Question 1

__________ relies on three basic principles: measurable behavior, types of consequences, and stimulus of reinforcement and punishment.
A) Job enrichment
B) Behavior modification
C) Equity
D) Goal congruence

Accepted Answer

Behavior modification is based on the principles of measurable behavior, types of consequences, and the stimulus of reinforcement and punishment, which are core concepts in behaviorism and applied behavior analysis.

Question 2

Corning Inc. motivated its employees during an industry downturn by setting business unit goals. Which of the following was not a component of their goalsharing program?
A) Specific performance goals for employees in each business unit were set.
B) A clear "line of sight" was created between the corporate goal and the employee.
C) The entire business unit had to achieve its goals for each individual to be rewarded.
D) Bonuses were tied to the overall performance of the company.

Accepted Answer

Corning Inc.'s goalsharing program was designed to motivate employees by setting specific performance goals for each business unit, ensuring a clear connection between corporate goals and individual employee actions, and requiring the entire business unit to meet its goals for any individual to receive a reward. The program did not tie bonuses to the overall performance of the company, but rather to the achievement of specific goals within each business unit.

Question 3

Corning Inc. enjoyed all of the following benefits from its goalsharing program except:
A) hard-working employees no longer feeling discouraged because their reward was not tied to the company's overall financial performance, which is outside their control.
B) improved cash flow.
C) motivated employees that eventually succeeded in executing the company's turnaround strategy.
D) long-term success which is tied to employees' continuing improvement year after year.

Accepted Answer

Improved cash flow is not a benefit of a goal-sharing program.

Question 4

The management consulting group you contracted with to analyze how to increase productivity in your insurance company just suggested that one action you should take immediately is to try to determine the outcomes or rewards each one of your employees value. The consulting group is suggesting that you use the __________ theory (model) to motivate your employees to increased performance.
A) Maslow's needs hierarchy
B) equity
C) Herzberg's two-factor
D) expectancy

Accepted Answer

The consulting group is suggesting the use of the expectancy theory, which posits that individuals are motivated to act in a certain way based on the expectation that their actions will lead to a desired outcome or reward. This theory emphasizes the importance of understanding what outcomes or rewards each employee values to effectively motivate them.

Question 5

Examples of behavioral choices that are related to work performance include all of the following except:
A) whether to go to work or call in sick.
B) whether to leave work at the official quitting time or stay late.
C) whether to exert a great deal of effort or to work at a more relaxed pace.
D) All are examples of behavioral choices.

Accepted Answer

All the options (A, B, and C) are indeed examples of behavioral choices that can affect work performance, making D the correct answer as it states that all are examples.

Question 6

To find solutions to troublesome theft behavior problems, Northwest interviewed its employees. Based on the interview results, management took which of the following actions?
A) offered rewards to employees for whistle-blowing on their coworkers
B) installation of video surveillance
C) declared an amnesty day for anyone returning stolen merchandise
D) hired a private detective to work incognito as an employee

Accepted Answer

Northwest management declared an amnesty day for anyone returning stolen merchandise as a solution to address theft behavior problems.

Question 7

Whole Foods Markets has grown significantly since it opened. Which of the following statements does not correctly characterize how the owners have used their strategic action competency to achieve this growth?
A) The company uses a democratic style of management.
B) The employees get so much financial information that they are "insiders" according to the SEC's definition.
C) Strong guidance from the owners, issued in the form of mandates, assures consistency in the product line.
D) Jobs are organized around self-managed teams.

Accepted Answer

The correct characterization of Whole Foods Market's strategic action competency for growth does not include strong guidance from the owners in the form of mandates to assure consistency in the product line. Instead, Whole Foods is known for its decentralized, team-oriented approach and democratic style of management, which empowers employees and encourages innovation at the store level rather than relying on strict mandates from the owners.

Question 8

Knowledge of results __________.
A) provides feedback from the task itself
B) provides employees with information, or feedback, about how well they are doing
C) can come from from other sources, such as customer satisfaction surveys
D) all of the above

Accepted Answer

Knowledge of results encompasses feedback from the task itself, information about performance provided to employees, and can also include data from external sources like customer satisfaction surveys.

