Deck 5: Information for Making Human Resource Decisions

Question 1

A company pursuing a growth strategy is most likely to:

A) complicate job tasks forcing employees to quit.
B) lay off employees and downsize the workforce.
C) roll out early retirement offers and packages.
D) create an invisible barrier that keeps women from progressingto higher levels.
E) explore new sources for potential employees.

Answer 1

E

Question 2

Mirage Inc., a management consulting firm, has experienced an expansion in its profit in the last four quarters.It plans to hire more employees to provide services to its new customers.It therefore launches an intense recruitment drive and collaborates with colleges to tap potential employees.This is an example of a _____ strategy.

A) growth
B) stability
C) reduction
D) defender
E) diversification

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Which of the following statements does NOT reflect the relationship between a company's strategy and its human resource decisions?

A) A company with a growth strategy will announce early retirement plans.
B) A company with a reductions strategy will lay off employees.
C) A company with a growth strategy will intensify recruitment measures.
D) A company with a stability strategy will retain its workforce and increase its value.
E) A company with a reduction strategy will eliminate additional posts and tasks.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Which of the following steps will be pursued by a company to implement a stability strategy?

A) It will downsize its workforce through terminations and layoffs.
B) It will explore new sources for potential, talented employees.
C) It will increase the value of existing employees through additional training.
D) It will intensify recruitment efforts and design attractive salary packages.
E) It will declare early retirement plans for its employees.

Question 5

The most common approach to job analysis is the narrative job analysis.

Question 6

Forecasting the future supply of human resources does not require an analysis of internal company records.

Question 7

Evidence suggests that jobs occupied by men are rated as more complex than similar jobs occupied by women.

Question 8

_____ is defined as the process of forecasting the supply anddemand for workforcewithin an organization anddeveloping action plans for aligning the two.

A) Standard occupationalclassification
B) Job specification
C) Outsourcing
D) Human resource planning
E) Executive succession

Question 9

The vice president of Oreon Inc., an international hotel chain, has declared his willingness to retire from his post.The top management of Oreon elects the current general manager of operations as the next vice-president.Following this, the manager is given adequate training and practical experience to make the transition smoother.This scenario illustrates the concept of _____.

A) demand forecasting
B) utility analysis
C) a reduction strategy
D) executive succession
E) a stability strategy

Question 10

Functional job analysis relies on a taxonomy of abilities that represent all the key work dimensions.

Question 11

In general, which of the following organizational strategies may be the easiestfor ahuman resource manager to implement?

A) Prospector
B) Stability
C) Reduction
D) Growth
E) Reactor

Question 12

Hernandez Inc., a retail firm, maintains a database that contains all the necessary work-related details of its employees in a systematic manner.Which of the following is being exemplified by Hernandez in this scenario?

A) Human resource information system
B) Executive succession
C) Reduction strategy
D) Human capital investment
E) The critical incidents approach

Question 13

Which of the following involvessystematicallyplanning for futurepromotions into topmanagement positions?

A) Executive succession
B) Reduction strategy
C) Narrative job analysis
D) Reactor strategy
E) Focus group

Question 14

The second step in job analysis involves determining themethods for obtaining information.

Question 15

In which of the following ways does a company's strategy relate to its human resource decisions?

A) It provides a comprehensive picture of labor force trends and issues.
B) It determines whether employee turnover should be encouraged or reduced.
C) It generates accurate descriptions of the tasks performed in a company.
D) It helps a company comply with legal regulations like the Americans with Disabilities Act.
E) It identifies the critical behaviors that distinguish efficient employees from the rest.

Question 16

An organization should consider its strategic plan when forecasting the demand for human resources.

Question 17

The critical incidents method relies on important behaviors that distinguish effective from ineffective performers.

Question 18

Implementing a reduction strategy requires maintaining the status quo in terms of the number of individuals employed by a company.

Question 19

The average age of the U.S.workforce is gradually decreasing.

Question 20

Job analysis has only an indirect influence on compensation packages.

