Chap 02
Chap 02
Chap 02
1. To compete and use its material and human resources effectively, an organization
needs a proper fit between its business strategy and the appropriate:
a) business plan.
b) HRIS system.
c) management team.
d) quality-of-work life program.
e) organizational structure.
2. The choice of a prospector strategy for a business would be most appropriate when:
a) the company is operating in an uncertain business environment.
b) the business environment is relatively stable.
c) its products are at the maturity stage in their life cycle.
d) it has a functional structure.
e) its management practices top-down decision making.
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Part II The Contexts of Human Resource Management
6. Alyssa is reading a job description for an interesting retail position. The job
description is very specific, telling her exactly what department of the store she
would be responsible for and what her duties would be. The ad features good
opportunities for advancement within the retail area—she could become the
managing retail director for her department. However, she would not be able to move
into finance or production. This is an example of which organizational strategy?
a) Top-down management.
b) Work specialization.
c) A prospector strategy.
d) Centralization.
e) Pyramid-building.
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9. One organizational structure that lends itself to the formation of joint ventures and
strategic alliances is a:
a) bureaucratic structure.
b) flat structure.
c) generic structure.
d) boundaryless structure.
e) two-factor structure.
10. Courtland Corporation recently reduced its number of management levels and
decentralized its entire managerial approach. Prior to this, the corporation
maintained a pyramid-shaped management structure and was based on a functional
division of labor. Courtland evolved from a(n)_______ organization to a(n)_______
organization.
a) prospector / defender
b) boundaryless / bureaucratic
c) bureaucratic / boundaryless
d) bureaucratic / flat
e) defender / boundaryless
12. Which of the following would be the best environment in which to implement a flat
organizational structure?
a) A joint venture.
b) An environment based on a functional division of labor.
c) A strong, centralized management environment.
d) A stable, pyramid-shaped management environment.
e) A rapidly changing environment.
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Part II The Contexts of Human Resource Management
14. Your boss asks you to look at the input, processing, and output of a work process and
evaluate its effectiveness. She has asked you to conduct a:
a) job analysis.
b) task significance study.
c) process reengineering study.
d) work flow analysis.
e) work simplification study.
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Analysis
18. Greenbelt Corporation, during the course of its business process reengineering, is
examining how the work performed there is adding value to the functioning of the
business. What is probably the purpose for this?
a) To increase total quality management.
b) To create clearer job descriptions.
c) To analyze the business’ efficiency in performing work flow analysis.
d) To identify jobs that can be eliminated or combined.
e) To determine whether a switch to a boundaryless organization would be
profitable.
20. The type of work team having the most impact on U.S. companies is the:
a) project team.
b) quality circle.
c) self-managed team.
d) contingency team.
e) task team.
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Part II The Contexts of Human Resource Management
23. Which of the following is NOT an example of a typical SMT member responsibility?
a) Scheduling work.
b) Performing performance evaluations.
c) Disciplining team members.
d) Terminating a team member’s employment.
e) Ordering work materials for the team.
24. When a company uses self-managed work teams, the teams may:
a) assume responsibility for strategic planning.
b) assume many managerial duties.
c) take responsibility for formulating company policies.
d) set salary and benefits for teams.
e) eliminate the need for an HRM department by assuming its responsibilities at the
team level.
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Analysis
25. Implementing self-managed work teams changes many HRM practices, including:
a) work flow analyses.
b) problem solving.
c) organizational designs.
d) job enrichment and job rotations.
e) performance appraisals.
26. To work well, self-managed teams require training in three areas, including:
a) technical skills.
b) job analysis.
c) work flow analysis.
d) HRIS.
e) motivation.
27. The Lynn Mercer company has what kind of organizational structure?
a) boundaryless.
b) bureaucratic.
c) flat.
d) pyramid-shaped management.
e) b and d
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Part II The Contexts of Human Resource Management
30. 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, but where rapid communication will be important?
a) A virtual team.
b) A problem-solving team.
c) A special-purpose team.
d) A self-managing all-purpose team.
e) Any of the above
31. 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) job characteristics theory.
d) two-factor theory.
e) job design theory.
