Deck 9: Creating and Maintaining High-Performance Organizations

Question 1

An expert system can increase efficiency by enabling more highly skilled employees to do work that otherwise would require many less-skilled employees.

Answer 1

False
Explanation: An expert system can increase efficiency by enabling fewer or less-skilled employees to do work that otherwise would require many highly skilled employees.

Question 2

High-performance work systems are characterized by high employee turnover.

Answer 2

False
Explanation: Outcomes of a high-performance work system include higher productivity and efficiency. A high-performance work system may have other outcomes, including high product quality, great customer satisfaction, and low employee turnover.

Question 3

The reward systems of an organization include the performance measures by which employees are judged and the methods of measuring performance.

Answer 3

True
Explanation: Reward systems contribute to high performance by encouraging people to strive for objectives that support the organization's overall goals. Reward systems include the performance measures by which employees are judged, the methods of measuring performance, and the incentive pay and other rewards linked to success.

Question 4

Measures of employees' performance should take the effects of situational constraints into account.

Question 5

A standard feature of a modern Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS)is the use of relational databases,which store data in separate files that can be linked by common elements.

Question 6

For an organization's human resource division,"customers" are the organization's top management.

Question 7

A written code of ethics is usually ineffective if it is developed with input from employees about situations they encounter.

Question 8

A condition underpinning any high-performance organization is that employees be fully engaged with their work.

Question 9

Compensation usually discourages high-performance organizations when it is linked in part to performance measures.

Question 10

Creating a high-performance work system is similar to traditional management practices because both treat decision making about technology,organization structure,and human resources as unrelated.

Question 11

Research suggests that it is more effective to improve HRM practices as a whole than to focus on one or two isolated practices.

Question 12

A benefit of e-HRM is that employees can help themselves to information they need when they need it,instead of contacting an HR staff person.

Question 13

To set up a performance management system that supports the organization's goals,managers need to understand the process of employee performance.

Question 14

To create a learning organization,one challenge is to shift the focus of training away from merely generating and sharing knowledge toward a stronger focus on teaching skills.

Question 15

In the context of e-HRM,online appraisal or talent management systems provide data that can help managers spot high performers to reward or types of skills where additional training is a priority.

Question 16

High-performance organizations do not need selection methods that identify more than technical skills.

Question 17

People experience occupational intimacy when they love their work,when they and their co-workers care about one another,and when they find their work meaningful.

Question 18

An organization's HR department makes most decisions about organizational structure.

Question 19

Transaction processing includes the activities required to meet government reporting requirements.

Question 20

The most popular way to empower employees is to design work so that it can be performed by individuals.

Question 21

An HRM audit is a formal review of the outcomes of HRM functions.

Question 22

A recruiter's colleagues are most useful as a source of leads to qualified job candidates than are people the recruiter communicates with only occasionally.

Question 23

Which of the following elements of a high-performance work system determines how the details of the organization's necessary activities will be grouped,whether into jobs or team responsibilities?

A) Information systems
B) Reward systems
C) Performance
D) Organizational structure
E) Task design

Question 24

Which of the following in an organization usually makes most of the decisions about organizational structure?

A) Top management
B) HR department
C) Supervisors
D) Middle-level managers
E) Technical analysts

Question 25

Isabel is a new hire at an IT firm.She experiences trouble performing the job assigned to her even though she has the necessary skill set to complete the job.She has little clarity about team responsibilities and details of her work activities and has a difficult time comprehending the work activities.In this case,which of the following elements of the high-performance work systems has been implemented ineffectively by the organization?

A) Organizational structure.
B) Staffing.
C) Reward systems.
D) Task design.
E) Information systems.

Question 26

Training dollars per employee is a business indicator of the success of an HR department's training programs.

Question 27

Which of the following elements in a high-performance work system contributes to high performance by encouraging people to strive for objectives that support the organization's overall goals and includes the performance measures by which employees are judged?

A) Organizational goals
B) Task design
C) Reward systems
D) Information systems
E) Training systems

Question 28

The usual way to measure customer satisfaction in the course of an HRM audit is to conduct experiments in controlled environments.

Question 29

High-performance work systems result in _____.

A) simple, repetitive jobs
B) high employee turnover
C) high production costs
D) high product quality
E) centralized decision making

Question 30

In a high-performance work system,task design makes jobs _____.

A) narrow in scope
B) high in task significance but low in autonomy
C) highly specialized
D) efficient while encouraging high quality
E) simple and repetitive

Question 31

Which of the following statements is true about task design?

