chapter 8
Ahmed, the head of human resources (HR), is reviewing a five-year strategic plan that projects 15% annual sales growth. Based on this projection, the human resource department estimates that the company will need an additional 75 employees during the plan period. Which HR planning tool did Ahmed use to identify this need? a. Job analysis b. Forecasting c. Employee information system d. Recruiting
b
At Zereth's company, all the drivers are unionized. However, the drivers feel that the union is not representing the workers appropriately and that they could receive better pay and benefits without a union. What step might these drivers take to remove the union? a. Sign authorization cards. b. Hold a decertification election. c. Engage in collective bargaining. d. File a grievance
b
Which of the following is a legally required benefit? a. Pay for time not worked b. Workers' compensation c. Retirement plans d. Day care
b
Who is responsible for the enforcement of Title VII? a. National Labor Relations Board b. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission c. Department of Labor d. U.S. Supreme Court
b
An advantage of the realistic job preview is that _____. a. interviewers can familiarize themselves with candidates before interviewing them b. it is fair to members of minority groups and women c. the person hired will be more likely to remain in the job for a longer period of time d. it introduces consistency into the interview procedure
c
Apoorva is designing a training program for her account managers. She wants them to learn new skills in interpersonal contact and group decision making. Which type of training should Apoorva consider? a. Presentations b. Vestibule training c. Role-playing d. Case studies
c
Pay for sick leave, workers' compensation, and pension plans are examples of _____. a. wages b. salaries c. benefits d. incentives
c
What is the first step in developing a training plan? a. Determining motivation levels b. Determining which training methods are available c. Determining what needs exist d. Determining which training methods work best for current needs
c
Which of the following best describes affirmative action? a. Affirmative action prevents race, sex, age, and nationality discrimination of an organization's employees. b. Affirmative action ensures that employees hired are from a culture similar to that of an organization's existing employees. c. Affirmative action is intentionally hiring qualified employees from underrepresented racial, sexual, and ethnic groups in a firm. d. Affirmative action requires an equal salary be paid to men and women for doing the same job.
c
At TruTech Enterprises, the managers are evaluated by their boss, their peers, and their subordinates. This is known as _____. a. performance feedback b. the recency effect c. a halo error d. 360-degree feedback
d
Based on the Americans with Disabilities Act, what must employers do for disabled employees? a. Provide up to 12 weeks unpaid leave for medical emergencies b. Pay men and women who perform similar jobs the same c. Pay unlimited punitive damages for violations d. Provide reasonable accommodation
d
What contributed to the decline in union membership in the mid-1950s? a. Strengthening of the manufacturing sector b. Decreased globalization c. Fears of job insecurity d. Increased standard of living
d
What has changed human resource management (HRM) into an area of growing importance for most firms? a. Haphazard compensation systems b. Unionization of many industries c. Decreased productivity due to human interaction d. Increased legal complexities
d
What is the process of attracting qualified individuals to apply for jobs that are open? a. Validation b. External recruiting c. Skills inventory d. Recruiting
d
When Jewel is interviewing candidates for a job opening, what can she use to help predict the future success of a candidate? a. Application form b. Interviews c. Replacement chart d. Tests
d
When a wronged employee discusses an alleged contract violation with the immediate supervisor, which process has been initiated? a. Collective bargaining b. The union-organizing process c. Arbitration d. A grievance procedure
d
When visiting a customer's manufacturing site, Teresita was given a hard hat and safety glasses. She was told she must wear them at all times while on the plant floor. Which act mandates the provision of safe working conditions? a. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act b. Fair Labor Standards Act c. National Labor Relations Act d. Occupational Safety and Health Act
d
Which of the following allows the assessment of an employee on one dimension to spread to ratings of that employee on other dimensions? a. Confirmation bias b. Outcome bias c. Recency error d. Halo error
d
Which of the following describes furloughing? a. Reducing the number of employees at the firm b. Cutting salary but requiring employees to work the same number of hours c. Paying more than the local prevailing wages d. Reducing pay and hours but keeping benefits
d
Aisha's organization uses special performance tests, which are then supplemented by other appraisal methods. Why would her firm use these types of tests? a. To measure motivation b. To measure ability c. To provide validity d. To determine which type of training is needed
