hr quiz1 – Flashcard
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Which factor in an organization's external environment is most likely to impact HRM functions as they relate to corporate social responsibility and ethics?
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competition B. political parties C. customers D. unions E. society +
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How does competition affect HRM
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It requires greater focus on shareholder goals. B. It creates the need to attract the most competent employees. + C. It brings firms together over unanticipated events. D. It forces firms to focus on corporate social responsibility. E. It creates greater customer satisfaction.
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Your company asks you to create a report showing why a HRIS (Human Resource Information System) is necessary. In your report, what key tasks should you use to show your firm needs a HRIS
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regulatory compliance and safeguarding information + B. marketing and competition C. labor relations and ethics D. labor market response and new government regulations E. customer service and product quality
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Ann's Fabrics has discovered the economy has seen a sudden boost in recent months and forecasts predict continuing positive trends. How should this change the firm's HRM strategy?
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New technology can help attract younger, more able employees. B. A boost in compensation and benefits can help recruit qualified workers when a booming economy presents them with many options. + C. A greater focus on corporate social responsibility can take advantage of the sudden economic boost. D. Lowering compensation rates can help the firm save money in HRM and increase marketing efforts to win new customers. E. More customers can be won in a booming economy through greater product quality.
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Society is responsible for norms and expectations and is no longer content to accept business actions without questions. This has led to disciplines such as ____.
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human resource information systems B. industrial relations C. recruitment and compensation D. shareholder influence E. ethics and corporate social responsibility 6+
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A bidding war is an example of what external environmental factor
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competition+ B. technology C. shareholders D. customers E. society
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Puppies Galore! sells pet products, but it also has an advanced tech system that can track customer habits and offer mobile services. In recent years, the firm has noted its system is not being used by employees. What new recruitment strategy could Puppies Galore! use to help solve this problem?
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wait for an economic shift B. offer higher compensation rates C. incorporate new training methods D. hire younger generations with more tech experience+ E. improve the corporate culture to make it friendlier
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An earthquake has struck a production plant in India, shutting down the factory. Sol Hydraulics, in America, used that Indian plant as the source for most of its parts and components. What HR concerns can Sol Hydraulics expect from this disaster?
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security concerns for HR IT B. temporary layoffs in American factories + C. low quality parts D. new domestic competition E. lack of employee training
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Which of the following is the external environment factor that considers the potential employees that are located in the usual geographic recruiting area?
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unions B. political parties C. shareholders D. labor market + E. competition
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Which of the following describes an effect of an external environment factor?
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An audio supply company holds a week-long orientation for all new hires. B. A clothing manufacturer uses U.S.-based suppliers due to customer response.+ C. A company tries to gauge during interviews if a candidate shares the firm's values. D. A company invested time and money into the development of its website. E. An office practices employee appreciation days that take place every few months
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What best defines corporate culture?
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the system of shared values within an organization that helps produce behavioral norms
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Which term refers to a manager's perception of how well a potential employee will adapt not only to a particular job but to the corporate culture itself?
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organizational fit
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H & G Steel has decided that the current countrywide culture does not match its own HR goals and branding for its employees. What could H & G do to solve this problem?
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use employer branding to create a corporate culture that differs from the broader country culture
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Your manager asks you to create a report on how your firm could use employees more effectively in reaching company goals. What should your chief suggestion be?
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focus on talent management
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Which factor influences employee satisfaction and the quality of employee performance, although it can differ based on individual employee perceptions?
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corporate culture
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What is often the largest barrier to doing business in the world market?
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culture
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Employees may perceive a company culture differently from peers due to personal history and experiences, in particular because
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the employee may have been raised in a different family or national culture.
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You want to warn your company leaders that they need to focus more on HRM and corporate culture. What potential consequence of poor HRM could you use as a warning?
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labor unions
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There are many things that are considered internal environment factors. What is the term for the firm's image or culture created to attract and retain the type of employees the firm is seeking?
