Deck 3: Human Resources Management and Technology

Question 1

Compliance is a subsystem of the HRIS mainly used by

A)HR only.
B)HR, managers, and employees.
C)employees and managers.
D)HR and employees.
E)HR and managers.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Having an HRIS enables managers to make a more informed decision.It also provides information that is relevant, useful, timely, and accurate.Reports are generated to facilitate this process.The most commonly requested reports from an HRIS are

A)performance evaluations.
B)compensation reports.
C)basic information such as name and address.
D)number of vacation days taken.
E)all of the above.

Answer 2

E

Question 3

Deploying highly developed HR technology to manage HR functions will enable members of an HR department to

A)increase their efficiency.
B)relinquish the role of the "sole custodian"of employee information.
C)focus on transforming information to knowledge.
D)delegate to managers and employees the ability to use HR information to solve their problems.
E)all of the above.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Today there are more than 140 HRI systems offered by Canadian vendors.A human resource information system can help an HR department because

A)it can substitute for HR professionals in the decision-making process.
B)it can reduce administration and record keeping for HR.
C)it can act as an internal consultant to line managers.
D)it can reduce the time spent coaching line staff.
E)none of the above.

Question 5

Nelu is part of the HR department of a production company.The HR department was the sole custodian of all HR-related data.Therefore, Nelu spends most of her time handling employee queries on personnel questions.The company has

A)a counseling procedure.
B)PeopleSoft.
C)a paper-based system.
D)advanced HR technology.
E)one-on-one coaching.

Question 6

Sheila is an HR specialist at a newly formed organization.The organization has 50 employees and is expected to grow to about 100 over the next 4 years, adding 10-15 employees per year.The company is thinking of purchasing an HR system.As the HR specialist, Sheila's recommendation will be to

A)engage a consultant to prepare a request for proposal and review prospective vendors.
B)use a paper-based system since the employee base is small.
C)purchase a comprehensive HRIS with all subsystems.
D)maintain the current use of spreadsheets to track employee data and develop a requirements list for an HRIS.
E)purchase only the attendance management and Employment Equity subsystems now since they are essential.

Question 7

Company High Tech has three branches across Canada and the US.All locations are managed by one HR department.All employee data is fed in from each of the locations and updates a central database, which can be accessed by each of the locations in return.The HR database is also linked to their performance management system, payroll/benefits, and attendance tracking system.This is an example of

A)a relational database.
B)video conferencing.
C)an interactive database.
D)a paper-based system.
E)none of the above.

Question 8

The use of HRIS data to assess the performance of an organization's workforce using statistics and research design techniques is referred to as

A)tombstone data.
B)workforce data.
C)data warehousing.
D)workforce analytics.
E)workforce calculations.

Question 9

The primary central storage repository for all data collected by an organization's business systems is known as

A)a data warehouse.
B)an HRIS.
C)employee records.
D)a data repository.
E)a subsystem.

Question 10

HR technology has

A)reduced the administrative burden on the HR department.
B)prevented employees from accessing their personnel information.
C)made it difficult to have access to information.
D)increased the administrative burden on the HR department.
E)not contributed to any changes in the HR department.

Question 11

Targus Inc.is a sports equipment retailer with 500 employees that has just implemented an HRIS.One would expect the decision making subsystem of the HRIS to be mainly used by

A)HR only.
B)HR, managers, and employees.
C)employees and managers.
D)HR and employees.
E)HR and managers.

Question 12

Learning Inc.has an HRIS which has a subsystem that includes data on employee skills and competencies, development activities, and career planning in terms of which positions might be most appropriate for an employee based on skills/competencies.Which type of subsystem does Learning Inc.have?

A)employment equity
B)performance evaluation
C)organizational management
D)training and development
E)employee administration

Question 13

Technology that is used to attract, hire, retain, and maintain human resources, support HR administration, and optimize HRM is called

A)an HRIS.
B)an HR server.
C)HR technology.
D)HR management.
E)PeopleSoft.

Question 14

Talent management is a subsystem of the HRIS mainly used by

A)HR only.
B)HR, managers, and employees.
C)employees and managers.
D)HR and employees.
E)HR and managers.

