Chapter 16

What is a job description?

A job description identifies essential activists to be undertaken and is used to determine the qualifications of potential employees.

What is a quota-bonus plan?

A quota-bonus plan provides sales associates with a bonus when their performance exceeds their quota.

The _____ opens up job opportunities for disabled individuals by requiring that employers provide accommodating work environments. A. Americans with Disabilities Act B. Norris-Laguardia Act C. Taft-Hartley Act D. Age Discrimination in Employment Act E. Civil Rights Act of 1991

A. Americans with Disabilities Act

Which of the following is a benefit of using realistic job previews to screen job applicants? A. Decrease in employee turnover B. Increase in employee turnover C. Tax benefits from the state government to the employer D. Tax benefits from the federal government to the employer E. Tax benefits from the federal government to the employees

A. Decrease in employee turnover

_____ is a form of discrimination that occurs when an unqualified man receives a promotion rather than a qualified female applicant. A. Disparate treatment B. Desperate measures C. Disparate impact D. Minority impact E. Gender bigotry

A. Disparate treatment

The _____ allows employees to sue employers that violate employment laws. A. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission B. United States Chamber of Commerce C. Center for Capital Markets Competitiveness D. Institute for a Competitive Workforce E. National Chamber Foundation

A. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

Which of the following is an example of task performance behavior? A. Holding a meeting to build team morale B. Offering to help an employee with personal problems C. Sending a get-well card to an employee who is hospitalized D. Determining next week's work schedule

A. Holding a meeting to build team morale

Which of the following statements is true of drawing accounts? A. It is used to provide a steadier income for salespeople who work on commission. B. It is used to motivate employees who receive a straight salary. C. It is used to attract salespeople who are willing to sell low-margin items. D. It is used to provide an additional income for full-time sales people. E. It is used to pay employees for delivering good customer service.

A. It is used to provide a steadier income for salespeople who work on commission

Which of the following is typically the first step in the employee management process? A. Recruiting employees B. Training employees C. Motivating employees D. Evaluating employees E. Socializing employees

A. Recruiting employees

Which of the following statements is true of the use of computer software scheduling systems? A. The software analyses sales, transactions, and customer traffic for each time period. B. The software often recommends the use of regular and predictable work hours. C. The system benefits the employees but has an adverse effect on retailers and customers. D. The burden of unpredictable scheduling of sales associates is eliminated. E. The software often recommends the use of full-time employees.

A. The software analyses sales, transactions, and customer traffic for each time period.

Which of the following types of leaders gets people to transcend their personal needs for the sake of the group or the organization? A. Transformational leaders B. Democratic leaders C. Autocratic leaders D. Chaotic leaders E. Persuasive leaders

A. Transformational leaders

A quota-bonus plan is applicable when _____. A. employee performance exceeds the quota B. performance management is outsourced C. an employee has a salary plan based solely upon performance D. productivity is poor E. there are no other incentives

A. employee performance exceeds the quota

A _____ is a target level used to motivate and evaluate performance. A. quota B. straight commission C. compensation plan D. group goal E. draw

A. quota

Donna is the sales manager at a store that sells musical instruments. She has developed a job description for each of her employees. These job descriptions will be used for all of the following but _____. A. recruiting employees B. selecting employees C. training employees D. evaluating employees E. compensating employees

A. recruiting employees

Explain the differences between an autocratic leader and a democratic leader.

An autocratic leader makes all the decisions on their own and then announce them to employees. Democratic leaders seek information and opinions from employees and base their decisions on this information.

What is a behavioral interview?

Asks candidates how they have handled actual situations they have encountered in the past, especially situations requiring the skills outlined in the job description.

_____ leaders make all decisions on their own and then announce them to employees. A. Chaotic B. Autocratic C. Democratic D. Persuasive E. Transformational

B. Autocratic

Which of the following statements is a guideline for reducing shoplifting through store design? A. Place expensive and small merchandise near the entrance. B. Do not put easily stolen merchandise near POS terminals. C. Lock up all items that are easily stolen. D. Keep the height to fixtures high so that employees do not invade the privacy of customers. E. Avoid using mirrors inside the store.

