Deck 4: Human Resources Planning

Question 1

Which of the following is the first step in human resource planning?

A)forecasting future HR needs
B)forecasting the availability of internal candidates
C)forecasting the availability of external candidates
D)analyzing the HR implications of the organization's strategic plans
E)balancing supply and demand

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Which of the following is a quantitative approach to forecasting?

A)the Delphi technique
B)trend analysis and the nominal group technique
C)the nominal group technique
D)trend analysis
E)managerial judgment

Answer 2

D

Question 3

A forecasting technique for determining future staff needs by using ratios between sales volume and the number of employees needed is

A)a scatter plot.
B)time-series analysis.
C)trend analysis.
D)regression analysis.
E)ratio analysis.

Answer 3

E

Question 4

Potential solutions,when labour supply exceeds labour demand,include all of the following EXCEPT

A)downsizing through attrition.
B)employee layoffs.
C)termination of employment.
D)instituting a hiring freeze.
E)subcontracting.

Question 5

Inadequate human resources planning within an organization can result in direct costs when labour demand decreases significantly for an extended period of time.Which of the following provides an accurate reason for this?

A)There is a link to privacy laws.
B)It would cause hiring more HR staff.
C)It would cause costs associated with hiring part-time workers.
D)There are project management costs.
E)Severance pay is required for a large number of staff.

Question 6

Quantitative techniques of forecasting include all of the following EXCEPT

A)regression analysis.
B)the nominal group technique.
C)a scatter plot.
D)trend analysis.
E)ratio analysis.

Question 7

Each of the following statements about HRP is true EXCEPT that

A)it is also known as employment planning.
B)a fundamental HRP decision when demand exceeds supply is whether projected positions will be filled externally or internally.
C)it is a reactive process.
D)a critical HRP issue is what to do when the labour supply exceeds the anticipated demand.
E)it can lead to significant costs if done poorly.

Question 8

Factors that should be considered when forecasting the number and type of people needed to meet organizational objectives include all of the following EXCEPT

A)projected turnover.
B)the financial resources available to each department.
C)projected recruitment figures.
D)the quality and nature of employees.
E)decisions to upgrade the quality of products or services or enter into new markets.

Question 9

The process of reviewing human resources requirements to ensure that the organization has the required number of employees with the necessary skills to meet its goals is known as

A)selection.
B)training and development.
C)strategic planning.
D)recruitment.
E)human resources planning.

Question 10

A potential solution when labour demand exceeds labour supply is

A)finding employees alternative jobs within the organization.
B)job sharing.
C)hiring temporary workers.
D)work sharing.
E)any of the above

Question 11

A ________ illustrates the relationship between two factors: a measure of business activity and staffing levels.

A)trend analysis
B)time-series analysis
C)regression analysis
D)scatter plot
E)ratio analysis

Question 12

Each of the following statements about the relationship between HRP and strategic planning is true EXCEPT

A)environmental scanning is a critical component of both HRP and strategic planning.
B)HRP and strategic planning become effective when there is a reciprocal and interdependent relationship between them.
C)HRP has long been part of the strategic planning process.
D)determining whether or not people will be available is a critical element of strategic planning.
E)failure to integrate HRP and strategic planning can have very serious consequences.

Question 13

Failure to integrate HRP and strategic planning

A)primarily affects the workload of HR staff who must work without a plan for their activities.
B)results in an oversupply of labour which in turn causes layoffs.
C)is the source of complaints to the HRP bureau and may result in substantial fines or penalties for the organization.
D)puts the achievement of the organization's strategy at risk.
E)is only a problem for for-profit businesses.

Question 14

Effective HRP helps an organization to do all of the following EXCEPT

A)achieve its goals and objectives.
B)make major labour market demands more successfully.
C)anticipate and avoid shortages and surpluses of human resources.
D)plan and coordinate recruitment,selection,training,and career planning more effectively.
E)comply with privacy laws.

Question 15

Computing the number of employees in the firm at the end of the last five years is associated with which of the following forecasting techniques?

