HRM Chapter 1- Human Resource Management in Organizations

Which of the following HR activities is MOST likely to be outsourced successfully? a. 401k administration b. risk management c. union contract negotiations d. performance management

a. 401k administration

In organizations, in order to decide whether certain behavior is ethical or not, a person must answer all the following questions EXCEPT a. Does this behavior conform to typical behavior by employees of competing organizations? b. Does this behavior meet all applicable laws, regulations, and government codes? c. Does this behavior meet organizational standards? d. Does this behavior meet professional standards?

a. Does this behavior conform to typical behavior by employees of competing organizations?

The ____ sponsors the most well-known certification program for HR generalists. a. Human Resource Certification Institute b. International Personnel Management Association c. World at Work Association d. American Society for Training and Development

a. Human Resource Certification Institute

A large Japanese semiconductor manufacturer is building a manufacturing plant in rural Texas. The Japanese firm has developed a highly-effective system of motivating employees which results in high productivity and high worker satisfaction. As an HR consultant to the Japanese firm, what should your advice be? a. The Japanese firm should study the local Texas culture and redesign its motivation system for the U.S. plant. b. The Japanese firm can implement the same motivation system in Texas and expect high productivity and high employee satisfaction. c. The rural Texas and Japanese cultures are so different, that there is little likelihood that a Japanese-operated plant in Texas could be successful. d. As long as the Japanese company's motivation system is based on pay-for-performance, the Texas employees will be as productive and satisfied as their Japanese counterparts.

a. The Japanese firm should study the local Texas culture and redesign its motivation system for the U.S. plant.

Taking a "green" approach with HR policies can result in all of the following, EXCEPT a. a reduction in the need for safety and health professionals in the organization. b. reduced operational costs. c. a positive effect on attracting, retaining and motivating employees. d. a more strategic emphasis in the organization.

a. a reduction in the need for safety and health professionals in the organization.

The extent to which employees feel linked to organizational success and how the organization performs positively is termed a. employee engagement. b. employee performance motivation. c. employee morale. d. employee organizational commitment.

a. employee engagement.

In addition to administrative efficiency, the major reason for compiling data in HR management systems is to a. facilitate information-based HR decision making. b. develop complete records about each employee. c. strengthen the organization's HRMS in comparison to its competitors' HRMS functions. d. allow HR departments to retain the HRMS function in-house rather than outsourcing it to vendors.

a. facilitate information-based HR decision making

Emil is the assistant HR manager at a commercial construction company. Emil handles almost every aspect of human resources at the company, from employee questions about benefits to holding exit interviews. Emil is an HR a. generalist. b. specialist. c. technologist. d. unit manager.

a. generalist.

Talent management includes which of the following activities? a. job-skill training b. wage and salary administration c. diversity assessment and analysis d. environmental scanning

a. job-skill training

Which is not one of the major challenges currently facing HR managers? a. motivating employees without pay raises and promotions b. changing federal, state and local legal requirements c. adjusting benefit programs due to increasing costs d. replacing "baby boomers" as they exit the workplace

a. motivating employees without pay raises and promotions

Which of the following is NOT a major HR concern of small businesses? a. potential unionization efforts b. shortages of qualified workers c. compliance with government regulations d. increasing benefits costs

a. potential unionization efforts

Unit labor cost is a measure of a. productivity. b. profitability. c. sustainability. d. efficacy.

a. productivity.

The U.S. economy can be characterized as a/an ____ economy. a. service b. manufacturing c. industrial d. knowledge-based

a. service

About 50% of the private sector employees in the U.S. economy are employed by a. small businesses. b. federal government agencies and the military. c. large firms in service industries, particularly health care and technology. d. traditional, large manufacturing companies.

a. small businesses.

Pauline is an employee of a large city. She is the lead negotiator for contracts between the city government and the police and firefighters' unions. Pauline is an HR a. specialist. b. technologist. c. generalist. d. interventionist.

a. specialist.

