Human Resource Managment - Flashcards

question

Which Supreme Court case had the effect of potentially undermining two decades of gains made in equal employment opportunities?

answer

Wards Cove Packing Company v. Antonio.

question

A large manufacturing firm needs to increase production to meet a seasonal demand. The demand is not sufficient to justify building new production facilities. Of the following options, which one provides the greatest flexibility and responsiveness to the changing environment?

answer

outsourcing.

question

Work process engineering is:

answer

is a radical change in an organization.

question

Maurice is suing an organization, claiming that because he is an employee and not an independent contractor, the organization should have withheld taxes for him. All of these factors could be used to support his claim except

answer

He receives no insurance or pension benefits.

question

All of the following statements about knowledge workers are accurate except

answer

They currently comprise about 75% of the U. S. workforce.

question

Which type of organizational change may provide a false sense of security?

answer

Continuous improvement methods.

question

Which of the following provides the best description of work process engineering?

answer

A focus on the whole work process.

question

All of these changes are causing an increased diversity in the U.S. workforce except

answer

more baby boomers take early retirement.

question

Diane is employed by a company that monitors employee emails and telephone conversations. While off the job, Diane's employer can legally do all of the following except

answer

Tell her who to marry.

question

Which of the following is the best illustration of a work team?

answer

Airline employees who may handle baggage today, check in customers tomorrow, or serve on the information desk.

question

Elizabeth is the training manager of a Chicago-based company. She is working on a training program for a subsidiary in Venezuela. The training program focuses on work-related cultural differences in Venezuela and the United States. It is very important for Elizabeth to emphasize that:

answer

Venezuela is a collectivist society whereas the United States is an individualistic society.

question

Your text mentioned that telephone calls are monitored in which of these organizations?

answer

American Express.

question

Which statement is the best comparison of downsizing and rightsizing?

answer

Rightsizing links long term organizational goals to staffing levels. Downsizing is one of the actions that may be performed.

question

Useful employee involvement requires:

answer

demonstrated leadership and supportive management.

question

According to the text, one of the biggest challenges facing HR leaders is

answer

understanding that workers will need to be recruited in a different way than just advertising a position and then selecting a candidate.

question

Mary as a manager is focused on the primary management function that consists of establishing organizational goals. Mary is focused on which of these functions?

answer

Planning

question

The HR ________ is typically concerned with only one of the four functions of HR.

answer

specialist

question

Planning and controlling are the primary functions of management.

answer

False

question

Which of the following describes the career development function?

answer

Assisting employees in advancing their work lives.

question

How has Sarbanes-Oxley affected HRM?

answer

HRM must create the environment where whistleblowers can come forward without fear of reprisal.

question

_______________ are those who work with and through people, allocating resources in the effort to achieve goals.

answer

Managers

question

Frederick Taylor is often regarded as the father of scientific management.

answer

True

question

All of the following are within the primary HRM functions EXCEPT:

answer

setting production standards.

question

What were the major findings of the Watson Wyatt Human Capital Index study?

answer

A fully functioning HR department makes a significant financial contribution to an organization.

question

In which of these activities, an employee relations specialist would be involved?

answer

Ensure policies and procedures are enforced properly.

question

A large manufacturing organization uses several consulting firms to provide training programs, private staffing agencies to perform recruiting and selection activities, and a financial organization to handle benefits administration. This situation is an example of

answer

outsourcing.

question

Which of these training and development functions is designed to provide better skills for the current job?

answer

Employee training

question

To assist the organization in its strategic direction, which of the following must HRM NOT do?

answer

Only react to the decisions made by top managers

question

Marty, as a manager, is focused on the primary management function that consists of ensuring that the right people are on the job with appropriate skills, and motivating them to high levels of performance. Marty is focused on which of these functions?

answer

Leading

question

Which of the following is NOT true regarding sexual harassment?

answer

Sexual harassment can only occur between members of the opposite sex.

question

Dion, an HR manager, is developing a new compensation system that links pay to factors that are present to varying degrees in the organization. The goal is that dissimilar jobs which are equivalent in terms of knowledge, skills, and abilities are paid similarly. This project is an application of

answer

comparable worth.

question

Joni has been a secretary with her firm for nearly 30 years. She always receives excellent performance evaluations and eagerly learns new technology. Her boss has been urging her to get a facelift or retire, saying he wants a "young feel" to the office. What law protects her from this treatment?

