Work Design and Job Design Overview

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Questions and Answers

What is one benefit of periodic vacation breaks for workers?

Helps to maintain a dull routine

Increases workload

Gives something to look forward to (correct)

Reduces work efficiency

What is a primary reason companies invest in occupational health care?

To increase employee turnover

To minimize health care costs (correct)

To boost annual bonuses

To complicate administrative processes

Which factor is NOT a common cause of workplace accidents?

Driver fatigue (correct)

Accident hazards

Inadequate managerial supervision

Worker carelessness

Why is worker safety crucial in job design?

It helps to motivate workers effectively. Signup and view all the answers

What principle does ethical issue management affect in organizations?

Performance appraisals Signup and view all the answers

What is a disadvantage of excessively low wages for organizations?

Inability to attract competent workers Signup and view all the answers

Which type of compensation system is known for paying employees based on hours worked?

Time-based systems Signup and view all the answers

What potential consequence can arise from high wage costs for organizations?

Increased product prices Signup and view all the answers

What is a primary advantage of output-based incentive systems?

They allow for direct measurement of employee productivity. Signup and view all the answers

Why do many employees prefer time-based compensation systems?

The compensation is predictable and stable. Signup and view all the answers

What complicates the use of incentive systems in certain jobs?

The jobs involve irregular activities and varied outputs. Signup and view all the answers

What is a significant downside of output-based incentive systems?

They involve more complex computation of wages. Signup and view all the answers

How do individual incentive plans primarily function?

They link pay directly to the quantity produced by the worker. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of job design?

Specifying methods and content of jobs Signup and view all the answers

Which school of thought emphasizes worker satisfaction in job design?

Behavioral school Signup and view all the answers

What challenge does minimum wage legislation pose to straight piecework plans?

It may lead to employees earning less than minimum wage. Signup and view all the answers

What happens to fixed costs when output increases in incentive systems?

They remain constant, decreasing the overall cost per unit. Signup and view all the answers

What is one major disagreement between the efficiency and behavioral approaches to job design?

Job specialization Signup and view all the answers

What does job specialization allow workers to do?

Become proficient in their work Signup and view all the answers

In what situation are incentives considered particularly desirable?

When measuring output leads to substantial performance gains. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a disadvantage often associated with highly specialized jobs?

Monotony and boredom Signup and view all the answers

Which group is cited as experiencing higher job satisfaction among specialists?

College professors Signup and view all the answers

What is a key characteristic of assembly-line jobs related to specialization?

They provide high productivity with low unit costs Signup and view all the answers

What was a significant aspect of the efficiency school of job design?

Using a systematic and logical approach Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the criteria for selecting a job to study for methods analysis?

Jobs with a high labor content Signup and view all the answers

What is the main purpose of documenting the current method?

To offer a basis for future comparison Signup and view all the answers

What type of chart is particularly helpful in identifying nonproductive parts of a process?

Flow process chart Signup and view all the answers

Which question is commonly included in an analyst's checklist for generating improvement ideas?

Why is there a delay or storage at this point? Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the general guidelines for selecting a job for analysis?

Jobs that are unsafe, tiring, or noisy Signup and view all the answers

What is essential for the successful implementation of a proposed method change?

Management must be convinced of the desirability of the new method Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the primary focus of flow process charts?

Examining the flow of materials and operator movements Signup and view all the answers

What should be considered when analyzing a job to propose improvements?

The reasons behind existing problems Signup and view all the answers

What happens to the compensation of a secretary who spends more time on filing compared to one who does more word processing?

Compensation decreases. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of work sampling in job analysis?

To verify the percentage of time spent on tasks. Signup and view all the answers

What is a key characteristic of work sampling estimates?

They include some degree of error. Signup and view all the answers

In work sampling, what does the formula p^ ± e represent?

An estimate and allowable error of time devoted to an activity. Signup and view all the answers

What factor influences the maximum probable error in work sampling?

The sample size and desired level of confidence. Signup and view all the answers

What is a primary advantage of predetermined time standards?

There is no disruption of the operation during their establishment. Signup and view all the answers

How does work sampling differ from time study?

Work sampling does not require timing activities. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes a nonrepetitive job?

It requires a higher range of skills and varied tasks. Signup and view all the answers

What are the two primary uses of work sampling?

Ratio-delay studies and analysis of nonrepetitive jobs. Signup and view all the answers

What does a ratio-delay study seek to estimate?

The idle time of machines and workers. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement accurately describes the role of an analyst in establishing time standards?

Analysts need considerable skills to create realistic estimates. Signup and view all the answers

Why may it be important to determine the proportion of high-skill tasks in nonrepetitive jobs?

