Deck 13: Managing Human Resources

Question 1

One disadvantage of employee referrals as a source of job candidates is that it generates unqualified candidates.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

An organization that wants to have high-performance work practices should discourage self-managed teams and decentralized decision making.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

People who prefer integration are more likely to respond positively to options such as flextime and part-time hours.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

The Civil Rights Act,Title VII prohibits discrimination of employees who are above 40 years of age.

Question 5

Affirmative action programs help ensure that decisions and practices enhance the employment,upgrading,and retention of members from protected groups such as minorities and females.

Question 6

The burden to prove that selection devices used by managers to differentiate applicants are validly related to job performance is on managers.

Question 7

Which of the following is true of high-performance work practices?

A)It is easier to implement in organizations with centralized structures.
B)It involves well-structured job responsibilities as opposed to flexible assignments.
C)In spite of its many benefits,research indicates that there is no direct link between high-performance work practices and a firm's market value.
D)It encourages extensive employee involvement and greater employee control on decision making.

Question 8

Human resource planning entails two steps: assessing current human resource assessment and meeting future human resource needs.

Question 9

A labor union is an organization that represents workers and seeks to protect their interests.

Question 10

There are only two ways of controlling labor supply through decruitment: firing and early retirements.

Question 11

Job rotation allows employees to work at different jobs in a particular area,thereby giving them exposure to a variety of tasks.

Question 12

A new employee goes through two types of orientation: work unit orientation and procedural orientation.

Question 13

Written essay and critical incident are performance appraisal methods.

Question 14

High-performance work practices involve a commitment by management to improve the knowledge skills and abilities of the organization's employees,increasing employee motivation,and enhancing the retention of quality employees.

Question 15

Summer day camps and job sharing are types of family-friendly benefits that organizations are offering today.

Question 16

Variable pay systems reward employees for the job skills and competencies they can demonstrate.

Question 17

High-performance work practices are those that lead to both high individual and high organizational performance.

Question 18

Giving negative information about the organization to prospective candidates is not a good idea because it puts the company in bad light.

Question 19

Recruitment is defined as the process of screening job applicants to determine who is best qualified for the job.

Question 20

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

Question 21

Which of the following Acts gives employees the legal right to examine personnel files and letters of reference?

A)Civil Rights Act,Title VII
B)Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act
C)Privacy Act
D)Equal Pay Act

Question 22

Which of the following steps in the human resource management process identifies and selects competent employees?

A)orientation and training
B)human resource planning and recruitment
C)compensation and benefits
D)training and performance management

Question 23

People who turned 21 in 2000 or later are known as ________.

A)baby boomers
B)millennials
C)the 13th generation
D)Gen Xers

Question 24

Which of the following steps in human resource management helps retain competent and high-performing employees?

A)orientation and selection
B)selecting
C)performance management
D)training

Question 25

The essence of affirmative action is to ________.

A)provide positive reinforcements to encourage desirable behavior
B)prevent employees from behaving unethically
C)prevent discrimination and enhance the status of members from protected groups
D)provide experiential exercises and on-the-job coaching for employees

Question 26

Fletcher has worked as a regional sales manager for Waiyo,a firm that sells espresso machines to offices and restaurants,for 8 years.Faced with falling demand and plummeting sales,the firm decided to prune its operations and concentrate on its most profitable markets.Fletcher's sales territory was not part of this and he was let go of by the management,with a modest severance package.However,his health coverage was discontinued following his termination,even though Fletcher was willing to pay for it.Which of the following Acts can Fletcher cite in his efforts to have his health coverage benefits restored?

A)Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA)
B)Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
C)Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA)
D)Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act

Question 27

________ are groups of nominated or elected employees who must be consulted when management makes decisions involving personnel.

A)Task forces
B)Cross-functional teams
C)Work councils
D)Board representatives

Question 28

The final three activities of the human resource management process ensure ________.

A)that the organization retains competent and high-performing employees
B)that the organization selects and trains competent employees
C)the best compensation packages for the new hires
D)that employees are continuously provided with up-to-date knowledge and skills

Question 29

The two most common forms of representative participation are ________.

A)board representatives and cross-functional teams
B)task forces and labor unions
C)work councils and board representatives
D)work councils and cross-functional teams

Question 30

The process by which managers ensure that they have the right number and kinds of capable people in the right places and at the right times is known as ________.

A)affirmative action
B)performance management
C)job specification
D)human resource planning

Question 31

Which of the following Acts prohibits discrimination on the basis of physical or mental disabilities?

A)Vocational Rehabilitation Act
B)Civil Rights Act,Title VII
C)Equal Pay Act
D)Occupational Safety and Health Act

Question 32

________ is an example of a high-performance work practice.

A)Increasing employee access to information
B)Giving employees less control over decision making
C)Seniority-based compensation
D)Closed communication

Question 33

The first phase of the human resource management process involves ________.

