Answer: C. Direction and intensity of effort Motivation concerns the direction and intensity of effort toward an outcome.
Which reward comes from within the employee?
A Pride after meaningful work
B Monthly salary
C Promotion to a new role
D Cash bonus
Answer: A. Pride after meaningful work Intrinsic rewards arise from the work or from personal satisfaction, such as pride or accomplishment.
Which example is an external reward?
A Sense of accomplishment
B Pride in a skill
C Enjoyment of a task
D Promotion or cash bonus
Answer: D. Promotion or cash bonus Extrinsic rewards come from outside the individual, such as pay, bonuses, or promotions.
In the motivation process, what can an unmet need create?
A A formal job title
B Tension that prompts effort
C A fixed work schedule
D A market opportunity
Answer: B. Tension that prompts effort An unmet need can create tension that energizes behavior directed toward satisfying it.
Taylor’s scientific-management approach relied heavily on which motivator?
A Peer relationships
B Job autonomy
C Economic incentives
D Self-actualization
Answer: C. Economic incentives Taylor emphasized economic incentives and scientifically designed work methods.
Which influence did Hawthorne studies bring into motivation discussions?
A Attention and social relations
B Only piece-rate pay
C Job titles and hierarchy
D Product branding
Answer: A. Attention and social relations The Hawthorne studies drew attention to employee attention, social relations, and involvement at work.
Which needs sit at Maslow’s foundation?
A Esteem needs
B Social needs
C Self-actualization
D Physiological needs
Answer: D. Physiological needs Maslow’s hierarchy places physiological needs such as food and shelter at its base.
Job security and workplace safety address which Maslow need?
A Social needs
B Safety needs
C Esteem needs
D Growth needs
Answer: B. Safety needs Safety needs include security and protection from harm or unexpected threats.
Belonging and friendship reflect which Maslow need?
A Physiological needs
B Esteem needs
C Social needs
D Self-actualization
Answer: C. Social needs Social needs include belonging, friendship, and relationships with others.
Praise and recognition can address which Maslow need?
A Esteem needs
B Safety needs
C Physiological needs
D Social needs
Answer: A. Esteem needs Recognition and respect can support esteem needs.
Work that uses full potential supports which Maslow need?
A Safety
B Belonging
C Basic comfort
D Self-actualization
Answer: D. Self-actualization Self-actualization concerns fulfillment and using one’s abilities and potential.
When job security is already adequate, which need may have less motivational force in Maslow’s model?
A Esteem need
B Safety need
C Social need
D Growth need
Answer: B. Safety need Maslow proposed that a satisfied need becomes less motivating, although people do not always follow a strict sequence.
Which factor is a Herzberg motivator?
A Company policy
B Salary level
C Responsibility for meaningful work
D Office temperature
Answer: C. Responsibility for meaningful work Achievement, responsibility, recognition, and the work itself are examples of motivators in Herzberg’s model.
Which item is a Herzberg hygiene factor?
A Pay and job security
B Achievement
C Advancement
D Meaningful responsibility
Answer: A. Pay and job security Pay and job security are hygiene factors that can contribute to dissatisfaction when inadequate.
Which assumption describes McGregor’s Theory X?
A Workers seek responsibility
B People naturally self-direct
C Work is naturally enjoyable
D People avoid work when possible
Answer: D. People avoid work when possible Theory X assumes employees tend to avoid work and require close direction or control.
How does Theory Y view employee effort?
A People avoid all responsibility
B People can self-direct
C Employees need constant threats
D Work has no meaning
Answer: B. People can self-direct Theory Y assumes people can direct themselves toward goals they accept and may seek responsibility.
Theory Z commonly emphasizes which arrangement?
A Rapid promotion and individual competition
B Short-term jobs and layoffs
C Long-term employment and group decisions
D Strict control with no participation
Answer: C. Long-term employment and group decisions Theory Z combines practices that emphasize long-term employment, group decision-making, and concern for employees.
Which behavior suggests a strong need for achievement?
