Deck 1: Managing Human Resources

Question 1

An organization makes selection decisions in order to add employees to its workforce,as well as to transfer existing employees to new positions.

Answer 1

True
Explanation: Selection refers to the process by which the organization attempts to identify applicants with the necessary knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics that will help the organization achieve its goals. An organization makes selection decisions in order to add employees to its workforce, as well as to transfer existing employees to new positions.

Question 2

An HR professional can be an effective talent manager or organizational designer only when he has the knowledge of how an organization is structured and how that structure might be adjusted to help it meet its goals for developing and using employees' talents.

Answer 2

True
Explanation: As a talent manager or organizational designer, an HR manager knows the ways that people join the organization and move to different positions within it. To do this effectively requires knowledge of how the organization is structured and how that structure might be adjusted to help it meet its goals for developing and using employees' talents.

Question 3

Human resources cannot be imitated.

Answer 3

True
Explanation: Human resources cannot be imitated. To imitate human resources at a high-performing competitor, one would have to figure out which employees are providing the advantage and how. Then, one would have to recruit people who can do precisely the same thing and set up the systems that enable those people to imitate one's competitor.

Question 4

Managers and economists traditionally have seen human resource management as a source of value to their organizations.

Question 5

Evidence-based HR refers to the practice of initiating disciplinary action against employees only in the presence of clear and demonstrable proof of undesirable behavior.

Question 6

Human resource management is increasingly becoming a purely administrative function.

Question 7

No two human resource departments have precisely the same roles and responsibilities.

Question 8

Establishing and administering personnel policies allows a company to handle problematic situations more fairly and objectively than if it addressed such incidents on a case-by-case basis.

Question 9

Being able to influence people and build interpersonal relationships is an important characteristic of a successful HR professional.

Question 10

Greater concern for innovation and quality has shifted the job trend to using more broadly defined jobs.

Question 11

When a person evaluating performance is not familiar with the details of a job,outcomes tend to be easier to evaluate than specific behaviors.

Question 12

Current federal laws fail to outline how to use employee databases in order to protect employees' privacy while also meeting employers' and society's concern for security.

Question 13

High-performance work systems have been essential in making organizations strong enough to weather the storm of a recession and remain profitable when the economy begins to expand after the recession.

Question 14

HR activities are exclusively carried out by an HR specialist in small organizations.

Question 15

The supervisors in an organization play a key role in employee relations because they are most often the voice of management for the employees.

Question 16

Human resource management requires the ability to communicate through a variety of channels.

Question 17

The right of free consent states that employers can conceal the nature of a job while hiring an employee for a particular position.

Question 18

Kira feels that being denied a promotion has more to do with being a woman than with her overall performance.However,her supervisors and the HR department are refusing to hear her case.This suggests that Kira has been denied her right to due process.

Question 19

In organizations with sustainable strategies,the HR departments focus on employee development and empowerment rather than short-term costs.

Question 20

The concept of "human resource management" implies that employees in an organization cannot be considered as a resource and hence are interchangeable.

Question 21

Daniel,the director of operations,strongly believes that human resource management (HRM)is critical to the success of organizations.Melissa,the CFO of the organization,opposes Daniel's view because she thinks HRM is an unnecessary expense for the company.Which of the following statements weakens Melissa's belief?

A) HRM is highly substitutable and interchangeable.
B) HRM is easily available for all companies to utilize.
C) HRM helps an organization imitate human resources at a high-performing competitor.
D) HRM ensures that persons with high levels of the needed skills and knowledge are easily found.
E) HRM is indispensable for building a competitive advantage.

Question 22

Joshua,the human resource (HR)manager at Potter Inc.,has a clear understanding of the firm's business.This enables him to comprehend the various needs of the business and help the company meet its goals for attracting,keeping,and developing employees with the required skills.This scenario indicates Joshua's responsibility of:

A) providing administrative services.
B) preparing a job analysis.
C) providing business partner services.
D) creating a job design.
E) maintaining positive employee relations.

Question 23

The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)is the primary professional organization for HRM and the world's largest human resource management association.

Question 24

Which of the following describes the employees of an organization in terms of their training,experience,judgment,intelligence,relationships,and insight?

A) Performance management
B) Human capital
C) Tangible capital
D) Traditional management
E) Working capital

Question 25

For human resource practices to be considered ethical,they must result in the greatest good for the largest number of people.

Question 26

Which of the following responsibilities is specifically associated with the HR function of support for strategy?

