Q&A Hero

Q: The paired-comparison method of measuring employee performance: A. involves comparing each employee with each other employee to establish rankings. B. is also known as the alternation ranking method. C. rates everyone favorably or near the center of the scale. D. assigns a certain percentage of employees to each category in a set of categories. E. requires managers to rank employees in their group from the highest performer to the poorest performer.

Q: A visit to a college campus is a major source of recruiting for professional and managerial positions.

Q: Which of the following is true about the paired-comparison method of measuring employee performance? A. It is time consuming if a group has more than a handful of employees. B. It is also known as the alternation ranking method. C. It rates everyone favorably or near the center of the scale. D. It assigns a certain percentage of employees to each category in a set of categories. E. It requires managers to rank employees in their group from the highest performer to the poorest performer.

Q: Identify the evaluation approach to performance measurement that meets the following criteria: very high fit with strategy, usually high validity, high reliability, high acceptability, and high specificity regarding results but low specificity regarding behaviors necessary to achieve them. A. Comparative B. Attribute C. Behavioral D. Results E. Developmental

Q: The geocentric policy of hiring the best person regardless of nationality is the formal policy of choice for most large U.S. corporations.

Q: Identify the approach to performance measurement that meets the following criteria: high strategic congruence, usually high validity, usually high reliability, moderate acceptability, and very high specificity. A. Comparative B. Attribute C. Behavioral D. Results E. Quality

Q: One of the advantages of using employment process outsourcing (EPO) and recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) is that you are leveraging a specialized firm focused on specific occupations.

Q: Identify the approach to performance measurement that meets the following criteria: usually low fit with strategy, usually low validity, usually low reliability, high acceptability, and very low specificity. A. Comparative B. Attribute C. Behavioral D. Results E. Quality

Q: Job candidates who have been referred, particularly those who are family and friends of current employees, typically receive a RJP and therefore have longer tenure if hired.

Q: A lower selection ratio is generally more desirable as it enables the organization to choose job candidates from a larger pool of qualified candidates, thus increasing selectivity.

Q: The performance measurement method that assigns a certain percentage of employees to each category in a set of categories is called the: A. forced-distribution method. B. alternation ranking method. C. paired-comparison method. D. optional ranking method. E. simple ranking method.

Q: Diversity is an issue to consider relative to HR selection, however, not at the HR planning stage.

Q: Which of the following is true about the forced-distribution method of measuring employee performance? A. It is also known as the alternation ranking method. B. It requires managers to rank employees in their group from the highest performer to the poorest performer. C. It works best if the members of a group do not vary much in terms of their performance. D. It involves comparing each employee with each other employee to establish rankings. E. It assigns a certain percentage of employees to each category in a set of categories.

Q: Internal recruitment stifles upward movement of personnel.

Q: Because the cost of labor is so high relative to other operating expenses, containing this cost can have a large impact on a companys ability to compete on price.

Q: The good news about the off shoring of jobs is that the jobs in question are increasingly low skilled jobs.

Q: Turnover is costly for an organization, and one of the hidden costs is the loss of top talent and their knowledge and ideas.

Q: The WARN Act requires employers to give 60 days notice to their competitors if there is going to be a layoff of 500 or more employees.

Q: While making data driven decisions is important in other areas of HRM, decisions related to HR planning and recruitment are most effective using more subjective, intuitive methods.

Q: The so-called digital divide is becoming larger, causing recruiters to become even more creative as they attempt to source a diverse pool of applicants.

Q: It is important for recruiters to consider how changes to overall compensation would impact the companys ability to attract applicants to a job.

Q: What should managers do to support training? Some of the ways in which managers can support training are: Understand the content of the training. Know how training relates to what you need employees to do. In performance appraisals, evaluate employees on how they apply training to their jobs. Support employees use of training when they return to work. Ensure that employees have the equipment and technology needed to use training. Prior to training, discuss with employees how they plan to use training. Recognize newly trained employees who use training content. Give employees release time from their work to attend training. Explain to employees why they have been asked to attend training. Give employees feedback related to skills or behavior they are trying to develop.

Q: HR planning is a task that is accomplished without regard or connection to the business plan.

