HR FINAL EXAM STUDY GUIDE - Flashcards

Q: Which of the following is true about Social Security retirement benefits?

An earnings test increases a person\'s incentive to retire.

Q: Which one of the following is true about workers\' compensation?

Disability benefits that are part of workers\' compensation are tax free.

question

Which of the following is true about employee benefits?

answer

Impact of legal regulations on benefits is greater than they are on direct compensation.

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Which of the following is a unique aspect of benefits?

answer

Organizations so typically offer them that they have become institutionalized.

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The _____ tax rate is the percentage of additional earnings that goes to taxes.

answer

marginal

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Which of the following is a reason for the growth of benefits as a method of employee compensation?

answer

Groups of employees can typically receive a cost advantage over individuals.

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Which of the following was an amendment to the Social Security Act of 1935?

answer

Hospital insurance

question

Which of the following is true about social security as a benefits program?

answer

It is entirely free from federal tax.

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Which of the following is true about the Old Age, Survivors, Disability, and Health Insurance (OASDHI) program?

answer

High earners help subsidize benefit payments to low earners.

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_____ increases are provided as part of social security benefits for each year that the consumer price index increases.

answer

Cost-of-living

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Which of the following is true about Social Security retirement benefits?

answer

An earnings test increases a person's incentive to retire.

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Which of the following is a major objective of the unemployment insurance program?

answer

To provide an incentive for employees to stabilize employment

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The unemployment insurance program is financed largely through federal and state taxes on _____.

answer

employers

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Workers are eligible for unemployment benefits if they:

answer

have worked for at least one year.

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Which of the following individuals is eligible for unemployment benefits?

answer

Mel lost her job due to outsourcing.

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Workers' compensation laws cover job-related _____.

answer

injuries and death

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Which of the following is a major category of workers' compensation?

answer

Rehabilitative services

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Which one of the following is true about workers' compensation?

answer

Disability benefits that are part of workers' compensation are tax free.

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The workers' compensation cost to an employer is based on the:

answer

employer's experience rating.

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Which of the following is true of the cost to the employer for workers' compensation?

answer

The compensation mostly covers minor injuries such as sprains and strains than dramatic injuries.

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Group insurance rates are typically lower than individual rates because:

answer

of economies of scale.

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Which of the following is true about private group insurance?

answer

Concern for employee security explains the prevalence of employer-sponsored insurance plans.

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The _____ requires employers to permit employees to extend their health insurance coverage at group rates for up to 36 months following a qualifying event, such as a layoff.

answer

Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA)

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Which of the following is true of Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA)?

answer

The beneficiaries of employees who still have their health insurance have access to the same services.

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Which of the following is the largest single component of the elderly's overall retirement income?

answer

Old age insurance

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_____ guarantees to pay employees a basic retirement benefit in the event that financial difficulties force a company to terminate or reduce employee pension benefits.

answer

Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation

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Which of the following increased the fiduciary responsibilities of pension plan trustees and established vesting rights and portability provisions?

answer

Employee Retirement Income Security Act

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Which of the following statements is true about the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC)?

answer

It does not guarantee healthcare benefits.

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Which of the following is true about defined contribution plans?

answer

They are preferred more in smaller companies than larger ones.

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_____ plans do not promise a specific benefit level for employees upon retirement.

answer

Defined contribution

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_____ plans permit employees to defer compensation on a pretax basis.

answer

Section 401(k)

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Defined contribution plans made it the responsibility of the _____ to make wise investment decisions for their retirement plans.

answer

employee

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Which of the following affects the amount of income that will be available to an employee upon retirement in defined contribution plans?

answer

The age at which investments are made

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The _____ requires defined contribution plans holding publicly traded securities to provide employees with at least three investment options other than employer securities.

answer

Pension Protection Act of 2006

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According to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), the rights of employees to a pension upon retirement are known as _____.

answer

vesting rights

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Which of the following is true about vesting rights?

answer

Employers may choose to vest employees after five years.

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Which of the following provides 12 weeks of unpaid absence from work to care for a seriously ill child, spouse, or parent if the organization has at least 50 employees living within a 75-mile radius?

answer

Family and Medical Leave Act

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The Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 requires employers to:

answer

treat pregnancy as they would any other disability when they do offer disability plans.

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At the highest level of child care provision, firms provide employees with:

answer

child care at or near their worksites.

