Question 1

A firm implementing a relative judgment performance appraisal system would most likely experience which of the following?
A) Employees comparing themselves to other employees
B) Managers making judgments based completely on performance standards
C) Managers grouping employees into two categories when evaluating performance
D) Employees receiving clear and useful information about improving their performance

Accepted Answer

C

Question 2

Job performance dimensions are:
A) a way to eliminate rater bias in the performance appraisal.
B) aspects of performance that determine effective job performance.
C) the relative judgments that a rater makes about an employee's job performance.
D) job appraisals conducted in businesses that are greatly influenced by organizational politics.

Accepted Answer

Job performance dimensions are aspects of performance that determine effective job performance, such as quality of work, quantity of work, job knowledge, communication skills, teamwork, dependability, initiative, and problem-solving skills. They are used as criteria to evaluate an employee's job performance in a performance appraisal process.

Question 3

An appraisal system that focuses on individuals rather than on any other factor is a(n):
A) absolute system.
B) behavioral system.
C) relative system.
D) trait-based system.

Accepted Answer

A trait-based system focuses on individual characteristics and attributes, rather than behaviors, performance relative to others, or absolute performance measures.

Question 4

Which term refers to observable characteristics that are associated with successful job performance?
A) Ethics
B) Traits
C) Dimensions
D) Competencies

Accepted Answer

Competencies are observable characteristics that are associated with successful job performance. Ethics are a set of moral principles, traits are characteristic features or qualities, and dimensions refer to the different aspects or components of a concept.

Question 5

Which of the following is a comprehensive list of the functions in a performance appraisal?
A) Identifying, measuring, and managing
B) Identifying, determining, and implementing
C) Recruiting, selecting, and assessing
D) Managing, selecting, and assessing

Accepted Answer

The functions of a performance appraisal are primarily identifying the key performance areas, measuring performance against established objectives, and managing employee development and rewards accordingly. Option A accurately reflects these functions. Option B's functions are vague and unclear. Option C's functions are related to the recruitment and selection process, rather than performance appraisal specifically. Option D's functions only partially capture the performance appraisal process.

Question 6

Which of the following is most likely a true statement about relative and absolute judgment appraisal systems?
A) Relative judgments do not force raters to make distinctions between employees where none exist, but absolute judgments do.
B) Absolute judgments allow for equal ratings among employees, but relative judgments do not.
C) Absolute judgments tend to create conflict between employees, but relative judgments do not.
D) Relative judgments are easy to defend in court, but absolute judgments are not.

Accepted Answer

Absolute judgment systems evaluate employees against a standard, which allows for the possibility of giving the same rating to more than one employee if they meet the criteria. Relative judgment systems, such as ranking or forced distribution, compare employees against each other, making it impossible for two employees to hold the same position in the ranking.

Question 7

You are discussing changing your performance appraisal system with your executive management team.The VP of Operations wants the ability to compare employees working for different managers in different areas of the plant.The best appraisal system for this would be a(n):
A) ranking system.
B) relative system.
C) absolute system.
D) behavior-based system.

Accepted Answer

An absolute system evaluates employees against a set standard or criteria, allowing for consistent comparisons across different managers and areas.

Question 8

Your CEO is considering the use of a relative judgment system for your company's performance appraisal program.She asks you about the disadvantages of such a system,and it would be most appropriate for you to state that such systems:
A) provide unclear performance feedback to employees.
B) rely too much on employee competencies.
C) fail to measure job-relevant behavior.
D) are costly and time consuming.

Accepted Answer

Relative judgment systems compare employees to each other rather than an objective standard, which can result in unclear feedback for employees. It becomes difficult to accurately assess individual performance and provide specific feedback for improvement.

Question 9

Which of the following is a disadvantage of an absolute judgment performance appraisal system?
A) Managers make irrelevant and unfair distinctions among employees
B) Conflict develops among employees competing for the best rating
C) Legal defense of evaluations is difficult
D) Standards vary among managers

Accepted Answer

An absolute judgment performance appraisal system evaluates employees against a standard, rather than against each other. A disadvantage of this system is that standards can vary among managers, leading to inconsistencies in how employees are evaluated.

Question 10

One of your managers returns from a management seminar eager to use a relative judgment system for performance appraisals.He asks you for your opinion about the value of such systems.It would be most accurate for you to state that relative judgment systems:
A) require supervisors to differentiate between employees.
B) minimize employee conflict regarding performance assessment.
C) clarify performance differences between similarly ranked employees.
D) force managerial judgments based exclusively on performance standards.

Accepted Answer

Relative judgment systems require supervisors to differentiate between employees, which can lead to potential bias and inconsistencies in performance appraisals. It may also result in employee competition and conflicts.

Question 11

Keith owns a small marketing firm and has 15 employees.Keith needs to implement a performance appraisal system.Which of the following is most important for Keith?
A) Developing broad job dimensions
B) Using quantitative measurement tools
C) Assessing employees on a monthly basis
D) Ranking performance levels within work teams

Accepted Answer

Developing broad job dimensions is the most important for Keith when implementing a performance appraisal system. This involves identifying the key skills and competencies required for each job within the company and setting performance standards based on those job dimensions. This will help ensure that each employee's performance is being evaluated based on their specific job requirements and expectations. The other options listed are not as important for Keith as they may not be applicable or feasible for a small marketing firm with limited resources.

Question 12

The most common use of performance appraisals is to:
A) comply with EEO rules.
B) justify employee recruitment.
C) improve organizational performance.
D) make personnel administrative decisions.

