BMAL 590 Week 5 MCQs (Academic Leveling Course)

Stakeholders are

A 
individuals or groups that have interests, rights, or ownership in an organization and its activities
B 
can benefit from a company's successes such as a profitable year
C 
harmed by a business's product failures
D 
interdependent with an organization
E 
accurately described by all of the above

______ stakeholders are those whose concerns the organization must address in order to ensure its own survival.

A 
Strategic
B 
Primary
C 
Direct
D 
Organizational
E 
Corporate

The stakeholders of the organization include all but

A 
employees
B 
society
C 
local government
D 
customers
E 
owners and investors

Which of the following statements describing how owners and shareholders relate to the organization is true?

A 
Companies with better HR practices have greater increases in market value.
B 
An investor's judgment about the value of a company's intangible assets is based on such things as reputation rankings.
C 
Most owners and shareholders invest their money in companies for financial reasons.
D 
Intangibles such as how employees feel about their employer can be used by shareholders to predict financial performance.
E 
All of the statements about how owners and shareholders relate to organization are true.

What are the primary concerns of customers in their roles as stakeholders?

A 
Legal compliance of the company and how it meets its social responsibility.
B 
Return on sales, return on assets, and return on investments.
C 
Quality service and products, innovation, and low cost.
D 
Concern about safety, health, and fair treatment.
E 
Whether the company uses collaborative problem-solving.
In the eyes of average Americans, the best employers

A 
maximize shareholder profits
B 
maximize long-term shareholder interests.
C 
make decisions based on economic needs of the organization
D 
seek to have a positive impact on society
E 
simply obey the letter of the law

How does an organization interact with its society stakeholders?

A 
By obeying local laws and regulations.
B 
By being committed to community relations.
C 
Through employee volunteerism.
D 
By acting socially responsible to protect the environment.
E 
By doing all of the above.

Which of the following statements describing the stakeholder relationship between employees and their employers is true?

A 
Many employers value a good quality of work life while on the job.
B 
Corporate restructuring has had minimal effect on U.S. employees.
C 
For most workers, whether the employer provides secure and affordable health insurance, paid sick leave, and assured pension and retirement benefits are more important than their pay.
D 
The Equal Pay Act is unnecessary today because all employees are paid according to their performance, not their gender.
E 
All of the above statements accurately describe the stakeholder relationship between employees and their employers.

Organizations offer their employees training and development programs to improve their skills, safe and healthy work environments, fair and equitable selection and promotion systems, and jobs designed to increase employee self-esteem in order to

A 
create stronger commitment from its employees
B 
increase employee satisfaction
C 
increase employee empowerment
D 
improve employee quality of work life
E 
do all of the above.

A competitive advantage derived from human resources is sustainable for a company when

A 
it uses a centralized tactical program of close supervision
B 
its employees have some rare and specialized skill not easily copied
C 
it has a newly created organizational culture
D 
its product is intangible
E 
its customers remember the product and not the salesperson

The most difficult company culture to copy would be one that

A 
has evolved over time and actually suits the needs of the company
B 
has evolved over the last twelve months
C 
has been used successfully by other companies not in the industry
D 
is based on a tactical pricing and promotion plan
E 
supports a newly developed technically-oriented company
All of the people who currently contribute to doing the work of the organization, those who could potentially contribute in the future, and those who have contributed in the recent past are referred to as

A 
employees
B 
the HR triad
C 
human resources
D 
HR professionals
E 
customers

The Human Resources Triad contains

A 
top-level, middle-level, and lower-level managers
B 
representatives from each primary stakeholder group
C 
suppliers, customers, and resellers
D 
line managers, human resource professionals, and employees
E 
employees, staff managers, and line managers

Improving on-time delivery of results to satisfy customers and reinforce or expand informal networks to satisfy employees are common reasons for the expanding use of

A 
assessment centers in selection
B 
teams
C 
employee stock ownership
D 
synergy
E 
globalization

Complexity is created by

A 
rapidly evolving competition from around the world
B 
constant innovations in products and services
C 
changing organizational structure and strategies
D 
political and economic dynamics
E 
all of the above statements
Questions to be addressed during strategic HR recruitment and planning might include

A 
How many new hires do we need in the near term and three to five years from now?
B 
Are we prepared to pay top dollar, or would we look for people who will be attracted to our company despite the modest compensation we offer?
C 
What is our plan for downsizing employees?
D 
What competencies do we need from our employees?
E 
All of these are valid questions.
Which of the following is not a cost of high turnover?

