Ch19 Ass.
Ch19 Ass.
Ch19 Ass.
MULTIPLE CHOICE
a. profit centers.
b. investment centers.
c. cost centers.
d. all of the above.
ANSWER: d EASY
2. Which of the following responsibility centers may be evaluated on the basis of residual
income?
a. investment center
b. revenue center
c. profit center
d. cost center
ANSWER: a EASY
ANSWER: d EASY
ANSWER: b EASY
5. A company has set a target rate of return of 16% for its investment center. An
investment center manager in this company would
19-1
19-2 Chapter 19 Measuring and Rewarding Organizational
Performance
a. acquire assets that would increase divisional income by more than 16%.
b. sell all assets that do not generate divisional income of more than 16%.
c. acquire assets that would increase sales by more than 16%.
d. acquire any technologically advanced assets that would cause costs to be
reduced by 16% or more.
ANSWER: a EASY
a. and the sub-unit should be evaluated on the basis of the same costs and revenues.
b. should only be evaluated on the basis of variable costs and revenues of the sub-
unit.
c. should be evaluated on all costs and revenues that are controllable by the
manager
d. should be evaluated on all costs and revenues that can be directly traced to the
sub-unit.
ANSWER: c EASY
7. The Statement of Cash Flows may be superior to the cash budget as a performance
evaluation measure because
a. cash flows are shown on the accrual basis on the cash budget.
b. the cash budget does not include capital investments.
c. cash flows are arranged by activity.
d. of all the above reasons.
ANSWER: c MEDIUM
8. The Statement of Cash Flows indicates the cash inflows and outflows from
ANSWER: d EASY
9. Division A's investment in a new project will raise the overall organization's return on
investment if
a. the return on investment on the new project exceeds the target return of the
overall organization.
Chapter 19 Measuring and Rewarding Organizational Performance 19-3
b. the return on investment on the new project exceeds the return on investment of
Division A.
c. the return on investment on the new project exceeds the overall organization's
return on investment.
d. Division A's return on investment exceeds the return on investment of the overall
organization.
ANSWER: c EASY
ANSWER: c EASY
11. ABC Corp. is composed of three operating divisions. Overall, the ABC Corp. has a
return on investment of 20%. A Division has a return on investment of 25%. If ABC
Corp. evaluates its managers on the basis of return on investment, how would the A
Division manager and the ABC Corp. president react to a new investment that has an
estimated return on investment of 23%?
ANSWER: c EASY
Profit Margin
Asset Turnover on Sales
a. Yes Yes
b. Yes No
c. No No
d. No Yes
19-4 Chapter 19 Measuring and Rewarding Organizational
Performance
ANSWER: a EASY
ANSWER: c EASY
14. Return on investment (ROI) is a term most often used to express income earned on
assets invested in a business unit. A company's return on investment would increase if sales
a. increased by the same dollar amount as expenses and total assets increased.
b. remained the same and expenses were reduced by the same dollar amount that
total assets increased.
c. decreased by the same dollar amount that expenses increased.
d. and expenses increased by the same percentage that total assets increased.
ANSWER: b MEDIUM
15. A sub-unit of an organization is evaluated on the basis of its ROI. If this sub-unit’s
sales and expenses both increase by $30,000, how will the following measures be affected?
ANSWER: c MEDIUM
16. Which of the following would be an appropriate alternative to the use of ROI in
evaluating the performance of an investment center?
ANSWER: c EASY
Chapter 19 Measuring and Rewarding Organizational Performance 19-5
a. contribution margin.
b. inventory turnover.
c. assets invested.
d. average assets employed.
ANSWER: c EASY
18. Presently, the Alligator Division of Animal Crackers Co. has a profit margin of 30%. If
total sales rise by $100,000, both the numerator and the denominator of the profit
margin will increase. The net result will be
ANSWER: c MEDIUM
ANSWER: b EASY
ANSWER: a EASY
a. residual income.
b. return on investment.
c. throughput.
d. profit.
