HRTM 344 - Professional Organization and Supervision
Which of the following tests assess how well a person can learn or acquire skills and abilities? A. Personality inventories tests B. Work sample tests C. Achievement tests D. Aptitude tests E. Physical ability tests
D. Aptitude tests
The _____ is a federal law that requires employers to permit employees or their dependents to extend their health insurance coverage at group rates for up to 36 months following a qualifying event, such as a layoff, reduction in hours, or the employee's death. A. Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) B. Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) C. Social Security Act D. Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) E. Sarbanes-Oxley Act
D. Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA)
Which of the following is a condition that contributes to high performance? A. Employees' rewards and compensation relate to the company's financial performance. B. Work design allows employees to use a single skill. C. Employee participation is planning changes pertaining to work method is limited. D. Employees do not receive formal performance feedback. E. Training is discouraged because of high costs.
A. Employees' rewards and compensation relate to the company's financial performance.
Which of the following is a characteristic of delayering? A. It increases an organizations' flexibility. B. It increases the opportunities for promoting employees. C. It sets pay according to the employees' level of knowledge. D. It encourages a climate of learning. E. It helps employees use their knowledge and ideas more productively.
A. It increases an organizations' flexibility
Which of the following statements about the composition of the U.S. labor force during the next decade is true? A. The labor force is expected to grow at a greater rate than at any other time in U.S. history. B. The largest proportion of the labor force is expected to be in the 16- to 25-year age group. C. For the first time ever, the number of workers under 40 years of age will exceed the number of workers 40 years of age or older. D. Despite a small increase in the number of young workers, the overall workforce will be aging. E. The total cost of labor in the United States would considerably decrease
D. Despite a small increase in the number of young workers, the overall workforce will be aging
Which of the following is true of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974? A. The act established certain rights related to vesting. B. The act required employers to offer supplemental retirement plans. C. The act barred portability of retirement savings. D. The act reduced the responsibility of pension plan trustees. E. The act guaranteed retirees a pension equivalent to their last drawn salary.
A. The act established certain rights related to vesting.
Marcus heads a garbage disposal firm called The Cleanout Company. Recently, his firm was under scrutiny from environmental organizations. To counter any possible negative claims by these organizations against his company, Marcus assigned 5 of his junior managers to study the issue and propose plans or initiatives that can make the company look more environmental friendly. He also instructed senior managers to mentor their juniors as they devised new ideas. Which of the following type of team training method did Marcus employ here? A. Action learning B. Adventure learning C. Cross-training D. Internship E. Apprenticeship
A. action learning
A contract provision under which the employer, on behalf of the union, automatically deducts union dues from employees' paychecks is known as a(n): A. checkoff provision. B. deductible-at-source provision. C. maintenance of membership provision. D. agency shop provision. E. union shop provision.
A. checkoff provision.
Which one of the following responsibilities is specifically associated with the HR function of employee relations? A. Conducting attitude surveys B. Work analysis C. HR information systems D. Human resource planning and forecasting E. Job design
A. conducting attitude surveys
Sarah is a computer programmer whose job mainly consists of independently coding software. Interpersonal and teamwork skills are included on performance appraisal. Measuring these skills most closely represents: A. Criterion contamination B. Criterion deficiency C. Interrater reliability D. Rater error E. Test-restest reliability
A. criterion contamination
Which of the following terms describe the disillusionment and discomfort that occur during the process of adjusting to a new culture? A. Culture shock B. Uncertainty avoidance C. Cross-cultural preparation D. Acculturation E. Assimilation
A. culture shock
According to expatriates, the most important qualities for an international assignment are, in order of importance: A. family situation, flexibility and adaptability, job knowledge and motivation, relational skills, and openness to other cultures. B. openness to other cultures, flexibility and adaptability, relational skills, job knowledge and motivation, and family situation. C. job knowledge and motivation, flexibility and adaptability, relational skills, openness to other cultures, and family situation. D. family situation, self-confidence, a sense of advantage, technical know-how, and openess to other cultures. E. family situation, job knowledge and motivation, relational skills, flexibility and adaptability and openess to other cultures.
A. family situation, flexibility and adaptability, job knowledge and motivation, relational skills, and openness to other cultures.
The performance measurement method that assigns a certain percentage of employees to each category in a set of categories is called the: A. forced-distribution method. B. alternation ranking method. C. paired-comparison method. D. optional ranking method. E. simple ranking method.
A. forced-distribution method
The first step in the human resource planning process is: A. forecasting. B. goal setting. C. program implementation. D. program evaluation. E. performance evaluation.
A. forecasting
The four general approaches that companies use to develop employees include: A. formal education, assessment, job experiences, and interpersonal relationships. B. job rotation, promotion, transfer, and job sharing. C. psychological tests, assessment centers, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, and performance feedback. D. business games, formal courses, team building, and assessment. E. Total Quality Management, assessment centers, formal courses, and team building.