32. According to Frederick Herzberg’s two-factor theory, employee job satisfaction can
be explained in terms of:
a) salary.
b) benefits.
c) the work itself.
d) relationships.
e) job security.
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Analysis
33. The factors that affect employee dissatisfaction in Herzberg's theory include:
a) the work itself.
b) recognition for good work.
c) the amount of responsibility on the job.
d) company policies.
e) the opportunity for advancement.
34. In Herzberg’s theory of motivation, hygiene factors are those factors that:
a) are critical to the motivation of the employee.
b) affect employee job satisfaction.
c) lead to employee advancement.
d) define the job the employee has to do.
e) permit an employee to set his/her own goals on the job.
36. According to the Two-Factor Theory, which of the following would be best for
motivating and satisfying employees?
a) recognition and responsibility.
b) a greater number of hygiene factors than motivators.
c) job security and salary.
d) employee benefits and achievement.
e) job security and recognition.
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Part II The Contexts of Human Resource Management
37. The work adjustment 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) the opportunity for advancement.
d) the fit between the individual’s needs and abilities and the job characteristics.
e) the core job characteristics.
38. Work adjustment theory proposes that one worker may find a job satisfying and
motivating, while another finds it to be dissatisfying and boring if:
a) there are too few motivators.
b) the goals are not specific and challenging.
c) there are not enough hygiene factors.
d) the three critical states are met differently for each of them.
e) the workers’ needs and abilities are different and so they fit differently in the
work environment.
39. Work adjustment theory has a number of important implications for the management
of people, such as:
a) not all employees may want to be involved in decision making.
b) employees will be motivated when they have clear goals.
c) difficult but attainable goals are more motivating than easy goals.
d) employees who receive regular feedback on their progress are more motivated
than employees who do not.
e) designing jobs to have skill variety and task significance make them more
meaningful.
40. 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) the opportunity for advancement.
d) the fit between the individual’s needs and abilities and the job characteristics.
e) the core characteristics of the job.
41. Your organization has recently implemented a goal-setting theory. Which of the
following do you suggest to best motivate and encourage employees to meet these
goals?
a) setting broad and ambiguous goals.
b) discouraging employee input in the creation of the goals.
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42. Job characteristics are central to employee satisfaction and motivation according to
the:
a) job characteristics theory.
b) two-factor theory.
c) work adjustment theory.
d) goal-setting theory.
e) none of the above
43. 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) working conditions.
e) task identity.
44. Which of the following is a core job characteristic that activates the three
psychological states, according the job characteristics theory?
a) Interdependence.
b) Skill variety.
c) Responsibility.
d) Task difficulty.
e) All of the above
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Part II The Contexts of Human Resource Management
45. 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) working conditions.
e) task identity.
46. Perez is examining job design within his firm. Which of the following is a critical
influence that he needs to explore?
a) Work simplification.
b) Fit with the environment.
c) Skill variety.
d) Employee motivation.
e) Fit with business strategy.
48. For employees who work on an assembly line or in other areas that require simplified
and highly specialized work, which of the following job design strategies would best
reduce boredom and fatigue?
a) Job enrichment.
b) Job simplification.
c) Job rotation.
d) Job enlargement.
e) c and d
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Analysis
50. 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) Job rotation
d) Flexible work designs
e) Job enrichment
51. A team-based job design would work the best for a business under what
circumstances?
a) The business has a bureaucratic organization structure.
b) The business has a flat structure where teams are expected to produce part of a
product and then pass it along to another team.
c) The business has a flat and boundaryless structure, and teams are expected to
produce a finished product.
d) The business maintains a strong defender strategy.
e) The business is considering a move toward goal-setting theory.
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52. 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.
e) work flow.
53. Which of the following is a term used to describe one or several duties that identify
and describe the major purpose or reason for the job’s existence?
a) A responsibility.
b) Work.
c) A position.
d) A task.
e) A skill.
