Deck 8: Appraising and Improving Performance

Question 1

If a performance standard is found to be stable or consistent over time, it is said to be which of the following?

A) free from contamination
B) relevant
C) reliable
D) valid

Answer 1

C

Question 2

What are performance appraisals most often used for?

A) making compensation decisions
B) creating a team environment
C) to track down ineffective employees
D) to create distance between managers and employees

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Why is performance appraisal important?

A) because it is key to the validation of selection procedures, which are the foundation of all HR practices
B) because all organizations need to weed out lower-performing individuals at a rate of about 10 percent of employees per annum
C) because employees need to know that they are being evaluated in order to perform at an appropriate level
D) because the success of the entire HR program depends on knowing how the performance of employees compares with the goals established for them

Answer 3

D

Question 4

How is reliability in performance appraisal measured?

A) by correlating ratings made by different raters
B) by determining validity of performance standards
C) by linking performance standards to organizational goals
D) by quantifying performance standards

Question 5

Jay is a polite, helpful, conscientious employee who often helps his fellow auto sales representatives make sales and is popular with customers due to his customer service orientation. Based on his performance appraisal, which is focused on sales, Jay is being fired because he has not sold enough cars this month. Which of the following problems is at the root of his poor performance appraisal?

A) criterion contamination
B) lack of reliability
C) criterion deficiency
D) lack of relevance

Question 6

In most instances, who is in the best position to perform the function of appraising an employee's performance?

A) someone from the HR department
B) a co-worker
C) the employee
D) the employee's supervisor

Question 7

Which of the following has been shown to be True in court?

A) Vague performance standards can be acceptable when clearly written.
B) Organizations should have carefully defined and measurable performance standards.
C) While performance standards should be somewhat specific, there should be room for individual interpretation.
D) Descriptions of traits such as attitude and cooperation are acceptable performance standards.

Question 8

A waitress's performance is appraised on the basis of the quality of the food she delivers to the table. What is this an example of?

A) criterion deficiency
B) criterion contamination
C) problems with the criteria
D) criterion reliability

Question 9

Which of the following are the two primary purposes of performance appraisals?

A) informative and developmental purposes
B) managerial and administrative purposes
C) managerial and informative purposes
D) administrative and developmental purposes

Question 10

Which of the following is a typical reason that performance appraisal programs fail?

A) Managers rely on their knowledge of the job instead of proper appraisal procedures.
B) There is too much employee input into the development of the appraisal program.
C) The program is usually based on a job analysis rather than a competency analysis.
D) Managers often lack adequate appraisal skills.

Question 11

In developing a new performance appraisal system, Organization C made an appraisal plan, decided who would be doing the appraising, how it would be done, and even included appraisal training. Which one of the following is an important step that Organization C missed?

A) clearly communicating in advance the company's plans for employees who do not meet standards.
B) gaining support from top management, which should occur near the beginning of the process
C) informing employees how the process would go to alleviate anxiety
D) examining the performance standards through job analysis

Question 12

The strategic relevance of performance appraisals refers to which of the following?

A) the extent to which standards relate to the overall objectives of the organization
B) the extent to which standards capture the entire range of an employee's responsibilities
C) the extent to which individuals tend to maintain a certain level of performance over time
D) the extent to which factors outside the employee's control can influence performance

Question 13

Which of the following represents why employees are concerned with the fairness of the performance appraisal system?

A) The process is central to many HRM decisions.
B) They usually disagree with their ratings.
C) Their input is what makes it fair.
D) A formal grievance process is required by law.

Question 14

Which of the following is NOT a developmental purpose of performance appraisal?

A) recognizing individual performance
B) validating selection procedures
C) improving communication
D) identifying an individual's strengths and weaknesses

Question 15

Which of the following is exemplified by a manager rating an employee higher than he or she deserves in order to look good as a manager in the eyes of the manager's own superiors?

A) criterion deficiency
B) organizational politics
C) criterion contamination
D) administrative appraisal purpose

Question 16

Suppose the performance evaluations that delivery drivers receive are partially influenced by the fact that some drivers operate in areas where there are major traffic problems while others operate in areas with few traffic problems. Which of the following would these performance evaluations suffer from?

