HR final

Fred, the vice president of Gallway Co., plans to introduce a retirement plan for all employees. Ron, the operations director, disagrees because the proposed plan would increase the company's costs. Which statement, if true, strengthens Fred's argument?

Some benefits have become so common that today's employees expect them.

Identify the correct statement regarding computer-based training.

It gives a company the flexibility in scheduling training.

Which statement is true of a psychological contract?

A psychological contract is not formally put into words.

Which scenario demonstrates a violation of the right of freedom of conscience in a workplace environment?

A supervisor coerces an employee to use unsafe practices to keep a project on schedule.

The HR team at Rod Inc. is meeting to discuss ways to improve the validity of its performance management system. One staffer suggests adding customer evaluations of the sales representatives in order to gauge their impact on customer satisfaction and sales. What is the major challenge of this approach?

Customer evaluations could cost hundreds of dollars for each salesperson.

In order to minimize distributional errors, raters should use only one part of the rating scale.

False

A person can file a claim under the Fourteenth Amendment on charges of racial discrimination if he or she is fired by a private employer.

False

Fiona, a white female applicant, is refused a job at a local college in favor of a less qualified minority applicant. She could consider suing the college on charges of reverse discrimination under the

Fourteenth Amendment.

Chad finds that he meets the eligibility requirements for Social Security. He elects to receive retirement benefits at 62. Which statement is true?

He will receive benefits at a permanently reduced level.

Allie, a human resource manager at an electronics firm, observes that many employees who are reaching the traditional retirement age are not interested in leaving the organization. Which statement best explains the reason for this trend among older employees?

Jobs are becoming less physically demanding.

Moose Tech, a software start-up, is putting together a new team to work on the marketing strategies for their expansion project. In the context of using the "Big Five" personality traits for effective team building, which employees would be good additions to a team that encourages a strong and harmonious culture and is most likely to give the best results?

Kelly is very organized; Allison is very cooperative.

El Niro Inc. is automating processes so the company can meet its demand with a smaller workforce. The CEO asks Megan, the vice president of human resources, for advice on how to address the resulting labor surplus. Megan studies the workforce and observes that many employees are in their 50s and 60s. Furthermore, these employees are the highest-paid workers in every job category. Based on this information, what should Megan suggest as the most effective way of addressing El Niro's labor surplus?

Offer early retirement incentives to the employees in their 50s and 60s.

Min, the production manager of Manning Inc., is writing a recommendation to begin gathering performance appraisal information from peers along with other sources of information. Which statement best supports Min's recommendation for getting peer feedback?

Peers have expert knowledge of job requirements.

How can managers improve employee satisfaction with the feedback process?

by letting employees voice their opinions and discuss performance goals during the feedback process

Identify the type of case where most of the debate focuses on discriminatory consequences and the plaintiff need not prove an employer's intent to discriminate.

disparate impact

EnTech Inc., an electronics manufacturer, is headquartered in Florida. The firm shifted its operations from Florida to China due to lower labor costs and the availability of required skills in China. This scenario indicates that EnTech engaged in the practice of

offshoring.

Kate is the HR manager of Gunther Corp., a software company located in Chicago. She wants to establish the validity of a test designed for computer technicians using a predictive validation strategy. Accordingly, Kate must administer the test to

people applying for computer technician jobs in Gunther Corp.

Which strategy can be legally adopted by organizations looking to restructure the workforce to minimize the expense of benefits?

using more independent contractors rather than hiring additional employees

What is the difference between stock options and an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP)?

Stock options are usually granted to company executives, whereas ESOPs are provided to all employees.

What is true of companies that use a "lead-the-market" pay strategy?

They pay more than the current market wages for a job.

To test the validity of a selection test for advanced widget designers, Apptastic administers the test to its current widget designers. The test results are then compared with existing measures of job performance. In this instance, what type of validation is being used by Apptastic?

concurrent validation

What is legally required by an organization while offering early-retirement incentives?

ensuring there is no coercion used to force employees to retire

Ashley thinks that her company is discriminating against a particular group of employees by denying them seniority or promotions. She expresses her concern to a senior human resources manager. This method of expressing concern about an instance of illegal employment through proper channels is known as

opposition.

Which action helps organizations reduce the cost of health care benefits offered to employees?

shifting from traditional health insurance plans to PPOs and CDHPs

Heidi, a local farmer, buys her equipment exclusively from the manufacturer Farm Supply Inc. Because of this, Heidi is affected by Farm Supply Inc.'s operations. This indicates that Heidi is

stakeholder.

A correlation coefficient of -1.0 between two sets of numbers indicates

that when one set of numbers goes up, the other set goes down.

Janine, a trainer at Keller Inc., wants to find out how many candidates moved from the initial interview stage to the training selection stage in the past month. To find out, she needs to compare the

yield ratios.

What is a characteristic of a successful formal mentoring program?

Managers are rewarded for employee development.

The HR department at Hufton Co. recently developed and employed a certain test in the selection process for managers. After observing trends within the organization, the HR department concluded that the test was not a valid selection criterion. What most likely led to the observation that the test was not valid?

Managers who performed well on the tests performed poorly in their roles.

The human resource, accounting, and legal departments of Glorious Software, a company with locations in seven states plus Europe, are working together on developing a profit-sharing plan. Which option for communicating with employees about the plan would be the most practical and effective?

Post descriptions and videos on the company's intranet.

Jordan is the human resource manager at a poultry-processing facility with 75 employees. He just received a call saying that an OSHA inspector has arrived at the facility. What can Jordan expect the company will need to do first?

Provide the inspector with records of any deaths, injuries, and illnesses.

In the past, hospitals deferred to physicians' judgments in how they carry out their work. More recently, hospitals have begun asking surgical teams to use pre-surgical checklists aimed at avoiding miscommunications and oversights. From a job design perspective, why is this aspect of work flow an appropriate one for a hospital to focus on?

Simplifying work is especially beneficial when jobs are challenging and the costs of error are severe.

Which statement is true of using stock options as incentive pay?

Stock options are rewarding for employees who exercise their option when the company's stock value has risen.

Anthony, a human resource executive for Beta Equipment, is preparing a recommendation to the company's executives that the company develop a program of succession planning. The company has been growing rapidly, so he anticip

Succession planning ensures that Beta Equipment is ready with candidates if a key position becomes vacant.

Sarah, an HR executive, observes that telework or telecommuting has been a rising trend. She considers developing a policy to allow telecommuting at her company. Which statement is a fact about telecommuting that would support implementing this policy?

Telecommuting may support a strategy of corporate social responsibility.

Which statement is true of the Position Analysis Questionnaire (PAQ)?

The PAQ is meant to be completed only by job analysts trained in this method.

StrongSkills Consulting tests its salespeople on listening skills and then implements a training program to teach all of them to be better listeners. At the conclusion of the last training session, it conducts a posttest to measure listening skills again. Based on the results, the training manager reports that the training program increased listening skills by a significant amount. Which statement represents the main weakness in the manager's conclusion?

The actual impact of the training can only be evaluated by comparing the performance of employees who underwent training and those who did not.

Patricia, a training manager, is making a presentation to her company's business leaders. She says meeting the company's five-year plan will require skills in using some new technology. Employees and their supervisors are eager to learn, but Patricia says some situational constraints are standing in the way of meeting these objectives. What could be such a constraint?

The company has not budgeted sufficient funds for training.

Which statement is true of the relationship between training and development?

The goal of training is preparation for the current job, while the goal of development is preparation for future job opportunities.

What should employees typically do to earn bonuses under the Scanlon plan?

They should keep labor costs to a minimum and produce as much as possible with that amount of labor.

The HR department at Tremont Communications oversees the recruitment and training of employees at the firm. As the firm grows and recruits more employees, overseeing individual training programs has become too much for the HR staff to handle. Which application should the HR department use to help with employee training?

a learning management system

Team awards differ from group bonuses in that they

are more likely to use a broad range of performance measures.

