Deck 1: The Strategic Role of Human Resources Management

Question 1

Most students graduating in the next few years either will work for small businesses or will create new small businesses of their own,usually without a designated HR department.This means that entrepreneurs,employees,HR managers,and all managers in small,medium,and large businesses should be educated on human resources management.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

In the early 1900s,personnel administration,as it was called then,

A) focused on trying to improve the human element in organizations.
B) served a key advisory role in organizations.
C) was closely tied to union-management relations.
D) was highly influenced by laws and regulations.
E) played a very limited role in organizations.

Answer 2

E

Question 3

Which of the following helps guide the company to its desired destination?

A) Business model
B) Strategic Plan
C) Authority
D) Obligation
E) Responsibility

Answer 3

B

Question 4

HR responsibilities have shifted from operational to strategic responsibilities,which involve formulating and executing organizational strategy.

Question 5

The highest level HR designation in Ontario is

A) CHRL.
B) CHRC.
C) CPHR.
D) CHRA.
E) CHRE.

Question 6

As of 2016,in all provinces except Ontario,the CHRP designated was renamed

A) CHRL.
B) CHRC.
C) CPHR .
D) CHRA.
E) CHRE.

Question 7

HR professionals are expected to be change agents who lead the organization and its employees through organizational change.

Question 8

The company's plan for how it will balance its internal strengths and weaknesses with external opportunities and threats to maintain a competitive advantage is known as

A) company objectives.
B) environmental scanning.
C) strategy.
D) policies and procedures.
E) SWOT.

Question 9

Which of the following is the lowest level of HR certification currently available?

A) CHRL
B) CHRC
C) CPHR or CHRP in Ontario
D) CHRA
E) CHRE

Question 10

HRM involves formulating and implementing HRM systems that are aligned with the organization's strategy to ensure the workforce has competencies and behaviours required to achieve the organization's strategic objectives.

Question 11

According to the textbook,which of the following is now being used more commonly to measure the activities and results of human resources?

A) Metrics
B) Academic research evidence
C) Science
D) Strategy
E) Subjective popular press articles

Question 12

Engaged employees drive desired organizational outcomes by going beyond what is required and understanding and sharing the values and goals of the organization.

Question 13

Which of the following activities was part of the traditional role of personnel administration in the early 1900s?

A) Hiring and firing employees
B) Environmental scanning
C) Coaching and mentoring employees
D) Being part of the strategic planning discussions
E) Handling union-management relations

Question 14

Define and briefly describe the term "human resources management."

Question 15

Human resources management is important to all managers so they can avoid making common mistakes which may include hiring the wrong person for the job.

Question 16

According to the textbook's definition of human resources management,this field involves

A) management techniques for controlling people at work.
B) concepts and techniques used in leading people at work.
C) the management of people in organizations.
D) all managerial activities.
E) concepts and techniques for organizing work activities.

Question 17

The practice of contracting with outside vendors to handle specified functions on a permanent basis is known as

A) payroll and benefits administration.
B) outsourcing.
C) labour-management relations.
D) contract administration.
E) hiring temporary employees.

Question 18

Which term is a "course of action"?

A) Strategy
B) Human capital
C) Business model
D) Management
E) Authority

Question 19

The knowledge,education,training,skills,and expertise of a firm's workers are known as

A) management's philosophy.
B) human capital.
C) physical capital.
D) production capital.
E) cultural diversity.

Question 20

Recent research indicates that there is a strong positive relationship between employee engagement and organizational performance indicators,such as sales growth and total shareholder return.

Question 21

Baby boomers

A) grew up in an era of hardship.
B) were born between 1946 and 1964.
C) were born between 1922 and 1945.
D) grew up as divorce rates skyrocketed.
E) expect to change jobs frequently.

Question 22

When unemployment rates fall,

A) there is less competition for qualified employees.
B) training and retention strategies increase in importance.
C) selection strategies increase in importance.
D) qualified workers become more engaged.
E) organizational culture improves.

Question 23

External environmental influences having a direct or indirect influence on HRM include which of the following?

A) Increasing empowerment
B) Increasing engagement
C) Labour market issues
D) Organizational climate
E) Organizational culture

Question 24

Certified HRM professionals must abide by a uniform code of ethics to maintain professional status.

Question 25

Each of the 10 provinces and three territories has its own human rights legislation.

Question 26

The Canadian national body that manages certification for human resource professionals (except Ontario)is called the

A) Canadian Management Association.
B) Canadian Council of Human Resources Associations.
C) Society for Human Resources Management.
D) Personnel Professionals Association of Ontario.
E) Personnel Management Association of Canada.

Question 27

Mortgage Financial needs to recruit 10 employees for a period of three months to assist its team of underwriters during the busy season.The company does not want to provide these 10 employees regular full-time employment status.These employees will be known as which type of workers?

A) Regular workers
B) Permanent workers
C) Technical workers
D) Contingent workers
E) Primary sector workers

Question 28

The Canadian Council of Human Resources Associations governs the human resources profession in all provinces except

A) British Columbia.
B) Nova Scotia.
C) Quebec.
D) Ontario.
E) Manitoba.

Question 29

One key characteristic of Generation X employees is

A) mastery of technology.
B) eagerness to make a contribution.
C) a sense of security linked to corporate loyalty.
D) an orientation towards action.
E) results driven.

Question 30

You are the HR Generalist of a national railway.Which employment legislation would you refer to when it comes to employee relations issues within the organization?

A) Jurisdictional
B) Provincial
C) Territorial
D) Federal
E) Municipal

Question 31

Economic downturns are generally associated with

A) higher voluntary turnover.
B) lower unemployment rates.
C) skills shortages.
D) an overwhelming number of job applicants for vacancies.
E) more competition for qualified employees.