19-6 Chapter 19 Measuring and Rewarding Organizational
Performance
ANSWER: b EASY
a. income to sales.
b. income to assets.
c. sales to income.
d. sales to assets.
ANSWER: a EASY
ANSWER: b EASY
a. profit centers.
b. cost centers.
c. investment centers.
d. revenue centers.
ANSWER: c EASY
ANSWER: b EASY
ANSWER: c MEDIUM
ANSWER: c EASY
a. long-term
b. short-term
c. qualitative
d. profit center
ANSWER: b EASY
ANSWER: d EASY
ANSWER: c EASY
31. Residual income is used as a performance measure in which of the following types of
centers?
19-8 Chapter 19 Measuring and Rewarding Organizational
Performance
ANSWER: d EASY
ANSWER: c EASY
33. All other things being equal, an increase in sales price would increase
a. asset turnover.
b. profit margin.
c. residual income.
d. all of the above.
ANSWER: d EASY
34. If sales and expenses both rise by $100,000, profit margin will
ANSWER: c MEDIUM
ANSWER: c EASY
36. The information below relates to costs, revenues, and assets anticipated for 1999 in B
Division of BVD Corp:
Sales $ 4,000,000
Variable costs 75% of sales
Average assets employed $12,000,000
Fixed costs 0
How would each of the following measures be affected if sales rise by $5,000 in X
Division?
ANSWER: c EASY
37. A division of Lucky Co. reported a return on investment of 20% for a recent period. If
the division's asset turnover was 5, its profit margin must have been
a. 100%
b. 4%
c. 25%
d. 2%
ANSWER: b EASY
38. Which measure is limited by the fact that it uses accounting income?
a. ROI
b. RI
c. EVA
d. All of the above
ANSWER: d EASY
39. Z Division of XYZ Corp. has the following information for 1998:
a. 15%
b. 10%
c. 25%
d. 20%
ANSWER: c MEDIUM
Apple Division of the American Fruit Co had the following statistics for 1998:
Assets available for use $1,000,000 Book Value
$1,500,000 Market Value
Residual income 100,000
Return on investment 15%
a. $150,000
b. $100,000
c. $250,000
d. $ 50,000
ANSWER: a MEDIUM
41. What was the target rate of return in the American Fruit Company for 1998?
a. 10%
b. 15%
c. 25%
d. 5%
ANSWER: d MEDIUM
42. If the manager of Apple Division is evaluated based on return on investment, how much
would she be willing to pay for an investment that promises to increase net segment
income by $50,000?
Chapter 19 Measuring and Rewarding Organizational Performance 19-11
a. $ 50,000
b. $ 333,333
c. $1,000,000
d. $ 500,000
ANSWER: b MEDIUM
ANSWER: a EASY
T Division of the Alphabet Co. has the following statistics for its 1998 operations:
44. Compute EVA assuming the cost of capital is 10% and the tax rate is 40%.
a. $ 90,000
b. $ 150,000
c. $0
d. $ (60,000)
ANSWER d MEDIUM
a. 25%
b. 20%
c. 15%
d. 10%
ANSWER: c MEDIUM
46. If Alphabet Co. evaluates its managers on the basis of return on investment, the manager
of T Division would invest in a project costing $100,000 only if it increased net segment
income by at least
a. $10,000.
19-12 Chapter 19 Measuring and Rewarding Organizational
Performance
b. $15,000.
c. $20,000.
d. $25,000.
ANSWER: d MEDIUM
47. A Corp. has a target return of 15%. If a prospective investment has an estimated return
on investment of 20%, and a residual income of $10,000, what is the estimated cost of
the investment?
a. $200,000
b. $ 66,667
c. $ 50,000
d. The answer can't be determined from this information.
ANSWER: a MEDIUM
48. The Bullwhip Division of Leather Products Co. is considering an investment in a new
project. The project has an estimated cost of $1,000,000. If Leather Products Co. has a
target rate of return of 12%, how large does the return on investment on this project
need to be to generate $150,000 of residual income?
a. 15%
b. 12%
c. 25%
d. 27%
ANSWER: d MEDIUM
49. In the X Division of S Co., 1998 segment income exceeded 1998 residual income by
$15,000. Also for 1998, return on investment exceeded the target rate of return by 10%.