Brianna, a supervisor in a shoe store, observes Charles, an employee, becoming anxious and defensive when a customer complains about some shoes. The customer reacts to Charles' behavior by raising her voice and demanding to talk to a manager. When should Brianna give Charles performance feedback related to his handling of customer complaints?

as soon as she is finished talking with the complaining customer

What is a characteristic of current-day high-performance work systems?

employee empowerment in decision making

Greene Creations, a popular furniture manufacturer, provides employee support through various workshops on interior design techniques. It also offers three-month courses on various aspects of decorating a home, from suitable paint for a media room to contemporary outdoor furnishings. This adds to employees' existing knowledge and skill sets, helping create customer satisfaction. In this scenario, which approach to employee development is Greene Creations taking?

formal education

Paul, the HR manager at Carletta & Co., is trying to implement an effective group incentive plan that measures increases in productivity and effectiveness and distributes a portion of its earnings to all employees. In this case, Paul should apply the incentive scheme of

gainsharing.

Sebastian, an employee, understands that he has great potential after taking a self-assessment test at his company. He decides to create a checklist of short-term objectives to achieve to help him hone his skills. In this scenario, Sebastian is employing _____ as a mechanism of career management.

goal setting

Joel is a manager at Malan Inc., and he uses a rating approach to evaluate his employees. He considers one employee at a time and circles a number or a word to signify the degree to which that employee demonstrates a particular trait in the scale. Which approach is Joel using to assess his employees?

graphic rating scale

What is an advantage of a qualified plan in retirement benefits?

immediate tax deductions for the funds employees contribute to the plan

David, the HR vice president at Redding Co., evaluates responses from an employee survey at the company's annual benefits presentation. He concludes that many employees are confused about their options for health insurance, and they are often unhappy with the policy they choose. What should David do about this situation?

introduce software that will guide employees to the insurance option for their needs

Maria is a recruiter with a bachelor's degree in business administration. She is well respected among her peers for her professional standards and understanding of the HR field. However, she has noticed that when she recruits engineers for her company, they sometimes seem unresponsive to her. The most likely reason for this is because Maria

is perceived as less credible because she is an HR specialist.

Charlotte, the manager of an electronics store in Ohio, gives her staff the authority to resolve customer complaints. She lets the staff decide whether to issue refunds or replace merchandise in case of consumer grievances. Which job design technique is Charlotte implementing in her store?

job enrichment

Paytonics Inc., a microchip manufacturing company, is hiring for the position of marketing manager for its new division. Patrick, the HR manager, considers the requirements of the job, including the necessary knowledge, level of proficiency, enduring capabilities, and other personality traits, such as persistence or motivation to achieve. Which document includes these considerations to help Patrick in selecting a candidate?

job specification

Dino Corp. is a start-up located in Orlando. It offers highly beneficial pension plans to its employees. Which category of employees is the company most likely to attract through its pension benefits?

older people

Trinkets Inc., a manufacturer of widgets, has entered into a contract with a third party to perform services related to processing orders, managing inventory levels, and shipping products to customers. The company is engaged in

outsourcing.

Sarah, a manager at Energy Inc., conducts an interview with Matthew for a job as regional sales manager. During the course of the interview, she has Matthew take a test that assesses Matthew's integrity by asking him about his attitude toward shoplifting and his own experiences with shoplifting, if any. Which test is Sarah conducting?

paper-and-pencil honesty test

Selection methods should accurately predict how well individuals perform, and they should

produce information that actually benefits the organization.

Which question can be answered by performing a person analysis?

Are employees ready for training?

Which statement is true about an assessment center?

At an assessment center, multiple raters or evaluators evaluate employees' performance on a number of exercises.

What is a similarity between unemployment insurance benefits and workers' compensation benefits?

Both of the programs' costs depend on the organization's experience ratings.

Identify the similarity between the outsourcing and overtime strategies for avoiding a labor shortage.

Both strategies have high revocability.

Executive pay at Ashcroft Inc., a manufacturing company, includes bonuses based on the year's profits or other measures related to the organization's goals. Sometimes, to gain tax advantages, the bonus is made part of executives' retirement plans. What is being exemplified in this scenario?

short-term incentives

Enrique is hired as a seasonal firefighter by the Oregon Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The training used to prepare Enrique for his firefighting job involves an online training module. In this game-like module, Enrique is virtually placed in a real-life scenario such as a garage fire or a restaurant fire, and his goal is to put out the fire and save as many lives as possible. This form of training is referred to as a(n)

simulation.

Saturn Systems, an information technology company, determines that most problems handled by employees at its help desk can be resolved within 20 minutes. The company sets 20 minutes as the standard time for resolving a customer problem. If an employee solves a customer's problem in less than 20 minutes, the employee still earns 20 minutes' worth of wages. Which payment method does this scenario illustrate?

standard hour plan

Antoine is proud of his team of warm, knowledgeable, and ethical recruiters at Luvia Insurance. They are sure to give realistic job previews, and they keep up to date on the company's policies so they can provide applicants with accurate answers to a host of questions. However, it sometimes takes a while to fill positions. And over the past year, Antoine has observed that the number of applicants who accept offers has fallen. He follows up with several who turned down offers and learns that they took jobs elsewhere because they developed an unfavorable opinion of Luvia Insurance. Which situation most likely explains this problem?

Candidates are not getting timely feedback about their applications.

Frank is the CEO of Telex Inc., a company that has a team-oriented culture in which people perform as groups and complete short-term projects to earn revenue. After studying his company's structure, Frank feels Telex's current processes are inefficient. As a result, Frank decides to downsize the organization and then use the profits to enhance the organization's efficiency. What is a disadvantage of this approach?

Downsizing will interfere with the effectiveness of the organization's teamwork.

Ashley, a purchasing manager, tells Franklin, the human resource manager, that she has selected a candidate to be her purchasing assistant. She shows him a draft of an e-mail message offering the candidate the job at the agreed-on starting wage. She asks Franklin if there is anything else she should mention in the message. Franklin replies that Ashley should add information about

the job responsibilities, work schedule, and starting date

A major problem with ESOPs is that

they carry a significant risk for employees.

Rantly Corp. is eliminating its desktop computer repair center in Minnesota. Meanwhile, the demand for mobile device repair—a service it provides in Florida and New Jersey—is growing rapidly. Betsy, a human resource specialist at the Rantly Corp. headquarters in Miami, must plan to avoid a labor surplus in Minnesota in a fast and effective way. She wishes to do so with minimal employee suffering in terms of layoffs and salary. Which strategy would best help Betsy accomplish her goal?

transfers

Nishi, a production manager at Havana Health, must predict future labor demand using information about inventory levels from the past three years. Nishi will most likely use __________ to predict the demand.

trend analysis

According to the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, individuals with a Feeling (F) preference try always to be objective in making decisions, whereas individuals with a Thinking (T) preference are more subjective.

False

Under the workers' compensation laws, employees are eligible to receive their regular paychecks in the event of a disability.

False

Yang, the HR manager at a start-up company, helped the founder plan a benefits package that includes paid vacations, holidays, and sick leave. Now an employee approaches Yang to say she has been called up for jury duty and needs to be away next week. What should Yang do?

He should establish, and then apply, policies for other situations requiring time off.

When Keenan joined Rod Riders as its human resource manager, he was surprised to hear some of the executives repeatedly laughing over stories about how the company's founder ensured that his fraternity brothers moved into management positions. According to the stories, the executives embellished the performance appraisals of these employees, which also influenced later staffing decisions. Keenan talked to some employees about performance management at Rod Riders and learned that the system was widely viewed as corrupt. What can Keenan do, besides discouraging the storytelling, to decrease the political behavior related to performance management?

He should persuade executives not to tolerate or ignore distorted ratings.

Which statement is true of effective performance management?

It can tell top performers they are valued.

Which statement best describes the multiple-hurdle model of personnel selection?

It is a process of arriving at a selection decision by eliminating some candidates at each stage of the selection process.

What is true about a transfer?

It is an assignment of an employee to a position in a different area of the company, usually in a lateral move.

Identify the correct statement about succession planning.

It provides a set of developmental experiences that managers must complete to be considered for top management positions.

Which statement is true of the Occupational Information Network (O*NET)?

It uses a common language that generalizes across jobs to describe the abilities, work styles, work activities, and work context required for various occupations.

Which statement accurately characterizes electronic performance support systems (EPSSs)?

