hr – Flashcards
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A manager is best described as a person who is responsible for ________.
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accomplishing the organization's goals
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The basic functions of management include all of the following EXCEPT ________
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outsourcing
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Which of the following statements best explains why employers are expecting a severe labor shortage in the next few years?
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More people are retiring than are entering the job market.
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Zachary, a sales manager with a commercial real estate firm, uses sales quotas to assess the performance of his staff members, and he then develops strategies for corrective action. Which function of the management process is Zachary most likely performing?
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controlling
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Which basic function of management includes developing rules and procedures?
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planning
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________ is the right to make decisions, to direct the work of others, and to give orders
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Authority
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Roberta Whitman has recently been hired by Jackson Pharmaceuticals as the senior vice president of human resources. Jackson Pharmaceuticals has a history of problems within its HR department including high employee turnover, EEO violations, inadequate training programs, and benefit enrollment difficulties. With years of experience transforming HR departments in other firms, Whitman believes she can correct the problems at Jackson Pharmaceuticals
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Outside vendors specializing in all aspects of benefits administration would provide improved support to the firm's employees.
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Most modern employers expect HR managers to do all of the following EXCEPT ________.
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utilize transactional relations to ensure corporate success
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In general, how many human resource employees would be on staff for a firm with 500 total employees?
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5
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Which basic function of management involves maintaining employee morale and motivating subordinates?
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leading
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Which term refers to the competency needed by today's HR managers to create a meaningful work environment and align strategy, culture, practices, and behavior?
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capability builder
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Which term refers to formulating and executing HR policies and practices that produce the employee competencies and behaviors a firm needs to achieve its strategic goals?
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strategic human resource management
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Edith and her sister Ruth share a clerical position at Bowman Industries. Edith works from 7:00 a.m. until noon, and Ruth works from noon until 5:00 p.m. Edith and Ruth would best be described as ________.
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nontraditional workers
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Jennifer was recently certified as a professional human resource manager. Which organization most likely provided this certification to Jennifer?
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Human Resource Certification Institute
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Which of the following best explains why HR management is important to all managers?
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Investing in human capital enables managers to achieve positive results for the firm.
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Which of the following is most likely a true statement?
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Human capital is linked to increased productivity, profitability, and customer satisfaction.
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In the management process, which activity is part of the staffing function?
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evaluating performance
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Which function of the management process involves setting standards such a sales quotas and production levels?
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controlling
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By 2020, service-providing industries in the U.S. are expected to account for ________ of wage and salary jobs overall.
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87%
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Which function of the management process includes delegating authority to subordinates and establishing channels of communication?
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organizing
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Sanders Sporting Goods, an international sporting goods chain, is being sued for sexual harassment by a former Sanders employee. The plaintiff asserts that she was the victim of numerous unwanted sexual advances from a male co-worker. The woman claims that Sanders' management condoned a hostile work environment and that the company is liable for the actions of the male employee. Which of the following, if true, would best support the plaintiff's argument that Sanders is liable for sexual harassment?
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Sanders lacks a management response system for handling sexual harassment complaints.
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The defense of ________ requires showing that there is an overriding business purpose for the discriminatory practice and that the practice is therefore acceptable.
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business necessity
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Which of the following does NOT participate in the issuance of uniform guidelines?
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Better Business Bureau
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Which of the following will be the most likely result of the ADA Amendments Act of 2008?
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Employees will find it easier to prove that their disabilities are limiting.
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The ________ requires employers with federal contracts over $2,500 to take affirmative action in employing disabled persons.
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Vocational Rehabilitation Act
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Which Supreme Court case was used to define unfair discrimination in conjunction with EEO laws?
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Griggs v. Duke Power Company
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If a person is in a protected class, he or she is protected by which of the following?
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Title VII of the Civil Rights Act
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Which amendment to the U.S. Constitution states, "no person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of the law"?
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Fifth
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According to the Equal Pay Act of 1963, an employer may pay workers differently for all of the following reasons EXCEPT for ________.
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gender
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Maria is consulting an attorney about filing sexual harassment charges against her employer. All of the following are ways that Maria can prove sexual harassment EXCEPT by showing that ________.
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the verbal remarks of a co-worker were sexually flirtatious
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The EEOC consists of ________ members, and each member serves a term of ________ years.
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5; 5
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Which term refers to taking specific actions toward or against the person based on the person's group?