Q: Discuss the three elements of a needs assessment process.

Q: One of the significant trends in creative HR planning is the use of permanent part-time employees.

Q: Identifying the relevant labor market is an important step towards deciding the type of recruiting method to be used.

Q: Which of the following characteristics would make diversity training more effective? A. It must be separated from the work context. B. It should be tied to business objectives. C. It should not last for more than a day. D. It should emphasize more on learning skills than behaviors. E. It should be unstructured.

Q: As a mid-level manager working at a company that rewards high performance work practices, you should emphasize external recruitment over internal recruitment.

Q: Trainees are likely to respond more positively to which of the following approaches of diversity training? A. Increasing participants awareness of cultural and ethnic differences as well as differences in personal and physical characteristics, such as disabilities. B. Teaching employees skills for constructively handling communication barriers, conflicts, and misunderstandings that arise when different people try to work together. C. Sending participants directly into communities where they interact with persons from different cultures, races, and nationalities. D. A program that clearly demonstrates that it values diversity and minorities over the average white male employee. E. Making people aware of cultural differences and their stereotypes about those differences to avoid letting stereotypes influence their interactions with people.

Q: Increased group-level diversity always leads to improved performance.

Q: Which of the following is a form of diversity training provided by some organizations that involves sending employees directly into communities where they have to interact with persons from different cultures, races, and nationalities? A. Community service B. Acculturation C. Cultural immersion D. Cultural health E. Ethnology

Q: Trend analysis, simple and multiple linear regression analysis are qualitative methods for forecasting labor demands.

Q: Diversity training programs that focus on behavior aim at: A. increasing participants awareness of cultural and ethnic differences as well as differences in personal and physical characteristics, such as disabilities. B. teaching employees to be effective at different tasks and roles. C. sending participants directly into communities where they interact with persons from different cultures, races, and nationalities. D. changing organizational policies and individual conduct that inhibit employees personal growth and productivity. E. making people aware of cultural differences and stereotypes.

Q: When are private agencies most effective?

Q: What is the objective of diversity training programs that focus on attitudes? A. To identify incidents that discourages employees from working up to their potential B. To teach employees to be effective at different tasks and roles C. To change organizational policies that inhibits employees personal growth and productivity D. To improve participants ability to interact effectively with people both up and down the organizations hierarchy E. To increase participants awareness of cultural, ethnic, personal, and physical differences in the workforce

Q: List a few methods available for external recruiting.

Q: Organizations provide for orientation because: A. it is a legal requirement for all new employees. B. it relieves the shock and surprise experienced when starting a new job. C. most new employees do not do sufficient research on the employer before joining. D. a realistic job profile is provided during recruitment. E. it is less cost effective than organizational analysis.

Q: List the three essential steps for recruitment planning.

Q: (p. MC. Training designed to prepare employees to perform their jobs effectively, learn about the organization, and establish work relationships is known as:) Training designed to prepare employees to perform their jobs effectively, learn about the organization, and establish work relationships is known as: A. orientation. B. benchmarking. C. sensitivity training. D. bumping. E. conditioning.

Q: Describe the organizational recruitment process model.

Q: The simplest approach to evaluating training is to: A. use only a pretest. B. calculate the ROI. C. conduct pretests and posttests on all trainees. D. use only a posttest. E. compare pretest and posttest scores of the trained group with those of an untrained group.

Q: List a few steps recommended by Dr. Cascio for enhancing the effectiveness of restructuring and downsizing.

Q: List the six steps in trend analysis.

Q: The most accurate way to evaluate the training program is to: A. use only a pretest. B. conduct pretests and train only part of the employees. C. conduct pretests and posttests on all trainees. D. use only a posttest. E. check trainees performance, knowledge, and attitudes only after training.

Q: List the actions organizations can take to manage diversity effectively.

Q: Information such as facts, techniques, and procedures that trainees can recall after the training, and skills that trainees can demonstrate in tests are examples of _____. A. training outcomes B. transfer of training C. return on investment on training D. training credits E. training improvements

Q: What techniques can managers use for forecasting labor demands?