EPSSs provide expert advice when a problem occurs on the job.

What is a characteristic of task analysis?

It is usually conducted along with person analysis.

Which statement is true of self-managing work teams?

Team members usually share work assignments.

Identify a disadvantage of using temporary and contract workers.

These workers tend to be less committed to an organization.

Cafeteria-style plans increase benefits costs for employers.

True

The decision-making dimension of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator relates to the

amount of consideration given to others' feelings when making a decision.

What is the first step in performance management process?

defining performance outcomes for company division and department

"Performance management serves as a basis for improving employees' knowledge and skills." This statement corresponds to which purpose of performance management?

developmental purpose

When an employee evaluates his or her manager low on all performance criteria due to dissatisfaction with the manager's disposition, the employee has most likely committed a(n)

horns error.

In the feedback step of the career management process, the employee is primarily responsible for

identifying what skills he or she could realistically develop in light of the opportunities available.

Mohammed, a financial analyst, is not employed directly by any company. He works for several clients based on their requirements. Mohammed would be classified as a(n)

independent contractor.

Kasey changes jobs on a regular basis. She does this to secure better career growth opportunities and to decrease boredom. Kasey engages in

job hopping.

Which of the following helps performance management meet the goals of supporting strategy and developing employees?

specific feedback

The stage to prepare for evaluating a training program is

when the program is being developed.

Identify a true statement about the mixed-standard scale.

It uses several statements describing each trait to produce a final score for that trait.

Under equal employment opportunity laws, if an employer uses an interview process that eliminates most candidates who are black or Hispanic, the employer must show that the method is necessary for selecting candidates who project the right brand image.

False

Bernard, the CEO of RTT Co., believes the goals of the company must be divided into smaller departmental and individual goals. The accomplishment of these smaller goals will allow employees at all levels to contribute to accomplishment of the bigger goals of the company. In the context of measuring performance results, Bernard's belief can be best justified using

management by objectives.

Souped Inc., a firm that manufactures ready-to-eat soups, offers incentives based on an employee's performance rating and the employee's compa-ratio. Which payment plan is exemplified in this scenario?

merit pay

Job rotation involves

moving an employee through a series of job assignments in one or more functional areas of the company.

In the context of human resource planning, the primary goal of forecasting is to

predict labor shortages or surpluses in specific areas of an organization.

Jill is a recruiter for Kinnack Inc. When she interviews job candidates, she works hard to provide background information about the job's positive and negative qualities. She aims to be sure every detail is accurate, so that any employees hired will feel they got what they expected and will want to stay on with the company. Jill's behavior is an example of providing a

realistic job preview.

Trent owns and manages a small electronics repair store. He determines the time required by his employees to complete each task assigned by him. When employees complete the repairs in less time, they receive an amount of pay equal to that time determined by him. In this scenario, Trent is using a

standard hour plan.

What is a disadvantage of a merit pay system?

It can quickly become expensive for the company.

Identify the statement that characterizes the Age Discrimination in Employment Act.

It outlaws making employment decisions based on a person's age being over 40.

Which statement is true of an apprenticeship?

An apprentice usually assists a certified tradesperson at the worksite.

Russell, the new human resource manager at RTL Inc., proposes using automated systems for screening résumés of applicants. Russell claims that automated systems are better than humans at picking the right profiles. Which statement weakens Russell's claim?

Automated systems might reject qualified people who didn't use the same keywords as the job description.

John, a senior editor at TSS News, asks Ronda, the editor-in-chief, for a sabbatical. Which statement best explains why TSS News would pay John during the sabbatical, if Ronda approves it?

During the sabbatical, John can develop new skills and refresh his existing ones.

Which statement is true regarding trends in job analysis?

Errors in job analysis have multiple sources, but most result from outdated job descriptions.

An employee stock ownership plan denies employees the right to participate in votes by shareholders even if the stock is registered on a national exchange.

False

Content validation is most suitable for measuring abstract qualities such as intelligence or leadership ability.

False

Employees' job security has increased as a result of the new psychological contract.

False

Incumbents are the best source of information for a job analysis.

False

Filerton Inc. produces large quantities of products for their customers within tight deadlines. Recently, customers have been returning their products to Filerton, citing errors and defects in the items they have received. Which total quality management core value does Filerton need to employ to correct this issue?

Filerton needs to ensure quality is designed into their products so errors are prevented from occurring.

Identify the disadvantage of using the Position Analysis Questionnaire (PAQ).

It results in abstract reports that are of limited use.

Which statement is true of an assessment center?

It uses multiple selection methods to rate applicants on their management potential.

Mark and Amy hold the same position at an organization. However, Mark is paid more than Amy. According to the Equal Pay Act of 1963, what will strengthen the fact that the pay difference is a legal one?

Mark works the night shift.

Ty, the HR manager at Elrod Engines, is preparing a newly promoted employee for her role as a supervisor. In his experience, he will need to address the new supervisor's nervousness about conducting performance appraisals. What is the most likely cause of this nervousness?

Performance management supports administrative decisions that have a great impact on employees.

Chris, the CEO of an automobile company, believes that profit sharing has increased the productivity of his organization. He feels that an incentive plan motivates employees to be more productive. Which statement strengthens Chris' argument?

Profit sharing helps employees to cooperate and focus on organizational interests.

Which statement is true of competency models?

They help HR professionals ensure that all aspects of talent management are aligned with an organization's strategy.

To ensure transfer of training, an organization's training programs should prepare employees to self-manage their use of new skills and behaviors on the job. Which is NOT a way for trainee employees to manage their new skills and behaviors?

Trainees should employ their new skills and behaviors perfectly.

Someone who thrives in a highly structured environment might not be motivated by autonomy and would be a better fit for jobs with more supervision.

True

Acting as a mentor gives managers

a chance to develop their interpersonal skills.

For what purpose do organizations typically review applicant résumés?

as a basis for deciding which candidates to investigate further

Fizzy Inc. is a soft-drink manufacturing company. Anne, the production manager, works with a human resource consultant to design a new work flow for the production unit. Together they define the necessary inputs. These include raw materials, information, human resources, and

equipment.

What is likely to contribute to errors in a job analysis?

fixed and unchanging job descriptions for various jobs

A sales firm regularly enrolls some of its employees in a six-month marketing course with a leading university. At the end of the course, the employees are able to perform better in the organization. Which method of employee development has the firm used

formal education

An Individual Coaching for Effectiveness program is designed to

help managers with dysfunctional behavior.

Julian applies for the position of an emergency direct care worker at San Jose Medical Center. In the last round of the selection process, he has to take part in a testing procedure that simulates an emergency situation. He has to run a half-mile on the treadmill, followed by a step test, a posture test, a squat test, and a weight-lifting test. His performance is timed and his heart rate is monitored throughout the tests. Which test is exemplified in this case?

physical ability test

For assessment to work efficiently, an employee must be

provided suggestions to improve his or her weak skills.

During interviews for a sales position at Greggor Corp., the interviewer asks each candidate to imagine a situation where a customer e-mails to report that products were damaged during delivery from Greggor Corp. The interviewer then asks each candidate what he or she would do to handle this situation. This is an example of a(n) _____ interview.

situational

Eve & Rose Corp., an apparel manufacturer, has been profitable for a long time without depleting its resources—raw materials, employees, and the support of the local community. The company also caters to the needs of all its stakeholders. Which characteristic is illustrated in this scenario?

sustainability

Which action related to benefits can best give employers an advantage in the labor market?

teaching employees about the value of their benefits

The primary use of assessment centers is to identify

the employees who have the personality characteristics and skills needed for managerial positions.

Jessica wants to set up a manufacturing unit, so she meets with Rachel, a human resource manager at her company. Rachel explains that in order to decide on the human resource needs for the unit, they should conduct a work flow analysis. She suggests they start by defining the outputs of the process. To do this, what should Jessica define?

the type of products that will need to be manufactured

Damien, an HR manager at Guidelines Inc., is preparing for a 5 percent increase in the production labor force next year. To do this, he needs to determine what the current number of production employees is and how the number is likely to change by the end of the year. To help with this analysis, Damien should use a

transitional matrix.

