Technology Management
Which is an advantage of a best-of-breed (BOB) HRIS solution over an integrated solution?
A BOB solution provides quicker implementation because the system is simpler and affects fewer employees Rationale: BOB solutions provide quicker implementation because they are simpler and affect fewer employees. The other advantages listed apply to integrated solutions rather than BOB.
Artificial intelligence (AI)
Ability of a computer to imitate human though and behavior
Hacking
Act of deliberately accessing computer data without permission
The HR director wants to transition from paper-based record keeping to digital record keeping. Which factors should the director consider before engaging in a purchasing process for HR technology?
Alignment of user and departmental objectives Rationale: User, departmental, and organizational readiness are all essential factors in the purchase of HR technology, so alignment of user and departmental objectives should be considered. An equipment solution or guidelines for needs assessments should be customized to fit each situation. While external vendors may be stakeholders, the needs should be tied to departmental and business objectives.
How has the cloud repositioned HR software?
As a service to be consumed Rationale: The cloud repositions software as a service to be consumed. Software is migrating away from being sold or licensed as a complete singular product and moving toward a subscription service.
What is the first step in an HRIS implementation?
Assessing organizational needs Rationale: Needs must be determined before selecting a project committee, soliciting vendors, or evaluating available systems. The organizational needs will drive what vendors are selected and what systems will be reviewed.
A fitness organization requires its employees to wear technology that tracks wellness bio-data. What challenges to this technology are likely to emerge?
Biohacking and DNA privacy Rationale: Challenges likely to emerge from wearable technology include biohacking and DNA privacy issues. Other potential issues include the duty to accommodate and arguments about the commodification of labor.
An economic comparison of options for a new applicant tracking system shows that the cost of the system best suited to meet the organization's long-term goals exceeds the amount management has budgeted. What should the HR manager present to management to support the purchase of the more expensive system?
Business case Rationale: Business cases outline the allocation of organizational resources to strategic initiatives (such as applicant tracking systems). Marketing plans provide an overview of the business's marketing and advertising goals. Neither a SWOT analysis (an identification of an organization's internal strengths and weaknesses and external opportunities and threats) nor HR forecasting (the projection of labor needs and their effects) would convince management to spend more than the original budget on a new applicant tracking system.
How can technology advance HR's role in supporting a culture of compliance?
By enabling secure and scalable databases to store employment documents Rationale: With the electronic retention of employee files and other employment-related records, electronic record keeping helps HR comply with legal requirements without having to provide physical storage space for paper records.
What is the best way to implement an organizational policy on the use of social media?
Clarify prohibitions for social media behavior in the handbook or code of conduct. Rationale: The best approach is to communicate clearly in the organization's handbook or code of conduct what is allowed and what is prohibited regarding the use of the organization's technology and behavior on social media toward the organization and fellow employees. Surveillance of employee social media accounts may be illegal in some areas. Rules of conduct should reflect the culture of the organization, so copying another organization's handbook may alienate employees. It is best to be up-front and consistent about what the organization wants rather than responding to situations as they arise.
What has become a popular solution to the problem of the volume of data created by big data strategies?
Cloud computing Rationale: Cloud computing allows organizations to store some of the cast amounts of data they have collected on remote (off-premises) servers connected accessed through the internet. Software as a service tends to solve issues related to the labor required to create and maintain software. Scalable servers do address the issue of increasing data volume, but this approach predates cloud computing. Online analytical processing is one of the reasons why data are multiplying so quickly in organizations.
How has technology affected the HR function?
Consumer-like applications will allow manager self-service. Rationale: Consumer-like applications (manager and employee self-service) will allow HR's internal clients to handle many HR processes themselves
Encryption
Conversion of data into a format that protects or hides its natural presentation or intended meaning
Which best describes the impact of manager self-service technologies on internal HR?
