Deck 10: Decision Making

Question 1

What type of theories are personal beliefs that are held about how people or things function, without objective evidence and often without conscious awareness?

A) explicit
B) implicit
C) psychological
D) attribution

Answer 1

B

Question 2

For employers who tend to have a holistic, intuitive decision-making style, what might convince them to use statistical approaches in the selection process?

A) changes to HR policy manuals
B) more evidence and training
C) technologically generated data
D) data integrated to selection criteria

Answer 2

B

Question 3

In organizations that select candidates for the organization rather than for specific jobs, which of the following is NOT required?

A) selecting for organizational fit
B) having strong external hiring policies
C) possessing flexible job descriptions
D) hiring to fill dynamic and changing jobs

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Which approach to collecting and combining applicant information involves the decision maker forming an overall impression of the applicant based on gut feelings or implicit theories, rather than on explicit, objective criteria?

A) the pure judgment approach
B) the trait rating approach
C) the profile interpretation approach
D) the judgmental composite approach

Question 5

Which concept refers to making an acceptable or adequate choice rather than the best or optimal choice?

A) selection bias
B) satisficing
C) sufficiency
D) success rate

Question 6

Which concept refers to the process in which statistical data are combined in a judgmental manner?

A) pure statistical approach
B) profile interpretation
C) pure judgment approach
D) judgmental composite

Question 7

In which approach to collecting and combining applicant information are a number of judgmental ratings made based on various sources of information?

A) trait rating
B) profile interpretation
C) pure statistical
D) judgmental composite

Question 8

Regarding admission to most general undergraduate university degree programs, what grade cutoff was established by convention in the last decade?

A) 80 percent
B) 70 percent
C) 60 percent
D) 50 percent

Question 9

Which of the following is NOT related to the statistical composite approach?

A) collecting both judgmental and statistical data
B) combining data statistically
C) combining the ratings or scores in a formula or regression equation
D) combining data in a judgmental manner

Question 10

What is the simplest way of combining applicant information in the selection process?

A) Add the scores together.
B) Apply weighted averages.
C) Apply moving averages.
D) Separate quantitative and qualitative data.

Question 11

Which of the following does NOT reduce the objectivity of group decisions?

A) group conformity
B) power motives
C) organizational culture
D) information asymmetry

Question 12

Which concept refers to the proportion of applicants who are hired for one or more positions?

A) yield ratio
B) applicant ratio
C) selection ratio
D) employment ratio

Question 13

In which approach are data combined statistically?

A) statistical composite
B) trait rating
C) profile interpretation
D) pure statistical

Question 14

Some organizations collect and combine applicant information from objective sources, such as tests or biographical inventories, and the decision maker examines these data to form an overall, subjective impression of the applicant's suitability for the job. Which of the following terms refers to this approach?

A) pure judgment
B) trait rating
C) profile interpretation
D) pure statistical

Question 15

Which concept refers to the value, in terms of increased validity, of adding a particular predictor to an existing selection system?

A) referent validity
B) coefficient validity
C) external validity
D) incremental validity

Question 16

What is the term for the threshold at which those scoring at or above the score will pass, and those scoring below will fail?

A) minimum performance score
B) cutoff score
C) pass mark score
D) threshold level score

Question 17

What might team members of a selection committee uncover by discussing their rationales for candidate ratings during the selection process?

A) expectancy errors
B) person-organization fit
C) negligent hiring
D) biases and errors

Question 18

In which approach are judgmental data combined statistically?

A) trait rating
B) profile interpretation
C) judgmental composite
D) pure judgment

Question 19

Which of the following is NOT a constraint or a competing demand employers must contend with when making selection decisions?

A) time pressures
B) satisficing
C) an oversupply of applicants
D) selecting individuals who have adequate information about the job requirements

Question 20

What type of error occurs when an applicant who is assessed favourably turns out to be a poor choice?

A) false negative error
B) false positive error
C) leniency error
D) strictness error

Question 21

What concept refers to grouping applicants based on ranges of scores?

A) banding
B) profiling
C) matching
D) categorizing

Question 22

Scenario 10-1
For four months you have been employed as the part-time HRM for TS Inc., a small Canadian aviation company. In the past, recruitment and selection rested on the shoulders of the president and, like most small companies, TS Inc. used employee referrals and an informal interview processes in selecting employees. Since you have been hired, you have guided management through several stages of the recruitment and selection process to hire an aircraft maintenance engineer. TS Inc. has used proper selection methods, such as screening, testing, and structured interviews, but is not sure about how to integrate the data from these various sources. In the past, the president relied on his gut feeling about applicants and made poor hiring decisions.
Refer to Scenario 10-1. TS Inc. has made costly selection errors in the past when the company underestimated the potential of an aircraft maintenance engineer, which resulted in a no-hire decision. The applicant accepted a position with a competing aviation company, and the quality of his work led to an industry safety award, resulting in increased contracts for the competing company. What is this error called?

