Question 1

Hadley, a business researcher, believes that organizations will have to spend a lot of money on employee health care in the future. Her colleague Owen argues that organizations will not have to increase their spending on employee health care benefits. Which statement weakens Owen's argument?
A) The labor force is expected to grow at a greater rate by 2026 than at any other time in U.S. history.
B) The largest proportion of the labor force is expected to be in the 16- to 25-year age group.
C) The fastest-growing age group is workers 16-25, who are prone to having accidents.
D) The fastest-growing share of the workforce is at least 55 years old.
E) The total cost of labor in the United States will decrease considerably in the near future.

Accepted Answer

The fastest-growing share of the workforce being at least 55 years old suggests that health care costs may increase due to age-related health issues, weakening Owen's argument that organizations will not have to increase their spending on employee health care benefits.

Question 2

Baker Corp., a financial services company, specializes in customers' preferences and cost-efficient processes. They also encourage self-managing teams that make all decisions regarding business development and the sale of services to their customers. The firm ensures that there is a good fit between its work system and its people. This scenario implies that Baker has a
A) workforce analysis system.
B) high-performance work system.
C) supply chain system.
D) total quality management system.
E) holistic management system.

Accepted Answer

The high-performance work system emphasizes people, teamwork, and flexibility to achieve organizational effectiveness. Baker Corp. seeks to align its work system to fit its employees, encourages self-managing teams, and prioritizes cost-efficiency and customer preferences, which are indicative of a high-performance work system.

Question 3

Given the increasing use of computers to do routine tasks, which skill is most likely to be actively sought by U.S. employers today?
A) physical strength
B) mastery of a particular piece of machinery
C) interpersonal skills
D) ability to perform routine tasks
E) ability to work with a tool

Accepted Answer

With the increasing use of computers to do routine tasks, employers are more interested in employees who have strong interpersonal skills such as communication, collaboration, and problem-solving. These skills are not easily replaced by technology and are crucial for teamwork and maintaining positive workplace relationships.

Question 4

Sky Meadows Health Care Systems set up a program that encourages employees to share their ideas for patient satisfaction and cost savings. After a year of collecting these ideas, the HR department conducted an employee survey and learned that its employees did not feel very empowered. What else should Sky Meadows do to improve the sense of empowerment?
A) Hold employees accountable for their results.
B) Train employees to use information resources.
C) Show that management is listening to the ideas and implementing the valuable ones.
D) Train managers to link employees to resources within and outside the organization.
E) Encourage employees to interact with staff throughout the organization.

Accepted Answer

Sky Meadows should show that management is listening to the ideas and implementing the valuable ones to improve the sense of empowerment among employees. This demonstrates that their contributions are valued and can lead to tangible changes, thereby enhancing their feeling of empowerment.

Question 5

Samuel Homes wants to expand rapidly by building homes in major markets throughout the United States. Which forecast by the Bureau of Labor Statistics presents the most significant challenge to rapid expansion?
A) whites continuing to be the largest racial group
B) more women participating in the paid labor force
C) Asian-Americans being the fastest-growing racial group
D) greater racial and ethnic diversity
E) a slowing growth rate for the U.S. civilian labor force

Accepted Answer

A slowing growth rate for the U.S. civilian labor force would present a challenge to rapid expansion because it would mean there would be a smaller pool of potential workers available for construction jobs.

Question 6

The growth in e-commerce and the information economy has led to an increase in the demand for employees in
A) technical jobs.
B) mining and resource extraction.
C) agriculture.
D) service occupations.
E) manufacturing.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The growth in e-commerce and the information...

Question 7

Sean works at Rowen Corp., an environmentally conscious apparel manufacturing company. He primarily focuses on the tastes and needs of the firm's customers. He achieves this by managing a team that regularly interacts with customers through various promotional activities and events. He also provides insights on how to produce eco-friendly outfits through his specialized knowledge of cost-efficient manufacturing processes. This implies that Sean
A) is an HR professional.
B) encourages centralized decision making.
C) is a knowledge worker.
D) encourages a narrow business focus.
E) belongs to the external labor market.

Accepted Answer

Sean's specialized knowledge of cost-efficient manufacturing processes and focus on meeting customer needs implies that he is a knowledge worker.

Question 8

Which statement is true of employee empowerment?
A) Proper training must be provided only to supervisors so that they can exert their wider authority.
B) Managers should ensure that employees are not linked to resources outside the organization, such as customers.
C) Employee empowerment shifts the recruiting focus away from cognitive and interpersonal skills toward general technical skills.
D) Employee empowerment prevents holding employees accountable for the products and services they developed.
E) Jobs must be designed to give employees the necessary latitude for making a variety of decisions.

