MGMT4665 HRM 4,5,6,8
The functional job analysis relies on a taxonomy of abilities that represents all the key work dimensions.
F
The functional strategies help determine what businesses the firm will operate.
F
Which adaptation model of business strategy is best used when the situation is highly stable with low uncertainty? a. Defender b. Prospector c. Analyzer d. Differentiation e. Cost leadership
a. Defender
When a company decides to own and operate several separate companies, which strategy is being employed? a. Diversification b. Stability c. Retrenchment d. Multifaceted e. Branching
a. Diversification
Which of the following organizational designs is MOST likely to have few managerial levels? a. Horizontal b. H-form c. M-form d. Conglomerate e. Divisional
a. Horizontal
The U-form, M-form, and H-form are known to be different organizational designs.
T
The adaptation model assumes that the firm should change its strategies to meet environmental characteristics.
T
The critical incidents method relies on important behaviors that distinguish effectives from ineffective performers.
T
The most common approach to job analysis is the narrative job analysis.
T
The second step in job analysis involves determining methods for obtaining information.
T
The stability strategy essentially maintains the status quo.
T
The three components of human resource strategy formulation are staffing, development, and compensation strategies.
T
The percentage of ______ in the workforce is dropping. 1) African Americans 2) Hispanics 3) Asians 4) whites 5) Native Americans
4) whites
A ______ strategy may be the easiest for the HR manager to implement because the organization presumably must do what it has been doing all along. 1) growth 2) reduction 3) stability 4) multinational 5) global
3) stability
A cost leadership strategy is one that focuses on increasing costs and charging high prestige prices.
F
Forecasting the future supply of human resources does not require an analysis of internal company records.
F
Job analysis affects the selection process, but it only indirectly influences performance appraisal and compensation.
F
The average age of the U.S. workforce is gradually decreasing.
F
The reduction strategy essentially maintains the status quo with regard to the number of individuals employed by a company.
F
The top management team in a company usually includes all the shareholders.
F
A defender strategy works well in an environment where there is little change or uncertainty.
T
An agency problem occurs when there is a conflict between the interests of managers and the interests of shareholders.
T
An organization should considered its strategic plan when forecasting the demand for human resources.
T
Evidence suggests that jobs occupied by men are rated as more complex than are similar jobs occupied by women.
T
What is involved in the Fleischman job analysis system of conducting work assessments? a. A taxonomy of fifty-two abilities that effectively captures variations in job performance, which are rated by job incumbents b. SMEs generating a list of tasks, and job incumbents evaluating each task on several dimensions c. Analyzing the job in terms of involvement with people, data, and things d. Completing a 194-item instrument reflecting work behavior, working conditions, and job characteristics e. Generating examples of effective and ineffective performance
a. A taxonomy of fifty-two abilities that effectively captures variations in job performance, which are rated by job incumbents
Which of the following would be a competency, as described in the text? a. Decisiveness b. Keyboarding speed c. IQ of 100 d. Clean driving record e. Degree in computer science
a. Decisiveness
Which of the following statements BEST describes the link between job analysis and human resource planning? a. Job analysis helps human resource planners understand exactly what kinds of work must be performed within the organization in the future. b. Job analysis provides information to help design training and development programs. c. Job analysis clarifies the essential elements of each job. d. Human resource planning forecasts the supply and demand for human resources. e. Mathematical models of historic trends can help in forecasting labor supply and demand.
a. Job analysis helps human resource planners understand exactly what kinds of work must be performed within the organization in the future.
Julie fired Annette. Which of the following circumstances would MOST improve the chances of Annette getting her job back? a. Julie did not document Annette's poor performance in writing. b. Julie is white and Annette is Asian-American. c. Julie used a positive discipline plan rather than a more traditional plan. d. Annette is a member of a labor union. e. The company was hiring new workers at the same time as the firing.
a. Julie did not document Annette's poor performance in writing.
