Deck 8: Managing Human Resources

Question 1

Reference information is becoming increasingly difficult to obtain as a result of several highly publicized lawsuits.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

People are a source of competitive advantage when their skills, knowledge, and abilities are not equally available to all competitors.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

In the context of collective bargaining, workers are paid while they are on strike.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

The final stage in the human resources planning process involves

A) evaluating the activities conducted to ensure that they are producing the desired results.
B) discharging employees ineffective at realizing organizational goals.
C) restarting the entire process.
D) evaluating the decisions made for legal compliance.
E) distributing compensation adjustments.

Question 5

When a software company developed a new phone, it determined how many production and marketing employees would be required for the launch. The company was involved in

A) demand forecasting.
B) outplacement.
C) performance appraisal.
D) job analysis.
E) training and development.

Question 6

In the context of designing reward systems, internal factors affecting the wage mix include collective bargaining and legal requirements.

Question 7

The estimate an organization makes regarding the number and quality of its current employees and the available external source of workers is known as an)

A) demand forecast.
B) job analysis.
C) environmental scan.
D) availability analysis.
E) labor supply forecast.

Question 8

In the context of human resources management, the planning stage involves

A) ensuring the availability of the right number and types of people.
B) determining appropriate automation methods.
C) training of hired individuals.
D) determining the pay scales of employees.
E) evaluating the results of implemented programs.

Question 9

In the context of strategic human resources management, a group of well-chosen, motivated people is easy to imitate.

Question 10

Coaching-being trained by a superior-is usually the most effective and direct way to develop managers.

Question 11

On a day-to-day basis, which of the following is a concern of human resources managers?

A) managing layoffs
B) assessing the financial transactions
C) deciding which products to market
D) funding increased salaries
E) analyzing product failure

Question 12

Management by objectives involves a subordinate and a supervisor agreeing in advance on specific performance goals.

Question 13

The most popular selection tools are applications and résumés.

Question 14

In the context of strategic human resources management, people can increase _____ by helping lower costs, providing something unique to customers, or both.

A) buffering
B) value
C) motivation
D) turnover
E) benchmarking

Question 15

One of the criteria for creating a competitive advantage through human resources is that they should be

A) expensive.
B) easily available.
C) difficult to imitate.
D) spontaneous.
E) commonplace

Question 16

A company has developed a new cell phone that will be targeted at developing countries. It is estimated that the demand for the new product will initially be slow but would accelerate gradually as the product becomes increasingly familiar to worldwide consumers. In order to determine the number of workers necessary to staff the new production facilities, the company needs to conduct an)

A) market search.
B) utilization survey.
C) demand forecast.
D) inventory calculation.
E) recruitment drive.

Question 17

In the context of human resources management, the programming stage involves

A) hiring and firing employees.
B) evaluating employee performance levels.
C) determining appropriate automation methods.
D) implementing specific activities like recruitment.
E) calculating legally justifiable compensation levels.

Question 18

Recruitment refers exclusively to external applicants.

Question 19

Which of the following is an activity that is conducted during the human resources planning process?

A) demand forecast
B) internal recruiting
C) environmental scanning
D) training and development
E) outplacement

Question 20

Recent surveys suggest that employers place the greatest emphasis on responses to newspaper advertisements.

Question 21

Recruitment is

A) a tool for determining what is done on a given job and what should be done on that job.
B) the development of a pool of applicants for jobs in an organization.
C) a system of organizational activities to attract, develop, and motivate an effective and qualified workforce.
D) choosing from among qualified applicants to hire into an organization.
E) a technique that involves asking all applicants the same questions and comparing their responses.

Question 22

Which of the following is an activity that is conducted during the human resources environmental scanning process?

A) employee recruitment
B) performance appraisal
C) demand forecast
D) job analysis
E) legislation

Question 23

Which of the following is an advantage of a structured interview?

A) It helps establish rapport.
B) It is more likely to be free of bias and stereotypes.
C) It provides a sense of the applicant's personality.
D) It helps prospective employers make a first cut through candidates.
E) It helps measure a range of intellectual abilities.