It impacts the pay structure based on skill levels. Signup and view all the answers

What key aspect distinguishes work sampling from continuous observation?

Work sampling captures data at regular intervals. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

7.1 Introduction

Work design is crucial due to organizations' reliance on human effort.
Topics in this chapter relate to productivity improvement and continuous improvement.

7.2 Job Design

Job design outlines job content and methods.
Job designers consider what, who, how, and where the job will be done.
Objectives include productivity, safety, and quality of work life.
Two schools of thought exist—efficiency and behavioral.
Efficiency school emphasizes a logical, systematic approach to job design.
Behavioral school focuses on employee satisfaction and needs.
Specialization is a contentious issue between these approaches.

Specialization

Specialization means narrowly focused jobs.
Examples range from assembly lines to specific professions.
The rationale for specialization is to concentrate efforts and become proficient.
Some specialists report high job satisfaction.

Advantages & Disadvantages

For Management: Simplifies training, high productivity, low wage costs
For Employees: Low education/skill requirements, minimum responsibility, low mental effort needed
For Management: Difficult to motivate quality, worker dissatisfaction (absenteeism, high turnover), poor attention to quality
For Employees: Monotonous work, limited opportunities, little control, limited opportunity for self-fulfillment

Behavioral Approaches to Job Design

Job enlargement, job rotation, job enrichment, and mechanization are common approaches to improve jobs.
Job enlargement increases a worker's responsibility in a job by expanding the scope.
Job rotation involves employee exchanges to enhance broader experience.
Job enrichment increases the level of responsibility for planning and coordination tasks.

Motivation

Motivation influences quality, productivity and work environment.
Factors include compensation, socialization, self-actualization, recognition, purpose, and accomplishment.

Teams

Organizations restructure work environments to increase productivity and competitiveness.
The increased use of teams is evident in lean production systems.
Teams can handle non-routine assignments that were previously handled by individuals.
Teams can be short-term, focused on a specific issue, or long-term.
Self-directed teams are a specific type of team design.

7.3 Quality of Work Life

People work for various reasons (livelihood, self-fulfillment, social interaction, etc.).
Quality of work life has several aspects, including coworker relations, management style, and working conditions.
Important physical aspects like temperature, humidity, ventilation, illumination, and noise influence worker performance.
Government regulations often influence working conditions.

7.4 Methods Analysis

Analysis focuses on how a job is performed.
This includes arrangement of the workplace and flow of materials.
Method analysis can improve productivity.
This analysis is useful in analyzing changes to tools, equipment, and materials, identifying problems (incidents, accidents), and improvement of procedures.

7.5 Motion Study

Motion study systematically analyzes human motions in performing an operation.
The purpose is to eliminate unnecessary motions and create the most efficient sequence of motions.
Frank Gilbreth is known for motion study techniques, particularly in bricklaying.
Techniques include motion study principles, analysis of therbligs, micromotion studies, and charts.

Therbligs

Therbligs are basic elemental motions (backward spelling of "Gilbreth").
Breaking down jobs into therbligs allows for improvements in operations by analyzing each element, or combination or rearrangement of elements

7.6 Work Measurement

Job Design and Methods analysis determine the how and what of job performance.
Work measurement identifies the time needed to complete a specified task given sustainable conditions.
Time standards are crucial for workforce planning, capacity planning, budgeting, and incentive design.
Standard times need to include allowances for delays.
Changes in job factors influence the time required, prompting updates of standard times when necessary

Stopwatch Time Study

A method for establishing labor standards.
It observes one worker's performance over several cycles.
This defines the time required for a specific task.

Normal/Standard Time

Observed time is the average of recorded times.
Normal time adjusts for worker performance using a rating factor.
Standard time includes allowances for personal/unavoidable delays.
Using standard times can improve workforce planning and capacity planning.

Predetermined Time Standards

Uses published data on standard elemental times (e.g., MTM) to estimate times.
Analysts break down tasks into basic movements and refer to appropriate tables for time analysis.

Work Sampling

Estimates the proportion of time a worker spends on various tasks or non-activity.
Used to assess the percentage of time spent on various tasks.
Random observations provide insight into tasks workers perform.
Work sampling is valuable for estimating the proportion of time spent on activities involving nonrepetitive jobs

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Description

This quiz covers the fundamental concepts of work design and job design, emphasizing their importance in enhancing productivity and continuous improvement within organizations. Key aspects include the two schools of thought on job design, the implications of specialization, and the balance between management efficiency and employee satisfaction.