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discrimination
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Members of the EEOC are appointed by the ________.
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President of the United States
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The ________ prohibits employers from discriminating against qualified individuals with disabilities with regard to applications, hiring, discharge, compensation, advancement, training, or other terms, conditions, or privileges of employment.
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American with Disabilities Act of 1990
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Executive Orders 11246 and 11375 apply to which of the following employers?
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federal contractors
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Under the Civil Rights Act of 1991, a discrimination claim must be filed within ________ after the alleged incident took place.
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300 days
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After a discrimination charge has been filed, the EEOC has ________ days to serve an employer with notice of the charge.
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10
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What two defenses are available to employers defending themselves against discrimination charges?
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BFOQ and business necessity
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Reverse discrimination refers to discriminating against ________ applicants and employees.
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nonminority
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________ refers to the total employment process that results in a significantly higher percentage of a protected group in the candidate population being rejected for employment, placement, or promotion.
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Adverse impact
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Vision statements focus on the ________.
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future
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Which of the following refers to an analysis by which an organization measures where it currently stands and determines what it has to accomplish to improve its HR functions?
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HR audit
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The sales director at WebMD is developing goals regarding sales revenue targets and the number of new medical-related content providers that the firm needs to maintain a competitive advantage. In which step of the strategic management process is the sales director most likely involved?
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translating a mission into strategic goals
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Which of the following is a course of action that answers the question, "How do we get from here to there?"
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strategy
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MAX Computers manufactures affordable laptops and desktops at its factory in Arizona. MAX has experienced a moderate amount of financial success, but upper management wants the firm to grow at a faster rate and become a bigger player in the highly competitive computer market. The firm's greatest problems relate to its employees. Employee turnover is high-most employees at MAX leave within two years or less of being hired. In addition, the rate of productivity among employees is not as high as executives would like. The vice president of human resources is considering moving MAX towards a high-performance work system.
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How would the implementation of self-managing work teams affect employee morale and work standards at MAX?
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Using data, facts, scientific rigor, and case studies to support HR management proposals and practices is best known as ________.
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evidence-based HR management
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Winchester Rugs operates a website called www.buyrugsdirect.com, so Winchester Rugs is most likely implementing a strategy of ________.
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vertical integration
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An HR specialist conducting an HR audit should review which of the following when auditing recruitment and selection practices?
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background check policies
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Which of the following of the following best describes the general purpose of a strategic plan?
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maintaining a competitive advantage
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The primary purpose of strategic human resource management is to ________.
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link an organization's strategic plan with its human resource strategies
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Linking HR policies and practices with strategic goals in order to improve business performance is known as ________.
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strategic human resource management
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Which of the following questions would LEAST likely be answered through talent analytics?
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Why are the firm's competitors outsourcing more tasks?
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All of the following are services that human resource consulting companies provide during mergers and acquisitions EXCEPT ________.
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overseeing database recovery systems
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Sweet Leaf Tea, a Texas-based maker of bottled iced tea, is a small but fast-growing firm that has gained a loyal following for its use of fresh, organic ingredients in its beverages. Although beverage industry experts recommended that Sweet Leaf replace the organic cane sugar and honey it uses with less costly high-fructose corn syrup, Sweet Leaf refused because of the company's mission to provide a high-quality, organic beverage to consumers. The 11-year-old company has 50 employees, and its products are available in 30% of the U.S. market. Sweet Leaf Tea recently received multi-million dollar investments which will enable the business to expand its national presence. Which of the following, if true, best supports the idea that Sweet Leaf Tea has implemented a competitive strategy of differentiation?
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Loyal customers of Sweet Leaf Tea seek products that are USDA certified organic despite the associated higher costs.
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Which area of an HR audit is most likely being assessed by an HR specialist who is reviewing job descriptions and the employment status of current employees?
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roles and head count
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Which term refers to a process for assigning financial and nonfinancial goals to the chain of activities required for achieving the company's strategic aims?
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HR scorecard
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Which of the following terms refers to the process of comparing and analyzing the practices of one firm with those of a high-performing company?
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benchmarking
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Which of the following terms refers to a set of human resource management policies and practices that promote organizational effectiveness?
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high-performance work system
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A company's ________ strategy identifies the basic courses of action that each department will pursue in order to help the business attain its competitive goals.
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functional
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High performance companies are more likely than low-performance companies to ________.