A Seeking challenging, attainable goals
B Avoiding performance feedback
C Prioritizing group acceptance
D Seeking personal control
Answer: A. Seeking challenging, attainable goals People with a high need for achievement tend to seek challenging goals and feedback on results.
People high in affiliation most value which outcome?
A Independent status
B Authority over others
C A difficult solo target
D Warm, accepted relationships
Answer: D. Warm, accepted relationships The need for affiliation emphasizes friendly relationships and acceptance by others.
ERG theory groups needs into which categories?
A Safety, status, and control
B Existence, relatedness, growth
C Pay, promotion, and power
D Achievement, affiliation, authority
Answer: B. Existence, relatedness, growth ERG theory groups needs into existence, relatedness, and growth.
In expectancy theory, expectancy means belief that effort leads to what?
A Successful performance
B A valued reward
C Fair treatment
D Higher status
Answer: A. Successful performance Expectancy is the perceived link between effort and performance.
Instrumentality describes which perceived link?
A Need and satisfaction
B Effort and ability
C Performance leading to outcomes
D Reward and job design
Answer: C. Performance leading to outcomes Instrumentality is the perceived link between performance and receiving outcomes.
Valence refers to what in expectancy theory?
A Workplace fairness
B A person’s skill level
C Effort required for a task
D Value attached to an outcome
Answer: D. Value attached to an outcome Valence describes how much an individual values a potential outcome.
If employees believe extra effort will not improve performance, which expectancy link is weak?
A Performance-outcome expectancy
B Effort-performance expectancy
C Outcome-value expectancy
D Input-equity comparison
Answer: B. Effort-performance expectancy Low effort-to-performance expectancy weakens motivation because extra effort seems unlikely to improve performance.
Equity theory compares outcomes with what?
A Outcome-input ratios with peers
B Job titles across departments
C Goals and feedback frequency
D Effort and task difficulty
Answer: A. Outcome-input ratios with peers Equity theory compares a person’s outcomes and inputs with a relevant comparison person’s outcomes and inputs.
After perceiving unfair treatment, employees may respond in which way?
A Ignore the comparison always
B Increase effort in every case
C Adjust effort or seek change
D Stop valuing all outcomes
Answer: C. Adjust effort or seek change Perceived inequity may prompt employees to change inputs, seek different outcomes, revise perceptions, or leave.
Which goals tend to improve performance when employees accept them?
A Easy, general goals
B Specific, challenging goals
C Unmeasured aspirations
D Goals without feedback
Answer: B. Specific, challenging goals Goal-setting theory emphasizes specific, challenging goals when people accept them.
Why does goal-setting theory emphasize progress feedback?
A Replace the original goal
B Remove employee choice
C Guarantee a reward
D Help employees adjust effort
Answer: D. Help employees adjust effort Feedback helps employees assess progress and adjust effort or approach.
Positive reinforcement attempts to increase behavior by doing what?
A Adding a valued consequence
B Removing a valued reward
C Applying an unpleasant consequence
D Withholding all feedback
Answer: A. Adding a valued consequence Positive reinforcement adds a desirable consequence after a behavior to make it more likely to recur.
Negative reinforcement increases behavior through which change?
A Adding a penalty
B Reducing a reward
C Removing an unpleasant condition
D Ignoring the behavior
Answer: C. Removing an unpleasant condition Negative reinforcement increases behavior by removing an aversive condition after the desired behavior.
Punishment aims to reduce behavior by doing what?
A Providing recognition
B Applying an aversive consequence
C Removing an unwanted rule
D Increasing employee choice
Answer: B. Applying an aversive consequence Punishment applies an unpleasant consequence in an attempt to reduce a behavior.
What is extinction in reinforcement theory?
A Adding a new reward
B Increasing goal difficulty
C Punishing every error
D Withholding reinforcement for behavior
Answer: D. Withholding reinforcement for behavior Extinction reduces a behavior by stopping the reinforcement that maintained it.
How does job enlargement change a role?
