Deck 8: Managing Human Resources and Labour Relations

Question 1

June has been given the responsibility of doing a job analysis, but she isn't sure what it means, so she asks you. You say that it is
a written statement which outlines the duties, tasks, and relationship with other positions in the organization.
an attempt to generate large numbers of qualified applicants.
the specific method by which the firm will attempt to reach its objectives.
the detailed study of the specific duties required for a particular job and human qualities required to perform that job.
an analysis of the characteristics of individuals who currently hold jobs with the firm.

Answer 1

the detailed study of the specific duties required for a particular job and human qualities required to perform that job.

Question 2

Forecasting the supply of labour involves two tasks. The first task is to forecast
future organizational plans.
the number and type of employees who will be in the firm at some future date.
general economic trends.
trends in past HR usage.
demand for certain types of employees.

Answer 2

the number and type of employees who will be in the firm at some future date.

Question 3

The process of considering present employees as candidates for openings within the organization is referred to as
profit sharing.
job analysis.
internal recruitment.
external recruitment.
vestibule training.

Answer 3

internal recruitment.

Question 4

Cindy Stevens has developed a document that identifies the duties and responsibilities of a database administrator. This document is referred to as a
recruitment effort.
job quantification.
job description.
job advertisement.
job specification.

Question 5

What is the first step in obtaining applicants who are both interested in and qualified for available jobs?
Interviews
Selection
Recruiting
Enlistment
Resume differentiation

Question 6

Mark, a manager in production, needs to determine the supply and demand of employees in order to develop specific strategies. This is known as
job specification.
job description.
performance appraisal.
job analysis.
forecasting.

Question 7

________ is the set of organizational activities directed at attracting, developing, and maintaining an effective workforce.
Production management
Operations management
Developing a mission statement
Human resource management
Financial management

Question 8

Joe manages 15 workers on a production line. He has asked each of them to create a checklist of all the duties they perform. Joe is working on a
job analysis.
job specification.
job description.
person-job matching.
job relatedness.

Question 9

Cindy Stevens is observing and interviewing several database administrators to determine the duties and responsibilities associated with their job, as well as the knowledge, skills, and abilities that someone must have to perform the job. Cindy is performing the HR function of
job analysis.
advertising.
promotion.
training.
staffing.

Question 10

Which of the following is considered the starting point of effective human resource management?
Advertising
Financing
Human resource planning
External staffing
Recruitment

Question 11

Cindy Stevens has developed a database that contains information on each employee's education, skills, work experience, and career aspirations. She plans to use this database to identify employees to fill vacancies. This data base is a
job specification.
skills inventory.
managerial grid.
job analysis.
replacement chart.

Question 12

When forecasting demand,
industry comparisons are mandatory.
the company forecasts the number and type of people who will be available for hiring from the labour market at large.
employees are interviewed and asked how long they think they will remain with the company.
employees sign a contract stating the number of years they will stay.
a company must assess trends in past HR usage, future organizational plans, and general economic trends.

Question 13

Evaluating each potential candidate for an existing job opening and deciding on whom to extend a job offer to is called
recruiting.
screening.
interviewing.
decision-making.
selecting.

Question 14

Cindy has placed an advertisement for a job vacancy in the employment section of the newspaper. This is a form of
profit sharing.
external recruitment.
job analysis.
vestibule training.
internal recruitment.

Question 15

When Sara, the human resource manager, attempts to determine the predictive value of a selection technique, she is doing
validation.
certification.
training.
internal recruitment.
external recruitment.

Question 16

The use of newspaper advertisements, visits to high schools, colleges, and university campuses, and use of employment agencies are part of
performance appraisals.
external recruiting.
community involvement.
internal training programs.
compensation studies.

Question 17

John is reading a document which describes the conditions under which his job will be done, the ways in which it relates to other positions, and the duties he needs to perform. John is probably looking at
a job specification.
a job description.
job relatedness.
person-job matching.
a job analysis.

