Question 1

Which of the following statements about part-time work is inaccurate?

Accepted Answer

While the use of part-time and contingency workers has increased, they do not make up approximately 50 percent of the American workforce. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, contingent workers made up only 3.8 percent of the workforce in 2019.

Question 2

Task significance is the job core characteristic defined as:

Accepted Answer

Task significance refers to the degree to which a job has a substantial impact on the lives or work of other people elsewhere in the organization or in the external environment. This means that the work an individual is doing has an important effect on others and can, in turn, give the employee a sense of purpose and meaning in their work.

Question 3

The potential effects of work sharing include which of the following?

Accepted Answer

All of the mentioned options are potential effects of work sharing. Option A highlights how work sharing can prevent the loss of trained employees during times of decreased revenue. Option B discusses the drawback of lost earnings for employees who may have otherwise avoided layoffs due to seniority. Option C acknowledges that work sharing leads to a decrease in earnings for those who are not fully employed, but it allows them to maintain some level of income and work experience.

Question 4

The three critical psychological states which influence job satisfaction and performance,according to Hackman and associates,are in turn influenced by the presence or absence of five core job characteristics.These core job characteristics are:

Accepted Answer

The five core job characteristics identified by Hackman and associates are skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy, and feedback from the job itself. These characteristics are believed to influence three critical psychological states that impact job satisfaction and performance.

Question 5

A company that requires employees to be at work between 9:30 a.m.and 3:30 p.m.but allows them to schedule their remaining work day to fit personal needs is using __________.

Accepted Answer

The company is using flexible working hours, as they require employees to be at work during a specific time frame but allow them to schedule the rest of their work day based on personal needs. The compressed workweek refers to working longer hours for fewer days, job sharing is when two employees split one full-time position, contingency workers are temporary employees hired for specific projects, and telecommuting is when employees work from home or another remote location.

Question 6

According to the diagnostic approach of Hackman and associates in the Job Characteristics Model,job satisfaction and performance are influenced by:

Accepted Answer

The Job Characteristics Model developed by Hackman and associates suggests that job satisfaction and performance are influenced by experienced meaningfulness of the work, experienced responsibility for the outcomes of the work, and knowledge of actual results of work activities. These three factors are known as the core dimensions, and they lead to higher levels of motivation, performance, and satisfaction. The other options listed (such as rate of pay or frequency of financial incentives) are not part of the diagnostic approach of the Job Characteristics Model.

Question 7

__________ work is done on any schedule that is less than the standard 40-hour workweek,and that does not qualify the individual as a full-time employee.

Accepted Answer

Part-time work is defined as any schedule that is less than the standard 40-hour workweek and does not qualify the individual as a full-time employee. Flextime refers to a schedule that allows for flexibility in start and end times, while telecommuting refers to working remotely from home or another location. Compressed work refers to working more hours per day to work fewer days, and shared work refers to companies sharing an employee's time and salary with another company.

Question 8

Employees who are employed on a part-time and temporary basis to supplement a permanent workforce are called __________.

Accepted Answer

Contingency workers are employees who are part-time and temporary and are hired to supplement the permanent workforce. Foreign workers refer to individuals who are not citizens of the country they are working in. Unreliable workers refers to employees who cannot be depended upon to show up and complete work assignments. Entrepreneurs are individuals who start and operate their own businesses. Technical workers are employees who possess specialized skills and knowledge in a particular field.

Question 9

Potential advantages of telecommuting include all of the following EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

More distractions is not an advantage of telecommuting.

Question 10

Hackman and associates recommend five ways to improve job core characteristics.They are:

Accepted Answer

Hackman and associates recommend improving job core characteristics by forming natural work units, combining tasks, establishing client relationships, opening feedback channels, and practicing vertical loading. This approach emphasizes creating a sense of autonomy and responsibility for completing meaningful tasks, leading to increased job satisfaction and motivation. The other options listed do not align with Hackman's recommendations and may even have the opposite effect on job satisfaction.

