Deck 11: Work System Design

Question 1

Which of the following is an advantage of specialization in job design?

A) high turnover rates
B) minimal training needed
C) intrinsic satisfaction of employees
D) increased opportunity for advancement of employees
E) low scrap rates

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Determining if the best financial opportunity is to have an individual perform the task or automate the task is which of the following?

A) Technical Feasibility
B) Behavioral Feasibility
C) Activity Based Accounting Feasibility
D) Job Enrichment Feasibility
E) Economic Feasibility

Answer 2

E

Question 3

The challenge with behavioral feasibility is to design a job ____________ and that adds value.

A) that is socially acceptable
B) that will not get the worker in trouble
C) without doing something that is morally wrong
D) that the worker feels good about doing
E) fits in with the norms of society

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Having waiters cook and having the cooks wait on tables is an example of ______________.

A) job enlargement
B) job rotation
C) job enrichment
D) job involvement
E) job enhancement

Question 5

Part of the operations strategy is designing a work system that:

A) is easy to build.
B) provides an appropriate risk/reward structure.
C) provides the structure for the productivity of the company.
D) provides a structure for the HR recruiting function.
E) provides the structure for determining the company objectives.

Question 6

What technique eliminates unnecessary tasks and improves the process for completing tasks?

A) methods analysis
B) job design
C) work measurement
D) task inversion
E) cycle counting

Question 7

What is the approach to job design which involves an increase in responsibility for work planning and/or inspection?

A) job enlargement
B) job rotation
C) job involvement
D) job enrichment
E) job enhancement

Question 8

The approach that details the tasks of a job and how to do them is ____________________.

A) work measurement
B) job evaluation
C) methods analysis
D) job design
E) work sampling

Question 9

Which of the following issues would best be handled by a special-purpose team?

A) A machine on the shop floor occasionally malfunctions.
B) Particular items in a warehouse are difficult to find.
C) A proposal has been made to switch from rail to truck for both transporting incoming parts and product distribution.
D) Customers are complaining that they get charged twice for their purchases.
E) Forklifts have difficulty moving material in the factory because there is too much congestion in the aisles.

Question 10

Job design ensures that each employee's _________ and ________ are geared towards achieving the company's mission.

A) compensation, teams
B) duties, teams
C) satisfaction, compensation
D) duties, responsibility
E) compensation, responsibility

Question 11

Methods analysis can _________________.

A) improve efficiency
B) analyze the fairness of pay systems
C) improve how teams function
D) evaluate job performance
E) help select issues that need to be brought to management's attention

Question 12

Technical Feasibility of a job is the degree to which an individual or group of individuals is:

A) able to understand the instructions.
B) physically and mentally able to do the job.
C) able to control the process.
D) physically and mentally able to provide suggestions.
E) able to meet the organization's mission.

Question 13

What is the approach that moves the work to the worker rather than the worker to the workplace?

A) teleworking
B) virtual office
C) office at home
D) office on the move
E) the alternative workplace

Question 14

Advantages of the alternative workplace include all except which of the following?

A) eliminating offices that people do not need
B) reducing overhead expenses
C) offers more flexibility to balance work and family
D) increased cohesiveness among employees
E) employees devote more time to customers and/or meaningful work activities

Question 15

Which of the following is not a form of alternative workplace arrangements?

A) hot desking
B) desk sharing
C) working from the hotel room on an occasional business trip
D) telework center
E) virtual office

Question 16

A difference between self-directed and self-managed teams is:

A) who defines the team's working goal
B) who defines the team's compensation package
C) who defines the team rules
D) where the work is performed
E) what means of job enrichment will be applied

Question 17

Which of the following is typically not associated with problem solving teams?

A) employees typically volunteer
B) employees are trained in problem solving techniques
C) employees contribute on a short term basis
D) employees engage in data gathering
E) employee participation is on an ongoing basis

Question 18

What are small groups of employees who meet to identify, analyze, and solve operational problems called?

A) traditional work groups
B) cross-functional teams
C) self-managed teams
D) problem-solving teams
E) special-purpose teams

Question 19

Which of the following most closely describes job enrichment?

A) vertical expansion
B) transferring workers through a series of jobs to increase their scope of experience
C) increasing the amount of workspace assigned to a worker
D) horizontal expansion
E) assigning two jobs to the same worker

Question 20

To determine whether the alternative workplace is right for your organization, which of the following questions should be positively answered?

