Essay Questions
Major Essay101. Discuss the most common forms of prejudice in the American workplace today.
Answer - There are a variety of common forms of prejudice in today’s workplace. First, there is the prejudice based on age. Second, there is the prejudice based on physical condition (e.g. disabilities). Third, there is prejudice based on gender, almost exclusively prejudice against women. Fourth, there is prejudice based on sexual orientation (e.g. gay, lesbian, or bisexual). Fifth, there is prejudice based on race and/or national origin. Finally, there is prejudice based on religion.
Pages 210-211
102. Discuss Herzberg’s two-factor theory of job satisfaction.
Answer - Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory was built out of research using Critical Incident Technique. The two factors are hygiene and motivator factors. Hygiene (maintenance) factors are associated with job dissatisfaction: quality of supervision, pay, company, policies, physical working conditions, relations with others, job security. Motivators are associated with job satisfaction: promotion opportunities, opportunities for personal growth, recognition, responsibility, achievement. It is important to see that most managers spend the majority of their time dealing with hygiene factors rather than motivators.
Pages 221-222
103. Name the three ways to measure job satisfaction and how each is used.
Answer - 1) Rating scales and questionnaires are the most common way. They are quick and efficient but the data is only as good as the questionnaires. The Job Description, Index, Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire, the Pay Satisfaction Questionnaire are three of the most common. 2) Critical incident technique has individuals describe, orally or in writing, events relating to their job that were either especially satisfying or dissatisfying. 3) Interviews and confrontation meetings are actually two different techniques that the text groups. Interviews have the advantage of immediate follow-up and explanation of any questions that aren’t clear. Confrontation meetings permit the dealing with important and or sensitive issues directly.
Pages 225-226
104. Discuss the two key factors that impact whether someone decides to quit, according to the unfolding model of voluntary turnover.
Answer - According to this view of turnover, two major factors impact a person’s decision to quit. The first of these is a “shock to the system,” an attention getting event that gets employees to think about their jobs. The second of these is a decision frame. The decision frame is a set of internalized rules and images regarding how to interpret something that has occurred.
Page 228
105. What are the basic dimensions of organizational commitment?
Answer - Organizational commitment is the extent to which an individual identifies and is involved with his/her organization and/or is unwilling to leave it. Employees may be committed to their co-workers, subordinates, supervisors, customers, union, or top management. These commitments break into two groups: one’s immediate work group and supervisor and to top management and the organization as a whole. There are four commitment profiles to these groups. Uncommitted - low commitment to both groups. Committed - high commitment to both groups. Locally committed - high commitment to immediate work group and supervisor. Globally committed - high commitment to top management and/or the organization. There are two approaches to understanding the bases or motives for commitment. Side-bets orientation focuses on accumulated investments individuals will lose if they leave. Goal-congruence orientation focuses on the extent to which people identifying with an organization have personal goals that are in keeping with those of the organization. Recent research points to three bases of organizational commitment. 1) Continuance - related to side-bets. Refers to strength of people’s tendency to continue to work for an organization because they can’t afford not to. 2) Affective - related to goal-congruence. Refers to strength of people’s tendency to continue to work for an organization because they agree with it. 3) Normative - related to the obligations one feels, the pressures from others to stay.
Pages 235-236
Short essay106. Define attitude and describe its three major components.
Answer - Attitudes are relatively stable clusters of feelings, beliefs, and behavioral predisposition. Work-related attitudes are those lasting beliefs and behavioral tendencies toward various aspects of the job. There are three components to an attitude; the attitude object--the focus of the attitude, the cognitive component--what is believed, and the behavioral component--a predisposition to act in a certain way.
Pages 206-207
107. What are the two main types of diversity training that a company can offer its employees?
Answer - Diversity management programs are efforts to celebrate diversity by creating supportive working environments. Diversity training programs are positive efforts to enhance the working environment. There are two main types of diversity training: awareness, designed to raise people’s awareness of diversity issues in the workplace and skills, designed to develop people’s skills with respect to managing diversity.
Pages 216-218
108. Explain Locke’s value theory of job satisfaction.
Answer - Locke's Value Theory argues that job satisfaction exists to the degree that outcomes received match outcomes desired. The larger the discrepancy between wants and haves in outcomes, the less satisfied an employee would be.
Pages 223-224
109. What are the possible consequences of job dissatisfaction?
Answer - The consequences of low organizational commitment are; high levels of absenteeism and voluntary turnover, unwillingness to share and make sacrifices, and negative personal consequences.
Pages 225-230
110. Offer several suggestions as to how a company can promote job satisfaction.
Answer - Managers can promote job satisfaction by: making jobs fun, paying people fairly, matching people to jobs that are congruent with their interests, and avoiding boring repetitive jobs.
Pages 233-234
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