Question 1

Ongoing performance monitoring is an element of performance management that involves the use of computer-based systems that measure an employee's progress and send out reports regarding an employee's performance.

Accepted Answer

Ongoing performance monitoring usually includes using computer-based systems that measure and then e-mail progress and exception reports based on the person's progress toward meeting his or her performance goals.

Question 2

Which of the following is the best way for a supervisor to correct a performance appraisal problem caused by unclear standards?
A)focusing on performance instead of personality traits
B)using graphic rating scales to rank employees
C)using descriptive phrases to illustrate traits
D)allowing employees to rate themselves first

Accepted Answer

C)The best way to fix a problem associated with unclear standards is to include descriptive phrases that define or illustrate each trait. Specificity results in more consistent and more easily explained appraisals.

Question 3

Jason is a conscientious employee, but he is viewed by most of his co-workers as unfriendly. Jason's supervisor rates him low on the traits "gets along well with others" and "quality of work." Which of the following problems has most likely affected Jason's performance appraisal?
A)central tendency
B)leniency
C)halo effect
D)recency effect

Accepted Answer

C)Experts define halo effect as "the influence of a rater's general impression on ratings of specific ratee qualities." Central tendency refers to rating all employees average. Recency effect means focusing on the most recent behavior of an employee rather than his or her performance over a year.

Question 4

The alternation ranking method of performance appraisals can be problematic and unfair if all employees have excellent job performance.

Accepted Answer

The alternation ranking method can cause disagreements among employees and may be unfair if all employees are, in fact, excellent workers. Advantages of the method include the fact that it is easy to use and avoids central tendency problems.

Question 5

A talent management philosophy involves segmenting employees based on their value to the firm's success and providing those employees with special coaching, feedback, and development opportunities.

Accepted Answer

Talent management involves actively managing mission-critical employees. Such employees are segmented for the purpose of receiving special coaching, feedback, and development opportunities.

Question 6

The ________ problem occurs when supervisors tend to rate all their subordinates consistently low.
A)central tendency
B)leniency
C)strictness
D)halo effect

Accepted Answer

C)Some supervisors tend to rate all their subordinates consistently high or low. Leniency refers to giving high ratings, while strictness refers to giving low ratings. Central tendency refers to giving average scores.

Question 7

The best way to reduce the problem of central tendency in performance appraisals is to ________.
A)rank employees
B)use graphic rating scales
C)limit the number of appraisals
D)appraise personal characteristics

Accepted Answer

A)Ranking employees instead of using graphic rating scales can reduce the problem of central tendency. Ranking means you can't rate all employees as average.

Question 8

A supervisor who frequently rates all employees as average on performance appraisals most likely has a problem known as ________.
A)halo effect
B)stereotyping
C)central tendency
D)leniency

Accepted Answer

C)Central tendency refers to the tendency of supervisors to rate all employees the same way, such as rating them all average.

Question 9

Which of the follow is the best method for reducing the problems of leniency or strictness in performance appraisals?
A)keep critical incident logs
B)require multiple appraisals
C)impose a performance distribution
D)reconsider the timing of the appraisal

Accepted Answer

C)Enforcing a performance distribution is one way of correcting leniency/strictness problems. Another option is to rank employees.

Question 10

Management by objectives requires a manager to set specific measurable, organizationally relevant goals with each employee and then periodically discuss the employee's progress toward these goals.

Accepted Answer

MBO requires the manager to set specific measurable, organizationally relevant goals with each employee and then periodically discuss the latter's progress toward these goals.

Question 11

Sam supervises a team of data entry clerks at Geico. The firm's electronic performance monitoring system enables Sam to electronically monitor the amount of computerized data an employee processes each day.

Accepted Answer

Electronic performance monitoring (EPM)systems use computer network technology to allow managers access to their employees' computers and telephones. They thus allow managers to monitor the employees' rate, accuracy, and time spent working online.

Question 12

In a brief essay, describe the forced distribution method. What are the advantages and disadvantages of the forced distribution method?

Accepted Answer

The answer of In a brief essay, describe the forced...

Question 13

What is a behaviorally anchored rating scale (BARS)? How would a manager develop a BARS?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is a behaviorally anchored rating scale...

Question 14

What are the four job-relevant dimensions that can be measured by the graphic-rating scale method of performance appraisal? What problems are associated with graphic-rating scales?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What are the four job-relevant dimensions that...

