Deck 2: Strategy-Driven Human Resource Management

Question 1

Acme Global Corporation had to put its plans to build a new plant on hold when interest rates went up and the organization was not able to borrow enough money to build the plant.This represents the influence of _______ in the external environment on the organization.

A)shareholders
B)society
C)the economy
D)competition
E)suppliers

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Two critical components of successful corporate strategy include:

A)vision and mission.
B)profit and loss.
C)customers and suppliers.
D)government regulation and tax obligation.
E)mission and goals

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Which major external business force requires organizations to continually improve their products to create value?

A)Suppliers
B)Labor force
C)Customers
D)Governments
E)Competition

Answer 3

C

Question 4

__________ is a statement laying out our expectation of what we are going to do in order to become the organization that we have envisioned.

A)Objective statement
B)Formalization
C)Organizational structure
D)Mission statement
E)Complexity

Question 5

The Acme Global organization tries to be a good neighbor to the people who live and work in the cities where the organization's plants are located.In one neighborhood, citizens asked Acme Global to reveal the location of all its suppliers.When it was discovered that Acme Global used suppliers who were 1,000 miles from the plant, the citizens asked Acme Global to consider using more local suppliers.Acme Global agreed and found similar suppliers closer to its plant.This represents the influence of _______ in the external environment on the organization.

A)suppliers
B)society
C)technology
D)competition
E)governments

Question 6

What major external business force to a significant extent determines what acceptable business practices are for the organization?

A)Customers
B)Suppliers
C)Governments
D)Shareholders
E)Society

Question 7

The Acme Global Corporation is asking questions like "Do our products satisfy our customers' current needs?" and "Do we have the right kind of workforce in place at this time?" From these questions, it is clear that Acme Global is trying to answer which of the following major strategic question?

A)What is our present situation?
B)Where do we want to go?
C)How do we plan to get there?
D)What should our strategy be?
E)Where have we been?

Question 8

_______________ is a plan of action to achieve a particular set of objectives.

A)Vision
B)Strategic advantage
C)Strategy
D)"Managing Up"
E)"Vision + Mission = FOCUS"

Question 9

The Acme Global Corporation recently won a bid to provide a large number of widgets for a government contract.To complete the order, the organization will need to order more raw materials.This will require that the organization recognize the influence of _______ in the external environment on the organization.

A)suppliers
B)shareholders
C)technology
D)competition
E)governments

Question 10

Firm performance is not just a function of a company's own actions but must also be understood with relation to the actions of what major external business force?

A)Labor force
B)Customers
C)The economy
D)Competition
E)Society

Question 11

Acme Global Corporation created an application that allows customers to send in orders quickly and easily.Since rolling out the new app, orders have increased by 20 percent.This represents the influence of _______ in the external environment on the organization.

A)labor force
B)shareholders
C)technology
D)competition
E)governments

Question 12

Inflation, interest rates, and foreign exchange rates all are part of which major external business force?

A)Shareholders
B)Economy
C)Society
D)Customers
E)Technology

Question 13

In the past few years, the Acme Global Corporation has been fortunate to have a strong talent pool available from which it can draw employees.This represents the influence of _______ in the external environment on the organization.

A)society
B)shareholders
C)labor force
D)competition
E)governments

Question 14

__________are statements of what is to be accomplished in singular, specific, and measurable terms, with a target date.

A)Mission statements
B)Objectives
C)Centralization
D)Strategy
E)Economic Value Added (EVA)

Question 15

Acme Global is working on a statement about what it expects to become as an organization at a particular point in time in the future.Acme Global is working on its ________.

A)complexity
B)organizational structure
C)mission statement
D)strategy
E)vision

Question 16

At the Acme Global Corporation, the top manager reports to the board of directors.The board is not involved in the day-to-day operations of the organization, but it can hire or fire top management.This represents the influence of _______ in the external environment on the organization.

A)shareholders
B)society
C)technology
D)economics
E)governments

Question 17

Acme Global has decided on a statement that identifies what they expect their business to become within 6 years.Acme Global is identifying its:

A)Goals
B)Mission
C)Vision
D)Environmental awareness
E)Occupational direction

Question 18

Acme Global hired a director of safety to help the organization ensure proper compliance with the Occupational Safety and Health Act.This represents the influence of _______ in the external environment on the organization.

