Strategic HR Midterm

_____ refers to learning that is learner initiated and could include learning-on-the-job. a. Informal learning b. Knowledge management c. Explicit knowledge d. Formal learning .e Continuous learning

a. Informal learning

A key risk to having an internal promotion policy is that it may result in which of the following problems? (Select ALL that apply) a. Lack of appropriately skilled talent b. Lack of diversity c. Increased retention d. Problems attracting new talent e. Groupthink and blindness to innovation

- Lack of appropriately skilled talent - lack of diversity - Groupthink and blindness to innovation

Which of these tasks emphasizes an innovation perspective? a. satisfying faculty and staff b. increasing profitability c. developing new course offerings d. reducing costs e. reducing student/faculty ratios

Developing new course offerings

How can the NAA empower employees to create a sustainable environment? a. redesign the layout of the organization b. implement online pay-for-performance systems c. empower employees to make their own decisions regarding how they can personally implement sustainable business practices in parts of their job d. tell employees to recycle more e. All of these answers are correct.

Empower employees to make their own decisions regarding how they can personally implement sustainable business practices in parts of their job

Intangible assets are less valuable than financial and physical assets, and they are easy to duplicate or imitate. a. True b. False

False

The strategy a company is pursuing does not have an impact on the types of employees that it seeks to recruit and select. True False

False

Miller Brewing Company's "Tips on Tap" teaches bartenders how to pour beer using the proper angle of the glass. Trainees move the glass using a computer mouse. Points are subtracted if the tap is hit by the glass or if the beer is spilled and the trainee receives tips for proper pouring.

Feedback

Cognitive ability tests have high _____________ because they are predictive for most jobs but may have an adverse impact on protected classes.

Generalizability

Successful onboarding is associated with all except which of the following? a. Higher job satisfaction b. Understanding of work policies and rules c. Higher retention d. Higher attrition e. Increased confidence

Higher Attrition

One recommendation you make to the NAA is hiring more employees who contribute to the intellectual means of producing newspapers (i.e., writers, reporters, editors). These employees are known as a. human capital. b. manual laborers. c. knowledge workers. d. engaged employees. e. intellectual capital.

Knowledge Workers

Interview questions probing on growth mindset are an easy way to test whether an applicant has a growth mindset, however, their _____________ is questionable because the job relatedness is low and there is inevitable subjectivity on the part of the interviewer.

Legality

At Gotham Utilities, every training program begins with a brainstorming session to identify important topics, themes, and activities.

Meaningful Training Content

An online course used by Darkness to Light, an international child abuse prevention education and public service organization, was developed around universal truths to ensure that the course was relevant for individuals of all cultures, backgrounds, or locations. This background information is explained to employees at the beginning of the training program

Need to know why they should learn

Morse Bros, uses videos to teach new truck drivers procedures such as how to test the chemical composition of the concrete that they are delivering to ensure it meets customer and engineering specifications. Mentors are assigned to each new driver and relate the topics shown in the videos to the job and answer any of the trainee's questions.

Observe, experience & interact with training content, other learners, and the instructor

Which of the following is NOT a component of a diversity, equity and inclusion training strategy? a. Diversity training b. Unconscious bias c. Ally training d. Onboarding

Onboarding

Stapoil has an oil platform in Second Life (virtual reality), which allows trainees to take steps to deal with different types of accidents that can occur, such as fires.

Opportunities for practice

While personality inventories generally have high _____________ and are consistent in measuring a characteristic, they do not lend themselves well to predicting growth mindset because their validity is low for most traits.

Reliability

Employees in companies with a differentiation strategy need to be highly creative and be risk takers. True False

TRUE

If a company decides to compete on cost, and hence hire low-cost offshore labor, the jobs have to be designed so that minimally skilled people who will require little training can perform them. The organization in this case needs to have a centralized structure so that low-level workers are not forced into making too many decisions. True False

TRUE

If a training program focuses primarily on ensuring that employees have product and/or service knowledge, it is supporting the strategic initiative to a. improve customer service. b. grow in the global market. c. develop creativity. d. improve employee engagement. e. enhance innovation.

a. improve customer service.

Which of the following options for avoiding an expected labor shortage is a slow solution and has low revocability? a. technological innovation b. outsourcing c. retrained transfers d. overtime e. temporary employees

a. technological innovation

Which of the following is not a strategic reason to downsize? a. Sales projections b. Cost-cutting c. New technology d. Mergers and acquisitions e. Moving office locations to be more effective or efficient

b. Cost-cutting

At what point in the strategic management process should the HRM executive become involved? a. The HRM executive should only focus on developing high level human resources capable of implementing any strategy that is formulated. b. There should be a division of labor: the senior management team formulates the plan and HR implements it. c. The HRM executive should be involved in both the formulation and implementation of the strategy. d. The HRM should focus on reduction of internal conflict among the strategy team. e. The HRM executive should be used to solve problems related to the failure to implement strategy.

c. The HRM executive should be involved in both the formulation and implementation of the strategy.

