Deck 1: Managing Human Resources Today

Question 1

________ is the right to make decisions,to direct the work of others,and to give orders.

A) Leadership
B) Authority
C) Arbitration
D) Bargaining

Answer 1

B
Explanation: Authority is the right to make decisions, to direct the work of others, and to give orders.

Question 2

Which function of the management process involves setting standards such as sales quotas and production levels?

A) planning
B) organizing
C) controlling
D) leading

Answer 2

C
Explanation: Setting standards such as sales quotas, quality standards, or production levels is part of the controlling function of the management process. Planning, organizing, and leading are other functions in the management process.

Question 3

The basic functions of management include all of the following EXCEPT ________.

A) staffing
B) planning
C) organizing
D) outsourcing

Answer 3

D
Explanation: The five basic functions of the management process include planning, organizing, staffing, leading, and controlling. Outsourcing jobs may be an aspect of human resources, but it is not one of the primary management functions.

Question 4

All of the following are activities performed within the staffing function of the management process EXCEPT ________.

A) evaluating performance
B) providing training
C) recruiting employees
D) maintaining morale

Question 5

Amini,a sales manager with a commercial real estate firm,uses sales quotas to assess the performance of his staff members,and he then develops strategies for corrective action.Which function of the management process is Amini most likely performing?

A) planning
B) staffing
C) controlling
D) organizing

Question 6

Which of the following activities is related to the organizing function of the management process?

A) giving each subordinate a specific task
B) recruiting prospective employees
C) developing rules and procedures
D) establishing quality standards

Question 7

A manager is best described as a person who is responsible for ________.

A) teaching new employees basic skills
B) accomplishing the organization's goals
C) communicating with stockholders
D) delegating authority to subordinates

Question 8

In the management process,which activity is part of the staffing function?

A) developing rules
B) maintaining morale
C) evaluating performance
D) setting production levels

Question 9

Which activity is part of the controlling function of the management process?

A) recruiting prospective employees
B) training and developing new employees
C) developing departmental rules and procedures
D) comparing employee performance with standards

Question 10

Which of the following terms best describes firms such as IBM,Apple,and Google?

A) bargaining unit
B) work council
C) organization
D) open shop

Question 11

Human resource management is best defined as the process of ________.

A) controlling and orienting new employees
B) organizing and scheduling work activities for teams
C) outsourcing and offshoring clerical jobs to foreign countries
D) acquiring, training, appraising, and compensating employees

Question 12

Celeste spends most of her time at work establishing goals for her staff of fifty employees and developing procedures for various tasks.In which function of the management process does Celeste spend most of her time?

A) planning
B) organizing
C) leading
D) staffing

Question 13

Which of the following represents the five functions of planning,organizing,staffing,leading,and controlling?

A) strategic management
B) adaptability screening
C) succession planning
D) management process

Question 14

Which individual in an organization is responsible for accomplishing the organization's goals by planning,organizing,staffing,leading,and controlling personnel?

A) manager
B) generalist
C) marketer
D) entrepreneur

Question 15

What specific activities listed below are part of the planning function?

A) giving each subordinate a specific task
B) training and developing employees
C) developing rules and procedures
D) establishing quality standards

Question 16

________ is the process of acquiring,training,appraising,and compensating employees,and attending to their labor relations,health and safety,and fairness concerns.

A) Human resource management
B) Career planning
C) Behavioral management
D) Job evaluation

Question 17

Which basic function of management includes developing rules and procedures?

A) planning
B) organizing
C) leading
D) staffing

Question 18

John primarily spends his time giving tasks to subordinates and establishing departments.He is performing what function of management?

A) leading
B) planning
C) organizing
D) controlling

Question 19

Which function of the management process includes delegating authority to subordinates and establishing channels of communication?

A) organizing
B) motivating
C) leading
D) staffing

Question 20

Which basic function of management involves maintaining employee morale and motivating subordinates?

A) planning
B) leading
C) organizing
D) developing

Question 21

Which of the following human resource management specialties would most likely require extensive travel?

A) labor relations specialist
B) training specialist
C) job analyst
D) recruiter

Question 22

Which of the following best explains why HR management is important to all managers?

A) Economic challenges facing the world call for advanced cost-cutting and streamlining.
B) Investing in human capital enables managers to achieve positive results for the firm.
C) An enthusiastic labor force is likely to provide financial support to local unions.
D) Technological changes and global competition require clear organization charts.

Question 23

Line authority is best defined as a manager's right to ________.

A) use flexible decision-making powers
B) advise other managers or employees
C) advocate on behalf of his or her department
D) issue orders to other managers or employees

Question 24

Nicole works as a job analyst at a computer firm.Which of the following most likely describes Nicole's duties in her current position?

A) searching for qualified job candidates
B) processing employee benefits programs
C) collecting information about job duties
D) planning and organizing training activities

Question 25

Personnel management involves recruiting prospective employees,setting performance standards,and monitoring production levels.