A) are you out of space?
B) does your organization have an open culture?
C) does your organization allow the employee to set their own expectations?
D) does your organization subscribe to the 'new' work force program?
E) does the organization plan office parties?

Question 21

When performing a time study, the analyst converts the observed time into the time an "average" worker would require working at an acceptable pace by using which of the following?

A) allowance factor
B) mean time modulation
C) methods analysis
D) performance rating factor
E) analysis of efficiency

Question 22

In calculating the time standard, the frequency of occurrence for a work element is _________________.

A) how many times the work element is repeated in doing the job once
B) how many other jobs have the same work element
C) the fraction of the time the work element needs to be done when the job is done
D) the number of times the work element took longer than all the other work elements
E) the inverse of the wave length for the work element

Question 23

What is the governmental agency that has inspectors who check for safety conditions?

A) ISO
B) OSHA
C) FCC
D) IRS
E) HEW

Question 24

Standard times can be used to measure performance of individual workers. If a worker fails to match the standard time, the company should do what?

A) put the worker on probation
B) ignore the situation
C) change the standard time
D) provide training to improve the worker's performance
E) fire the worker

Question 25

A company uses standard times for ______________________.

A) public relations
B) advertising
C) financial accounting
D) the winter months
E) costing

Question 26

What does work measurement determine?

A) how long it should take to do a job
B) what is the best way to do a job
C) who is the best worker
D) where work should be done
E) why a particular step must be included in an operation

Question 27

What results from methods analysis?

A) a graph of how long each step takes
B) an evaluation of current employees
C) time standards
D) guidance for designing jobs
E) a standard, detailed procedure for an operation

Question 28

What is the effect of an increase in the desired confidence level on the number of observations necessary in a time study?

A) increases
B) decreases
C) unchanged
D) may increase or decrease
E) impossible to say

Question 29

What is the methods analysis chart that describes the overall sequence of operation, movement, inspection, delay, and storage?

A) process flowchart
B) worker-machine chart
C) simultaneous-motion (simo) chart
D) efficiency/time-of-day chart
E) operations chart

Question 30

Which of the following is not taken into consideration when dealing with the effects of working conditions on worker productivity, quality and safety?

A) cafeteria location
B) temperature
C) relative humidity
D) ventilation
E) lighting

Question 31

The ____________ time is the time it should take a qualified operator, working at a sustainable pace and using the appropriate tools and process, to do the job.

A) performance
B) observed
C) normal
D) standard
E) ideal

Question 32

The formula for determining the number of observations needed depends upon all except which of the following values?

A) the number of standard deviations needed for the desired confidence
B) the maximum observed value in the sample
C) the standard deviation of the sample observations
D) the mean of the sample observations
E) the desired accuracy

Question 33

The use of standard times for costing allows the company to do all except which of the following?

A) evaluate quantitative methods
B) evaluate new product proposals
C) evaluate use of new equipment
D) evaluate new techniques for building a product
E) evaluate individual operator proficiency

Question 34

Which of the following values for performance rating factor would be for an above-average work pace?

A) 90%
B) 100%
C) 140%
D) 138%
E) 78%

Question 35

How many standard deviations is required for a 98% confidence level?

A) 2
B) 2.05
C) 2.17
D) 2.33
E) 2.58

Question 36

Establishing a performance factor is an attempt to:

A) fudge the actual times.
B) punish the worker who does not perform fast enough.
C) counterbalance any unusual patterns noted.
D) allow management to 'encourage' greater productivity.
E) use the ISO 9000 approval process.

Question 37

The steps involved in a time study include all except which of the following?

A) Break the job into easily recognizable units.
B) Determine the probability distribution that best fits the observed times.
C) Calculate the number of cycles you must observe.
D) Time each element, record the times, and rate the worker's performance.
E) Tell the worker whose job you will be studying.

Question 38

Typically the job chosen for the time study will be ___________________.

A) a routine job that is labor intensive
B) a simple job performed by many different people
C) done primarily by machine
D) done only occasionally
E) insignificant

Question 39

Which of the following is not a commonly used process for setting standard times?

A) elapsed times
B) time study
C) elemental time data
D) predetermined time data
E) work sampling

Question 40

For the step in a time study that involves breaking the job down into easily recognizable elements, each of these elements should ________________.