A) criterion contamination
B) lack of relevance
C) lack of reliability
D) rater bias

Question 17

Which of the following appraisal sources is most useful when the manager and the employee jointly establish future performance goals for each employee?

A) team appraisal
B) peer appraisal
C) subordinate appraisal
D) self-appraisal

Question 18

Self-appraisals are best for which of the following?

A) administrative purposes
B) developmental purposes
C) promotional purposes
D) regulatory purposes

Question 19

Suppose the performance appraisals that salespeople receive are based solely on sales revenue to the exclusion of other important factors. Which of the following would these performance evaluations suffer from?

A) criterion contamination
B) lack of reliability
C) criterion deficiency
D) lack of criterion relevance

Question 20

How does the strategic relevance of performance appraisal impact HR managers?

A) It allows them to more clearly justify training expenses.
B) It makes their job easier in that everyone is clear on objectives.
C) It puts the onus on them to establish the strategic relevance of all their HR activities.
D) It makes performance criteria much more useful, not just to HR managers but to the entire organization.

Question 21

Which of the following processes would be most helpful to an organization that was suffering from lack of inter-rater reliability in appraising employee performance?

A) rater training
B) calibration
C) job analysis
D) performance appraisals of managers

Question 22

What advantage do peer appraisals have over other types of appraisals?

A) Peers know the job better than most managers do.
B) Peers do not have a conflict of interest over honestly appraising a fellow employee.
C) Peers may have a more intimate view of the performance of fellow employees.
D) Peers don't have to worry about meeting standards for distributions.

Question 23

Which of the following is a major weakness of the behaviourally anchored rating scale (BARS)?

A) Ratees are often offended by the anchors.
B) It takes a long time and a lot of effort to develop.
C) The anchors become outdated quickly because they are so specific.
D) It takes a long time to fill out.

Question 24

With which type of appraisal method would supervisors most likely be inclined to forego needed maintenance on their equipment?

A) results methods
B) 360-degree appraisal
C) subordinate appraisal
D) trait methods

Question 25

Which of the following appraisal methods helps guard against recency error?

A) critical incident method
B) forced-choice method
C) graphic rating scales
D) mixed-standard scale

Question 26

Which of the following performance appraisal methods involves a mutual agreement of goals and metrics between supervisor and subordinate?

A) all behavioural methods
B) productivity measures
C) forced distribution
D) management by objectives

Question 27

Which of the following types of scale uses critical incidents as examples of different points along the scale?

A) the mixed-standard scale
B) the global rating
C) the behaviourally anchored rating scale
D) dimensional rating

Question 28

Which of the following is an important weakness of 360 feedback?

A) In cases where feedback is not positive, it has been shown to increase voluntary turnover.
B) It is hard to know what to conclude if the appraisal results in conflicting opinions.
C) The quality of information is not as good as other types of appraisal systems.
D) The training can be demoralizing because it is so intense.

Question 29

TQM concerns have led to the increased use of which of the following?

A) manager/supervisor appraisals
B) team and customer performance appraisals
C) self appraisals
D) subordinate appraisals

Question 30

Every time Sandy makes a mistake at work, her manager writes it down in detail in her employee record. Sandy thinks this is a form of harassment. More likely, what is the manager trying to do?

A) collect information in order to build a BARS
B) substantiate her termination in case Sandy files a complaint
C) evaluate her performance
D) collect critical incidents

Question 31

Some organizations ask managers to place a percentage of their employees in the bottom performance category, which in some cases may mean they are fired, on every performance evaluation exercise. This is an example of which type of performance appraisal method?

A) forced-distribution system
B) checklist method
C) percent method
D) forced-choice method

Question 32

Which of the following rating formats uses three specific behavioural descriptions relevant to each trait and then asks supervisors to evaluate whether an employee's behaviour is better than, equal to, or worse than the standard for each behaviour?

A) mixed-standard scale
B) forced-choice method
C) behaviourally anchored rating scale
D) behaviour observation scale

Question 33

What is the most important thing an organization can do to ensure that a performance appraisal process can withstand legal scrutiny?

