HRM 260 Chapters 8-14

Which of the following performance-appraisal methods represents a combination of the graphic rating scale and the critical incident method?

A behaviorally anchored rating scale appraisal system

Samantha, a web content writer, is pursuing a course in creative writing alongside her job. She works in office for 10 hours a day for 4 days instead of working 8 hours a day for 5 days so that she has the flexibility of 3 days off a week. In this scenario, which of the following alternative work schedules has Samantha chosen?

A compressed workweek

Which of the following statements is true of the various theories of motivation?

A few of the theories conflict with each other.

Ricardo, a team leader, was impressed by the manner in which Keith, one of his team members, handled a technical problem in a software product. During the annual performance appraisal, Ricardo gave Keith a high rating because of his exceptional technical skills. Moreover, he gave Keith positive feedback and high ratings on all other aspects even though Keith is not a team player and is not punctual. Which of the following rating errors did Ricardo make in the given scenario?

A halo error

Gerald, a manager at an investment firm, is conducting performance appraisals for his subordinates. He is not satisfied with the communication skills of Alfred, one of his subordinates, and hence considers Alfred to be poor in all other aspects as well. As a result, he gives Alfred low ratings in all performance dimensions. Which of the following rating errors does Gerald make?

A horns error

In the context of union security agreements, which of the following agreements allows a nonunion member to be hired, although he or she must join the union within a specified time to keep his or her job?

A union shop agreement

Victor was a labor union president in the 1880s. His union represented various small craft unions. Victor rarely got involved in legislative and political activism. Instead, he put his efforts into improving working conditions and acquiring more beneficial labor contracts. In the given scenario, Victor was most likely the president of the:

American Federation of Labor.

Catherine feels completely drained and exhausted because of excessive work pressure. She is unable to effectively balance her professional and personal life. Hence, Catherine is both frustrated and dissatisfied. Which of the following consequences of employee stress is Catherine experiencing?

Burnout

Which of the following statements is true of nonmandated benefits?

Businesses may elect to provide these benefits in order to attract more qualified workers.

Which of the following is a factor that contributes to the gradual increase in the average age of U.S. workers?

Declining birthrates among the post-baby boom generations

In the context of workplace security, which of the following is designed to provide some income for employees who are temporarily unable to work?

Disability insurance

Eileen is the newly appointed team leader of the sales team at Bethet Inc. The senior manager, whom Eileen reports to, wants to gather information about how well she has been able to motivate her team to work effectively. In this case, who among the following would most likely be the best source of information?

Eileen's subordinates

Which of the following statements is true of a truly diverse organization?

Employees view themselves as members of the same organization.

Which of the following is a criticism of the standards created by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)?

Enforcement of OSHA standards is still relatively uneven.

In the context of the performance-appraisal process in an organization, which of the following is a role of the organization?

Ensuring that clear and specific performance standards are available to managers for rating employees

Which of the following are the areas in which agency theory is most often applied?

Executive compensation and executive incentive plans

In the context of compensation, which of the following terms refers to comparisons made by employees to others employed by different organizations performing similar jobs?

External equity

Which of the following is a major reason for the lack of global competitiveness by automakers in the United States?

High labor costs

Which of the following groups constitutes a distinct ethnic group in the United States?

Hispanics

Which of the following statements is true of work teams?

If work is designed to be done by teams, we cannot reward individuals in true teamwork settings.

In the context of the issues faced by older workers and the decision to retire, which of the following is a true statement?

Individuals are more likely to retire when they have the financial resources needed to maintain their preretirement lifestyles.

Which of the following is true of a 360-degree appraisal system?

It allows an organization to obtain information on an employee's performance from all perspectives.

Which of the following is true of the Taft-Hartley Act of 1947?

It conferred on the National Labor Relations Board the power to regulate unfair union practices.

Which of the following statements is true of the Cordwainer doctrine?

It declared that labor unions were in restraint of trade and thus illegal.

Which of the following statements is true of the Knights of Labor?

It expanded its membership to include workers in many different fields.

Which of the following statements is true of stress at work?

It generally increases during a period of layoffs.

Which of the following statements is true of diversity training?

It helps people gain insights into how their own behaviors affect and are interpreted by others.

