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Chapter 04 - Analyzing Work and Designing Jobs

Chapter 04 Analyzing Work and Designing Jobs True / False Questions

1. Work flow design is the process of analyzing the tasks necessary for the production of a product or service. True False

2. The first step in work flow analysis is to identify the inputs used in the development of the work unit's product. True False

3. Jobs that involve teamwork or broad responsibility tend to require a structure based on functions. True False

4. A job analysis is usually done by a human resource professional. True False

5. The tasks, duties, and responsibilities (TDRs) of a job are not directly observable. True False

6. All job descriptions within an organization should follow the same format. True False

7. A job specification looks at the qualities or requirements the person performing the job must possess. True False

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Chapter 04 - Analyzing Work and Designing Jobs

8. Research suggests that incumbents may provide the most accurate estimates of the importance of job duties. True False

9. The O * NET describes over 12,000 jobs, as well as some of the requirements of successful job holders. True False

10. The Position Analysis Questionnaire (PAQ) is meant to be completed by job incumbents. True False

11. The Fleishman Job Analysis System is especially useful for employee selection, training, and career development. True False

12. Jobs tend to change and evolve over time. True False

13. Jobs that have survived the downsizing of the most recent recession tend to have a narrower scope of responsibilities coupled with increased supervision. True False

14. Job design is the process of defining how work will be performed and what tasks will be required in a given job. True False

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15. Applying industrial engineering to a job tends to make it highly specialized and interesting. True False

16. In the Job Characteristics Model, the degree to which a job requires completing a "whole" piece of work from beginning to end indicates task significance. True False

17. Job extension is enlarging jobs by combining several relatively simple jobs to form a job with a wider range of tasks. True False

18. Not every worker responds positively to enriched jobs. True False

19. Job sharing is a work option in which several relatively simple jobs are combined to form a job with a wider range of tasks. True False

20. Joe is on a schedule whereby he works 80 hours over nine days and gets a three-day weekend every other week. Joe's schedule can be termed a compressed workweek. True False

21. The trend toward telecommuting is much stronger for full-time arrangements than for occasional work at home. True False

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Chapter 04 - Analyzing Work and Designing Jobs

22. The goal of ergonomics is to reduce the information-processing requirements of a job. True False

23. OSHA has established a National Advisory Committee on Ergonomics to define needs for further research. True False

24. Changes in technology sometimes reduce job demands and errors, but in some cases, technology has made the problem worse. True False

25. SBAR standardizes the information delivered at handoff points. True False

Multiple Choice Questions

26. The process of analyzing the tasks necessary for the production of a product or service is termed: A. ergonomics. B. work flow design. C. job analysis. D. industrial engineering. E. job design.

27. In the context of work flow design, a position is: A. the set of duties performed by a person. B. a set of related duties. C. an aggregate of similar jobs. D. a vocation founded upon specialized educational training. E. the collection of tasks that constitute a process.

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28. The College of Business and Technology at Black Hills State University has one dean, two administrative assistants, and 20 faculty members. How many positions are there within the college? A. Three B. Twenty C. Twenty-two D. Twenty-three E. One

29. What is the first step in work flow analysis? A. Identify the input used to generate the work unit's product. B. Examine the work process used to generate the product. C. Determine the human resource needs of the work unit. D. Analyze the relationship between the input and the output. E. Identify the output of the work unit.

30. _____ are the products of any work unit, whether a department, team, or individual. A. Outputs B. Inputs C. Tasks D. Jobs E. Processes

31. Once the outputs are identified in a work flow analysis, the next step involves: A. identifying the materials needed to generate the output. B. determining the human resource requirements for production. C. examining the work processes used to generate those outputs. D. taking an inventory of the special equipment, facilities, and systems needed for production. E. estimating the data and information needed by the work unit.

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32. The final stage in work flow analysis is to identify the: A. outputs of a particular work unit. B. relationship between output and input within the work unit. C. work processes used to generate the outputs of the work unit. D. inputs used in the development of the work unit's product. E. tasks involved in production.

33. In the context of a work flow, materials, knowledge, equipment, and human skills needed to perform the tasks, all constitute __. A. outputs B. jobs C. work processes D. activities E. inputs

34. When an organization structure is strongly based on function: A. employees tend to require more experience and cognitive ability. B. jobs tend to involve teamwork or broad responsibility. C. the focus tends to be on products or customer groups. D. workers tend to have low authority and work alone at highly specialized jobs. E. decision-making tends to be highly decentralized.

35. When the goal is to empower employees, companies need to set up structures and jobs that enable: A. a high degree of centralization. B. employee jobs to be narrowly defined. C. workers to work alone at highly specialized jobs. D. grouping of jobs according to function. E. broad responsibility.

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36. The process of getting detailed information about jobs is known as: A. job analysis. B. job enlargement. C. job review. D. job evaluation. E. job design.