What was the level of investment in the X Division for 1998?
a. $ 15,000
b. $100,000
c. $150,000
d. An answer can't be determined from this information.
ANSWER: c DIFFICULT
50. BAD Co. has established a target rate of return of 16% for all divisions. In 1998,
Division D generated sales of $10,000,000 and expenses of $7,500,000. Total assets at
the beginning of the year were $5,000,000 and total assets at the end of the year were
$7,000,000. For 1998, what was Division D’s return on investment ?
Chapter 19 Measuring and Rewarding Organizational Performance 19-13
a. 20.83 %
b. 35.71 %
c. 41.67 %
d. 50.00 %
ANSWER: c MEDIUM
51. BAD Co. has established a target rate of return of 16% for all divisions. In 1998,
Division D generated sales of $10,000,000 and expenses of $7,500,000. Total assets at
the beginning of the year were $5,000,000 and total assets at the end of the year were
$7,000,000. For 1998, what was Division D’s residual income?
a. $ 960,000
b. $1,380,000
c. $1.540,000
d. $1,700,000
ANSWER: c MEDIUM
52. Bagel Division of Pita Company reported the following results for 1999:
Sales $8,000,000
Expenses 6,250,000
Total assets (1/1/99) 5,000,000
Total assets (12/31/99) 5,400,000
a. 68%
b. 35%
c. 32%
d. 22%
ANSWER: d MEDIUM
53. Bagel Division of Pita Company reported the following results for 1999:
Sales $8,000,000
Expenses 6,250,000
Total assets (1/1/99) 5,000,000
Total assets (12/31/99) 5,400,000
a. 1.538
b. 2.97
c. 0.650
19-14 Chapter 19 Measuring and Rewarding Organizational
Performance
d. 1.20
ANSWER: a MEDIUM
54. Pasta Division of We Make Italian, is evaluated based on residual income generated.
For 1998, the Division generated a residual income of $2,000,000 and net income of
$5,000,000. The target rate of return for all divisions of We Make Italian is 20%. For
1998, what was the return on investment for Pasta Division?
a. 40%
b. 13%
c. 20%
d. 33%
ANSWER: d MEDIUM
ANSWER: b EASY
a. subject to manipulation.
b. dependent on accounting information.
c. effective in the pursuit of organizational goals.
d. subjective.
ANSWER: d EASY
a. non-financial
b. financial
c. quantitative
d. qualitative
ANSWER: d EASY
Chapter 19 Measuring and Rewarding Organizational Performance 19-15
58. Non-financial performance measures (NFPMs) are better than financial measures in that
NFPMs
ANSWER: d EASY
59. In selecting non-financial performance measures managers should choose measures that
reflect
ANSWER: b EASY
ANSWER: c EASY
61. Which type of financial measure better predicts the direction of future cash flows?
ANSWER: d EASY
62. Which of the following would be classified as a non-financial critical success factor?
19-16 Chapter 19 Measuring and Rewarding Organizational
Performance
ANSWER: c EASY
63. Which of the following is not one of the four areas of performance measurements
mentioned in the text?
a. profitability
b. costs
c. market
d. sales
ANSWER: d EASY
64. Which of the following is necessary for any valid performance measurement?
ANSWER: c EASY
a. throughput.
b. cash flows.
c. asset turnover.
d. profit margin.
ANSWER: a EASY
a. throughput.
b. process yield.
c. return on investment.
Chapter 19 Measuring and Rewarding Organizational Performance 19-17
d. productive capacity.
ANSWER: a EASY
ANSWER: b EASY
a. residual income.
b. net cash flow.
c. return on investment.
d. throughput.
ANSWER: d EASY
ANSWER: c EASY
70. When inventory sits idle in a department, this would not affect the department's
a. processing time.
b. throughput.
c. process quality yield.
d. dollar days.