answer

Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967.

question

Don is a recruiter for a large steel manufacturing firm. His favorite recruiting trip is to his alma mater, a city university in the tough part of the large metropolitan area where he grew up. He is glad to give these minority graduates a chance for an interview. About 10% of his new hires are from this school, one of 11 that he visits every fall. Don's firm is an active EEO employer. Is there a problem?

answer

No. This is an appropriate EEO recruiting action.

question

A company used a personality test to select job candidates for customer service positions. There were 40 male candidates and 20 female candidates. It appeared that 30 men passed the personality test while 5 women passed the personality test. Was there evidence of disparate impact against female candidates with this personality test?

answer

Yes, because the passing rate of the female candidates (25%) is less than 80% of the passing rate of the male candidates (75%).

question

The following is the arm of the federal government empowered to handle discrimination in employment cases:

answer

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

question

Which of the following is NOT true regarding affirmative action plans?

answer

Affirmative action means that a firm must always hire members of minority groups and women before it hires white males.

question

In most organizations, affirmative action plans include all of the following steps EXCEPT

answer

no member of a protected group is fired, demoted, or transferred.

question

Which of the following was a noteworthy case of reverse discrimination?

answer

United Steelworkers of America v. Weber

question

Leo has requested that the EEOC investigate his case of employment discrimination. What initial steps can Leo expect?

answer

The EEOC will take up to 120 days to secure acceptable resolution of the discrimination charges before filing suit.

question

In the United States,

answer

women are currently holding less than 15 percent of senior management positions.

question

Griggs v. Duke Power (1971) is important for all of these reasons EXCEPT:

answer

It prevented employment testing in the hiring process for most jobs.

question

Which of the following is true regarding Executive Order 11246?

answer

It prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, religion, color, and national origin by federal agencies as well as those working under federal contracts.

question

Over two-thirds of all U.S. organizations use some form of drug testing. Which of the following is NOT true regarding substance abuse in the U.S. workplace?

answer

It is estimated that employee substance abuse costs U.S. organizations about $100 million annually in increased health-care costs, lost productivity, and workplace accidents.

question

According to your text, how much money does substance abuse cost U.S. companies annually?

answer

$100 billion

question

Erica was fired for refusing to sign her name to a financial report that she knew was inaccurate. What type of wrongful discharge suit could she file?

answer

Public policy violation.

question

Dwight, vice-president of human resources for a large textile firm, is in a strategic restructuring meeting. The discussion topics include which one of three production facilities to close. There are 40 employees at each of the facilities. When asked, "What should we tell the employees?" Dwight responds,

answer

"Legally, we are not required to tell the employees anything unless we lay off 50 or more individuals."

question

Which of the following is NOT a law affecting employee rights?

answer

The Fairness in Employment Act

question

A bank would like to obtain information regarding the credit history of applicants as well as their lifestyle and spending habits. What should the bank do to obtain this information?

answer

The bank should obtain the information through a third-party investigation.

question

Carrying a concealed weapon, gross insubordination, and sexually harassing another employee are examples of which type of disciplinary problem?

answer

On-the-job behaviors

question

Last month a large consumer electronics wholesaler reported a 27% stock loss due to "breakage." The average loss is less than 1% a month. There are over 100 employees at the facility. The only recent hires, Tom, Dick, and Harry, were hired six weeks ago. Dan, the plant manager has come to you, the vice-president of human resources, for advice on how to stop the stealing in a fair and ethical way. What is your advice?

answer

Provide written notice to Tom, Dick, and Harry that they will be scheduled for a polygraph test.

question

Research studies suggest that

answer

honesty tests can be effective devices to screen applicants.

question

The Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988 requires all of the following EXCEPT:

answer

mandatory dismissal for employees found in violation of any part of the policy.

question

Chris and David both arrived one hour late for work today. Chris was fired. David was given a verbal warning. Such disparate treatment for the same offense could be considered fair and equitable for all of these reasons EXCEPT:

answer

Upper management demands that time rules be followed by all employees.

question

Bianca was fired for booking her modeling jobs from her desk as secretary for a manufacturing firm. She had business cards printed for her part time modeling agency with her office phone, email, and mailing address. The other secretaries had complained that they took personal (modeling) calls for her when she was absent from the office. She claimed that during her job interview she had been told about the company flexibility and the low demands on workers. She said employees were encouraged to develop other interests and skills. What type of wrongful discharge suit could she file?