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employer branding
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During an interview, Quentin was asked several questions about his work habits, motivations, and what he values in a company. What was his interviewer utilizing by asking those kinds of questions?
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organizational fit
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When a company wants to lease professionals to take care of HR activities without adding more employees to payroll or training more recruits, what option would be best to consider?
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Professional Employer organization
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What is the difference between discrete services and business process outsourcing (BPO)?
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Discrete services involve only one element, while BPO involves entire departments with multiple tasks.
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Wilcom Technology has expanded rapidly in the past several years to a multi-branch business through the western United States. Now it is looking for ways to save money when managing its many offices and HR departments. What solution would you recommend for the Wilcom?
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a shared service center (SSC)
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Your HR manager asks your opinion on HRO. Your manager believes the only reason to outsource is the cost savings. What should your response be?
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Modern, specialized HRO can improve quality of service and save time more easily than saving money alone.
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What is the most likely single function of HR to be outsourced to another firm?
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benefits
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Gray's Auto Services has to downsize quickly within the next year to overcome low cost margins. The company is considering removing its HR department entirely, without any outsourcing, in order to save money. What could make this course of action possible?
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The company could use line managers and HR systems to take the place of HRM if line managers are properly trained.
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Your manager is very excited about using leased employees to increase HR quality. Traditionally, your company has a very strong corporate culture and your manager is anxious to preserve that culture. What warning could you give your manager for a more practical view of leasing employees?
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Leasing employees can erode employee loyalty by dividing their loyalty between the place where they work and the company paying them to do the work.
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Who are the individuals directly involved in accomplishing the primary purpose of an organization?
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line managers
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Tony, the production manager for Park Manufacturing, found out this morning that one of his machine operators, Benjamin, had resigned. Tony calls his colleague Stephen to help him find a replacement. Later that day, Tony speaks with another machine operator, Dan, and tells him what had happened. Who in this instance is considered the human resource manager?
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stephen
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Why are Employment Identification Numbers (EINs) needed?
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to report taxes and new employees
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Which HR function may be more significant in a smaller firm than in a larger one?
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hiring capable employees
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Small company Ander's Organic Goods has line managers take care of HR tasks, but lately the line managers have been complaining about workload and overwhelming responsibilities. However, Ander's has no room in the budget for an HR unit. What other option could help the company take care of HR needs?
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leased employees from a professional employer organization
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You work for a small business that only started two years ago and has very little experience in HRM. Your boss confesses that she has trouble keeping up with all the federal and state regulations for employee management. What solution could best help her create a more accurate, informed HR strategy?
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using Small Business Administration (SBA) tools
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Small businesses are required to display posters. What do these posters provide for employees?
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complete information on rights and labor laws
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What do small businesses often use instead of a formal HR unit?
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line managers
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The owner of the business has asked you to create a report on current workers' compensation insurance requirements and bottom-line costs for budget purposes. What useful information could you include in addition to workers' comp costs?
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what unemployment insurance, disability insurance, and wage replacement insurance costs are also required in the area
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Mandy's Pancake Joint is a popular restaurant within its home state, but has yet to expand into surrounding states. What research should the HR department conduct before adding its own budget needs to expansion plans?
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specific state requirements for insurance and taxes
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According to the Small Business Administration, what factors determine a small business?
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the business is independently owned and operated, is organized for profit, and is not dominant in its field
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Tabitha just opened a bakery and started a small business. Before she hired her employees, she obtained an Employment Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS and workers' compensation insurance. She had posters made of workers rights and labor laws, and put them out of sight in the store's safe. When hiring, she had all her employees complete an I-9 and verified their eligibility to work within three days. In opening her new business, what did Tabitha do wrong?
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create and store posters of labor laws
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To whom does an HR executive report?
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ceo
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What sets a specialist apart from a typical HR manager?
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A specialist only focuses on one HR function.
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Quality Wood Restoration, LLC is a small company with a limited HR budget that depends mostly on line managers for HR tasks. What type of HR employees does it primarily use?
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generalist
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Few HR generalists fall below the management position level. Why is it effective to make generalists managers?