ANSWER: c EASY
ANSWER: d EASY
19-18 Chapter 19 Measuring and Rewarding Organizational
Performance
72. Holding total production in units constant, as the proportion of defective units to total
units declines, all of the following measures will be affected, except
ANSWER: d EASY
ANSWER: b EASY
74. Which of the following would not be an appropriate cost driver to measure internal
failure?
a. design error
b. product failure
c. machine reliability
d. operator error
ANSWER: b EASY
75. When assessing performance, one way to compensate for differences among divisions of
a multinational organization would be for the parent company to
ANSWER: a MEDIUM
ANSWER: b EASY
77. The following information is made available for June, what is the throughput per hour?
ANSWER: a EASY
78. The following information is made available for June, what is the process quality yield?
a. 50%
b. 75%
c. 80%
d. 125%
ANSWER: c EASY
19-20 Chapter 19 Measuring and Rewarding Organizational
Performance
79. One of the products manufactured by I Can Fly TOO, Company is a plastic disk. The
information below relates to the Disk Production Department:
a. 75%
b. 44%
c. 80%
d. 125%
ANSWER: c EASY
80. One of the products manufactured by I Can Fly TOO, Company is a plastic disk. The
information below relates to the Disk Production Department:
a. 470 units
b. 500 units
c. 625 units
d. 667 units
ANSWER: b MEDIUM
Chapter 19 Measuring and Rewarding Organizational Performance 19-21
81. One of the products manufactured by I Can Fly TOO, Company is a plastic disk. The
information below relates to the Disk Production Department:
a. 588
b. 625
c. 667
d. 833
ANSWER: d MEDIUM
a. financial measures
b. environmental measures
c. business process measures
d. personnel measures
ANSWER: b EASY
ANSWER: c MEDIUM
ANSWER: a EASY
a. yes no no yes
b. no yes yes no
c. no yes no yes
d. yes yes yes yes
ANSWER: d MEDIUM
a. records the variances between budgeted and actual revenues and expenses.
b. can be used at multiple organizational levels by redefining the categories and
measurements.
c. is most concerned with organizational financial solvency and business processes.
d. all of the above.
ANSWER: b MEDIUM
87. On a balanced scorecard, which of the following would be most appropriate to measure
customer service?
ANSWER: c EASY
88. On a balanced scorecard, which of the following would be most appropriate to measure
production process integrity?
ANSWER: d EASY
89. On a balanced scorecard, which of the following would be most appropriate to measure
innovation:
c. On-time delivery
d. Manufacturing cycle efficiency
ANSWER: a EASY
90. On a balanced scorecard, which of the following would be most appropriate to measure
financial performance?
a. Market share
b. Customer retention
c. Percentage of sales from new products
d. Investment in intellectual capital
ANSWER: a EASY
ANSWER: b MEDIUM
92. Which of the following would not normally affect the compensation strategy of a firm?
a. organizational goals
b. location of firm
c. competition
d. number of subsidiaries
ANSWER: d EASY
a. on a periodic basis.
b. based on results achieved.
c. using ESOPs.
d. on a piece rate basis.
ANSWER: b EASY
ANSWER: d EASY
95. Which of the following steps in the performance reward plan model comes before the
others listed?
ANSWER: d EASY
ANSWER: b EASY
ANSWER: d EASY
ANSWER: c EASY
ANSWER: d EASY
100. Which of the following pay plans encourages the improvement of the overall company's
well-being?
a. monthly salary
b. cafeteria plan
c. profit sharing
d. pensions
ANSWER: c EASY
a. profit sharing
b. pensions
c. piece rate
d. merit pay
ANSWER: a EASY
102. Which performance plan best promotes quality of the product or service?
a. piece rate
b. health insurance
c. pensions
d. profit sharing
ANSWER: d EASY
ANSWER: b MEDIUM
104. A pay plan that gives an employee cash or stock equal to the difference between some
specified stock price and the quoted market price at some future time period is
ANSWER: a EASY
a. contingent pay
b. profit sharing
c. cafeteria plans
d. stock appreciation rights
ANSWER: d MEDIUM
ANSWER: c EASY
ANSWER: a EASY
Chapter 19 Measuring and Rewarding Organizational Performance 19-27
ANSWER: d EASY
109. A pay plan that does not encourage the overall company good is
a. profit sharing.
b. an employee stock option plan.
c. contingent pay.
d. monthly salary.
