Deck 11: Managing the Diverse Workforce

Question 1

Phil is a 25-year-old executive assistant who works for a 47-year-old manager named Rita. Rita promises to help Phil advance in the company if he will go on a weekend dates with her. Which of the following statements is true?

A)This is an example of hostile environment sexual harassment.
B)This is an example of quid pro quo sexual harassment.
C)This is an example of reverse sexual harassment.
D)This is not sexual harassment because Rita did not request sex.
E)This is not sexual harassment because women cannot harass men.

Answer 1

B
Explanation: Quid pro quo harassment occurs when submission to or rejection of sexual conduct is used as a basis for employment decisions. Hostile environment harassment occurs when unwelcome sexual conduct "has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with job performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment." In a recent year, more than 15 percent of complaints filed with the federal government came from men.

Question 2

A diverse workforce often tends to inhibit organizational flexibility.

Answer 2

False
Explanation:
A diverse workforce can make organizations more flexible because successfully managing diversity requires a corporate culture that tolerates many different styles and approaches.

Question 3

Nationwide, turnover rates have been decreasing as more people are staying with their organizations for a longer period.

Answer 3

False
Explanation:
Nationwide, turnover rates have been rising, with companies needing to replace more than 1 percent of their workers every month, and far more in the retailing and services industries.

Question 4

Black, Asian, and Hispanic workers make up what portion of the U.S. labor force?

A)two-thirds
B)one-half
C)one-third
D)one-fifth
E)one-tenth

Question 5

Companies should take a _____ approach to developing and managing a diverse workforce.

A)cautious
B)proactive
C)reactive
D)traditional
E)legalistic

Question 6

Which of the following statements about disabled employees is true?

A)They are generally more dependable than other workers.
B)They miss more days of work than other workers.
C)They exhibit higher turnover than other workers.
D)They cheat their employers more often than other workers.
E)They create a higher tax liability for their employers.

Question 7

A multicultural workforce can provide a company with a significant competitive advantage in the marketplace.

Question 8

To support diversity efforts, top management can set an example for other organization members by participating in diversity programs and making participation mandatory for all managers.

Question 9

Managing diversity means _____ all kinds of difference among employees.

A)tolerating
B)accommodating
C)ignoring
D)nurturing
E)smoothing out

Question 10

Nearly one in every _____ married women in two-income households earns more than her husband does.

A)two
B)three
C)five
D)seven
E)ten

Question 11

Workers today, both women and men, are trying to achieve a balance between career and family.

Question 12

The affirmative action programs were initiated in part to correct the past exclusion of women and minorities from the business world.

Question 13

One possible explanation for the wage gap between men and women is that women are not negotiating pay as effectively as men seeking the same positions.

Question 14

Which of the following was traditionally used to describe diversity in the United States?

A)A salad
B)A quilt
C)A mosaic
D)A jeweled crown
E)A melting pot

Question 15

Women make up about 47 percent of the workforce.

Question 16

Dahia is an ambitious African American professional who works for a large corporation. She notices that 8 percent of top executives in her company are women and 5 percent of top executives are from minorities. Dahia can conclude that her company

A)uses affirmative action.
B)is breaking the law.
C)has a glass ceiling.
D)will probably offer her advancement.
E)is managing diversity well.

Question 17

Monolithic organizations have a more diverse employee population and take steps to involve persons from different cultural backgrounds.

Question 18

When applied to the workforce, diversity refers

A)primarily to race and ethnicity.
B)primarily to race, ethnicity, and gender.
C)to race, ethnicity, religious affiliation, gender, and sexual orientation, but not to education, income, or political belief.
D)primarily to sexual orientation and physical ability.
E)to gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, religion, political belief, age, physical ability, income, and education.

Question 19

Cohesiveness refers to how tightly knit a group is and the degree to which members of a group act independently of each other.

