12 marks
Define ‘job rotation’.
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Motivating Employees (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE Business)
Exam Questions
1 hour14 questions
22 marks
Case Study
GCF is a public limited company. It provides a range of computer services to businesses including designing websites and creating apps. The Human Resources Director use ideas based on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs to help keep GCF’s 250 employees well-motivated. An extract of methods used is shown in below. GCF plans to expand by taking over one of its competitors. This will cost $50m. To finance the takeover, GCF is considering issuing new shares.
Extract of methods used at GCF to motivate employees |
‘Employee of the month’ award |
Organises team building courses |
Identify the level of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs each of the following methods belongs to:
‘Employee of the month award’
Organises team building courses
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32 marks
Identify two reasons (other than financial) why people work.
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44 marks
Case Study
MBH is a business organisation in the public sector. It controls 5 hospitals and has 5600 employees including 440 doctors. External recruitment is used when recruiting skilled employees. The Human Resources Director uses ideas from Herzberg’s theory to improve employee motivation. He is worried about communication barriers within MBH. The business has a tall organisational structure and a long chain of command. Most of MBH’s internal communication is by email and phone calls.
Outline two ways MBH can use ideas from Herzberg’s theory to motivate its employees.
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52 marks
Identify two levels from Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.
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62 marks
Identify two hygiene factors from Herzberg’s two-factor theory.
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74 marks
Case Study
RWB manufactures buses. 1200 people work in its factory. All employees receive off-the-job training. RWB uses financial rewards to motivate its employees. Last year RWB made a $1.7 million loss. The Managing Director said: ‘There are many external influences affecting our business, including changes in the level of unemployment and new legal controls over business activities which affect the environment.’
Outline two methods of financial rewards RWB might use to motivate its employees.
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84 marks
Case Study
GCF is a public limited company. It provides a range of computer services to businesses including designing websites and creating apps. The Human Resources Director use ideas based on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs to help keep GCF’s 250 employees well-motivated. An extract of methods used is shown in below. GCF plans to expand by taking over one of its competitors. This will cost $50m. To finance the takeover, GCF is considering issuing new shares.
Extract of methods used at GCF to motivate employees |
‘Employee of the month’ award |
Organises team building courses |
Outline two advantages to GCF of having well-motivated employees.
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16 marks
Case Study
GHT is a public limited company. It produces steel products including gates and garage doors. GHT has a flat organisational structure and a short chain of command. GHT has many stakeholder groups including 600 employees. The Managing Director is considering introducing job rotation to improve employee motivation. He has also been analysing some financial data. An extract is shown below.
Extract of revenue and cost data for one of GHT’s products (product X) | |
Units sold in 2020 | 30 000 |
Price per unit | $100 |
Variable costs per unit | $60 |
Fixed costs | $900 000 |
Break even output (units) | 22 500 |
Explain one advantage and one disadvantage to GHT of using job rotation to improve employee motivation.
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26 marks
Case Study
SBG makes a range of products including specialist paints. It has 6 factories and 700 employees. All SBG’s employees are encouraged to be involved in decision-making. SBG’s products are exported to 16 countries using wholesalers as its main channel of distribution. The Managing Director said: ‘Our objectives are to grow and make a profit.’ He also recognises that all business activity creates externalities for SBG’s stakeholder groups.
Explain two ways SBG can involve its employees in decision- making.
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38 marks
Explain four ways SSM could increase the motivation of its production workers.
Refer to the following insert when answering the question
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46 marks
Do you think job enrichment is a better way for a business to motivate its employees than profit sharing? Justify your answer.
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112 marks
Consider the advantages and disadvantages of the following two options for DEF to improve the motivation of staff in its factories:
Implement a profit-sharing scheme
Implement job rotation for production workers
Which option should DEF choose? Justify your answer.
Refer to the following insert when answering the question.
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212 marks
Consider how the following three methods might help GNP Sportswear improve employee retention and motivation:
Introduce a performance-related bonus scheme
Implement a staff training and development programme
Offer flexible working hours
Which method is likely to be most effective? Justify your choice.
Refer to the following insert when answering the question.
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