ANSWER: d EASY
ANSWER: b EASY
a. health insurance
b. piece rate
c. hourly wages
d. pensions
ANSWER: d MEDIUM
112. A person who specializes in taking over other firms is called a(n)
a. shirker(s).
b. raider(s).
c. expatriate(s).
19-28 Chapter 19 Measuring and Rewarding Organizational
Performance
ANSWER: b EASY
ANSWER: c MEDIUM
114. The average compensation level for manufacturing employees was shown in the text as
being highest in
a. Japan.
b. Britain.
c. the United States.
d. Germany.
ANSWER: d MEDIUM
ANSWER: a MEDIUM
Chapter 19 Measuring and Rewarding Organizational Performance 19-29
SHORT ANSWER/PROBLEMS
ANSWER:
MEDIUM
2. What items affect comparability of different divisions within the same company on the
basis of EVA, ROI and RI?
ANSWER:
MEDIUM
19-30 Chapter 19 Measuring and Rewarding Organizational
Performance
ANSWER:
Managers are evaluated based on how their actual results compare to specific measures
of performance. These performance measures are intended to be surrogates for the
overall corporate goals as they apply to specific managers. Thus performance measures
are selected by the extent to which they are good proxies for corporate goals (that is
the extent to which they operationally define, and are consistent with, corporate goals)
and are intended to be major focal points for managers.
MEDIUM
4. What are some of the major problems associated with accrual-based accounting
performance measures?
ANSWER:
There are two major problems with accrual-based accounting numbers. The first
problem is that they can be easily manipulated by managers. For example, the timing of
end of period transactions can be accelerated or delayed to affect performance measures.
Secondly, accounting measures cannot capture all corporate goals. Accounting
measures are particularly inappropriate to measure qualitative changes in the workforce,
qualitative changes in products, and achievement of social and non-monetary objectives.
Additionally, accounting measures reflect only a short-term perspective of operations
rather than a long-range goal orientation.
MEDIUM
5. What distinct advantage does a return on investment measure have over a residual
income measure? Explain.
ANSWER:
MEDIUM
ANSWER:
Chapter 19 Measuring and Rewarding Organizational Performance 19-31
Because performance measures are used to reward performance, managers use them as
decision criteria when they evaluate alternative courses of action. For example, if ROI
is the performance criterion, a division manager will only invest in new projects that
will result in an increase in his/her division's ROI. This is sub-optimal if the overall
organization would be better off by the division manager's investment in available
projects with lower ROIs.
MEDIUM
ANSWER:
Residual income is the remainder of net profit once a target cost of capital has been
taken into consideration. Residual income is determined by deducting from net income
a prescribed or imputed interest charge on assets. This method allows an organization
to use different rates of interest for various organizational assets. A main advantage of
using RI is that it overcomes some limitations of ROI (sub-optimization).
MEDIUM
ANSWER:
Net income and investment involved can both be calculated several ways. Multiple
calculations are often presented to show the different factors that effect ROI, changes in
sales, expenses, and capital investments.
MEDIUM
ANSWER:
various levels of activity. The control function is undertaken to assure that actual
operations meet planned operations. Through this function, deviations are determined
and variances can be ascertained. Managers also use flexible budgets in performance
evaluation. Evaluation is more meaningful with valid and accurate data to make the
process of evaluation beneficial to all involved.