Accepted Answer

Performance appraisals are most commonly used to make personnel administrative decisions such as promotions, salary adjustments, and terminations.

Question 13

Which of the following is NOT a trait typically used on trait-based rating scales?
A) Decisiveness
B) Punctuality
C) Reliability
D) Energy

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following is NOT a...

Question 14

Billy will be appraising employees at H.R.T.,Inc.He is compiling a list of aspects by which he will measure the employees.Billy is compiling:
A) dimensions of job performance.
B) measurement standards.
C) relative judgments.
D) absolute judgments.

Accepted Answer

Billy is compiling dimensions of job performance, which are the various aspects by which he will assess the employees.

Question 15

When it comes to the performance appraisal process:
A) it is most commonly conducted twice a year.
B) most firms fail to maximize its potential.
C) most firms use a team-based appraisal.
D) it is rarely used by most businesses.

Accepted Answer

Studies have shown that many firms do not fully utilize the performance appraisal process or do not conduct it effectively. Therefore, the best choice is B. Choices A, C, and D are incorrect as they are either not supported by research or are too extreme in their statement.

Question 16

Emma is thinking through the future evaluation of her employees.Right now she is determining what specific areas of each employee's work to examine.Emma is in the process of:
A) measuring performance to make a judgment about employee effectiveness.
B) identifying areas of job performance that should be evaluated.
C) managing the work process within an organization.
D) determining employee training needs.

Accepted Answer

Emma is identifying specific areas of job performance that should be evaluated in order to effectively evaluate her employees. This step is critical in ensuring that the evaluation process is fair and comprehensive.

Question 17

A pitfall of using relative judgments for performance appraisal is that they:
A) fail to clarify how great or small the performance differences are between employees.
B) force appraisers to make judgments based solely on performance standards.
C) focus too much on the individual rather than the individual's performance.
D) provide inadequate information when making termination decisions.

Accepted Answer

Relative judgments only compare an employee's performance to that of their colleagues, without providing any information on the degree of difference in performance. This makes it difficult to identify the extent of an employee's strengths or weaknesses, which can impact decision-making related to promotions, bonuses or raises.

Question 18

Bob wants to focus this year's employee assessment interviews on discussing the traits each employee displays.You should most likely tell him that trait-based appraisal tools:
A) can be beneficial but are more expensive than other methods.
B) have a tendency to make employees defensive.
C) are illegal according to EEOC guidelines.
D) are helpful in boosting employee morale.

Accepted Answer

Trait-based appraisal tools often focus on subjective assessments of an employee's characteristics, which can lead to defensiveness as employees may feel personally judged rather than evaluated on objective performance criteria.

Question 19

Which of the following is NOT a common criticism of trait appraisal instruments?
A) Lack of legal defensibility
B) Too much rater bias
C) Costly and time consuming
D) Ambiguous ratings

Accepted Answer

Trait appraisal instruments are often criticized for reasons such as lack of legal defensibility, rater bias, and ambiguous ratings, but not typically for being costly and time-consuming. This criticism is more commonly associated with other forms of appraisal methods, such as 360-degree feedback processes.

Question 20

A manager is in the process of deciding how effective or ineffective an employee's behavior has been.This manager is in the ________ stage of the performance appraisal model.
A) identification
B) measurement
C) management
D) design

Accepted Answer

The measurement stage involves evaluating the employee's performance against predetermined standards or goals. This is where the manager assesses the employee's effectiveness or ineffectiveness.

Quiz 7: Appraising and Managing Performance

A firm implementing a relative judgment performance appraisal system would most likely experience which of the following?

Job performance dimensions are:

An appraisal system that focuses on individuals rather than on any other factor is a(n) :

Which term refers to observable characteristics that are associated with successful job performance?

Which of the following is a comprehensive list of the functions in a performance appraisal?

Which of the following is most likely a true statement about relative and absolute judgment appraisal systems?

You are discussing changing your performance appraisal system with your executive management team.The VP of Operations wants the ability to compare employees working for different managers in different areas of the plant.The best appraisal system for this would be a(n) :

Your CEO is considering the use of a relative judgment system for your company's performance appraisal program.She asks you about the disadvantages of such a system,and it would be most appropriate for you to state that such systems:

Which of the following is a disadvantage of an absolute judgment performance appraisal system?

One of your managers returns from a management seminar eager to use a relative judgment system for performance appraisals.He asks you for your opinion about the value of such systems.It would be most accurate for you to state that relative judgment systems:

Keith owns a small marketing firm and has 15 employees.Keith needs to implement a performance appraisal system.Which of the following is most important for Keith?

The most common use of performance appraisals is to:

Which of the following is NOT a trait typically used on trait-based rating scales?

Billy will be appraising employees at H.R.T.,Inc.He is compiling a list of aspects by which he will measure the employees.Billy is compiling:

When it comes to the performance appraisal process:

Emma is thinking through the future evaluation of her employees.Right now she is determining what specific areas of each employee's work to examine.Emma is in the process of:

A pitfall of using relative judgments for performance appraisal is that they:

Bob wants to focus this year's employee assessment interviews on discussing the traits each employee displays.You should most likely tell him that trait-based appraisal tools:

Which of the following is NOT a common criticism of trait appraisal instruments?

A manager is in the process of deciding how effective or ineffective an employee's behavior has been.This manager is in the ________ stage of the performance appraisal model.