Deck 11: Global Human Resource Management

Question 1

A company that has identified an employee with future managerial potential and consequently sends that employee to a three-week university-sponsored program to help develop her leadership skills is an example of development.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Why might Poland be a good country to open an operation for a business that needs a large available labor supply?

A)The unemployment rate in Poland has been very high since the 2008 recession.
B)The female labor force participation rate in Poland is extremely low.
C)The cost of living in Poland is the lowest in the world.
D)More than 15 percent of Poles work in agriculture.
E)Most members of the Polish workforce work on a part-time basis.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

A computer programmer from India continues to receive his or her Mumbai, India base salary and is kept on the Indian operation's balance sheet. Then the company adds various allowances for cost of living, housing, education to this base salary so that the employee's overall standard of living while working in the company's London, England office will be the same as his or her standard of living in Mumbai thus would be an example of the balance sheet approach.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Hofstede's dimension of _____ relates to the extent that people think of themselves as members of a group or collective, rather than discrete individuals.

A)power distance
B)uncertainty avoidance
C)individualism vs. collectivism
D)masculinity vs. femininity
E)long-term vs. short-term orientation

Question 5

The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)established free trade between the United States, Argentina, and Brazil.

Question 6

The female participation in the workforce is highest in Muslim countries than anywhere else in the world.

Question 7

In which of the following countries would the general expectation be that women will not be full-time participants in the workforce?

A)Denmark
B)Norway
C)the United States
D)Sweden
E)Japan

Question 8

A situation in which a number of employers join together to bargain with a given labor union is called co-determination.

Question 9

In the United States, training and development tends to focus on improving the group, with instruction addressed to small groups and testing focusing upon group questions and answers.

Question 10

The United Nations International Labor Organization (ILO)sets minimal standards that involve prohibitions against slave or forced labor, restrictions on the use of child labor, certain basic job safety protections, and the right of workers to form labor unions.

Question 11

Of the following, which is NOT true regarding technological implications on human resource management?

A)Companies based in the United States are far more likely to have at least some operations in other countries than in the past.
B)The Internet, computers, and easy air travel have made it much easier for U.S. companies to conduct business in other countries.
C)Technological advances have created what some call a "knowledge economy."
D)The role of human resources and those who manage such resources has become less important in today's global economy.
E)Corporate accountants and human resource managers now fulfill more strategic, knowledge-based functions.

Question 12

A U.S. company sending an employee to work for a few years in its Madrid, Spain office while also learning the Spanish language would be an example of training.

Question 13

Host country nationals are workers already living in the foreign or host country where the U.S. company is opening operations and are being employed by the U.S. company.

Question 14

In highly collectivist countries such as South Korea and Japan, success tends to be measured by the success of the group rather than by individual achievements and performances.

Question 15

Reebok transferring the manufacturing of its sneakers to a third-party company in Thailand would be an example of both outsourcing and offshoring.

Question 16

In the United States, companies have turned to executive pay strategies focused on tying pay to performance by using performance stock awards and bonuses based on meeting target goals.

Question 17

In low power distance countries, strict hierarchies are maintained in the performance appraisal system, and managers simply evaluate subordinate employees.

Question 18

Contracts that typically establish work policies including rates of pay, amounts of vacation time, and seniority rights of employees are referred to as collective bargaining agreements.

Question 19

Geert Hofstede identified _____ major dimensions of national culture are they apply to human resource management.

A)two
B)three
C)four
D)five
E)six

Question 20

Human resource management (HRM)is handled much the same way in all countries.

Question 21

The process of assessing employee performance is called _____.

A)performance appraisal
B)development
C)a needs assessment
D)training
E)repatriation

Question 22

Employees from the home countries who are sent to work for their companies overseas are known as _____.

A)host country nationals
B)parent country nationals
C)third country nationals
D)inpatriates
E)developers

Question 23

An expatriate is someone who

A)considers himself or herself as a member of a group or collective.
B)works in a country other than his or her native country.
C)has become successful without anyone else's help.
D)has renounced citizenship in his or her native country.
E)wants clear rules, procedures, and structures in the workplace.

Question 24

Hofstede's dimension of power distance refers to

A)the extent that people think of themselves as members of a group or collective, rather than discrete individuals.
B)the degree of equality of authority distribution in a given society and its workplaces, and employee expectations related to the same.
C)a culture's desire for predictability, or the lack of predictability in the workplace and elsewhere.
D)values such as competition, assertiveness, and achievement versus values like care for the weak and relationships.
E)the extent to which members of a given society value future planning as opposed to a more immediate short-term perspective.

