HRM Chapter 2- Strategic HR Management and Planning
In order to add value to the human capital of the organization, a. HR must have good metrics about the HR side of the business. b. HR managers must be focused on reducing the total cost of labor. c. the HR function must form the interface between the external environment of the organization and its internal environment. d. HR policies and practices should result in the workforce with the minimum quantity and maximum quality needed to achieve productivity goals.
a. HR must have good metrics about the HR side of the business.
____ occurs when individuals who quit, die or retire are not replaced. a. Attrition b. Voluntary separation c. Workforce depletion d. A hiring freeze
a. Attrition
A(n) ____ is a formal research effort that evaluates the current state of HR management in an organization. a. HR audit b. benchmarking study c. human capital return on investment calculation d. utility analysis
a. HR audit
Paula is the vice president for HR of PrairieBelle Foods. It has just acquired Mountain Mills. Paula will oversee considerable layoffs as the company lays off redundant employees. In considering HR planning for the next year, Paula knows to be prepared for a. a decline in morale of remaining employees. b. an upsurge in applications for jobs from external candidates.. c. heightened productivity by survivors. d. increase in creativity and innovation among employees.
a. a decline in morale of remaining employees.
Cliff has about 10 years of HR experience and has recently earned his professional certification. He is searching for a job in an organization that takes a strategic approach to HR. Key phrases that Cliff is looking for in organizational informational materials describing the competencies the hiring organization wants in new HR professionals include all of the following EXCEPT a. administrative expert. b. change steward. c. business ally. d. talent manager
a. administrative expert.
In mergers and acquisitions, the HR planning process begins with a. conducting due diligence. b. addressing key HR processes.. c. analyzing the internal inventory of HR capabilities. d. optimizing the workforce.
a. conducting due diligence.
Alamanzo Devices, Inc., in Oklahoma City is opening a location in Brazil. Managers from Oklahoma City will staff key positions in the Brazilian location so that headquarters can closely control the operations there. This is a/an _______ approach to international staffing. a. ethnocentric b. polycentric c. geocentric d. regiocentric
a. ethnocentric
Justine, VP of HR for Perspectivo, Inc., is concerned that key talent at Vanishing Point, a recently-acquired competitor, will quit. She plans to institute all of the following programs to help retain these employees EXCEPT a. giving across-the-board bonuses to all Vanishing Point employees who stay with Prospectivo for one year. b. giving retention bonuses to key Vanishing Point employees. c. giving key Vanishing Point employees special assignments. d. setting up employee hotlines for Vanishing Point employees who have questions and concerns about the acquisition.
a. giving across-the-board bonuses to all Vanishing Point employees who stay with Prospectivo for one year.
Under the balanced scorecard approach, an organization's performance is measured using all of the following categories EXCEPT the ____ perspective. a. marketing b. learning and growth c. financial d. internal business processes
a. marketing
An HR best practice that most directly ties individual behavior to organizational strategy is a. pay for performance. b. stringent hiring standards. c. flexible work arrangements. d. talent development.
a. pay for performance.
Beyond the upfront costs, voluntary separation programs often have the following drawback a. some employees with needed skill sets will take the voluntary separation option. b. the method is viewed as less "humane" than layoffs with severance pay. c. this method is often too slow to generate a large number of immediate separations. d. the enhancement of the paternalistic culture of the organization leads employees to feel a sense of entitlement
a. some employees with needed skill sets will take the voluntary separation option.
Amphityron Services, Inc., is experiencing a decline in sales, revenue and profits which it predicts will be reversed in less than a year. Amphityron doesn't have enough work to keep its highly-skilled, experienced workforce busy. The VP of HR should consider all of the following actions EXCEPT a. taking advantage of the downturn to lay off the highest-paid operating employees. b. suspending 401K contributions until the company returns to profitability. c. instituting temporary across-the-board pay cuts. d. offering employees two unpaid vacation days a month until business picks up.
a. taking advantage of the downturn to lay off the highest-paid operating employees.
All of the following are potential problems of offshoring operations EXCEPT a. the difficulty of reintegrating the production employees to the U.S. should the offshore location close. b. potential for lower quality production or service-provision by the offshore facility. c. erosion of institutional knowledge in the home country headquarters. d. loss of intellectual talent in the home country headquarters.
a. the difficulty of reintegrating the production employees to the U.S. should the offshore location close.