Question 26

Personnel mistakes to be avoided while managing include all of the following EXCEPT ________.

A) hiring the wrong person for the job
B) experiencing high turnover
C) having your company in court due to your discriminatory actions
D) offering training and development programs

Question 27

Which of the following assist top management in top-level issues such as developing the personnel aspects of the company's long-term strategic plan?

A) centralized HR units
B) corporate HR teams
C) embedded HR units
D) HR consulting firms

Question 28

Staff managers are authorized to issue orders to subordinates and are directly in charge of accomplishing the organization's basic goals.

Question 29

Roberta Whitman has recently been hired by Jackson Pharmaceuticals as the senior vice president of human resources.Jackson Pharmaceuticals has a history of problems within its HR department including high employee turnover,EEO violations,inadequate training programs,and benefit enrollment difficulties.With years of experience transforming HR departments in other firms,Whitman believes she can correct the problems at Jackson Pharmaceuticals. Which of the following best supports Whitman's idea to develop a shared services HR team to handle benefits administration?

A) Extensive training has been provided to line managers so that they fully understand the different insurance options available to employees.
B) Lower insurance premiums would eliminate the need for outsourcing medical services and improve employee health coverage.
C) Shared services HR teams provide managers and employees with specialized support in day-to-day HR activities (such as discipline problems).
D) All employees are currently required to participate in health screening and drug tests to eliminate high risk employees from the benefits plan.

Question 30

An HR generalist at Wilson Manufacturing has been assigned to the sales department to provide HR management assistance as needed.Which of the following best describes the structure of the HR services provided at Wilson Manufacturing?

A) shared services HR teams
B) corporate HR teams
C) embedded HR units
D) HR centers of expertise

Question 31

In most organizations,human resource managers are categorized as ________,who assist and advise ________ in areas like recruiting,hiring,and compensation.

A) staff managers; line managers
B) line managers; middle managers
C) line managers; staff managers
D) functional managers; staff managers

Question 32

Roberta Whitman has recently been hired by Jackson Pharmaceuticals as the senior vice president of human resources.Jackson Pharmaceuticals has a history of problems within its HR department including high employee turnover,EEO violations,inadequate training programs,and benefit enrollment difficulties.With years of experience transforming HR departments in other firms,Whitman believes she can correct the problems at Jackson Pharmaceuticals. Which of the following best supports the argument that Whitman should create embedded HR units and assign relationship managers to each department within the firm?

A) Employees frequently complain about the inconsistent assistance they receive from the HR department due to its large size.
B) The global nature of the firm makes it difficult for the HR department to effectively communicate corporate messages to employees scattered around the world.
C) Centralized call centers would enable the HR department to provide specialized support on daily transactional activities.
D) Line managers want to implement additional screening and evaluations to improve the quality of their subordinates.

Question 33

Setting standards such as sales quotas,quality standards,or production levels is part of the leading function of human resource management.

Question 34

All of the following are a line manager's responsibilities for effective HR management EXCEPT ________.

A) advising upper management
B) controlling labor costs
C) developing employees
D) orienting new employees

Question 35

Planning,organizing,staffing,leading,and controlling are the five basic functions of the management process.

Question 36

Larry is a line manager at a large sporting goods store.Which of the following is LEAST likely to be one of Larry's HR responsibilities?

A) training new employees
B) interpreting company policies
C) sharing financial advice
D) improving job performance

Question 37

Communicating is one of the five basic functions of the management process.

Question 38

All of the following are examples of human resource specialties EXCEPT ________.

A) job analyst
B) training specialist
C) EEO coordinator
D) financial advisor

Question 39

The planning function of management includes establishing goals and standards and developing forecasts.

Question 40

Which of the following has historically been an integral part of every line manager's duties?

A) establishing dress codes
B) developing annual budgets
C) addressing personnel issues
D) creating personnel policies

Question 41

In most large firms,human resource managers assist line managers with hiring,training,evaluating,rewarding,counseling,promoting,and hiring employees.

Question 42

Extensive travel is required of recruiters,compensation managers,and job analysts.

Question 43

Human resource management is the sole responsibility of human resource managers,so line managers and staff managers rely heavily on HR specialists to hire the best employees.

Question 44

What duties are required of most HR managers? How have the duties of HR managers changed from 30 years ago?

Question 45

Firms of all sizes are required under employment laws to have at least one full-time human resource manager on staff.

Question 46

Which term refers to exporting jobs to lower-cost locations abroad?

A) compensating
B) benchmarking
C) offshoring
D) warehousing

Question 47

What is human resource management? Why is human resource management important to all managers? What is the role of line managers in human resource management?

Question 48

What are many employers doing to fill openings left by retiring employees?

A) increasing the retirement age
B) offering night shifts
C) hiring more women
D) rehiring retirees

Question 49

Which of the following statements best explains why employers are expecting a severe labor shortage in the next few years?