A(n) ________ is a story of how a firm will create value for customers and how it will do so profitably. a. administrative linkage b. process architecture c. business model d. design specification e. job characteristics model

c. business model

Buttons, Inc. is evaluating its resources so that it can compete with other companies. They have evaluated their plant, equipment, and geographic location. What other physical resource do they need to evaluate to complete this scan? a. planning system b. controlling system c. experience of employees d. technology e. employee skill

d. technology

Lisara, a manager at Cooks & Books, Inc., a publisher of cookbooks, is tasked with identifying the various pieces of work required to edit, typeset, and publish a new children's cookbook prior to allocating and assigning them to his subordinates. Which of the following processes is Lisara expected to perform? a. job evaluation b. work-flow evaluation c. job performance d. work-flow design e. performance evaluation

d. work-flow design

Brian is the president of an emerging health food store chain. The eight stores are all located in the Midwest region of the United States. Brian hopes to expand Green Goods into an international organization. Green Goods operates its stores in stable and predictable environments. This organization lacks the history and firmly developed culture often associated with more established organizations. Brian wants to ensure that everybody within the organization is on the same page while the business builds experience. Green Goods' work units should be grouped based on a. product, geographic region, and clients. b. employee demographics. c. employee skillsets. d. uniqueness of work flow. e. functional similarity.

e. functional similarity.

Due to a series of resignations from the organization, Consert, Inc. a large software firm, is facing an acute labor shortage. During which of the following human resource planning steps would the firm contemplate several options to address the labor issue? a. program implementation b. forecasting c. program evaluation d. data collection e. goal setting and strategic planning

e. goal setting and strategic planning

Job analysis is the process of getting detailed information about jobs. It is important for organizations to understand and match job requirements and people to achieve high-quality performance. True False

TRUE

The motivational approach views attitudinal variables and behavioral variables as the most important outcomes of job design. True False

TRUE

Biographical information provides high ______________ because it is an easy and inexpensive way to collect data.

Utility

Biographical information can provide high _____________ provided specific criteria can be defined and objectively assessed.

Validity

What market should be used as a comparison in creating the balanced scorecard? a. all business schools that have a similar size b. all colleges and universities in the country c. all business schools in one geographic area d. all international business schools e. all international universities

all business schools that have a similar size

The NAA should consider which of the following stakeholders in designing sustainable practices? a. employees that work for print publications b. customers who read the newspapers c. community where manufacturing plant is located d. suppliers e. All of these answers are correct.

all of the above

The basic premise behind strategy implementation is that a. the quality of resources is more important than the quantity of resources. b. choice of organizational processes and structural forms makes an economic difference. c. short-term orientation is detrimental to an organization's economic success. d. external analysis and internal analysis should be performed during implementation. e. boosting employee productivity is more important than effectiveness in production.

b. choice of organizational processes and structural forms makes an economic difference.

________ helps support organizations that compete on differentiation or innovation, because flexible responsiveness is central to making this strategy work. a. Job design b. Centralization c. A divisional structure d. A functional structure e. Decentralization

c. A divisional structure

Roberto, an efficiency expert, proposes the "just-in-time" inventory method to Wanda, the CEO of Costone Co.. If Wanda is to accept the proposal, which of the following changes is Roberto most likely to implement in Costone Co.? a. He is likely to stock a backup of supplies for emergencies. b. He is likely to create a larger storage space for inventories. c. He is likely to introduce processes that support lean production. d. He is likely to avoid made-for-order method of manufacturing. e. He is likely to manufacture mass products well ahead of demand.

c. He is likely to introduce processes that support lean production.

Sandra is an HR executive for her company and has been put in charge of overseeing a major strategic shift for her organization. This is the third such change in strategic direction in the past five years, and it is "make or break" time for her company. The company CEO believes that the disconnect between strategy formulation and strategy implementation was a major contributing factor to past failures. Specifically, the past two strategic choices did not reflect the actual capabilities and strengths of the people in the organization. Based on lessons learned from past failures, Sandra needs to change the company's strategic approach. What role should Sandra play with regard to the company's senior management team? a. The HRM executive should be subordinate to the strategic team. b. The HRM executive should focus only on HR issues and leave strategy to others. c. The HRM executive should be an integral member of the senior management team. d. The HRM executive should focus on improving the company's culture. e. The HRM executive should find opportunities for cost reductions in personnel expenses.

c. The HRM executive should be an integral member of the senior management team.

