Mini-Case 17-4: Plumbers Don't Want Recognition

question 61

Multiple Choice

Mini-Case 17-4: Plumbers Don't Want Recognition
"If I ever went out to those guys and asked them if they wanted a little more recognition, they would laugh me out of the shop. People work for money." Norm Schultz had been a plumber himself for 18 years before he saved enough money to open a small plumbing contractor business. The men who worked for Norm knew what was expected of them - a fair day's work for a fair day's pay. "You don't need to tell a person that he or she is doing a good job; the person is either doing the work or not working for me!"
Norm's son-in-law was taking a management course at a local college. When Norm asked him what he was learning in class, he told him the management of people. Norm was very emphatic about managing the plumbers who worked for him. "Tell an employee what you expect from the beginning. Watch to see if they perform the job properly. Treat your people fairly and never cheat them." Norm went on to tell his son-in-law that this was the way good managers did things. "Recognition won't put bread on the table."
-The type of job design that breaks work down into its simplest form and standardizes tasks is known as ________.

• A)job simplification
• B)job enlargement
• C)job rotation
• D)horizontal job loading

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Definitions:

Material Price Variance

The difference between the actual cost of materials purchased and the expected (or standard) cost, indicating how efficiently materials are being purchased.

Material Usage Variance

The difference between the actual amount of materials used in production and the standard amount expected, valued at the standard cost.

Quality Of Materials

The measure of suitability of the materials used in production, affecting the durability and functionality of the final product.

Labour Rate Variance

The difference between the actual cost of direct labor and the estimated cost based on the standard labor rate.