B. Do not put easily stolen merchandise near POS terminals.

Which among the following is the major cost controlled by a store manager? A. Advertising in radio B. Employee compensation C. Product service D. Royalty fees E. Product warranty

B. Employee compensation

Which among the following accounts for more inventory loss? A. Shoplifting B. Employee theft C. Inaccurate records D. Vendor fraud E. Logistical gaps

B. Employee theft

What is a retailer's most effective tool against shoplifting? A. Unique merchandise B. Employees C. Prosecution policies D. Cash wraps E. EAS tags

B. Employees

The _____, now enforced by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), prohibits unequal pay for men and women who perform equal work or work of comparable work. A. Fair Labor Standards Act B. Equal Pay Act C. Disparate Impact D. Discrimination and Employment Act E. Americans with Disabilities Act

B. Equal Pay Act

"Are you prepared to work as a team when unloading deliveries?" Which of the following is a reason this question is not appropriate? A. It has nothing to do with the job. B. It is a leading question. C. It is a question with multiple parts. D. It is an illegal question. E. It is an unethical question.

B. It is a leading question.

Which of the following typically determines the amount and type of compensation paid by an employer? A. Organizational culture B. Market conditions C. Organizational tradition D. Brand strategy E. Marketing plan

B. Market conditions

Which of the following is an example of extrinsic reward? A. Meaningful work B. Promotion C. Team spirit D. Positive environment E. Open communication

B. Promotion

Which of the following statements is true of references? A. References help in screening up to 15% of applicants that have applied for a vacancy. B. References provide an insight about how hard potential employees will work. C. References provide information about the employee's history and personal health. D. References are a good way to verify information given on an application form. E. References involve detailed interviews with the applicant.

B. References provide an insight about how hard potential employees will work

_____ is the difference between the recorded value of inventory based on merchandise bought and received and the value of the actual merchandise in stores and distribution centers divided by retail sales during the period. A. Loss margin B. Shrinkage C. Obsolescence D. Break-even point E. Profit margin

B. Shrinkage

Norman was recognized as the best Albertons' employee of the year. His name, along with the names of other winners, is engraved on a plaque that is prominently displayed in the store. This is an example of _____. A. job enrichment B. an intrinsic reward C. management by objective D. an extrinsic reward E. management by exception

B. an intrinsic reward

As a(n) _____ store manager, Dina treats her employees as equals and asks for their input when she is making a decision about whether to stay open late during the Memorial Day weekend, stock extra inventory for Valentine's Day, or any other decision that will directly affect her employees. A. chaotic B. democratic C. autocratic D. persuasive E. transformational

B. democratic

The evaluation error made when a manager forms an overall opinion of an employee's performance and allows this opinion to influence the ratings of all other performance factors is called a(n) _____. A. pitchfork effect B. halo effect C. recency bias D. excessive severity E. opportunity bias

B. halo effect

The _____ identifies essential activities to be undertaken and is used to determine the qualifications of potential employees. A. job description B. job analysis C. job rotation D. job enrichment E. job enlargement

B. job analysis

Although being HIV-positive does not limit any life activities, it may be perceived as doing so and is therefore protected as a disability under the _____. A. Civil Rights Act of 1991 B. Taft-Hartley Act C. Americans with Disabilities Act D. Age Discrimination in Employment Act E. Norris-Laguardia Act

C. Americans with Disabilities Act

Anita is a store manager who wants no employee input when she is making decisions about how the store should be operated. She prefers to make all the decisions by herself. What kind of a manager is Anita? A. Chaotic manager B. Democratic manager C. Autocratic manager D. Persuasive manager E. Transformational manager

C. Autocratic manager

Which of the following would be an inappropriate question to ask in an interview? A. Why do you want to leave your present job? B. Where were your parents born? C. How did you spend the summers during college? D. What kind of people do you find it difficult to work with? E. What is the most frustrating situation you've encountered in your career?

