Deck 14: Ethics, Justice, and Fair Treatment in HR Management

Question 1

According to research,which of the following has the greatest impact on work-related ethical decisions?

A) organizational characteristics
B) environmental pressures
C) management attitudes
D) corporate procedures
E) personal inclinations

Answer 1

E

Question 2

Johnson & Johnson has a corporate ethics code that states "We believe our first responsibility is to the doctors,nurses and patients,to mothers and fathers and all others who use our products and services." What is the most likely purpose of Johnson & Johnson's ethics code?

A) providing physical support for managers
B) establishing disciplinary procedures
C) providing incentives for employees
D) clarifying expectations for employees
E) marketing to potential customers

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Which of the following best describes a normative judgment?

A) assessment of whether something is good or bad
B) values, traditions, and behaviors a company's employees share
C) principles of conduct governing an individual or group
D) standards used by the organization to decide upon proper conduct
E) highest accepted standards of behavior in a society

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Which of the following best defines organizational culture?

A) basic beliefs about what is right or wrong within a business or corporation
B) characteristic values, traditions, and behaviors a firm's employees share
C) principles of conduct governing an individual, group, or company
D) standards used by an organization to determine proper conduct
E) standards of behavior accepted by society and its businesses

Question 5

Which of the following best defines values as they relate to organizational culture?

A) characteristic values, traditions, and behaviors a company's employees share
B) standards used by the organization to decide upon proper conduct
C) principles of conduct governing an individual or group
D) basic beliefs about what is right or wrong
E) standards of behavior accepted by society

Question 6

What are the two components of ethical decisions?

A) distributive justice and procedural justice
B) normative judgments and legal precedents
C) morality and normative judgments
D) moral awareness and common law
E) morality and fairness

Question 7

Ethics refers to the ________.

A) basic beliefs about what is right or wrong
B) values, traditions, and behaviors a company's employees share
C) principles of conduct governing an individual or group
D) standards used by the organization to decide upon proper conduct
E) standards of behavior accepted by society

Question 8

Which of the following terms refers to the characteristic values,traditions,and behaviors a company's employees share?

A) organizational culture
B) organizational climate
C) organizational ethics
D) corporate climate
E) corporate mission

Question 9

The principles of conduct governing an individual or a group are referred to as ________.

A) judgments
B) norms
C) ethics
D) laws
E) virtues

Question 10

As a manager,all of the following are methods that you should use to shape the ethical behavior of subordinates EXCEPT ________.

A) clarifying expectations
B) serving as a role model
C) rewarding honest work
D) taking credit for others' work
E) penalizing workers' wrongdoings

Question 11

Which of the following is a normative statement?

A) "Sam is wearing a business suit for today's meeting."
B) "Our company offers health insurance for employees and their families."
C) "The benefits offered by the company are exceptional compared to competing companies."
D) "The company's revenue in 2003 was approximately $1.2 billion."
E) "Employees are eligible to receive benefits after a 60 day period."

Question 12

Which of the following guides the most serious societal behaviors such as murder,stealing,and slander?

A) normative judgments
B) ethical conclusions
C) distributive justice
D) human rights
E) moral standards

Question 13

Which component of organizational justice refers to the fairness of a process?

A) distributive justice
B) procedural justice
C) interactional justice
D) normative justice
E) interpersonal justice

Question 14

Based on research into ethical behavior in the workplace,which of the following is a true statement?

A) Offering rewards for ethical behavior supports the intrinsic nature of personal ethics.
B) Punishing unethical behavior fails to alter the behavior of others in the workplace.
C) Managers significantly influence the ethical behavior of their subordinates.
D) People typically maintain their moral compasses when they join a firm.
E) Employees feel uncomfortable discussing ethics, so it should be avoided.

Question 15

The distributive justice component of organizational justice is best defined as the ________.

A) fairness of the decision process
B) fairness of the decision's result
C) manner in which the decision is made
D) degree to which the decision is moral
E) extent to which the decision is good or bad

Question 16

Which component of organizational justice refers to the fairness and justice of a decision's result?

A) distributive justice
B) procedural justice
C) interactional justice
D) normative justice
E) interpersonal justice

Question 17

According to surveys,which of the following is the most commonly observed unethical behavior in the workplace?

A) misuse of confidential information
B) abusive behavior towards workers
C) falsification of financial records
D) e-mail or Internet abuse
E) sexual harassment

Question 18

Which of the following best defines procedural justice?

A) fairness of a decision's result
B) manner in which firms conduct business
C) fairness of the process used to make a decision
D) manner in which managers treat subordinates
E) the extent to which a decision is good or bad

Question 19

When someone concludes that something is good or bad,right or wrong,a(n)________ has been made.