Question 25

Hofstede's dimension of long-term vs. short-term orientation refers to

A)the extent that people think of themselves as members of a group or collective, rather than discrete individuals.
B)the degree of equality of authority distribution in a given society and its workplaces, and employee expectations related to the same.
C)a culture's desire for predictability, or the lack of predictability in the workplace and elsewhere.
D)values such as competition, assertiveness, and achievement versus values like care for the weak and relationships.
E)the extent to which members of a given society value future planning as opposed to a more immediate short-term perspective.

Question 26

In which country would it be inappropriate to mix upper and middle managers together in the same training or development program?

A)Denmark
B)the United States
C)Saudi Arabia
D)Norway
E)Canada

Question 27

Of the following, which is NOT true regarding regulatory issues including immigration and border security?

A)In Canada, labor relations are primarily regulated at the provincial level rather than at the national level.
B)President Obama recently signed an Executive Order allowing nearly 5 million immigrants to be eligible for work authorization in the United States.
C)The United States has the least restrictive policies in the world with respect to foreign worker entry into its borders.
D)Governmental regulations related to immigration and border security are among the most important in the field of international HRM
E)Some countries, such as Singapore, have immigration policies that make it relatively easy for people from other countries to come and work there legally.

Question 28

With which statement would Hofstede agree?

A)​Denmark and the Netherlands are high power distance cultures.
B)​Mexico and Japan are very masculine cultures.
C)Germany and Austria rank low on uncertainty avoidance.
D)​China and Japan have short-term orientations.
E)​The United States is a highly collectivist culture.

Question 29

Jonathan is a U.S. citizen who works for U.S. based company, XYZ Computers. He was sent by XYZ Computers to France to help open a branch overseas. Jonathan is a _____.

A)host country national
B)parent country national
C)third country national
D)trainer
E)developer

Question 30

The process that takes place when the expatriate employee returns home is called _____.

A)co-determination
B)collective bargaining
C)a needs assessment
D)expatriate failure
E)repatriation

Question 31

A U.S. company sending an employee to work for a few years in its Berlin office office would likely see to it that the employee learns to speak a bit of German and understands something about German cultural norms. This is an example of _____.

A)co-determination
B)development
C)a needs assessment
D)training
E)repatriation

Question 32

Of the following, which is NOT true regarding cultural differences in performance appraisal?

A)In Mexico, the norm is not to give feedback at the outset, but instead to focus first upon something positive.
B)In the U.S., it is not uncommon for employers to be direct with negative feedback.
C)In the U.S. performance reviews are typically conducted at the group level.
D)In Japan, performance reviews are typically group oriented.
E)It is not uncommon for Japanese performance reviews to focus upon how employees and groups can improve over the long-term.

Question 33

Hofstede's dimension of individualism vs. collectivism refers to

A)the extent that people think of themselves as members of a group or collective, rather than discrete individuals.
B)the degree of equality of authority distribution in a given society and its workplaces, and employee expectations related to the same.
C)a culture's desire for predictability, or the lack of predictability in the workplace and elsewhere.
D)values such as competition, assertiveness, and achievement versus values like care for the weak and relationships.
E)the extent to which members of a given society value future planning as opposed to a more immediate short-term perspective.

Question 34

A manager who makes occasional trips to a foreign office but who manages mainly through ongoing e-mails, videoconferences, and web-based collaboration can BEST be described as a(n)______.

A)offshore manager
B)virtual expatriate
C)parent country national
D)downsized employee
E)third country national

Question 35

The rate of expatriate failure has traditionally been _____ percent or more.

A)15
B)30
C)45
D)60
E)75

Question 36

Hofstede's dimension of uncertainty avoidance refers to

A)the extent that people think of themselves as members of a group or collective, rather than discrete individuals.
B)the degree of equality of authority distribution in a given society and its workplaces, and employee expectations related to the same.
C)a culture's desire for predictability, or the lack of predictability in the workplace and elsewhere.
D)values such as competition, assertiveness, and achievement versus values like care for the weak and relationships.
E)the extent to which members of a given society value future planning as opposed to a more immediate short-term perspective.

Question 37

Of the following, which is NOT true of expatriates?

A)There is risk of expatriate failure.
B)Family issues may play a part in expatriate success.
C)There is some evidence that the "culture shock" that employees face upon repatriation can be greater than the culture shock they initially faced when first going to work in a foreign country.
D)Host-country national expatriates, in particular, may represent a cheaper source of labor than other alternatives.
E)Expatriate assignments may provide very useful career development opportunities.

Question 38

Hofstede's dimension of _____ relates to values that are traditionally associated with one gender or the other.

