Question 1

Sabrina, a production manager at Orrin Co., needs to measure the performance of 12 of her subordinates. She divides the number of employees into categories like exceptional, above average, average, and below average. She assigns a certain percentage of employees to each category to determine the quality of their performances. In the context of methods for measuring performance, Sabrina is using the ________ method.

Accepted Answer

Sabrina is using the forced-distribution method, where she assigns a certain percentage of employees to each category based on their performance. This is a common method for measuring performance in organizations, but it can be controversial as it may not accurately reflect the actual performance of all employees.

Question 2

The ________ performance management method requires managers to rate the frequency with which an employee has exhibited a behavior during a rating period.

Accepted Answer

The Behavioral Observation Scale (BOS) method requires managers to rate the frequency with which an employee has exhibited a behavior during a rating period. This approach focuses on specific behaviors and how often they occur, rather than more subjective measures or comparisons among employees.

Question 3

Cameron, a supervisor at Margolia Co., needs to appraise the performance of her subordinate, Stefan. In the context of performance information, what is the least biased source of information for appraisal and why?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Cameron, a supervisor at Margolia Co., needs...

Question 4

Identify a true statement about the mixed-standard scale.

Accepted Answer

The mixed-standard scale uses several statements describing each trait to produce a final score for that trait, allowing for a more nuanced evaluation of performance.

Question 5

Subordinate evaluations are the most appropriate to use for which purpose?

Accepted Answer

Subordinate evaluations are designed to provide feedback and guidance to employees to help them improve their performance and develop their skills. These evaluations are most appropriate for supporting employee development and are less focused on administrative, investigative, strategic, or executive purposes.

Question 6

Keith, a human resource manager at Uno Inc., is considering the use of self-appraisals. Which statement is TRUE about self-appraisals?

Accepted Answer

Studies have shown that employees tend to rate themselves higher than their actual performance, leading to inflated self-assessments. While self-appraisals can provide valuable insight into an employee's perception of their own performance, they should not be relied upon as the sole source of information for performance appraisals or administrative decisions. Additionally, self-appraisals are not necessary for a 360-degree performance appraisal, as other sources such as peer feedback and customer evaluations can also be used.

Question 7

Tony, a production manager at Brighton Biometrics, needs to measure the performance of 10 subordinates. He writes their names on a paper and circles Paul's name as the best-performing employee of the group. He then circles Erma's name as the worst employee of the group. He rates the remaining employees as second best, second worst, and so on. In the context of methods of performance measurement, Tony is using the ________ method.

Accepted Answer

Tony is using the alternation ranking method, where he ranks employees from best to worst by alternating between the highest and lowest until all are ranked.

Question 8

Dina, the human resource manager at K-Pack Inc., wants to use subordinates as sources of performance appraisal information. Which statement best supports that idea?

Accepted Answer

Subordinates often work closely with their managers and have first-hand knowledge of their behavior towards employees, which makes them a reliable source of performance appraisal information.

Question 9

What is an advantage of using results-oriented performance measurement?

Accepted Answer

Results-oriented performance measurement focuses on outcomes, making it easier to link to the organization's goals. This kind of measurement helps to ensure that employees' actions are aligned with the objectives of the organization. Additionally, results-oriented measurement tends to be more objective and data-driven than other types of performance measurement, making it a highly valid way to evaluate employee performance.

Question 10

The ________ method of performance measurement uses several statements describing each trait to produce a final score for that trait.

Accepted Answer

The mixed-standard scale method uses several statements to describe each trait, and these statements are used to produce a final score for that trait.

Question 11

Zachary was recently made the manager of his department at Cyscon Co. He has to evaluate his subordinates' behavior in the next two weeks and is unsure if he should use the behaviorally anchored rating scale (BARS) or the behavioral observation scale (BOS) to assess their behavior. Which characteristic of the two would help Zachary decide the scale that would be most appropriate for him to use?