A. formal education, assessment, job experiences, and interpersonal relationships
A perception of _____ is a judgment that the organization carried out its actions in a way that took the employee's feelings into account. A. interactional justice B. employee turnover C. sourcing D. summary dismissal E. scalability
A. interactional justice
The process of getting detailed information about jobs is known as _____. A. job analysis B. job redesign C. job specification D. observation E. work flow analysis
A. job analysis
The compa-ratio: A. measures the degree to which actual pay is consistent with the pay policy. B. is defined as average pay for the grade divided by the minimum pay for the grade. C. can range from 0 to 100 percent. D. uses data from market-pay surveys. E. measures the degree to which new skills learnt are consistent with the increases in pay.
A. measures the degree to which actual pay is consistent with the pay policy
Training designed to prepare employees to perform their jobs effectively, learn about the organization, and establish work relationships is known as: A. orientation. B. transfer of knowledge C. sensitivity training. D. diversity training. E. cultural immersion.
A. orientation
A company is headquartered in Germany, has offices in the U.S., and has a Vietnamese manager working in a facility in the U.S. In this case, Germany is the _____ country, the U.S. is the _____ country, and Vietnam is the _____ country. A. parent, host, third B. expatriate, inpatriate, repatriate C. host, guest, third D. third, first, host E. parent, guest, second
A. parent, host, third
Martin owns and manages a small auto-parts shop. He determines the time required to complete each task in his shop. When an employee completes the repair in less time, he/she receives an amount of pay equal to the rate determined by Martin for . Martin is using a: A. standard hour plan. B. differential piecework plan. C. merit pay plan. D. straight piecework plan. E. Scanlon plan
A. standard hour plan
An organization's job structure consists of: A. the relative pay for different jobs within the organization. B. the average amount an organization pays for a particular job. C. the characteristics of jobs that the organization values and chooses to pay for. D. regular pay, overtime pay, and bonuses E. the standard amount that employers must pay under federal and state law.
A. the relative pay for different jobs within the organization
What is the function of a merit increase grid? A. To make the merit increases consistent B. To further increase the pay for those whose pay is relatively higher for their job C. To increase the employees' compa-ratio D. To stabilize economic conditions E. To increase incentives on an year-by-year basis
A. to make the merit increases consistent (reflect performance as well as existing pay rates of individual employees)
Information such as facts, techniques, and procedures that trainees can recall after the training, and skills that trainees can demonstrate in tests are examples of _____. A. training outcomes B. transfer of training C. return on investment on training D. training credits E. training improvements
A. training outcomes
What is profit sharing? A. A gainsharing program in which employees receive a bonus if the ratio of labor costs to the sales value of production is below a set standard. B. An incentive pay in which payments are a percentage of the organization's profits and do not become part of the employees' base salary. C. A group incentive program that measures improvements in productivity and effectiveness and distributes a portion of profit to employees. D. A combination of performance measures directed toward the company's profit and used as the basis for awarding incentive pay. E. An incentive plan where a percentage of the previous year's profits is provided to employees as a part of salary.
B. An incentive pay in which payments are a percentage of the organization's profits and do not become part of the employees' base salary
_____ is the process of ensuring that HR policies, practices, and programs support or are congruent with an organization's overall culture or brand, including its products and services. A. Corporate intimacy B. Brand alignment C. Crowdsourcing D. Ethical behavior E. Employee empowerment
B. Brand alignment
To test the validity of the selection test for widget designers, Correll-Techno Inc. administers the test to the present widget makers in the company. The test results are then compared with the employees' latest performance appraisal scores. In this instance, what type of validation does Correll-Techno implement? A. Predictive validation B. Concurrent validation C. Content validation D. Construct validation E. Diagnostic validation
B. Concurrent validation
The first step in the instructional design process is: A. implementing a training program. B. conducting a needs assessment. C. selecting training methods. D. ensuring employees' readiness for training. E. planning a training program.
B. Conducting a needs assessment
Which rater error makes it difficult to distinguish among employees rated by the same rater because the rater tends to use only one part of the rating scale? A. Contrast error B. Distributional error C. Halo error D. Error based on similarity E. Horns error
B. Distributional error
Which of the following is a trend that is seen in present day high-performance work systems? A. Mismatches in technical system and social system B. Employee empowerment in decision making C. Increase in individual assignments D. Centralized decision making E. Reduced reliance on knowledge workers
B. Employee empowerment in decision making
Which of the following is true of defined contribution plans? A. Defined-contribution plans are required by ERISA. B. Employers are free from the risk of poor performance of the plans. C. The PGBC makes annual contribution of $33 per participant. D. They guarantee a specified level of retirement income. E. They guarantee higher returns to the employees compared to the defined benefit plans