Question 15

At the company Smith & Cole, employees can access HR applications from any computer with a connection to the internet.Each person has a password-protected login page.The company has a

A)web-based application.
B)interactive voice response.
C)interactive database.
D)relational database.
E)all of the above.

Question 16

HR technology has evolved over the years.The evolution of HR technology is characterized by

A)3 stages.
B)4 stages.
C)5 stages.
D)6 stages.
E)none of the above.

Question 17

HRIS has several components called subsystems.Which of the following is a subsystem of HR?

A)time and attendance
B)pension administration
C)labour relations
D)performance evaluation
E)all of the above

Question 18

An HRIS is made up of a number of systems that can store data.This data can be used to create information that will serve different purposes for many different stakeholders.One of the key functions of an HRIS is to

A)provide information to HR.
B)provide information to managers.
C)provide information to HR and managers.
D)discipline employees.
E)define organizational climate.

Question 19

HR professionals and managers utilize information from the recruitment, training and development, and administration subsystems to develop long-term plans for staffing.This is an example of which of the following benefits of an HRIS?

A)talent and knowledge management
B)strategic alignment
C)HR planning and forecasting
D)compliance
E)maintenance of employee records

Question 20

An integrated system that is used to gather, store, and analyze information regarding an organization's human resources is known as

A)a web database.
B)HR technology.
C)an interactive database.
D)a relational database.
E)an HRIS.

Question 21

Some of the common employee self-service (ESS)applications include allowing employees to

A)update the information of other employees.
B)update their own personal information.
C)change salary deductions.
D)update HR and related policies.
E)make changes to payroll information for themselves.

Question 22

Recent surveys of ESS and MSS systems users indicate that, though 80% of respondents agree that web-based self-service systems can lower HR operational costs, only 40% believe that their company is actually achieving this result.This discrepancy may be due to

A)systems requiring frequent updates from vendors.
B)lack of motivation to use such systems.
C)technology not being user-friendly.
D)systems not providing adequate features.
E)frequent systems malfunctions.

Question 23

A system that supports enterprise-wide or cross-functional requirements, rather than a single department or group within the organization, is known as a(n)

A)HRIS.
B)intranet.
C)enterprise-wide system.
D)electronic HR.
E)relational database.

Question 24

Typically organizations follow a process to select an HRIS.Which of the following states the three phases accurately and in proper order?

A)adoption, implementation, and institutionalization
B)needs analysis, implementation, and institutionalization
C)adoption, implementation, and follow-up
D)adoption, institutionalization, and follow-up
E)needs analysis, adoption, and implementation

Question 25

What are some of the areas factored into pricing during the adoption phase?

A)additional hardware requirements
B)training costs
C)ongoing support requirements
D)additional staffing needs
E)all of the above

Question 26

A single site that can be accessed within an existing internet site is called

A)an intranet.
B)a web site.
C)a portal.
D)e-HR.
E)none of the above.

Question 27

Gavin Chen is the VP of HR at Motion.com.The company has recently concluded its adoption phase and entered the implementation phase of an HRIS.Gavin is faced with the task of putting together a project team for the implementation phase.He should include which of the following?

A)outside consultants who have technical skills
B)outside consultants who have change management and legal compliance skills and subject matter experts from HR and payroll
C)subject matter experts from HR and payroll
D)a senior project manager to lead the team
E)outside consultants who have technical and change management skills and subject matter experts from HR and payroll

Question 28

Web-based HR applications have enabled companies to shift responsibility for viewing and updating records onto employees, thus changing the manner in which employees acquire information and relate to their departments.Two of the most popular web-based HR applications are

A)HR and employee self-service.
B)HR and management self-service.
C)employee and management self-service.
D)HRIS and management self-service.
E)HRIS and employee self-service.

Question 29

Employee self-service (ESS)systems have fundamentally changed the way employees relate to their HR department because

A)they are able to access information relevant to themselves.
B)ESS has made HR redundant in the organization.
C)they need to visit HR regularly for personnel information.
D)line managers and employees have taken over HR.
E)HR no longer provides related services.

Question 30

Which of the following phases involve activities such as getting the system running in a controlled environment, conversion of existing data into the new system, and establishing security profiles?