A)the economy
B)customers
C)the government
D)suppliers
E)competition

Question 19

The Acme Global Corporation seeks to hire skilled employees who are willing to use their creativity to improve the organization's products and services.Acme Global does this because the organization recognizes the influence of _______ in the external environment on the organization.

A)suppliers
B)shareholders
C)technology
D)customers
E)governments

Question 20

Which major external business force is not involved with the day-to-day operations of the firm, but does vote for the directors of the company?

A)Customers
B)Suppliers
C)Society
D)Shareholders
E)Government

Question 21

_________ is the degree to which jobs are standardized within an organization, meaning the degree to which we have created policies, procedures, and rules that "program" the jobs of the employees.

A)Strategy
B)Centralization
C)Organizational culture
D)Formalization
E)Complexity

Question 22

Shaun recommends that the organization do everything it can to lower the organizational costs required to produce widgets while still charging customers the same price for the product.Shaun is recommending the ________ strategy.

A)cost cutting
B)cost leadership
C)differentiation
D)niche
E)None of the above

Question 23

The written objective "to reduce theft of electronic merchandise by 20 percent" is missing which recommended criteria?

A)It does not focus on a single result.
B)It is not specific.
C)It is not measurable.
D)It has no target date.
E)None of the above

Question 24

The written objective "to introduce 12 new computers to the market" is missing which recommended criteria?

A)It does not focus on a single result.
B)It is not specific.
C)It is not measurable.
D)It has no target date.
E)None of the above

Question 25

On its website, the Acme Global Corporation published a statement of what it expects to become as an organization in 10 years.It does not say how Acme Global will achieve this future state.This is a ________ statement.

A)mission
B)strategy
C)vision
D)culture
E)goals

Question 26

On its website, the Acme Global Corporation published a statement of what the various organizational units will do and what each will accomplish to fulfill the organization's vision.This is a ________ statement.

A)strategy
B)mission
C)HR scorecard
D)structure
E)goals

Question 27

Acme Global is figuring out what they need to do in order to become the company they envisioned.Acme Global is engaged in creating a:

A)Culture
B)Mission
C)Operation
D)Structure
E)Strategy

Question 28

A company following the ____________ strategy approach might focus on hiring flexible and adaptable employees.

A)differentiation
B)cost leader
C)niche
D)customer-driven
E)None of the above

Question 29

Aileen recommends that the organization invest in creating a strong brand image so consumers will be willing to pay more for its product than they are willing to pay for its competitor's product.Aileen is recommending the ________ strategy.

A)branding
B)cost leadership
C)differentiation
D)focus
E)None of the above

Question 30

When hiring individuals based on individual knowledge and skills sets and not necessarily for jobs that need to be filled, HRM is probably supporting the company's _______________.

A)cost leadership strategy
B)differentiation strategy
C)niche or focus strategy
D)competency-based strategy
E)SWOT analysis objectives

Question 31

A powerful vision combined with a well-identified mission work together to create:

A)focus
B)employability
C)product analysis
D)cultural awareness
E)an operand

Question 32

When a company decides to follow a cost leadership strategy, HRM is mostly concerned with _______________.

A)hiring individuals based on individual knowledge and skill sets and not on what jobs need to be filled at that point in time
B)creating cross-functional teams
C)creating broader job descriptions and work planning processes
D)implementing performance appraisals
E)maximum efficiency and effectiveness

Question 33

Sara and Dan are working on a statement for a start-up organic farm.One statement reads: "To become the southeast region's number one choice for supplying organically-grown fruits and vegetables." Sara and Dan are writing:

A)mission statement.
B)a vision statement.
C)a speech.
D)a business plan.
E)a strategy

Question 34

Acme Global has endeavored to drive out all unnecessary business expenses in their steel industry operations.Acme Global is likely following a _________ strategy.

A)niche
B)cost leader
C)focus leader
D)differentiation
E)price leader

Question 35

__________ is the degree to which different parts of the organization are segregated from one another.

A)Formalization
B)Data analytics
C)Centralization
D)Economic Value Added (EVA)
E)Complexity

Question 36

A company using the differentiation strategy relies upon the _________ to maintain an advantage over its competitors.

