Chapter 10 Assessment Questions

Chapter 10 Assessment Questions

1.

Which of the following is not a prospective benefit to the firm of implementing a telecommuting program?

higher productivity of telecommuting workers

greater connectivity and collaboration among employees

lower operating costs

more satisfied workers

 

2.

A successful telecommuting program would include which of the following?

a written policy that spells out expectations

an oral policy the manager can change at will

subjective criteria for each individual worker

preference for some people to telecommute over others

 

3.

True or false? Telecommuting presents some difficulties for on-site technology departments providing security and technical assistance.

 

4.

True or false? Some telecommuters may be penalized by a perception that they are lazy.

 

5.

How can an employer develop trust in a telecommuting employee?

 

6.

In what ways does telecommuting help companies recruit and retain employees?

 

7.

When considering the issue of work-life balance, which of the following points does not apply?

Each employee probably assesses this differently.

Managers and workers as cohorts often have different perspectives on it.

Workers with families at home should be entitled to a “better” balance.

All employees have a right to pursue this.

 

8.

Which of the following is not a potential downside of a corporate campus?

Impaired productivity

Reduced ability of labor markets to adjust to changing conditions

Adverse impact on local businesses

Increased fiscal burden on local government

 

9.

True or false? The design of corporate campuses is meant to enhance opportunities for employees to collaborate.

 

10.

Why do some companies provide free or inexpensive meals for their employees? Are they behaving ethically by doing so?

 

11.

If you were designing an office building for a mid-size advertising firm, what ideas could you incorporate from this section to enhance collaboration?

 

12.

Some employers allow workers a compressed work week as long as ________.

the work can be put off until the next week

the workplace is a store

it is a week in which a holiday falls on Monday

the employee can completely finish the work in a shorter time

 

13.

The primary reason small-business entrepreneurs might want to hire mostly contract labor is that ________.

the cost of fringe benefits is reduced

only contract workers can be part-time but employees must be full-time

only employees can file workers compensation claims

it improves the company’s stock price

 

14.

True or false? One drawback to job sharing is that employees may become competitive with one another, which could cause communication difficulties.

 

15.

True or false? The terms “sharing economy” and “access economy” both refer to a marketplace that differs from the traditional, more capital-intensive, shareholder-owned corporations.

 

16.

How could offering a shared job help an employer recruit more employees?

 

17.

Participating in the gig economy often means working for a company as a part-time worker with no guarantee the job will last. Why would someone do it?

 

18.

What advantages does a company gain from hiring gig workers?

 

19.

Robots have usually been operated by a human at the controls but now are becoming more independent. How?

 

20.

Artificial intelligence and robotics in the United States are thus far largely unregulated. Do you see more regulations coming? Why or why not?

 

21.

The use of robots at work ________.

can reduce the exposure of humans to dangerous working conditions

costs more than human labor

must first be approved by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration

is unlikely to affect the number of people in the overall workforce

 

22.

True or false? Worker displacement is a problem that companies have a legal duty to address when implementing the use of robots.

 

23.

Worker retraining programs for employees who lose their jobs to robots ________.

are a “Band-Aid” solution most of the time

will be needed only for a small minority of the workers who lose their jobs

are offered and funded by the employers only if a sufficient number of workers are displaced

are an obligation taken on by ethical companies