Deck 17: Human Resource Policies and Practices

Question 1

Scarlett has received authorization to add an assistant manager to her department. This person will be working closely with Scarlett and must have excellent interpersonal as well as technical skills. Scarlett wants to make certain that she maximizes the chance of choosing the correct individual and is trying to decide on the most appropriate selection device.
Scarlett is considering administering written integrity tests to management candidates that pass the initial screening. These tests will most likely help Scarlett to predict a candidate's ________.

A) propensity to react calmly under stress
B) spatial and mechanical abilities
C) likelihood of posing discipline problems
D) degree of positive self-concept
E) degree of attention to detail

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Stefan is looking for a job. Today he went to the Web site of Qriosity Inc., where he filled out an online application and attached a copy of his resume. In which part of the selection process is Stefan?

A) job offer
B) initial selection
C) physical selection
D) contingent selection
E) substantive selection

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Which of the following have/has proven to be a particularly good predictor for jobs that include cognitively complex tasks?

A) intelligence tests
B) work sampling
C) integrity evaluations
D) drug tests
E) behavioral assessment

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Between the late 1960s and the mid-1980s, the use of written tests declined because they were characterized as ________.

A) invalid
B) unreliable
C) mathematically flawed
D) discriminatory
E) unprofessional

Question 5

The behavioral structured interview is built on the assumption that ________.

A) personality is the best predictor of job performance
B) technical knowledge and job performance are highly correlated
C) technical knowledge and skills are the best predictor of job performance
D) past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior
E) personality and mood are highly correlated

Question 6

Which of the following is most likely to be an initial selection device?

A) work-sample test
B) background check
C) written test
D) technical interview
E) drug test

Question 7

Which of the following is a form of background check?

A) letters of recommendation
B) work-sample test
C) offer letter
D) application form
E) aptitude test

Question 8

Written tests are used during the ________ stage of the selection process.

A) associative
B) analytic
C) initial
D) cognitive
E) substantive

Question 9

Assessment centers are typically used to evaluate a candidate's ________ potential.

A) linguistic
B) managerial
C) cognitive
D) technical
E) analytical

Question 10

Which of the following is most likely to be used for preliminary "rough cuts" to decide whether an applicant meets the basic qualifications for a job?

A) HR interview
B) drug test
C) written test
D) technical interview
E) application form

Question 11

Applicants describe how they handled specific problems and situations in previous jobs in a(n) ________ interview.

A) behavioral structured
B) audition-type
C) reflection
D) performance-simulation
E) problem-solving

Question 12

A work-sample test is most likely to be used for hiring a ________.

A) carpenter
B) senior manager
C) lawyer
D) doctor
E) software programmer

Question 13

Scarlett has received authorization to add an assistant manager to her department. This person will be working closely with Scarlett and must have excellent interpersonal as well as technical skills. Scarlett wants to make certain that she maximizes the chance of choosing the correct individual and is trying to decide on the most appropriate selection device.
Which of the following is most likely to be used by Scarlett during the initial selection stage to check if an applicant meets the basic qualifications for a job?

A) work-sample test
B) application form
C) integrity test
D) assessment center
E) drug test

Question 14

In order to assess the management skills of the applicants, Scarlet should ________.

A) conduct a behavioral assessment test
B) conduct a medical test
C) conduct a drug test
D) verify the applicants' job histories
E) use an assessment center

Question 15

Elaborate sets of performance-simulation tests, specifically designed to evaluate a candidate's managerial potential, are ________.

A) considered drawbacks of some management development programs
B) likely to skew the results of behavioral samples
C) administered in assessment centers
D) less effective than work sampling
E) similar to personality tests

Question 16

Which of the following tends to have a disproportionate amount of influence on employee selection decisions?

A) interview
B) written test
C) personality test
D) performance-simulation test
E) work sampling method

Question 17

Precipice Corp. is opening a new branch in Houston and the HR team is debating the various methods of generating job candidates. The HR team feels that using employee referrals may generate unqualified or substandard candidates because employees will be biased in favor of their recommendations. Which of the following facts, if true, weakens the HR team's belief?

