Q&A Hero

Q: The consistency between test items or problems and the kinds of situations or problems that occur in a job is known as A) predictive validity. B) content validity. C) concurrent validity. D) diagnostic validity. E) construct validity.

Q: Identify an accurate difference between predictive validation and concurrent validation. A) Predictive validation correlates current job roles and job performance; concurrent validation does not. B) Predictive validation correlates future job performance and applicant test scores; concurrent validation does not. C) Concurrent validation is very time-consuming; predictive validation is not. D) Concurrent validation is difficult to employ; predictive validation is not. E) Concurrent validation is utilized on new recruits; predictive validation is not.

Q: To test the validity of a selection test for advanced widget designers, Apptastic administers the test to its current widget designers. The test results are then compared with existing measures of job performance. In this instance, what type of validation is being used by Apptastic? A) predictive validation B) concurrent validation C) content validation D) construct validation E) diagnostic validation

Q: Kate is the HR manager of Gunther Corp., a software company located in Chicago. She wants to establish the validity of a test designed for computer technicians using a predictive validation strategy. Accordingly, Kate must administer the test to A) at least half the present computer technicians in Gunther Corp. B) people doing similar jobs in other companies. C) people applying for computer technician jobs in Gunther Corp. D) only those computer technicians in Gunther Corp. who are performing at acceptable levels. E) a random selection of computer technicians currently employed at Gunther Corp.

Q: Identify the correct statement regarding predictive validation. A) It is the least effective method of measuring validity. B) It uses the test scores of all applicants and looks for a relationship between the scores and future performance. C) It involves administering a test to people who currently hold a job and comparing their scores to existing measures of their current job performance. D) It is the quickest and easiest method compared to other ways of measuring validity. E) Its scores are influenced by applicants' job experiences.

Q: Sparkle Spin, a national appliance brand, recruited 15 people as brand managers. They all took a test as part of the recruitment process. Three months after the recruitment, their test scores were analyzed along with their performance on the job to find a substantial correlation between the two factors. Which method of research is exemplified in this scenario? A) content validation B) predictive validation C) concurrent validation D) construct validation E) diagnostic validation

Q: Which measure of validity is based on showing a substantial correlation between test scores and job performance scores? A) criterion-related validity B) diagnostic validity C) content validity D) convergent validity E) construct validity

Q: What is true of validity? A) Validity cannot be explained using correlation coefficients. B) Validity identifies how free a measurement is from random error. C) Validity measures the level of cultural fit. D) Validity can only be measured in one way. E) Validity ensures the fairness of employment practices during selection procedures.

Q: The HR department at Hufton Co. recently developed and employed a certain test in the selection process for managers. After observing trends within the organization, the HR department concluded that the test was not a valid selection criterion. What most likely led to the observation that the test was not valid? A) Managers who were recruited without the tests performed well when promoted to other roles. B) Managers who got low scores on the tests performed poorly when promoted to other roles. C) Managers who fared well in the tests performed well in their roles. D) Managers who performed well on the tests performed poorly in their roles. E) Managers who were recruited without the tests performed poorly in their roles.

Q: The ________ of an employment test is indicated by the extent to which the test scores relate to actual job performance. A) reliability B) validity C) generalizability D) utility E) dependability

Q: 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. D) how many errors something can achieve while still being considered useful. E) intelligence in employees.

Q: What does a correlation of 0 mean? A) a negative correlation B) a positive correlation C) a correlation where one number goes up and the other goes down D) no correlation at all E) an error in the correlation coefficients

Q: A correlation coefficient of -1.0 between two sets of numbers indicates A) a complete lack of any correlation between the two sets. B) that when one set of numbers goes up, so does the other set. C) that when one set of numbers goes up, the other set goes down. D) a positive correlation between the two sets. E) an indefinite relationship between the two sets.

Q: Statistics that measure the degree to which two sets of numbers are related are known as A) aligned statistics. B) important integers. C) reliable ratings. D) natural numbers. E) correlation coefficients.

Q: The ________ of a type of measurement indicates how free that measurement is from random error. A) reliability B) validity C) generalizability D) utility E) verifiability

Q: A strategic approach to selection requires ways to measure the effectiveness of selection tools. What 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. D) The method offers practical value. E) The legality of the selection criteria depends on in which country the measurement is performed.

Q: Russell, the new human resource manager at RTL Inc., proposes using automated systems for screening rsums of applicants. Russell claims that automated systems are better than humans at picking the right profiles. Which statement weakens Russell's claim? A) Automated systems might reject qualified people who didn't use the same keywords as the job description. B) Automated systems reduce the pace of the selection process by a large margin. C) Automated systems prevent candidates from knowing the status of their applications. D) Automated systems do not help in matching rsums to the keywords in job requirements. E) Automated systems refrain from replying to the candidates when their profiles are rejected.