A Adds more similar-level tasks
B Adds higher-level authority only
C Removes task variety
D Reduces job responsibilities
Answer: A. Adds more similar-level tasks Job enlargement expands a job horizontally by adding more tasks at a similar level.
Which change characterizes job enrichment?
A Shorter work hours
B More autonomy and responsibility
C Fewer decision opportunities
D A narrower task range
Answer: C. Fewer decision opportunities Job enrichment expands job depth through added autonomy, responsibility, and decision authority.
What happens during job rotation?
A One task is repeated
B Pay is tied to quotas
C Employees move among jobs
D Reporting lines disappear
Answer: B. Pay is tied to quotas Job rotation shifts employees among different jobs, often to broaden skills or reduce monotony.
Workers see a complete identifiable piece of work. Which job dimension is present?
A Task significance
B Autonomy
C Skill variety
D Task identity
Answer: D. Task identity Task identity reflects doing a whole, identifiable piece of work.
Using several different abilities at work reflects which dimension?
A Skill variety
B Task identity
C Feedback
D Autonomy
Answer: A. Skill variety Skill variety is the extent to which a job uses different skills and abilities.
When a job affects other people’s well-being, which dimension is highlighted?
A Task identity
B Autonomy
C Task significance
D Feedback
Answer: C. Task significance Task significance concerns the impact a job has on other people or society.
Which job dimension gives discretion over methods and schedule?
A Skill variety
B Autonomy
C Task significance
D Task identity
Answer: B. Autonomy Autonomy gives an employee discretion over how and when work is done.
Feedback from performing work helps employees see what?
A Their job title
B The reward budget
C Their seniority
D Results of their effort
Answer: D. Results of their effort Feedback provides information about the effectiveness of an employee’s performance.
Content theories focus mainly on what?
A Needs that motivate people
B Steps in choosing effort
C How rewards are distributed
D How goals are measured
Answer: A. Needs that motivate people Content theories focus on the needs or factors that motivate people.
How can specific recognition affect behavior?
A Remove all performance goals
B Replace fair pay
C Reinforce valued contributions
D Guarantee long-term retention
Answer: C. Reinforce valued contributions Recognition can act as positive feedback and reinforcement for valued contributions.
Performance-linked bonuses are an example of what?
A Intrinsic satisfaction
B Extrinsic incentive pay
C Job rotation
D Goal acceptance
Answer: D. Goal acceptance A performance-linked bonus is an external reward tied to a result or target.
Which schedule condenses weekly hours into fewer days?
A Flextime
B Compressed workweek
C Telecommuting
D Job sharing
Answer: B. Compressed workweek A compressed workweek arranges the workweek into fewer days, often with longer daily hours.
Flextime gives employees discretion over what?
A Start and finish times
B Annual performance ratings
C Job titles
D Product prices
Answer: C. Job titles Flextime allows discretion over when work hours begin and end within agreed limits.
What defines job sharing?
A Two people divide one role
B One person rotates tasks
C A team sets all wages
D Employees work remotely
Answer: A. Two people divide one role Job sharing lets two people divide the tasks and hours of one position.
Telecommuting typically allows employees to do what?
A Change job grades
B Split one position
C Rotate between departments
D Work remotely through technology
Answer: D. Work remotely through technology Telecommuting allows employees to work remotely using connected technology.
Why might managers provide learning opportunities to employees?
A Reduce job autonomy
B Support growth and skill development
C Replace employee feedback
D Increase task repetition
Answer: B. Support growth and skill development Education and training can support growth and help employees build skills.
Do all employees value the same reward equally?
A Yes, pay motivates everyone identically
B Only managers value recognition
C No, preferences differ
D Rewards have no effect
Answer: C. No, preferences differ Employees differ in needs and preferences, so a reward that motivates one person may not motivate another.
What practical response fits diverse motivational needs?
A Tailor rewards and job design
B Use one incentive for everyone
C Remove all employee choice
D Rely only on bonuses
Answer: A. Tailor rewards and job design Managers can combine suitable rewards and job design while considering employee and organizational needs.