4: Job Analysis & Work Design

Question 1

Define:

Critical incident method (127)

Answer 1

• job analysis method by which important job tasks are identified for job success
• information can be collected by interviews with employees/managers or self -report statements written by employees

Question 2

Define:

Employee empowerment (135)

Answer 2

• granting employees power to initiate change, thereby encouraging them to take charge of what they do

Question 3

Define:

Employee involvement groups/EIs (138)

Answer 3

• groups of employees who meet to resolve problems or offer suggestions for organizational improvement
• these individuals must receive comprehensive training in problem identification, problem analysis, and various decision-making tools
• managers should recognize the group when recommendations are made, regardless of result
• when EIs run out of ideas, managers must feed them ideas to keep the process running
• managers encourage a collaborative work environment

Question 4

Define:

Employee teams (139)

Answer 4

• employee contributions technique whereby work functions are structured for groups rather than for individuals and team members are given discretion in matters traditionally considered management prerogatives, such as process improvements, product or service development, and individual work assignments

Question 5

Define:

Ergonomics (136)

Answer 5

• interdisciplinary approach to designing equipment and systems that can easily and efficiently used by human beings
• seeks to fit job to person, not person to job
• improves productivity and morale and yields a positive return on investment

Question 6

Define:

Flextime (143)

Answer 6

• permits employees the option of choosing daily starting and quitting times provided that they work a set number of hours or week; core period where all employees are required to be on the job

Question 7

Define:

Industrial engineering (136)

Answer 7

• field of study concerned with analyzing work methods and establishing time standards
• point is to modify, combine, rearrange or eliminate any elements to reduce the time needed to complete the cycle
• improvements in job design and efficiency may be psychologically unsound

Question 8

Define:

Job (122)

Answer 8

• group of related activities and duties

Question 9

Define:

Job Analysis (124)

Answer 9

• process of obtaining information about jobs by determining the duties, tasks, or activities of jobs
• common methods:
• interviews
• questionnaires
• observation
• diaries

Question 10

Define:

Job characteristics model (134)

Answer 10

• job design theory that purports that 3 psychological states of a jobholder result in improved work performance, internal motivation and lower absenteeism and turnover
• experiencing meaningfulness of the work performed
• responsibility for work outcomes
• knowledge of the results of the work performed
• 5 core job dimensions produce 3 psychological states:
• skill variety
• task identity
• task significance
• autonomy
• feedback

Question 11

Define:

Job description (122)

Answer 11

• statement of the tasks, duties, and responsibilities of a job to be performed

Question 12

Define:

Job design (133)

Answer 12

• outgrowth of job analysis that improves jobs through technological and human considerations to enhance organization efficiency and employee job satisfaction
• 4 basic considerations
• behavioural concerns that influence an employee’s job satisfaction
• job enrichment model and job characteristics model increases job satisfaction of employees
• the organizational objectives the job was created to fulfill
• industrial engineering considerations
• ergonomic concerns