Q: Along with 50 other candidates, Paula applied for the position of analyst at Atticus Inc. Because Paula's profile stood out from other candidates' profiles, she was called for an interview in which she performed well. In the context of the steps involved in the selection process for recruitment, which step would most likely be taken next by the recruiter? A) reviewing Paula's work samples B) negotiating salary and benefits with Paula C) verifying Paula's qualifications through background checks D) sending Paula a job offer letter E) getting Paula to sign the job offer

Q: In most organizations, the first step in the personnel selection process is A) verifying the applicants' qualifications through reference and background checks. B) negotiating with the employee regarding salary and benefits. C) screening the applications to see which ones meet the basic requirements for the job. D) administering tests and reviewing work samples to rate the candidates' abilities. E) inviting candidates with the best abilities to the organization for one or more interviews.

Q: Ed, an entrepreneur, wants to hire a human resource professional who can help him make decisions about who will or will not be allowed to join his organization. In advertising for this professional, what term should he use to describe the process he wants help with? A) predictive validation B) job analysis C) concurrent validation D) trend analysis E) personnel selection

Q: In an organization, a supervisor usually makes the final employee selection decision.

Q: Interviews are the least expensive method of employee selection.

Q: Interviewing is considered the most accurate basis for making a selection decision.

Q: In a nondirective interview, the interviewer always asks questions from an established set of questions.

Q: The Polygraph Act legalized the use of polygraph tests for employment screening in most organizations.

Q: Personality tests are more reliable than intelligence tests.

Q: The Civil Rights Act of 1991 encourages the use of sex norming as a selection tool.

Q: Race norming refers to establishing different norms for hiring members of different racial groups.

Q: Jenny is the human resource manager for a machine job that produces custom parts. To make these products, production employees must be able to quickly learn new methods and machines. To identify job candidates who can quickly acquire new skills, Jenny could administer achievement tests.

Q: Aptitude tests assess a person's existing knowledge and skills.

Q: Most organizations check references as soon as they receive a candidate's application form.

Q: An HR department at a manufacturing firm wants to ensure that applicants for production jobs provide complete information about themselves in a standard format. The most effective method would be to ask candidates to submit a rsum.

Q: The Fair Credit Reporting Act requires that employers obtain a candidate's consent before downloading his or her rsum from an online job site.

Q: Equal employment opportunity laws affect the kinds of information an organization may gather on application forms and in interviews.

Q: Under equal employment opportunity laws, if an employer uses an interview process that eliminates most candidates who are black or Hispanic, the employer must show that the method is necessary for selecting candidates who project the right brand image.

Q: Content validation is most suitable for measuring abstract qualities such as intelligence or leadership ability.

Q: Reliability answers the important question if one is measuring something that matters.

Q: A reliable measurement generates consistent results.

Q: Automated systems always ensure that all highly qualified candidates are included in the selection process.

Q: The process of selecting employees remains constant for all organizations and for all jobs.

Q: What is an element in the final stage of human resources planning? A) estimating labor demand B) forecasting labor supply C) estimating labor surplus or shortage D) strategic planning E) evaluating outcomes

Q: Tom, a supervisor at AutoMax Inc., realizes that a couple of months from now, he might experience a labor shortage for approximately two weeks due to increased demand for the company's products. Which option would be best for dealing with this labor shortage? A) Tom should hire new employees because it is a simple process. B) Tom should depend on technological innovation because it helps replace human labor with machines. C) Tom should use outsourcing because it reduces internal costs. D) Tom should encourage employees to stay with the company. E) Tom should encourage employee overtime because it helps to increase productivity for a short period of time.

Q: A small company that manufactures special-order wood furniture has kept its employees busy on a 40-hours-a-week schedule for the past two years. The company just received a large contract from a Chinese company that is opening offices in the area. The Chinese company has given a month's time for completion of its order. To complete the contract in the required one month, the furniture company needs additional skilled labor on short notice. Which strategy might the company use if it wants to avoid this short-term labor shortage while finding a simple and cost-effective solution? A) retrained transfers B) overtime C) technological innovation D) new external hires E) turnover reductions

Q: What is a challenge associated with an outsourcing strategy? A) labor shortage B) increased cost C) quality-control problems D) lack of necessary technology E) diseconomies of scale

