1. is the set of forces that energize, direct, and sustain behavior. a. Motivation b. Expectancy c. Empowerment d. Socialization

Transcription

1 CHAPTER 10: MOTIVATION Multiple Choice Questions 1. is the set of forces that energize, direct, and sustain behavior. a. Motivation b. Expectancy c. Empowerment d. Socialization Answer: a (p. 277, easy, recall) 2. Which of the following statements regarding internal forces of motivation is true? a. They are more important to understand than external forces of motivation. b. They are less important to understand than external forces of motivation. c. They are as important as external forces of motivation. d. They are seldom recognized by managers. Answer: c (p. 278, easy, recall) 3. Which of the following is NOT a pull force of motivation? a. availability of training b. performance-level goals c. rewards and compensation d. pressure for high levels of output Answer: b (p. 278, moderate, recall) 4. Which of the following is NOT an internal motivational force? a. goals b. needs c. attitudes d. feedback Answer: d (p. 278, difficult, recall) 5. Characteristics of a job are considered forces, which focus on. a. external or push; what happens in the work setting b. external or pull; what a person does in the work setting c. internal or push; what a person brings to his or her work d. internal or pull; what happens outside of the work setting Answer: b (p. 278, moderate, integration) 169

2 6. Which of the following is NOT a push force of motivation? a. security needs b. career advancement goals c. attitudes about the supervisor d. the amount and timing of feedback Answer: d (p. 278, easy, recall) 7. According to your textbook, all of the following EXCEPT can be used to form a useful framework for analyzing the sources of motivation in the workplace. a. the characteristics of the job b. the characteristics of the individual c. the characteristics of the work situation d. the characteristics of the business environment Answer: d (pp , moderate, integration) 8. focus on the needs a person is trying to satisfy and the features of the work environment that seem to satisfy those needs. a. Process theories b. Content theories c. Situational theories d. Motivational theories Answer: b (p. 279, moderate, integration) 9. To begin motivating an apathetic associate, a manager informally questions her about her satisfaction with her job s ability to provide safety, social interaction, self-respect, and opportunities for growth. What theory of motivation is this manager most likely trying to apply in working with the associate? a. Maslow s need hierarchy b. Vroom s expectancy theory c. Herzberg s two-factor theory d. McClelland s acquired needs theory Answer: a (p. 279, easy, application) 10. Which of the following is NOT a content theory? a. Maslow s need hierarchy b. Vroom s expectancy theory c. Herzberg s two-factor theory d. McClelland s acquired needs theory Answer: b (p. 279, moderate, recall) 170

3 11. A plant manager in a small factory wishes to raise morale in his workforce. The manager notes that the working conditions at the plant are safe, clean, and pleasant, and that recent expansion of the workforce has assured the employees that their jobs are secure. Which of the following actions should the manager take to ensure that the belongingness needs in Maslow s hierarchy are satisfied? a. pay bonuses to workers who achieve specified goals b. publicly praise those workers who have been most productive c. set up after-work clubs, such as a softball team, to allow more social interaction d. foster the development of skills in workers who show talent in a particular area Answer: c (pp , difficult, application) 12. Maslow s hierarchy of needs includes all of the following categories EXCEPT. a. safety b. relatedness c. physiological d. self actualization Answer: b (p. 281, easy, recall) 13. McClelland s acquired needs theory asserts that managers who work with high need achievers typically should NOT. a. expect them to take extreme risks b. assign moderately difficult tasks to them c. provide specific feedback on their performance d. assume they will take personal responsibility for their actions Answer: a (p. 283, moderate, application) 14. According to Frederick Herzberg, are elements associated with conditions surrounding the job. a. hygiene factors b. motivating factors c. economic factors d. environmental factors Answer: a (p. 284, easy, recall) 15. A manager wishes to improve the job performance of a group of clerical workers. Based on Herzberg s theory, would be an appropriate motivator. a. providing them with a better health care plan b. setting up a break room where coworkers could socialize c. offering them opportunities for achievement and recognition d. redecorating their offices so that they are pleasant and comfortable Answer: c (p. 284, moderate, application) 171