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Survey information on competitors' benefits packages and information on benefits costs are available from the _____.

answer

Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)

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Which of the following benefits involve the highest of costs?

answer

Medical and other insurance

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Which of the following is a characteristic of Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs)?

answer

Employers may give incentives for employees to choose a participating physician.

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Which of the following is a characteristic of a health maintenance organization (HMO)?

answer

Payment of physicians on a flat salary basis

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In which of the following ways do PPOs differ from HMOs?

answer

HMOs provide benefits on a prepaid basis.

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Employee wellness programs primarily aim at:

answer

changing health-related behaviors both on and off work time.

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An organization introduces active employee wellness programs. Which of the following is likely to happen as a result of this?

answer

Increased focus on awareness and opportunity as well as support and reinforcement

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Which one of the following is an active wellness program?

answer

Counselors providing tailored programs

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Which of the following is true of passive employee wellness programs (EWPs)?

answer

Health education programs are an example of passive EWPs.

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Which of the following is true of active wellness programs?

answer

It includes the outreach and follow-up model.

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Which of the following is an example of a Pareto group?

answer

20% of the employees, who account for 75% of the health care costs

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Which of the following is true of Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)?

answer

It is more likely to cause employers to classify workers as independent contractors rather than employees.

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In which of the following ways may staffing practices change in response to benefit cost controls?

answer

Organizations having their employees classified as contractors rather than employees

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In the context of benefits, which of the following is true of the demographics of a workforce?

answer

Women of childbearing age care more about disability leave.

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Benefit plans that permit employees to choose the types and amounts of benefits they want are called _____.

answer

flex-plans

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Which of the following is true of the different methods used for benefits communication?

answer

Effective use of traditional approaches, like booklets, can have a large effect on employee awareness.

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Which of the following media is least used by organizations to communicate benefit plans?

answer

Group employee benefits communications with the benefits vendor

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Which of the following media is most widely used by organizations to communicate benefit plans?

answer

Enrollment materials (online or paper)

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Which of the following is an advantage for employers who implement flexible benefits plans?

answer

Control over the size of the contribution

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In cafeteria-style plans, adverse selection can be controlled by:

answer

using a limited set of packaged options.

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Which of the following statements is true about flexible spending accounts?

answer

Funds must be used by the plan's year end or they revert to the employer.

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The major advantage of a flexible spending account is that:

answer

it increases the employees' take-home pay.

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In the 1978 Manhart ruling, the Supreme Court declared it illegal for employers to require:

answer

women to contribute more than men to a defined benefit plan.

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According to the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), in early retirement incentive programs, _____.

answer

employees should not be coerced to accept an incentive and retire

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To be a qualified benefits plan, a pension plan should not discriminate in favor of _____.

answer

highly compensated employees

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According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA),

answer

the terms of health insurance should not be a subterfuge to deny benefits to those with disabilities.

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Which type of retiree benefits plan is excluded from the rule of Financial Accounting Statement 106 that states that benefits should not be provided on pay-as-you-go basis?

answer

Pensions

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Financial Accounting Statement 106 requires that any benefits provided after retirement must be paid on a(n) _____ basis.

answer

accrual

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According to John Dunlop, which of the following is required for an industrial relations system to be successful?

answer

The system should consist of participants that have a common ideology.

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According to the model developed by Katz and Kochan, at which level does the management make basic choices such as whether to work with its unions or to devote its efforts to developing nonunion operations?

answer

Strategic level

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Resolving disputes between the management and labor through discussion is known as _____.

answer

collective bargaining

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Which of the following sought to provide an environment conducive to collective bargaining?

answer

National Labor Relations Act

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Which of the following is a reason for an industrial relations system to adopt collective bargaining?

answer

Unilateral control by management often sacrifices workers' rights.

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In a collective bargaining contract, factors related to shift operations and hazardous work are typically covered under the _____ provision.

answer

plant operations

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In a collective bargaining contract, factors related to profit-sharing and stock purchase are typically covered under the _____ provision.

answer

employee benefit plans

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In a collective bargaining contract, factors related to hiring and transfer arrangements are typically covered under the _____ provision.

answer

job or income security

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Which of the following is likely to be part of a craft union?

answer

An electrical worker

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Which of the following is likely to be a part of an industrial union?

answer

A steelworker

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Most national unions are composed of multiple local units and are affiliated with the _____.

answer

American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO)

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Which of the following is the largest union and is not affiliated to the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO)?

answer

National Education Association

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Which of the following is a characteristic of an industrial union?

answer

Membership is a result of working for a particular employer in the industry.