A)power distance
B)uncertainty avoidance
C)individualism vs. collectivism
D)masculinity vs. femininity
E)long-term vs. short-term orientation

Question 39

A U.S. company that hires another U.S. company, such as Automatic Data Processing Corporation (ADP)to process all of its corporate payroll functions is engaging in _____.

A)outsourcing
B)offshoring
C)importing
D)exporting
E)franchising

Question 40

Which statement about compensation is accurate?

A)Year-end bonuses are almost unheard of outside of the United States.
B)Cost of living is generally not a factor when companies make compensation decisions.
C)The gap between executive and employee pay has been shrinking steadily over the past two decades.
D)Housing allowances are part of the compensation package in many places.
E)Expatriate employees typically receive no additional compensation over and beyond what they would be paid in their home countries.

Question 41

"Culture does not have any impact on performance appriasal." Do you agree with this statement? Defend your position.

Question 42

The primary goal of labor unions is to engage in negotiations with _____.

A)employers
B)suppliers
C)customers
D)expatriates
E)other unions

Question 43

Discuss expatriate issues as they affect staffing for global businesses.

Question 44

A contract comprehensively setting forth employee terms and conditions of employment at a given workplace or group of workplaces refers to a _________.

Question 45

The  _______ distance dimension deals with the degree of equality of authority distribution in a given society and its workplaces and employee expectations related to the same.

Question 46

Providing employees with skills specific to the job they are going to be doing refers to ______.

Question 47

_______ established free trade between the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

A)NAFTA
B)NAACP
C)WTO
D)World Bank
E)NLRB

Question 48

Keeping an employee on the home country's salary structure and also providing additional allowances refers to the ______.

Question 49

Discuss immigration and border security issues regarding employment in the United States.

Question 50

______ refers to the process of assessing employee performance.

Question 51

A major complaint about the NAALC process is that _____.

A)it is not profitable
B)it lacks any real "teeth."
C)it violates human rights laws
D)it prohibits free trade
E)it employs child laborers

Question 52

_______ are employees who are working in countries other than their native countries.

Question 53

The employee representation on corporate boards in Germany refers to ______.

Question 54

______ involves preparing employees for new future assignments or positions.

Question 55

Negotiations in which a number of employers jointly bargain with a given labor union is known as _____.

A)mediation
B)repatriation
C)collective bargaining
D)multi-employer bargaining
E)co-determination

Question 56

Differentiate between training and development and describe the different types of training and development that a company can offer.

Question 57

______ refers to employees from a new parent or host country who are being employed in a given foreign country.

Question 58

Perhaps the most interesting labor relations system in the world exists in _____.

A)Canada
B)Great Britain
C)Germany
D)Australia
E)Mexico

Question 59

Discuss the role labor unions play in global human resource management. Does the impact unions have vary in different countries? Explain.

Question 60

_____ involves the process of transferring an organizational function to another country whether outsourced or not.

Question 61

Scenario - The Campbell Corporation The Campbell Corporation is a multinational business, which currently operates in five foreign markets.  It manufactures stuffed toys for children around the world and is very pleased with the quality of its products.  At present, this company has about 900 employees split equally between the five markets it serves.  Fifty percent of its employees are host country nationals and this balance seems to work effectively for contributing to the success of the Campbell Corporation.  The Campbell Corporation has faced many difficulties in gaining knowledge about human resource management in foreign marketplaces.  Even though the challenges have been considerable, they have not weakened the desire of this company to succeed.  The Campbell Company hopes to soon enter its sixth foreign market, Switzerland.  Past experiences have taught the owners of this company that it must gain knowledge of the foreign country's culture prior to entering its marketplace if it hopes to be successful. If the Campbell Corporation wanted to subcontract one of its production processes to a third party currently in Switzerland, this action would most likely be referred to as which one of the following?  

A)Outsourcing
B)Co-determination
C)Multi-employer bargaining
D)Repatriation
E)Insourcing

Question 62

Scenario - Symon Enterprises Symon Enterprises is an international construction company with global offices in twenty foreign markets around the world.  Symon currently has over 15,000 employees around the world.  The company has an excellent record as being an employer of choice.  It recently was voted the number three company to work for in the world by Forbes Magazine. Symon Enterprises has become very adept at effectively handling its human resources even though there are vast differences in the various countries it services.  The company attributes its HR success to the expertise of its HR directors.  Symon's practice has always been to hire human resource managers and directors from the country where they will be working.  It has found this seems to give the company a competitive edge over the competition.When Symon Enterprises has work to be performed within a country where workers place a high value on things like competition, assertiveness, and achievement, it can be stated that the company is most likely working within which one of the following Hofstede's cultural dimensions?  