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hire based on selection tests
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Which of the following questions is most likely answered by a job specification?
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What types of skills and experiences are required for this job?
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Purrfect Pets is a local pet supply store with a following of loyal customers who appreciate the personal service the store's employees provide. After a very profitable year, Purrfect Pets is expanding by opening two more stores. Before hiring employees for the new stores, the manager is considering the idea of conducting a job analysis for each position. Which of the following most likely undermines the argument that the Purrfect Pets manager should observe workers in order to gather job analysis information?
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The tasks of most Purrfect Pets employees vary widely from day to day.
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Which of the following summarizes the personal qualities, traits, skills, and education needed for a particular job?
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job specification
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What form of data collection most likely involves recording work activities into a handheld dictating machine?
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diaries
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Maria, an HR manager at ATX Manufacturing, needs to know what sorts of people to recruit for a process engineering job at the firm. Which of the following would be most useful for Maria's task?
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job analysis
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Which section of a job description indicates who is supervised by a jobholder?
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relationships
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The information resulting from a job analysis is primarily used for writing ________.
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job descriptions
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Which of the following is recommended for conducting an effective job analysis?
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clarify the process and questions to the employee
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What is the first step of the talent management process?
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deciding what positions to fill
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Which of the following is LEAST relevant when determining a job's essential functions as related to the EEOC?
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whether the function involves the use of equipment
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Competency profiling focuses on ________.
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how work is accomplished
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Which term refers to a procedure for determining the duties and skill requirements for a specific job and the kind of person most suitable for a position?
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talent management
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Which method for motivating workers was advocated by Frederick Herzberg?
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job enrichment
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According to the text, what is the source of most job specifications?
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managerial judgment
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An observable and measurable human behavior or skill that makes job performance possible is known as a(n) ________.
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competency
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When basing job specifications on statistical analysis, the goal is to determine the relationship between a(n) ________ and a(n) ________.
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predictor; criterion
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Which of the following best supports the argument that jobs should be described in terms of competencies rather than duties?
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In high-performance work systems, employees serve as team members rotating among various jobs.
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An HR manager who is basing a job specification on statistical analysis has completed the first four steps of the process. What is the last step required?
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deciding if the human trait predicts job performance
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Oscar, an HR manager at Garvin Pharmaceuticals, needs to determine whether certain jobs at the firm should even exist. Which of the following would best help Oscar with this task?
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workflow analysis
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Which of the following is recommended for conducting an effective job analysis interview?
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after the interview, review collected information with the worker's immediate supervisor
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Which of the following is created for each position in a company to show possible replacement candidates and their qualifications?
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position replacement card
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When constructing a job advertisement, all of the following are aspects of the AIDA guide EXCEPT ________.
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implying applicant challenges
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Which of the following would most likely improve the security of employee data?
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performing random background checks
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An employer will most likely use a private employment agency to ________.
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fill a specific job opening quickly
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________ are special employment agencies retained by employers to seek out top management talent for their clients.
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Executive recruiters
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What is an advantage of filling open positions with internal candidates?
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orientation needs reduced
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Marie Boyd has been hired by Barnum Hotels to manage staffing for the regional hotel chain. Barnum intends to open two new hotels within the next 3 years and will have many job positions to fill. Historically, employee turnover is high at Barnum as employees usually remain with the company for less than 2 years before quitting. Marie realizes that Barnum needs to make significant changes in its personnel strategy in order to meet the company's goals for the future and to improve employee retention rates. Which of the following, if true, best supports the argument that a scatter plot is the most appropriate tool for Marie to use in estimating future personnel needs?
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The size of the two new Barnum hotels will be similar to the chain's other hotels.
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Which of the following is an advantage for employers that use Internet recruiting?
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quick responses from many job applicants
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What is the purpose of recruiting?
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developing an applicant pool
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Job posting refers to all of the following EXCEPT ________.
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listing the number of desired applicants
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All of the following terms refer to the process of deciding how to fill positions at an organization EXCEPT ________ planning.
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succession
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All of the following are benefits associated with applicant tracking systems EXCEPT ________.
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implementing training programs
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A firm's ________ should guide employment planning and determine the types of skills and competencies the firm needs.
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strategic plan
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Which of the following is LEAST likely to be considered by employers during the process of workforce planning?
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organizational culture
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In regard to on-campus recruiting, which of the following will most likely help sell the employer to the interviewee?