B. Employers are free from the risk of poor performance of the plans.
Tech-Marketing Inc., an advertising firm located in Ohio, requires its employees to be at work between the hours of 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. This work rule allows employees to work additional hours before or after the time period in order to work the full day. Identify the job design method implemented at Tech-Marketing. A. Zero-hour contract B. Flextime C. Compressed workweek D. Telecommuting E. Retroactive overtime
B. Flextime
Decision support systems refer(s) to: A. systems that incorporate the decision rules used by people who are considered to have expertise in a certain area. B. the network of remote servers used to store reusable data. C. the range of data that a human resource information system should include to facilitate decision making. D. computer software systems that allow users to model outcomes of hypothetical scenarios by altering assumptions or data. E. online training and development materials which employees can access at their own convenience from anywhere around the world.
D. computer software systems that allow users to model outcomes of hypothetical scenarios by altering assumptions or data.
For tests that measure abstract qualities such as intelligence or leadership skills, validity would best be established by _____ validation. A. criterion-related B. content C. concurrent D. construct E. predictive
D. construct
_____ are directives issued solely by the President, without requiring congressional approval. A. Constitutional amendments B. Judicial reviews C. Charters D. Executive orders E. Statutes
D. executive orders
John works at a factory of a large manufacturing company and is a member of the local chapter of a national industrial union. He believes his supervisor is not living up to the terms of the recently negotiated contract. In order to seek resolution to his grievance, John should first contact: A. the NLRB. B. his department's manager. C. the AFL-CIO. D. his union steward. E. the National Association of Manufacturers
D. his union steward
Why is hiring new employees for every labor shortage not always a good longterm solution? A. The process will lead to an artificial scarcity in the labor market. B. It would lead to reduced organizational control over the workers and process. C. Selecting new employees attracts too many discrimination law suits. D. If the shortage becomes a surplus, the organization may have to lay off employees. E. The process may result in reduced quality and may affect standardization.
D. if the shortage becomes a surplus, the organization may have to lay off employees
_____ results when circumstances such as the nature of the job, supervisors and co-workers, pay levels, or the employee's own disposition cause the employee to become dissatisfied with the job. A. Negative affect B. Core self-evaluations C. Job dissatisfaction D. Job withdrawal E. Behavior change
D. job withdrawal
What is a learning management system? A. A team of trainers and human resource professionals who are responsible for planning and conducting the training programs in an organization. B. The process of evaluating the organization, individual employees, and employees' tasks to determine what kinds of training, if any, are necessary. C. A software application that automates the administration, development, and delivery of training programs. D. A process for determining the appropriateness of training by evaluating the characteristics of the organization. E. The process of determining individuals' needs and readiness for training
C. A software application that automates the administration, development, and delivery of training programs
Sarah participated in leaderless group discussions and in-basket exercises and was observed by a number of raters. Which assessment method was used for Sarah? A. Interview B. Performance appraisal C. Assessment Center D. Coaching E. Training
C. Assessment Center
In a high performance work system, which of the following is a way in which a work team can be made more effective: A. By minimizing the team's interaction with other department or teams B. By keeping roles independent rather than using a task oriented approach C. By charging the team with making decisions traditionally made by managers D. By dictating and managing the scope of work done by the team and its members E. By assigning management of potentially contentious tasks such as work schedules to a manager
C. By charging the team with making decisions traditionally made by managers
The_____ granted all persons the same property rights as white citizens, as well as the right to enter into and enforce contracts. A. Thirteenth Amendment B. Fourteenth Amendment C. Civil Rights Act of 1866 D. Title VII of CRA E. Equal Pay Act of 1963
C. Civil Rights Act of 1866
According to the FLSA, which of the following is most likely a nonexempt employee? A. Creative professionals B. Senior administrative employee C. Hourly-paid employee D. Executive employee E. Director
C. Hourly-paid employee
The process that helps the human resource department to forecast the organization's needs for hiring, training, reassigning employees along with handling or avoiding layoffs is known as: A. Supply chain management B. Job development C. Human resource planning D. Evidence-based human resources E. Corporate social responsibility
C. Human resource planning
Which of the following is true of a balanced scorecard? A. It encourages employees to compete at the expense of cooperating to achieve organizational goals. B. It allows employees to buy their company when it is experiencing financial problems. C. It combines the advantages of different incentive pay plans and helps employees understand the organization's goals. D. It increases cooperation but does little to motivate day-to-day effort or to attract and retain top individual performers. E. It is the only measure used by top management to measure the performance of HR professionals and managers.
