Deck 14: Managing Human Resources

Question 1

According to the textbook, all the statements below are correct about HRM practices EXCEPT which one?

A)Many organisations do not have formal HRM departments.
B)The HR departments are moving away from their traditional responsibilities of simple personnel administration in many organisations.
C)The human resource management function is not part of the strategic activities of an organisation.
D)Many organisations have begun to recognise the role that employees play in organisational success.
E)All managers are involved with human resource decisions in their area.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Scenario-based questions: A Legal Question
Asha had a lot on her mind.As a Maori woman working in a New Zealand Government institution, she felt she had to work doubly hard to gain workplace rewards.But recently, even her hard work was not making the difference.Last week, she learned that James, a manager who had very similar qualifications, experience, tenure and responsibilities, was getting paid more than she was.Furthermore, at age 38, she was hearing rumours that Mary, her boss, was considering bringing in a younger group of managers because 'this older group is just costing us too much.' To top it off, there was pressure from home.Her father was critically ill and, as the only child, she wanted to take some time off to help care for him.She was willing to take it as unpaid leave, but was getting resistance from her manager.Asha thought this was unfair given the fact that the organisation had over 200 managers who could cover for her in this crisis.Asha decided to talk with her solicitor about these issues.
Refer to A Legal Question (Scenario).Asha's solicitor suggested that she consider looking into a violation of a law that 'prohibits discrimination in recruitment, promotion and dismissal decisions based on grounds of religious or ethnic beliefs, age, race, gender, sexual orientation, disability or marital status.' This is known as the ________.

A)Employee Relations Act 2000
B)Workplace Relations Act 1996
C)Human Rights Act 1993
D)Sex Discrimination Act 1975
E)State Sector Act 1988

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Currently, what per cent of the Australian workforce is unionised?

A)28
B)33
C)13.9
D)18
E)10

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Which of the following is NOT an example of a high-performance work practice listed in your textbook?

A)flexible job assignments
B)open communication
C)performance-based compensation
D)re-engineering
E)extensive employee involvement

Question 5

________ programs enhance the organisational status of members of protected groups.

A)Equal employment
B)BFOQ
C)OSHA
D)Sexual harassment
E)Affirmative action

Question 6

Which of the following laws requires that people with HIV are not discriminated against in Australia?

A)Disability Discrimination Act 1992
B)Human Rights & Equal Opportunity Commission Act 1987
C)Employment Relations Act 2000
D)Worker Relations Act 1996
E)Racial Discrimination Act 1975

Question 7

Labour unions use ________ to protect the rights of their members.

A)collective bargaining
B)matrix
C)functional operations
D)new product development
E)process

Question 8

In Australia, the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 ________.

A)also prohibits discrimination based on physical or mental impairment
B)is tied to the concept of comparable worth
C)would promote that an organisation's secretaries should be paid as much as its truck drivers because they are of equal worth to the organisation
D)protects women and minorities against unfair pay differences
E)deals also with sexual harassment, marital status and pregnancy

Question 9

High-performance work practices lead to both high individual and high organisational performance.

Question 10

According to the textbook, one study reported that significantly improving an organisation's HRM practices could increase its market value by as much as 70 per cent.

Question 11

Improved change management was one of the examples of high performance work practices mentioned in the textbook.

Question 12

________ lead(s)to both high individual and high organisational performance.

A)Work specialisation
B)Departmentalisation
C)Centralisation of operations
D)High-performance work practices
E)Lower span of control

Question 13

The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Australia)and the Human Rights Act 1993 (New Zealand)prohibit pay differences based on sex for equal work.

Question 14

A labour union is an organisation that represents workers and seeks to protect their interests through collective bargaining.

Question 15

In Australia, only approximately 20 per cent of workers are unionised.

Question 16

In New Zealand, the ________ returned some of the collectivist principles of bargaining in industrial relations.

A)Employment Relations Act 2000
B)Industrial Training Act 1992
C)State Sector Act 1988
D)Human Rights Act 1993
E)both A and C

Question 17

The Employment Relations Act 2000 (New Zealand)ensures industry-based training for all workers.

Question 18

A ________ is an organisation that represents workers and seeks to protect their interests through collective bargaining.

