Deck 1: Managing Human Resources

Question 1

In the eyes of average Americans,the best employers:

A)maximize shareholder profits
B)maximize long term shareholder interests
C)make decisions based on economic needs of the organization
D)seek to have a positive impact on society
E)simply obey the letter of the law

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Stakeholders are:

A)individuals or groups that have interests,rights,or ownership in an organization and its activities
B)can benefit from a company's successes such as a profitable year
C)harmed by a business's product failures
D)interdependent with an organization
E)are accurately described by all of the above

Answer 2

E

Question 3

Which of the following statements describing how owners and shareholders relate to the organization is true?

A)Companies with better HR practices have greater increases in market value/employee.
B)An investor's judgment about the value of a company's intangible assets is based on such things as reputation rankings.
C)Most owners and shareholders invest their money in companies for financial reasons.
D)Intangibles such as how employees feel about their employer can be used by shareholders to predict financial performance.
E)All of the above statements about how owners and shareholders relate to the organization are truE.

Answer 3

E

Question 4

_____ stakeholders are those whose concerns the organization must address in order to ensure its own survival.

A)strategic
B)primary
C)direct
D)organizational
E)corporate

Question 5

The stakeholders of the organization include all but:

A)Employees
B)Society
C)Local Government
D)Customers
E)Owners and Investors

Question 6

Which of the following statements about corporate spending on social issues and community involvement are true?

A)Corporations should spend whatever is needed to maximize society's well-being.
B)It is part of a corporation's contract with society to provide funds for the common good.
C)Most corporations today operate under the rules of socialism.
D)Managers of corporations try to show how the company's financial donations and community service contribute to the corporate goals.
E)All of the above statements about corporate spending on social issues and community involvement are truE.

Question 7

Which of the following would be an example of how to create an inimitable corporate culture:

A)Hiring the best employees available
B)Benchmarking against other successful firms
C)Develop a complex and integrated system of HR practices over a period of many years
D)A company-specific training program
E)All of the above

Question 8

How does an organization interact with its society stakeholders?

A)by obeying local laws and regulations
B)by being committed to community relations
C)through employee volunteerism
D)by acting socially responsible to protect the environment
E)by doing all or any of the above

Question 9

The most difficult company culture to copy would be one that:

A)has evolved over time and actually suits the needs of the company
B)has evolved over the last twelve months
C)has been used successfully by other companies not in the industry
D)is based on a tactical pricing and promotion plan
E)supports a newly developed technically-oriented company

Question 10

People referred to as core employees are closest to the essential work of the organization.All of the following are core employees EXCEPT:

A)scientists and researchers in pharmaceutical firms
B)programmers in software development firms
C)doctors in health care facilities
D)musicians in orchestras
E)maintenance personnel in colleges and universities

Question 11

A competitive advantage derived from human resources is sustainable for a company when:

A)it uses a centralized tactical program of close-supervision
B)its employees have some rare and specialized skill not easily copied
C)it has a newly created organizational culture
D)its product is intangible
E)its customers remember the product and not the salesperson

Question 12

Which of the following statements describing the stakeholder relationship between employees and their employers is true?

A)Corporate restructuring has had minimal effect on U.S.employees.
B)For most workers whether the employer provides secure and affordable health insurance,paid sick leave,and assured pension and retirement benefits are more important than their pay.
C)The Equal Pay Act is unnecessary today because all employees are paid according to their performance not the gender.
D)Many employees value a good quality of work life while on the job.
E)All of the above statements accurately describe the stakeholder relationship between employees and their employers.

Question 13

Free-market capitalism is the result of:

A)shareholders' expectations of profits
B)an overabundance of skilled labor in the U.S.
C)the new sellers' market
D)decreased emphasis on social responsibility
E)less use of collaborative problem solving

Question 14

The Florida Quarry Company wants to reopen a quarry mine in North Georgia.The mine contains an estimated 76 million tons of granite and would make the company one of the leading granite producers in the Eastern United States.The local communities fear what such mining will do to their environment.This example reflects:

A)a conflict between shareholders and society
B)a lack of social responsibility by the company
C)a conflict among all of Florida Quarry's secondary stakeholders
D)how the customer stakeholder can influence the organization
E)a conflict among all of Florida Quarry's primary stakeholders

Question 15

The relationship between quality of HRM activities and market value:

A)fluctuates with the economy
B)has not been proven
C)indicates companies with better HR practices have greater increases in value per employee
D)depends upon the relationship among the members of the HR triad
E)none of the above

Question 16

What are the primary concerns of customers in their role as stakeholders?

