Question 1

Which of the following, perhaps, will be the most important challenge for HR in the coming years?

Accepted Answer

Addressing sexual harassment and misconduct is crucial as it impacts workplace culture, legal compliance, and employee well-being, making it a significant challenge for HR.

Question 2

Which of the following is the attempt to measure, in objective terms, the impact and effectiveness of human resource management (HRM) practices in terms of metrics such as a firm's financial performance?

Accepted Answer

Utility analysis is a method used to assess the economic impact of HRM interventions, by quantifying the benefits and costs of those interventions in terms of their impact on a firm's financial performance.

Question 3

Zander, an e-commerce company, hired over 50 workers to handle customer orders. As the company grew in size, the management recognized the need to maximize the productivity and efficiency of its workers. To achieve this, all aspects of the workers' jobs were studied carefully and their jobs were structured to help them work faster. The given scenario most likely illustrates the use of _____.

Accepted Answer

The scenario illustrates the use of scientific management, which involves studying work processes and worker actions to increase productivity and efficiency. This approach, developed by Frederick Taylor, focuses on optimizing and simplifying jobs to improve productivity.

Question 4

Which of the following statements is true of human resource management (HRM) in modern organizations?

Accepted Answer

Line managers in modern organizations frequently have the responsibility of making decisions about pay raises and promotions for their direct reports. This reflects the trend of integrating HR functions within the broader managerial roles, allowing for more immediate and context-sensitive decisions regarding employee performance and rewards.

Question 5

Which of the following departments within an organization was usually thought of as a staff function?

Accepted Answer

Staff functions are those that provide support and advice to line functions, and the legal department is typically considered a staff function as it provides legal advice and support to other departments.

Question 6

Which of the following statements is true of the Civil Rights Act of 1964?

Accepted Answer

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 significantly impacted hiring and promotion processes by prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, thereby making these processes more complex to ensure compliance with the law.

Question 7

Which of the following organizations created the HR Certification Institute (HRCI)?

Accepted Answer

The HR Certification Institute (HRCI) was created by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) to promote the establishment of professional standards and to recognize professionals who meet those standards.

Question 8

The material resources of an organization include:

Accepted Answer

Material resources refer to the tangible, physical assets of an organization such as factories, equipment, raw materials, computers, and offices.

Question 9

TechUp Inc., a computer manufacturing firm, hires an external specialist agency to perform background checks on its new employees. By doing this, TechUp Inc. ensures quality service and saves both time and labor costs. In the given scenario, TechUp Inc. uses _____.

Accepted Answer

TechUp Inc. is using outsourcing by hiring an external agency to perform tasks (background checks) that could be done internally, to save time and labor costs.

Question 10

Envirer Inc., a small independent business, manufactures and sells recycled notebooks. Because of the small size of the company, Adam, the company's owner, decides to assign the HR duties of the company to one person. Who among the following is most likely to handle the HR duties?

Accepted Answer

Given the context of a small independent business, the General Manager (Jaden) is most likely to handle HR duties. In small companies, general managers often take on multiple roles, including HR, due to the limited number of staff and the need for multitasking.

Question 11

The basic premise of the human relations era was that:

Accepted Answer

The human relations era emphasized the importance of employee satisfaction for productivity, recognizing that workers are motivated not just by money, but also by social and psychological factors. This approach marked a shift from previous theories that focused more on strict management and control.

Question 12

Which of the following statements is true of the HR department of small organizations?

Accepted Answer

HR issues in small firms are generally more straightforward due to the smaller scale of operations and fewer employees, which simplifies many HR tasks and challenges compared to larger organizations.

Question 13

Wrapp Kitchen Inc., a restaurant chain, wants to increase worker productivity and efficiency. To achieve this, the management of the restaurant restructures the jobs of servers and chefs to maximize output and service delivery. The aim is to focus each and every employee activity toward maximizing productivity. This scenario most likely illustrates the concept of _____.

Accepted Answer

The scenario illustrates the concept of scientific management, which focuses on improving economic efficiency and labor productivity through systematic study of work processes and worker activities.

Question 14

Which of the following is a necessary prerequisite for success in human resource management?

Accepted Answer

A solid educational background is essential for understanding the complexities of human resource management, including laws, best practices, and effective strategies for managing people.

Question 15

Which of the following recognizes that if an organization needs highly skilled, knowledgeable workers to carry out its strategy, then all staffing activities must be coordinated toward identifying and attracting such employees?

Accepted Answer

A systems-oriented view of human resource management recognizes the need for all staffing activities to be coordinated and aligned with the organization's strategy, especially when it requires highly skilled and knowledgeable workers. This approach views the organization as a system where all parts, including HR activities, must work together to achieve strategic goals.

Question 16

Fulfilling the psychological contract between employers and employees aligns with the human resource management goal of _____.

Accepted Answer

Promoting individual growth and development aligns with fulfilling the psychological contract between employers and employees, as it involves meeting mutual expectations related to support, opportunities, and respect in the workplace.

Question 17

Wags is a chain of veterinary clinics. As a growing organization, the management of Wags recognizes the need to coordinate various human resource management (HRM) activities. It believes that all staffing activities should be directed at identifying and attracting skilled workers and that appraisals, compensation, and performance management should reflect the nature of its employees. In this scenario, which of the following approaches to HRM most likely explains the management's recognition of the need to coordinate HRM activities?

Accepted Answer

A systems approach to HRM emphasizes the interrelatedness and coordination of HR activities, which aligns with Wags' management's recognition of the need to coordinate various HRM activities to effectively manage their workforce.

Question 18

Which of the following supplanted scientific management as the dominant approach to management during the 1930s?

Accepted Answer

The human relations era supplanted scientific management as the dominant approach to management during the 1930s, emphasizing the importance of social factors in the workplace and the well-being of workers.

Question 19

The management of Rockslide Inc., a sports equipment manufacturing firm, hires an external agency to manage its payroll and insurance functions. It does this to ensure expert services and more efficient operations. In the given scenario, the management of Rockslide Inc. is using _____.

Accepted Answer

The management of Rockslide Inc. is using outsourcing by hiring an external agency to manage specific functions (payroll and insurance) to ensure expert services and more efficient operations. Outsourcing involves contracting out business processes to third parties.

Question 20

The HR department of Asterix, a large organization, recommends setting up fitness centers and conducting career planning sessions to enhance the overall development of its employees. The management of the company believes that the employees should be happy and personally fulfilled on the job. In the given scenario, the recommendation of the HR department, if executed, will most likely help Asterix achieve the human resource management goal of _____.

Accepted Answer

Setting up fitness centers and conducting career planning sessions directly contribute to the individual growth and development of employees by focusing on their physical well-being and career progression.

Quiz 1: The Nature of Human Resource Management