Question 15

Graphic rating scales are subject to all of the following problems EXCEPT ________.
A)unclear standards
B)halo effects
C)complexity
D)leniency

Accepted Answer

C)The graphic rating scale is the simplest and most popular method for appraising performance. However, graphic-type rating scales in particular are susceptible to several problems including unclear standards, halo effect, central tendency, leniency or strictness, and bias.

Question 16

Which of the following terms refers to an appraisal that is too open to interpretation?
A)unclear standards
B)halo effects
C)leniency
D)biased

Accepted Answer

A)An appraisal that is too open to interpretation has unclear standards. Specific standards are likely to result in consistent and more easily explained performance appraisals.

Question 17

Which performance appraisal problem is associated with supervisors giving all of their subordinates consistently high ratings?
A)central tendency
B)leniency
C)strictness
D)halo effect

Accepted Answer

B)Some supervisors tend to rate all their subordinates consistently high or low. Leniency refers to giving high ratings, while strictness refers to giving low ratings.

Question 18

Paired comparison is a rating approach that involves keeping a record of uncommonly good or undesirable examples of an employee's work-related behavior and reviewing it with the employee at predetermined times.

Accepted Answer

Paired comparison involves ranking employees by making a chart of all possible pairs of the employees for each trait and indicating which is the better employee of the pair.

Question 19

Which of the following is a performance appraisal problem that occurs when a supervisor's rating of a subordinate on one trait biases the rating of that person on other traits?
A)recency effect
B)halo effect
C)central tendency
D)stereotyping

Accepted Answer

B)Experts define halo effect as "the influence of a rater's general impression on ratings of specific ratee qualities." For example, supervisors often rate unfriendly employees lower on all traits, rather than just on "gets along well with others."

Question 20

The advantages of using BARS as a performance appraisal tool are the method's accuracy, clear standards, and consistency.

Accepted Answer

The advantages of the BARS-based evaluations include the consistency of ratings, clear standards, and its high rate of accuracy.

Quiz 9: Performance Management and Appraisal

Ongoing performance monitoring is an element of performance management that involves the use of computer-based systems that measure an employee's progress and send out reports regarding an employee's performance.

Which of the following is the best way for a supervisor to correct a performance appraisal problem caused by unclear standards?

Jason is a conscientious employee, but he is viewed by most of his co-workers as unfriendly. Jason's supervisor rates him low on the traits "gets along well with others" and "quality of work." Which of the following problems has most likely affected Jason's performance appraisal?

The alternation ranking method of performance appraisals can be problematic and unfair if all employees have excellent job performance.

A talent management philosophy involves segmenting employees based on their value to the firm's success and providing those employees with special coaching, feedback, and development opportunities.

The ________ problem occurs when supervisors tend to rate all their subordinates consistently low.

The best way to reduce the problem of central tendency in performance appraisals is to ________.

A supervisor who frequently rates all employees as average on performance appraisals most likely has a problem known as ________.

Which of the follow is the best method for reducing the problems of leniency or strictness in performance appraisals?

Management by objectives requires a manager to set specific measurable, organizationally relevant goals with each employee and then periodically discuss the employee's progress toward these goals.

Sam supervises a team of data entry clerks at Geico. The firm's electronic performance monitoring system enables Sam to electronically monitor the amount of computerized data an employee processes each day.

In a brief essay, describe the forced distribution method. What are the advantages and disadvantages of the forced distribution method?

What is a behaviorally anchored rating scale (BARS)? How would a manager develop a BARS?

What are the four job-relevant dimensions that can be measured by the graphic-rating scale method of performance appraisal? What problems are associated with graphic-rating scales?

Graphic rating scales are subject to all of the following problems EXCEPT ________.

Which of the following terms refers to an appraisal that is too open to interpretation?

Which performance appraisal problem is associated with supervisors giving all of their subordinates consistently high ratings?

Paired comparison is a rating approach that involves keeping a record of uncommonly good or undesirable examples of an employee's work-related behavior and reviewing it with the employee at predetermined times.

Which of the following is a performance appraisal problem that occurs when a supervisor's rating of a subordinate on one trait biases the rating of that person on other traits?

The advantages of using BARS as a performance appraisal tool are the method's accuracy, clear standards, and consistency.