Question 9

The __________ theory is concerned with how employees make judgements about whether the organization is treating them fairly.
A) expectancy
B) reinforcement
C) equity
D) learned needs

Accepted Answer

The equity theory focuses on how employees perceive fairness in the workplace, especially in terms of how they view their inputs (such as effort, skill level, and enthusiasm) relative to their outputs (such as salary, benefits, and recognition) in comparison to others.

Question 10

Ryan feels he is paid too little for the hours and effort he puts into his job. Which of the following actions is not a potential behavior suggested by the equity model?
A) Ryan can take more coffee breaks and slow down his performance.
B) Ryan can continue as before, while convincing himself that this is an easy job and that he really isn't working very hard.
C) Ryan can work harder.
D) All of the above

Accepted Answer

The answer of Ryan feels he is paid too little...

Question 11

Bill Frost owns and operates a small industrial supply company. Bill uses a merit pay system to reward employees. If employees do not feel motivated, it could be said that the__________ model of motivation explains this poor performance.
A) content
B) hierarchy of needs
C) disequilibrium
D) equity

Accepted Answer

The equity model of motivation suggests that employees are motivated when they perceive fairness in the workplace, particularly in how rewards are distributed. If employees at Bill Frost's company do not feel motivated under the merit pay system, it could be because they perceive an inequity or unfairness in how rewards (pay increases, bonuses, etc.) are being distributed, which in turn affects their performance.

Question 12

There are alternatives available to employees who want to reduce their feeling of inequity. Which of the following is not considered an acceptable response to inequity?
A) leave the situation (quit the job) if the inequities can't be resolved
B) distort reality by rationalizing that the inequities are justified
C) modify their comparisons by choosing another person to compare themselves against
D) all of the above

Accepted Answer

All the options listed (A, B, and C) are considered psychological or behavioral responses individuals might have to perceived inequity, but they are not necessarily deemed acceptable or healthy ways to deal with feelings of inequity in the workplace. Leaving a job, distorting reality, or changing comparison others are ways people might cope with inequity, but they do not address or resolve the root causes of inequity.

Question 13

Over 70% of managers from 34 organizations agreed that __________.
A) providing nonmonetary recognition can actually improve employee performance
B) there should be equal pay for equal education levels
C) feature-rich employee benefit plans motivate employees
D) open door policies provide dissatisfied employees an avenue to get even

Accepted Answer

Providing nonmonetary recognition can improve employee performance as it acknowledges employees' efforts and contributions, boosting morale and motivation.

Question 14

Psychologist Abraham Maslow believed people have five types of needs, which he arranged in a hierarchy of needs. Why did Maslow arrange these needs in this manner?
A) Maslow believed needs are met in a chronological order, starting with infancy to old age.
B) Maslow suggested that, as a person satisfies each level of needs, motivation shifts to satisfying the next higher level of needs.
C) Maslow hypothesized that our needs are met over the years as we progress academically.
D) All of the above are among Maslow's conclusions.

Accepted Answer

Maslow's hierarchy of needs is structured such that once a lower level of need is satisfied, individuals are motivated to achieve the next level of needs. This progression from physiological needs, safety, love/belonging, esteem, to self-actualization reflects a shift in motivation as each level is met.

Question 15

A recent study in a Bangladesh cotton mill showed that financial rewards were a greater motivator and raised performance more than did recognition and praise. Which one of the following statements might best explain this response?
A) Applying U.S. management practices to people from different cultures is useless.
B) Motivational programs should be geared to simultaneously satisfying lower and higher level needs.
C) Motivational programs that satisfy higher level needs are less meaningful if lower level needs have not been satisfied.
D) This behavior is typical of employees from all cultures.

Accepted Answer

Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory suggests that lower level needs (such as financial security) must be satisfied before higher level needs (such as esteem and recognition) can act as motivators. The response in the Bangladesh cotton mill indicates that financial rewards, which address more basic needs, were more effective than recognition and praise, which address higher level needs.

