiency and satisfaction, and that they are mutually exclusive. In reality, there are many changes that can improve both efficiency and satisfaction, and it is possible to find a balance between them.

Question 14

The final stage in work-flow analysis is to identify the work ________ in the development of the work unit's product.
A)results
B)relationships
C)processes
D)inputs
E)ethics

Accepted Answer

The answer of The final stage in work-flow analysis is...

Question 15

Which of the following led to problems for McDonald's when it began offering the McWrap product?
A)Poor quality inputs
B)Complex work processes
C)Outdated equipment
D)Low task interdependence
E)Low outcome interdependence

Accepted Answer

The McWrap product's complex work processes were a problem for McDonald's.

Question 16

James,a manager at Brown & Brown (B&B)Inc.,a publisher of academic books,is tasked with identifying the various pieces of work required to edit,typeset,and publish a fictional book prior to allocating and assigning them to his subordinates.Which of the following processes is James expected to perform?
A)Job evaluation
B)Work-flow evaluation
C)Job performance
D)Work-flow design
E)Performance evaluation

Accepted Answer

James is expected to perform work-flow design, which involves identifying and mapping out the different steps or tasks required to complete a specific process or project, in this case, the editing, typesetting, and publishing of a book. This will help him allocate and assign the different tasks to his subordinates efficiently and effectively. Job evaluation, job performance, and performance evaluations are all related to assessing and evaluating an employee's performance in their assigned role, which does not apply to James' current task. Work-flow evaluation involves assessing the efficiency and effectiveness of an existing work-flow, which also does not apply in this scenario as James is designing a new work-flow.

Question 17

Which of the following is likely to happen when a private equity group hires an efficiency expert?
A)Overburdening people by removing machines
B)Modifying production processes to support excess inventories
C)Increasing the number of employees involved in a particular task
D)Limiting procedures that streamline operations
E)Decreasing movements that create no value

Accepted Answer

When a private equity group hires an efficiency expert, their goal is to streamline operations and reduce unnecessary movements that do not add value. This can involve identifying and eliminating wasteful processes or steps in the production process. Therefore, reducing movements that create no value is likely to happen.

Question 18

When there is a single point of failure,companies can correct the problem by having
A)teams provide organizations with a limited set of skills to utilize.
B)team members share work when any member becomes overloaded.
C)rewards that are focused on individual pay raises rather than team bonuses.
D)a limit to the team's autonomy,improving its efficiency.
E)the team remove the need for individual accountability.

Accepted Answer

When there is a single point of failure, one team member becoming overloaded could lead to the failure of the entire team. By having team members share work when any member becomes overloaded, the team can minimize the risk of a single point of failure and ensure that tasks are completed efficiently. This approach promotes teamwork and collaboration, which can improve team performance and reduce the risk of failure. The other options may not be effective in addressing the single point of failure issue.

Question 19

Jamal,an efficiency expert,proposes the "just-in-time" inventory method to Liza,the CEO of Neptune Inc.If Liza is to accept the proposal,which of the following changes is he most likely to implement in Neptune Inc.?
A)He is likely to avoid made-for-order method of manufacturing.
B)He is likely to create a larger storage space for inventories.
C)He is likely to introduce processes that support lean production.
D)He is likely to manufacture mass products well ahead of demand.
E)He is likely to stock a backup of supplies for emergencies.

Accepted Answer

The "just-in-time" inventory method emphasizes lean production, which minimizes waste and reduces the need for large inventories. Therefore, Jamal is likely to introduce processes that support lean production rather than creating a larger storage space for inventories, avoiding made-for-order method of manufacturing, manufacturing mass products well ahead of demand, or stocking a backup of supplies for emergencies.

Question 20

Feng shui can be an argument to examine the ergonomics of an employee's workstation.

Accepted Answer

Feng shui is a traditional Chinese practice that focuses on arranging the pieces in living spaces to create balance with the natural world, whereas ergonomics is the study of designing equipment and devices that fit the human body, its movements, and its cognitive abilities.

Quiz 4: The Analysis and Design of Work

A factory manufacturing line was slow to produce products and was failing to meet quotas.The manager recommendation was to do a time-and-motion study.This is a strong first step.

The perceptual-motor approach generally increases the job's cognitive demands.

Which of the following questions should be addressed right after the inputs required for production have been established?

Which of the following is true of how job design and job analysis have functioned in the past?

How does lean production differ from "batch work" methods?

When team members on Kami's unit craft their professional goals for the new year,she is expecting at least one goal to be tied to the unit's goals.How will she measure the individuals' performance based on this link?

Work-flow design is the process of

Which stage in a work-unit activity analysis focuses on the product,information,or service provided?

Which of the following best explains outcome interdependence in relation to teams?

Which of the following is the primary role of an efficiency expert?

The tasks performed as a part of job analysis

The motivational approach views attitudinal variables and behavioral variables as the most important outcomes of job design.

All efficiency-producing changes result in dissatisfying work,and all changes that promote satisfaction create inevitable inefficiencies.

The final stage in work-flow analysis is to identify the work ________ in the development of the work unit's product.

Which of the following led to problems for McDonald's when it began offering the McWrap product?

Which of the following is likely to happen when a private equity group hires an efficiency expert?

When there is a single point of failure,companies can correct the problem by having

Jamal,an efficiency expert,proposes the "just-in-time" inventory method to Liza,the CEO of Neptune Inc.If Liza is to accept the proposal,which of the following changes is he most likely to implement in Neptune Inc.?

Feng shui can be an argument to examine the ergonomics of an employee's workstation.