Q: Tex Tools applies its in-depth understanding of the challenges facing manufacturers to design and build custom machine tools that are highly valued by business customers. To maintain its competitive advantage, Tex Tools also wants to avoid spending more than is necessary on administrative activities such as managing employee benefits. What would be the most effective way for Tex Tools to minimize administrative expenses without sacrificing quality? A) hiring new employees with administrative skills B) downsizing the workforce so fewer administrators are needed C) moving to a location where raw materials are abundant D) outsourcing administrative work to an organization that specializes in these services E) hiring temporary workers to fill permanent job positions

Q: Organizations use outsourcing as a way to A) reduce a labor surplus. B) operate more efficiently and save money. C) replace labor with technology. D) ease the transition from temporary worker to employee. E) hold onto good employees during a labor surplus until they can be hired back.

Q: Trinkets Inc., a manufacturer of widgets, has entered into a contract with a third party to perform services related to processing orders, managing inventory levels, and shipping products to customers. The company is engaged in A) offshoring. B) consolidating. C) licensing. D) acquiring. E) outsourcing.

Q: Which statement best describes outsourcing? A) It refers to contracting with another organization to perform a broad set of services. B) It refers to finding cheap resources in another country to gain a competitive advantage. C) It refers to using a temporary or contract employee to fill a single job vacancy. D) It refers to buying the necessary raw materials needed to conduct business from external suppliers. E) It refers to moving operations away from the home location to decrease cost savings.

Q: Why is temporary employment popular with employers? A) It gives employers flexibility in operations. B) It allows employers to comply with the requirements of affirmative action imposed by the government. C) The quality of work from temporary workers is usually far superior. D) It is the most effective strategy for key customer service jobs. E) Temporary workers are more committed to the organization.

Q: Identify a disadvantage of using temporary and contract workers. A) Revocability of this method is more difficult than other methods of avoiding labor shortage. B) These kinds of workers cannot be hired through an agency. C) These methods are a relatively slow solution to labor shortage. D) These workers tend to be less committed to an organization. E) These workers work well in key jobs, but not in those jobs that supplement permanent employees.

Q: What are the most widespread methods for eliminating labor shortages? A) downsizing and merging with other organizations B) hiring temporary workers and outsourcing work C) retrained transfers and turnover reduction D) overtime and new external hires E) overtime and retrained transfers

Q: Which of the following best describes a phased-retirement program? A) It refers to laying off older employees in small batches. B) It refers to giving lucrative incentives to a large number of older employees to voluntarily retire. C) It refers to reducing both the number of hours older employees work as well as the cost of these employees. D) It refers to giving older employees a certain time limit to voluntarily retire. E) It refers to offering alternative work locations and work responsibilities to older employees.

Q: El Niro Inc. is automating processes so the company can meet its demand with a smaller workforce. The CEO asks Megan, the vice president of human resources, for advice on how to address the resulting labor surplus. Megan studies the workforce and observes that many employees are in their 50s and 60s. Furthermore, these employees are the highest-paid workers in every job category. Based on this information, what should Megan suggest as the most effective way of addressing El Niro's labor surplus? A) The workforce should be downsized, with layoffs focusing on the older employees. B) Retrain the older employees in order to make them work more productively. C) Provide performance-based pay to increase production output by the employees. D) Replace the employees with contract workers. E) Offer early retirement incentives to the employees in their 50s and 60s.

Q: Allie, a human resource manager at an electronics firm, observes that many employees who are reaching the traditional retirement age are not interested in leaving the organization. Which statement best explains the reason for this trend among older employees? A) There are laws against gender discrimination. B) There is a rise in the availability of pensions. C) Jobs are becoming less physically demanding. D) Phased-retirement programs require employees to work longer hours. E) Older workers generally don't have much debt.

Q: A manufacturing company, hit by a slump in demand, is experiencing a labor surplus. The company expects the market to improve in six months, and it does not want to lay off any of its employees. Which strategy is an equitable way to handle this issue and spread the burden more fairly? A) demotions B) outsourcing C) reduced work hours D) overtime E) employing temporary workers

Q: What is a step a downsized company can take to counter negative employee emotions? A) Demonstrate that the employees that were downsized deserved it. B) Build confidence in the company's plans for a stronger future. C) Show the organization's commitment to its management. D) Encourage employees to work harder, increasing their value and thus keeping them with the company longer. E) Pursue a commitment to the customers over a commitment to the community.

Q: Identify the correct statement regarding downsizing. A) Downsizing improves long-term organizational effectiveness. B) The negative effect of downsizing is especially low among firms that engage in high-involvement work practices. C) Downsizing often disrupts the social networks through which people are creative and flexible. D) The negative impact of downsizing is especially low for those organizations that emphasize research and development. E) Downsizing campaigns eliminate only people who are replaceable.