answer

Implied contract

question

A company with 350 workers is laying off 75 employees. How much notice is this company required to provide to the laid-off employees?

answer

60 days

question

Which of the following is NOT true regarding the Polygraph Protection Act of 1988?

answer

Polygraph tests have been found to have very strong job-related value.

question

Which of the following describes the "Strategy" phase of the strategic planning process?

answer

Determining how goals and objectives will be attained

question

The job analysis process has a multifaceted nature. Indeed, many activities in an organization are affected by the job analysis. Which of the following is NOT directly affected by the job analysis process?

answer

Benefits administration

question

The SWOT analysis is a process for determining a firm's

answer

strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

question

Which of the following is NOT an activity that organizations frequently cite as being affected by the job analysis process?

answer

Succession planning

question

How important is job analysis to the contemporary organization?

answer

Job analysis is the starting point of sound human resource management.

question

The steps of the strategic planning process, in order, are

answer

mission, objectives and goals, strategy, structure, people.

question

Top executives at Toddler Toys Company have agreed on a new mission statement. More specifically, they have agreed on what business the company should be in and who their consumers are. What should the next step be for these top executives?

answer

Set strategic goals

question

Michelle has gathered job analysis data with the observation technique for jobs in Plant #101. She wants to use an additional collection technique to make sure her analysis is accurate. Much of the work is done collectively, and she is skilled in dealing with issues related to group dynamics. Which job analysis method should she use?

answer

Group interview

question

During a meeting Julandre, a top executive at Garden Tools International (GTI) made a presentation about the organizational strengths that represent the firm's unique skills and resources. Julandre insisted that these organizational strengths should give GTI, a competitive edge in the future. What was Julandre referring to in this meeting?

answer

The core competency of the company

question

What use has the job description served under the ADA?

answer

It identifies essential job functions.

question

Yoshiko works in the human resources area of a large organization. As part of her duties, she routinely uses such methods as observation, individual and group interviews, technical conferences, and diary monitoring. What does she do?

answer

Job analysis

question

Felicia, a new analyst, is considering asking managers at various facilities to use the diary method of job analysis. As an expert in HR matters, what advice would you give her, since you want to help her do the right thing.

answer

Sometimes people report what they think you want to hear rather than what they do.

question

Monique, the director of job analysis, must write job descriptions for new supervisors in a new plant. The new robotics line will make this location comparable to existing sites. She has a limited budget and a limited amount of time. Many former plant managers (they would have supervised these supervisory positions) are in Monique's building. Which job analysis method should she use?

answer

Technical conference

question

Which of the following is NOT a category of the Position Analysis Questionnaire (PQA)?

answer

Job evaluation

question

Why is employee leasing increasing in popularity? Your text mentions all of these reasons except

answer

The leasing company can train the leased employee to its specifications.

question

Gloria is the vice-president of human resources for a large manufacturing organization. She is concerned that there are 40% more unqualified applicants for jobs this year than last year. She should talk to the director of

answer

recruiting.

question

Which of the following is accurate regarding the work preferences of Generation Xers?

answer

They respond better to flexible work policies and programs designed to permit work/life balances.

question

Ruth, an HR specialist in a technology firm, needs to present the benefits of using the Internet to enhance recruiting efforts to top management. She can use all of these examples except

answer

although it does not save money, it does improve response time.

question

Successful recruiting efforts are indicated by all of these outcomes except

answer

turnover increases.

question

Which of the following is not true regarding state employment agencies?

answer

State employment agencies tend to attract high-skilled individuals.

question

John, an HR manager, is talking to an employment agency representative. He sighs, assuming that there will be no qualified candidates again this week. Who might be on the phone?

answer

Public employment agency.

question

Which of the following is accurate regarding the work preferences of baby boomers?

answer

They are interested in the market leadership of the company and the "image" it has.

question

At a recent meeting of HR executives, Rico announced that his firm did not recruit. What reason could he give for this?

answer

The organization is downsizing and not growing.

question

Your mother is hiring a new nanny for your little sister and the dog. Which one of the following pieces of recruiting information would be most likely to assure that the nanny is a good caregiver.

answer

An excellent nanny recommended the person.