Question 20

Managing diversity means

A)just hiring more women and minorities.
B)treating everyone exactly the same way.
C)understanding and valuing employee differences.
D)promoting people to symbolic positions within an organization.
E)requiring that everyone attend sensitivity training once.

Question 21

Which of the following statements accurately describes the relationship between affirmative action and managing diversity?

A)All that needs to be done by companies to manage diversity is to implement affirmative action.
B)Affirmative action has harmed the goal of achieving diversity in the workplace.
C)Managing diversity is the first step toward the end goal of affirmative action.
D)Affirmative action and diversity are complementary, not the same.
E)Programs to manage diversity have undone the gains of affirmative action.

Question 22

Anwar's company has a very diverse workforce. Managers are trained to see differences not as problems but as strengths that they can use to further the company's goals. For example, the advertising department always presents its new slogan ideas to a team of people from many different cultures to make sure that the slogans do not unintentionally offend anyone. Judging from this description, Anwar's company is a(n) _____ organization.

A)pluralistic
B)assimilationist
C)monolithic
D)homogenous
E)multicultural

Question 23

The underlying goal of managing diversity is to

A)treat all people the same.
B)increase the numbers of minorities in business.
C)realize improved immigration figures.
D)enhance organizational cohesiveness.
E)understand and value employee differences.

Question 24

Esther was hoping for a promotion, but one of her coworkers was promoted instead. Despite receiving excellent performance reviews, she has been passed over for promotion four times. After this last disappointment, Esther discovered that no women or minority candidates have been promoted to upper management positions at the company. Esther appears to have

A)a diversity-oriented employer.
B)a lack of communication skills.
C)hit the glass ceiling.
D)received negative reinforcement.
E)a need to brush up on her skills.

Question 25

How does Bruce Tulgan, founder of Rainmaker Thinking, describe Generation Y workers?

A)no maintenance, low performing
B)low maintenance, low performing
C)low maintenance, high performing
D)high maintenance, high performing
E)high maintenance, low performing

Question 26

One of the challenges of having a diverse workforce is _____.

A)too much group cohesion
B)groupthink
C)overanalyzed assumptions
D)stereotyping
E)a too-relaxed atmosphere

Question 27

An invisible barrier that makes it difficult for certain groups, such as minorities and women, to move beyond a certain level in the organizational hierarchy is referred to as the

A)regression line.
B)glass ceiling.
C)entry barrier.
D)job limit.
E)developmental milestone.

Question 28

How can a diverse workforce give a company competitive advantage?

A)By providing insight into the changing customer base
B)By providing new contacts with suppliers
C)By helping reinforce the company's traditional culture
D)By reducing the need for communication
E)By making the organization more mechanistic

Question 29

Understanding and appreciating employee differences to build a more effective and profitable organization is known as

A)minority recruiting.
B)managing diversity.
C)ethnicity selection.
D)ethnicity job analysis.
E)diverse organizational assessment.

Question 30

Diversity training typically consists of

A)team building and self-esteem building.
B)team building and skill building.
C)self-esteem building and awareness building.
D)awareness building and skill building.
E)awareness building and team building.

Question 31

As related to managing human resources, diversity refers to differences in

A)employee benefit plans, such as pensions, insurance, and vacations.
B)recruiting methods, such as job posting, want ads and referrals.
C)demographics, such as age, race, and educational level.
D)pay methods, such as hourly, salaried, overtime, and hazard pay.
E)training methods, such as on-the-job and off-the job training.

Question 32

Jim's company made special efforts to diversify by sending its HR people to job fairs at colleges and strongly encouraging minority students with good grades to apply for jobs. This is an example of _____.

A)assimilation
B)mentoring
C)a glass ceiling
D)affirmative action
E)a monolithic culture

Question 33

The term used to refer to all kinds of differences including religion, age, physical ability, and income in addition to gender, race, ethnicity, and nationality is

A)diversity.
B)hierarchy.
C)ethical climate.
D)ethnocentrism.
E)integrity.