A) Employees hired through recruitment agencies, have been known to be more productive in the past than candidates referred by employees.
B) Precipice Corp. has 12 branches in the state of Texas with a constantly increasing market share.
C) Their personal relationship with the recommended candidate allows employees to convince the individual about the benefits of working for the company.
D) The majority of the company employees have only a basic level of education.
E) Employees tend to recommend individuals who they believe will do well because referrals put employees' own reputations on the line.

Question 18

Which of the following statements is most likely to be true regarding behavioral structured interviews?

A) They are most useful when interviewing knowledge workers.
B) They are conducted in a similar manner as audition-type interviews.
C) They are useful only for interviewing non-skilled workers.
D) They increase the effectiveness of the interview technique.
E) They increase an interviewer's reliance on his or her "gut feelings."

Question 19

Performance-simulation tests have higher ________, which measures whether applicants perceive the measures to be accurate.

A) nominal validity
B) face cognitivity
C) nominal reasonability
D) face legitimacy
E) face validity

Question 20

During a selection process, the ________ selection stage immediately follows the initial selection stage.

A) associative
B) cognitive
C) analytic
D) substantive
E) behavioral

Question 21

You have just been appointed as director of your company's corporate training division. The CEO of your company has been displeased with your company's prior training programs, so you are tasked with rehauling the entire training division. You convene a meeting of all training division managers to decide on the types of training that the division will implement. One of your managers is a firm supporter of e-training programs for employees in your company's international offices. He touts the benefits of e-programs by stressing that ________.

A) e-training is highly flexible and employees can complete the training at their convenience
B) many employees find solitary learning to be highly motivating
C) online learners are less susceptible to distractions
D) e-programs are inexpensive to design and implement
E) e-training approaches have been proven to result in higher levels of knowledge assimilation

Question 22

Which of the following is an off-the-job training method?

A) apprenticeship
B) job rotation
C) Internet courses
D) formal mentoring programs
E) job enlargement

Question 23

Lewis is a sales representative for his company. He is attending a company training program about the types of expenses that are considered legal deductions for tax purposes, and how to distinguish between personal expenses and business expenses. Lewis is attending training to improve his ________ skills.

A) ethical
B) literacy
C) technical
D) problem-solving
E) interpersonal

Question 24

Drug testing is controversial. Which of the following is an argument used against drug testing?

A) The results of drug tests can be faked easily.
B) Drug tests are injurious to a person's health.
C) Drug use is a private matter.
D) Drug tests are generally inaccurate.
E) Drug tests are costly.

Question 25

You are involved in training and development for your division at Dunder Mifflin Inc. You want to target some specific organizational problems through training.
Your organization is situated in an urban area where many students do not finish high school. You will probably first have to address the skill category termed ________ skills.

A) managerial
B) technical
C) basic literacy
D) problem-solving
E) interpersonal

Question 26

Researchers now recognize three major types of behavior that constitute performance at work. Which of the following are these three major types of behavior?

A) citizenship, counterproductivity, personality
B) productivity, efficiency, absenteeism
C) task performance, productivity, tenure
D) leadership, knowledge, efficiency
E) task performance, citizenship, counterproductivity

Question 27

By training employees on how to be better listeners, organizations attempt to improve their ________ skills.

A) cultural
B) interpersonal
C) technical
D) problem-solving
E) ethical

Question 28

Due to the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, job applicants ________.

A) cannot be subjected to behavioral assessment tests before a contingent offer
B) can be subjected to a drug test only if they are being considered for senior-level management positions
C) may be required to undergo a medical examination after they receive a contingent offer
D) are never required to submit to a physical exam for a job
E) cannot be subjected to a work-sample test after a contingent job offer

Question 29

Which of the following is most likely to be the fastest growing training medium?

