HR Management Ch. 4 Quiz

D

What is the result of an organization structure that is strongly based on function? A. Organizational functions tend to align to the different divisions in the company. B. Jobs tend to involve teamwork or broad responsibility. C. Focus tends to be primarily on products or customer groups. D. Workers tend to work alone at highly specialized jobs. E. Decision-making tends to be highly decentralized.

B

_____ refers to the option given to employees to work away from a centrally located office. A. Zero-hour contract B. Telework C. Retroactive overtime D. Flextime E. Compressed workweek

D

Which of the following HR activities is similar to analyzing a job that does not yet exist? A. Human resource planning B. Career development C. Job evaluation D. Work redesign E. Selection

B

Which of the following arrangements would qualify as job rotation? A. A receptionist is required to perform the jobs of file clerk and typist. B. Training housekeeping staff in front office functions through periods of alternating work arrangements. C. Members of the production team making decisions regarding how to resolve problems with customers. D. A manager participating in a meeting while on vacation with his family. E. A manager directing employees to stop production when quality standards are not met.

A

Which of the following best describes ergonomics? A. The study of the interface between individuals' physiology and the characteristics of the physical work environment. B. The study of jobs to find the simplest way to structure work in order to maximize efficiency. C. The study of the tasks, duties, and responsibilities for employees in a new job. D. The study of the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the job. E. The study of the relationship between intrinsic rewards and employee motivation in the context of human resource management.

C

Which of the following is NOT a strategy used by OSHA to increase ergonomic job design? A. Issuing regulations and guidelines for industries B. Directing ergonomic research along specific lines C. Providing licenses to new companies only when they ensure the highest levels of ergonomically designed jobs D. Enforcing violations of its requirement that employers protect employees from work-related hazards E. Performing advisory functions in the area of ergonomic designing of occupational environments

C

Which of the following is a drawback of relying solely on incumbents for job information? A. They lack in-depth knowledge of the tasks and duties of the job. B. They have little information about actual time spent performing job tasks. C. They may have an incentive to exaggerate what they do. D. They are less accurate in reporting safety-related risk factors. E. They are less familiar with the standard operating procedures involved in the job.

C

Which of the following is a way to simplify a job's mental demands? A. Enforcing stringent quality control standards B. Training employees to multi-task between different job duties C. Providing social-media tools to simplify information sharing D. Providing comfortably designed office chairs E. Enhancing the information processing functions of the job

D

Which of the following is an appropriate course of action while formulating job descriptions? A. Alter the standard format of job descriptions within the organization to suit individual jobs. B. Prohibit using the phrase "and other duties as requested" in job descriptions because it leads to ambiguity. C. Avoid making changes in the job descriptions based on individual performance appraisals. D. Prepare a new job description whenever a new job is created in the organization. E. Once standardized and created, a job description must not be changed.

C

Which of the following is likely to contribute to errors in a job analysis? A. Use of multiple analysis methods to obtain a detailed job analysis. B. Inputs from multiple sources like incumbents and supervisors. C. Fixed and unchanging job descriptions for various jobs. D. Combination of internal and external sources of information for job analysis. E. Creation of comprehensive and detailed job description.

E

A _____ is a list of the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics (KSAOs) that an individual must have to perform a particular job. A. job rotation B. job definition C. job evaluation D. job scope E. job specification

E

A limitation in using the PAQ is that it _____. A. applies exclusively to similar job profiles B. measures only the inputs of a work process C. fails to provide computerized reports D. requires incumbents to spend time filling the questionnaires E. results in abstract reports that are of limited use

C

A telework arrangement is generally difficult to set up for _____. A. editors B. software programmers C. manufacturing workers D. graphic designers E. accountants

A

A(n) _____ is an area of personal capability that enables employees to perform their work successfully. A. competency B. entity C. identity D. duty E. opportunity

A

According to Herzberg's two-factor theory, which of the following factors would motivate individuals the most? A. Meaningfulness of a job B. Fringe benefits in the job C. Share in company stock D. Salary and allowances E. Periodic bonuses

D

Carl Borden, the manager of an electronics store in California, gives his staff the authority to resolve customer complaints. He lets the staff decide whether to issue refunds or replace merchandise in case of consumer grievances. Which of the following job design techniques does Carl implement in his store? A. Job sharing B. Cross training C. Job rotation D. Job enrichment E. Job evaluation

D

Carla Warne is an HR executive looking for a new job. She comes across an advertisement in a newspaper seeking applications for the post of an HR manager. The advertisement exclusively highlights requirements such as strong communication skills, excellent teamwork, and leadership skills. These requirements constitute the _____. A. Knowledge B. Personality traits C. Skill D. Responsibility E. Ability

E

For analyzing technical skill levels, the best source for job information may be ____, who have vast experience rating a wide range of jobs. A. HR executives B. incumbents C. supervisors D. line managers E. external job analysts

B

Helen Taylor works 10 hours a day for 4 days a week, while her colleagues work 8 hours a day for 5 days a week. Helen is utilizing a flexible work schedule option known as _____. A. the zero-hour contract B. the compressed workweek C. the flexible workweek D. retroactive overtime E. telework

B

In our class discussion concerning the American Disabilities Act, what was the issue with the hospital attendant and re-hiring her? A. Previous employment reference checks showed an average performance. B. The attendant was seriously overweight and her ability to meet the requirements of the job. C. The ADA did not cover her because of a pre-existing back injury. D. A shortage of hospital funds for hiring were suddenly unavailable.

