Q&A Hero

Q: A job description should contain four key elements: identification information, a job summary, job duties and responsibilities, and job specifications and minimum qualifications.

Q: Innovative firms typically benefit from job analyses that focus on worker characteristics instead of job characteristics.

Q: The results of position analysis questionnaires are used by the federal government in the Dictionary of Occupational Titles.

Q: The critical incident technique involves collecting data through a questionnaire.

Q: A KSA matrix is used to determine how well employees carry out the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary for their tasks.

Q: A task inventory analysis is preferred by most HR managers because it is a prepared stock questionnaire that is easily administered and analyzed.

Q: Job analysis data is primarily used by HR for handling compensation and training tasks; most HR managers find such information less useful for recruiting activities.

Q: Gathering job information by personal interviews is the most effective and efficient method of performing job analysis.

Q: A manager who is looking at the tasks, duties, and responsibilities of a given job is conducting a job analysis.

Q: Job enlargement switches workers between different, narrowly defined tasks without disrupting the work flow.

Q: Work simplification is most effective in a changing environment where customers demand customized, high-quality products.

Q: Job design is influenced by work flow analysis, business strategy, and organizational structure.

Q: Additional Case 2.4 Dorenda owns a small business, and she has asked you for HR advice. Her company has a handful of permanent employees, but the work force consists mainly of contract workers. Dorenda typically employs various contractors for three-month projects. Permanent employees typically quit within one year of being hired. Dorenda wants to increase her permanent employees' motivation, so she has set general goals for them to meet. She also plans to hire some more permanent employees, but she first wants to determine what skills, knowledge, and abilities job candidates need to have in order to meet specific company needs. Refer to Additional Case 2.4. Which of the following would be the most appropriate job analysis tool? A) Task inventory analysis B) Critical incident technique C) Methods analysis D) Hay plan

Q: What should be included in the minimum qualifications section of a job description? A) The basic standards a job applicant must have to be considered for the job B) The 3-5 most important responsibilities of a potential employee C) A summary of job duties and its place in the organization structure D) Skills that would be beneficial for a potential employee to possess

Q: The ________ of a job analysis lists worker characteristics (KSAs) needed to perform the job successfully. A) job summary B) job duties and requirements section C) job requirements section D) job specifications section

Q: The ________ is the most important part of the job description because it influences all other parts of the job description. A) job duties and responsibilities section B) job summary C) minimum qualifications section D) identification information

Q: Juanita is writing a job description. She specifies that job applicants must have a college degree in computer science and mastery of multiple programming languages. Which element of a job description is Juanita most likely writing? A) Job summary B) Job responsibilities C) Job specifications D) Job specialization

Q: You are drafting a job description and have written a short statement that explains the duties and responsibilities of the job and where the job fits in the organizational structure. You have just written the: A) job inventory. B) job requirements. C) job specifications. D) job summary.

Q: Job title, location, and author are all part of the ________ of a job description. A) job summary B) identification information C) job duties and responsibilities D) minimum qualifications

Q: General job descriptions are associated with: A) flat organizations that emphasize innovation. B) bureaucratic organizations that emphasize rule-bounded behavior. C) boundaryless organizations that emphasize expansion into global markets. D) bounded organizational designs that emphasize flexibility and loose work planning.

Q: Which of the following is NOT an element of a job description? A) Job summary B) Job compensation C) Job specifications D) Identification information

Q: A ________ is a detailed summary of a job's tasks, duties, and responsibilities associated with the work flows. It emphasizes efficiency and control. A) work flow job description B) specific job description C) general job description D) task-related job description

Q: A summary statement of the essential job duties and responsibilities of a job is called a: A) work flow analysis. B) job analysis. C) job description. D) task identification summary.

Q: When considering the legal consequences of a job analysis, HR managers must remember that: A) the critical incident technique is the most legally defensible. B) the more subjective and specialized the analysis, the better. C) job analysis should focus on the job characteristic, not the worker. D) job analysis is a dynamic process that focuses on the future use of the job.

Q: Which of the following aspects is NOT examined in a functional job analysis? A) The materials or services produced by the job incumbent B) The methods the job incumbent uses to perform the job C) The equipment and tools that a job incumbent uses D) The motivators a job incumbent experiences

Q: Which of the following is NOT a section on the position analysis questionnaire? A) Mental processes B) Job context C) Work output D) Job satisfaction

Q: Which job analysis tool asks 194 questions and uses a five-point scale to determine which job elements are involved in performing a specific job? A) Task inventory analysis B) Functional job analysis C) Position analysis questionnaire D) Management position description questionnaire

Q: The first step to create general guidelines for conducting any job analysis is to: A) determine the uses of the job analysis. B) select the jobs to be analyzed. C) gather job-related information. D) interview the job incumbents.