A) It determines what type of information to gather to reduce errors in planning.
B) It empowers people to perform better and create goals that match an organization's goals.
C) It allows the recruitment of prospective candidates to occur in an easier manner.
D) It involves dividing a task or assignment into smaller tasks or assignments so that short-term goals can be met.
E) It involves the clustering of details pertaining to an organization's required activities.

Question 32

Which of the following statements is true of high-performance work systems?

A) Creating a high-performance work system is akin to using traditional management practices.
B) To function as a high-performance work system, people, technology, and organizational structure must be completely independent of one another.
C) To develop a high-performance work system, organizations need to determine what kinds of people fit their needs and then locate, train, and motivate those special people.
D) A high-performance work system usually excludes reward systems.
E) Integrated high-performance work practices usually have little impact on productivity and long-term financial performance.

Question 33

Nicole is a new recruit at a leading IT firm.She keeps records of important client data and is given special access to certain confidential data,which is available only to her and not to others in the organization.Given the nature of her work,which of the following elements of a high-performance work system is illustrated in this scenario?

A) Organizational structure
B) Staffing
C) Reward systems
D) Task design
E) Information systems

Question 34

David believes that for a company to run smoothly,it must adopt an organizational structure in which the employees clearly know who their reporting managers are and which departments they belong to.David claims that this will give the employees clarity about their roles and functions and will help them contribute efficiently toward the organization's overall success.Which of the following statements strengthens David's claims?

A) Roles can be better understood when managers provide examples that will help employees understand their roles better.
B) Clarity depends on how well a manager describes job functions.
C) Departmentalization may create a feeling of superiority among managers, which will help them work better.
D) An organizational structure creates a positive environment without hindering the learning process.
E) An efficient structure depends on an efficient taskforce that is willing to learn and adapt.

Question 35

Gibson United is a new firm located in Chicago.The firm has to hire qualified individuals,compartmentalize them into different departments,and hire a set of managers who will be able to instruct,monitor,and guide these employees to ensure smooth functioning of the organization.In this scenario,Gibson United is engaging in creating a(n)_____.

A) information system
B) task-design procedure
C) reward system
D) organizational structure
E) staffing solution

Question 36

Identify the term that refers to the way in which an organization groups its people into useful divisions,departments,and reporting relationships.

A) Job structure
B) Organizational structure
C) Value chain
D) Corporate design
E) Relationship management

Question 37

Which of the following is true of an information system?

A) It acts as a gateway to the reservoir of knowledge available across the Internet.
B) It is a physical server in which all the data that belongs to a company is stored and managed.
C) Managers must decide who has access to what type of information and its availability.
D) Managers post their problems on an information system and receive solutions for these problems.
E) Any information system used in an organization allows access to all of the organization's databases.

Question 38

Ryan is an experienced employee at an organization.The latest policy implemented by the firm's management provides only new employees with bonuses and other perks for exemplary performance.Ryan has raised concerns regarding the revised policy,but management stands firm on its revised policy.Which of the following elements of a high-performance work system would most likely weaken the organization's performance?

A) Organizational structure
B) Staffing
C) Reward systems
D) Task design
E) Information systems

Question 39

Identify the statement that best defines a high-performance work system.

A) It is an arrangement of machinery and equipment that streamlines the workflow and results in maximum efficiency and cost savings.
B) It refers to the right combination of people, technology, and organizational structure that makes full use of the organization's resources and opportunities in achieving its goals.
C) It is a computer software system that is designed to help managers solve problems by showing how results vary when the manager alters assumptions or data.
D) It is a system that is used to collect, record, store, analyze, and retrieve data concerning an organization's human resources.
E) It refers to a performance management system that measures customer satisfaction.

Question 40

One way to measure HRM effectiveness is to measure a program's success in terms of whether it achieved its objectives and whether it delivered value in an economic sense.

Question 41

Outcomes of a high-performance work system include higher productivity and _____.

A) efficiency
B) maintenance
C) manpower
D) equipment
E) resources

Question 42

Which of the following is a condition that contributes to high performance?

A) Teams perform work only if employees are interested in a project.
B) Work design gives employees the opportunity to utilize a variety of skills.
C) Ongoing training is not emphasized, but it is implemented when necessary.
D) Managers understand how their jobs contribute to a finished product or service.
E) Employees' rewards and compensation relate to their own performance.

Question 43

Which of the following would most likely aid in the formation of a high-performance work system?

A) Employees' rewards and compensation that relate to the company's financial performance
B) Work design that allows employees to use a single skill
C) Technology that is used to discourage flexibility
D) Employees that receive little formal performance feedback
E) Training that is discouraged because of increasing costs

Question 44

Which of the following statements is true about the outcomes of high-performance work systems?