Question 24

What may help organizations defend themselves in a lawsuit involving employment practices?

A) supply forecasts
B) demand forecasts
C) job analysis
D) environmental scanning
E) personnel policies

Question 25

Many companies that rely heavily on internal recruiting use an) _____ system to advertise open positions, and this includes a list of duties and the minimum skills and experience required.

A) labor supply
B) demand forecast
C) job-posting
D) reward
E) outplacement

Question 26

In the United States, demographic trends have contributed to a

A) shortage of skilled and poorly educated workers.
B) shortage of unskilled and highly educated workers.
C) shortage of skilled and highly educated workers.
D) shortage of unskilled and poorly educated workers.
E) shortage of job opportunities for skilled workers.

Question 27

Managers in the United States have responded to the labor shortage by

A) decreasing training budgets.
B) increasing training budgets.
C) attending more job fairs.
D) advertising their jobs on social media.
E) hiring outside the United States.

Question 28

Managers must _____ the supply of labor, which refers to how many and what types of employees the organization actually will have.

A) evaluate
B) recruit
C) forecast
D) train
E) create

Question 29

Which of the following is the most difficult part of human resource planning?

A) labor forecasts
B) demand forecasts
C) job analysis
D) employee recruitment
E) professional development

Question 30

When organizations have more people than they need, they can use _____ to reduce the surplus if they have planned far enough in advance.

A) attrition
B) promotion
C) outsourcing
D) job specifications
E) job analysis

Question 31

Which of the following steps is most likely to be taken by an organization when faced with a labor deficit?

A) They can make use of attrition to reduce the surplus.
B) They can outsource work to contractors.
C) They can offer outplacement to its employees.
D) They can begin downsizing.
E) They can lay off people for poor performance.

Question 32

_____ plays a vital strategic role as organizations attempt to compete through people.

A) Organizational strategic planning
B) Human resource management
C) HRM environmental scanning
D) Human resources planning
E) Professional development

Question 33

How can people deliver a competitive advantage?

A) when their talents are combined and deployed rapidly to work on a moment's notice
B) when their skills, knowledge, and abilities are equally available to all competitors
C) when they are easy to imitate
D) when they can increase costs, providing something unique to customers
E) when they can hire and train quickly

Question 34

For important management positions companies often use

A) web job boards.
B) company websites.
C) referrals.
D) specialized executive search firms.
E) newspaper ads.

Question 35

Human resource planning involves _____ stages.

A) two
B) three
C) four
D) five
E) six

Question 36

Job analysis gives managers a job description which tells about all of the following expect

A) essential tasks.
B) duties.
C) responsibilities.
D) knowledge.
E) abilities.

Question 37

A company uses its computerized human resources information system to analyze its past experience with turnover, terminations, retirement, promotions, and transfers. The company is estimating its _____ labor supply.

A) external
B) internal
C) future
D) global
E) current

Question 38

Which of the following is a function of job analysis?

A) It provides basic information that help prospective employers make a first cut through candidates.
B) It provides the information required by virtually every human resources activity.
C) It explores what candidates have actually done in the past.
D) It focuses on hypothetical situations.
E) It measures a range of intellectual abilities.

Question 39

Which of the following is a step taken by companies when there is a labor surplus?

A) hiring better employees
B) using attrition if they have planned far enough in advance
C) promoting current employees to new positions
D) outsourcing work to contractors
E) using their compensation policy to attract talent

Question 40

Which of the following is a function of a job analysis?

A) to determine if recruiting should be done internally or externally
B) to determine the applicant's educational level
C) to provide a demographic profile of the "correct" candidate
D) to describe the skills and knowledge needed
E) to provide a basis for compensation to be paid

Question 41

Content validity concerns the degree to which selection tests measure a representative sample of the _____ required for the job.

A) job performance
B) test performance
C) knowledge, skills, and abilities
D) cognitive ability
E) social ability

Question 42

In the context of selection methods, which of the following is true of personality tests?

A) They are illegal.
B) They are universally used.
C) They are hard to defend in court.
D) They have no relationship with job satisfaction.
E) They are highly valid.