This particular job analysis technique focuses primarily on managerial jobs. a. MPDQ b. PAQ c. O*NET d. MBO e. None of these
a. MPDQ
Which job analysis technique consists of requiring subject matter experts to develop a comprehensive description of work? a. Narrative job analysis b. The PAQ c. Functional job analysis d. Fleishman job analysis system e. Task analysis inventory
a. Narrative job analysis
Which of the following was NOT identified as an organizational component affecting the formulation and implementation of human resource strategy? a. Organizational development b. Organization culture c. The labor force d. Organization design e. Unionization
a. Organizational development
Which of the following is NOT a common legal issue in job analysis and design? a. The failure to perform a job analysis b. Using job analysis to discriminate by gender c. Discrimination against disabled applicants because of an inaccurate job analysis d. The use the job characteristics model of job design e. Job analysis that includes factors that are not job related
a. The failure to perform a job analysis
When being interviewed during the gathering of job analysis data, which type of individual may provide exaggerated information about a job's complexity or importance? a. The job incumbent b. The immediate supervisor c. A higher-level supervisor d. An industrial engineer e. A human resource manager
a. The job incumbent
The third step in job analysis involves a. determining who is responsible for collecting data. b. getting feedback from customers. c. tracking productivity. d. identifying the work to be assessed. e. defining the work itself.
a. determining who is responsible for collecting data.
General Electric owns and operates a number of different businesses, which is primarily an example of a ____ strategy. a. diversification b. business c. functional d. cost leadership e. differentiation
a. diversification
Voluntary turnover occurs when a. employees choose to leave the organization for a variety of reasons. b. a facility is closed and all of its workers are put out of work. c. an unsatisfactory employee must be terminated. d. job satisfaction is very high. e. managers choose to leave job vacancies unfilled.
a. employees choose to leave the organization for a variety of reasons.
A small management-consulting firm experiences a tremendous boost in business in one year and must hire many new professional employees to provide services to its new customers. This business is likely following a ____ strategy. a. growth b. stability c. reduction d. multinational e. none of these
a. growth
Companies can establish a competitive advantage by a. hiring good employees and effectively managing human resources. b. always implementing a hierarchical management scheme. c. adopting a universalistic financial strategy. d. ignoring the external competitive environment. e. none of these.
a. hiring good employees and effectively managing human resources.
When an individual seeks additional training and education to improve her or his ability to find work, this is called: a. human capital investment. b. market waging. c. functional job analysis. d. rate of unemployment. e. task analysis inventory.
a. human capital investment.
A ____ can often facilitate the forecasting of the supply of human resources. a. human resource information system b. focus group c. quality circle d. think tank e. quality team
a. human resource information system
The process of handling union issues and challenges is called a. labor relations. b. downsizing. c. outsourcing. d. rightsizing. e. outlook planning.
a. labor relations.
The set of factors that prompt people to perform work at high levels is called a. motivation. b. stress. c. interpersonal conflict. d. negative attitudes. e. executive succession.
a. motivation.
The easiest way for a company to manage an increase in the demand for staff is through a. overtime. b. early retirements. c. downsizing. d. temporary workers. e. part-time workers.
a. overtime.
On the FBI's employment Page, you read: "To qualify as an FBI Special Agent, you must be a U.S. citizen, at least 23 and not more than 37 years old, have vision not worse than 20/40, pass a color vision and hearing test, have a valid driver's license, be in excellent physical condition, and possess a four-year college degree." What are you reading? a. A job description b. A job specification c. A job SME d. A job analysis e. A job family
b. A job specification
Which of the following is NOT an exception to employment-at-will? a. A law forbids termination for a specific reason. b. An employee is terminated for cause. c. An individual has an implied contract. d. An individual has a contractual right to his or her job. e. A person's right to due process has been violated.
b. An employee is terminated for cause.
. ____ strategy involves the actions taken by firms to better operate in a relevant industry or market. a. Adaptation b. Business c. Functional d. Competitive e. Corporate
b. Business
Which of the following statements is MOST accurate in describing the outcomes of downsizing? a. Downsizing is more effective at increasing performance than is a reduction in tangible assets. b. Downsizing usually does NOT increase profits in the long run. c. Downsizing is more effective in the long run than in the short run. d. Downsizing is almost always effective in reducing long-run expenses. e. Downsizing is effective in increasing stock prices in the long run.
b. Downsizing usually does NOT increase profits in the long run.
Which of the following is an accurate statement? a. Job descriptions focus on succession planning b. Job specifications indicate the knowledge and skills needed to perform work c. Job descriptions focus on the individual d. Job specifications focus on the work e. None of these.