37. Which of the following refers to a list of the tasks, duties, and responsibilities that a job entails? A. Job specification B. Job description C. Job analysis D. Job design E. Job review

38. Job descriptions generally contain all of the following components EXCEPT: A. the job title. B. a list of essential duties. C. a brief description of the TDRs. D. details of pay and benefits attached to the job. E. details of the tasks involved.

39. Which of the following is an appropriate course of action while formulating job descriptions? A. Vary the format of job descriptions within an organization to suit individual jobs. B. Do not share job descriptions with lower-level employees. C. Avoid the use of the phrase "and other duties as requested". D. Prepare a job description whenever a new job is created in the organization. E. Include a detailed list of the knowledge and abilities required for the job.

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40. A _____ is a list of the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics (KSAOs) that an individual must have to perform a particular job. A. job review B. job description C. job evaluation D. job title E. job specification

41. _____ refer(s) to an individual's level of proficiency at performing a particular task—that is, the capability to perform it well. A. Knowledge B. Personality traits C. Skill D. Responsibility E. Ability

42. _____ refers to factual or procedural information that is necessary for successfully performing a task. A. Knowledge B. Ability C. Skill D. Proficiency E. Data

43. In contrast to tasks, duties, and responsibilities, KSAOs are: A. about the work performed in the job. B. used in job descriptions. C. not the focus of job interviews. D. not directly observable. E. not indicative of the characteristics of people.

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44. In the context of obtaining job information for job analysis, research suggests that _____ may be more accurate in reporting information about the actual time spent performing job tasks and safety-related risk factors. A. supervisors B. incumbents C. external job analysts D. HR managers E. inspectors

45. Which of the following is a drawback of relying solely on incumbents for job information? A. They lack knowledge of the details of the job. B. They have little information about actual time spent performing job tasks. C. They may have an incentive to exaggerate what they do. D. They are less accurate in reporting safety-related risk factors. E. They are primarily suited for analyzing skill levels required for a job.

46. For analyzing skill levels, the best source for job information may be ____, who have more experience rating a wide range of jobs. A. top management B. incumbents C. supervisors D. line managers E. external job analysts

47. Which of the following sources of job analysis information generally provides the most accurate information regarding the importance of various job duties? A. Supervisors B. Incumbents C. Customers D. Subordinates E. External analysts

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48. In the 1930s, the U.S. Department of Labor created the _____ as a vehicle for helping the new public employment system link the demand for skills and the supply of skills in the U.S. workforce. A. Directory of Occupational Templates (DOT) B. Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT) C. Occupational Information Network (O * NET) D. Occupations On the Net (O * NET) E. Directory of Occupations and Trades (DOT)

49. O*NET: A. provides listings of fixed job titles and narrow task descriptions. B. uses a common language that generalizes across jobs to describe the abilities, work styles, work activities, and work context required for various occupations. C. provides descriptive information for over 12,000 jobs, as well as some of the skills and educational requirements of successful job holders. D. is a popular Internet-based software program widely used by HR professionals to prepare and update jobs descriptions and specifications. E. was created by the U.S. Department of Labor in the 1930s as a vehicle for helping the new public employment system link the demand and the supply of skills in the U.S. workforce.

50. The _____ Questionnaire is a standardized job analysis questionnaire containing 194 questions about work behaviors, work conditions, and job characteristics that apply to a wide variety of jobs. A. Task Information B. Fleishman Job Analysis C. Occupational Information D. Occupational Analysis E. Position Analysis

51. Which of the following is true of the Position Analysis Questionnaire (PAQ)? A. It considers only the inputs of a work process, ignoring the outputs. B. PAQ reports are especially useful for writing job descriptions or redesigning jobs. C. PAQ ratings of job incumbents tend to be more reliable than ratings by supervisors. D. The descriptions in the PAQ reports are very clear and specific. E. The PAQ is meant to be completed only by job analysts trained in this method.

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52. Which job analysis method entails evaluating a job in terms of abilities required to perform the job? A. Job Elements Method B. Task Analysis Inventory C. Fleishman Job Analysis Method D. Position Analysis Questionnaire E. Job Proficiency Analysis Method

53. To gather information about worker requirements, the Fleishman Job Analysis System typically asks _____ to evaluate a job in terms of the abilities required to perform the job. A. job incumbents B. supervisors C. HR specialists D. external analysts

54. Which one of the following activities is so important to HR managers that it has been called the building block of everything that personnel does? A. Work redesign B. Performance appraisal C. Human resource planning D. Job analysis E. Selection

55. Which of the following HR activities is similar to analyzing a job that does not yet exist? A. Human resource planning B. Career development C. Job evaluation D. Work redesign E. Selection

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56. To put dollar values on jobs, it is necessary to get information about different jobs and compare them. This is indicative of the role: A. job evaluation plays in selection. B. job analysis plays in job evaluation. C. performance appraisal plays in career planning. D. training plays in career planning. E. work redesign plays in career planning.

