Deck 6: Managing Human Resources

Question 1

The difference between attrition and early retirement is _________.

A)early retirement involves incentives
B)attrition is a faster process
C)early retirement is permanent; whereas attrition is temporary
D)attrition results in job training and replacement

Answer 1

early retirement involves incentives

Question 2

For the most part, _________ are involved in HR decisions within their own department or unit.

A)most managers
B)all managers
C)some managers
D)very few managers

Answer 2

all managers

Question 3

The first three activities of the human resource management (HRM) process are about measuring and rewarding staff.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Human resource management involves training, motivating and retaining competent employees.

Question 5

The most important environmental factor in the HRM process is the _________.

A)scientific community
B)academic community
C)business environment
D)legal environment

Question 6

HR managers can estimate human resource needs by evaluating which of the following?

A)How competitors are performing
B)Demand for the organisation's product
C)Employment and unemployment statistics
D)The general state of the economy

Question 7

Which of the following occurs first in an employment planning process?

A)Human resource inventory
B)Job specification
C)Performance-simulation test
D)Job analysis

Question 8

A job description is _________.

A)something that employers keep secret from job candidates
B)a written document used to describe a job to job candidates
C)the official title for the job
D)not a written document

Question 9

As one of his first tasks in a new job, Steve's boss asks him to develop a database that lists the educational level, special capabilities and specialised skills of all the employees in his firm.This is known as a _________.

A)human resource inventory
B)job analysis
C)lengthy process
D)job description

Question 10

If employment planning shows a large surplus of employees, management may want to _________.

A)downsize
B)expand
C)continue with current employment levels
D)train and develop employees

Question 11

A written statement that outlines the job content, environment and conditions of employment is known as a job _________.

A)listing
B)specification
C)title
D)description

Question 12

Which legislation deals with issues such as race, age, sex and colour?

A)Sex Discrimination Act
B)Privacy Act
C)Equal Employment Opportunity Act
D)Fair Work Act

Question 13

In which circumstance would an individual in a wheelchair likely be unsuccessful in their job application?

A)If the job requires complete physical mobility
B)If the organisation is having financial problems
C)If the job is strenuous or physically tiring in some way
D)If the company is not a health-related facility

Question 14

Which of the following is a key disadvantage to recruiting through employee referrals.

A)No diversity increase
B)Limited to entry-level positions
C)Lower-skilled candidates
D)High cost

Question 15

A community fire department cannot legally deny employment to a firefighter applicant who needs a wheelchair for mobility.

Question 16

Downsizing occurs in which phase of the human resource management process?

A)First
B)Second
C)Third
D)Fourth

Question 17

A person who believes they have been unfairly dismissed should consult which legislation?

A)Work Health Safety Act
B)Fair Work Act
C)Equal Employment Opportunity Act
D)Crimes Act

Question 18

Recruitment is the process of _________.

A)locating, identifying and attracting capable applicants
B)assessing the national, international and local labour market
C)hiring from inside the organisation
D)hiring from outside the organisation

Question 19

Which downsizing option allows the employee to continue working at the organisation?

A)Early retirement
B)Firing
C)Attrition
D)Job sharing

Question 20

The most important environmental force that affects HRM is the legal environment.

Question 21

Few people are ever selected for a job without which of the following?

A)Taking a written test
B)Undergoing a physical skills evaluation
C)Taking a performance-simulation exam
D)Undergoing an interview

Question 22

How effective are behavioural interviews?

A)Nearly eight times as effective as ordinary interviews
B)No more effective than other interviews
C)Less effective than other interviews
D)Twice as ineffective as ordinary interviews

Question 23

_________ indicates how consistently a selection device measures a criterion.

A)Operational scoring
B)Validity
C)Qualification
D)Reliability

Question 24

A reject error occurs when an applicant who is _________.

A)not hired would have performed poorly on the job
B)hired performs poorly on the job
C)hired performs the job at a high level
D)not hired would have performed well on the job

Question 25

Prior to setting up the interviews for the executive position, Frances spent a great deal of time analysing the position and determining what skills, attitudes and actions it would require.This lengthy review is called a job _________.

