Deck 6: Performance Management

Question 1

The second step of goal setting is to promote commitment to the goal.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Research has shown that effective performance management generates better organizational outcomes in areas such as turnover, customer satisfaction, employee commitment, and profits.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Managers should reward workers for finally achieving a goal, but it is a mistake to reward them for mere progress toward the goal.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

An effective performance management system consists of four steps that form a feedback loop.

Question 5

The acronym "SMART" stands for specific, measurable, attainable, reachable, and time bound.

Question 6

Goals should focus on desired end results that are relevant to the organization's mission.

Question 7

Performance management is the same thing as performance appraisal.

Question 8

The best goal to set is, "Do your best."

Question 9

Writing goals down increases goal commitment and the likelihood of successfully meeting the goal.

Question 10

One problem with performance management systems is that they aren't adaptable to changing circumstances.

Question 11

Step 1 of the performance management process is defining performance.

Question 12

Typically, managers overemphasize performance goals and underemphasize learning goals.

Question 13

In the four general steps in the goal-setting process, deficiencies in each step can be made up for with strength in others.

Question 14

Performance management involves monitoring, measuring, and evaluating, but does not include providing consequences for employees' performance.

Question 15

Goals should be set just above the level that the person feels is attainable.

Question 16

A performance goal involves enhancing knowledge or skill.

Question 17

Goals should be written to state the measurable extent (quantity) to which a goal is accomplished, but should never include a quality aspect because quality cannot be stated in measurable terms.

Question 18

Effective managers give employees timely and task-specific feedback about what they are doing right, but do not give feedback about what they are doing wrong.

Question 19

Most performance management systems are considered effective by employees.

Question 20

The functions of performance management processes include guiding employee development and making employee-related decisions.

Question 21

Goals should always be stated in terms of measured outcomes.

Question 22

Feedback is most likely to be perceived accurately and thus more likely to be acted on when it is seen as instrumental to an important or valued outcome.

Question 23

In order to fit a situation, a manager should consider creating behavioral, objective, or task/project goals as appropriate.

Question 24

Employee involvement increases the chance that rewards provided will be perceived as fair and valuable.

Question 25

Feedback has two purposes: instruction and motivation.

Question 26

Pay for performance is not the same thing as variable pay.

Question 27

Collecting performance from multiple sources helps a person being evaluated to get a broad view of his or her performance.

Question 28

Measuring performance is the process of comparing performance at some point in time to a previously established expectation or goal.

Question 29

Ferdinand sets a goal for himself of finishing the first draft of a project report by Friday. This is a performance goal.

Question 30

Effective feedback includes an evaluation, not just information.

Question 31

An action plan is essential for fulfilling a goal.

Question 32

Research on 360-degree feedback programs suggests that they should be used for manager training and development, but not for pay or promotion decisions.

Question 33

Negative feedback can have a positive motivational effect.

Question 34

The term contingent means that there is a purposeful if-then linkage between the target behavior and the consequence.

Question 35

Financial metrics are never appropriate for measuring goal achievement.

Question 36

In 180-degree feedback, individuals compare perceptions of their own performance with information from their manager, subordinates, and peers.

Question 37

The second step of the performance management process, monitoring and evaluating performance, involves measuring goal achievement.

Question 38

According to Skinner, unlearned reflexes are respondent behavior, and learned behavior is operant behavior.

Question 39

A tendency to avoid all extreme judgments and rate people and objects as average or neutral is known as the leniency bias.

Question 40

Extrinsic rewards are psychic and self-granted.

Question 41

What kind of goals is best for jobs with clear and readily measured outcomes?

A) Behavioral
B) Objective
C) Task
D) Project
E) Reinforcement

Question 42

The first step in effective performance management is:

A) Providing consequences
B) Reviewing performance
C) Defining performance
D) Evaluating performance
E) Monitoring performance

Question 43

In the context of goal setting, SMART stands for:

A) Specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, time-bound
B) Specific, measurable, aligned, results-oriented, time-bound
C) Sequential, measurable, aligned, results-oriented, time-bound
D) Specific, measurable, attainable, results-oriented, time-bound
E) Sequential, measurable, attainable, realistic, time-bound

Question 44

Alfredo set a goal of completing the literature review portion of his research paper by Sunday night. This is a ________ goal.

