management

In a realistic job preivew (RJP) applicants might be told that the likelihood for promotion for the job they are applying for is slim

An RJP tries to be more candid with job appliants than ordinary interviews, informing applicants of both thepostive and negative aspects of the job they are seeking. the idea behind RJPs is that employers can avoid having new hires quit their job because they were not well suited for it in the first place

The best way to meausure the effectiveness of training is to observe produtivity of trainees after they become regular employees

FALSE in addition to assessing training neds, a performance management system evaluates performance to determine possible compensation levels for employees

the most popular and effective employee appraisal device is the graphic rating scale approach

FALSE the graphic rating scale has evaluators create graphs that rate employees on objective numberic scales. While valuable, the graphic rating scale is not as popular or as effective as the 360 degree appraisal which gets performance feedback from a wide variety of different sources, including the peson being evaluated

A gap between actual performance and planned goals that falls within an acceptable range of variation usually requires managerial action

FALSE- only when the gap between actual performance and goals falls out of an acceptable range of variation is action required

The control function is not intended to protect the organization from threats

FALSE: A major function of a control system is to protect the organizatin from threats that might arise from disruptions, security breaches, unexpected financial events, and other similar problems

A spell-checker that corrects words as you type in a word program is an example of feedforward control

FALSE: A spell-checker that corrects words as they are being typed is making the correction as the event occurs, so it is an example of a concurrent control

A major advantage of feedfoward control is that it increases employee motivation

FALSE: Feedback control, not feedforward control is best for motivation, becuase it provides information so employees can know exactly how their performance measures up

The criterion that determines the effectiveness of a control system is how well it reduces unnecessary costs

FALSE: Goals, not costs, determine the effectiveness of a control system. the more a control system helps the organizationa chieve its goals, the more effective and succesful it is

A major drawback of an oral report is that there is no way to store the information in the report for later reference

FALSE: New technologies, such as videotaping oral reports, mean that documentation of an oral report is no longer impossible to carry out

The control process is a two-step process that measures and compares

FALSE: The control process is a three, not two step process that includes measuring performance, comparing performance against a standard, and taking action if necessary

A Management information system (MIS) focuses on providing managers with the raw data that pertains to the organization

FALSE: The goal of an MIS is to give managers acess to useful, processed data that has been organized and interpreted, not raw data

The key to feedfoward controls is takinga ction while the problem is occuring

FALSE: The key to feedforward control is taking action before the problem occurs, not while it occurs

A balanced scorecard with respect to organizational performance includes areas that are financial and customer-oriented only

FALSE: a balanced scorecard also includes assets from internal processes within the organization, as well as assets from perople/innovation/growth

A job description states the minimum qualifications a person needs to perform a job successfully

FALSE: a job specification, not a job description states the minimimum qualifications a person neds to perform a job succesfully. a job description is a written description of what the job is and the duties it entails

Advertismenets have been shown to be the most effective method for identifying the best applicants for jobs

FALSE: employee refererals, not ads, have been the most effective form of recruiting

An accept error involves not hiring an employee who could have performed well in a job

FALSE: failing to hire an employee who could have performed well in a job is termed a reject error. an accept error involves hiring an employee who performs poorly in a job

Performance feedback should avoid refernence to hard data

FALSE: hard data is preferable over other forms of information for performance feedback. when presented with clear facts and hard data, resistance on the part of the employee is much less likely

Firing, layoffs, furloughs, and early retirements are the only three downsizing options

FALSE: in addtion to firing, layoffs, and early retirement, managers can downsize using attrition, transfers, and job sharing

A scorecard with respect to organizational performance should always focus on all four performance areas equally

FALSE: many organizations choose not to use a balanced aproach, but rather to focus disproportionately on one (or more than one) particular area, such as customer relations, and de-emphasize other areas

a selection device is valid if it can be proven to accurately measure the abillities of job applicants