Eliminating time-consuming duties for HR managers Rationale: Self-service technologies provide employees and employers alike with around-the-clock access to benefit information. Typically, participants can enroll in benefits and access and update benefit, dependent, and beneficiary information online. Participants can also access benefit forms and documents and other helpful information such as frequently asked questions. Depending on customized system features, HR managers are typically able to review and edit benefit and HR data, make changes as they occur, communicate easily with employees, monitor file transfers, and review reports online-all time-saving tasks that have great potential to reduce HR workload.
Which practice should HR recommend to reduce security concerns associated with increased Internet use?
Encrypting employee computers and network communications Rationale: Sensitive data can be protected by encrypting employee laptops, desktops, and network communications to ensure secure storage and sharing of confidential information.
Which action should HR take in order to fully realize the benefits of workplace data analytics?
Gather good-quality data to make relevant decisions. Rationale: Data analytics is the process of studying data to detect patterns and relationships that can be used to make predictions and improve decisions. The challenge of data analytics for HR is to identify what data should be captured and how to use the data to model and predict capabilities so the organization gets an optimal return on investment on its human capital.
What is the implication to the HR function of the increased use of applicant tracking systems (ATS)?
Greater ease in measuring the effectiveness and efficiency of the recruitment process Rationale: An ATS collects and stores data about all stages of the recruitment and hiring process, which allows better control over the process but also more opportunities to measure the effectiveness and efficiency of the process.
An HR function has purchased applicant tracking software that allows external recruiters to access certain areas of the organization's information system. Throughout the purchasing process, HR has excluded the IT function. What is a possible outcome?
IT refuses to allow the software to be loaded into the system. Rationale: HR's approach to this project does not recognize IT's responsibilities and needs. IT may refuse to allow the system to be installed on a shared system out of concern for security and incompatibilities or because they cannot estimate the demand the additional technology will have on IT's support resources.
Big data brings with it three requirements: volume (the ability to store massive amounts of data), velocity (the ability to refresh data rapidly), and variety. What does variety refer to?
Importing, storing, and integrating data in different formats Rationale: Data is now available in varied forms: text, images, movie and audio files, logs, and so on. The ability to capture all these types of data creates richer opportunities for analysis and decision making.
Social engineering
In a computer context, tricking a user into sharing information that can then be used to access systems
Human resource information system (HRIS)
Information technology framework and tools for gathering, storing, maintaining, retrieving, revising, and reporting HR data
An organization is large and decentralized. It contains many operations that must communicate with each other. Leadership wants to be able to make more informed strategic decisions more quickly. Which issue is most directly related to these needs?
Integrated data access and analysis Rationale: The issue of integration would be meaningful to an organization with many interrelated parts. An integrated information system would allow functions throughout the organization to access the same data in a timely manner and analyze it to gain insight and test solutions.
What is one of the benefits an organization receives from having information systems that are scalable?
Less waste and better use of investments Rationale: Scalability refers to the ease with which a system can respond to changes in demand. When a system is scalable, it is inherently less wasteful; technology does not sit idle while waiting for an increase in demand for service or as a result of decreased demand. System size must balance efficiency and service; in the interests of efficiency, response time may diminish slightly.
HR works with IT to develop policies and procedures for Internet use and social media posts on the organization's network. Which best describes the impact of this policy?
Limiting legal liability and ensuring data security Rationale: Policies restricting access to certain websites (e.g., sexual content) aim at managing risk to the organization's data security posed by questionable sites. The policy may also deter downloading of materials that could be used to harass other employees and pose legal liabilities for the organization. This policy is not aimed at increasing productivity or monitoring activity. It may indirectly preserve the organization brand by preventing problems, but this is not its primary purpose.
Which component in an information system enables operations?
Logic tier Rationale: The logic tier contains the applications that use information in the data tier (databases, stored data) to perform operations (e.g., applicant tracking software, project management systems).
What demonstrates the use of artificial intelligence in an organization?
Machine learning chatbot that answers benefit questions and gets smarter as it collects more information Rationale: AI systems use machine learning over time to tailor answers to inquiries. A dashboard gathers data from various sources and compares it with defined performance indicators. Contractors represent human intelligence. The engagement is using advanced analytics to inspect data from varying but defined perspectives.
