SET A: Human Resource Theories

The basic functions of the management process include all of the following EXCEPT ________.

A) Planning

B) Organizing

C) Outsourcing

D) Leading

A)

Which one of the following is the person responsible for accomplishing an organization's goals by managing the efforts of the organization's people?

A) Manager

B) Entrepreneur

C) Generalist

D) Marketer

A)

Which function of the management process requires a manager to establish goals and standards and to develop rules and procedures?

A) Planning

B) Organizing

C) Staffing

D) Leading

B)

Consuela, a manager, delegates the authority for a project to Lee, her subordinate. Consuela is most likely involved in which function of the management process?

A) Staffing

B) Organizing

C) Motivating

D) Leading

C)

When managers use metrics to assess performance and then develop strategies for corrective action, they are performing the ________ function of the management process.

A) Planning

B) Leading

C) Controlling

D) Organizing

A)

In the management process, which one of the following is an activity associated with the leading function?

A) Motivating subordinates

B) Setting performance standards

C) Training new employees

D) Developing procedures

D)

Personnel activities associated with human resource management most likely include all of the following EXCEPT ________.

A) Orienting and training new employees

B) Appraising employee performance

C) Building employee commitment

D) Developing customer relationships

D)

A line manager's human resource responsibilities most likely include all of the following EXCEPT ________.

A) Maintaining department morale

B) Controlling labor costs

C) Protecting employees' health

D) Marketing new products and services

A)

Yuki works at a position in his organization where he maintains contacts within the local community and travels to search for qualified job applicants. Yuki's position is best described as ________.

A) Recruiter

B) Manager

C) Labor relations specialist

D) Job analyst

A)

Human resource managers generally exert ________ within the human resources department and ________ outside the human resources department.

A) Line authority; staff authority

B) Staff authority; line authority

C) Functional authority; line authority

D) Staff authority; implied authority

C)

Wilmer works in the HR department and is in charge of developing the plans for how people are paid and how the employee benefits program is run. Wilmer is most likely holding the position of ________.

A) Training specialist

B) Recruiter

C) Compensation manager

D) Job analyst

B)

An HR generalist at Wilson Manufacturing has been assigned to the sales department to provide HR management assistance as needed. Which of the following best describes the structure of the HR services provided at Wilson Manufacturing?

A) Shared HR teams

B) Embedded HR teams

C) Centers of expertise

D) Corporate HR teams

B)

Which organization of the human resource function involves dedicated HR members that assist top management in issues such as developing the personnel aspects of the company's long-term strategic plan?

A) Embedded HR teams

B) Corporate HR teams

C) Centers of expertise

D) Shared services

B)

What term refers to the knowledge, skills, and abilities of a firm's workers?

A) Human resources

B) Human capital

C) Intangible assets

D) Contingent personnel

D)

What is the term for workforces like those at the company Uber, where freelancers and independent contractors work when they can, on what they want to work on, and when the company needs them?

A) Tele-commuters

B) Human capital

C) Job-analysts

D) On-demand workers

C)

The recent trend where in some occupations (such as high-tech) unemployment rates are low, while in others unemployment rates are still very high and recruiters in many companies can't find candidates, while in others there's a wealth of candidates is called ________.

A) Talent analytics

B) Globalization

C) Unbalanced labor force

D) Human capital

B)

Which one of the following best exemplifies recent trends in technology that are affecting human resource management?

A) Listing open positions on Monster.com, Careerbuilder.com, and similar websites.

B) The use of gaming features to enhance training and performance appraisal

C) Allowing workers to telecommute

D) Providing employees with laptops or tablets so they can work offsite

D)

Evidence-based human resource management relies on all of the following types of evidence EXCEPT ________.

A) Scientific rigor

B) Existing data

C) Research studies

D) Qualitative opinions

TRUE

In small organizations, line managers frequently handle all personnel duties without the assistance of a human resource staff.

True or False?

Line function or staff function

What are the two distinct functions carried out by human resource managers?

Line function or staff function

Training and Development

Part II

C.

On Letitia's first day of work at a software firm, she attended a meeting with the HR manager and other new employees. Letitia learned about employee benefits packages, personnel policies, and the structure of the company. In Which one of the following did Letitia most likely participate?

A. Recruitment

B. Selection

C. Employee orientation

D. Employee development

C.

Which one of the following is most likely NOT one of the goals of a firm's employee orientation program

A. Making new employees feel like part of a team

B. Helping new employees become socialized into the firm

C. Assisting new employees in selecting the best labor union

D. Teaching new employees about the firm's history and strategies

FALSE

Employee orientation programs range from brief, informal introductions to lengthy, formal courses.

True or False

FALSE

Hiring highly skilled employees with great potential eliminates the need to provide orientation and training.

True or False

B.