Kevin is the founder of a new start-up company. He hires mostly young employees who are fresh out of college. He finds that most of his employees are willing to develop their knowledge and skills and would like to take courses to improve themselves. This additional knowledge would benefit Kevin's company, so he decides to encourage this behavior. Which program is Kevin most likely to use in order to do so?

tuition reimbursement program

Brandon, a production manager at Felix Inc., is expecting a labor shortage for a short period of time. He would like to avoid it with a strategy that can be easily eliminated in the future when there is optimal labor available for work. Which option for avoiding a labor shortage would be the right solution for Brandon?

hiring temporary employees

Chandler is the owner of a restaurant called KC Kitchen. He decides to increase employee motivation by introducing benefit packages. However, Alivia, the manager, suggests that employees will be more motivated if Chandler increases their actual wages. Which statement, if true, strengthens Alivia's argument?

Benefit packages are more difficult to understand by employees than pay structures.

Identify the similarity between the natural attrition and early retirement strategies for reducing a labor surplus.

Both strategies yield slow results for an organization.

What is an advantage of cafeteria-style plans?

Employees can get a better understanding of the value of benefits provided.

As Monty Corp., a shoe manufacturer, grows more profitable, it wants to become more competitive as an employer in the labor market. Juliet, the human resource manager, urges the company to develop a more attractive package of benefits, rather than simply raising salaries. Which statement best supports Juliet's argument?

Employees do not pay income taxes on most benefits they receive.

Phono Inc. has a benefits package that includes paid vacations and sick leave. The human resource manager proposes shifting this time into a bank of paid time off. What would be an advantage of this change?

Employees have more flexibility and privacy for their personal matters.

According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), employers are required to take care not to discriminate against workers over age 40 in providing pay or benefits.

False

An HR department at a manufacturing firm wants to ensure that applicants for production jobs provide complete information about themselves in a standard format. The most effective method would be to ask candidates to submit a résumé.

False

Parkers Appliances wants to improve the quality of and lower the costs in its service department. A strategy being considered involves directing technicians on exactly how to complete service calls, which should improve customer service in addition to lowering labor costs. In addition, the technicians will work under a contract so the company doesn't have to pay the employer's share of Social Security for those workers. Is this a possible strategy for Parkers Appliances to employ?

False

Statistical models are used for forecasting labor demand because they are good at capturing "once-in-a-lifetime" changes.

False

The negative effect of downsizing would be low among firms that use performance-related pay incentives.

False

The use of temporary workers might provide an organization with additional administrative tasks and financial burdens.

False

Two management students, Gunther and Jake, discuss the pros and cons of employee benefits. Gunther states that unemployment insurance is more advantageous to employees than it is to employers, while Jake argues that employers receive more rewards from it. Which statement weakens Jake's argument?

Federal and state taxes paid by employers fund most of unemployment insurance.

In a meeting to discuss pension plans, management decides to offer retirement plans exclusively to the organization's owners and top managers. Jeremy, one of the top managers, disagrees with this decision because he believes the company can benefit more by providing pensions to a broad range of employees. Which statement strengthens Jeremy's belief?

Nondiscrimination rules provide tax benefits to plans that do not favor the organization's highly compensated employees.

Employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) are attractive to employers. Along with tax and financing advantages, ESOPs give employers a way to build pride in and commitment to the organization. Which statement weakens this argument?

Risks involved will directly affect employees' retirement income.

Alyssa, the financial officer at Doone & Smithfield, encourages the human resource manager to consider using stock options as incentive pay for all employees. The human resource manager cautions that employees could become upset if the options don't turn out to be as valuable as cash. Which statement supports this concern?

Stock prices in the market may fall below the exercise price of the options.

Regal Inc., an investment bank, is in the final stage of its selection process for a business analyst. Donald is one of the desired candidates for the position. As part of background checks, the bank wants to look at his credit history. Which Act requires them to obtain Donald's consent before using a third party to check his credit history?

The Fair Credit Reporting Act

DJ is a new father. His company helps DJ by collecting information about the cost and quality of available child care. What is true of the child care benefits provided by DJ's company?

The child care benefits provided by the company is at the lowest level of involvement.

Which statement is correct regarding skilled knowledge workers?

They are not easily replaced because they own the knowledge that the company requires to produce its products.

Which statement is true about standard hour plans?

They encourage employees to work as fast as they can.

Companies are finding that to survive they must contend in international markets as well as fend off foreign competitors' attempts to gain ground in the United States. What would help businesses in the United States meet these challenges?

They must prepare employees for global assignments.

What is true of in-basket exercises?

They simulate the administrative tasks of a manager's job, using a pile of documents for the employee to handle.

According to the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, what is true of individuals with a Sensing (S) preference?

They tend to gather the facts and details to prepare for a decision.

Excel Software is having difficulty filling all its positions for systems analysts. The company's human resource manager suggests introducing a kind of personnel policy known as a due-process policy. How is that most likely to help with recruitment?

This policy implies greater job security and concern for employees.

How can data analytics improve the measurement of employees' performance?

by finding patterns in an employee's behavior

How can individuals acting as references for job applicants minimize the risk of being sued for defamation or misrepresentation?

by only giving information about observable, job-related behaviors

What is true of validity?

Validity ensures the fairness of employment practices during selection procedures.

At a supermarket chain, back injuries are a recurring problem around the loading docks, because employees in a rush forget to use proper lifting techniques. How could safety posters help the company improve safety?

by serving as a constant reminder of how to lift safely

One of the least expensive and least time-consuming ways to train multiple trainees on a specific topic is through

classroom instruction.

Unon Inc. offers its employees a career management program in which they can take a variety of self-assessments. When employees complete these self-assessments, what is the organization's responsibility in the next stage of the career management process?

communicating to the employee the results of the performance evaluation and any development opportunities available

Herbert, an HR manager at Maxtier Inc., hires 50 employees in five months. He used different sources of recruitment to recruit these employees. He wants to know which kind of source delivered the most new hires for the money. To answer that question, Herbert should determine the

cost per hire.

What common condition is necessary for gainsharing to be successful in an organization?

employees who value working in groups

The HR function of maintaining positive employee relations includes

maintaining communication with union representatives.

A meatpacking facility has been neglecting employee health and safety. If employees contact OSHA to request an inspection, what can the facility's management expect?

no advance notification from OSHA

Peter, the human resource manager at Tinker Inc., has a clear understanding of the firm's business. This enables him to comprehend the various needs of the business and help the company meet its goals for attracting, keeping, and developing employees with the required skills. This scenario indicates Peter's responsibility of

providing business partner services.

As part of a company-wide business strategy, Smith Inc. conducts a comprehensive examination of its critical work techniques to increase their efficiency. The results of the examination are used to create a strategy to provide high-quality goods and services to the firm's customers. Which HRM practice is Smith Inc. using?

reengineering

Toys-For-All is a toy manufacturing company. As the new production manager, Craig notices that the production unit has been underperforming. In an attempt to streamline the existing work flow, Craig brings in an HR specialist to help him conduct a work flow analysis. Craig describes to the specialist the quantity and quality of products to be produced. What will the HR specialist have Craig define next?

the work processes used to generate the end product

The specific ways in which human resource professionals support an organization's strategy vary according to

their level of involvement and the nature of the strategy.

What is the main objective of diversity training programs that focus on behavior?

to change organizational policies and individual conduct that inhibit employees' personal growth and productivity

The human resource department at an accounting firm is preparing a policy for the drug testing of job applicants. Jim makes a list of statements to include in the policy and shows the list to his supervisor, Peggy. Which statement would Peggy direct Jim to change?

Drug test reports should not be sent to applicants.

What is a requirement under the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986?

Employers must verify and maintain records on the legal rights of applicants to work in the United States.

Which statement is true about the 360-degree feedback process?

It involves rating an individual in terms of work-related behaviors.

Which statement is true of a bona fide occupational qualification?

It is a necessary qualification for a job.

Identify the disadvantage of using profit-sharing plans.

Profit sharing is not directly linked to individual behavior.

Management at an IT firm is thinking of promoting Tad, a customer service representative, to the position of senior customer relationship manager. Which scenario would make the promotion less likely to happen?

Slow growth is limiting the opportunities available in the company.