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personable nature of the recruiter
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Suzanne is reviewing the completed job application of a person applying for a marketing position. Which of the following questions would LEAST likely be answered by the application form?
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Does the applicant have any significant health conditions?
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A ________ shows graphically how two variables are related.
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scatter plot
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________ is the process of deciding what positions the firm will have to fill and how to fill them.
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Personnel planning
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Todd has been identified by Markam Industries as a high-potential employee in the firm's succession planning process. Which of the following activities would most likely aid in developing Todd's potential?
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job rotation
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Which of the following factors about new hires is LEAST relevant when measuring recruiting effectiveness?
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interview time
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The basic functions of the management process include all of the following
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outsourcing
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Which of the following is the person responsible for accomplishing an organization's goals by planning, organizing, staffing, leading, and controlling personnel?
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manager
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Which of the following includes five basic functions--planning, organizing, staffing, leading, and controlling?
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management process
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Which function of the management process requires a manager to establish goals and standards and to develop rules and procedures?
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planning
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Celeste spends most of her time at work establishing goals for her staff of fifty employees and developing procedures for various tasks. In which function of the management process does Celeste spend most of her time?
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planning
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Which function of the management process includes delegating authority to subordinates and establishing channels of communication?
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organizing
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When managers use metrics to assess performance and then develop strategies for corrective action, they are performing the ________ function of the management process.
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controlling
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Which function of the management process includes selecting employees, setting performance standards, and compensating employees?
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staffing
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Which basic function of management includes setting standards such as sales quotas and quality standards?
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controlling
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________ is the process of acquiring, training, appraising, and compensating employees, and attending to their labor relations, health and safety, and fairness concerns.
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Human resource management
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In the management process, which of the following is an activity associated with the leading function?
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maintaining employee morale
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Personnel activities associated with human resource management most likely includes all of the following EXCEPT ________.
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developing customer relationships
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Which of the following best explains why human resource management is important to all managers? A) Technological changes and global competition require clear organization charts.
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Investing in human capital enables managers to achieve positive results for the firm.
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According to experts, the primary hindrance to a firm's productivity is its inability to ________.
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acquire and maintain human capital
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________ is the right to make decisions, to direct the work of others, and to give orders.
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Authority
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Which of the following best defines line authority?
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a manager's right to issue orders to other managers or employees
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In most organizations, human resource managers are categorized as ________, who assist and advise ________ in areas like recruiting, hiring, and compensation.
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staff managers; line managers
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A ________ is authorized to direct the work of subordinates and is responsible for accomplishing the organization's tasks.
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line manager
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Which of the following has historically been an integral part of every line manager's duties?
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handling personnel issues
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A line manager's human resource responsibilities most likely include all of the following EXCEPT ________.
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marketing new products and services
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Which of the following refers to the authority exerted by an HR manager as coordinator of personnel activities?
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functional authority
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Which of the following is most likely NOT a function of the human resource manager?
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integrating the duties of line managers with staff managers
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One of the ________ functions of a human resource manager includes directing the activities of his or her subordinates in the HR department.
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line
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Which of the following is an example of a coordinative function performed by HR managers?
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ensuring that line managers are adhering to a firm's sexual harassment policies
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_______ functions involve assisting and advising line managers, and they are the central aspect of a human resource manager's job. A) Staff
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Staff
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All of the following are ways in which an HR manager most likely assists and advises line managers EXCEPT ________. A) ensuring comp
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making strategic business planning decisions
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Human resource managers generally exert ________ within the human resources department and ________ outside the human resources department.
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line authority; implied authority
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All of the following are functions of the human resource manager EXCEPT ________.
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integrating the duties of line managers with staff managers
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All of the following are examples of human resource specialties EXCEPT ________. A) recruiter
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financial advisor
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In general, how many human resource employees would be on staff for a firm with 500 total employees?
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5
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Which of the following human resource management specialties calls for collecting data to write job descriptions?
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job analyst
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Which of the following focuses on using centralized call centers and outsourcing arrangements with vendors as a way to provide specialized support for certain HR activities?
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transactional HR groups
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An HR generalist at Wilson Manufacturing has been assigned to the sales department to provide HR management assistance as needed. Which of the following best describes the structure of the HR services provided at Wilson Manufacturing?
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embedded HR units
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Which of the following best supports Whitman's idea to develop a transactional HR group to handle benefits administration?
