Exam 1
_____ is a wide variety of specific selection programs that employ multiple selection methods to rate either applicants or job incumbents on their managerial potential.
Assessment Center Explanation: Generically, the term assessment center is used to describe a wide variety of specific selection programs that employ multiple selection methods to rate either applicants or job incumbents on their managerial potential. Someone attending an assessment center would typically experience work-sample tests such as an in-basket test and several tests of more general abilities and personality. (Unit 3: Types of Selection Measures)
Which performance management technique initially involves the identification of a large number of critical incidents, followed by the classification of these incidents into performance dimensions, and finally ranking these incidents into levels of performance?
Behaviorally anchored rating scale Explanation: A behaviorally anchored rating scale (BARS) is designed to specifically define performance dimensions by developing behavioral anchors associated with different levels of performance. To develop a BARS, we first gather a large number of critical incidents that represent effective and ineffective performance on the job. These incidents are classified into performance dimensions, and the ones that experts agree clearly represent a particular level of performance are used as behavioral examples (or anchors) to guide the rater. (Unit 4: Managing Performance)
Deep-level diversity has positive effects on team creativity when
team members are instructed to take the perspective of their teammates. Explanation: Deep-level diversity has positive effects on team creativity when team members are instructed to take the perspective of their teammates. (Unit 6: Groups & Teams)
_____ can be beneficial to teams if it stimulates conversations that result in the development and expression of new ideas.
Task conflict Explanation: Task conflict refers to disagreements among members about the team's task. This type of conflict can be beneficial to teams if it stimulates conversations that result in the development and expression of new ideas. (Unit 6: Groups & Teams)
Which of the following attribute approaches to performance management is most commonly used?
Graphic rating scales Explanation: The most common form that the attribute approach to performance management takes is the graphic rating scale. (Unit 4: Managing Performance)
A person who is conscientious will be
dependable, organized, persevering, thorough, and achievement-oriented. (Unit 3: Types of Selection Measures)
Which of the following correlation coefficients indicates a perfect negative relationship?
-1.0 Explanation: The correlation coefficient expresses the strength of the relationship in numerical form. A perfect negative relationship (as one goes up, the other goes down) equals −1.0. (Unit 2: Creating Quality Selection Measures)
_____ assess main facets such as verbal comprehension, quantitative ability, and reasoning ability.
Cognitive ability tests Explanation: Cognitive ability tests differentiate individuals based on their mental rather than physical capacities. The three main facets of cognitive ability tests are verbal comprehension, quantitative ability, and reasoning ability. (Unit 3: Types of Selection Measures)
Star Inc., an engineering firm, has come up with a new technical test to assess the knowledge of interviewees. To assess the validity of the test, it requests that its present employees take the test and match it with their performance in the organization. Which of the following types of validation has Star Inc. used to test the validity of its new technical test?
Concurrent validation Explanation: Concurrent validation assess the validity of a test by administering it to people already on the job and then correlating test scores with existing measures of each person's performance. In the above scenario, Star Inc. is using the concurrent method to test the validity of its new technical test. (Unit 2: Creating Quality Selection Measures)
At Bark Shape industries, each employee has a workspace in which to debark logs used to make rustic homes and patio furniture. The policy is that everyone on a team must remain at his or her workstation until everyone has secured the logs they were working on. At the end of the shift, everyone on team C is ready to go home, but they are waiting on Felipe, who still has not secured his logs. Exceeding the time allocated in a shift hurts the production rating of a team. Team C is witnessing a(n) _____ task.
Conjunctive Explanation: Tasks for which the team's performance depends on the abilities of the "weakest link" are called conjunctive tasks. (Unit 6: Groups & Teams)
_____________ tasks depend on the abilities of the "weakest link."
Conjunctive Explanation: Tasks for which the team's performance depends on the abilities of the "weakest link" are called conjunctive tasks. (Unit 6: Groups & Teams)
Rollerbeam Inc., a provider of engineering services, is looking to hire several maintenance engineers. Rollerbeam's HR department checks with the company's engineering department to confirm that the scenarios mentioned in the test are plausible real-world scenarios that maintenance engineers might face. Which of the following types of validation is Rollerbeam's HR team performing?