4 16. focuses on core job attributes, critical psychological states, and expected outcomes. a. The equity model b. The expectancy model c. The two-factor model d. The job characteristics model Answer: d (p. 285, easy, recall) 17. A manager is designing a new position for a head of training. Considering the job characteristics model, which of the following changes would be least likely to result in a rich and rewarding job? a. making the job cover a variety of tasks, from one-on-one training, to supervision and hiring of staff, to creating training materials b. making whoever holds the position responsible for consolidating and expanding training activities c. tying the success of the training program to the company s overall strategy of upgrading its workforce d. building a state-of-the-art training center and new offices for the training staff Answer: d (p. 285, moderate, integration) 18. involves increasing the complexity of a job to provide a greater sense of responsibility, accomplishment, and achievement. a. Goal setting b. Job enrichment c. Job enhancement d. Positive reinforcement Answer: b (p. 285, moderate, recall) 19. While they agree that satisfaction is a factor in motivation, scholars note that there is little evidence that increasing employee satisfaction actually increases motivation. This has led them to criticize the as being overly simplistic. a. equity theory b. expectancy theory c. two-factor theory d. hierarchy of needs theory Answer: c (p. 285, difficult, integration) 172

5 20. asserts that individuals are likely to compare the ratios of inputs to outcomes they receive against the ratios of other people, such as colleagues or acquaintances. a. Acquired needs theory b. Equity theory c. Expectancy theory d. Two-factor theory Answer: b (p. 286, difficult, integration) 21. According to the job characteristics model, is the degree to which a job has a substantial impact on the lives of other people. a. autonomy b. task identify c. task significance d. feedback from the job Answer: c (p. 286, moderate, recall) 22. Hackman and Oldham proposed that is the degree to which a job requires the completion of a whole and identifiable piece of work. a. autonomy b. skill variety c. task identity d. task significance Answer: c (p. 286, moderate, recall) 23. Whereas focus on which variables affect motivation, focus on how the variables affect motivation. a. content theories; process theories b. process theories; content theories c. equity theories; expectancy theories d. goal-setting theories; reinforcement theories Answer: a (p. 286, moderate, application) 24. All of the following EXCEPT are process theories of work motivation. a. goal-setting theory b. expectancy theory c. social cognitive theory d. acquired needs theory Answer: d (p. 286, easy, recall) 173

6 25. Within the context of the job characteristics model, is involved when a machine designer knows that her schematics are correct, as very few are rejected by the machine shop. a. skill variety b. task identify c. task significance d. feedback from the job Answer: d (p. 286, moderate, analysis) 26. A low-level manager in a certain company finds out that a colleague who performs similar work is getting paid considerably more than he is. According to equity theory, which of the following is the LEAST likely way this worker might think in order to reduce his feelings of inequity? a. Obviously I m really not very good at what I do. b. I suppose her job must be a lot more demanding than mine. c. I m not going to push myself anymore, since it does not get me anywhere. d. Oh well, at least I m doing better than anyone else in my family ever did. Answer: a (pp , difficult, integration) 27. The basic components of are effort, performance, and outcomes. a. equity theory b. goal-setting theory c. expectancy theory d. social cognitive theory Answer: c (p. 287, easy, recall) 28. Expectancy theory asserts that instrumentality or is the probability that a particular level of performance will lead to particular outcomes or consequences. a. effort-to-outcome b. effort-to-consequences c. performance-to-effort d. performance-to-outcome Answer: d (p. 287, difficult, recall) 174

7 29. A software engineer believes that if she can complete her current project on time she will get the promotion to team leader that she strongly desires. However, she doubts that she can complete the project on time. Within the context of expectancy theory, what level of motivation would the engineer have and why? a. very high, since the level of expectancy and the level of valence are both high b. moderately high, as high levels of valence and instrumentality offset low expectancy levels c. moderate, since high levels of expectancy and high levels of valence will be balanced by the low level of instrumentality d. low, since the expectancy, instrumentality, and valence of the outcome must all be high for motivation Answer: d (pp , difficult, application) 30. According to expectancy theory, valence, outcome, and performance interact in a multiplicative way to determine. a. the cost of a particular course of action b. the projected results of a particular task c. the anticipated value of a particular outcome d. the amount of effort a person will expend on a particular task Answer: d (p. 288, moderate, integration) 31. Self-efficacy is an individual s confidence about his or her abilities to mobilize the needed to execute a given task successfully within a specific context. a. motivation b. cognitive resources c. courses of action d. all of the above Answer: d (p. 289, easy, recall) 32. From an expectancy theory perspective, a manager who wanted to boost motivation levels would be least likely to. a. identify rewards that are valued b. limit praise to encourage hard work c. dispense rewards directly following particular levels of performance d. strengthen employees beliefs that their efforts will lead to valued rewards Answer: b (p. 289, moderate, application) 175