Through the ____ function, HR management provides the organization with a sufficient supply of qualified individuals to fill the jobs in the organization. a. staffing b. equal employment opportunity c. talent management d. employee and labor relations

a. staffing

As Director of HR, you are designing an ethics program for your organization. You plan to develop a written code of ethics, training for all organizational members, and means for organizational members to obtain advice on ethical situations. What critical element is missing from your plan? a. systems for confidential reporting of misconduct. b. a discipline system for offenders against the code of ethics. c. designating a high-level staff position as an ethics officer. d. ensuring that the organization's code of ethics is not more restrictive than the relevant laws.

a. systems for confidential reporting of misconduct.

As the vice-president of HR for Woodmere Production, Inc., you are presenting a proposal to Woodmere's top management for outsourcing many of your department's administrative HR functions to vendors. You argue that HR vendors have greater expertise than your in-house staff and that outsourcing will allow you to spend more time on the strategic aspects of HR. But, another key selling-point to top management will be a. the reduction in labor costs in the HR department. b. the prestige of retaining a world-class vendor. c. the ability to have closer contact with HR's true clients, the employees. d. improvement in morale of HR staff.

a. the reduction in labor costs in the HR department.

The roles played by HR management in the firm are being affected by all of the following EXCEPT a. the shift from a service economy to a manufacturing economy. b. the globalization of business. c. cost reduction pressures. d. an aging workforce.

a. the shift from a service economy to a manufacturing economy.

Organizational productivity for the local Meals on Wheels charity ultimately affects the organization's a. total costs. b. profitability. c. total revenue. d. competitiveness.

a. total costs.

You are the director of HR for a medium-sized firm. You are looking to hire a benefits specialist. You would prefer the individual to be certified in this field. Consequently, you will check applicant resumés for these initials a. OHST. b. CEBS. c. CCP. d. GPHR.

b. CEBS.

The reason that cooperation between operating managers and HR staff is necessary for HR efforts to succeed is that a. HR professionals see the "coarse-grained picture" of organizational strategy while operating managers see the "fine-grained picture" of daily production. b. HR designs processes that the operating managers must help implement. c. HR professionals must implement processes that have been designed by top management and which impact operating managers. d. HR professionals must react swiftly to initiatives created by operating managers.

b. HR designs processes that the operating managers must help implement.

When HR is viewed negatively in an organization, the complaints are typically expressed as a. High-level HR managers being overly focused on results rather than activities. b. HR managers being excessively focused on their gatekeeping roles. c. HR managers viewing themselves as organizational change agents. d. the HR function being too heavily involved in forming organizational competitive strategy.

b. HR managers being excessively focused on their gatekeeping roles.

You are the recruiter for an ophthalmologic products company. Your firm needs a scientist with a highly-specialized background. You have been unable to lure any scientist with the needed qualifications to your firm, even though you have offered a very high salary. After intensive searching, you have found a Canadian-educated, Peruvian scientist with impeccable credentials who is interested in moving to the U.S. Which problem are you most likely to encounter? a. The inability of the scientist to adapt to the U.S. work culture. b. Tight immigration quotas for highly skilled workers. c. Your current scientific employees fearing that their work will be outsourced overseas. d. The difficulty in meeting the salary expectations of the Peruvian scientist.

b. Tight immigration quotas for highly skilled workers.

The customer service department of the cell phone company serving a 10-state region in the Southwest, has a reputation of being unhelpful to customers and sometimes customer service representatives are considered surly and rude to customers, especially to technologically- challenged callers. The cause of this behavior by the customer-relations is most likely to be a. the customer service department being located in New York City. b. a lack of focus on the customer by managers and employees. c. dissatisfied and difficult customers. d. low pay in the customer service positions.

b. a lack of focus on the customer by managers and employees.

Matt has recently joined his family's wholesale landscape nursery business as vice president of operations. The firm employs 25 full time employees, plus about 20 seasonal employees. In the past, Matt's father personally handled all HR issues. Matt plans to bring the company in line with typical HR staffing levels. Matt will most probably a. hire a full-time HR manager and outsource payroll. b. add a clerical employee to help with HR tasks. c. outsource the HR function. d. hire a full-time HR professional.

b. add a clerical employee to help with HR tasks.

The HR management role that is most influential in reducing the number of employee lawsuits against the company is the ____ role. a. strategic b. advocate c. operational d. administrative

b. advocate

When HR professionals from different organizations work together to solve shared business problems they are engaging in a. collusive HR. b. collaborative HR. c. operational HR. d. professional HR.

b. collaborative HR.