A) a false positive
B) a false negative
C) a positive error
D) a negative error

Question 23

Scenario 10-1
For four months you have been employed as the part-time HRM for TS Inc., a small Canadian aviation company. In the past, recruitment and selection rested on the shoulders of the president and, like most small companies, TS Inc. used employee referrals and an informal interview processes in selecting employees. Since you have been hired, you have guided management through several stages of the recruitment and selection process to hire an aircraft maintenance engineer. TS Inc. has used proper selection methods, such as screening, testing, and structured interviews, but is not sure about how to integrate the data from these various sources. In the past, the president relied on his gut feeling about applicants and made poor hiring decisions.
Refer to Scenario 10-1. In the past, TS Inc. used subjective sources such as unstructured interviews to collect applicant information. What is this approach called?

A) profile interpretation
B) pure judgment
C) profile judgmental
D) judgmental composite

Question 24

Scenario 10-1
For four months you have been employed as the part-time HRM for TS Inc., a small Canadian aviation company. In the past, recruitment and selection rested on the shoulders of the president and, like most small companies, TS Inc. used employee referrals and an informal interview processes in selecting employees. Since you have been hired, you have guided management through several stages of the recruitment and selection process to hire an aircraft maintenance engineer. TS Inc. has used proper selection methods, such as screening, testing, and structured interviews, but is not sure about how to integrate the data from these various sources. In the past, the president relied on his gut feeling about applicants and made poor hiring decisions.
Refer to Scenario 10-1. There are several constraints and competing demands when making selection decisions. Which is NOT a constraint for TS Inc.?

A) time pressures
B) satisficing
C) statistical data
D) organizational policies

Question 25

Scenario 10-1
For four months you have been employed as the part-time HRM for TS Inc., a small Canadian aviation company. In the past, recruitment and selection rested on the shoulders of the president and, like most small companies, TS Inc. used employee referrals and an informal interview processes in selecting employees. Since you have been hired, you have guided management through several stages of the recruitment and selection process to hire an aircraft maintenance engineer. TS Inc. has used proper selection methods, such as screening, testing, and structured interviews, but is not sure about how to integrate the data from these various sources. In the past, the president relied on his gut feeling about applicants and made poor hiring decisions.
Refer to Scenario 10-1. TS Inc. has often selected the first applicant who met the minimum qualifications. What is this constraint?

A) applicant knowledge, skills, abilities, and other attributes
B) satisficing
C) implicit hiring
D) judgmental procedure

Question 26

The purpose of selection is to discriminate.

Question 27

The belief that unswerving eye contact reveals honesty, directness, and confidence is an example of an implicit theory.

Question 28

Scenario 10-1
For four months you have been employed as the part-time HRM for TS Inc., a small Canadian aviation company. In the past, recruitment and selection rested on the shoulders of the president and, like most small companies, TS Inc. used employee referrals and an informal interview processes in selecting employees. Since you have been hired, you have guided management through several stages of the recruitment and selection process to hire an aircraft maintenance engineer. TS Inc. has used proper selection methods, such as screening, testing, and structured interviews, but is not sure about how to integrate the data from these various sources. In the past, the president relied on his gut feeling about applicants and made poor hiring decisions.
Refer to Scenario 10-1. Which term defines TS Inc.'s president's decision-making style, in which he bases his selection decisions on whether he likes the applicant and how he feels about the applicant?

A) implicit theory decision making
B) intuitive decision making
C) rational decision making
D) logical decision making

Question 29

According to the textbook, which of the following is NOT a predictor score for a sales applicant?

A) cognitive ability test
B) introversion scale
C) structured interview
D) reference check

Question 30

Scenario 10-1
For four months you have been employed as the part-time HRM for TS Inc., a small Canadian aviation company. In the past, recruitment and selection rested on the shoulders of the president and, like most small companies, TS Inc. used employee referrals and an informal interview processes in selecting employees. Since you have been hired, you have guided management through several stages of the recruitment and selection process to hire an aircraft maintenance engineer. TS Inc. has used proper selection methods, such as screening, testing, and structured interviews, but is not sure about how to integrate the data from these various sources. In the past, the president relied on his gut feeling about applicants and made poor hiring decisions.
Refer to Scenario 10-1. TS Inc. would like to use a decision-making model in which applicants' scores on each predictor (i.e., tests, interviews, reference checks) are weighted and summed to yield a total score (i.e., predicted job performance). What is this model called?