question

A private college needs to hire a Chief Information Officer to bring the organization into the 21st century for computer usage and technology. The human resources area has been directed to hire a relative of a current employee, but no one has the technical skills or abilities needed. These recruiting efforts are constrained by

answer

internal organizational policies.

question

Which of the following is not true regarding recruiting?

answer

It is fairly easy to generate a pool of qualified candidates. People always need jobs.

question

Jane is the director of recruiting for a large corporation. Which of the following is a warning signal that her efforts are not effective?

answer

Jane's secretary spends more time acknowledging ad responses from under qualified applicants than she did a year ago.

question

Teresa is ready to get a bachelor's degree in business from a large urban university located on the East Coast. After graduation, she wants to relocate to Portland, Oregon. She has very little money available for her job search. What should she do?

answer

Create an online résumé.

question

Youan, a recruiter, is trying to identify the different constraints that may impact his recruiting efforts. Which of the following is not a major constraint on recruiting efforts?

answer

Marketing mix

question

Service International is using an aptitude test in its selection process. It appears that individuals who received high scores on the aptitude test ended up performing very poorly on the job after they were hired. What type of problem does this test seem to have?

answer

A predictive validity problem

question

All of the following would be likely to cause the HR person to remove an applicant from the pool during the initial screening of the selection process EXCEPT

answer

Performance test data.

question

All of the following are performed during the initial screening and help minimize selection costs EXCEPT

answer

Describing benefits, especially medical care.

question

The value of the interview in the hiring process has been affirmed for which of these reasons?

answer

Organizational "fit" often determines how long an employee will stay with the organization.

question

Which of the following is NOT true regarding realistic job previews?

answer

Giving the applicants a realistic job preview before offering them the job lowers acceptance rates.

question

What advice does your text give to organizations that want to use employment testing in the global arena?

answer

Practices must be adapted to cultures in which the organization operates.

question

Dan, a recruiter for a technology company in the research triangle, has started doing open-house recruiting for network troubleshooters. Which of the following is evidence of that process?

answer

He lowered the cut score on the skills test to 40, the number that indicates satisfactory basic skill requirements.

question

The selection process may include all of the following steps EXCEPT

answer

a history evaluation of hobbies.

question

The selection process typically consists of:

answer

8 steps

question

Jan runs a temporary agency that provides experienced IT professionals. She gives a virus laden IT network to job candidates and an hour to get it running as part of the selection process. She does not hire based on this test, but compares their scores to their job performance evaluations after the first two job assignments. She is using this test for

answer

predictive validity.

question

Correlation coefficients are used to demonstrate the statistical relationships existing between an individual's test score and her/his performance. The correlation coefficients can range in magnitude from

answer

- 1 to +1.

question

Why are performance simulation tests used more often today instead of written tests in the selection process?

answer

Performance simulation tests more easily meet the criteria of job-relatedness because they evaluate actual job behaviors.

question

During the interview process, an acceptable question to ask is

answer

Do you have a college degree?

question

Tosi is interviewing for a managerial job with a global manufacturer. He has been screened and he completed the application form. He routed 20 documents in an inbox successfully. Now he is in a group with 4 other candidates, making a stick model of a new product. Later today he is scheduled for a personality test. These activities identify which stage of the selection process?

answer

Assessment center

question

Anthony, vice-president of human resources, wants to decrease turnover for counter workers at a fast food chain. He examined work application forms over the last five years and discovered the following information: 50% of employees who stayed less than 90 days had no prior work experience; 50% of employees who stayed longer than 1 year held more than 2 previous jobs; 80% of employees who stayed less than 90 days held less than a high school degree; 80% of employees who stayed more than a year held a high school degree; 40% of employees who indicated only weekend work schedules left within 90 days; 45% of workers who indicated no weekend work schedules left within 90 days. What should he do?

answer

Weight educational level more heavily than prior job experience.

question

An amusement park needs customer representatives during the summer season. The best staffing option for this amusement park is to use:

answer

part-time employees.

question

A California-based software company has just started a joint venture with a Japanese company in Tokyo. Doug, a U.S. expatriate, is the new general manager of the joint-venture. He is very excited about his foreign assignment in Japan. However, Doug has quickly become frustrated with the lack of assertiveness of his Japanese managers and employees. He feels things are not accomplished fast enough. What should Doug do?

answer

Make an effort to better understand the Japanese culture.

question

Why are so many organizations exhibiting a trend toward downsizing?

