Q&A Hero

Q: Ricardo has been selected to work at his firm's manufacturing plant in China. The training department divides the cross-cultural preparation into three phases. Which of the following is the training team likely to do during the departure phase of cross-cultural preparation? A. They are likely to conduct training sessions that include language instructions. B. They are likely to arrange a mentoring program for the assignment overseas. C. They are likely to provide information about changes in the home-country workplace. D. They are likely to provide the company's newsletters and local newsletters. E. They are likely to provide a formal program for the actual assignment.

Q: If a company, as part of its job redesign program, plans to set up teams to manufacture products, which of the following programs might it offer to help employees learn the ins and outs of effective teamwork? A. Development B. Recruitment C. Orientation D. Selection E. Performance management

Q: Roger, an automobile engineer, was sent on a foreign assignment to Spain. Initially, Roger was fascinated by the culture and history of the town he lived in. Within a month, he began to feel disillusioned and discomforted by the differences in norms and values. Which of the following terms best describe this phase of Roger's experience? A. Recovery B. Culture shock C. Honeymoon D. Validation E. Adjustment

Q: The HR function of _____ involves acquiring knowledge, skills, and behavior that improve employees ability to meet the challenges of a variety of new or existing jobs, including the client and customer demands of those jobs. A. recruitment B. personnel policy C. development D. employee relations E. selection

Q: _____ refers to training employees on overseas work assignments to work through national and cultural boundaries. A. Adventure learning B. Experiential learning C. Validation D. Cross-cultural preparation E. Repatriation

Q: _____ is a planned effort to enable employees to learn job-related knowledge, skills, and behavior. A. Selection B. Performance appraisal C. Training D. Compensation E. Recruitment

Q: Sean, a consultant, was assigned an overseas project in China for a period of two years. After a period of seven months, Sean's manager decides to bring Sean back to his home country and replace him with someone else in China. Which of the following, if true, is most likely to have resulted in this decision? A. Sean exhibited the ability to effectively communicate in Mandarin. B. Sean exhibited a sense of intolerance toward collectivist ideals. C. Sean exhibited high levels of extraversion that was required for the job. D. Sean exhibited high levels of cohesiveness. E. Sean exhibited low levels of disillusionment than other employees.

Q: The process by which the organization attempts to identify applicants with the necessary knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics that will help the organization achieve its goals is referred to as _____. A. orientation B. selection C. compensation D. work analysis E. performance management

Q: When an expatriate sent on a foreign assignment begins experiencing feelings of isolation, criticism, stereotyping, and even hostility, he is said to be experiencing _____. A. validation B. adjustment C. recovery D. culture shock E. repatriation

Q: Which of the following refers to the process through which an organization seeks applicants for potential employment? A. Orientation B. Training C. Recruitment D. Work analysis E. Job design

Q: Which of the following is responsible for the shift in the job trend, from the use of narrowly defined jobs to the use of broadly defined jobs in organizations? A. Emphasis on innovation and quality B. Increased demand for low skilled workers C. Increased focus on simplifying jobs D. Lack of competition E. Reduced use of team-based project

Q: Betty, an American, works for an automobile manufacturer in New Jersey. Her manager, Ruth, sends her on an overseas assignment to handle operations at the company's newly acquired plant in Japan. Which of the following, if true, could have most likely led to Betty being chosen for the assignment? A. Betty lacks tolerance to ambiguity and resists change. B. Betty prefers to work in a less challenging work environment. C. Betty works best with those from feminine cultures with low power distance. D. Betty is insensitive to differences in cultures and norms. E. Betty possesses the motivation to succeed and is achievement oriented.

