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1.
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The concept of "human resource management" implies that employees are
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A.
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a secondary component of a business.
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B.
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troublesome and need to be monitored.
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C.
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resources of the employer.
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D.
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an unnecessary cost to an employer.
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E.
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a rare component of the business world.
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2.
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In the context of human resource management, human capital refers to the
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A.
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wages, benefits, and other costs incurred in support of HR functions in an organization.
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B.
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cash, equipment, technology, and facilities that an organization uses.
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C.
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tax-deferred value of an employee's 401(k) plan.
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D.
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organization's employees, which add economic value to the company.
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E.
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total budget allocated to the HR department in an organization.
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3.
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How do human resources professionals provide an organization with a sustainable competitive advantage?
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A.
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They manage commonly available resources.
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B.
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They help the organization do what competitors are doing.
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C.
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They keep the organization focused on the short term.
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D.
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They hire high-quality employees who provide a needed service as they perform many critical functions.
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E.
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They hire employees who are very enthusiastic despite lacking job experience and training.
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4.
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Which of the following is a responsibility that is specifically associated with the HR function of employee relations?
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A.
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conducting attitude surveys
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C.
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creating HR information systems
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D.
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planning and forecasting human resources
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5.
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Which of the following responsibilities is specifically associated with the HR function of support for strategy?
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A.
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temporary labor recruitment and record keeping
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B.
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human resource planning and forecasting
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C.
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wage and salary administration
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D.
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development of employee handbooks and company publications
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E.
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development of an HR information system
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6.
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Which of the following refers to the process of getting detailed information about jobs?
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B.
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supply chain management
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7.
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Which of the following best describes job design?
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A.
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It is the process of defining the way work will be performed and the tasks that a given job requires.
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B.
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It is the process of generating a pool of potential candidates for a job.
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C.
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It is the process of identifying suitable candidates for jobs.
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D.
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It is the technique of enabling employees to learn job-related knowledge, skills, and behavior.
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E.
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It is the technique of presenting candidates with detailed information about a job.
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8.
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Which of the following is responsible for the shift in the job trend, from the use of narrowly defined jobs to the use of broadly defined jobs in organizations?
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A.
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emphasis on innovation and quality
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B.
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increased demand for low skilled workers
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C.
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increased focus on simplifying jobs
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E.
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reduced use of team-based projects
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9.
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Identify the process through which an organization seeks applicants for potential employment.
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10.
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Which of the following describes a planned effort to enable employees to learn job-related knowledge, skills, and behavior?
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11.
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The external labor market consists of
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A.
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contract workers in the organization.
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B.
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current employees of the organization.
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C.
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individuals who are actively seeking employment.
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D.
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employees who have direct contact with customers.
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E.
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employees of the immediate competitors of the organization.
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12.
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Identify the correct statement regarding the composition of the U.S. labor force during the projected 2014-2024 period.
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A.
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The labor force is expected to grow at a greater rate than at any other time in U.S. history.
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B.
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The largest proportion of the labor force is expected to be in the 16- to 25-year age group.
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C.
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The segment of the workforce nearing retirement age will hold steady.
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D.
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Despite a small increase in the number of young workers, the overall workforce will be aging.
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E.
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The total workforce of the United States will considerably decrease.
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13.
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Which of the following racial groups will form the majority of the U.S. labor force according to the 2014-2024 Employment Projections from the Bureau of Labor Statistics?
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14.
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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?
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A.
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There is a lack of adequate technology in the United States.
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B.
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Undocumented immigrants work harder than U.S. citizens.
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C.
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Qualified technical workers are scarce in the United States.
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D.
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U.S workers do not want this physically demanding work.
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E.
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The size of the U.S. workforce is declining.
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15.
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Managing cultural diversity involves
|
A.
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forming different pay structures for various groups.
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B.
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creating separate career tracks for employees with families.
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C.
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avoiding the use of affirmative action policies.
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D.
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reducing cultural diversity by selective hiring.
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E.
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encouraging career development for women and minorities.
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16.
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Given the increasing use of computers to do routine tasks, which of the following skills is most likely to be actively sought by U.S. employers today?
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B.
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mastery of a particular piece of machinery
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D.
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ability to perform routine tasks
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E.
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ability to work with a tool
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17.
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Which of the following is a characteristic of current-day high-performance work systems?
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A.
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mismatches in technical system and social system
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B.
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employee empowerment in decision making
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C.
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increase in individual assignments
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D.
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centralized decision making
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E.
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reduced reliance on knowledge workers
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18.