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Which of the following is true of local unions?

answer

The bulk of day-to-day interaction between labor and management takes place at the local union level.

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Which of the following is true of a shop steward of a union?

answer

A shop steward represents employees in contract grievances.

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Under a(n) _____, the employer, on behalf of the union, automatically deducts union dues from employees' paychecks.

answer

checkoff provision

question

Which of the following is the strongest union security arrangement?

answer

The closed shop

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Which of the following is an accurate definition of a union shop?

answer

A union security provision that requires a person to join the union within a certain amount of time after being hired

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Which of the following is an accurate definition of agency shop?

answer

A union security provision that does not require a membership but requires that dues be paid

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The _____ rules do not require union participation by the employee, but do require that employees who choose to join must remain members for a certain period of time.

answer

maintenance of membership

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Under the _____, states may pass so-called right-to-work laws.

answer

Taft-Hartley Act

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Under which of the following acts is a union shop illegal?

answer

Taft-Hartley Act

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From the union perspective, free riders refer to:

answer

employees who benefit from union activities without belonging to a union.

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Which of the following is true of unionization?

answer

Employers actively resist unionization in an attempt to control costs and maintain their flexibility.

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Section 8(a)(3) of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) prohibits employers from:

answer

firing employees for union organizing.

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Over half of all the unfair labor practice charges are filed against employers who:

answer

refused to bargain.

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Which of the following is true of nonunion employers?

answer

For nonunion employers, union avoidance is an important employee relations objective.

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Which of the following is true of union actions across industries and states?

answer

One reason for the smaller union presence in southern states is the existence of right-to-work laws.

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The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) is also known as the _____.

answer

Wagner Act

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Which of the following is true of the Wagner Act?

answer

It actively supports collective bargaining.

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A list of unfair labor practices were added to the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) through the _____.

answer

Taft-Hartley Act

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Which of the following acts was an addition to the Taft-Hartley Act that further regulated unions' actions and their internal affairs like financial disclosure and conduct of elections?

answer

Landrum-Griffin Act

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Which of the following is true of the Taft-Hartley Act?

answer

It outlaws union operations that threaten an employee's life and job.

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Which of the following is an example of an employer unfair labor practice?

answer

Jake, a manager, threatens to close down a plant if organized by a union.

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Which of the following is an example of an employer unfair labor practice?

answer

Donna, a supervisor, pretends to spy on union meetings.

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Which of the following is an example of a union unfair labor practice?

answer

Pete, a union representative, makes a contract that requires his employer to hire employees satisfactory to the union.

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Which of the following is an example of a union unfair labor practice?

answer

Oliver, a union head, forces an employer to stop doing business with another employer who refused to recognize the union.

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Which of the following is a union unfair labor practice?

answer

Insisting on the inclusion of illegal provisions in a contract

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Which of the following is true of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)?

answer

Its jurisdiction is limited to employers whose operations affect commerce generally.

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Which of the following is true of the functions performed by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)?

answer

It enforces the National Labor Relations Act that is based on the commerce clause of the U.S. Constitution.

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Which of the following is true of the National Labor Relations Board's (NLRB's) process regarding unfair labor practices?

answer

The NLRB has the authority to issue cease-and-desist orders to halt unfair labor practices.

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Which of the following is true of the National Labor Relations Board's (NLRB's) process regarding unfair labor practices?

answer

The NLRB can order reinstatement of employees, with or without back pay.

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Which of the following allows a union to receive dues in exchange for services but does not provide any representation in collective bargaining?

answer

Associate union membership

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_____ seeks to exert public, financial, or political pressure on employers during the union-organizing process.

answer

Corporate campaign

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Under a _____ provision, the employer pledges not to oppose organizing attempts elsewhere in the company.

answer

neutrality

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The part of the labor-management negotiation process that focuses on dividing a fixed economic "pie" is known as _____.

answer

distributive bargaining

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The aspect of the labor-management negotiation process that refers to the relationship and level of trust between the negotiators is known as _____.

answer

attitudinal structuring

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The management of an organization is less able to afford a strike when the:

answer

demand for its product is strong.

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The management of an organization is less able to afford a strike when the:

answer

organization is labor intensive.

