Organization Quizzes - SHRM-CP

Umbrella term for the various approaches and techniques, other than litigation, that can be used to resolve a dispute

Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)

Which recommendation would you make to a new HR practitioner concerning investigating workplace complaints?

Become familiar with the requirements of labor contracts and local laws Labor contracts can stipulate employee rights during an investigation, as can local laws. Investigators must be familiar with these obligations.

Which tasks should an HR department outsource in order to focus on strategic activities?

Benefits and payroll administration Benefits and payroll administration are low in strategic value and can be effectively outsourced to third-party vendors. Talent development, employee engagement, and information technology are strategic activities that should be handled internally.

Form of corrective discipline that implements increasingly severe penalties for employees

Constructive Discipline

Which policy ideally gives employees an opportunity to understand expectations and change their behaviors?

Constructive discipline Constructive discipline gives employees an opportunity to understand expectations and change behavior. This demonstrates organizational support of performance improvement.

Way an organization groups jobs to coordinate work

Departmentalization

What advice would you give an HR colleague facing an employee grievance in a unionized environment?

Document all grievance meetings and take notes The best advice is to document all meetings related to the grievance, since individual grievances can become the grounds for union reactions.

Which best describes the impact of manager self-service technologies on internal HR?

Eliminating time-consuming duties for HR managers Self-service technologies provide employees and employers alike with around-the-clock access to benefit information. Typically, participants can enroll in benefits and access and update benefit, dependent, and beneficiary information online. Participants can also access benefit forms and documents and other helpful information such as frequently asked questions. Depending on customized system features, HR managers are typically able to review and edit benefit and HR data, make changes as they occur, communicate easily with employees, monitor file transfers, and review reports online-all time-saving tasks that have great potential to reduce HR workload.

To reduce security concerns with increased internet use, which practice should HR enact?

Encrypting employee computers and network communications Sensitive data can be protected by encrypting employee laptops, desktops, and network communications to ensure secure storage and sharing of confidential information.

At the request of senior management, an HR manager is assigned to solve a problem with a critical product development team. The manager has little information other than the fact that the team has fallen significantly behind schedule and the project leader is inexperienced. What should the HR manager do first?

Gather information through interviews and observation of the team at work The first step should be understanding the reason for the issue and whether it can be solved by improving team effectiveness. It may be that the delays have been caused by external factors or that the schedule was unrealistic from the beginning. Interviews and observation will provide data for the HR manager to identify and eliminate possible causes.

Organizational structure in which geographic regions define the organizational chart

Geographic Structure

A team leader comes to HR for advice. The team is meeting its first milestone goals, but the team leader is worried about the effect on future productivity of one team member. This person spends more time socializing at meetings than talking about the task at hand. What should the HR professional recommend?

Give the team time to develop its roles and relationships

Orderly way to resolve differences of opinion

Grievance Procedure

Systematic and comprehensive evaluation of an organization's HR policies, practices, procedures, and strategies

HR Audit

An organizational crisis is rapidly unfolding as several key employees have been killed in a car accident. How can HR best contribute to rapid recovery of operations?

HR can fill in or supplement workforce gaps with the best qualified employees HR can research the most qualified candidates to handle operations based on critical skill sets and experiences. A workforce interruption may be avoided. Writing the press release, contacting the media, and planning a memorial are not necessarily HR responsibilities.

Act of deliberately accessing computer data without permission

Hacking

Which technology has the biggest impact on benefits administration?

Internet access Benefits administration has gone from a paper-driven process to an online process. Employees can access an employee self-service portal from remote locations at any time of the day via the Internet.

- Situation in which an organization shares responsibility and liability for its alternative workers with an alternative staffing supplier - Also known as co-employment

Joint Employment

Work groups that conduct the major business of an organization

Line Units

What is the chain of command?

Line of authority within an organization Chain of command refers to the line of authority within an organization. Authority relates to the scope of responsibilities that define the area in which a manager is empowered to make decisions. A long chain of command is associated with more vertical organizations, which have more layers of decision making.

- Method of nonbinding dispute resolution by which a neutral third party tries to help disputing parties reach a mutually agreeable decision - Also called conciliation

Mediation

A graphic designer is leaving a technology consulting firm after five years. Can the designer use copyrighted materials to launch a start-up company?

No, the work is the property of the employer The work is the property of the employer. Copyrighted or patented material is the employer's intellectual property. The graphic designer doesn't own the work, and the employer and the graphic designer don't share ownership of the work. No mediation is required.

A company has separate divisions for distinct types of products. Each division has its own marketing, sales, manufacturing, and finance functions. What type of organizational structure does this illustrate?

Product Companies with a product structure usually have separate divisions for different products, and each division has its own functional departments.

Organizational structure in which functional departments are grouped under major product divisions

Product Structure

Which activity most effectively conveys HR's value as a strategic business partner?

Providing information to internal stakeholders which demonstrates HR's impact on the business operations Providing stakeholders with information about HR's impact on other segments of the business operations aligns HR's efforts with the company's business strategy. Giving advice and recommendations on the marketing strategy is outside of HR's scope of expertise. Providing the company with training success ratios and ensuring that all background checks have been completed both provide value but are administrative, rather than strategic, tasks.

A HR professional has been assigned to help a new product development team that has had difficulty achieving smooth collaboration. The members keep accusing each other of not doing what they're supposed to be doing and instead interfering in each other's work. What tool could help the HR professional and the product team in this situation?

RACI Matrix The team needs to define and agree on roles and responsibilities. This can be done by using a RACI matrix. It defines roles in term of whether a person or group is responsible for performing a task, accountable to management for the performance, consulted for input into the activity, or informed of progress.

Which administrative task should an HR manager delegate to an HR assistant?

Reconciling Benefits Reconciling benefits is a transactional activity, which is an administrative task. Conducting interviews and ensuring compliance with laws and regulations are both operational tasks. Creating career development plans is a strategic function of HR.

An organization has experienced rapid growth, hampering its ability to respond quickly to competitive threats. Which form of restructuring will offer the best opportunity to minimize response times?

Redistributing decision-making authority Redistribution of decision-making authority-in this case, shifting authority downward toward line managers or outward from headquarters to the field-will shorten response time. Using an extended organization structure may decrease response time since aligning with external partners can be challenging. Growing more through a merger will make the need for restructuring more necessary. Costs are not the issue, and downsizing is not the organization's strategy.