C. It combines the advantages of different incentive pay plans and helps employees understand the organization's goals.
Which type of interview allows the interviewer discretion in choosing the questions to be asked and generally includes open-ended questions about the candidate's strengths, weaknesses, career goals, and work experience? A. Behavioral B. Situational C. Nondirective D. Structured E. Panel
C. Nondirective
Which one of the following is true of health maintenance organizations(HMOs)? A. Costs tend to be more than traditional group rates but service is typical superior. B. Medical services are contracted by the health insurance provider at a lower rate. C. Physicians are paid a flat salary regardless of services rendered. D. Patients are allowed to select physicians of their choice but may pay more if medical professionals are not in-network. E. It pays physicians a fee-per-service rendered rather than a flat salary.
C. Physicians are paid a flat salary regardless of services rendered.
Which of the following refers to the process through which an organization seeks applicants for potential employment? A. Performance management B. Training C. Recruiting D. Selection E. HR planning
C. Recruiting
Which of the following is true of the trend in union membership in the United States? A. Union membership as a percentage of civilian employment has risen significantly. B. Union membership is higher in the private sector than in the public sector. C. Since the 1980s, union membership among government workers has held steady, while declines have occurred in the private sector. D. Total union membership now stands at about 30 percent of all employment. E. The share of employees who belong to unions has increased marginally since the 1960s.
C. Since the 1980s, union membership among government workers has held steady, while declines have occurred in the private sector.
Which of the following is true of mentoring? A. Mentoring is the best substitute for therapy. B. Most mentoring relationships develop formally as a result of interests or values officially discussed by the mentor and protégé. C. Employees most likely to seek a mentor are emotionally unstable and have a low need for power and achievement. D. Mentoring programs tend to be most successful when they are voluntary and participants understand the details of the program. E. Informal mentoring programs ensure access to mentors for all employees, regardless of gender or race.
C. employees most likely to seek a mentor are emotionally unstable and have a low need for power and achievement
The term external labor market refers to the: A. contract workers in the organization. B. current employees of the organization. C. individuals who are actively seeking employment. D. employees who have direct contact with customers. E. employees of the immediate competitors of the organization
C. individuals who are actively seeking employment
The use of a neutral-appearing selection method that damages a protected group is _____. A. legal if the employer has a turnover of less than $100,000 B. legal if the company using the selection method has 100 or more employees C. legal if the employer can show that there is a business necessity for using that method D. illegal and prohibited under all circumstances E. legal if the company using the selection method operates in the software industry
C. legal if the employer can show that there is a business necessity for using that method
Organizational analysis looks at training needs with respect to the: A. readiness of employees for training. B. employee's strategy toward achieving organizational goals. C. management's support for training activities. D. monetary incentives the management has promised its employees. E. severance package deal for a particular batch of employees.
C. management's support for training activities
The _____ type of alternate dispute resolution works only to the degree that employees trust management and managers who hear complaints listen and are able to act. A. employee credibility B. behavioral modeling C. open-door policy D. fair representation E. peer review system
C. open door policy
Janet, an American national, is visiting Mexico for a business meeting. Since she is used to addressing people by their first name, she immediately begins calling her host, the Chairman of the company, by his first name rather than his title. The Chairman and the other Mexican board members get offended. This reveals differences in the cultural dimension of _____ between Janet and her Mexican hosts. A. individualism/collectivism B. uncertainty avoidance C. power distance D. long-term/short-term orientation E. masculinity/femininity
C. power distance
Maria was recently told by the top management that they expected her to exercise more authority and leadership with her work group. Just two days prior to that, her team told her that while they appreciated the initiative she demonstrated, they expected her to be less authoritative and more democratic in the future. The term that best describes what Maria is experiencing is: A. role carve-out. B. role distance. C. role conflict. D. role underload. E. role autonomy.
C. role conflict
Nathan Williams, a blind man in his early twenties, was recently appointed as a radio jockey at the local radio station in Florida. He was given permission by his manager to bring his guide dog to work. In this instance, what Nathan's employer had done is referred to as: A. workplace diversification B. occupational health and safety C. reverse discrimination D. reasonable accommodation E. ergonomics
D. reasonable accommodation
Which of the following benefits is required by law in the United States? A. Sick leave B. Personal leave C. Medical care D. Social Security E. Paid leave
D. social security
Which of the following is covered by the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA)? A. A worker employed as a supervisor B. A person working for a parent C. An independent contractor D. An worker employed by an employer subject to the Railway Labor Act E. A worker going out on strike to secure better working conditions
E. A worker going out on strike to secure better working conditions
Which of the following is enforced by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission? A. Thirteenth Amendment B. OSH Act C. Fourteenth Amendment D. Executive Order 11246 E. Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
E. Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
A formal review of the outcomes of HRM functions, based on identifying key HRM functions and measures of business performance, is referred to as a(n) _____. A. Balanced scorecard approach B. Performance review C. Evidence-based HRM D. Customer-oriented approach E. HRM audit
E. HRM audit
According to this principle of discipline, discipline should give clear warning and following up with consistent, objective, immediate consequences. Identify the principle. A. Procedural justice B. Laissez faire rule C. Fundamental attribution rule D. Outcome fairness E. Hot-stove rule
E. Hot-Stove rule
Which of the following is a drawback of a minimum wage in terms of social policy? A. It assumes people will take differences in pay into account when they choose a career. B. It is only one and a half times the employee's usual hourly rate. C. It applies only to the hours worked beyond 40 in one week. D. It places the employer at an economic disadvantage relative to employers that pay the living wage. E. It tends to be lower than the earnings required for a full time worker to rise above the poverty level.
