Question 1

The ability to direct one's individual destiny is:

Accepted Answer

Autonomy refers to the ability to make decisions and control one's own actions, which typically leads to the ability to direct one's individual destiny. Resistance, bureaucracy, and unionization do not necessarily imply autonomy, while integration may involve giving up some individual control in order to work effectively with others.

Question 2

According to Barbara Ehrenreich, what do workers with minimum-wage service jobs need to do to get ahead and move up in the world?

Accepted Answer

Barbara Ehrenreich argues that systemic barriers and the structure of minimum-wage jobs make it extremely difficult for workers to move up, regardless of individual actions.

Question 3

How has the Information Revolution changed the nature of work?

Accepted Answer

The Information Revolution has enabled employees to work remotely from anywhere in the world, reducing the importance of physical location in work. This has led to an increase in telecommuting and remote work options for employees.

Answer: A 
 With the ability to access the internet and relevant work materials from anywhere, employees can stay focused and less distracted from outside influences.

Answer: C 
 There is no evidence to suggest that the Information Revolution has led to an overall increase in employee compensation.

Answer: D 
 The Information Revolution has been associated with an increase in productivity, not a decline.

Answer: E 
 The Information Revolution has enabled greater flexibility in work schedules, allowing employees to work from virtually anywhere at any time.

Question 4

When office workers hang pictures in their cubicles or waste time daydreaming while on the clock, it is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Individual resistance is when an individual worker resists the authority of management by engaging in behaviors that are not in line with company policy.

Question 5

How could telecommuting increase worker productivity?

Accepted Answer

Telecommuters must provide a concrete measure of their accomplishments, not just show up. This means that they have to focus on their work and produce tangible results in order to demonstrate their productivity, which in turn may lead to increased productivity compared to employees who work in the office and may be distracted by social interactions or other interruptions.

Question 6

What serious social problem might be made worse if more people were encouraged to telecommute?

Accepted Answer

Telecommuting can lead to isolation and loneliness as employees miss out on face-to-face interactions with colleagues. If more people were encouraged to telecommute, this problem could worsen and lead to negative mental health impacts for individuals and potentially an even more socially disconnected society.

Question 7

What are the benefits of telecommuting?

Accepted Answer

Telecommuting allows workers to have a more flexible work-life balance, which has been shown to result in increased productivity and fewer sick days.

Answer: D
 Telecommuting can make it easier for workers to collaborate and share ideas through virtual meetings and online tools.

Question 8

How are strikes different from acts of resistance like daydreaming on the job?

Accepted Answer

Strikes are collective acts of resistance where a group of workers come together to protest and demand better working conditions or pay. Daydreaming on the job, on the other hand, is an individual act that does not involve others and does not have a specific goal or demand.

Question 9

How could the Information Revolution affect urbanization?

Accepted Answer

With remote work becoming more common and possible due to the Information Revolution, people can live in smaller towns or rural areas and still work for companies based in large cities. This could lead to a decrease in urbanization and a shift towards more suburban or rural living.

Question 10

Although it may not seem like much, when an office worker brings in a plant to brighten up his cubicle, it is a(n):

Accepted Answer

Bringing in a plant to brighten up a cubicle is an act of individual resistance as it shows the worker's desire to personalize their workspace and make it more pleasant, despite the limitations of their job. It may also be a way for the worker to assert some control over their environment, which can reduce feelings of powerlessness or alienation. Collective resistance (A) would involve a group of workers coming together to challenge an aspect of their working conditions, and a single worker bringing in a plant would not be sufficient for this. A bargaining tool (B) would be used in negotiations with an employer, and a plant would not have this function. Sign of nonalienation in labor (C) is not an appropriate description as the presence of a plant does not necessarily imply a sense of connection or fulfillment in one's work. A postmodern gesture (D) refers to actions that challenge or question traditional beliefs, and bringing in a plant for personal comfort or aesthetics does not fit this category.

Question 11

Tactics that let workers take back some degree of control over the conditions in which they work are called:

Accepted Answer

Resistance strategies are tactics that employees use to regain a sense of control over their work conditions. These can include things like forming unions, engaging in collective bargaining, participating in work slowdowns or strikes, or even engaging in subtle forms of sabotage that disrupt the employer’s operations. Knowledge work refers to jobs that require intellectual skills and expertise, while service work involves providing personal or professional services to others. Socialism is a political and economic system based on the collective ownership of the means of production. Collective bargaining is a process by which workers negotiate the terms and conditions of their employment with management through a designated representative, such as a union. While collective bargaining can be a form of resistance strategy, it is not the only one.