FALSE: mereley meausring abilities is not enough. to be valid a selction device must be able to predict succesful performance of the job the person is applying for

Most organizations are not legally required to provide benefits of any type of employees

FALSE: most organizations are required to provide social security and unemployment benefits for non-freelance employees

motivation and leadership are two primary parts of the control function

FALSE: motiation and leadership are part of the managerial function of leading, not the controlling function

most job training does not take place on the job

FALSE: on the job training is the simplest and most inexpensve way to train employees. it is the most popular form of job training in the us

Personal observation as a form of control measurement requires little time

FALSE: personal observation in fact requires a great deal of time

What is measured in the control process is often less critical than how it measured

FALSE: the opposite is true, what is measured is usally more, not less important than how it is measured. the criteria that managers choose to measure often define how an organization will operate

Most U.S. jobs use a variable pay system in which employee compensation is based on status and seniority

FALSE: the variable pay system is based on performance, not status and seniority

Employers cannot legally discriminate with reguard to race, sex, or religion, but there are no laws against denying employment becuase of age

FALSE: the vocational Rehabilition act specifically prohibits denying employment because of age

A strength of a written essay an an employee appraisal device is that it allows the writing skill of th evaluator to be a determining factor in the appraisal of performance.

FALSE: the writing skill of the evaluator can be a weakness in the process rather than a strength. an especially persuasive evaluator can have more influence in the final decision than he or she merits otherwise, therefore introducing bias into the process

written tests fell into disfavor in the late 1960s and are now rarely used in the selection process

FALSE: written tests dif fall out of favor in the 1960s but hthey are currently popular again, though now they are largely administered on the intenet

Performance feedback should focus on general rather than specific employee work behaviors

FALSe: The reverse is true- in order to be well understood and accepted, performance feedback should be specific rather than general, giving the employee specific items to consider and improve

control measures in two different locations in different parts of the world are always comparable

False: in fact, control measures are often not comparable. profit per worker, for example may be wildly different in mexico than it is in france, so control measures must reflect these differences

Workplace violence, as measured by homicide, has been increasing in the recent decade

False: workplace homicide has decreased sinc e94. however, workplace violence in all of its forms presents a serius problem in the US

A single business cannot experience both underperformance and overperformance at the same time

One part of a busines can exceep goals while another segment can underperform. therefore, both phenomena can occur at the same time

Budgets can be effective tools for both planning and controlling

TRUE: Budgets are highly effective planning tools. However, once created, budgets also function as effective controlling tools since they can be used as standards for guaing monetary activity

The major drawback of feedback control is that by the time the manager has the information, the problem has already occured

TRUE: Feedback always tkaes place after the fact. Therefrore, a major drawback to feedback control is that it cannot anticipate problems or deal with ongoing problems

human resource management involves hiring, training, motivating, and retaining competent employees

TRUE: HRM is defined as the function that identifies,m selects, trains, motivates, and retains employees who are competent and productive

Some control criteria, such as employee satisfaction or absenteeism are applicable to almost any management situation

TRUE: In almost all situations the success of managers is related to how satisfied employees are and how dedicated they are to their jobs, so these critera are fairly universal

Negative performance feedback should focus on behaviors that the employee can control

TRUE: Little benefit can come from suggestions that are beyond an employees control. Improvement can occur only if feedback focuses eon behaviros that can be changed, rather than innate or immutable traits

Profitability ratios are a traditional way for a company to measure success.