Content validation Explanation: Content validation is performed by demonstrating that the questions or problems posed by the test are a representative sample of the kinds of situations or problems that occur on the job. A test that is content valid exposes the job applicant to situations that are likely to occur on the job, then tests whether the applicant currently has sufficient knowledge, skill, or ability to handle such situations. (Unit 2: Creating Quality Selection Measures)
A competent employee receives lower-than-deserved ratings because of a few outstanding colleagues who set very high performance standards. This is an example of a _____ rater error.
Contrast Explanation: Contrast error occurs when the rater compares individuals with one another instead of against an objective standard. (Unit 4: Managing Performance)
_______ summarize the statistical relationships between variables.
Correlations Explanation: Correlations summarize the statistical relationships between variables. Correlations can be positive or negative. (Unit 1: Introduction & Overview)
If there is a substantial correlation between test scores and job-performance scores, _____ validity has been established.
Criterion - related Explanation: One way of establishing the validity of a selection method is to show that there is an empirical association between scores on the selection measure and scores for job performance. If there is a substantial correlation between test scores and job-performance scores, criterion-related validity has been established. (Unit 2: Creating Quality Selection Measures)
One way to potentially prevent problems associated with too much cohesion is to formally institute the role of a(n) _____, a person who is responsible for evaluating and challenging prevailing points of view in a constructive manner and also bringing in fresh perspectives and ideas to the team.
Devil's advocate Explanation: A step in preventing problems associated with too much cohesion would be to formally institute the role of devil's advocate. The person performing the devil's advocate role would be responsible for evaluating and challenging prevailing points of view in a constructive manner and also bringing in fresh perspectives and ideas to the team. (Unit 6: Groups & Teams)
Brandy has been given a great deal of opportunity to advance her career. She recently got a huge increase in authority and salary, and she was hired to do what she has always claimed was her dream job. However, Brandy is not enthusiastic about coming to work, and when she is there, she spends most of her time complaining about how Maurice got a bigger office and nicer furniture than she did. Brandy's behavior would seem to support _____ theory.
Equity Explanation: Equity theory acknowledges that motivation doesn't just depend on your own beliefs and circumstances but also on what happens to other people. (Unit 5: Motivation)
Kyla is a talkative, social employee who makes sure that all feel welcome and part of the team while at work. She most likely has a high level of _____ when she takes a personality test.
Extroversion Explanation: Research suggests that there are five major dimensions of personality, known as "the Big Five": (1) extroversion, (2) adjustment, (3) agreeableness, (4) conscientiousness, and (5) openness to experience. (Unit 3: Types of Selection Measures)
Which scenario depicts an employee who experiences a high level of meaningfulness?
Floyd walks around his pet rescue, patting his employees on the back and reminding them they are improving the lives of animals and people. Explanation: Meaningfulness captures the value of a work goal or purpose, relative to a person's own ideals and passions. (Unit 5: Motivation)
Which of the following statements is true of situational interviews?
Future-oriented interviews are less valid than experience-based interviews. Explanation: Research suggests that both experience-based and future-oriented items used in situational interviews show validity but that experience-based items often outperform future-oriented items. (Unit 3: Types of Selection Measures)
When a company provides evidence from previous criterion-related validity studies conducted in other situations to show that a specific test is a valid predictor for a specific job performance, it is trying to prove the test's
Generalizability Explanation: Validity generalization is a three-step process. In the first step, the company provides evidence from previous criterion-related validity studies conducted in other situations that shows that a specific test is a valid predictor for a specific job. (Unit 2: Creating Quality Selection Measures)
John F. Kennedy's decision to go forward with the Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba, NASA's decision to launch the space shuttle Challenger in unusually cold weather, and Enron's board of directors' decisions to ignore illegal accounting practices are famous examples of
Groupthink Explanation: In highly cohesive teams, members may try to maintain harmony by striving toward consensus on issues without ever offering, seeking, or seriously considering alternative viewpoints and perspectives. This drive toward conformity at the expense of other team priorities is called groupthink and is thought to be associated with feelings of overconfidence about the team's capabilities. Some famous examples of groupthink are John F. Kennedy's decision to go forward with the Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba, NASA's decision to launch the space shuttle Challenger in unusually cold weather, and Enron's board of directors' decisions to ignore illegal accounting practices. (Unit 6: Groups & Teams)
Which of the following is an example of an experience-based situational interview?