Question 12

How are strictly controlled workers within bureaucracies different from robots?

Accepted Answer

Unlike robots, strictly controlled workers within bureaucracies are capable of resisting and undermining the bureaucratic restraints that limit their autonomy. While robots simply follow their programming and do not have the capacity for resistance or autonomy, human workers can push back against bureaucratic constraints that they may find unreasonable or oppressive.

Answer: A
 Another way in which strictly controlled workers within bureaucracies differ from robots is that human workers require forms of upkeep, such as breaks, rest, and healthcare. Robots, on the other hand, only require periodic maintenance and upgrades to function properly.

Answer: E
 While it is not necessarily true that human workers are more reliable than robots, they may be less prone to certain types of errors or malfunctions. For example, human workers may be better able to adapt to changes in the assembly line, whereas robots may require more specific programming and instructions to perform a task accurately.

Question 13

Workers at a large retail outlet are required to wear green aprons with name tags on them, which often leads customers to address them by their first names. Sometimes employees alter their name tags in humorous ways (changing "Asagi" to "Soggy"). What is this an example of?

Accepted Answer

This is an example of a resistance strategy, as employees are altering their name tags in humorous ways as a way to resist or subvert the expectations or norms of the workplace.

Question 14

What do you think Barbara Ehrenreich would say about efforts to reform welfare that tried to move people off welfare rolls and into minimum-wage jobs?

Accepted Answer

Barbara Ehrenreich is known for her criticism of low-wage work and the idea that it is demeaning and insufficient to survive on. Therefore, it is likely that she would disapprove of efforts to move people off welfare rolls and into minimum-wage jobs.

Question 15

Which of the following social problems might be alleviated if more Americans were encouraged to telecommute?

Accepted Answer

Telecommuting would lead to less traffic congestion and therefore lower levels of pollution.

Answer: B 
 There is no direct link between telecommuting and anomie, which is a feeling of disconnection and alienation from society.

Answer: C 
 Telecommuting may contribute to the breakdown of social networks as workers may have less face-to-face interaction with colleagues and may feel more isolated.

Answer: D 
 There is no direct link between telecommuting and crime reduction.

Answer: E 
 There is no direct link between telecommuting and child abuse reduction.

Question 16

Which of these workers would be most typical of the economy in America today?

Accepted Answer

Customer service representatives for cell phone companies are a common job in America today due to the widespread use of cell phones and the need for customer support in this industry. The other options represent more specialized or less common jobs.

Question 17

These days, many customer service representatives we talk to over the phone are based in India. Which of the following terms applies to this phenomenon?

Accepted Answer

The term "death of distance" refers to the idea that modern technology has made communication and the transfer of information possible regardless of physical distance. This has allowed companies to outsource customer service jobs to countries like India, where labor is cheaper. Therefore, the best choice for this phenomenon is E. The other choices do not apply to this specific situation.

Question 18

In September of 2001, doctors conducted the first-ever telesurgery, operating on a patient in France from an office in downtown Manhattan via robotic technology. What feature of contemporary society is this an illustration of?

Accepted Answer

The fact that doctors were able to perform surgery on a patient in France from an office in Manhattan demonstrates the greatly diminished importance of place in contemporary society. Advancements in technology have made it possible for people to communicate and engage in activities from virtually anywhere in the world.

Question 19

According to Robin Leidner's Fast Food, Fast Talk, what are the consequences of scripting workers' interactions with customers?

Accepted Answer

Leidner argues that scripting workers' interactions with customers is damaging to workers and suppresses their real selves. It limits their ability to use their own judgment, creativity, and personality in their work, and leads to a dehumanizing and stressful work environment.

Question 20

What changes in the economy would be associated with travel agents hiring inmates in minimum-security prisons to take calls and schedule vacations for customers?

Accepted Answer

The growth of information technology would be the most relevant change in the economy associated with travel agents hiring inmates to take calls and schedule vacations for customers. This is because the ability to hire and train individuals in a separate location from the physical office is made possible by advancements in information technology such as virtual training, remote work software, and cloud-based communication tools. The other options (A, B, C, and E) are not directly related to this scenario.

Quiz 11: The Economy, Work, and Working