C. How did you spend the summers during college?

Robyn, a human resources manager for Kohl's, was thrilled to have recently hired a new department manager for her store. Of all of the important work involved with training the new manager and getting her started on the right foot, what would be the best way to start the process? A. Evaluate her past performance to be able to determine her current level of training. B. Set up her payroll direct deposits. C. Introduce her to the retailer's philosophies and its policies. D. Give her the management responsibilities and coach her throughout her training process. E. Gather her personal information for her investment and retirement purposes.

C. Introduce her to the retailer's philosophies and its policies.

Which of the following contains information about the applicant's employment history, previous compensation, reasons for leaving previous employment, education and training, and references? A. Job preview B. Job description C. Job application D. Job analysis E. Job enrichment

C. Job application

_____ is the redesign of a job to include a greater range of tasks and responsibilities. A. Intrinsic rewards B. Extrinsic rewards C. Job enrichment D. Job description

C. Job enrichment

_____ is the process by which a person attempts to influence others to accomplish a common goal or task. A. Idiosyncrasy credit B. Multipolarity C. Leadership D. Post hegemony E. Tripolarity

C. Leadership

Lee just signed a lease for her lunch delivery business and is now ready to become involved in the employee management process of her business plan. What should Lee do first? A. Train employees. B. Motivate employees. C. Recruit employees. D. Evaluate employees. E. Socialize employees.

C. Recruit employees.

On the first day of his new job, Mackey learned the company policies, basic selling skills, and stockroom procedures with the use of videos, audio-visual presentations, and manuals. What type of training is Mackey receiving in this scenario? A. Blended approach B. Socialization training C. Structured training program D. On-the-job training E. Etiquette training

C. Structured training program

Which of the following statements is true about the use of testing? A. It is legal to use tests that discriminate against specific groups. B. It is illegal for employers to give applicants drug tests. C. Tests must be scientifically and legally valid. D. Tests are of no help in developing training programs. E. It is legal to use tests that assess factors that are not job related.

C. Tests must be scientifically and legally valid.

Who among the following should evaluate the performance of a sales associate in the automotive department? A. The store's quality manager B. The department's sales manager C. The department's human resource manager D. The department's marketing manager E. The department's operations manager

C. The department's human resource manager

_____ create enthusiasm in their employees through their personal charisma. A. Chaotic leaders B. Democratic leaders C. Transformational leaders D. Autocratic leaders E. Persuasive leaders

C. Transformational leaders

Mercer was getting bored with his job as a sales clerk in the home department until his manager gave him responsibility for training a new salesperson in his area which he likes to do. This is an example of _____. A. management by objective B. the unity of command principle C. an intrinsic reward D. an extrinsic reward E. management by exception

C. an intrinsic reward

Angel's oldest associate Betty complained that she was bored and was thinking of looking for a different job. Instead of letting her go, Angel decided to utilize her life experience and asked Betty if she would be responsible for organizing departmental social events and the weekly visual displays. This suggestion, giving Betty a task she would enjoy doing, would be an example of _____. A. intrinsic rewards B. extrinsic rewards C. job enrichment D. job description

C. job enrichment

In _____, new employees work in specific jobs under the direct supervision of their managers. A. the blended approach B. a structured training program C. on-the-job training D. an orientation program E. etiquette training

C. on-the-job training

Poor labor scheduling can result in _____. A. shorter checkout lines B. higher labor productivity C. sales associates having nothing to do D. improved net returns for the organization E. reduced organizational turnover

C. sales associates having nothing to do

The _____ makes it illegal to discriminate in hiring and terminating people over the age of 40 years. A. Americans with Disabilities Act B. Norris-Laguardia Act C. Taft-Hartley Act D. Age Discrimination in Employment Act E. Civil Rights Act of 1991

D. Age Discrimination in Employment Act

Which of the following is the most widely used interview technique? A. Panel interview B. Telephonic interview C. Case interview D. Behavioral interview E. Stress interview

D. Behavioral interview

Which of the following statements is true of team incentives? A. It is based on individual performance. B. It encourages individualism within the sales department. C. The income from team incentives is not taxed by the federal government. D. It is based on the performance of the store as a whole. E. It discourages sales people from working together.