TRUE: Profitability ratio, identified as net profit after taxes over total sales or assets, is a useful traditional way to measure how efficiently company assets produce profit

An example of revising a standard is a teacher who changes a grading scale because students do poorly on an exam

TRUE: Rather than blame poor performance on the students themselves, the teacher in this case assumes that the standard was too high and adjusts it downward

A GPS that tells you that you a making a wrong turn is an example of concurrent control

TRUE: The GPS is operating in real-time and correcting the situation as the event is occuring

The 360 degree appraisal includes an evaluation from the person who is being evaluated

TRUE: an assessment from the employee being appraised brings valuable perspective into the evaluation process. employee appraisal gives the person being evaluated a chance to explain him or herself

Basic corrective action focuses on identifying the cause of a performance deviation

TRUE: basic corrective action looks to find out how and why performance didn't meet goals, not how to correct the situation

MBWA can pick up moods and attitudes that other forms of measurement miss

TRUE: by virtue of it being a personal action, MBWA, or management by walking around, can detect moods, attitudes, tones of voice, and other subjective and emotional forms of information that othre types of measurement miss

Employee referrals are usually reliable

TRUE: employees recognize that if they recommend an unqualified friend, their own status and reputation in the organization is bound to suffer. for that reason employees tend to take great care before making a recommendation and their referrals are generally reliable.

the most important environmental force that affects hrm is the legal environment

TRUE: employment and discrimination laws play an enormous role in how HR managers hire. hr managers must be fully versed in both federal and state laws to function effectively

employees have the legal right to read personal email of meployees if it it is sent on a company computer

TRUE: emplyoees do have the right to monitor private corresponsdances that take place in the workplace

Immediate corrective action might include changing the way employees are paid for their work

TRUE: immediate corrective action includes any practice that can work to correct a performance deviation- which could include extra training, stiff discipline, or a new pay scale that for example pays employees by the piece rather than by the hour

controlling is the process of monitoring and evaluating activities to ensure that they are being accomplished as planned

TRUE: managers can't know how succesful operations are until they have been compared to a standard

a key goal of compensation administratoin is to create a fair system thta will provide incentive for employees

TRUE: managers know that a sense of fairness is important to prospective employees. an organization with a system that is perceived to be fair can attract and retain high performing employees better than an organization that is percevied to be unfair

Performance-simulation tests are thought to be one of the best methods for evaluating job applicants in use today

TRUE: performance-simulation tests assess applicants by having them solve problems and perform tasks that are very similar to the ones they will face in the job itself. they therefore give managers a look at how the applicant will perform after he or she is hired

Control is the only managerial function that allows managers to make sure that organizational goals are being met

TRUE: plancs can be carried out with motivated employees, but wihout monitoring there is no way to be sure that goals are actually being met

The development or identification of objectives or standards must precede the control process

TRUE: the measurement of performance during the control proces smust have some standard to measure against: usually the standard is set during the planning phase of the operation being carried out, before the control process begins

A community fire department can legaly deny employment to a firefighter applicant who is confined to a wheelchair

TRUE: this statement is true only if th job requires physical ailities that could not be performed from a wheelchar. a fire department would not be allowed to deny employment to a wheelchair bound person for a desk job in the department

Behavioral interviews involve placing an applicant in stressful circumstances and seeing how he or she deals with the situation

TRUE: though very stressful for applicants, behavioral interviews are though to give employers valuable information about how an applicant will solve problems and respond to a difficult situation. One study whos that behavioral interviews are eight times more effective than traditional interviews for predicting succesful job performance

Increased demand for the products or services offered by an organization often requires an increase in hiring

TRUE: when an orgnaization sells more of its products, it typically requires more workers to produce those products. therefore demand for products usually creates a demand for human resources

direct supervision is the best-known form of concurrent control

TRUE: when managers observe what workers are doing and make corrections in real-time they are using concurrent control

management of a global company often relies on highly formalized reports as controls for distant operations

TRUE: without being able to observe a distant operation directly, managers of global companies often need to rely on formal reports ando ther formal meausres

controlling provides a critical link back to planning that compares actual outcomes to planned outcomes

TRUE: without the assesment that takes place during the controlling function, there is no accurate way to determine whether or not planning goals have been carried out and met

people value management history because it can help put events that are taking place today into perspective

TRUE; knowing how we got to where we are today helps managers make decisions about the future. for example, looking back and seeing how things have changed since the industrial revoltion allows current managers to see that organizations and management evolve- and that continued evolution should be expected in the future