Question 18

The process of attracting qualified persons to apply for the jobs that are open is called
searching.
soliciting.
interviewing.
recruiting.
selection.

Question 19

Cindy Stevens has identified the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary for a database administrator in her organization. She will record this information in a(n)
advertising budget.
employee analysis.
job specification.
staffing survey.
on-the-job training agreement.

Question 20

Asking a prospective employee a question like "Tell me about a situation where you took the initiative" would happen when the __________ approach is being used.
aptitude testing
behavior-based interviewing
curveball
testing
assessment centre

Question 21

You are responsible for training in your company and have created a management training program to take place at a local conference center. This is an example of
vestibule training.
off-the-job training.
a lecture program.
video conferencing.
mentoring.

Question 22

Once the recruiting process has attracted a pool of applicants, the next step is to select someone to hire. The intent of the selection process is to gather information from applicants that will predict their job success. The organization can only gather information about factors that are predictive of future performance. This process is called
psychological profiling.
screening.
job specification.
validation.
none of these.

Question 23

After reference checks have been received, what is usually the next step in the selection process?
Screening interview
Interview with the manager
Give ability/aptitude tests
Polygraph tests
Reference checks

Question 24

Asking a prospective employee a question like "Tell me about a situation where you took the initiative" would happen when the __________ approach is being used.
aptitude testing
behaviour-based interviewing
curveball
testing
assessment centre

Question 25

The process of introducing new employees to the organization so that they can more quickly become effective contributors is known as
acquainting.
orientation.
educating.
training.
developing.

Question 26

Kim, a public relations manager, has just completed the process of checking the references of several job candidates. What should she do next?
Conduct screening interviews
Conduct medical and drug tests
Conduct interviews with the candidates
Give ability/aptitude tests
Administer polygraph tests

Question 27

Jim is an accounts-receivable manager who has received many applications for an accounts-receivable clerk position. What would he most likely do next?
Interviews with his manager
Reference checks
Screening interviews
Polygraph tests
Give ability/aptitude tests

Question 28

In an assessment centre,
potential employees are assessed by a psychologist to determine if they are suitable for the job.
potential employees perform management tasks while being watched by an appraiser.
the emphasis is on giving potential employees paper-and-pencil tests to determine their suitability for the job.
potential job candidates do actual (paid) work for the organization.
all of these are correct.

Question 29

Once the recruiting process has attracted a pool of applicants, the next step is to select someone to hire. The intent of the selection process is to gather information from applicants that will predict their job success. The organization can only gather information about factors that are predictive of future performance. This process is called
psychological profiling.
screening.
job specification.
validation.
none of these.

Question 30

Which of the following is correct with respect to behaviour-based interviewing?
It assesses how well an applicant is likely to get along with other workers if the applicant is hired.
A question like "Do you often take the initiative?" is a good example of the kind of question that would be asked in a behaviour-based interview.
It focuses on finding out how an applicant has reacted to important or difficult job situations in the past and assumes that these are a good indicator of how the person will react in the future.
The interviewer asks the applicant a highly structured series of questions.
All of these are correct.

Question 31

Jerry, a marketing manager, has just conducted screening interviews with several job candidates. What should he do next?
Consider applications and resumes
Give a polygraph test
Give an ability/aptitude test
Give medical/drug/polygraph tests
Conduct an interview with the manager

Question 32

The first step in selection is
asking the candidate to fill out an application form.
doing reference checks.
doing a job analysis.
conducting an in-person interview.
posting the job.

Question 33

Which of the following is correct with respect to behaviour-based interviewing?
It assesses how well an applicant is likely to get along with other workers if the applicant is hired.
A question like "Do you often take the initiative?" is a good example of the kind of question that would be asked in a behaviour-based interview.
It focuses on finding out how an applicant has reacted to important or difficult job situations in the past and assumes that these are a good indicator of how the person will react in the future.
The interviewer asks the applicant a highly structured series of questions.
All of these are correct.