A) Temporary labor recruitment and record keeping
B) Human resource planning and forecasting
C) Wage and salary administration
D) Development of employee handbooks and company publications
E) Development of an HR information system

Question 27

The vast majority of HRM professionals have a college degree.

Question 28

How do human resources professionals provide an organization with a valuable advantage?

A) They hire highly skilled and knowledgeable employees who are commonly available.
B) They can inspire the organization to easily duplicate the success of competitors.
C) They can help the organization to develop strong commitment toward its employees.
D) They hire high-quality employees who provide a needed service as they perform many critical functions.
E) They hire employees who are very enthusiastic but lack job experience and training.

Question 29

Edgar works at Alpha Inc.He is responsible for identifying individuals with skills required for the various roles in the organization.Which of the following human resource management (HRM)practices is being performed by Edgar?

A) Performance management
B) Employee relations
C) Selection
D) Training
E) Compensation

Question 30

The role of an HR generalist is essentially limited to recruitment and selection.

Question 31

Identify the correct statement regarding human resources.

A) Human resources can be imitated.
B) Human resources are commonly found.
C) Human resources have no good substitutes.
D) Human resources seldom perform critical functions.
E) Human resources are interchangeable, easily replaced parts of a system.

Question 32

Ryan filed a lawsuit against his previous employer because he was fired without warning.Which of the following events most likely compelled Ryan to file the lawsuit?

A) He was not promoted to the new position that was initially promised to him.
B) He was asked to move to a different department within the same company.
C) Ryan was asked to take a pay cut to keep his job.
D) Ryan was fired from the company without prior notice.
E) Ryan was forced to serve his probationary period of three months before leaving the company.

Question 33

In a recent trend,some companies are doing away with their human resource (HR)departments altogether because they:

A) prefer to have vertical organizational structures.
B) want to establish a centralized decision-making system.
C) need more narrowly defined jobs due to greater concern for innovation and quality.
D) do not need HR for recruitment as they rely heavily on promotions from within and applicants referred by current employees.
E) want to encourage department managers and other employees to handle HR issues as they arise.

Question 34

In the context of today's organizations,which of the following statements is true of employees?

A) Employees are not easily the replaced parts of a system, but they are the source of a company's success or failure.
B) Employees have good substitutes as they are well trained and highly motivated.
C) Employees with high levels of the required skills and knowledge can be easily imitated.
D) Employees within an organization seldom perform critical functions.
E) Employees do not have the right to refuse to do what violates their moral beliefs.

Question 35

Identify the responsibility that is specifically associated with the HR function of employee relations.

A) Conducting attitude surveys
B) Analyzing work
C) Creating HR information systems
D) Planning and forecasting human resources
E) Creating a job design

Question 36

Montero Inc.,an automobile manufacturing company,had the largest number of employees in the manufacturing sector last year.Instead of hiring more employees,the company decided to invest heavily in training its employees on automotive maintenance and design.Which of the following beliefs has led the company to take this decision?

A) The employees in the company are interchangeable.
B) The employees are the source of the company's success or failure.
C) The union employees in the company will resign once their contract expires.
D) A majority of the employees own shares in the company.
E) A majority of the employees in the company have an automotive engineering background.

Question 37

In the context of human resource management,human capital refers to the:

A) wages, benefits, and other costs incurred in support of HR functions in an organization.
B) cash, equipment, technology, and facilities that an organization uses.
C) tax-deferred value of an employee's 401(k) plan.
D) organization's employees, which add economic value to the company.
E) total budget allocated to the HR department in an organization.

Question 38

The policies,practices,and systems that influence employees' behavior,attitudes,and performance are important dimensions of:

A) supply chain management.
B) materials management.
C) human resource management.
D) labor laws.
E) employment laws.

Question 39

In companies that are ethical and successful,senior executives are the only stakeholders who are responsible for the actions of the company.

Question 40

Jonathan is a part of the HR department in an advertising firm.During a performance review,Jonathan realized he does not know the details of the job performed by a certain group of employees.However,he proceeds with the review and evaluates their performance.Which of the following is most likely to have occurred after the performance review?

A) The outcome was easier to evaluate than the specific behaviors of the employees.
B) The outcome was difficult to evaluate because Jonathan did not have the employees' job details.
C) The performance review was deemed redundant because Jonathan did not know the details of the employees' jobs.
D) Jonathan did not have enough data to complete the performance review because he did not have the employees' job details.
E) Jonathan was unable to evaluate the specific behaviors of the employees.