A)time-series analysis
B)a scatter plot
C)regression analysis
D)ratio analysis
E)trend analysis

Question 16

External environmental factors that are most frequently monitored in HR and strategic planning include all of the following EXCEPT

A)demographic trends.
B)new or revised laws.
C)market and competitive trends.
D)economic conditions.
E)international trade patterns.

Question 17

A statistical technique involving the use of a mathematical formula to project future demands,based on an established relationship between an organization's employment level and some measurable factor of output,is known as

A)regression analysis.
B)a scatter plot.
C)a computerized forecast.
D)trend analysis.
E)ratio analysis.

Question 18

Like ________,ratio analysis assumes that productivity remains much the same and is therefore not appropriate in changing environments.

A)regression analysis
B)trend analysis
C)the nominal group technique
D)time-series analysis
E)a scatter plot

Question 19

In contrast to quantitative approaches,qualitative techniques rely solely on

A)mathematical calculations.
B)regression analysis.
C)trend analysis.
D)statistics.
E)expert judgments.

Question 20

The first step in the HRP process,after the HR implications of the firm's strategic plans have been analyzed,is

A)forecasting future human resources needs.
B)monitoring and evaluating the results.
C)job analysis and design.
D)forecasting availability of internal and external candidates.
E)planning and implementing HR programs to balance supply and demand.

Question 21

To project the supply of outside candidates,employers generally assess all of the following EXCEPT

A)internal skills inventories.
B)national labour market conditions.
C)general economic conditions.
D)occupational market conditions.
E)local labour market conditions.

Question 22

Alice is the HR consultant advising Nexus Inc. ,a small but successful software development firm,on how to conduct human resource planning.She is currently explaining the "forecasting supply" step in the planning process to the CEO and confirms that projected openings are to be filled by using two sources.Those sources are

A)contracting-out and outsourcing.
B)recruitment and promotion.
C)internal and external supply.
D)transferring and promotion.
E)overtime and temporary workers.

Question 23

You have been hired as the director of HR at Targus Inc. ,a clothing retailer.To project the supply of outside candidates in the HRP process for the firm,you will need to assess

A)national labour market conditions.
B)staffing tables.
C)succession plans.
D)skills inventories.
E)management inventories.

Question 24

Management inventories

A)are visual representations of who will replace whom in the event of a job opening.
B)record information about managerial responsibilities and management training used to identify internal candidates eligible for promotion.
C)are used to keep track of employees' qualifications.
D)are a method used to arrive at a group decision involving outside experts.
E)are a method of forecasting labour supply that involves tracking the pattern of employee movements.

Question 25

A method of forecasting internal labour supply that involves tracking the pattern of employee movements through various jobs and developing a transitional probability matrix is known as

A)trend analysis.
B)ratio analysis.
C)multiple regression analysis.
D)Markov analysis.
E)computerized forecasting.

Question 26

You have just been hired as the director of human resources at a mid-sized engineering company.The CEO has asked you to assist her in forecasting future human resources needs and would like you to first use a qualitative technique which is useful for long-range forecasting.Which technique do you choose?

A)a formal expert forecast
B)the nominal group technique
C)an informal expert forecast
D)the Delphi technique
E)managerial judgment

Question 27

Which forecasting technique has shortcomings that include subjectivity and the potential for group pressure to lead to less accurate assessments than could be obtained through other means?

A)a formal expert forecast
B)an informal expert forecast
C)managerial judgment
D)the Delphi technique
E)the nominal group technique

Question 28

The drawbacks of which forecasting technique include the fact that judgments may not efficiently use objective data?

A)a formal expert forecast
B)the Delphi technique
C)the nominal group technique
D)an informal expert forecast
E)managerial judgment

Question 29

A decision-making technique that involves a group of experts meeting face to face and can be used for HR forecasting is known as

A)an informal expert forecast.
B)managerial judgment.
C)the nominal group technique.
D)a formal expert forecast.
E)the Delphi technique.

Question 30

A pictorial representation of all jobs within the organization,along with the number of current incumbents and future employment requirements,is known as

A)a scatter plot.
B)an organization chart.
C)a replacement chart.
D)a skills inventory.
E)a staffing table.