Spencer & Solomon, CPAs, brought in an HR consulting firm to evaluate the firm's performance management system. The firm has offices in six locations, and the manager of each location rates the office's staff members using a 5-point rating scale. After studying the appraisal results from the past three years, the consultants reported that they cannot make comparisons among the offices. What is the most likely problem?

The managers are making distributional errors, each using only part of the rating scale.

Gavin and his team, employees of an online retailing company, are being trained on cyber surveillance and user security. As part of their training, they are working to identify a solution to the problem of cyber-phishing and data breaches. Which group-building method is being employed by Gavin's team?

action learning

What is a challenge for human resource management during mergers?

developing conflict resolution skills

Franklin Appliances Inc. is an electrical appliances manufacturing company. It distributes shares of stock to its employees by placing the stock in a trust managed on the employees' behalf. What is Franklin Appliances using in this scenario?

employee stock ownership plan

Taryn, an HR manager at NetHint Inc., hires employees who provide a specific set of knowledge and skills that will give her company advantage over its competitors. In the context of strategic planning, Taryn is

hiring individuals with a core competency.

In order to cultivate a favorable picture of the organization, Shubert Group, a financial services corporation, advertises itself to potential applicants by using the slogan, "Investing in you no matter what road you take." This scenario is an example of __________ advertising.

image

Ryan, a regional manager for a leading automobile company in the United States, decides to design a manufacturing job based on the principles of industrial engineering. Following its successful implementation, which outcome should he expect?

increased efficiency

Killen Inc. is an interior design firm based in California. The firm has a team of interior designers working closely with manufacturers to create home décor products. In the context of a work flow analysis, the interior designers, manufacturers, and home décor products required to provide interior design services collectively constitute the

inputs.

Cory, an HR manager, observes that the number of employees quitting their jobs has been steadily increasing over the last six months. On closer inspection, he finds that a majority of the employees who quit were unhappy with the pay structures. Cory assesses the significance of each job to the organization, which helps him set up fair pay structures. This in turn helps the organization retain valuable employees. What most likely relates to the task undertaken by Cory?

job evaluation

Deborah is an HR executive looking for a new job. She comes across an advertisement in a newspaper seeking applications for the position of an HR manager. The advertisement exclusively highlights requirements such as strong communications skills, excellent teamwork abilities, and leadership skills. These requirements constitute a

job specification.

Kokan Inc., a marketing company, includes stock options and stock purchase plans in executive pay. Executives at the company will want to do what is best for Kokan because that will cause the value of the stock to grow. What is being exemplified in this scenario?

long-term incentives

Par On, a firm that creates games for mobile devices and PCs, has an unusual training program for all its new employees. The program lasts for five days and does not involve doing any work. During this period the trainees, in teams of three, visit different departments, gathering information about the company and various department functions. Additionally, they are paired with more experienced employees to discuss their goals at the company and to learn more about the organization's culture and policies. The form of training used for new employees at Par On is known as

onboarding.

At Your Service Inc. is a consumer goods company that provides the option of door-to-door delivery. The company partners with a packaging company for transporting its goods to the customers. This is an example of

outsourcing.

Abby works at Trader Inc. Her primary role in the company is to create self-rating, job-related questionnaires for the employees. Which human resource management practice is being performed by Abby?

performance management

A manufacturing company, hit by a slump in demand, is experiencing a labor surplus. The company expects the market to improve in six months, and it does not want to lay off any of its employees. Which strategy is an equitable way to handle this issue and spread the burden more fairly?

reduced work hours

Which of Kant's basic human rights is violated when a supervisor requires an employee to do something that is unsafe or environmentally damaging, in spite of the employee clearly objecting to the order?

right of freedom of conscience

Ralph works at Delta Corporation. He is responsible for identifying individuals with skills required for the various roles in the organization. Which human resource management practice is being performed by Ralph?

selection

Compared with other forms of diversity training, which approach do trainees tend to respond to most positively?

teaching employees skills for constructively handling communication barriers, conflicts, and misunderstandings that normally arise

Kaylee started a new job in a print shop. She worries about the different chemicals in the workplace, so she requests information about them from her employer. Which employee right under the OSH Act is Kaylee exercising?

the right to have dangerous substances identified

Michael is the CEO of a company that is expanding overseas. He considers introducing a cafeteria-style benefits plan to cater to the company's diverse workforce. However, the HR team brings up the concern of higher expenses involved in this type of benefits. What is Michael likely to do to lower costs at the initial stage?

use software packages to design the plan

Along with 50 other candidates, Paula applied for the position of analyst at Atticus Inc. Because Paula's profile stood out from other candidates' profiles, she was called for an interview in which she performed well. In the context of the steps involved in the selection process for recruitment, which step would most likely be taken next by the recruiter?

verifying Paula's qualifications through background checks

In which situation do workers become eligible for unemployment benefits?

when they are actively seeking work

Jeremiah, a vice president of human resources, wants to ensure that his company's performance management process is effective, so he sets up an annual review of the process. What should that review measure?

whether measures of individual performance support the department's and company's objectives

Reliability answers the important question of

whether you are measuring something accurately.

BrightenUp Corp. uses a set of quantitative tools to assess employee data such as performance, compensation, designations, and benefits. This is done to arrive at decisions based on accurate findings from analyses that can help the firm achieve its goals. BrightenUp is engaging in the practice of

workforce analytics.

Keith is paid for assisting a welder on a construction site. He also is adding to his welding skills by attending a local trade school. When he finishes his training program and demonstrates he has mastered specific skills, he will become a journeyman welder. Which statement best identifies that Keith is in an apprenticeship program?

Apprentices have hands-on experience assisting a tradesperson.

David was part of a formal mentoring program and was mentored by Angela. The mentoring sessions were conducted over a period of six weeks to improve David's communication and interpersonal skills in the workplace. The sessions, however, were unsuccessful. Which scenario, if true, would most likely have caused the failure of the mentoring sessions?

David's participation was involuntary, and he had little understanding of the details of the program.

Which statement is true of ethics in human resource management?

HR managers must view employees as having basic rights.

Lillian is the purchasing manager at Ceramic Central, a maker of housewares. She has evaluated the first year's performance of Jason, a purchasing agent. In the evaluation, she noted that he places orders accurately, but when employees in the company ask about the status of their orders, he has difficulty finding the information for them in a timely manner. What should be the next step in performance management in this situation?

Lillian should arrange for training so Jason can learn how to look up the status of orders.

Cameron, a supervisor at Margolia Co., needs to appraise the performance of her subordinate, Stefan. In the context of performance information, what is the least biased source of information for appraisal and why?

Managers because their success depends on the employee's productivity.

Virginia considers Howard, her office assistant, to be both highly skilled and highly motivated. Howard frequently surprises Virginia with his creative problem solving, above and beyond the basic job requirements. What response should Virginia make to Howard's performance?

She should reward Howard and offer him opportunities for career development.

An OSHA inspector completed her inspection of a mining operation, including a walkaround and employee interviews. Then the OSHA inspector sought a restraining order from a federal court. What can you infer from this action by the inspector?

The inspector found a violation that could cause serious injury or death.

A strategic approach to selection requires ways to measure the effectiveness of selection tools. What is a basic standard for this?

The method offers practical value.

What is true of a cash balance plan?

The money earns interest at a predetermined rate, such as the rate paid on U.S. Treasury bills.

Jarrod, one of the senior managers at United Inc., insists that the company supervisors handle employee relations as part of their jobs. Which statement strengthens Jarrod's argument?

The supervisors represent the company on a day-to-day basis.

David, the marketing director of an automobile manufacturing company, enrolled a new group of trainees in experiential programs based on the responses evoked during a training session. Which response by the trainees could have resulted in their enrollment in experiential programs?

The trainees expressed a desire to be challenged and get out outside of their comfort zone but within limits that kept their motivation strong.