A 
lost knowledge
B 
excessive hours for remaining employees.
C 
increased litigation
D 
opportunities missed
E 
more errors
Which of the following statements about recruitment activities is true?

A 
Recruiting and hiring are interchangeable terms.
B 
Effective recruitment attracts individuals to the organization.
C 
Recruiting has little effect on employee retention.
D 
Recruiting involves sorting and ranking job applicants.
E 
Once hired, employees permanently disengage from the recruiting process.
In designing recruitment activities, the two central issues addressed are

A 
cost and applicant fit within the organizational culture
B 
cost and places to look for applicants
C 
methods used to find applicants and cost
D 
methods used to find applicants and sources to target
E 
job analyses and places to look for job applicants
Job postings

A 
can generate ill will if hiring decisions are made before the postings appear
B 
can reduce employee turnover by communicating to employees that they don't have to go elsewhere to find opportunities for advancement
C 
are used to create an open recruitment process
D 
usually provide complete job descriptions
E 
are accurately described by all of the above
A(n) _________ is a database that contains information about the pool of current employees.

A 
organizational job analyses
B 
management information system
C 
employee information system
D 
talent inventory
E 
competency ledger
Compared to external recruitment, internal recruiting

A 
can reduce employee morale
B 
is less costly
C 
can diminish employees' willingness to maximize their productivity
D 
will prevent problems with inbreeding
E 
is accurately described by all of the above
Which of the following statements about employee referrals as a job recruitment method is true?

A 
The informal employee referral approach is a very low-cost recruitment method.
B 
Compared with other internal recruiting methods, employee referrals result in the highest one-year survival rate.
C 
The employee referral approach only benefits the employer and not the employee.
D 
The employee referral process is a useful method of increasing diversity.
E 
An organization that relies heavily on employee referral will have no difficulty in complying with equal opportunity goals.
Which of the following statements about employment agencies is true?

A 
State employment agencies are supported by a special tax on wholesale products.
B 
Private employment agencies only serve professional and managerial labor.
C 
Employment agencies are a form of internal recruitment.
D 
State employment agencies tend to be small organizations with very limited lists of potential employees.
E 
The Social Security Act provides that most workers who have been laid off must register with the state employment agency in order to be eligible for unemployment benefits.
Which of the following organizations would be most likely to use contingent workers?

A 
a manufacturer of disposable diapers
B 
a Christmas tree farm
C 
a restaurant supplier
D 
a pet food manufacturer
E 
an insurance agency
Which of the following statements about how job applicants view recruiting practices is true?

A 
Job seekers' perception of how well they fit a job is typically most affected by contacts with the recruiter.
B 
Effective recruiters show interest in job applicants, and in return, applicants show more interest in the job.
C 
Negative impressions about the job tend to be created primarily by the body language used by the recruiter.
D 
High quality job seekers are not deterred by long application processes.
E 
The job recruiter has little impact on how the job applicant perceives the recruiting process.
Jessica had applied for a job and now you have to tell her that she will not be hired. As a competent HR professional, you are sending her a letter. In the letter, you have

A 
told her bluntly but honestly she does not have the skills for the position
B 
sent a form letter of rejection
C 
told her that your company needed to hire a minority candidate
D 
included a statement about the size and quality of the applicant pool
E 
told her to lower her career goals
Affirmative action programs (AAPs)

A 
correct underutilization of qualified members of protected groups in an organization's relevant labor market
B 
have been in effect since the beginning of the twentieth century
C 
are governed by state agencies
D 
require that all private-sector companies who have more than five employees hire members from protected groups
E 
specify the employee hiring and firing practices for all private-sector companies
Federal contractors are required to file affirmative action plans with the Office of Federal Compliance Program (OFCCP). These written plans must contain

A 
the contractor's mission statement
B 
the contractor's plan for diversity
C 
a utilization analysis
D 
job descriptions for every position in the organization
E 
a talent inventory for every employee and job applicant who is a member of a protected group
Causes of voluntary employee turnover include

A 
high compensation
B 
high unemployment rates
C 
lack of other opportunities
D 
flexible scheduling
E 
low pay
Which of the following statements about fairness is true?