E. It tends to be lower than the earnings required for a full time worker to rise above the poverty level.
An employee who produces 10 components in an hour earns $9 ($.90 X 10) per hour, while an employee who produces 15 components earns $13.50 ($.90 x 15). This is an example of a: A. commission plan. B. differential piece rate plan. C. direct commission plan. D. profit sharing plan. E. straight piecework plan
E. Straight piecework plan
_____ is a computer-based technology that provides an interactive, three-dimensional learning experience. A. Electronic performance support system B. Instructional design C. Learning management system D. Benchmarking E. Virtual reality
E. Virtual reality
A(n) _____ is a gathering at which managers discuss employee performance ratings and provide evidence supporting their ratings with the goal of eliminating the influence of rating errors. A. assessment center B. 360-degree performance appraisal C. reliability meeting D. performance leadership council E. calibration meeting
E. calibration meeting
The step in the career management process in which psychological tests, such as Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and the Strong-Campbell Interest Inventory, are used is: A. follow-up. B. reality check. C. goal setting. D. action planning. E. data gathering.
E. data gathering
Which of the following options for reducing an expected labor surplus has the benefit of being a relatively fast solution, but has the disadvantage of being high in human suffering? A. Hiring Freeze B. Early Retirement C. Retraining D. Work Sharing E. Downsizing.
E. downsizing
Which of the following is true according to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1991? A. The employer can ask preemployment questions to investigate disabilities. B. The interviewer is prohibited from asking a candidate if he/she can meet the attendance requirements for the job. C. The interviewer is permitted to ask the candidate the number of sick leaves he/she took at his/her previous job. D. The employer is permitted to use, for hiring decisions, employment physical exams that could reveal a psychological or physical disability. E. Employers are required to make "reasonable accommodation" to disabled individuals
E. employers are required to make "reasonable accommodation" to disabled individuals
Managing cultural diversity involves: A. forming different pay structures for various groups. B. creating separate career tracks for employees with families. C. avoiding the use of affirmative action policies. D. reducing cultural diversity by selective hiring. E. encouraging career development for women and minorities
E. encouraging career development for a woman and minorities
Disparate treatment could be legal if the discrimination _____. A. is practiced to increase efficiency B. is performed by a governmental organization C. is performed by a private employer D. is intended to reduce affirmative action E. is categorized as a bona fide occupational qualification
E. is categorized as a bona fide occupational qualification
Which of the following is true of job enlargement? A. It is a systematic approach to help an organization modify its core processes to achieve more efficient results. B. It aims at greater productivity through reduced application of mental and physical effort. C. It involves attempts to motivate employees by giving them the opportunity to use specific skill sets. D. It involves moving employees through a series of job assignments in one or more functional areas. E. It involves adding challenges or new responsibilities to employees' current jobs.
E. it involves adding challenges or new responsibilities to employees' current jobs
Which of the following is true about the OSH Act? A. It provides employers with the right to conceal information on the substances that could be dangerous to an employee's health. B. It prohibits employees from having a representative present during the inspection. C. It provides employers with the right to fire employees who request for an OSH inspection of the work site. D. It emphasizes on keeping company records regarding exposure to hazards confidential. E. It provides employees with the right to have employer violations posted at the work site.
E. it provides employees with the right to have employer violations posted at the work site
Which of the following terms refers to objective measures that accurately predict future labor demand? A. Performance indicators B. Transitional matrices C. Functional pointers D. Coincident pointers E. Leading indicators
E. leading indicators
_____ are sets of jobs having similar worth or content, grouped together to establish rates of pay. A. Pay scales B. Pay ranges C. Pay differentials D. Pay levels E. Pay grades
E. pay grades
The process through which organizations make decisions about who will or will not be allowed to join the organization is referred to as _____. A. recruitment B. job analysis C. forecasting D. trend analysis E. personnel selection
E. personnel selection
Which of the following is a disadvantage of using résumés as a source of information about job applicants? A. It is a relatively expensive method of gathering information. B. It does not allow applicants to highlight accomplishments. C. Review of résumés is least valid when the content of the résumés is evaluated in terms of the elements of a job description. D. It is biased in favor of the employer. E. The content of the information is controlled by applicants.