Question 21

Which of the following job-analysis techniques focuses on the important behaviors that distinguisheffective from ineffectiveperformers?

A) The critical incidents approach
B) ThePosition Analysis Questionnaire
C) The management position description questionnaire
D) TheFleishman job-analysissystem
E) The task-analysis inventory

Question 22

Which of the following would be a measure of competency of an employee?

A) Decisiveness
B) Keyboarding speed
C) IQ of 100
D) Clean driving record
E) Degree in computer science

Question 23

Which of the following is true of market wage rates?

A) They remain the same across various regions in a country.
B) They change according to the demand and supply of labor.
C) They remain consistent over time.
D) They are uninfluenced by the local unemployment rates.
E) They are independent of the different levels of competitiveness for talent.

Question 24

The first step in the job-analysis process involves:

A) determining who is responsible for collecting data.
B) determining an organization's precise information needs.
C) determining the methodsfor obtaining information.
D) identifying the jobs to be assessed.
E) determining the recent labor market trends.

Question 25

Which of the following is true of efficiency wages?

A) They lead to a decrease in the average market wage rate.
B) They are offered to the best among potential employees.
C) They are higher for jobs with low demand.
D) They result in an increase in employee turnover.
E) They reduce the labor costs for an organization.

Question 26

Which of the following is NOT true of job analysis?

A) It is the process of gathering and organizing detailed information about jobs.
B) It helps managers understand the processes through which jobs are most effectively performed.
C) It is a fundamental input to the human resource planning process.
D) It helps firms to analyze the labor force trends in the market.
E) It helps managers understand the kinds of skills and abilities necessary for employees to perform their jobs.

Question 27

Which of the following statements does NOT reflect the relationship between the rate of unemployment and employee choices?

A) The local unemployment rate is more closely linked to individuals' choices than the national unemployment rate.
B) Individuals leave their current jobs and look for alternatives when the rate of unemployment is low.
C) Employment rates can affectnot only the size of the labor pool but also its makeup.
D) Firms try to lure desirable employees from other companies when the rate of unemployment is low.
E) More individuals enter the labor market when the rate of unemployment is high.

Question 28

Which of the following is true of human capital investments?

A) They do not include on-the-job training.
B) They increase the rate of unemployment in a locality.
C) They discourage individuals from entering the labor market.
D) They lead to a decrease in wages for an individual.
E) They affect a firm's location strategies.

Question 29

Harris looks at a job analysis that reports scores on various items that are organized into areas called "Information inputs," "Mental processes," "Relationships with other people," and so on.The scales tell how frequently these functions are used in the job, how important they are to the job, and other measures.In this scenario, the job-analysis technique employed is the _____.

A) narrative job analysis
B) critical incidents approach
C) Position Analysis Questionnaire
D) Fleishman job-analysis system
E) occupational information network

Question 30

Which of the following would be included in the job description for a computer programmer?

A) Bachelor's degree in computer science
B) Knowledge of COBOL
C) Writing programs to run network processes
D) Proficiency in computer languages
E) Keyboarding skills

Question 31

Which of the following refers to a computerized job classification system that contains continually updated information regarding the knowledge, skills, and abilities required for virtually every job in the U.S.economy?

A) Realistic job previews
B) The Occupational Information Network
C) The Fleishman job-analysis system
D) Narrative Job Analysis
E) Task-Analysis Inventory

Question 32

When an individual's additional training and education improves his or her value for an employer, it is referred to as _____.

A) human capital investment
B) retrenchment
C) functional job analysis
D) cost leadership
E) executive succession

Question 33

Which of the following job-analysis techniques requires a subject matter expert to develop a comprehensive description of a job?

