Question 1

HR is becoming more strategic rapidly.

Accepted Answer

The answer of HR is becoming more strategic rapidly....

Question 2

A bribe to a government official will be exempt from the Corruption of Foreign Public Officials Act if the HR professional involved records the transaction as a gift.

Accepted Answer

Bribery of foreign public officials, regardless of how it is recorded or reported, is illegal under the Corruption of Foreign Public Officials Act. It is important for HR professionals and organizations to ensure that they comply with anti-corruption laws and regulations to avoid legal and reputational consequences.

Question 3

Firms with high ethical standards are more likely to meet long-term profit goals than firms that behave unethically.

Accepted Answer

Firms with high ethical standards are more likely to build trust and strong relationships with stakeholders, such as customers, employees, and investors, which can lead to long-term success and profitability. Unethical behavior, on the other hand, can damage a firm's reputation, erode trust, and harm relationships, ultimately impacting its ability to generate sustainable profits. Therefore, ethical behavior can contribute to a firm's long-term success, while unethical behavior can hinder it.

Question 4

When EconoPharm was thinking about acquiring a competing chain of discount drugstores, the vice president of HR was brought in after the decision to acquire was made. This circumstance is an example of HR as a strategic partner.

Accepted Answer

HR is considered a strategic partner when it is involved in the decision-making process from the beginning and helps shape the organization's strategy. In this scenario, the decision to acquire was already made before the VP of HR was brought in, indicating a more reactive approach rather than a proactive strategic partnership.

Question 5

When HR departments of firms in the same industry collaborate, there is some concern that competitive conflicts may arise.

Accepted Answer

HR departments often hold sensitive information about a company's human resources and talent management strategies, which could be deemed valuable by competitors. Therefore, collaboration between HR departments in the same industry could result in conflicts over talent recruitment, retention, and compensation.

Question 6

The competencies for being an HR professional to be a strategic contributor to the organization include a focus on efficiency, attention to details, and the ability to work with people well.

Accepted Answer

While efficiency and attention to detail are important skills for an HR professional, being a strategic contributor to the organization requires much more than that. HR professionals also need to have a deep understanding of business strategy, be able to analyze data, develop plans for talent management, and have excellent communication and collaboration skills. They should also have a strong understanding of legal compliance and regulations within the industry.

Question 7

The top management team of Celestial Bedding is considering outsourcing some of its HR functions. Management probably expects to save money by eliminating some HR staff positions.

Accepted Answer

Outsourcing HR functions can often result in cost savings by reducing the need for in-house HR staff.

Question 8

Employee self-service in an HRMS means that employees can handle all their interactions with HR electronically without ever needing to interact face to face with an HR professional.

Accepted Answer

Employee self-service in an HRMS allows employees to handle many of their HR-related tasks electronically, but it does not eliminate the need for face-to-face interactions with HR professionals for more complex issues or concerns.

Question 9

It is fair to say that at Enron (where there were widespread incidents of corruption), the organizational culture supported unethical behaviour.

Accepted Answer

The widespread incidents of corruption at Enron suggest that the organizational culture supported unethical behavior.

Question 10

Compliance with laws will guarantee ethical behaviour.

Accepted Answer

Compliance with laws is necessary but not sufficient for ethical behaviour. Ethical behaviour goes beyond the minimum requirements set by laws and regulations, and involves principles such as fairness, responsibility, and respect for others. Compliance with laws can prevent illegal activities, but ethical behaviour involves more than just avoiding legal violations.

Question 11

A survey of HR professionals indicated that common misconduct by employees included lying to supervisors, drug or alcohol use, misrepresentation of hours worked, and favouritism in hiring and promotion.

Accepted Answer

The statement accurately reflects the findings of the survey of HR professionals.

Question 12

With respect to HR management, ethics is primarily concerned with legal compliance to avoid "negative press."

Accepted Answer

Ethics in HR management goes beyond legal compliance and involves ensuring fair treatment, respect for employee rights, and upholding moral principles. It is not just about avoiding negative press, but about doing the right thing for employees, the organization, and society as a whole.

Question 13

When implementing an HRMS, an early goal for the system is enabling employees to access information, such as checking to see what positions are open in the organization.

Accepted Answer

Enabling employees to access information, such as job openings and vacancies, is a common early goal for implementing an HRMS.

Question 14

As a recruiter, Joyce has noticed a number of applicants who were laid off from one of her employer's main competitors. This competitor recently completed a major restructuring of the organization. Although Joyce has no direct information about this organization, she surmises that the restructuring was due to cost pressures. Joyce is probably correct.

Accepted Answer

Given the information provided, it is likely that the competitor's restructuring was due to cost pressures, as suggested by Joyce's surmise. This is a common reason behind restructuring efforts.

Question 15

Operational HR is essentially reactive while strategic HR is essentially pro-active.

Accepted Answer

Operational HR focuses on the day-to-day functions of HR, such as hiring, payroll, and employee relations, which are reactive to the immediate needs of the organization. In contrast, strategic HR focuses on long-term planning and developing HR strategies that align with the overall goals of the organization, which is pro-active in nature.

Question 16

The main purpose served by an HRMS in an organization is efficiency: quicker processing of data and activities with fewer HR staff.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The main purpose served by an HRMS...

Question 17

Because the core of HR management involves working with people, the introduction of Web-based technology has had little impact on the day-to-day working lives of HR managers.

Accepted Answer

The introduction of Web-based technology has had a significant impact on the day-to-day working lives of HR managers. HR managers now use online tools for various tasks such as recruiting, onboarding, employee engagement, and performance management. This has led to increased efficiency and effectiveness in HR management processes.

Question 18

Most HR outsourcing is related to HR's administrative role.

Accepted Answer

HR outsourcing usually involves outsourcing administrative tasks such as payroll processing, benefits administration, and employee record-keeping.

Question 19

Typical operational HR functions include collecting data, complying with law, and doing HR planning.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Typical operational HR functions include collecting data,...

Question 20

Because of their unique role within the organization, HR professionals are protected from organizational retaliation if they report ethical concerns to higher levels of management.

Accepted Answer

HR professionals, like other employees, can face retaliation for reporting ethical concerns or misconduct, as protections can vary by jurisdiction and company policy, and are not universally guaranteed.

Quiz 1: Changing Nature of Human Resources Management