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The growth in e-commerce and the information economy has led to an increase in the demand for employees in
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B.
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mining and resource extraction.
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19.
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Which of the following statements is TRUE of employee empowerment?
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A.
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Proper training must be provided only to supervisors so that they can exert their wider authority.
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B.
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Managers should ensure that employees are not linked to resources outside the organization, such as customers.
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C.
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Employee empowerment shifts the recruiting focus away from cognitive and interpersonal skills toward general technical skills.
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D.
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Employee empowerment prevents holding employees accountable for the products and services they developed.
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E.
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Jobs must be designed to give employees the necessary latitude for making a variety of decisions.
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20.
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In what way does teamwork make work more significant?
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A.
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It centralizes authority so workers do not have to make decisions.
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B.
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Team members have less authority, so they can relax.
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C.
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Teams get to work on fast-moving assembly lines.
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D.
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Team members contribute to quality and assume many activities traditionally reserved for managers.
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E.
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Teams spare employees from having to work directly with customers.
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21.
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Alyssa thinks that her company is discriminating against a particular group of employees by denying them seniority or promotions. She expresses her concern to a senior human resources manager. This method of expressing concern about an instance of illegal employment through proper channels is known as _____.
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C.
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participation in a proceeding
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22.
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Which of the following represents an act of participation in a proceeding?
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A.
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removing a whistleblower from employment
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B.
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implementing affirmative action measures
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C.
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expressing dissatisfaction over employment casually
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D.
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retaliating against a whistleblower
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E.
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testifying in an investigation
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23.
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Which of the following refers to an organization's active effort to find opportunities to hire or promote people in a particular group?
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C.
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reasonable accommodation
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D.
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reverse discrimination
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24.
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The Americans with Disabilities Act protects individuals who
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B.
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are severely disfigured.
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C.
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engage in substance abuse.
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25.
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A _____ refers to an agreement between the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and an organization that the organization will cease certain discriminatory practices and possibly institute additional affirmative-action practices to rectify its history of discrimination.
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26.
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Differing conduct toward individuals, where the differences are clearly based on the individuals' race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, or disability status is termed as _____.
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D.
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reasonable accommodation
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E.
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reverse discrimination
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27.
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Identify the case in which disparate treatment is considered legal.
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A.
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In a particular retail outlet, male workers are employed to handle the sales.
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B.
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In an electrical company, male workers are exclusively employed to work as electricians.
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C.
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In a vehicle manufacturing company, male workers are exclusively employed in all departments.
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D.
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In a certain shopping mall, female workers are exclusively employed to clean the women's restroom.
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E.
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In a particular hospital, only female nurses are appointed.
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28.
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Which of the following statements is TRUE of a bona fide occupational qualification?
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A.
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it is considered illegal by a court
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B.
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it is a necessary qualification for a job
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C.
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it is strictly prohibited by organizations
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D.
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it is a preferred qualification for the job
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E.
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it is used to deem disparate treatment illegal
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29.
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Identify the type of case where most of the debate focuses on discriminatory consequences and the plaintiff need not prove an employer's intent to discriminate.
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C.
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reasonable accommodation
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.
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30.
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Which of the following actions by employers can result in reverse discrimination?
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B.
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reasonable accommodation
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31.
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Which of the following processes involves analyzing the tasks necessary for the production of a product or service?
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D.
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Industrial engineering
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32.
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In the context of work flow design, which of the following best describes a position?
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A.
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the set of duties performed by a person
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B.
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a set of related duties fulfilled by many employees
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C.
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an aggregate of similar jobs
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D.
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the set of skills and abilities that is required of a person in a job
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E.
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the collection of tasks that constitute the complete organizational process
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41.
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A list of the tasks, duties, and responsibilities that a job entails is called a _____.
A job description is a list of the tasks, duties, and responsibilities (TDRs) that a job entails. TDRs are observable actions.
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34.
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What is a basic difference between job specifications and job descriptions?
|
A.
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Job specifications define tasks, and job descriptions define responsibilities.
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B.
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Job specifications list observable actions, and job descriptions describe general qualities.
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C.
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Job specifications look at a job's activities, and job descriptions look at the qualities needed to do the job.
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D.
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Job descriptions define tasks, and job specifications define responsibilities.
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E.
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Job descriptions look at a job's activities, and job specifications look at the qualities needed to do the job.
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35.
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Information from observers should be used as a supplement to information from incumbents. Identify the statement that is most likely to support this argument.
|
A.