Vendome Products will have a labor surplus of 15% in its non-exempt employee ranks next year because of decreases in sales of its major product line. Vendome will need to consider all of the following alternatives EXCEPT a. transferring non-exempt employees working on this product line into exempt-level jobs at Vendome. b. workforce reductions of non-exempt employees working on this product line. c. cutting wages or hours for non-exempt employees working on this product line. d. not replacing non-exempt employees working on this product line who leave Vendome voluntarily.
a. transferring non-exempt employees working on this product line into exempt-level jobs at Vendome.
During an economic downturn, resources (including workers and potential workers) are a. under-utilized, and organizations seek to increase productivity and lower costs. b. are in short supply, and organizations may be hampered in their ability to grow. c. in over-supply, with the massive numbers of job-seekers making difficult for organizations to locate the most qualified available applicants. d. a glut on the market, which results in inflationary pressures on wages and resource prices.
a. under-utilized, and organizations seek to increase productivity and lower costs.
As an ambitious young HR professional, you want to advance to the top HR executive position in your organization by having the perspective and expertise to contribute to the strategic planning process. You should a. understand the financial aspects of your organization and its key drivers of business success. b. hone your skills in a technical HR area such as compensation or HR information systems. c. become an expert in legal analysis because most HR functions are driven by employment and labor law. d. ask to be transferred into areas of the organization that are proven training grounds for top executives, such as finance and marketing.
a. understand the financial aspects of your organization and its key drivers of business success.
All of the following statements about business process reengineering are true EXCEPT a. BPR may have negative impacts on the organization's employees. b. BPR applies to manufacturing industries rather than to the service sector, which uses the "enterprise management improvement" method instead. c. an organization that implements BPR can expect to experience radical redesign of its business processes, rather than incremental improvements. d. the purpose of BPR is to achieve dramatic changes in cost, quality, speed and service.
b. BPR applies to manufacturing industries rather than to the service sector, which uses the "enterprise management improvement" method instead.
Which of the following statements is FALSE about electronic human resource management systems (e-HRM)? a. E-HRM systems typically increase the efficiency of administrative HR functions and reduce costs. b. E-HRM systems are usually separate from the organization's overall enterprise software and IT plan. c. E-HRM can support every function within HR. d. The collection and analysis of HR data via an e-HRM system allows managers to model future conditions.
b. E-HRM systems are usually separate from the organization's overall enterprise software and IT plan.
________________ is the assessment of internal and external conditions that affect the organization. a. Data mining b. Environmental scanning c. Labor market analysis d. Strategic planning
b. Environmental scanning
What is purpose of the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act? a. It mandates job retraining for workers who are laid off for economic reasons. b. It requires employers to give a 60-day notice before a layoff or facility closing involving more than 50 people. c. It requires employers to provide outplacement and severance pay for workers who are terminated in "mass" layoffs. d. It requires that employers contemplating layoffs must contact the Department of Labor 60 days before a mass layoff.
b. It requires employers to give a 60-day notice before a layoff or facility closing involving more than 50 people.
__________ is the use of human resource management practices to gain or keep a competitive advantage. a. Manpower planning b. Strategic HR management c. HR business integration d. Competitive HRM.
b. Strategic HR management
Which of the following statements is TRUE about the balanced scorecard approach to measurement of HR performance? a. The balanced scorecard approach stresses the measurement of qualitative HR contributions rather than rather than tangible or financial contributions of HR. b. The balanced scorecard helps an organization understand the cost/benefit payoffs of its HR activities. c. The balanced scorecard approach eliminates most of the subjectivity involved in measuring the strategic performance of HR in an organization. d. A major advantage of the balanced scorecard approach is the speed with which it can be implemented.
b. The balanced scorecard helps an organization understand the cost/benefit payoffs of its HR activities.
Which of the following is TRUE in forming HR strategy? a. The world changes so rapidly that the past is irrelevant. b. The past is important only as it can predict the future. c. The present is the best guide to the future. d. The impact of strategy is limited to the present, because the future is unpredictable.
b. The past is important only as it can predict the future.
Revenue divided by full time employee equivalents is a. a way to calculate HR's intangible contribution to the organization. b. a measure of employee productivity. c. return on investment in employees. d. human economic value added.
b. a measure of employee productivity.
