Question 1

What was the ultimate result of the Hawthorne studies?

Accepted Answer

The Hawthorne experiments marked the beginning of a concern for human relations in the workplace. They revealed that human factors do influence workers' behavior and that managers who understand the needs, beliefs, and expectations of people have the greatest success in motivating their workers.

Question 2

According to Maslow's theory, a ________ person feels that he or she is living life to its fullest in every way.

Accepted Answer

Self-actualization involves maximizing your potential. A self-actualized person feels that she or he is living life to its fullest in every way.

Question 3

According to Maslow, humans devote all their efforts to satisfying ________ needs until they are met. Only when these needs are met can people focus their attention on satisfying the next level of needs.

Accepted Answer

According the Maslow, humans devote all their efforts to satisfying physiological needs until they are met. Only when these needs are met can people focus their attention on satisfying the next level of needs.

Question 4

Brandon works as an electrician, going into people's homes and offices to set up and repair electrical systems. When he sees a dangerous condition, he reports it to the home or business owner immediately and begins working to fix the situation. He wears safety goggles and gloves while he is working, and he has a comprehensive insurance plan with income protection in the event that he becomes unable to work. Brandon's actions are most related to Maslow's ________ needs.

Accepted Answer

Brandon's actions relate to protecting himself from physical and economic harm and thus are related to Maslow's security needs. Actions that may be taken to achieve security include reporting a dangerous workplace condition to management, maintaining safety equipment, and purchasing insurance with income protection in the event you become unable to work.

Question 5

Al works for a company that books vacation rentals. He is a competitive person, so he needs to feel like he can bring in more customers and book more rentals than the other employees. When he is able to book more rentals than his co-workers, he feels a high level of self-respect as well as respect from others. This scenario describes how Al fulfills his ________ needs.

Accepted Answer

This scenario describes how Al fulfills his esteem needs, which relate to self-respect and respect from others. One aspect of esteem is competition-the need to feel that you can do something better than anyone else.

Question 6

Liam got laid off from his job at a chemical supply company. His company has promised to pay him for three months following the layoff. Before he was laid off, he was focused on selling more than any of his co-workers. Since the layoff, he has shifted his focus to finding a new source of income. What does this scenario highlight about laid off workers, in terms of Maslow's hierarchy of needs?

Accepted Answer

Maslow's theory suggests that if a low-level need is suddenly reactivated, the individual will try to satisfy that need rather than the higher-level needs. Many laid off workers probably shift their focus from high-level esteem needs to the need for security, such as finding a future source of income.

Question 7

Tiana has a job as a lab technician. She makes a good annual salary and her job is secure. Which of Maslow's needs would these hygiene factors help Tiana satisfy?

Accepted Answer

Salary and security, two of the hygiene factors identified by Herzberg, make it possible for employees to satisfy the physiological and security needs identified by Maslow.

Question 8

A company has started using methods to give employees more responsibility and control and to involve them more in their work. The company views employees as team members and encourages them to share their ideas about how to improve its technology products. What is the benefit to using these methods?

Accepted Answer

Many companies are beginning to employ methods to give employees more responsibility and control and to involve them more in their work, which serves to motivate them to higher levels of productivity and quality.

Question 9

Juanita manages a large boarding stable that employs several people who clean stalls, feed the horses, teach riding lessons, and do training rides on boarders' horses. According to Herzberg's theory, what can Juanita do to motivate her employees to work harder, in terms of content of the work itself?

Accepted Answer

Maritza can motivate her employees to work harder by involving them in the stable's processes and decisions. Motivational factors, which relate to the content of the work itself, include achievement, recognition, involvement, responsibility, advancement, and personal growth. Hygiene factors relate to the work setting, not to the content of the work, and include adequate wages, comfortable and safe working conditions, fair company policies, and job security.

Question 10

Tahlia manages a grocery store, which employs several baggers, cashiers, floor managers, and stockroom workers. According to Herzberg's theory, what can Tahlia do to ensure that her employees are satisfied with their work setting?

Accepted Answer

To ensure that her employees are satisfied with their work environment, Tahlia can offer adequate wages. Hygiene factors, which relate to the work setting and not to the content of the work, include adequate wages, comfortable and safe working conditions, fair company policies, and job security. Motivational factors relate to the content of the work itself and include achievement, recognition, involvement, responsibility, and advancement.

