Deck 1: The Challenge of Human Resources Management

Question 1

Reactive changes are strategic changes initiated by managers in response to external forces that have already affected a company's performance.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Downsizing is often used by organizations for the planned elimination of jobs.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

In absolute terms,the United States remains the world's most productive nation,even when it comes to manufacturing.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Methods of reducing labor costs include downsizing,outsourcing,and employee leasing.

Question 5

The strategies companies are pursuing today increasingly involve one or more elements of globalization.

Question 6

​Labor costs are always the smallest expenditures companies make,particularly in service-intensive firms.

Question 7

Companies are increasingly rotating non-HR managers into HR positions and vice versa to give them exposure to different areas of the organization.

Question 8

Technology,transportation,communications,and utilities industries tend to spend the least on training.

Question 9

Human capital is owned by an organization and is part of its core competencies.

Question 10

Human capital is intangible,but can still be managed the way organizations manage jobs,products,and technologies.

Question 11

To proactively manage change,organizations should wait to see how external forces impact an organization's performance,and then develop a plan to address those changes.

Question 12

Outsourcing refers to employing workers in their homes rather than within the traditional office environment.

Question 13

​Older workers are generally undependable and operate like free agents.

Question 14

A Human Resource Information System (HRIS)provides current and accurate data for control and decision-making by managers.

Question 15

Educational level is positively related to annual earnings.

Question 16

A firm's ability to compete through people depends on its ability to manage human capital.

Question 17

Knowledge workers are employees whose responsibilities include only problem-solving.

Question 18

In general,many companies are realizing a diminished demand for touch labor and an increasing demand for knowledge work.

Question 19

Corporate social responsibility is the responsibility of an organization to act in the best interests of the people and communities affected by its activities.

Question 20

Furloughing is a situation in which a firm asks an employee to take time off but the employee is still provided with full pay and benefits.

Question 21

An HR manager is typically expected to function as an in-house consultant to supervisors,managers,and executives.

Question 22

The HR policies are generally proposed by the senior executives of an organization to the HR managers,who actually issue them. ​

Question 23

Which of the following is the largest employment agency in the United States?

A)Snelling Personnel Services
B)Kelly Services
C)Manpower Inc.
D)Labor Ready

Question 24

_____ is closely related to corporate social responsibility.

A)Downsizing
B)Furloughing
C)Sustainability
D)Offshoring

Question 25

The U.S.Department of Education has found that less than half of all high school seniors in the U.S.are unable to handle basic math involving fractions,decimals,and simple algebra.

Question 26

Older workers are often willing to work flexible hours.

Question 27

One of the responsibilities of HR managers is to provide advice and counsel to line managers.

Question 28

Organizational changes are said to be _____ when external forces have already affected an organization's performance.

A)proactive
B)intentional
C)reactive
D)negative

Question 29

By 2050,the percentage of Hispanics in the United States is expected to nearly triple,while the percentage of people of Asian descent is expected to significantly decrease.

Question 30

Which of the following is NOT a primary impact that technology has had on human resources management (HRM)?

A)It has altered the methods of collecting employment information.
B)It has quickened the processing of employment data.
C)It has diminished the role of supervisors in managing employees.
D)It has improved the processes of internal and external communications.

Question 31

One of the roles of HR managers is to act as employee advocates despite their positions as managers.

Question 32

_____ change is initiated by management to take advantage of targeted opportunities.

A)Proactive
B)Turnover
C)Reactive
D)Reflective

Question 33

When employee leasing is used,a firm signs an agreement with a professional employer organization.

Question 34

Employees today are less likely to define success in terms of financial gain.

Question 35

HR managers can establish personal credibility by developing good relationships with people both internal and external to a firm.

Question 36

The _____ is the first major trade agreement of the twentieth century to establish rules and guidelines for global commerce.

A)NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement)
B)GATT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade)
C)FTAA (Free Trade Area of the Americas)
D)APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation)

Question 37

Women now account for slightly more than half of the American workforce.