A) The narrative job analysis
B) The Position Analysis Questionnaire
C) The functional job analysis
D) The Fleishman job analysis system
E) The task analysis inventory

Question 34

The Fleishman job-analysis system of conducting work assessments involves:

A) defining abilities as the enduring attributes of individuals that account for differences in performance.
B) subject matter experts generating a list of tasks and job incumbents evaluating each task on several dimensions that are specifically important to an organization.
C) job analysts analyzing a job in terms of involvement with people, data, and things.
D) employees completing a questionnaire reflecting work behavior, working conditions, and job characteristics.
E) supervisors generating examples of effective and ineffective performance of employees.

Question 35

In the process of job analysis, when a job analyst interviews individuals who are performing the jobs being analyzed, it is most likely that the individuals may:

A) overstate the skills and qualifications needed to perform the task.
B) express their work preferences more clearly.
C) refer the interviewer to a subject matter expert.
D) provide an honest feedback of the company's human resource policies.
E) stress on the perks and benefits available to them.

Question 36

Which of the following statements best describes the link between job analysis and human resource planning?

A) Job analysis provides managers an understanding of the nature of specific jobs and the kinds of skills and abilities needed to perform them.
B) Information from job analysis influences the decisions on performance appraisal and compensation.
C) The effectiveness of an organization's human resource planning is independent of its job analysis process.
D) Job analysis is the final step in the human resource planning process of an organization.
E) Examining a company's internal records of recruitment is useful for forecasting labor supply and demand that help human resource managers plan recruitment effectively.

Question 37

Which of the following processes forms part of a job analysis using the task-analysis inventory?

A) Job incumbents evaluate a taxonomy of fifty-two abilities rated on a seven-point scale.
B) Subject matter experts generate a list of tasks, and job incumbents evaluate each task on several dimensions.
C) Job analysts analyze a job in terms of involvement with people, data, and things.
D) Employees complete a questionnaire reflecting work behavior, working conditions, and job characteristics.
E) Supervisors generate examples of effective and ineffective performance of employees when assigned particular tasks.

Question 38

In the context of the Position Analysis Questionnaire, which of the following represents the physical and social contacts where the work is performed?

A) Relationships with other people
B) Information inputs
C) Mental processes
D) Work output
E) Job context

Question 39

A group of jobsthat have task andknowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA) requirements that arequite similarconstitutes a _____.

A) job description
B) job specification
C) job evaluation
D) job environment
E) job family

Question 40

John, a job analyst, is asked to prepare an analysis of the knowledge, skills, and abilities requirementsnecessary for the position of a waiter at a local restaurant.Which of the following would NOT appear in his analysis?

A) The waiter must be able to lift and carry trays.
B) The waiter must have a comprehensive health coverage plan.
C) The waiter must communicate effectively with customers.
D) The waiter will have to stand for most of the workday.
E) The waiter needs to have a good short-term memory.

Question 41

Scenario 5.1
CyberRocket Inc.is a high-tech manufacturer with an exciting new product, the Astro-Cruiser, a virtual Ethernet connector for shuttles orbiting the Earth.This product will allow astronauts to browse the Web while cruising in space.The product depends extensively on new technology and producing it requires extensive knowledge of astrophysics.CyberRocket is planning a rapid expansion of this business and needs to analyze the jobs that will emerge during the production of the Astro-Cruiser.The job analysis should contain information about what the workers will do in a job rather than what is involved in the job.The company would like to identify only the essential functions of the jobs.The head of the research and development team and the head of the production team are the only two individuals within the company who really understand the new product and the knowledge, skills, and abilities of employees that will be necessary to produce it.
Refer to Scenario 5.1.The job analysis information about what the new workers must be able to do, rather than about what the job entails, is likely to provide more details about the _____.

A) job description
B) job specification
C) job evaluation
D) executive succession plan
E) rightsizing strategy

Question 42

Summarize the legal issues in job analysis.