When the human resources function creates a unique capability in a firm that creates high value and differentiates the organization from its competition, human resources is a/an ____ for the firm. a. intangible asset b. core competency c. critical capability d. strategic contributor

b. core competency

Between now and 2016 the largest number of new jobs in the U.S. will be in a. healthcare. b. food-service. c. professional occupations. d. information technology.

b. food-service.

Beverly, a child care supervisor at a children's hospital in a large urban area, communicates on a daily basis with other employees and community contacts through tweets, texts and blogs. She sends positive news and updates about the activities of the hospital. This social networking is not part of her formal job responsibilities. We can say that Beverly is probably a. exposing the hospital to violation of privacy lawsuits and should be prohibited from this networking. b. highly engaged with the organization. c. looking for excuses to avoid working. d. a contingent employee trying to impress her boss so that she will be moved to regular employee status.

b. highly engaged with the organization.

From an HR perspective, the most compelling reason given below for an organization to have a reputation for social responsibility is to a. heighten the HR director's reputation. b. increase the ability to attract and retain employees. c. increase quarterly profits. d. improve the ability to succeed in bids for governmental contracts.

b. increase the ability to attract and retain employees.

Recruiting and selecting employees for current openings are typical ____ HR activities. a. employee advocacy b. operational c. strategic d. administrative

b. operational

Flexible hours, job-sharing, child-care referral services, and flexible leave programs are all examples of a. executive perks. b. retention programs based on work/family concerns. c. anti-unionization programs. d. programs mandated by the Equal Employment Opportunity Act.

b. retention programs based on work/family concerns.

The position of vice-president of HR is open in a large paper-products manufacturing company. Two individuals are being considered, both from the internal HR function at the firm. The selection committee wants the new vice-president to be a strategic contributor to the firm. All of the following competencies are highly desirable EXCEPT a. that the candidate understands the paper-products business in all aspects. b. that the candidate be a highly detail-oriented person. c. that the candidate demonstrate ethical behavior. d. that the candidate be results-oriented.

b. that the candidate be a highly detail-oriented person.

In the HR context, "sustainability" is defined as a. the requirement for organizations in polluting industries, such as manufacturers and utility companies, to reduce their impact on the environment. b. the ability to continue to operate, survive and adjust to significant change. c. the ability to maintain proper employee flow in, through and out of the organization. d. the development of organizational policies and procedures that allow the organization to continue to operate in foreign countries which have strict environmental regulation.

b. the ability to continue to operate, survive and adjust to significant change.

Human resource management is a. supervising, monitoring, controlling, and disciplining employees in order to achieve organizational goals efficiently and effectively. b. the designing of organizational systems to ensure that human talent is used effectively and efficiently to accomplish organizational goals. c. the efficient and effective use and coordination of human capital to ensure the profitability and long-term sustainability of the organization. d. the design of the interface between the human capital of the firm and its technological and financial capital in order to efficiently and effectively reach organizational goals..

b. the designing of organizational systems to ensure that human talent is used effectively and efficiently to accomplish organizational goals.

Ernest, the vice president of HR for the Legendary Repose motel chain, has been on the HR side of the hotel/motel industry for over 30 years. Ernest has become a prized partner with the top executives of the LR corporation, and his advice is valued by the executives. Ernest prides himself on making decisions based on his "gut" and his intuition which he has honed over his career. Which of the following statements is most likely to be TRUE? a. Ernest will be impressed and influenced by strategic arguments based on analysis of extensive HR data. b. LR's current top executives will press Ernest to support his intuitive arguments with hard data. c. Ernest appreciates the efficiency aspect of HRMS more than the decision-making aspect of HRMS. d. Ernest is comfortable with sophisticated statistical models.

c. Ernest appreciates the efficiency aspect of HRMS more than the decision-making aspect of HRMS.

Which of the following statements is TRUE? a. The HR function in the organization is largely insulated from unethical behaviors. b. The HR department is largely responsible for the unethical behaviors of employees in the organization. c. HR management is the voice of organizational ethics. d. HR management must focus on clearly illegal behaviors within the firm and leave ethics up to the conscience of each individual manager

c. HR management is the voice of organizational ethics.

