Question 1

Which of the following is most frequently used by retailers to estimate short-term personnel needs?

Accepted Answer

D)Computerized forecasting programs are used to translate projected productivity and sales levels into anticipated personnel needs.Many firms,especially retailers,use computerized employee forecasting systems to estimate short-term needs.

Question 2

Which of the following terms refers to studying a firm's past employment needs over a period of years to predict future needs?

Accepted Answer

B)A trend analysis is the study of a firm's variation of past employment levels over a period of years to predict future needs.The purpose of a trend analysis is to identify trends that might continue into the future.A trend analysis can provide firms with an initial estimate of future staffing needs.

Question 3

When using either a trend analysis or a ratio analysis,it is assumed that ________ will remain the same.

Accepted Answer

C)Both a trend analysis and a ratio analysis assume that productivity remains about the same.For example,when using a ratio analysis,an assumption is made that you cannot motivate a salesperson to produce more than he or she has sold in the past.With a trend analysis,historical productivity trends are used and are the basis for predicting the future.

Question 4

Which of the following determines future staff needs by using ratios between a causal factor and the number of employees required?

Accepted Answer

A)A ratio analysis is a forecasting technique for determining future staff needs by using ratios between,for example,sales volume and the number of employees required.For example,if a salesperson usually generates $500,000 in sales,and a firm hopes to produce an extra $3 million in sales,then six new salespeople would need to be hired.

Question 5

Newton Building Supplies hopes to generate an extra $4 million in sales next year.A salesperson traditionally generates $800,000 in sales each year.Using ratio analysis,how many new salespeople should Newton hire?

Accepted Answer

B)Ratio analysis is used to make a forecast in this case based on the number of salespeople and sales volume.Four million in sales divided by the $800,000 generated by each salesperson indicates that 5 extra salespeople should be hired by Newton.

Question 6

Marcus,an HR manager for Samsung,must decide what positions the firm should fill in the next six months,which means Marcus is currently working on ________.

Accepted Answer

B)Workforce (or employment or personnel)planning is the process of deciding what positions the firm will have to fill and how to fill them.The process embraces all future positions from maintenance workers to CEO,and flows from the firm's strategic plans.

Question 7

Which of the following enhances the security of a firm's database management system by specifying the type of information that a user can obtain?

Accepted Answer

B)An access matrix can be incorporated into a firm's database management system to make it difficult for people to gain unauthorized access of personnel files.An access matrix defines the rights of users to various kinds of access,such as "read only" or "write only" to each database element.

Question 8

________ is the process of deciding what positions the firm will have to fill and how to fill them.

Accepted Answer

D)Workforce ( or employment or personnel)planning is the process of deciding what positions the firm will have to fill and how to fill them.The process embraces all future positions from maintenance workers to CEO,and flows from the firm's strategic plans.

Question 9

A ________ is a graphical method used to help identify the relationship between two variables.

Accepted Answer

C)A scatter plot graphically illustrates the relationship between two variables such as sales and your firm's staffing levels.

Question 10

Which of the following contains data regarding employees' education,career development,and special skills and is used by managers when selecting inside candidates for promotion?

Accepted Answer

B)Qualifications or skills inventories are used by managers when determining which employees should be promoted or transferred.A skills inventory contains data on employees' performance records,educational background,and promotability.

Question 11

When managers need to determine which employees are available for promotion or transfer,they will most likely use ________.

Accepted Answer

B)Skills inventories are manual or computerized records listing employees' education,career and development interests,languages,and special skills.They are used in selecting inside candidates for promotion or transfer.

Question 12

A trend analysis is limited in its usefulness because it ________.

Accepted Answer

D)Trend analysis provides an initial estimate of future staffing needs,but employment levels rarely depend only on the passage of time.Factors such as changes in productivity,workforce demographics,and voluntary withdrawals also affect staffing needs,which is why a trend analysis is limited in its usefulness.

Question 13

The process of deciding how to fill executive positions at a firm is known as ________.

Accepted Answer

B)Succession planning refers to the process of deciding how to fill executive positions at a firm.The process is also known as workforce (or employment or personnel)planning,although most firms use the term succession planning when determining how to fill top management positions.

Question 14

What is the first step in the recruitment and selection process?

Accepted Answer

D)The first step of the recruitment and selection process is deciding what positions to fill through personnel planning and forecasting.

Question 15

What mathematical process do employers use to forecast availability of internal job candidates that shows the probabilities of feeder positions in a chain will be filled?

Accepted Answer

C)Markov analysis (or transition analysis)to forecast availability of internal job candidates by showing the probabilities that employees in the chain of feeder positions for a key job will move from position to position and therefore be available to fill the key position.

Question 16

Which of the following refers to company records showing present performance and promotability of inside candidates for a firm's top positions?

Accepted Answer

D)Personnel replacement charts are company records showing present performance and promotability of inside candidates for a firm's top positions.Such charts show the present performance and promotability for each position's potential replacement.

Question 17

A firm's ________ should guide employment planning and determine the types of skills and competencies the firm needs.

Accepted Answer

D)Succession and workforce planning should flow from the firm's strategic business plans.For example,plans to enter new businesses or reduce costs all influence the types of positions a firm will need to fill or eliminate.

Question 18

Which of the following terms refers to the background investigations,tests,and physical exams that firms use to identify viable candidates for a job?

Accepted Answer

A)Selection tools,such as tests,background investigations,and physical exams,are used by firms to identify viable candidates for a job.After candidates complete applications and undergo initial screening interviews,a firm uses these selection tools before interviewing the candidate more thoroughly or making a job offer.

Question 19

Succession planning requires making forecasts of three elements:________,develop inside candidates,assess and choose those who will fill the key position.

Accepted Answer

A)The succession planning process is ongoing.It entails three steps: identify key needs,develop inside candidates,and assess and choose those who will fill the key position.

Question 20

Qualifications inventories can be tracked and maintained by using all of the following EXCEPT a ________.

Accepted Answer

A)Personnel replacement charts,position replacement cards,and skills inventory software are all tools for tracking and maintaining qualifications inventories.

Quiz 5: Personnel Planning and Recruiting