A)Collectivism
B)Power distance
C)Uncertainty avoidance
D)Short-term orientation
E)Masculine dimension

Question 63

Scenario - The Campbell Corporation The Campbell Corporation is a multinational business, which currently operates in five foreign markets.  It manufactures stuffed toys for children around the world and is very pleased with the quality of its products.  At present, this company has about 900 employees split equally between the five markets it serves.  Fifty percent of its employees are host country nationals and this balance seems to work effectively for contributing to the success of the Campbell Corporation. The Campbell Corporation has faced many difficulties in gaining knowledge about human resource management in foreign marketplaces.  Even though the challenges have been considerable, they have not weakened the desire of this company to succeed.  The Campbell Company hopes to soon enter its sixth foreign market, Switzerland.  Past experiences have taught the owners of this company that it must gain knowledge of the foreign country's culture prior to entering its marketplace if it hopes to be successful.If the Campbell Corporation conducts its business within a country where workers prefer to be evaluated as part of a group, the cultural dimension of that nation most closely resembles which one of the following?  

A)Short-term orientation
B)Collectivism
C)Power distance
D)Individualism
E)Masculinity

Question 64

Scenario - Symon Enterprises Symon Enterprises is an international construction company with global offices in twenty foreign markets around the world.  Symon currently has over 15,000 employees around the world.  The company has an excellent record as being an employer of choice.  It recently was voted the number three company to work for in the world by Forbes Magazine. Symon Enterprises has become very adept at effectively handling its human resources even though there are vast differences in the various countries it services.  The company attributes its HR success to the expertise of its HR directors.  Symon's practice has always been to hire human resource managers and directors from the country where they will be working.  It has found this seems to give the company a competitive edge over the competition.Employee compensation, performance appraisals, and benefits vary greatly from culture to culture.  Which one of the following would not be considered a challenge facing Symon Enterprises when it comes to global compensation and performance management?  

A)Some countries evaluate the group rather than the individual.
B)The idea of taxation and tax levels may vary greatly from county to country.
C)Foreign compensation packages need to be compatible with the home country's compensation level.
D)Some cultures require strict hierarchies to be maintained during the evaluation process.
E)A country's culture may greatly affect the way feedback should be presented to an employee.

Question 65

Scenario - Symon Enterprises Symon Enterprises is an international construction company with global offices in twenty foreign markets around the world.  Symon currently has over 15,000 employees around the world.  The company has an excellent record as being an employer of choice.  It recently was voted the number three company to work for in the world by Forbes Magazine. Symon Enterprises has become very adept at effectively handling its human resources even though there are vast differences in the various countries it services.  The company attributes its HR success to the expertise of its HR directors.  Symon's practice has always been to hire human resource managers and directors from the country where they will be working.  It has found this seems to give the company a competitive edge over the competition.Symon Enterprises sends approximately 20% of its workers on overseas assignments.  All of the following are considered advantages to be gained by the company from sending expatriates on foreign assignments except which one?  

A)Expatriate failure rate is extremely low if they serve ten-years or more on one assignment.
B)It helps parent company with control related to structure.
C)Workers from the parent country will help to impose the values of the organization on the foreign workplace.
D)Expatriates serve to supply the labor market if there are not enough qualified workers available to fill the company's needs.
E)Expatriates can impart the cultural norms of the company to the foreign workers.

Question 66

Scenario - The Campbell Corporation The Campbell Corporation is a multinational business, which currently operates in five foreign markets.  It manufactures stuffed toys for children around the world and is very pleased with the quality of its products.  At present, this company has about 900 employees split equally between the five markets it serves.  Fifty percent of its employees are host country nationals and this balance seems to work effectively for contributing to the success of the Campbell Corporation.The Campbell Corporation has faced many difficulties in gaining knowledge about human resource management in foreign marketplaces.  Even though the challenges have been considerable, they have not weakened the desire of this company to succeed.  The Campbell Company hopes to soon enter its sixth foreign market, Switzerland.  Past experiences have taught the owners of this company that it must gain knowledge of the foreign country's culture prior to entering its marketplace if it hopes to be successful.Which one of the following would be least likely to be present if the Campbell Corporation found itself manufacturing its products within a foreign country that embraces unionization?    

A)The International Labor Organization has established the right of workers to have the freedom of association.
B)The main goal of labor unions is to negotiate with employers to try and reach a collective bargaining agreement acceptable to both sides.
C)Employees may file grievances if they feel their rights under the contract are not maintaine
D)d.The host country will set the wage that all workers are to be paid regardless of union affiliation.
E)Bargaining agreements typically address rates of pay, vacation time, and seniority rights of employees.