Q: At Smartech, a company dealing in software products, employees often complain about the lack of clarity regarding the tasks they are required to perform. Often there are two employees working on overlapping tasks, while some tasks are not designated to any employee. Though employees are satisfied with the pay and work culture, this aspect of their work environment has led to a lot of conflict in the workplace. From the information provided, this complaint of the employees can be closely linked to which of the following HR functions? A. Compliance with laws B. Analysis and design of work C. Compensation and benefits D. Maintaining employee relations E. Recruitment and selection

Q: Which of the following is an effective recruitment and selection strategy when the required skills are scarce in a particular location? A. Host-country nationals B. Immigrant workers C. Parent-company nationals D. Local contract workers E. Local temporary workers

Q: Job design is the process of: A. defining the way work will be performed and the tasks that a given job requires. B. generating a pool of potential candidates for a job. C. identifying suitable candidates for jobs. D. enabling employees to learn job-related knowledge, skills, and behavior. E. presenting candidates with positive and negative information about a job.

Q: Identify an advantage of having wide latitude in reducing a company workforce. A. It gives the option of hiring for peak needs and laying off employees if needs decline. B. It helps in protecting workers' jobs. C. It helps employees adjust to a new culture. D. It allows workers to keep more of their earnings regardless of the taxes they pay. E. It gives employees the advantage of accumulating many years of work experience in an organization.

Q: Which of the following refers to the process of getting detailed information about jobs? A. Job rotation B. Supply chain management C. Job analysis D. Policy creation E. Job orientation

Q: Identify a true statement about countries with small power distances. A. People address one another with titles. B. People try to eliminate inequalities. C. People tend to rely on orders from superiors. D. People seem to take each day as it comes. E. People value seniority more than talent.

Q: Which of the following responsibilities is specifically associated with the HR function of support for strategy? A. Discipline B. Human resource planning and forecasting C. Wage and salary administration D. Developing employee handbooks and company publications E. Developing an HR information system

Q: Which of the following is a feature of individualistic cultures? A. It has flatter pay structures. B. It exhibits greater differences between the highest and lowest pay in the organization. C. It emphasizes on organizational rather than individual performance. D. It involves collective decision making. E. It has compensation systems based on fixed pay according to seniority.

Q: Which one of the following responsibilities is specifically associated with the HR function of employee relations? A. Conducting attitude surveys B. Work analysis C. HR information systems D. Human resource planning and forecasting E. Job design

Q: Jenny, a sales executive, believes that her hard work and persistence will reap rewards in the future. She is not very assertive, prefers to address her seniors by titles rather than names, prefers to be instructed, and awaits her team's approval before taking decisions. Jenny is likely to belong to a culture that: A. is highly individualistic. B. has high power distance. C. is low on uncertainty avoidance. D. is feminine. E. is long-term oriented.

Q: Human resources provide an organization with a sustainable competitive advantage because: A. highly skilled and knowledgeable employees are commonly available. B. the organization can easily duplicate the success of competitors human resources. C. after financial resources, human resources are the most committed to an organization. D. high-quality employees provide a needed service as they perform many critical functions. E. employees can be easily trained, motivated, and developed to care about customers.

Q: Eric's company lays down stringent rules for employees to follow at work. Business decisions are usually made by teams rather than individuals. And profit making is given priority over employee satisfaction. The company is at a stage where it prioritizes quick revenue generation over sustainability. In this case, Eric's company is most likely to be rated high on: A. individualism. B. long-term orientation. C. femininity. D. uncertainty avoidance. E. power distance.

Q: One of the qualities of human resources is that _____. A. it is highly substitutable and interchangeable B. it is easily available for all companies to utilize C. it is easily imitated by rivals D. it is negligible in terms of value E. it is indispensable for building a competitive advantage

Q: Sheena hails from a country whose legal system is based on religious scriptures. Social and business behaviors are judged based on religious laws and legal codes to a great extent. Which aspect of culture do these conditions represent? A. Masculinity B. Time orientation C. High uncertainty avoidance D. Individualism E. Power distance

Q: The term _____ is used to describe the employees of an organization in terms of their training, experience, judgment, intelligence, relationships, and insight. A. performance management B. human capital C. development D. traditional management E. working capital

Q: Stephen works as an accountant in the headquarters of a fast food chain. He encourages his colleagues to participate in an initiative he started that involved planting trees and flowers on the office's grounds. Stephen's initiative reflects those of individuals belonging to a culture with: A. a collectivist nature. B. a short-term orientation. C. high feminine traits. D. high power distance. E. low uncertainty avoidance.