- Termination of employment of individual employees or groups of employees for reasons other than performance, for example, economic necessity or restructuring - Also known as downsizing

Reduction in Force (RIF)

Statistical method used to determine whether a relationship exists between variables and the strength of the relationship

Regression Analysis

"Snapshot" assessment of the availability of qualified backup for key positions

Replacement Planning

What best describes the difference between replacement planning and succession planning?

Replacement planning focuses on short-term needs; succession planning focuses on long-term needs Although the two overlap in practice, replacement planning focuses on the short term and succession planning focuses on the long term. Both are important in headquarters as well as nonheadquarters countries.

What is a direct result of HR's evolving strategic role?

Required competence to develop talent through career development and succession planning HR's talent management strategy needs to be aligned to the organization's strategies and business partners' needs. While the other activities listed are important, they are tied more to HR's operational and administrative roles. Operational activities focus on the day-to-day needs of managing people, while administrative activities tend to be transactional.

HR is considering whether to recommend termination of an employee after investigating and confirming numerous complaints from other employees about unlawful behavior. Which additional steps should the HR manager consider before making the termination recommendation?

Reviewing the history of similar discipline situations HR should confirm the consistency with which the organization has responded to this type of problem in the past. The action could be discriminatory if the response is inconsistent with previous similar situations.

Which is considered a flexible staffing strategy?

Seasonal Contracting Employing seasonal workers is an example of a flexible staffing strategy. The other options are ways to create employee engagement, not employer flexibility. A compressed workweek is an example of flexible scheduling to meet employee needs and preferences.

Attempt by a union to influence an employer by putting pressure on another employer, for example, a supplier

Secondary Action

In a computer context, tricking a user into sharing information that can then be used to access systems

Social Engineering

Refers to the number of individuals who report to a supervisor

Span of Control

Action taken in support of another union that is striking the employer

Sympathy Strike

Recently, a visibly upset employee came to the employee relations (ER) manager. The manager invited the employee to sit down and waited patiently while the employee calmed down and explained what was wrong. The ER manager then explained what action would be taken to remedy the situation. How could the ER manager's response have been improved?

The ER manager could have included the employee in problem solving The employee relations manager failed to confirm his/her understanding of the problem and failed to use empathy by inviting the employee to participate in developing a response. The manager did well in meeting promptly with the employee and showed empathy by not demanding that the employee calm down. Empathy does not require mirroring the other person's emotional state.

As the result of a reorganization, an employer is laying off 20% of its sales employees. Which existing practice will help ensure that the company retains the knowledge of the departing employees?

The sales department maintains a customer database The sales department's customer database is an effective way to store and share information. The other answers do not necessarily influence whether knowledge is captured.

What is the role of an HR professional attending a meeting in a work unit that is struggling to implement recent changes?

To engage the group in solving issues that have arisen The HR professional adds value in this OED engagement by using group process skills to facilitate problem solving. The group will be more successful in implementing solutions that they have helped develop. The team is probably aware by this point of management's goal in making the change. The HR professional is not sure yet that work processes are the team's issue. By avoiding involvement, the HR professional would be not be fulfilling HR's role to improve the organization's effectiveness.

Which is a primary goal during supply analysis?

To provide a snapshot of an organization's current pool of talent During supply analysis, the organization looks at whether it has the right personnel mix to achieve its short- and long-term business goals. It finds gaps in supply and looks for internal and external ways to fill them.

- Group of workers who coordinate their activities to achieve common goals in their relationship with an employer or group of employers - Also called labor union

Trade Union

- Act of replacing employees leaving an organization - Attrition or loss of employees

Turnover

Annualized formula that tracks number of separations and total number of workforce employees per month

Turnover Rate

- Violation of employee rights - Act prohibited under labor relations statutes

Unfair Labor Practice (ULP)

When is knowledge management most productive?

When it focuses on sharing organizational learning and reducing knowledge loss Knowledge management programs typically focus on two key elements: expertise sharing and knowledge retention/reduction of knowledge loss due to employee attrition.

Refers to the extent to which rules, policies, and procedures govern the behavior of employees in an organization

Formalization

What approach is most characteristic of succession planning?

It focuses on long-term global issues Succession planning takes a long-range, strategic view and considers the entire organization and its business conditions.

What is likely to be true of the team structure for a project team to launch a new product?

It is likely to have high skill diversity A team created for a new product launch is likely to have high skill diversity, as it would be made up of members with sales, marketing, product design, logistics, and finance backgrounds. It would likely have high authority dispersion, as team members would work to find agreement on major decision points that impact all of their time lines and goals. It would likely have low permanence, as it would dissolve once the product is finalized and launched.

Which is the best rationale for ensuring a new HR team member confirms with the manager that an employee issue has been resolved?

It reinforces HR's service and value to its internal business partners Providing feedback to the line manager is an opportunity for the line manager to emphasize the service that HR provides. The feedback is not documentation that the request has been correctly addressed. It may be that providing feedback is the last step in the HR department's process, but that may not always be applicable since the reason for its inclusion in the process is because of its impact on the customer relationship.

Use of information from past and present to predict future conditions

Judgmental Forecasts

Process of creating, acquiring, sharing, and managing knowledge to augment individual and organizational performance

Knowledge Management (KM)

Which technology has the primary mission of sharing information in meaningful ways to augment employee performance?

Knowledge management systems Knowledge management systems are increasingly popular as a knowledge-sharing tool in organizations. These systems facilitate access and exchange of information, expertise, and learning throughout the organization.

- Group of workers who coordinate their activities to achieve common goals in their relationship with an employer or group of employers - Also called trade union

Labor Union

A union has been accused of an unfair labor practice (ULP). What body has the authority to listen to the ULP charge?

Labor board ULPs are generally heard by labor boards, commissions, or tribunals. It would be unreasonable to allow a labor union to investigate its own alleged ULP. Unless stated in the collective bargaining agreement, a labor association would have no authority to act if a ULP is found to have occurred. A labor council serves in an advisory role and would have no authority to act if the alleged ULP was indeed committed.

Which is an advantage of a best-of-breed (BOB) HRIS solution over an integrated solution?

A BOB solution provides quicker implementation because the system is simpler and affects fewer employees BOB solutions provide quicker implementation because they are simpler and affect fewer employees. The other advantages listed apply to integrated solutions rather than BOB.

In which scenario would having a knowledge management program be beneficial to an organization?