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Which of the following is true of a mediator?

answer

He or she has no formal authority but, rather, acts as a facilitator and go-between in negotiations.

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A(n) _____ typically reports on the reasons for the labor-management dispute and the views and arguments of both sides.

answer

fact finder

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Arbitrating the actual writing or setting of contract terms is called _____ arbitration.

answer

interest

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Arbitrating the enforcement or interpretation of contract terms is called _____ arbitration.

answer

rights

question

The duty of fair representation is mandated by the _____.

answer

Wagner Act

question

Which of the following is the first step in a typical employee-initiated grievance procedure?

answer

Employee discusses grievance verbally with the supervisor.

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When compared to transformational labor relations, traditional approach is likely to be associated with _____.

answer

higher costs

question

Which of the following is true of transformational labor relations?

answer

Workers have greater autonomy than in the traditional approach.

question

When compared to traditional labor relations, transformational labor relations are associated with _____.

answer

more shop-floor cooperation

question

Unions focus on equal pay for equal work. To ensure this, they prefer any difference in pay or promotions to be based on _____.

answer

seniority

question

When an employee chooses to communicate one's concern to management without necessarily leaving the company, he is following the _____ mechanism.

answer

voice

question

Allen works as an autoworker in a production unit and is a member of an industrial union. When the workload increases and he loses his work-life balance, he simply leaves the organization to work in another that has lesser demands. As a member of a union, Allen follows the _____ mechanism.

answer

exit

question

Which of the following is a trend seen in union membership and coverage?

answer

The weak history of deep class-based divisions in the U.S. has contributed to its low unionization rate.

question

Which of the following is a trend seen in union membership and coverage?

answer

In the United States, union membership and coverage is declining in the private sector.

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Which of the following is true of labor relations in the public sector?

answer

Much of union growth in the public sector has been in the service industry.

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Which of the following is true of labor relations in the public sector?

answer

Strikes are illegal at the federal level of the public sector and in most states.

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Which of the following is true about the European Economic Community (EEC)?

answer

Most members of the EEC share a common currency.

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Which of the following countries is a member of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)?

answer

Mexico

question

NAFTA increased U.S. investment in Mexico because:

answer

Mexico has substantially lower labor costs for low-skilled employees.

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The _____ involves an international framework of rules and principles for reducing trade barriers across countries around the world.

answer

General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)

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The _____ established the World Trade Organization (WTO) to resolve disputes among its members.

answer

General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)

question

Which of the following HR practices is least likely to be effective for organizations based in collective cultures such as Japan?

answer

Individual-based incentives

question

In _____ cultures, people are expected to look after their own interest rather than being protected by the group.

answer

individualist

question

The individualism-collectivism dimension primarily describes:

answer

the strength of the relationships between the members of a society.

question

Which of the following is true of cultures that are highly individualist?

answer

In highly individualist cultures, individuals are expected to stand on their own two feet and protect themselves.

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In _____ cultures, people are expected to look after the interest of the larger community, which is expected to protect people when they are in trouble.

answer

collectivist

question

Which of the following is most likely a collectivist country?

answer

Colombia

question

Which of the following cultural dimensions describes the degree of inequality among people that is considered normal?

answer

Power distance

question

A country with a large power distance:

answer

maintains the inequalities in wealth among different sections of the society.

question

Sam visits Mexico for a business meeting. At the meeting, Sam addresses the vice president of the firm by his first name rather than using his title. This is considered offensive. In the context of Hofstede's cultural dimensions, this difference in cultures is part of the _____ dimension.

answer

power distance

question

_____ describes how cultures seek to deal with the fact that the future is not perfectly predictable.

answer

Uncertainty avoidance

question

A culture characterized by easygoing and flexible people who take each day as it comes is one that is _____.

answer

weak in uncertainty avoidance

question

Which of the following is true of cultures that are strong in uncertainty avoidance?

answer

These cultures condition people to seek security through technology and law.

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In the context of Hofstede's cultural dimensions, the masculinity-femininity dimension describes:

answer

the division of roles between the sexes within a society.