In what direction should information flow between the HR executive and senior management? a. HR should take a receptive role and listen to the strategies formulated by senior management. b. There should be no information flow between HR and senior management. c. There should be a two-way information flow between HR and senior management. d. HR should facilitate discussion among other executives. e. HR should provide actionable data for senior management.

c. There should be a two-way information flow between HR and senior management.

Brian is the president of an emerging health food store chain. The eight stores are all located in the Midwest region of the United States. Brian hopes to expand Green Goods into an international organization. Green Goods operates its stores in stable and predictable environments. This organization lacks the history and firmly developed culture often associated with more established organizations. Brian wants to ensure that everybody within the organization is on the same page while the business builds experience. Brian should place decision-making authority a. in the middle of the organizational chart. b. scattered throughout lower levels. c. at the top of the organizational chart. d. with a worker's council. e. with an outside consulting firm.

c. at the top of the organizational chart.

Brian is the president of an emerging health food store chain. The eight stores are all located in the Midwest region of the United States. Brian hopes to expand Green Goods into an international organization. Green Goods operates its stores in stable and predictable environments. This organization lacks the history and firmly developed culture often associated with more established organizations. Brian wants to ensure that everybody within the organization is on the same page while the business builds experience. At this stage in Green Goods' lifecycle, Brian should want the organization to a. focus on product differentiation. b. take risks within individual stores. c. be coordinated, efficient, and competing on cost. d. have multiple functional specialists. e. focus on high-margin products.

c. be coordinated, efficient, and competing on cost.

Explicit knowledge is different from tacit knowledge in that a. tacit knowledge is easy to codify. b. tacit knowledge can be easily transferred to others. c. explicit knowledge can be easily articulated. d. tacit knowledge can be well documented. e. explicit knowledge is based on personal experience.

c. explicit knowledge can be easily articulated.

Brian is the president of an emerging health food store chain. The eight stores are all located in the Midwest region of the United States. Brian hopes to expand Green Goods into an international organization. Green Goods operates its stores in stable and predictable environments. This organization lacks the history and firmly developed culture often associated with more established organizations. Brian wants to ensure that everybody within the organization is on the same page while the business builds experience. Individual Green Goods stores should function as a. flexible and innovative entities. b. independent profit centers. c. segments of the organization as a whole. d. independent cost centers. e. self-sufficient, semi-autonomous organizations.

c. segments of the organization as a whole.

Which of the following practices should Brutus implement to gain a customer perspective? a. survey faculty and staff on engagement levels b. compare rankings of business schools in the state c. continuously improve current courses offered d. review course evaluations e. assess research productivity

compare rankings of business schools in the state

How do statistical forecasting methods differ from judgmental forecasting methods with regard to the labor market? a. Judgmental methods are not useful in situations that have no historic precedent. b. Statistical methods are the best option for events that have no historic precedent. c. Forecasting using judgmental methods is always more precise than forecasting using statistical methods. d. Statistical methods are excellent for capturing historic trends. e. Judgmental methods are better than statistical methods for events that have historic precedent.

d. Statistical methods are excellent for capturing historic trends.

The approach that pays employees higher wages than what competitors pay their employees in similar roles is called the a. first-mover advantage. b. premium-wage approach. c. free-rider effect. d. lead-the-market approach. e. lead-indicator approach.

d. lead-the-market approach.

To provide excellent customer service to those in the electrical industry through the use of high-tech solutions is an example of a a. work structure. b. code of conduct. c. vision. d. goal. e. mission.

e. mission.

Sandra is an HR executive for her company and has been put in charge of overseeing a major strategic shift for her organization. This is the third such change in strategic direction in the past five years, and it is "make or break" time for her company. The company CEO believes that the disconnect between strategy formulation and strategy implementation was a major contributing factor to past failures. Specifically, the past two strategic choices did not reflect the actual capabilities and strengths of the people in the organization. Based on lessons learned from past failures, Sandra needs to change the company's strategic approach. What should the HRM director's attention be focused on? a. optimizing human resource information systems b. implementing strategic plans c. maintaining high morale of workforce d. focusing on day-to-day activities e. staying updated by those that are forming new strategy and provide that information to CEO

e. staying updated by those that are forming new strategy and provide that information to CEO

The HR Department at the Empire Corporation spends a lot of time and resources on collecting, analyzing, and evaluating data to demonstrate that HR practices have a positive influence on the company's bottom line or key stakeholders. This is an example of a. performance management. b. evidence-based HR. c. shared services. d. workforce management. e. workforce analytics.

evidence-based HR