Question 34

Which of the following is not part of orientation?
Providing information about pay days
Reading manuals
Taking a polygraph test
Introduction to co-workers
Learning about parking priorities

Question 35

Louis, an information-technology manager, needs to select a new employee. Which of the following would Louis not normally use as a part of the employee selection process?
Performance appraisals
Ability and aptitude tests
Applications and resumes
Medical examinations
Reference checks

Question 36

Which of the following is correct with regard to selecting human resources?
An application form is an inefficient method of gathering information about an applicant.
An assessment centre is a place where human resource professionals analyze an applicant's application form.
The interview is a popular selection tool because it is almost always a good predictor of future job success.
Interviewers can increase interview validity by asking "curveball" questions, i.e., questions that job applicants would never be expecting to be asked.
All of these are correct.

Question 37

Which of the following is correct with respect to training?
Most on-the-job training is formal.
Vestibule training has been shown to be superior to on-the-job training.
The Build for the Future program at TD Bank is an example of vestibule training.
Networking and mentoring are essentially informal training processes.
All of these are correct.

Question 38

All of the following are external recruiting methods except
advertising.
campus interviews.
a skills inventory system.
hiring "walk-ins."
union hiring halls.

Question 39

An Ipsos Reid survey of over 1000 workers revealed that about _____ of those surveyed felt that they didn't always fit in well at work.
one-fifth
one-quarter
one-third
one-half
three-quarters

Question 40

Video assessment refers to
an expensive alternative to traditional hiring techniques.
videotaping employees on-the-job in order to evaluate their job performance.
having new hires watch videos that show a series of realistic work situations, and then asking them to choose a course of action to deal with the situation.
videotaping new hires during an interview in order to evaluate their personality.
none of these.

Question 41

Which of the following is correct regarding performance appraisals?
They are required by law.
The appraisal process begins when the manager defines performance standards for the employee.
The process is completed when the employee's performance improves.
Organizations typically focus on information provided by the subordinate's peers.
All of these are correct.

Question 42

When an employee is paid a certain amount of money for every unit produced, this is a
salary program.
piece-rate incentive program.
wage program.
pay-for-performance.
job evaluation.

Question 43

Suppose a manager decides that 10 percent of the employees in her department will be categorized as "outstanding." She is using which tool of performance appraisal?
Simple ranking method
Complex ranking method
Forced distribution
Graphic rating scale
All-or-nothing method

Question 44

The ranking method which consists of a statement or question about some aspect of an individual's job performance is called
a graphic rating scale.
the critical incident method.
the forced distribution method.
a simple ranking system.
the degree of agreement method.

Question 45

When an employee performance rater recalls examples of especially good or poor performance by an employee, this is called
the process improvement method.
the inconsistency method.
the new work force method.
the high-visibility method.
the critical incident method.

Question 46

John has been gathering information from a variety of sources, including a manager's subordinates, in order to assess their performance. He is conducting
a traditional performance review.
positive reinforcement.
an internal appraisal.
360-degree feedback.
tailoring.

Question 47

A survey by the Conference Board of Canada found that _____percent of the companies that have an incentive programs don't measure the effectiveness of the programs.
23
36
44
51
69

Question 48

A survey by the Conference Board of Canada found that _____ percent of Canadian companies offer incentive programs.
20
33
48
64
80

Question 49

Bill is looking at his pay cheque. He worked 38 hours last week and since he is paid $10.00 per hour, his gross pay was $380.00. Bill's compensation is in the form of
variable pay.
workers' compensation.
salary.
wages.
bonus.

Question 50

The informal interactions among managers for the purpose of discussing mutual problems, solutions, and opportunities is
mentoring.
off-the-job training.
on-the-job training.
group therapy.
networking.

Question 51

Elsie, a pilot, is using a simulator to learn how to fly a new jet without ever leaving the ground. In order to learn this new skill set, Elsie is using
job expansion.
job shadowing.
vestibule training.
job rotation.
on-the-job training.