Which of the following statements best describes the glass ceiling?

It is a barrier that keeps many females from advancing to top management positions in many organizations.

Which of the following statements best defines goal theory?

It is a motivation model based on the premise that people with goals work harder than people without goals.

Which of the following is a reason why organizations usually try to create and maintain a safe and healthy workplace?

It is an organization's ethical and social responsibility.

Which of the following statements is true of unemployment insurance?

It is funded by premiums paid by employers.

Which of the following statements is true of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) of 1974?

It makes vesting rights operational after 6 years of service at the most.

Which of the following statements is true of performance feedback?

It plays an important role in both behavior modification and goal setting.

Which of the following statements is true of the Landrum-Griffin Act?

It prohibits convicted felons from holding national union office.

Which of the following statements is true of telecommuting?

It provides employees with the ultimate in flexibility.

Which of the following statements best defines motivation?

It represents the forces operating on a person to exert effort, as well as the direction in which that effort will be exerted.

Which of the following statements is true of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA)?

It requires employers to keep standardized records of illnesses and injuries that occur in the workplace.

Which of the following is a true statement about performance feedback?

It should provide developmental feedback targeted at an individual's behavior, not on the individual.

Which of the following statements is true of ERG theory?

It substituted three levels of needs for Maslow's five levels of needs.

Which of the following statements is true of Maslow's hierarchy of needs?

It suggests that only one level of need is capable of motivating behavior at any given time.

Which of the following statements is true of the point system for job evaluation?

It typically evaluates 8-10 compensable factors for each job.

Which of the following statements is true of a labor union?

It works toward achieving job-related goals such as acquiring higher wages.

Which of the following is a method for determining the relative value or worth of a job to an organization so that individuals who perform that job can be compensated adequately and appropriately?

Job evaluation

Which of the following statements is true of benefits programs?

Most experts argue that money spent on benefits programs affects job satisfaction and subsequent turnover.

Which of the following refers to the extent to which information on the compensation of any individual in an organization is formally made available to other individuals?

Pay secrecy

In the context of the causes of stress at work, which of the following organizational stressors relate to the job setting?

Physical demands

In Maslow's hierarchy of needs, which of the following needs include a person's need for food and water?

Physiological needs

Which of the following refers to the situation in which a behavior is followed by desired consequences and thus is likely to be repeated?

Positive reinforcement

Which of the following describes compensation on a monthly or annual basis and compensates employees not for how much time they spend in the organization but for their overall contributions to the organization's performance?

Salaries

Which of the following rewards employees for acquiring new expertise?

Skill-based pay

According to Maslow's hierarchy of needs, which of the following needs include the need to have meaningful interactions and relationships with others?

Social needs

Which of the following statements is true of female employees in the United States?

Some male managers are reluctant to promote female managers.

In the context of evaluating performance-enhancement programs, which of the following is a financial and accounting indicator?

Stock prices

Neil, a market research analyst, works for a company based in a different city. As he lives at a considerable distance from his office, he chooses to do most of his work from home. He receives assignments electronically and does not need to travel to work every day. In this scenario, which of the following work arrangements has Neil most likely chosen?

Telecommuting

Which of the following statements is true of alternative work arrangements?

The AFL-CIO has complained that work-at-home arrangements allow management to impose unfair working conditions on employees.

In the context of unionization in the United States, which of the following labor unions was founded in 1886 and was focused on improved working conditions rather than getting involved in legislative and political activities?

The American Federation of Labor

In the context of unionization in the United States, which of the following labor unions was established in the late 1930s and was focused on organizing employees by industry, regardless of their craft, skills, or occupation?

The Congress of Industrial Organizations

Which of the following acts was passed in the year 1959 and focused on eliminating various unethical, illegal, and undemocratic union practices?

The Landrum-Griffin Act

Which of the following agencies was established to administer the provisions of the Wagner Act?

The National Labor Relations Board

Which of the following departments created the safety standards that are defined as "practices, means, operations, or processes, reasonably necessary to provide safe ... employment"?

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration

Which of the following departments is responsible for enforcing the provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA)?

The U.S. Department of Labor

Which of the following acts was passed in 1935 and gives workers the legal right to form unions, to bargain collectively with management, and to engage in group activities such as strikes to accomplish their goals?