Hiroshi was asked to describe an event where his creativity led to effective problem solving. Explanation: A situational interview is an interview procedure in which applicants are confronted with specific issues, questions, or problems that are likely to arise on the job. Situational judgment items come in two varieties: experience-based and future-oriented. Experience-based items require the applicant to reveal an actual experience he or she had in the past when confronting the situation. (Unit 3: Types of Selection Measures)
_____ refers to the policies, practices, and systems that influence employees' behavior, attitudes, and performance.
Human resource management Explanation: Human resource management refers to the policies, practices, and systems that influence employees' behavior, attitudes, and performance. Many companies refer to HRM as involving "people practices." (Unit 1: Introduction & Overview)
The utility of any test generally _____ as the selection ratio gets lower.
Increases Explanation: The selection ratio is the percentage of people selected relative to the total number of people tested. The utility of any test generally increases as the selection ratio gets lower, as long as the additional costs of recruiting and testing are not excessive. (Unit 2: Creating Quality Selection Measures)
Blake is determined to finish a building project for Mr. Hicks before the deadline. Blake is certain that if he successfully performs this building project, Mr. Hicks will hire him as a permanent builder for his expanding condominium business. Blake's belief demonstrates
Instrumentality Explanation: Instrumentality represents the belief that successful performance will result in some outcome(s). (Unit 5: Motivation)
Motivation that is felt when task performance serves as its own reward is _____ motivation.
Intrinsic Explanation: Motivation that is felt when task performance serves as its own reward is known as intrinsic motivation. (Unit 5: Motivation)
Whittaker Publishing Corp. is a publishing company that wants to hire more technical experts to handle the software requirements in the publishing process. However, the test given to the programmers assesses not only their technical knowledge but also their communication skills, language abilities, and understanding of client services. The test conducted by Whittaker Publishing Corp. is
Low on validity Explanation: The test conducted by Whittaker Publishing Corp. is low on validity. Validity is the extent to which a performance measure assesses all the relevant—and only the relevant—aspects of performance. This is often referred to as "content validity." (Unit 4: Managing Performance)
When gathering information on performance, HR relies on ________ more frequently than any other group, because they will have the most accurate information.
Managers Explanation: Managers are the most frequently used source of performance information. (Unit 4: Managing Performance)
Which of the following examples of work involves the core job characteristic of identity?
Min-jun took two years to write a novel, from starting the first draft to getting it published. Explanation: The core job characteristic of identity is the degree to which the job requires completing a whole, identifiable, piece of work from beginning to end with a visible outcome. By writing a novel, Min-jun does work from the beginning of a project to its end. (Unit 5: Motivation)
The dimensions of psychological empowerment include all of these except
Needs Explanation: Models of psychological empowerment argue that four concepts are particularly important: meaningfulness, self-determination, competence, and impact. (Unit 5: Motivation)
A study shows that the high turnover rate at a company is only caused by the domineering attitude of a middle manager. What criteria of causal inference does this example show?
No alternative explanation exists for the correlation. Explanation: The study shows only one explanation for a high turnover rate, namely the domineering attitude of a middle manager. Making causal inferences requires establishing three things. First, that the two variables are correlated; second, that the presumed cause precedes the presumed effect in time; and third, that no alternative explanation exists for the correlation. (Unit 1: Introduction & Overview)
______ is a field of study devoted to understanding, explaining, and ultimately improving the attitudes and behaviors of individuals and groups in organizations.
Organizational behavior Explanation: Organizational behavior (OB) is a field of study devoted to understanding, explaining, and ultimately improving the attitudes and behaviors of individuals and groups in organizations. (Unit 1: Introduction & Overview)
When making the decision to hire a new employee, which selection method will most likely not give you any prediction of future success?
Reference Check Explanation: Reference checks have low reliability, especially when they are obtained from letters. These also have low validity. (Unit 3: Types of Selection Measures)
_____ is the degree to which a measure is free from random error.
Reliability Explanation: One key standard for any measuring device is its reliability. Reliability is the degree to which a measure is free from random error. (Unit 2: Creating Quality Selection Measures)
Elle Inc. is a firm that holds frequent reviews and feedback sessions for its employees. It demands that the same person review the employees of a team to ensure that the performance evaluation is consistent; tests-retests are conducted periodically to make sure the evaluation is consistent. These two steps taken by Elle Inc. focus on the _____ of performance management.