Accepted Answer

Employee empowerment involves giving employees greater authority and control over their work, including the ability to make decisions. In order for this to be successful, jobs must be designed in a way that allows employees to have the necessary latitude and autonomy to make a variety of decisions. Proper training should also be given to all employees, not just supervisors, so they can effectively exercise their new responsibilities. Managers should also encourage employees to develop relationships with customers and other resources outside the organization, as this can help them make better decisions and improve the quality of products and services. Finally, employee empowerment does not mean that employees are not held accountable for the products and services they develop; on the contrary, they are expected to take responsibility for their work and hold themselves to high standards.

Question 9

The external labor market consists of
A) contract workers in the organization.
B) current employees of the organization.
C) individuals who are actively seeking employment.
D) employees who have direct contact with customers.
E) employees of the immediate competitors of the organization.

Accepted Answer

The external labor market refers to individuals who are actively seeking employment outside of the organization. Choices A, B, D, and E are all internal to the organization or specific to competitors, and therefore not part of the external labor market.

Question 10

In high-tech industries, such as computer software development, employers press the federal government for immigration laws that allow for a greater supply of foreign-born workers. What is the main reason these companies cite for that effort?
A) There is a lack of adequate technology in the United States.
B) Undocumented immigrants work harder than U.S. citizens.
C) Qualified technical workers are scarce in the United States.
D) U.S. workers do not want this physically demanding work.
E) The size of the U.S. workforce is declining.

Accepted Answer

The main reason high-tech industries push for immigration laws that allow for more foreign-born workers is because they claim there is a scarcity of qualified technical workers in the United States.

Question 11

How has the requirement for creating high-performance work systems changed?
A) There is a drive toward low-cost strategy in the labor market.
B) Employees prefer implementation of a 40-hour workweek.
C) Competitors are looking for ways to standardize prices in their respective industries.
D) Employers are looking for ways to tap people's creativity and interpersonal skills.
E) Customers are demanding standardized products over customized products.

Accepted Answer

The requirement for creating high-performance work systems has shifted from focusing purely on efficiency and cost-cutting measures to a focus on tapping into employees' creativity and interpersonal skills. This is because companies have realized that these factors are important for innovation and staying competitive in the market.

Question 12

Fred is the project manager. He encourages his team members to have brainstorming sessions before initiating a project to determine the best method to deliver positive results. He provides his team members with complete authority to execute all production tasks independently. This scenario indicates that Fred promotes
A) centralized decision making.
B) risk aversion.
C) downsizing.
D) outsourcing.
E) employee empowerment.

Accepted Answer

Fred's actions indicate that he promotes employee empowerment. This is evident from his encouragement of brainstorming sessions and the provision of complete authority to team members to execute all production tasks independently. Centralized decision-making, risk aversion, downsizing, and outsourcing are not reflected in Fred's actions.

Question 13

Which term refers to organizations that have the best possible fit between their social system and their technical system?
A) workforce analysis systems
B) holistic management systems
C) supply chain systems
D) high-performance work systems
E) total quality management systems

Accepted Answer

High-performance work systems refer to organizations that have the best possible fit between their social system (workforce) and their technical system (operations and technology). These systems are designed to enhance employee skills, knowledge, and motivation, while also improving the organization's productivity and competitiveness.

Question 14

Dino Inc., a marketing firm, has employees who work in different cities in different time zones around the country. They coordinate their work efficiently with the help of technology, such as videoconferencing, mobile phones, and e-mail, for the production of marketing activities. Which statement is true of Dino Inc.?
A) It has a vertical organizational structure.
B) It does not hold employees accountable for products and services.
C) It encourages virtual teams.
D) It encourages centralized decision making.
E) It has self-employed individuals with multiple clients.

Accepted Answer

Dino Inc. encourages virtual teams as they have employees working in different cities in different time zones around the country and coordinate their work efficiently with the help of technology.

Question 15

Which statement is correct regarding skilled knowledge workers?
A) They do not have considerable autonomy to make decisions.
B) They are most likely to experience a lack of opportunities in a slow economy.
C) They are not easily replaced because they own the knowledge that the company requires to produce its products.
D) They are not expected to be technically efficient and are only involved in direct interactions with customers.
E) They do not have a lot of job opportunities because employers can simply order these employees to perform tasks.