Important goals of job orientation are to reduce anxiety and to familiarize the recruit with the job and the organization

TRUE; orienttion seeks to make the recruit feel comfortable in his or her new position. orientation is also used to clarify the duties and responsibilities of the job, as well as to correct any misconceptions the recruit has with regard to the job

a rigid, militaristic, high pressure workplace that includes intimidation is likely to be a dysfunctional work envirionment

TRUe: rigidity, pressure, and intimidation are key signs that a workplace is dysfunctional

downsizing can be as stressful for the survivors as it is for the victims

True: evidence shows that survivors can suffer almost as much stress as victims o downsizing. feelings of anxiety, sadness, frustration and anger are common in downsizing survivors

classical approaches to management inclue the work of taylor, fayol, and weber

True: frederick W. taylor, max weber, and henri fayol were major contributors to the classical theories of management. henry gantt and frank and lillian gilbreth were also important contribuers

W. Edwards Deming's ideas about quality and management were first embaced by Japanese companies

True: the ideas of Edwards were first adopted by japanese companies. when these companies began to outperform american companies, US organizations began to take notice of them

The primary determinant of an individual's pay is the type of job he or she performs.

True: the specific job a person has is the most important factor in determining pay. in general, jobs that require greater skills, knowledge, and talent pay more than those that don't require these capabilities. jobs that require the person to assume greater responsibility and authority also pay more

management studies were based purely on theoretical ideals rather than actual observation.

false - management studies were empirical - that is, based on actual behavior that took place in actual organziations- rather than theory-based

Using individual ranking as an employee appraisal device, two employees might be named "best int eh group

false no ties are allowed in individual raning, that means that only one person can be the best

the idea of employees paid a fair wage for their services did not emerge until the 1960s

false- one of fayol's fourteen principles of management was remuneration, which called for a fair wage for all employees. fayol's work was done in 1916-1947 period

frank and lillian gilbreth's best-known contribution to scientific management concerned selecting the best worker for a particular job

false- the gilbreths promoted time-and- motion studies rather than the best worker for a given job

fayol felt that managers should be given authority over workers, but not the ability to give orders

false: Fayol's principle of authority actually focuses on giving orders. A manager is given the authority to give orders to workers- that is one of amanager's key functions

the industrial revolution marked the birth of management

false: as evidenced by egypts pyramids, and the assembly lines of venice, management was around long before the revolution

henri fayol and max weber developed the idea of the five basic management functions

false: fayol and weber worked together, but not in developing the basic management functoins, which have been reduced to four in today's view: planning, organizing, leading and controlling

deming's total quality management system largely ignored the needs of customers.

false: instead, deming's TQM system focused almost exclusively on responding to the expectations and the needs of the customer

the hawthorne studies showed that the brightness of the lights in the room caused changes to the workers' productivity

false: researches for the hawthorne studies expected productivity to be proportional to light intensity, but instead found no direct relationship between the two variables. instead workers responded to the fact that they were being observed and to group pressure

the primary issue that motivated taylor to create a more scientific approach to management was worker satisfaction

false: taylor was searching for efficiency rather than worker satisfcation. he wanted to find the one best way to do a job so all workers in an oganization could use that method and beomce more productive

a highly centralized organization is one in which subortinates are given a lot of opporutnity to make decisionis

false: the opposite is true- the more centralized an organization is th eless decision- making power subordinates are given

employee motivation is the phrase most associated with scientific managmeent

false: the phrase most commonly associated with taylor's scientific management was "one best way" referring to the best method for getting a task done

facroties in the industrial revolution needed to forecast demand to make sure that workers were paid fairly

false: the reason to forecast demand is not to make sure that workers were well paid, but rather to make sure that there were enough spplies and trained workers to satisfy the demand

the idea of an organization as a system was borrowed from psychological concets

false: the system concept was borrowed from physical sciences, not psychology. in physical science an open system is a system that exchanges mater and energy with its outside environment

the division of labor is also referred to by the term job specification

false: the term that refers to division of labor is jop specialization, not specification