E. the content of the information is controlled by applicants
The guarantee that when employees become participants in a pension plan and work a specified number of years, they will receive a pension at retirement age, regardless of whether they remained with the employer is referred to as _____. A. special drawing rights B. quid pro quo C. laissez-faire D. benchmarking E. vesting rights
E. vesting rights
When employees cannot work with management to make changes, they may engage in ____, taking their charges to the media in the hope that if the public learns about the situation, the organization will be forced to change. A. scapegoating B. social media retaliation C. class action lawsuits D. media manipulation E. whistle-blowing
E. whistle-blowing
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) includes provisions for: A. personal finance. B. minimum wage. C. wage discrimination. D. environmental hazards. E. retirement plans
B. minimum wage
Which of the following is true of benefits? A. They allow employees to buy their own insurance. B. They let employees to contribute to their own savings plans. C. Employees do not pay income taxes on most benefits they receive. D. They give employees greater control over what their compensation buys. E. Laws usually do not require employers to provide benefits.
C. Employees do not pay income taxes on most benefits they receive.
Planners need to combine statistical forecasts of labor supply with expert judgments because: A. it would motivate the experts in the organization. B. subjective judgments are always more reliable than historical data. C. historical data may not always reliably indicate future trends. D. statistical methods fail to account for historical trends. E. statistical forecasts work well only in a dynamic environment.
C. historical data may not always reliably indicate future trends
Which of the following is true of key jobs? A. The organization usually has no survey data for key jobs. B. These are jobs that have highly unstable content. C. These are jobs that are unique among organizations and are rare to obtain. D. Organizations make the process of creating a pay structure more impractical by defining key jobs. E. A job with a higher evaluation score than a particular key job would receive higher pay than that key job.
E. A job with a higher evaluation score than a particular key job would receive higher pay than that key job
Most managers rely on the _____ approach to performance feedback. A. problem-solving B. tell-and-sell C. tell-and-listen D. tell-and-train E. listen-and-sell
B. tell-and-sell
Which of the following is true of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO)? A. It is the largest labor union in the U.S. B. It represents labor's interests in public policy issues. C. It is the only association of unions existing in the U.S. today. D. It is part of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. E. It consists of about seven national and international unions.
B. It represents labor's interests in public policy issues.
Job rotation involves: A. adding challenges or new responsibilities to the employee's current job. B. moving the employee through a series of job assignments in one or more functional areas of the company. C. allowing the employee to work full-time in a temporary position at another company. D. allowing the employee to switch between two different jobs within the company on a daily or weekly basis. E. assigning an employee to a position with less responsibility and authority.
B. Moving the employee through a series of job assignments in one or more functional areas of the company
Canada, Mexico, and the United States have encouraged trade among themselves with the: A. ITA. B. NAFTA. C. WTO. D. OPEC. E. EU.
B. NAFTA
The parties with an interest in a company's success, typically, shareholders, the community, customers, and employees, constitute the ____________________________ of a company. A. Organizational chart B. Stakeholders C. Corporate associates D. Strategic partners E. Human capital
B. Stakeholders
What is the difference between stock options and employee stock ownership plan (ESOP)? A. Stock options carry significant risk whereas ESOPs are risk-free. B. Stock options are usually used with top management whereas ESOPs are provided to all employees. C. In stock options, stocks are placed into a trust whereas ESOPs give employees the right to buy a certain number of shares of stock. D. Under stock options, employees can sell their stocks whereas ESOPs do not allow employees to sell their stocks. E. Earnings from stock options are exempt from income taxes whereas earnings from ESOPs are taxable.
B. Stock options are usually used with top management whereas ESOPs are provided to all employees.
Bill rates all of his employees very low except for Jan. Jan gets above average ratings because she consistently comes to work on time. The rating errors Bill makes are _______ and _______, respectively. A. Leniency; Horn B. Strictness; Halo C. Similar-to-me; Central Tendency D. Horn; Strictness E. Similarity Bias; Central tendency
B. Strictness; Halo
Which of the following determines the compensation of expatriates by adjusting the manager's compensation so that it gives the manager the same standard of living as in the home country plus extra pay for the inconvenience of locating overseas? A. The scorecard approach B. The balance-sheet approach C. The equalization approach D. The exchange-rate approach E. The correspondence approach
B. The balance-sheet approach
What is the advantage of results-oriented performance measurement? A. They are very effective in providing guidance on how to improve. B. They are relatively easy to link to the organization's goals. C. They are generally more subjective than other kinds of performance measurement. D. They are highly acceptable to employees, but not to managers. E. They tend to be highly valid.
