Question 1

According to the JCM, which job characteristic results in the employee knowing about the actual results of his or her work activities?

Accepted Answer

Feedback is the job characteristic that results in the employee knowing about the actual results of his or her work activities. Task significance refers to the impact a job has on other people, autonomy refers to the level of independence and control an employee has in their job, and skill variety refers to the variety of tasks and skills required in a job.

Question 2

Sarah is using the JCM to redesign jobs for her small team of writers. After carefully analyzing their jobs, she determines that while their jobs are high in skill variety, task identity, task significance, and autonomy, they receive little feedback about their work. Which one of the following steps will enable Sarah to improve this aspect of their jobs?

Accepted Answer

Allowing the writers to directly conduct business with their clients will enable them to receive direct feedback about their work, addressing the identified lack of feedback in their jobs.

Question 3

The way tasks are combined to form complete jobs is referred to as ________.

Accepted Answer

Job design refers to the process of determining the tasks and responsibilities that need to be fulfilled in a particular job, as well as how these tasks will be grouped together to form a complete job. Job evaluation involves assessing the relative worth of different jobs in an organization, while job rotation involves periodically switching employees between different jobs to provide them with variety and development opportunities. Job specification refers to the qualifications, skills, and other requirements needed for a particular job.

Question 4

At 3M, workers are allowed up to 15% of their paid time to devote to projects of their own choosing. For that time, workers have ________.

Accepted Answer

Giving workers 15% of their paid time to devote to projects of their own choosing provides them with a high degree of autonomy, meaning they have more control over their work and decision-making.

Question 5

Which one of the following is true about job enlargement and job enrichment?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which one of the following is true...

Question 6

In the job characteristics model, task significance refers to the degree to which a job ________.

Accepted Answer

Task significance refers to the extent to which a job has a meaningful impact on the lives or work of other people, either within or outside the organization. It involves understanding how the work being performed contributes to the larger goals of the organization or society.

Question 7

________ refers to the number of different tasks required in a job and the frequency with which those tasks are repeated.

Accepted Answer

Job scope refers to the range and variety of tasks that make up a job, as well as how often they are performed. It includes both the breadth and depth of a job, and is an important factor in determining job satisfaction and performance. Job depth, on the other hand, refers to the level of expertise required to perform the tasks within a job, and is not directly related to the frequency or variety of those tasks. Job enlargement and job enrichment are related concepts that involve expanding or enhancing the responsibilities and opportunities within a job, but they do not specifically address the scope of tasks or their frequency.

Question 8

The last worker in the assembly line put on the tires and tightened the lug nuts. When asked what he did, he replied, "I build tractors." For this worker, his position included ________.

Accepted Answer

The worker's statement "I build tractors" indicates high task identity, meaning he has a strong sense of how his work contributes to the final product.

Question 9

In the job characteristics model, ________ refers to the degree to which a job requires completion of a whole and identifiable piece of work.

Accepted Answer

Task identity refers to the degree to which a job requires completion of a whole and identifiable piece of work. Task significance refers to the degree to which the job has an impact on the lives of other people. Skill variety refers to the degree to which a job requires different skills and abilities. Autonomy refers to the degree of freedom, independence, and discretion that an employee has in performing the job.

Question 10

According to the JCM, which three job characteristics are crucial to an employee experiencing meaningfulness of his or her work?

Accepted Answer

Skill variety, task identity, and task significance are the three job characteristics crucial to an employee experiencing meaningfulness of his or her work according to the Job Characteristics Model (JCM).

Question 11

In the job characteristics model, the dimension of ________ refers to the degree to which a job provides substantial freedom, independence, and discretion to the individual in scheduling the work and determining the procedures to be used in carrying it out.

Accepted Answer

Autonomy refers to the level of independence and discretion an employee has in performing their job tasks, including scheduling and determining procedures. Task significance refers to the degree to which a job has a meaningful impact on others or the organization. Task identity refers to the level of completion and involvement an employee has in a job task from start to finish. Skill variety refers to the range of different skills and abilities required to perform a job.