Q: _____ requires that employees actually learn the content of the training program and that the necessary conditions are in place for employees to apply what they learned. A. Behavior modeling B. Transfer of training C. Simulation D. Virtual reality E. Action learning

Q: Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of internal versus external recruitment sources.

Q: On-the-job use of knowledge, skills, and behaviors learned in training constitutes: A. coordination training. B. retraining. C. cross-training. D. action learning. E. transfer of training.

Q: Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the various media options available when recruiting through advertising.

Q: HR planning for positions outside of the U.S. involves A) A focus on job compatibility, versus RJP B) Methodology distinctly different from domestic planning C) Greater complexity and a focus on job compatibility and RJP D) A focus on only labor supply and not demand E) Operating in an environment of stability and predictability

Q: When should a training program be evaluated? A. Before the request for proposal is developed. B. When the organization ensures readiness. C. After the program has been developed. D. During the implementation of the program. E. When the program is being developed.

Q: Which of the following methods helps increase readability of training material? A. Replace concrete words with abstract words B. Combine two or more sentences into one long sentence C. Combine two or more paragraphs into one long paragraph D. Add checklists and illustrations to clarify the text E. Substitute written material for video, hands-on learning or other nonwritten methods

Q: The most effective reengineering efforts are successful when they recognize that A) having a focus on the customers needs to be put on hold until the dust settles and managers sort out their budgets. B) it is best to begin with a very generous severance package to control the flow of talent within the organization. C) labor unions must be neutralized in order for performance to be a high priority in decision making. D) the organization should focus on short term gains to not be overwhelmed by long term consequences. E) downsizing individuals that are vital to the creation of customer value will erode the organizations competitive advantage.

Q: The difficulty level of written materials is known as: A. severability. B. scalability. C. modularity. D. interoperability. E. readability.

Q: __________ reflects the number of candidates available at a step compared to a previous step. A) Forecasting B) Yield ratio C) Time lapse D) Work analysis E) Recruitment

Q: Marcus heads a garbage disposal firm called The Cleanout Company. Recently, his firm was under scrutiny from environmental organizations. To counter any possible negative claims by these organizations against his company, Marcus assigned 5 of his junior managers to study the issue and propose plans or initiatives that can make the company look more environmental friendly. He also instructed senior managers to mentor their juniors as they devised new ideas. Which of the following type of team training method did Marcus employ here? A. Action learning B. Adventure learning C. Cross-training D. Internship E. Apprenticeship

Q: __________ is an alternative work arrangement that allows workers to work at home or in some other location other than the employers physical premises. A) Telecommuting B) Job sharing C) Employee leasing D) Part-time workers E) Temporary employment

Q: Giving teams or work groups an actual problem, having them work on solving it and commit to an action plan, and holding them accountable for carrying out the plan describes: A. virtual reality B. self-directed learning C. action learning D. business games. E. simulations.

Q: ABC Retailer has posted an advertisement for an entry-level sales position. Although they have received many applications, the applicants do not seem to have the requisite skills or experience for the position. What could the manager do to increase the percentage of qualified candidates? A) Increase the salary offered for the position and focus on Internet recruiting B) Ensure that the job opening is posted both on line and in print form C) Review the content of the advertisement to ensure it reflects a RJP D) Ensure that there are current performance plans for all sales employees E) Increase the number of newspapers that run the advertisement

Q: _____ is a team training method where teams are trained on how to share information and decisions to obtain the best team performance. A. Behavior modeling B. Experiential training C. Diversity training D. Coordination training E. Simulation

Q: The __________ technique helps minimize interpersonal and jurisdictional conflicts. A) trend analysis B) decentralized C) markov D) delphi E) trend analysis

Q: Which of the following is an example of the cross-training method? A. Mary, who is a cashier, is being trained to stock shelves in case there is a shortage of employees. B. Stan and his work colleagues take part in a rafting course sponsored by the company. C. Jenna and 5 other managers are tasked to study a business problem and present recommendations. D. Jenson is asked to review videos of other employees exhibiting certain important behaviors related to the workplace. E. Katherine uses an online persona to make decisions in game simulations involving job-related situations.