The Wagner Act

Which of the following statements is true of the age distribution of workers in the United States?

The average age of U.S. workers is gradually increasing.

Which of the following factors accounts for the increased diversity in organizations?

The globalization movement

The managers of an organization are given an employee evaluation form that has many questions and several options for each question. One such question is as follows:The employee shows initiative in improving work quality. - Strongly agree - Agree - Neither agree nor disagree - Disagree - Strongly disagree The managers are asked to select the most appropriate option. In the given scenario, which of the following methods of performance appraisal is the organization using?

The graphic rating scale

Which of the following phases of career planning requires that people analyze carefully what they perceive to be their own abilities, competencies, skills, and goals?

The individual assessment phase

Jaylynn, a manager, is evaluating the performance of his team members by contrasting each member with every other member, one at a time. Which of the following performance-appraisal methods is Jaylynn using in the given scenario?

The paired-comparison method

Which of the following statements is true of the ethnic composition in nonprofessional occupations?

The percentage of African American firefighters has increased over the last 7-8 years.

Aaron, the marketing lead of a newspaper, has been instructed by his manager to increase the number of advertisements published in the newspaper. To achieve this, he instructs his team members to bring in at least 10 new clients every month. During the performance appraisals of Aaron's team members, which of the following performance dimensions should be given the most preference?

The team members' achievement of sales targets

In the context of evaluating performance-enhancement programs, which of the following is an HR indicator?

The turnover rate of a company

Which of the following statements correctly reflects a shift in the nature of modern labor unions?

There has been a decline in union membership in the United States due to aggressive antiunionization strategies undertaken by companies.

Which of the following statements is true of above-market pay policies?

They are likely to foster a culture of elitism and competitive superiority.

Which of the following statements is true of organizational citizenship behaviors?

They are never stated as formal requirements of a job.

Which of the following statements is true of flexible work hour plans?

They are often not feasible in organizations that rely heavily on teams.

Which of the following statements is true of incentive compensation systems?

They are practical only when performance can be measured easily and objectively.

In the context of reinforcement theory, which of the following statements is true of continuous schedules?

They involve the shortest amount of learning time.

Which of the following statements is true of craft unions?

They limited themselves to representing groups of workers who performed common and specific skilled jobs.

Which of the following statements is true of compressed workweeks?

They presumably make it less likely that an employee will lose work time to deal with personal business.

Which of the following statements is true of performance appraisals based on behaviors?

They tend to be based on job analysis.

Which of the following groups of industries constituted the most dangerous occupations in the United States in 2014 in terms of fatal accidents at work?

Trade, transportation, and utilities

Which of the following terms refers to people leaving their jobs, whether voluntarily or involuntarily?

Turnover

Ralph, a sales representative in a car showroom, was fired from his job because he could not meet the monthly sales targets over the past 6 months. He is currently looking for another job. Which of the following mandated benefits can Ralph avail until he finds another job?

Unemployment insurance

Which of the following is a difference between diversity management and equal employment opportunity?

Unlike equal employment opportunity, diversity management places a heavier emphasis on appreciating and reasonably accommodating the differences among people at work.

Which of the following statements is true of motivation?

Up to a point, high levels of motivation can compensate for lower levels of ability.

Kate, a data entry operator at U-pin Technologies, is stressed because of the monotony of her job. Which of the following strategies is most likely to help Kate alleviate her stress and improve her productivity?

Using personal stereos

Which of the following refers to hourly compensation paid to operating employees?

Wages

In the context of mandated protection programs, which of the following covers individuals who suffer a job-related illness or accident?

Workers' compensation

Andrea, a junior-level employee, decides to quit her job at the pharmaceutical company she has been working at for the past 12 years. However, the fact that Andrea is a talented and efficient employee makes it hard for the company's management to let her go. Therefore, the management offers her a deal in which Andrea will be entitled to some of the company's shares provided she remains with the company for another 2 years. If she leaves before this period is over, she will not have any claim over her shares in the company. In the given scenario, Andrea's company offers her _____.

a stock-purchase plan

A guaranteed amount of money that an employee will be paid is called the employee's _____.

base salary

When a supervisor works to simultaneously eliminate undesired behavior and reward desired behavior, it is known as _____.

behavior modification

The various rewards, incentives, and other things of value that an organization provides to its employees beyond their wages, salaries, and other forms of direct financial compensation are known as _____.

benefits

Individuals high in self-esteem are:

better able to cope with any stress they encounter.