A)human resource planning,compensation,and benefits
B)human resource planning,training,and performance management
C)human resource planning,recruitment and decruitment,and selection
D)human resource planning,recruitment and decruitment,and orientation

Question 34

Which of the following Acts requires continued health coverage following termination of an employee?

A)Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act
B)Occupational Safety and Health Act
C)Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
D)Family and Medical Leave Act

Question 35

The first three activities of the human resource management process involves ________.

A)providing employees with flexible job assignments
B)identifying and selecting competent employees
C)providing employees with up-to-date knowledge and skills
D)retaining competent and high-performing employees

Question 36

Which of the following is true of the government legislations related to human resource management in different countries?

A)Canadian laws prohibit discrimination on the basis of language in all parts of the country except Quebec.
B)In Australia,gender opportunities for women lag behind those in the United States.
C)In Mexico,employees are less likely to be unionized than in the United States.
D)Unlike the rest of Europe,legislation in Germany does not require companies to practice representative participation.

Question 37

Managers begin human resource planning by ________.

A)locating capable applicants
B)inventorying current employees
C)job analysis
D)recruitment and decruitment

Question 38

Which of the following is an example of a high-performance work practice?

A)closed communication
B)centralized decision making
C)skill-based compensation
D)self-managed teams

Question 39

Which of the following statements is true of the four generations that are working side-by-side today?

A)The baby boomers refer to people born between 1965 and 1977 who account for the bulk of the workforce.
B)The Gen X workers consist of people born between 1978 and 1994.
C)The Gen Y refer to people born between 1946 and 1964.
D)The oldest,most experienced workers account for 6% of the workforce.

Question 40

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

A)juvenile arbitration
B)commercial arbitration
C)collective bargaining
D)plea bargaining

Question 41

Gareth has been promoted as the HR manager.He is now in charge of recruiting at Eowin Systems,and is expected to enhance the diversity of the workforce.Which of the following recruiting sources should Gareth avoid if he is to achieve the stated aim of a more diverse workforce?

A)college recruiting
B)company Web site
C)employee referrals
D)professional recruiting organizations

Question 42

A ________ selection device indicates that the device measures the same thing consistently.

A)subjective
B)potent
C)reliable
D)valid

Question 43

In which of the following decruitment methods does an organization refrain from filling up the openings created by voluntary resignations or normal retirements of its employees?

A)firing
B)layoffs
C)attrition
D)transfers

Question 44

A written statement that explains the job content,environment,and conditions of employment is called a ________.

A)job specification
B)job preview
C)job manual
D)job description

Question 45

A ________ states the minimum qualifications that a person must possess to successfully perform a given job.

A)job description
B)job preview
C)job manual
D)job specification

Question 46

Tim is a candidate for an automotive mechanic's position.He is asked to deconstruct and reconstruct part of an engine motor to demonstrate his skill.This is an an example of a(n)________.

A)spatial test
B)performance-simulation test
C)intelligence test
D)psychometric test

Question 47

If human resource planning shows a surplus of employees,management can reduce the organization's workforce through ________.

A)recruitment
B)decruitment
C)increased workweeks
D)reduced job sharing

Question 48

A ________ selection device is characterized by a proven relationship between the selection device and some relevant job selection criterion.

A)subjective
B)secure
C)reliable
D)valid

Question 49

________ are a temporary involuntary termination that can last from a few weeks to several years.

A)Layoffs
B)Attritions
C)Transfers
D)Retirements

Question 50

Elizabeth was hired as a customer care executive,along with five others,by a telecommunication provider during a period when they were extremely short-staffed.However,her employers soon realized that she was impatient,easily irritated,and lacked motivation.They even began to receive complaints about her behavior from angry customers.In hiring Elizabeth,her employers were guilty of a(n)________.

A)admission error
B)reject error
C)accept error
D)reception error

Question 51

An assessment that defines jobs and the behaviors necessary to perform them is known as a ________.

A)job description
B)job specification
C)job preview
D)job analysis

Question 52

Steve,a human resources manager,wants to let potential candidates know about the minimum qualifications that they should possess in order to successfully perform the jobs they have applied for.What should he do?

A)He should frame a job description.
B)He should frame a job specification.
C)He should do a job analysis.
D)He should do a job satisfaction survey.

Question 53

Application forms ________.

A)are most useful for gathering information
B)include personality and interest forms
C)use actual job behaviors
D)do not predict job performance

Question 54

Assessment centers are best if they are used to select ________.

A)senior management
B)semiskilled workers
C)employees for entry-level positions
D)unskilled workers

Question 55

A disadvantage of using professional recruiting organizations is ________.