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Incumbents are a logical source of information; however, they may not be able to provide precise information.
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B.
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Incumbents provide accurate estimates of the importance of job duties, whereas supervisors provide accurate information about the time spent on safety-related risk factors.
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C.
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Incumbents provide accurate information, but they may have an incentive to exaggerate what they do to appear more valuable to the organization.
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D.
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Depending on external job analysts to supplement incumbents' information could be risky due to the relative inexperience of the analysts involved.
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E.
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Information provided by observers who look for a match between what incumbents are doing and what they are supposed to do may be unreliable.
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36.
|
Which of the following HR activities is similar to analyzing a job that does not yet exist?
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A.
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human resource planning
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37.
|
Which of the following best defines a competency?
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A.
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It is the set of duties performed by a particular team.
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B.
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It is the list of tasks, duties, and responsibilities (TDRs) that a particular job entails.
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C.
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It is a set of related duties for accomplishing work.
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D.
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It is the activity that a work unit's members engage in to produce a given output.
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E.
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It is an area of personal capability that enables employees to perform successfully.
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38.
|
The industrial engineering approach is most likely to emphasize _____.
|
A.
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defining work arrangements and reporting requirements
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B.
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streamlining jobs to make them simpler and more efficient
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C.
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designing jobs in such a way that they require minimal specialization
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D.
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exploring new and diverse ways of doing the same job
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E.
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creating complex and challenging jobs that require innovative employees
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39.
|
According to the Job Characteristics Model, which of the following best describes task identity?
|
A.
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the extent to which a job requires a variety of skills to carry out the tasks involved
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B.
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the degree to which a job allows an individual to make decisions about the way the work will be carried out
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C.
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the extent to which a person receives clear information about performance effectiveness from the work itself
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D.
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the degree to which a job requires completing a "whole" piece of work from beginning to end
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E.
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the extent to which a job has an important impact on the lives of other people
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40.
|
Which of the following is the first step in the human resource planning process?
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C.
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program implementation
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E.
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performance evaluation
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41.
|
Identify a benefit of applying statistical forecasting methods.
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A.
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They are particularly useful in dynamic environments.
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B.
|
Under the right conditions, they provide predictions that are much more precise than a human forecaster's subjective judgment.
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C.
|
They are particularly useful in predicting important events that have no historical precedent.
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D.
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They are invariably better than the "best guesses" of experts.
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E.
|
They can be used by organizations as a substitute for relying on the subjective judgments of experts.
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42.
|
In the context of forecasting the demand for labor, using trend analysis, inventory levels, changes in technology, and actions of competitors are examples of _____.
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B.
|
performance indicators
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43.
|
The second step in human resource planning is _____.
|
A.
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forecasting labor shortage
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B.
|
forecasting labor surplus
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C.
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goal setting and strategic planning
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D.
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program implementation and evaluation
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|
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44.
|
Identify the similarity between the natural attrition and early retirement strategies for reducing a labor surplus.
|
A.
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Both strategies yield slow results for an organization.
|
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B.
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Both strategies cause high suffering to the employees of an organization.
|
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C.
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Both strategies can be applied for preventing labor shortages.
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D.
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Both strategies are expensive to implement.
|
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E.
|
Both strategies encourage layoffs.
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45.
|
Identify the similarity between the outsourcing and overtime strategies for avoiding a labor shortage.
|
A.
|
Both strategies yield slow results.
|
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B.
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Both strategies have high revocability.
|
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C.
|
Both strategies are expensive to implement.
|
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D.
|
Both strategies involve contracting with another organization to perform a broad set of services.
|
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E.
|
Both strategies can be used for reducing labor surplus.
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46.
|
Identify the correct statement regarding downsizing.
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A.
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Downsizing improves long-term organizational effectiveness.
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B.
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The negative effect of downsizing is especially low among firms that engage in high-involvement work practices.
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C.
|
Downsizing often disrupts the social networks through which people are creative and flexible.
|
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D.
|
The negative impact of downsizing is especially low for those organizations that emphasize research and development.
|
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E.
|
Downsizing campaigns only eliminate people who are replaceable.
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47.
|
Which of the following is a step a downsized company can take to counter negative employee emotions?
|
A.
|
demonstrate that the employees that were downsized deserved it
|
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B.
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build confidence in the company's plans for a stronger future
|
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C.
|
show the organization's commitment to its management
|
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D.
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encourage employees to work harder, increasing their value and thus keeping them with the company longer
|
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E.