Question 41

Olivia works in the human resource (HR)department at Hercules Corp.Her chief responsibilities include administering salaries,determining incentives,managing group insurance and employee vacation and leave.Identify the human resource management (HRM)function being performed by Olivia.

A) Performance management
B) Employee relations
C) Selection
D) Training and development
E) Compensation and benefits

Question 42

In the context of HRM functions,the activities of performance management include:

A) identifying applicants with the necessary knowledge and abilities that will help an organization achieve its goals.
B) making a planned effort to enable employees to learn job-related knowledge, skills, and behavior.
C) specifying the tasks and outcomes of a job that contribute to an organization's success.
D) acquiring knowledge and skills that improve employees' ability to meet the challenges of a variety of new or existing jobs.
E) seeking applicants for potential employment.

Question 43

Which of the following refers to the process of getting detailed information about jobs?

A) Job rotation
B) Supply chain management
C) Job analysis
D) Policy creation
E) Job orientation

Question 44

Craig,one of the senior managers at Clayton Inc.,insisted that company supervisors handle employee relations as part of their jobs.Which of the following statements strengthens Craig's argument?

A) The supervisors represent the company on a day-to-day basis.
B) The supervisors have the business experience to take up additional responsibilities.
C) The supervisors do not hold any stakes in the organization.
D) The supervisors are not a part of the employees' union.
E) The supervisors are responsible for any action taken by the employees.

Question 45

Jacob is the human resource (HR)manager at Platinum Corp.He clearly understands the values,beliefs,convictions,vision,and mission of the company.He also enhances and modifies these aspects by understanding their significance.This scenario indicates that Jacob is a _____.

A) cultural and change steward
B) credible activist
C) strategic architect
D) business ally
E) strategic partner

Question 46

Nicole,an employee at Neo Corp.,develops and distributes newsletters that announce upcoming events in the company.Which of the following human resource management (HRM)practices is being performed by Nicole?

A) Performance management
B) Employee relations
C) Selection
D) Training
E) Compensation

Question 47

Reese,the human resource (HR)manager at Axis Inc.,clearly understands how individuals join the firm,get used to its values,and reach various positions within the company.She is also aware of the organizational structure and suggests measures to modify the structure in order to attain the firm's goals.This indicates that Reese is a _____.

A) cultural and change steward
B) credible activist
C) strategic architect
D) talent manager/organizational designer
E) strategic partner

Question 48

Kathleen is a member of the human resource (HR)department at Jade Corp.She had set a goal to enhance the firm's strategy.She worked to attain it by understanding the current resources and by attracting new resources according to requirements.However,her strategic ideas did not lead to effective results.Which of the following,if true,would imply the reason for Kathleen's failure in attaining her goal?

A) Kathleen did not set precisely the same job roles at Jade as other organizations.
B) Kathleen did not make an attempt to understand Jade's business, its industry, and its competitors.
C) Kathleen emphasized the use of broadly defined jobs.
D) Kathleen evaluated performance of an employee without being familiar with the details of the job.
E) Kathleen developed a strategy to make profits without depleting the firm's resources, including employees and natural resources.

Question 49

Heather is an HR specialist at McCoy Manufacturing,where she is responsible for making sure HR policies and transactions deliver results on a companywide basis by acquiring,developing,motivating,and deploying human resources.This scenario illustrates Heather's skills as a(n)_____.

A) business ally
B) operational executor
C) strategic architect
D) talent manager
E) cultural and change steward

Question 50

How can an HR department that is considered its company's strategic partner help the company gain a competitive advantage?

A) By handling administrative tasks with a commitment to quality
B) By providing business partner services to meet the company's goals
C) By providing skills training and career development programs
D) By providing the needed human resources to the company and understanding the existing ones
E) By answering questions on employee hiring and benefits

Question 51

Albright Corp.uses a set of quantitative tools to assess employee data such as performance,compensation,designations,and benefits.This is done to arrive at decisions based on accurate findings from analyses that can help the firm achieve its goals.Albright is engaging in the practice of _____.

A) training and development
B) job design
C) employee relations
D) talent management
E) workforce analytics

Question 52

Blandings Corp.,an apparel manufacturer,has been profitable for a long time without depleting its resources-raw materials,employees,and the support of the local community.The company also caters to the needs of all its stakeholders.Which of the following characteristics is illustrated in this scenario?

A) Sustainability
B) Strategic architecture
C) Compliance with law
D) Talent management
E) Workforce analytics

Question 53

Fiona,a manager at Norman Corp.,was responsible for workforce analytics in the organization.Her supervisor,Martin,argued that it was an unnecessary expense as he believed that collecting employee-related information was just an administrative responsibility.Which of the following statements,if true,would weaken Martin's argument?