Bruce heads a waste management firm. Recently, his firm was under scrutiny from environmental organizations. To counter any possible negative claims by these organizations against his company, Bruce assigned five of his junior managers to study the issue and propose plans or initiatives that could make the company appear more environmentally friendly. He also instructed senior managers to mentor their subordinates as they devised new ideas. Which of the following form of team training was applied by Bruce?

action learning

Identify a guideline that helps increase the readability of training materials.

add checklists and illustrations to clarify the text

The ways in which organizations use the system to provide information for day-to-day decisions about salary, benefits, and recognition programs falls under the _____ purpose of a performance management system.

administrative

Corey, a supervisor, needs to rate the performance of 20 subordinates. He uses a rating scale to rate them on a scale of 1 to 10. He rates 18 employees at 5, which leads to central tendency. In the context of types of rating errors, Corey commits a _____ error.

distributional

The Henry-Bell organization uses the Scanlon plan to provide incentives to its employees. The workers produce electrical components worth $5 million. The target ratio set by the organization is 30 percent. The employees will be given a bonus if the actual labor costs are less than

$1.5 million.

Alice helped a sales manager place an ad on job boards and hire five new salespeople. She calculates that the total cost to recruit and select these employees was $200,000. What was the cost per hire for this recruiting effort?

$40,000

What distinguishes an apprenticeship from an internship?

An apprenticeship is sponsored by employee unions, whereas an internship is sponsored by educational institutions.

Which statement is TRUE regarding case studies?

Cases encourage trainees by giving them practice in weighing and acting on uncertain outcomes after evaluating a case.

Cory, a physicist at HealthAir, recently received an award for several patents he earned that enabled the company to help slow climate change by reducing carbon emissions. Jamie, HealthAir's vice president of human resources, is eager to get news coverage of the Cory's award. She knows that, in addition to drawing positive attention to the company, the publicity will support recruitment. Which statement best supports Jamie's thinking?

Creating the impression of HealthAir as a place where talented people make a difference can attract talented job candidates.

What is a reason for the popularity of employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs)?

ESOPs provide tax advantages to employers.

Vince, an HR manager, conducts a survey to learn which benefits employees value the most. However, he finds that the survey results are difficult to apply. What is the most likely reason?

Employees have very different opinions about what they value.

A manager of a functional department would require skills in aligning employees' efforts with the organization's higher-level goals. Why is this a valid statement?

Employees in functional departments tend to identify more with their own departments.

Kotochi and Sons, a marketing company, has implemented a few incentive plans to motivate its employees. The organization encourages employees to learn new skills and cooperate with others. Which condition will contribute to employees' feeling that the organization's incentive pay plans are fair and something to pursue?

Employees must be able to understand the requirements of the incentive pay plan.

How do cafeteria-style plans increase costs for employers?

Employees select the kind of benefits they expect to need the most.

What is a potential problem of job rotation?

Employees typically develop a short-term perspective on their problems and solutions.

Employees at Atkins Inc. are frustrated with their manager, Kyle, who does not believe in providing feedback because he thinks it's a waste of time. His employees argue that they do not know how to hone their skills if they are not told what areas they should work on and what areas are satisfactory. Which statement would strengthen the employees' arguments?

Employees who receive feedback gain more clarity on their roles and how they fit within an organization.

Dylan, a vice president of human resources, recommends adding self-appraisals to the company's performance management system. The other executives wonder why, since people would certainly want to inflate scores of their own performance. Which statement best supports Dylan's idea of using self-appraisals?

Evaluating one's contributions gets employees thinking about their performance.

Which manager is using the most effective approach to conducting a performance feedback session?

Evan works with each employee to solve performance problems respectfully, focusing on behaviors.

For five years, Mainstream Production Systems offered $500 bonuses to individuals who identified ways to reduce costs by at least $1,000 per year. In the first year of that incentive program, 23 employees earned the bonus, but last year, only 7 submitted ideas, and only two of the ideas would actually save more than a few dollars. The company's HR director suggests that the company is likely to see more improvement if it replaces individual incentives with a gainsharing plan. Which statement best supports this argument?

Gainsharing expands employees' thinking beyond their individual interests.

Clark, a newly appointed human resource manager at Gamma Corp., learns that several female managers have complained that the company has a "glass ceiling." Indeed, the top positions are all filled by men, but Clark isn't sure whether the pattern is just a coincidence. He agrees to investigate. Which condition, if it exists, would be evidence of a glass ceiling at Gamma?

Gamma has no formal mentoring program to ensure that the female managers have mentors.

Daniel, an accounting manager at Plot Co., agreed to work with a coach. He chose this in order to become more of a team player, which would, in turn, lead him to being considered for a larger role in management. After two months, however, he complained to the human resource manager that the process was time-consuming and he has not seen any positive results. Which response to Daniel's complaint would best reflect how coaching can contribute to employee development?

Getting results can take several months—and the employee has to keep practicing.

Which statement is true about downsizing?

HRM can provide downsized employees with outplacement services to help them find new jobs.

Jerome is the CEO of a magazine publishing company. He wants to provide benefits for his employees but would still like to control his company's costs. Ashley, the head of the HR department, suggests implementing a cafeteria-style plan. What would be the most likely benefit of Jerome doing so?

He will avoid the cost of providing employees with benefits they don't value.

Helen, a supervisor at Covington Materials, asks Hunter, the human resource manager, for advice on delivering performance feedback. Helen finds that the meetings tend to be confrontational and don't lead to performance improvement. She tells Hunter how she carefully fills out the appraisal form ahead of time and then invites the employee into the conference room to discuss her feedback immediately, before the employee has time to think up excuses for poor performance. What advice should Hunter give Helen for delivering performance feedback?

Helen should give employees a chance to complete a self-assessment ahead of time.

Chad wants to build a start-up company with a small number of people working for him. He decides to do all the hiring himself. Lucas, a friend of Chad's who is a lawyer, warns Chad about the risk of discrimination complaints he could receive from applicants who are not hired. Which statement best expresses the basis of Lucas's concern about avoiding discrimination?

Interviews are subjective, so they have the potential of assessing candidates based on questions not related to the job.

What is most likely a consequence of paying most or all of a salesperson's compensation in the form of commissions?

It encourages the salesperson to focus on closing the sale.

Dino Inc., a marketing firm, has employees who work in different cities in different time zones around the country. They coordinate their work efficiently with the help of technology, such as videoconferencing, mobile phones, and e-mail, for the production of marketing activities. Which statement is true of Dino Inc.?

It encourages virtual teams.

Why is temporary employment popular with employers?

It gives employers flexibility in operations.

What is a basic difference between job specifications and job descriptions?

Job descriptions look at a job's activities, and job specifications look at the qualities needed to do the job.

Which of the following is an example of an experiential training method?

John and his colleagues take part in a rafting course sponsored by their company.

What is true about medical examinations of job candidates?

Medical examinations are conducted after a candidate has been given a job offer.

Frankie is deciding between two jobs that provide equal pay. He compares the health care benefits provided by both jobs to help him make a decision. One job offers a flexible spending account, while the other job offers him managed care. Which statement will help Frankie make a decision?

Money in flexible spending accounts is not taxed, so employees get more take-home pay.

What is true of formal education as an approach to employee development?

Organizations organize formal educational programs at the workplace or off-site to support employee development.

An automobile painting facility experienced a breakdown in one of its ventilation fans, causing a buildup of fumes. What must the facility do in this situation to meet the employee rights under the OSH Act?

Promptly inform the affected employees about their exposure to hazards.

Michael, the training coordinator at Jaxon Solutions, inspected the written materials for a new training program and concluded that the materials were not very readable. Which condition would most likely lead Michael to this conclusion?

The training material consisted of too many long sentences.

Which statement is true of selection decisions?

They should be based on which candidate best meets the requirements of the position.

Tom, a supervisor at AutoMax Inc., realizes that a couple of months from now, he might experience a labor shortage for approximately two weeks due to increased demand for the company's products. Which option would be best for dealing with this labor shortage?

Tom should encourage employee overtime because it helps to increase productivity for a short period of time. Correct

Establishing and administering personnel policies allows a company to handle problematic situations more fairly and objectively than if it addressed such incidents on a case-by-case basis.

True

For on-the-job training (OJT) programs to be effective, an organization should review OJT practices at companies in similar industries.

True

Gia feels that being denied a promotion has more to do with her being a woman than with her overall performance. However, her supervisors and the HR department are refusing to hear her case. This suggests that Gia has been denied her right to due process.