The ability of an organization to compete with other organizations for a sufficient supply of human resources with the appropriate capabilities is a. evidence of organizational efficiency. b. an indicator of the HR function's effectiveness. c. governed by the ability to offer job security. d. one input to the environmental scanning process.
b. an indicator of the HR function's effectiveness.
One approach to assessing HR effectiveness is ____, which compares specific measures of performance against data on those measures in other organizations. a. comparative return on investment b. benchmarking c. EVA d. the balanced scorecard
b. benchmarking
Which of the following HR functions is NOT included in a typical balanced scorecard analysis? a. employee training b. employee benefit programs. c. mentoring programs d. succession planning
b. employee benefit programs.
Changes in U.S. demographics affects all of the following EXCEPT a. consumer demand for products and services. b. employee desire to have traditional, stable workplace policies and practices. c. the need for creative and flexible management. d. the number and quality of potential employees.
b. employee desire to have traditional, stable workplace policies and practices.
IBM builds work teams partly based on individual employees' social networks. IBM collects data on employee social networks by a. asking each employee to record his/her internal and external contacts in an HR database. b. examining call records and emails of employees. c. developing internal communication pathways called "spider webs." d. requiring employees to give HR access to their personal social networking accounts.
b. examining call records and emails of employees.
Angelo is a native-born U.S. citizen. He speaks Italian, English, and French fluently. He has lived and worked in both Italy and France and has an MBA from a prestigious U.S. university. Angelo's friends describe him as "incredibly cosmopolitan" and a person who "blends in like a native wherever he is." Angelo would probably be a good candidate for a company looking to build its international business using ______________. a. global technical experts. b. expatriate employees. c. an ethnocentric approach. d. host-country nationals.
b. expatriate employees.
FreeFormPress has experienced a significant increase in the number of magazines it publishes. But, FreeForm is concerned that several of its existing clients may leave at the end of their current contracts. Rather than hiring additional permanent employees to handle the new clients, all of the following options would be a potential solution for the talent shortage EXCEPT a. hiring contingent workers. b. freezing internal transfers and promotions. c. outsourcing excess work to other publishers. d. requiring employees to work overtime.
b. freezing internal transfers and promotions.
Gloriosa Technologies has experienced steady growth in its product lines in the last 20 years. Recently, a new product has become a huge seller, and Gloriosa finds itself short of experienced employees with the needed skill sets. These skills are not available in the labor market because the Gloriosa's production process is unique to it. Until Gloriosa can hire new employees, it should consider all of the following EXCEPT a. require current employees to work overtime. b. hire contingent employees. c. contact retired Gloriosa employees and persuade them to come back. d. offer current employees retention bonuses for staying with Gloriosa.
b. hire contingent employees.
The new CEO of the firm has told the vice president of HR that all HR activities must use the cost of capital as the benchmark against which their the returns from the activities are measured. The new CEO is implementing a. the balanced scorecard b. human economic value added (HEVA). c. return on investment (ROI). d. return on assets (ROA).
b. human economic value added (HEVA).
An hourly manufacturing worker transported from the 1960s to 2010 would find that manufacturing work today a. requires more collaboration skills than in the 1960s. b. is just as monotonous and repetitive as in the 1960s. c. replaces employees manual skills with robotics and automation. d. demands more adaptability to changing conditions than in the 1960s.
b. is just as monotonous and repetitive as in the 1960s.
In order to calculate the wealth created per employee, one must divide ___________ by the organization's full time headcount. a. shareholder's equity b. net profit after taxes minus cost of capital c. revenue minus (operating expense minus (compensation plus benefits cost)) d. value of gains from productivity improvement for the time period
b. net profit after taxes minus cost of capital
Faced with a severe, long-term drop-off in the demand for their products, a company that manufactures replacement parts for airplanes must cut its workforce significantly. The HR department must generate plans for making the workforce reduction more effective. This plan must include all of the following "best practices" EXCEPT a. developing a plan for communicating information about the workforce reduction to employees. b. outsourcing the termination interviews and administrative processing. c. identifying the core work of the business. d. providing for nurturing of employees who survive the workforce reduction.
b. outsourcing the termination interviews and administrative processing.