The methods used to give new or present employees the skills they need to perform their jobs are called ________

A. Orientation

B. Training

C. Development

D. Management

C.

________ identifies the training employees will need to fill future jobs.

A. Competency modeling

B. Performance analysis

C. Strategic training needs analysis

D. Screening

C.

What is the first step in the ADDIE training process?

A. Assessing the program's successes

B. Appraising the program's budget

C. Analyzing the training need

D. Acquiring training materials

C.

Amy, an accounting supervisor, has been asked to provide training for her subordinates about new tax laws. In order to motivate the individuals who, attend her training session, Amy should most likely do all of the following EXCEPT ________.

A. Use as many visual aids as possible during the session

B. Provide an overview of the material to be covered

C. Use new terminology and technical concepts

D. Give information in logical, meaningful section

D.

Employers will most likely use all of the following methods to identify training needs for new employees EXCEPT ________________.

A. Analyzing job descriptions

B. Reviewing performance standards

C. Questioning current job holders

D. Conducting a work sampling

TRUE

Training sessions should be half-day or three-fourths day in length rather than a full day, because the learning curve goes down late in the day.

True or False

A.

Which one of the following would most likely occur during the fourth step of the ADDIE training process?

A. Holding on-the-job training sessions

B. Selecting employees for training

C. Preparing online training materials

D. Asking participants for feedback

A.

Rebekah was hired soon after graduation and assigned to complete a management trainee program. She will move to various jobs each month for a nine-month period of time. Her employer is utilizing the ________ form of training.

A. Job rotation

B. Understudy

C. Job expansion

D. Informal learning

C.

A structured process by which people become skilled workers through a combination of classroom instruction and on-the-job training is called ________.

A. Job instruction training

B. Programmed learning

C. Apprenticeship training

D. Coaching technique

D.

Ian is currently being trained on the job and is at the first step in the OJT process, which involves ________.

A. Showing the trainee how do the task

B. Verbalizing the steps of the task

C. Checking to make sure the task was learned by the trainee

D. Familiarizing the trainee with equipment, tools, and trade terms

A.

When jobs consist of a logical sequence of steps and are best taught step-bystep, the most appropriate training method to use is ________.

A. Job instruction training

B. Apprenticeship training

C. Programmed learning

D. Job rotation

Personnel Planning and Recruitment

PART III

D.

What is the first step in the recruitment and selection process?

A. Performing initial screening interviews

B. Building a pool of candidates

C. Performing candidate background checks

D. Deciding what positions to fill

B.

Marcus, an HR manager for Samsung, must decide what positions the firm should fill in the next six months, which means Marcus is currently working on ________.

A. screening job candidates

B. Personnel planning

C. interviewing job candidates

D. writing job descriptions

B.

The process of deciding how to fill executive positions at a firm is known as ________.

A. Internal recruiting

B. Succession planning

C. Long-term forecasting

D. Advanced interviewing

B.

Which one of the following terms refers to studying a firm's past employment needs over a period of years to predict future needs?

A. Ratio analysis

B. Trend analysis

C. Graphical analysis

D. Computer analysis

B.

Newton Building Supplies hopes to generate an extra Php 4 million in sales next year. A salesperson traditionally generates Php 800,000 in sales each year. Using ratio analysis, how many new salespeople should Newton hire?

A. 2

B. 5

C. 10

D. 20

B.

Which one of the following contains data regarding employees' education, career development, and special skills and is used by managers when selecting inside candidates for promotion?

A. Computerized forecasting tools

B. Skills inventories

C. Trend records

D. Scatter plots

B.

When managers need to determine which current employees are available for promotion or transfer, they will most likely use ________.

A. Scatter plots

B. Skills inventories

C. Estimated sales trends

D. Personnel forecasts

D.

All of the following are methods used by firms to develop high-potential candidates for future positions EXCEPT________.

A. Providing internal training

B. Implementing job rotation

C. Offering global assignments

D. Developing skills inventories

A.

Smith Industries is thinking of having another company take care of its benefits management. This is called ________.

A. Outsourcing

B. Recruiting

C. Telecommuting

D. Screening

D.

Recruiting is necessary to ________.

A. Determine whether to use inside or outside candidates

B. Forecast the short-term supply of outside candidates

C. Create positive word-of-mouth about a firm

D. Develop an applicant pool

B.

Which one of the following is the primary disadvantage of using internal sources of candidates to fill vacant positions in a firm?

A. Lack of knowledge regarding a candidate's strengths

B. Potential to lose employees who aren't promoted

C. Questionable commitment of candidates to the firm

D. Significant training and orientation requirements

B.