Contemporary approaches to management saw the organization as a closed system in which all inputs and outputs stay within the system

false: this approach saw the organization as an open, rather than a closed system that takes in inputs from the outside environment and emits outputs to the outside environement

the year 1776 is important date in the history of management because it saw the bird of the world's first democratic republic, the united states

false; 1776 is important in management history because it wsas the year adam smith's groundbreaking book, wealth of nations, appeared

Human resource management activities such as hiring and firing are the osle responsibility of the HR department

false; many small businesses function wihtout hr departments. many larger organizations involve non-hr managers in human resource decisions, and in some cases these managers are in charge of the process

the egyptian pyramids are an example of a project that was completed without the aid of managers

false; to the contrary there is no way that the planning, organizing, and supervising of workers that the project required could have been accomplished without strong management

both henri fayol and adam smith saw division of work as an important principle of management

true : smith called the concept "division of labor" while fayol in his fourteen principles of management used the term division of work. managers today use the tern job specialization

the hawthorne studies suggested that groups could influence the productivity of an indivudual

true- for example, individuals in a group that had high performance expectations tended to be much more productive than those in groups with low performance expectations

abraham maslow's hierarchy of five needs theory suggested once a need was satisfied, it stopped motivating behavior

true- maslow thought, for example, that basic needs such as food and shelter were enormously motivating when they were insufficient. however, once those basic needs were taken care of, these ceased to have major influence on behavior. this theory ha snot been supported by reasearch

fayol thought that allowing employees to originate their own plans would increase motivation

true: fayol used the term initiative to identify the idea of employees initiating their own plans to carry out tasks and then carrying out those plans. fayol thought that givin employees inititative woul dincrease their effort and motivation.

unity of command means that all employees should answer to only one superior

true: fayol's unity of command principle means that a worker should receive orders from only one superior. fayol thought that the idea of unity of command could prevent conflicts and ambiguity

henry gantt's contribution to management theory was to develop efficient ways to schedule

true: gantt's scheduling charts (the gantt chart and the load chart) are still widely used today to keep track of organizational activities and projects

job referrals are generally not a good method for improving workplace diversity

true: job referrals generally bring in employees who are similar to the people who recommend them. therefore, referrals tend to decrease, rather than increase workplace diversity

adam smith argued that division of labor increased productivity

true: smith felt that breaking down complex jobs into simple, repetitive tasks could allow a single worker to increase spead and thus increase productivity. smith's idea was true, as division of labor is seen to increase productivity but only up to a point

Taylor was the originator of the concept of scientific management

true: taylorss 1911 book, principles of scientific management developed the idea of scientic managemt in which management issues were looked at empirically and objectivley

the behavioral approach to management focuses on motivating workers to work productively

true: the behavioral aproach focuses on actions of workers and motivating them to achieve high levels of performance

the quantitative approach to management evolved out of mathematical methods of solving military problem

true: the quantitative method came out of the statistical and mathematical problem solving techniques that were used to solve problemsn in the military during WWII

although most sexual harassment complaints are filed by women, a significan number of complaints are filed by men

true; about 15 percent of all harassment complaints are filed by males

sexual harrassment is defined as any unwanted activity of a sexual nature that affects an individual's employment

true; affecting employmenet can be broadly interpreted. activities that intimidate, interfere with work, or limit opportunities can all be considered sexual harasment

job specialization continues to be a popular way to increase productivity today

true; job specialization promoted by adam smith to be a way to dramatically increase productivity, contineues today to be a way to make an organization more productive. however, productivity gains from job specialization are not as dramatic as smith thought, and limited in the long run

one major way that an organization can protect itself against sexual harassment cases is to make sure that all employees are well-educated on the topic

true; the more employees know about harassment and the trouble it cases, the less likely they will be to engage in the behavior