Beth, the employee development manager at Orcho Dynamics, wants to generate metrics that will help her analyze the efficiency and effectiveness of the company's development programs. Which of the following metrics would be most useful for Beth? a. HR expenses per FTE b. positions in the organization filled internally c. average tenure of employees d. performance quality of employees in their first year
b. positions in the organization filled internally
As a senior member of the HR department at TransOceanic Industries, Abigail realizes that the firm's upcoming merger with its main competitor, Amorphous Sea Ventures, will result in challenges in the year ahead. Abigail a. recognizes that cultural clashes will be minimal since TransOceanic and Amorphous are in the same industry and have similar product lines. b. realizes that she needs to design programs for retaining key talent in the aftermath of the merger. c. anticipates that the two HR departments will continue separate operations since TransOceanic and Amorphous have much different HR systems. d. there will be a reduction in voluntary turnover at executive levels as key employees engage in a power struggle.
b. realizes that she needs to design programs for retaining key talent in the aftermath of the merger.
COBRA is a lifeline for employees who have been laid off because a. it continues the employee's medical benefits for up to 18 months at the employer's expense. b. the employee is able to continue medical benefits for at least 18 months if he/she pays the cost of the insurance. c. it allows employees to buy into the Medicaid program for up to 18 months. d. it transfers the employee's medical benefits from the employer's group policy to an insurance exchange for a discounted fee for up to 18 months.
b. the employee is able to continue medical benefits for at least 18 months if he/she pays the cost of the insurance.
Which of the following is NOT a focus of strategic HR? a. "macro" view of the organization b. transactional skills c. high-risk planning outlook d. proactive HR systems and practices
b. transactional skills
A "structural mismatch" between workers and jobs means that a. unemployed workers with needed skills are located in different geographic regions of the country than where economic growth is occurring. b. workers do not have the skills needed for the current needs of the economy. c. there is a difference between an organization's existing workforce and the workforce it needs for competitive success. d. the failure of an organization's HR function to predict talent surplus or shortage.
b. workers do not have the skills needed for the current needs of the economy.
Which of the following government regulations do NOT affect HR planning? a. pension laws. b. tax benefits for job-training expenses. c. regulations on the length of the work week. d. reporting requirements for workers' compensation claims.
d. reporting requirements for workers' compensation claims.
Which of the following statements is FALSE? a. Although each merger and acquisition has its own challenges, it is possible to take a systematic approach to integrating an acquired company into an existing company. b. Poorly-addressed HR issues such as culture clashes are responsible for a significant number of merger and acquisition failures. c. More than half of mergers and acquisitions are successful in meeting financial, marketing or product gains. d. HR due diligence in an acquisition focuses on legal compliance, compensation and benefit programs, the quality of talent, and labor contract obligations.
c. More than half of mergers and acquisitions are successful in meeting financial, marketing or product gains.
Perspectivo, Inc., is a company that is growing rapidly both in sales and in numbers of employees. The culture of the firm is informal and highly-collaborative. The employees are highly psychologically invested in the success of the organization and tend to subordinate their personal lives to the organization's needs. Perspectivo is acquiring Vanishing Point, a smaller company in the same industry that has a traditional, formal culture in which there is a clear separation of work and non-work, and employees tend to "leave work at work." In order to change the culture of Vanishing Point to be more like the Perspectivo culture, HR should do all of the following EXCEPT a. provide examples of desired behavior to the Vanishing Point employees. b. communicate requirements clearly and consistently to Vanishing Point employees. c. allow more diversity in attitudes toward work in the merged companies. d. reward change in behavior by Vanishing Point employees.
c. allow more diversity in attitudes toward work in the merged companies.
All of the following are considered HR best practices EXCEPT a. typing employee pay to successful performance b. talent development so that employees can grow with the organization. c. allowing workforce levels to fluctuate with product/service demand. d. stringent hiring standards.
c. allowing workforce levels to fluctuate with product/service demand.
Perspectivo, Inc., is implementing formal strategic planning for the first time. The organizational mission has been clarified, and now the next step in the process will be a. developing supporting functional strategies. b. formulating the organizational strategy. c. analyzing strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. d. establishing goals and objectives.
c. analyzing strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.
In order to identify threats and opportunities in the world outside the organization, HR managers must a. evaluate the external workforce. b. conduct a competitive analysis. c. engage in environmental scanning. d. perform a global analysis.
c. engage in environmental scanning.