Q: Tiffany, the marketing manager of a mobile phone company, is achievement oriented and exhibits high levels of assertiveness. She prefers to plan extensively for the future, treats everyone equally regardless of age or seniority, and doesn't expect groups to stand up for an individual's rights. Tiffany is most likely to be an individual whose culture reflects: A. masculine traits. B. a short-term orientation. C. high power distance. D. low uncertainty avoidance. E. collectivist views.

Q: As a type of resource, human capital refers to the: A. wages, benefits, and other costs incurred in support of HR functions in an organization. B. cash, equipment, technology, and facilities that the organization uses. C. tax-deferred value of an employees 401(k) plan. D. employee characteristics that add economic value to the organization. E. total budget allocated to the HR department in an organization.

Q: The concept of "human resource management" implies that employees: A. are interchangeable. B. are easily replaceable. C. are a necessary expense to process work demands. D. are resources who add economic value to the organization. E. are secondary to all elements of economic capital like cash and technology.

Q: Tanya works at a retail store in Los Angeles. She addresses her Indian manager, Priya, by her first name. Tanya's colleague advises against addressing Priya by her name as she might find it disrespectful. The colleague is most likely right if Priya's belief reflects that of an individual with: A. a long-term orientation. B. a collectivist nature. C. high power distance. D. low uncertainty avoidance. E. a short-term orientation.

Q: The policies, practices, and systems that influence employees' behavior, attitudes, and performance constitute: A. supply chain management. B. materials management. C. human resource management. D. labor laws. E. equal employment opportunity.

Q: Edward, a U.S. businessman, visits India for a corporate meeting. While interacting with the board members, he addresses them by their first names, as he does with board members in the United States. However, the board members in India were offended by this gesture. Which of the following differences in culture does this scenario reveal? A. Individualism/Collectivism B. Uncertainty avoidance C. Power distance D. Long-term/Short-term orientation E. Masculinity/Femininity

Q: Adrian and Ben are employees of a software development firm in San Francisco. Ben believes that Adrian exhibits behaviors that resemble those of individuals from feminine cultures. Which of the following, if true, would weaken Ben's beliefs? A. Adrian places more emphasis on a harmonious working relationship between members in his team. B. Adrian places more emphasis on creating an atmosphere of competition among his team members. C. Adrian places more emphasis on undertaking initiatives aimed at mobilizing funds for the underprivileged. D. Adrian places more emphasis on undertaking initiatives aimed at preventing environmental degradation. E. Adrian places more emphasis on achieving social mobility through collectivist means.

Q: The Society for Human Resource Management is the primary professional organization for HRM and the worlds largest human resource management association.

Q: Katie and Nate are employees of an investment bank based in Chicago. Katie is of the opinion that the qualities Nate exhibits reflect an individual rather than a masculine culture. Which of the following, if true, would strengthen Katie's beliefs? A. Nate places more emphasis on a healthy superior-subordinate relationship. B. Nate places more emphasis on initiatives pertaining to corporate social responsibility. C. Nate places more emphasis on being ahead of the crowd and achieving goals. D. Nate places more emphasis on initiatives involving the conservation of the environment. E. Nate places more emphasis on achieving social mobility through collectivist means.

Q: The vast majority of HRM professionals have a college degree.

Q: Jerome believes that the key to effective management is to involve his team members in the firm's decision-making process. He prefers structured meetings and detailed plans that include everything from immediate goals to objectives for the next decade. In this case, Jerome's thoughts reflect that of a person with: A. an individualistic nature. B. a collectivist nature. C. high power distance. D. low uncertainty avoidance. E. a short-term orientation.

Q: The role of HR generalist is essentially limited to recruitment and selection.

