Q&A Hero

Q: Cross-functional training involves training employees to perform operations in areas other than their assigned jobs.

Q: Additional Case 8.4 RightChoice is a computer retailing company. It is very popular with employees because of flexible shifts, rotating job schedules, and the lenient policies regarding time off for family care. This also makes employee cohesiveness very important because sometimes employees will be called to work on days off or pulled off of another job in order to help in a different department. Though this may be a difficulty for a larger business, the atmosphere and benefits that come with such flexibility are appreciated by employees. The application process includes a brief interview and a short test to determine whether applicants have mastered basic literacy skills. During the most recent hire cycle, RightChoice found that some applicants who desired retail and customer service positions had not mastered basic reading, writing, and arithmetic. In response, RightChoice garnered the assistance of a local community college, along with some middle and upper-level managers in providing training to the new employees to give them the necessary skills in performing their jobs. After this hire, Lexi, an upper-level manager suggests that the new employee socialization process should consist of a short-term program that explains to the employees their job position and its place in the company, and a tour of the business. Refer to Additional Case 8.4. The literacy training that RightChoice provides its employees is focused on: A) job skills literacy. B) reading comprehension. C) management skills. D) functional literacy.

Q: Additional Case 8.4 RightChoice is a computer retailing company. It is very popular with employees because of flexible shifts, rotating job schedules, and the lenient policies regarding time off for family care. This also makes employee cohesiveness very important because sometimes employees will be called to work on days off or pulled off of another job in order to help in a different department. Though this may be a difficulty for a larger business, the atmosphere and benefits that come with such flexibility are appreciated by employees. The application process includes a brief interview and a short test to determine whether applicants have mastered basic literacy skills. During the most recent hire cycle, RightChoice found that some applicants who desired retail and customer service positions had not mastered basic reading, writing, and arithmetic. In response, RightChoice garnered the assistance of a local community college, along with some middle and upper-level managers in providing training to the new employees to give them the necessary skills in performing their jobs. After this hire, Lexi, an upper-level manager suggests that the new employee socialization process should consist of a short-term program that explains to the employees their job position and its place in the company, and a tour of the business. Refer to Additional Case 8.4. Because of RightChoice's flexible approach to employee scheduling, many workers have changing work schedules and they often help one another in various job operations or work in job rotation. In order to train new employees for this type of working environment, the company should implement: A) diversity training. B) cross-functional training. C) customer service training. D) 360° feedback.

Q: Refer to Additional Case 8.3. HR at McBain has decided to use an e-learning program to train managers. Which of the following best supports this decision? A) Managers cannot agree on the best time to schedule training. B) HR representatives team with managers for performance appraisals. C) Most departments at McBain benefit from cross-functional team managers. D) Newly hired managers recently participated in orientation training sessions.

Q: Additional Case 8.3 The HR department at McBain Associates is putting together a multi-step training program to help managers appraise employee performance. The firm has experienced previous legal problems associated with improper performance appraisals, so HR needs to ensure that every manager is able to conduct a performance appraisal appropriately. Managers will receive information about EEO law, company policies, appraisal forms, and appropriate interview questions. Information provided during training should be relevant and consistent. The firm wants managers to have access to the information after training and as needed when conducting performance appraisals. In addition, the firm wants to minimize the time managers spend on the training and to avoid large group meetings. Due to changing policies and forms, HR needs the ability to update the training information easily and quickly. Refer to Additional Case 8.3. HR at McBain has decided to use an instructor-led program to train managers. Which of the following best supports this decision? A) The training and development budget at McBain is very limited. B) Job aids help McBain managers to recall the KSAs needed for different jobs. C) Performance appraisals at McBain are conducted twice a year for most employees. D) HR expects managers to have many questions regarding McBain's policy changes.

Q: Additional Case 8.3 The HR department at McBain Associates is putting together a multi-step training program to help managers appraise employee performance. The firm has experienced previous legal problems associated with improper performance appraisals, so HR needs to ensure that every manager is able to conduct a performance appraisal appropriately. Managers will receive information about EEO law, company policies, appraisal forms, and appropriate interview questions. Information provided during training should be relevant and consistent. The firm wants managers to have access to the information after training and as needed when conducting performance appraisals. In addition, the firm wants to minimize the time managers spend on the training and to avoid large group meetings. Due to changing policies and forms, HR needs the ability to update the training information easily and quickly. Refer to Additional Case 8.3. HR is considering using computer technology to train managers. When developing online training materials, which of the following questions is LEAST relevant to the needs at McBain? A) Is the purpose of the training clarified to participants? B) Will participants find the content relevant and engaging? C) Can virtual simulation exercises be integrated into the system? D) Can the training be linked to a performance management system?

