Resendez - HR Management Chapter 1

John primarily spends his time giving tasks to subordinates and establishing departments. He is performing what function of management? A) leading B) planning C) organizing D) controlling

C

Larry is a line manager at a large sporting goods store. Which of the following is LEAST likely to be one of Larry's HR responsibilities? A) training new employees B) interpreting company policies C) sharing financial advice D) improving job performance

C

3) Which individual in an organization is responsible for accomplishing the organization's goals by planning, organizing, staffing, leading, and controlling personnel? A) manager B) generalist C) marketer D) entrepreneur

A

According to one survey, only about 21-30% of today's employees nationally are ________. A) engaged B) trained C) disengaged D) unempowered

A

All of the following are a line manager's responsibilities for effective HR management EXCEPT ________. A) advising upper management B) controlling labor costs C) developing employees D) orienting new employees

A

Celeste spends most of her time at work establishing goals for her staff of fifty employees and developing procedures for various tasks. In which function of the management process does Celeste spend most of her time? A) planning B) organizing C) leading D) staffing

A

Roberta Whitman has recently been hired by Jackson Pharmaceuticals as the senior vice president of human resources. Jackson Pharmaceuticals has a history of problems within its HR department including high employee turnover, EEO violations, inadequate training programs, and benefit enrollment difficulties. With years of experience transforming HR departments in other firms, Whitman believes she can correct the problems at Jackson Pharmaceuticals. Which of the following best supports the argument that Whitman should create embedded HR units and assign relationship managers to each department within the firm? A) Employees frequently complain about the inconsistent assistance they receive from the HR department due to its large size. B) The global nature of the firm makes it difficult for the HR department to effectively communicate corporate messages to employees scattered around the world. C) Centralized call centers would enable the HR department to provide specialized support on daily transactional activities. D) Line managers want to implement additional screening and evaluations to improve the quality of their subordinates.

A

Which basic function of management includes developing rules and procedures? A) planning B) organizing C) leading D) staffing

A

Which function of the management process includes delegating authority to subordinates and establishing channels of communication? A) organizing B) motivating C) leading D) staffing

A

Which of the following activities is related to the organizing function of the management process? A) giving each subordinate a specific task B) recruiting prospective employees C) developing rules and procedures D) establishing quality standards

A

Which of the following is a trend in the US.? A) increasing number of service industries B) decreasing number of Hispanic workers C) increasing number of goods-producing industries D) decreasing number of Asian workers

A

Which of the following statements best explains why employers are expecting a severe labor shortage in the next few years? A) More people are retiring than are entering the job market. B) One-third of single mothers are not in the labor force. C) People are living longer because of better health care. D) Increasing taxes have forced businesses to globalize.

A

Which term refers to the competency needed by today's HR managers to direct and contribute to initiatives and processes within the organization? A) leadership and navigation B) critical evaluation C) business acumen D) relationship manager

A

________ is the process of acquiring, training, appraising, and compensating employees, and attending to their labor relations, health and safety, and fairness concerns. A) Human resource management B) Career planning C) Behavioral management D) Job evaluation

A

Explain the difference between line authority and staff authority. What type of authority do human resource managers have?

Authority is the right to make decisions, to direct the work of others, and to give orders. Line managers are authorized to direct the work of subordinates and are directly in charge of accomplishing the organization's basic goals. Staff managers are authorized to assist and advise line managers in accomplishing these basic goals. Human resource managers are usually staff managers because they are responsible for assisting and advising line managers in areas like recruiting, hiring, and compensation. However, human resource managers do have line authority within their own department.