Reliability Explanation: Reliability is the consistency of a performance measure. A measure that results in drastically different ratings depending on when the measures are taken lacks test-retest reliability. (Unit 4: Managing Performance)
Which of the following statements is true regarding reliability and validity?
Reliability of a measure is essential for it to have any validity. Explanation: A measure must be reliable if it is to have any validity. Reliability is a necessary but insufficient condition for validity. (Unit 2: Creating Quality Selection Measures)
Which of the following acts sets strict rules for businesses, especially for accounting practices that require more open and consistent disclosure of financial data and CEOs' assurance that the data is completely accurate?
Sarbanes-Oxley Act Explanation: The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 is a congressional act passed in response to illegal and unethical behavior by managers and executives. The act sets stricter rules for businesses, especially accounting practices. It requires more open and consistent disclosure of financial data, CEOs' assurance that the data is completely accurate, and provisions that affect the employee-employer relationship. (Unit 1: Introduction & Overview)
With technology constantly changing and employers attempting to keep talented employees away from their competition, which legal issue may be on the rise in the United States?
Security of intellectual property will receive more attention. Explanation: Recent highly publicized leaks of classified documents have raised awareness of the need to carefully scrutinize data security practices. HR practices may increase the use of electronic monitoring and the surveillance of knowledge workers to protect an organization's intellectual property. (Unit 1: Introduction & Overview)
_____ is the ability to keep disruptive emotions in check.
Self - Regulation Explanation: Emotional intelligence is traditionally conceived of having five aspects: (1) self-awareness (2) self-regulation, (3) self-motivation, (4) empathy, and (5) social skills. Self-regulation is the ability to keep disruptive emotions in check. (Unit 3: Types of Selection Measures)
Greta is responsible for the organization and distribution of relief packages to nations affected by famine throughout the world. According to the job characteristics theory, Greta's job has a high degree of
Significance Explanation: Significance is the degree to which the job has a substantial impact on the lives of other people, particularly people in the world at large. (Unit 5: Motivation)
___________ is the phenomenon occurring when members of a team exert less effort when working on team tasks than they would if they worked alone on those same tasks.
Social loafing Explanation: Feelings of reduced accountability cause members to exert less effort when working on team tasks than they would if they worked alone on those same tasks. This phenomenon is called social loafing, and it can significantly hinder a team's effectiveness. (Unit 6: Groups & Teams)
The extent to which a performance measure gives guidance to employees about what is expected of them is called
Specificity Explanation: Specificity is the extent to which a performance measure tells employees what is expected of them and how they can meet these expectations. Specificity is relevant to both the strategic and developmental purposes of performance management. (Unit 4: Managing Performance)
_____ is the extent to which the performance management system elicits job performance that is consistent with an organization's strategy, goals, and culture.
Strategic congruence Explanation: Strategic congruence is the extent to which a performance management system elicits job performance that is congruent with the organization's strategy, goals, and culture. Strategic congruence emphasizes the need for the performance management system to guide employees in contributing to the organization's success. (Unit 4: Managing Performance)
Motivation has a _____ effect on job performance.
Strong positive Explanation: Motivation has a strong positive effect on job performance. People who experience higher levels of motivation tend to have higher levels of task performance. (Unit 5: Motivation)
_____ diversity refers to diversity regarding observable attributes such as race, ethnicity, sex, and age.
Surface - Level (Unit 6: Groups & Teams)
Which of the following statements is true about the composition of the U.S. labor force in the next decade?
The median age of the labor force will increase to the highest number ever. Explanation: The median age of the labor force will increase to 42.4 years old. The labor force is expected to increase by 8 million in the next decade, reaching 164 million in 2024. (Unit 1: Introduction & Overview)
Which of the following is true about the results approach to performance management?