b. Job specifications indicate the knowledge and skills needed to perform work
Which of the following disciplinary problems is MOST likely to lead to immediate termination? a. Errors in work products b. Physically fighting another coworker c. Frequent absenteeism d. Telling an unprofessional joke e. Lying to one's superior
b. Physically fighting another coworker
Which type of justice refers to beliefs about the fairness of the processes utilized to determine consequences? a. Distributive b. Procedural c. Interactional d. Person-organization e. Reciprocal
b. Procedural
An organization made up of various businesses similar in the products or services they provide is pursuing which type of strategy? a. Growth b. Related diversification c. Differentiation d. Stability e. Prospector
b. Related diversification
What is involved in the task analysis inventory method? a. A taxonomy of fifty-two abilities rated on a seven-point scale b. SMEs generating a list of tasks, and job incumbents evaluating each task on several dimensions c. Analyzing the job in terms of involvement with people, data, and things d. Completing a 194-item instrument reflecting work behavior, working conditions, and job characteristics e. Generating examples of effective and ineffective performance
b. SMEs generating a list of tasks, and job incumbents evaluating each task on several dimensions
What is a psychological contract? a. The extent to which people perceive they are being treated equitably by their organization b. The set of expectations held by an individual as to what he or she will contribute to the organization and what the organization will provide in return c. The set of psychological attributes or traits that distinguish one individual from another d. The attitudes an individual holds toward the employing organization e. A contract for psychological counseling provided by the organization
b. The set of expectations held by an individual as to what he or she will contribute to the organization and what the organization will provide in return
John, a job analyst, was asked to prepare an analysis of the KSAs necessary to be a waiter at a local restaurant. Which of the following would NOT appear in his analysis? a. The waiter must be able to lift and carry trays. b. The waiter will have a comprehensive health coverage plan. c. The waiter must communicate effectively with customers. d. The waiter will have to stand for most of the workday. e. The waiter needs to have a good short-term memory.
b. The waiter will have a comprehensive health coverage plan.
When Hershey family interests considered selling their Hershey Foods stock in 2001, employees were outraged. They felt betrayed and were angry and pessimistic. Which individual or interpersonal process was interfering with implementation of Hershey's strategy? a. Worker personalities b. Worker attitudes c. Motivation d. Team processes e. Communication
b. Worker attitudes
The first step in job analysis involves a. determining who is responsible for collecting data. b. determining information needs. c. determining data collection methods. d. identifying the work to be assessed. e. defining the work itself.
b. determining information needs.
Cinergy, a midwestern gas and electric utility, agreed not to penalize workers who left the company before the age of 65 and also offered leaving employees a bonus equivalent to two weeks' pay for every year of employment with Cinergy. Cinergy is a. generating a pool of qualified applicants. b. encouraging voluntary early retirement. c. terminating unproductive employees. d. reducing the workforce through natural attrition. e. cutting its human resource department.
b. encouraging voluntary early retirement.
A ____ strategy occurs when a company targets a particular facet of the market. a. diversification b. focus c. cost leadership d. retrenchment e. differentiation
b. focus
Rolex, a maker of expensive, high-quality watches that convey status and luxury, follows a differentiation strategy. Therefore, an important goal of its human resource strategy will likely be to a. focus employee training on cost reduction efforts. b. hire workers who are flexible and can perform a variety of tasks. c. keep the size of the workforce small to increase efficiency. d. retrench using layoffs and terminations. e. provide minimal compensation and benefits.
b. hire workers who are flexible and can perform a variety of tasks.
A ____ provides an overview of the duties and tasks required to effectively perform a particular job or line of work. a. job specification b. job description c. benchmark d. personnel file e. work permit
b. job description
____ strategies deal with how the firm manages each of its major functions such as marketing or human resources. a. Corporate b. Business c. Functional d. Growth e. Differentiation
c. Functional
The percentage of individuals looking for and available for work who are not currently employed is called the: a. job description b. rate of unemployment c. advanced rate of employment d. job specification e. None of these.
b. rate of unemployment
When organizations are downsizing the number of employees in the hierarchy, this usually involves a ____ strategy. a. growth b. retrenchment c. stability d. business e. diversification
b. retrenchment
An individual's reactions to environmental factors that present excessive demands is called a. motivation. b. stress. c. interpersonal conflict. d. negative attitudes. e. executive succession.
b. stress.
When Hank needed to write a job analysis for a court reporter, he used the O*NET online database. One section of the information stated, "Court reporters ask speakers to clarify statements, file a legible transcript of records, verify accurate transcripts, and record depositions." This information is part of the job's a. KSAs. b. tasks. c. working conditions. d. critical incidents. e. SMEs.
b. tasks.