A) The outcomes of high-performance work systems include high employee turnover.
B) Sales revenues increase the outcomes of high-performance work systems.
C) Clients are the main force that drives the outcomes of a high-performance work system.
D) The outcomes of each employee contribute to a system's overall high performance.
E) Incentives provided to each employee play a big part in contributing to outcomes.

Question 45

A work team can be empowered by:

A) reducing the team's interaction with other department or teams.
B) keeping roles independent and separate from one another.
C) authorizing the team to make decisions traditionally made by managers.
D) confining the scope of work done by the team and its members.
E) assigning management of work schedules to the manager.

Question 46

For empowerment to succeed,managers should:

A) micromanage their teams and delegate as much work as possible.
B) ensure that communication flows top down from senior management.
C) help their teams ensure that communication flows in both directions.
D) hold frequent meetings to constantly supervise the progress of the team.
E) ensure that a team shares information only after it receives approval.

Question 47

Which of the following is a valid reason for ethical behavior to be a necessary condition for high performance?

A) It fosters competitiveness.
B) It empowers first-line managers and supervisors.
C) It helps an organization maintain the status quo.
D) It contributes to good long-term relationships with employees, customers, and the public.
E) It encourages people to be highly innovative.

Question 48

A learning culture creates the conditions in which managers:

A) encourage experimentation.
B) ensure rigidity.
C) help sustain the status quo.
D) encourage groupthink.
E) demonstrate a high degree of risk aversion.

Question 49

What is the perception about training in a learning organization?

A) It is treated as a superfluous corporate ritual.
B) It is viewed as an investment in the organization's human resources.
C) It is considered as the only driver of continued growth and sustainability.
D) It is deemed as the primary means of retaining good employees.
E) It is regarded as a tool to minimize organizational anarchy.

Question 50

Cell-O World Inc.has increased doubled its profits since last year just by reducing employee absenteeism.Increased productivity is the reason for the surge in the company's profits.The employees have also improved customer satisfaction due to their increased productivity.In this scenario,which of the following aspects of a high-performance work system is contributing to the high productivity and efficiency?

A) Outcomes
B) Problems
C) Situations
D) Taskforce
E) Infrastructure

Question 51

For a learning organization to function well,employees ought to:

A) create short-term learning goals rather than long-term learning goals.
B) identify their own training needs.
C) take part in seminars and conferences at least once every week.
D) share the information that was acquired during the learning process.
E) distribute highly classified information.

Question 52

Which of the following statements is true of an organizational structure in a high-performance work system?

A) It promotes high employee turnover.
B) It promotes cooperation and learning.
C) It discourages competition.
D) It helps the organization select the right people with the required qualifications.
E) It encourages people to strive for objectives that support the organization's overall goals.

Question 53

Teamwork and empowerment contribute to high performance when they improve _____.

A) job satisfaction
B) organizational goals
C) organizational ethics
D) job rotation
E) job enlargement

Question 54

Which of the following occurs when organizations encourage employees to see relationships among ideas and to test assumptions and observe the results of their actions?

A) High employee turnover
B) Critical, systematic thinking
C) Disruptive, intermittent learning
D) Organizational change
E) Organizational anarchy

Question 55

The most popular way of empowering employees is by:

A) narrowing the scope of jobs.
B) designing work so that it is performed by teams.
C) adopting a centralized decision-making approach.
D) paying bonuses to all employees regardless of contribution.
E) providing employees with simple, repetitive jobs.

Question 56

_____ is a necessary condition of high performance because it contributes to good long-term relationships with employees,customers,and the public.

A) Emotional behavior
B) Ethical behavior
C) Physical behavior
D) Mental behavior
E) Cognitive behavior

Question 57

Which of the following is true about continuous learning?

A) The advancement of technology has put little pressure on employees to learn about their work systems.
B) Employees should continuously learn about their work systems to improve performance.
C) Continuous learning may eventually turn out to be a disadvantage because it results in information overload.
D) Despite continuous learning, employees do not put into practice what they have learned.
E) Continuous learning definitely will result in a job transfer or better job opportunities.

Question 58

Which of the following statements is true about a learning organization?

A) It actively resists organizational change.
B) It usually considers organizational learning a barrier to the dissemination of corporate culture.
C) It supports lifelong learning by enabling all employees to continually acquire and share knowledge.
D) It places a relatively low importance on innovation.
E) It considers training a superfluous corporate ritual.

Question 59

Each employee's and each group's ongoing efforts to gather information and apply the information to their decisions in a learning organization is referred to as:

A) continuous learning.
B) critical thinking.
C) innovation.
D) cognition.
E) groupthink.