According to one study, many U.S. employers are hiring ________ workers due to overall projected workforce shortfalls. A) full-time B) traditional C) foreign D) white, non-Hispanic

C

Amini, a sales manager with a commercial real estate firm, uses sales quotas to assess the performance of his staff members, and he then develops strategies for corrective action. Which function of the management process is Amini most likely performing? A) planning B) staffing C) controlling D) organizing

C

Roberta Whitman has recently been hired by Jackson Pharmaceuticals as the senior vice president of human resources. Jackson Pharmaceuticals has a history of problems within its HR department including high employee turnover, EEO violations, inadequate training programs, and benefit enrollment difficulties. With years of experience transforming HR departments in other firms, Whitman believes she can correct the problems at Jackson Pharmaceuticals. Which of the following best supports Whitman's idea to develop a shared services HR team to handle benefits administration? A) Extensive training has been provided to line managers so that they fully understand the different insurance options available to employees. B) Lower insurance premiums would eliminate the need for outsourcing medical services and improve employee health coverage. C) Shared services HR teams provide managers and employees with specialized support in dayto-day HR activities (such as discipline problems). D) All employees are currently required to participate in health screening and drug tests to eliminate high risk employees from the benefits plan.

C

The purpose of evidence-based human resource management is to use data and research to ________. A) make comparisons with other firms B) quantify HR expenses and deficits C) support HR decisions and practices D) identify high quality job candidates

C

The purpose of the H-1B visa program is to allow ________. A) U.S. employers to hire skilled foreign workers for jobs overseas B) U.S. employees to work for foreign firms based in the U.S. C) U.S. employers to hire skilled foreign workers for jobs in the U.S. D) U.S. employees to work for foreign firms based overseas

C

What is globalization? How has globalization affected employers and HR management?

Globalization refers to companies extending their sales, ownership, and/or manufacturing to new markets abroad. Globalization compels employers to be more efficient. More globalization means more competition, and more competition means more pressure to be "world class"—to lower costs, to make employees more productive, and to do things better and less expensively. The search for greater efficiencies prompts many employers to offshore (export jobs to lower-cost locations abroad), which requires HR managers to oversee recruiting and selection practices both domestically and abroad.

Why are demographic trends important to HR managers?

HR managers need to be cognizant of demographic trends because changes in the availability of workers directly affect recruiting and selection efforts. The changes in the workforce can impact the availability of technologically savvy employees or the availability of skilled labor. Additionally, the availability of employees affects the compensation that needs to be offered to attract and retain valued employees.

What are the five basic functions of management? Explain some of the specific activities involved in each function. Is one function more important for human resource management?

The five basic functions are planning, organizing, staffing, leading, and controlling. Planning activities include establishing goals and standards, developing rules and procedures, and developing plans and forecasts. Organizing activities include giving specific task assignments to subordinates, establishing departments, delegating authority to subordinates, and establishing channels of authority and communication; and coordinating the work of subordinates. Staffing activities include determining what type of people should be hired, recruiting prospective employees selecting employees, and setting performance standards. Leading activities include getting others to get the job done, maintaining morale and motivating subordinates. Controlling activities include setting standards such as sales quotas quality standards or production levels, and taking corrective action as needed. Staffing is the function most readily related to human resource management. However, HR managers actually perform all five functions.

In a brief essay, compare the role of human resource management in small businesses and in high-performance work systems.

Small firms generally do not have the critical mass required for a full-time human resource manager. Their human resource management therefore tends to be informal. Small firms typically do little or no formal training and recruit employees with newspaper ads and through word-of-mouth. In contrast, a high-performance work system (HPWS) is a set of human resource management policies and practices that together produce superior employee performance

A trend in the workforce is that employers tend to hire all of the following EXCEPT ________. A) freelance workers B) full-time employees C) contract labor D) temporary workers

B

In today's business environment, what is a firm's main source of profitability and success? A) technology B) human capital C) financial structure D) creative advertising

B

Many HR managers use social media tools to ________. A) measure the competition B) improve employee retention C) provide benefits services D) manage ethics

B

Globalization, competition, and technology have led to which of the following trends in human resource management? A) HR managers assist top management with developing and implementing strategies. B) HR managers primarily focus on providing services like recruiting and hiring. C) Metrics used to measure employee potential have been replaced by standardized testing. D) College recruiting has increased as a result of the growing number of retiring baby boomers.