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Which of the following is likely to be valued most in a masculine culture?

answer

Performance

question

Which of the following is likely to be valued most in a feminine culture?

answer

Solidarity

question

Which of the following is most likely to be valued in feminine cultures?

answer

Relationships

question

Which of the following is likely to be valued in a culture with a long-term orientation?

answer

Persistence

question

Which of the following is likely to be valued in a culture with a short-term orientation?

answer

Tradition

question

According to Hofstede, a country's economic health is positively correlated with _____.

answer

individualist cultures

question

_____ usually exhibit greater differences between the highest- and lowest-paid individuals in an organization.

answer

Individualistic cultures

question

_____ cultures tend to have flatter salary structures.

answer

Collectivist

question

Which of the following is most likely to occur during the communication process of an organization in a collectivist culture?

answer

Participative management practices

question

Countries like Mexico with low human capital are likely to attract:

answer

unionized low-skill-high-wage jobs.

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Which of the following is true of how human capital affects foreign investment in a country?

answer

Countries that invest in education are likely to attract direct foreign investment.

question

U.S. companies tend to relocate their low-skill-high-wage manufacturing and assembly jobs to Mexico because it has a _____.

answer

low level of human capital

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Countries that _____ are attractive sites for direct foreign investment that creates high-skill jobs.

answer

have high human capital

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In _____ systems, there is less opportunity to develop human capital without higher costs.

answer

capitalist

question

A country that serves as the home for a corporation's headquarters is called the _____.

answer

parent country

question

MarchTech Corp. is a software company that has its headquarters in Japan. The company has operations in France and India. Japan is the _____ of MarchTech.

answer

parent country

question

A _____ country is the country in which the parent country organization seeks to locate or has already located a facility.

answer

host

question

Gaia Inc. is a company based in the U.S. It expands its operations and sets up a manufacturing facility in Brazil. In this scenario, Brazil is the _____ country of Gaia.

answer

host

question

A third country is where a company _____.

answer

may or may not have a facility

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Plutus Inc. has its headquarters in the U.S. and has a facility in Germany. A virtual team operates from around the globe with most members from China. China is a _____ country for Plutus.

answer

third

question

Which of the following is the parent country of Grazia S.p.A?

answer

Italy

question

Which of the following is the host country for Grazia S.p.A?

answer

Japan

question

Which of the following is a third country of Grazia?

answer

India

question

France is a _____ country for Grazia S.p.A.

answer

host

question

China is a _____ country for Grazia S.p.A.

answer

third

question

_____ is the term generally used for employees sent by a company in one country to manage operations in a different country.

answer

Expatriate

question

_____ are employees who were born and live in the country where the headquarters of a company is located.

answer

Parent-country nationals

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_____ are those employees who were born and raised in the country where a parent country organization seeks to locate a facility.

answer

Host-country nationals

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_____ are employees born in a country where neither a company's headquarters nor a facility is located but work in the host country.

answer

Third-country nationals

question

Misha Branson was born in England and is currently working for a French company in England. She will be considered a _____ in France.

answer

host-country national

question

An individual who was born in France and is currently working in Peru for a company headquartered in Germany is called a _____.

answer

third-country national

question

An expatriate is an employee:

answer

who is sent by a company in one country to manage operations in a different country.

question

Most companies begin by operating within a(n) _____ marketplace.

answer

domestic

question

A firm that enters foreign markets by exporting goods to another country is at the _____ level of global participation.

answer

international

question

RapidFlow Systems is a Mexican company with operations across different states. After a few years, the company extends its operations to Canada and opens a facility there. As a result of this expansion, RapidFlow Systems has become a(n) _____ company.

answer

international

question

When a company expands from having one facility in another country to having a number of facilities in different countries, it is transforming from a(n) _____.

answer

international company to a multinational company

question

_____ reflects the multinational composition of a company's managers.

answer

Transnational representation

question

Which attribute of a transnational HR system refers to the extent to which planning and decision making include managers from different cultures?

answer

Transnational process

question

Traditionally, _____ has been almost the sole variable used in deciding whom to be sent on overseas assignments.

answer

technical competence

question

The _____ dimension refers to the skills that enable a manager to maintain psychological well-being.

answer

self

question

Which of the following dimensions involves the skills required to foster associations with host-country nationals?

answer

The relationship dimension

question

Which of the following dimensions includes the skills required to evaluate the host environment?

answer

The perception dimension

question

The total compensation package that equalizes the purchasing power of the expatriate manager with that of employees in similar positions in the home country and provides incentives to offset the inconvenience incurred in the location is known as the _____ approach.

answer

balance sheet

question

_____ are payments that offset the differences in expenditures on day-to-day necessities between a host country and a parent country.