A) Base the standards on a sound job analysis and make sure all involved know what the standards are.
B) Make sure managers are not biased in their delivery of appraisal feedback.
C) Use calibration and train the managers on how to deliver feedback.
D) Make sure the tool is reliable.

Question 34

If your primary objective for a performance appraisal is to give employees developmental feedback, which of the following appraisal methods should you use?

A) behavioural methods
B) results methods
C) trait methods
D) attitudinal methods

Question 35

Performance appraisal methods can be broadly classified as which of the following approaches?

A) trait, behavioural, and judgmental
B) trait, behavioural, and results
C) behavioural, judgmental, and results
D) behavioural, judgmental, and attitudinal

Question 36

Which of the following best describes a behaviourally anchored rating scale?

A) It typically has construct validity.
B) It typically has content validity.
C) It can be used to rate employees across many different jobs.
D) It costs the least to develop.

Question 37

Jane is manager to 10 direct reports. She is currently concerned that she is perceived as a softy and so she has decided not to give out very many high ratings on this years performance appraisal exercise. However, she doesn't want anyone to be fired either, so she has decided not to give out any very low ratings either. Which of the following will Jane's ratings suffer from?

A) similar-to-self bias
B) leniency error
C) forced distribution
D) central tendency error

Question 38

Which of the following appraisal systems is based on the concept that learning helps organizations improve their internal processes and allows individuals to see how their performance ties in with the firm?

A) balanced scorecard approach
B) 360-degree appraisal
C) customer-oriented approach
D) management by objectives

Question 39

Which of the following is a major advantage of a behaviourally anchored rating scale?

A) It requires a great deal of employee participation, which leads to acceptance.
B) The rating scale can be used across many jobs.
C) It takes a relatively short time to develop.
D) It allows the appraiser to observe rather than judge.

Question 40

Which of the following is the primary limitation of the forced-choice method of appraisal?

A) It is expensive to initially develop.
B) Only highly trained raters can use the format.
C) It does not lend itself to peer and self-ratings.
D) It is expensive to establish and maintain its validity.

Question 41

Which of the following is the most accurate description of the possible facets of an appraisal interview?

A) minimize criticism, change the person not the behaviour, and encourage feedback
B) change the person not the behaviour, minimize criticism, express appreciation, and invite participation
C) ask for a self-assessment, invite participation, express appreciation, and minimize criticism
D) ask for a self-assessment, change the person not the behaviour, and encourage feedback.

Question 42

Developmental approaches to performance appraisal recognize that a manager's purpose is to improve job behaviours, not just evaluate past performance.

Question 43

In delivering a performance appraisal interview, Manuel is attempting to convince his direct report that she needs to be more communicative with her peers about her work. The other aspects of her performance are excellent, so he is willing to provide incentives for her if she can improve in this aspect of her performance. Which of the following types of performance appraisal interview is Manuel delivering?

A) tell-and-listen
B) tell-and-sell
C) tell-and-train
D) problem-solving

Question 44

The HR managers at Organization M are very keen to tie all their HR practices in with organizational strategy and performance appraisal is no exception. They would like to make clear the link between individual performance and organizational performance. Which of the following is the best type of appraisal method for the HR managers at Organization M?

A) trait-based methods
B) results-based methods
C) behaviour-based methods
D) performance-based methods

Question 45

Which of the following is an essential component of an appraisal interview?

A) It should take place in one session in order to give the employee a complete view of his or her performance
B) It can be divided into two sections, though this is not advisable
C) It is a time for the supervisor to give feedback on past performance and should not be used for developmental purposes
D) It should be held in two segments because the rater must perform the role of both evaluator and counsellor

Question 46

Which of the following is an accurate listing of the factors that affect performance?

A) motivation, environment, and ability
B) motivation, organizational culture, and traits
C) organizational culture, motivation, and ability
D) ability, job design, and motivation

Question 47

Most performance appraisals focus on long-term improvement, rather than short-term achievements.

Question 48

The appraisal interview should be divided into two sessions. Which of the following best describes what those two sessions should contain?