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Generalists need to control several different HR tasks at once, so the oversight given to a manger is a natural fit.
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What two HR roles would a vice president of industrial relations perform?
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executive and specialist
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Which key factor identifies generalists and specialists?
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breadth of position
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A CEO wants to hire a new VP to oversee new safety law changes. This role would be defined as ____.
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executive specialist
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A company that outsources several parts of its HR functions would benefit the most from what type of HR employees?
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specialist
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Which of the following best describes the term generalist?
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a person who may be an executive and performs tasks in a variety of HR-related areas
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Connie is the manager of safety and health for her company. She reports to the vice president of human resources and has colleagues who handle the management of all the other areas of human resource. Which of the following best describes Connie's position?
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specialist
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What does traditional HR management look like?
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a collection of sharply separated functions
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What is the only certainty in modern HR management?
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The five HR functions must be accomplished.
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HR terminology has moved away from "personnel" and toward "human resource management" over the past decades. What does this change show about the business field's new focus?
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HR now covers more than employee management.
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The owner and CEO of your company stresses team development and training. Given the adaptable nature of modern HR, what structure change could your CEO make to enhance this focus?
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create a separate department for development answering directly to the CEO
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Modern HR has become more involved in which business area?
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strategy
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Why is it not realistic to give an example of a typical HR structure?
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Many alternatives exist for complete HR tasks.
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Grangeville Feed Company wants to develop a more modern HR department that focuses on general strategy and employer branding. However, the current HR department is bogged down with a heavy workload and micromanagement of employee records. What strategy could Grangeville Feed Co. use to make its HRM more modern?
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adopt more technology to automatically process small tasks
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Your manager believes HR departments should concentrate on specific employee-related tasks, just as they have in the past. What argument could you give that shows how HR departments need a broader focus in the modern business world?
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Many organizations, such as PEOs and HRO companies, can help businesses save money and time by taking care of specific employee-related tasks.
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Why has human resource management evolved over the last few decades?
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new technologies and practices such as outsourcing have changed the distribution of tasks
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Which of the following is an example of a modern (rather than traditional) HR setup that shows how HR has evolved?
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A large firm outsources the training of its employees through another company.
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What is a vocation defined by a common body of knowledge and certification?
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a profession
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What is the largest national organization for HRM?
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Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)
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What is the best reason that recruitment strategists would be interested in professional certification?
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Certification shows that potential employees have proven value.
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WorldatWork separates itself from other organizations with a particular focus on work-life certification. What advantage would a business have by hiring an employee with a work-life certification from WorldatWork?
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Modern branding is more effective with strong work-life features.
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What certifications does the human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI) offer?
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Professional, Senior Profession, and Global Professional
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In what industries are members of the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) found?
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all types of organizations, government agencies, consultancies, and suppliers
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What strategic benefit does the SHRM offer when publishing a magazine and newspaper on HR news?
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an exchange of ideas and concerns
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Your HR manager is hesitant to commit resources for certification because he is not sure of the long-term benefits. What long-term advantage could you point out to help change his mind?
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continuous updates to knowledge and skills
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There are several representative organizations that allow human resource professionals to exchange ideas and concerns. Which of the following is the organization that was founded in 1955 and focuses on strategies that attract, motivate, and retain an engaged and productive workforce?
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WorldatWork
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A colleague of yours is a human resource manager. He has expressed interest in learning how to implement more strategies to attract qualified candidates to the company and keeping existing employees engaged and happy. Of the following organizations, which focuses primarily on the information that your colleague is looking for?
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WorldatWork
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What is the best definition of a country's culture?
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the set of values, symbols, beliefs, languages, and norms that guide human behavior within a country
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Why is a country's culture important even on a domestic level?
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Culture can differ between different areas of the same country.
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Why is an expectation of familiarity dangerous for international companies entering countries that speak the same language?
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Cultural differences exist despite a shared language.
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Why would a Japanese manager be unwilling to leave a company?