A) moral assessment
B) non-normative statement
C) normative judgment
D) distributive assessment
E) affective attitude judgment

Question 20

What are the two components of organizational justice?

A) distributive justice and normative judgments
B) procedural justice and distributive justice
C) normative justice and ethical treatment
D) interactional justice and morality
E) interpersonal justice and fairness

Question 21

Which of the following terms refers to discipline without punishment?

A) traditional discipline
B) democratic punishment
C) nonpunitive discipline
D) corporal punishment
E) positive discipline

Question 22

According to surveys,which of the following is the primary cause of ethical compromises in the work place?

A) feeling peer pressure
B) meeting schedule pressures
C) helping the business survive
D) advancing a boss' career interests
E) advancing personal career interests

Question 23

Health-Tech Materials is a firm that manufactures medical equipment purchased by hospitals and clinics.The firm employs over 2,500 workers in its two manufacturing facilities located in Texas and Arizona.Recently,Health-Tech dismissed a number of employees for ethics violations ranging from improper Internet usage to stealing company funds.In addition,the firm has been sued by two former employees for wrongful discharge.As a result,Health-Tech's top executives are evaluating the firm's hiring process,ethics training system,reward system,and disciplinary system to determine how to promote ethics and fair treatment. Health-Tech's HR department has devised a brief ethics test for employees to use when determining if their actions match Health-Tech's code of conduct.Which of the following questions is LEAST likely to be included on the ethics test?

A) Do these actions match Health-Tech's core values?
B) What Health-Tech employees will be affected by my actions?
C) Will my actions reflect negatively on the image of Health-Tech?
D) Would I perform this action if I worked for a Health-Tech competitor?
E) Is the action I am about to perform on behalf of Health-Tech a legal one?

Question 24

Employers can foster perceptions of fairness through all of the following methods EXCEPT ________.

A) distributing opinion surveys
B) establishing employee hotlines
C) focusing on two-way communication
D) addressing the big picture instead of specific details
E) involving employees in the decision-making process

Question 25

Which of the following is the primary element of properly developed disciplinary procedures?

A) electronic employee monitoring
B) clearly established rules
C) anonymous surveys
D) legal representation
E) severe penalties

Question 26

Which of the following supervisory actions is LEAST likely to enhance the perception of fairness?

A) asking employees for their input
B) making more normative than nonnormative statements
C) allowing employees to participate in decisions that affect them
D) ensuring that employees understand the reasons for a decision
E) making sure that employees understand the standards by which they will be judged

Question 27

When do most firms provide employees with ethics training?

A) after employees have taken sabbaticals
B) during employee orientation sessions
C) after employees receive promotions
D) during annual company conferences
E) after annual performance appraisals

Question 28

Which of the following memorializes the standards by which the employer expects its employees to adhere?

A) ethics code
B) ethics test
C) corporate code
D) mission statement
E) employee handbook

Question 29

A selection interview would most likely be considered unfair if a manager ________.

A) involved two-way communication
B) assessed applicants with consistency
C) focused on personality issues
D) included an appeals process
E) measured job-related criteria

Question 30

Which of the following terms refers to a firm without any procedures for diminishing bad behavior?

A) fraudulent corporation
B) unethical organization
C) misguided company
D) ethically toxic company
E) corporate toxin

Question 31

Which of the following suggests that when a woman fails to act as anticipated,men and women will treat her more harshly than if a man had acted in the same manner?

A) glass ceiling
B) evil woman thesis
C) gender role error
D) self-serving bias
E) fundamental attribution error

Question 32

Health-Tech Materials is a firm that manufactures medical equipment purchased by hospitals and clinics.The firm employs over 2,500 workers in its two manufacturing facilities located in Texas and Arizona.Recently,Health-Tech dismissed a number of employees for ethics violations ranging from improper Internet usage to stealing company funds.In addition,the firm has been sued by two former employees for wrongful discharge.As a result,Health-Tech's top executives are evaluating the firm's hiring process,ethics training system,reward system,and disciplinary system to determine how to promote ethics and fair treatment. Which of the following best supports the argument that Health-Tech should establish an employee hotline?

A) Health-Tech monitors its employees phone calls and Internet usage to protect itself from lawsuits and ethical violations.
B) Independent contractors working for Health-Tech are not allowed to work for the firm's competitors, which angers most contractors.
C) Exit interviews at Health-Tech indicate that employees feel uncomfortable about raising ethics concerns with managers.
D) Health-Tech managers have been reluctant to terminate disruptive employees for fear of lawsuits.
E) Unsatisfactory performance is the primary reason for employee dismissals at Health-Tech.