8 33. Social cognitive theory proposes that all of the following EXCEPT would increase an individual s self-efficacy. a. being motivated to reduce feelings of inequity b. attributing success on similar tasks to his or her own capabilities c. the opportunity to observe and model others successful behavior d. statements from others that convince the person that he or she can be successful Answer: a (pp , moderate, integration) 34. Albert Bandura s social cognitive theory defines as gaining knowledge by observing how others perform a task and then modeling one s own behavior in a similar manner. a. interactive mastery b. vicarious learning c. ocular discernment d. physiological observation Answer: b (p. 290, moderate, recall) 35. A call center manager hopes to improve the performance of her staff by decreasing the average time spent on a call. First, she sets up a performance board where the average length of a call for the previous week is posted and compared to the average call length for the previous four weeks. Then, she encourages the staff to reduce the average. According to goal-setting theory, how could she improve this scheme? a. She should make the goal easier. b. She should make the goal more specific. c. She should make the goal less specific. d. She should make the goal more elaborate. Answer: b (p. 290, moderate, application) 36. Goal-setting research suggests that people will exert higher levels of effort when goals are. a. easy and general b. challenging and specific c. very difficult to attain and specific d. moderately easy to attain and general Answer: b (p. 290, easy, recall) 176

9 37. A study jointly conducted on American and Israeli students showed that a lack of participation had a much more serious negative effect on the Israeli students than on the American students. The results of this study suggest that. a. goals will not have a positive effect on performance, unless they are properly set b. goals have little positive effect on performance, even if they are properly set c. participation in goal setting will be more effective in countries and cultures where collective decision making is the norm d. participation in goal setting will be more effective in countries and cultures where individualism is the norm Answer: c (pp , moderate, application) 38. A production supervisor receives a bonus for each day a project is completed ahead of schedule. This is an example of. a. motivation b. negative reinforcement c. positive reinforcement d. equitable incentivization Answer: c (p. 292, easy, application) 39. Shortly after Christmas, a catalog company is besieged by complaints of poor service, so a task force designs an incentive plan to motivate associates to fill orders more quickly and more accurately. To be an effective positive reinforcement strategy, the proposed incentive plan should NOT be. a. equitable b. exclusive c. reversible d. visible Answer: b (p. 292, moderate, application) 40. A sales representative is told that if he exceeds his sales for the last quarter by 20 percent then some of his more difficult clients will be transferred to another sales representative. This is an example of. a. extinction b. punishment c. negative reinforcement d. positive reinforcement Answer: c (p. 293, moderate, application) 177

10 41. When a manager uses to lessen the likelihood of a behavior being repeated, he or she avoids providing any positive consequences as a result of that behavior. a. extinction b. reversibility c. enactive mastery d. negative reinforcement Answer: a (p. 293, moderate, recall) 42. Manager A takes the time to know her subordinates well enough so that she can adapt her motivational strategies to each; consequently, the work groups she supervises consistently perform very well. When Manager B resigns unexpectedly, a senior manager congratulates Manager A on her excellent managing skills and reassigns her to Manager B s work groups. Although the reassignment is meant to demonstrate respect for Manager A s abilities, it will likely function as a/an and the probability of her high performance. a. extinction; increase b. unintended punishment; decrease c. negative reinforcement; decrease d. positive reinforcement; increase Answer: b (p. 293, difficult, application) 43. A shift manager at a fast-food restaurant is using when she fines a habitually tardy crewmember the equivalent of one hour s pay each day he is late for work. a. extinction b. punishment c. negative reinforcement d. employment psychology Answer: b (p. 294, easy, application) 44. increase the probability that people will repeat a behavior; decrease the probability that people will repeat a behavior. a. Extinction and punishments; positive reinforcements and negative reinforcements b. Extinction and positive reinforcements; punishments and negative reinforcements c. Positive reinforcements and punishments; negative reinforcements and extinction d. Positive reinforcements and negative reinforcements; extinction and punishments Answer: d (pp , moderate, integration) 178