A)legal compliance of the company and how it meets its social responsibility
B)return on sales,return on assets,and return on investments
C)quality service and product,innovation,and low cost
D)concern about safety,health,and fair treatment
E)whether the company uses collaborative problem-solving

Question 17

At Cisco Systems,a technology company located in Silicon Valley,voluntary turnover is 8% compared to an industry average of 30%.Cisco was recently ranked third in the 2001 Fortune magazine "100 Best Companies to Work for in America." As part of their HR management philosophy,which of the following core values does Cisco hold important?

A)teamwork
B)a dedication to customer success
C)innovation and learning
D)openness
E)all of the above

Question 18

Which of the following would be an example of a primary stakeholder group for a manufacturer of mixes for bread machines?

A)the newspaper that runs an article on the fat content of such bread mixes
B)a political action group that sues the manufacturer for not hiring enough Hispanic-Americans
C)a local environmentalist who is concerned about how the manufacturer disposes of its waste products
D)the customer who purchases the bread mix
E)all of the above

Question 19

Organizations offer their employees training and development programs to improve their skills,safe and healthy work environments,fair and equitable selection and promotion systems,and jobs designed to increase employee self-esteem in order to:

A)create stronger commitment from its employees
B)increase employee satisfaction
C)increase employee empowerment
D)improve employee quality of work life
E)do all of the above

Question 20

Computer Nerds is a company that specializes in quick and efficient computer repairs.The employees are expected to dress like nerds-pocket protectors,polyester,and ugly glasses.Each employee must also have an exceptional ability at recognizing computer problems and fixing them.The organization's culture is based on the idea that these experts should be only minimally supervised and should be left alone to do what they do best.Each computer repairperson is given a percentage of the profit he or she earns for the company.The company has more than tripled in value since it began five years ago through the:

A)use of an open hiring policy
B)close monitoring of day-to-day activities
C)use of human resources to create a competitive advantage
D)development of a democratic corporate culture
E)creation of a strategic plan that can be easily copied

Question 21

As stakeholders,customers are most concerned with quality service and products,speed and responsiveness,low cost,and new products.

Question 22

ABC Company has a strategy of being a low-cost provider of services and thus pays its employees a low wage rate.Which of the following is an example of an HR practice that would be in alignment with this strategy?

A)a heavy investment in training
B)recruitment at top educational institutions
C)complex compensation plans such as profit sharing and stock options
D)career planning sessions with employees
E)ongoing recruitment activities

Question 23

An HR professional who wants to maintain professional responsibility would engage in which of the following activities:

A)pursue formal academic opportunities
B)measure the effectiveness of HR in contributing to organizational goals
C)use his or her position for personal or financial gain
D)seek preferential treatment in the HR processes
E)avoid conflicts of interest

Question 24

A good quality of work life contributes to increased employee satisfaction,commitment,and feelings of empowerment.

Question 25

Improving on time delivery of results to satisfy customers and reinforce or expand informal networks to satisfy employees are common reasons for the expanding use of:

A)assessment centers in selection
B)teaming
C)employee stock ownership
D)synergy
E)globalization

Question 26

Management practices such as using rapid market intelligence and competitive pricing will create a sustainable competitive advantage,regardless of the human resources used to implement these strategies.

Question 27

All of the people who currently contribute to doing the work of the organization,those who could potentially contribute in the future,and those who have contributed in the recent past are referred to as:

A)employees
B)the HR triad
C)human resources
D)HR professionals
E)customers

Question 28

Key roles for the HR department and HR leader are:

A)business partner,consultant,innovator,monitor and change manager
B)business partner,educator,consultant,monitor and change manager
C)educator,consultant,business partner,monitor and change manager
D)change manager,business partner,consultant,educator and innovator
E)consultant,educator,innovator,monitor and change manager

Question 29

Which of the following is NOT a part of human resources management activities?

