Job Analysis - Chapter 4

Front 1

What methods does the Combination Job Analysis Method borrow from?

Back 1

1. Functional job analysis: focus on task statements, which are developed and rated in terms of difficulty and criticality

2. Task Inventory/Comprehensive Occupational Data Analysis Program: gives us information about what gets done on the job and how
3. Job element method: information about human attributes needed to perform tasks is summarized and rated on importance for job performance

Front 2

What are the key components of a task statement?

Back 2

1. Implied subject of the task sentence (e.g. workers, employees, managers)
2. Verb that tells what function the employees are performing
3. Object of the verb may be data, people, people, equipment, tools, etc.

4. There is a phrase starting with the words "to" or the words "in order" that gives purpose to the workers' activity (can be left off if obvious)

Front 3

Describe the steps that occur in a task generation meeting (for C-JAM)?

Back 3

1. List of task statements is generated at a meeting of job experts (include different ethnic backgrounds and gender for better legal defensibility)
2. Definition of task is provided and group members are instructed to prepare a list on their own in generating task statements
3. Everyone gets a copy and is told by the leader to review lists, delete tasks that are duplicates, and add any tasks that might have been missed
4. Leader of the group screens list and edits tasks to come up with a list of tasks

*task list can also be generated through individual interviews

Front 4

Describe the steps that occur in a task rating meeting (for C-JAM)?

Back 4

1. Each job expert given draft of the tasks and asked to review the task statements to ensure completeness.

2. Group looks over functional category labels to see if satisfactory

3. Group rates the tasks on the list in terms of task difficulty (i.e. difficulty relative to all other tasks in a single given job) and criticality (i.e. consequences of error)

Front 5

How is task importance calculated in C-JAM (Combination Job Analysis Method)?

Back 5

Task importance value = Difficulty + Criticality

Front 6

How is a skill different from an ability?

Back 6

skill: a capacity to perform tasks requiring the use of tools, equipment, machinery

ability: capacity to carry out physical and mental acts required by a job's tasksW

Front 7

What specific ratings are made on KSAOs in C-JAM?

Back 7

a) Is KSAO necessary for newly hired employee?

b) Is KSAO practical to expect in labor market?

c) To what extent do different levels of the KSAO distinguish the superior from the average worker?

d) To what extent is trouble likely if this KSAO is ignore in selection?

Front 8

What three criteria must be met for C-JAM results to be be used in selection?

Back 8

For selection, each KSAO must meet three criteria.

1. A majority of experts must have voted KSAO is necessary for newly hired workers

2. A clear majority of experts must have voted that a KSAO is practical to expect in the labor market

3. Average rating on Trouble likely if ignore KSAO in selection must be 1.5 or greater to rank applicants from most qualified to least qualified; if below 1.5 then the measure should be based on pass/fail basis

Front 9

How is C-JAM results be used for training?

Back 9

Decision based on Essential for New Workers scale (i.e. is KSAO necessary for new employee) and Distinguish Superior from average workers scale (i.e. extent to which KSAO distinguish average from superior worker).

When KSAO is not rated as essential by a clear majority, and it is rated higher than 1.5 on distinguish superior from average, it should be used for training.

Front 10

What kind of empirical support or weaknesses does the C-JAM (combination job analysis method) have?

Back 10

Applied successfully in numerous contexts.

However, if small teams are used to do the C-JAM, reliability tends to suffer. It is important to standardize the rating process to avoid biases of individual raters.

Front 11

Why is the Multimethod Job Design Questionnaire considered a hybrid method?

Back 11

Integrates several different views of job design to best suit people; overall, attempts to alter jobs to better support people

Front 12

What are the four job design principles used in the Multimethod Job Design Questionnaire? List and describe them.

Back 12

1. Motivational: People want meaningful jobs where they can develop skills and think work is significant

2. Mechanistic: Work is analyzed to find most efficient way to do the job

3. Biological: Focuses on the human body and design tools and work context to fit the way people are constructed physically

4. Perceptual/Motor: Design work in a way that accounts for how people process and perceive information.

Front 13

What do the principles of Multimethod Job Design Questionnaire illustrate about tradeoffs in job design?

Back 13

Simplifying a job reduces training time but decreases motivation through boredom. Jobs high on motivational tend to be more satisfying but less efficient/reliable in job performance.W

Front 14

What kind of empirical support or weaknesses does the Multimethod Job Design Questionnaire have?

Back 14

Good:
Good agreement on most of the scales (in terms of biological, motivational) although mechanistic is lower at .65

Also good agreement on the four scales across the two formats of the MJDQ (incumbent and observer formats)

Bad:
Factor analysis found little support for the four major groupings
Some items are only sole indicators of a given work dimension so can't form a scale. They did try to make a Work Design Questionnaire to address these conflicts though.

Front 15

What is ONET's relation to the Dictionary of Occupational Titles?

Back 15

It was developed to replace the DOT. The DOT used tasks as the heart of its system, making it difficult to compare occupations.

Information on the DOT is mostly out of date.

DOT provides little information beyond tasks and a little bit of temperament and vocational preparation; more rich descriptors are needed

Front 16

What is the O-NET content model?

Back 16

1. Worker requirements (i.e. basic and cross-functional skills, knowledge, education)

2. Worker characteristics (i.e. abilities, occupational values and interests, work styles)

3. Experience requirements (i.e. vocational training, work experience, licensure)

4. Occupational requirements (i.e. generalized work activities, work context, organizational context --> this one not in DOT)

5. Occupation Specific requirements: few tasks listed per occupation in ONET

6. Occupation characteristics (occupational outlook, wages, market information

Front 17

What are strengths and limitations of ONET?

Back 17

Strengths:

-Useful for comparing jobs on multiple attributes compared to the DOT
- Can match people to jobs and describe content of jobs comprehensively

Limitations:
- There is significant expense and difficulty in collecting and updating the data to be contained in ONET

- Relatively little published evaluation of ONET so its limitations are not understood