A 
In a capitalistic economic society, organizations are only concerned about fairness when dealing with consumers and competitors.
B 
Fairness is seldom the result of proactive thinking.
C 
Concerns about fairness are typically handled reactively.
D 
Members of the labor force initiate and ultimately create federal and state laws.
E 
Fairness in the workplace is a result of ethical principles, not legal institutions.
Line managers, HR professionals, and employees all have roles and responsibilities for ensuring fair treatment in the workplace. Which of the following do all three groups have in common?

A 
Keep accurate and current records about employee performance
B 
Be informed about laws and regulations protecting employees' rights
C 
Administer grievance/ complaint procedures
D 
Set policy to take into account societal views
E 
They have none of these in common. Employees do not take part in this.
In a recent downsizing, Maureen, an average performer, was informed via email not to report to work the following Monday as her job had been terminated. Maureen was aware that the downsizing was to occur and was informed of the process by which layoffs would occur, which she thought was fair. All other performers in her work group who were let go had also been rated "average." Maureen

A 
is probably feeling she has been treated equitably.
B 
probably believes she has been denied procedural justice.
C 
probably believes she has been denied distributive justice.
D 
probably believes she has been denied interactional justice.
E 
b, c, and d are all correct.
You perceive that you are being treated unfairly in the workplace. Which of the following actions will help you to resolve the issue in a manner best for you and your organization?

A 
Ignore it and hope it corrects itself.
B 
Have patience. The government will pass legislation soon to help you.
C 
Call a lawyer and find grounds for a lawsuit.
D 
Talk to your supervisor or other appropriate person in the organization about the issue first.
E 
Quit and look for a job more to your liking.
Which of the following statements about the relationship between federal and state laws is true?

A 
All companies, no matter how small, are covered under federal laws.
B 
State laws often anticipate (precede) federal laws.
C 
The only difference between state laws and federal laws is the jurisdiction of the agency that enforces them.
D 
Federal and state laws are types of administrative law.
E 
Federal laws never supersede state laws.
Executive orders are

A 
created by federal agencies
B 
dictated by the U.S. Constitution
C 
the result of precedent-setting legal cases
D 
issued by the president of the U.S.
E 
state laws that act as precedent for federal laws
The _____ rule states that because employers are the managers, they have the right to terminate their employees whenever they choose.

A 
termination-at-will
B 
employee non-discrimination
C 
equity treatment
D 
employment-at-will
E 
employer autonomy
Which of the following is NOT an acceptable reason to terminate an employee?

A 
Incompetence in performance that does not respond to training or to accommodation
B 
Gross or repeated insubordination
C 
Civil rights violations such as engaging in harassment
D 
Complaining or testifying about violations of equal pay or wage and hour laws
E 
All are acceptable reasons
Grievance procedures

A 
have become nearly universally used in unionized settings
B 
are consistent with managers’ beliefs that employees have a right to fair treatment.
C 
help lower legal costs associated with resolving employee-employer disputes in court
D 
increase employee loyalty and commitment
E 
are accurately described by all of the above
_____ is the most popular form of alternative dispute resolution (ADR).

A 
Mediation
B 
Administrative settlement
C 
Executive order
D 
Arbitration
E 
Statutory governance
If a legal right has been violated and has resulted in injury, the defendant may be required to pay _____ monetary damages to the plaintiff.

A 
distributive and procedural
B 
compensatory and punitive
C 
financial and professional
D 
personal and professional
E 
present and future
Respect for all employees is when employment decisions are made on the basis of ________ rather than _________.

A 
race, merit
B 
performance, merit
C 
merit, demographic attributes
D 
affirmative action, demographic attributes
E 
demographic attributes, performance
Which of the following statements about the prevention of harassment is true?

A 
Businesses should enforce a zero tolerance for harassment.
B 
It is relatively easy to create sexual harassment policies that will eliminate harassment.
C 
The EEOC wants businesses to establish a fund from which plaintiffs in harassment cases will be paid.
D 
Harassment-awareness training programs have proven ineffective deterrents.
E 
Policies defining penalties for engaging in activities that may involve harassing need to be narrow and specific in order to be really useful.
In order to make sure its sexual harassment policy provides effective guidelines for its managers, the company should write a policy that includes

A 
jokes, slurs, and epithets that are examples of harassment
B 
termination policies for the accused and the accuser
C 
a requirement that those who have been harassed must report it to management
D 
the reporting format that will be used in its monthly report to the EEOC
E 
the scale for payment to those who have proven they were harassed
The Privacy Act of 1974