Question 32

The characteristics of the workforce,such as race,gender,and age are known as

A) values.
B) population trends.
C) beliefs.
D) customs and norms.
E) demographic factors.

Question 33

Which generation has attitudes,values,and expectations of both optimism and team orientation?

A) Traditionalists
B) Generation Z-ers
C) Generation X-ers
D) Baby boomers
E) Generation Y-ers

Question 34

You are the Director of Human Resources at a real estate development company based in Toronto.To attract and retain employees born after 1980,which of the following would you emphasize?

A) Economic conservatism
B) Pragmatism
C) Stability
D) Civic duty
E) Informality

Question 35

Which sector dominates the Canadian economy?

A) Secondary sector
B) Primary sector
C) Education sector
D) Service sector
E) Manufacturing sector

Question 36

Questions concerning ________ are at the core of a growing controversy brought about by new information technologies.

A) data control, accuracy, the right to privacy, and ethics
B) employee engagement
C) job satisfaction
D) environmental and social responsibility
E) speed and efficiency

Question 37

Technological advances have

A) enabled people to work anywhere and everywhere.
B) decreased work-family balance issues.
C) resulted in a decline in privacy-related issues.
D) had little impact on service-sector firms.
E) led to significant increases in the employment of persons with disabilities.

Question 38

Which of the following refers to the ratio of an organization's outputs to its inputs?

A) The labour market equation
B) The supply and demand equation
C) Competitive ability
D) The equity ratio
E) Productivity

Question 39

HRM has evolved over the last few decades due to external environmental influences,such as globalization,technological changes,and environmental concerns,all of which drive the strategic focus of HRM.

Question 40

Minimum wage,overtime pay requirements,and vacation entitlements

A) are the same across all jurisdictions.
B) are the same across all provinces.
C) vary from one province/territory to another.
D) are the same across all territories.
E) vary from one federally regulated employer to another.

Question 41

Which of the following is one of the purposes that organizational culture serves?

A) Increasing training levels
B) Increasing customer service levels
C) Fostering employee loyalty and commitment
D) Succession planning
E) Creating a friendlier atmosphere

Question 42

The primary sector,which includes agriculture,fishing,forestry,and mining now represents the majority of jobs in Canada.

Question 43

Productivity refers to the amount of goods produced from one year to the next.

Question 44

A minimum wage issue has been a key topic in a provincial election.Which external factor does this most closely relate to

A) government.
B) economic factors.
C) globalization.
D) management practices.
E) environmental concerns.

Question 45

Internal factors impacting HRM include all of the following except

A) organizational culture.
B) organizational climate.
C) globalization.
D) management practices.
E) retention strategies.

Question 46

Revlex Inc.has decided to allow its front-line workers to make decisions regarding the ordering of certain supplies that were formerly made by managers.This initiative is an example of

A) workplace incentives.
B) a change in organizational climate.
C) job restructuring.
D) employee empowerment.
E) management development.

Question 47

External factors impacting HRM include all of the following except

A) government.
B) economic factors.
C) globalization.
D) management practices.
E) environmental concerns.

Question 48

Joe Brown was hired by a manufacturing firm as a supervisor.During his first few weeks as a supervisor,he realized that the employees reporting to him expected a lot of direction and expected him to make all of the decisions.Joe Brown decided to train his employees to take on additional responsibilities and make decisions within a specific scope.Joe Brown is

A) outsourcing his staff.
B) narrowing his staff.
C) embracing his staff.
D) empowering his staff.
E) rewarding his staff.

Question 49

At Rybak Enterprises,a number of employees have started a working group to address sustainability issues.Which external factor are they responding to?

A) Government
B) Economic factors
C) Globalization
D) Management practices
E) Environmental concerns

Question 50

HR professionals play a key role in helping managers throughout the firm establish and maintain a positive organizational climate.

Question 51

________ consists of the core values,beliefs,and assumptions that are widely shared by members of an organization.

A) Organizational culture
B) Organizational climate
C) Globalization
D) Management practices
E) Retention strategies

Question 52

What is the purpose of an organizational culture?

Question 53

The tertiary sector includes jobs in agriculture,fishing and trapping,forestry,and mining.

Question 54

The tendency of firms to expand their operations around the world is known as

A) cultural diversity.
B) globalization.
C) international marketing.
D) product diversification.
E) domestication.

Question 55

Employee empowerment is decreasing.

Question 56

The condition of the labour market is a key environmental influence on human resources management in any organization.With the end of mandatory retirement in most Canadian jurisdictions,there are employees from all four of the demographic groups in the workforce.Identify and briefly describe each of the four demographic groups,then describe two challenges posed by the differences between the demographic groups in the workplace.

Question 57

Moving jobs offshore is usually a result of what external factor?

A) Government
B) Economic factors
C) Globalization.
D) Management practices
E) Environmental concerns

Question 58

The prevailing atmosphere or ''internal weather" that exists in an organization and its impact on employees is known as

A) performance.
B) mission.
C) vision.
D) organizational climate.
E) corporate culture.

Question 59

The growing integration of the world economy has vastly increased

A) employee turnover.
B) the quality of products and services.
C) standardization practices.
D) the prices of products and services.
E) the intensity of competition.

Question 60

The core values,beliefs,and norms that are widely shared by members of an organization are known as

A) the strategic plan.
B) the mission statement.
C) organizational culture.
D) organizational climate.
E) the prevailing atmosphere.

Question 61

Employees of the federal government and Crown corporations,chartered banks,airlines,and the Canadian Armed Forces are covered by federal employment legislation.