A) e-training
B) job rotation
C) formal mentoring program
D) apprenticeships
E) live classroom lectures

Question 30

________ refers to actions that contribute to the psychological environment of the organization, such as helping others when not required.

A) Groupthink
B) Citizenship
C) Satisficing
D) Counterproductivity
E) Social loafing

Question 31

You are introducing self-managed teams and implementing quality-management programs. It would be important to conduct training in ________ skills.

A) interdependence
B) interpersonal
C) basic literacy
D) technical
E) problem-solving

Question 32

Which of the following is a common contingent selection method?

A) interest inventory
B) work-sample test
C) drug test
D) interview
E) IQ test

Question 33

Which of the following statements is true concerning international selection practices?

A) Individuals are typically much more effective at selecting candidates than groups.
B) Structured interviews are popular in all countries.
C) Beliefs about how one should conduct an interpersonal interview are consistent across countries.
D) Employee selection policies and practices do not require modification from one country to another.
E) The use of educational qualifications in screening candidates seems to be a universal practice.

Question 34

Dunder Mifflin Inc. is considering implementing employee ethics training programs. Some members of senior management are opposed to these programs. Their opposition is most likely based on which of the following beliefs?

A) Individual value systems are fixed at an early age.
B) Integrity cannot be taught by example.
C) Ethics training is very expensive.
D) Ethics training does not help employees to recognize ethical dilemmas.
E) Ethics change from country to country.

Question 35

Sirius Corp, an automobile manufacturer from Texas, has a number of vacancies at lower management levels and wants to fill the positions from within the company itself rather than recruit externally. The company plans to e-mail the job specifications to all employees and post the jobs on the company Web site.
Which of the following, if true, will strengthen the company's decision?

A) A majority of the company's employees are reaching the age of retirement.
B) A top recruitment agency recently sent the company details of prospective college candidates.
C) The company recently instituted a technical skills improvement program for shop floor employees.
D) Several top performing entry level employees have received offers from rival companies.
E) The majority of the company employees have only a basic level of education.

Question 36

________ training involves employees helping each other out at the workplace in an unplanned and unstructured environment.

A) Informal
B) Formal
C) Interpersonal
D) Ethics
E) Classroom

Question 37

You are involved in training and development for your division at Dunder Mifflin Inc. You want to target some specific organizational problems through training.
Your organization has reduced layers, flattening the organization. Your employees now need to perform a wider variety of tasks. As a result, you need to provide employees with training to help develop their ________ skills.

A) problem solving
B) communication
C) interpersonal
D) basic literacy
E) technical

Question 38

Most training is directed at upgrading and improving an employee's ________ skills.

A) problem-solving
B) technical
C) financial
D) interpersonal
E) social

Question 39

Treating co-workers with respect, making constructive suggestions, and saying positive things about the workplace are a part of the ________ behavior that constitutes performance at work.

A) citizenship
B) deviant workplace
C) satisficing
D) counterproductivity
E) social loafing

Question 40

Which of the following is an on-the-job training method?

A) public seminars
B) podcasts
C) live classroom lectures
D) apprenticeships
E) self-study programs

Question 41

________ ranking requires the evaluator to place employees into a particular classification, such as top one-fifth or second one-fifth.

A) Group order
B) Individual
C) Percentile
D) Fractional
E) Paired

Question 42

The approach to evaluation that uses feedback from those who have daily contact with an employee (everyone from mailroom personnel to customers to bosses to peers) is termed ________.

A) critical incidents
B) multiperson comparisons
C) 360-degree evaluation
D) assessment center
E) downward evaluation

Question 43

Marcel hates the annual review process he has to do for the employees in his department. Although he is fully aware of some of his employees' faults, he is reluctant to discuss them in person, and is only comfortable writing them in an unsigned report that his supervisor will review. Marcel's behavior demonstrates ________.

A) fear of confrontation
B) managerial sincerity
C) provision of due process
D) inflated assessment of employee performance
E) organizational citizenship behavior

Question 44

Companies in which of the following countries would emphasize formal performance evaluation systems more than informal systems?