A) overlap
B) not be stand-alone
C) not involve the worker
D) have clear starting and ending points
E) be semi-continuous

Question 41

If OT = the mean observed time, PRF = the performance rating factor, F = the frequency of occurrence, and PFD = the percentage allowance adjustment based on job time, what is the formula to compute the standard time?

A) (OT)(PRF)(F)
B) (OT)(PRF)(F)(1 + PFD)
C) (OT)(PRF)(F) / (1 - PFD)
D) (OT)(PRF) / (F)
E) (OT)(PRF)(F) / (1 + PFD)

Question 42

Output-based incentive systems are based on the assumption that some workers _____________.

A) mentally calculate their pay by keeping track of their output
B) are motivated by money and produce more when pay is linked to performance
C) like to work in a competitive environment
D) like to work overtime
E) work harder than others

Question 43

Which of the following is not characteristic of time?based compensation systems?

A) wages are easily calculated
B) employees know what they will get in their regular paycheck
C) simplicity
D) normally used when measuring output per employee is not applicable
E) lower cost per unit than output?based systems

Question 44

Which of the following is a basic difference of work sampling compared to a time study?

A) It does not require any observations.
B) It requires fewer observations to accomplish the same thing.
C) It is better suited for short, repetitive tasks.
D) It does not provide standard times.
E) It is suitable only for assembly lines.

Question 45

____________ is a published database of elemental time data used for establishing standard times.

A) Predetermined time data
B) Time elements
C) Time histories
D) Performance times
E) Time samples

Question 46

Which of the following is not a step in work sampling?

A) Estimate the proportion of time spent on the given activity.
B) Estimate the sample size based on the desired level of accuracy and confidence.
C) Define the activities to be observed.
D) Identify the worker or machine to be sampled.
E) Divide the job into basic elements.

Question 47

If OT = the mean observed time, PRF = the performance rating factor, F = the frequency of occurrence, and PFD = the percentage allowance based on time worked, what is the formula to compute the normal time?

A) (OT)(PRF)(F)
B) (OT)(PRF)(F)(1 + PFD)
C) (OT)(PRF)(F) / (1 - PFD)
D) (OT)(PRF) / (F)
E) (OT)(PRF)(F) / (1 + PFD)

Question 48

Companies need to design compensation systems that _________________.

A) punish poor performance
B) reinforce the behaviors needed to meet the company's objectives
C) are easy to administer
D) do not differ significantly from those of other firms in the industry
E) are innovative

Question 49

Typical work elements that occur in many jobs include all except which of the following?

A) insert something
B) tighten something
C) position an item
D) figure out the instructions
E) reach for materials

Question 50

Which of the following is an advantage of using predetermined time data?

A) You can calculate standard times before the job begins.
B) Very little skill is required.
C) There is universal agreement in assessing the level of difficulty of different work elements.
D) No calculations are required.
E) You do not need to know much about the job.

Question 51

Which of the following steps is not included when a time study analyst uses standard elemental times?

A) Identify the standard elements of the job.
B) Determine the performance rating factor.
C) Adjust the database times if needed.
D) Check the database for time studies done on these elements.
E) If no valid studies exist for this or a similar work element, do a time study for the new work element.

Question 52

What is a technique for estimating the proportion of time an employee or machine spends on different work activities?

A) predetermined time data
B) time elements
C) stopwatch time study
D) work sampling
E) simultaneous motion study

Question 53

Which of the following is not characteristic of output-based compensation systems?

A) can be used to compensate individuals
B) can be used to compensate groups
C) can include a base salary
D) often include an upper limit on how much an individual can be compensated each day
E) need to be linked to quality as well as quantity to be successful

Question 54

The allowance factor is computed by adding one to PFD (personal time, fatigue, and unavoidable delays) when the allowance is based on what?

A) normal time
B) the performance rating factor
C) job time
D) time worked
E) standard time

Question 55

In a time study, personal time, fatigue, and unavoidable delays (PFD) during the typical work day are accounted for in what?

A) the normal time
B) an allowance factor
C) the performance rating
D) how the work elements are defined
E) costs

Question 56

A company's accepted time studies are stored in a(n) ____________ for possible future use.

A) file cabinet
B) time study vault
C) warehouse
D) jar
E) elemental time database

Question 57

If OT = the mean observed time, PRF = the performance rating factor, F = the frequency of occurrence, and PFD = the percentage allowance based on time worked, what is the formula to compute the standard time?