A)matrix group
B)labour union
C)transnational group
D)self-directed team
E)autonomous work group

Question 19

High-performance work practices include such activities as ________.

A)closed communication
B)centralised decision making
C)firm job assignments
D)self-managed teams
E)matrix organisations

Question 20

The Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Australia)is principally about equal pay for equal work.

Question 21

The selection process is the process of screening job applicants to ensure that the most appropriate candidates are hired.

Question 22

Decruitment can be done through downsizing.

Question 23

Recruitment is the process of locating, identifying and attracting capable applicants.

Question 24

Reference checks generally provide useful information for most jobs.

Question 25

Assessment centres are considered appropriate for evaluating managerial potential.

Question 26

One disadvantage to employee referrals as a source of job candidates is that candidates tend to be minimally skilled.

Question 27

One advantage of an internal search for job candidates is that it boosts employee morale.

Question 28

Physical examinations, as a selection device, are used primarily for insurance purposes.

Question 29

Dismissal and early retirements are two decruitment options.

Question 30

An assessment that defines jobs and the behaviours necessary to perform them is a(n)________.

A)job analysis
B)employee handbook
C)job specification
D)job notice
E)job description

Question 31

In a short essay, describe high-performance work practices.Next, list seven examples of high-performance work practices.

Question 32

A good interviewer will minimise any prior knowledge about the applicants' background, experience, interests, test scores or other characteristics.

Question 33

Work sampling involves asking applicants to perform a task or set of tasks that are central to the job they are applying for.

Question 34

Scenario-based questions: A Legal Question
Asha had a lot on her mind.As a Maori woman working in a New Zealand Government institution, she felt she had to work doubly hard to gain workplace rewards.But recently, even her hard work was not making the difference.Last week, she learned that James, a manager who had very similar qualifications, experience, tenure and responsibilities, was getting paid more than she was.Furthermore, at age 38, she was hearing rumours that Mary, her boss, was considering bringing in a younger group of managers because 'this older group is just costing us too much.' To top it off, there was pressure from home.Her father was critically ill and, as the only child, she wanted to take some time off to help care for him.She was willing to take it as unpaid leave, but was getting resistance from her manager.Asha thought this was unfair given the fact that the organisation had over 200 managers who could cover for her in this crisis.Asha decided to talk with her solicitor about these issues.
Refer to A Legal Question (Scenario).Asha mentioned to her solicitor that she had read about a law that prohibits discrimination against employees based on age.Her solicitor listened and then said which of the following?

A)'Technically, age is considered a form of disability, and, therefore, you would be covered under Sex Discrimination Act 1975.'
B)'You are too young to be covered under the State Sector Act 1988.'
C)'Age discrimination is covered by the Human Rights Act 1993 but at only 38 it might be difficult to establish age discrimination.'
D)'You would be covered under the Workplace Relations Act 1996.'
E)'The Employee Relations Act 2000 prohibits such discrimination.'

Question 35

A selection device is valid if it measures the same thing consistently.

Question 36

It is possible for a selection method to be reliable but invalid.

Question 37

Physical examinations, as a selection device, ________.

A)are another means of honesty testing
B)are gaining popularity for jobs with mental demands
C)are never valid for use in selecting disabled persons
D)are not valid
E)are used primarily for insurance purposes

Question 38

Job analysis is concerned with which of the following human resource planning aspects?

A)what behaviours are necessary to perform a job
B)deciding how well someone is performing his/her job
C)counting the number of jobs in an organisation
D)hiring someone to do a job
E)estimating pay on job level in an organisation

Question 39

Job descriptions focus on the job, and job specifications focus on the person.

Question 40

Which of the following would be a part of a human resource planner's workday?

A)deciding who is the best person for the new position opening
B)calculating the median pay level for organisational occupations
C)figuring how many new accountants will be needed by 2016
D)estimating the cost of a potential union strike
E)deciding where to advertise for potential job recruits

Question 41

Which of the following is an accurate statement about the selection criteria 'validity'?

A)Validity is when there is an expected relationship between the selection device and job performance criteria.
B)The burden of criteria support is on the applicant.
C)A valid selection device would show a positive relationship between the predictor and criterion.
D)It is illegal to use intelligence tests.
E)The law is currently unclear about the use of invalid selection devices.