Question 33

Health-Tech Materials is a firm that manufactures medical equipment purchased by hospitals and clinics.The firm employs over 2,500 workers in its two manufacturing facilities located in Texas and Arizona.Recently,Health-Tech dismissed a number of employees for ethics violations ranging from improper Internet usage to stealing company funds.In addition,the firm has been sued by two former employees for wrongful discharge.As a result,Health-Tech's top executives are evaluating the firm's hiring process,ethics training system,reward system,and disciplinary system to determine how to promote ethics and fair treatment. Which of the following best supports the argument that Health-Tech should make significant changes to its disciplinary process?

A) According to surveys, Health-Tech employees feel that managers do not listen to their concerns or take their opinions seriously.
B) Health-Tech requires employees to receive annual ethics training to ensure that they understand the firm's latest policies.
C) Health-Tech's main competitor uses fictional scenarios to test applicants' morality and has fewer ethics problems than Health-Tech.
D) Health-Tech assigns decision-making leave to employees who repeatedly fail to comply with company rules.
E) Historically, arbitrators have overturned the dismissal decisions of Health-Tech's managers because of unclear company rules.

Question 34

When a company rewards employees who behave ethically using the firm's incentive plan and appraisal system,they are ________ to encourage ethical behavior.

A) providing physical support
B) using stories
C) organizing ceremonies
D) clarifying expectations
E) using symbols

Question 35

In which organizational document are an organization's rules and regulations usually stated?

A) employee handbook
B) code of ethics
C) sexual harassment training guide
D) incorporation papers
E) human resource policy manual

Question 36

What is the most likely reason for more firms providing ethics training to employees?

A) Universities do not require all students to enroll in ethics courses.
B) Employees seeking professional certification are tested on ethics.
C) State laws require businesses to have written codes of conduct.
D) Businesses fear being sued by customers for ethical misconduct.
E) Federal laws encourage firms to comply with ethics training guidelines.

Question 37

Health-Tech Materials is a firm that manufactures medical equipment purchased by hospitals and clinics.The firm employs over 2,500 workers in its two manufacturing facilities located in Texas and Arizona.Recently,Health-Tech dismissed a number of employees for ethics violations ranging from improper Internet usage to stealing company funds.In addition,the firm has been sued by two former employees for wrongful discharge.As a result,Health-Tech's top executives are evaluating the firm's hiring process,ethics training system,reward system,and disciplinary system to determine how to promote ethics and fair treatment. Which of the following,if true,best supports the argument that Health-Tech should utilize online ethics program software?

A) Health-Tech executives want to quantify the types of ethical issues that are most common at the firm in order to provide the most relevant training to employees.
B) Health-Tech managers are required to monitor the computer usage of subordinates to determine their levels of productivity.
C) Health-Tech discusses its code of conduct during employee orientation and also provides new employees with the firm's handbook.
D) The Health-Tech web site provides dismissed employees with outplacement counseling and job posting links.
E) The Health-Tech legal department requires the firm to post its ethics code and hiring procedures on the firm's web site to prevent legal problems.

Question 38

Which of the following is the most common method of providing ethics training to employees?

A) requiring participation in videotaped ethics programs
B) e-mailing copies of the firm's ethics newsletter
C) distributing copies of company policies
D) developing monthly ethics podcasts
E) offering online ethics assistance

Question 39

Which of the following requires companies to declare whether they have a code of conduct?

A) Taft-Hartley Act
B) Landrum-Griffin Act
C) Norris-LaGuardia Act
D) Davis-Bacon Act
E) Sarbanes-Oxley Act

Question 40

All of the following are methods used by companies to prevent ethical compromises by employees EXCEPT ________.

A) instituting ethics hotlines
B) providing ethics training
C) penalizing whistleblowers
D) establishing codes of conduct
E) providing ethics training

Question 41

Which of the following is NOT one of the four points of the hot stove rule?

A) impersonal
B) immediate
C) consistent
D) feedback
E) warning

Question 42

The business purpose exception to the Electronic Communications Privacy Act permits ________.

A) employees to access private employer documents if they have reason to suspect unethical behavior by company agents
B) employers to monitor employee communications if the employees have given informed consent
C) employers to monitor communications if they can show a legitimate business reason for doing so
D) employers to listen to personal employee phone calls if the calls are made on employer time
E) employees to conduct personal business during work hours if they can show it is necessary

Question 43

The consent exception to the Electronic Communications Privacy Act permits ________.