A company's workforce has a large percentage of employees nearing retirement age A knowledge management program would be beneficial in an organization that has a large percentage of employees nearing retirement age; this will allow the organization to retain the departing employees' institutional knowledge. The other answers do not require knowledge use, retention, or transfer.

In addition to cost, which is the most important factor to consider when reviewing the proposals of outsourced companies?

Ability to meet specifications The vendor's ability to meet specifications is the most important of these factors.

Which best describes HR's involvement in the strategic planning process of their organization?

Acting as a consultant to leadership and other functions on HR issues HR professionals should be directly involved in the strategic planning process and can identify and help the organization manage the implications that strategic planning has for all employees. HR's unique cross-functional (and possibly global) perspective allows HR leaders to create value by consulting and advising on aligning workforce assets with strategy demands.

The HR director wants to transition from paper-based record keeping to digital record keeping. Which factors should the director consider before engaging in a purchasing process for HR technology?

Alignment of user and departmental objectives User, departmental, and organizational readiness are all essential factors in the purchase of HR technology, so alignment of user and departmental objectives should be considered. An equipment solution or guidelines for needs assessments should be customized to fit each situation. While external vendors may be stakeholders, the needs should be tied to departmental and business objectives.

The staffing plan turns analysis data and organizational objectives into reality. What type of analysis is most likely to be considered in the development of a global staffing plan?

Analysis to determine gaps between current and future staffing requirements One of the first steps in developing a global staffing plan is determining the gap between the current staffing situation and future staffing requirements. A trend analysis also may be useful as input to a staffing plan, but estimating future requirements based on experience may not adequately reflect changes in the staffing environment or corporate strategy.

Method of dispute resolution by which disputing parties agree to be bound by the decision of one or more impartial persons to whom they submit their dispute for final determination

Arbitration

The HR director and union representatives are unable to resolve a formal grievance at either the local or national level. What is the next step in the formal grievance process?

Arbitration Arbitration is the next step when the internal grievance processes have been unsuccessful at resolving the matter. Individual bargaining is not permissible if there is a collective bargaining agreement. Withdrawing the grievance is not likely if the employee or union believes there is still an unresolved issue. Further negotiation is not likely to work if the negotiations have moved beyond both the local and national grievance levels.

Ability of a computer to imitate human thought and behavior

Artificial intelligence (AI)

What driver of restructuring can cause organizations to focus on up-skilling and re-skilling employees?

Artificial intelligence and robotics As artificial intelligence and robotics continue to impact the workplace, entire departments may be replaced. This may result in additional opportunities to deploy the workforce in new ways and require employees to be comfortable with using the new technologies, causing organizations to focus on up-skilling and re-skilling.

A manager has organized a team to assist with planning an event. At a meeting, one of the team members complained, dominated the discussion, and resisted each new suggestion. Which strategy should the manager use to control this behavior?

Assess the team member's behavior and follow up with him through discussion and coaching There are three types of roles individuals play in groups: task, social, and dysfunctional. It is necessary to understand the roles at different steps in the group process. Make sure these roles are present when needed and managed when they obstruct progress.

What is the first step in an HRIS implementation?

Assessing organizational needs Needs must be determined before selecting a project committee, soliciting vendors, or evaluating available systems. The organizational needs will drive what vendors are selected and what systems will be reviewed.

Which task should HR consider for outsourcing?

Benefits management and administration Organizations generally outsource services that are not core activities or that require special expertise that may not exist within their company. Designing effective compensation packages for management and developing HR strategic plans are core activities that should not be outsourced. The disciplinary process is best administered by those who have a vested interest in the outcome.

A fitness organization requires its employees to wear technology that tracks wellness bio-data. What challenges to this technology are likely to emerge?

Biohacking and DNA privacy Challenges likely to emerge from wearable technology include biohacking and DNA privacy issues. Other potential issues include the duty to accommodate and arguments about the commodification of labor.

An economic comparison of options for a new applicant tracking system shows that the cost of the system best suited to meet the organization's long-term goals exceeds the amount management has budgeted. What should the HR manager present to management to support the purchase of the more expensive system?

Business case Business cases outline the allocation of organizational resources to strategic initiatives (such as applicant tracking systems). Marketing plans provide an overview of the business's marketing and advertising goals. Neither a SWOT analysis (an identification of an organization's internal strengths and weaknesses and external opportunities and threats) nor HR forecasting (the projection of labor needs and their effects) would convince management to spend more than the original budget on a new applicant tracking system.

How can internal social networks benefit an organization?

By fostering a desired workplace culture Social networks have many value-added uses, for both the organization and its employees, with each answer being a potential benefit to one or the other. However, internal social networks specifically can assist in creating a desired workplace culture and can improve communication and collaboration in the organization. The other answers would be most likely achieved through the use of external social networks.

How can HR add the most value in the strategic planning process?

By identifying the HR implication of the company's strategy HR can provide the most value by ensuring that all HR implications are identified and fully considered. To do this, HR must be involved in the early stages of strategy development so they can be aware of and influence the organizational goals. HR also brings knowledge of the internal and external environments in which the company operates.

How can HR help prevent its organization from committing an unfair labor practice?

By training management on allowed speech Training management on allowed speech may help to prevent a manager or supervisor from interfering with legal union activity.

Style of computing in which scalable IT-enabled capabilities are delivered as a service using Internet technologies

Cloud Computing

An organization is projecting future employee flow based on past transition rates. Which potential outcome is most likely from this approach?

Change can diminish the accuracy of the flow projection Although past transition rates and probabilities provide a good basis for comparison, they may have limited value in predicting future trends in the face of change.

A workplace survey reflects dissatisfaction with an organization's current mediation process since too many problems seem to be unresolved. Which approach will create more accountability and closure to the complaint process?

Chosen officer A chosen officer alternative dispute resolution (ADR) system allows employees to select an arbiter from a list of managers/officers. This provides a greater sense of empowerment and control over the situation.

Which is the most effective organizational policy on the use of social media?

Clarify prohibitions for social media behavior in the handbook or code of conduct The best approach is to communicate clearly in the organization's handbook or code of conduct what is allowed and what is prohibited regarding the use of the organization's technology and behavior on social media toward the organization and fellow employees. Surveillance of employee social media accounts may be illegal in some areas. Rules of conduct should reflect the culture of the organization, so copying another organization's handbook may alienate employees. It is best to be up-front and consistent about what the organization wants rather than responding to situations as they arise.