A

Hilton Worldwide is an example of the new HR management by ________. A) placing more HR activities in the hands of employees B) placing more HR activities in the hands of top management C) outsourcing HR activities D) using social media

A

In most organizations, human resource managers are categorized as ________, who assist and advise ________ in areas like recruiting, hiring, and compensation. A) staff managers; line managers B) line managers; middle managers C) line managers; staff managers D) functional managers; staff managers

A

Jennifer was recently certified as a professional human resource manager. Which organization most likely provided this certification to Jennifer? A) Human Resource Certification Institute B) Academy of Human Resource Executives C) Society of Business Administration D) Association of Certified HR Managers

A

Modern HR managers are expected to monitor employee engagement, which refers to an employee's ________. A) ability to balance family and career B) emotional investment in their work C) personal career goals and objectives D) ethical behaviors and attitudes

B

Today's workplace demands high levels of employee ________. A) compensation B) engagement C) empowerment D) rewards

B

What term refers to the knowledge, education, training, skills, and expertise of a firm's workers? A) tangible assets B) human capital C) human resources D) intellectual property

B

Which basic function of management involves maintaining employee morale and motivating subordinates? A) planning B) leading C) organizing D) developing

B

Which of the following assist top management in top-level issues such as developing the personnel aspects of the company's long-term strategic plan? A) centralized HR units B) corporate HR teams C) embedded HR units D) HR consulting firms

B

Which of the following best describes the need for foreign workers? A) Foreign workers are better educated than American workers. B) Employers can't find enough skilled American professionals. C) Younger workers are replacing retirees D) There is a need to diversify the workforce

B

Which of the following best explains why HR management is important to all managers? A) Economic challenges facing the world call for advanced cost-cutting and streamlining. B) Investing in human capital enables managers to achieve positive results for the firm. C) An enthusiastic labor force is likely to provide financial support to local unions. D) Technological changes and global competition require clear organization charts.

B

Which of the following factors LEAST likely drove U.S. economic growth between 1960 and 2007? A) leveraging B) diversifying C) globalization D) deregulation

B

Which of the following is most likely a TRUE statement? A) A firm's vision is only effective when HR managers play a strategic role in its development. B) Human capital is linked to increased productivity, profitability, and customer satisfaction. C) Traditional activities such as recruiting are more cost-effective when outsourced by HR. D) Business strategies developed by HR managers are quantifiable.

B

Which term refers to the standards someone uses to decide what his or her conduct should be? A) morals B) ethics C) autonomy D) responsibility

B

________ is the right to make decisions, to direct the work of others, and to give orders. A) Leadership B) Authority C) Arbitration D) Bargaining

B

________ refers to companies extending their sales, ownership, and/or manufacturing to new markets abroad. A) Market development B) Globalization C) Export growth D) Diversification

B

An HR generalist at Wilson Manufacturing has been assigned to the sales department to provide HR management assistance as needed. Which of the following best describes the structure of the HR services provided at Wilson Manufacturing? A) shared services HR teams B) corporate HR teams C) embedded HR units D) HR centers of expertise

C

Employers are dependent on all of the following EXCEPT ________. A) their workers' knowledge B) their workers' education C) their workers' nationality D) their workers' training

C

Globalization has boomed for the past 50 years, mainly due to ________. A) decreasing workforce B) increasing workforce C) changing economic and political philosophies D) changing innovation and creativity philosophies

C

In the management process, which activity is part of the staffing function? A) developing rules B) maintaining morale C) evaluating performance D) setting production levels

C

James is preparing to take an HRCI certification exam. Which of the following subjects is LEAST important for James to study? A) strategic management B) workforce planning C) information technology D) risk management

C

Nicole works as a job analyst at a computer firm. Which of the following most likely describes Nicole's duties in her current position? A) searching for qualified job candidates B) processing employee benefits programs C) collecting information about job duties D) planning and organizing training activities