A) Argentina
B) India
C) China
D) Chile
E) United States

Question 45

The concept of ________ can be applied to appraisals to increase the perception that employees are treated fairly.

A) selective retention
B) multiple raters
C) counterproductivity
D) selective evaluation
E) due process

Question 46

If a manager uses critical incidents as a method of performance evaluation, then ________.

A) the evaluator's writing skills become the determining factor of the evaluation
B) the cost of the evaluation is likely to be incredibly high for the organization
C) the employees generally receive poor ratings
D) the focus of the evaluation will center on key behaviors
E) the employees are more likely to become motivated to achieve their goals

Question 47

When an appraiser rates employees based on items on a continuum with the points reflecting actual behaviors on a given job, this type of evaluation is called ________.

A) BARS
B) assessment center evaluation
C) critical incident
D) group order ranking
E) graphic rating scale

Question 48

Which of the following is the least predictive set of criteria used to evaluate employees?

A) personality
B) behaviors
C) task outcomes
D) technical skills
E) traits

Question 49

Sirius Corp, an automobile manufacturer from Texas, has a number of vacancies at lower management levels and wants to fill the positions from within the company itself rather than recruit externally. The company plans to e-mail the job specifications to all employees and post the jobs on the company Web site.
Which of the following, if true, will weaken the company's decision?

A) Sirius Corp. just opened a new manufacturing facility in New Mexico.
B) Several top performing entry level employees have received offers from rival companies.
C) The company recently instituted a technical skills improvement program for shop floor employees.
D) The majority of the company's employees have only a basic level of education.
E) The existing shop floor employees have high potential and personal ambition to rise in their careers.

Question 50

Sirius Corp, an automobile manufacturer from Texas, has a number of vacancies at lower management levels and wants to fill the positions from within the company itself rather than recruit externally. The company plans to e-mail the job specifications to all employees and post the jobs on the company Web site.
Which of the following terms refers to the actions that actively damage the organization, including stealing, behaving aggressively toward co-workers, or being late or absent?

A) task orientation
B) citizenship
C) counterproductivity
D) groupthink
E) satisficing

Question 51

Which of the following evaluation methods focuses the evaluator's attention on those behaviors that are key to executing a job effectively?

A) written essay
B) graphic rating scale
C) critical incident
D) forced comparison
E) behaviorally anchored rating scale

Question 52

Which approach to performance evaluation rank-orders employees from best to worst?

A) paired comparison
B) straight ranking
C) group order ranking
D) associative ranking
E) individual ranking

Question 53

Which of the following performance evaluation methods is often used in recommending students to graduate schools?

A) critical incident analysis
B) BARS
C) written essays
D) graphic rating scales
E) group order ranking

Question 54

Which performance evaluation method requires no complex forms or extensive training to complete?

A) assessment center rating
B) written essays
C) critical incidents
D) graphic rating scales
E) behaviorally anchored rating scales

Question 55

Performance evaluations are used to ________.

A) decrease conformity within organizations
B) improve group cohesiveness
C) help management make HR decisions
D) identify how jobs are completed
E) define departmental structure

Question 56

Jeeves Consulting requires a performance evaluation method that is less time consuming to develop and administer and allows for quantitative analysis and comparison. An appropriate evaluation technique for Jeeves Consulting would be ________.

A) written essays
B) 360-degree evaluations
C) graphic rating scales
D) trait evaluations
E) forced comparisons

Question 57

Which of the following methods of performance evaluation allows for quantitative analysis and comparison?

A) critical incident
B) assessment center evaluation
C) graphic rating scale
D) group order ranking
E) written essay

Question 58

Formal performance appraisals are used more frequently in countries that ________.