11 45. Which of the following is NOT a step in a program that systematically applies the principles of reinforcement theory to motivate employees? a. measure desired behaviors b. describe desired performance in broad, general terms c. evaluate the effectiveness of the program d. provide frequent positive consequences for specified desired behaviors Answer: b (pp , moderate, integration) 46. The direction of a group s influence on the motivation of an individual in that group will likely depend on of the group. a. the norms b. the cohesion c. the mission d. the valence Answer: a (p. 295, moderate, integration) 47. Which of the following is NOT a part of the immediate social environment that can influence employee motivation? a. subordinates b. safety issues c. supervisors d. workgroup peers Answer: b (p. 295, easy, recall) 48. From a manager s perspective, in-group influence when the in-group s norms oppose organizational norms. a. decreases motivation b. increases motivation c. neutralizes motivation d. eliminates motivation Answer: a (p. 295, moderate, application) 49. From an expectancy theory framework of motivation, a reward system designed to promote competition and risk taking would be successful with workers. a. Arabic b. American c. Japanese d. Venezuelan Answer: b (pp , moderate, recall) 179

12 50. Scholarly research has defined as the degree of general importance that working has in the life of an individual at a point in time. a. expectancy b. self-efficacy c. work centrality d. positive reinforcement Answer: c (p. 297, moderate, recall) True/False 51. Two content theories (need hierarchy and acquired needs) focus on identifying external factors of motivation, whereas the two-factor theory focuses on identifying internal factors of motivation. Answer: False (p. 279, moderate, recall) 52. Managers should view theories of motivation as solutions to motivational problems, whatever the sociocultural context may be. Answer: False (p. 279, moderate, application) 53. Within the context of Maslow s need hierarchy, a program that allows employees to make a difference in their communities may satisfy their self-actualization needs. Answer: True (p. 279, moderate, application) 54. The essence of Maslow s need hierarchy is that individuals take a top down approach to satisfying their needs. Answer: False (p. 280, moderate, integration) 55. Unlike Maslow s need hierarchy theory, Alderfer s ERG theory asserts that different levels of needs may be active at the same time. Answer: True (p. 281, moderate, application) 56. David McClelland s theory of acquired needs focuses on the inborn needs for power, achievement, and affiliation and how those needs become activated over time. Answer: False (p. 282, difficult, recall) 57. Your textbook notes that in every culture that has been studied, the primary goal of achievers is to attain recognition for themselves. Answer: True (p. 283, difficult, recall) 180

13 58. Frederick Herzberg asserts that hygiene factors and motivators are equivalent. Answer: False (p. 284, easy, recall) 59. Hygiene factors do not increase satisfaction, but they can prevent dissatisfaction. Answer: True (p. 284, easy, recall) 60. According to Herzberg, managers should focus on intrinsic factors such as personal growth and the nature of the work itself to improve worker satisfaction. Answer: True (p. 284, easy, recall) 61. Hackman and Oldham s job characteristics model suggests that assembly line work in which workers repeat single, discrete tasks is less motivating than team production in which workers rotate jobs and cooperate to complete a product. Answer: True (p. 285, moderate, application) 62. Task significance is the degree to which a job requires a variety of different activities in carrying out the work. Answer: False (p. 286, moderate, recall) 63. The job characteristics model proposes that task identity is the degree to which a job requires completion of a whole and identifiable piece of work. Answer: True (p. 286, moderate, recall) 64. A famous artist says of his unusual work, Being unable to reach the top of the scale of value, I smashed the scale. Equity theory best explains this artist s decision to create a new set of criteria with which to evaluate his work. Answer: True (pp , moderate, application) 65. Equivalency theory predicts the methods that dissatisfied employees will use to remedy their feelings that others are doing better than they are. Answer: False (p. 287, moderate, integration) 66. Vroom s expectancy theory focuses on the thought processes people use when they face particular choices among alternatives, particularly alternative courses of action. Answer: True (p. 287, moderate, recall) 181

14 67. Expectancy theory proposes that employees will be more motivated to perform well if they have a strong belief that they will be rewarded. Answer: True (p. 288, difficult, recall) 68. Expectancy theory is most useful for understanding routine behavior that is largely determined by habit. Answer: False (p. 289, moderate, recall) 69. Self-efficacy is the tendency for one to take more credit for success than failure. Answer: False (p. 289, moderate, recall) 70. Managers should encourage subordinates to participate in setting goals because such participation always increases employees motivation to perform well. Answer: False (p. 290, moderate, application) 71. Goal-Setting Theory is a process theory. Answer: True (p. 290, moderate, recall) 72. Vicarious learning involves gaining knowledge by observing how others successfully perform a task and then modeling one s own behavior in a similar manner. Answer: True (p. 290, moderate, recall) 73. It is unlikely that a manager can positively influence the self-efficacy of subordinates. Answer: False (p. 290, easy, recall) 74. In order for positive reinforcements (rewards) to be equitable, they must have some capacity to affect future performance. Answer: False (p. 292, moderate, recall) 75. According to Steven Kerr, positive reinforcements (rewards) are reversible ; in other words, rewards can be taken away once they have been given. Answer: False (p. 293, moderate, recall) 182