54. Zack systematically collects information about the tasks, duties, and responsibilities
of each position that reports to him in order to make hiring decisions about those
jobs. Zack is using _______ to improve his recruiting efforts.
a) work flow analysis
b) flexible work designs
c) business process reengineering
d) job analysis
e) work study programs
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56. Cecilia is observing workers on an assembly line performing their tasks. She’s
watching to see who they interact with, where the work comes from, what equipment
they must use, etc. Cecilia is conducting:
a) work flow analysis.
b) flexible job design research.
c) preparatory observation for self-managed work teams.
d) job redesign.
e) job analysis.
58. HR wants to develop task-oriented job descriptions and performance appraisal forms
for a series of jobs. Their best job analysis tool would be:
a) a task inventory analysis.
b) a guidelines-oriented job analysis.
c) methods analysis.
d) the critical incident technique.
e) an MPDQ.
59. 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 by which he
rates the task. Marquis is using which job analysis technique?
a) Position analysis.
b) Methods analysis.
c) Task inventory analysis.
d) Critical incident technique.
e) Functional job analysis.
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60. 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 use:
a) position analysis.
b) methods analysis.
c) critical incident technique.
d) task inventory analysis.
e) functional job analysis.
62. Which of the following types of job analysis focus on managerial positions?
a) A position analysis questionnaire (PAQ).
b) A guidelines-oriented job analysis.
c) A critical incident technique.
d) A hay plan.
e) A functional job analysis.
63. The best job analysis tool of behavioral job descriptions to develop would be:
a) position analysis.
b) methods analysis.
c) critical incident technique.
d) task inventory analysis.
e) functional job analysis.
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64. The first step in conducting a critical incident job analysis is to:
a) interview the incumbents.
b) generate the dimensions to be examined.
c) create and administer a questionnaire survey.
d) generate a list of critical incidents.
e) examine the methods used to perform the work.
65. 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.
e) draft a preliminary job description.
66. A job analysis questionnaire that uses a five-point scale that is analyzed by a
computer and that determines which job elements are involved in performing a
specific job is called a:
a) task inventory analysis.
b) methods analysis.
c) functional job analysis.
d) positional analysis questionnaire.
e) management position description questionnaire.
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68. 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.
e) What the job incumbent does to people, data, and things.
69. 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) there is generally one best technique to use in any given situation.
c) the more subjective and specialized the analysis, the better.
d) job analysis is a dynamic process that focuses on the future use of the job.
e) job analysis should focus on the worker, not the job characteristic.
70. 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) performance appraisal.
e) task identification summary.
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74. 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) job requirements
e) minimum qualifications
75. Juanita is writing a job description. She specifies that the job involves the knowledge
of basic principles and techniques of computer programming, the ability to plan and
conduct major programming assignments, etc. Juanita is writing the ____ portion of
the job description.
a) job summary
b) job duties and responsibilities
c) job requirements
d) qualifications
e) job specifications
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76. 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.
e) minimum qualifications.
77. 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) job specifications and minimum qualifications section
d) identification information
e) none of the above
78. The _____ of a job analysis lists worker characteristics (KSAs) needed to perform the
job successfully.
a) job summary
b) identification information section
c) job duties and requirements section
d) job requirements section
e) specifications section
79. What should be included in the minimum qualifications section of a job description?
a) A question to determine whether a potential employee is disposed toward any
psychological disability.
b) The basic standards a job applicant must have to be considered for the job.
c) The 3-5 most important responsibilities of a potential employee.
d) A summary of job duties and its place in the organization structure.
e) Skills that would be beneficial for a potential employee to possess.
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80. Workers who are hired to deal with short-term increases in a business’ workload or
work that is not part of the business’ core set of capabilities are known as:
a) core workers.
b) short-term workers.
c) specialized workers.
d) contingent workers.
e) consigned workers.
81. What percentage of the total labor force in the United States did contingent workers
comprise in 1997?
a) 20%.
b) 28%.
c) 35%.
d) 37%.
e) 41%.
82. Harolyn needs to hire some contingent workers. She needs people who are regularly
available, but who will work less than 40 hours per week. They would be regular
employees. Harolyn needs:
a) temporary employees.
b) part-time permanent employees.
c) subcontractors.
d) contract workers.
e) to outsource her work.