Yum Brands began with three businesses: Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, and Kentucky Fried Chicken. Since its founding, the company has acquired other fast-food firms, including Long John Silver's and A&W. Which type of organization design would be most appropriate for Yum's strategy? a. A functional design b. A unitary design c. A multidivisional design d. A holding company e. A horizontal corporation design
c. A multidivisional design
Pierre would like to increase the effectiveness of human resources at his firm. What advice would you give him? a. Don't have formal performance appraisals because workers are upset by criticism. b. Carefully control the behavior of teams and don't let them make their own decisions. c. Don't pay everyone the same. Pay high-performing workers more in order to increase motivation. d. Don't annoy workers by constantly requiring them to go through a lot of training. e. Assume that quiet workers are happy; there's no reason to bother them with attitude surveys.
c. Don't pay everyone the same. Pay high-performing workers more in order to increase motivation.
What is the term for the ability of an employer or employee to terminate an employment relationship at any time? a. Free employment b. Work rights c. Employment-at-will d. Contingent work e. Psychological contract
c. Employment-at-will
Guo-Ping would like to take action to stop a recent decline in profits and stock price at his firm. What strategy would you recommend to Guo-Ping? a. Lay off employees to increase profits the most. b. Make no changes. Employees and investors will react positively when they see you are not panicking. c. Reduce facilities and other tangible assets to cut expenses. d. Acquire a competitor to increase size and market power. e. Lay off employees so that the survivor syndrome will cause the other workers to increase productivity.
c. Reduce facilities and other tangible assets to cut expenses.
The Home Depot is following an overall strategy of growth. It's the fastest-growing retailer in history, opening a new store every 43 hours. Which of the following actions is Home Depot NOT likely to use as it implements its strategy? a. The Home Depot will hire many employees in the near future. b. The Home Depot will increase its recruiting efforts. c. The Home Depot will offer early retirement to workers. d. The Home Depot will try to ensure that its current workers stay with the firm. e. The Home Depot will offer extensive training to its staff.
c. The Home Depot will offer early retirement to workers.
Who generally share responsibility for conducting a job analysis? a. The line manager, the job incumbent, and the top management team b. The top management team, the operations manager, and the human resource manager c. The line manager, the human resource department, and the job analyst d. The job analyst, the immediate supervisor, and the job incumbent e. The human resource department, the job incumbent, and the job analyst
c. The line manager, the human resource department, and the job analyst
Which of the following would be included in a job description for a computer programmer? a. Bachelor's degree in computer science b. Knowledge of COBOL c. Writing programs to run network processes on the mainframe d. Proficiency in computer languages e. Keyboarding skills
c. Writing programs to run network processes on the mainframe
Sally's boss Kim had to choose which workers to lay off. Sally felt that Kim did not handle the situation professionally because she announced who would be laid off in front of all the employees in a meeting, which embarrassed some workers. In this situation, Sally perceives a. a lack of procedural justice. b. illegal discrimination. c. a lack of interactional justice. d. a lack of distributive justice. e. violation of employment-at-will.
c. a lack of interactional justice.
Anuj looks at a job analysis that reports scores on various items, organized into areas called "Information inputs," "Mental processes," "Relationships with other people," and so on. The scales tell how frequently those areas are used in the job, how important they are to the job, and other measures. Anuj is looking at a job analysis that was based on a. a narrative. b. critical incidents. c. a position analysis questionnaire. d. the Fleishman job analysis system. e. the O*NET.
c. a position analysis questionnaire.
Andy tries to be fair to his employees but does not tolerate lateness. Will, one of his employees, reported to work late one day because he had a car wreck, the first tardy since he was hired over a year ago. Andy decided to give Will a written warning to make an example for the other employees. Will felt that he did NOT receive ____ justice. a. procedural b. involuntary c. distributive d. legal e. interactional
c. distributive
The principles and beliefs that shape what employees think about a company is called a. unionization. b. planning. c. organizational culture. d. focus grouping. e. empowerment.
c. organizational culture.
When an organization seeks to keep qualified workers, this is called a. natural attrition. b. voluntary turnover. c. retention. d. termination. e. downsizing.
c. retention.
Andy is a member of high-level group within a large hospitality organization that develops and coordinates corporate strategy. Andy is likely part of a(n) a. focus group. b. quality circle. c. top management team. d. operations party. e. maintenance team.
c. top management team.
Tom, one of Pino's employees, is failing to perform to standard. Pino wants to use progressive discipline to change Tom's behavior. What should Pino do the next time he observes Tom's failure to perform? a. Put a written record of the incident in Tom's personnel file. b. Tell Tom's superior. c. Ask the human resources department for help. d. Give Tom a verbal warning. e. Write a negative performance appraisal of Tom.
d. Give Tom a verbal warning.
When an organization attempts to forecast the supply of and demand for human resources, this is called a. empowerment. b. job enrichment. c. outsourcing. d. human resource planning. e. telemarketing.
d. human resource planning.