C

What specific activities listed below are part of the planning function? A) giving each subordinate a specific task B) training and developing employees C) developing rules and procedures D) establishing quality standards

C

Which function of the management process involves setting standards such as sales quotas and production levels? A) planning B) organizing C) controlling D) leading

C

Which of the following has historically been an integral part of every line manager's duties? A) establishing dress codes B) developing annual budgets C) addressing personnel issues D) creating personnel policies

C

Which of the following is NOT a trend facing human resource managers today? A) increasing age of the workforce B) increasing diversity in the workforce C) increasing number of younger workers D) increasing number of women

C

Which of the following terms best describes firms such as IBM, Apple, and Google? A) bargaining unit B) work council C) organization D) open shop

C

Which of the following terms refers to a set of HR management policies and practices that together produce superior employee performance? A) career management system B) in-house development system C) high-performance work system D) management assessment system

C

Which term refers to a set of quantitative performance measures that human resource managers use to assess their operations? A) ratios B) tools C) metrics D) case studies

C

Which term refers to exporting jobs to lower-cost locations abroad? A) compensating B) benchmarking C) offshoring D) warehousing

C

What changes in the business environment have led to HR managers playing more strategic roles in organizations? As a result of these changes, what competencies are now required of modern HR managers?

Changes in the environment of HR management are requiring HR to play a more strategic role in organizations. These changes include growing workforce diversity, rapid technological change, globalization, and changes in the nature of work, such as the movement toward a service society and a growing emphasis on education and human capital. Human resource managers still need skills in areas such as employee selection and training. But now they also require broader business knowledge and competencies. For example, to assist top management in formulating strategies, the human resource manager needs to understand strategic planning, marketing, production, and finance.

According to the text, which of the following is the most likely reason that HR managers are more focused on metrics than they were 50 years ago? A) fluctuations in the stock market B) risks of monetary recession C) threats of heavy regulation D) pressures of global competition

D

All of the following are activities performed within the staffing function of the management process EXCEPT ________. A) evaluating performance B) providing training C) recruiting employees D) maintaining morale

D

All of the following are examples of human resource specialties EXCEPT ________. A) job analyst B) training specialist C) EEO coordinator D) financial advisor

D

By 2020, service-providing industries in the U.S. are expected to account for ________ of wage and salary jobs overall. A) 53% B) 64% C) 72% D) 81%

D

Companies that rely on freelancers, consultants, and other such ________ employees need special HR policies and practices to deal with them. A) in-house B) foreign C) full-time D) nontraditional

D

Evidence-based human resource management relies on all of the following types of evidence EXCEPT ________. A) analytics B) existing data C) research studies D) qualitative opinions

D

Human resource management is best defined as the process of ________. A) controlling and orienting new employees B) organizing and scheduling work activities for teams C) outsourcing and offshoring clerical jobs to foreign countries D) acquiring, training, appraising, and compensating employees

D

Line authority is best defined as a manager's right to ________. A) use flexible decision-making powers B) advise other managers or employees C) advocate on behalf of his or her department D) issue orders to other managers or employees

D

Most modern employers expect HR managers to do all of the following EXCEPT ________. A) hire foreign workers B) retain retirees C) recruit the talent they need D) communicate with shareholders

D

Personnel mistakes to be avoided while managing include all of the following EXCEPT ________. A) hiring the wrong person for the job B) experiencing high turnover C) having your company in court due to your discriminatory actions D) offering training and development programs

D

Tara Robles earned an MBA degree and is now an HR manager for a Fortune 500 company. In which of the following tasks does Tara's advanced degree benefit her the most? A) training interns to perform basic computer tasks B) recruiting college graduates for entry-level positions C) distributing pension payments to retiring employees D) assisting upper management in formulating business strategies

D

The basic functions of management include all of the following EXCEPT ________. A) staffing B) planning C) organizing D) outsourcing