Question 34

Employers that offer onsite child care report that it

A)increases turnover.
B)decreases absenteeism.
C)lowers morale.
D)proves to be a distraction.
E)lowers the number of job applicants.

Question 35

Conduct of a sexual nature that has negative consequences for employment is known as sexual

A)slavery.
B)assault.
C)sadism.
D)harassment.
E)orientation.

Question 36

Support groups for minority workers are sometimes called _____ groups.

A)affinity
B)assimilation
C)affirmation
D)aspiration
E)assistance

Question 37

A(n) _____ organization uses an affirmative action approach to managing diversity.

A)pluralistic
B)assimilationist
C)monolithic
D)homogenous
E)multicultural

Question 38

Karl is a higher-level manager who works with Benito, a minority employee who has been identified as having high potential. Karl explains the corporate culture and politics, suggests ways that Benito can develop new skills, and introduces Benito to senior executives in the organization. Karl is Benito's _____.

A)affiliate
B)mentor
C)boss
D)friend
E)sponsor

Question 39

Submission to or rejection of sexual conduct that is used as a basis for employment decisions is referred to as

A)inappropriate engagement.
B)performance reciprocity.
C)quid pro quo harassment.
D)sexual slavery.
E)hostile environment.

Question 40

Studies have shown that the most effective way for companies to achieve diversity is to

A)set up formal diversity training programs.
B)assign responsibility for achieving targets to certain individuals or groups.
C)establish affirmative action programs and let new minority employees cope on their own.
D)set up programs in which "buddies" mentor minority hires.
E)set up programs that help minority hires network with other employees.

Question 41

According to the Americans with Disabilities Act, a disability is best defined as

A)a physical impairment resulting from a hazardous work environment.
B)a disabling condition that results in a lower life expectancy.
C)a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity.
D)an inability to perform a particular task due to lack of knowledge and experience.
E)the contraction of a disease that is contagious or epidemic.

Question 42

Behaviors such as persistent or pervasive displays of pornography, lewd or suggestive remarks, and demeaning taunts or jokes tend to cause ____.

A)a hostile environment
B)cognitive conflicts
C)quid pro quo harassment
D)gender discrimination
E)an occupational hazard

Question 43

Special effort to recruit and hire qualified members of groups that have been discriminated against in the past is called ____.

A)recrimination
B)proactive recruitment
C)affirmative action
D)the quid pro quo system
E)positive-effect recruitment

Question 44

Which of the following is not a reason for which employers attempt to retain or rehire older workers?

A)Older workers are a resource for training and mentoring.
B)Older workers save on turnover costs for the company.
C)Older workers have institutional knowledge they can share.
D)Older workers typically demonstrate good work habits and a willingness to work nontraditional shifts.
E)Older workers tend to reduce company overhead costs in comparison with younger workers.

Question 45

Which of the following companies is among the top 10 for valuing diversity?

A)Exxon Mobile
B)Ernst & Young
C)Pfizer
D)Citigroup
E)Google

Question 46

The fastest-growing segments of the workforce in the United States are

A)Hispanics and Asians.
B)Pacific Islanders and African Americans.
C)African-Americans and Native Americans.
D)Caucasians and African-Americans.
E)Native Americans and Hispanics.

Question 47

The largest unemployed minority population in the United States is

A)Hispanics.
B)African Americans.
C)people with disabilities.
D)immigrants.
E)Asians.

Question 48

Which of the following programs can be used by a city government to increase the participation of members of minority groups in public contracts?

A)Affirmative action
B)Quid pro quo system
C)Positive-effect recruitment
D)Realignment
E)Proactive recruitment

Question 49

Allowing older employees to work fewer hours per week as a strategy to attract and retain these experienced people is known as ____.

A)work release
B)partial retirement
C)phased retirement
D)employment reduction
E)engagement reduction

Question 50

A shift in worker values toward personal time, quality of life, self-fulfillment, and family is occurring among ____.

