Question 1

Stan is a clerical worker at XLT Corp. with fairly limited and clearly defined duties. His employment relationship with XLT is transaction based. Stan would be considered a

Accepted Answer

Stan's limited and clearly defined duties suggest that he is a supporting worker, rather than a core employee or strategic knowledge worker. As a transactional worker, his employment relationship with XLT is focused on completing specific tasks and responsibilities, rather than contributing to the overall strategic goals of the organization.

Question 2

According to the "4As" framework of execution capability, which of the following would be human capital in the area of ability?

Accepted Answer

Leadership bench falls under human capital in the area of ability, as it refers to the depth and breadth of leadership talent within an organization, which is crucial for executing strategies and achieving goals.

Question 3

In a unionized organization, layoff decisions are usually based on

Accepted Answer

In a unionized organization, layoff decisions are typically based on seniority, meaning that the employees who have been with the company the longest are the last ones to be laid off. This is often dictated by the union's collective bargaining agreement with the employer.

Question 4

One of Ted's responsibilities is to regularly review HR initiatives to make sure they are in line with his company's strategy of being first to market. In other words, Ted needs to ensure __________ alignment.

Accepted Answer

Vertical alignment refers to alignment between the HR initiatives and the overall company strategy. This is the most relevant choice given the scenario. Horizontal alignment refers to alignment between different departments within a company, while lateral alignment refers to alignment between companies or organizations. Measurement alignment is not a relevant term in this context.

Question 5

Clara's firm has been unable to execute effectively. Clara feels that this can be corrected through educational learning. Clara wants to address which section of the "4As" framework?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Clara's firm has been unable to execute...

Question 6

The Smith family lives in the same community where Topico has its corporate offices. The Smiths are __________ of Topico.

Accepted Answer

The Smiths are not directly involved or impacted by Topico's operations, products or services, or financial performance. They are therefore classified as secondary stakeholders.

Question 7

__________ is the ability of an organization to rapidly reallocate resources to new or changing needs.

Accepted Answer

Coordination agility refers to an organization's ability to quickly and efficiently reallocate resources in response to new or changing needs, ensuring adaptability and responsiveness in a dynamic environment.

Question 8

A graphical representation of all organizational jobs along with the numbers of employees currently occupying those jobs and future employment requirements is called

Accepted Answer

A staffing table provides a visual representation of all organizational jobs, including the number of employees currently occupying those positions and any anticipated employment needs in the future. It is a useful tool for HR managers to plan for recruitment and talent acquisition, as well as to identify gaps in the workforce or areas where additional training and development may be needed. An organization chart shows the hierarchy of positions within the company but does not provide information on current or future staffing needs, while a skills inventory is a record of employees' qualifications and experience. Career planning is a process by which individuals plan and manage their own professional development, rather than an organizational tool for HR managers.

Question 9

Cross-training and job rotations are intended to improve the __________ of an organization.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Cross-training and job rotations are intended to...

Question 10

Talent inventories can be used to develop __________, which list current jobholders.

Accepted Answer

Replacement charts are used to identify potential replacements for current job holders, and talent inventories can be used to develop these charts. Core values, trend models, and staffing tables are not directly related to identifying potential replacements for job holders.

Question 11

Bill bought shares of stock in XLT Corp. As an investor, Bill is a __________ of the company.

Accepted Answer

A stakeholder is anyone who has an interest or is affected by the actions of a company. As a shareholder in XLT Corp., Bill has a financial stake in the company's success and therefore qualifies as a stakeholder. Customers purchase goods or services from a company, suppliers provide goods or services to the company, and employees work for the company, but none of these roles necessarily imply a financial interest in the company's success.

Question 12

Clara's firm has been unable to execute effectively. Clara feels that the main source of this problem is that no one is held accountable for results. Clara has identified a flaw is which section of the "4As" framework?

Accepted Answer

The section of the "4As" framework that focuses on accountability is Alignment. Therefore, Clara's identified flaw falls under Alignment.

Question 13

Clara's firm has been unable to execute effectively. Clara found that the primary reason is that the firm lacks streamlined processes. Clara has identified a flaw is which section of the "4As" framework?

Accepted Answer

The "4As" framework consists of Alignment, Agility, Ability, and Architecture. Architecture involves having streamlined processes and systems in place to ensure effective execution. Therefore, Clara's identification of a flaw in the firm's lack of streamlined processes falls under the Architecture section of the framework.

Question 14

Trend analysis includes all of the following steps EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

Trend analysis involves analyzing historical data to predict future occurrences, such as employment needs or sales growth, by selecting a business factor and plotting historical trends. Soliciting expert opinions is not a step in trend analysis; it is more associated with qualitative forecasting methods like the Delphi technique.

Question 15

A __________ is a measurement framework that helps managers translate strategic goals into operational objectives.

Accepted Answer

The Balanced Scorecard is a measurement framework that allows managers to transform their business strategy into operational objectives. It takes into account multiple dimensions of performance, such as financial, customer, internal processes, and learning and growth, and uses them to create a comprehensive set of measures that reflect the organization's goals and priorities. This helps managers assess whether they are achieving their objectives and make informed decisions about where to focus their efforts. Benchmarking, trend analysis, and cultural audits are also useful tools for measuring performance, but they do not provide the same level of strategic alignment and integrated perspective as the Balanced Scorecard.

Question 16

The corporate culture at Federal Financial Services is very competitive and encourages result-oriented behaviors. What type of culture is this?

Accepted Answer

The description of the culture as competitive and result-oriented indicates a market culture, which emphasizes achievement and competitiveness.

Question 17

Which of the following is NOT a cell of the Balanced Scorecard model?

Accepted Answer

The Balanced Scorecard model includes four cells or perspectives: Financial, Customer, Process, and Learning & Growth. Turnover is a financial metric that could be used within the Financial perspective, but it is not a separate cell on its own.

Question 18

The employees at Happy Table are a close-knit group. They show a great deal of concern for each other and for their customers. This typifies what type of corporate culture?

Accepted Answer

The description of the employees at Happy Table showing concern for each other and for customers is indicative of a clan culture, which emphasizes collaboration, teamwork, and employee cohesion.

Question 19

One of Ted's responsibilities is to regularly review HR practices to make sure they all focus on the same objectives. In other words, Ted needs to ensure __________ alignment.

Accepted Answer

Horizontal alignment refers to ensuring that all HR practices are consistent and support the same objectives across the organization.

Question 20

XLT Corp. is pursuing a cooperative strategy as a way to drive growth. XLT might be considering a(n)

Accepted Answer

Joint venture is a type of cooperative strategy where two or more firms create a legally independent company to share resources and capabilities in order to develop a competitive advantage. XLT Corp. is pursuing a cooperative strategy as a way to drive growth, which aligns with the purpose of a joint venture. Trend analysis, merger, and acquisition are not relevant choices for this situation.

Quiz 2: Strategy and Human Resources Planning