Q: Frank is the CEO of Telex Inc., a company that has a team-oriented culture in which people perform as groups and complete short-term projects to earn revenue. After studying his company's structure, Frank feels Telex's current processes are inefficient. As a result, Frank decides to downsize the organization and then use the profits to enhance the organization's efficiency. What is a disadvantage of this approach? A) Downsizing yields slow but long-term profits. B) Downsizing is the simplest way to ensure current and future competitiveness. C) Downsizing will interfere with the effectiveness of the organization's teamwork. D) Downsizing often results in acquisition of companies by other organizations. E) Downsizing requires moving to relatively expensive locations.

Q: Betty heads the production department at Riffer Inc., a firm that stresses the importance of maintaining regular contact with customers. Betty is expecting a labor surplus in the future. Mike, a supervisor, recommends downsizing as an option to deal with this labor surplus, however, Betty rejects this option. Which statement will validate that Betty made the right decision? A) Downsizing cannot be used to reduce the number of managers. B) Downsizing would result in increased operational costs. C) Downsizing cannot provide an immediate solution to labor surplus. D) Downsizing would hurt long-term organizational effectiveness. E) Downsizing would harm the hierarchy of top management.

Q: Jacob, the CEO at Einstein Inc., learns that his company is perceived as low-value by customers. He plans to combat this by hiring highly skilled and knowledgeable employees in order to improve Einstein's competitive standing. In this scenario, Jacob will most likely be hiring A) outsourced employees. B) offshored employees. C) employees with a core competency. D) employees with a college degree. E) temporary workers.

Q: Taryn, an HR manager at NetHint Inc., hires employees who provide a specific set of knowledge and skills that will give her company advantage over its competitors. In the context of strategic planning, Taryn is A) outsourcing a broad set of services. B) using propensity analysis. C) seeking leading indicators. D) hiring individuals with a core competency. E) using trend analysis.

Q: Identify the similarity between the outsourcing and overtime strategies for avoiding a labor shortage. A) Both strategies yield slow results. B) Both strategies have high revocability. C) Both strategies are expensive to implement. D) Both strategies involve contracting with another organization to perform a broad set of services. E) Both strategies can be used for reducing labor surplus.

Q: Ernie, a manager at a large decoration store, is expecting increased sales during the upcoming holiday season. He knows that his current workforce will not be able to meet demand, putting him at risk of a labor shortage. Which strategy would be the best option to help Ernie avoid a labor shortage? A) Ernie should hire new employees because he will most likely need additional workers after the holiday season to deal with an increasing sales trend. B) Ernie should increase his current employees' pay during the holiday season so they will work harder to achieve sales targets. C) Ernie should keep his store closed during non-peak hours to compensate for labor shortages. This will ensure his current employees work harder during peak hours. D) Ernie should hire temporary employees because he can let them go once the holiday season is over. E) Ernie should consider increasing the prices of toys so he can make higher profits with fewer sales, thereby reducing the number of customers and consequently solving the labor shortage issue.

Q: Brandon, a production manager at Felix Inc., is expecting a labor shortage for a short period of time. He would like to avoid it with a strategy that can be easily eliminated in the future when there is optimal labor available for work. Which option for avoiding a labor shortage would be the right solution for Brandon? A) hiring new employees B) employing technological innovation C) using retrained transfers D) hiring temporary employees E) reducing managerial staff

Q: Christina, an HR manager at Dixon Inc., is dealing with labor shortage problems due to a sudden increase in production levels at the company. Among the following options, the fastest way to fix this problem is to A) use retrained transfers. B) focus on turnover reductions. C) hire new employees. D) hire temporary employees. E) focus on technological innovation

Q: Identify the similarity between the natural attrition and early retirement strategies for reducing a labor surplus. A) Both strategies yield slow results for an organization. B) Both strategies cause high suffering to the employees of an organization. C) Both strategies can be applied for preventing labor shortages. D) Both strategies are expensive to implement. E) Both strategies encourage layoffs.

