Reference no: EM131128734

1. Don, a Canadian native, has just been cleared for assignment as a country manager. He went to school in the United States and speaks English, Spanish, and French. What assignment would work best for him if there is no time for additional training?

a) Mexico.

b) Brazil.

c) Australia.

d) Spain.

e) India.

2. A California-based software company has just started a joint venture with a Japanese company in Tokyo. Doug, a U.S. expatriate, is the new general manager of the joint-venture. He is very excited about his foreign assignment in Japan. However, Doug has quickly become frustrated with the lack of assertiveness of his Japanese managers and employees. He has the feeling that things do not get accomplished fast enough. What should Doug do?

a) Confront his Japanese managers and employees about their lack of assertiveness.

b) Train his Japanese managers and employees on how to become more assertive.

c) Reward his Japanese managers and employees for being assertive.

d) Make an effort to better understand the Japanese culture.

e) Make an effort to speak with his managers and employees in Japanese more often.

3. An amusement park needs customer representatives during the summer season. The best staffing option for this amusement park is to use:

a) part-time employees.

b) core employees.

c) contract workers.

d) independent contractors.

e) recent college graduates

4. Ruxandra Lopez is the vice-president for human resources of a major manufacturing company. She is thinking of increasing the proportion of contingent workers in the different plants. As a consultant, you advise Ruxandra that a major disadvantage associated with contingent workers is that:

a) contingent workers are entitled to retirement benefits.

b) contingent employees complain more than core employees.

c) contingent workers may be less loyal and committed than core employees.

d) contingent workers do not require extensive skill training before they become fully productive to an organization.

e) contingent employees are usually less reliable than core employees

5. Ethics refers to:

a) a set of rules or principles that defines what is legal and what is illegal.

b) a set of rules or principles that defines right and wrong conduct.

c) a situation in which decisions are made based on religious rules or principles

d) a situation in which individuals make decisions based primarily on their best interest.

e) a situation in which individuals act make decisions based primarily on the best interest of the most economically disadvantaged individuals

6. People who lack a strong moral sense are much less likely to wrong if:

a) the company has a code of ethics.

b) they feel constrained by rules and strong cultural norms that discourage unethical behaviors.

c) they attend a business ethics seminar.

d) the company monitors their emails.

e) the employer performs an integrity test during the selection process

7. Employee relations are part of which primary HRM activity?

a) Global assessment.

b) Motivation.

c) Staffing.

d) Training and development

e) Maintenance.

8. Which of the following is not a responsibility of human resource professionals?

a) Train employees to improve their productivity

b) Design a work environment conducive to employee retention

c) Manage the professional development of each employee

d) Attract the best qualified employees

e) Improve the well-being of employees by closely monitoring their personal and family life

9. Which of these training and development functions is designed to provide better skills for the current job?

a) Career development

b) Employee development

c) Employee training

d) Organization development

e) Skill qualification

10. Jon, the manager of a technology firm, has become aware that many of his employees, once highly productive, are making mistakes due to the stress of work/home balance and the influence of illegal substances. He comes to you, HR manager, for suggestions. What do you tell him?

a) Discuss job redesign options.

b) Encourage mandatory drug testing as part of the hiring process.

c) Refer these employees to the employee assistance programs available for these situations.

d) Change job qualification specifications.

e) Transfer the employees to another department. Give him the transfer forms.

11. A large manufacturing organization, with 20 geographically dispersed production facilities recently cut its HRM staff by 60%. Each site has a few generalists, but specialist needs in recruiting and selection planning, employment law, training, and benefits administration have been consolidated into one location. This situation is an example of

a) outsourcing.

b) shared services.

c) decentralized work surveillance.

d) telecommuting.

e) offshoring.

12. Which of the following is not true regarding Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964?

a) It prohibits discrimination in hiring, compensation, terms, conditions, and privileges of employment based on race, religion, color, sex, or national origin.

b) It protects employees 40-65 years of age from discrimination.

c) It prohibits retaliation against an individual who files a charge of discrimination.

d) It prohibits retaliation against an individual who opposes any unlawful practice.

e) It specifies compliance based on the number of employees in the organization.

13. Peter has been a production supervisor at a plant for over 20 years. His performance record has been excellent until last year. Peter's manager gave him low ratings during the last performance review. Peter just found out that his company is downsizing and that he is going to be laid off. Peter is 58 years of age. If Peter were to sue his company for discrimination, which of the following law would be most appropriate?

a) Equal Employment Opportunity Act of 1972

b) Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967

c) Job Security Act of 1984

d) Civil Rights Act of 1991

e) Civil Rights Act of 1964

14. In most organizations, affirmative action plans include all of the following steps except

a) current workforce demographics are analyzed.

b) community demographic composition is identified for all job classifications.

c) goals and timetables are established for correcting imbalances between organizational and community demographics.

d) no member of a protected group is fired, demoted, or transferred.

e) job requirements are defined in terms of skills, abilities, and knowledge.