Question 43

Outplacement is

A) recruiting from external sources.
B) hiring from external applicants.
C) an illegal activity under the WARN Act of 1989.
D) dismissing people from the company.
E) helping dismissed workers find employment elsewhere.

Question 44

_____ tests are administered by employers to assess the honesty of a job candidate.

A) Behavioral
B) Personality
C) Performance
D) Integrity
E) Situational

Question 45

_____ builds on recruiting and involves decisions about whom to hire.

A) Job analysis
B) Selection
C) Performance appraisal
D) Comparable worth
E) Diversity training

Question 46

A managerial performance test in which candidates participate in a variety of exercises and situations is known as an)

A) background check.
B) assessment center.
C) job analysis.
D) performance appraisal.
E) reference check.

Question 47

Charles and Nathan applied for a managerial position with a company. After their interviews, they compared notes and found that they had been asked the same questions. In the context of the given scenario, they had been subjected to an) _____ interview.

A) telephone
B) panel
C) invalid
D) structured
E) nondirective

Question 48

The behavioral description interview explores

A) what candidates have actually done in the past.
B) hypothetical situations.
C) follow-up questions to learn more about the candidate.
D) citizenship.
E) professional development goals.

Question 49

Jeffery applied for a summer job as a bookkeeper. As part of his employment screening, he was asked to take an exam with numerical aptitude questions. This type of selection test is referred to as a

A) performance test.
B) cognitive ability test.
C) validity test.
D) personality test.
E) certification test.

Question 50

In the context of selection for employment, _____ is/are now frequently used as a screening instrument.

A) drug testing
B) background checks
C) reference checks
D) personality tests
E) intelligence tests

Question 51

Which of the following types of interview explores what candidates have actually done in the past?

A) situational interview
B) contingency interview
C) behavioral description interview
D) unstructured interview
E) nondirective interview

Question 52

A company wants to hire a model to appear in a television ad to promote its products. Prospective candidates have been asked to audition so that the company can choose the most suitable person. The candidates are being subjected to an) _____ test.

A) discriminatory
B) reference
C) performance
D) integrity
E) analytical

Question 53

Which of the following is true of a termination interview?

A) It is usually easier than a selection interview since both participants know each other.
B) It should be conducted by the immediate superior.
C) It should be conducted away from company premises for security purposes.
D) It must not be put in writing in order to avoid a lawsuit.
E) It should allow time for a lengthy question and answer period.

Question 54

Which of the following is true of the provisions of the 1938 Fair Labor Standards Act?

A) Employees are normally exempt from overtime pay if they have considerable discretion in how they carry out their jobs.
B) Discrimination in employment based on race, sex, color, national origin, and religion is prohibited.
C) Employment discrimination against people with disabilities is prohibited.
D) Equal opportunity clauses are required in federal contracts.
E) Unpaid leave is required for medical or family needs.

Question 55

_____ refers to the degree to which a test actually predicts or correlates with job performance.

A) Redundancy
B) Criterion-related validity
C) Downsizing
D) Reliability
E) Outplacement

Question 56

_____ is the legal concept that an employee may be terminated for any reason.

A) Plausible termination
B) Employment-at-will
C) Downsizing
D) Outplacement
E) Terminal validity

Question 57

In a performance test, the test taker

A) performs a sample of the job.
B) takes a paper-and-pencil honesty test.
C) is measured for general aptitude.
D) is evaluated for drug use.
E) only solves mathematical problems.

Question 58

The selection technique that involves asking each applicant the same questions and comparing their responses to a standardized set of answers is an)

A) structured interview.
B) nondirective interview.
C) termination interview.
D) invalid interview.
E) analytical interview.

Question 59

Which of the following should be done when conducting a termination interview?

A) Tell the employee indirectly that he or she has been fired.
B) Rush the fired employee offsite as it becomes a security issue.
C) Allow time for debate during a termination session.
D) Fire people when they have just returned from a vacation.
E) Provide written explanations of severance benefits.

Question 60

Which of the following acts prohibits discrimination in employment based on race, sex, color, national origin, and religion?

A) Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938
B) Immigration Act of 1924
C) Family and Medical Leave Act 1993)
D) Americans with Disabilities Act 1990)
E) Civil Rights Act of 1964

Question 61

In the context of performance appraisals, in an) _____ technique, the manager keeps a regular log by recording each significant employee behavior that reflects the quality of his or her performance.

A) critical incident
B) outplacement
C) arbitration
D) trait appraisal
E) results appraisal

Question 62

______ training is designed to introduce new employees to their jobs and the company, and to familiarize them with policies, procedures, culture, and the like.

A) Diversity
B) Team
C) Orientation
D) Performance
E) Management

Question 63

Which type of training familiarizes new employees with their jobs, work units, and the organization in general?

A) orientation
B) team
C) diversity
D) performance
E) customer service

Question 64

_____ training provides employees with the skills and perspectives they need to collaborate with others.

A) Orientation
B) Team
C) Performance
D) Diversity
E) Needs

Question 65

_____ is the most effective and direct management development tool.

A) People skills
B) Coaching
C) Diversity training
D) Management training
E) Mentoring

Question 66

Phase _____ measures effectiveness including employee reactions, learning, improved behavior on the job, and bottom-line results.

A) one
B) two
C) three
D) four
E) five

Question 67

Which of the following is a practical guideline for conducting a termination interview?

A) Don't give much warning before the interview.
B) During the interview, don't allow time for debate.
C) In the interview, don't express appreciation for what the employee has contributed.
D) Don't provide written explanations of severance benefits.
E) Don't have any witnesses at the interview.

Question 68

___________ requires covered employers to give employees 60 written days' notice of plant closings or mass layoffs.

A) Fair Labor Standards Act
B) Civil Rights Act
C) Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act
D) Americans with Disabilities Act
E) Vocational Rehabilitation Act

Question 69

______ is a seemingly neutral employment practice that has a disproportionately negative effect on a group protected by the Civil Rights Act.

A) Outplacement
B) Reliability
C) Validity
D) Employment-at-will
E) Adverse impact

Question 70

How many phases are in a training program?

A) two
B) three
C) four
D) five
E) six

Question 71

_____ appraisals, although subjective, focus on observable aspects of performance.

A) Behavioral
B) Results
C) Administrative
D) Trait
E) Developmental

Question 72

In the context of training methods, _____ refers to assigning employees to different roles in the organization to broaden their experience and improve their skills.

A) role-playing
B) lecturing
C) needs assessment
D) adverse impact
E) job rotation

Question 73

Which of the following is not a common training method?

A) job rotation
B) lectures
C) conferences
D) role-playing
E) apprenticeships

Question 74

In the context of selection, _____ tests measure a range of intellectual abilities, including verbal comprehension vocabulary, reading) and numerical aptitude mathematical calculations).

A) cognitive ability
B) performance
C) personality
D) integrity
E) aptitude

Question 75

Identify the correct statement regarding unstructured interviews.

A) They explore what candidates have actually done in the past.
B) They are more likely to be free of bias and stereotypes than structured interviews.
C) They focus on hypothetical situations.
D) They provide basic information that helps prospective employers make a first cut through candidates.
E) They ask different interviewees different questions.

Question 76

_______ training focuses on identifying and reducing hidden biases against people with differences and developing the skills needed to manage a heterogeneous workforce.

A) Ethnicity
B) Team
C) Group
D) Diversity
E) Needs

Question 77

_____ appraisals involve judgments about employee performance.

A) Behavioral
B) Results
C) Administrative
D) Developmental
E) Trait

Question 78

____ is an analysis identifying the jobs, people, and departments for which training is necessary.

A) Development
B) Performance appraisal
C) Outplacement
D) Needs assessment
E) Programming

Question 79

_____ refers to laying off large numbers of managerial and other employees.

A) Downsizing
B) Outplacement
C) Employment-at-will
D) Termination
E) Recruitment

Question 80

A 360-degree appraisal is the process of using multiple sources of appraisal to gain a comprehensive perspective on one's performance. In this process, feedback is obtained from all of the following expect

A) subordinates.
B) peers.
C) superiors.
D) customers.
E) every level involved with the employee.