Question 38

The first step in choosing an HRIS is for the HR personnel to:

A)evaluate the most time-consuming tasks.
B)examine the user-friendliness of the software.
C)calculate the cost savings in using an HRIS.
D)calculate the time required to train the HR staff.

Question 39

Which of the following is NOT a competitive challenge within the Human Resources Management framework?

A)Changes in the marketplace
B)Globalization
C)Technology
D)Employee rights

Question 40

Family-friendly practices include offering flexible hours,telecommuting,and job sharing.

Question 41

According to the U.S.Bureau of Labor Statistics,about _____ of people over 55 now participate in the labor force.

A)15 percent
B)40 percent
C)55 percent
D)75 percent

Question 42

The business practice of sending jobs to other countries is referred to as:

A)outplacement.
B)offshoring.
C)outsourcing.
D)employee leasing.

Question 43

Hiring someone outside the company to perform tasks that could be done internally is known as:

A)outplacement.
B)contracting.
C)outsourcing.
D)employee leasing.

Question 44

Millennials are also known as:

A)baby boomers.
B)Generation X.
C)Generation Y.
D)screenagers.

Question 45

The _____ paved the way for the formation of many major trade agreements and institutions.

A)General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)
B)International Monetary Fund (IMF)
C)North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
D)European Union (EU)

Question 46

_____ is the process of moving jobs closer to one's home country.

A)Nearshoring
B)Outsourcing
C)Homeshoring
D)Furloughing

Question 47

The knowledge,skills,and capabilities of individuals that have a tremendous impact on an organization's performance but do not show up directly on its balance sheet are known as:

A)intellectual capital.
B)human capital.
C)core capital.
D)employee capital.

Question 48

Which of the following is one of the largest expenditures of service companies?

A)Production costs
B)Marketing costs
C)Labor costs
D)Distribution costs

Question 49

A method of containing costs that allows a professional employer organization (PEO),typically a larger company,to takeover the management of a smaller company's HR tasks and become a coemployer to its employees is known as _____.

A)outsourcing
B)employee leasing
C)furloughing
D)nearshoring

Question 50

Managers have to find ways to empower employees and encourage their participation and involvement to more fully utilize human capital because:

A)employees are required to cut down on administrative costs.
B)firms are moving away from team-based structures.
C)employee skills often go unused.
D)managers want to avoid competing through people.

Question 51

Managers are concerned that the expertise of employees will be rapidly drained from their companies because:

A)recruitment of minorities is increasing.
B)large portions of American workers are nearing retirement.
C)older workers' are becoming more resistant to flexible work hour.
D)older workers are increasing behaving like free agents.

Question 52

Which strategy refers to the planned elimination of jobs?

A)Downsizing
B)Outsourcing
C)Nearshoring
D)Reengineering

Question 53

A survey conducted by the Human Resource Planning Society revealed that _____ percent of the responding companies believe that their HR group plays an important role in developing human capital.

A)less than 30
B)nearly 50
C)between 30 and 40
D)nearly 65

Question 54

Women who are employed full-time today make about _____ of what men employed full-time make.

A)50 percent
B)95 percent
C)79 percent
D)100 percent

Question 55

Approximately _____ of the U.S.economy today is affected by international competition,including small companies.

A)25 to 40 percent
B)50 to 65 percent
C)70 to 85 percent
D)90 to 100 percent

Question 56

In which of the following ways are labor force and its demographics expected to change?

A)Minorities will make up a smaller share of the U.S. labor force than they did in the past.
B)Women will make up a smaller share of the U.S. labor force than they did in the past.
C)By 2050, the labor force participation rate will be only about 59 percent.
D)The demand for temporary workers will triple by 2050.

Question 57

It is anticipated that in the future,the American workforce will exhibit:

A)about the same demographic mix as it does today.
B)an increase in ethnic diversity.
C)a decrease in ethnic diversity.
D)a decrease in the number of older workers.

Question 58

The national identities of products are blurring due to the effect of:

A)globalization.
B)nearshoring.
C)downsizing.
D)furloughing.