57. Although errors in job analysis can have many sources, most inaccuracy is likely to result from: A. inappropriate choice of analysis methods. B. poor communication. C. job descriptions being outdated. D. perceptual errors, prejudices, and biases. E. managerial pressure.

58. The process of defining how work will be performed and what tasks will be required in a given job is termed: A. job analysis. B. job evaluation. C. job design. D. job planning. E. job review.

59. Which of the following approaches to job design emphasizes the efficiency aspect of the job? A. Motivational approach B. Industrial engineering C. Ergonomic approach D. Perceptual approach E. Financial approach

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60. Which one of the following approaches to job design involves performing time-andmotion studies to identify the "one best way" to perform a job? A. Motivational B. Industrial engineering C. Ergonomic D. Perceptual E. Financial

61. As a manager, you decide to design a job based on the principles of industrial engineering. Based on existing research, which of the following outcomes should you NOT expect? A. Increased efficiency B. Decreased complexity C. Increased meaningfulness D. Decreased skill requirements E. Increased specialization

62. Within the Job Characteristics Model, the job characteristic that reflects the degree to which the job allows an individual to make decisions about the way the work is carried out is termed: A. task identity. B. task significance. C. skill variety. D. autonomy. E. scope.

63. In terms of the Job Characteristics Model, the degree to which a job requires completing a "whole" piece of work from beginning to end is indicative of the job characteristic of: A. autonomy. B. skill variety. C. task significance. D. task identity. E. feedback.

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64. In terms of the Job Characteristics Model, the job characteristic of feedback refers to the extent to which: A. performance is related to rewards like pay and incentives. B. an employee receives information about his performance from his supervisor. C. performance appraisals are perceived as transparent and fair by employees. D. and the number of times employees receive performance assessments in a year. E. a person receives clear information about performance effectiveness from the work itself.

65. Which one of the following interventions would NOT be consistent with the motivational approach to job design? A. Self-managed work teams B. Task specialization C. Job enrichment D. Flexible work schedules E. Telework

66. In which of the following scenarios will workers be less motivated to perform the job? A. When the job requires a variety of skills to be performed. B. When the job requires completing the whole piece of work from beginning to end. C. When the job has little impact on the lives of other people. D. When the job allows individuals to make decisions about the job. E. When a person receives clear information about performance effectiveness from the work itself.

67. The objective of job enlargement is to: A. make the job less repetitive and more interesting. B. increase efficiency by identifying one best way to perform a job. C. decrease the complexity of the job. D. increase job specialization. E. decrease the impact the job has on the lives of other people.

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68. In order to motivate your employees, you have decided to combine the jobs of receptionist, typist, and file clerk into jobs containing all three kinds of work Which of the following techniques of job design does this move constitute? A. Job rotation B. Job review C. Job enrichment D. Job swapping E. Job extension

69. Which of the following arrangements would qualify as job rotation? A. A receptionist is required to perform the jobs of file clerk and typist. B. Team members work on the assembly line one day and pack products into cases the next. C. Team members make decisions regarding how to resolve problems with customers. D. A manager participating in a meeting while on vacation with his family. E. Authorizing employees to stop production when quality standards are not being met.

70. Which job design technique is credited to Frederick Herzberg? A. Job extension B. Job rotation C. Job enrichment D. Job enlargement E. Job sharing

71. According to Herzberg's two-factor theory, individuals are motivated more by: A. the intrinsic aspects of work. B. performance-based incentives. C. share in company stock. D. salary and benefits. E. periodic bonuses.

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72. If, as a manager, you were to give the sales staff in your store the authority to resolve customer problems, including the authority to decide whether to issue refunds or replace the merchandise, you would be using the job design technique of: A. job-sharing. B. job extension. C. job rotation. D. job enrichment. E. job specialization.

73. Which of the following is a step an organization can take to enrich manufacturing jobs for its employees? A. Divide tasks among employees. B. Carry out time-and-motion studies to identify one best way to perform a job. C. Make the tasks repetitive and simple to avoid errors. D. Give employees more authority to manage the production process. E. Encourage job specialization.

74. Which of the following is true of self-managing work teams? A. Team members' jobs are narrowly defined. B. Team members usually share work assignments. C. The team members' responsibilities are diminished. D. The supervisor is usually responsible for hiring team members and resolving problems. E. Each team member's role is highly specialized.

75. Wyoming, Inc., requires its employees to be at work between the hours of 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., but allows employees to decide whether they will work their additional three hours before or after this time period. Identify the job design method in use at Wyoming. A. Job sharing B. Flextime C. Compressed workweek D. Telework E. Job rotation

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76. What is job sharing? A. A work option in which two part-time employees carry out the tasks associated with a singl...