Question 60

An automobile manufacturing firm hires employees with different backgrounds and varying years of experience.The new employees and the experienced employees struggle to cope with each other as they share different views about the bonus system and the work activities.The new employees feel left out of critical decision-making processes; whereas the experienced employees feel they are undertrained.Which of the following conditions,if true,would strengthen the formation of a high-performance work system?

A) The experienced employees should be encouraged to focus on the work rather than being involved in the selection process.
B) The management should allow new employees to participate in changes made to work systems, equipment, and layout.
C) The ongoing training for experienced employees should be minimized.
D) The employees' rewards and compensation should be distinct and independent of the company's financial performance.
E) The work design of the firm should be such that it discourages flexibility.

Question 61

At Wakame Beauty Solutions,Sheila created an award-winning line of lip balm,lip gloss,and lipstick after many hours of research and discussions with experts.Now,with her manager's encouragement,she frequently conducts workshops for other employees about lip color and other beauty products.In this scenario,which of the following features of Wakame Beauty Solutions is exemplified?

A) Flexible environment
B) Critical thinking
C) Learning culture
D) Job rotation
E) Functional organization

Question 62

A firm's marketing department plans to introduce a new product into the market.The department invites suggestions from employees about the new product.New employees at the firm are also given an exhaustive orientation by the HR department about the company's vision and goals,and how the firm's products have traditionally formed an integral part of their daily work life.This orientation activity organized by the HR department is an example of _____.

A) brand alignment
B) brand extension
C) brand equity
D) brand valuation
E) brand earnings

Question 63

James works at a publishing house.He is fond of his work and is a passionate team member.His colleagues show concern for him and his work,and he experiences a positive feeling about his work.In the context of job satisfaction,this feeling experienced by Vincent is known as _____.

A) job altruism
B) occupational intimacy
C) work loyalty
D) task obedience
E) job compliance

Question 64

Unity Inc.sells novelty products to a niche market.With support from the human resources team,the customer services team handles the firm's unique brand and reaches out to specific audiences.To ensure that its product line remains strong,the company's CEO emphasizes team adherence to the ethics and policies of the organization.In this scenario,which of the following methods of employee engagement is the CEO of Unity Inc.encouraging?

A) Continuous learning
B) Opportunities for career progress
C) Recognition for accomplishments
D) Brand alignment
E) HR analytics

Question 65

The employees at Waycliff Foundation are continuously conducting research on ways to improve facilities and benefits for the impoverished children they care for.They then implement the ideas resulting from their research.This is an example of _____.

A) brand alignment
B) continuous learning
C) employee engagement
D) performance management
E) expert systems

Question 66

Identify the right HRM practice that can assist firms in becoming a high-performance organization.

A) Discipline system is conservative.
B) Organizations avoid monitoring employees' satisfaction.
C) Selection system is job related and legal.
D) Work design encourages rigidity.
E) Technology is used sparingly.

Question 67

Georgia,the learning and development manager at StudyWell Inc.,believes that in addition to providing superior benefits to employees,it is important to create an environment in which they also have access to the firm's large learning database.She suggests that employees take time out of their workday to research relevant topics and conduct seminars to share knowledge with their colleagues.However,Georgia's manager,Vincent,argues that encouraging employees to do so will cause a downturn in productivity.Which of the following statements supports Georgia's suggestion?

A) Any increase in learning activities in an organization increases workload and decreases the time available to handle the workload.
B) Vincent believes that learning should occur during employees' free time, not as part of their daily work activities.
C) The time that employees spend in research should not interfere with projects that must be accomplished under tight deadlines.
D) Learning a task and knowing how to perform it in an efficient manner is a highly rewarding experience.
E) Vincent feels Georgia's idea will create conflict among her team members.

Question 68

Which of the following practices is most likely to enhance occupational intimacy?

A) Lowering emphasis on organizational learning
B) Narrowing the scope of work
C) Setting highly abstract goals
D) Establishing rigid and enduring pay structures
E) Establishing policies that show concern for employees' needs

Question 69

Numerous cases of unethical behavior have been reported in a leading beverage company.Which of the following,if true,would strengthen the reason for the increase in these cases?

A) The firm uses only a written code of ethics.
B) The firm uses a continuous learning culture.
C) The firm failed to use its cloud computing services.
D) The employees at the firm experience occupational intimacy.
E) The firm excludes ethical behavior in its performance measures.

Question 70

Colin Bleuze,the new CEO of Silver Star,claims that work equals life for him.He believes that when one learns to love his or her job,it will result in job satisfaction.He provides employees with the best amenities the firm can afford,such as a sports center,a health clinic,and other facilities.The results are clear: reduced absenteeism,increased productivity,and an interactive social culture.Which of the following is most likely to cause conflict and dissatisfaction in the work that the employees engage in at Silver Star?