Question 12

________ refers to the vertical expansion of a job by adding planning and evaluating responsibilities.

Accepted Answer

Job enrichment involves adding planning and evaluating responsibilities to a position, which expands the vertical scope of the job. Job enlargement, on the other hand, involves adding more tasks or duties, but does not necessarily increase the level of responsibility or challenge of the job. Job scope refers to the range of activities or tasks performed within a job, while job depth relates to the level of skill, knowledge, and expertise required to perform the job effectively.

Question 13

"In jobs today, employees rely more and more on those around them for information, advice, and assistance." Which one of the following approaches to job design best reflects this statement?

Accepted Answer

The relational perspective of work design emphasizes the importance of relationships and social networks in the workplace. This approach recognizes that employees need to rely on others for information, advice, and assistance, and focuses on creating work environments that facilitate communication, collaboration, and teamwork. The other options, such as the job characteristics model, proactive perspective of work design, and high involvement work practices, do not specifically address the role of relationships and social networks in jobs today.

Question 14

"We can't pay much but our clients could not manage without people like you in their lives." This statement indicates that the position has ________.

Accepted Answer

The statement highlights the importance of the position for the clients, indicating a high task significance. The statement does not suggest anything about the individual's belief in their ability to perform the tasks (self-efficacy), task identity, or feedback on their performance.

Question 15

As a flower arranger, Beth doesn't have to wait for someone to tell her. She can look at an arrangement and know whether she did a good job. Beth's job has ________.

Accepted Answer

High feedback - Beth can evaluate her own performance based on the arrangement she creates.

Question 16

________ refers to the degree of control employees have over their work.

Accepted Answer

Job depth refers to the degree of control and decision-making power employees have over their work. It encompasses aspects such as autonomy and the ability to influence work-related decisions, which directly relates to the control over one's tasks and responsibilities.

Question 17

According to the JCM, which job characteristic leads to an employee experiencing responsibility for outcomes of his or her work?

Accepted Answer

Autonomy in the Job Characteristics Model (JCM) refers to the degree to which a job provides the employee with the freedom, independence, and discretion to schedule their work and determine the procedures in carrying it out. This characteristic directly leads to an employee experiencing a sense of responsibility for the outcomes of their work, as they have control over their tasks and decisions.

Question 18

Which one of the following actions accurately reflects the reinforcement theory of motivation?

Accepted Answer

The reinforcement theory of motivation suggests that behavior is motivated by the consequences or outcomes of that behavior. In this case, the company's policy of giving cash coupons for exceeding daily targets is an example of positive reinforcement. By rewarding the desired behavior (exceeding targets), the company is encouraging the employee to continue performing at a high level. Option A is an example of negative reinforcement, where the threat of losing a day's pay is used to motivate employees. Option C is an example of the job characteristics theory, and option D is an example of the goal-setting theory.

Question 19

In the job characteristics model, the dimension of ________ refers to the degree to which doing work activities required by a job results in an individual obtaining direct and clear information about the effectiveness of his or her performance.

Accepted Answer

Feedback is the dimension in the job characteristics model that refers to the degree to which doing work activities required by a job results in an individual obtaining direct and clear information about the effectiveness of his or her performance. This dimension is important in promoting motivation and satisfaction in the workplace, as individuals are able to see how their efforts contribute to achieving goals and objectives.

Question 20

________ refers to the horizontal expansion of a job by increasing the number of different tasks required in a job and the frequency with which those tasks are repeated.

Accepted Answer

Job enlargement refers to adding more tasks to a job, increasing the variety and frequency of those tasks. This differs from job enrichment, which involves giving employees more control and decision-making power related to their work. Job scope and job depth are not commonly used terms in relation to job design.

Quiz 17: Motivating Employees