Question 1

The people who work for Frank are very dissatisfied.Assuming that Maslow's hierarchy is correct,which of the following actions is the likely best first step to motivate his subordinates?

Accepted Answer

According to Maslow's hierarchy of needs, physiological and safety needs must be met before an individual can focus on higher-level needs such as job satisfaction and self-actualization. Improving pay and job security would address these basic needs and likely improve motivation and job satisfaction among Frank's subordinates.

Question 2

Larry's subordinates are neither satisfied nor dissatisfied.Of the following,which is the best move to create satisfaction among his subordinates,assuming that Larry subscribes to Herzberg's ideas?

Accepted Answer

According to Herzberg's Two-Factor theory, factors such as job recognition, achievement, and responsibility lead to job satisfaction, while factors such as company policy, working conditions, and salary contribute to job dissatisfaction. Therefore, delegating more responsibility to Larry's subordinates can help create satisfaction among them by providing them with a sense of achievement and recognition for their work. Improving company policies, spending more time with subordinates, getting new desks and equipment, or increasing pay will not necessarily address the underlying factors causing their dissatisfaction.

Question 3

How can a business firm help an employee meet self-actualization needs?

Accepted Answer

Providing a challenging job can help an employee meet their self-actualization needs, as it allows them to use their skills and abilities to their fullest potential and achieve personal growth and fulfillment. Providing a high wage or a respected job title may fulfill basic physiological or esteem needs, but it does not necessarily contribute to self-actualization. Offering a social network or a pension plan may be beneficial, but it also does not directly address self-actualization needs.

Question 4

Harriet thinks that Maslow's hierarchy of needs model is very relevant for her workers.She also knows that their physiological needs are being met.What type of needs should Harriet focus on next?

Accepted Answer

According to Maslow's hierarchy of needs, after physiological needs are met, the next level to focus on is safety needs, which include job security.

Question 5

Regarding Herzberg's two-factor theory,it is correct to say that

Accepted Answer

Herzberg's hygiene factors, which include aspects like company policies, supervision, salary, interpersonal relations, and working conditions, are indeed similar to Maslow's lower-level needs, such as physiological and safety needs. These factors do not lead to higher satisfaction but can prevent dissatisfaction if managed properly.

Question 6

Which of the following is true about the hierarchy of needs theory?

Accepted Answer

According to the hierarchy of needs theory, lower-level needs such as physiological and safety needs must be met before higher-level needs such as self-actualization and esteem needs can emerge. This means that individuals must have their basic needs satisfied before they can focus on fulfilling their higher-level needs.

Question 7

Brenda believes that people are motivated to work toward rewards that they want and believe they have a reasonable chance of obtaining.What motivation theory does she subscribe to?

Accepted Answer

Brenda's belief that people are motivated to work towards rewards they want and believe they can obtain aligns with the principles of expectancy theory, which posits that people are motivated to exert effort into tasks when they believe their efforts will result in desirable outcomes that they value.

Question 8

Which of the following statements is correct with respect to McClelland's acquired needs theory?

Accepted Answer

According to McClelland's acquired needs theory, people with a high need for power can be successful managers if they seek power in order to help the organization perform better. Therefore, option E is the correct statement. Options A, B, and C are incorrect as there is no evidence to support them, and option D is incorrect as all three needs (achievement, affiliation, and power) are considered important in the theory.

Question 9

A football team signed a rookie defensive back at a higher rate of pay than any of its team veterans were paid.After that,the team almost immediately began to play poorly.This decline can best be explained using

Accepted Answer

Equity theory explains that employees are motivated by fairness. If team veterans perceive the rookie's higher pay as unfair, it could lead to decreased motivation and performance, explaining the team's decline.

Question 10

Which of the following helps explain why some people do not work as hard as they can when their salaries are based purely on seniority?

Accepted Answer

Expectancy theory suggests that individuals are motivated to work harder if they believe their efforts will lead to desired outcomes. When salaries are based purely on seniority, the direct link between effort and reward is weakened, leading some people not to work as hard since their effort does not directly influence their salary or advancement.

Question 11

Joe wonders,"If I work hard will I get a pay raise?" Joe then concludes that "No,I won't receive a raise." This type of reasoning is important in

Accepted Answer

This type of reasoning, where an individual concludes that if they work hard they won't receive a raise, is an example of expectancy theory. Expectancy theory is a motivation theory that suggests that individuals will be motivated to engage in a task if they believe that their efforts will result in desired performance and outcomes. In this case, Joe's belief that working hard will not result in a pay raise reflects a low expectancy that his efforts will lead to the desired outcome.