Which of the following statements about organizational culture is FALSE? a. The organization's culture is seen in its norms of expected behaviors, values, philosophies, rituals and symbols. b. An organization's rules of behavior may not be beneficial and may limit the organization's performance. c. Organizational cultures are static, and tend to remain almost identical to the culture established by the founder. d. Values determine how organizational members treat coworkers and people outside the organization

c. Organizational cultures are static, and tend to remain almost identical to the culture established by the founder.

Which of the following activities would NOT fall into the risk management function of HR? a. Sending all employees a text message requiring them to report in to a designated individual after an earthquake affects the city in which the company's plant is located. b. Negotiating with a representative of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) about appropriateness of a measure to reduce harmful gases in a mine. c. Requiring employees to purchase a minimal level of life insurance when they are deployed overseas. d. Designing policies and procedures for a shipping firm to handle episodes of piracy and employee hostage-taking..

c. Requiring employees to purchase a minimal level of life insurance when they are deployed overseas.

International firms that move manufacturing operations to low-wage countries overseas are sometimes criticized for being "sweatshop employers." Which of the following is NOT a defense for an international firm that is taking advantage of the wage disparity between the U.S. and less-developed countries? a. Even though the wages are lower in the less-developed host country than in the U.S., the host country employees are receiving higher wages than they would otherwise. b. The jobs provided by the U.S. company reduce unemployment in the host country. c. The host country employees receive specialized training that will enable them to emigrate to the U.S. for a better life. d. The working conditions in the U.S- run manufacturing plant may not adhere to U.S. standards, but those standards may be better than those typical in the host country.

c. The host country employees receive specialized training that will enable them to emigrate to the U.S. for a better life.

An organization's initial use of an HRMS can be characterized as making HR ____ functions more efficient. a. legal b. strategic c. administrative d. competitive

c. administrative

Charlotte is describing her new HR position to a friend. She says that she handles most of the clerical duties involved in running the HR department, including such tasks as maintaining employee files and submitting governmental reports. Charlotte's job would fall into the ____ HR role. a. strategic b. operational and employee advocate c. administrative d. secretarial

c. administrative

Woodmere Production Company employees over 2,000 hourly workers. The HR department is debating the introduction of web-based technology to handle employment applications, employee benefit enrollments and other related functions. The move to this technology will most affect the HR department's ____ role. a. strategic b. operational c. administrative d. employee advocate

c. administrative

Gloria recently earned her bachelor's in HR. She has just started her first professional exempt-level HR job. She wants to sit for the PHR certification exam. What is the earliest time that Gloria will be eligible take the PHR certification exam? a. after seven years of professional exempt-level HR experience b. after four years of professional exempt-level HR experience c. after two years of professional exempt-level HR experience d. after one year of professional exempt-level HR experience

c. after two years of professional exempt-level HR experience

The most common area for HR specialization is a. EEO compliance. b. labor/management relations. c. benefits. d. HR information systems.

c. benefits.

Eric belongs to an informal group of HR compensation executives from various industries who share information and programs through a wiki. Eric and his colleagues are engaging in a. collusion. b. corporate espionage. c. collaboration. d. cronyism.

c. collaboration.

Arnold is the HR manager for a mid-sized engineering consulting firm. The types of ethical misconduct he is most likely to encounter in his daily work as an HR manager include all of the following EXCEPT a. employees misrepresenting hours and times worked. b. employees misusing organizational supplies. c. collusion among Arnold's firm and its competitors to rig bids on government contracts. d. employees sexually harassing co-workers.

c. collusion among Arnold's firm and its competitors to rig bids on government contracts.

Temporary workers, independent contractors, part-timers and leased employees are collectively referred to as a. full-time-equivalent employees. b. virtual employees. c. contingent workers. d. pseudo-employees.

c. contingent workers.

Ensuring fair and equitable treatment for employees regardless of their personal background or circumstances is associated with the ____ role of HR. a. strategic b. operational c. employee advocate d. administrative

c. employee advocate

Top executives of an organization truly view the top HR executive as contributing to the strategic success of the firm when they request the HR manager to a. streamline the employee selection process. b. improve the implementation of performance appraisals for supervisors. c. evaluate potential merger candidates for organizational compatibility. d. select a vendor for outsourcing benefits administration.

c. evaluate potential merger candidates for organizational compatibility.

