Deck 1: Strategies, Trends and Challenges in Human Resource Management

Question 1

For employee engagement to occur,managers must be trained to link employees to resources within and outside the organization,such as customers,co-workers in other departments,and websites with needed information.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Managers are increasingly seeing a more administrative role for HRM in the future.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

The CHRP designation has an experience requirement-"ten or more years of professional experience in human resources within the last twenty years."

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Compliance with laws and regulations is not an HR responsibility,but rather the sole responsibility of managers within the organization.

Question 5

Canada underperforms the United States with respect to labour productivity.

Question 6

The role of supervisors and managers in HRM usually begins after employees have been hired.

Question 7

Setting up a business enterprise in another country (e.g.building a factory in China)is called outsourcing.

Question 8

Employee engagement shifts the recruiting focus away from general cognitive and interpersonal skills toward technical skills.

Question 9

Members of the HR department need to be credible activists.This requires HR professionals who implement workplace policies and design reward systems.

Question 10

HRM should have a significant role in carrying out a merger or acquisition.

Question 11

Recent surveys indicate that the general public and managers do not have positive perceptions of the ethical conduct of businesses.

Question 12

Managers and economists traditionally have seen human resource management as a necessary expense rather than as a source of value to their organization.

Question 13

Canada's population and its labour force are aging.

Question 14

The concept of "human resource management" implies that employees are interchangeable,easily replaced assets that should be managed like any other physical asset.

Question 15

No two human resource departments will have the same roles and responsibilities due to the size of the company,the characteristics of the workforce and the industry,and the values of the firm's management.

Question 16

Electronic human resource management (E-HRM)has the potential to change all traditional HRM functions.

Question 17

Performance management requires that employee activities and outputs match the individual's goals.

Question 18

Recruitment refers to the process by which an organization selects applicants with the right knowledge,skills,and abilities to help the organization achieve its goals.

Question 19

Important decisions in planning pay and benefits include how much to offer employees in salary or wages,as opposed to bonuses,commissions,and other performance-related pay.

Question 20

Almost one-third of the Aboriginal population is under age 15,in contrast with half of the non-Aboriginal population.

Question 21

Human capital means the organization's employees described in terms of all but one of the following.Name the exception.

A) Training
B) Profitability
C) Relationships
D) Intelligence
E) Experience

Question 22

Which of the following is NOT one of the "product lines" of the business of HR within the organization?

A) Administrative services and transactions
B) Business partner services
C) Strategic partner
D) Credible activist
E) All of the choices are product lines of the business of HR.

Question 23

Which one of the following refers to a planned effort to enable employees to learn job-related knowledge,skills,and behaviour?

A) Orientation
B) Selection
C) Recruitment
D) Training
E) Development

Question 24

What do we call the grouping of competencies for HR professionals that means being so well-respected in the organization that they can influence the positions taken by managers?

A) Credible activist
B) Operational executor
C) Cultural steward
D) Ethical designer
E) Both "credible activist" and "operational executor."

Question 25

Employees who take assignments in other countries are called:

A) knowledge workers.
B) immigrants.
C) expatriates.
D) nationalists.
E) outsourcees.

Question 26

When an organization is better than competitors at something,and can hold that advantage over a sustained period of time,it is said to have a:

A) differentiated focus.
B) sustainable competitive advantage.
C) core competency.
D) low-cost competitive advantage.
E) None of the choices are correct.

Question 27

Human Resource Management develops which of the following that influence employees' behaviour?

A) Policies
B) Practices
C) Systems
D) Laws
E) Policies,"practices," and "systems"

Question 28

Under the "new" psychological contract,organizations expect employees to contribute time,effort,skills,abilities,and loyalty in return for job security and opportunities for promotion within the organization.

Question 29

Identifying the numbers and types of employees the organization will require in order to meet its objectives is:

A) workforce planning.
B) development.
C) performance management.
D) job design.
E) None of the choices are correct.

Question 30

Which one of the following refers to the process through which an organization seeks applicants for potential employment?

A) Orientation
B) Selection
C) Recruitment
D) Job analysis
E) Performance management

Question 31

The use of alternative staffing arrangements such as independent contractors,on-call workers,temporary workers,and contract company workers is decreasing.

Question 32

Advances in technology have allowed many HR services to be offered on a self-service basis.

Question 33

Human resources provide an organization with a sustainable competitive advantage because they (are):

A) valuable.
B) rare.
C) cannot be imitated.
D) have no good substitutes.
E) All of the choices are correct.