Which is the best action an HR business partner should take when receiving an e-mail from the director of finance, that they have never communicated with before, asking for an employee's tax documents for an urgent mortgage verification request?

Call the director of finance's office and offer assistance This is a possible case of a spear-phishing attack, in which a cyber intruder asks for information or asks the recipient to click a link to a document or website. Any unusual request from an atypical sender should trigger suspicions and a cautious response. The safest course is to phone the extension number in the organization's directory and confirm the e-mail request. If it was a phishing attack, it should then be reported to the IT system manager.

An organizational structure that leverages staff expertise in certain areas to improve the entire organization's strategic performance

Center of Excellence (COE)

Line of authority within an organization

Chain of Command

What has become a popular solution to the problem of the volume of data created by big data strategies?

Cloud computing Cloud computing allows organizations to store some of the cast amounts of data they have collected on remote (off-premises) servers connected accessed through the internet. Software as a service tends to solve issues related to the labor required to create and maintain software. Scalable servers do address the issue of increasing data volume, but this approach predates cloud computing. Online analytical processing is one of the reasons why data are multiplying so quickly in organizations.

- Situation in which an organization shares responsibility and liability for its alternative workers with an alternative staffing supplier - Also known as joint employment

Co-Employment

Which action can be taken by HR to help prevent industrial actions?

Communicating the perspective of employees to management HR can help managers and supervisors understand how employees might view the employer's behavior. HR can also educate management about what honoring the contract requires and how to avoid behavior that may be perceived as bullying.

Which best describes the situation most likely to use a narrow span of control?

Complexity of tasks Span of control refers to the number of individuals who report to a supervisor. Narrower spans of control are typically used when tasks are complex, subordinates are poorly trained or inexperienced, or a team effort is required.

HR has undertaken a review of the company's talent management plan in order to make recommendations for possible improvements. Which action should HR take first?

Conduct a thorough review of the organization's strategic plans and goals Key to talent development is to first conduct a thorough review of the organization's strategic plans and annual goals in order to develop a deep understanding of all critical abilities needed to achieve those goals and to then evaluate whether the competencies to achieve these goals are clearly defined.

What is the best approach HR can take to align organizational effectiveness and development (OED) with the goals of the organization?

Connecting the organization's strategy and the intervention activities The most effective way to align HR activities with organizational goals is for HR professionals to participate in the strategic planning process. HR professionals should demonstrate the importance of an organization's OED activities by providing education and training in strategic planning and linking the outcomes of OED activities to organizational goals.

How has technology affected the HR function?

Consumer-like applications will allow manager self-service Consumer-like applications (manager and employee self-service) will allow HR's internal clients to handle many HR processes themselves. The ratio of workers to HR staff varies depending on the role HR plays in the organization; technology, in the form of data analytics, might add HR staff. Strategic HR processes will not be (or should not be) outsourced. HR's role in the organization won't become less important; it will become more strategic.

Arrangement in which an enterprise and a vendor share different tasks within a larger complex, often strategic responsibility

Cosourcing

An organization has a resource-intensive project that requires specialized expertise not currently available . The organization needs to monitor work closely and continuously to meet quality requirements. Which staffing strategy would meet the organization's needs?

Cosourcing Cosourcing often locates contractors within the HR organization so there's managerial control over the contractor. The temporary nature of the project is met more effectively through contracting.

Which HR metric would best inform HR leadership as to whether the rest of the organization feels that HR does an adequate job supporting hiring processes throughout other departments?

Customer satisfaction Customer satisfaction is a measure of various different customer opinions across services offered by HR. Success ratio refers to the proportion of selected applicants who are later judged to be successful on the job, promotion pattern refers to the percentage of internal promotions, and human capital ROI refers to the ratio of employment-related expenses to revenue minus nonemployment expenses.

Which best demonstrates due process in disciplining an employee for a dischargeable offense?

Ensuring that the employee is afforded an opportunity to present a defense Due process is a principle that ensures that employees are informed of expectations and the consequences of failure to meet those expectations, are treated fairly and factually, and are allowed an opportunity to defend themselves and appeal the decision.

Business management software, usually a suite of integrated applications, that a company can use to collect, store, manage, and interpret data from many business activities

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)

HR structural alternative that allows organizations with different strategies in multiple units to apply HR expertise to each unit's specific strategic needs

Dedicated HR

Why is it important for an HR director to establish internal partnerships with the managers of each business unit?

Demonstrate how HR can provide business unit value Building strong partnerships between HR and business units allows HR professionals to illustrate how they can help the units with HR-related issues such as staffing and performance appraisals. Partnerships also increase HR's understanding of other business unit operations by providing them with an expert contact in each area. By building these partnerships, HR professionals create environments where future decisions are made collaboratively and support between departments is reciprocal.

What term describes how work groups are related in an organization?

Departmentalization Departmentalization describes the way an organization groups its tasks and then aligns those groups for better effectiveness and efficiency.

HR is asked to advise on ways to help a development team become fully functional as quickly as possible. The team is dispersed geographically and faces very short deadlines. What team-building solution would you prioritize?

Development of a roles and responsibilities chart Defining roles and responsibilities would be a relatively quick way to make the group more efficient. Face-to-face meetings are impractical and time-consuming for a global team. Training would take time when the team is struggling to meet tough deadlines. Learning to manage stress is a good idea, but a better idea is to clear a possible source of stress, the confusion over roles and responsibilities.

Which is a characteristic of alternative dispute resolution (ADR)?

Does not preclude litigation ADR does not prevent disputes from leading to litigation or arbitration, but it can result in fewer cases going to trial. It is generally used in union-free organizations.

- Termination of employment of individual employees or groups of employees for reasons other than performance, for example, economic necessity or restructuring - Also known as reduction in force (RIF)

Downsizing

Process of investigating a decision thoroughly before finalizing it to identify all potential factors that could affect the positive and negative impacts of the decision

Due Diligence

Conversion of data into a format that protects or hides its natural presentation or intended meaning

Encryption

Which is an appropriate action for HR during an investigation into charges of discriminatory employment practices?

Ensure confidentiality as much as possible Initially supporting a timely investigation and then ensuring confidentiality as much as possible is the best course of action for HR.

How should an HR professional best work with other leaders to achieve an employee-friendly, non-unionized workplace?

Ensure that two-way feedback mechanisms are encouraged The most effective of the methods listed is creating feedback mechanisms that promote two-way communication.

Which activity is considered a strategic HR responsibility?