A 
was the first major statute to address the issue of privacy directly
B 
applies to employees in the private sector
C 
gives employees control over who gets what information
D 
is an administrative regulation developed and enforced by the EEOC
E 
has been ruled as unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court
Many organizations help their customers train their workforces because

A 
it meets the special customer needs
B 
it ensures capabilities of specialized products are fully utilized and recognized
C 
it can be a source of extra revenue
D 
it ensures customers get the full benefits of the company's equipment
E 
All of the above are reasons.
_____ has the major objective of teaching employees about the organization’s history, culture, and management practices.

A 
Socialization
B 
Training
C 
Organizational instruction
D 
Personnel indoctrination
E 
Bridging
Employment commitment

A 
cannot be created, but must be allowed to develop over time
B 
can be created by intensive socialization and training
C 
is never permanent
D 
lasts only as long as the employee gets to perform in a way that is comfortable for him or her
E 
is desirable but not achievable
What role do an organization's employees play in training and development?

A 
The effectiveness of training and development requires the support and cooperation of all employees in the system.
B 
All employees are typically involved in designing training systems.
C 
Employees should not view training and development activities as opportunities for socialization.
D 
Research indicates that employees who have not selected a career path are more likely to participate in training and development opportunities.
E 
Only top management should be actively involved in designing and developing training programs.
Research shows that a supportive training climate at an organization enhances transfer of training. Which of the following is an indicator of a supportive climate?

A 
Training is held off site after hours
B 
Employees compete for training opportunities
C 
No overtime on training nights for the employees enrolled
D 
The incentives are "If you don't, it will look bad on your record"
E 
Employees encourage each other to practice newly learned skills
A properly executed organizational needs analysis

A 
results in a clear statement of training goals
B 
includes an assessment of the organizational climate
C 
identifies available resources and constraints
D 
begins with an analysis of short and long term strategy
E 
is accurately described by all of the above
A person needs analysis

A 
is performed before a job-needs analysis
B 
focuses on the generic job incumbent, not the current employee
C 
identifies gaps between a person's current capabilities and those identified as necessary for a particular job
D 
is derived from job analysis and competency modeling
E 
is accurately described by all of the above
Five components are necessary to ensure that you are setting up the proper conditions for effective training. Which of the following is NOT one of the five?

A 
People need to know what it is they are to learn
B 
People need to be motivated to put in the required effort
C 
People must be shown how to acquire the needed competencies
D 
All need to feel personally accountable for what they have learned
E 
People need to become engaged in learning for learning's own sake
During the recent workshop Martin attended, he practiced learning how to talk to his co-workers, how to listen to what they are saying, and how to read their nonverbal communication. This workshop was designed to produce

A 
an affective outcome
B 
improved skills
C 
cognitive knowledge
D 
a more versatile skills inventory
E 
more intelligent employees
During a recent day-long training session, Ashley and a group of co-workers were asked to solve several puzzles that required the group to work closely together. As they finished each puzzle, the group's sense of camaraderie increased. The members started the session as acquaintances and ended as friends. From this information, you would know this training session was designed to produce

A 
an affective outcome
B 
a skill-based outcome
C 
cognitive knowledge
D 
a more versatile skills inventory
E 
more intelligent employees
Which of the following is a type of on-the-job training?

A 
assessment centers
B 
role playing
C 
interactive video training
D 
internships
E 
programmed instruction
Even though the instructions for mixing paint colors were quite clear, the supervisor who was training the new hardware store clerk had her watch an actual demonstration of the mixing of a can of Desert Rose and a can of Newport Blue paint. The trainer used _____ to set the stage for learning.

A 
shaping
B 
enactive mastery
C 
knowledge management
D 
behavior modeling
E 
task segmentation
Possible recipients of global leadership training and development include

A 
expatriates
B 
inpatriates
C 
global managers
D 
headquarters staff
E 
all of the above
Which of the following statements about why unionization and collective bargaining are important is true?

A 
Employers typically do not change their methods of operation when union organizers appear.
B 
The core of union-management relations is the grievance procedure.
C 
Unionization typically gives employers more flexibility in hiring new workers.
D 
Unions obtain rights for their members that employees without unions do not legally have.
E 
All of the above statements about why unionization and collective bargaining are important are true
What are the responsibilities of line managers in unionization and collective bargaining?