The main pressure behind U.S. firms resulting in facility closings, international outsourcing, and decreasing their labor costs is from a. intense domestic competition. b. obsolescence of plant and equipment in the U.S. manufacturing sector. c. global competition. d. the growth in information technology.

c. global competition.

Compensation and benefits managers in almost all organizations face a major and growing concern regarding the cost of a. equalization of pay between men and women. b. incentive pay for hourly employees. c. health-care benefits. d. outsourcing to lower-wage countries.

c. health-care benefits.

The collective value of the capabilities, knowledge, skills, life experiences and motivation of an organizational workforce is called a. the organization's talent inventory. b. total human resources. c. human capital. d. the organization's intellectual assets.

c. human capital.

HR professionals value their professional certification(s) because a. certification is required in order to hold an exempt-level position in HR. b. most large organizations require certification for entry-level HR positions. c. of the credibility certification gives them with peers and senior managers. d. certification is viewed as the equivalent of a master's degree in HR.

c. of the credibility certification gives them with peers and senior managers.

Claude is the HR manager for a pharmaceuticals firm. His top sales representative, Agatha, has twin boys under age 2. Despite the fact that Agatha has a full-time nanny, it is obvious that she is stressed by the demands of her work and her personal life. Claude's main concern in this case is probably a. how to persuade Agatha to resign. b. getting Agatha to refocus on her career through motivational training. c. retaining Agatha as an employee. d. whether Agatha will file an FMLA lawsuit.

c. retaining Agatha as an employee.

The explicit aspects of organizational culture include all of the following EXCEPT a. training. b. regulations. c. sustainability. d. policies.

c. sustainability.

____ identifies paths and activities for individual employees as they develop within the organization. a. Staffing b. HR development c. Equal Employment Opportunity d. Career planning

d. Career planning

A rumor has been circulating at the largest law firm in the city that the partners are considering outsourcing much of the work of the paralegals in the firm to a company in India. If you were a paralegal at this firm, what would be your most appropriate attitude or action? a. Relax. Work of this level of professionalism cannot be outsourced to a foreign firm. b. Relax. Work that requires intimate knowledge of the U.S. legal system cannot be outsourced. c. Consider your options. Only occupations that are dying are considered for outsourcing. d. Consider your options. The firm can generate huge labor cost savings by outsourcing your job.

d. Consider your options. The firm can generate huge labor cost savings by outsourcing your job.

The country that has the highest hourly compensation for manufacturing production workers is a. the U.S. b. Japan. c. Australia. d. Germany.

d. Germany.

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act has had all of the following effects on HR EXCEPT a. companies have to establish ethics codes. b. HR has had to carry out compliance verification effort involved with the act. c. HR has to develop anti-retaliation policies for employee whistle-blowers. d. HR exempt-level professionals must have professional certification.

d. HR exempt-level professionals must have professional certification.

Tyrone Toys is intensely focused on reducing labor costs. During a meeting of the executive committee, a member suggests closing its unionized plant in Ohio and opening a non-union plant in Mississippi. The executive vice president (EVP) of HR, who is a member of this committee, suggests that the committee get legal advice in case Tyrone Toys would be subject to lawsuits by the union. This interaction suggests that a. HR is not a strategic partner in this firm because a plant closing is not a strategic decision. b. HR is not a strategic partner in the firm because any suggestion about closing a plant should properly come from HR, not another executive. c. HR is a strategic partner in the firm because in this firm the EVP of HR is allowed to sit in on important strategic meetings. d. HR is a strategic partner in the firm because the EVP of HR is a regular member of the executive committee.

d. HR is a strategic partner in the firm because the EVP of HR is a regular member of the executive committee.

Henry, the production manager for a chemical plant, resents what he feels are unwarranted intrusions into his territory by HR managers. Henry feels that his relationships with his employees are strong and supportive, and that HR initiatives generally cause unnecessary trouble and complications. a. Henry is correct, because the HR function is a support and staff function and should not intrude on day-to-day management functions. b. HR managers have the sole responsibility for the proper implementation of company policy regarding employees. Henry is subverting this process. c. Henry is probably committing major violations of company policy and wants to keep this secret from HR management. d. Henry would be surprised to learn that every manager, including him, is an HR manager.

d. Henry would be surprised to learn that every manager, including him, is an HR manager

Which of the following is TRUE about the U.S. educational system? a. U.S. schools are graduating more engineers than can be used in the economy. b. U.S. students outperform students in other, directly-competitive nations in math and science. c. Wages are low in the U.S. manufacturing sector because of the excess number of people with manufacturing skills seeking jobs. d. The U.S. education system is not generating the types of qualified workers needed in the economy..

d. The U.S. education system is not generating the types of qualified workers needed in the economy..