The natural cycles that indicate when a body needs to eat or sleep are called _____.

circadian rhythms

The process by which managers and union leaders negotiate acceptable terms and conditions of employment for those workers represented by the unions is called _____.

collective bargaining

The set of rewards that organizations provide to individuals in return for their willingness to perform various jobs and tasks within the organization is known as _____.

compensation

Safety hazards refer to:

conditions in the work environment that have the potential to cause harm to an employee.

Ralph, an intern in a manufacturing company, comes up with a new idea of revolutionizing the manufacturing process for a gear assembly, thus minimizing the costs and manufacturing time associated with the process. In this scenario, Ralph's idea is most likely a result of _____.

creative behavior

The ultimate test of an organization's commitment to managing diversity is its _____.

culture

Josephine, a senior manager at an advertising firm, has cut back on her work responsibilities and has lately been losing complete interest in her job. She wants to spend more time with her family and pursue her hobbies. As a result, she is thinking about leaving her job and taking up part-time work. In the context of the traditional model of career stages, Josephine is most likely in the _____.

disengagement stage of her career

Which of the following statements is true of the establishment stage of a traditional career?

either a. It is the third stage of a traditional career. b. It involves optimizing talents and capabilities. d. It generally encompasses an individual's late twenties through mid- to late thirties.

Which of the following was a weakness of the American Federation of Labor (AF of L)?

either a. Its focus on legislative and political activities that affected workers c. Its focus on accepting only skilled craftspersons for specifically defined jobs d. Its focus on organizing employees by industry, regardless of their skills

Bianca is a product engineer at Argon Inc. She learns that the salary she receives is less than that received by the other product engineers in the company with similar qualifications and job experience as hers. As a result, she becomes unhappy with her compensation and feels demotivated. She later talks to her manager and asks for a raise. In this scenario, Bianca has experienced problems with _____.

internal equity

In the context of organizational stressors, stress due to a lack of concern from an employee's leader can be categorized as a(n) _____.

interpersonal demand

Pay compression is likely to occur in an organization if an experienced employee's salary:

is not much more than that of an entry-level employee.

Managers of organizations frequently feel that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) represents unnecessary regulation of their activities because:

it publishes lengthy and voluminous reinterpretations of various existing health standards each year.

The redesigning technique that attempts to increase both the number of tasks a worker does and the control the worker has over the tasks is called _____.

job enrichment

Jessica works at a hospital as a receptionist on Monday and Thursday, as an attendant on Tuesday and Friday, and as a clerk on Wednesday. Her manager assigns different tasks to her through the week to keep her motivated and satisfied. In this scenario, the redesigning technique that Jessica's manager uses to increase her work satisfaction is:

job rotation.

A halo error is a rating error that occurs when:

one positive performance characteristic of an employee causes the rater to rate all other aspects of the employee's performance positively.

Laura is a layout artist at an advertising agency and has been part of the organization for 5 years. However, she earns less than Andrea, a digital artist who has been in the organization for only 3 years. This is because digital advertising is the latest trend in the advertising industry, and hence, there is a huge demand for digital designers in the market. The given scenario is an example of _____.

pay inversion

Managing diversity in an organization starts with the:

policies that the organization adopts because they directly or indirectly affect how people are treated.

Organizations can focus on safe behavior by:

providing training and rewards for employees who engage in safe behavior.

Safety engineers are experts who:

recommend solutions for dealing with dangerous situations at workplaces.

Sonia, a sales executive at Westrek Inc., is specific about what she wants from her workplace. She wants to be part of an environment that is free from workplace harassment. In the context of Maslow's hierarchy of needs, this scenario illustrates Sonia's _____.

security needs

Jennifer, a content developer, gives her best at any task assigned to her and tries to surpass her own potential to complete the task. In the context of Maslow's hierarchy of needs, this scenario illustrates Jennifer's _____.

self-actualization needs

Crezenth Inc., an American cosmetics company, decides to have African American models in its next advertising campaign instead of white females, who are commonly used in its competitors' advertisements. Through this advertising campaign, Crezenth would facilitate _____.

social change

In the context of reinforcement theory, a stimulus is:

something in the environment that cues us about a behavior. Hide Feedback

Wong walks by a bulletin board that advertises a fast food brand. The advertisement reminds him that he is hungry, and he wants to buy a snack. In the context of reinforcement theory, the advertisement serves as a(n) _____.

stimulus

A central tendency error occurs when a manager:

tends to rate all employees as average.