A) employees to access private employer documents if they have reason to suspect unethical behavior by company agents
B) employers to monitor employee communications if the employees have given informed consent
C) employers to monitor communications if they can show a legitimate business reason for doing so
D) employers to listen to personal employee phone calls if the calls are made on employer time
E) employees to conduct personal business during work hours if they can show it is necessary

Question 44

When an employee's dismissal does not comply with the law or with the contractual agreement stated or implied by the firm via its employment application forms,employee manuals,or other promises,________ has most likely occurred.

A) mutiny
B) insubordination
C) wrongful discharge
D) gross misconduct
E) emotional hardship

Question 45

Health-Tech Materials is a firm that manufactures medical equipment purchased by hospitals and clinics.The firm employs over 2,500 workers in its two manufacturing facilities located in Texas and Arizona.Recently,Health-Tech dismissed a number of employees for ethics violations ranging from improper Internet usage to stealing company funds.In addition,the firm has been sued by two former employees for wrongful discharge.As a result,Health-Tech's top executives are evaluating the firm's hiring process,ethics training system,reward system,and disciplinary system to determine how to promote ethics and fair treatment. Which of the following undermines the argument that Health-Tech should shift from a traditional discipline system to a non-punitive discipline system?

A) The most common employee discipline situations at Health-Tech involve theft or physical altercations.
B) Health-Tech has already modified its hiring process to include ethics tests when screening job applicants.
C) A court ruled in a wrongful discharge case against Health-Tech that the employee handbook served as an implied contract.
D) Frequent tardiness is the primary infraction among Health-Tech employees who receive decision-making leave.
E) During Health-Tech performance appraisals, managers review an employee's discipline record throughout his or her career.

Question 46

Which of the following best defines "termination at will"?

A) employees can refuse to collaborate with specific coworkers for personal reasons
B) either the employer or the employee can end the employment relationship at anytime
C) employers can deny employees' requests for vacation and leave for any reason
D) customers can end relationships with service providers for any reason at anytime
E) employers can end business relationships with clients even if a contract exists

Question 47

All of the following are examples of insubordination EXCEPT ________.

A) publicly criticizing a supervisor
B) disregarding the chain of command
C) repeatedly failing to perform tasks
D) deliberately defying company rules
E) leading an effort to remove the boss

Question 48

Which of the following terms refers to the involuntary termination of an employee's employment with a firm?

A) sabbatical
B) dismissal
C) insubordination
D) time off without pay
E) leave of absence

Question 49

A situation is most likely considered gross misconduct if it involves an employee ________.

A) distracting other workers
B) violating safety statues
C) showing a poor attitude
D) failing to complete tasks
E) repeatedly arriving late

Question 50

All of the following are reasonable grounds for dismissal EXCEPT ________.

A) misconduct
B) whistle blowing
C) unsatisfactory performance
D) lack of job qualifications
E) changed job requirements

Question 51

Which of the following is NOT one of the four types of privacy violations upheld by courts?

A) intrusion
B) drug testing
C) disclosure of medical records
D) publication of private matters
E) appropriation of an employee's name for commercial purposes

Question 52

When a court determines that an employee handbook implies an employment contract,the ________ exception of the termination-at-will doctrine has most likely been used.

A) good faith exception
B) statutory exception
C) common law exception
D) public policy exception
E) performance exception

Question 53

Which of the following is NOT responsible for eroding the strength of the "terminate at will" doctrine?

A) implied employment contracts
B) public relations campaigns
C) occupational safety laws
D) public policies
E) EEO laws

Question 54

Tracy is frequently absent from work and almost always late,so her manager has decided to fire her.Which of the following grounds for dismissal will her manager most likely use?

A) misconduct
B) insubordination
C) unsatisfactory performance
D) lack of qualifications for the job
E) changed requirements of the job

Question 55

Which of the following terms refers to the willful disregard or disobedience of a supervisor's authority?

A) disobedience
B) insubordination
C) picketing
D) harassment
E) mutiny

Question 56

Dismissal based on unsatisfactory performance is most appropriate if an employee ________.

A) steals the employer's property
B) fails to accomplish tasks despite diligence
C) shows an adverse attitude towards co-workers
D) criticizes the boss in public
E) acts in an insubordinate manner

Question 57

Which of the following involves using fingerprints or iris scans to identify employees?

A) electronic performance monitoring system
B) electronic eavesdropping system
C) location monitoring system
D) digital dashboard
E) biometrics

Question 58

Which of the grounds for dismissal is defined as the deliberate and willful violation of the employer's rules and may include stealing and insubordination?