A) Behavioral
B) Knowledge
C) Equity
D) Project
E) Procedural

Question 45

A head chef of a restaurant always encouraged his subordinates to be creative in the culinary art. He did not believe in using prescribed recipes while cooking. He allowed them to create unique recipes and use different ingredients to prepare dishes. This implied that the head chef established _________ goals.

A) Learning
B) Procedural
C) Performance
D) Equity
E) Project

Question 46

Both punishment and extinction decrease undesired behaviors.

Question 47

Negative reinforcement weakens a desired behavior by contingently withdrawing something displeasing.

Question 48

The set of processes and managerial behaviors that involve defining, monitoring, measuring, evaluating, and providing consequences for performance expectations is known as:

A) Performance appraisal
B) Performance review
C) Performance management
D) Goal setting
E) Coaching

Question 49

Intermittent reinforcement schedules are especially useful when employees are learning a new task or skill.

Question 50

Barry set himself a goal of bowling at least one game above 250 (out of 300 possible) before the end of the season. This is a ________ goal.

A) Learning
B) Procedural
C) Performance
D) Equity
E) Project

Question 51

The type of goals that is best for jobs that are dynamic but in which nearer-term activities and milestones can be defined is:

A) Behavioral
B) Objective
C) Task
D) Learning
E) Reinforcement

Question 52

The type of goal most relevant for knowledge work is:

A) Behavioral
B) Objective
C) Task
D) Project
E) Reinforcement

Question 53

The steps of implementing a goal-setting program are, in order:

A) Set the goal, promote goal commitment, provide support and feedback, and create action plan
B) Set the goal, provide support and feedback, promote goal commitment, and create the action plan
C) Set the goal, provide support and feedback, create an action plan, and promote goal achievement
D) Set the goal, create the action plan, promote goal commitment, and provide support and feedback
E) Set the goal, create the action plan, provide support and feedback, and promote goal commitment

Question 54

Which of the following is not a part of effective performance management?

A) Reviewing performance
B) Monitoring performance
C) Providing consequences
D) Defining performance
E) All of the above are parts of effective performance management

Question 55

The most effective reinforcement schedules are fixed ratio and fixed interval.

Question 56

The sales department of a mutual fund firm set goals for the next fiscal year to sell a certain number of mutual funds each month. The firm only set targets and not anything about how they will meet this target. These goals are ________ goals.

A) Behavioral
B) Objective
C) Task
D) Project
E) Procedural

Question 57

What kind of goals can be used in most jobs?

A) Behavioral
B) Objective
C) Task
D) Project
E) Reinforcement

Question 58

Which of the following is not a tip for increasing goal commitment and success?

A) Reward yourself for progress, not just for ultimate goal achievement
B) Break large goals down into sub-goals
C) Keep your goals to yourself
D) Write goals down
E) List the benefits of achieving the goal

Question 59

The two basic types of goals are:

A) Learning and behavioral
B) Behavioral and performance
C) Performance and objective
D) Project and objective
E) Performance and learning

Question 60

Spot rewards, which are extremely effective, are a form of variable reinforcement.

Question 61

Dr. Slotsky is a well-liked professor. Last term, no one received less than a B in any of his courses. Dr. Slotsky may be suffering from _________ perceptual error.

A) Halo
B) Leniency
C) Central tendency
D) Recency
E) Contrast effects

Question 62

To minimize halo perceptual error, a manager should:

A) Record examples of positive and negative performance throughout the year
B) Be fair and realistic in evaluations
C) Define an accurate profile with both high and low points
D) Evaluate employees against a predetermined standard
E) Provide only negative feedback

Question 63

In the leniency perceptual error, a person:

A) Forms an overall impression, and then uses that impression to bias ratings
B) Avoids all extreme judgments and rates everyone as average or neutral
C) Evaluates people by comparing them with characteristics of recently observed people
D) Consistently evaluates people in an extremely positive fashion
E) Relies on most recent information

Question 64

When monitoring performance, a manager should pay attention:

A) To both progress toward goal achievement and the ultimate level of goal achievement
B) Only to progress toward goal achievement
C) Only to ultimate goal achievement
D) Primarily to subordinates' reactions to the goal
E) Primarily to the "bottom line"

Question 65

Melissa's manager set a goal that she should be able to produce 16 widgets per hour. This is a(n) ________ goal.