Question 31

Highly educated immigrants are one predominant driver of

A)local labour market conditions.
B)national labour market conditions.
C)competitors' strategies.
D)growth.
E)organizational training and development.

Question 32

Regardless of the forecasting method utilized,________ should be applied before making decisions.

A)management control systems.
B)HRIS data.
C)managerial judgment.
D)changing market conditions.
E)changing economic conditions.

Question 33

In general terms,the lower the rate of unemployment

A)the smaller the labour supply.
B)the easier it will be to recruit.
C)the larger the labour supply.
D)the smaller the labour demand.
E)the larger the labour demand.

Question 34

Neerja is the HR consultant advising Nexus Inc. ,a small but successful software development firm,on how to conduct human resource planning.In forecasting future demand for human resources,what step should she advise management to take first?

A)project turnover
B)project the sales for each of the firm's products and estimate quality and nature of employees needed
C)create a replacement chart
D)project the sales for each of the firm's products and calculate the volume of production needed to meet sales requirements
E)develop a staffing table

Question 35

You have just been hired as the director of human resources at a mid-sized engineering company.The CEO has asked you to assist her in forecasting future human resources needs and to use a forecasting technique which will generate an exchange of ideas among the directors of all division.She would like you to use a technique that will lead to greater acceptance of results among the directors.Which technique do you use?

A)the nominal group technique
B)trend analysis
C)regression analysis
D)an informal expert forecast
E)a formal expert forecast

Question 36

Projected openings are filled by using which of the following sources of supply?

A)individuals employed at other firms
B)unemployed individuals
C)external and internal sources
D)promoted employees
E)employees who are transferred

Question 37

Two approaches used to gather qualitative data in order to forecast HR demand (or supply)are

A)trend analysis and scatter plot.
B)nominal group and Delphi technique.
C)regression analysis and nominal group technique.
D)ratio analysis and nominal group technique.
E)scatter plot and Delphi technique.

Question 38

Permitting a group to critically evaluate a wide range of views to generate a long-term forecast is an advantage of which forecasting technique?

A)an informal expert forecast
B)the nominal group technique
C)the Delphi technique
D)a formal expert forecast
E)trend analysis

Question 39

Databases summarizing employees' education,experience,interests,skills,etc. ,which are used to identify internal candidates eligible for transfer and/or promotion,are known as

A)staffing tables.
B)job descriptions.
C)skills inventories.
D)replacement charts.
E)Markov analyses.

Question 40

Short-term and long-range HR demand forecasts provide

A)half of the staffing equation.
B)external supply forecasts.
C)present employees who can be transferred or promoted to meet anticipated needs.
D)internal supply forecasts.
E)the full staffing equation.

Question 41

Shahzad is an HR Consultant at a hospital.Three of the five senior managers will be retiring in the next 18 months.His HR Director has asked him to plan ahead for these vacancies by reviewing their managerial inventory.What is the name of this process?

A)effective recruitment policies and systems
B)career tracking
C)succession planning
D)effective selection and placement strategies
E)training and development

Question 42

A hiring freeze is all of the following EXCEPT

A)when openings are filled by reassigning current employees.
B)a common response to an employee surplus.
C)a strategy that most employers use initially to balance demand and supply.
D)no outsiders are hired.
E)a solution when demand exceeds supply.

Question 43

You have been hired as the director of HR at Targus Inc. ,a clothing retailer.Due to a reduction in consumer demand,you have been asked to advise management on how to reduce the amount of staff by 5% over the next 2 years.Although slow,a method for reducing numbers which generally presents the least amount of problems is

A)introducing a reduced work week.
B)laying off employees.
C)offering attractive buyout packages.
D)downsizing through attrition.
E)offering attractive early-retirement packages.

Question 44

Regression analysis determines the line of best fit.

Question 45

When the internal supply of employees exceeds the organization's demand,strategies used by employers include all of the following EXCEPT

A)hiring new employees.
B)downsizing through attrition.
C)offering attractive buyout packages.
D)initiating job-share positions.
E)laying off employees.

Question 46

You have been asked by the CEO to advise on how to reduce the workforce by 10% over the next 2 years.There is little in the budget for payment of up-front money.Which of the following would you not recommend?