A)real or perceived difference
B)the real difference
C)the perceived difference
D)the naturally-occurring difference
E)None of the above

Question 37

__________ lower organizational costs required to produce their product or service.

A)Differentiators
B)Niche operators
C)Cost leaders
D)Competitors
E)None of the above

Question 38

"We will increase revenues by $1 million in the next fiscal year" is what kind of statement?

A)Mission
B)Vision
C)Clarifiers
D)Objectives
E)Strategy

Question 39

__________is the way in which an organization groups its resources to accomplish its mission.

A)Organizational structure
B)Vision
C)Organizational culture
D)Centralization
E)Formalization

Question 40

Brian recommends that the organization focus on selling its products to people aged 65 and older.Brian is recommending the ________ strategy.

A)senior
B)cost leadership
C)differentiation
D)niche
E)None of the above

Question 41

__________is the values, beliefs, and assumptions about appropriate behavior that members of an organization share.

A)Organizational culture
B)Data analytics
C)Organizational structure
D)Vision
E)Complexity

Question 42

__________is the process of accessing large amounts of data in order to analyze those data and gain insight into significant trends or patterns within organizations or industries.

A)Formalization
B)Centralization
C)Data Analytics
D)Complexity
E)Strategy

Question 43

The convergence of HRM and big data is sometimes referred to as _________.

A)system design
B)record keeping
C)data analytics
D)workforce science
E)strategy

Question 44

At McDonald's, employees are told to focus on Q, S, C, V, which stands for quality, service, cleanliness, and value.This is an example of which artifact of organizational culture?

A)Ceremonies
B)Symbols
C)Stories
D)Slogans
E)Heroes

Question 45

The degree to which jobs within a company are standardized is referred to as ___________.

A)centralization of jobs
B)job complexity
C)formalization
D)spatial differentiation
E)job differentiation

Question 46

__________ is the degree to which decision making is concentrated within the organization.

A)Organizational culture
B)Centralization
C)Complexity
D)Formalization
E)Data analytics

Question 47

The Acme Global Corporation prefers to concentrate decision making at the top of the organizational chart.This allows the company to focus on hiring good decision makers in only a few jobs.This would indicate that Acme Global has a high degree of _________ in its structure.

A)centralization
B)vertical differentiation
C)horizontal differentiation
D)formalization
E)None of the above

Question 48

In the early days of Apple, managers would constantly relate to employees how the company was formed in a garage in Cupertino, California, to instill a sense of being different from large competitor corporations.This is an example of how culture is transferred through:

A)Stories
B)Symbols
C)Slogans
D)Ceremonies
E)Heroes

Question 49

The human resources director is entering employee skills and performance appraisal data into a computer.The data will be used in the strategic planning process to determine training needs.The director is using a _________.

A)human resource information system
B)organizational chart
C)balanced scorecard
D)social media
E)strategy

Question 50

_______________ includes shared values and beliefs, and describes how and why employees do what they do.

A)Organizational culture
B)Organizational structure
C)Organizational design
D)Organizational behavior
E)HRM performance measures

Question 51

_____________is a powerful force in controlling how people behave within its boundaries.

A)Strict policies
B)Volunteerism
C)Reporting
D)Organizational culture
E)None of the above

Question 52

_____________ can be used for HRM in functions such as talent acquisition, training and development, retention, and job analysis.

A)Data analytics
B)Record keeping
C)System design
D)Social media
E)None of the above

Question 53

Jane took a job at the local factory as an assembler.Jane is a real go-getter by nature, but the company culture was to work at a slow, steady pace.Soon Jane started to get subtle hints from her coworkers that she needed to slow down her work.Jane is getting _______ to modify her performance.

A)compliance boundaries
B)group obstinacy
C)peer pressure
D)organizational inference
E)forced mediation

Question 54

The Apple logo is an example of which artifact of organizational culture?