Question 16

Frank Gotti, an employee in Random Engineering company, has been periodically asking for a promotion. He has not received one because none have been available. His performance is tops, and his boss intends to keep it that way. According to the frustration-regression hypothesis, his boss should __________.
A) tell him to wait until a higher position becomes available
B) assure him of promotion when it is available, and meanwhile provide him with some job-related material incentive
C) create a higher symbolic, but necessary, position for Frank
D) listen and be sympathetic

Accepted Answer

Providing job-related material incentives can help alleviate frustration and maintain motivation when a promotion is not immediately available.

Question 17

Evidence indicates that enriched jobs tend to be more satisfying than unenriched jobs and redesigning those jobs might enhance employee motivation. All of the following are factors that a manager must consider when redesigning jobs except:
A) jobs that involve repetitive tasks requiring few skills might need to be redesigned.
B) jobs requiring employees to be personally responsible for their work tend to make the work environment too stressful and therefore might need to be redesigned.
C) managers should assess the degree to which employees experience their work as meaningful.
D) all of the above

Accepted Answer

Jobs requiring employees to be personally responsible for their work tend to increase motivation and satisfaction, not necessarily make the environment too stressful. This contradicts the principle that job enrichment, which often involves increasing personal responsibility, enhances job satisfaction.

Question 18

Amber Washington had worked at the local hospital for close to five years without receiving a Christmas bonus. When management made the surprise announcement that each employee would receive a turkey for the holidays, she joined with many hospital employees expressing anger concerning the gesture. Motivation for many fell drastically. All of the following are likely explanations why management erred in the eyes of the employees with this policy except:
A) Washington wanted specific and appropriate feedback on how she was performing her job, not a turkey.
B) many employees believed that the emergency room nurses should receive more than the outpatient surgery nurses.
C) many were disappointed that an inexpensive turkey represented the thanks for a year's worth of hard work.
D) all of the above

Accepted Answer

The answer of Amber Washington had worked at the local...

Question 19

Explain how management at Corning used their strategic action competency to develop an effective goalsharing program.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Explain how management at Corning used their...

Quiz 14: Work Motivation

__________ relies on three basic principles: measurable behavior, types of consequences, and stimulus of reinforcement and punishment.

Corning Inc. motivated its employees during an industry downturn by setting business unit goals. Which of the following was not a component of their goalsharing program?

Corning Inc. enjoyed all of the following benefits from its goalsharing program except:

Examples of behavioral choices that are related to work performance include all of the following except:

To find solutions to troublesome theft behavior problems, Northwest interviewed its employees. Based on the interview results, management took which of the following actions?

Whole Foods Markets has grown significantly since it opened. Which of the following statements does not correctly characterize how the owners have used their strategic action competency to achieve this growth?

Knowledge of results __________.

The __________ theory is concerned with how employees make judgements about whether the organization is treating them fairly.

Ryan feels he is paid too little for the hours and effort he puts into his job. Which of the following actions is not a potential behavior suggested by the equity model?

Bill Frost owns and operates a small industrial supply company. Bill uses a merit pay system to reward employees. If employees do not feel motivated, it could be said that the__________ model of motivation explains this poor performance.

There are alternatives available to employees who want to reduce their feeling of inequity. Which of the following is not considered an acceptable response to inequity?

Over 70% of managers from 34 organizations agreed that __________.

Psychologist Abraham Maslow believed people have five types of needs, which he arranged in a hierarchy of needs. Why did Maslow arrange these needs in this manner?

A recent study in a Bangladesh cotton mill showed that financial rewards were a greater motivator and raised performance more than did recognition and praise. Which one of the following statements might best explain this response?

Evidence indicates that enriched jobs tend to be more satisfying than unenriched jobs and redesigning those jobs might enhance employee motivation. All of the following are factors that a manager must consider when redesigning jobs except:

Explain how management at Corning used their strategic action competency to develop an effective goalsharing program.