Maria Boyd has been hired by Barnum Hotels to manage staffing for the regional hotel chain. Barnum intends to open two new hotels within the next three years and will have many job positions to fill. Historically, employee turnover is high at Barnum as employees remain with the company for one or two years before quitting. Maria realizes that Barnum needs to make significant changes in its personnel strategy in order to meet the company's goals for the future and improve employee retention rates. All of the following questions are relevant to Mari's decision to fill top positions at the new hotels with internal candidates EXCEPT:

A. What are the key managerial positions that are available at the new hotels?

B. What percentage of employers in the service industry use succession planning?

C. What skills, education, and training have been provided to potential candidates?

D. What is the designated procedure for assessing and selecting potential candidates?

B.

Which one of the following is NOT a tool used by firms to recruit outside candidates?

A. Newspaper advertising

B. Intranet job postings

C. Employment agencies

D. Online job boards

A.

Which one of the following factors plays the greatest role in determining the best medium for a job advertisement?

A. Skills needed for the job

B. Job compensation and salary

C. Time allowed to fill the position

D. Graphics used in the advertisement

C.

An employer will most likely use a private employment agency in order to ________.

A. Receive assistance writing job ads

B. Adhere to legal hiring practices

C. Fill a specific job opening quickly

D. Spend more time recruiting applicants

A.

Newton Manufacturing is using a private employment agency to recruit individuals for management positions. As the HR manager at Newton, you need to ensure that applicants are screened properly, so you should ________.

A. Provide the agency with an accurate job description

B. Post jobs on the firm's intranet and bulletin boards

C. Develop applicant screening software for internal hires

D. Send HR experts to monitor the agency's recruiting activities

A.

Kate works as a nurse on temporary assignment for hospitals throughout the region on an as-needed basis. Kate is most likely ________.

A. Working as a contingent worker

B. Participating in a job rotation

C. Using job enlargement

D. Benchmarking jobs

B.

What is an advantage of using employee referral campaigns?

A. Local, hourly workers can be recruited quickly.

B. Applicants have received realistic job previews.

C. Rewards and incentives are eliminated.

D. Applicants have community ties

TRUE

Publicizing an open job to current employees through a firm's intranet or bulletin board is known as job posting.

True or False

Performance Appraisal

PART 1V

B.

Which one of the following terms refers to the process of evaluating an employee's current and/or past performance relative to his or her performance standards?

A. employee selection

B. performance appraisal

C. employee orientation

D. Organizational development

B.

The primary purpose of providing employees with feedback during a performance appraisal is to motivate employees to________.

A. Apply for managerial positions

B. Remove any performance deficiencies

C. Revise their performance standards

D. Enroll in work-related training programs

B.

All of the following are reasons for appraising an employee's performance EXCEPT ________.

A. Correcting any work-related deficiencies

B. Creating an organizational strategy map

C. Determining appropriate salary and bonuses

D. Making decisions about promotions

A.

In most organizations, who is primarily responsible for appraising an employee's performance?

A. Employee's direct supervisor

B. Company appraiser

C. Human resources manager

D. Employee's subordinates

B.

What is the first step of any performance appraisal?

A. Giving feedback

B. Setting work standards

C. Making plans to provide training

D. Assessing the employee's performance

C.

What usually occurs when employees rate themselves for performance appraisals?

A. Ratings are reliable but invalid.

B. Ratings are subject to halo effects.

C. Ratings are higher than when provided by supervisors.

D. Ratings are about the same as when determined by peers

B.

Which one of the following terms refers to the process of allowing subordinates to rate their supervisor's performance anonymously?

A. Supplemental evaluation

B. Upward feedback

C. Paired evaluation

D. Peer evaluation

A.

Which one of the following terms refers to a performance appraisal based on surveys from peers, supervisors, subordinates, and customers?

A. 360-degree feedback

B. Team appraisals

C. Upward feedback

D. Rating committee

TRUE

Supervisors should provide employees with feedback, development, and incentives necessary to help employees eliminate performance deficiencies or to continue to perform well.

True or False

TRUE

The HR department monitors the performance appraisal system, but it is typically not involved in rating employees.

True or False

TRUE

In order to ensure that performance appraisals are effective, Felicia, a line supervisor, should make sure to schedule a feedback session to address each subordinate's performance, progress, and future development plans

True or False

B.

Which one of the following is the easiest and most popular technique for appraising employee performance?

A. Alternation ranking

B. Graphic rating scale

C. Forced distribution

D. Constant sum rating scale

B.

Rolf, the supervisor of the manufacturing department at a computer firm, is in the process of evaluating his staff's performance. He has determined that 15% of the group will be identified as high performers, 20% as above average performers, 30% as average performers, 20% as below average performers, and 15% as poor performers. Which performance appraisal tool has John chosen to use?

A. Behaviorally anchored rating scale

B. Forced distribution

C. Alternation ranking

D. Paired comparison

C.

Which term refers to ranking of employees from best to worst on a trait or traits, choosing highest than lowest until all are ranked?