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Outside vendors specializing in all aspects of benefits administration would provide improved support to the firm's employees.
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Which of the following best supports the argument that Whitman should create embedded HR units and assign relationship managers to each department within the firm?
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Employees frequently complain about the inconsistent assistance they receive from the HR department due to its large size.
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Which of the following responsibilities is shared by line managers and human resource managers in most firms?
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performance appraisals
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In most firms, line managers work in conjunction with HR managers when ________.
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interviewing job applicants
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How have globalization and increased competition most likely affected human resource management? A) Corporate intra nets are used by HR managers to communicate important messages.
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HR managers need to focus on big picture issues to help firms achieve their strategic goals.
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________ refers to the tendency of firms to extend their sales, ownership, and/or manufacturing to new markets abroad.
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Globalization
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All of the following are the most common reasons that firms decide to globalize EXCEPT ________.
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supervising quality control methods
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Which of the following is a potential disadvantage to consumers of the globalization trend among businesses?
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reduced job security
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Which of the following best explains the shift from manufacturing to service jobs in the U.S.?
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creation of integrated supply chains
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What term refers to the knowledge, education, training, skills, and expertise of a firm's workers?
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human capital
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Which of the following describes the most significant demographic trend facing the U.S. work force?
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increased number of aging workers
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Over the next few years, employers may face a severe labor shortage because ________.
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there are fewer people entering the workforce than there are retiring baby boomers
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According to employer surveys, one of the primary challenges of Generation Y employees is their ________. A) desire to work only in part-time positions
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need for constant praise and recognition
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Which of the following best describes a nontraditional worker?
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workers with multiple jobs
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Globalization, competition, and technology have led to which of the following trends in human resource management?
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HR managers assist top management with developing and implementing strategies
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All of the following are ways in which employers use technology to support their human resource management activities EXCEPT ________.
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offshoring and outsourcing benefits administration services
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Which term refers to using external vendors to perform HR jobs that were once handled by a firm internally?
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outsourcing
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How are application service providers used to support human resources?
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processing employment applications
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Royall & Company streamlined its annual benefits package enrollments by digitizing and aggregating the former paper benefits reports, electronic spreadsheets, and benefit summaries and providing the materials at a single location on the company intranet. Royall is most likely using a(n) ________.
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Web portal
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Which of the following is a single access point on a company's intranet that provides employees with access to their HR information?
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Web portal
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Which of the following would provide the best solution for a global firm's HR department that needs to immediately provide employees with corporate information?
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streaming desktop video
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An HR manager who wants to analyze the costs associated with each new hire will most likely use which of the following?
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data warehouse
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Unlike HR managers of the past, modern HR managers must be able to ________.
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explain HR activities in terms of a firm's finances and productivity
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Tara Robles earned an MBA degree and is now an HR manager for a Fortune 500 company. In which of the following tasks does Tara's advanced degree benefit her the most?
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assisting upper management in formulating business strategies
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According to studies, the majority of chief financial officers believe that human capital has the greatest effect on ________.
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customer satisfaction
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Which of the following best explains why top HR executives are being paid increasingly high salaries?
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Human capital is linked to increased productivity and customer satisfaction.
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Strategic human resource management refers to ________.
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formulating and executing human resource policies and practices that produce the employee competencies and behaviors the company needs to achieve strategic aims
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High-performance work systems are most likely characterized by all of the following practices EXCEPT
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automatic pay increases
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________ refers to an integrated set of human resource management policies and practices that together result in superior employee performance.
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High-performance work system
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Evidence-based human resource management relies on all of the following types of evidence EXCEPT ________.
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qualitative opinions
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Which term refers to a set of quantitative performance measures that human resource managers use to assess their operations?
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metrics
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Which of the following best supports the argument that MAX should move towards a high-performance work system?
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Using advanced recruitment and hiring practices will allow MAX to improve employee productivity.
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Which of the following questions is most relevant to MAX's decision to move toward a high-performance work system?
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How would the implementation of self-managing work teams affect employee morale and work standards at MAX?
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All of the following are ethical issues that must be considered by human resource managers EXCEPT ________.
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FCC regulations
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Which of the following refers to the standards someone uses to decide what his or her conduct should be?
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ethics
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Which organization provides professional certification for human resource managers?
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Society for Human Resource Management
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HR managers who take SHRM certification exams are tested on all of the following areas EXCEPT ________.
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information technology