a
As a web developer, Nila usually meets her deadlines and creates error-free websites. In the month prior to her performance appraisal, she missed two deadlines, and one of her pages crashed repeatedly during normal use. Although Nila met all of the standards for her job position, she received a poor rating on her performance appraisal. What does this illustrate? a. Recency error b. Halo error c. Ranking error d. 360-degree feedback
a
Aviva's company frequently needs a software specialist to update its highly unique computer systems. Aviva is trying to determine if she should pay the high salary and benefits of a full-time employee or use a contingent employee when needed. What is one reason Aviva would reject the idea of using a contingent workforce? a. The high cost of training b. The high cost of labor c. The high need for flexibility d. The high need for knowledge
a
Eli, a 50-year-old computer expert, applied at a software firm, but he was not given the job. He was told that the firm was looking for someone who can design software for the younger generation, who use mobile technology. Which act did this firm violate? a. Age Discrimination in Employment Act b. Affirmative Action c. Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 d. Labor-Management Relations Act
a
Employment requirements such as test scores or other qualifications are legally defined as having an adverse impact when _____. a. minority group members meet or pass a selection standard at a rate less than 80 percent of the pass rate of majority group members b. minority group members meet or pass a selection standard at a rate less than 50 percent of the pass rate of majority group members c. minority group members are promoted at a higher rate than majority group members d. minority group members are required to take the test, while majority group members are not
a
How does a new union organize itself? a. By officially signing up members and electing officers b. By going to arbitration c. By defining a bargaining unit d. By collecting employee signatures on authorization cards
a
Issues of wages, work hours, job security, and discipline are handled through the process of _____. a. collective bargaining b. petitions to the NLRB c. signing authorization cards d. labor relations
a
Lock & Key is a large maker of security systems for commercial offices. One of the factors used to measure the performance of the service and installation team is unsolicited feedback from key accounts. Management ranks team members according to who receives the most positive customer responses over a 12-month period. Which type of appraisal method is Lock & Key using? a. Judgmental b. Objective c. Specialized test d. Output
a
Raphael and some coworkers feel their manager should provide more in overtime opportunities, and they are concerned about costs of health insurance. They are talking about the need for a union. To proceed in this direction, the next step for Raphael and his fellow employees would involve _____. a. authorization cards b. a decertification election c. collective bargaining d. a grievance procedure
a
Sales commissions and bonuses represent special compensation opportunities that are usually tied to performance, and they are examples of _____. a. incentives b. wages c. salary d. benefits
a
The Fair Labor Standards Act _____. a. requires the payment of overtime rates for work in excess of 40 hours per week b. requires that men and women be paid the same amount for doing the same job c. regulates how organizations manage their pension funds d. sets up a procedure for employees to vote on whether to have a union
a
To manage its growing employee base, East Spring Company has created a new department that is responsible for attracting and retaining a qualified workforce. This action demonstrates the company's commitment to invest in which type of capital? a. Human b. Financial c. Physical d. Organizational
a
What can be used to show an appraisal system accurately measures performance instead of traits or behaviors not relevant to job performance? a. Content validation b. Objective measures c. Judgmental methods d. Predictive validation
a
What do organizations use to attempt to assess the worth of each job relative to other jobs? a. Job evaluation b. Compensation c. Indirect compensation d. Labor relations
a
What is the management process of dealing with employees who are represented by a union? a. Labor relations b. Human resource management c. Human capital d. Collective bargaining
a
What is the purpose of the collective bargaining process? a. To agree on a labor contract b. To secure pay raises for workers c. To acknowledge the union as the collective bargaining unit d. To ensure strikes or other work stoppages are avoided
a
When a firm is setting actual wages on the basis of survey data and wage structures, what can be used to manage the administration of the wage process? a. Group jobs of equal value into wage grades. b. Individual wage decisions should be addressed. c. Job evaluations should be conducted. d. Determine average wages in local labor markets.