B. They are relatively easy to link to the organization's goals
Which of the following terms describes a company wide effort to continuously improve the way people, machines, and systems accomplish work? A. Business reengineering B. Total quality management C. High-performance work system D. Optimal performance system E. Performance management
B. Total quality management
An employee starts out as a sales person, then becomes an account manager, gets promoted to sales manager, and is now VP of Sales. Which type of career did this employee have? A. Protean B. Traditional C. Glass ceiling D. Dead end E. Upwardly mobile
B. Traditional
Which one of the following is true of Social Security benefits? A. Benefits are taxed as ordinary income at both the federal and state level. B. Workers who meet requirements receive retirement benefits according to age and earnings history. C. Workers are not required to meet any eligibility rules to receive benefits. D. The cost of the program is borne entirely by the employees who pay a payroll tax. E. The program covers railroad and federal, state, and local government employees.
B. Workers who meet requirements receive retirement benefits according to age and earnings history.
You manage a car dealership. Given the increasing complexity and variety of today's automobiles, it is impossible to train your mechanics on the details of every potential repair problem. So you provide the mechanics a training program to familiarize them with the basics of engine, emission, and other types of repair, and in case of a particular problem, seek expert advice through an online computer application program. This learning approach is known as a(n): A. e-learning simulation B. electronic performance support system. C. experiential behavior modeling program. D. virtual reality-based simulation program. E. online help
B. electronic performance support system
Each employer should furnish a place of employment free from recognized hazards that cause or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm. Under OSHA, this is referred to as: A. job hazard analysis B. general duty clause C. right-to-know laws D. employers' duties E. specific duty clause
B. general duty clause
Human resource departments can help in employee empowerment by: A. designing jobs such that the managers have complete control over business processes. B. getting employees fully engaged by communicating to them about their role in supporting the organization's mission. C. rewarding employees based on their loyalty to the organization rather than personal accomplishments or predetermined objective criteria. D. providing feedback only during the employee performance review. E. creating jobs that minimize the need for the employees to come up with innovative ideas and solutions.
B. getting employees fully engaged by communicating to them about their role in supporting the organization's mission
The term _________________________ is used to describe the employees of an organization in terms of their training, experience, judgment, intelligence, relationships, and insight. A. performance management B. human capital C. development D. traditional management E. working capital
B. human capital
An organization that has just started setting up one or a few facilities in one or a few foreign countries is a(n): A. global organization. B. international organization. C. multinational organization. D. foreign subsidiary. E. expatriate.
B. international organization.
Carla Warne is an HR executive looking for a new job. She comes across an advertisement in a newspaper seeking applications for the post of an HR manager. The advertisement exclusively highlights requirements such as strong communication skills, excellent teamwork, and leadership skills. These requirements constitute the _____. A. Job tasks, required skills and duties B. Job Specifications C. Job Skills D. Personality traits E. Required abilities
B. job specifications
_____ is the way the organization groups its people into useful divisions, departments, and reporting relationships. A. Job structure B. Organizational structure C. Task design D. Management style E. Information systems
B. organizational structure
_____ is a set of possible pay rates defined by a minimum, maximum, and midpoint of pay for employees holding a particular job. A. Pay grade B. Pay range C. Pay differential D. Compa-ratio E. Compensation differential
B. pay range
In a high-performance work system, organizational structure: A. promotes high employee turnover. B. promotes cooperation and learning. C. discourages competition. D. helps the organization select the right people with the required qualifications. E. encourages people to strive for objectives that support the organization's overall goals.
B. promotes cooperation and learning.
Right-to-work laws are: A. federal laws that protect employees' right to lifetime employment. B. state laws that make union shops, maintenance of membership, and agency shops illegal. C. state laws that protect the right of unions to insist that the employer hire only union members. D. state laws that prohibit unions from forming. E. federal laws that ensure that all union members get pension benefits
B. state laws that make union shops, maintenance of membership, and agency shops illegal.
A high-performance work system refers to: A. an arrangement of machinery and equipment that streamlines the workflow and results in maximum efficiency and cost savings. B. the right combination of people, technology, and organizational structure that makes full use of the organization's resources and opportunities in achieving its goals. C. a computer software system designed to help managers solve problems by showing how results vary when the manager alters assumptions or data. D. a system used to collect, record, store, analyze, and retrieve data concerning an organization's human resources. E. a performance management system that customer satisfaction.
B. the right combination of people, technology, and organizational structure that makes full use of the organization's resources and opportunities in achieving its goals.