D. It is based on the performance of the store as a whole.

As a new employee of an office supply superstore, Kevin has been told he will receive structured training. What does this mean? A. Kevin will learn from his mistakes by performing his job in a store. B. Kevin will be fired if he makes a mistake once he is at the job site. C. Kevin will be in the initial training process for at least one year. D. Kevin will acquire basic skills and knowledge needed to do his job.

D. Kevin will acquire basic skills and knowledge needed to do his job.

Which of the following is an example of intrinsic reward? A. Employee of the year award B. Bonus C. Promotion D. Meaningful work E. Commission

D. Meaningful work

Sales are poor at the Kirt's Bathing Suit Store in Alaska, and Kirt's sales team is suffering from low morale. Which of the following will best help Kirt to increase his sales team's morale? A. Reduce the quantity of incoming merchandise. B. Fire non performing sales people. C. Recruit an efficiency consultant to identify the problem. D. Reward performing sales people. E. Tweak the marketing tactics.

D. Reward performing sales people.

The employee turnover for the custodial host position at the local department store was high, and the department managers were beginning to complain to Gina, the store manager. There was no lack of applications, and the pay was comparable to other stores, yet those who took the position stayed no longer than a week. Exit interviews revealed that employees felt the job's responsibilities were not what they expected. Which of the following is the best method for Gina do to reduce turnover? A. Accept more applications by reducing required standards. B. Insist that each applicant takes a drug test within 48 hours of applying. C. Check the employment history and references of applicants. D. Show a video to applicants about the responsibilities of the job. E. Require applicants to take intelligence quotient and emotional quotient tests.

D. Show a video to applicants about the responsibilities of the job.

_____ is the inventory loss due to employee theft, shoplifting, mistakes, inaccurate records, and vendor errors. A. Obsolescence B. Profit margin C. Loss margin D. Shrinkage E. Break-even point

D. Shrinkage

_____ entails the activities involved with managing the exterior and interior physical facilities associated with the store. A. Inventory maintenance B. Store turnover C. Portfolio management D. Store maintenance E. Inventory turnover

D. Store maintenance

Connor knew a popular celebrity was planning a shopping spree in his store that day and needed a personal shopper to accompany her. Normally, Connor plays this role, but he trusted a reliable store associate to manage the visit. Connor would be available in the store should there be a problem, but the exciting opportunity was to be handled by the associate. Which of the following terms best describes Connor? A. Persuasive leader B. Autocratic leader C. Democratic leader D. Transformational leader E. Chaotic leader

D. Transformational leader

_____ delegate challenging work to subordinates, have free and open communication with them, and provide personal mentoring to develop subordinates. A. Chaotic leaders B. Autocratic leaders C. Persuasive leaders D. Transformational leaders E. Democratic leaders

D. Transformational leaders

Which of the following is a guideline for spotting shoplifters? A. Look for people with tight clothing. B. Look for people who appear lethargic. C. All shoplifters are poorly dressed. D. Watch the eyes, hands, and body. E. Watch out for people with children.