Accounting practices treat expenditures on human capital as a. discretionary. b. capital investments. c. expenses. d. fixed costs.
c. expenses.
Employees who value _________ are most likely to be attracted to jobs allowing them to telecommute. a. work variety b. opportunities for early retirement c. flexibility d. a fast-track promotion path
c. flexibility
Georgiana, the vice president of HR in an Ohio-based firm, is in a meeting with the other top level corporate executives. They are discussing whether it is a good strategy for the firm to open a branch in Amsterdam. In her role as head of HR, Georgiana must a. concentrate on being a team player and raise no objection to this expansion. b. raise the ethical issues of opening a branch in a country known for legalization of soft drugs, prostitution, and other "alternative lifestyles.." c. frankly explain that the firm's current human talent pool does not have the capabilities to handle the expansion. d. meet the strategy's requirement no matter what the current state of the company's human talent pool.
c. frankly explain that the firm's current human talent pool does not have the capabilities to handle the expansion.
Using technology to monitor employee performance a. is legally considered an invasion of privacy unless the Department of Justice has approved the methodology. b. typically does not affect employee attitudes because performance evaluation is a normal and accepted organizational process. c. involves few legal restrictions. d. rarely results in information that results in employee discipline or termination, so its expense is difficult to justify.
c. involves few legal restrictions.
When using benchmarking a. HR managers are able to identify the reasons why HR functions are below standard. b. the resulting statistics are comparable across organizations and industries. c. it is best to compare ratios from year to year. d. it is best to collect the data on an as-needed basis rather than on a rigid time schedule.
c. it is best to compare ratios from year to year.
As the unemployment rate rises, a. the rate of voluntary turnover increases. b. early retirement plans become less attractive to Baby Boomers. c. people available for work tend to have high qualifications. d. it becomes harder to fill jobs with skilled workers.
c. people available for work tend to have high qualifications.
ROI is the organization's a. return on interest. b. return on innovation. c. return on investment. d. return on intangible assets.
c. return on investment.
Downsizing an organization typically has all of the following effects on the organization EXCEPT a. demoralization of surviving employees. b. short-term reduction in labor costs. c. revenue generation. d. extra costs in the form of severance pay and outplacement.
c. revenue generation.
Austin, Texas, is a junior rival of Silicon Valley. The city actively recruits new and established high-tech firms to relocate to Austin. As an HR director for a start-up high-tech firm, what would be most important factor regarding the Austin location in comparison to cities without an existing high-tech sector? a. exposure to industrial espionage by competing high-tech firms. b. the high salaries commanded by high-tech workers due to the high local demand for them. c. the availability of an existing pool of high-tech workers. d. concern about being "a small fish in a big pond" and thus less likely to get financial support from the city of Austin than if the company would locate in an economically-depressed city.
c. the availability of an existing pool of high-tech workers.
Typically, the largest controllable expense in the organization involves a. executive salaries and bonuses. b. technology software and hardware. c. the employees. d. raw material input
c. the employees.
The management team at Ginx Enterprises is considering opening several branches in European cities. Gina, the vice president of HR, is studying the employment-related laws and regulations of the European Union for all of the following reasons EXCEPT a. to form the basis of training for managers when the branches open. b. to decide which of Ginx Enterprises' current HR policies and practices must be adapted to the European setting. c. to prepare for the turbulent political and legal systems of Europe. d. to learn what legal compliance issues will be involved with the opening of the branches.
c. to prepare for the turbulent political and legal systems of Europe.
Which of the following statements is FALSE? a. The organization's existing employees limit the organization's choice of strategy. b. Although HR is a staff function, it can add value by helping the organization improve its performance. c. Most HR professionals are not full strategic partners in their organizations. d. In order to have a clear strategic vision, it is best for management to have sole authority to select the organization's competitive strategy..
d. In order to have a clear strategic vision, it is best for management to have sole authority to select the organization's competitive strategy..
Chipper, the only grandchild of the founder of a successful commercial construction firm has just graduated from a noted university with a Ph.D. in zoology. Chipper is taking a year's research fellowship at the San Diego Zoo to study tiger genetics. The top management positions in the firm have been held by family members since 1911. Chipper's father, a civil engineer, is the present CEO. He is 72 and has recently had heart surgery. The firm usually generates about $300 million in government bridge highway projects per year. Which of the following statements is FALSE? a. This business has a succession problem. b. Years ago, this firm should have focused on attracting and retaining outsiders with key capabilities. c. A SWOT analysis would reveal lack of talent in the pipeline as a threat. d. It is time for Chipper to get serious and fulfill his family responsibilities.
d. It is time for Chipper to get serious and fulfill his family responsibilities.