True

Human resource management requires the ability to communicate through a variety of channels.

True

InTime Corp., a major watch manufacturer, purchases Antec Inc., a smaller company that makes watch bands. Following this purchase, the watch band operations are performed by the Antec Division of InTime Corp. This scenario is an example of an acquisition.

True

Marcus has opted for a different work schedule in which he works 40 hours over four days a week, instead of working eight hours a day for five days a week. Marcus's schedule can be termed a compressed workweek.

True

Identify a benefit of applying statistical forecasting methods.

Under the right conditions, they provide predictions that are much more precise than a human forecaster's subjective judgment.

Bill, an employee with the U.S. Postal Service, was deployed to Iraq to serve in the U.S. Army for two years. After the completion of his military duties, he resumed work at the post office. He was reemployed with an increase in pay. Which law protected Bill by requiring that his employer reemploy him with the seniority, status, and pay rate he would have earned if he had stayed on the job during the time of his deployment?

Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) Correct

InfoTech Inc., a sales and marketing company, wants to combine the advantages of different incentive-pay plans and help employees understand the organization's goals. Which plan will help the company accomplish this goal?

a balanced scorecard

When Airborne Aircraft acquired Bell Airplanes, the executives of the two companies identified key employees they needed for the combined companies' success. One of them was Patrick, the vice president of engineering. The executives offered Patrick a one-time bonus of $25,000 if he stayed with the company for 12 months following the acquisition. In this scenario, Patrick's $25,000 represents

a retention bonus.

Clark Corp., an automobile manufacturer, purchases Forward Inc., a company that produces auto parts and accessories. This scenario exemplifies

an acquisition.

Hetrick, a firm that specializes in building construction, hires Mark, an unemployed teenager, to work in its carpentry division. Since Mark does not have the required skills to work as a carpenter, he is provided training that helps him pick up carpentry skills on the job. Mark learns by assisting other master carpenters and journeymen. In addition to the skills Mark acquires, he is paid by Hetrick. The form of training exemplified in this scenario is called

apprenticeship.

During interviews for medical assistants at the Fairview Medical Center, all the candidates are asked to talk about a situation in the past when they had to empathize with an emotionally unstable person and help that person make rational decisions. This was to test whether the candidates would be able to assist a frantic patient and help him or her make informed decisions. This is known as a(n) _____ interview.

behavior description

Braddington Inc. wants to assess the performance of its employees. It uses a questionnaire that has a usually high fit with strategy, usually high validity, usually high reliability, moderate acceptability, and very high specificity. Which approach to employee performance is being focused on by this questionnaire?

behavioral

Beyond Space Aeronautics is developing a profit-sharing plan. Ben, the human resource manager, assumes the employees are excited to participate in this start-up company's success. However, a supervisor tells Ben about anxiety surrounding a rumor that employees will lose money if the company has a bad year. How should Ben address this problem with employee morale?

by conducting meetings to teach about profit sharing and how employees will benefit

Benny, a supervisor, needs to assess Amanda's, a subordinate's, performance. He considers Amanda to be reliable and meets all his requirements, so he rates her as a good performer. But then Benny thinks about an exceptional employee, Christina, in his department, and decides that, compared with her, Amanda is just average. In this way, Benny's rating is a _____ error.

contrast

Kelsey is filling out an application form for the position of an elementary school teacher. While she is filling it out, she comes across a section that asks for information about her high school and college courses and grades. Which section of the application form is being referred to here?

educational background

Some of the employees of MYV Services are unhappy with their supervisor's comments and remarks. They feel they are being unduly discriminated against by the supervisor, and so they turn to the HR department for help. Addressing such problems is a part of the HR function of

employee relations.

The manager of a local grocery store introduces a short conveyor belt that allows customers to place items on it prior to checking out. This saves the cashier from the physical strain of bending forward and reaching into the carts to retrieve the items. This change is an example of the __________ approach to job design.

ergonomic

Antonio, a manager at the Colonial Inn, is training a new group of employees. After each training session, the employees complete various exercises to test their knowledge. After evaluating the results, Antonio speaks one-on-one with the employees to help them define their areas of weakness and encourage them to keep fine-tuning their strengths. In this scenario, Antonio is providing his employees with

feedback.

Which action could be an example of how the Occupational Safety and Health Administration plays a role in the legal environment for human resource management?

filing lawsuits against alleged violators of the Occupational Safety and Health Act

Martin opened up a small business that prints custom T-shirts, mugs, and trophies. He trains his 15 employees carefully, and after two years, no employee has experienced an on-the-job injury or illness. Under the requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, what must Martin post in the workplace?

form 300A, Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses

Yvonne, a student at Carlitto College, is pursuing a degree in international business management. As part of her program at Carlitto College, she accepts an opportunity to work at Pullman Consulting for a period of six months, where she will gain experience related to her field. Yvonne's employment at Pullman Consulting is an example of a(n)

internship.

Angor, a manager at Primely Co., is asked by his manager to rate his subordinates' performances. He needs to rate 30 employees on a scale that ranges from 1 to 10. He rates 25 employees with a score of 8. In doing so, Angor commits a rating error. In the context of types of rating errors, Angor's mistake is called

leniency.

In the context of HRM functions, the activities of training and development include

making decisions on whether an organization will emphasize enabling employees to perform their current jobs, preparing them for future jobs, or both.

Faller and Whitney Company, a firm that builds enterprise resource planning products for customers, wants to implement training programs for its employees as an HR initiative. Senior management proposes the use of an instructional design process. What should ideally be Faller and Whitney's next step?

organization analysis

Which organizations benefit when switching from a defined-benefit plan to cash balance plans?

organizations with many experienced employees

Samuel's Security Inc. specializes in providing round-the-clock building security services to multinational companies. Samuel's Security selects security guards, conducts background checks, provides them with uniforms and training, and schedules guards to patrol and monitor security at clients' facilities. In the work flow analysis for Samuel's, which term best describes the security services?

outputs

Jimmy, the marketing manager for an automobile manufacturer, observes frequent conflicts between two of his subordinates, Trent and Luke. He asks the human resource department to help, and the department's training manager, Emily, investigates. She tells Jimmy that the two subordinates lack interpersonal communication skills but would be likely to improve with proper training. This scenario suggests that Emily has conducted a(n)

person analysis.

Jewels & Co., a watch manufacturing company, provides wages to its employees based on the number of watches the workers assemble. The more the employees assemble, the more they earn. This type of plan is called a

piecework rate plan.

Meghan is the new HR manager at Turner Times. She meets with the company's leaders to discuss how she intends to support business objectives. Meghan tells them that Turner Times has a performance management process that delivers reliable information, but it needs to be more strategic. Which action would best make performance management more strategic?

setting individual performance measures that are linked to the organization's goals

After a large fire at Argile Manufacturing, the company called the employees together at the facility to investigate the incident. Management began by asking each of the employees to describe their understanding of what happened. Once all employees had given their views individually, they discussed the situation until they could agree on the single systemic failure that caused the fire. Which method is Argile Manufacturing using?

technic of operations review

Which of the following represents an act of participation in a proceeding?

testifying in an investigation

Tech Surge applies research into physics and biochemistry to create advanced surgical instruments and implants. Its research department attracts some of the most talented professionals in these disciplines, each with a passion for his or her specialty. Next year, the position of vice president of research will be vacant, so the executive team is working with the HR department to define selection criteria for a new vice president. Given the company's structure, which quality will be important for the new vice president to possess?

the ability to align researchers' work with the company's strategy

What is the objective of job enlargement?

to make jobs less repetitive and more interesting

So Yummy Mayo Inc. recognizes the need for providing on-the-job training to employees whose technical skills are lacking. The company's HR department is tasked with coordinating the entire training process. This function of the HR department at So Yummy Mayo is called

training administration.

Justine, a marketing executive in her late thirties, had worked at a reputable marketing firm for the last three years. However, she was fired from the company without any prior notice when she collapsed at work after experiencing an epileptic seizure. Following this, Justine sued the company under

Americans with Disabilities Act.

In the context of today's organizations, which statement is true of employees?

Employees are not easily replaced parts of a system; they are the source of a company's success or failure.