Q: Marcus and Olivia are HR managers at Tacoma Investments. They are expecting a labor surplus over the next two years resulting in the organization having 24 more employees than required. Typically, two employees leave the organization each month. Which HR strategy should Marcus and Olivia consider, taking into account the length of time they have available? A) downsizing B) natural attrition C) pay reductions D) demotions E) transfers

Q: Charlie, an HR manager at Delaney Inc., is expecting a labor surplus for the company in the month of November. This gives Charlie nearly eight months to deal with the problem. In order to reduce the labor surplus, Charlie decides to use a ________ strategy, which causes less suffering for employees. A) downsizing B) demotion C) hiring freeze D) pay reduction E) transfer

Q: Solarn Inc. is a relatively new company that employs 23 workers. When it finished a major contract, the owner realized that there wasn't enough work left for all the remaining workers. The company is negotiating contracts that could provide future work in a few months, but it currently must address its labor surplus in order to remain financially sound. What is the best strategy to deal with this labor surplus? A) an early retirement program B) natural attrition C) a hiring freeze D) downsizing E) work sharing

Q: Rantly Corp. is eliminating its desktop computer repair center in Minnesota. Meanwhile, the demand for mobile device repaira service it provides in Florida and New Jerseyis growing rapidly. Betsy, a human resource specialist at the Rantly Corp. headquarters in Miami, must plan to avoid a labor surplus in Minnesota in a fast and effective way. She wishes to do so with minimal employee suffering in terms of layoffs and salary. Which strategy would best help Betsy accomplish her goal? A) pay reductions B) transfers C) demotions D) early retirement E) hiring freeze

Q: Yoza Inc., a manufacturer of electronic goods, is experiencing financial losses. The company is also facing the problem of a labor surplus due to low demand for its products. In this context, what would be the best way for Yoza Inc. to deal with this labor surplus? A) The company must consider work sharing because it causes relatively less suffering to the employees. B) The company must choose an early retirement option because it gives an option to employees to voluntarily leave the organization with suitable monetary compensation. C) The company must freeze employee hiring and focus on natural attrition because it is a relatively fast way to reduce a labor surplus. D) The company must consider downsizing because it is the quickest way to deal with a labor surplus that results in financial losses. E) The company must consider retraining employees because it helps improve their interpersonal skills.

Q: Kevin, the CEO of MedImpact Inc., finds that the company needs to eliminate a labor surplus to avoid financial difficulties. To deal with this problem, he chooses a strategy that gives him fast results. However, the amount of suffering caused to employees is high. Kevin is most likely using the ________ strategy to reduce the labor surplus. A) early retirement B) downsizing C) natural attrition D) retraining E) hiring freeze

Q: The second step in human resource planning is A) forecasting labor shortage. B) forecasting labor surplus. C) goal setting and strategic planning. D) program implementation and evaluation. E) program goal setting.

Q: Damien, an HR manager at Guidelines Inc., is preparing for a 5 percent increase in the production labor force next year. To do this, he needs to determine what the current number of production employees is and how the number is likely to change by the end of the year. To help with this analysis, Damien should use a A) transitional matrix. B) propensity analysis. C) trend analysis. D) multiple regression. E) leading indicator.

Q: Paul is the HR manager at FloGlow Inc., which is preparing for the launch of a new product line. The company needs to know how many new customer service representatives to add to help customers with questions and concerns about the existing and new products. To guide the company, Paul needs information about the number of employees currently providing customer service, the number likely to be in those jobs next year, and the number expected to move to other positions in the organization. The information will be easier to organize and interpret if Paul uses a(n) A) electronic recruiting process. B) transitional matrix. C) propensity analysis. D) due-process policy. E) multiple regression analysis.

Q: A chart that lists job categories held in one period and shows the proportion of employees in each of those categories in a future period is called a A) labor review. B) trend analysis. C) Forecast. D) leading indicator. E) transitional matrix.

Q: In the context of forecasting the demand for labor, using trend analysis, inventory levels, changes in technology, and actions of competitors are examples of A) leading indicators. B) performance indicators. C) coincident pointers. D) transitional matrices. E) functional pointers.

Q: Nishi, a production manager at Havana Health, must predict future labor demand using information about inventory levels from the past three years. Nishi will most likely use ________ to predict the demand. A) yield ratio B) workforce utilization review C) trend analysis D) cost per hire E) capacity utilization analysis

Q: Identify a benefit of applying statistical forecasting methods. A) They are particularly useful in dynamic environments. B) Under the right conditions, they provide predictions that are much more precise than a human forecaster's subjective judgment. C) They are particularly useful in predicting important events that have no historical precedent. D) They are invariably better than the "best guesses" of experts. E) They can be used by organizations as a substitute for relying on the subjective judgments of experts.

Q: In the context of human resource planning, the primary goal of forecasting is to A) predict labor shortages or surpluses in specific areas of an organization. B) determine labor supply. C) set goals for hiring employees. D) focus attention on a problem and provide a basis for measuring an organization's success. E) eliminate large numbers of personnel with the goal of enhancing an organization's competitiveness.