____ is a bundle of services provided to employees who have been laid off. These services give these former employees support and assistance in finding new jobs. a. Severance b. Worker retraining c. Transition support d. Outplacement
d. Outplacement
Which of the following statements about communication technology's impact on HR is FALSE? a. Constant social networking means that today's employees experience less of a division between their work lives and their personal lives. b. Employees today expect more frequent and more rapid communication from their managers. c. The organization's reputation can be damaged by employee communication with outsiders, and this is magnified by social networking. d. Research has shown that the typical employee is not interested in learning more about the organization, so HR communication has little impact on employee attitudes regardless of its format or medium.
d. Research has shown that the typical employee is not interested in learning more about the organization, so HR communication has little impact on employee attitudes regardless of its format or medium.
Arden Glassworks has been the major employer in the town of Arden for over 20 years, drawing mainly on the low and semi-skilled labor force. Now, a large telephone marketing firm is opening an operation in Arden which will also employ low and semi-skilled workers. Which of the following statements is TRUE? a. Since Arden and the marketing firm are in different industries, the impact on Arden's workforce will be minimal. b. Arden will need to offer higher pay and benefits to its employees in order to keep them from moving to the new employer. c. The marketing firm would only open a new operation in a geographic location that has a low average wage so that it can minimize labor costs. Consequently, there will be no upward pressure on the wages and benefits Arden must pay. d. Since Arden and the marketing firm are in the same geographic area, Arden will need to consider the pay scales and benefits the new firm will offer.
d. Since Arden and the marketing firm are in the same geographic area, Arden will need to consider the pay scales and benefits the new firm will offer.
Clement is the vice-president of HR for a financial services firm than has recently acquired a competitor in the same line of business. The main threat to the smooth integration of the two firms is ___________________ which Clement hopes to break down by continuing the change efforts that were implemented in the early days of the acquisition. a. lack of knowledge, skills and abilities in the employees in the acquired organization b. continuing disruption of normal work by due diligence investigations c. legally mandated requirements that employees of the acquired company be given severance if they are laid off as a result of the acquisition d. an "us versus them" mentality between the acquiring and acquire firms' employees
d. an "us versus them" mentality between the acquiring and acquire firms' employees
Backroads Merchandise, an Oklahoma-based manufacturer of outdoors and sports products, is facing a pronounced downturn in business due to lower-priced products from foreign competitors. Top management is concerned that this will be a permanent or long-term problem and they have decided to reduce the number of employees. The CEO has conferred with the director of HR to learn which method of reducing the workforce will be received better by both the employees leaving and the employees remaining behind. The CEO also wishes to minimize the cost of the reduction process. The director of HR has suggested the use of a. layoffs with the option of re-hire when business revives. b. voluntary separations with severance. c. greater use of contingent workers. d. attrition combined with a hiring freeze.
d. attrition combined with a hiring freeze.
The cessation of NASA's space shuttle program and the five year delay before the Constellation program launches, means that NASA a. legally has the needed opportunity to lay off all its current employees and hire new employees with fresh technological and scientific skills. b. has the opportunity to reinvigorate the morale of shuttle technicians and scientists who have been discouraged and unmotivated as a result of being saddled with outmoded technology. c. will be able to seamlessly apply the current knowledge, skills and abilities of its current workforce to the Constellation program. d. faces a knowledge gap if experience shuttle-related employees retire before the Constellation program starts up.
d. faces a knowledge gap if experience shuttle-related employees retire before the Constellation program starts up.
In order for any organizational strategy to be successful, the HR function must a. align with the "one best practice" to achieve worker productivity. b. move beyond the traditional HR focus on effectiveness and efficiency. c. develop the needed human competencies within the organization's existing workforce. d. having the right people in the right place at the right time.
d. having the right people in the right place at the right time.