A)men
B)women
C)both women and men
D)minorities
E)both women and minorities

Question 51

Examples of attempts made by employers to retain older workers include

A)an emphasis on physical effort.
B)phased retirement plans.
C)offering more full-time than part-time work.
D)limiting the availability of paid sabbaticals.
E)providing health insurance coverage for dependents.

Question 52

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that there will be a(n)

A)short supply of entry-level workers.
B)decrease in the number of female workers.
C)increase in the number of homogenous workforce.
D)demand for expatriates.
E)increase in the number of young workers.

Question 53

When unwelcome sexual conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with job performance or creating an intimidating or offensive work atmosphere, it is known as

A)quid pro quo harassment.
B)an occupational hazard.
C)performance reciprocity.
D)hostile environment.
E)glass ceiling.

Question 54

Sylvia's manager offered to double her annual raise in exchange for a dinner date with him. She was upset because she had no interest in dating him, yet she really wanted the raise. Which of the following types of harassment is Sylvia experiencing?

A)Hostile environment harassment
B)Competitive harassment
C)Quid pro quo harassment
D)Malicious harassment
E)Performance reciprocity harassment

Question 55

A physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities is referred to as a(n)

A)inherent defect.
B)personality disorder.
C)corporeal impairment.
D)disability.
E)deficiency.

Question 56

Which of the following is true of people with disabilities?

A)They form the largest employed minority population in the United States.
B)Even those who have higher levels of education are unlikely to get jobs.
C)Companies use new assistive technologies to employ people with disabilities.
D)They are less likely than nondisabled persons to have part-time jobs.
E)They tend to be less dependable and exhibit higher turnover than other employees.

Question 57

Which of the following is needed for an effective sexual harassment policy?

A)Developing a policy on sexual harassment and keeping it unpublicized
B)Punishing the offender within a year, though not immediately
C)Providing training exclusively to female employees on how to protect themselves
D)Waiting for harassers' confessions before taking action when employees complain of sexual harassment
E)Establishing a formal complaint procedure in which employees can discuss problems

Question 58

Work-related issues for LGBT-gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered-employees often include avoiding harassment and

A)obtaining benefits for a spouse or domestic partner.
B)obtaining adequate elder care.
C)creating a glass ceiling.
D)seeking time off for religious holidays.
E)gaining additional education.

Question 59

Which of the following is an advantage of managing a diverse workforce?

A)Presence of unexamined assumptions and viewpoints
B)Ability to attract and retain motivated employees
C)Effective communication and feedback
D)Increasing organizational rigidity
E)Higher levels of cohesiveness

Question 60

Which of the following is considered a disability under ADA?

A)Chicken pox
B)Sunburn
C)Alcoholism
D)Sinus infection
E)Influenza

Question 61

_____ refers to how tightly knit the group is and the degree to which group members perceive, interpret, and act on their environment in similar or mutually agreed-upon ways.

A)Cohesiveness
B)Ethnocentrism
C)Belongingness
D)Stereotyping
E)Arbitration

Question 62

An organization that has a relatively diverse employee population and makes an effort to involve employees from different gender, racial, or cultural backgrounds is a(n)

A)monolithic organization.
B)ethnocentric organization.
C)pluralistic organization.
D)bureaucratic organization.
E)homogeneous organization.

Question 63

Which of the following is a challenge faced by organizations when managing a diverse workforce?

A)Lack of perspective on a differentiated market
B)Inability to attract and retain motivated employees
C)Inability to leverage creativity and innovation
D)Decreasing organizational flexibility
E)Lack of cohesiveness

Question 64

Which of the following diversity assumptions states that "our way is one possible way," and that there are many different and equally good ways to the same goal?