A)that they generate many unqualified candidates
B)their limited commitment to specific companies
C)that they can only be used for entry-level positions
D)that they do not increase the diversity and mix of employees

Question 56

________ involves predicting which applicants will be successful if hired.

A)Selection
B)Training
C)Orientation
D)Decruitment

Question 57

Which of the following is true of written tests as a selection tool?

A)They are not very popular anymore.
B)They are relatively good predictors for supervisory positions.
C)They cannot predict job performances.
D)They are mostly used for insurance-related jobs.

Question 58

Recruitment is the process of ________.

A)moving employees laterally to reduce intraorganizational supply-demand imbalances
B)locating,identifying,and attracting capable applicants
C)screening job applicants to determine who is the best
D)reducing the surplus employees from the workforce

Question 59

________ as a source of recruitment is limited to entry-level positions.

A)The company Web site
B)The Internet
C)College recruiting
D)Professional recruiting organizations

Question 60

Errors made by getting rid of candidates who would have performed successfully on the job are known as ________.

A)admission errors
B)reject errors
C)accept errors
D)reception errors

Question 61

Which of the following methods of performance appraisal allows the evaluator to focus on vital behaviors that separate effective work performance from ineffective work performance?

A)behaviorally anchored rating scale
B)multiperson comparison
C)critical incident
D)graphic rating scale

Question 62

A ________ system rewards employees for the job competencies they demonstrate.

A)piece-rate pay
B)skill-based pay
C)variable pay
D)fixed pay

Question 63

A ________ includes both positive and negative aspects about the job and the company.

A)structured interview
B)job analysis
C)realistic job preview
D)behavioral preview

Question 64

The ________ method utilizes feedback from supervisors,employees,and coworkers.

A)management by objective
B)360-degree appraisal
C)critical incident
D)graphic rating scale

Question 65

Which of the following performance appraisal methods is a combination of elements from the critical incident method and the graphic rating scale method?

A)multiperson comparison
B)360-degree appraisal
C)management by objective
D)behaviorally anchored rating scale

Question 66

Which of the following is a type of general training provided by organizations?

A)customer service
B)customer education
C)managing change
D)public speaking

Question 67

________ is an Internet-based learning where employees participate in multimedia simulations or other interactive modules.

A)Teleconferencing
B)E-learning
C)Coaching
D)Videoconferencing

Question 68

In which of the following traditional training methods are employees made to work at different jobs in a particular area in order to get exposure to a variety of tasks?

A)training by job rotation
B)on-the-job training
C)mentoring
D)coaching

Question 69

Downsizing is the planned elimination of ________ in an organization.

A)jobs
B)managerial hierarchy
C)cross-functional teams
D)departments

Question 70

The two types of orientations are ________.

A)job orientation and procedural orientation
B)work unit orientation and organization orientation
C)work unit orientation and group orientation
D)organization orientation and group orientation

Question 71

Which of the following factors does NOT influence the pay and benefits offered by an organization?

A)employee ethnicity
B)unionization
C)geographical location
D)management philosophy

Question 72

In providing assistance to employees being downsized,many organizations offer some form of ________.

A)severance pay
B)piece-rate pay
C)overtime pay
D)merit pay

Question 73

The ________ method of performance appraisal allows the evaluator to rate employees on an incremental scale.

A)behaviorally anchored rating scale
B)management by objective
C)graphic rating scale
D)multiperson comparison

Question 74

Which of the following is a technology-based training method?

A)classroom lectures
B)experiential exercises
C)videoconferencing/teleconferencing
D)workbooks/manuals

Question 75

Larry is an HR manager with Merlin Infosystems.He is in charge of recruitment for entry-level positions in the company.He is of the view that job interviews should provide a realistic job preview.Which of the following is Larry likely to do during job interviews?

A)explain all the positive points,including the flexible nature of work
B)over-embellish the growth opportunities for employees
C)promise a vibrant,fun work culture at the office
D)intimating the employee about possible overtime

Question 76

Which of the following is a type of specific training provided by organizations?

A)management skills
B)team building skills
C)supervisory skills
D)communication skills

Question 77

In which of the following traditional training methods do employees work with an experienced worker who provides information,support,and encouragement?

A)e-learning
B)experiential exercises
C)mentoring and coaching
D)on-the-job training

Question 78

Which of the following training methods involves employees participating in role playing,simulations,or other face-to-face types of training?

A)experiential exercises
B)job rotation
C)mentoring and coaching
D)on-the-job training

Question 79

________ is the process of introducing a new employee to his job and the organization.

A)Orientation
B)Selection
C)Staffing
D)Communicating

Question 80

A ________ is a method of performance appraisal where each employee is rated in comparison to other employees in his work group.

A)multiperson comparison
B)behaviorally anchored rating scale
C)critical incident
D)graphic rating scale