Question 42

If a selection device measures the same thing consistently, it demonstrates ________.

A)reliability
B)understandability
C)validity
D)relevance
E)predictability

Question 43

________ is the process of locating, identifying and attracting capable applicants.

A)Selection
B)Jobbing
C)Recruitment
D)Contracting
E)Decruitment

Question 44

Which of the following focuses on the qualifications a person must possess to perform a given job successfully?

A)job planning
B)job specification
C)job rotation
D)job description
E)job analysis

Question 45

If a selection device demonstrates ________, there is a proven relationship between the selection device and some relevant criterion.

A)reliability
B)relevance
C)validity
D)understandability
E)predictability

Question 46

Most studies show that ________ tend to produce strong job candidates.

A)college campuses
B)newspaper advertisements
C)walk-ins
D)employee referrals
E)executive search firms

Question 47

What is the method by which management identifies applicant characteristics to ensure the most appropriate candidate is hired?

A)selection
B)affirmative action
C)firing
D)decruitment
E)recruitment

Question 48

What is one advantage to private employment agencies as a means of recruiting employees?

A)wide contacts
B)fills temporary needs
C)low cost
D)builds employee morale
E)high candidate diversity

Question 49

Which of the following is an example of selection device reliability?

A)A protected group individual was given a low selection score and was a poor job performer.
B)A superior job performer was given a high interview score by all five independent interviewers.
C)The selection device reliability rating and validity rating were equal.
D)An applicant's score on an intelligence test predicted his/her job performance.
E)The intelligence test significantly predicted the job performance of 250 job applicants.

Question 50

In an employment interview, if a manager was noticing that this occupation requires the jobholder to have an accounting degree, what would he/she be referring to?

A)job notice
B)job specification
C)employee handbook
D)job description
E)BFOQ requirement

Question 51

Which of the following is a consequence of an acceptance error in the selection process?

A)potential charges of discrimination
B)increased cost of training
C)cost of selection is increased
D)not hiring a candidate who would have been successful
E)more candidates have to be screened

Question 52

________ is (are)a form of temporary involuntary termination.

A)Reduced workloads
B)Attrition
C)Dismissal
D)Lay-offs
E)Early retirement

Question 53

________ is (are)a form of permanent involuntary termination.

A)Early retirement
B)Lay-offs
C)Dismissal
D)Attrition
E)Reduced workloads

Question 54

Which of the following is NOT a method for gathering information for a job analysis?

A)evaluating the individual during job simulation
B)using structured questionnaires
C)using job experts
D)observing the individual perform job on film
E)watching the individual perform the job

Question 55

Which of the following is a disadvantage of recruiting at universities and colleges?

A)high cost
B)generates many unqualified candidates
C)limited to entry-level positions
D)limited supply
E)may not increase workforce diversity

Question 56

Which of the following decruitment methods is accomplished by not filling openings created by normal retirements?

A)dismissal
B)reduced workweeks
C)attrition
D)early retirements
E)lay-offs

Question 57

Which of the following is NOT an example of a decruitment option?

A)contracting
B)dismissal
C)attrition
D)job-sharing
E)lay-off

Question 58

If human resource planning shows a surplus of employees, management may want to reduce the organisation's workforce through ________.

A)expansion
B)jobbing
C)decruitment
D)contraction
E)recruitment

Question 59

Temporary help services tend to ________.

A)build employee morale
B)provide a wide distribution of recruits
C)have minimally trained candidates
D)have nominal costs
E)be expensive

Question 60

What is 'decruitment' commonly known as?

A)expansion
B)recruitment
C)selection
D)executive employee searches
E)downsizing

Question 61

Scenario-based questions: A Sign of the Times
Aurora hated this.After hearing of the threat for a long time, her company had finally decided that it must 'right size,' and this meant coming up with a plan for reducing the current size of the work force at her manufacturing plant.The job was left to her and, as much as she hated doing this part of her job, it was necessary for the survival of the company and was not just an effort to inflate their stock price.She also appreciated that her company was willing to try many different routes to decrease their labour costs, which was consistent with the positive way the company had treated their employees in the past.
Refer to A Sign of the Times (Scenario).Another option that may help would be to have employees work fewer hours per week, share jobs, or perform their jobs on a part-time basis, an option known as ________.

