Question 1

Gig workers are like independent contractors in the sense that people in both groups
A) have control over the hours they work.
B) are guaranteed a minimum wage.
C) are eligible for unemployment insurance.
D) are dependent upon the employer for how much money they make.
E) All of the above

Accepted Answer

Gig workers, like independent contractors, have control over their schedule and the hours they work. The other options (B, C, D, and E) are not necessarily true for gig workers or independent contractors.

Question 2

Globalization is
A) the creation of international computer networks.
B) the process of creating a worldwide network of businesses and markets.
C) the adoption of global Internet standards.
D) the adoption of English as the language of business.
E) the way that stock exchanges stay open 24 hours a day.

Accepted Answer

Globalization refers to the process of creating a worldwide network of businesses and markets, where companies and people operate and interact with each other across borders and cultures. It involves the integration of economies, societies, and cultures through the exchange of goods, services, ideas, and technology. While technology and the Internet have played a role in facilitating globalization, they are not the only factors involved.

Question 3

Gig workers are like employees in the sense that people in both groups
A) have control over the hours they work.
B) are guaranteed a minimum wage.
C) are eligibile for unemployment insurance.
D) are dependent upon the employer for how much money they make.
E) All of the above

Accepted Answer

Gig workers and employees both depend on their employer or the platform they work for to determine their earnings. Gig workers, unlike traditional employees, often have more control over their hours, are not guaranteed a minimum wage by their employers, and may not be eligible for unemployment insurance, making D the correct choice.

Question 4

In 2011 a program named Watson running on an IBM supercomputer
A) decoded the human genome for the first time.
B) became the first computer program to take the job of a software engineer.
C) won the World Crossword Puzzle Championship sponsored by The New York Times.
D) defeated the two most successful human Jeopardy! champions in a three-game match.
E) passed the Turing Test in a competition sponsored by the Association for Computing Machinery.

Accepted Answer

In 2011, Watson, an IBM supercomputer, defeated two of the most successful human Jeopardy! champions in a three-game match.

Question 5

In medieval England, when wages went up,
A) more children joined the labor force.
B) more women joined the labor force.
C) students dropped out of school to take up jobs.
D) workers put in fewer hours.
E) A, B, and C.

Accepted Answer

When wages went up in medieval England, workers tended to put in fewer hours, as they could earn the same amount of money in less time. This allowed them more leisure time or time to work on their own plots of land.

Question 6

Manufacturing employment in the United States peaked
A) during World War II.
B) in 1959.
C) in 1979.
D) in 1999.
E) None of the above. Manufacturing employment in the United States continues to increase.

Accepted Answer

Manufacturing employment in the United States peaked in 1979 at approximately 19.6 million workers, and has been declining since then due to automation, globalization, and other factors.

Question 7

The process by which a new technology is assimilated into a society is called
A) cultural relativism.
B) globalization.
C) IT leverage.
D) social receptivity index.
E) technological diffusion.

Accepted Answer

The process by which a new technology is assimilated into a society is called technological diffusion. This process is characterized by the spread of new technology throughout a society, and can be influenced by factors such as demographic characteristics, social norms, and economic conditions.

Question 8

Supply-chain automation
A) streamlines organizations by eliminating transactional middlemen.
B) is one way Dell Computer keeps its costs low.
C) links computers at different companies.
D) All of the above
E) None of the above

Accepted Answer

Supply-chain automation streamlines organizations by eliminating transactional middlemen, is a strategy used by Dell Computer to keep its costs low, and involves linking computers at different companies to enhance efficiency and coordination.

Question 9

The phrase "digital divide" refers to the situation where
A) some people have access to information technology and others do not.
B) users of Macintosh computers are at a disadvantage compared to users of Windows computers.
C) only stockholders in high-tech companies can get rich in the new economy.
D) the U.S. government prevents information technology from being exported to "unfriendly" countries.
E) the prices of computers are kept artificially high in order to keep them out of the hands of people in Third World countries.

Accepted Answer

The phrase "digital divide" refers to the situation where some people have access to information technology and others do not. This refers to the disparity in access to technology and the internet between different socioeconomic groups and regions.

Question 10

A personal AI is
A) an intelligent machine inexpensive enough for an individual to purchase it.
B) an intelligent machine devoted to serving an individual human being.
C) a computer capable of beating human beings at games such as chess.
D) a software program, not an actual physical object.
E) a machine conscious of its own existence.

