Motivating Employees & Change Full Test Bank Ch.2

Chapter 2: Engaging and motivating employees and managing organisational change

TRUE/FALSE QUESTIONS

1. When a person views work as central to their life, it forms part of their personality.

a. True

b. False

LO: 1

Diff: 1

Topic: Managing people

AACSB: 7

2. Managers are the sole determinant of employee motivation.

a. True

b. False

LO: 1

Diff: 1

Topic: Motivating employees

AACSB: 8

3. ‘Hard HRM’ practices draw on McGregor’s Theory X management assumptions about employees at work.

a. True

b. False

LO: 9

Diff: 3

Topic: Motivating employees

AACSB: 8

4. McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y depict employees as holding a dislike of work and responsibility and needing close supervision, or seeking responsibility and satisfaction in their work tasks. An organisation using hard SHRM would focus on the relational aspects of the psychological contract.

a. True

b. False

LO: 4

Diff: 3

Topic: Motivating employees

AACSB: 8

5. Alderfelder's Existence Relatedness Growth (ERG) theory argues that all three elements must be addressed simultaneously.

a. True

b. False

LO: 4

Diff: 3

Topic: Motivating employees

AACSB: 5

6. A situation where employees respond positively if they perceive the situation is fair and negatively if they perceive it as unfair is called organisational justice.

a. True

b. False

LO: 4

Diff: 1

Topic: Motivating employees

AACSB: 2

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS

1. Which of the following is not an example of a content theory?

a. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory

b. Adams’ equity theory

c. Alderfer’s existence, relatedness, growth theory

d. Herzberg’s two factor theory

LO: 4

Diff:1

Topic: Motivating employees

AACSB: 8

2. According to Herzberg, when organisational managers develop tasks that are meaningful, interesting and challenging, depending on the needs, wants and interests of employees they will:

a. motivate employees

b. eliminate dissatisfaction

c. promote employee growth and development

d. both a and c

LO: 2

Diff: 2

Topic: Motivating employees

AACSB: 3

3. Which of the following theories argues that an employee will be motivated by a belief that their effort will result in a desired level of performance and will be linked to reward?

a. Adam’s equity theory

b. Locke’s goal setting theory

c. Vroom’s expectancy theory

d. Reinforcement theory

LO: 4

Diff: 2

Topic: Motivating employees

AACSB: 8

4. Vroom’s (1964) expectancy theory suggests the formula for motivation is:

a. Motivation = Diversity × Empathy × Determination

b. Motivation = Information × Coaching × Experience

c. Motivation = Experience × Instruction × Variety

d. Motivation = Expectancy × Instrumentality × Valence

LO: 4

Diff: 1

Topic: Motivating employees

AACSB: 8

5. In today’s environment of constant change, psychological contracts are less predictable. For example, organisations can no longer offer job security, resulting in employees feeling stressed, anxious, and displaying counterproductive work behaviours. This is evidence that organisations are placing less strategic value on which contract?

a. the reward contract

b. the relational contract

c. the transactional contract

d. the ideologically infused contract

LO: 5

Diff: 1

Topic: Motivating employees

AACSB: 3

6. When management uses employees only for the benefit of the business without giving them consideration and respect, which management ethical theory is reflected?

a. utilitarian

b. stakeholder

c. normative

d. deontological

LO: 7

Diff: 2

Topic: Motivating employees

AACSB: 2

7. Adam’s equity theory (1963) proposes that employees will compare the effort they put into their jobs and the rewards they receive to the inputs and outcomes of relevant others. The assessment of this fairness is especially relevant during:

a. recruitment and selection activities

b. performance appraisal and remuneration activities

c. occupational health and safety activities

d. both a and b

LO: 7

Diff: 1

Topic: Motivating employees

AACSB: 5

8. Lewin's (1951) change model describes resistance as:

a. the balance between resourcing cost and anticipated outcome

b. the balance between employee past experience and future expectations

c. the balance between restraining forces and driving forces

d. the balance between closed and open communication in the workplace

LO: 10

Diff: 2

Topic: Motivating during times of change

AACSB: 3

9. An organisation’s level of ‘emotional awareness’ can be enhanced by:

a. rewarding staff who can keep their emotions to themselves

b. ensuring that managers do not reveal their feelings to staff

c. developing a culture that quickly punishes negative employee emotions

d. developing a culture that builds constructive responses to displays of both positive and negative emotion

LO: 11

Diff: 3

Topic: Motivating during times of change

AACSB: 5

10. Which of the following is not a phase of radical change?

a. planning

b. enabling

c. leading

d. maintaining

LO: 11

Diff: 1

Topic: Motivating during times of change

AACSB: 8

11. According to Hay & Härtel (2000), change programs mostly fail during which stage?

a. implementation phase

b. planning phase

c. consultation phase

d. negotiation phase

LO: 11

Diff: 1

Topic: Motivating during times of change

AACSB: 3

12. Research into the area of emotional intelligence suggests that it includes:

a. the ability to perceive and experience emotions which then guide emotional responses and promote intellectual growth

b. it is applied at the intrapersonal, the interpersonal and the organisational level

c. it plays a significant role in life satisfaction, self-esteem, individual success and wellbeing, trust, cooperative identity and efficacy

d. all of the above

LO: 11

Diff: 2

Topic: Motivating during times of change

AACSB: 7

13. An organisation planned to lay off over 1000 workers and change the organisational structure so that there were fewer hierarchical levels. Using the SHRM Application Tool, what is one success criteria the organisation should identify?

a. change the management style to develop respect for and trust from employees

b. ask employees what motivates them to work

c. identify employees’ thoughts, fears and concerns relating to the redundancies

d. identify and address areas where employees perceive discrimination

LO: 8

Diff: 2

Topic: Motivating during times of change

AACSB: 8

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

1. You are a human resource manager working in an organisation. The external environment of this organisation is changing and the business is turbulent and insecure. How has motivation changed over time and how would you motivate people in this organisation?

LO: 3

Diff: 1

Topic: Motivating employees

AACSB: 8

2. Maslow’s (1954) hierarchy of needs theory; Alderfer’s (1969) existence, relatedness, growth theory; Herzberg’s (1968) two factor theory; and McClelland’s (1955) acquired needs theory all propose that people’s desires to fulfil their needs and wants direct their behaviour. What are the similarities and differences between these theories?

LO: 4

Diff: 1

Topic: Motivating employees

AACSB: 8

3. Mudrack (1997) suggests ‘the degree to which individuals place work at or near the center of their lives’ influences their attitude to work. Explore this quote in terms of the Protestant work ethic.

LO: 2

Diff: 1

Topic: Managing people

AACSB: 8

4. What is the difference between 'focal' and 'discretionary' motivational behaviours?

LO: 1

Diff: 1

Topic: Managing people

AACSB: 8

5. What is the link between Locke’s (1968) goal setting theory and performance appraisals in organisations?

LO: 4

Diff: 1

Topic: Motivating employees

AACSB: 8

ESSAY QUESTION

1. Explain what HRM ethics and organisational justice are, and how employees’ perceptions of an organisation’s ethics and organisational justice affect their motivation at work.

LO: 7

Diff: 1

Topic: Motivating employees

AACSB: 2