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pursue a commitment to the customers over a commitment to the community
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48.
|
Which of the following are the most widespread methods for eliminating labor shortages?
|
A.
|
downsizing and merging with other organizations
|
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B.
|
hiring temporary workers and outsourcing work
|
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C.
|
retrained transfers and turnover reduction
|
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D.
|
overtime and new external hires
|
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E.
|
overtime and retrained transfers
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|
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49.
|
Identify a disadvantage of using temporary and contract workers.
|
A.
|
Revocability of this method is more difficult than other methods of avoiding labor shortage.
|
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B.
|
These kinds of workers cannot be hired through an agency.
|
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C.
|
These methods are a relatively slow solution to labor shortage.
|
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D.
|
These workers tend to be less committed to an organization.
|
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E.
|
These workers work well in key jobs, but not in those jobs that supplement permanent employees.
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|
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50.
|
In most organizations, the first step in the personnel selection process is
|
A.
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verifying the applicants' qualifications through reference and background checks.
|
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B.
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negotiating with the employee regarding salary and benefits.
|
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C.
|
screening the applications to see which ones meet the basic requirements for the job.
|
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D.
|
administering tests and reviewing work samples to rate the candidates' abilities.
|
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E.
|
inviting candidates with the best abilities to the organization for one or more interviews.
|
|
|
51.
|
A strategic approach to selection requires ways to measure the effectiveness of selection tools. According to your text, which of the following is a basic standard for this?
|
A.
|
The method can be personally relatable.
|
|
B.
|
The method will highlight invalid information.
|
|
C.
|
The information provided will always be specific to the candidates applying.
|
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D.
|
The method offers practical value.
|
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E.
|
The legality of the selection criteria depends on which country the measurement is performed.
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|
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52.
|
The _____ of a type of measurement indicates how free that measurement is from random error.
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|
53.
|
What does a correlation of 0 mean?
|
A.
|
a negative correlation
|
|
B.
|
a positive correlation
|
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C.
|
a correlation where one number goes up and the other goes down
|
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E.
|
an error in the correlation coefficients
|
|
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54.
|
Reliability answers the important question of
|
A.
|
whether you are measuring something accurately.
|
|
B.
|
whether you are measuring something that matters.
|
|
C.
|
how you are measuring correlation coefficients.
|
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D.
|
how many errors something can achieve while still being considered useful.
|
|
E.
|
intelligence in employees.
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|
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55.
|
The _____ of an employment test is indicated by the extent to which the test scores relate to actual job performance.
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|
56.
|
The consistency between test items or problems and the kinds of situations or problems that occur in a job is known as _____.
|
|
57.
|
For tests that measure abstract qualities such as intelligence or leadership skills, validity would best be established by _____ validation.
|
|
58.
|
A test that is valid in other contexts beyond the context in which it was developed is known as a(n) _____ method.
|
|
59.
|
According to your text, selection methods should accurately predict how well individuals perform, and they should
|
A.
|
produce information that actually benefits the organization.
|
|
B.
|
not cost the company a great deal of money.
|
|
C.
|
all be applicable to many different roles in many different locations.
|
|
D.
|
only be applicable to the company where they are being used.
|
|
E.
|
only be used on current employees with leadership aspirations.
|
|
|
60.
|
Which of the following consists of an organization's planned effort to help employees acquire job-related knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors?
|
|
61.
|
_____ refers to a process of systematically developing training to meet specified needs.
|
|
62.
|
Ensuring that employees are ready for training in terms of their attitudes, motivation, basic skills, and work environment is the _____ step of the instructional design process.
|
|
63.
|
Which of the following best describes a learning management system?
|
A.
|
a team of trainers and human resource professionals who are responsible for planning and conducting the training programs in an organization
|
|
B.
|
the process of evaluating the organization, individual employees, and employees' tasks to determine what kinds of training, if any, are necessary
|
|
C.
|
a software application that automates the administration, development, and delivery of training programs
|
|
D.
|
a process for determining the appropriateness of training by evaluating the characteristics of the organization
|
|
E.
|
the process of determining individuals' needs and readiness for training
|
|
|
64.
|
Which of the following best describes needs assessment?
|
A.
|
It is the process of evaluating the organization, individual employees, and employees' tasks to determine what kinds of training are necessary.
|
|
B.
|
It is a combination of employee characteristics and positive work environment that permit training.
|
|
C.
|
It is a process that evaluates the monetary needs of employees that will motivate them to undertake a training program.
|
|
D.
|
It is an application that automates the administration and delivery of a company's training program.
|
|
E.