Question 59

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of organizations that have been successful in engineering change?

A)Linking the change to business strategy
B)Engaging key employees early in the change process
C)Investing in the implementation of change
D)Engaging suppliers only after making changes

Question 60

About _____ of what Americans produce every year dollar-wise is sold abroad.

A)50 percent
B)30 percent
C)10 percent
D)2 percent

Question 61

Which of the following does NOT represent a cultural change emerging in organizations?

A)An increased concern for privacy
B)Changing attitudes toward work
C)Balancing work and family demands
D)Accommodating unemployed workers

Question 62

The use and disclosure of personal medical information is protected by the:

A)Privacy Act of 1974.
B)Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996.
C)Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986.
D)Public Health Service Act of 1944.

Question 63

In absolute terms,which country in the world is the most productive?

A)Japan
B)United States
C)Germany
D)Sweden

Question 64

Globalization is of interest to _____ companies.

A)service
B)consumer product
C)only large
D)all types of

Question 65

Family-friendly work options include all of the following EXCEPT:

A)day care.
B)spousal benefits.
C)parental leave.
D)job sharing.

Question 66

Older workers:

A)operate more like free agents.
B)prefer having younger supervisors.
C)are more willing to work flexible hours.
D)learn new behaviors more quickly because of their experience.

Question 67

_____ is a competency of the HR manager earned by developing personal relationships with people both internal and external to the firm demonstrating the values of the firm,standing up for one's own beliefs,and dealing with all parties equitably.

A)Change mastery
B)HR mastery
C)Business mastery
D)Personal credibility

Question 68

Approximately _____ of mothers with school-age children are employed.

A)10 percent
B)30 percent
C)50 percent
D)70 percent

Question 69

Employee rights include all of the following EXCEPT:

A)company funded pension plan.
B)equal employment opportunity.
C)union representation.
D)equal pay for equal work.

Question 70

Over the last few decades,the educational attainment of the U.S.labor force has:

A)risen dramatically.
B)fallen dramatically.
C)remained at about the same level.
D)had little influence on HRM.

Question 71

Globalization has led to _____.

A)a new focus on corporate social responsibility
B)older workers behaving more like free agents
C)a reduction in the number of offshoring options
D)a reduction in the number of nearshoring options

Question 72

Which of the following is false?

A)Majority of employees have no children under 18.
B)Family-friendly policies have no positive outcomes for firms.
C)Flextime options are on the rise for employees.
D)Family-friendly policies may include day care, part-time work, and job sharing.

Question 73

In the context of the competencies required of HR managers,understanding an organization's customers and economic and financial capabilities is part of _____.

A)Personal credibility
B)HR mastery
C)Business mastery
D)Change mastery

Question 74

A firm's top _____ manager is in a good position to be the chief ethics officer of the firm.

A)HR
B)finance
C)production
D)marketing

Question 75

_____ requires an understanding of an organization's customers and economic and financial capabilities to help a firm achieve its strategic direction and adjust it as needed.

A)Change mastery
B)HR mastery
C)Business mastery
D)Personal credibility

Question 76

Globalization stirs fierce debate,especially when it comes to _____.

A)equal pay for women
B)jobs
C)proprietary technology
D)information exchange

Question 77

Today about _____ percent of women aged 16 years and older participate in the work force in the U.S.

A)40
B)80
C)30
D)60

Question 78

As an employee advocate,HR managers:

A)formulate and issue policy revisions for employees.
B)listen to employees and represent their needs to management.
C)provide individual orientation and training to every employee.
D)assist employees with labor negotiations.

Question 79

Human capital is _____ and _____ be managed the way organizations manage jobs,products,and technologies.

A)tangible; cannot
B)tangible; can
C)intangible; cannot
D)intangible; can

Question 80

Which of the following is NOT a general responsibility of the HR manager?

A)Employee supervision
B)Strategic advice and counsel
C)Policy formulation and implementation
D)Employee advocacy