MEDIUM
Deep Sea Division is one of the operating units of Global Treasure Hunters Inc.. Some of this
division's 1998 operating results follow:
Sales $3,000,000
Profit margin 10%
Target return 15%
Residual income $ 60,000
10. What was the segment income of Deep Sea Division for 1998?
ANSWER:
EASY
11. What was the return on investment in the Deep Sea Division for 1998?
ANSWER:
MEDIUM
Northern Division of Utah Chemical Co. produced the following operating results in 1998:
Sales $10,000,000
Segment income 1,500,000
Assets 6,000,000
Chapter 19 Measuring and Rewarding Organizational Performance 19-33
12. How much net segment income is the new project expected to produce?
ANSWER:
the portion of the total segment income that is produced by the new project =
$1,540,000 - $1,500,000 = $40,000
MEDIUM
13. If the manager of Northern Division is evaluated on return on investment alone, will she
invest in the new project? Explain.
ANSWER:
The manager would not invest in the new project because the new project would
lower the Division's ROI from the current 25% ($1,500,000/$6,000,000) to 22%. The
new project only generates an ROI of 4% ($40,000/$1,000,000)
MEDIUM
14. The manager of the Dallas Division of Walking Tours of America is preparing the
budget for 1999. At this point, she has determined that average total assets for 1999
will equal $4,000,000. She is evaluated on the amount of residual income generated by
her division. Assume variable costs in Dallas Division are expected to equal 60% of
total sales and fixed costs are expected to equal $400,000 in 1999.
a. Compute the sales level that would generate a 20% return on investment.
b. Assuming the rate of return is 15%, determine the level of sales that would
generate $200,000 of residual income.
19-34 Chapter 19 Measuring and Rewarding Organizational
Performance
ANSWER:
MEDIUM
15. The following information is given for Blue and Red Divisions of Color Company.
Blue Red
Sales $600,000 $300,000
Var. cost of goods sold 200,000 150,000
Fixed manufacturing costs 50,000 40,000
Variable selling 30,000 5,000
Fixed admin. (50% allocated) 20,000 4,000
Fixed selling (20% allocated) 50,000 30,000
Assets at cost 800,000 600,000
Accumulated depreciation 200,000 100,000
Chapter 19 Measuring and Rewarding Organizational Performance 19-35
a. If Color uses income to evaluate division managers, compute net income that
should be used for that purpose given the limited data above.
b. If Color uses ROI to evaluate division managers and uses historical cost as the
investment base, compute the ROI for Blue and Red.
ANSWER:
a. Blue Red
Sales $600,000 $ 300,000
CGS (250,000) ( 190,000)
Gross Margin $350,000 $ 110,000
Variable selling (30,000) (5,000)
Fixed admin (10,000) (2,000)
Fixed selling (40,000) (24,000)
Controllable income $ 270,000 $ 79,000
b. Blue Red
$270,000 ÷ $800,000 $79,000 ÷ $600,000
= 33.75% = 13.17%
MEDIUM
Peanut Plain
Net income $ 60,000 $100,000
Capital investment $400,000 $500,000
a. If M & M charges each division 12% for capital employed, compute residual
income for Peanut and Plain.
b. Compute the ROI for each division.
ANSWER:
a. Peanut Plain
Net income $60,000 $100,000
Interest charge (48,000) (60,000)
19-36 Chapter 19 Measuring and Rewarding Organizational
Performance
17. Creative Business Solutions (CBS), a division of Doug Jorgenson CPA, buys and
installs modular office components. For the most recent year, the division had the
following performance targets:
Actual information concerning the company’s performance for last year follows:
Required:
a. For CBS, compute the segment margin and the average assets for the year.
b. Based on segment margin and average assets, compute the profit margin, asset
turnover and ROI.
c. Evaluate the ROI performance of CBS.
d. Using your answers from part b., compute the residual income of CBS.
e. Compute the EVA of CBS. Why are the EVA and RI levels different?
f. Based on the data given in the problem, discuss why ROI, EVA and RI may be
inappropriate measures of performance for CBS.
17. (cont’d.)
ANSWER:
a. Sales $ 9,000,000
Variable costs (3,650,000)
Direct fixed costs (4,770,000)
Segment margin $ 580,000
c. The target ROI for the division was 2.5 x 6 = 15%. The division generated an
ROI of only 13%. Thus the division did not achieve its target rate of return. The
poor performance resulted from the divisions failure to achieve its targeted asset
turnover.
