Deck 3: Needs Assessment

Question 1

Employees' readiness for training includes identifying whether ________.

A) the work environment will facilitate learning and not interfere with performance
B) an organization should develop training programs by itself or buy them from a vendor
C) coworkers are supportive of employees
D) managers are using a similar frame of reference when they evaluate associates using the same competencies

Answer 1

A

Question 2

According to the text, collecting data on social support for training from managers and peers is a component of which level of analysis?

A) organizational analysis
B) personal analysis
C) task analysis
D) a and b

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Marriott requires that trainees have adequate child care, transportation, and housing arrangements for its welfare-to-work program. These standards resulted from which type of analysis, as discussed in the text?

A) person analysis
B) task analysis
C) support analysis
D) discrepancy analysis

Answer 3

A

Question 4

A needs assessment conducted at McDonald's was presented in the text. Which of the following is NOT true of its needs assessment process?

A) The organization's business strategy was reevaluated to ensure that training was in alignment with its strategy.
B) Employees' education level, gender, language, age, and generation were examined.
C) Responsibilities, tasks, and leadership skills for each job were analyzed.
D) Data about the frequency of use of training online content and its accessibility were assessed.

Question 5

________ are more concerned with how training may affect the attainment of financial goals for the particular units they supervise.

A) Operational workers
B) Instructional designers
C) Mid-level managers
D) Upper-level managers

Question 6

________ relates to intellectual capability and general intelligence.

A) Basic skills
B) Cognitive ability
C) Self-efficacy
D) Reading ability

Question 7

In the needs assessment process, organizational analysis involves identifying ________.

A) the training resources that are available
B) employees' personal characteristics
C) the conditions under which tasks are performed
D) the employees who require training

Question 8

Trainee self-efficacy can be increased by ________.

A) letting them know that the purpose of training is to identify areas in which employees are incompetent
B) providing limited information about the training program prior to the actual training
C) convincing them training is important
D) showing the successes of peers in similar jobs

Question 9

Which of the following is not a component of organizational analysis?

A) the company's strategic direction
B) support of managers, peers, and employees for training
C) training resources
D) none of the above-each is a key component

Question 10

Which of the following methods is inexpensive and allows for the collection of data from a large number of individuals?

A) survey
B) observation
C) focus group
D) interview

Question 11

________ refers to asking a large group of employees to provide information for needs assessment.

A) Crowdsourcing
B) Historical data review
C) Focus group
D) Benchmarking

Question 12

________ analysis involves determining the appropriateness of training, given the company's business strategy, its resources available for training, and support by managers and peers.

A) Organizational
B) Task
C) Gap
D) Support

Question 13

A ________ analysis refers to the process of determining whether training is the best or most likely solution for a performance problem or gap.

A) root cause
B) gap
C) performance
D) discrepancy

Question 14

The goal of ________ analysis is determining what is responsible for the difference between employees' current and expected levels of performance.

A) person
B) performance
C) discrepancy
D) gap

Question 15

________ involves determining whether performance deficiencies result from lack of knowledge or skill.

A) Organizational analysis
B) Person analysis
C) Skill analysis
D) Task analysis

Question 16

________ refers to the process of a company using information about other companies' training practices.

A) Brainstorming
B) Crowdsourcing
C) Outsourcing
D) Benchmarking

Question 17

________ are useful for exploring complex or controversial issues.

A) Surveys
B) Observations
C) Focus groups
D) Historical data reviews

Question 18

In person analysis, ________ relate(s) to resources employees need to help them learn.

A) outputs
B) inputs
C) consequences
D) feedback

Question 19

A primary disadvantage of using ________ in the needs assessment process is that the data obtained may lack detail.

A) crowdsourcing
B) interviewing
C) surveys
D) observation

Question 20

Which of the following statements is true of needs assessment?

A) The process should not provide information regarding outcomes to evaluate training.
B) Upper- and mid-level managers should be excluded.
C) The process can determine if training is the appropriate solution.
D) The process needs to be lengthy and comprehensive.

Question 21

Upper-level managers are not usually involved in identifying which employees need training.

Question 22

In the process of developing a competency model, the job or position to be analyzed is identified after ________.

A) the needs assessment strategy is selected
B) the effective and ineffective job performers are identified
C) the business strategy and goals are identified
D) the competencies responsible for effective and ineffective performance are identified

Question 23

Which of the following issues is addressed by task analysis?

A) Who needs training?
B) What is the focus of training?
C) Does training support the company's strategic direction?
D) Should training be built or bought?

Question 24

Which of the following refers to the type of rewards that employees receive for performing well?