Q: The first step in conducting a critical incident job analysis is to: A) interview the incumbents. B) generate the dimensions to be examined. C) generate a list of critical incidents. D) examine the methods used to perform the work.

Q: The best job analysis tool for developing behavioral descriptions is the: A) position analysis. B) methods analysis. C) critical incident technique. D) functional job analysis.

Q: Which type of job analysis is often used to develop a performance appraisal? A) Position analysis questionnaire B) Critical incident technique C) Methods analysis D) Hay plan

Q: A KSA matrix should rate: A) the KSAs an employee demonstrates in a given task. B) the extent to which a variety of KSAs are important for task completion. C) how well the organizational structure of the company fits with an employee's KSAs. D) the methods, machines, and KSAs that incumbents must use to perform their jobs.

Q: If managers needed a systematic way to analyze tasks in a given situation and wanted to use a tailored rather than a standardized questionnaire, they would most likely use a: A) position analysis. B) methods analysis. C) task inventory analysis. D) functional job analysis.

Q: Marquis is examining the knowledge, skills, and abilities used in performing certain tasks. His process begins with interviews of the incumbents and their managers. He then constructs and administers a survey, and finally creates a matrix for rating the task. Marquis is most likely using which job analysis technique? A) Methods analysis B) Task inventory analysis C) Critical incident technique D) Functional job analysis

Q: What is the best job analysis tool for developing task-oriented job descriptions and performance appraisal forms? A) Task inventory analysis B) Methods analysis C) Critical incident technique D) MPDQ

Q: Job analysis is helpful to HR professionals in performing which of the following tasks? A) Establishing an HRIS B) Developing a budget C) Designing a benefit plan D) Recruiting employees

Q: Cecilia is observing assembly line workers performing their tasks. She's watching to see who they interact with, what machines they use, and how much they are supervised. Cecilia is most likely conducting a: A) work flow analysis. B) performance appraisal. C) job redesign. D) job analysis.

Q: Which question would most likely be answered by a job analysis? A) What machines are required for the job? B) What job design method is best for the position? C) What recruiting methods are used for filling the job? D) What performance appraisal system is used to evaluate the job?

Q: Which of the following is a term used to describe one or several duties that identify and describe the major purpose for the job's existence? A) Responsibility B) Work C) Position D) Task

Q: The basic element of work that is a logical and necessary step to perform a job is a: A) duty. B) task. C) responsibility. D) job description.

Q: A team-based job design would work best for a business under what circumstances? A) The business has a bureaucratic organization structure. B) The business has a flat and boundaryless structure. C) The business maintains a strong defender strategy. D) The business is considering a move toward goal-setting theory.

Q: Your relatively flat organization is moving toward a boundaryless structure. Layers of management have been reduced to a minimum. You want employees to be self-managing, to perform several different tasks, and to take complete responsibility for the entire production process. ________ would be your best choice as you implement a job redesign program. A) Work simplification B) Team-based job designs C) Flexible work designs D) Job enrichment

Q: Which of the following is an example of job enrichment? A) Reducing specialized tasks by combining them and giving employees more narrowly defined tasks to perform B) Expanding the horizontal and vertical dimensions of the job by giving an employee responsibility for the whole production C) Dividing employees into self-managing teams that perform several different tasks and have complete responsibility for the entire production process D) Matching employees to the job by examining their needs and skills and the specific job characteristics

Q: Which of the following would most likely increase as a result of work simplification? A) Costs B) Turnover C) Satisfaction D) Skill variety

Q: Your production lines make a standardized product. Efficiency is critical to your production costs. The majority of production line tasks are mechanical and repetitive. Which of the following would be most appropriate? A) Job enrichment B) Job rotation C) Work simplification D) Team-based job design

Q: Which of the following has the LEAST influence on job design? A) Work-flow analysis B) Employee motivation C) Organizational structure D) Business strategy

Q: The process by which work is organized into the separate tasks required to perform a specific job is called: A) job analysis. B) job design. C) task significance. D) task identity.

Q: What are the four perspectives on employee motivation? What are the key elements of each perspective? What are the weaknesses of each perspective? How can job design affect employee motivation?

Q: ________ is that which energizes, directs, and sustains human behavior.

Q: According to job characteristics theory, higher levels of autonomy and specific managerial feedback will improve employee job satisfaction and motivation.

Q: According to goal-setting theory, employees are more motivated by challenging goals than simple goals.

Q: Work adjustment theory suggests that employees' motivational levels and job satisfaction depend on clearly defined objectives.

Q: Frederick Herzberg's two-factor motivation theory focuses on the fit between the employee's needs and abilities and the characteristics of the job and the organization.