Q: Dev and Emily are employees of a publishing house and work together on the same team. Dev believes that Emily hails from an individualistic culture, while Emily disagrees. Which of the following, if true, would strengthen Dev's argument? A. Emily prioritizes helping her team members attain their career advancement goals. B. Emily focuses on self-development and puts her needs before those of the group. C. Emily places emphasis on achieving upward social mobility by fulfilling common goals. D. Emily prefers decision making through her team members' participation in management. E. Emily's traits are typical of those from cultures that expect protection from the community.

Q: For human resource practices to be considered ethical, they must result in the greatest good for the largest number of people.

Q: Sarah works at an organization that places high emphasis on relationships, service, care for the weak, and preserving the environment. Sarah's workplace would be viewed as one that places emphasis on the qualities that are considered high in _____. A. femininity B. masculinity C. power distance D. individualism E. capitalism

Q: In companies that are ethical and successful, the owners are the only stakeholders who are responsible for the actions of the company.

Q: Mimi feels that her being denied promotion has more to do with her being a woman than with her performance. However, her supervisors and the HR department are refusing to hear her case. This indicates that Mimi has been denied her right to due process.

Q: Joanne and Patrick work for two different corporations. Joanne's company is very structured, follows rigid rules, and expects employees to behave in a certain manner. Patrick's company is a little more relaxed, and they tend to take each day as it comes. Which of the following cultural differences contributes to this difference in the way these corporations operate? A. Joanne's company is high in feminine culture, whereas Patrick's company is high in masculine culture. B. Joanne's company functions with a low power distance, whereas Patrick's company functions with high power distance. C. Joanne's company functions at an individualistic level, whereas Patrick's company functions at a collectivist level. D. Joanne's company functions with short-term orientation, whereas Patrick's company functions with a long-term orientation. E. Joanne's company functions with a high uncertainty avoidance, whereas Patrick's company functions with low uncertainty avoidance.

Q: Which of the following statements is true about cultures with a long-term orientation? A. They have a tendency to look down upon those who invest in savings. B. They prefer jobs that are relaxed and easy and detest hard work. C. They focus primarily on cultural values that fulfill obligations in the present. D. They promote respect for those who are good at achieving immediate results. E. They focus primarily on cultural values that tend to pay off in the future.

Q: The right of free consent states that employers can conceal the nature of the job while hiring an employee for a particular position.

Q: The supervisors play a key role in employee relations as they are most often the voice of management for the employees.

Q: Which of the following organizations is most likely to locate a facility based on the ability to effectively, efficiently, and flexibly produce a product or service, using cultural differences as an advantage? A. Foreign subsidiaries B. International organizations C. Multinational organizations D. Global organizations E. Domestic organizations

Q: The HR activities are exclusively carried out by an HR specialist in small organizations.

Q: Which of the following is the usual way in which companies first enter foreign markets? A. Importing B. Offshoring C. Exporting D. Outsourcing E. Relocating

Q: Knowledge of business trends is essential for the strategic architect role of an HR professional.

Q: John and Henry are U.S. citizens and work for the same law firm that is headquartered in New York. John, however, works from the firm's London office, while Henry works from the office in New York. Which of the following is a difference between the two employees? A. John is an expatriate, whereas Henry is a parent-country national. B. John is a host-country national, whereas Henry is an expatriate. C. John is a third-country national, whereas Henry is a host-country national. D. John is a parent-country national, whereas Henry is a host-country national. E. John is repatriate, whereas Henry is a third-country national.

Q: An HR professional can be an effective talent manager or organizational designer only when he has the knowledge of how the organization is structured and how that structure might be adjusted to help it meet its goals for developing and using employees talents.

Q: A company, which has its headquarters in Japan, has branches in the United States. A Pakistani manager works in a facility in the United States. In this scenario, Japan is the _____ country and Pakistan is the _____ country. A. parent; third B. expatriate; host C. host; guest D. third; first E. parent; host

Q: In organizations with a sustainable strategy, the HR departments focus on employee development and empowerment rather than short-term costs.