15 76. An associate in shipping and receiving dislikes being isolated in front of a computer screen. Therefore, she doubles her effort to improve her chance of being transferred upon request. Two months later, she asks to transfer to the warehouse, where she would be part of a close team that fills orders in batches. In this case, approving the transfer would be a negative reinforcement that would increase the probability that the associate would continue to work hard. Answer: True (p. 293, difficult, application) 77. Both positive reinforcements and negative reinforcements maintain or increase particular types of behavior and performance. Answer: True (p. 293, easy, integration) 78. In countries and cultures with strong collectivist tendencies, the individual is likely to be influenced by the in-group ; that is, the group to which he or she belongs. Answer: True (p. 295, moderate, recall) 79. Work centrality focuses on the needs a person is trying to satisfy and the features of the work environment that seem to satisfy those needs. Answer: False (p. 297, difficult, integration) 80. Managers can assume that everyone will value work, and the different elements of work, in the same way that they do. Answer: False (p. 298, moderate, integration) Short Essay Questions 81. What are push forces of motivation? What are pull forces? (p. 278) Push forces of motivation are the internal characteristics that a person brings to the work setting. Pull forces are external forces, such as characteristics of the job or work situation. 82. Identify the three basic categories of variables that determine motivation in the work setting. (p. 278) The three categories include the following: characteristics of the individual needs, goals, and attitudes; characteristics of the job feedback, workload, and variety and scope of job-related tasks; and characteristics of the work situation the social environment and organizational actions. 183

16 83. Explain Maslow s need hierarchy. (pp ) Maslow suggested that our needs are arranged in a hierarchy, in the following order: physiological, safety, belongingness, esteem, and self-actualization. He asserted that people focus on satisfying higher-level needs, only when their most basic needs have been met. If basic needs were to become threatened, then people would refocus on lowerlevel needs; moreover, they would decrease their efforts to satisfy social, esteem, and achievement needs until the threat to basic needs had passed. 84. Discuss Alderfer s ERG theory. (p. 281) The ERG theory presumes that different levels of needs can be active at the same time; a lower-level need does not have to be completely or even mostly satisfied before higherlevel needs can emerge. In addition, a person may revert to focusing on a lower-level need if he or she is frustrated in trying to satisfy a higher-level need, even if that lowerlevel need has already been satisfied. 85. Within the context of the two-factor theory, what are motivators and hygiene factors? (p. 284) Motivators are intrinsic factors directly related to doing a job; for example, the nature of the work itself, responsibility level, personal growth, and the sense of achievement or recognition directly received from doing the work. Hygiene factors are extrinsic to doing the job, pertaining instead to the conditions surrounding it; for instance, supervision, relations with coworkers, working conditions, and company policies related to benefits and compensation. 86. What is equity theory? (pp ) Equity theory proposes that individuals compare their circumstances with those of others, and that such comparisons may motivate certain kinds of behaviors. This theory assumes that people know what kind of effort and skills they put into their jobs and what kinds of outcomes they receive from their employer. The theory also assumes that individuals are likely to compare their input/outcome ratios with the input/outcome ratios of colleagues or acquaintances. These comparisons determine whether an individual feels equitably treated. If the comparisons result in feelings of inequity toward others, then the individual making the observation will be motivated to take steps to reduce those feelings. 87. What are some of the managerial implications of expectancy theory? (p. 288) A number of implications flow from expectancy theory. For example, employees who believe they are capable of performing well will be more motivated to achieve their goals. If an employee believes he does not have the skills needed to reach a certain level of performance, his manager can encourage him to get additional training or further practice. Additionally, managers can recognize the accomplishments of employees on a consistent basis, thereby increasing their perceptions of the probability of obtaining a 184