Question 52

Vestibule training is
a work simulation in which the job is performed under conditions closely simulating the actual work environment.
an instructional-based program in which a trainer presents material in a descriptive fashion to those attending a trainee program.
a development program in which employees gain new skills at a location away from the normal work site.
training workers through the use of classroom-based programs.
a technique that ties training and development activities directly to task performance.

Question 53

When university and college teachers grade on the normal curve, they are essentially using which method for appraising the performance of students?
Forced distribution method
Simple ranking method
Graphic rating scale
360-degree feedback
None of these

Question 54

_______ generally refer to hourly compensation paid to operating employees, while _______ generally refers to a yearly amount that is to be paid to an employee.
Workers' compensation; salary
Salary; bonus
Bonus pay; salary
Salary; wages
Wages; salary

Question 55

Adam, the manager of sewing production, has been asked to rank-order his team from top to bottom. This is an example of what type of ranking method?
High-low feedback
Graphic rating
Top-down order ranking
Forced distribution
Simple ranking

Question 56

Which of the following is correct with regard to compensation?
The term "compensation" refers to a number of different elements, including base salary, incentives, bonuses, benefits, and other rewards that employees receive.
There is a general consensus in society that top managers deserve the high compensation they receive because their jobs are very complex and demanding.
The average hourly wage in manufacturing is lower than the average hourly wage in retailing.
Job evaluation is a method for determining whether a worker in a given job should be paid a wage or a salary.
All of these are correct.

Question 57

Jake is reviewing his salary, the bonus plan, the profit-sharing plan, and the benefit program. Jake is looking at the
wages system.
salary system.
compensation system.
pay-for-performance system.
merit salary system.

Question 58

Suzy has been assigned to a veteran employee for the first week on a new job. She will follow him around and learn the job by watching how he does it. This process is
vestibule training.
orientation.
performance appraisal.
off-the-job training.
on-the-job training.

Question 59

Wages are paid for ________, while salary is paid for ________.
getting a job done; time worked
time worked; number of units produced
number of units produced; getting a job done
time worked or number of units produced; getting a job done
time worked; getting a job done

Question 60

When an older, more experienced manager sponsors and teaches a younger, less experienced manager, this is known as
mentoring.
off-the-job training.
on-the-job training.
group therapy.
networking.

Question 61

Rosalyn belongs to a company with a wellness program. The program may include
employment insurance.
better health insurance.
stress management programs.
life insurance.
workers' compensation.

Question 62

Scott is looking at his pay cheque. He worked 48 hours last week but got paid the same as he did the previous week when he worked only 36 hours. His compensation plan is based on
workers' compensation.
bonuses.
variable pay.
wages.
salary.

Question 63

If a fitness centre hires only women to supervise the women's locker room, it can do so without being discriminatory because of
anti-discrimination laws.
The Canadian Human Rights Act of 1977.
the bona fide occupational requirement concept.
comparable worth.
affirmative action.

Question 64

After a very successful year when the firm exceeded targeted earnings levels by 10 percent, each employee received extra pay equal to 10 percent of what they earned for the year. This plan is called
merit salary.
pay-for-knowledge.
profit-sharing.
gainsharing.
pay-for-performance.

Question 65

The ________ is federal legislation that designates four groups as employment disadvantaged: women, visible minorities, aboriginal people, and people with disabilities.
Equal Pay Act of 1963
Canadian Human Rights Act
Fair Labour Standards Act
Employment Equity Act of 1986
Canadian Employment Rights Act

Question 66

All of the following are considered incentive systems except
profit-sharing plans.
benefits.
individual incentive plans.
gainsharing.
sales commissions.