Which of the following is NOT correct regarding job analysis? a. It is the process of gathering and organizing detailed information about jobs. b. It helps managers understand the processes through which jobs are most effectively performed. c. It is a fundamental input to the human resource planning process. d. It results from the design of recruitment and selection procedures for new employees. e. It helps managers understand the kinds of skills and abilities necessary for employees to perform their jobs.
d. It results from the design of recruitment and selection procedures for new employees.
Adrienne believes that it is fine to spend one or more hours each workday talking on the phone with personal friends. Adrienne's employer disagrees. This disagreement involves which part of the psychological contract? a. The attitude b. The organizational inducements c. The personality d. The individual contributions e. The motivation
d. The individual contributions
An advantage of seeking to retain effective employees is a. the retained employees can bring fresh ideas to the organization. b. turnover opportunities create advancement for current employees. c. morale will increase if dissatisfied workers stay at the firm. d. avoiding the expense involved in replacing employees. e. nothing. There are NO advantages to retaining effective employees.
d. avoiding the expense involved in replacing employees.
Companies that view their human resource function as a strategic asset should NOT evaluate HR effectiveness by investigating a. costs and benefits. b. organizational outcomes such as productivity. c. profitability. d. costs as the only factor. e. utility analysis.
d. costs as the only factor.
A national hotel chain established a plan that describes how top managers will be promoted throughout the organization over time. This is called a. demand forecasting. b. the social context. c. empowerment. d. executive succession. e. human resource control.
d. executive succession.
The organization's ____ is the basic reason for existence. a. contract b. inducement c. personality d. purpose
d. purpose
Which of the following would be included in a job specification for an administrative assistant? a. Keeping minutes of meetings b. Answering phones c. Typing correspondence d. Maintaining the boss's calendar e. Ability to take dictation in shorthand
e. Ability to take dictation in shorthand
In addition to job satisfaction, what other factors are thought to play a role in job turnover? a. The economy b. Profound events that impact the employee c. The labor market d. The degree of job embeddedness e. All of these
e. All of these
Which of the following is part of rightsizing? a. Using temporary workers b. Early retirements c. Retention d. Using part-time staff e. All of these
e. All of these
A computerized job classification system that is a major source of job information is called the: a. WORKS Dataset b. Fleischman Inventory c. PAQ Job Base d. MPDQ Info Set e. O*NET
e. O*NET
Which adaptation model of business strategy is characterized by ignoring the environment? a. Defender b. Prospector c. Analyzer d. Differentiation e. Reactor
e. Reactor
Following a bankruptcy in 2003, Air Canada laid off thousands of employees⎯approximately 10 percent of its workforce. Which of the following is NOT one of the likely outcomes for Air Canada? a. Workers who were not laid off will feel guilty. b. Turnover will increase among workers who were not laid off. c. Employee morale will decline. d. Remaining workers will have higher disability claims. e. Workers who were not laid off will be satisfied and happy.
e. Workers who were not laid off will be satisfied and happy.
The top management team includes the: a. CEO b. COO c. chairperson of the board of directors d. president e. all of these
e. all of these
An organization's mission a. specifies how it will achieve its purpose. b. affects its human resource practices. c. is its basic reason for existence. d. describes its unique characteristics and strengths. e. all of these.
e. all of these.
A new, medium-size hotel chain groups its personnel into different departments on the basis of individual expertise, which is called the ____ design. a. functional b. U-form c. H-form d. divisional e. both functional and U-form
e. both functional and U-form
In the past, evaluations of the effectiveness of the human resource function concentrated mainly on a. worker satisfaction. b. turnover. c. person-job fit. d. psychological contracts. e. cost.
e. cost.
The ____ approach to job analysis requires the specification of effective and ineffective performance. a. skill variety b. Fleischman c. PAQ d. MPDQ e. critical incidents
e. critical incidents
Organization try to develop job ____ when planning for human resources, which are groups of jobs that are similar. a. components b. indicators c. vectors d. industries e. families
e. families
The prevailing wage rate for a given job in a given labor market is called the: a. component wage rate b. indicator wage rate c. vector wage rate d. industry wage rate e. market wage rate
e. market wage rate
A shock, or profound event, can sometimes cause turnover if the a. shock is negative. b. labor market is currently favoring employers. c. shock increases job satisfaction. d. worker is very embedded in his or her job. e. shock causes the worker to reexamine his or her fit with the firm.
e. shock causes the worker to reexamine his or her fit with the firm.