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The Japanese norm of company loyalty causes this to be seen as an act of disrespect.
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What type of behavior is a country's culture classified as?
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learned behavior
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What are the key concepts that vary between cultures and can affect HRM?
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time, space, and social interaction
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Mergers and acquisitions often force companies to pass through several different country cultures. Why do these pose a challenge to HRM?
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The cultural norms of owners affect company strategy and expectations.
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Your HR manager has created a training program that encourages basic politeness and honesty as a method to overcome cultural barriers. What dangers does this program overlook?
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Polite actions in one culture can be offensive in another.
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Which of the following terms represent the set of values, symbols, beliefs, language, and norms that guide human resource behavior within the country?
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country's culture
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Annie is an American executive who is getting ready to do some business with firms in Japan, Italy, and Great Britain. She understands that culture can be a major hurdle and has tried to prepare the best she can. Which of the following answers represents a typical mistake Annie might make?
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Annie treats the British the same as she treats Americans, because they both speak English.
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When a company attempts to create a culture attractive to the highest quality employees, that company is practicing ____.
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employer branding
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A shoe company decides to utilize additional sales representatives when entering a new market. What type of management decision is this?
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human resource
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Chanceries Hat Company is seeking to make its company culture more attractive to employees. What strategy is the most effective method of employer branding?
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creating a more interesting, stimulating workplace
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Greg's Audio is looking for market trends that show the firm needs to focus as much on employees as it does on speakers. What research results would indicate a need for more HRM?
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The workforce in the audio industry is constantly changing.
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Employer branding is the process of ____.
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creating a corporate image to attract and retain employees
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How does HRM seek to achieve organization objectives?
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through utilizing individuals
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The Rayday Toy company thinks it cannot succeed at employer branding because it only has experience in product branding. What is the best response you could give to change the minds of the firm's leaders?
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Product and employer branding both seek to create the image of a high-quality company.
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Government regulations have suddenly shifted healthcare and benefit laws for local realtor companies. How do these changing regulations indicate the need for an HRM response?
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Realtor companies must respond to ensure benefits still fall with employer branding goals.
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Which of the following best describes corporate culture?
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the system of shared values, beliefs, and habits within an organization that interacts with the formal structure to produce behavioral norms
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An advertising firm actively seeks out recent graduates for recruitment and makes it clear on the company website that it fosters a fresh, young, working atmosphere. Through these efforts, what is the firm trying to build?
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employer brand
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Which HRM function includes not only basic training but also long-term career planning?
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human resource development
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While HR's role with regard to employee safety protects employees from work-related injuries, what is HR's role with respect to
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keeps employees from physical and emotional illness
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Most firms today would rather have union-free environments with simple HR strategies. In a union relationship, a firm often needs an Industrial Relations department. Why does this become an additional HRM function when unions are present?
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Industrial relations handles the job of collective bargaining.
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D.R. Motors Inc. wants to save money and asks its HR manager to pick only two HR areas for which they would allocate a budget. The HR manager argues that this is not possible. What argument does the manager use?
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HRM functions are interrelated and focusing on just a few areas is a waste of money.
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Human resource development is divided into training, career planning, career development, performance management, and what other function?
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organization development
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What HRM function works to keep the workplace accident free?
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safety
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Keystone Lighting wants to make sure employees know it cares for their well-being. What HRM function should it focus on most to achieve this goal?
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safety and health
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Purepath Health Insurance wants to hire the highest-quality employees through top-notch recruitment and compensation, but does not want to spend money on health and safety. What future HR function problems could this create?
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Employees will find compensation inadequate if the workplace is dangerous or unhealthy.
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Which is the Human Resource Management function that is aimed to ensure that the organization always has the proper number of employees with the skills to fulfill their objectives?
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staffing
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Ling is a computer science major currently in college. He has drafted a number of goals for himself that he must achieve in order to get his first job after graduation. He has also taken note of how the experience of his first job in IT will help him get a higher-paying job, leading to other opportunities. Which of the following describes what Ling has done?
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career planning