EVA and RI differ for three reasons. First, RI is based on pre-tax rather than
after-tax income. Second, RI is based on the book value of investment, whereas
EVA is based on the market value of investment. Third, the target rates of return
differ between the methods.
f. ROI, RI and EVA are measures of short-term performance. These measures may
be particularly inappropriate for divisions that have long-term missions (such as
high growth). In this case, the relatively large growth and assets of CBS from
the beginning of the period to the end of the period may indicate this division is
oriented to growth. If so, the ROI, RI and EVA measures will provide an
incentive contrary to the growth mission.
DIFFICULT
18. The IHM Company produces small plastic dolls in its Nevada manufacturing plant. The
company is currently evaluating ways to improve productivity. The accountant of the
firm’s parent organization suggested that management implement a new compensation
plan based on throughput performance measure as an incentive to increase productivity.
To demonstrate how such a measure might work, the accountant gathered the following
data from the firm for June 1998:
ANSWER:
MEDIUM
19. Identify the steps to follow in establishing the performance reward system for a
company.
MEDIUM
MEDIUM
21. Discuss the rethinking taking place regarding the time frame used in American business
performance systems.
ANSWER:
Historically, American time frames for performance has been short term, often only one
year. Presumably management tries to do what is best for the firm and its owners.
Thus, shareholder wealth maximization should be the primary focus of management.
Short term profit maximization doesn't necessarily result in long-run shareholder wealth
maximization.
To encourage this different attitude, employees and management are being asked to take
a longer run perspective. This is enhanced with employee stock ownership in their firm.
MEDIUM
19-40 Chapter 19 Measuring and Rewarding Organizational
Performance
22. Are individual performance plans suitable for the Japanese worker? Why?
ANSWER:
The Japanese worker tends to be more group oriented. These workers view
themselves a team working together for some common goal. Thus, individual
performance plans would not work well in Japan.
MEDIUM
ANSWER:
A golden parachute is a benefit package awarded to managers if their firm is taken over
and they are terminated. This normally follows a hostile takeover of their firm.
Proponents of parachutes say that they allow managers to devote their limited time to
serving the interests of their company's stockholders in an unbiased manner. Others say
parachutes lead to entrenched managers and reward managers who may have
mismanaged their firm which created the conditions that resulted in the hostile takeover.
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24. Deferred compensation techniques are currently used in the American work place.
What are they and how do they benefit the employer and the employee?
ANSWER:
Deferred compensation is pay that was earned on current performance but is paid later
to the employee. The compensation may include profit sharing plans, pensions, and
stock-based plans like ESOPs. The payment by the employer can be deducted currently
for tax purposes but the employee doesn't recognize it as income until it is received. In
stock option plans, earnings in the plan are not taxable to the employee until the plan is
distributed. Size of the plans are affected by the firm's stock value and encourage
employees to take a more positive attitude about the company's future.
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Chapter 19 Measuring and Rewarding Organizational Performance 19-41
25. Comment on differences regarding employee performance that exists between for-profit
and not-for-profit organizations.
ANSWER:
In a for profit entity, stockholders and their representatives, the board of directors,
maintain oversight of the company and its officers. These individuals are
directly concerned about the effectiveness and efficiency of operations because
they are the residual claimants who are paid (in the form of dividends and stock
value increases) only after all other involved parties receive their compensation.
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26. Explain why the average worker in a plant or office may feel dissatisfied with the salary
structure in American operations today.
ANSWER:
Exhibit 22-8 in the text indicates that CEOs in the U.S. average compensation far
exceed comparable CEOs in other industrial countries. No other country's CEOs
approach U.S. CEO compensation. Even U.S. managers are relatively low ranked
compared to other countries. Employees' compensation in U.S. manufacturing plants
are one of the lowest in the industrialized world. Thus, American workers feel they are
being short-changed or the CEOs are being overpaid.
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