A) (OT)(PRF)(F)
B) (OT)(PRF)(F)(1 + PFD)
C) (OT)(PRF)(F) / (1 - PFD)
D) (OT)(PRF) / (F)
E) (OT)(PRF)(F) / (1 + PFD)

Question 58

For each work element in the time study, multiplying the mean observed time by the performance rating factor by the frequency of occurrence results in what?

A) the normal time for the element
B) the average observed time for the element
C) the standard time for the element
D) the average delay for the element
E) the standard time for the job

Question 59

In work sampling, when should observations be taken?

A) at the same time each day
B) once per week
C) at random times
D) once per hour
E) once per day

Question 60

Which of the following would not be a basic element into which a job would be split when using predetermined time data?

A) reach
B) sort
C) grasp
D) insert
E) turn

Question 61

A worker performed a particular task for the first time, and it took 10 minutes. If we assume a 90% learning curve, how long will it take the worker the fourth time she performs the task?

A) 10.0 minutes
B) 9.0 minutes
C) 8.1 minutes
D) 7.29 minutes
E) 6.561 minutes

Question 62

Methods analysis eliminates unnecessary tasks and improves the process for completing tasks.

Question 63

The first unit of a product took 400 hours to complete. If an 80% learning curve is expected, how long will it take to complete the first 18 units?

A) 157.6 hours
B) 163.8 hours
C) 400.0 hours
D) 3886.4 hours
E) 7200.0 hours

Question 64

The degree to which an individual or group of individuals can physically and mentally handle the job is its technical feasibility.

Question 65

Work measurement determines how long it should take to do a job.

Question 66

Which two are sustainability practices in work system design?

A) environmental and social
B) social and ecosystem
C) industrial and agriculture
D) development and environment
E) industrial and social

Question 67

Profit sharing and gain sharing are two methods of _______________.

A) group incentive plans
B) keeping costs down
C) calculating pay for top management
D) employee retirement plans
E) keeping expense account costs under control

Question 68

FCC is the governmental agency that has inspectors who check for safety conditions.

Question 69

Which one of the following would learning curves affect the most?

A) layout analysis
B) statistical process control
C) planning labor requirements
D) location analysis
E) robots

Question 70

Disadvantages of individual incentive systems include all except which of the following?

A) They undermine teamwork.
B) A study has shown they had no effect on worker performance.
C) They avoid the "free-rider" problem.
D) They need a significant amount of data collection.
E) They give employees a short-term focus.

Question 71

When deciding if the firm should participate in alternative workplace arrangements you must ensure that the same level of direct report control is maintained.

Question 72

The fact that human activities typically improve when they are done on a repetitive basis is described by a(an) _________________ curve.

A) normal distribution
B) learning
C) binomial distribution
D) lognormal distribution
E) S-shaped

Question 73

Problem-solving teams are small groups of employees who meet to identify, analyze, and solve operational problems.

Question 74

The first unit of a product took 400 hours to complete. If an 80% learning curve is expected, how long will the 18^th unit take to complete?

A) 157.6 hours
B) 163.8 hours
C) 400.0 hours
D) 3886.4 hours
E) 7200.0 hours

Question 75

The first unit of a product took 400 hours to complete. The firm plans to produce 8 units in the first month and 10 units in the second month. If an 80% learning curve is expected, how many hours will the firm use to work on the product during the second month?

A) 4000.0 hours
B) 2526.0 hours
C) 3886.4 hours
D) 2138.4 hours
E) 1748.0 hours

Question 76

The first unit of a product took 80 hours to complete. The firm plans to produce 10 units in the first month and 12 units in the second month. If a 75% learning curve is expected, how many hours will the firm use to work on the product during the second month?

A) 960.0 hours
B) 505.2 hours
C) 751.0 hours
D) 447.1 hours
E) 303.9 hours

Question 77

The first unit of a product took 80 hours to complete. If a 75% learning curve is expected, how long will the 22^nd unit take to complete?

A) 22.2 hours
B) 751.0 hours
C) 25.3 hours
D) 80.0 hours
E) 1760.0 hours

Question 78

The process flowchart describes the overall sequence of operation, movement, inspection, delay, and storage.

Question 79

The first unit of a product took 80 hours to complete. If a 75% learning curve is expected, how long will it take to complete the first 22 units?

A) 22.2 hours
B) 751.0 hours
C) 25.3 hours
D) 80.0 hours
E) 1760.0 hours

Question 80

Job design ensures that each employee's activities are closely timed.