Q: Additional Case 2.4 Dorenda owns a small business, and she has asked you for HR advice. Her company has a handful of permanent employees, but the work force consists mainly of contract workers. Dorenda typically employs various contractors for three-month projects. Permanent employees typically quit within one year of being hired. Dorenda wants to increase her permanent employees' motivation, so she has set general goals for them to meet. She also plans to hire some more permanent employees, but she first wants to determine what skills, knowledge, and abilities job candidates need to have in order to meet specific company needs. Refer to Additional Case 2.4. You anticipate that Dorenda's choices regarding employee motivation will not produce the results she wants because: A) the goals lack specificity and employee input. B) there are too few hygiene factors in comparison to motivators. C) employees are more motivated in a decentralized organization. D) the goals are too challenging and frequent feedback creates employee anxiety.

Q: Additional Case 2.3 Resources International, Inc. (RII) is going through a major organizational change. Executives at the firm have decided to rethink the whole organization. They believe that employees will be most strongly motivated by experiencing meaningful work, taking responsibility for outcomes, and receiving regular feedback. The HR team will analyze jobs as part of the change process, and HR must choose the best technique for the situation. HR needs to know what the incumbents do in their jobs. HR also needs behavioral descriptions from which to build new performance appraisal systems and training programs. Finally, RII is looking at current staffing practices and trying to decide what type of workforce is best for the future. The business is highly technical and requires highly experienced employees, but product demand is volatile. Demand can double or be cut in half from one year to the next, depending on the economy and competitors' actions. Innovation is key in RII's product development. In order to manage all the HR information generated for and during the change, RII has initiated an HRIS system. Refer to Additional Case 2.3. The best job analysis technique for RII would be a: A) critical incident technique. B) task inventory analysis. C) functional job analysis. D) methods analysis.

Q: Additional Case 2.2 You are the HR manager at Steel City, Inc., a firm that is considering going global in its product line and markets. The president realizes that this may require a reorganization. She wants to move into new international markets with minimum time and effort. She also wants to reduce management overhead and labor costs. At the same time, employees have been complaining about their work. Jobs are repetitive, and employees don't know how their work fits into the big picture. The president wants to provide employees with satisfying work, autonomy, and a performance-based pay system. She wants to give them as much control as possible and remove layers of management. Refer to Additional Case 2.2. Along with the reorganization, you need to do some job redesign. Given the specific employee complaints, your best approach would be: A) work simplification. B) job enrichment. C) job rotation. D) quality circles.

Q: Additional Case 2.2 You are the HR manager at Steel City, Inc., a firm that is considering going global in its product line and markets. The president realizes that this may require a reorganization. She wants to move into new international markets with minimum time and effort. She also wants to reduce management overhead and labor costs. At the same time, employees have been complaining about their work. Jobs are repetitive, and employees don't know how their work fits into the big picture. The president wants to provide employees with satisfying work, autonomy, and a performance-based pay system. She wants to give them as much control as possible and remove layers of management. Refer to Additional Case 2.2. The president's ideas regarding employee dissatisfaction suggest that her thinking would be most compatible with a ________ theory of motivation. A) two-factor B) work adjustment C) job characteristics D) goal-setting

Q: Additional Case 2.1 Benson Manufacturing is a young, small firm that makes computer components and peripherals for assemblers like Dell and Gateway. Benson's market share is highly volatile based on the entrance and exit of competitors into the market. Benson buys raw materials from several suppliers who also supply competitors. The firm has two layers of management between the CEO and the component maker on the line. The firm's CEO read a book about innovation and organizational change and now wants to look at what HR should do about reorganizing and changing staffing practices. The CEO wants to reduce costs in order to increase profit margins because he believes that margins will continue to shrink. While productivity and quality are largely functions of the machines used in the process, the CEO still wants to focus on motivating Benson employees. He wants to motivate them by increasing wages through a bonus program, improving working conditions, and providing job security. Refer to Additional Case 2.1. What is the flaw in the CEO's suggestions for motivating the workforce? A) He's not involving the employees in the decisions. B) An MBO-based strategy would be more effective. C) It does not take the diversity of the workforce into consideration. D) None of the things he wants to do impact motivation, only satisfaction or dissatisfaction.

