Deck 5: Human Resource Planning

Question 1

Most managers view human resource planning (HRP)as one of their most important job responsibilities.

Answer 1

False
Explanation: All managers, especially line managers, should view human resource planning as one of their most important job responsibilities. Unfortunately, this is not often the case.

Question 2

Short-range human resource planning is two to five years.

Answer 2

False
Explanation: Because HRP is so closely tied to the organizational planning process, the time frames human resource plans cover should correspond with those covered by the organizational plans. Organizational plans are frequently classified as short-range (zero to two years), intermediate range (two to five years), or long-range (beyond five years).

Question 3

e-HRM systems are an example of an intranet.

Answer 3

True
Explanation: An intranet is a private computer network that uses Internet products and technologies to provide multimedia applications within organizations. The e-HRM systems are an example of an intranet.

Question 4

Changes such as retirements within an organization can be forecasted with reasonable accuracy from information in the skills inventory.

Question 5

A human resource information system (HRIS)gets rid of many of the paper files human resource people and other areas of an organization maintain.

Question 6

Human resource planning must be conducted independent of an organization's strategic plan to ensure its effectiveness.

Question 7

The objective-setting process in an organization begins at the top of the organization.

Question 8

Scenario analysis involves thoroughly examining internal practices and procedures of an organization and measuring them against the ways other successful organizations operate.

Question 9

One problem with many succession plans is the "crowned prince" syndrome.

Question 10

Short-term performance objectives generally have a time schedule and are expressed quantitatively.

Question 11

Under strategy-linked human resource planning (HRP),line managers have a responsibility to respond to the business implications of human resource objectives and strategies.

Question 12

In time-series analysis,past levels of various workload indicators,such as sales or production levels,are examined for statistical relationships with staffing levels.

Question 13

A layoff is synonymous with termination.

Question 14

Changes in workforce refer not only to the workforce composition but also to its work habits.

Question 15

The cascade approach to objective setting is a form of top-down planning,whereby objectives are passed down to lower levels of an organization.

Question 16

"On-demand software" involves users accessing standard business applications over the Internet.

Question 17

A clear statement of an organization's mission is one of the prerequisites for human resource planning.

Question 18

The Delphi technique and management estimates method are both statistical methods for forecasting human resource.

Question 19

The long-term success of any organization ultimately depends on having the right people in the right jobs at the right time.

Question 20

The first challenge of human resource planning (HRP)is to devise plans for securing the necessary employees.

Question 21

A brief assessment of a manager's past performance,strengths,weaknesses,and potential for advancement is included in a:

A) job specification.
B) job description.
C) management representation letter.
D) management inventory.

Question 22

Which of the following statements about human resource planning (HRP)is NOT true?

A) HRP has been shown to positively affect the effectiveness and efficiency of organizations.
B) Many managers view HRP as something to do only after everything else has been done.
C) Line managers should view HRP as one of their most important job responsibilities.
D) HRP should be handled solely by human resource personnel.

Question 23

Scenario analysis primarily involves the use of:

A) minutes of shareholder meetings.
B) workforce environmental scanning data.
C) revenue reports of the past two quarters.
D) focus group tallies on product innovations.

Question 24

____ involves examining past personnel data to determine historical relationships among the number of employees in various jobs or job categories.

A) Job analysis
B) Personnel ratios
C) Productivity ratios
D) Regression analysis

Question 25

With reference to the cascade approach to setting objectives,an organization's divisional and departmental objectives are immediately derived from its:

A) short-term performance objectives.
B) subunit objectives.
C) statement of vision.
D) code of conduct.

Question 26

Bravoz Autos Inc.wants to determine the short-range net needs for its human resource.Which of the following factors will reflect this?

A) The vacancies expected from individual promotability data
B) The management expectations of future conditions affecting immediate decisions
C) The numbers and kinds of employees needed
D) The operating needs from budgets and plans

Question 27

In which of the following ways of forecasting human resource needs is evaluations made either by top-level managers and passed down,or by lower-level managers and passed up for further revision,or by some combination of upper- and lower-level managers?

A) Benchmarking
B) The Delphi technique
C) The managerial estimates method
D) Scenario analysis

Question 28

The aim of the cascade approach to objective setting is to:

A) form a top-down planning mechanism.
B) involve all levels of management in planning.
C) limit the flow of information during planning.
D) exclude operating managers from the objective-setting process.

Question 29

The first challenge of human resource planning (HRP)is to:

A) devise plans for securing the necessary employees.
B) help other departments devise their strategic objectives.
C) translate an organization's plans and objectives into a timed schedule of employee requirements.
D) ensure that all the decisions made within an organization are ethical in nature and consistent with its mission statement.

Question 30

Intermediate-range organizational plans are frequently set to reflect a time span of:

A) six months to one year.
B) two to five years.
C) three to six months.
D) five to eight years.