17 desired outcome, if they have performed well. Such actions will improve performance because employees are motivated to perform well when they have a very strong belief that they will be rewarded. 88. How can managers use expectancy theory to influence the motivation of employees? (p. 289) Managers can potentially influence the motivation of employees in the following ways: identifying rewards that are valued; strengthening employee s beliefs that their efforts will lead to valued rewards; helping employees understand where they should direct their efforts; rewarding employees immediately after they reach targeted levels of performance; and providing rewards that are consistent with realistic expectations. 89. What is self-efficacy? How can it be increased? (pp ) Self-efficacy is an individual s confidence that he or she can complete a certain task successfully. Self-efficacy can be increased through vicarious learning/modeling, enactive mastery experience, verbal persuasion, and physiological and psychological arousal. 90. Describe the relationship between goal-setting theory and management. (p. 290) Goal-setting theory assumes that human action is directed by conscious goals and intentions. Therefore, if managers can influence goals and intentions, they can directly affect performance. The level at which goals are set is a potentially powerful determinant of motivation, and obtaining a person s commitment to particular goals is critical. Despite consistent findings supporting a goal-setting approach, it is not clear whether goals that are set through a process of participation (by those who must meet them) result in higher levels of performance than goals assigned by a supervisor or manager. However, research has shown that setting goals has a positive effect on performance, no matter how those goals are set. 91. What is the difference between positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement? (pp ) Positive reinforcement strengthens behavior by adding rewards after a particular behavior occurs in order to increase the likelihood that the behavior will be repeated. Negative reinforcement involves the removal of undesirable consequences following a behavior; that is, consequences a person performing an act does not want. The removal of the consequences can increase the likelihood that the behavior will be repeated. 92. What is meant by the term extinction? (pp ) Behaviors that do not lead to positive reinforcements tend not to be repeated. Managers can use the principle of extinction to their advantage by not reinforcing employee behavior that they consider undesirable. 185

18 93. What influence does the situational context have on behavior? (pp ) Situational context consists of three elements: the immediate work group, supervisors and subordinates, and the organization s culture. The immediate work group can motivate a worker in the direction of that group s norms. If those norms support the organization s goals, the group is likely to increase the motivation of its members to perform. When the norms oppose the organization s goals, the group is likely to decrease the motivation of its members to perform. Supervisors and subordinates are also part of the immediate social environment that can influence employee motivation. The impact of supervisors or leaders on motivation is linked to their control of powerful rewards and punishments. However, the impact of a supervisor is not the same for all subordinates. Much depends on the interpersonal relationships supervisors develop with their subordinates over time. Furthermore, subordinates can also influence the motivation of superiors, especially through their ability to punish behavior by subtly withholding rewards. The influence of an organization s culture on motivation is exercised primarily through norms; that is, how the organization expects its employees to behave. The more an individual wants to remain part of an organization, the more he or she will be influenced by the organization s culture. The organization can be considered simply as a larger type of group, perhaps exerting a less direct influence on employee motivation than the immediate work group, but exerting an influence nonetheless. Note: The remaining questions in this section will be based on the following scenario: I really have the best of two worlds here, Charles Marx announced in a morning production meeting. Mr. Marx, owner of Marx, Inc., was referring to his two line supervisors, Larry Coyle and Carl Sandoz. Larry Coyle is a people-oriented supervisor with an innate ability to motivate the diverse group of workers on his line. Larry feels that the most important part of his job is to make his employees happy, and that high productivity will naturally occur after that. Carl Sandoz is a task-oriented supervisor with a strong focus on production efficiency and reduced scrap rates. Carl feels that most employee motivation will stem from acceptable production numbers on the line. I want to integrate the line supervisors work, Mr. Marx continued. I think workers on both lines could benefit a little from both Larry and Carl. 94. Within the context of McClelland s acquired needs theory, even though Coyle and Sandoz vary widely in their motivational tactics is it possible that both supervisors could possess the same predominant need? (pp ) The acquired needs theory focuses on learned, or acquired, needs that become enduring predispositions or tendencies of individuals. According to McClelland, a person with a high need for achievement habitually strives for goal attainment in task situations. Coyle 186