A) unsatisfactory performance
B) changed requirements of the job
C) lack of qualifications for the job
D) misconduct
E) disregard

Question 59

During which of the following is an employee informed of the fact that he or she has been dismissed?

A) exit interview
B) appraisal interview
C) screening interview
D) termination interview
E) outplacement interview

Question 60

Employees at R&R Carpet and Tile are allowed to take one-hour lunch breaks.Todd's assistant,Suzanne,took a two-hour lunch break today without prior approval.Suzanne has never broken any other rules since being employed by the company.R&R has a nonpunitive discipline policy.Which of the following will most likely be Todd's response to Suzanne's violation?

A) issuing a formal written reminder to Suzanne
B) giving Suzanne a one-day leave with pay
C) telling Suzanne that she is dismissed
D) issuing an oral reminder to Suzanne
E) docking Suzanne's paycheck

Question 61

Which of the following requires that employers of 100 or more employees provide 60 days' notice before starting a layoff of 50 or more people?

A) COBRA
B) ERISA
C) Layoff Protection Act
D) Electronic Communications Privacy Act
E) Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act

Question 62

Which of the following terms refers to a systematic process by which a terminated employee is trained and counseled in how to perform a self-appraisal and secure a new position?

A) exit interview
B) outplacement counseling
C) job counseling fair
D) downsizing
E) outsourcing

Question 63

Which of the following is conducted with employees who are leaving a firm for the purpose of eliciting information about what is right or wrong with the job and the firm?

A) outsourcing interview
B) termination interview
C) screening interview
D) mass interview
E) exit interview

Question 64

Two components of organizational justice are distributive justice and procedural justice.

Question 65

The standards an individual uses to decide what his or her conduct should be are known as common law.

Question 66

The ethical or unethical influence of a manager on a subordinate tends to be subliminal.

Question 67

The president of University National Bank in Palo Alto,California has his office on the main floor of the bank just off the lobby,and his door is always open unless he is in a private meeting.This represents a physical manifestation of the company's culture.

Question 68

During a merger and acquisition,it is especially important for managers to be sensitive to employees who are dismissed so that ________.

A) lawsuits stemming from ADA and EEO violations can be avoided
B) remaining employees will remain productive and committed
C) exit interviews will reveal positive details about the firm
D) trade secrets are not stolen by disgruntled employees
E) bumped employees can continue being promoted

Question 69

Distributive justice refers to the manner in which managers conduct their interpersonal dealings with employees.

Question 70

Which of the following terms refers to permanently dismissing a relatively large proportion of employees in an attempt to improve productivity and competitiveness?

A) bumping
B) outsourcing
C) downsizing
D) contracting
E) offshoring

Question 71

Many people in the new business development group at GRS&M feel that Blaine was promoted due to her personal friendship with the supervisor rather than a fair review of the qualified employees in the group.This attitude is the result of the employees' perceived procedural justice relative to the decision.

Question 72

Which of the following is a true statement regarding all layoffs?

A) Management provides severance packages to affected employees.
B) Employees continue working for the firm on a part-time basis.
C) Management expects the no-work situation to be temporary.
D) Employees are permanently dismissed by the firm.
E) Management offers employees the chance to retire.

Question 73

"You are working on a laptop" is a normative statement.

Question 74

The New York Stock Exchange recently eliminated all "reporter" jobs at the exchange.Reporters with seniority were able to remain employed by displacing co-workers in lower-level positions.Which of the following most likely occurred?

A) downsizing
B) bumping
C) stealing
D) retiring
E) skipping

Question 75

In bumping and layoff procedures,which of the following factors is most significant in determining which employees will remain employed with a firm?

A) personality
B) appraisals
C) ability
D) seniority
E) merit

Question 76

All of the following are layoff and downsizing alternatives EXCEPT having employees ________.

A) agree to pay reductions to keep everyone working
B) use their vacations during slow periods
C) volunteer to work on a part-time basis
D) work overtime hours at regular rates
E) take voluntary time off from work

Question 77

The plant closing law requires that employers ________.

A) provide employees with training for different jobs
B) offer employees comparable jobs in other facilities
C) provide severance pay for at least three months
D) notify employees 60 days before closing a facility
E) layoff no more than 50 people at one facility

Question 78

Ethical decisions always involve normative judgments about what is right or wrong.

Question 79

Hornblowers use procedural or legal channel to report incidents of unethical behavior to company ethics officers or to legal authorities.

Question 80

Procedural justice refers to the fairness of the process by which a decision is made.