a
Where can a recruiter or manager get information about an applicant's previous work history? a. Application form b. Replacement chart c. Job description d. Test results
a
Which of the following job elements is listed under the job specification? a. Abilities b. Tools c. Working conditions d. Equipment
a
Which of the following refers to teaching managers and professionals the skills needed for both present and future jobs? a. Development b. Training c. Coaching d. Reinforcement
a
Which of the following reflects the organization's investment in attracting, retaining, and motivating an effective workforce? a. Human capital b. Training c. Employment-at-will d. Development
a
Which type of decision addresses what to pay each specific employee in a particular job? a. Individual wage decision b. Wage-structure decision c. Wage-level decision d. Job evaluation
a
Zero Defect Machinery (ZDM) has very few women working on the plant floor, and all managers are men. This raises concerns that ZDM may be violating _____. a. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act b. the Fair Labor Standards Act c. the National Labor Relations Act d. the Occupational Safety and Health Act
a
Based on a Supreme Court ruling, it is illegal to make discriminatory action against the LGBTQ community. Which act did the Supreme Court make this decision based on? a. Title VII b. Civil Rights Act of 1964 c. Americans with Disabilities Act d. Labor-Management Relations Act
b
Benjamin needs to hire a new staff member. How could he benefit from using a skills inventory to find his new hire? a. It can list the duties of a job, the job's working conditions, and the tools, materials, and equipment used to perform it. b. It can quickly locate all the employees in the organization who are qualified to fill the position. c. It identifies each important managerial position in the organization, who occupies it, how long he or she will probably remain in the position, and who is or will be a qualified fill-in. d. It outlines the skills, abilities, and other credentials needed to do the job.
b
By the year 2019, about what percent of the U.S. workforce belonged to unions? a. 5.5 percent b. 10.3 percent c. 25.5 percent d. 50.5 percent
b
Dajhia's firm uses a variety of testing and interview practices. Dajhia wants to determine how good those tools are at predicting which employees will be successful on the job. What should Dajhia use to measure how well the selection device predicts future job performance? a. Interviews b. Validation c. Application forms d. Realistic job previews
b
Declines in union labor occurred because of downward trends in _____. a. standards of living b. manufacturing sectors c. globalization d. job insecurity
b
Geert's company conducted a wage survey and set its wages at just the industry average for the local area. This was done so it could attract and retain high-talent employees. Which type of HRM decision was this? a. Salary compensation b. Wage-level c. Wage structure d. Indirect compensation
b
How can an organization test the effectiveness of its training programs? a. Comparing performance to those who have not had training b. Measuring criteria before and after training c. Surveying employees on how much they enjoyed the training d. Evaluation measures at the end of training
b
Hua's firm does not allow a manager to make more than three times what the manager's lowest paid direct report earns. Which type of pay decision is this? a. Wage level b. Wage structure c. Individual wage d. Benefit level
b
In addition to their hourly rate, the production line workers at Theta Corp. are paid an extra amount for each unit they produce above the weekly quota. This extra money is a(n) _____. a. salary b. incentive c. raise d. wage
b
In what way do professional union organizers try to convince workers of the benefits of a union? a. Collecting authorization cards b. Distributing literature c. Contacting the National Labor Relations Board d. Establishing a potential bargaining unit
b
Jinhoon works for a small firm, and it cannot afford to hire software programmers on a full-time basis. However, when he has special projects, he has a list of programmers he calls to work on them. Jinhoon pays them either a flat rate or by the hour, but he does not guarantee work or provide benefits. Which type of workers does Jinhoon use for these special projects? a. Internal b. Contingent c. Employment-at-will d. Human capital
b
Julius knows how costly it can be when the wrong person is hired for a position. To help minimize hiring mistakes, Julius tries to ensure the candidate knows as much as possible about the position for which he or she is applying. What is Julius using to help provide an accurate idea of the job? a. Predictive validation b. Realistic job preview c. Content validation d. Employee information systems
b
Kamiya has been asked to forecast the supply of labor available for an upcoming project. What should Kamiya include in her forecast? a. Turnover and promotions b. Internal and external supply c. Replacement of managerial positions d. Skills and abilities of current employees
b
Lupita is attempting to determine how much each job in the organization is worth compared to other jobs. She will use this to make wage-structure decisions. What should Lupita use to make this assessment? a. Wage grades b. Job evaluations c. Seniority systems d. Cafeteria plans
b
Lupita knows she must pay her plant floor workers overtime when they work more than 40 hours per week. She also knows that she does not have to pay her managers overtime; however, she is uncertain about her front-line supervisors and team leaders. Which act should Lupita review to find answers to this issue? a. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act b. Fair Labor Standards Act c. National Labor Relations Act d. Equal Pay Act of 1963
b
Montazar has been asked to update the nature of jobs in his department, including tools, information, and equipment employees use. What has Montazar been asked to update? a. Realistic job preview b. Job description c. Skills inventory d. Job specification
b
Nour has identified future staffing needs and is now comparing those to internal supply. What is Nour hoping to determine by making this comparison? a. How and where to recruit b. Potential shortfalls or overstaffing c. Internal recruiting sources d. A realistic job preview
b
What is the compensation paid for total contributions, instead of hours worked? a. Incentives b. Salary c. Commissions d. Wages
b
What is the purpose of arbitration during a contract dispute? a. To force management to uphold the spirit of the union contract b. To resolve contract disputes c. To supervise the election process d. To arrange and manage the decertification process
b
What is the set of organizational activities directed at attracting, developing, and maintaining an effective workforce? a. Human capital b. Human resource management c. Recruiting d. Affirmative action
b
When an agreement for a labor contract has been reached, what must occur before it becomes binding? a. The collective bargaining unit must be identified. b. It must be ratified by membership. c. Employees must be given a chance to opt out of unionization. d. The National Labor Relations Board will certify the election.