A) The employees feel that such amenities are to be enjoyed outside of work.
B) The employees are given tasks that vary significantly from their job descriptions.
C) The employees demand fewer working hours or more pay.
D) Silver Star's major competitor is changing its organizational structure.
E) Other companies are trying to replicate Silver Star's approach to employee engagement.

Question 71

Tamara McKay,a manager at Ionic Consulting,believes that it is important for employees to feel a sense of satisfaction about their jobs.She feels that a satisfied employee will contribute more to the organization than an employee who is dissatisfied with his or her job.Harry,Tamara's coworker,argues that job satisfaction should not have an impact on the quality of work or productivity.Which of the following statements supports Tamara's belief?

A) Rewarding an employee for a job well done helps motivate the person to perform better in his or her job.
B) Salary and benefits should be considered more important than just a satisfying job that provides a small salary.
C) Employees have no interest in being recognized by management for a job well done.
D) Deadlines, when met, help create an environment where an employee is content with his or her job.
E) Employees engage actively in assigned work when there is a free flow of communication between the employer and employee.

Question 72

Job design aimed at empowerment:

A) is complex.
B) limits flexibility.
C) includes access to resources.
D) increases employee turnover.
E) includes a rigid pay structure.

Question 73

Which of the following is an HRM practice that helps organizations achieve high performance?

A) Work is performed by individuals.
B) Organization discourages continuous learning.
C) Performance management system measures customer satisfaction and quality.
D) Pay systems primarily reward loyalty to the company.
E) Technology increases costs.

Question 74

Which of the following is a way in which organizations can promote job satisfaction?

A) They can make jobs more repetitive.
B) They can set up subjective performance management systems.
C) They can set highly abstract goals.
D) They can empower supervisors.
E) They can make jobs more interesting.

Question 75

Calvin,the CEO of Incal Inc.,a digital media startup,holds a meeting with his employees,telling them he wants them to put 100% effort into their daily work.To motivate them,he announces that the employee with the best performance will be named Employee of the Month and provided with additional perks.In this scenario,Calvin is trying to increase _____ at Incal Inc.

A) managerial engagement
B) employer engagement
C) client engagement
D) employee engagement
E) distributor engagement

Question 76

ITI Inc.,a software company,is currently looking for employees to fill vacant positions.It is looking for prospective candidates who are enthusiastic about work and willing to share their knowledge with their colleagues on various topics related to their field.The HR department is responsible for finding the right type of candidate to fit the roles in the organization.In this scenario,the HR department at ITI Inc.is engaged in _____.

A) job design
B) training
C) performance management
D) recruitment and selection
E) job search

Question 77

Zoom Motors pays a lot of attention to improving employee skills on the job.Its training centers and mentors are open to one-on-one sessions,group discussions,and workshops.The organization boasts a world-class resource center that offers the latest editions of many books and journals related to the automotive industry.All employees have free access to the knowledge pool in the organization and are welcome to initiate discussions on topics of interest.In this scenario,Zoom Motors has created a _____.

A) learning organization
B) cultural organization
C) static organization
D) smart organization
E) technology-based organization

Question 78

Which of the following processes involves ensuring that HR policies,practices,and programs support or are congruent with an organization's overall culture or brand,including its products and services?

A) Brand reinforcement
B) Brand alignment
C) Crowdsourcing
D) Brand dilution
E) Corporate social responsibility

Question 79

People experience _____ when they love their work,when they and their co-workers care about one another,and when they find their work meaningful.

A) burnout
B) cognitive job satisfaction
C) occupational intimacy
D) diminished personal accomplishment
E) emotional dissonance

Question 80

ThinkBig Inc.has been known for its excellent customer service since its start more than 40 years ago.The founder of the company believes that it is because of the dedicated efforts of his employees.The company boasts of carefully selected employees who,through various tests,are hired based on their skills and their ability to contribute to the organization.The organization has benefited greatly because of its process of selecting employees,which,in turn,has resulted in customer loyalty to the services it provides.Rival companies have envied the type of selection methods the company has used to hire candidates.Which of the following would undermine the recruitment efforts of this company?

A) ThinkBig Inc. is not recognized as providing the best customer service.
B) Customers feel that there is no room for improvement in terms of service provided by ThinkBig Inc.
C) High performers in the company find it difficult to refer their friends to open vacancies in the company.
D) Other companies have adopted the same style of recruiting employees as ThinkBig Inc.
E) ThinkBig Inc. begins hiring employees without thoroughly assessing their skills and knowledge.