15. Don is a recruiter for a large steel manufacturing firm. His favorite recruiting trip is to his alma mater, a city university in the tough part of the large metropolitan area where he grew up. He is glad to give these minority graduates a chance for an interview. About 10% of his new hires are from this school, one of 11 that he visits every fall. Don's firm is an active EEO employer. Is there a problem?

a) Yes. Disparate impact may result from this employment practice.

b) No. Affirmative action has no bearing on these hiring practices.

c) Yes. Reverse discrimination may result from this employment practice.

d) No. This is an appropriate EEO recruiting action.

e) Yes. EEO was rescinded because of actions such as Don's.

16. Joni has been a secretary with her firm for nearly 30 years. She always receives excellent performance evaluations and eagerly learns new technology. Her boss has been urging her to get a facelift or retire, saying he wants a "young feel" to the office. What law protects her from this treatment?

a) Civil Rights Act of 1991.

b) Adult Development Act of 1991.

c) Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

d) Executive Order 11375.

e) Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967.

17. Which of the following is not true regarding bona fide occupational qualifications (BFOQs)?

a) BOFQs cannot be used in cases of race or color.

b) A faculty member must be catholic to teach at a Jesuit university.

c) BFOQs are narrowly defined.

d) Religion may be used as a differentiating factor in ordaining a church minister.

e) When used as a response to EEO charges, BFOQs must be directly related to the job.

18. What is the glass ceiling?

a) Institutional and psychological practices limit the advancement and mobility of women and minorities.

b) It is classic discrimination.

c) Subtle pressures force women and minority employees into highly visible, token organizational positions.

d) Although women and minorities are being hired in larger numbers, they are not being paid their comparable worth.

e) Work process engineering systematically excludes females and minorities from prestigious training offerings.

19. The Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988 requires all of the following except

a) mandatory drug testing of certain employees.

b) providing substance-free awareness programs for employees.

c) a drug-fee work environment policy must be established.

d) mandatory dismissal for employees found in violation of any part of the policy.

e) the policy must spell out employee expectations in terms of being substance free and infraction penalties.

20. Luis has worked for a 2500-employee chemical manufacturer, ABCHEM, for two years. He went to work Monday morning to find his key no longer fit the front door lock and a new sign "FUTURE HOME OFFICE OF ALLIED PLASTICS" on the front door. He called his office and found that the telephone had been disconnected. He then noticed the local paper with headlines, "ABCHEM sells plastics subsidiary: 2000 layoffs!!" Luis remembered the letter he received from the HRM department three months earlier which had warned of this probable plant closing, but he ignored it as a rumor. What protection is Luis given under W.A.R.N.?

a) He is entitled to an amount equal to pay and benefits for up to 60 days.

b) His job must be given back to him.

c) No protection. He was notified in an appropriate manner.

d) No protection. The employee layoff number is too small.

e) No protection. He hasn't worked there long enough.

21. Elizabeth works for a large appliances store in the Midwest. She has heard a rumor that employees are filmed in the restroom. Can this rumor be true?

a) No, because it would violate the Privacy Act of 1974.

b) No, because it would violate the Decent Workplace Act of 1985.

c) No. It is unethical to film employees in the restroom.

d) Yes, if the employer included this type of employee monitoring in a written policy and explained the policy to the employees.

e) Yes, because the employer owns the company.

22. John, a manager, is listening to Rita explain why she doesn't balance ledger entries in an employee counseling session. He has just realized that she may have an addiction problem. What should his next step be?

a) Refer her to the company employee assistance program.

b) Confront job performance issues only.

c) Document all performance behavior.

d) Keep listening.

e) Transfer her to another area.

23. Which of the following describes the "Strategy" phase of the strategic planning process?

a) Determining what business the organization will be in.

b) Setting goals and objectives.

c) Determining how goals and objectives will be attained.

d) Determining what jobs need to be done and by whom.

e) Matching skills, knowledge, and abilities to required jobs.

24. Michelle has gathered job analysis data with the observation technique for jobs in Plant #101. She wants to use an additional collection technique to make sure her analysis is accurate. Much of the work is done collectively, and she is skilled in dealing with issues related to group dynamics. Which job analysis method should she use?

a) Hawthorne.

b) Structured questionnaire.

c) Group interview.

d) Diary.

e) Technical conference.

25. Which of the following is not true regarding recruiting?

a) It is fairly easy to generate a pool of qualified candidates. People always need jobs.

b) An effective recruiting process requires a significant pool of candidates to choose from.

c) The greater the number of applicants, the better the chances of finding an individual who is best suited to the job requirements.

d) A good recruiting program should attract the qualified and discourage the unqualified.

e) Recruiting is the process of seeking sources for job candidates.

26. Tanya just started her last academic year as a business major in a four-year college. She plans to graduate in May. Tanya is unsure as to how to go about her job search. What advice would you give her?

a) She should start her job search in September

b) She should start her job search in December

c) She should start her job search in January

d) She should start her job search in March

e) She should start her job search in May

27. Why are performance simulation tests used more often today instead of written tests in the selection process?

a) Employment tests are more expensive than performance simulation tests.

b) It is easier to train an interviewer to administrate a performance simulation test than an employment test.

c) Performance simulation tests more easily meet the criteria of job-relatedness.

d) Employment tests are conducted after hiring decisions are made, not during the selection process.

e) Literacy rates are 15% lower than they were a decade ago.

28. Is the role of information different in a learning organization than other organizational types?

a) Yes. With the emphasis on learning, information is less important.

b) No. The usual top-down and bottom up filters operate.

c) Yes. Security is tighter, so information is restricted.

d) No. Divisions still protect their knowledge bases, regarding them as power.

e) Yes. Information must be shared freely and accurately among organizational members.

29. Which of the following training evaluation method is the least valid?

a) Pre-post training performance method

b) Trainees' reactions to the training

c) Pre-post training performance with control group method

d) Trainees' changes in behaviors

e) Trainees' changes in skills

30. Achmed just congratulated his coworker, Miriam, on her promotion to supervisor with a heartfelt hug, a tacky card, and a lovely bouquet of flowers. Although they had competed with each other for that promotion for 5 years, last year Achmed attended a career development workshop and realized he was happier with his current job than he would be as a supervisor. What benefit of career development did their organization receive?

a) Lower training costs.

b) Reduced employee frustration.

c) Enhanced cultural diversity.

d) Increased organizational goodwill.

e) Legal defense against discrimination.

31. Suggestions for success in your career include all of the following except

a) Build and maintain your skills.

b) Make your accomplishments visible.

c) Participate in an internship.

d) Know your strengths and weaknesses.

e) Set a specific job target and don't settle for less.

32. Which of the following is the best performance appraisal system?

a) Critical incident appraisal

b) Checklist appraisal

c) Forced-choice appraisal

d) Behaviorally anchored rating scale

e) None of the above

33. Dawn, manager of customer service for a large company, is conducting performance appraisals for her staff. HRM has given her a sheet with a number of grouped statements. She has to select 1 from each group. For instance, she has to indicate whether an employee is "cheerful" or "confident". She returns the form to HR, who score it and report the results to her. What performance appraisal method is she using?

a) Adjective rating scale.

b) BARS.

c) Critical incident.

d) Forced choice.

e) Checklist appraisal.

34. Toni rates Allison, an excellent worker, "below average" on all of her performance evaluations. The first year that Allison worked for Toni she lost three major accounts, incurred a 20% cost overrun on a major printing project, and came in late to work three or four days each week. Now, three years later, Allison's personal life is stable, and she routinely save costs, is never late, and has secured two new accounts in the last month. What rating error is evident?

a) Leniency error.

b) Halo error.

c) Similarity error.

d) Central tendency.

e) Inflationary pressures.

35. Katsiaryna is a middle manager in a large company. She was just passed over for promotion and could not understand why. On a scale from 0 to 100, her overall performance score over the last three years has been 89. In her company, the performance appraisal system defines outstanding performance at 90 or above, very good at 80 or above, good at 70 or above, average at 60 or above, and unacceptable as anything below 60. Katsiaryna found out that the average score for middle managers in her company is 91. What is the major appraisal problem in this case?

a) Inappropriate substitutes for performance

b) Inflationary pressures

c) Central tendency error

d) Halo error

e) Similarity error

36. Which of the following is not an intrinsic source of employee motivation?

a) Increased responsibility

b) Pay raise

c) Increased employee autonomy

d) Tasks organized to allow individuals to complete activities

e) Performance feedback

37. Maria took a month off from work to care for her husband, Mario, who was injured when an oven exploded at the pizza factory where he worked. What program protected Maria's job and her benefits while she cared for Mario?

a) Workers' compensation

b) Social Security

c) Family and Medical Leave

d) Unemployment insurance

e) Medicare

38. Joe works for a large service organization. Last year, they paid nothing for authorized baby immunizations for their children. The children receive well-child pediatric care for $5 a visit. Joe complains that although the costs are reasonable, the family has to go the Local Clinic for all of their nonemergency care. What kind of health insurance does Joe have?

a) Traditional

b) HMO

c) PPO

d) HBO

e) COBRA

39. It is common that sales are affected by factors outside the salesperson's control such as economic conditions or actions of competitors. To account for this issue, companies sometimes use criteria that are supposed to approximate performance such as enthusiasm, effort, or conscientiousness. The problem is that sometimes these criteria are not a good approximation of actual performance. What is the appraisal problem in such a situation?

a) Inflationary pressures

b) Leniency error

c) Inappropriate substitutes for performance

d) Halo error

e) Similarity error

40. Don, a team leader in a college business course, wanted to fail Diane, a team member that he said did "nothing." Dr. Smart, the professor, refused to fail her, stating that the other team members had all given her satisfactory evaluations on their project review form. Why didn't the professor back Don's decision?

a) Selective rating is inappropriate.

b) Relative standards are better than absolute standards.

c) Multiple raters give a more reliable assessment than a single rater.

d) Trait measures are preferable to behaviorally-based measures.

e) Ongoing feedback prevents surprises.