Deck 14: Ethics and Employee Rights and Discipline

Question 1

As a manager,all of the following would most likely encourage ethical behavior among subordinates EXCEPT ________.

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

Answer 1

D
Explanation: D) Taking credit for others' work is one way that managers lead subordinates towards unethical behavior.Managers need to set good examples,clarify expectations,reward honesty,and penalize wrongdoing.

Question 2

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)personal inclinations

Answer 2

D
Explanation: D) Researchers concluded that personal inclinations more strongly affected decisions than did environmental pressures or organizational characteristics.Managers have a significant influence over ethics in the workplace,but less than an individual's own morality.

Question 3

Ethics refers to the ________.

A)basic beliefs about what is right or wrong
B)principles of conduct governing an individual or group
C)standards used by the organization to decide upon proper conduct
D)standards of behavior accepted by society

Answer 3

B
Explanation: B) Ethics refers to "the principles of conduct governing an individual or a group; specifically,the standards you use to decide what your conduct should be.A normative judgment means that something is right or wrong.Morals are society's highest accepted standards of behavior.

Question 4

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

Question 5

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)degree to which the decision is moral
D)extent to which the decision is good or bad

Question 6

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

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

Question 7

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

Question 8

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)principles of conduct governing an individual or group
C)basic beliefs about what is right or wrong
D)standards of behavior accepted by society

Question 9

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

Question 10

Which of the following is a normative statement?

A)"Our company offers health insurance to all full-time employees and their families."
B)"The firm's benefits are exceptional compared to competing company's health plans."
C)"The company's revenue in 2003 was approximately $1.2 billion."
D)"Employees are eligible to receive benefits after a 60 day period."

Question 11

According to surveys,the majority of serious ethical work issues are related to ________.

A)improper accounting principles
B)human resource activities
C)production discrepancies
D)e-mail or Internet abuse

Question 12

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)morality and fairness

Question 13

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

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

Question 14

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

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

Question 15

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)Employees feel uncomfortable discussing ethics, so it should be avoided.

Question 16

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

Question 17

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)establishing disciplinary procedures
B)providing incentives for employees
C)clarifying expectations for employees
D)marketing to potential new customers

Question 18

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

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

Question 19

Which of the following best describes a normative judgment?

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

Question 20

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

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

Question 21

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

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

Question 22

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

Question 23

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

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

Question 24

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)advancing a boss' career interests
D)advancing personal career interests

Question 25

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 communications if they can show a legitimate business reason for doing so
C)employers to listen to personal employee phone calls if the calls are made on employer time
D)employees to conduct personal business during work hours if they can show it is necessary

Question 26

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 distribute an anonymous survey to gather information about employee attitudes about management?

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.

Question 27

The applicant screening process would most likely be considered unfair if an HR manager ________.

A)encouraged two-way communication
B)focused mostly on personality issues
C)included an appeals process
D)provided useful feedback

Question 28

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)Historically, arbitrators have overturned the dismissal decisions of Health-Tech's managers because of unclear company rules.

Question 29

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

Question 30

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)organizing ceremonies
C)clarifying expectations
D)using symbols

Question 31

Which of the following makes the CEO of a publicly traded firm accountable for ethics compliance?

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

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 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.

Question 33

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

A)Employees seeking professional certification are tested on ethics.
B)State laws require businesses to have written codes of conduct.
C)Businesses fear being sued by customers for ethical misconduct.
D)Federal laws encourage firms to comply with ethics training guidelines.

Question 34

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 legal department requires the firm to post its ethics code and hiring procedures on the firm's web site to prevent legal problems.

Question 35

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

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

Question 36

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

Question 37

Which of the following terms refers to discipline without punishment?

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

Question 38

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

A)employee handbook
B)federal code of ethics
C)mission and vision statement
D)human resource policy manual

Question 39

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

A)dealing with unethical behavior quickly
B)conducting an objective performance appraisal
C)making more normative than nonnormative statements
D)ensuring that employees understand the reasons for a decision

Question 40

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

Question 41

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)termination interview
B)screening interview
C)mass interview
D)exit interview

Question 42

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

Question 43

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

Question 44

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

Question 45

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

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

Question 46

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

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

Question 47

The plant closing law requires that employers ________.

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

Question 48

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)EEO laws

Question 49

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

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

Question 50

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)bargaining
D)outsourcing

Question 51

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)leave of absence

Question 52

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)insubordination
B)wrongful discharge
C)gross misconduct
D)emotional hardship

Question 53

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

Question 54

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)acts in an insubordinate manner towards supervisors

Question 55

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)outsourcing

Question 56

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

Question 57

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)Management offers employees the chance to retire.

Question 58

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

Question 59

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)ECP Act
D)WARN Act

Question 60

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

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

Question 61

The ethical or unethical influence of a manager on a subordinate tends to occur through both verbal and non-verbal communication.

Question 62

Carlos,a marketing manager at Devon Consulting,is attending an ethics training program at his workplace.During the training,Carlos is LEAST likely to learn how to ________.

A)identify ethical dilemmas
B)role play employee dismissals
C)use disciplinary practices ethically
D)use codes of conduct to resolve problems

Question 63

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 64

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

Question 65

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

Question 66

All of the following would most likely be addressed in an ethics audit EXCEPT ________.

A)employee discrimination
B)conflicts of interest
C)intranet usage
D)gift giving

Question 67

What tool does society use to ensure that employers act fairly and morally?

A)non-punitive discipline
B)social media outlets
C)public forums
D)legislation

Question 68

The principal cause of ethical compromises is based on organizational pressure to meet a schedule or some other objective.

Question 69

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

Question 70

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

Question 71

All of the following are typical results of fair disciplinary procedures EXCEPT ________,

A)improved employee commitment
B)increased organizational support
C)improved arbitration scheduling
D)enhanced organizational satisfaction

Question 72

The first step in ethical behavior is ________.

A)moral awareness
B)positive rewards
C)legal assessment
D)moral disengagement

Question 73

According to the text,what are the two main forces that lead to the development of employment laws?

A)unalienable rights and public policy
B)historic precedence and judges
C)federal governments and voters
D)social morality and human rights

Question 74

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

Question 75

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)work overtime hours at regular rates
D)take voluntary time off from work

Question 76

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

Question 77

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 78

Which type of bullying most likely involves spreading rumors and purposely breaking up friendships in the workplace?

A)physical bullying
B)cyberbullying
C)verbal bullying
D)social bullying

Question 79

All of the following are common elements of bullying EXCEPT ________.

A)power imbalance
B)harmful intentions
C)verbal name-calling
D)repetitive incidents

Question 80

Raj is a manager at a firm that has recently acquired another firm.As a result,numerous employees will be dismissed.In order to ensure that surviving employees at the firm remain productive,Raj should most likely ________.

A)contact EEO representatives
B)treat dismissed employees with fairness
C)conduct exit interviews with dismissed workers
D)establish new departmental policies and procedures