b
When preparing to interview a candidate for a leadership position, Woojin, the HR director, gave each interviewer a set of questions to ask. What did this structured approach to the interview process provide Woojin and his firm? a. Insight to how candidates relate to managerial and nonmanagerial staff b. The ability to validate the content of questions being asked c. The opportunity to eliminate bias d. The ability to test for knowledge, skills, and abilities
b
Which act set up procedures that would allow employees to vote on whether they want to have a union? a. Labor-Management Relations Act b. The Wagner Act c. Civil Rights Act of 1991 d. Employment-at-will Act
b
Which of the following can a firm use to measure and manage the internal supply of labor so that it best fits the needs of the organization? a. Skills inventories b. Enterprise resource planning systems c. Replacement charts d. Job analysis
b
Which of the following is a disadvantage of internal recruiting? a. Having to post the job with the union b. Its ripple effect through the organization c. Managers needing to make the recommendations d. Expensive hiring incentives
b
Which of the following is true of a good benefit plan? a. It will stimulate higher performance levels. b. It will encourage people to join an organization. c. It should include redundancies in coverage. d. It is generally inexpensive to buy and administer.
b
Which of the following is true of ranking, a common method of employee appraisal? a. It compares employees against a fixed standard. b. It compares employees directly with each other and orders them from best to worst. c. It uses a standardized condition to assess employees. d. It provides useful information for feedback because it details the quality of one's work.
b
Which of the following lists each important managerial position, who occupies it, and how long he or she will probably stay in it before moving on? a. Employee information system b. Replacement chart c. Skills inventory d. Job specification
b
Which of the following makes judgmental methods of performance review, such as ranking, difficult and potentially ineffective? a. Relevant performance criteria must be developed, then anchored to specific behaviors. b. The do not account for individual strengths and weaknesses. c. Employees are compared based on a fixed standard. d. There is an opportunity for recency error.
b
Which type of decision is a management policy decision about whether a firm wants to pay above, at, or below the going rate for labor in the industry or the geographic area? a. Wage structure b. Wage-level c. Job evaluation d. Individual wage
b
Yui needs to conduct an assessment of how well employees are doing their jobs so that she can determine training needs. What should Yui use? a. Recency error b. Performance appraisal c. Validation d. Job analysis
b
Arayla was working on performance reviews for her staff. While she was working on them, she was interrupted by a call from a client who wanted to share with Arayla how much they enjoyed working with the new account manager Arayla assigned to them. How might this information cause Arayla to make a halo error on that employee's performance appraisal? a. If a special performance test is used to assess her performance b. If recent performance is weighed more heavily to assess her performance c. If the feedback is used to assess her performance across multiple dimensions d. If 360-degree feedback is used to assess her performance across multiple dimensions
c
Aviva fell at work and broke her foot. Which type of benefit can she expect from her employer? a. Pay for time not worked b. Health insurance c. Workers' compensation d. Social Security
c
Before the National Labor Relations Board will agree to hold an election, how many employees in the potential bargaining unit must express interest in the unionization of the work? a. 50 percent plus one b. 50 percent c. 30 percent d. 20 percent
c
Bhavik and his coworkers were interested in having the plant become unionized. After signing up members and electing officers, the next step for Bhavik and his fellow employees involves _____. a. authorization cards b. a decertification election c. collective bargaining d. a grievance procedure
c
For employees to form a new local union, several things must occur. First, employees must become interested in having a union. The second step is to _____. a. have the union sign up members and elect officers b. undertake collective bargaining over the first labor contract c. collect employees' signatures on authorization cards d. sign labor contracts
c
In what way is the tangible measure of the value of a person to the organization expressed? a. In wages b. With benefits c. With compensation d. In career planning
c
Manoj appraises his staff's performance by measuring their actual output. What might keep those appraisals from being fair? a. Recency error b. Halo error c. Opportunity bias d. 360-degree feedback
c
Membership in labor unions _____. a. began to increase in the 1950s b. was highest in the 1930s c. increased during a recession in 2008 d. increased due to globalization
c
Olesia needed to take a leave of absence from work to take care of her child who had been in a car accident. She estimated she would need six weeks off and didn't have enough vacation time. What should Olesia do to protect her position while caring for her son? a. File a claim under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. b. File a grievance under the Labor-Management Relations Act. c. Take a leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act. d. Take a leave under the Occupational Safety and Health Act.