In the context of multicultural organizations, full structural integration suggests that:

the diversity within an organization is an accurate reflection of the organization's external labor market.

In the context of the contributions of diversity to the competitiveness of an organization, the edge of having multiple perspectives and new ways of doing things is:

the focus of the creativity argument.

A horns error is a rating error that occurs when:

the rater downgrades other aspects of an employee's performance because of a single performance dimension.

Bruce Wang, an employee at Kknox Inc., a small apparel manufacturing company, has been elected by the members of the local union to act as a mediator between the management of the company and the union members in case of disputes. Bruce conveys the demands of the union to the management and also informs the union members about company policies. In the given scenario, Bruce Wang is:

the shop steward of the local union at Kknox Inc.

An example of a health hazard is _____.

toxic fumes

In the context of union security agreements, a closed shop refers to a:

workplace in which only workers who are already union members may be hired by the employer.

Which of the following is a new trend in bargaining perspectives between labor unions and management?

Bargaining situations are often characterized by demands for improved job security.

Identify the final step in effective career planning.

Career counseling

LyTops, an apparel manufacturer in the United States, wants to achieve competitive advantage by expanding its business to Russia, India, and China. The company hires people from each of these countries to better understand how to design and make clothes for the people identifying with the cultures of these countries. Which of the following arguments of how diversity contributes to competitiveness most likely supports LyTops' decision to hire a diverse workforce?

either a. The marketing argument c. The systems flexibility argument d. The problem-solving argument

Which of the following statements is true of flexible work hour plans?

either a. They are believed to increase job satisfaction. c. They require employees to travel during peak commuting times. d. They tend to reduce an employer's trust in an employee.

In the context of the job characteristics approach, task identity is the:

either a. extent to which a worker does a complete portion of the total job. b. extent to which a worker knows how well a task is being performed. d. perceived importance of a job.

In the years immediately after Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act was passed, many HR managers operated under the assumption that they were required by law to:

either a. hire knowledge workers from the underprivileged sections of society. c. treat everyone equally. d. promote people of African American and Hispanic origins.

According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), an organization cannot discriminate against a person with a disability as long as:

either c. the person's disability is not mental, physically obvious, or disfiguring. d. the person's disability is curable. a. the person can perform the essential functions of a job with or without a reasonable accommodation.

In the context of the actions that individuals can take to deal with diversity, the ability to understand the perspective of others is called

empathy

Group-level reward systems in which employees are gradually given a major stake in the proprietorship of a corporation are called _____.

employee stock ownership plans

Treating people within an organization fairly and taking actions that do not discriminate against people in protected classes on the basis of some illegal criterion is called _____.

equal employment opportunity

Mike, a sales representative, wants to become a sales manager. To become a manager, he ensures that he works harder and performs better than his competitors. In the context of Maslow's hierarchy of needs, this scenario illustrates Mike's _____.

esteem needs

Need-based theories of motivation:

focus on what motivates a person.

In the context of motivation and needs, Maslow's theory is useful because it:

focuses on needs and suggests that not everyone would be motivated by the same set of needs at any one time.

Performance management is the:

general set of activities carried out by an organization to improve employee performance.

Hamid, a 68-year-old man, recently retired from a corporate company as a language trainer. He now tutors school children to cover his monthly expenses. Additionally, Hamid also receives some income from the government. This income is based on his average monthly salary that he used to earn, weighted toward the latter years of his career. In the given scenario, Hamid most likely receives:

income under the Social Security system.

Barryst Inc. evaluates the performance of all its employees at the end of a project term. It provides financial rewards to all the employees who maintain a productivity of 105 percent or more at the end of the term. In this scenario, to reward its employees, Barryst Inc. uses a(n) _____.

individual incentive plan