A) Behavioral
B) Objective
C) Task
D) Project
E) Procedural

Question 66

To minimize contrast effects bias, a manager should:

A) Record examples of positive and negative performance throughout the year
B) Be fair and realistic in evaluations
C) Define an accurate profile with both high and low points
D) Evaluate employees against a predetermined standard
E) Provide only negative feedback

Question 67

The process of comparing performance at some point in time to a previously established expectation or goal is called:

A) Monitoring
B) Measuring
C) Giving feedback
D) Coaching
E) Evaluating

Question 68

Evaluating people or objects by comparing them with characteristics of other recently observed people or objects is known as the ________ perceptual error.

A) Halo
B) Leniency
C) Central tendency
D) Recency
E) Contrast effects

Question 69

The manager of the Conquest Casino notices that the security employees at the casino are treating customers impersonally. He sets a goal that they should make better eye contact and treat customers in a friendlier manner. This is a _______ goal.

A) Behavioral
B) Objective
C) Task
D) Project
E) Procedural

Question 70

Carolyn is a very likable employee. Recently, her boss rated her at the highest level of all areas of performance, even though in some areas her performance did not warrant this judgment. This is an example of a ___________ perceptual error.

A) Halo
B) Leniency
C) Central tendency
D) Recency
E) Contrast

Question 71

To minimize central tendency bias, a manager should:

A) Record examples of positive and negative performance throughout the year
B) Be fair and realistic in evaluations
C) Define an accurate profile with both high and low points
D) Evaluate employees against a predetermined standard
E) Provide only negative feedback

Question 72

Which of the following is not a type of appropriate measure of goal achievement?

A) Timeliness
B) Lack of interpersonal conflict
C) Quantity
D) Quality
E) Financial measures

Question 73

Avoiding extreme judgments and rating people and objects as average or neutral is known as the _______ perceptual error.

A) Halo
B) Leniency
C) Central tendency
D) Recency
E) Contrast effects

Question 74

The idea that a manager should do what the situation requires is captured by the term:

A) Integrative framework
B) Interactional perspective
C) Contingency approach
D) Performance management
E) Performance appraisal

Question 75

A process that involves an individual comparing perceptions of his or her of performance with those of managers, subordinates, and peers is called:

A) Performance monitoring
B) Performance appraisal
C) Goal monitoring
D) 360-degree feedback
E) Self-assessment

Question 76

Which of the following is not included in the monitoring step of performance management?

A) Measuring performance
B) Verifying progress
C) Deciding how to measure performance
D) Verifying achievement of goals
E) Tracking performance

Question 77

Janelle filled out a peer evaluation rating form for her teammates in her OB class. She rated everyone as a "3" or "4" on the 6-point scale. This is an example of ___________ perceptual error.

A) Halo
B) Leniency
C) Central tendency
D) Recency
E) Contrast effects

Question 78

Forming an overall impression about a person or object and then having that impression bias ratings about that person or object is known as the ________ perceptual error.

A) Halo
B) Leniency
C) Central tendency
D) Recency
E) Contrast effects

Question 79

Dr. Hogan carefully selected the final examinations written by her best students to read first. They all received excellent grades. After these, she read the rest of the exams and graded most of them average or worse. This is an example of _________ perceptual error.

A) Halo
B) Leniency
C) Central tendency
D) Recency
E) Contrast effects

Question 80

Dr. Davis, an accounting professor, was concerned that his classes were not engaging his students as much as he would like. He asked his boss, the department chair, and two of his colleagues to sit in on one of his classes this term, to give him comments and suggestions for improvement. He also passed out forms to his students at the end of the term, asking the same. He was __________.

A) Providing positive reinforcement for himself
B) Conducting a 360 degree feedback process
C) Developing an action plan
D) Creating a contrast effect
E) Conducting research