The return on investment calculation shows the value of expenditures for HR activities. It also shows a. whether the HR department is effective in meeting organizational goals. b. how long it will take a particular HR activity to pay for itself. c. the value added per each HR staff member. d. human capital value added
d. human capital value added
The collective value of the competencies, knowledge and skill of the employees in the organization is known as the organization's a. investment in people. b. talent pool. c. intellectual assets. d. human capital.
d. human capital.
Factors that would be included in a SWOT analysis would include all of the following EXCEPT a. projected inflation rate for the next year. b. potential changes in union organizing legislation. c. the proportion of the available workforce who will be under age 30. d. innovations in payroll processing technology.
d. innovations in payroll processing technology.
The main reason that HR metrics are difficult to compare across organizations is due to a. fear by HR executives that their department will not compare well with other organizations. b. the unique nature of each organization's HR function. c. the fact that most of this information is proprietary. d. lack of consistency in HR reporting.
d. lack of consistency in HR reporting
The Older Workers' Benefit Protection Act (OWBPA) requires employers to do all of the following EXCEPT a. give workers 40 years old and older 45 days to consider accepting severance benefits and waiving the right to sue for age discrimination. b. to disclose the ages of both terminated employees and retained employees when there are layoffs. c. offer older workers "consideration" in exchange for waiving the right to sue the employer for age discrimination. d. provide workers over the age of 40 continued medical benefits until they qualify for Medicare or take new jobs with medical benefits.
d. provide workers over the age of 40 continued medical benefits until they qualify for Medicare or take new jobs with medical benefits.
Which of the following has been a geographic trend within the last decade that has forced changes in HR plans? a. the movement of better educated workers to the Midwest b. the influx of highly skilled technical workers from Asia and India c. the erosion of offshoring advantages because of increases in wages in Asia and India. d. the continued importance of industry hubs with infrastructure and supply bases.
d. the continued importance of industry hubs with infrastructure and supply bases.
As director of HR for a large regional car dealership with 10 locations, Ed must calculate the potential return on investment (ROI) of implementing a new training program to improve car salespersons' effectiveness in convincing new car buyers to finance the car through the dealership. In order to calculate the ROI of the new training program, he needs to collect all of the following data EXCEPT a. the cost of developing and implementing the new training program. b. the dollar value of potential additional new car financing through the dealership in the year following the training program. c. the costs of running update seminars on the new methods for salespersons for one year following the initial training. d. the cost of outsourcing training programs for car salespersons.
d. the cost of outsourcing training programs for car salespersons.
All the following are reasons to outsource an organizational function EXCEPT a. the function is noncore to the organization. b. another firm has greater economies-of-scale and can provide the service cheaper. c. the organization does not have employees with the necessary skills to perform the function. d. the function has legal compliance issues that the organization can push "downstream" to the outsourcing company.
d. the function has legal compliance issues that the organization can push "downstream" to the outsourcing company.
Useful metrics have all the following characteristics EXCEPT a. measures are linked to strategic and operational objectives. b. results can be compared both internally and externally. c. calculations can be clearly understood. d. the measures include subjective judgments by experts.
d. the measures include subjective judgments by experts.
Attrition to reduce an employee surplus is most useful when a. employee morale in the organization is low. b. hiring programs are not affected. c. the workforce reduction is needed in the short-term. d. turnover rates in the organization are high.
d. turnover rates in the organization are high.
The Wickham County Hospital is the only full-service hospital providing care in Wickham County. The population of Wickham Country has been increasing by 10 percent a year the last two years, and projections are that the population will grow even more rapidly in the next ten years. To serve the increased need, next year the hospital will open a new wing doubling the number of beds in the hospital. The HR planning for next year must include all of the following EXCEPT a. analysis of the current employees' knowledge, skills and abilities. b. predicting the qualifications employees will need for the additional jobs. c. predicting the number of new employees needed in each job to staff the new wing. d. what actions to take in the event of a talent surplus in the next 12 months.
d. what actions to take in the event of a talent surplus in the next 12 months.
Trunkline Chemicals is considering opening a manufacturing plant in Vietnam. As director of HR, you assign a committee of HR staff to investigate all of the following factors EXCEPT a. the role and nature of labor unions in Vietnam. b. the stability of the political environment in Vietnam. c. Vietnamese laws regarding compensation. d. whether the change in manufacturing location will be profitable in the short-run.
d. whether the change in manufacturing location will be profitable in the short-run.