Q: Additional Case 8.3 The HR department at McBain Associates is putting together a multi-step training program to help managers appraise employee performance. The firm has experienced previous legal problems associated with improper performance appraisals, so HR needs to ensure that every manager is able to conduct a performance appraisal appropriately. Managers will receive information about EEO law, company policies, appraisal forms, and appropriate interview questions. Information provided during training should be relevant and consistent. The firm wants managers to have access to the information after training and as needed when conducting performance appraisals. In addition, the firm wants to minimize the time managers spend on the training and to avoid large group meetings. Due to changing policies and forms, HR needs the ability to update the training information easily and quickly. Refer to Additional Case 8.3. Which type of training would be best at McBain? A) E-learning B) VR training C) Apprenticeship D) Off-the-job training

Q: Additional Case 8.2 Aysha, an HR manager, has been assigned the task of implementing a training and development program at her firm, Singer Enterprises. The firm has offices in New York, California, and India. Executives at the firm want to develop more innovative products and improve customer service. Singer employs 50 product development specialists and 200 customer service representatives. Aysha must determine the fit between the current organizational culture at Singer and the firm's new mission and vision. After gathering the results of a needs assessment, Aysha will be responsible for implementing appropriate training programs. In an initial review, Aysha discovers that a large percentage of customer service errors stem from representatives who simply do not remember all the different pricing programs and policy changes. Aysha also learns that the firm's product development team is scattered throughout the firm's offices and that members rarely have face-to-face meetings. Refer to Additional Case 8.2. Which of the following would be the best method for improving the firm's customer service? A) Establishing a performance support system B) Implementing cross-functional training C) Providing realistic job previews D) Offering teletraining

Q: Additional Case 8.2 Aysha, an HR manager, has been assigned the task of implementing a training and development program at her firm, Singer Enterprises. The firm has offices in New York, California, and India. Executives at the firm want to develop more innovative products and improve customer service. Singer employs 50 product development specialists and 200 customer service representatives. Aysha must determine the fit between the current organizational culture at Singer and the firm's new mission and vision. After gathering the results of a needs assessment, Aysha will be responsible for implementing appropriate training programs. In an initial review, Aysha discovers that a large percentage of customer service errors stem from representatives who simply do not remember all the different pricing programs and policy changes. Aysha also learns that the firm's product development team is scattered throughout the firm's offices and that members rarely have face-to-face meetings. Refer to Additional Case 8.2. Which of the following would most likely help Aysha address the problems in the customer service department? A) Monitoring the orientation program for customer service representatives. B) Identifying the KSAs required for customer service representative positions. C) Implementing a succession planning program for customer service managers. D) Providing monthly classroom instruction to new customer service representatives.

Q: Additional Case 8.2 Aysha, an HR manager, has been assigned the task of implementing a training and development program at her firm, Singer Enterprises. The firm has offices in New York, California, and India. Executives at the firm want to develop more innovative products and improve customer service. Singer employs 50 product development specialists and 200 customer service representatives. Aysha must determine the fit between the current organizational culture at Singer and the firm's new mission and vision. After gathering the results of a needs assessment, Aysha will be responsible for implementing appropriate training programs. In an initial review, Aysha discovers that a large percentage of customer service errors stem from representatives who simply do not remember all the different pricing programs and policy changes. Aysha also learns that the firm's product development team is scattered throughout the firm's offices and that members rarely have face-to-face meetings. Refer to Additional Case 8.2. Which of the following questions should Aysha first answer to accomplish her assignment? A) What development options are available at Singer? B) How will training be provided to Singer's foreign workers? C) What external factors affect Singer's long- and short-term goals? D) What are the job requirements for Singer's customer service representatives?

Q: Refer to Additional Case 8.1. The questions being asked represent what level of needs assessment? A) Organizational B) Managerial C) Person D) Task

Q: Refer to Additional Case 8.1. The discussions with the managers and employees are most likely an example of: A) stating the problem in behavioral terms. B) conducting a needs assessment. C) setting performance goals. D) evaluating the training.

Q: Which of the following is a true statement about employee training and the law? A) No clear precedent exists for litigation about discriminatory training practices. B) More litigation is related to employee training than employee selection. C) Training processes are too difficult to prove as discriminatory. D) Equal opportunity laws apply to employee training.

Q: What is the highest level of training program assessment? A) Worker satisfaction B) Financial results C) Skills transfer D) Industry standards

Q: The effectiveness of a training program can be measured: A) in monetary terms. B) in non-monetary terms. C) by how well it addressed the needs it was designed to address. D) all of the above

Q: A training manager is reviewing how well a training program met its objectives. This review represents the ________ phase of the training cycle. A) needs assessment B) development and design C) implementation D) evaluation

Q: Which of the following is the most likely result of customer service training? A) Increased retention rates B) Improved literacy skills C) Enhanced work ethics D) Improved diversity

Q: Which of the following would be most useful in training employees how to challenge unacceptable behavior in the workplace? A) E-learning programs B) Role playing exercises C) Clear company policies D) Team-building activities

Q: Which of the following would most likely help employees know how to apply company policies to their on-the-job behavior? A) Crisis training B) Ethics training C) Diversity training D) Skills training

Q: Crisis training would most likely include all of the following EXCEPT: A) investigative techniques. B) stress management. C) conflict resolution. D) team building.

Q: For diversity training to be successful, programs should most likely: A) strive for deep recognition differences between groups. B) encourage a narrow view of diversity. C) focus on individual strengths and weaknesses. D) focus the training on white males.

Q: You have asked the HR department at your company to design a program through which new employees who have poor literacy will be trained in such a way that they will at least be able to perform their respective job duties. The HR department will most likely suggest a: A) general literacy program. B) functional literacy program. C) pre-literacy program. D) cross-functional literacy program.

Q: ________ is an effort by businesses to address serious deficiencies in basic skills among new employees. A) Computer training B) Skills training C) Retraining D) Literacy training

Q: Most critics of creativity training maintain that: A) employees do not enjoy creativity training and that it only works to instill distaste for training among most workers. B) the effectiveness of creativity training would increase if it focused on "hard" skills rather than "soft" skills. C) diversity training works just as well and meets the same goals at less expense to firms. D) teaching creativity makes employees feel good but is unlikely to produce lasting results.

Q: Creativity training: A) provides long-term results. B) is difficult to evaluate for effectiveness. C) tends to solve more problems than other types of training. D) primarily benefits employees who work in virtual teams.

Q: Kira wants to help her employees to "think out of the box" and solve daily production problems more effectively. What kind of training would most likely help? A) Diversity training B) Literacy training C) Creativity training D) Cross-functional training

Q: Which of the following is NOT a problem associated with virtual teams? A) Communication difficulties B) Cultural misunderstandings C) High costs of technology and travel D) Lack of trust between team members

Q: Team training efforts will most likely: A) focus on job processes. B) emphasize communication skills. C) highlight the independence of team members. D) recognize that team goals and individual goals must align.

Q: Team training that focuses on how members function as a team are best known as: A) operating skills. B) group processes. C) creative thinking. D) cross-functional operations.

Q: Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of cross-functional training? A) Implementing job rotation programs B) Increasing the need for retraining C) Expanding the skills of workers D) Reducing employee boredom

Q: Cross-functional training is most likely accomplished by: A) apprenticeships. B) job enrichment. C) peer trainers. D) simulations.

Q: Cross-functional training has a number of advantages for most companies, including: A) being the least expensive training to conduct. B) preparing employees for promotions. C) increasing employee versatility. D) enhancing team problem solving.

Q: ________ prepares workers to quickly change jobs, help where needed, and respond rapidly to change within their respective companies. A) Cross-functional training B) Skills training C) Team training D) Retraining

Q: Retraining is often necessary when job requirements change and employees must learn how to perform new duties. With the change to automation in many businesses: A) retraining is unnecessary since automation requires less-skilled workers. B) companies disregard retraining because technology makes up for a limited skill base. C) more highly skilled workers are needed by businesses. D) simulation training in conjunction with retraining is essential.

Q: Research shows that when it comes to retraining: A) it only helps employed workers who need to be updated in their fields. B) it is becoming the largest form of training offered by companies. C) companies often neglect it even when upgrading equipment. D) firms find it the least expensive but the most profitable.

Q: Which of the following is NOT an example of a job aid? A) Scorecards B) Pamphlets C) Reference guides D) Performance support systems

Q: An accounting firm discovers that its junior accountants are not properly completing IRS forms on the new computer system when preparing customers' income taxes. This problem can best be resolved through: A) retraining. B) skills training. C) cross-functional training. D) creativity training.

Q: Erin is setting up a skills training program. Which of the following would most likely be involved in the program? A) Giving employees the ability to perform a specific task or perform a specific job B) Helping employees keep pace with changing job requirements and customer needs C) Teaching employees to perform various jobs in other skill areas through job rotation D) Teaching employees about cultural differences in order to create a friendlier workplace

Q: ________ is the most common type of training conducted in companies today. A) Multi-cultural training B) Cross-functional training C) Skills training D) Team training

Q: The use of lecture in classroom instruction is primarily viewed as: A) necessary by firms. B) boring by participants. C) inexpensive by firms. D) flexible by participants.

Q: Virtual reality training is best for tasks that: A) involve computers. B) can be learned quickly. C) are potentially dangerous. D) require on-the-job supervision.

Q: Tasks that require rehearsing, working from a remote location, or visualizing objects or processes not usually available, are most effectively trained with: A) computer-based training. B) a simulation. C) role play, off-site. D) virtual reality.

Q: The example of the CathSim, created by HT Medical, is a type of ________ training that helps nurses learn to give shots. A) OJT B) virtual reality C) simulation D) role-playing

Q: Sam is training a bomb squad to defuse bombs. Today's bombs are very complex. The equipment he is using for the training is hard to get and very expensive, and obviously, mistakes are only made once. The best way to deliver this training would be: A) simulation. B) e-learning. C) classroom training. D) videotape and slides.

Q: Law enforcement agencies' use of Firearms Training Systems, with its microcomputer and video screen, to train police officers is an example of: A) e-learning. B) teletraining. C) simulations. D) OJT training.

Q: Which of the following is NOT associated with computer-based training? A) Instructor feedback B) Low costs C) Standardized D) Self-paced

Q: Employees in your central office need training on their cafeteria-style benefits plan. Employees can adapt the benefits plan to their personal preferences. You need a consistent, standardized, self-paced, individualized mode of delivery. Your best choice would be: A) lecture. B) role play. C) e-learning. D) on-the job training

Q: You have a number of new hires that need to learn about the company benefit plan. They are spread throughout six offices in different states across the country. Employees typically ask a number of questions about benefits regardless of the clarity of explanations by trainers. The best presentation option in this situation would be: A) videotape. B) teletraining. C) computer-based training. D) classroom-based training.

Q: You are reviewing various ways to deliver EEO law training to about 400 managers. Managers need exposure to the material, and consistency of delivery is your key concern. Your best choice is the use of ________ for delivery. A) slides B) lecture C) role play D) a simulation

Q: The variability of quality and content of OJT between businesses: A) is beneficial because of the increased diversity of abilities. B) makes it difficult for managers to judge the skill level of workers from other firms. C) makes OJT undesirable for small businesses that lack large HR departments. D) makes OJT the best choice for most organizations because of the lack of distractions.

Q: Netgear needs to provide EEO training to its middle managers. The complicated information requires extended periods of uninterrupted study. Which of the following would be most appropriate? A) OJT B) Job rotation C) Off-the-job training D) Mentoring by an experienced upper-level manager

Q: Which of the following is a disadvantage of OJT training? A) Trainers lack effective teaching skills. B) It is the most expensive type of training to conduct. C) It tends to have the least transferability of learning the actual job. D) Trainer-trainee relationships are strained due to customer pressures.

Q: In the U.S., an apprenticeship would most likely be offered to: A) carpenters. B) graphic artists. C) managers. D) college students.

Q: A kind of on-the-job training (OJT) that many college students are required to perform as part of their degree programs is: A) apprenticeships. B) internships. C) job rotation. D) job enrichment.

Q: The major form of entry-level training in Europe is: A) classroom. B) computer based. C) apprenticeships. D) job rotation.

Q: The best training to ensure maximum transfer of learning to the job is: A) computer-aided training. B) simulation-based training. C) classroom training. D) on-the-job-training.

Q: Which of the following is the best example of appropriate training objectives? A) Managers will be aware of cultural diversity issues. B) Managers will understand the ramifications of EEO law. C) Managers will conduct personal problem-solving interviews. D) Managers will respond to customer complaints by telephone within 24 hours.

Q: The best type of training objectives are those that are: A) behavior based. B) trait oriented. C) outcome based. D) flexible.

Q: Objectives for a training program should most likely: A) focus on worker characteristics. B) depend on program costs and time. C) be stated in terms of employee traits. D) relate to KSAs identified in the task analysis.

Q: Which of the following factors is LEAST relevant to a training needs assessment for expatriates at a global firm? A) Assignment characteristics B) Cross-cultural differences C) Worker characteristics D) Industry standards

Q: Which of the following problems could most likely be solved through training? Customer staff who: A) spend too much time "visiting" with customers on the phone. B) provide incorrect information to customers. C) miss calls because the computer answering system hangs up too soon. D) don't care about the customer.

Q: Training is effective only: A) when it is focused on areas that are controllable by employees. B) when it is more costly than the problem itself. C) during times of economic downturn. D) when company morale is high.

Q: When conducting a person analysis, HR would most likely examine ________ to discover patterns of employee deficiencies. A) the task analysis B) performance appraisals C) industry job descriptions D) customer survey reports

Q: Kristy is translating the duties and tasks of a set of jobs into the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform the job. This translation effort is part of any: A) organizational analysis. B) personal needs analysis. C) task analysis. D) HR analysis.

Q: The HR professional conducts a task analysis in order to determine: A) what knowledge and skills relate to job performance. B) the immediate and long-term needs for the training. C) what alternatives are available if training is too costly. D) how well employees are carrying out the tasks that make up the job.

Q: Conducting an organizational analysis prior to designing and implementing a training program tells the HR professional the: A) degree of need for the training. B) job dimensions for training design. C) overall support for the training program. D) knowledge, skills, and abilities to be developed by the training.

Q: An HR professional is reviewing line workers' performance appraisals to determine training needs. This is a(n) ________ analysis. A) organizational B) task C) person D) HR

Q: As part of training assessment, Conway is reviewing a firm's organization's mission, long- and short-term goals, and business environment. Conway is most likely conducting a(n): A) organizational analysis. B) task analysis. C) person analysis. D) HR analysis.

Q: The training manager and production managers are discussing what type of training would best meet the skill deficiency they have identified among the production workers. This discussion shows that the training process is in the: A) needs assessment phase of the training cycle. B) development and conduct phase of the training cycle. C) evaluation phase of the training cycle. D) recognition phase of the training cycle. E) feedback phase of the training cycle.

Q: You have been asked to determine what kinds of problems should be addressed in an upcoming training session. You will be performing: A) a training evaluation. B) a needs assessment. C) task management. D) a training development.

Q: Jen is examining the effectiveness and usefulness of a training program. She is in the ________ phase of training. A) development B) needs assessment C) facilitation D) evaluation

Q: The training process can be broken into: A) two phases: assessment and evaluation. B) three phases: assessment, training, and evaluation. C) four phases: assessment, design, implementation, and evaluation. D) five phases: organizational assessment, personal analysis, development, conduct, and evaluation.

Q: How can an employer determine when training is necessary? How can the effectiveness of training be evaluated?

Q: Training costs can be lowered by online training programs and by assigning mentors and coaches to employees.

Q: Profitable firms typically invest more in training than less profitable firms.

Q: Which of the following would most likely improve the chances that employee training will transfer back to the workplace? A) Using job aids to recall key points B) Encouraging a flexible work environment C) Linking training to organizational strategies D) Requiring team building exercises during sessions

Q: Effective training programs are most likely: A) focused on soft rather than hard skills. B) outsourced to training specialists. C) linked to a firm's strategic goals. D) implemented off-site.

Q: ACE Computers wants to cut training costs but maintain training effectiveness. All of the following would most likely achieve this goal EXCEPT: A) pairing employees with management mentors for on-the-job training. B) hiring independent training consultants for short-term programs. C) implementing online employee training programs. D) targeting training programs on specific needs.

Q: To determine whether a training program will be worth its cost, a business should most likely: A) weigh the cost of the problem against the cost of eliminating it. B) focus training on areas such as team-building and diversity. C) develop an on-the-job training program. D) implement a classroom training program.

Q: Which type of training is easiest to measure in terms of dollar value? A) Diversity B) Team building C) Machine operation D) Sexual harassment