A) Fiona established policies regarding violations of company regulations.
B) Fiona identified subordinates who showed the potential to become leaders in the company based on the data.
C) Fiona prepared and distributed company publications on the organization's intranet.
D) Fiona was able to actively recruit candidates from external sources, such as Internet job postings and college recruiting events.
E) Fiona was able to specify the tasks and outcomes of a job that contributed to the organization's success.

Question 54

Nikita heads the human resource (HR)team at Strait Corp.,a marketing firm.She has knowledge about how the firm earns revenues,about its clients and their requirements,and why the clients rely on the firm's services.This scenario illustrates Nikita's skills as a(n)_____.

A) cultural and change steward
B) credible activist
C) strategic architect
D) business ally
E) organizational designer

Question 55

Julie works at Matrix Inc.Her primary role in the company is to create self-rating,job-related questionnaires for the employees.Which of the following human resource management (HRM)practices is being performed by Julie?

A) Performance management
B) Employee relations
C) Selection
D) Training
E) Compensation

Question 56

Ellie is a human resource (HR)manager at Harris Corp.She has the greatest impact on the firm's success.She is highly admired and respected by others in the organization because she is extremely reliable.This scenario indicates that Ellie is a _____.

A) cultural and change steward
B) credible activist
C) strategic architect
D) business ally
E) strategic partner

Question 57

Which of the following best describes job design?

A) It is the process of defining the way work will be performed and the tasks that a given job requires.
B) It is the process of generating a pool of potential candidates for a job.
C) It is the process of identifying suitable candidates for jobs.
D) It is the technique of enabling employees to learn job-related knowledge, skills, and behavior.
E) It is the technique of presenting candidates with detailed information about a job.

Question 58

In the context of HRM functions,the activities of training and development include:

A) making decisions whether an organization will emphasize enabling employees to perform their current jobs, preparing them for future jobs, or both.
B) keeping track of how well employees are performing relative to objectives such as job descriptions and goals for a particular position.
C) attempting to identify applicants with the necessary knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics that will help the organization achieve its goals.
D) preparing and distributing employee handbooks that detail company policies and, in large organizations, company publications such as a monthly newsletter or a website on the organization's intranet.
E) establishing policies related to hiring, discipline, promotions, and benefits.

Question 59

Charles heads the human resource (HR)department at Schultz Inc.He is always aware of the various trends in the business environment and how they may have an impact on the operations of the company.In addition,he knows how to grab opportunities and deal with threats that can arise from the changing business environment.This scenario illustrates Charles's skills as a(n)_____.

A) cultural and change steward
B) credible activist
C) strategic architect
D) business ally
E) organizational designer

Question 60

Joanna,a local farmer,is affected by the operations of Wooster Inc.because she buys the products manufactured by the company.This indicates that Joanna is a _____.

A) stakeholder
B) change steward
C) strategic architect
D) business ally
E) strategic partner

Question 61

Which of the following HR functions includes preparing and distributing employee handbooks that detail company policies?

A) Recruitment and selection
B) Maintaining positive employee relations
C) Ensuring compliance with labor laws
D) Performance management
E) Planning and administering pay and benefits

Question 62

Some of the employees of RVZ Services were unhappy with their supervisor's comments and remarks.They felt that they were unduly being discriminated against by the supervisor.They turned to the HR department for help.Addressing such problems is a part of the HR function of:

A) recruitment and selection.
B) employee relations.
C) training and development of employees.
D) performance management.
E) planning and administration of pay and benefits.

Question 63

Which of the following describes a planned effort to enable employees to learn job-related knowledge,skills,and behavior?

A) Selection
B) Performance appraisal
C) Training
D) Compensation
E) Recruitment

Question 64

At Tech Scale Inc.,a company that deals in software products,employees often complain about the lack of clarity regarding the tasks they are required to perform.Often there are two employees working on overlapping tasks,while some tasks are not designated to any employee.Though employees are satisfied with the pay and work culture,this aspect of their work environment has led to a lot of conflict in the workplace.From the information provided,this complaint of the employees can be closely linked to which of the following HR functions?

A) Compliance with laws
B) Analysis and design of work
C) Compensation and benefits
D) Maintenance of employee relations
E) Recruitment and selection

Question 65

Identify the process through which an organization seeks applicants for potential employment.