A)reduced work-week
B)dismissal
C)early retirements
D)lay-off
E)transfers

Question 62

Scenario-based questions: Human Resources Selection
Dennis, the manager of selection in the human resources department, had been asked by Stephen, his boss and Vice President of human resources, to review the selection methods their firm had been using and to recommend methods for future use.It seems that recent hires just had not been working out, and this caused friction between the human resources group and the front-line managers who had to utilise the talent sent to them.Additionally, there was also a need to hire executives in the company and, due to the responsibility these positions carry, the company wanted to ensure they selected the best possible people.Dennis reviewed written tests as a selection method.
Refer to Human Resources Selection (Scenario).Dennis knew that the company would always utilise some form of interviewing of candidates.He discovered that all but one of the following suggestions would help structure a higher-quality interview.

A)Avoid short interviews that encourage premature decision-making.
B)Minimise any prior knowledge of applicants' background, experience, interests, test scores or other characteristics.
C)Have general information about the job for which applicants are interviewing.
D)Structure a fixed set of questions for all applicants.
E)Take notes during the interview.

Question 63

Scenario-based questions: Human Resources Selection
Dennis, the manager of selection in the human resources department, had been asked by Stephen, his boss and Vice President of human resources, to review the selection methods their firm had been using and to recommend methods for future use.It seems that recent hires just had not been working out, and this caused friction between the human resources group and the front-line managers who had to utilise the talent sent to them.Additionally, there was also a need to hire executives in the company and, due to the responsibility these positions carry, the company wanted to ensure they selected the best possible people.Dennis reviewed written tests as a selection method.
Refer to Human Resources Selection (Scenario).Dennis also reviewed ________, in which applicants are asked to perform tasks central to the job they are applying for.

A)written tests
B)intelligence tests
C)job-related interviews
D)physical examinations
E)work sampling

Question 64

Which of the following could be said about references as a selection tool?

A)They are rarely used.
B)They are useful and most human resource professionals would likely provide accurate information.
C)They are not very useful and may carry legal repercussions.
D)They are difficult but necessary.
E)Personal opinion rarely enters into a 'standardised' reference check.

Question 65

Which of the following is an example of an interview question a manager should NOT ask?

A)Are you willing to travel?
B)What type of work does your spouse do?
C)What is your 'ideal' job?
D)What is your experience?
E)What is your educational background?

Question 66

Scenario-based questions: Recruitment
Ken's company was expanding.After a period of downsizing, the company had decided to increase organisational profitability by gaining market share, which meant a need for more people.As assistant manager of human resources, he was in the process of evaluating what would be the most effective means of gaining new employees who were qualified, cost efficient and helped maintain the company's commitment to a diversified workforce.
Refer to Recruitment (Scenario).One source Ken considered, ________, typically is low cost, but may not increase the proportion of employees from protected groups.

A)internal search
B)employee referrals
C)private employment agencies
D)school placement
E)advertisements

Question 67

Scenario-based questions: A Sign of the Times
Aurora hated this.After hearing of the threat for a long time, her company had finally decided that it must 'right size,' and this meant coming up with a plan for reducing the current size of the work force at her manufacturing plant.The job was left to her and, as much as she hated doing this part of her job, it was necessary for the survival of the company and was not just an effort to inflate their stock price.She also appreciated that her company was willing to try many different routes to decrease their labour costs, which was consistent with the positive way the company had treated their employees in the past.
Refer to A Sign of the Times (Scenario).Another method to reduce labour-costs would be ________, which is temporary involuntary termination that could last a few days or extend to years.

A)dismissal
B)lay-off
C)early retirements
D)reduced workweeks
E)transfers

Question 68

________ involves asking applicants to perform a task or set of tasks that are central to the job they are applying for.

A)Decruitment
B)Work sampling
C)Orientation
D)Interviewing
E)Assessment centres

Question 69

Assessment centres are typically used for which of the following applicant groups?

A)front-line workers
B)CEOs only
C)college coaches
D)managers
E)physically demanding jobs

Question 70

Typical types of written tests include all of the following EXCEPT ________.