answer

Cost-of-living allowances

question

A Chinese manager is given an expatriate assignment in the U.S. Day-to-day expenses in the U.S. are higher than in China. Which of the following is the firm likely to provide to offset this difference?

answer

Cost-of-living allowances

question

_____ refers to the extent to which an expatriate receives information and recognizes changes while abroad.

answer

Communication

question

The extent to which expatriates receive recognition from peers and bosses following their expatriate assignment refers to _____.

answer

validation

question

Which of the following HRM activities adds the lowest strategic value to a firm?

answer

Benefits administration

question

_____ activities of HRM have the lowest strategic value in a firm.

answer

Transactional

question

Which of the following HRM activities adds the highest strategic value to a firm?

answer

Knowledge management

question

Lucas, an HR executive, is responsible for the transactional HRM activities at Coldstore Inc. If he is the sole HR person handling transactional HR activities, which of the following is most likely going to be his responsibility?

answer

Employee Services

question

Mel heads a team within the HR department that is responsible for the traditional HRM activities. Which of the following activities is Mel likely to be overseeing?

answer

Employee relations

question

Which of the following strategies includes activities such as selection and compensation?

answer

Traditional

question

For an HRM function to become truly strategic in its orientation, it must:

answer

adopt a customer-oriented approach.

question

The first step toward customer orientation is:

answer

identifying the customers.

question

Which of the following meets the needs of both the line managers and employees by giving employees opportunities to ensure that they increase their human capital and, thus, providing increased value to the company?

answer

Training and development systems

question

_____ systems provide employees with an equitable return for their investment of skills and effort.

answer

Reward

question

Which of the following stages involves identifying an increasing immigrant population in a basic HR strategy process?

answer

Scanning the external environment

question

Examining the need to develop new technologies is part of:

answer

identifying strategic business issues.

question

Since the HR strategy seeks to address business issues, involving _____ can increase the quality of information from which the HR strategy is created.

answer

line executives

question

_____ functions' articulation of people outcomes stems from an analysis of what their functions currently do.

answer

HR-focused

question

_____ functions have been clearly identified and articulated, and they have aligned their HR activities around people issues and outcomes, but not business issues and outcomes.

answer

People-linked

question

_____ functions begin with an assessment of what HR is doing and then identifying the major people outcomes they should focus on.

answer

Business-linked

question

Which HR strategy begins by identifying the major business needs and issues, considers how people fit in and what people outcomes are necessary, and builds HR systems focused on meeting those needs?

answer

Business-driven

question

Which of the following is true of the audit approach?

answer

It typically collects key indicators and customer satisfaction measures.

question

The audit approach to evaluating the effectiveness of HR practices focuses on:

answer

reviewing the various outcomes of the HR functional area.

question

Minority turnover rate is a key indicator of the _____ function of HRM.

answer

equal employment opportunity

question

Ratio of promotions to number of employees is a key indicator of the _____ function of HRM.

answer

succession planning

question

Assistance provided to line managers in handling grievances is a customer satisfaction measure used in the _____ function of HRM.

answer

labor relations

question

Which of the following approaches focuses on determining whether the introduction of a program or practice has the intended effect?

answer

Analytic approach

question

The _____ approach attempts to place a dollar value on human resources as if they were physical resources.

answer

human resource accounting

question

The cost-benefit analysis approach that estimates the financial impact of employee behavior such as absenteeism is called _____.

answer

utility analysis

question

Which of the following is human resource accounting likely to include?

answer

Capitalization of salary

question

Tim works at Ante Inc. He is responsible for conducting cost-benefit analyses of different functions performed at Ante. If Tim's current task is to conduct a utility analysis, which of the following factors is he likely to asses through it?

answer

Gains from selection programs

question

Which of the following is true about improving HRM effectiveness?

answer

Focusing more on transformational work is likely to result in higher strategic value to the firm.

question

Which of the following represents a traditional structure of HRM function?

answer

Functional directors reporting to the VP of HRM

question

A _____ consists of functional specialists in the traditional areas of HRM such as recruitment and selection.

answer

center of expertise

question

Allen, an HR personnel at Wood Inc., is a functional specialist dealing with compensation. He also works as a consultant in the development of systems and processes to be used at Wood. If Wood follows the recent generic structure of HRM function, Allen is likely to be part of a _____.

answer

center of expertise

question

Which of the following represents the recent generic structure of HRM function?