Question 34

______________ refers to demonstrating that human resource practices have a positive influence on the company's profits or key stakeholders.

A) Strategy
B) Evidence-based HR
C) Productivity improvement
D) Compliance
E) Performance management

Question 35

Development programs often focus on:

A) enabling employees to learn job-related knowledge,skills,and behaviour.
B) ensuring that employees' activities and outputs match the organization's goals.
C) preparing employees for management responsibility.
D) identifying the top qualities employers look for in employees.
E) All of the choices are the focus of development programs.

Question 36

As a type of resource,human capital refers to:

A) the wages,benefits,and other costs incurred in support of HR functions within an organization.
B) executive talent within an organization.
C) the tax-deferred value of an employee's pension plan.
D) employee characteristics that can add economic value to the organization.
E) substitutes for physical assets.

Question 37

When the technology,organizational structure,people,and processes of an organization all work together to give it an advantage within its competitive environment,the company has a:

A) global focus.
B) high-performance work system.
C) core competency.
D) differentiated focus.
E) competitive advantage.

Question 38

Which one of the following refers to the process of getting detailed information about jobs?

A) Job design
B) Recruitment
C) Selection
D) Job analysis
E) Performance management

Question 39

The process of ensuring that employees' activities and outputs match the organization's goals is called:

A) job analysis.
B) strategic management.
C) quality assurance.
D) performance management.
E) development.

Question 40

A small manufacturing company decides to have its accounting function performed by a medium-sized accounting firm.This is an example of:

A) offshoring.
B) expatriation.
C) outsourcing.
D) joining forces through a merger.
E) productivity improvement.

Question 41

HR employees play a smaller role in maintaining records,and employees now get information through:

A) a psychological contract.
B) self-service.
C) a high-performance work system.
D) a shared service centre.
E) an HR engagement portal.

Question 42

Which one of the following statements regarding workforce skills is FALSE?

A) The increasing use of computers to do routine tasks has shifted the kinds of skills needed by employees.
B) More and more employers are looking for employees with solid technical skills rather than knowledge-based or interpersonal skills.
C) Today's employees must be able to handle a variety of responsibilities,interact with customers,and think creatively.
D) When employees lack advanced literacy and thinking skills,they may be unable to perform their jobs competently and will experience difficulty adjusting to changes in the workplace.
E) Often when organizations are looking for technical skills,they are looking for skills related to using technology.

Question 43

Positions in HRM generally involve work in specialized areas (e.g.recruiting or training)or ___________ who perform a full range of HRM activities.

A) technicians
B) generalists
C) environmentalists
D) executives
E) specialists

Question 44

The extent that an employee experiences full involvement in one's work and commitment to one's job and organization refers to:

A) employee satisfaction.
B) employee engagement.
C) teamwork.
D) high-performance.
E) ethical behaviour.

Question 45

A display of a series of HR measures,showing human resource goals and objectives and progress toward meeting them is the:

A) E-HRM.
B) HR dashboard.
C) intranet.
D) evidence-based HR portal.
E) HR application resource.

Question 46

Standards for ethical conduct include which of the following?

A) Greatest good for the greatest number.
B) Greatest profitability.
C) Fair and equitable.
D) Greatest good for the greatest number,"greatest profitability," and "fair and equitable."
E) Only "greatest good for the greatest number" and "fair and equitable."

Question 47

Which one of the following terms describes the best possible fit between a company's social system (people and how they interact)and its technical system (equipment and processes)?

A) Outsourcing
B) Self-service system
C) High-performance work system
D) Total quality management
E) Electronic human resource management

Question 48

What types of skills are more employers looking for?

A) Physical strength
B) Mathematical,verbal,and interpersonal
C) Mastery of a particular piece of equipment
D) Creativity
E) Mathematical,verbal,and interpersonal and "creativity"

Question 49

The only age group growing in numbers between 2014 and 2033 is the ______ age group.

A) 15 and younger
B) 16 to 24
C) 25 to 34
D) 35 to 44
E) 55+

Question 50

Providing employees online access to obtain information about HR issues such as training,benefits,and compensation,to enroll themselves in programs and services,or to provide feedback through online surveys is known as:

A) outsourcing.
B) continuous learning.
C) self-service.
D) strategic planning.
E) human resource information system.