The results approach minimizes subjectivity, relying on objective, quantifiable indicators of performance. Explanation: The results approach minimizes subjectivity, relying on objective, quantifiable indicators of performance. Thus, it is usually highly acceptable to both managers and employees. (Unit 4: Managing Performance)
Charles is an accountant at a large firm. His boss has instituted a plan designed to create high levels of task interdependence. Which of the following is NOT something Charles should be prepared for?
The team being less able to adapt to new situations. Explanation: As the level of task interdependence increases, members must spend increasing amounts of time communicating and coordinating with other members to complete tasks. This type of coordination can result in decreases in productivity, which is the ratio of work completed per the amount of time worked. On the other hand, increases in task interdependence increase the ability of the team to adapt to new situations. The more members interact and communicate with other members, the more likely it is that the team will be able to devise solutions to novel problems it may face. (Unit 6: Groups & Teams)
The degree to which the information provided by selection methods enhance the bottom-line effectiveness of the organization is known as the selection method's
Utility Explanation: Utility is the degree to which the information provided by selection methods enhances the bottom-line effectiveness of the organization. In general, the more reliable, valid, and generalizable the selection method is, the more utility it will have. (Unit 2: Creating Quality Selection Measures)
The extent to which performance on a measure is related to performance on the job is called
Validity Explanation: Validity is the extent to which performance on a measure is related to performance on the job. A measure must be reliable if it is to have any validity. (Unit 2: Creating Quality Selection Measures)
A(n) _____ test attempts to simulate the job in a prehiring context to observe how the applicant performs in the simulated job.
Work - Sample Explanation: Work-sample tests attempt to simulate the job in a prehiring context to observe how the applicant performs in the simulated job. The degree of fidelity in work samples varies greatly. (Unit 3: Types of Selection Measures)
Which of the following HRM practices involves helping employees understand how their jobs contribute to the finished product?
Work design Explanation: In the context of HRM practices supporting high-performance work systems, employees' understanding of how their jobs contribute to the final product is a part of work design. (Unit 1: Introduction & Overview)
The Container Store, a retailer based out of Texas, wants to increase the motivation of its employees. Which of the following examples would most likely achieve this?
a performance-based incentive system for its employees in which workers' pay will be based on their productivity Explanation: A performance-based incentive system would most likely increase the motivation of employees because it would capture the energetic forces that drive employees' work effort. (Unit 1: Introduction & Overview)
Which of the following argues that scientific findings should form the foundation for management education?
evidence-based management Explanation: Evidence-based management is a perspective that argues that scientific findings should form the foundation for management education. (Unit 1: Introduction & Overview)
Jamie owns a small sporting goods store. He has decided to aggressively pursue a policy to make sure employees feel a sense of equity in his store. What result is Jamie most likely going to see as a result of his push for equity?
greater commitment from his employees Explanation: Research on equity and organizational commitment offers the clearest insights into the motivation-commitment relationship. Specifically, employees who feel a sense of equity are more emotionally attached to their firms and feel a stronger sense of obligation to remain. (Unit 5: Motivation)
Personality inventories tend to have
high reliability, low to moderate criterion validity, and low generalizability. Explanation: Personality inventories have high reliability, low to moderate criterion-related validity for most traits, low generalizability, low utility, and low legality. (Unit 3: Types of Selection Measures)
A performance measure is said to be contaminated when
it evaluates irrelevant aspects of performance. Explanation: A contaminated measure evaluates irrelevant aspects of performance or aspects that are not job related. The performance measure should seek to minimize contamination, but its complete elimination is seldom possible. (Unit 4: Managing Performance)
Rocco has been asked to set some effective goals for the workers in his sales department. Rocco wants to get the best performance out of his team that he can, because he is being evaluated on how well they do. How should Rocco go about determining the goals for his team?
make the goals specific and challenging, stating exactly how many sales he wants and when he wants them Explanation: Assigning employees specific and difficult goals will result in higher levels of performance than assigning no goals, easy goals, or "do-your-best" goals. (Unit 5: Motivation)
Nominal group technique decreases social loafing and production blocking—problems with brainstorming—by
making people write down ideas on their own. Explanation: Nominal group technique addresses the problems with brainstorming by making people write down ideas on their own, which decreases social loafing and production blocking. Although team members might still be hesitant about expressing wild ideas to the group, doing so might be less threatening than having nothing to contribute to the group. (Unit 6: Groups & Teams)