83. You are job-sharing with a co-worker, Dave. Which of the following is true about
this working arrangement?
a) You and Dave divide the job’s responsibilities, hours, and benefits between
the two of you.
b) You both work for a temporary agency, which splits assignments between the
two of you.
c) You and Dave are given a whole and meaningful piece of work and are
responsible for managing yourselves.
d) You and Dave are taking part in a type of job rotation.
e) You and Dave divide the job’s responsibilities but each receives your own
benefits.
84. The “virtual corporation” is becoming an organizational model for businesses that
perform outsourcing and subcontracting. A virtual company displays which of the
following characteristics?
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86. A flexible work schedule technique that permits managers and employees to shift an
employee’s reporting and ending time around a core set of work hours in order to
accommodate both company and employee needs is called:
a) using temporary workers.
b) a condensed workweek.
c) telecommuting.
d) flexible work hours.
e) none of the above
87. Mary Ellen is using a computer to collect, record, store, and analyze her
company’s human resource. She is most likely using a:
a) human resource information system.
b) human resource data processing system.
c) human resource training system.
d) human resource monitoring system.
e) human resource management system.
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88. An HRIS has a number of applications for HRM professionals, such as:
a) negotiating labor relations contracts.
b) recruiting contingent workers.
c) tracking and analyzing information on employees—performance appraisals, etc.
d) training employees in simple repetitive tasks.
e) organizational design.
89. Which of the following is a method by which the security and privacy of HRIS
records may be protected?
a) Give permission to use HRIS records only on a need-to-know basis.
b) Develop policies and guidelines that govern utilization of the HRIS information
and explain to employees how these policies work.
c) Make different areas of the information database accessible by using different
passwords.
d) Limit access to the HRIS by controlling access to the computer and its data files.
e) All of the above
CASE QUESTIONS
Case 2.1
Your company makes computer components and peripherals for assemblers like Dell and
Gateway. You are a small manufacturer, and your market share is highly volatile based
on the entrance and exit of competitors into the market. You buy the raw materials for
your components from several suppliers who also supply competitors. Your company is
young, and you have 2 layers of management between the CEO and the component
maker on the line.
Your CEO read a book on innovation and organizational change and now wants to look
at what you should do about reorganizing, changing staffing practices, etc. He wants to
reduce costs in order to increase profit margins because he sees that margins will
continue to shrink.
While productivity and quality are largely a function of the machines used in the process,
your CEO still wants to focus on motivating your employees. He wants to motivate them
by increasing wages through a bonus program, improving working conditions, and
providing job security.
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90. Refer to Case 2.1. Based on your current market situation, what business strategy
would be best for your company?
a) Prospector strategy.
b) Defender strategy.
c) Tactical strategy.
d) Generic strategy.
e) Differentiated strategy.
91. Refer to Case 2.1. Your best choice of an organizational design, given your product,
market, etc., would be:
a) a bureaucratic structure.
b) a boundaryless structure.
c) a flat organizational structure.
d) self-managed teams.
e) a generic structure.
92. Refer to Case 2.1. Your CEO clearly believes in the _______ theory of motivation.
a) two-factor
b) goal-setting
c) work adjustment
d) job characteristics
e) work simplification
93. Refer to Case 2.1. Your CEO’s suggestions for motivating the workforce have a
significant flaw in them, which is:
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.
e) he’s not an HRM professional and therefore doesn’t know how to properly
motivate employees.
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94. Refer to Case 2.1. Given the market demand for computer components, the best
flexible work design to use would be:
a) part-time workers
b) flexible work hours.
c) telecommuting.
d) a condensed workweek.
e) temporary workers.
Case 2.2
Steel City, Inc. is considering going global in its product line and markets. Your
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 what they do fits into the big picture. The
president wants to provide employees with more satisfying work, autonomy, and a
performance-based pay system. She wants to give them as much control as possible and
remove layers of management.