E

In terms of the Job Characteristics Model, feedback refers to the extent to which _____. A. a job requires a variety of skills to carry out the tasks involved in the job and its duties B. employees are given the authority to make decisions C. performance appraisals are perceived as transparent and fair by employees D. a job requires a variety of skills to carry out the tasks involved E. a person receives clear information about performance effectiveness from the work itself

D

In the Job Characteristics Model, task identity is defined as the _____. A. extent to which a job requires a variety of skills to carry out the tasks involved B.degree to which the job allows an individual to make decisions about the way the work will be carried out C. the extent to which a person receives clear information about performance effectiveness from the work itself D. degree to which a job requires completing a "whole" piece of work from beginning to end E. extent to which the job has an important impact on the lives of other people

E

In the context of a work flow analysis, materials, equipment, and human resources needed to perform the tasks collectively constitute the _____. A. outputs B. jobs C. work processes D. operating procedures E. inputs

A

In the context of work flow design, a position is _____. A. the set of duties performed by a person B. a set of related duties fulfilled by many employees C. an aggregate of similar jobs D. the set of skills and abilities that is required of a person in a job E. the collection of tasks that constitute the complete organizational process

C

In which of the following scenarios will workers be less motivated to perform the job? A. When the job requires a variety of skills to be performed B. When the job requires completing the whole piece of work from beginning to end C. When the job has minimal impact on the lives of other people D. When the job allows individuals to take autonomous decisions about the job E. When a person receives clear information about performance effectiveness from the work itself

B

It can be most beneficial to simplify jobs where _____. A. the employees seek challenges and new demands B. the costs of errors are severe C. the scope for errors is minimal D. the employees do not engage in multi-tasking E. the information-processing requirements of the job are minimal

D

Job descriptions generally contain all of the following components EXCEPT _____. A. the job title B. a list of essential duties C. a brief description of the responsibilities D. the details of pay and benefits attached to the job E. the details of the tasks involved

A

Job enrichment differs from job rotation in that job enrichment: A. empowers workers by adding more decision-making authority to their jobs. B. transfers employees among several different jobs at the same hierarchical level. C. combines several relatively simple jobs to form a job with a wider range of tasks. D. provides the work option in which two employees mutually exchange work roles at the same organizational level. E. assesses of the relative dollar value of each job to the organization.

E

Job specifications differ from job descriptions in that job specifications primarily describe: A. the list of the tasks and responsibilities that the job entails. B. the observable actions that comprise the various job demands. C. the reporting relationships within the division which includes the job. D. the functional needs of the position under study. E. the qualities a person performing the job must possess.

C

Skill is defined as _____. A. the past experience a person has in performing similar jobs B. the factual or procedural information that is necessary for successfully performing a task C. an individual's level of proficiency at performing a particular task D. the personality traits such as someone's persistence or motivation to achieve E. the tangible aspects of an employee's abilities like licenses or certifications

B

Tech-Marketing Inc., an advertising firm located in Ohio, requires its employees to be at work between the hours of 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. This work rule allows employees to work additional hours before or after the time period in order to work the full day. Identify the job design method implemented at Tech-Marketing. A. Zero-hour contract B. Flextime C. Compressed workweek D. Telework E. Retroactive overtime

D

The final stage in work flow analysis is to identify the _____. A. tangible outputs of a particular work unit B. operating procedures to be applied in production C. work processes used to generate the outputs of the work unit D. inputs used in the development of the work unit's product E. market forces of demand and supply for the outputs

B

The industrial engineering approach is most likely to emphasize _____. A. elaborate work arrangements and reporting requirements B. streamlining jobs to make them simpler, efficient, and automatic C. designing jobs in such a way that they require minimal specialization D. exploring new and diverse ways of doing the same job E. creating complex and challenging jobs that require innovative employees

C

The manager of a local grocery store places a short conveyor belt that allows customers to place items on it prior to billing. This saves the cashier from the physical strain of bending forward and reaching into carts to retrieve the items. This change is congruent with the _____ approach to job design. A. telecommuting B. job enrichment C. ergonomics D. flextime E. job sharing

B

The process of analyzing the tasks necessary for the production of a product or service is termed as _____. A. ergonomics B. work flow design C. utilization analysis D. industrial engineering E. break-even analysis

C

The process of defining how work will be performed and what tasks will be required in a given job is known as _____. A. job rotation B. job evaluation C. job design D. job enrichment E. job extension

A

The process of getting detailed information about jobs is known as _____. A. job analysis B. job definition C. job training D. job swapping E. job rotation

A

To gather information about worker requirements, the Fleishman Job Analysis System typically asks _____ to evaluate a job in terms of the abilities required to perform the job. A. subject-matter experts B. supervisors C. HR specialists D. external analysts E. the top management

D

Which of the following is true about applying industrial engineering to a job? A. It increases the complexity of the work. B. It eliminates the need for specialization in the job. C. It makes jobs less specialized and less repetitive. D. It provides measurable and practical benefits. E. It represents the best way to add meaningfulness to jobs.