A) multiple regression model
B) multiple cutoff model
C) multiple hurdle model
D) profile matching model

Question 31

Scenario 10-1
For four months you have been employed as the part-time HRM for TS Inc., a small Canadian aviation company. In the past, recruitment and selection rested on the shoulders of the president and, like most small companies, TS Inc. used employee referrals and an informal interview processes in selecting employees. Since you have been hired, you have guided management through several stages of the recruitment and selection process to hire an aircraft maintenance engineer. TS Inc. has used proper selection methods, such as screening, testing, and structured interviews, but is not sure about how to integrate the data from these various sources. In the past, the president relied on his gut feeling about applicants and made poor hiring decisions.
Refer to Scenario 10-1. TS Inc. is aware that the selection process can be subjective and susceptible to errors. Management is particularly concerned about the aircraft maintenance engineers who have the qualifications but may be mistakenly eliminated. What is this error called?

A) a false positive
B) a false negative
C) a positive error
D) a negative error

Question 32

Scenario 10-1
For four months you have been employed as the part-time HRM for TS Inc., a small Canadian aviation company. In the past, recruitment and selection rested on the shoulders of the president and, like most small companies, TS Inc. used employee referrals and an informal interview processes in selecting employees. Since you have been hired, you have guided management through several stages of the recruitment and selection process to hire an aircraft maintenance engineer. TS Inc. has used proper selection methods, such as screening, testing, and structured interviews, but is not sure about how to integrate the data from these various sources. In the past, the president relied on his gut feeling about applicants and made poor hiring decisions.
Refer to Scenario 10-1. TS Inc. wants the relationship between the actual number of people hired and the number who applied for a position to yield 0.8. What is this proportion of applicants called?

A) applicant ratio
B) standard deviation
C) selection ratio
D) selection pool

Question 33

Scenario 10-1
For four months you have been employed as the part-time HRM for TS Inc., a small Canadian aviation company. In the past, recruitment and selection rested on the shoulders of the president and, like most small companies, TS Inc. used employee referrals and an informal interview processes in selecting employees. Since you have been hired, you have guided management through several stages of the recruitment and selection process to hire an aircraft maintenance engineer. TS Inc. has used proper selection methods, such as screening, testing, and structured interviews, but is not sure about how to integrate the data from these various sources. In the past, the president relied on his gut feeling about applicants and made poor hiring decisions.
Refer to Scenario 10-1. Based on an applicant's unswerving eye contact, the president commented that the applicant was honest and confident. What is this an example of?

A) implicit theory
B) reflection behaviour
C) false negative error
D) true positive

Question 34

Scenario 10-1
For four months you have been employed as the part-time HRM for TS Inc., a small Canadian aviation company. In the past, recruitment and selection rested on the shoulders of the president and, like most small companies, TS Inc. used employee referrals and an informal interview processes in selecting employees. Since you have been hired, you have guided management through several stages of the recruitment and selection process to hire an aircraft maintenance engineer. TS Inc. has used proper selection methods, such as screening, testing, and structured interviews, but is not sure about how to integrate the data from these various sources. In the past, the president relied on his gut feeling about applicants and made poor hiring decisions.
Refer to Scenario 10-1. Currently, TS Inc. is using objective sources such as test scores to collect applicant information. What is this approach?

A) statistical
B) subjective
C) biased
D) judgmental

Question 35

The following is a decision-making model in which applicants must pass the minimum cut-off for each predictor, in turn, before being assessed on the next predictor. As soon as an applicant fails to meet the cutoff on a given predictor, what model will the applicant NOT be assessed with, given the remaining predictors?

A) multiple regression
B) multiple cutoff
C) multiple hurdle
D) multiple criteria

Question 36

Implicit theories are personal beliefs that are held about how people or things function, without objective evidence or often without conscious awareness.

Question 37

Scenario 10-1
For four months you have been employed as the part-time HRM for TS Inc., a small Canadian aviation company. In the past, recruitment and selection rested on the shoulders of the president and, like most small companies, TS Inc. used employee referrals and an informal interview processes in selecting employees. Since you have been hired, you have guided management through several stages of the recruitment and selection process to hire an aircraft maintenance engineer. TS Inc. has used proper selection methods, such as screening, testing, and structured interviews, but is not sure about how to integrate the data from these various sources. In the past, the president relied on his gut feeling about applicants and made poor hiring decisions.
Refer to Scenario 10-1. Why would TS Inc. management be concerned about false positive errors?