Establishing common goals of an organization's core business functions The three major areas of HR's involvement in strategy are participating in creating the organizational goals, aligning HR's functional strategy with the organizational strategy, and then supporting other functions as they work to fulfill their own strategic goals. HR must act as a business partner for all other functions. Completing tasks accurately, identifying HRIS enhancements, and recommending potential cost saving opportunities are transactional initiatives that could be part of an overall strategic plan

What would indicate a cultural shift as a result of an organization and employee development change initiative?

Fewer product returns due to quality issues Organization interventions set measurable objectives so that the effectiveness of the intervention can be assessed. The objectives are related to the efficiency of the intervention in making change and its effectiveness in helping the organization achieve the desired performance. In this case, fewer product returns are a measurable result of activity and are aligned with an organization's strategic goals.

What is the correct term for the right of an individual worker to unite with other workers to promote desired employment conditions as a group?

Freedom of association Freedom of association is the right of workers to join (or not join) an organization of their choosing without prior authorization by their employer.

How has the HR professional role evolved?

From operational to strategic HR professionals today balance three major roles: strategic, operational, and administrative. Increasingly, administrative roles are subordinated to focus on strategic roles that directly contribute to the bottom line.

HR structural alternative in which headquarters HR specialists craft policies and HR generalists located within divisions or other locales implement the policies, adapt them as needed, and interact with employees

Functional HR

Organizational structure in which departments are defined by the services they contribute to the organization's overall mission, such as marketing and sales, operations, and HR

Functional Structure

An organization is researching labor costs for similar operations and projections by a government labor agency on the availability of certain types of skilled employees. What stage of the workforce analysis process is the organization completing?

Gap In the third stage of the workforce analysis process, employers compare the workforce they have (in terms of size, costs, and skills) with the workforce they need in order to identify what is lacking. The gap analysis step includes comparing these internal needs with external forces, such as prevailing market conditions and labor availability, that could affect the chosen solution.

Which action should HR take in order to fully realize the benefits of workplace data analytics?

Gather good-quality data to make relevant decisions Data analytics is the process of studying data to detect patterns and relationships that can be used to make predictions and improve decisions. The challenge of data analytics for HR is to identify what data should be captured and how to use the data to model and predict capabilities so the organization gets an optimal return on investment on its human capital.

What is the primary obstacle that must be avoided during the norming phase of team formation?

Groupthink During the norming phase, the team members unite behind rules and processes. The major obstacle here is groupthink, which occurs when members value a shared identity so much that innovation and creative problem solving (which may entail disagreement) is hampered.

HR has been approved to expend financial and staffing resources for the upcoming fiscal year on a staffing plan. Who would likely be chosen to participate in the plan development and implementation?

HR staff member with 17 years' experience who has participated in job analyses for many of the jobs A staffing plan turns workforce analysis data (supply, demand, gaps, and solutions) into reality. The outcome of a job analysis is a job description that identifies the KSAs needed in the position. This firsthand knowledge can be valuable when assessing the ability to staff positions. Although it is valuable to have team members with experience, a staffing plan requires a two- to three-year commitment. While budget monitoring is important, the project leader could report regularly to the leadership team. Discussions about pay would not involve current employees' actual pay; pay grades and pay ranges may be part of the staffing plan discussion.

Big data brings with it three requirements: volume (the ability to store massive amounts of data), velocity (the ability to refresh data rapidly), and variety. What does variety refer to?

Importing, storing, and integrating data in different formats Data is now available in varied forms: text, images, movie and audio files, logs, and so on. The ability to capture all these types of data creates richer opportunities for analysis and decision making.

Self-employed individuals hired on a contract basis for specialized services

Independent Contractors

The HR generalist at a regional bank informs managers when fully qualified candidates apply for jobs. Although there may not be any current openings, HR and position-specific managers will screen candidates and determine next steps. How can HR reliably predict when an opening is likely to occur?

Historical data of movement Flow analysis can be accomplished in three ways, one of which is to estimate the movement based on historical data, looking at flows in, up, down, across, and out of the organization.

Information technology framework and tools for gathering, storing, maintaining, retrieving, revising, and reporting HR data

Human Resource Information System (HRIS)

A manager has lost several staff members to a competitor in the last quarter however continues to meet team targets. Which type of report can HR share to ease this manager's dismay over losing staff members?

Human capital value added Human capital value added shows the productivity of retained employees, due perhaps to HR processes such as training for employees and supervisors and compensation strategies. This metric will increase since revenue will be divided by a smaller number of employees.

Which metric would most accurately show the effect of the investment in an HR change initiative to increase employee productivity?

Human capital value added The human capital value-added metric shows growth in employee productivity. It is calculated by subtracting nonemployment expenses (e.g., materials, rent, utilities) from revenue, and dividing the difference by the number of employees. A value should be established at the beginning of the initiative so that a later value can be compared with it to show effect.

An HR function has purchased applicant tracking software that allows external recruiters to access certain areas of the organization's information system. Throughout the purchasing process, HR has excluded the IT function. What is a possible outcome?

IT refuses to allow the software to be loaded into the system HR's approach to this project does not recognize IT's responsibilities and needs. IT may refuse to allow the system to be installed on a shared system out of concern for security and incompatibilities or because they cannot estimate the demand the additional technology will have on IT's support resources.

Which is the most desired outcome of an HR audit?

Identification of areas of the function where performance could be improved The most desired outcome of an audit would be a clear sense of where performance could be improved and an action plan for implementing these improvements. A checklist of controls does not ensure that the controls are effective in their goals. The audit may not affect efficiency, although it should affect quality. Measuring oneself against peers is instructional, but doing it to gain credibility is shortsighted.

Various forms of collective employee actions taken to protest work conditions or employer actions

Industrial Actions

Way to collect, organize, store, analyze, and share data

Information System (IS)

Which type of flexible staff benefits the organization by bringing new ideas and energy into the workplace and potentially builds a pipeline for future full-time employees?

Interns Internships benefit both the intern and the employer. The intern receives meaningful, practical work as well as opportunities to explore careers and learn new skills. The employer is able to bring new ideas and energy into the workforce and develop talent, and it can potentially build a pipeline for future full-time employees.

How does HR ensure organizational effectiveness and development (OED) interventions deliver value?

Intervention objectives link outcomes to organizational goals The linkage to organizational goals is the best way to demonstrate HR's contribution to the organization's strategy. While the other actions are expected of HR, the critical activity is providing organizational effectiveness and development activities that affect the organization's bottom line. Outcomes must be determined before metrics can be developed.