A)specification
B)title
C)analysis
D)description

Question 26

During an interview, an applicant for a managerial job is confronted with role players who make the claim that they have been harassed on the job.The applicant is then asked to deal with the complaints.What kind of selection device is being used?

A)Behavioural interview
B)Performance-simulation test
C)Structured interview
D)High-stress interview

Question 27

With regard to maintaining a low recruitment cost, which choice would be best for Soraya?

A)Employee leasing
B)Private employment agency
C)Internal search
D)Advertisement

Question 28

In an interview, Laila informs a candidate that the job is absorbing but its hours will be long and gruelling.What kind of an interview is Frances conducting?

A)Stress
B)Realistic job preview
C)Role-playing
D)Behavioural

Question 29

A(n) _________ selection device shows a clear link between test performance and job performance.

A)valid
B)invalid
C)unreliable
D)reliable

Question 30

Which of the following is an example of selection device reliability?

A)An applicant was given very different interview scores by five independent interviewers
B)An applicant took a test once and scored higher than any other applicant
C)An applicant took a test a second time and her score improved markedly
D)An applicant was given the same interview score by all five independent interviewers

Question 31

Which of the following downsizing methods can happen on its own if management suspends hiring practices?

A)Transfers
B)Attrition
C)Firing
D)Reduced workweeks

Question 32

An accept error occurs when an applicant who is _________.

A)hired performs poorly on the job
B)not hired would have performed well on the job
C)hired performs adequately on the job
D)not hired is hired by another firm

Question 33

A realistic job preview states the minimum qualifications a person needs to perform a job successfully.

Question 34

Employment planning includes three steps: assessing current human resources needs, developing a plan to meet those needs and reporting to external regulators.

Question 35

To use a physical test as a valid selection device, a company must demonstrate that _________.

A)the test is reliable
B)the test does not discriminate against people with physical disabilities
C)the test is fair
D)physical ability is related to job performance

Question 36

In an assessment centre, an applicant for an engineering job might _________.

A)be interviewed by fellow employees
B)be interviewed by her prospective boss
C)be given an engineering problem to solve
D)take technical written tests

Question 37

Laila is responding to a candidate for the executive position who wants to know more about the job.Laila is most likely to send which of the following?

A)Human resource inventory
B)Job description
C)Job title
D)Job analysis

Question 38

If Soraya's company is focused on increasing the diversity of its employees, which recruiting source would be the least helpful?

A)Advertising
B)School placement
C)Private employment agency
D)Employee referral

Question 39

Interviews are valid predictors of success in the workplace if _________.

A)questions are structured
B)the interview lasts an hour
C)questions are long
D)the interviewee gets along with the interviewer

Question 40

A realistic job preview (RJP) includes _________ a job.

A)only factual information about
B)both positive and negative aspects of
C)only negative aspects of
D)only positive aspects of

Question 41

Written tests fell into disfavour in the late 1960s and are now rarely used in the selection process.

Question 42

A selection device is valid if it can be proven to accurately measure the abilities of job applicants.

Question 43

Which of the following is the best way to evaluate a training program?

A)How much information trainees retain
B)Actual job performance of trainees
C)How costly the method is
D)How much trainees say they learned

Question 44

Performance-simulation tests are thought to be one of the best methods for evaluating job applicants in use today.

Question 45

In a short essay, discuss the performance-simulation test as a selection device for HRM.

Question 46

The best way to measure the effectiveness of job training is to find out how stressful the process was for trainees.

Question 47

Which of the following is a main goal of orientation?

A)To introduce employees to the job description
B)To help employees feel they are receiving a fair salary
C)To facilitate the outsider-insider transition
D)To familiarise new employees with human error

Question 48

Briefly discuss on-the-job training methods.

Question 49

Which form of on-the-job training might have a trainee working with a single mentor from the organisation?

A)Vestibule training
B)Understudy assignments
C)Simulation exercises
D)Job rotation

Question 50

Job training never addresses trainee attitudes towards the job or the organisation.