95. Refer to Case 2.2. The best organizational design match for your new direction as a
company would be a:
a) flat organizational structure.
b) generic organizational structure.
c) differentiated product organizational structure.
d) boundaryless organizational structure.
e) bureaucratic organizational structure.
96. Refer to Case 2.2. Your president is discussing the use of teams in the company.
Given the company direction and her goals, you should recommend:
a) not trying teams, as that approach is not compatible with what you are doing.
b) that she implement special project teams.
c) quality circles as a type of problem-solving team.
d) ISO 9000-based teams.
e) self-managed work teams.
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Part II The Contexts of Human Resource Management
97. Refer to Case 2.2. Your 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
e) Maslow-based
98. Refer to 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.
e) decreasing skill variety.
99. Refer to Case 2.2. With the type of reorganization you are doing, your first step in
the job redesign process would be:
a) work flow analysis.
b) job analysis.
c) writing job descriptions.
d) work simplification.
e) reforming the performance appraisal process.
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Case 2.3
Resources International, Inc. (RII) is going through a major organizational change.
They’ve decided to start at the very beginning and rethink the whole organization. They
believe that employees will be most strongly motivated if they experience meaningful
work, take responsibility for outcomes, and receive regular feedback.
When the HR team comes to analyze jobs as part of the change process, they have to
choose the best technique for their situation. They need to know what the incumbents do
in their jobs, and they need behavioral descriptions from which to build their new
performance appraisal system and training programs.
Finally, RII is looking at their current staffing practices and trying to decide what type of
workforce they need for the future. Their business is highly technical, requiring highly
experienced employees. But product demand is volatile. It 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.
100. Refer to Case 2.3. RII needs to start its change effort with:
a) work flow analysis.
b) self-managed teams.
c) job analysis.
d) job descriptions.
e) an HRIS system.
101. Refer to Case 2.3. The motivation theory that best fits RII’s attitude about worker
motivation is:
a) Herzberg’s two-factor theory.
b) goal-setting theory.
c) work adjustment theory.
d) team-based job design.
e) job characteristics theory.
102. Refer to Case 2.3. The best job analysis technique for RII would be a:
a) critical incident technique.
b) task inventory analysis.
c) position analysis questionnaire.
d) functional job analysis.
e) methods analysis.
103. Refer to Case 2.3. The best type of workforce for RII would be:
a) part-time workers.
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Part II The Contexts of Human Resource Management
b) telecommuters.
c) contract workers.
d) temporary employees.
e) permanent full-time workers.
104. Refer to Case 2.3. RII’s HRIS system will provide HR and the management team
with which of the following information to help reinforce the changes they’ve made?
a) The organization with which they should form boundaryless relationships.
b) The ability to track production and labor expenses.
c) What organizational structures to use with new work units and company
divisions.
d) The ability to search for and match employee skills to new opportunities that
open up within the company.
e) None of the above
Case 2.4
Dorenda has asked you for some HR advice. Her company has a handful of permanent
employees, but the work force consists mainly of contingent employees (primarily
vendors in several different states). The group turns over about every 3 months.
She wishes to increase her permanent employees’ motivation, and has set general goals
for them to meet. She also plans to hire some more permanent employees, but first wants
to determine what skills, knowledge, and abilities job candidates need to have in order to
meet specific company needs.
105. Refer to Case 2.4. Dorenda probably believes in the _________ theory of
motivation.
a) work adjustment
b) two-factor
c) job characteristics
d) goal-setting
e) work simplification
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106. Refer to Case 2.4. You anticipate that Dorenda’s choices regarding employee
motivation will not produce the results she wants because:
a) there are too few hygiene factors relative to motivators.
b) employees haven’t had a say in what goals they will be working toward, and the
goals are not specific.
c) the company is too centralized, and in order to motivate employees, there needs
to be decentralization.
d) the goals are too challenging and the frequent feedback will make employees
anxious about their performance.
e) there are too many motivators relative to the hygiene factors.