What is the first step in developing a knowledge management system?

Inventorying knowledge assets The first step in developing a formal knowledge management system is to inventory the types of knowledge assets that exist and the assets themselves. This can be a time-consuming and considerable task, and a system must be established to properly index and mark each asset.

A company designs and manufactures sophisticated and unique components for satellites. Its product development process can take a decade. It forecasts steady growth and demand for designers and technicians. What strategy is the company most likely to use to meet its workforce needs?

Investing in developing and retaining knowledgeable and skilled employees The company's business model requires a high level of specialized knowledge and skills that will be hard to locate in the labor market. It also needs a high level of institutional knowledge-a continuity of knowledge about the company's products and processes, which is less likely with a temporary workforce. While some tasks can be automated, this company makes intense use of human capital. It would benefit therefore from building the workers it needs and retaining them and their knowledge and experience.

What does the term "tripartism" mean in the context of union relations?

Involvement of national governments in the bargaining process Tripartism refers to the collaboration of governments, employers, and unions in developing contracts and resolving disputes. This is a common feature in some countries and an occasional feature in others (e.g., government intervention in times of national emergencies). Industry employer associations are common in some industries, but this is just another form of the union-employer relationship. The employment relationship in a unionized workplace does have three actors, but this is not what tripartism means. Works councils do not participate in collective bargaining.

When considering major changes in the performance appraisal process, which approach would be most helpful in obtaining commitment from managers?

Involving managers in determining what changes should be made The first stage of designing an organizational effectiveness and development intervention requires an understanding the challenges. This would include determining the target audience's readiness for the upcoming change. In this case, soliciting management's input is a way to determine their readiness and commitment. Managers then could be involved in the design, implementation, and evaluation of the new performance appraisal process.

HR works with IT to develop policies and procedures for Internet use and social media posts on the organization's network. Which best describes the impact of this policy?

Limiting legal liability and ensuring data security Policies restricting access to certain websites (e.g., sexual content) aim at managing risk to the organization's data security posed by questionable sites. The policy may also deter downloading of materials that could be used to harass other employees and pose legal liabilities for the organization. This policy is not aimed at increasing productivity or monitoring activity. It may indirectly preserve the organization brand by preventing problems, but this is not its primary purpose.

Which best demonstrates chain of command?

Line of authority within an organization Chain of command refers to a line of authority within an organization. Authority relates to the scope of responsibilities that define the area in which a manager is empowered to make decisions.

Action of an employer to shut down operations to prevent employees from working

Lockout

Which component in an information system enables operations?

Logic tier The logic tier contains the applications that use information in the data tier (databases, stored data) to perform operations (e.g., applicant tracking software, project management systems).

What demonstrates the use of artificial intelligence in an organization?

Machine learning chatbot that answers benefit questions and gets smarter as it collects more information AI systems use machine learning over time to tailor answers to inquiries. A dashboard gathers data from various sources and compares it with defined performance indicators. Contractors represent human intelligence. The engagement is using advanced analytics to inspect data from varying but defined perspectives.

What is the primary function of executive management?

Manage core business functions and their effect on the organization's performance Executive management is primarily responsible for using the organization's resources to improve its value. This means creating strategies that align with external and internal environments and working with each business function to maximize a return on resources allocated to that function. Core business functions create and implement their own strategies in alignment with the organization's strategy. Executive management may be the primary interface with investors, but the administrative functions, such as public relations and government relations, interface with those groups. Leading a vision is critical to achieving a strategy and is in that sense a secondary responsibility of executive management.

A company decides to lower payroll costs by hiring an organization to assume full responsibility for its IT department. What is this process called?

Managed services Managed services, or outsourcing, allows an outside organization to fully run and staff the department. Payrolling, professional employer organizations, and temp-to-lease programs only provide employees to the organization.

An elder care service organization is challenged with retention of staff. Recently the service director left the organization with little notice. HR wants to prepare for future unplanned vacancies to avoid any disruption in client services. What is the best way for HR to mitigate this risk?

Managers can cross-train a subordinate Replacement planning concentrates on immediate needs and a "snapshot" assessment of the availability of qualified backups for individuals in key positions. It is an important element in business continuity planning in the event of an emergency or business interruption. When identifying potential replacements for their position, managers use their best judgment based on observation and experience.

What core business function is best suited in identifying competitive threats and revenue producing opportunities for a SWOT analysis?

Marketing and Sales Marketing and sales has the most relevant and accurate information on the market and customer trends because it is in the closest contact with customers. Research and Development is primarily inward focused on creating new products or services, Business Operations could have some relevant information but they're mostly transactional. IT likely doesn't have much insight into external threats or opportunities outside of information security.

An organization's HR department receives pressure from multiple different areas in the organization. Which HR structural alternative would work best for this organization?

Matrix A matrix structure, where HR staff reports directly to both HR senior management and senior management in other departments, would work well in this situation.

- Organizational structure that combines departmentalization by division and function to gain the benefits of both - Results in some employees reporting to two managers rather than one, with neither manager assuming a superior role

Matrix Structure

A manager has come to HR because an employee cannot meet production standards. After further investigation, it is discovered that several other employees cannot meet production standards. Records show that all employees have been properly trained and certified. Which action should HR recommend to resolve the issue?

Meeting with each employee to determine the obstacles to production Training is sometimes seen as the solution to all performance problems. In this case, the manager should meet with the underperforming employees to determine why they are not producing. Since other employees are meeting standards after receiving the same training, it may be that there is a different issue that must be addressed.

Which best identifies the reason why many organizational effectiveness and development (OED) programs begin with data collection?

Multiple perspectives that allow for a deeper understanding of the issue are provided Data collection from all affected parties leads to a deeper understanding of the issue, including multiple perspectives on the issue itself and its effects and possible causes. Management personnel are stakeholders whose needs must be managed in an OED intervention. A better understanding will probably result in more efficient budgeting, but this is not the main purpose of the data collection. Best practices are explored once the need is more fully understood.

A scientist is hired to perform research for a new product at a pharmaceutical company. Which clause is most critical to include in the employment contract?

Non-disclosure of trade secrets and other confidential information The most important information to include in the employment contract involves the protection of the organization's intellectual property (IP). The employee will have access to confidential information and research that would be of value to competitive firms. The organization must safeguard this information. The protection of IP is of particular importance when hiring scientists.