Question 43

Scenario 5.1
CyberRocket Inc.is a high-tech manufacturer with an exciting new product, the Astro-Cruiser, a virtual Ethernet connector for shuttles orbiting the Earth.This product will allow astronauts to browse the Web while cruising in space.The product depends extensively on new technology and producing it requires extensive knowledge of astrophysics.CyberRocket is planning a rapid expansion of this business and needs to analyze the jobs that will emerge during the production of the Astro-Cruiser.The job analysis should contain information about what the workers will do in a job rather than what is involved in the job.The company would like to identify only the essential functions of the jobs.The head of the research and development team and the head of the production team are the only two individuals within the company who really understand the new product and the knowledge, skills, and abilities of employees that will be necessary to produce it.
Refer to Scenario 5.1.Which of the following job-analysis techniques will best suit CyberRocket's requirements?

A) Fleishman job-analysis system
B) Critical incidents approach
C) Task-analysis inventory
D) Position Analysis Questionnaire
E) Narrative job analysis

Question 44

Scenario 5.1
CyberRocket Inc.is a high-tech manufacturer with an exciting new product, the Astro-Cruiser, a virtual Ethernet connector for shuttles orbiting the Earth.This product will allow astronauts to browse the Web while cruising in space.The product depends extensively on new technology and producing it requires extensive knowledge of astrophysics.CyberRocket is planning a rapid expansion of this business and needs to analyze the jobs that will emerge during the production of the Astro-Cruiser.The job analysis should contain information about what the workers will do in a job rather than what is involved in the job.The company would like to identify only the essential functions of the jobs.The head of the research and development team and the head of the production team are the only two individuals within the company who really understand the new product and the knowledge, skills, and abilities of employees that will be necessary to produce it.
Refer to Scenario 5.1.The two top executives decide that the newly hired astrophysicists will work independently, with little oversight or control by top management.The information will most likely appear in the:

A) job description.
B) job specification.
C) job request.
D) personnel file.
E) executive succession plan.

Question 45

Scenario 5.1
CyberRocket Inc.is a high-tech manufacturer with an exciting new product, the Astro-Cruiser, a virtual Ethernet connector for shuttles orbiting the Earth.This product will allow astronauts to browse the Web while cruising in space.The product depends extensively on new technology and producing it requires extensive knowledge of astrophysics.CyberRocket is planning a rapid expansion of this business and needs to analyze the jobs that will emerge during the production of the Astro-Cruiser.The job analysis should contain information about what the workers will do in a job rather than what is involved in the job.The company would like to identify only the essential functions of the jobs.The head of the research and development team and the head of the production team are the only two individuals within the company who really understand the new product and the knowledge, skills, and abilities of employees that will be necessary to produce it.
Refer to Scenario 5.1.In this scenario,who among the following will be the best source of information for the job analysis?

A) Current job incumbents
B) Line managers
C) The top management team
D) Subject matter experts
E) Union leaders

Question 46

Scenario 5.1
CyberRocket Inc.is a high-tech manufacturer with an exciting new product, the Astro-Cruiser, a virtual Ethernet connector for shuttles orbiting the Earth.This product will allow astronauts to browse the Web while cruising in space.The product depends extensively on new technology and producing it requires extensive knowledge of astrophysics.CyberRocket is planning a rapid expansion of this business and needs to analyze the jobs that will emerge during the production of the Astro-Cruiser.The job analysis should contain information about what the workers will do in a job rather than what is involved in the job.The company would like to identify only the essential functions of the jobs.The head of the research and development team and the head of the production team are the only two individuals within the company who really understand the new product and the knowledge, skills, and abilities of employees that will be necessary to produce it.
Refer to Scenario 5.1.Which of the following activities of the human resource department of the company is most likely to feature under the definition of essential functions of the new jobs?

A) The turnover reduction program
B) Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act
C) Early retirement incentives
D) Terminations
E) Motivation of existing employees

Question 47

Describe some of the actions that firms might take to implement a human resource plan when they have a strategy of growth, stability, and reduction.

Question 48

How does job analysis relate to the various human resource management processes in an organization?

Question 49

Explain the concept of knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs).

Question 50

Discuss the specific job-analysis techniques in terms of the types of information generated, the degree of specificity to the job being analyzed, and relationship to the characteristics of the job or of the worker.