A) positive comments and negative comments
B) performance review and developmental planning
C) performance review and compensation discussion
D) establishing performance standards and reviewing performance

Question 49

Why would a manager ask an employee to do a self-appraisal before meeting for the performance appraisal interview?

A) It makes the employee feel like he or she is involved in some small way.
B) It ensures the employee knows evaluation criteria.
C) It increases employee satisfaction.
D) It is expected in certain industries through convention.

Question 50

Which of the following is NOT an ability factor that may be a source of ineffective performance?

A) interpersonal skill
B) career ambition
C) technical skill
D) physical limitation

Question 51

If an appraisal program is used to provide a written appraisal for salary action and at the same time used as a means of motivating employees to improve upon their performance, the administrative and developmental purposes may be in conflict.

Question 52

Developmental purposes for performance appraisal include validating selection criteria and meeting legal requirements.

Question 53

Which of the following are NOT an environmental factor that may be a source of ineffective performance?

A) rules and policies
B) economic conditions
C) boredom and lack of ability
D) laws and regulations

Question 54

In delivering a performance appraisal interview, Jacqui is taking a listening perspective. She wants to stimulate growth and development by discussing the problems, needs, satisfactions, and dissatisfactions the employee has encountered on the job. What type of performance appraisal interview is Jacqui delivering?

A) tell-and-listen
B) tell-and-sell
C) tell-and-train
D) problem-solving

Question 55

Administrative purposes for performance appraisal include documenting personnel decisions and identifying individual training needs.

Question 56

How often should performance feedback be delivered?

A) It should be done at least annually.
B) It depends on the organizational culture, industry, and supervisor's style.
C) It should be done at regular intervals-the more frequent the better.
D) It should be an ongoing, regular part of supervisor-subordinate interactions.

Question 57

In general, performance appraisal can be classified as either administrative or developmental.

Question 58

Performance appraisals program can be used for many purposes, including salary recommendations and the retention and termination of employees.

Question 59

Which of the following is a major issue surrounding "stretch goals"?

A) They demoralize the employee.
B) They increase voluntary turnover.
C) They could be considered unethical for several reasons.
D) They cause disruptive behaviours to the point that they are more costly to the organization than they are financially advantageous.

Question 60

Managers often first assume poor performance of subordinates is due to which of the following?

A) inadequate training
B) poor motivation
C) external constraints
D) lack of ability

Question 61

A team appraisal approach is well suited for a company advocating a total-quality management philosophy.

Question 62

Team appraisals are a collection of the individual appraisals of a work unit.

Question 63

Reliability refers to measures that are consistent across raters and over time.

Question 64

Surprisingly, self-appraisals are typically equal to or lower than the traditional approach to appraisals where a manager fills them out.

Question 65

Peer appraisals should be used primarily for developmental purposes.

Question 66

Criterion contamination occurs when factors outside an employee's control influence his or her performance.

Question 67

Criterion contamination occurs when correlations between two raters of an employee are inconsistent.

Question 68

Ideally, performance appraisals should be linked to the strategic objectives of the organization.

Question 69

Criterion deficiency occurs when performance standards focus on a single criterion to the exclusion of other important but less quantifiable performance dimensions.

Question 70

In most instances, one person can easily observe and evaluate an employee's performance.

Question 71

Organizational politics can introduce bias into even the most fairly administered performance appraisals.

Question 72

Peer appraisals are useful for ratings on dimensions such as leadership and interpersonal skills.

Question 73

Ineffective handling of performance appraisal may result in court cases or other legal action.

Question 74

Self-appraisals should be used primarily for developmental purposes.

Question 75

A significant weakness of 360-degree appraisal is the complexity associated with combining all the responses.

Question 76

One weakness of many performance appraisal programs is that supervisors are not adequately trained; consequently, they provide little meaningful feedback to subordinates.

Question 77

Most organizations that implement 360-degree appraisal start with an exclusive focus on development.

Question 78

One disadvantage of peer appraisals is that they furnish less valid information than appraisals by superiors.

Question 79

In order to increase employee motivation levels, written performance standards should be objective but not defined in quantifiable and measurable terms.

Question 80

Internal customers are the most important source of valuable performance information for both developmental and administrative purposes.