A)interest
B)aptitude
C)polygraph
D)intelligence
E)ability

Question 71

Scenario-based questions: A Sign of the Times
Aurora hated this.After hearing of the threat for a long time, her company had finally decided that it must 'right size,' and this meant coming up with a plan for reducing the current size of the work force at her manufacturing plant.The job was left to her and, as much as she hated doing this part of her job, it was necessary for the survival of the company and was not just an effort to inflate their stock price.She also appreciated that her company was willing to try many different routes to decrease their labour costs, which was consistent with the positive way the company had treated their employees in the past.
Refer to A Sign of the Times (Scenario).One method of reducing the payroll was by not filling openings created by voluntary resignations or normal retirements, an option known as ________.

A)lay-off
B)dismissal
C)reduced workweeks
D)attrition
E)transfers

Question 72

________ are places in which job candidates undergo performance-simulation tests that evaluate managerial potential.

A)Assessment centres
B)Decruitment centres
C)Attribution centres
D)Jobbing centres
E)Business schools

Question 73

Scenario-based questions: Recruitment
Ken's company was expanding.After a period of downsizing, the company had decided to increase organisational profitability by gaining market share, which meant a need for more people.As assistant manager of human resources, he was in the process of evaluating what would be the most effective means of gaining new employees who were qualified, cost efficient and helped maintain the company's commitment to a diversified workforce.
Refer to Recruitment (Scenario).Another source of employees, ________, has a large, centralised pool of candidates, but tends to only be good for entry-level positions.

A)university and college recruitment
B)advertisements
C)internal search
D)public employment agencies
E)temporary help services

Question 74

Asking a candidate for an automotive mechanic's position to deconstruct and reconstruct part of an engine motor would be an example of what kind of selection device?

A)interview
B)in-basket exercise
C)simulation
D)intelligence test
E)spatial test

Question 75

Of the following statements concerning several selection devices, which one is accurate?

A)Assessment centres are typically used for hiring front-line supervisors.
B)Interviews are very popular but worthless.
C)Applicant data verification is valuable for all jobs.
D)Reference checks are generally of low value.
E)Traditional tests are reasonably effective for non-routine jobs.

Question 76

Scenario-based questions: Recruitment
Ken's company was expanding.After a period of downsizing, the company had decided to increase organisational profitability by gaining market share, which meant a need for more people.As assistant manager of human resources, he was in the process of evaluating what would be the most effective means of gaining new employees who were qualified, cost efficient and helped maintain the company's commitment to a diversified workforce.
Refer to Recruitment (Scenario).Another source, ________, is positive because of the knowledge the potential candidate may gain about the employer and it generates strong candidates, but is also negative because it may not increase the diversity and mix of employees.

A)employee referrals
B)private employment agencies
C)advertisements
D)internal search
E)school placement

Question 77

An application form ________.

A)is good for background checks but yields little other useful information
B)is illegal if you ask for their address and telephone number
C)may have relevant information for some jobs such as high school graduation rank
D)is inexpensive but easy to validate
E)is never job related

Question 78

Which of the following is generally worthless for all jobs?

A)verification of application data
B)interviews
C)reference checks
D)written tests
E)work samples

Question 79

Scenario-based questions: Human Resources Selection
Dennis, the manager of selection in the human resources department, had been asked by Stephen, his boss and Vice President of human resources, to review the selection methods their firm had been using and to recommend methods for future use.It seems that recent hires just had not been working out, and this caused friction between the human resources group and the front-line managers who had to utilise the talent sent to them.Additionally, there was also a need to hire executives in the company and, due to the responsibility these positions carry, the company wanted to ensure they selected the best possible people.Dennis reviewed written tests as a selection method.
Refer to Human Resources Selection (Scenario).For the executive positions, Dennis considered using ________, where candidates go through extensive exercises that simulate real problems they would confront on the job.

A)assessment centres
B)work sampling
C)visitation tests
D)intelligence tests
E)realistic job previews

Question 80

An outdoor thermometer that is always five degrees off of the actual temperature would be considered ________.

A)valid but not reliable
B)reliable and valid
C)reliable but not valid
D)neither reliable nor valid
E)This is not a test of reliability or validity.