answer

Quality emphasis programs are creating flatter structures and redesigning work to increase efficiency.

question

Which of the following is NOT true regarding ethics in organizations?

answer

A mission statement details an organization's primary values and the ethical rules it expects managers and employees to follow.

question

According to W. Edward Deming, a well-managed organization is one in which:

answer

statistical control reduces variability in production processes and also results in uniform quality and predictable level of production.

question

Ruxandra Lopez is the vice-president for human resources of a major manufacturing company. She is thinking of increasing the proportion of contingent workers in the different plants. As a consultant, you advise Ruxandra that a major disadvantage associated with contingent workers is that:

answer

contingent workers may be less loyal and committed than core employees.

question

Suppose you are the HR manager of an organization that has just adopted the philosophy of continuous improvement. You can support improvement programs in all of these ways except

answer

Design jobs very narrowly to ensure that employees can specialize on a few tasks.

question

According to the text, communication via a blog has all of the following advantages except:

answer

dissatisfied customers and disgruntled employees can write about anything they do not like.

question

Many of today's companies emphasize:

answer

teamwork

question

Which of the following statements best compares continuous improvement and work process engineering?

answer

Continuous improvement asks, "How can we do it better?" Work process improvement asks, "Are we doing the right thing?"

question

One of the implications of technology in HRM is

answer

workers will need the ability to read and comprehend software and hardware manuals, technical journals, and detailed reports.

question

People who lack a strong moral sense are much less likely to do wrong if:

answer

they feel constrained by rules and strong cultural norms that discourage unethical behaviors.

question

Which of the following is a component of continuous improvement?

answer

Empowering employees.

question

A Kaizen is the Japanese term for:

answer

a firm's commitment to continuous improvement.

question

The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that by 2014 nearly 2.4 million jobs will go unfilled due to all of these factors except:

answer

potential training redundancy is developing.

question

All of these changes are causing an increased diversity in the U.S. workforce except

answer

more baby boomers take early retirement.

question

HRM typically provides which of these types of training to temporary employees?

answer

Orientation.

question

How does group decision making empower a workforce?

answer

Employees have greater access to needed information.

question

Don, a Canadian native, has just been cleared for assignment as a country manager. He went to school in the United States and speaks English, Spanish, and French. What assignment would work best for him if there is no time for additional training?

answer

Australia.

question

A large manufacturing firm needs to increase production to meet a seasonal demand. The demand is not sufficient to justify building new production facilities. Of the following options, which one provides the greatest flexibility and responsiveness to the changing environment?

answer

outsourcing

question

Which of the following is not a component of continuous improvement?

answer

Intense focus on individual performance.

question

One way technology has changed HRM practices is

answer

employee training is often delivered on demand rather than through scheduled courses.

question

Which of the following is NOT true regarding workforce diversity in the United States?

answer

Accommodating the needs of minority and female employees is less and less a major responsibility for managers.

question

Different countries perceive status differently. For example, status in French society depends to a large extent on education and seniority. Such an emphasis on education and seniority is called:

answer

ascribed status

question

Which of the following is NOT true regarding work/life issues in the United States?

answer

It has become easier for married employees to find the time to fulfill non-work commitments.

question

Today, the percentage of women managers in the United States is approximately

answer

23%

question

Tom accepted an overseas assignment from his employer, however, after 30 days, he and his family were disgruntled. This most likely occurred because HR failed to

answer

involve both Tom and his entire family in the relocation and orientation process prior to departure.

question

Josh as a manager is focused on the primary management function of determining what activities need to be completed to accomplish his organizational goals. Josh is focused on which of these functions?

answer

Organizing

question

Which of the following statements best describes the role of managers?

answer

The role of managers is to work with and through other people, allocating resources, in the effort to achieve organizational goals.

question

The nearly decade study that gave rise to what is today called the human relations movement was the _________ studies.

answer

Hawthorne

question

Sofia graduated from your college about 10 years ago with an HRM degree. She has developed job analysis and job evaluation materials for three different organizations. She is well suited for which senior HRM position?

answer

Compensation and benefits manager

question

You have been offered a job by a major manufacturer as a campus recruiter for technology positions. Your work will be in which HRM function?

answer

Staffing

question

Outsourcing refers to sharing HRM activities among geographically dispersed divisions.

answer

False

question

Labor unions promote grievance procedures to resolve differences between workers and management.