107. Refer to Case 2.4. You suggest that Dorenda use a ____________ to perform the
job analysis.
a) task inventory analysis
b) position analysis questionnaire
c) critical incident technique
d) methods analysis
e) functional job analysis
108. Refer to Case 2.4. Tabitha should use the information gathered in the job analysis
to compile which part of the job description?
a) Job summary.
b) Job responsibilities.
c) Job title.
d) Job specifications and minimum qualifications.
e) Identification information.
TRUE/FALSE QUESTIONS
109. The work flow in an organization refers to the formal and informal relationships
between people in the organization.
110. Whenever management decides to change its business strategy, it must also
reexamine its organizational structure.
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Part II The Contexts of Human Resource Management
112. A defender strategy might lead a company to functional divisions of labor and work
specialization, which are elements of a boundaryless organization.
113. Flat organizational structures are helpful for organizations that emphasize customer
satisfaction and that are implementing TQM programs.
115. Work flow analysis examines how work moves initially from the worker through
the organization to the customer.
116. Business process reengineering examines the fundamental way a company does
business by analyzing its core processes.
117. “Self-managed teams” is the new term for the old concept of work groups.
119. 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.
120. A theory that suggests that employees’ motivational levels and job satisfaction
depend on the fit between their needs, abilities, and the characteristics of their job is
the Work Adjustment Theory.
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Analysis
121. You are setting goals for your employees at Rainbow’s End, Inc. You should set
very clear, easy goals to encourage and motivate your employees.
122. If managers try to motivate their employees by examining the core characteristics
of their jobs, skill variety, task identity, etc., then they are using the Work
Adjustment Theory of Motivation.
123. Job design is influenced by work flow analysis, business strategy, and
organizational structure.
124. To make better use of labor and produce large quantities of a standardized product,
job simplification should be considered.
125. Job enlargement rotates workers between different, narrowly defined tasks without
disrupting the work flow, increasing each worker’s responsibilities and experience.
126. A manager who is looking at the tasks, duties, and responsibilities of a given job is
conducting a job analysis.
127. Gathering job information by personal interviews is the most expensive method of
performing job analysis.
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Part II The Contexts of Human Resource Management
129. A task inventory analysis involves interviews, observations, and task generation by
the KSA matrix.
130. Information gathered during a job analysis can be used for recruiting and selecting
applicants, and training and developing employee careers.
131. A KSA matrix is used to determine how well employees carry out the knowledge,
skills, and abilities necessary for their tasks.
132. The critical incident technique is one tool HR professionals can use to identify the
knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform a job.
134. A job description should contain five key elements: identification information, a
job summary, job duties and responsibilities, job specifications, and minimum
qualifications.
135. The job summary lists workers’ KSAs needed to perform the job successfully.
136. Telecommuting is one form of flexible work scheduling that a firm might use to
accommodate employee needs.
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Moderate Page: 49
Moderate Page: 52
Moderate Page: 53
141. 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.
Moderate Page: 55
142. 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) _______.
Moderate Page: 55
143. _______ is that which energizes, directs, and sustains human behavior.
144. _______ is the process of organizing work into the tasks required to perform a
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Part II The Contexts of Human Resource Management
specific job.
145. The process of putting specialized tasks back together so that one person is
responsible for producing a whole product or an entire service is referred to as
_______.
Moderate Page: 60
146. A(n) _______ is the systematic process of collecting information used to make
decisions about jobs.
147. A written document that identifies, describes, and defines a job in terms of its
duties, responsibilities, working conditions, and specifications is referred to as a(n)
_______.
Moderate Page: 68
148. _______ are workers hired to deal with temporary increases in an organization’s
workload or to do work that is not part of its core set of capabilities.
Moderate Page: 71
150. _______ is time during which employees can choose not to be at work.
151. _______ is a work arrangement that allows employees to work in their homes full-
time, maintaining their connection to the office through phone, fax, and computer.
Answer: Telecommuting
Easy Page: 75
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Analysis
152. A system used to collect, record, store, analyze, and retrieve data concerning an
organization’s human resources is referred to as a(n) _______.
Moderate Page: 76
ESSAY QUESTIONS
153. Discuss bureaucratic, flat, and boundaryless organizational designs, and relate the
appropriate business strategies to each design.