A)work sharing
B)layoffs based on reverse seniority
C)buyouts and early retirement packages
D)reduced work weeks
E)job sharing

Question 47

________ allow an employee who may be interested in taking time away from work for a variety of reasons to have a set period of time away from their position without pay,but with a guarantee that their job will be available upon their return.

A)Leaves of absence
B)Work sharing
C)Flex time
D)Job sharing
E)Attrition

Question 48

Trend analysis is valuable as an initial estimate of HR demand only.

Question 49

Human resources planning is a reactive process which both anticipates and influences an organization's future.

Question 50

With which of the following strategies for handling a labour surplus is the potential for a human rights violation most closely associated?

A)early retirement packages
B)termination of employment
C)work sharing
D)reduced work weeks
E)job sharing

Question 51

Exchanging ideas with a face-to-face interaction is a characteristic of the nominal group forecasting technique.

Question 52

Jayden runs a small family import business.He is concerned about succession planning.What step should he take in developing a succession plan?

A)Identify potential successors from among company managers.
B)Complete a Markov analysis.
C)Complete a labour market analysis.
D)Develop a scatter plot.
E)Wait until he is within three months of retirement to make a plan.

Question 53

Drawbacks of attrition include that

A)it is hard to implement.
B)it costs large sums of money.
C)employees do not accept this strategy.
D)the organization has no control over which employees leave and which employees stay.
E)it takes a short period of time.

Question 54

There is currently a shortage of available workers in which occupational market?

A)teachers/professors
B)healthcare
C)industrial chemists
D)accountants
E)geologists

Question 55

Demographic trends have a significant impact on

A)unemployment rates.
B)local labour market conditions.
C)general economic conditions.
D)occupational market conditions.
E)national labour market conditions.

Question 56

HRP is a process of reviewing human resources requirements to ensure that an organization has the required number of employees,with the necessary skills,to meet its goals.

Question 57

In the next decade,labour force growth in Canada will be entirely dependent on new immigrants.

Question 58

layoff-avoidance strategy introduced by the federal government is known as

A)work sharing.
B)supplemental unemployment benefits.
C)the reduced work week.
D)job sharing.
E)the early leave package.

Question 59

In general terms,the lower the rate of unemployment

A)the more difficult it is to recruit employees.
B)the easier it is to fill positions.
C)the harder it is to fill skills-shortage positions.
D)the larger the labour supply.
E)the less competition there is for employees.

Question 60

Specific strategies must be formulated to balance supply and demand.Possible scenarios are

A)supply matches expected demand.
B)labour supply exceeds demand.
C)there is a shortage of labour.
D)expected demand matches supply.
E)all of the above.

Question 61

A labour surplus exists when the internal supply of employees exceeds the organization's demand.Most employers respond initially by terminating employment.

Question 62

To project the supply of outside candidates,employers assess general economic conditions.

Question 63

A Markov analysis can be used to forecast internal labour supply.

Question 64

The first step to project the supply of outside candidates is to forecast local market conditions.

Question 65

A strategy used to deal with an employee surplus is the promotion of employees.

Question 66

Describe human resources planning (HRP)(4 points)and explain its connection to strategic planning using an example (6 points).

Question 67

Short-term and long-range HR demand forecasts only provide half of the staffing equation by answering the question "How many employees will we need?"

Question 68

Managerial judgment is central to qualitative forecasting,but is also a significant factor in quantitative forecasting techniques.

Question 69

Highly educated immigrants are one predominant drivers of growth in the Canadian labour pool.

Question 70

You are the HR professional in charge of human resources planning at BlueFruit,a company that designs and makes cell phones and tablets.Recently,demand for your products has been falling,resulting in a surplus of human resources.Identify and describe five possible solutions you would consider implementing in order to reduce the oversupply of human resources at BlueFruit.

Question 71

Failure to update skills and management inventories can lead to present employees being overlooked for job openings.

Question 72

Specific strategies must be formulated to balance supply and demand considerations.

Question 73

Briefly identify and describe how management can forecast how many candidates may be available from within the organization for any openings resulting from a demand analysis.

Question 74

External supply is one source of human resources supply.