c
Paramita's firm provides tuition assistance for any of its employees who take approved courses to either help them in their jobs or toward a degree. This is an example of what? a. A bonus b. An incentive c. An employee service benefit d. An insurance benefit
c
The firefighters in several cities in the area have been working long hours, and they feel they are underpaid. They have been picketing for increased wages, additional staff, and fewer hours. However, they are considered essential to the security of the country. What can be done to force them back to work? a. Enforce Executive Order 11246. b. Enforce the National Labor Relations Act. c. Enforce the National Emergency Strike provision. d. File a claim with the Department of Labor.
c
What is a consideration of current employees as candidates for openings? a. Job analysis b. Validation c. Internal recruiting d. External recruiting
c
What is typically the last step in most performance appraisal systems? a. Determining training needs b. Gathering 360-degree feedback c. Providing feedback to employees d. Providing development
c
When a new position in her collective bargaining unit opened up, Anke thought she should get the position because she had similar experience at a previous job. However, the job went to someone who had more seniority, but less skill. Anke thought this was unfair. What is the first thing Anke should do to ensure the contract was enforced correctly? a. Arrange a decertification process. b. Go on strike. c. File a grievance. d. Ask an arbitrator to review the decision.
c
Which act requires employment decisions be made on the basis of a person's qualifications rather than on personal bias? a. National Labor Relations Act b. Civil Rights Act of 1991 c. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 d. Americans with Disabilities Act
c
Which issue has become a legal battleground specifically in the arena of contingent workers who have made the argument that they are contingent in name only? a. Following company rules b. Wearing company uniforms c. Receiving benefits d. Setting salaries
c
Because of the tight labor market, Payal is having a difficult time attracting and keeping employees for the plant. The company's human resources department has decided to set its pay scale 10 percent above similar jobs in the region. Which type of HR function is Payal's firm using? a. Planning b. Developing c. Assessing d. Retaining
d
Because the Age Discrimination in Employment Act and Title VII do not require employers to seek out and hire minorities, but to treat all who apply fairly, they are said to require _____. a. active discrimination b. active nondiscrimination c. passive discrimination d. passive nondiscrimination
d
Both Avec and her husband work for the same employer and are eligible for the same benefits package. Their employer offers a cafeteria plan. What will this type of plan provide Avec and her husband? a. Additional Social Security benefits b. Reduced cost for benefits c. Additional vacation time d. The option to choose benefits that work best for them
d
Darien has just finished a job analysis of the key positions in his department. When he presented it to HR, they asked Darien to also identify job specifications. What should Darien include in the job specification section? a. Duties b. Working conditions c. Tools d. Skills
d
How does BARS overcome some of the limitations of standard rating scales? a. The manager sets a point on each scale that best reflects her or his assessment of the employee on that scale. b. The employee's boss, peers, and subordinates all provide ratings. c. It considers information only from the employee's most recent performance. d. Each point on the scale is accompanied by a behavioral anchor.
d
In order for the union to become certified, how many votes must it get during the ballot process? a. Two-thirds of all eligible voters b. A simple majority of all eligible voters c. Two-thirds of all those who voted d. A simple majority of all those who voted
d
Once an organization has an idea of its future human resource needs, what is its next step? a. Job analysis b. Forecasting c. Skills inventory d. Recruiting
d
Which of the following is a type of contingent workers? a. Arbitrators b. Knowledge workers c. Entrepreneurs d. Independent contractors
d
Which of the following is an example of an employee service benefit? a. Disability income b. Social Security c. Medical insurance d. Recreational opportunities
d
Which of the following is an indirect form of discrimination? a. Refusing to hire male preschool teachers b. Refusing to promote women to construction crew leaders c. Refusing to promote Latinos to management positions d. Refusing to promote employees who do not pass a test on which men score significantly better than women
d
Who makes up a bargaining unit? a. All employees of the organization b. Those employees who sign authorization cards c. Those employees who are hourly workers d. All employees eligible to vote in the election
d