Question 12

After several years of work,Samantha is finally publishing her first novel.This has been a life-long dream.According to Maslow,which need is being met?

Accepted Answer

Samantha publishing her first novel fulfills her self-actualization need, which is the realization of personal potential and self-fulfillment, as described by Maslow's hierarchy of needs.

Question 13

Joe was hired out of college for a starting salary of $55 000 a year.Two months after he started,he found out that Nancy was hired at the same time for $65 000.At first,he was angry but then he found out that she had five years of previous experience and that she knew two more computer-programming languages than he did.Then he was not angry anymore.This illustrates the ________ motivation theory.

Accepted Answer

Joe's initial anger and subsequent understanding reflect the equity theory, which focuses on fairness and comparisons between one's input-output ratio and that of others.

Question 14

Tim tries to motivate his employees by making sure that pay and working conditions meet employee expectations and then providing employees with responsibility and recognition.Tim likely subscribes to the ________ theory of motivation.

Accepted Answer

The two-factor theory, also known as the motivation-hygiene theory, asserts that certain factors in the workplace lead to job satisfaction (motivators) while others lead to dissatisfaction (hygiene factors). Tim's approach of meeting basic pay and working condition expectations and providing recognition for responsibility represents a focus on motivating factors, fitting with the two-factor theory.

Question 15

The fundamental presumption in Maslow's hierarchy of needs is

Accepted Answer

The fundamental presumption in Maslow's hierarchy of needs is that as a person satisfies one level of need, they are then motivated to pursue the next level of need on the hierarchy. This implies that a satisfied need is not a motivator, as it has already been fulfilled and the individual will now focus on fulfilling the next level of need.

Question 16

In McClelland's acquired needs theory,which need typically is the most important?

Accepted Answer

McClelland's acquired needs theory suggests that the dominance of the needs for achievement, affiliation, and power varies from person to person. There is no one need that is universally the most important across all individuals.

Question 17

Which motivational theory assumes that employees assess their ratio of contributions to their returns and then compare that ratio to the perceived ratio of other employees?

Accepted Answer

Equity theory assumes that employees compare the ratio of their contributions (efforts, skills, experience) to their returns (salary, benefits, recognition) with the ratio of others in similar positions in the organization or in comparable industries. If they perceive their ratio as lower, they may perceive inequity and become demotivated, while if they perceive their ratio as higher, they may feel satisfied and motivated. By contrast, scientific management focuses on optimizing each worker's efficiency and output through task analysis and standardization, the Grinnell theory emphasizes social interactions and goal alignment, expectancy theory relates effort, performance, and rewards to influence motivation, and goal-setting theory emphasizes the importance of specific, challenging, and achievable goals to enhance motivation and performance.

Question 18

In order to motivate his subordinates,Phil has offered them all a free dinner if they can complete a large project they are working on by the end of the month.But everyone thinks that the input they need won't be received in time for them to complete their report.Phil has ignored one requirement of the ________ theory.

Accepted Answer

Phil has ignored the expectancy theory, which suggests that employees' motivation and performance are based on their belief that their effort will lead to high performance and high performance will lead to desired outcomes or rewards. In this case, the employees do not believe that they will receive the input they need in time to complete the project, so the promised reward of a free dinner is not motivating them.

Question 19

Regarding the two-factor theory,which one of the following statements is true?

Accepted Answer

The two-factor theory states that there are two types of factors that impact job satisfaction and dissatisfaction. Hygiene factors (such as salary, working conditions, company policies, etc.) impact dissatisfaction, meaning that their absence or inadequacy leads to dissatisfaction with the job. The opposite of dissatisfaction is not necessarily satisfaction, but rather a neutral state of not being dissatisfied. On the other hand, motivational factors (such as recognition, achievement, growth opportunities, etc.) impact job satisfaction, meaning that their presence leads to job satisfaction. Therefore, choice B is the correct statement in accordance with the two-factor theory.

Question 20

The two-factor theory states that

Accepted Answer

The two-factor theory, proposed by Frederick Herzberg, suggests that there are hygiene factors that prevent dissatisfaction and motivators that contribute to satisfaction.

Quiz 9: Motivating,satisfying,and Leading Employees