Accepted Answer

Skilled knowledge workers possess knowledge and expertise that is critical for a company's success, and this knowledge cannot be easily replicated or replaced. Therefore, they have job security and are not easily replaced.

Question 16

Name the agency that is responsible for tracking changes in the composition of the U.S. labor force and forecasting employment trends.
A) the National Statistics Association
B) the Occupational Outlook Bureau
C) the U.S. Census Bureau
D) the Bureau of Economic Analysis
E) the Bureau of Labor Statistics

Accepted Answer

The Bureau of Labor Statistics is responsible for tracking changes in the composition of the U.S. labor force and forecasting employment trends.

Question 17

Which scenario exemplifies an individual in the external labor market?
A) Sarah, a contract worker, working for a certain period specified in a written contract
B) Drew, a temporary worker, being paid by a company for his services
C) Morgan, an engineering graduate, looking for a job
D) Silas, an employee, going through training
E) Jamaal, an employee, securing his financial services certification

Accepted Answer

An individual in the external labor market is someone who is not currently employed by the company and is seeking employment. Morgan, an engineering graduate, fits this description as she is currently looking for a job. The other options describe individuals who are already employed in some capacity, whether it be through a contract, temporary work, or as an employee undergoing training or certification.

Question 18

What is a characteristic of current-day high-performance work systems?
A) mismatches in technical system and social system
B) employee empowerment in decision making
C) increase in individual assignments
D) centralized decision making
E) reduced reliance on knowledge workers

Accepted Answer

Employee empowerment in decision making is a key characteristic of current-day high-performance work systems. This allows for greater engagement and motivation of employees, leading to improved performance and productivity. Mismatches in technical system and social system, centralized decision making, and reduced reliance on knowledge workers are not characteristic of high-performance work systems. Increase in individual assignments may be present but it is not a defining characteristic.

Question 19

Managing cultural diversity involves
A) forming different pay structures for various groups.
B) creating separate career tracks for employees with families.
C) avoiding the use of affirmative action policies.
D) reducing cultural diversity by selective hiring.
E) encouraging career development for women and minorities.

Accepted Answer

Managing cultural diversity involves encouraging career development for women and minorities. This means creating opportunities for career growth and advancement for employees from different cultural backgrounds. This approach leads to a more diverse and inclusive workplace, strengthened employee engagement, and improved organizational performance. The other options, such as forming different pay structures or reducing cultural diversity through selective hiring, are not effective or ethical ways of managing cultural diversity.

Question 20

Identify the correct statement regarding the composition of the U.S. labor force during the projected 2016-2026 period.
A) The labor force is expected to grow at a greater rate than at any other time in U.S. history.
B) The largest proportion of the labor force is expected to be in the 16- to 25-year age group.
C) The segment of the workforce nearing retirement age will hold steady.
D) Despite a small increase in the number of young workers, the overall workforce will be aging.
E) The total workforce of the United States will considerably decrease.

Accepted Answer

According to projections by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of workers ages 16-24 is expected to increase slightly, but the largest increase will be in the age group of 65 and older. As a result, the overall workforce will be aging.

Quiz 2: Trends in Human Resource Management

Hadley, a business researcher, believes that organizations will have to spend a lot of money on employee health care in the future. Her colleague Owen argues that organizations will not have to increase their spending on employee health care benefits. Which statement weakens Owen's argument?

Given the increasing use of computers to do routine tasks, which skill is most likely to be actively sought by U.S. employers today?

Samuel Homes wants to expand rapidly by building homes in major markets throughout the United States. Which forecast by the Bureau of Labor Statistics presents the most significant challenge to rapid expansion?

The growth in e-commerce and the information economy has led to an increase in the demand for employees in

Which statement is true of employee empowerment?

The external labor market consists of

In high-tech industries, such as computer software development, employers press the federal government for immigration laws that allow for a greater supply of foreign-born workers. What is the main reason these companies cite for that effort?

How has the requirement for creating high-performance work systems changed?

Which term refers to organizations that have the best possible fit between their social system and their technical system?

Which statement is correct regarding skilled knowledge workers?

Name the agency that is responsible for tracking changes in the composition of the U.S. labor force and forecasting employment trends.

Which scenario exemplifies an individual in the external labor market?

What is a characteristic of current-day high-performance work systems?

Managing cultural diversity involves

Identify the correct statement regarding the composition of the U.S. labor force during the projected 2016-2026 period.