A) They would not be concerned because the high-performing applicants were not screened out.
B) These could result in litigation and loss of employees' competitive skills.
C) They would not be concerned because the low-performing applicants were hired.
D) Individuals who had the qualifications were mistakenly eliminated.

Question 38

How are implicit theories defined?

A) They are theories about how certain behaviours, mannerisms, or personality characteristics go together without objective evidence.
B) They are theories about how certain behaviours, mannerisms, or personality characteristics go together with objective evidence.
C) They are theories about how certain behaviours, mannerisms, or personality characteristics go together with conscious awareness.
D) They are theories about how certain behaviours, mannerisms, or personality characteristics differentiate between applicants.

Question 39

Scenario 10-1
For four months you have been employed as the part-time HRM for TS Inc., a small Canadian aviation company. In the past, recruitment and selection rested on the shoulders of the president and, like most small companies, TS Inc. used employee referrals and an informal interview processes in selecting employees. Since you have been hired, you have guided management through several stages of the recruitment and selection process to hire an aircraft maintenance engineer. TS Inc. has used proper selection methods, such as screening, testing, and structured interviews, but is not sure about how to integrate the data from these various sources. In the past, the president relied on his gut feeling about applicants and made poor hiring decisions.
Refer to Scenario 10-1. TS Inc. would like to use an approach to collecting and combining applicant information in which judgmental and statistical data are combined statistically. The applicants' scores would be given, and selection decisions would be based on each component, such as the structured interview and test. Which approach is this?

A) trait rating
B) pure statistical
C) judgmental composite
D) statistical composite

Question 40

Scenario 10-1
For four months you have been employed as the part-time HRM for TS Inc., a small Canadian aviation company. In the past, recruitment and selection rested on the shoulders of the president and, like most small companies, TS Inc. used employee referrals and an informal interview processes in selecting employees. Since you have been hired, you have guided management through several stages of the recruitment and selection process to hire an aircraft maintenance engineer. TS Inc. has used proper selection methods, such as screening, testing, and structured interviews, but is not sure about how to integrate the data from these various sources. In the past, the president relied on his gut feeling about applicants and made poor hiring decisions.
Refer to Scenario 10-1. Which of the following statistical and judgmental approaches to collecting and combining applicant information would TS Inc. NOT choose to use?

A) behaviour rating
B) trait rating
C) pure statistical
D) judgmental composite

Question 41

Describe one of the statistical or judgmental approaches used for the collection and combination of information.

Question 42

Many employers believe they have a knack for making good selection decisions. Comment, defining the impact of implicit theories on the selection process.

Question 43

For an employment contract to be valid and enforceable there must be consideration.

Question 44

What are two common types of errors made in selection decision making?

Question 45

Cutoff scores ensure that applicants meet some minimum level of ability or qualification to be considered for a job.

Question 46

In the profile matching model, current employees who are poor performers are assessed on several predictors.

Question 47

An approach in which data are combined statistically is referred to as a judgmental composite.

Question 48

Employers welcome statistical approaches to selection decision making and use them widely.

Question 49

In the multiple cutoff model, applicants are rejected if their scores on any of the predictors fall below the cutoff scores.

Question 50

A false negative error occurs when an applicant who is assessed positively turns out to be a poor choice.

Question 51

Surveys indicate that in most organizations one individual makes selection decisions.

Question 52

Top-down selection is the proportion of applicants for one or more positions who are hired.

Question 53

What are some of the advantages of group decision making in selection?

Question 54

Describe three selection decision-making models. What are the advantages of each?

Question 55

Why do most employers resist using statistical decision-making approaches?

Question 56

A false negative error occurs when an applicant who is rejected would have been a good choice.

Question 57

What are some of the constraints facing managers during the selection process?

Question 58

Banding involves ranking applicants on the basis of their total scores and selecting from the top down until the desired number of candidates has been selected.

Question 59

In the multiple hurdle model, applicants must pass the minimum cutoff for each predictor, in turn, before being assessed on the next predictor.

Question 60

In banding, employers may select within bands on the basis of secondary criteria, such as education, experience, or professional conduct. Minority status can be used only as a tiebreaker among individuals with the same scores.

Question 61

Refer to an organization and job position you are familiar with. Describe the elements you would use in making a final selection decision.

Question 62

Describe one of the major challenges facing HR professionals with respect to recruitment and selection.

Question 63

Describe some of the major challenges facing HR professionals with respect to decision making in the recruitment and selection process.