Question 11

An organization that is able to employ two persons as one by having one person work mornings and the other person work afternoons on the same job is reaping the benefits of __________.

Accepted Answer

The scenario described is an example of job sharing, where two individuals share responsibility for the same job by dividing the work hours. This is a flexible work arrangement that can benefit both employees and organizations by increasing productivity and reducing turnover. Autonomous group scheduling involves a team of workers scheduling their own work hours, job rotation involves moving employees through different roles within the organization, skill variety involves employees using a variety of skills within their job, and job specialization involves employees focusing on a specific task or set of tasks. None of these concepts fully capture the scenario described in the question.

Question 12

__________ involves a work schedule wherein one full-time job is split between two or more persons.

Accepted Answer

Job sharing involves splitting one full-time job between two or more persons. Each person works part-time, typically sharing the same salary and benefits. This arrangement allows for more flexible work/life balance and can increase job satisfaction for those involved.

Question 13

The auto industry has enriched some jobs by allowing a group of workers to build entire sections of a vehicle rather than just a small part,building it from beginning to end and seeing a visible finished product.This is a job core characteristic called:

Accepted Answer

Task identity refers to a job characteristic where an employee is able to see a visible finished product as a result of their work. In the context of the auto industry, workers building entire sections of a vehicle from beginning to end is an example of task identity.

Question 14

Job enrichment makes jobs:

Accepted Answer

Job enrichment refers to making a job larger and more meaningful by adding tasks to it and increasing its level of responsibility. This can be done both vertically by adding tasks or responsibilities that require more skill or decision-making ability, and horizontally by adding tasks that are on the same level of responsibility but require different skills or provide variety. Therefore, job enrichment makes jobs both vertically and horizontally bigger.

Question 15

Allowing a worker to use a number of different talents and skills illustrates the job core characteristic of:

Accepted Answer

Skill variety refers to the degree to which a job requires a variety of skills and talents to be performed. Allowing a worker to use a number of different talents and skills is an example of skill variety. Task significance refers to the degree to which a job has an impact on others, autonomy refers to the degree to which a job allows an individual to have control and discretion over their work, feedback from the job itself refers to the degree to which a job provides direct and clear information on the effectiveness of an individual's performance, and task identity refers to the degree to which a job requires completion of a whole and identifiable piece of work.

Question 16

Potential disadvantages of telecommuting include all of the following EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

Working too little is not a potential disadvantage of telecommuting as remote workers often struggle to maintain work-life balance and may end up working longer hours than traditional office workers. The other options are all potential disadvantages of telecommuting.

Question 17

People who respond most favourably to enriched jobs:

Accepted Answer

People who respond most favourably to enriched jobs will have stronger higher needs, which means they are motivated by a desire for achievement, self-growth, and advancement. They will also have higher appropriate job knowledge and skills, which means they have the ability to handle challenging and complex tasks. Additionally, they will be otherwise satisfied with job context, which means they are content with the work environment and feel supported by their colleagues and supervisors.

Question 18

Flexible working hours usually result in all of the following EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

Flexible working hours usually lead to less absenteeism and tardiness, as employees can schedule their work around personal commitments. The other options are typically benefits of flexible working hours.

Question 19

Jobs high in the five core job characteristics are considered enriched.Enriched jobs should,but may not necessarily,result in a job outcome of:

Accepted Answer

Enriched jobs are expected to result in high internal work motivation, high growth satisfaction, high general job satisfaction, and high work effectiveness. However, these outcomes are not guaranteed as individual differences in workers and situational factors can also affect job outcomes. Therefore, all of the above options are correct.

Question 20

__________ is a work arrangement that allows at least a portion of scheduled work hours to be completed outside of the office.

Accepted Answer

Telecommuting allows employees to work from home or remote locations for at least part of their work schedule. This can offer flexibility and reduce commuting time and expenses.

Quiz 14: Motivation