Question 51

Employees whose main contribution to the organization is specialized knowledge,such as knowledge of customers,a process,or a profession are:

A) technical specialists.
B) college or university graduates.
C) knowledge workers.
D) HR professionals.
E) generalists.

Question 52

Which term refers to all people willing and able to work?

A) Labour force
B) Internal labour force
C) External labour market
D) Knowledge workers
E) Passive labour force

Question 53

Which of the following is NOT a typical area of involvement of supervisors and managers in HRM?

A) Train,coach,and develop employees
B) Interview and select candidates
C) Design and implement pension plans
D) Appraise performance
E) Provide a motivational environment

Question 54

What minimum level of education do CHRP candidates require to qualify for the CHRP designation?

A) Three or more years of management experience
B) A bachelor's degree in any discipline
C) A high school diploma
D) A score of at least 50% in the National Knowledge Exam (NKE)
E) Executive membership in a human resource association

Question 55

The focus on employee engagement has had what effect upon recruiting?

A) It has created an international labour market.
B) It has substantially enhanced employment opportunities for employment equity groups.
C) It has shifted the focus away from technical skills toward general cognitive and interpersonal skills.
D) It has significantly reduced recruiting costs.
E) It has increased the use of teamwork.

Question 56

From a manager's perspective,an HRIS can be used to perform primarily all BUT one of the following.Name the exception.

A) Support strategic decision making
B) Help the organization avoid lawsuits
C) Provide data to evaluate programs or policies
D) Motivate employees
E) Support day-to-day HR decisions

Question 57

Which of the following statements about knowledge workers is TRUE?

A) Knowledge workers are in a position of power.
B) Managers depend on the employees' willingness to share information.
C) Skilled knowledge workers have many job opportunities,even in a slow economy.
D) Knowledge workers are in a position of power,"managers depend on the employees" willingness to share information," and "skilled knowledge workers have many job opportunities,even in a slow economy."
E) Only "Knowledge workers are in a position of power" and "managers depend on the employees" willingness to share information" are correct.

Question 58

Ethics refer to:

A) one's religious beliefs.
B) what is required by law.
C) one's political values and beliefs.
D) the fundamental principles of right and wrong.
E) what is acceptable to the company.

Question 59

The processing and transmission of digitized HR information,especially using computer networking and the Internet,is:

A) electronic-human resource management (E-HRM).
B) electronic business (e-business).
C) human resource information system (HRIS).
D) reengineering.
E) self-service.

Question 60

Which one of the following statements about the composition of the labour force is TRUE?

A) The average age of Canada's labour force is getting younger.
B) Worker performance and learning suffer significantly as a result of aging.
C) The largest proportion of Canada's population is 15 to 24 years of age.
D) There is increasing generational diversity in the workforce.
E) Diversity does not affect HRM practices.

Question 61

Many organizations are taking steps to provide more flexible work schedules,to:

A) protect employees' free time.
B) to more productively use employees' work time.
C) recruit and retain employees.
D) to increase satisfaction and productivity.
E) All of the choices are correct.

Question 62

What are some of the specific ways human resource professionals support the organization's strategy?

Question 63

What are alternative work arrangements? Identify at least 3 of the common methods.

Question 64

Name the four qualities associated with human resources that help an organization gain a sustainable competitive advantage.

Question 65

Which of the following is NOT an alternative work arrangement?

A) Independent contractors
B) On-call workers
C) Full-time employees
D) Temporary workers
E) Contract company workers

Question 66

Discuss three major trends in the composition of the labour force and their impact on HR practices.

Question 67

CCHRA's National Code of Ethics has 7 important requirements of HR practitioners.Identify and discuss four of the requirements.

Question 68

What are some of the typical HR responsibilities of supervisors and managers?

Question 69

Which one of the following is NOT true of psychological contracts?

A) Psychological contracts describe what an employee expects to contribute in an employment relationship and what the employer will provide the employee in exchange for those contributions.
B) Under the "new" psychological contract,organizations expect their employees to contribute time,effort,skills,abilities,and loyalty in return for job security and opportunities for promotions.
C) Unlike a written sales contract,psychological contracts are not formally put into writing.
D) Psychological contracts describe unspoken expectations.
E) Companies demand excellent customer service and high productivity levels from employees.

Question 70

One way to define the responsibilities of HR departments is to think of HR as a business within the organization with three product lines.Briefly describe each of these product lines.For each of these product lines what type of HR expertise is needed?