D. Watch the eyes, hands, and body.

Chris needs to set a sales goal for Joan, a sales associate working for her. Joan is very confident in her abilities and is one of the best salespeople in the department. Chris should give Joan a goal that is _____. A. the same as the goals for all other associates in the department B. low enough so Joan has a good chance of meeting the goal C. at the level of the average associate in the department D. at a level Joan will have to work to achieve it E. the same goal Joan had last year

D. at a level Joan will have to work to achieve it

A typical application form would be least likely to provide information about the applicant's _____. A. educational qualification B. previous compensation C. employment history D. character E. reasons for leaving previous employment

D. character

Even though Veronica has not performed well as a sales associate, she got excellent ratings on her performance appraisal because one week before she was evaluated, she made a $35,000 sale to the city water department. This is an example of the _____. A. excessive severity B. opportunity bias C. pitchfork effect D. halo effect E. recency bias

D. halo effect

Nick works for an electronics store. His entire compensation is based on an 8 percent commission he is paid on all the sales he makes minus merchandise returns. This is an example of a(n) _____. A. straight salary plan B. quota-bonus plan C. equity-based compensation D. incentive compensation plan E. cafeteria plan

D. incentive compensation plan

Randy applied for a position as a butcher's assistant at a nearby supermarket. After he completed his application, the manager showed him a video reviewing the responsibilities of an assistant to the butcher. After viewing that, Randy felt sick and told the manager he didn't want the job. This screening technique is called _____. A. testing B. scaling C. job analysis D. job preview E. job enrichment

D. job preview

The principal objective of employee socialization is to _____. A. make the screening process faster B. increase turnover C. make on-the-job training unnecessary D. orient new employees to the firm E. prevent the creation of employee bonds

D. orient new employees to the firm

Which of the following is an example of an intrinsic reward that might be received by a social worker? A. A promotion as manager B. A $50 bonus C. A gift from the manager D. A commission for generating donations E. A feeling of satisfaction

E. A feeling of satisfaction

Which of the following is the best style of leadership? A. Chaotic leadership B. Democratic leadership C. Autocratic leadership D. Persuasive leadership E. All of these

E. All of these

Which of the following is a disadvantage of incentive compensation plans? A. Employees know that rise in productivity will have no impact on their compensation. B. Employees are taxed heavily on their income from incentive plans. C. Employers are taxed heavily on their expenditure incurred through incentive plans. D. Employees don't develop loyalty to their employers when incentive plans are practiced. E. Employers are unable to increase employee productivity while following incentive plans.

E. Employers are unable to increase employee productivity while following incentive plans.

Which of the following is the major disadvantage of a straight salary plan? A. It is expensive to administer. B. It increases a retailer's variable costs. C. Many employees have trouble understanding a straight salary plan. D. It makes it very difficult for a retailer to assign employees to activities. E. It does not directly relate pay incentives to productivity.

E. It does not directly relate pay incentives to productivity.

Jane works at Pedro's LLC as a store manager. She is responsible for determining the employees assigned to each area of the store during each hour. Which of the following terms best describe Jane's role? A. Enterprise architecture planning B. Dirigisme scheduling C. Spatial planning D. Contingency planning E. Labor scheduling

E. Labor scheduling

Which of the following is an example of group maintenance behavior? A. Planning the work schedule for the coming week B. Organizing a new team for a research project C. Motivating employees to ask for regular feedback D. Evaluating employee performance for the last financial quarter E. Offering help to an employee with personal problems

E. Offering help to an employee with personal problems

Which of the following statements is true about job interviews? A. The most commonly used job interview is the stress interview. B. The interview should utilize questions that have multiple parts. C. The interviewer should ask close-ended questions. D. The interviewer should ask leading questions. E. The interviewer should be an active listener.

E. The interviewer should be an active listener.

The accounting records for Sports-R-Us, a superstore targeted at armchair athletes, showed that it had bought and received $1,830,000 worth of merchandise. An actual count of the merchandise in the store showed only $1,644,000 worth of merchandise in stock. What other information is needed to calculate inventory shrinkage? A. The store's annual profit B. The store's profit margin C. The store's current assets D. The store's inventory turnover rate E. The store's retail sales during the period

E. The store's retail sales during the period

_____ prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, national origin, gender, or religion in company personnel practices. A. Title I of the Civil Rights Act B. Title II of the Civil Rights Act C. Title IV of the Civil Rights Act D. Title V of the Civil Rights Act E. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act

E. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act

Orientation programs _____. A. are controlled and regulated by the federal government B. are required by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission C. are controlled and regulated by the state governments D. should not last longer than one day, or they become ineffective E. are critical to the socialization of a new employee

E. are critical to the socialization of a new employee

After screening applicants, the selection process typically involves a(n) _____. A. IQ test B. EQ test C. training module D. orientation module E. personal interview

E. personal interview

The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 does all of the following except _____. A. limiting maximum work hours B. setting child labor standards C. setting overtime-pay provisions D. establishing minimum wages E. prohibiting discrimination

E. prohibiting discrimination

In order to motivate its employees, Dillards department store has set performance goals for its employees. If an employee exceeds his or her daily performance goals, he or she will receive a bonus. This compensation method is called a _____. A. straight bonus plan B. straight salary plan C. task-oriented plan D. equity-based plan E. quota-bonus plan

E. quota-bonus plan

Losses due to shoplifting can be reduced by _____. A. reducing compensation for employees B. the price of the merchandise C. better relationships with local law enforcement agencies D. the quality of the assortments E. store design

E. store design

An autocratic manager would be most likely to _____. A. ask employees if anyone wanted to volunteer to work overtime B. ask employees for their opinions on store design C. consult employees before scheduling a storewide sale D. ask employees which department they would like to work in E. tell employees they will have to work late Friday night

E. tell employees they will have to work late Friday night

Mindy manages 300 employees at a Walmart Supercenter. Each day, she leads the employees in the Walmart cheer, creates excitement, and "goes the extra mile" with her employees and customers. Shopping in her store is always an enjoyable experience with enthusiastic sales help, contests, and demonstrations. Mindy is a _____ leader. A. persuasive B. autocratic C. democratic D. chaotic E. transformational

E. transformational

What are extrinsic rewards?

Extrinsic rewards are provided by either the employee's manager or the firm, such as compensation, promotion, and recognition.

Democratic leaders make all the decisions on their own and then announce them to employees.

False, Autocratic leaders

Autocratic leaders seek information and opinions from employees and base decisions on this information.

False, Democratic leaders

The Fair Labor Standards Act prohibits unequal pay for men and women who perform equal work or work of comparable worth.

False, the Equal Pay Act

Discuss establishing security policies and control systems to control employee theft.

Some ways to control employee theft are random searches, assign salespeople to specific POS terminals, change locks, maintain rotating employee assignments, bag checks, provide lockers, and restrict employee purchases to working hours.

What is the difference between structured program training and on-the-job training?

Structured training program helps new employees acquire basic skills and knowledge, which they need to be able to do their jobs. On-the-job training is when new employees work in specific jobs under the direct supervision of their managers.

Discuss the legal aspects retailers must abide by when hiring and employing people fairly.

The Fair Labor Standards Act set minimum wages, maximum hours, child labor, and overtime-pay provisions. The Equal Pay Act prohibits unequal pay for men and women who perform equal work or work of comparable worth.

What are the approaches a retailer can consider when working to reduce employee theft?

The most effective approach in reducing employee theft and shoplifting is to create a trusting, supportive work environment.

During a behavioral interview, the interviewer asks the candidates how they handled actual situations they had encountered in the past.

True

Rewards provided by either the employee's manager or the firm such as compensation, promotion, and recognition are called intrinsic rewards.

True

Shrinkage is the inventory loss due to employee theft, shoplifting, mistakes, inaccurate records, and vendor errors.

True

The four major responsibilities of a store manager are managing employees, controlling costs, managing merchandise presentation, and providing customer service.

True

The job description identifies essential activities to be undertaken and is used to determine the qualifications of potential employees.

True

The most effective approach for reducing employee theft and shoplifting is to create a trusting, supportive work environment.

True

Transformational leaders get people to transcend their personal needs for the sake of the group or organization.

True

Describe EEOC's guidelines on sexual harassment.

Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitutes sexual harassment when...submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as a basis for employment decisions affecting such individual, or...such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment.