Q&A Hero

Q: Based on studies mentioned in the text, which of the following is true? A) Firms that invest in employee training are typically profitable. B) Classroom training for employees benefits small but not large businesses. C) Employee training investments have a negative effect on corporate profitability. D) Correlations cannot be found between corporate profitability and employee training.

Q: In order to be successful, the goals of a training program should most likely be: A) subjective and motivational. B) profitable and challenging. C) clear and realistic. D) flexible and broad.

Q: Carson, a line manager at an office supply store, is receiving numerous complaints about the cash register operators' inefficiency and poor customer service. He wants to institute a customer service training program for all retail workers as well as retraining on cash register operation for register workers. He doesn't realize, though, that the reason for the decrease in register worker performance is that, while all other workers in the company received a bonus last pay day, these workers didn't. Which of the following is most likely true? A) Training is a good investment and will motivate the workers. B) Training will not solve employee morale problems. C) Training goals are neither clear nor realistic enough. D) Training should focus on cross-functional skills.

Q: Which of the following is the most important question that must be answered prior to establishing a training program? A) Are the training facilities adequate? B) Can the firm provide global training? C) Will training participants be motivated? D) Are the training goals clear and realistic?

Q: How does training differ from development? What are the three phases of the training process? Briefly describe each phase.

Q: ________ is an effort to provide employees with the abilities the organization will need in the future.

Q: The process of providing employees with specific skills or helping them correct deficiencies in their performance is referred to as ________.

Q: The term "training" has a distinctly positive connotation for most employees.

Q: To enable employees to meet future company expectations, HR should implement employee development.

Q: Training is concerned with promoting the skill depth and versatility in the workforce.

Q: Additional Case 8.1 A manager wants you to develop training that will improve employee performance. You begin by asking the manager and his boss some questions. You find that employees are given specific assignments but may be pulled off one task and put on a higher priority one with little warning. You ask the manager what the problem seems to be. He says people aren't getting their work done. He wants more productivity with fewer errors, but he can't explain any more thoroughly than that. You talk with employees and discover that they receive their work assignments for the day at the beginning of the shift. Then, the boss makes special requests during the day, and the employees are reassigned from their current project to take care of those requests. This tends to slow everyone else down. Refer to Additional Case 8.1. Your investigation of the employees' performance revealed that: A) training will probably not solve the firm's problems. B) training would be a good investment for the firm. C) employee training goals are clear and realistic. D) VR is the best training method to use.

Q: Which of the following best explains why training has negative connotations to many workers? A) Training involves working with teams. B) Employees interpret training as a criticism of their abilities. C) Employees believe the training process is redundant and time-consuming. D) Employers that require training typically have poor compensation and benefits.

Q: Unlike training, development: A) seeks to enrich workers. B) is organizationally focused. C) is narrow in scope. D) addresses current needs.

Q: Unlike training, development: A) is narrow in scope. B) focuses on the current job. C) has a long-term time frame. D) attempts to improve worker performance.

Q: Tortes and Cakes Corporation (TCC) is redesigning its work processes and wants to tap into the new work technology. Most of the computer programs the firm needs are quite complex, but TCC wants to computerize the entire business within 18 months. Which of the following would be most appropriate for TCC? A) Diversity development B) Team training C) Development D) Training

Q: A goal of development is to: A) develop key skills. B) improve performance on the current job. C) prepare employees for future work. D) address knowledge deficiencies.

Q: Which of the following is a characteristic exclusive to training? A) Focuses on correcting current skill deficiencies B) Addresses the skill needs of work groups C) Prepares workers for future positions D) Implemented in classroom settings

Q: The introduction of automation into the workplace often results in improved skills required to perform a job.

Q: The need for generalists with an ability to change job assignments quickly, respond to rapidly changing conditions, and to help out where needed has increased the need for retraining.

Q: When assessing the basis of a performance problem, managers should focus on employee ability and motivation, and largely ignore situational factors, since these are beyond the employee's control.

Q: Additional Case 7.3 In a training session for managers, you state that performance improvement is the most important part of the performance appraisal process. During the session, you explain how the group of supervisors can manage employee performance more effectively. During the ensuing discussion, Chris, a middle manager with 20 subordinates, explains that he has a finely tuned ability to discover the causes of performance problems. According to Chris, employees either lack motivation for the job or lack the skills and knowledge to perform the job. Another supervisor, Gena, says that after she determines the cause of a performance problem, she creates a supportive environment and works in partnership with the employee to solve the problem. While Gena strives to show acceptance, she also finds it effective to point out to subordinates how their negative personality traits affect their work performance. Gena states that by giving employees all the time needed and offering suggestions, performance improvements typically occur. Refer to Additional Case 7.3. Which of the following questions would be LEAST relevant for Chris and Gena to ask when faced with employee performance problems? A) Is the employee's performance erratic? B) Is the employee's performance lower on all tasks? C) Have all workers received 360-degree feedback? D) Are performance problems occurring with all workers?

Q: Additional Case 7.3 In a training session for managers, you state that performance improvement is the most important part of the performance appraisal process. During the session, you explain how the group of supervisors can manage employee performance more effectively. During the ensuing discussion, Chris, a middle manager with 20 subordinates, explains that he has a finely tuned ability to discover the causes of performance problems. According to Chris, employees either lack motivation for the job or lack the skills and knowledge to perform the job. Another supervisor, Gena, says that after she determines the cause of a performance problem, she creates a supportive environment and works in partnership with the employee to solve the problem. While Gena strives to show acceptance, she also finds it effective to point out to subordinates how their negative personality traits affect their work performance. Gena states that by giving employees all the time needed and offering suggestions, performance improvements typically occur. Refer to Additional Case 7.3. Which of the following would most likely improve Gena's strategy for solving performance problems? A) Exploring the causes of poor performance B) Focusing communication on performance C) Empowering employees to reach a solution D) Motivating employees to solve their own problems

Q: Additional Case 7.3 In a training session for managers, you state that performance improvement is the most important part of the performance appraisal process. During the session, you explain how the group of supervisors can manage employee performance more effectively. During the ensuing discussion, Chris, a middle manager with 20 subordinates, explains that he has a finely tuned ability to discover the causes of performance problems. According to Chris, employees either lack motivation for the job or lack the skills and knowledge to perform the job. Another supervisor, Gena, says that after she determines the cause of a performance problem, she creates a supportive environment and works in partnership with the employee to solve the problem. While Gena strives to show acceptance, she also finds it effective to point out to subordinates how their negative personality traits affect their work performance. Gena states that by giving employees all the time needed and offering suggestions, performance improvements typically occur. Refer to Additional Case 7.3. Chris's analysis most likely suggests which of the following plays a role in performance management? A) Organizational politics B) Nonverbal attending C) Cultural insensitivity D) Observer bias

Q: Additional Case 7.3 In a training session for managers, you state that performance improvement is the most important part of the performance appraisal process. During the session, you explain how the group of supervisors can manage employee performance more effectively. During the ensuing discussion, Chris, a middle manager with 20 subordinates, explains that he has a finely tuned ability to discover the causes of performance problems. According to Chris, employees either lack motivation for the job or lack the skills and knowledge to perform the job. Another supervisor, Gena, says that after she determines the cause of a performance problem, she creates a supportive environment and works in partnership with the employee to solve the problem. While Gena strives to show acceptance, she also finds it effective to point out to subordinates how their negative personality traits affect their work performance. Gena states that by giving employees all the time needed and offering suggestions, performance improvements typically occur. Refer to Additional Case 7.3. In this training session you should most likely state that to improve performance, managers need to begin by: A) exploring the causes of the performance problem with the employee. B) directing communication towards performance and situational issues. C) empowering workers to solve their own performance problems. D) directing attention to solutions for the problem.

Q: Sam, a data analyst, has not been completing tasks as quickly as his manager, Elizabeth, would like. Elizabeth has scheduled a meeting with Sam to discuss the issue. What should Elizabeth do first at the meeting? A) Ask Sam if he has been having personal problems at home B) Enroll Sam in a training and development program C) Tell Sam that he could lose his position soon D) Define the performance problem for Sam

Q: According to the text, what is the best way to encourage managers to coach employees? A) Integrating coaching into a strategic plan B) Showing the effectiveness of coaching C) Setting specific times for coaching D) Paying overtime for coaching

Q: The best way for managers to encourage effective performance is to: A) be specific about desired outcomes. B) show employees how to accomplish goals. C) design outcome goals without employee input. D) develop small work teams within each department.

Q: Which of the following is an example of a situational factor affecting employee performance? A) Al arrives late to work every day. B) Beth lacks adequate job knowledge. C) Carter receives poor supervision. D) Dana shows symptoms of burnout.

Q: Which of the following is NOT a situational factor in employee performance problems? A) Lack of necessary equipment B) Inadequate supervision C) Lack of motivation D) Inadequate training

Q: Employee performance on the job is primarily a function of the employee's: A) ability, motivation, and situational factors. B) working conditions and training. C) supervision and motivation. D) traits and behaviors.

Q: Those who manage employee performance effectively share some common management characteristics, such as: A) the ability to motivate. B) a minimal use of progressive discipline. C) the exploration of causes of performance problems. D) a behavioral-based approach to managing employees.

Q: Which of the following is a "microskill" that managers should use in employee appraisal interviews? A) Using only open questions B) Paraphrasing employees' responses C) Discussing personal matters with employees D) Maintaining a distinct manager/subordinate atmosphere

Q: The tendency of managers to blame workers for poor performance and for workers to blame external factors is known as: A) halo effect. B) 360 degree feedback. C) actor/observer bias. D) central tendency error.

Q: All of the following are characteristics of supervisors who manage performance effectively EXCEPT: A) solving problems for employees. B) focusing attention on the causes of problems. C) directing communication at performance. D) developing an action plan with employees.

Q: Your text argues for which of the following as the best model of performance management? A) Separating the performance appraisal and salary review B) Incorporating judgment and coaching in the performance review C) Separating goal setting and action planning from the formal review D) Replacing the formal review with informal day-to-day feedback and performance management

Q: In most U.S. organizations, an employee's performance appraisal interview and salary review are conducted in the same meeting. Research shows that tying these two events together results in: A) employees receiving lower raises than if the two events were separated. B) managers focusing on the salary issue and overlooking the performance appraisal. C) employees ignoring performance feedback and focusing only on the salary increase. D) managers taking the appraisal more seriously and providing more detailed feedback.

Q: Catina is designing an assessment and performance managing program for her company's HR department. To manage employee performance most effectively, Catina should: A) mandate that performance appraisals and assessment interviews be performed once every three years. B) prohibit managers from discussing performance evaluations and compensation during the same meeting. C) stress that day-to-day interactions need to occur between manager and employee in addition to face-to-face interviews. D) create a program that measures employee performance in terms of annual productivity.

Q: Group performance appraisals are becoming more important in the U.S. business community, since teams are increasingly common in the workplace. As a manager, how would you appraise a team and its members in order to improve performance?

Q: How do factors such as the influence of liking, organizational politics, and employment laws affect the performance appraisal process? What can firms do to address these issues?

Q: How do rater errors and personal emotions affect the performance appraisal process? How can firms manage the impact of both?

Q: What are the advantages and disadvantages of using trait, behavioral, and outcome data to measure employee performance? In your answer, discuss the level of legal defense that each method provides.

Q: A type of training that presents supervisors with fictitious examples of worker performance, asks the supervisor to evaluate the workers in the examples, and then tells them what their ratings should have been is referred to as ________.

Q: ________ is the degree to which the performance ratings given by various supervisors in an organization are similar.

Q: An error in performance appraisals that reflects consistent biases on the part of the rater is referred to as ________.

Q: The combination of peer, subordinate, and self-review is referred to as ________.

Q: Brito vs. Zia established that performance appraisals must meet all the legal requirements regarding tests in organizations.

Q: In team environments, experts recommend eliminating individual performance evaluation to avoid creating rivalries within teams.

Q: Rational and political perspectives on performance appraisal differ in that the rational approach seeks as clear a definition of worker performance as possible, while the political perspective seeks ambiguity.

Q: Maximizing benefits over costs is the primary goal of rational performance appraisal.

Q: Performance diaries typically improve the accuracy of performance appraisals but cannot be used in court to justify the appraisal process.

Q: Liking is an emotional and conscious response on the part of employers and is established over a long period of time.

Q: Frame-of-reference training helps managers avoid errors and bias in performance evaluations.

Q: Yolanda tends to appraise all workers in her department at the high end of the measuring scale. This may be due to a severity error.

Q: Sudhir is evaluating Carol's performance. Sudhir has a poor opinion of Carol because she irritates him by asking questions and questioning his judgment in department meetings. When the HR director reviews Carol's performance evaluation, he notes that Sudhir has consistently rated Carol low. The HR director agrees in areas of judgment and tact but knows that Carol is considered one of the department's most effective people in other areas. What the HR director notes in Sudhir's evaluation is the rater bias called the halo effect.

Q: 360° performance appraisal systems require careful planning and consume far more time than other appraisal systems, but putting the system online can reduce the time and costs of the process.

Q: Additional Case 7.2 As an HR manager at a publishing firm, you are reviewing performance appraisals for a report to the CEO regarding manager performance. The CEO wants to know not only how employees are doing, but also how well managers are evaluating their employees. Matt, Madeline, and Edward are the firm's key managers. Reading through Matt's evaluations, you note that he tends to rate all of his subordinates in the middle of the scale. You recall a conversation during which Matt commented that his subordinates were overall satisfactory but not excellent. Matt would like to get them more training and institute an incentive program for motivational purposes. Madeline's employee evaluations of her team range from excellent to poor. You are startled to see that Madeline has rated Juan rather low. Pulling Juan's file, you note that he has always had very high ratings until this time. You remember a meeting two months ago when Juan vehemently disagreed with Madeline in front of the CEO, who agreed with Juan's opinion to Madeline's embarrassment. Edward's employee evaluations have very little justification. Gary, the CEO's son-in-law, is typically an average performer, but Edward gave him a very high rating. Jenny, another average performer, has a very low rating. You recall a comment from Edward that Jenny needed motivation to work harder. Refer to Additional Case 7.2. Which manager or managers would most likely leave the company vulnerable to a lawsuit because of the way they conduct performance appraisals? A) Matt B) Edward C) Matt and Edward D) Madeline and Edward

Q: Additional Case 7.2 As an HR manager at a publishing firm, you are reviewing performance appraisals for a report to the CEO regarding manager performance. The CEO wants to know not only how employees are doing, but also how well managers are evaluating their employees. Matt, Madeline, and Edward are the firm's key managers. Reading through Matt's evaluations, you note that he tends to rate all of his subordinates in the middle of the scale. You recall a conversation during which Matt commented that his subordinates were overall satisfactory but not excellent. Matt would like to get them more training and institute an incentive program for motivational purposes. Madeline's employee evaluations of her team range from excellent to poor. You are startled to see that Madeline has rated Juan rather low. Pulling Juan's file, you note that he has always had very high ratings until this time. You remember a meeting two months ago when Juan vehemently disagreed with Madeline in front of the CEO, who agreed with Juan's opinion to Madeline's embarrassment. Edward's employee evaluations have very little justification. Gary, the CEO's son-in-law, is typically an average performer, but Edward gave him a very high rating. Jenny, another average performer, has a very low rating. You recall a comment from Edward that Jenny needed motivation to work harder. Refer to Additional Case 7.2. Edward's employee evaluations show that Edward: A) tends to make halo errors. B) is subject to the influence of liking. C) is not considering situational factors in his appraisals. D) believes in a political perspective regarding performance appraisals.

Q: Additional Case 7.2 As an HR manager at a publishing firm, you are reviewing performance appraisals for a report to the CEO regarding manager performance. The CEO wants to know not only how employees are doing, but also how well managers are evaluating their employees. Matt, Madeline, and Edward are the firm's key managers. Reading through Matt's evaluations, you note that he tends to rate all of his subordinates in the middle of the scale. You recall a conversation during which Matt commented that his subordinates were overall satisfactory but not excellent. Matt would like to get them more training and institute an incentive program for motivational purposes. Madeline's employee evaluations of her team range from excellent to poor. You are startled to see that Madeline has rated Juan rather low. Pulling Juan's file, you note that he has always had very high ratings until this time. You remember a meeting two months ago when Juan vehemently disagreed with Madeline in front of the CEO, who agreed with Juan's opinion to Madeline's embarrassment. Edward's employee evaluations have very little justification. Gary, the CEO's son-in-law, is typically an average performer, but Edward gave him a very high rating. Jenny, another average performer, has a very low rating. You recall a comment from Edward that Jenny needed motivation to work harder. Refer to Additional Case 7.2. Madeline's evaluation of Juan most likely involves a(n) ________ error. A) central tendency B) influence of liking C) frame-of-reference D) assessment criteria

Q: Additional Case 7.2 As an HR manager at a publishing firm, you are reviewing performance appraisals for a report to the CEO regarding manager performance. The CEO wants to know not only how employees are doing, but also how well managers are evaluating their employees. Matt, Madeline, and Edward are the firm's key managers. Reading through Matt's evaluations, you note that he tends to rate all of his subordinates in the middle of the scale. You recall a conversation during which Matt commented that his subordinates were overall satisfactory but not excellent. Matt would like to get them more training and institute an incentive program for motivational purposes. Madeline's employee evaluations of her team range from excellent to poor. You are startled to see that Madeline has rated Juan rather low. Pulling Juan's file, you note that he has always had very high ratings until this time. You remember a meeting two months ago when Juan vehemently disagreed with Madeline in front of the CEO, who agreed with Juan's opinion to Madeline's embarrassment. Edward's employee evaluations have very little justification. Gary, the CEO's son-in-law, is typically an average performer, but Edward gave him a very high rating. Jenny, another average performer, has a very low rating. You recall a comment from Edward that Jenny needed motivation to work harder. Refer to Additional Case 7.2. Madeline's evaluation of Juan most likely suggests that she: A) faces legal issues. B) has actor/observer bias. C) has a political agenda. D) needs frame-of-reference training.

Q: Additional Case 7.2 As an HR manager at a publishing firm, you are reviewing performance appraisals for a report to the CEO regarding manager performance. The CEO wants to know not only how employees are doing, but also how well managers are evaluating their employees. Matt, Madeline, and Edward are the firm's key managers. Reading through Matt's evaluations, you note that he tends to rate all of his subordinates in the middle of the scale. You recall a conversation during which Matt commented that his subordinates were overall satisfactory but not excellent. Matt would like to get them more training and institute an incentive program for motivational purposes. Madeline's employee evaluations of her team range from excellent to poor. You are startled to see that Madeline has rated Juan rather low. Pulling Juan's file, you note that he has always had very high ratings until this time. You remember a meeting two months ago when Juan vehemently disagreed with Madeline in front of the CEO, who agreed with Juan's opinion to Madeline's embarrassment. Edward's employee evaluations have very little justification. Gary, the CEO's son-in-law, is typically an average performer, but Edward gave him a very high rating. Jenny, another average performer, has a very low rating. You recall a comment from Edward that Jenny needed motivation to work harder. Refer to Additional Case 7.2. You could most likely draw the conclusion that Matt's evaluations exemplify: A) a halo effect error. B) the influence of liking. C) a problem with organizational politics. D) a frame-of-reference error.

Q: Additional Case 7.1 Shannon is the CEO of a firm that provides high-tech service support to other small businesses. He plans to revise the performance appraisal system to align it more closely with company goals. The tailored program should be fair and ethical and should produce consistent results. Shannon wants service employees to work together to maximize service quality. Since the sales force has not been particularly aggressive, sales are lagging. Shannon believes that profits and customer satisfaction will increase if sales people start providing after-sale service to customers. In the past, Shannon's sales managers have been receiving the same raises, regardless of their effectiveness. Now, Shannon wants to identify and reward the best-performing managers. By comparing managers across functions, Shannon believes he will be able to identify workers who are ready for more challenging responsibilities. Refer to Additional Case 7.1. What perspective of the performance appraisal process does Shannon most likely have? A) A political perspective B) A rational perspective C) A relative perspective D) A legal perspective

Q: Judges' decisions on appraisal systems have been favorably influenced by which of the following factors? A) The age of the rater B) The job experience of the ratee C) The use of verbal assessment instruction D) The presence of rater training

Q: A review of court decisions regarding performance appraisal legal issues shows that the courts tend to: A) be favorably influenced by the use of job analysis. B) be positively influenced by the MBO method. C) refer the issue back to the EEOC or OFCCP. D) rule in favor of the employee.

Q: The most significant court test of discrimination in performance appraisal was: A) Griggs vs. Duke Power. B) Brito vs. Zia. C) Segar vs. Civiletti. D) Hawthorne vs. United Airlines.

Q: The legal requirements that any performance appraisal system must meet are set forth in: A) Executive Order 110267. B) the Civil Rights Act of 1991. C) an addendum to the Americans with Disabilities Act. D) Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Q: Most experts agree that in a team environment: A) individual assessment is unnecessary and ineffective. B) behavioral-based assessments are the best in most cases. C) outcome-based tools are the most effective appraisal methods. D) both individual and team performance should be evaluated.

Q: Automotive, Inc. (A.I.) is an automotive manufacturing company that uses self-managed teams to produce large automotive parts. When performing evaluations, A.I. needs to remember to: A) appraise both individual and team performance. B) value individual performance over team performance. C) value team performance over individual performance. D) use behavioral measures to assess overall team performance.

Q: Your text argues that the performance appraisal process in most organizations is a(n): A) absolute process. B) rational exercise. C) political exercise. D) trait-based process.

Q: Managers who follow a rational perspective when conducting performance appraisals: A) value the employee's performance relative to the manager's goals. B) seek to clearly define a worker's performance and the criteria to evaluate that performance. C) decide who should get the highest rating in a group setting before completing the evaluation. D) use relatively ambiguous criteria or definitions in the appraisal process.

Q: Which of the following best summarizes the text's explanation of the political perspective in performance appraisal? A) Performance appraisals communicate approval and disapproval and manage an employee's behavior. B) Performance appraisals provide a way to compare different employees working at the same or similar jobs. C) Performance appraisals accurately measure performance against clear standards in order to improve functioning in the organization. D) Performance appraisals give the employee as much power and discretion as possible.

Q: Managers using a rational perspective to appraise performance believe that: A) the goal of an appraisal is accuracy. B) the employee is an active participant in the process. C) the focus of the process is management of performance. D) the assessment of specifics follows the overall assessment of the worker.

Q: Which of the following is a true comparison between the rational perspective of appraisal and the political perspective of appraisal? A) A rater's bias is less likely to be a deciding factor in the political perspective than in the rational perspective. B) Supervisors' roles in the rational approach are much more active than supervisors' roles in the political approach. C) The goal of appraisal from the political perspective is accuracy. The goal of appraisal from the rational perspective is utility. D) The goal of appraisal from the political perspective is utility. The goal of appraisal from the rational perspective is accuracy.

Q: Sheila believes the value of her employees' performance depends on her agenda or goals, and not on any objective standard. Sheila's perspective is a(n): A) rational perspective. B) absolute perspective. C) political perspective. D) relative perspective.

Q: When managers use performance appraisals to communicate a message to an employee rather than to measure actual performance, the performance appraisal is most likely being influenced by: A) rater bias. B) personal bias. C) organizational politics. D) employee personalities.

Q: How can managers minimize the influence of "liking" on performance evaluations? A) Participating in frame-of-reference training B) Keeping a performance diary on each employee C) Developing a sensitivity to organizational politics D) Conducting group, rather than individual, performance evaluations

Q: Managers who maintain employee performance diaries most likely benefit from: A) venting frustrations about individual employees. B) guaranteed protection against the halo effect. C) legal justification for the appraising process. D) documenting organizational politics.

Q: Which of the following is true about the influence of "liking" on performance appraisals? A) Correlations exist between rater liking and performance ratings. B) Most employees doubt that rater liking affects performance appraisals. C) Correlations exist between employee liking and performance criteria. D) The impact of liking is greatest in absolute performance appraisal systems.

Q: Which of the following is used in frame-of-reference training? A) Role playing of employee behaviors B) Fictitious examples of worker performance C) Actual examples of incorrect performance ratings D) Previous performance appraisals conducted by managers

Q: Frame-of-reference training has been found to be particularly effective in eliminating: A) persuasive effects of organizational politics. B) problems of choosing the wrong evaluation tool. C) most legal issues in the performance review process. D) the impact of personal bias in performance evaluations.

Q: Two line managers, Cameron and Ty, are performing appraisals on their subordinates. As they discuss their findings, they realize that they have very similar views on how they rate performance. The work that Cameron rates as excellent, Ty rates as excellent. The work that Ty rates as average, Cameron rates as average. These findings most likely indicate: A) a high rate of comparability. B) a restriction of range error. C) a central tendency error. D) the influence of liking.