Chris, the director of operations, strongly believes that human resource management (HRM) is critical to the success of organizations. Jamie, the CFO of the organization, opposes Chris' view because she thinks HRM is an unnecessary expense for the company. Which statement weakens Jamie's belief?

HRM is indispensable for building a competitive advantage.

Identify the correct statement regarding human resources.

Human resources have no good substitutes.

Which scenario exemplifies an individual in the external labor market?

Morgan, an engineering graduate, looking for a job

A vehicle manufacturing company decides to hire 35 employees for its new servicing branch located in Louisiana. A total of 90 eligible applicants apply for the job, of which 40 are black and 50 are white. Assuming that the company decides to hire 10 blacks and 25 whites, what can be inferred using the four-fifths rule?

0.5 < 0.8; this indicates that there is evidence of discrimination.

Which statement reflects a violation of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act?

Employees over the age of 40 are forced to retire as part of a company's downsizing program.

A Chicago-based company shifts its warehouses and operations to a low-rent area that is 50 miles away. This is an example of offshoring.

False

Traditional management thinking treated human resource management primarily as a means to support a company's strategy.

False

Peggy, a Hispanic female in the accounting department of a large retail chain, believes she has been the victim of race and sex discrimination. Why can't she turn to the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) for assistance with this problem?

Her employer doesn't have contracts with the federal government.

What is a standard that human resource managers must satisfy for HRM practices to be ethical?

Human resource practices must result in the greatest good for the largest number of people.

Identify the case in which disparate treatment is considered legal.

In a certain shopping mall, female workers are exclusively employed to clean the women's restroom.

What would be a benefit to the company if it plans on applying industrial engineering to existing jobs?

Industrial engineering will provide measurable and practical benefits.

What is the advantage of establishing and administering policies in organizations?

It allows companies to handle situations more fairly and objectively.

Jayden, a manager, is rigid with his employees and does not allow them to voice their opinions or criticisms about their superiors. On the other hand, Tonya, another manager at the same firm, encourages her subordinates to communicate with her openly. Which statement uses basic rights to argue in favor of Tonya's practice over that of Jayden's?

It engages the employees in expressing constructive criticisms and opinions.

Identify the statement that accurately represents the Americans with Disabilities Act.

It goes beyond prohibiting discrimination to require that employers take steps to accommodate individuals covered under the legislation.

How has the use of employee empowerment affected the recruitment process in the United States.?

It has shifted the focus away from technical skills to general cognitive and interpersonal skills.

Which statement is true of quid pro quo harassment?

It refers to an individual gaining benefit in return for a sexual favor.

Milo has worked for a small chemical manufacturing company for the past 10 years. Recently, he and the other workers have developed minor respiratory problems. They confronted management demanding proper ventilation at the factory because inhaling chemical fumes continuously could prove fatal. If management does not respond to their demands, they could sue the company under the

Occupational Safety and Health Act.

Phineas Corp. has made a name for itself by following long-standing methods to manufacture wooden furniture. Recently, competitors using more modern technology have appeared in the furniture market, and Phineas has found its business suffering as a result. Using a TQM approach, what might help Phineas Corp. improve?

Phineas should create an atmosphere that promotes innovation.

Sky Meadows Health Care Systems set up a program that encourages employees to share their ideas for patient satisfaction and cost savings. After a year of collecting these ideas, the HR department conducted an employee survey and learned that its employees did not feel very empowered. What else should Sky Meadows do to improve the sense of empowerment?

Show that management is listening to the ideas and implementing the valuable ones.

Sophia, a manager at Mentor Corp., is responsible for workforce analytics in the organization. Her supervisor, Steve, argues it is an unnecessary expense as he believes that collecting employee-related information is just an administrative responsibility. Which statement, if true, would weaken Steve's argument?

Sophia identified subordinates who showed the potential to become leaders in the company based on the data.

Motorama, an automobile manufacturing company, had the largest number of its employees in the manufacturing sector last year. Instead of hiring more employees, the company decided to invest heavily in training its employees on automotive maintenance and design. Which belief has most likely led the company to make this decision?

The employees are the source of the company's success or failure.

When Lily started working for Tough Guy Construction, two of her coworkers made a point of telling sex-related jokes around her, and they occasionally ran their fingers through her hair and suggested meeting up after work. Lily feels uncomfortable. What grounds would she have for complaining to the human resource department about her coworkers?

Their behavior could be considered creation of a hostile working environment.

Identify the correct statement regarding sustainable organizations.

They are more concerned about justice and fairness than short-term profits.

When two companies merge, HRM plays an important role that includes preparing employees to resolve conflicts.

True

Fuller Corporation recently undertook a reengineering strategy to increase the efficiency of its processes. According to your text, will reengineering have any effect on Fuller's HR department?

Yes; the structure of pay and benefits will have to be redesigned.

Maria, a 24-year-old Hispanic woman, pressed charges of sexual harassment against Andrew, a politician. The case became sensational because the accused was one of the strongest candidates in the upcoming elections. In the case's final stage, the United States Supreme Court issued a verdict that cleared Andrew of all charges on the grounds of lack of evidence. The ruling spurred angry protests from many interest groups, especially Hispanic women, and they wanted the verdict reversed. According to the prevalent system, which among the following would overturn the verdict in this case?

a law passed by Congress

A human resource professional of a company exhibits the competency of business acumen when he or she

applies knowledge of how the functions of HR contribute to business success.

Miller Inc. is a large corporation preparing to acquire GrowIt, a start-up business. Miller has many policies and procedures based on years of experience. Employees at GrowIt are used to figuring out the best practices as they go along. How can Miller's HR professionals help the company prepare for the acquisition to succeed in spite of these differences?

by identifying the differences and developing employees' skills in conflict resolution

Katie works in the human resource department at Zeus Corp. Her chief responsibilities include administering salaries, determining incentives, managing group insurance, and employee vacation and leave. Which human resource management function is being performed by Katie?

compensation and benefits

Kent, a manager at ITP Inc., was asked by his supervisor to sign a contract with a new supplier. The contract stated that the industrial waste released by the company would be released into a local river. Kent was against this idea of polluting the river with the waste, so he refused to sign the contract. In this scenario, Kent exercised his right of

freedom of conscience.

Sean works at Rowen Corp., an environmentally conscious apparel manufacturing company. He primarily focuses on the tastes and needs of the firm's customers. He achieves this by managing a team that regularly interacts with customers through various promotional activities and events. He also provides insights on how to produce eco-friendly outfits through his specialized knowledge of cost-efficient manufacturing processes. This implies that Sean

is a knowledge worker.

Tasty Treats, a cookie manufacturer, combines with Minty Goodies, a chocolate manufacturer, to form a company called Yummy, Inc. This scenario illustrates a(n)

merger.

Aubrey is a human resource executive for a manufacturing company that makes a variety of consumer products in several facilities. She is studying U.S. injury and illness trends from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to identify issues the company should address in its human resource policies. As she looks at nationwide trends since 1990, Aubrey identifies one that companies should correct. Which trend represents a problem for U.S. employers to address?

number of claims of retaliation against employees who report injuries

In an attempt to motivate its current employees and to attract skilled professionals, Integrated Inc. decides to increase salaries as well as year-end bonuses for its best performers. Which HR function is demonstrated in this scenario?

planning and administering pay and benefits

Ken, an HR manager at Colonial Corp., wishes to design jobs that do not exceed the mental capabilities and limitations of employees. To do so, Ken would most likely have to

reduce the information-processing requirements of a job.

In the context of HRM functions, the activities of performance management include

specifying the tasks and outcomes of a job that contribute to an organization's success.

The use of technology by HR departments in business organizations has resulted in

the collection of employees' opinions through online surveys.

Paul's Pizza, a pizza chain, is known for its quick service. To make a pizza, employees must prepare the dough and add the sauce and toppings. Cooking happens next, followed by packaging. In this scenario, the employees of Paul's Pizza are engaged in

work processes.

Orion Trucking had its human resource department set up an online suggestion program, and employees submitted 376 ideas for improving workers' safety and health. An assistant in the department entered all the responses into a database. What additional step would be most important to add to this safety program?

working with management to ensure the company acts on the suggestions