Question 11

McGregor's Theory X assumes that workers

Accepted Answer

According to McGregor, Theory X employees generally dislike work and will avoid it when possible; they must be coerced, controlled, directed, or threatened with punishment to get them to work; and the average worker prefers to be directed and will avoid responsibility.

Question 12

McGregor's Theory Y assumes that workers

Accepted Answer

According to McGregor, Theory Y employees like to work and that under proper conditions they will seek out responsibility in an attempt to satisfy their social, esteem, and self-actualization needs.

Question 13

The managers of a meat packing plant believe that the average person dislikes work and will avoid it when possible. As a result, they focus on coercing, controlling, directing, and threatening their workers with punishment to get them to work toward achieving the company's objectives. One method they initiated was an employee ranking system that ranked 50 percent of employees as below expectations. This company has adopted

Accepted Answer

In this scenario, the company has adopted McGregor's Theory X perspective. Theory X managers believe that the average person naturally dislikes work and will avoid it when possible; most workers must be coerced, controlled, directed, or threatened with punishment to get them to work toward the achievement of organizational objectives; and the average worker prefers to be directed and to avoid responsibility, has relatively little ambition, and wants security. Initiating an employee ranking system is an example of using the Theory X perspective.

Question 14

Felicia is the principal of a charter school. She believes that her employees like to work and that under proper conditions, they will seek out responsibility in an attempt to satisfy their social, esteem, and self-actualization needs. What theory of management would Felicia most likely follow?

Accepted Answer

Felicia would most likely follow McGregor's Theory Y. Managers adhering to Theory Y assume that workers like to work and that under proper conditions, employees will seek out responsibility in an attempt to satisfy their social, esteem, and self-actualization needs.

Question 15

What is a major difference between the Theory X and Theory Y views of management?

Accepted Answer

The Theory X view of management does not take into account people's needs for companionship, esteem, and personal growth, whereas Theory Y does. Managers subscribing to the Theory Y view assume that workers like to work and under proper conditions, employees will seek out responsibility in an attempt to satisfy their social, esteem, and self-actualization needs.

Question 16

What is the difference between Theory X and Theory Y managers as it relates to Maslow's hierarchy of needs?

Accepted Answer

Theory X managers focus on physiological and security needs and virtually ignore the higher needs discussed by Maslow. On the other hand, Theory Y managers address the high-level needs in Maslow's hierarchy as well as physiological and security needs.

Question 17

Chester's Crab House has several locations in Massachusetts and New Jersey. Each location has a restaurant manager who runs his or her location as he or she sees fit. The restaurant chain has achieved success by empowering its employees to make their own decisions and follow their passions. Which management theory does Chester's Crab House follow?

Accepted Answer

Chester's Crab House follows McGregor's Theory Y because it maintains less control and supervision over employees and is more democratic in decision making, allowing subordinates to participate in the process.

Question 18

Which is an assumption of Theory Y?

Accepted Answer

McGregor describes the assumptions behind Theory Y in the following way: (1) The expenditure of physical and mental effort in work is as natural as play and rest. (2) People will exercise self-direction and self-control to achieve objectives to which they are committed. (3) People will commit to objectives when they realize that the achievement of those goals will bring them personal reward. (4) The average person will accept and seek responsibility. (5) Imagination, ingenuity, and creativity can help solve organizational problems, but most organizations do not make adequate use of these characteristics in their employees. (6) Organizations today do not make full use of workers' intellectual potential.

Question 19

At Just Right Thermostats, managers and workers share responsibilities, managers stress employee participation in all aspects of company decision making, and employment is long term. What theory of management does Just Right Thermostats follow?

Accepted Answer

Just Right Thermostats follows Theory Z. In a theory Z organization, managers and workers share responsibilities; the management style is participative; and employment is long term and, often, lifelong.

Question 20

What theory is based on the idea that employees try to maintain fairness or balance between inputs and outputs as compared to others in similar positions?

Accepted Answer

According to equity theory, how much people are willing to contribute to an organization depends on their assessment of the fairness, or equity, of the rewards they will receive in exchange. In a fair situation, a person receives rewards proportional to his or her contribution to the organization. However, in practice, equity is a subjective notion. When workers compare their input-output ratio to others, if the ratios are close, the individual will feel that he or she is being treated equitably.

Quiz 9: Motivating the Workforce