A)Similarity and difference
B)Parochialism
C)Culture contingency
D)Equifinality
E)Heterogeneity

Question 65

Diversity tends to create

A)organizational rigidity.
B)homogeneous groups.
C)improved communication.
D)high cohesiveness.
E)mistrust and tension.

Question 66

Which of the following diversity assumptions holds that there is "one best way" and that all other ways of living are inferior?

A)Homogeneity
B)Similarity
C)Parochialism
D)Ethnocentrism
E)Heterogeneity

Question 67

Less restrictive policies and procedures and fewer standardized operating methods are approaches to

A)organizational flexibility.
B)corporate governance.
C)strategic maneuvering.
D)competitive advantage.
E)bureaucratic management.

Question 68

An organization that fully integrates minority group members, both formally and informally, is called a

A)monolithic organization.
B)homogeneous organization.
C)multinational organization.
D)multicultural organization.
E)bureaucratic organization.

Question 69

George hired Ahmad, who belongs to a minority group, to work in the accounting department because he was highly skillful. However, the other workers resented Ahmad's presence and excluded him from the work group. Ahmad had difficulty performing, since he was not given the needed information to work expediently. Which of the following challenges of a diversified workforce is occurring in this scenario?

A)Gender issues
B)Language barrier
C)Lower cohesiveness
D)Communication overload
E)Lack of flexibility

Question 70

Which of the following diversity assumptions holds that "we are all the same," otherwise known as the melting pot myth?

A)Homogeneity
B)Similarity
C)Parochialism
D)Ethnocentrism
E)Heterogeneity

Question 71

Work team diversity promotes creativity and innovation because people with different backgrounds

A)value creativity and innovation.
B)require creative efforts to bring out their productivity.
C)hold different perspectives on issues.
D)are more homogeneous.
E)increase the likelihood of groupthink.

Question 72

An organization that has very little cultural integration of diverse workers is a

A)monolithic organization.
B)multicultural organization.
C)heterogeneous organization.
D)pluralistic organization.
E)monopolistic organization.

Question 73

When individuals' interests, values, and cultures act as filters to distort, block, or select what they see and interpret, they tend to _____ their different colleagues.

A)differentiate
B)stereotype
C)manipulate
D)accommodate
E)simulate

Question 74

An organization that values cultural diversity and is willing to utilize and encourage it is referred to as a _____ organization.

A)monolithic
B)multicultural
C)pluralistic
D)multinational
E)bureaucratic

Question 75

Flor was recently passed over for promotion. She was told that management was looking for someone more aggressive to fill the position. Flor's coworkers were surprised because she had a reputation for getting things done. She later overheard one of the managers saying that he did not believe she was committed to her career since "she, like most women, leaves work every day at 5:00 sharp." It might appear that Flor's employer has made a mistake regarding ____.

A)stereotyping
B)mistrust
C)affirmative action
D)cohesiveness
E)arbitration

Question 76

Which of the following is a characteristic of pluralistic organizations?

A)Low levels of conflict
B)Prevalence of discrimination and prejudice
C)Highly homogeneous employee population
D)Lack of cultural integration
E)Acceptance of minority group members

Question 77

The most common negative effect of diversity is

A)lowered organizational flexibility.
B)decreased ability to respond to consumer preferences.
C)increased communication difficulty.
D)enhanced cohesiveness.
E)decreased innovation and creativity.

Question 78

An organization that is marked by an absence of prejudice and discrimination and by low levels of intergroup conflict is known as a _____ organization.

A)bureaucratic
B)mechanistic
C)multicultural
D)monolithic
E)multinational

Question 79

In monolithic organizations, ____.

A)minorities are employed in all job levels
B)minority members identify highly with the company
C)minority members must adopt the norms of the majority to survive
D)employee population is relatively diverse
E)discrimination and prejudice are almost nonexistent

Question 80

In terms of its employee population, a monolithic organization is ____.

A)highly homogeneous
B)highly diversified
C)informally integrated
D)completely integrated
E)highly desegregated