C

Which of the following is true about knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics (KSAOs) that are required for a job? A. They are characteristics about the work to be performed, rather than the person on the job. B. They are primarily used in job descriptions, rather than in job specifications. C. They play an important role in interviews and selection decisions. D. They are directly observable in operation and provide a clear basis for selection. E. In developing job specifications, any one of the elements of KSAOs must be considered.

C

Which of the following is true about telework? A. Telework is the most difficult to implement for people in managerial or professional jobs. B. A telework arrangement is the easiest to set up for manufacturing workers. C. Telecommuting supports the strategy of corporate social responsibility by reducing the employee's need to commute by vehicles. D. Telework arrangements are mandatorily restricted to employees who are disabled or need to be available for children or elderly relatives. E. Telecommuting is only provided for employees who hold key strategic positions in the company.

B

Which of the following is true of O*NET? A. It provides listings of fixed job titles and narrow task descriptions. B. It uses a common language that generalizes across jobs to describe the abilities, work styles, work activities, and work context required for various occupations. C. It represents the first attempt made by the U.S. Department of Labor to match the demand and supply of labor. D. It uses a popular Internet-based software platform to provide information about the availability of qualified labor for governmental professions only. E. It was created by the U.S. Department of Labor in the 1930s as a vehicle for helping the new public employment system link the demand and the supply of skills in the U.S. workforce.

B

Which of the following is true of self-managing work teams? A. Team members' job duties are narrowly defined. B. Team members usually share work assignments. C. Team members' joint responsibilities are minimal. D. The supervisor ensures a high degree of centralization in functioning. E. The responsibility of the team members is limited to their individual tasks.

E

Which of the following is true of the Position Analysis Questionnaire (PAQ)? A. It considers only the inputs of a work process, ignoring the outputs. B. PAQ reports provide concrete recommendations useful for writing job descriptions or redesigning jobs. C. PAQ ratings cannot be used to compare dissimilar jobs. D. The descriptions in the PAQ reports are very clear and specific. E. The PAQ is meant to be completed only by job analysts trained in this method.

C

Which of the following job analysis methods requires subject-matter experts to evaluate a job in terms of abilities required to perform the job? A. Work Sampling Technique B. Participatory Observation Technique C. Fleishman Job Analysis System D. Position Analysis Questionnaire E. Conjoint Analysis Technique

C

Which of the following job design techniques involving the addition of decision-making authorities to a job is credited to Frederick Herzberg? A. Job extension B. Job rotation C. Job enrichment D. Job enlargement E. Job sharing

C

Which of the following models was developed by Richard Hackman and Greg Oldham to describe ways to make jobs more motivating? A. The Cognitive Dissonance Model B. The Situational Leadership Model C. The Job Characteristics Model D. The Push and Pull Model E. The Motivation-Hygiene Model

B

Which of the following refers to a list of the tasks, duties, and responsibilities that a job entails? A. job evaluation B. job description C. utilization analysis D. conjoint analysis E. job standardization.

D

Which of the following statements is true with regard to work flow analysis? A. Information cannot be considered to be an input as it is not tangible. B. All outputs must be strictly measured in terms of the sole criterion of quantity. C. Quality standards are not a key criterion in the process of work flow analysis. D. Outputs may be tangible or intangible products of different work processes. E. Inputs and outputs are the two stages that represent the complete work flow cycle.

E

Which of the following would qualify as a compressed workweek? A. Employees are required to be at work from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and can choose additional hours before/after this period. B. Two part-time employees work in different shifts and share the tasks of a specific job. C. Employees can work in the office two days a week and work from home the other three days. D. Employees can choose to work away from a centrally located work area. E. Employees are permitted to work 10 hours a day, Monday through Thursday.

D

Within the Job Characteristics Model, _____ refers to the job characteristic that reflects the degree to which the job allows an individual to make decisions about the way the work is carried out. A. task knowledge B. task ability C. skill variety D. autonomy E. feedback

A

_____ are the activities that a team's members engage in to produce a given output. A. Work processes B. Task identities C. Group dynamics D. Job analyses E. Ergonomic activities

A

_____ are the products of any work unit. A. Outputs B. Inputs C. Tasks D. Jobs E. Processes

A

_____ involves assessing the relative dollar value of each job to the organization in order to set up fair pay structures. A. Job evaluation B. Career planning C. Training D. Performance appraisal E. Job rotation