A) More people are retiring than are entering the job market.
B) One-third of single mothers are not in the labor force.
C) People are living longer because of better health care.
D) Increasing taxes have forced businesses to globalize.

Question 50

A center of expertise might provide specialized advice in areas such as organizational change to all the company's various units.

Question 51

An embedded HR unit focuses on using centralized call centers and benefits advisors to provide specialized support.

Question 52

In a brief essay,compare the role of human resource management in small businesses and in high-performance work systems.

Question 53

What are the five basic functions of management? Explain some of the specific activities involved in each function.Is one function more important for human resource management?

Question 54

Which of the following describes the most significant demographic trend facing the U.S.workforce?

A) decreasing number of contingent workers
B) increasing number of blue-collar workers
C) decreasing number of bilingual workers
D) increasing number of older workers

Question 55

List and explain five personnel mistakes you do not want to make as an HR manager.

Question 56

Employers are dependent on all of the following EXCEPT ________.

A) their workers' knowledge
B) their workers' education
C) their workers' nationality
D) their workers' training

Question 57

Which of the following is NOT a trend facing human resource managers today?

A) increasing age of the workforce
B) increasing diversity in the workforce
C) increasing number of younger workers
D) increasing number of women

Question 58

Corporate HR teams focus on assisting top management in big picture issues such as developing the personnel aspects of a firm's long-term strategic plan.

Question 59

According to one study,many U.S.employers are hiring ________ workers due to overall projected workforce shortfalls.

A) full-time
B) traditional
C) foreign
D) white, non-Hispanic

Question 60

________ refers to companies extending their sales,ownership,and/or manufacturing to new markets abroad.

A) Market development
B) Globalization
C) Export growth
D) Diversification

Question 61

What term refers to the knowledge,education,training,skills,and expertise of a firm's workers?

A) tangible assets
B) human capital
C) human resources
D) intellectual property

Question 62

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics,between now and 2042,the number of workers classified as "white,non-Hispanic" will decrease and the number of workers classified as Asian will increase.

Question 63

Which of the following factors LEAST likely drove U.S.economic growth between 1960 and 2007?

A) leveraging
B) diversifying
C) globalization
D) deregulation

Question 64

Explain the difference between line authority and staff authority.What type of authority do human resource managers have?

Question 65

Which of the following is a trend in the US.?

A) increasing number of service industries
B) decreasing number of Hispanic workers
C) increasing number of goods-producing industries
D) decreasing number of Asian workers

Question 66

By 2020,service-providing industries in the U.S.are expected to account for ________ of wage and salary jobs overall.

A) 53%
B) 64%
C) 72%
D) 81%

Question 67

Why are demographic trends important to HR managers?

Question 68

Which of the following terms refers to workers who hold multiple jobs or are part-time employees?

A) short-term
B) seasonal
C) temporary
D) nontraditional

Question 69

What changes in the business environment have led to HR managers playing more strategic roles in organizations? As a result of these changes,what competencies are now required of modern HR managers?

Question 70

Most modern employers expect HR managers to do all of the following EXCEPT ________.

A) hire foreign workers
B) retain retirees
C) recruit the talent they need
D) communicate with shareholders

Question 71

Companies that rely on freelancers,consultants,and other such ________ employees need special HR policies and practices to deal with them.

A) in-house
B) foreign
C) full-time
D) nontraditional

Question 72

What is globalization? How has globalization affected employers and HR management?

Question 73

Globalization has boomed for the past 50 years,mainly due to ________.

A) decreasing workforce
B) increasing workforce
C) changing economic and political philosophies
D) changing innovation and creativity philosophies

Question 74

The purpose of the H-1B visa program is to allow ________.

A) U.S. employers to hire skilled foreign workers for jobs overseas
B) U.S. employees to work for foreign firms based in the U.S.
C) U.S. employers to hire skilled foreign workers for jobs in the U.S.
D) U.S. employees to work for foreign firms based overseas

Question 75

In today's business environment,what is a firm's main source of profitability and success?

A) technology
B) human capital
C) financial structure
D) creative advertising

Question 76

The H-1B visa program allows U.S.employers to hire foreign workers to fill workforce shortfalls for hourly positions that require only limited skills.

Question 77

Which term refers to an agreement that reduces tariffs and barriers among trading partners?

A) offshore facility
B) co-working site
C) deregulation
D) free trade area

Question 78

Which of the following best describes the need for foreign workers?

A) Foreign workers are better educated than American workers.
B) Employers can't find enough skilled American professionals.
C) Younger workers are replacing retirees
D) There is a need to diversify the workforce.

Question 79

When companies export jobs to lower-cost locations abroad,this is referred to as ________.

A) co-working site
B) indebtedness
C) downsizing
D) offshoring

Question 80

A trend in the workforce is that employers tend to hire all of the following EXCEPT ________.

A) freelance workers
B) full-time employees
C) contract labor
D) temporary workers