A) are low in assertiveness
B) value status quo and rigidity
C) are low in uncertainty avoidance
D) have long-term orientation
E) are low in in-group collectivism

Question 59

________ involves evaluating one's performance against the performance of one or more others.

A) The critical incident method
B) An assessment center evaluation
C) Forced comparison
D) BARS
E) Likert analysis

Question 60

Which of the following is a forced comparison method of performance evaluation?

A) graphic rating scales
B) critical incident method
C) written essays
D) trait evaluations
E) group order ranking

Question 61

Which of the following is one of the techniques used by organizations to make their workplace more family-friendly?

A) job rotation
B) mentoring programme
C) classroom training
D) job enlargement
E) telecommuting

Question 62

In assessment centers, candidates are evaluated as they go through several days of exercises that simulate real problems they would confront on the job.

Question 63

Most formal training involves employees simply helping each other out.

Question 64

Substantive selection methods are the heart of the selection process and include written tests, performance tests, and interviews.

Question 65

The government passes a new law requiring all companies to offer employees unpaid time off to care for their children. This would harm the economic competitiveness of the nation's businesses as companies must be free to set their own employment policies without mandated parental-leave regulations. Which of the following, if true, would weaken the argument?

A) Some of the countries with the most economically competitive businesses have strong parental-leave regulations.
B) In most polls, a majority of citizens say they favor passage of a parental-leave law.
C) A parental-leave law will serve to strengthen the family as a social institution in this country.
D) The proposed parental-leave law does not apply to small-scale industries.
E) Most businesses in the country already offer employees some form of parental leave.

Question 66

Biozone provides its employees career counseling, skills workshops, and networking sessions. This work-life initiative used by Biozone falls under the category of ________.

A) money-based strategies
B) direct services
C) culture-change strategies
D) information based strategies
E) time based strategies

Question 67

A formal mentoring program is an example of an off-the-job training method.

Question 68

Performance-simulation tests have lower face validity (which measures whether applicants perceive the measures to be accurate) than written tests.

Question 69

The most popular off-the-job training method is live classroom lectures.

Question 70

Which of the following work-life initiatives is an example of a culture-change strategy?

A) providing counselling services
B) tying manager pay to employee satisfaction
C) allowing job sharing
D) providing fitness center
E) offering flexible benefits

Question 71

Performance evaluations identify training and development needs.

Question 72

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, firms cannot require employees to pass a medical exam before or after a job offer is made.

Question 73

The goal of initial selection is to determine the most qualified applicants from among those who meet basic qualifications.

Question 74

Letters of recommendation are a form of background check.

Question 75

Technical training has become increasingly important because of changes in organizational design.

Question 76

Which of the following work-life initiatives is a direct service?

A) elder care resources
B) adoption assistance
C) onsite child care
D) direct financial assistance
E) job sharing

Question 77

Work-life conflicts became noticeable in the 1980s when ________.

A) women, with dependent children, started entering the workforce
B) the rate of inflation started increasing
C) baby boomers' parents began to age
D) work loads became historically heavier
E) men started giving more importance to family time

Question 78

At Chauvin Corp., only one among the twenty-five senior executives in the firm is a woman and only four among the fifty junior executives are women. Hence, the company was recently charged on grounds of sexual discrimination in the workplace by the Equality and Human Rights Commission. Which of the following, if true, could help Chauvin Corp. defend itself against the charges?

A) All job applicants who were rejected had fewer qualifications than those accepted.
B) Male and female executives at the same level have the same qualifications.
C) The company pays equal salaries to both its male and female employees in the same position.
D) Ten times more men than women applied for jobs with the company.
E) The work pressures and long hours make jobs with the company unattractive to married women.

Question 79

Ozu Tech offers employees 4 unpaid weeks sabbatical, or 3 to 6 partially paid weeks off for family-related reasons. This work-life initiative offered by Ozu Tech is a type of ________.

A) time based strategy
B) culture-change strategy
C) money-based strategy
D) direct service
E) information based strategy

Question 80

A test that measures factors such as dependability, carefulness, responsibility, and honesty is referred to as a task variability test.