A) Orientation
B) Training
C) Recruitment
D) Work analysis
E) Job design

Question 66

The process by which an organization attempts to identify applicants with the necessary knowledge,skills,abilities,and other characteristics that will help the organization achieve its goals is referred to as _____.

A) orientation
B) selection
C) compensation
D) work analysis
E) performance management

Question 67

Which of the following is defined as a systematic,planned effort to attract,retain,develop,and motivate highly skilled employees and managers?

A) Work flow analysis
B) Job analysis
C) Conjoint analysis
D) Talent management
E) Performance management

Question 68

Which of the following is defined as the process of ensuring employees' activities and outputs match an organization's goals?

A) Job analysis
B) Supply chain management
C) Employee development
D) Performance management
E) Career planning

Question 69

Which of the following is responsible for the shift in the job trend,from the use of narrowly defined jobs to the use of broadly defined jobs in organizations?

A) Emphasis on innovation and quality
B) Increased demand for low skilled workers
C) Increased focus on simplifying jobs
D) Lack of competition
E) Reduced use of team-based projects

Question 70

Costabin Inc.,a company in the recycling business,has revamped its management and business criteria.It has also added new objectives that would require recruitment of new and skilled labor.The responsibility of identifying the numbers and the kinds of employees lies with the HR department of the firm.This responsibility of the HR department is known as _____.

A) supply chain management
B) performance management
C) human resource planning
D) utilization analysis
E) performance planning

Question 71

The HR function of maintaining positive employee relations includes:

A) maintaining performance measures on outcomes.
B) offering training programs on effective teamwork.
C) selecting only those applicants that are referred by employees.
D) maintaining communication with union representatives.
E) planning employee pay and benefits.

Question 72

What is the advantage of establishing and administering policies in organizations?

A) It allows companies to handle situations more fairly and objectively.
B) It allows companies to address issues on a case-by-case basis.
C) It eliminates the need for documentation and record keeping.
D) It encourages employees to defend themselves by claiming ignorance of disciplinary norms.
E) It leaves a lot of room for subjective decision-making.

Question 73

If a company,as part of its job redesign program,plans to set up teams to manufacture products,which of the following programs might it offer to help employees learn the ins and outs of effective teamwork?

A) Development programs
B) Recruitment programs
C) Orientation programs
D) Selection programs
E) Performance management programs

Question 74

In an attempt to motivate its current employees and to attract skilled professionals,Labyrinth Inc.decides to increase salaries as well as year-end bonuses to its best performers.Which of the following HR functions is demonstrated in this scenario?

A) Performance management
B) Training and development
C) Recruitment
D) Planning and administering pay and benefits
E) Maintaining positive employee relations

Question 75

The parties with an interest in a company's success-typically,shareholders,the community,customers,and employees-constitute the _____ of the company.

A) advisors
B) stakeholders
C) management
D) personnel
E) strategic partners

Question 76

The HR function of _____ involves acquiring knowledge,skills,and behavior that improve employees' ability to meet the challenges of a variety of new or existing jobs,including the client and customer demands of those jobs.

A) recruitment
B) personnel policy
C) development
D) employee relations
E) selection

Question 77

The employees at Circa Financial often complain that they are not provided feedback about their work.They feel that they do not get proper information as to how they have performed and the areas in which they need to improve.They also claim that the performance goals are vague and not measurable.Which of the following HR functions does Circa Financial need to specifically improve upon to resolve the complaints put forth by its employees?

A) Recruitment
B) Employee selection
C) Training and development
D) Performance management
E) Planning and administering pay and benefits

Question 78

Which of the following best describes evidence-based HR?

A) It is the exclusive use of statistical models for planning, forecasting, and other related HR activities.
B) It refers to establishing overlapping performance goals and desired outcomes during performance management.
C) It refers to demonstrating that human resource practices have a positive influence on a company's profits or key stakeholders.
D) It is the process of ensuring that employees' activities and outputs match an organization's goals.
E) It is the organization-wide planned effort to enable employees to learn job-related knowledge, rather than teamwork or communication skills.

Question 79

_____ refers to the use of quantitative tools and scientific methods to analyze data from human resource databases and other sources to make evidence-based decisions that support business goals.

A) Conjoint analysis
B) Performance management
C) Workforce analytics
D) Career development
E) Task analysis

Question 80

An organization's ability to profit without depleting its resources,including employees,natural resources,and the support of the surrounding community is called _____.

A) adjustability
B) absorbability
C) substitutability
D) sustainability
E) credibility