Which would be the most effective quantitative measurement of customer service?

Numerical ratings on a customer satisfaction survey A numerical rating is a quantifiable measure of desired customer service goals, and it serves as a baseline to measure performance. The best measure in this case is a numerical rating indicating a high level of customer satisfaction. Training is often necessary for improving performance but does not reflect actual performance. The volume of complaint calls handled is a legitimate measurement, but it measures efficiency rather than quality. Feedback or ratings on third-party websites are anecdotal and unscientific, so they may not portray reliable results.

In what form of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) is an employee encouraged to speak to management regarding suggestions, concerns, or complaints?

Open door Best-practice organizations encourage open-door/person-to-person meetings. If the meeting involves complaints or grievances, the issues are carefully documented. For these meetings to be effective, there has to be top management commitment. Neither formal steps nor equal opportunity describe a specific ADR process. Ideas from a suggestion box do not necessarily lead to discussions with management.

To capitalize on innovation and collaboration, HR must balance certain issues. Which are the most challenging?

Openness and security For effective information management, a balance must be struck between openness, in the form of easy access to a large amount of information, and the security of that information from those who would misuse it.

Which part of the organization is responsible for assembling products?

Operations The operations part of the enterprise makes the products that the sales force sells or provides the organization's services to outside customers.

Which type of OD intervention would best address an assessment that determined a need to increase the performance capability across all levels and departments?

Organizational Organizational interventions look at how the structure of the organization is helping or hindering it. In this case, an intervention may design new decision-making policies that grant employees greater freedom to test ideas.

Process of enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of an organization and the well-being of its members through planned interventions

Organizational Development

HR acts to develop a team in order to improve customer service, efficiency, and processes. What activity does this illustrate?

Organizational Development Organizational development includes interventions aimed at improving the overall short- and long-term performance of an organization. Gap analysis seeks to identify reasons for a discrepancy between goals and actual performance. Onboarding focuses on acculturating individual new hires. Strategic planning is a process of setting goals, objectives, and action plans.

Process by which an organization contracts with third-party vendors to provide selected services/activities instead of hiring new employees

Outsourcing

Staff have been reluctant to share on-the-job experiences with coworkers. HR wants to update all job descriptions to reflect the expectation that this should take place. How can HR assess that this change has been successfully implemented?

Performance Evaluations HR professionals play a key role in fostering knowledge management. They instill a knowledge-sharing attitude in new employees and use training and performance management systems to encourage creativity, innovation, and knowledge transfer.

Positioning of employees at a place of work targeted for the action for the purpose of protest

Picketing

What does an HR audit measure the effectiveness and the efficiency of?

Policies, practices, procedures, and strategies to support HR's goals An HR audit measures the adequacy of HR policies, practices, procedures, and strategies as HR works toward meeting its strategic goals. What an audit measures can vary according to an organization's focus, but in general audits measure effectiveness and efficiency of procedures in delivering outputs of desired quantity, timing, and quality. The audit, for example, could assess compliance with policies about using resources or with procedures designed to ensure alignment with legal requirements or customer service. The HR audit is not like a financial audit (although functional budgets may be audited by internal auditors).

Broad statement that reflects an organization's philosophy, objectives, or standards concerning a particular set of management or employee activities

Policy

What is a broad statement that reflects an organization's philosophy, objectives, or standards?

Policy A policy is a broad statement that reflects an organization's philosophy, objectives, or standards concerning a particular set of management or employment activities.

HR management creates a shared services center for career development counseling. Several months later, management notes high turnover in HR offices throughout the organization. Which is the most likely reason for this outcome?

Poor management of the extended effects of an organizational change Since the employees' departures from the organization were not intended and since they occurred in multiple offices, they may illustrate a 'ripple effect' of the change to a shared service concept that was not anticipated or managed. The creation of the center may have removed a source of job satisfaction and/or valuable career opportunities for HR staff.

In a sales and marketing environment, what are the 4Ps of marketing?

Price, product, promotion, and place The responsibility of marketing is often described as managing the 4 Ps: price (how much to charge), product (what to offer), promotion (how to reach potential customers), and place (where or how to sell). Marketing strategies are often characterized as "push" or "pull".

HR has been tasked with examining structures and processes to make the organization more agile and quick to respond to threats and opportunities. What type of intervention is this?

Proactive This is a proactive intervention, taken to improve the organization's capabilities rather than to correct specific deficiencies, such as a dysfunctional culture that is affecting ethical conduct or engagement. That would be a remedial intervention. Competitive is not a type of intervention. An organizational intervention focuses on change at the organizational rather than team or individual level. A proactive or remedial intervention may include specific activities that focus on the organization and/or individuals.

Agreement that requires specific contractors to accept certain conditions in project contracts, such as paying a fair wage and contributing to health insurance, pension, and training funds

Project Labor Agreement (PLA)

Which action would be considered an unfair labor practice (ULP)?

Refusing to bargain with a legally recognized union In general, a ULP is a violation by an employer or a union of a country's labor laws. Refusal to bargain with a legally recognized union or to provide information necessary for negotiations is an example of the type of action considered a ULP. The other actions listed are within an employer's rights.

Act of reorganizing the legal, ownership, operational, or other structures of an organization

Restructuring

Which should be a primary concern for employers regarding the "bring your own device" (BYOD) technology approach?

Security and data integrity threats While asking people to bring their own devices can lower costs and improve efficiency, effectiveness, and morale, it also raises a host of security concerns. Many security scenarios raise the risk for the unauthorized disclosure or destruction of business data. Fortunately, most of these concerns can be addressed through a well-crafted policy.

- HR structural alternative in which centers with specific areas of expertise develop HR policies in those areas - Each unit can then select what it needs from a menu of these services

Shared Services HR Model

What is the key benefit of an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system over function-based stand-alone systems?

Shared, current database for all departments An ERP integrates current data from across an organization's functional areas, while a stand-alone system would require a customized bridge to access the ERP database. While integrated data enables a more thorough analysis, stand-alone systems can provide significant analytical power. Customization and forecasting can be performed in integrated and stand-alone systems.