The ____ role of HR management has been increasingly outsourced, while the _________ role of HR management is sometimes being given to senior executives without HR experience. a. strategic, operational b. advocate, operational c. operational, administrative d. administrative, strategic

d. administrative, strategic

A tweet would be most appropriate to send out a. confidential company data. b. an explanation of the reasons behind a mass layoff. c. notification to the next-of-kin that an employee had been killed in an accident. d. an alert about a policy change needing immediate implementation.

d. an alert about a policy change needing immediate implementation.

Considering the trends in HR, current HR departments compared to departments of twenty years ago would a. tend to have larger staffs. b. have more clerks than professional staff. c. be less likely to be strategic partners with top management. d. be more tightly linked with vendors of HR specialty services.

d. be more tightly linked with vendors of HR specialty services.

Eclipse Executive Services offers ransom insurance policies for companies up to $10 million per kidnapping. This is an example of a business opportunity generated by which one of the following HR management challenges? a. ethical challenges b. economic and technological changes c. workforce demographics and diversity d. globalization of business

d. globalization of business

Other than information technology occupations, between now and 2016 the highest percentage job growth will be in a. manufacturing. b. the public sector. c. human resources. d. health care.

d. health care.

An integrated system providing information used by HR managers in decision making is a a. human resource administrative system b. human resource operational system c. human resource information system d. human resource management system.

d. human resource management system.

Cisco Systems HR department instituted ethics training based on the TV show American Idol. All of the following are advantages of this training technique EXCEPT a. the ethics training can be available constantly. b. employees are able to access the program during non-working hours. c. the ability to reach large numbers of employees. d. it facilitates face-to-face interaction of trainers and trainee-employees.

d. it facilitates face-to-face interaction of trainers and trainee-employees.

The shared values and beliefs of an organization is its a. social network. b. ethical environment. c. intellectual capital. d. organizational culture.

d. organizational culture.

Which of the following would NOT be identified as a typical HR operational activity? a. government compliance b. safety programs c. compensation d. partnering with top executives

d. partnering with top executives

Due to an urgent need to cut costs, Rotary Dial, Inc., has decided to eliminate its quarterly off-site training conference for managers at all four of its locations with video conferencing. This reduces travel costs significantly and allows the company to lay off two training staff. This is an example of a. organizational restructuring. b. aligning HR activities with organizational productivity efforts. c. outsourcing an organizational function. d. re-designing work.

d. re-designing work.

The largest professional organization for HR generalists is a. the International Personnel Management Association (IPMA). b. the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD). c. the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI). d. the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).

d. the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).

Whether employees and managers of an organization behave ethically is fundamentally a function of a. professional codes of ethics. b. the relevant laws and legal guidelines applying to the organization and its industry. c. the employee's level of education. d. the organization's culture.

d. the organization's culture.

Benjamin is an American engineer who is a consultant with a German engineering consulting firm. Currently, Benjamin is assigned to a project in South Korea where he will live for the next year. Benjamin is a/an a. expatriate. b. host-country national. c. emigrant worker. d. third-country national.

d. third-country national.

Which of the following is NOT a major reason why businesses use contingent workers? a. to reduce legal liability for employers for discrimination lawsuits b. to provide stable employment for workers with critical skills c. to reduce compensation and benefit costs d. to accommodate employee desire for flexible work schedules.

d. to accommodate employee desire for flexible work schedules.

A major trend regarding diversity is that a. as women have become almost 50% of the workforce, fewer work-family tensions exist. b. out of political and philosophical convictions many people refuse to classify themselves as any racial or ethnic group. c. the American "melting pot" has resulted in less ethnic and cultural diversity in the U.S. workforce. d. with the retirement of baby boomers, employers will experience a "brain drain."

d. with the retirement of baby boomers, employers will experience a "brain drain."