Question 31

Organizational objectives should do all of the following EXCEPT:

A) be stated in terms of expected results.
B) become the basis upon which the corporate mission is defined.
C) enhance the sense of purpose for members of an organization.
D) provide direction to an organization.

Question 32

Which of the following methods involves the use of past staffing levels,instead of workload levels,to project future human resource requirements?

A) SWOT analysis
B) Regression analysis
C) Time-series analysis
D) Gap analysis

Question 33

In the context of the cascade approach to objective setting,an organization's long-term objectives and strategies are formulated based on its:

A) short-term performance objectives.
B) divisional and departmental objectives.
C) mission statement.
D) human resource objectives.

Question 34

____ is a judgmental method of forecasting human resource needs in which each member of a panel of experts independently first estimates future demand.An intermediary then presents each expert's forecast and assumptions to the others,so that the experts can revise their positions if they so desire.

A) Scenario analysis
B) The Delphi technique
C) The snowball technique
D) Benchmarking

Question 35

Which of the following approaches for reducing human resource costs involves demoting an employee,downgrading job responsibilities,or a combination of the two?

A) Reclassification
B) Job rotation
C) Crowdsourcing
D) Voluntary resignation inducement

Question 36

Which of the following is true about strategy-linked human resource planning (HRP)?

A) This concept holds that HRP should be handled solely by human resource personnel.
B) This concept requires HR managers to serve as consultants to line managers concerning the people-management implications of business objectives and strategies.
C) The process requires individual managers to work in isolation from human resource personnel.
D) The commitment of top management is irrelevant in strategy-linked HRP.

Question 37

Which of the following steps is involved in scenario analysis?

A) An intermediary presents each expert's forecast and assumptions to the others and allows the experts to revise their positions if they desire.
B) Internal practices and procedures are examined and measured against the ways other successful organizations operate.
C) Top-level managers estimate the human resource needs, and this information is then passed down to the lower-level managers.
D) Once the forecast for future workforce needs is crystallized, line managers and human resource managers then work backward to identify key change points.

Question 38

Getting the right number of qualified people into the right job at the right time is known as:

A) downsizing.
B) crowdsourcing.
C) human resource planning.
D) enterprise resource planning.

Question 39

Scenario analysis and the Delphi technique can both be classified as ____ of forecasting human resource needs.

A) mathematical methods
B) judgmental methods
C) modeling methods
D) statistical methods

Question 40

A(n)____ defines an organization's current and future business.

A) short-term performance objective
B) operational strategy
C) code of conduct
D) statement of mission

Question 41

A ____ enables specific groups such as business partners,customers,or vendors to access an organization's intranet.

A) blog
B) web log
C) web portal
D) wiki

Question 42

Discuss the basic steps in the human resource planning (HRP)process in an organization.

Question 43

Differentiate between replacement planning and succession planning.What are the problems with succession plans?

Question 44

Which of the following approaches for reducing human resource costs results in employees being forced to leave an organization?

A) Reclassification
B) Transfer
C) Termination
D) Work sharing

Question 45

Explain Web 2.0.

Question 46

The difference between succession planning and replacement planning is that succession planning:

A) focuses on identifying a "backup" to fill a job only when it becomes vacant.
B) focuses solely on an employee's past performance.
C) fails to anticipate changing organization needs.
D) considers the future potential of individuals.

Question 47

Pine Systems Inc.has restricted human resource planning (HRP)within the organization to the human resource department.No operating managers are involved in the process.Is this an effective way to manage HRP within an organization? Explain.

Question 48

A ____ is a knowledge base developed over time by users with access to create and edit text on a site.

A) blog
B) cloud
C) web portal
D) wiki

Question 49

Write a short note on skills inventory.What are its advantages?

Question 50

____ is the second generation of Internet use with a focus on user content control,online collaboration,and sharing between users.

A) Fax
B) Web 2.0
C) Telegraphy
D) USB 2.0

Question 51

What is cloud computing? List the major types of cloud computing services.

Question 52

____ involves users accessing standard business applications over the Internet on a pay-as-you-go basis,usually for a monthly subscription fee.

A) Blogging
B) Software as a service (SaaS)
C) Infrastructure as a service (IaaS)
D) Crowdsourcing

Question 53

____ seeks to limit layoffs and terminations within an organization through the proportional reduction of hours among employees.

A) Reclassification
B) Work sharing
C) Job rotation
D) Flextime

Question 54

What are the various advantages of employing contingent workers?

Question 55

The ____ occurs when the management of an organization considers for advancement only those who have managed to become visible to senior management.

A) "black swan" effect
B) glass ceiling syndrome
C) "crowned prince" syndrome
D) halo effect

Question 56

Discuss strategy-linked human resource planning (HRP).

Question 57

List the various areas that represent specific potential applications for a human resource information system (HRIS).

Question 58

Explain the cascade approach to setting objectives.