answer

HRM generalists with dual reporting relationships

question

Which of the following is true of field generalists within the recent generic HR structure?

answer

They are responsible for helping line executives strategically address people issues.

question

Maria works in the HR department at Cloud Zero Inc. She is responsible for helping the line executives strategically address people issues. She has a dual reporting relationship with Jose, the head of HRM, and Gigi, the head of the line business. Maria is likely to be:

answer

a field generalist.

question

Which of the following is true about the service center within the recent generic HR structure?

answer

They consist of individuals who ensure that the transactional activities are delivered throughout the organization.

question

The _____ consists of individuals who often leverage information technology to efficiently deliver employee services.

answer

service center

question

The generic structure of HRM functions is likely to result in:

answer

service centers focusing on efficient delivery of basic services across units.

question

_____ involves contracting with an outside domestic vendor to provide a product or service to a firm, as opposed to producing the product using employees within the firm.

answer

Outsourcing

question

A firm is most likely to outsource services when:

answer

the effectiveness of services produced internally is lesser than that produced offshore.

question

The most likely activities to be outsourced include _____ activities.

answer

transactional

question

A review of critical work processes and redesign to make them more efficient and able to deliver higher quality is called _____.

answer

reengineering

question

Which of the following is true about the reengineering process?

answer

Product or service cost will increase if new technology is applied to an inefficient process.

question

Which of the following is the initial step in the reengineering process?

answer

Identifying the process

question

Which of the following corresponds to identifying the process stage of the reengineering process?

answer

Asking process owners to be part of the team

question

Which of the following corresponds to the stage of understanding the process during reengineering?

answer

Considering whether jobs can be combined

question

Analyzing data redundancy, special cases, and exceptions is part of _____ the process during reengineering.

answer

understanding

question

Which of the following steps in reengineering involves conducting surveys?

answer

Understanding the process

question

_____ show the types of information used within a business function and the association among the different types of information.

answer

Data-entity relationship diagrams

question

Which of the following is true of cost-benefit analysis?

answer

It compares the expense of completing a task with and without an automated system.

question

Which of the following steps in reengineering involves trying out the process by testing it in a limited, controlled setting?

answer

Implementing the process

question

_____ are problem-solving systems, which usually include a "what-if" feature that allow users to see how outcomes change when assumptions or data change.

answer

Decision support systems

question

_____ is a computer system incorporating the decision rules of people deemed to have specialized knowledge in a certain area.

answer

An expert system

question

Technology has freed HR managers from day-to-day activities to focus more on _____ activities.

answer

transformational

question

Knowing the company's strategic plan and understanding the company's financial capabilities is part of the _____ competence required by HR professionals.

answer

business

question

Up-to-date knowledge on new selection techniques, performance appraisal methods, training programs, and incentive plans is part of the _____ competence required by HR professionals.

answer

professional-technical knowledge

question

Diagnosing problems and evaluating results is a part of the _____ competence required by HR professionals.

answer

management of change processes

question

Which of the following competencies of HR professionals requires a generalist perspective, although specialist knowledge is necessary, in making decisions?

answer

Integration

question

Which of the following represents the role of a strategic advisor played by a chief human resource officer (CHRO)?

answer

Sharing the people expertise as part of the decision-making process

question

A role of the chief human resource officer (CHRO) that focuses on resolving interpersonal or political conflicts among team members is that of a _____.

answer

counselor

question

Joanne works as chief human resource officer (CHRO) for an IT firm. When she takes up the function of performance and behavioral counseling, she is playing the role of a _____.

answer

confidante

question

The _____ is the role of a chief human resource officer (CHRO) that focuses on working with HR team members regarding the development, design, and delivery of HR services.

answer

leader of the HR function

question

Chris is the chief human resource officer (CHRO) of ProPel Inc. When he performs the tasks of aligning the HR activities with the needs of the business, he is performing the role of a(n) _____.

answer

leader of the HR function

question

Which of the following roles of a chief human resource officer (CHRO) entails discussions on executive compensation and CEO performance?

answer

Liaison to the board

question

Which of the following roles of a chief human resource officer (CHRO) deals with identifying the morale or motivational issues with the employees?

answer

Workforce sensor

question

Brenda, an HR manager at Dock Inc., has been promoted as the chief human resource officer (CHRO). When she engages in discussions on the performance of members of the executive leadership team, she is playing the role of a _____.

answer

liaison to the board

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