A)Developing organizational strategy
B)Compensating employees
C)Promoting workplace safety and health
D)Understanding unionization and collective bargaining
E)Measuring performance and providing feedback

Question 30

A competitive advantage is described as sustainable when it can be maintained for a longer period of time even though other companies may be able to copy it.

Question 31

A commitment to community involvement and development can have major implications for managing human resources because voluntary labor is frequently a community's biggest need.

Question 32

A line manager's responsibilities in managing the human resources of an organization include all of the following EXCEPT:

A)be proactive about learning how leading companies are managing human resources
B)seek input from HR professionals and line workers to improve own competency
C)learn about and apply basic principles for managing HR
D)work closely with HR professionals in the company to develop and implement HR policies
E)understand that as line managers they share responsibility for managing human resources with HR

Question 33

Human resource (HR)activities include the formal HR policies developed by the company as well as the actual ways these policies are implemented in the daily practices of supervisors and managers.

Question 34

Several studies have shown that the approaches companies take to manage their human resources can increase profitability,annual sales per employee (productivity),market value,and earnings-per-share growth.

Question 35

The average American views socially responsible organizations preferable for employment over less socially responsible ones.

Question 36

Investors,creditors,and suppliers are referred to as stockholders;employees,customers,and distributors are referred to as stakeholders.

Question 37

The external environment affects all organizations,but its effects are not the same for all organizations.

Question 38

The most difficult corporate cultures to copy are those that have evolved over a period of time and suit the specific needs of the organization.

Question 39

The characteristics that tend to shape the way a company manages its people include:

A)the leadership of the top management team
B)the company's culture
C)technology
D)business strategy
E)all of the above

Question 40

The human resources triad contains:

A)top-level,middle-level,and lower level managers
B)representatives from each primary stakeholder group
C)suppliers,customers,and resellers
D)line managers,human resource professionals,and employees
E)employees,staff managers,and line managers

Question 41

Discuss why the U.S.workforce is becoming more culturally diverse.

Question 42

Why would increased diversity in the workplace make managing teams more challenging than in a non-diverse workplace?

Question 43

What are five reasons for the increase in teaming in organizations?

Question 44

Who are the primary stakeholders in most companies in the United States?

Question 45

Key roles for the HR department and the HR leader are business partner,consultant,innovator,monitor and change manager.

Question 46

eHR refers to the practice of managing human resources through the use of various forms of hardware and software technology including databases,mainframes,laptops,use of materials online,DVDs and CDs,accessibility,confidentiality,privacy,ownership,and the Internet as applied to all HR activities.

Question 47

Complexity must be reduced before it can be managed effectively.

Question 48

Describe the relationship between a company and its stakeholders.

Question 49

Give an example of a competitive advantage that is NOT sustainable.

Question 50

HR professionals are guided by a code of ethics.

Question 51

List the members of the human resources (HR)triad.

Question 52

The most well-known certification process for HR professionals are the PHR and SPHR,conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management.

Question 53

The human resource (HR)triad is composed of line managers,HR professionals,and employees.

Question 54

Because the U.S.has an advanced system of employment law,HR managers can be assured that if a practice is legal in the U.S. ,it is legal in other countries.

Question 55

The responsibility for effectively managing human resources rests with those in the human resources department.

Question 56

Computer Nerds is a company that employs individuals who are experts at recognizing and repairing computer problems.Their slogan is "Call a nerd when you have a nerdy problem." Describe how such a company can create a sustainable competitive advantage.

Question 57

The popularity of team-based organizational structures reflects the belief that teamwork can achieve outcomes that cannot be achieved by the same number of individuals working in isolation.

Question 58

eHR is such a technically complex tool that HR professionals typically not actively involved in its development and application.

Question 59

Line managers who have taken a rotational assignment in the HR department are considered HR professionals.

Question 60

Discuss the following statement: "Organizations look to the legal institutions to determine if they are acting in the best interest of society."

Question 61

How can HR professions assist managers in doing an effective job of managing complexity?