IIA IIA Certifications IIA-CIA-PART3 Questions & Answers

• Question 551:

  Which of the following theories includes the assertion that employees may be motivated by achievement of acceptance or esteem in the workplace?

  A. Equity theory.

  B. Expectancy theory.

  C. Needs hierarchy theory.

  D. Goal-setting theory.

  Correct Answer: C

  Abraham Maslow presented one of the most widely cited theories of motivation. He saw human needs as a hierarchy, from lowest to highest. Lower-level needs must be satisfied before higher-level needs can influence the individual. He concluded that as the set of needs on each level was satisfied, those needs ceased to be a motivator. Affiliation or acceptance love and affection) needs are the needs of people as social beings to belong to groups and be accepted by others. Esteem is the need to be valued, including the need to be esteemed by both one's self and others. These needs are satisfied by power, prestige, status, and self-confidence.

• Question 552:

  Which of the following actions taken by management would not be effective in motivating an employee to superior performance?

  A. Job enlargement.

  B. Job enrichment.

  C. Job security.

  D. Job rotation.

  Correct Answer: C

  Frederick Herzberg's two-factor theory of human behavior postulated that there are two lasses of factors in the job situation. Dissatisfiers maintenance or hygiene factors) are foundin the job context. Their presence will not especially motivate people, but their absence will lead to diminished performance. They include company policy and administration, supervision, working conditions, interpersonal relations, salary, status, and job security.

• Question 553:

  Cross-training of employees in various functions is an example of job:

  A. Enlargement.

  B. Rotation.

  C. Enrichment.

  D. Redesign.

  Correct Answer: B

  Job rotation may introduce a welcome element of change in boring, highly specialized jobs. It may also have such benefits as cross-functional training and avoidance of repetitive stress injuries.

• Question 554:

  Among the non-financial rewards to an employee, a paid vacation trip can best be categorized as:

  A. Social reward.

  B. Token award.

  C. Visual/auditory reward.

  D. Manipulatetables.

  Correct Answer: B

  Token awards are normally nonrecurring. They show appreciation for the role of the employee. Other similar examples are gift coupons, stock options, early time off with pay, or dinner and theater tickets.

• Question 555:

  Which of the following is a management approach to motivating employees?

  I. Providing performance feedback.

  II. Presenting opportunities for responsibility.

  III.

  Satisfying personal needs.

  A.

  Ill only.

  B.

  I and II only.

  C.

  II and Ill only.

  D.

  I, II, and Ill

  Correct Answer: D

  Performance feedback is an important part of goal-based approaches to motivating employees. Moreover, presenting opportunities for responsibilities will motivate employees by helping them meet the personal need for achievement. Thus, satisfying personal needs is a method of motivating employees. Many motivational theories are based on analysis of employee needs.

• Question 556:

  A company's compensation program does not allow for salary increases based onabove averageperformance after an employee reaches the top of a position's salary range. It also pays some employees higher salaries because of their educational qualifications. This company could improve the program by:

  A. Allowing each manager to set up his or her own system of salary increases.

  B. Providing only monetary compensation.

  C. Developing a system that equates years of experience with education.

  D. Decreasing the annual percentage increase in each salary range.

  Correct Answer: C

  A company with a compensation program that stops rewarding above-average performance at the top of each salary range and rewards education with higher compensation could improve the system in several ways. These include starting a bonus program for above-average performance, refusing to hire a person at the top of a salary range unless s)he will be promoted quickly, and equating experience and education so that employees are treated fairly.

• Question 557:

  An employee with a good background and years of experience earns a salary at the top of his or her range. Under the company's compensation program, the employee must earn a promotion in order to increase his or her salary above the usual annual increase. Which of the following is most likely to be an effect on the employee's behavior?

  A. The employee may refuse new duties or tasks.

  B. The employee may become less productive.

  C. The employee may not be motivated to improve performance.

  D. The employee may seek a position with another company.

  Correct Answer: D

  When an employee can earn a desired salary increase only through a promotion, s)he is likely to be motivated to perform better. If this does not result in a promotion, s)he will probably look for another job.

• Question 558:

  The factor that would not contribute to retention of experienced employees would be:

  A. Initiation of job enrichment programs.

  B. Adherence to government regulations regarding sex discrimination in paying and promoting workers.

  C. Paying new employees more than older ones.

  D. Adoption of flextime rules.

  Correct Answer: C

  When old employees discover that newcomers are being hired at higher salaries, the group hired first will be unhappy, feeling that their greater experience should warrant greater reward. In the short run, the newcomers will be satisfied. But it is possible that next year's newcomers will be hired at still higher salaries, contributing to the overall dissatisfaction. Thus, such a policy will provide incentives for experienced workers to leave the company.

• Question 559:

  The human resource department of an organization observed that accounting staff turnover was unusually high. Exit interviews indicated that the accounting department work schedule was highly restrictive for accountants who had young children. To improve the retention of skilled employees in the accounting department, the best solution would be to:

  A. Implement a program of job rotation within the accounting department.

  B. Promote job enlargement for the positions experiencing the greatest turnover.

  C. Provide job sharing and flextime opportunities for accounting department employees.

  D. Enrich the jobs of accounting department employees.

  Correct Answer: C

  Job sharing and flextime allow employees to adjust their work schedules and hours to better achieve personal objectives. These programs can increase worker loyalty and motivation.

• Question 560:

  A company that formerly paid certain management employees on a salary plus commission basis decided to compensate a test group solely with commissions. Performance of these employees declined. The most likely explanation for this result is that:

  A. The employee received special attention.

  B. Compensation was a motivational factor.

  C. Compensation was not a hygiene factor.

  D. Increased concerns about security made the employees risk averse.

  Correct Answer: D

  A straight salary with commissions rewarded increased efforts while providing greater security and a reduction in anxiety. Satisfaction of the need for security may have permitted the employees to adopt promising and profitable but more risky strategies. Because people concerned about security needs tend to be risk averse, the change in compensation method probably caused the performance decline.