A) consequences
B) feedback
C) motivators
D) outcomes

Question 25

In which of the following instances is training most likely needed?

A) Employees have the knowledge and skill to perform a job, but they have inadequate input.
B) Employees have the knowledge and skill to perform a job, but they lack feedback.
C) Employees lack the knowledge and skill to perform a job, but the other factors are satisfactory.
D) Employees have the knowledge and skill to perform a job, but the consequences are inadequate.

Question 26

The first step in task analysis is to ________.

A) develop a preliminary list of tasks performed on the job
B) select the job or jobs to be analyzed
C) identify the KSAOs important for successful task performance
D) identify important and frequently performed tasks for which training is required

Question 27

Which of the following statements is true of competency models?

A) They are useful for a variety of HRM practices, not just training and development.
B) They provide a tool for determining what skills are necessary to meet current and future needs.
C) They provide common criteria for identifying appropriate training activities for employees.
D) All of the above

Question 28

Pressure points almost always suggest that a training need is present in the organization.

Question 29

Subject-matter experts (SMEs) should have an understanding of the company's language, tools, and products.

Question 30

Which of the following statements is most true about age and generation in the context of training?

A) The speed with which people process information increases with age.
B) Gen Xers dislike close supervision.
C) Motivation tends to decrease with age.
D) Traditionalists prefer more of a self-directed training environment.

Question 31

Mid-level managers typically determine how much of their budgets will be devoted to training during the needs assessment process.

Question 32

Which of the following statements is true of rapid needs assessment?

A) It involves using a large amount of resources, such as money and SMEs.
B) It ultimately results in the sacrifice of the quality of the process.
C) Its scope is independent of the size of the potential pressure point.
D) It opts for methods that provide results in which trainers have the greatest confidence.

Question 33

Surveys and interviews share common disadvantages as needs assessment methods.

Question 34

The primary role of upper-level managers in the needs assessment process is to ensure that learning efforts are well designed.

Question 35

Which of the following is considered an "input" in the context of person analysis?

A) awareness of performance standards
B) social support
C) cognitive ability
D) conscientiousness

Question 36

A disadvantage of historical data reviews in conducting a needs assessment is data potentially being incomplete, inaccurate, or not fully reflective of performance.

Question 37

Job incumbents should be included as SMEs because they tend to be the most knowledgeable about the job.

Question 38

A primary advantage of crowdsourcing for conducting a needs assessment is the speed to coordinate this data-collection effort.

Question 39

Surveys do not allow many employees to participate in the needs assessment process.

Question 40

Which one of the following is true of task analysis?

A) It should be undertaken before organizational analysis.
B) It involves breaking a task into several jobs.
C) It should be undertaken before a person analysis.
D) It involves determining KSAOs needed to perform specific tasks.

Question 41

It is always important to conduct a thorough needs assessment at the organization, personal, and task levels of analysis.

Question 42

Why should upper level managers be included in the needs assessment process?

Question 43

The importance of cognitive ability for job success increases with job complexity.

Question 44

Competency models are typically only used for training purposes.

Question 45

It is important to assess trainees' level of cognitive ability during the needs assessment process because cognitive ability is the person characteristic that most strongly impacts trainees' confidence to learn.

Question 46

Name and describe the three levels of analyses for conducting a needs assessment.

Question 47

Age does not affect how they prefer to learn.

Question 48

Describe what problems might arise if a proper needs assessment is not conducted.

Question 49

Online technology is useful in the needs assessment process because it is most effective in generating detailed content.

Question 50

A task analysis should be undertaken prior to an organizational analysis.

Question 51

To motivate employees to learn in training programs, managers should always avoid informing the employees of their skill deficiencies.

Question 52

One of the best means to enhance trainees' self-efficacy beliefs is to explain the importance of learning new knowledge and skills for enhanced organizational performance.

Question 53

To motivate employees to learn in training programs, they should be given a choice of what training programs to attend.

Question 54

Name and describe the uses of competency models.

Question 55

One of the most powerful ways to motivate employees to attend and learn from training is to communicate the personal value of the training.

Question 56

Describe the advantages and disadvantages of observation, interviews, and the use of historical data as methods for conducting a needs assessment.

Question 57

Determining a job's cognitive ability requirement is part of the task analysis process.

Question 58

It is generally advisable to design training materials at a reading level that is slightly above trainees' ability in order to "stretch" them during training.

Question 59

One of the better ways to assess self-efficacy prior to training is through a cognitive ability assessment.

Question 60

Task analysis should be undertaken only after the organizational analysis has determined that the company wants to devote time and money for training.