Q: In the __________ approach, the HR department examines the current business situation and determines staffing requirements for the rest of the firm. A) centralized B) decentralized C) markov D) regression E) trend analysis

Q: Team training in which team members understand and practice each others skills so that they are prepared to step in and take another members place is referred to as: A. coordination training. B. experiential training. C. behavior modeling. D. cross-training. E. action learning.

Q: External recruiting is especially effective when? A) You have a very small budget B) The company is growing and is trying to increase the diversity of its workforce C) The position is a very high level, for instance VP of Finance D) The company needs to boost the morale of its employees E) You have a large company with a succession plan

Q: One form of experiential training, called _____, is a teamwork and leadership training program based on the use of challenging, structured outdoor activities. A. behavior modeling B. coordination training C. adventure learning D. cross-training E. action learning

Q: A forecast of labor demand is: A) Based on an assessment of the availability of individuals in the labor force who are potential recruits of the firm. B) Proceeded by an inventory of individuals and jobs currently available within the firm C) Derived from a projection of how business/industry needs will affect human resources D) Inclusive of a forecast of resource availability both internal and externally available E) Considered one of the more trivial aspects of human resource planning

Q: Which of the following is an example of an experiential training method? A. Mary, who is a cashier, is being trained to stock shelves in case there is a shortage of employees. B. Stan and his work colleagues take part in a rafting course sponsored by the company. C. Jenna and 5 other managers are tasked to study a business problem and present recommendations. D. Jenson is asked to review videos of other employees exhibiting certain important behaviors related to the workplace. E. Katherine uses an online persona to make decisions in game simulations involving job-related situations.

Q: A mature company is expanding into overseas markets. A few U.S. managers will be transferred, but most new employees will be hired. The strategic plan involves focusing on research and development and new technology introduction. Which of the following HR activities will be the highest priority in support of the move and corporate strategy? A) Succession planning B) evaluation of downsizing potential C) Labor supply and demand forecast D) Turnover analysis E) Delphi planning

Q: Behavior modeling is especially useful for improving: A. quantitative skills. B. interpersonal skills. C. spatial skills. D. clerical skills. E. cognitive skills.

Q: What three factors define the relevant labor market? A) Technology, population density, education B) Occupation, location, industry C) Union status, inflation, compensation strategy D) Occupation, population density, compensation strategy E) education, industry, technology

Q: Company ABC has been using walk-ins, newspaper ads and referrals for recruitment. In order to determine which source provided the best mix of potentially qualified applicants they would A) use RJP B) implement succession planning C) use regression analysis D) calculate EPOs E) calculate yield ratios

Q: _____ involves training sessions in which participants observe other people demonstrating the desired behavior, then have opportunities to practice the behavior themselves. A. Random testing B. Benchmarking C. Behavior modeling D. Experiential training E. Classroom learning

Q: Which of the following statements is true of case studies? A. Case studies stimulate learning by actively involving participants and mimicking the competitive nature of business. B. Cases practice trainees in weighing and acting on uncertain outcomes after evaluating a case. C. Trainees play a largely passive role while being trained with case studies. D. Case studies do not encourage trainees to take risks. E. Training with case studies does not require any interaction among trainees.

Q: Human resource information systems (HRIS), and replacement charts are methods for __________. A) forecasting external supply B) forecasting internal supply C) forecasting external demand D) forecasting internal demand E) forecasting job previews

Q: All of the following are effective downsizing strategies with the exception of: A) Understanding that downsizing may be painful, however, it is the best solution when supply is higher than demand. B) Ensuring that employees are involved in the process and perceive it to be fair. C) Understanding that attention needs to be paid to not only those who leave, but to those who stay. D) Be certain to continue to communicate with employees throughout the process. E) Consider the options of reductions in compensation, work hours or retraining as alternatives to downsizing.

Q: A(n) _____ is a detailed description of a situation that trainees analyze and discuss and is designed to develop higher-order thinking skills. A. restrictive covenant B. premium only plan C. case study D. pareto chart E. avatar

Q: Control and evaluation in human resource planning: A) monitors the effectiveness of human resource plans over time. B) closes the gap between the current and desired state of affairs. C) is a process of translating broad strategies into operational tasks. D) is the ratio of applicants to hires at each step of the selection process. E) projects how business needs will affect HR needs.