19 is people-oriented; Sandoz is task-oriented. However, they both share a high need for boosting productivity (achievement) at Marx, Inc. 95. What are the implications of Herzberg s two-factor theory in this scenario? (pp ) The two-factor theory focuses on the presumed different effects of intrinsic job factors (motivation) and extrinsic situational factors (hygiene). Intrinsic factors are directly related to doing the job: i.e., the nature of the work itself, level of responsibility, personal growth opportunities, and achievement or recognition. Extrinsic factors are related to conditions surrounding the job: i.e., supervision, relations with coworkers, working conditions, and benefits and compensation. Herzberg asserts that the intrinsic factors can actively increase satisfaction (motivation); in contrast, extrinsic factors only decrease dissatisfaction to the point where the employee is neither satisfied nor dissatisfied. Coyle believes that making workers happy will lead to increases in productivity. If making them happy pertains to improving conditions surrounding their jobs, then levels of motivation will not be increased. If making them happy pertains to factors relating to doing their jobs (achievement, recognition, or growth), then levels of motivation can be increased. Sandoz believes that setting targets, such as reduced scrap rates and acceptable production numbers, will lead to increases in productivity. If such targets pertain to elements of supervision, then levels of motivation will not increase. If the achievement of these targets will lead to recognition for achieving them and opportunities for growth, then levels of motivation can be increased. 96. Describe Marx s attitude toward job enrichment. (p. 285) Managers are realizing that it is possible to revise jobs to give employees a greater feeling of responsibility, accomplishment, and achievement. Mr. Marx recognizes that integrating the work of Coyle and Sandoz will boost productivity at the company. Workers on both lines will benefit from the different motivational styles that each supervisor will contribute to the production process. Moreover, Coyle and Sandoz will expand their knowledge, skills, and abilities as supervisors and as individuals. 97. Discuss the co-supervisory role of Sandoz and Coyle within the context of the core job characteristics of the job characteristics model. (p. 286) The core job characteristics include skill variety, task identity, task significance, feedback, and autonomy. Skill variety is the degree to which a job requires a variety of different activities involving the use of different skills and talents of the person. Sandoz is task-oriented; Coyle is people-oriented. The skills and talents of both can be applied as line supervisors; moreover, the skills and talents of both will improve as they learn from each other. Task identity is the degree to which a job requires the completion of a whole and identifiable piece of work. Sandoz and Coyle could be mutually accountable for quality at each stage of the production process, and for the quality of all final outputs. Task significance is the degree to which a job has a substantial impact on the lives of 187

20 others. By combining their talents to improve production quality, Sandoz and Coyle will have a positive impact on the jobs of assembly-line workers and on the satisfaction of customers. Autonomy is the degree to which a job provides freedom, independence, and discretion to the individual. Because autonomy is not a shared condition, Sandoz and Coyle will have to respect each other s boundaries, even as they work closely together. Feedback from the job is the degree to which carrying out the job provides direct and clear performance information. Feedback about the performance of Sandoz and Coyle will be readily available employee morale, productivity, product quality, etc. The feedback can be used in a continuous process of improving supervision at Marx, Inc. 98. According to equity theory, how might the line workers at Marx, Inc. benefit overall? (pp ) Equity theory proposes that individuals will compare their circumstances with others, and that such comparisons may motivate certain kinds of behaviors. Equity theory assumes that people know what kind of effort and skills they put into their jobs and what kind of outcomes they receive from their employer. In addition, individuals are likely to compare the ratios of inputs to outcomes they receive with the ratios of other people. The benefits of working under Larry Coyle s upbeat management style can now be experienced by all workers. Carl Sandoz s focus on productivity (which may have earned his line workers a higher bonus, for example) will now benefit all workers. This combined approach to supervision can reduce perceptions of inequity (that others are doing better than they are) among the workers at Marx, and improve their overall levels of motivation. 99. If workers on both lines receive a bonus upon reaching a specified level of productivity, what reinforcement approach is being utilized? (p. 292) Positive reinforcements (rewards) are desirable consequences that increase the likelihood of behavior being repeated in the future. A bonus paid to workers who reach a targeted level of productivity is a positive reinforcement Discuss the potential impact on employee motivation of Coyle and Sandoz accepting co-supervisory duties of the assembly line. (pp ) Supervisors are part of the immediate social environment that can influence employee motivation. However, the motivational impact of a supervisor will not be the same for all employees. The same supervisor can increase the motivation of some employees and decrease the motivation of other employees. In this case, some employees may appreciate Coyle s people-oriented approach, especially the ones who know him. However, some workers may not respond to Coyle s style. The same can be said for Sandoz, because some employees are task-oriented and enjoy the pursuit of workplace goals. Other employees may feel pressured, and not respond well to his style. Therefore, Coyle and Sandoz will need to orient all employees to the new approach to supervision and, over time, cultivate one-on-one interpersonal relationships with the line workers at Marx. 188