Question 67

The ________ prohibits a wide variety of practices in recruiting, selecting, promoting, and dismissing personnel.
Canada Labour Standards Act
National Labour Relations Act
Canadian Human Rights Act
Canadian Labour Relations Act
Canadian Employment Equity Act

Question 68

With regard to employment insurance premiums, which is correct?
The employer must pay all the premiums.
The employee must pay all the premiums.
Both the employer and the employee pay premiums.
The employee pays more of the total premium than the employer.
The government pays all the premiums.

Question 69

Under _________, profits earned above a certain level are distributed to employees, while under __________, bonuses are distributed to employees when a company's costs are reduced through greater work efficiency.
protection plans; pay-for-knowledge plans
profit-sharing; gainsharing
gainsharing; profit-sharing
a piece-rate incentive plan; a salary plan
none of these

Question 70

________ distribute bonuses to all employees in a company based upon reduced costs from working more efficiently.
Profit-sharing plans
Gainsharing plans
Merit salary systems
Bona fide occupational requirement plans
Assessment centre plans

Question 71

What is the difference between the Employment Equity Act of 1986 and the Canadian Human Rights Act of 1977?
The former applies only to government employees, while the latter applies only to private-sector employees.
The former prohibits employment discrimination against four designated groups (women, visible minorities, Aboriginal people, and people with disabilities), while the latter prohibits a variety of practices in recruiting, selecting, and dismissing personnel.
The former supersedes the latter.
The former doesn't try to achieve employment equity, while the latter does.
All of these statements are correct.

Question 72

What is the purpose of incentive pay plans?
They provide a mechanism for managers to constructively discipline troublesome employees
To motivate high performance
To reduce the amount of wages payable to employees
They permit accurate and honest performance appraisals
Compliance with federal law which requires incentives such as social insurance and workers' compensation

Question 73

Joan is finding that her current benefit package does not meet her needs as it appears to be a "one size fits all" approach. What would Joan likely recommend to her employer to improve her satisfaction with the benefit package?
Impose a wage and salary freeze in order to expand the benefits offered
Use a cafeteria benefit plan and let the employee select the benefits within a set monetary limit
Lower commission rates for sales people in order to expand the benefits offered
Pay employees an additional amount in order to purchase their own external benefits plan
Offer only the benefits that are required by law

Question 74

What is the fundamental difference between profit-sharing and gainsharing?
Profit-sharing rewards employees based on the profit the company earns, while gainsharing rewards employees on the basis of productivity improvements.
Profit-sharing has been shown to be more motivating for employees than gainsharing.
Profit-sharing allows more specific measurement of improvements than gainsharing.
Profit-sharing focuses on group rewards, while gainsharing focuses on individual rewards.
Profit-sharing is used mostly by large companies, while gainsharing is used mostly by small companies.

Question 75

At Palliser Furniture, any profit resulting from production that exceeds a certain level is split 50-50 between the company and the employees. This is an example of
gainsharing.
skill-based pay.
pay-for-knowledge.
profit-sharing.
a bonus.

Question 76

Besides financial compensation, an organization provides its employees with an array of other indirect compensation called
workers' compensation.
training.
benefits.
360 degree feedback.
mentoring.

Question 77

What is the objective of the Canadian Human Rights Act?
To ensure that everyone who wants a job can have one
To protect immigrants from being mistreated while on the job
To ensure that everyone who wants a job has an equal opportunity to compete for it
To prevent employers from discriminating among job applicants on the basis of past experience
All of these are objectives

Question 78

Sammy is looking at his pay cheque. He received $900 for producing 75 units. This pay is called
merit pay.
a stock option.
knowledge-based pay.
piece-rate incentive plan.
skill-based pay.

Question 79

Shawn has been hurt while working on his job. The cost for him to have the injury repaired and to recuperate is covered under
major medical insurance.
disability insurance.
health insurance.
workers' compensation.
hospitalization insurance.

Question 80

The type of incentive program for major league baseball players that will pay them extra money for hitting over .300 or making the All-Star team is called
gainsharing.
variable pay.
profit-sharing.
stock options.
a bonus.