Q: James, an American who works for a U.S.-based company, has been sent to England for a work assignment. James would be known as a(n): A. expatriate. B. repatriate. C. host-country national. D. third-country national. E. guest-country national.

Q: Evidence-based HR refers to the practice of initiating disciplinary action against employees only in the presence of clear and demonstrable proof of undesirable behavior.

Q: Which of the following terms would accurately describe an individual who was born in the United States and is currently working in Germany for a company headquartered in China? A. Parent-country national B. Host-country national C. Third-country national D. Home-country national E. Guest-country national

Q: Human resource management is increasingly becoming a purely administrative function.

Q: Which of the following refers to a country that is neither the parent country nor the host country of a company? A. First country B. Facilitating country C. Governing country D. Third country E. Guest country

Q: (p. 10) The current federal laws fail to outline how to use employee databases in order to protect employees privacy while also meeting employers and societys concerns for security.

Q: A company with _____ level participation is likely to have a single office, the headquarters, in the parent country. A. international B. multinational C. global D. domestic E. transnational

Q: Companies following a low-cost strategy closely align their pay packages to the industry norms.

Q: Which of the following statements best describes a multinational company? A. An organization that builds facilities within the same country to facilitate large-scale exports to various countries. B. An organization that builds facilities in a number of different countries in an effort to minimize production and distribution costs. C. An organization that sets up one or a few facilities in one or a few foreign countries. D. An organization that operates from one country and has customers from all over the globe. E. A domestic organization that chooses to locate a facility using cultural differences as an advantage.

Q: Establishing and administering personnel policies allows the company to handle problematic situations more fairly and objectively than if it addressed such incidents on a case-by-case basis.

Q: Which of the following statements best defines an international organization? A. An organization that builds facilities in a number of different countries in an effort to minimize distribution costs. B. An organization that builds facilities in a number of different countries in an effort to minimize production costs. C. An organization that sets up one or a few facilities in one or a few foreign countries. D. An organization that exports goods to more than a few countries. E. An organization that exports goods to a number of different countries.

Q: The process of selection is limited to hiring new employees for job openings and excludes internal transfers and promotions.

Q: A company is unlikely to have a facility in a: A. parent country. B. host country. C. third country. D. home country. E. first country.

Q: The concern for innovation and quality in recent times has forced companies to use more narrowly defined jobs to increase efficiency.

Q: Thomas, a South African, is employed by a pharmaceutical company whose headquarters is in Philadelphia. Thomas operates out of the firm's production facility in Cape Town, South Africa. Thomas is considered to be a(n): A. parent-country national. B. third-country national. C. host-country national. D. repatriate. E. expatriate.

Q: No two human resource departments will have precisely the same roles and responsibilities.

Q: Sergio, a Spanish national, is an employee at a U.S. company. He works at the company's branch in Spain. This would imply that Sergio is a: A. host-country national. B. parent-country national. C. first-country national. D. third-country national. E. guest-country national.

Q: High-performance work systems have been essential in making organizations strong enough to weather the storm of a recession and remain profitable when the economy begins to expand after the recession.

Q: Which of the following refers to the nation other than the one in which the organization's headquarters is located, where the organization operates a facility? A. Host country B. Parent country C. First country D. Third country E. Guest country

Q: Human resources cannot be imitated.

Q: Gerard is an Australian citizen and works at the headquarters of an Australian company. This would make him a _____. A. host-country national B. expatriate C. governing-country national D. third-country national E. parent-country national

Q: The concept of human resource management implies that employees in an organization cannot be considered as a resource and hence are interchangeable.

Q: Peter, a British citizen, and Keith, a U.S. citizen, are employees of an electronics manufacturing company headquartered in London. While Peter works out of the London office, Keith operates out of the marketing unit in New York. Which of the following statements is true in this scenario? A. Peter is a host-country national. B. Peter is a parent-country national. C. Peter and Keith are expatriates. D. Keith is a third-country national. E. Keith is a home-country national.