Accepted Answer

Based on the given information, Zachary needs to evaluate his subordinates' behavior in the next two weeks. A BOS is more appropriate in this scenario as it uses many instances to define the behaviors necessary for effective performance. BOS is more time-consuming but provides a more comprehensive evaluation of behavior. BARS, on the other hand, asks the manager to rate the frequency with which the employee has exhibited the behavior during the rating period. Therefore, the best choice for Zachary would be to use a behavioral observation scale (BOS).

Question 12

In the context of methods for measuring performance, alternation ranking is a variation of ________ ranking.

Accepted Answer

Alternation ranking is a variation of simple ranking, where individuals are compared to each other and ranked accordingly.

Question 13

Min, the production manager of Manning Inc., is writing a recommendation to begin gathering performance appraisal information from peers along with other sources of information. Which statement best supports Min's recommendation for getting peer feedback?

Accepted Answer

Peers have expert knowledge of job requirements and can provide valuable feedback on an employee's performance from their perspective as someone who works closely with them. This can provide a more well-rounded assessment of the employee's job performance.

Question 14

Catarina, the founder of Platter Place, believes in employee empowerment, so as soon as she began hiring managers, she made subordinate reviews part of her company's performance appraisal system. However, she and her human resource manager have realized that the managers don't always place enough emphasis on efficiency and results, perhaps out of fear that their employees will give them lower ratings. What would be the best way for Platter Place to use subordinate feedback?

Accepted Answer

Platter Place should use the results of subordinate feedback to identify areas of employee development. This will allow the company to improve its managers' performance and help employees grow within the company. Discontinuing subordinate feedback or limiting the information gathering by subordinates would not address the issue and would be counterproductive to employee empowerment. Requiring the employees to identify themselves when giving subordinate feedback might create a negative work culture and deter employees from giving honest feedback. Giving employees greater opportunities to observe their manager's behavior might not be feasible or necessary.

Question 15

Identify the statement that accurately characterizes behavioral approaches to performance measurement.

Accepted Answer

Behavioral approaches to performance measurement involve linking the company's goals with specific behaviors that are required to achieve those goals. This allows for clear, specific feedback on areas of improvement, making them a suitable approach for many jobs.

Question 16

Joel is a manager at Malan Inc., and he uses a rating approach to evaluate his employees. He considers one employee at a time and circles a number or a word to signify the degree to which that employee demonstrates a particular trait in the scale. Which approach is Joel using to assess his employees?

Accepted Answer

Joel is using a graphic rating scale approach to assess his employees where he circles a number or a word to signify the degree to which an employee demonstrates a particular trait in the scale.

Question 17

Dylan, a vice president of human resources, recommends adding self-appraisals to the company's performance management system. The other executives wonder why, since people would certainly want to inflate scores of their own performance. Which statement best supports Dylan's idea of using self-appraisals?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Dylan, a vice president of human resources,...

Question 18

The HR team at Rod Inc. is meeting to discuss ways to improve the validity of its performance management system. One staffer suggests adding customer evaluations of the sales representatives in order to gauge their impact on customer satisfaction and sales. What is the major challenge of this approach?

Accepted Answer

The answer of The HR team at Rod Inc. is...

Question 19

Fiona, a supervisor at Ronaldo Co., wants to compare the performance of her employees. If she does this by listing the employees from best to worst performer, which term describes her method?

Accepted Answer

Simple ranking involves ordering the employees from best to worst performer. This is a method of comparing performance and is commonly used by supervisors to identify high performers and potential areas for improvement in employees.

Question 20

Bernard, the CEO of RTT Co., believes the goals of the company must be divided into smaller departmental and individual goals. The accomplishment of these smaller goals will allow employees at all levels to contribute to accomplishment of the bigger goals of the company. In the context of measuring performance results, Bernard's belief can be best justified using

Accepted Answer

Bernard's belief aligns with the principles of management by objectives (MBO), which involves setting specific, measurable goals for each individual and department within a company, with the aim of aligning their efforts towards the overall goals of the company. By doing so, employees at all levels are encouraged to contribute to the success of the company, which helps to increase their motivation, job satisfaction, and overall performance. MBO is also a useful tool for measuring performance results, as it provides clear targets against which progress can be measured.

Quiz 10: Managing Employees Performance