Answer:
Summary of suggested answer-
• Bureaucratic--defender strategy, works well in stable, predictable
environments. Noted for top-down management, specialization, defined
boundaries, minimal employee involvement in decision making, etc.
• Flat--prospector strategy, works well in rapidly changing environments,
facilitates entrepreneurship. Noted for decentralized decision making, few
management layers, organized by product/service/customer, independent
business units, often uses work teams, reduces boundaries between workers,
work units, etc.
• Boundaryless--prospector strategy, works well in volatile industries. Noted for
forming relationships with other organizations, customers, and suppliers to
pool resources for mutual benefit. Shares characteristics of a flat organization.
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Part II The Contexts of Human Resource Management
154. Teams are an important element of organizational design. Discuss three types of
teams and their characteristics, focusing on self-managed teams.
Answer:
Summary of suggested answer-
Types self-managed, problem-solving, special-project, virtual.
All can be used in flat or boundaryless organizations. Not fit with bureaucracies.
Use
• Self-managed—assume self-direction, assume management duties, etc. Part of
TQM programs. Often affects organizational structure in order to implement.
Employees need training in three types of skills; technical, administrative, and
interpersonal.
• Problem-solving team—quality circles, etc. Consist of volunteers, doesn’t
affect organizational structure.
• Special project team—complex projects, cross-functional lines. May be part of
QWL projects, etc.
• Virtual teams—often have the same characteristics as problem-solving teams,
but their means of communication and interaction is done by Internet or other
technology, especially when the members are spread out in various areas.
155. Your text offers four perspectives on employee motivation. Describe the key
elements for each perspective and survey the weaknesses of each perspective.
Answer:
Summary of suggested answer-
Theories--two-factor by Herzberg, work adjustment, goal-setting by Locke, and
job characteristics by Hackman and Oldham.
Key Elements—
• Two-factor--motivators are internal job factors that lead to satisfaction (see
page 57). Hygiene or maintenance factors are external to job and only relate to
dissatisfaction, lack of these elements leads to dissatisfaction. (See page 57).
• Work adjustment--employee motivation depends on the fit between employee
needs and abilities and characteristics of the job.
• Goal-setting--employees work to expectations, clear challenging goals
motivate performance.
• Job characteristics--the presence or absence of five core characteristics and
three psychological states (see pages 58-59) determines the level of employee
job satisfaction.
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156. Job analysis is a key HR function. Provide an overview of the job analysis
process, including brief descriptions of key job analysis techniques.
Answer:
Summary of suggested answer-
Job analysis - involves the identification of the tasks, duties, and responsibilities
of a given job. It seeks answers to questions like where does the work come from,
who does it, what equipment is used. It is usually conducted by HR in conjunction
with the incumbent, occasionally it’s done by line management.
Tools - The tools include interviews, observations, diaries, questionnaires. It is
used for compliance with government regulations, recruitment and selection,
performance appraisal, compensation, and training.
Techniques -There are numerous techniques. Students should choose among task
inventory analysis (page 63), critical incident technique (page 65), PAQ (page 66),
and functional job analysis (page 67).
157. Your text gives examples of five different types of contingent workers. Name and
describe four of them.
Answer:
Summary of suggested answer-
Types (students may mention any four) temporary employees; part-time
employees; subcontracted/outsourced workers; contract workers (also called
freelancers or consultants); college interns.
Descriptions
• Temporary employees work for a temporary agency that provides businesses
with temporary employment. These workers are reassigned to different
businesses by the temporary agency when a temporary job ends.
• Part-time employees are often employed by service businesses that have a high
variance in demand between peak and off-peak times. They have fewer hours
than full-time core employees.
• Subcontracted/outsourced workers work for a company and often perform
routine or peripheral work for another company.
• Contract workers are employees who develop a work relationship directly with
an employer for a specific piece of work or time period. They are not a part of
the company’s headcount.
• College interns work full-time or part-time assignments (generally for one
academic semester or summer) to obtain work experience. Some interns are
paid, some are not.
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