A)Ceremonies
B)Symbols
C)Stories
D)Slogans
E)Heroes

Question 55

The jobs in the Acme Global Corporation are very standardized.Each job has a clear job description, and there are many policies, procedures, and rules for employees to follow.This creation of a routine way of doing jobs suggests that Acme Global has a high degree of _________ in its structure.

A)centralization
B)spatial differentiation
C)formalization
D)horizontal differentiation
E)None of the above

Question 56

__________ are/is interacting database systems that aim at generating and delivering HR information and allow us to automate some human resource management functions.

A)Complexity
B)Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS) 
C)Data analytics
D)Centralization
E)Organizational culture

Question 57

What three components make up organizational structure?

A)Vertical differentiation, horizontal differentiation, and spatial differentiation
B)Centralization, formalization, and complexity
C)Managers, supervisors, and employees
D)Complexity, differentiation, and the mission statement
E)Differentiation, HRM, and centralization

Question 58

Organizational culture is primarily learned through _____________________.

A)observing people and events in the organization
B)reading the company's website
C)doing research in business journals
D)submitting questionnaires
E)none of the above

Question 59

Holding award dinners for top employees is an example of which artifact of organizational culture?

A)Ceremonies
B)Symbols
C)Stories
D)Slogans
E)Heroes

Question 60

Founders of the organization and others who have made outstanding contributions to the company are considered to be a part of which artifact?

A)Stories
B)Symbols
C)Slogans
D)Ceremonies
E)Heroes

Question 61

The Board of Directors, voted into office by the shareholders, is involved in the day-to-day operations of the firm.

Question 62

Kristin is examining a measure of the financial return the human resources department received for its investment in a new performance appraisal system.The new system cost $3,500 and saved more than $5,000 in payroll expenses.Kristin is examining the ________.

A)economic value added
B)return on investment
C)gain from investment
D)balanced scorecard
E)strategy

Question 63

The availability of recruits and employees for an organization has an effect on its performance.

Question 64

The vision statement of an organization provides a focus point for the future.

Question 65

What measurement tool determines the profits that remain after the cost of capital has been deducted from operating profits?

A)Return on Investment
B)Balanced Scorecard
C)Economic Value Added
D)HRIS
E)HR Scorecard

Question 66

Only factors in the external environment determine what actions we must take to make strategic choices for our organization.

Question 67

Complexity refers to the degree of three types of differentiation within the organization.

Question 68

__________ is the measure of the financial return we receive because of something that we do to invest in our organization or its people.

A)Data Analytics
B)Economic Value Added (EVA)
C)Formalization
D)Complexity
E)Return on Investment (ROI) 

Question 69

A company following the differentiator strategy will affect HRM because of the need to keep employee costs down.

Question 70

__________ is the measure of profits that remain after the cost of capital has been deducted from operating profits.

A)Return on Investment (ROI)
B)Complexity
C)Economic Value Added (EVA) 
D)Centralization
E)Formalization

Question 71

Two of the most common strategic HRM measurement tools include:

A)Economic Value Added and Return on Investment
B)Employee Turnover Rate and Recruiting Yield Ratio
C)Economic Value Added and Employee Turnover Rate
D)Return on Investment and Employee Turnover Rate
E)Employee Turnover Rate and Current Ratio

Question 72

No organization has control over economic growth, inflation, interest rates, or foreign exchange rates.

Question 73

There is only one "best" structure.

Question 74

Centralization of decision making tends to create greater control within an organization because the few decision makers become very skilled at determining the best course of action in a particular situation.

Question 75

Resources or products from suppliers can be affected by external forces, such as natural disasters.

Question 76

Influences from outside the organization may cause the company to adapt to change.

Question 77

Cost leaders may offer their product or service to customers at the same cost as their competitors.

Question 78

How do Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS) assist HRM and operational management in making decisions?

A)Allows HR deliverables to be defined more easily
B)Allows HR to select individuals that align with the organizational culture
C)Allows the company to track the amount of time employees spend working on their computers
D)Allows the company to maintain control of HR information and make it available and easy to access for everyday use
E)Allows executives to create a "dashboard" for production/operations milestones

Question 79

The focus or niche strategy focuses on a specific portion of the larger market.

Question 80

Strategic management's success requires a commitment to a defined set of objectives by managers.