A. Performance management

B. Paired comparison

C. Alternation ranking

D. Direction sharing

TRUE

Management by objectives requires a manager to set specific measurable, organizationally relevant goals with each employee and then periodically discuss the employee's progress toward these goals

True or False

Job Analysis and Talent Management Process

PART V

TRUE

In an effective talent management system, an employee's performance appraisal would initiate training and development opportunities.

True or False

TRUE

Effective talent management focuses on developing employee competencies that align with strategic goals.

True or False

--

All of the following types of information will most likely be collected by a human resources specialist through a job analysis EXCEPT ________.

A. Job description

B. Job specification

C. Job analysis

D. Job context

C.

All of the following types of information will most likely be collected by a human resources specialist through a job analysis EXCEPT ________.

A. Work activities

B. Human behaviors

C. Performance standards

D. Employee benefits options

D.

Jennifer, a manager at an engineering firm, has been assigned the task of conducting a job analysis. What should be Jennifer's first step in the process?

A. Deciding how the gathered information will be used

B. Collecting data on job activities and working conditions

C. Selecting representative job positions to assess

D. Reviewing relevant background information

A.

All of the following requirements are typically addressed in job specifications EXCEPT ________.

A. Desired personality traits

B. Required education levels

C. Necessary experience

D. Working conditions

C.

Which one of the following indicates the division of work within a firm and the lines of authority and communication?

A. Process chart

B. Employee matrix

C. Organizational chart

D. Corporate overview

A.

Which one of the following is an example of business process reengineering?

A. Using computerized systems to combine separate tasks

B. Creating a visual chart for workflow procedures

C. Assigning additional activities to new employees

D. Developing employee skills and behaviors

D.

While performing the fifth step of a job analysis, it is essential to confirm the validity of collected data with the ________.

A. EEOC representative

B. HR manager

C. Legal department

D. Worker

A.

Which one of the following terms refers to systematically moving workers from one job to another?

A. Job rotation

B. Job enrichment

C. Job enlargement

D. Job adjustment

FALSE

Conducting the job analysis is the sole responsibility of the HR specialist.

True or False

C.

Jerome, a manager at an electronics company, needs to gather job analysis information from a large number of employees who perform similar work. Which one of the following would be most appropriate for Jerome?

A. Observing all employees

B. Interviewing the HR manager

C. Holding a group interview with a supervisor

D. Conducting telephone surveys of all employees

C.

One of the problems with direct observation is ________, which is when workers alter their normal activities because they are being watched.

A. Flexibility

B. Falsification

C. Reactivity

D. Diversion

FALSE

Informal interviews provide quantitative job analysis information, which is why they are frequently used by managers who need to determine the relative worth of a job for pay purposes.

True or False

A.

Joaquin records every activity in which he participates at work along with the time it takes him to complete each activity. Which of the following approaches to job analysis data collection is most likely being used at Joaquin's workplace?

A. Diaries

B. Interviews

C. Observations

D. Questionnaires

Employee Testing and Selection

PART VI

A.

A reliable employment test will most likely yield ________.

A. Consistent scores when a person takes two alternate forms of the test

B. Improved scores when a person takes the same test more than once in a single day

C. High scores when a person takes two alternate forms of the test on different occasions

D. Similar scores when two different people are administered the test at different times

B.

Which one of the following terms refers to the accuracy with which a test fulfills the function for which it was designed?

A. Reliability

B. Validity

C. Expectancy

D. Consistency

TRUE

Selection tests should be used as supplements to other tools like interviews and background checks.

True or False

A.

As part of the selection process for a position at UPS, Jack has been asked to lift weights and jump rope. which one of the following is most likely being measured by UPS?

A. Motor ability

B. Personality

C. Cognitive

D. Interest

C.

Carlos recently participated in a selection test for a position at Northern Aeronautics. The test measured Carlos's finger dexterity and reaction time, so it was most likely a(n) ________ test.

A. Interpersonal skills

B. Cognitive skills

C. Physical abilities

D. Achievements

B.

The Big Five personality dimensions include all of the following EXCEPT ________.

A. Neuroticism

B. Optimism

C. Extroversion

D. Conscientiousness

D.

Which one of the following terms refers to training candidates to perform several of the job's tasks and then assessing the candidates' performance prior to hire?

A. Achievement testing

B. Work sampling technique

C. Management assessment center

D. Miniature job training

C.

Which one of the following is the primary reason that firms conduct background investigations of job applicants?

A. Adhere to legal hiring practices

B. Limit the number of applicants

C. Uncover false information

D. Report criminals to police

C.

A(n) ________ is a multi-day simulation in which candidates perform realistic tasks in hypothetical situations and are scored on their performance

A. Work sampling event

B. Situational judgment test

C. Management assessment center

D. Applicant personality test