Social networks
Online clustering of individuals in groups with common or shared interests
To capitalize on innovation and collaboration, HR must balance certain issues. Which are the most challenging?
Openness and security Rationale: For effective information management, a balance must be struck between openness, in the form of easy access to a large amount of information, and the security of that information from those who would misuse it.
A HR business partner receives an e-mail from the director of finance, asking for tax documents for an employee who needs the forms promptly to obtain a mortgage. The business partner has never communicated with the director before, but the department policy is to respond promptly to internal customers. What should the business partner do?
Phone the individual's office and offer assistance. Rationale: This is a possible case of a spear-phishing attack, in which a cyber intruder asks for information or asks the recipient to click a link to a document or website. Any unusual request from an atypical sender should trigger suspicions and a cautious response. The safest course is to phone the extension number in the organization's directory and confirm the e-mail request. If it was a phishing attack, it should then be reported to the IT system manager.
How has big data revolutionized the way HR adds value to the organization?
Real-time processing provides up-to-date information. Rationale: Big data provides real-time information. Data is updated continuously, providing instant access to information needed for timely decisions.
Why are multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) tools particularly useful for teams who are purchasing HR technology?
Scoring can be adjusted to reflect an organization's unique technology needs. Rationale: MCDA tools weight specific purchase factors according to their importance to the organization. For example, the tool may weight scalability more heavily for an HR organization that anticipates growth in the near future. The tool is scalable in that it will accommodate more vendors, but that is not its most useful characteristic. It does not reduce risk or the need for research. The quality and comprehensiveness of the research will reduce the risk of making a poor decision.
Which should be a primary concern for employers regarding the "bring your own device" (BYOD) technology approach?
Security and data integrity threats Rationale: While asking people to bring their own devices can lower costs and improve efficiency, effectiveness, and morale, it also raises a host of security concerns. Many security scenarios raise the risk for the unauthorized disclosure or destruction of business data. Fortunately, most of these concerns can be addressed through a well-crafted policy.
Firewalls
Software and/or hardware that filters incoming and outgoing communication according to preset rules
Applicant tracking system (ATS)
Software application that automates organizations' management of the recruiting process (such as accepting application materials, screening applicants, etc.)
Which is a computer application distribution model in which a third-party provider makes the application available to contracted customers over the Internet?
Software as a service (SaaS) Rationale: SaaS is software that is owned, delivered, and managed remotely by one or more providers and is delivered over the Internet.
Software as a Service (SaaS)
Software that is owned, delivered, and managed remotely and delivered over the Internet to contracted customers on a pay-for-use basis or as a subscription based on use metrics.
Cloud computing
Style of computing in which scalable IT-enabled capabilities are delivered as a service using Internet technologies
Information system (IS)
Way to collect, organize, store, analyze, and share data
Which is a challenge when following a best-of-breed HRIS purchasing strategy?
Working with multiple vendors Rationale: Organizations that implement a best-of-breed (BOB) strategy pick the best applications for each HR functional area, working with one or more vendors. For example, the organization might use a recruiting solution from one vendor and a payroll system from another. Increased access for many users (such as employees, managers, health insurers, workers' compensation carriers, senior executives, job applicants, and regulatory agencies) may apply to BOB or integrated solutions.
An organization is entering the decline phase of its growth, and leaders are uncertain about its future. Still, all departments must continue to fulfill their tasks, now with a steadily decreasing head count. HR would like to purchase new technology that would support required productivity levels without new hiring. Would a software as a service (SaaS) technology meet this organization's needs?
Yes, because the service can be scaled to the organization's changing needs. Rationale: SaaS technology would meet this organization's needs because the service is generally priced according to the volume of use. Up-front costs are minimized, which fits with the limited cash flow in this type of organization and makes switching to another solution fairly simple. Another benefit of SaaS here is that, in most cases, it will not place a heavy burden on IT; the vendor performs most support tasks. The possible disadvantage is that integrating the software with existing technologies may be a challenge that IT cannot perform.