Question 51

Research indicates that applicants who have been given a realistic job preview hold lower and more realistic job expectations for the jobs they will be performing.

Question 52

Important goals of technology-based training are to reduce anxiety and to familiarise the recruit with the job and the organisation.

Question 53

Recently, more and more global organisations are increasing the size of their workforce.

Question 54

In a short essay, discuss the interview as a selection device for HRM.

Question 55

A disadvantage of a written essay for employee appraisal is that it tends to be biased by _________.

A)the prejudice of the evaluator
B)friendship between the employee and the evaluator
C)the writing skill of the employee
D)the writing skill of the evaluator

Question 56

What are the advantages and disadvantages of temporary help services, school placement and employment agencies?

Question 57

In a short essay, discuss the written test as a selection device for HRM.

Question 58

Job referrals are generally not a good method for improving workplace diversity.

Question 59

According to research, advertisements are not the most effective method for attracting the best applicants for jobs.

Question 60

Employee referrals are usually reliable.

Question 61

Which multiperson employee evaluation method allows for two or more employees to get the same rating?

A)360-degree feedback
B)Individual ranking
C)Group-order ranking
D)Paired comparison

Question 62

.Identify two ways an organisation can ensure workplace health and safety.

Question 63

A key goal of compensation administration is to create a cost-effective system that will provide incentive for employees.

Question 64

What do the written essay, critical incidents, graphic rating scales and BARS evaluation methods have in common?

A)They rank employees by performance
B)They compare individuals against standards
C)They compare one employee to his or her peers
D)They are multiperson comparisons

Question 65

Why do managers often offer counselling to underperforming employees rather than just fire them?

A)To avoid unsettling other employees
B)To give the organisation a favourable image
C)To avoid the cost of replacing the employee
D)To avoid discord

Question 66

Every year in Australia, over 640,000 people experience a work-related injury or illness, with an estimated cost to the Australian economy of $57.5 billion.

Question 67

One disadvantage for organisations that have systems in place to ensure a safe and healthy workplace is that these organisations often have high insurance costs.

Question 68

Using individual ranking as an employee appraisal device, two employees might be named best in the group.

Question 69

The _________ establishes a legal requirement for organisations to minimise the risk of accident, injury or disease to anyone associated with the work process.

A)Equal Employment Opportunity Act
B)Fair Work Act
C)Work Health and Safety Act
D)Crimes Act

Question 70

Health insurance is an example of which of the following?

A)Wages
B)Employee benefit
C)Compensation
D)Salary

Question 71

One advantage of a graphic rating scale is that it _________.

A)is simple to use
B)focuses on end goals
C)is behaviourally based
D)provides quantitative data

Question 72

Organisations typically have a compensation philosophy of paying their employees at or above area wage levels in order to emphasise their desire to _________.

A)offer fewer benefits
B)attract the best pool of talent
C)be less sustainable
D)become unionised

Question 73

When the employer rates an applicant according to actual behaviours on a graphical rating scale, they are using the graphic rating scale approach.

Question 74

Which of the following reasons describes the need for workplace health and safety?

A)Lower insurance and compensation cost
B)Less damage to plant and equipment
C)Higher productivity
D)Higher absenteeism rate

Question 75

The use conceptual and practical approaches that help organisations to be long-term oriented, socially responsible and economically successful is called _________.

A)sustainable HRM
B)diversity planning
C)systematic organisation
D)global integration

Question 76

The only goal of a performance management system is to assess training needs.

Question 77

A performance appraisal method that combines two other well-known methods into one process is called _________.

A)360-degree feedback
B)written essay
C)BARS
D)graphic rating scales

Question 78

This appraisal method is used by more major corporations than any other method.

A)Management by objectives
B)Graphic rating scales
C)Critical incidents
D)360-degree appraisal

Question 79

Most companies vary the payment of benefits according to how well employees perform.

Question 80

To set pay standards, HRM employs _________.

A)outside consultants
B)a national pay scale
C)a panel of an employee's peers
D)compensation administration