D

Unlike HR managers of the past, modern HR managers must be able to ________. A) hire workers who are well-matched to a firm's HR needs B) assist with employee training in departments within a firm C) develop and implement a firm's long-term business strategies D) explain HR activities in terms of a firm's finances and productivity

D

What are many employers doing to fill openings left by retiring employees? A) increasing the retirement age B) offering night shifts C) hiring more women D) rehiring retirees

D

When companies export jobs to lower-cost locations abroad, this is referred to as ________. A) co-working site B) indebtedness C) downsizing D) offshoring

D

Which activity is part of the controlling function of the management process? A) recruiting prospective employees B) training and developing new employees C) developing departmental rules and procedures D) comparing employee performance with standards

D

Which of the following describes the most significant demographic trend facing the U.S. workforce? A) decreasing number of contingent workers B) increasing number of blue-collar workers C) decreasing number of bilingual workers D) increasing number of older workers

D

Which of the following human resource management specialties would most likely require extensive travel? A) labor relations specialist B) training specialist C) job analyst D) recruiter

D

Which of the following represents the five functions of planning, organizing, staffing, leading, and controlling? A) strategic management B) adaptability screening C) succession planning D) management process

D

Which of the following terms refers to workers who hold multiple jobs or are part-time employees? A) short-term B) seasonal C) temporary D) nontraditional

D

Which term refers to an agreement that reduces tariffs and barriers among trading partners? A) offshore facility B) co-working site C) deregulation D) free trade area

D

Which term refers to formulating and executing HR policies and practices that produce the employee competencies and behaviors a firm needs to achieve its strategic goals? A) talent management B) performance management C) organizational management D) strategic human resource management

D

What is human resource management? Why is human resource management important to all managers? What is the role of line managers in human resource management?

Human resource management is the process of acquiring, training, appraising, and compensating employees, and of attending to their labor relations, health and safety, and fairness concerns. HR management is important to all managers because managers can do everything else right—lay brilliant plans, draw clear organization charts, set up world-class assembly lines, and use sophisticated accounting controls—but still fail by hiring the wrong people or by not motivating subordinates. On the other hand, many managers—presidents, generals, governors, supervisors—have been successful even with inadequate plans, organizations, or controls because they had the knack of hiring the right people for the right jobs and motivating, appraising, and developing them. The direct handling of people is an integral part of every line manager's duties. More specifically, line managers must place the right person in the right job, orient and train new employees, improve the job performance of each person, gain cooperation and develop smooth working relationships, interpret the company's policies and procedures, control labor costs, and protect employees' health and physical condition.

What duties are required of most HR managers? How have the duties of HR managers changed from 30 years ago?

Most HR managers conduct job analyses, recruit job candidates, train employees, compensate employees, and communicate with employees and other managers. Modern HR managers are expected to have the ability to understand and apply information with which to contribute to the organization's strategic plan.

How have technological advances changed the HR environment? What technological tools enable HR managers to perform their duties more efficiently?

Technology is changing how businesses operate as well as the nature of work. In plants throughout the world, knowledge-intensive high-tech manufacturing jobs are replacing traditional factory jobs, which means that employees need new skills and training to excel at increasingly complex jobs. Intranet-based websites enable employees to self-administer benefits plans, which allows HR managers to focus on other tasks.

List and explain five personnel mistakes you do not want to make as an HR manager.

The answer should include any of the following: to hire the wrong person, to experience high turnover, to have employees not doing their best, to have the company taken to court because of discriminatory actions, to have your company cited for unsafe practices, to have under trained employees, and to commit unfair labor practices.

2) A manager is best described as a person who is responsible for ________. A) teaching new employees basic skills B) accomplishing the organization's goals C) communicating with stockholders D) delegating authority to subordinates

o Have your employees not doing their best o Hire the wrong person for the job o Experience high turnover o Have your company in court due to your discriminatory actions o Have your company cited for unsafe practices let a lack of training undermine your department's effectiveness o Commit any unfair labor practices