A 
to understand why employees are likely to join a union
B 
to manage employees with respect and equality
C 
to support the efforts of HR professionals in developing and implementing policies to support good working conditions
D 
to know what can and can't be said to employees regarding unionization during an organizing campaign
E 
to do all of the above
National unions

A 
are umbrella organizations like the AFL-CIO
B 
are all affiliated with the AFL-CIO
C 
develop the general policies and procedures by which local unions operate
D 
serve as the primary arbitrator in employee-employer disputes
E 
routinely assist local unions in grievance-handling
Local unions elect a(n) _____, an employee elected by his or her work unit to act as the union representative at the workplace and to respond to company actions against employees that may violate the labor agreement.

A 
employee spokesperson
B 
union liaison
C 
union steward
D 
business representative
E 
union delegate
One major function of the National Labor Relations Board is to

A 
conduct the process in which a union is chosen to represent employees
B 
supervise the internal activities and finances of unions
C 
settle employee-employer disputes
D 
encourage the certification of unions
E 
reduce the number of economic strikes
What is the first step in the union certification process?

A 
gain employer approval of unionization
B 
union-employee contact
C 
get sufficient number of employees to sign authorization cards
D 
set up a meeting between employees and an NLRB representative
E 
inform all stakeholders of union interest
Which of the following statements during the election campaign would probably be viewed negatively by the NLRB?

A 
Management says that unions are costly to the employees because of union dues.
B 
Management says that if a union is formed, strikes may occur.
C 
The union promises that a grievance procedure will ensure fair treatment of employees.
D 
The union promises higher wages.
E 
Management says that layoffs will occur if a union is elected.
Decertification elections

A 
are conducted by employers
B 
can remove a union from representation
C 
are conduced by the local union
D 
are conducted by the national union
E 
can pre-empt the card-signing campaign
Which of the following is an example of a condition that strongly influences an employee's decision to join a union?

A 
organizational mission statement
B 
union instrumentality
C 
employee personality
D 
management's open door policy
E 
a lack of formalization
Collective bargaining is a complex process in which union members and management negotiators maneuver to win the most advantageous contract. How the issues are settled depends on

A 
the quality of the union-management relationship
B 
whether the organization is centralized
C 
the degree of formalization within the organization
D 
the organizational mission
E 
all of the above
Which of the following types of bargaining used in contract negotiation results in a win-lose situation?

A 
intraorganizational
B 
distributive
C 
integrative
D 
continuous
E 
concessionary
Which of the following statements about the composition of negotiating committees is true?

A 
The employer and the union together select the management representative.
B 
Lawyers are not selected as members of negotiating committees.
C 
National union representatives are not included in any negotiating committee.
D 
The union does not have to have management approval of its representative on the negotiating committee.
E 
No one who is not a member of the union or an employee of the organization can be a member of the negotiating committee.
Before negotiations with the union, management needs to

A 
survey employees to find out what union demands are before they are put on the table
B 
prepare statistical displays and supportive data that the company will need during negotiations
C 
hire a labor relations expert to make sure nothing illegal is agreed to
D 
announce across-the-board pay increases
E 
confirm its bargaining position with the National Labor Relations Board
Which of the following is an example of a mandatory issue to be discussed during a collective bargaining session?

A 
number of new hires
B 
pricing strategy for new products
C 
wage rates
D 
product design
E 
new product development process
The most direct and dramatic response to a union-management negotiation deadlock that the union can make is a

A 
primary boycott
B 
work slowdown
C 
lockout
D 
strike
E 
secondary boycott
A mediator

A 
is a neutral third party that helps the union and management negotiators reach a voluntary agreement
B 
must have the trust and respect of both parties if he or she is to have any success
C 
must have sufficient expertise to convince the union and employer he or she will be fair and equitable
D 
has no power to impose a solution, he or she can only facilitate
E 
is accurately described by all of the above
The most common type of grievance filed by unions is ____________.

A 
discipline and discharge
B 
allocation of overtime
C 
allocation of shift work
D 
safety and health
E 
improper promotions
Which of the following is a good measure of how well the union-management negotiation process works?

A 
the need for government intervention
B 
the duration of contract negotiations
C 
the use of mediation and arbitration
D 
the outcome of member ratification votes
E 
all of the above