|
It is the process to determine employees' characteristics to ensure their readiness for training.
|
|
|
65.
|
Organization analysis looks at training needs in light of the
|
A.
|
readiness of employees for training.
|
|
B.
|
employee's strategy toward achieving organizational goals.
|
|
C.
|
management's support for training activities.
|
|
D.
|
monetary incentives the management has promised its employees.
|
|
E.
|
severance package deal for a particular batch of employees.
|
|
|
66.
|
According to your text, managers will be most likely to support training if
|
A.
|
there are no other solutions available for them to try.
|
|
B.
|
it is not overly expensive.
|
|
C.
|
it will solve a significant problem.
|
|
D.
|
they do not have to participate in it.
|
|
E.
|
it will result in minor improvements.
|
|
|
67.
|
Which of the following questions can be answered by performing a person analysis?
|
A.
|
What are the tasks that require more training?
|
|
B.
|
How will the training be carried out?
|
|
C.
|
Are employees ready for training?
|
|
D.
|
Does the organization have the infrastructure to support training?
|
|
E.
|
Are there any impediments to implementing a training program?
|
|
|
68.
|
In a person analysis, which of the following is a primary variable that can be affected by training?
|
A.
|
the organization's input
|
|
C.
|
the employee's ability
|
|
D.
|
positive consequences to motivate good performance
|
|
E.
|
the employee's motivation
|
|
|
69.
|
Which of the following processes identifies the knowledge, skills, and behaviors that should be emphasized by training?
|
C.
|
transactional analysis
|
|
|
70.
|
Managers provide for _____, a combination of formal education, job experiences, relationships, and assessment of personality and abilities to help employees prepare for the future of their careers.
.
|
|
71.
|
_____ increases an employee's ability to move into jobs that may not yet exist.
|
|
72.
|
Which of the following is true of the relationship between training and development?
|
A.
|
Training is future oriented, while development is focused on one's experiences in the past.
|
|
B.
|
Training prepares employees for management careers, while development is for learning entry-level skills.
|
|
C.
|
Participation in training is voluntary, but most organizations require participation in development activities.
|
|
D.
|
The goal of training is preparation for the current job, while the goal of development is preparation for future job opportunities.
|
|
E.
|
Training is often an ongoing process, while development tends to be a short-term process.
|
|
|
73.
|
A(n) _____ is a career that frequently changes based on changes in a person's interests, abilities, and values and in the work environment.
|
|
74.
|
_____ helps employees select development activities that prepare them to meet their career goals.
|
|
75.
|
The four general approaches that companies use for employee development include
|
A.
|
formal education, assessment, job experiences, and interpersonal relationships.
|
|
B.
|
job rotation, promotion, transfer, and job sharing.
|
|
C.
|
psychological tests, assessment centers, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, and performance feedback.
|
|
D.
|
business games, formal courses, team building, and assessment.
|
|
E.
|
total quality management, Six Sigma, lean manufacturing, and quality function deployment.
|
|
|
76.
|
Which of the following is true of formal education as an approach to employee development?
|
A.
|
Organizations organize formal educational programs at the workplace or off-site to support employee development.
|
|
B.
|
Formal education includes organization-specific workshops that are open to outsiders as well as employees.
|
|
C.
|
As a prerequisite to formal education, trainees must enroll in various courses offered by an organization.
|
|
D.
|
Formal education includes presentations sent out by an organization, which enlist the ethics and policies educating employees from time to time.
|
|
E.
|
In an organization, formal education involves collating data pertaining to the development of projects.
|
|
|
77.
|
The process of collecting information and providing feedback to employees about their behavior, communication style, or skills is known as _____.
|
|
78.
|
For assessment to work efficiently, an employee must be
|
A.
|
provided suggestions to improve his or her weak skills.
|
|
B.
|
evaluated discreetly so the employee does not pretend to be a model employee.
|
|
C.
|
present on the day the assessment occurs so that results of the feedback will be accurate.
|
|
D.
|
employed at the organization for at least a year.
|
|
E.
|
informed that an appraisal can take place at any time during the year.
|
|
|
79.
|
The primary use of assessment centers is to identify
|
A.
|
the employees who have the personality characteristics and skills needed for managerial positions.
|
|
B.
|
the strengths and weaknesses of an organization.
|
|
C.
|
the decision processes and communication styles that inhibit production.
|
|
D.
|
the opportunities and threats to an organization.
|
|
E.
|
the factors that inhibit group performance.
|
|
omaziz01
hr_mid_term.docx
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