Q: Additional Case 2.1 Benson Manufacturing is a young, small firm that makes computer components and peripherals for assemblers like Dell and Gateway. Benson's market share is highly volatile based on the entrance and exit of competitors into the market. Benson buys raw materials from several suppliers who also supply competitors. The firm has two layers of management between the CEO and the component maker on the line. The firm's CEO read a book about innovation and organizational change and now wants to look at what HR should do about reorganizing and changing staffing practices. The CEO wants to reduce costs in order to increase profit margins because he believes that margins will continue to shrink. While productivity and quality are largely functions of the machines used in the process, the CEO still wants to focus on motivating Benson employees. He wants to motivate them by increasing wages through a bonus program, improving working conditions, and providing job security. Refer to Additional Case 2.1. The CEO most likely read a book that referred to the motivation theory of: A) Frederick Herzberg B) Richard Hackman C) Edwin Locke D) Henry Mintzberg

Q: Which of the following is a core job characteristic that activates the three psychological states, according to job characteristics theory? A) Interdependence B) Skill variety C) Responsibility D) Task difficulty

Q: According to job characteristics theory, jobs with certain core characteristics are more likely to: A) motivate and satisfy employees B) encourage employee creativity. C) enhance employee job security. D) dissatisfy employees.

Q: According to goal-setting theory, employees are most motivated when goals are: A) broad and flexible. B) relatively easy to attain. C) specific and challenging. D) closely linked to compensation.

Q: The goal-setting theory of motivation suggests that employee satisfaction and motivation are functions of: A) company policies and the relationships formed with co-workers. B) clear, direct goals over which the employee has control. C) employee abilities, goals, and job characteristics. D) the core characteristics of the job.

Q: Which of the following suggests that employee motivation depends on the fit between personal abilities and job requirements? A) Work adjustment theory B) Goal-setting theory C) Two-factor theory D) Job characteristics theory

Q: Which of the following is a true statement based on the work adjustment theory? A) Clear, specific, and challenging goals motivate employees to perform at high levels. B) All employees are motivated and challenged by hygiene and maintenance factors. C) Employee motivation depends on personal needs and job characteristics. D) All employees want to be involved in the decision-making process.

Q: The work adjustment theory suggests that employee motivation depends on the: A) essential job characteristics. B) external and internal environments. C) relationship between the employee and the manager. D) fit between employee needs and the job characteristics.

Q: Which of the following is a motivator, according to Herzberg? A) Relationships within the company B) A positive working atmosphere C) Recognition for accomplishments D) Salary and benefits

Q: In Herzberg's theory of motivation, hygiene factors are: A) critical to employee motivation. B) located in the work environment. C) necessary for employee advancement. D) indicators of job tasks and responsibilities.

Q: According to Herzberg's theory, the absence of which of the following would most likely lead to employee dissatisfaction? A) Achievements B) Job responsibilities C) Coworker relationships D) Advancement opportunities

Q: Frederick Herzberg's two-factor theory was developed to explain: A) salary negotiations. B) job security concerns. C) employee motivation. D) employee-manager relationships.

Q: Shamekwa believes that employees are motivated by their work, sense of achievement, responsibilities, and advancement opportunities. Shamekwa's thinking is most compatible with the: A) work adjustment theory. B) goal-setting theory. C) two-factor theory. D) job design theory.

Q: The three psychological states central to the job characteristics theory include: A) meaningfulness of the job. B) control of job outcomes. C) task significance. D) task identity.

Q: A team or task force consisting of workers who span functional or organizational boundaries and whose purpose is to examine complex issues is called a(n) ________.

Q: A(n) ________ is a team consisting of volunteers from a unit or department who meet one or two hours per week to discuss quality improvement, cost reductions, or improvement in the work environment.

Q: Special-purpose teams typically consist of managers from one department who gather to examine a complex issue.

Q: Self-managed teams are synonymous with work groups.

Q: Additional Case 2.2 You are the HR manager at Steel City, Inc., a firm that is considering going global in its product line and markets. The president realizes that this may require a reorganization. She wants to move into new international markets with minimum time and effort. She also wants to reduce management overhead and labor costs. At the same time, employees have been complaining about their work. Jobs are repetitive, and employees don't know how their work fits into the big picture. The president wants to provide employees with satisfying work, autonomy, and a performance-based pay system. She wants to give them as much control as possible and remove layers of management. Refer to Additional Case 2.2. The president is discussing the use of teams in the company. Given the company direction and the president's goals, you should recommend: A) that she implement special project teams. B) quality circles as a type of problem-solving team. C) ISO 9000-based teams. D) self-managed work teams.

Q: What type of team would work best in a situation where you expect only a part-time commitment from each member, where each member will work in a different city or state, and where rapid communication is important? A) A virtual team B) A problem-solving team C) A special-purpose team D) A self-managing all-purpose team

Q: The quality-of-work-life program at Ford is an example of a: A) self-managed work team. B) problem-solving team. C) quality circle. D) special-purpose team.

Q: Your organization is trying to decide if it should implement TQM. Management assembles a team from one department to study the issue. The team will disband once the study is complete. Which of the following would be most appropriate? A) Special purpose team B) Self-managed team C) Problem-solving team D) Virtual team