A)needs analysis phase
B)institutionalization phase
C)follow-up phase
D)implementation phase
E)adoption phase

Question 31

A form of technology that enables HR professionals to integrate an organization's HR strategies, processes, and human capital to improve overall HR service delivery is known as

A)enterprise-wide HR.
B)HR technology.
C)stand-alone HR.
D)an HRIS.
E)electronic HR.

Question 32

Which system allows managers to access a range of information not only about themselves but also about the employees who report to them?

A)ESS
B)MSS
C)the internet
D)HRIS
E)MIS

Question 33

A company in the banking industry has decided to purchase an HRIS and wants to choose a system.The organization is conducting a review of company background, management and HR considerations, and technical considerations.The company is in the ________ of the selection process.

A)institutionalization phase
B)implementation phase
C)adoption phase
D)selection phase
E)none of the above

Question 34

The internet has enabled organizations to do which of the following?

A)reduce the number of HR staff for increased effectiveness
B)outsource HR functions to HR technology companies
C)harness web-based technology and applications to assist strategy development
D)assist the adoption and implementation stages of an HRIS
E)harness web-based technology and applications to enhance HR services

Question 35

A decision to purchase an HRIS can vary from one organization to another based on their existing technology, ability to afford technology, and the size and culture of the company.However, there is some common ground that all companies can agree on for adopting HR technology.Those reasons are

A)cost savings and faster processing of information.
B)faster processing of information, cost savings, and helping the organization to achieve goals.
C)cost savings only.
D)helping the organization to achieve goals only.
E)faster processing of information only.

Question 36

A company has concluded its adoption phase and has sent a request to vendors to schedule demonstrations of the various systems available.The company will ultimately choose one that most closely aligns with their needs analysis, budget, and management requirements.This is known as

A)the adoption phase.
B)request for information.
C)request for proposal.
D)selecting a proposal.
E)the implementation phase.

Question 37

Selecting and implementing an HRIS can be time consuming as well as costly.Before an organization decides to purchase a system, it is important to ask which of the following questions?

A)What do the employees expect of an HRIS?
B)What type of system does the organization need?
C)Does the employee base have the required IT skills?
D)What do the competitors do?
E)Is the organization ready for an HRIS?

Question 38

A network that is interconnected within an organization, using web technologies for sharing information internally, is called

A)a subsystem.
B)the internet.
C)a portal.
D)an HRIS.
E)an intranet.

Question 39

You are the Director HR at an accounting firm and, as such, are responsible for overseeing implementation of the HRIS.To address privacy and security risks what should you have the security profile of the HRIS determine?

A)who can enter information
B)who can view information
C)who can enter, view, and change information and who can access the system
D)no security profile is necessary
E)who has access to the system and who can view the information

Question 40

All staff of a company that has purchased an HRIS are undergoing systems training.Which phase is the company in?

A)training phase
B)implementation phase
C)adoption phase
D)institutionalization phase
E)none of the above

Question 41

Though research has indicated that those who use technology to manage HR functions will have a significant advantage over those that do not, some companies do not use such technology due to cost.

Question 42

Wayne Brockbank and David Ulrich of the University of Michigan Business School have identified five key competencies for HR.This new competency model has emerged because

A)line managers and employees no longer see HR as credible.
B)HR is moving towards outsourcing of services.
C)businesses have demanded that HR have a new competency model.
D)HR has decided to play a key role in transactional activities.
E)technology has fundamentally changed the role of HR.

Question 43

The subcontracting of work that is not considered part of a company's core business is called

A)RFPs.
B)ESS and MSS.
C)HRIS.
D)outplacement.
E)outsourcing.

Question 44

An HR professional who is trying to develop an understanding of key drivers of organizational productivity and to become aware of costs associated with enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of the workforce, is fulfilling which of the competencies described in the Ulrich model?

A)mastery of technology
B)business knowledge
C)HR delivery
D)strategic contribution
E)none of the above

Question 45

Managers often utilize the HRIS to request reports such as performance evaluations.Managers also utilize the system to perform HR calculations, for example, turnover costs.

Question 46

SAP, PeopleSoft, and Oracle are enterprise-wide systems because they support enterprise-wide or cross-functional requirements rather than a single department.