Accepted Answer

The answer of A personal AI is
A) an intelligent machine...

Question 11

According to the Encyclopedia of Computer Science, a "programmable machine that either in performance or appearance imitates human activities" is called a A) computer. B) deltoid. C) mechano. D) robot. E) transformer.

Accepted Answer

The definition given in the question matches the definition of a robot, which is a machine that can be programmed to perform tasks autonomously or under human control, and can imitate human activities such as movement, sensing, and decision-making. Therefore, the correct choice is D) robot.

Question 12

According to sociologist Max Weber, the growth of capitalism was stimulated by a new attitude toward work brought about by
A) the Industrial Revolution.
B) the Protestant Reformation.
C) the English Civil War.
D) the Lisbon earthquake of 1755.
E) the American Revolution.

Accepted Answer

Max Weber argued that the growth of capitalism was stimulated by a new attitude toward work, which he linked to the Protestant Reformation. Specifically, Weber argued that the Calvinist doctrine of predestination, which emphasized the importance of hard work and success as signs of one's salvation, helped promote a new work ethic that prioritized frugality, diligence, and the accumulation of wealth. This, in turn, laid the groundwork for the rise of modern capitalism.

Question 13

Productivity in the United States doubled between 1948 and 1990. However, the work week didn't get shorter. As a result,
A) income taxes were raised.
B) the standard of living increased.
C) corporate downsizing reduced the number of people in the workforce.
D) the pay of CEOs skyrocketed.
E) health care benefits of workers more than doubled between 1948 and 1990.

Accepted Answer

The increase in productivity allowed for a higher standard of living for Americans, but did not result in a shorter work week or significant decreases in taxes or increases in healthcare benefits. While other factors such as corporate downsizing and CEO pay increases may have occurred, there is not enough information in the given statement to determine their significance in relation to productivity and the work week.

Question 14

In some markets a few top performers receive a disproportionate share of the rewards. Frank and Cook call this phenomenon
A) capitalism.
B) inevitable.
C) liberalism.
D) socialism.
E) the winner-take-all effect.

Accepted Answer

The winner-take-all effect refers to the phenomenon where a few top performers receive a disproportionate share of rewards in a market, which is exactly what Frank and Cook are describing. Choices A, B, C, and D are not accurate descriptions of the phenomenon.

Question 15

Artificial intelligence is the field of computer science and engineering that focuses on ways to get machines to exhibit
A) consciousness.
B) ethical behavior.
C) intelligent behavior.
D) philosophical insights.
E) scientific breakthroughs.

Accepted Answer

Artificial intelligence seeks to create machines that are capable of intelligent behavior, such as learning from experience, making decisions, and solving problems, without explicit programming. It does not focus on consciousness, ethical behavior, philosophical insights, or scientific breakthroughs.

Question 16

One way automation can lead to the creation of new jobs is by
A) producing products quicker, thus shortening the work week.
B) reducing the price of a product, thus increasing people's real income.
C) consuming fewer resources, thus improving the environment.
D) All of the above
E) None of the above is true. Automation always causes a net loss of jobs.

Accepted Answer

Automation can reduce production costs, leading to lower prices, which can increase demand and potentially create new jobs in production, sales, and distribution.

Quiz 10: Work and Wealth

Gig workers are like independent contractors in the sense that people in both groups

Globalization is

Gig workers are like employees in the sense that people in both groups

In 2011 a program named Watson running on an IBM supercomputer

In medieval England, when wages went up,

Manufacturing employment in the United States peaked

The process by which a new technology is assimilated into a society is called

Supply-chain automation

The phrase "digital divide" refers to the situation where

A personal AI is

According to the Encyclopedia of Computer Science, a "programmable machine that either in performance or appearance imitates human activities" is called a

According to sociologist Max Weber, the growth of capitalism was stimulated by a new attitude toward work brought about by

Productivity in the United States doubled between 1948 and 1990. However, the work week didn't get shorter. As a result,

In some markets a few top performers receive a disproportionate share of the rewards. Frank and Cook call this phenomenon

Artificial intelligence is the field of computer science and engineering that focuses on ways to get machines to exhibit

One way automation can lead to the creation of new jobs is by