Selection methods that provide economic value greater than the cost of using them are said to have _____. A. reliability B. utility C. validity D. generalizability E. dependability
B. utility
In which of the following scenarios will workers be LESS motivated to perform a job? A. When the job requires a variety of skills to be performed B. When the job requires completing the whole piece of work from beginning to end C. When the job has minimal impact on the lives of other people D. When the job allows individuals to take autonomous decisions about the job E. When a person receives clear information about performance effectiveness from the work itself
C. When the job has minimal impact on the lives of other people
After hiring Bob for a newly created marketing specialist position, his boss assures him that he will be secure in the job until he retires. A year later, that department is eliminated. Bob complains he was guaranteed employment until retirement. Is he right? A. No, an employer can hire or fire someone whenever they want to under the law B. No, there was no written contract and thus no legal obligation C. Yes, he was given a verbal contract which can be legally binding D. No, most states are employment-at-will or right to work states, he has no rights E. Yes, a company is obligated to provide life-time employment as long as a person works hard
C. Yes, he was given a verbal contract which can be legally binding
Trend analysis refers to: A. a pooling of the "best guesses," or subjective judgments, of experts to predict labor demand and supply. B. the use of subjective judgments to understand relationships among variables during fluctuating and unstable conditions. C. a process that accurately predicts labor demand for the next year using leading indicators. D. a comparison of the proportion of employees in protected groups with the proportion that each group represents in the relevant labor market. E. a statistical method of forecasting that uses the proportion of employees in various job categories for making predictions.
C. a process that accurately predicts labor demand for the next year using leading indicators
A company that views employees as resources is most likely to pay the employees _____. A. at market rates B. below the market rates C. above the market rates D. only minimum wages E. overtime rates only if they meet certain targets
C. above the market rates
Total quality management differs from traditional performance measurement in that it: A. has an external, rather than an internal, focus. B. is a top-down review process. C. assesses both individual performance and the system within which the individual works. D. focuses exclusively on support decisions about work assignments, training, and compensation. E. provides only subjective feedback based on the work process.
C. assesses both individual performance and the system within which the individual works
By far the most important influence on international HRM is the _____ of the country in which a facility is located. A. politics B. educational system C. culture D. economic system E. labor laws
C. culture
Which of the following is true of employee benefits? A. In both the U.S. and Europe, the awarding of stock options is linked to specific performance goals. B. Pension plans are more widespread in the U.S. and Japan than in Western Europe. C. Unlike in the U.S., compensation plans in other countries are less likely to include benefits. D. Paid vacation tends to be more generous in Western Europe than in the United States. E. Although stock options became a common form of incentive pay in Europe during the 1990s, American businesses did not begin to adopt them until the end of that decade.
D. Paid vacation tends to be more generous in Western Europe than in the United States.
The relationship between employer and employee can be thought of in terms of a(n) _____________________________, a description of what an employee in exchange for those contributions. Unlike a written sales contract, this is not formally put into words. A. Employee contract B. Offer letter C. Union bond D. Psychological contract E. Legal agreement
D. Psychological contract
Which of the following is true of training and development? A. Training is future oriented, while development is focused on improvement of current job. B. The use of work experience is high in training, but low in development. C. Participation in training is voluntary, but compulsory in development. D. The goal of training is preparation for the current job, while the goal of development is preparation for changes in the current job. E. Training is often an ongoing process while development tends to be short-term process.
D. The goal of training is preparation for the current job, while the goal of development is preparation for changes in the current job.
Which of the following terms refers to a chart that lists job categories held in one period and shows the proportion of employees in each of those job categories in a future period? A. Trend Analysis B. Leading Indicator Method C. Propensity Analysis D. Transitional Matrix E. Labor Bureau Statistics
D. Transitional Matrix
When does the NLRB certify a union as the exclusive representative of a group of employees? A. When the NLRB gives a national union appproval to establish a local union within a geographic region or industry B. When 30% of workers vote in favor of the union C. When at least 51 % of the employees join the union within a certain time (30 days) after beginning employment D. When a majority of workers vote in favor of a union E. When the AFL-CIO votes in favor of a union
D. When a majority of workers vote in favor of a union
Core competency refers to: A. contracting with another organization to perform a broad set of services. B. the planned elimination of large numbers of personnel with the goal of enhancing the organization's competitiveness. C. the construction and application of statistical models that predict labor demand for the next year, given relatively objective statistics from the previous year. D. a set of knowledge and skills that make the organization superior to competitors and create value for customers. E. the attempts to determine the supply of and demand for various types of human resources within the organization.
D. a set of knowledge and skills that make the organization superior to competitors and create value for customers
The decision reached in a(n) _____ is binding upon both parties. A. peer review B. mediation C. open-door D. arbitration E. outplacement counseling
D. arbitration
Workers are eligible for unemployment benefits if they: A. voluntarily quit a job. B. are out of work due to health reasons. C. were discharged for cause. D. are actively seeking work. E. are out of work because of a labor dispute
D. are actively seeking work.
The concept of "human resource management" implies that employees: A. are interchangeable. B. are easily replaceable. C. are a necessary expense to process work demands. D. are resources who add economic value to the organization. E. are secondary to all elements of economic capital like cash and technology
D. are resources who add economic value to the organization
The _____ Questionnaire is a standardized job analysis instrument that considers work behaviors, work conditions, and job characteristics that apply to a wide variety of jobs. A. Utilization Analysis B. Fleishman Job Analysis C. Work Flow Analysis D. Competency Model E. Position Analysis
D. competency Model