- Representations of real situations - Give organizations the opportunity to speculate as to what would happen if certain courses of action were pursued

Simulations

- Refusal by workers to work - Also refusal by workers to leave their workstations, making it impossible for the employer to use replacement workers

Sit-Down Strike

Online clustering of individuals in groups with common or shared interests

Social Networks

Software that is owned, delivered, and managed remotely and delivered over the Internet to contracted customers on a pay-for-use basis or as a subscription based on use metrics

Software as a Service (SaaS)

Work groups that assist line units by providing specialized services, such as HR

Staff Units

Process of implementing a talent management strategy for identifying and fostering the development of high-potential employees or other job candidates who, over time, may move into leadership positions of increased responsibility

Succession Planning

Workforce planning is a technique used to help an organization reach its short- and long-term goals and objectives. The workforce analysis process consists of four steps. What is the first step?

Supply Analysis Workforce analysis is a four-step process that begins with a supply analysis (Where are we now?), followed by a demand analysis (Where do we want to be?), a gap analysis (What is lacking?), and a solution analysis (What can we afford?).

Technology automates many HR tasks, shrinking the HR department. Yet, as HR evolves from transactional to transformational work, the workload may increase and become more complex. Staff may complain about being overloaded. Which is the best way to solve this problem?

Support training to help HR staff make full use of available technology The best solution is to make sure that staff are making good use of all the capabilities that their technology includes. Sometimes staff are not aware of these capabilities or lack confidence in their knowledge. Training will help. Reassigning tasks wastes resources. Resisting technology means not benefiting from its capabilities. Outsourcing customer service will strain relationships with HR's clients as they become less familiar with issues and less visible to their clients.

An organization's job descriptions have not been reviewed and revised for the past five years. What part of the organizational model can this negatively impact?

Systems Outdated job descriptions can be inaccurate and interfere with hiring and performance management tasks. It would be considered a problem with the organization's systems—the policies, processes, and tools used to support work.

Development and integration of HR processes that retain the knowledge, skills, and abilities of employees that will meet current and future organizational needs

Talent Management

A technician in a diagnostic lab has filed a complaint with HR accusing a supervisor of selectively enforcing policies. Which action would constitute workplace retaliation?

The supervisor reassigns the technician from bench work to physically difficult duties Workplace retaliation occurs when an employer, an employer's agent, or a labor union commits an action that is harmful to an employee, usually after the employee has made a complaint but perhaps because an employee has given evidence to support a complaint. In this case, reassigning the employee to less desirable duties could be considered retaliation.

Which would constitute an unfair labor practice (ULP)?

The union fines a member for criticizing union actions ULPs can be committed by employers and unions. In this question, the union commits a ULP by coercing a member and interfering with the member's freedom of speech. It is not a ULP for the union to distribute to employees items such as hats or buttons, and, in most cases, employees can wear them to work. An employer is not required to give union members preferential treatment, although it is obliged to honor the terms of a collective bargaining agreement. Employers also have the right to discourage unionization as long as they do not threaten, interrogate, punish, or spy on employees.

Which type of social sharing of knowledge can allow an organization to increase its brand perception with the general public?

Thought leadership Thought leadership allows organizations to magnify their impact in chosen areas by influencing other organizations in the industry to adopt their stance, and it may increase brand perception with consumers.

What is an unfair labor practice?

Violation of a labor law by an employer or a union An unfair labor practice is a violation of a country's labor laws. These laws may be rooted in international treaties on worker rights, but they are country-specific. They can pertain to both employers and employees. They are based in legal statutes, not cultural practices, although cultural practices often influence local laws.

Reporting of an organization's violations of policies and processes by employees

Whistleblowing

Work stoppages at union contract operations that have not been sanctioned by the union

Wildcat Strike

What type of strike occurs without the knowledge or approval of union leadership?

Wildcat strikes Wildcat strikes are work stoppages that are neither sanctioned nor stimulated by the union, although union officials may be aware of them. These strikes may also take the form of excessive absences, especially when there are no-strike clauses in contracts.

What type of strike occurs without the approval of union leadership?

Wildcat strikes Wildcat strikes are work stoppages that are neither sanctioned nor stimulated by the union, although union officials may be aware of them. These strikes may also take the form of excessive absences, especially when there are no-strike clauses in contracts. Jurisdictional strikes are the result of disagreements between unions; they occur when one union's members walk out to force an employer to assign work to them instead of to another union. Sympathy strikes occur when one union expresses its support for another union's strike even though it has no dispute with the employer. Economic strikes are strikes that occur when collective bargaining fails to reach an agreement.

Situation in which workers slow processes by performing tasks exactly to specifications or according to job or task descriptions

Work-To-Rule

Systematic approach to anticipate human capital needs and data HR professionals can use to ensure that appropriate knowledge, skills, or abilities will be available when needed to accomplish organizational goals and objectives

Workforce Analysis

Activities needed to ensure that workforce size and competencies meet current and future organizational and individual needs

Workforce Planning

Part of workforce analysis that identifies the current make-up of employees in terms of their demographics, skills, competencies, performance levels, expected retirement dates, pay grades, and other factors that help explain the workforce's composition

Workforce Profile

HR professionals must anticipate future talent needs as well as plan for the future employee talent pool. Which key factor typically contributes to an anticipated shortage in the labor pool?

Workforce skewed toward older employees When older employees represent a large portion of an organization's workforce, the organization can anticipate talent shortages as these employees reach retirement age. The amount of diversity and an abundance of knowledge workers do not contribute to a labor shortage. A labor shortage will force greater reliance on contingent workers.

Which is a challenge when following a best-of-breed HRIS purchasing strategy?

Working with multiple vendors Organizations that implement a best-of-breed (BOB) strategy pick the best applications for each HR functional area, working with one or more vendors. For example, the organization might use a recruiting solution from one vendor and a payroll system from another. Increased access for many users (such as employees, managers, health insurers, workers' compensation carriers, senior executives, job applicants, and regulatory agencies) may apply to BOB or integrated solutions. The other choices here are characteristics of integrated solutions.

An organization is entering the decline phase of its growth, and leaders are uncertain about its future. Still, all departments must continue to fulfill their tasks, now with a steadily decreasing head count. HR would like to purchase new technology that would support required productivity levels without new hiring. Would a software as a service (SaaS) technology meet this organization's needs?

Yes, because the service can be scaled to the organization's changing needs SaaS technology would meet this organization's needs because the service is generally priced according to the volume of use. Up-front costs are minimized, which fits with the limited cash flow in this type of organization and makes switching to another solution fairly simple. Another benefit of SaaS here is that, in most cases, it will not place a heavy burden on IT; the vendor performs most support tasks. The possible disadvantage is that integrating the software with existing technologies may be a challenge that IT cannot perform.