Question 47

Managers are receptive to MSS systems because such systems contribute to data integrity and accuracy.

Question 48

HR began to integrate with other business-related systems with the move towards enterprise-wide systems.

Question 49

Which of the following is a major trend in technology that will influence HR management?

A)increased focus on reducing costs
B)increased use of portals
C)greater access to technology
D)enhanced focus on work force analytics
E)all of the above

Question 50

E-HR has made human resources processes more efficient and has reduced the number of people working in HR in organizations that have enterprise-wide systems.

Question 51

What are the five key competencies in the HR model introduced by David Ulrich?

A)mastery of technology, strategic contribution, HR knowledge, business knowledge, integrity
B)strategic contribution, HR delivery, business knowledge, personal credibility, HR knowledge
C)mastery of technology, strategic contribution, HR delivery, personal credibility, business knowledge
D)mastery of technology, transactional contribution, customer service, credibility, HR knowledge
E)strategic contribution, HR mastery, HR delivery, mastery of technology, personal credibility

Question 52

An enterprise-wide system is defined as a system that supports enterprise-wide or cross-functional requirements rather than a single department or group within the organization.One of the well-recognized enterprise-wide systems is

A)People-Trak.
B)Deploy.
C)SAP.
D)Taleo.
E)none of the above.

Question 53

Software can be purchased for any HR-related function in any industry.The software that has been developed to create succession-planning matrices, establish career paths, and create candidate placement scenarios is known as

A)Peoplesoft.
B)SAP.
C)Ergowatch.
D)ExecuTRACK software.
E)Halogen.

Question 54

The impact of technology has fundamentally changed the role of HR.It has enabled HR to

A)increase its involvement in transactional services.
B)decrease the time spent with employees and line staff.
C)decrease its involvement in transactional activities.
D)decrease focus on the customer.
E)increase time spent on administrative tasks.

Question 55

Targus Inc.is a mid-sized sports clothing retailer in Canada.Components of an HRIS system that are likely to be cost effective and efficient for it include

A)generic software applications only, like Microsoft Excel.
B)payroll and benefits administration only.
C)systems which allow for many users, such as People-Trak Inc.and Organization Plus.
D)an enterprise-wide system which has many HR modules.
E)employee scheduling only.

Question 56

Investigating management considerations for purchasing an HRIS is carried out during the RFP stage of the selection process.

Question 57

HR needs to work closely with IT in IT-enabled organizations.In order to do this, HR must gain credibility with IT staff and work well with them.This knowledge can be acquired through

A)meeting with software vendors.
B)trade shows.
C)formal IT courses.
D)reading about technological trends
E)all of the above.

Question 58

An HRIS can be stand-alone as not all organizations require sophisticated systems.There are many different vendors who offer different sizes and types of products because

A)most sophisticated systems are not user-friendly.
B)not all systems provide all features.
C)organizations prefer to use paper-based systems.
D)organizations have to consider the cost aspect.
E)HR departments don't support the use of such systems.

Question 59

Recruitment is a subsystem in an HRIS which enables an organization to provide online forms to applicants so that applicants can be tracked and resumes can be scanned for key words to identify skills and experience.

Question 60

Creation of security profiles for the HRIS is carried out in the implementation phase and is required because of privacy- and security-related issues.

Question 61

What is an HRIS? Identify and briefly describe four of the major components of an HRIS.

Question 62

Identify and describe five key technology trends from the major technology trends identified by Watson Wyatt.

Question 63

What are the main issues to be considered in Phase 1: Adoption-Determining the Need for an HRIS? Identify and briefly describe the five issues.

Question 64

Describe how an HRIS system can support the key functions of legal compliance, forecasting and planning HR requirements, talent management/knowledge management, and strategic alignment.Provide specific examples how an HRIS supports each key function.

Question 65

Identify (4)and describe (8)the stages in the evolution of HR technology.

Question 66

The HR function, with its newly developed strategic focus, is expected to demonstrate a measurable impact on business results.

Question 67

Outsourcing of HR-related services has grown over the past decade because it is associated with cost reductions and it increases the ability of HR to focus on transactional objectives.