Canadian Health Information Management Association Practice Exam

A Theory X manager assumes an employee would:

1. Exercise self-direction.

2. Like work.

3. Need to be controlled.

4. Seek responsibility.

The correct answer is: Need to be controlled.

A Theory X manager operates under the assumption that employees are inherently lazy and do not take initiative. This perspective suggests that employees prefer to avoid work if they can and that they are motivated primarily by extrinsic rewards, such as money, rather than by intrinsic factors. Consequently, a Theory X manager believes that employees will need to be closely supervised and controlled to ensure they complete their tasks effectively. This view arises from a more pessimistic outlook on human nature regarding work ethics and motivation, which depicts employees as individuals who require external direction and coercion to perform their functions in the workplace. Therefore, the assumption that an employee would need to be controlled aligns directly with the principles of Theory X management. In contrast, the other options encompass beliefs about employee motivation that would be characteristic of a Theory Y manager, who assumes that employees can be self-directed, enjoy their work, and will seek out responsibility when they are given the opportunity to do so.