answer

True

question

________ is designed to help the organization ensure that it has the necessary talent internally for meeting future human resource needs.

answer

Employee development

question

Unfortunately, compensation and benefits managers are the lowest paid HR professionals.

answer

False

question

An effective HRM communications program should have all of the following elements EXCEPT

answer

no lower-level employee involvement.

question

Tamara is an HRM professional whose primarily involved in the motivation function. As such, she may perform all of these activities EXCEPT

answer

health and safety.

question

A large manufacturing organization, with 20 geographically dispersed production facilities recently cut its HRM staff by 60%. Each site has a few generalists, but specialist needs in recruiting and selection planning, employment law, training, and benefits administration have been consolidated into one location. This situation is an example of

answer

shared services.

question

Which of the following describes the organization development function?

answer

Facilitating system-wide changes in the organization.

question

Which of the following is not true regarding HRM in small business operations?

answer

The owner-manager does not have to keep current with respect to legal issues because of the small size of the business.

question

______ is considered the father of scientific management.

answer

Frederick Taylor

question

Which of the following early management theorists suggested improved methods of employment testing, training, performance evaluations, and job efficiency?

answer

Hugo Munsterberg

question

Job performance is a function of the employee's ability and _________ to do the work.

answer

willingness

question

Chris is a human resource professional who is currently working with line managers to reward those employees who are creative and innovative. Chris's work is aligning HR strategy with which organizational strategy?

answer

Product differentiation

question

Which of these legislation raises the mandatory retirement age from 65 to 70; uncapped in 1986?

answer

Mandatory Retirement Act

question

Prior to the mid-1960's, personnel departments in organizations were primarily involved in planning company picnics, scheduling vacations, enrolling workers for health-care coverage, and planning retirement parties.

answer

True

question

Abby is a manager in a toy store. She is screening and evaluating resumes for a sales associate position in her store. She is very concerned whether the new sales associate will have the appropriate skills for the job and how to motivate them once they are hired. The primary management function indicated is

answer

Leading.

question

Vinita, the Vice-President of Human Resources at ABC Products, starts her staff meeting with, "The work process engineering we implemented last year was a good start. We need to overhaul four of the other production areas within the next 18 months. What do you think are reasonable goals and objectives, based on last year's work?" She is performing the management function of

answer

Planning.

question

Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1978 increased mandatory retirement age from

answer

65 to 70.

question

Which of the following is a landmark Supreme Court decision stating that tests must fairly measure the knowledge or skills required for a job?

answer

Griggs v. Duke Power Company (1971)

question

Which of the following is the most prominent piece of legislation regarding HRM?

answer

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

question

Executive Order 11246

answer

prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, religion, color, and national origin, by federal agencies as well as those working under federal contracts.

question

_______ include activities or modifications to the work environment that allow the qualified individual to perform the work.

answer

Reasonable accommodations

question

The ________is NOT a federal law affecting employment discrimination.

answer

Fair Wage Standards Act of 1948

question

Which of the following is NOT a protected status category?

answer

Seniority

question

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 included all of the following provisions EXCEPT

answer

Organizations must re-engineer working areas to accommodate all special needs.

question

All of these statements about the 1991 Civil Rights Act are accurate EXCEPT, the Act

answer

reduces the Griggs decision impact.

question

An allegation of discrimination could be supported under a geographical comparison test in which instance?

answer

A large Miami-based financial institution has no Hispanics on the payroll.

question

An allegation of discrimination could be supported under the restricted policy infraction test in which instance?

answer

Company position available announcements are posted in English and French. Most of the Hispanic workers only speak Spanish.

question

Which of the following is NOT true regarding bona fide occupational qualifications (BFOQs)?

answer

A faculty member must be catholic to teach at a Jesuit university.

question

Which of the following reaffirmed the use of preferential treatment based on gender to overcome problems in existing affirmative action programs?

answer

Johnson v. Santa Clara County Transportation Agency

question

Which case found that layoffs of white workers to establish racial or ethnic balances were illegal?

answer

Wyant v. Jackson Board of Education.

question

Which Supreme Court case had the effect of potentially undermining two decades of gains made in equal employment opportunities?

answer

Wards Cove Packing Company v. Antonio.

question

Which of the following EEOC action steps are pursued if the company offers to settle the case after the complaint is filed and the process to determine the validity of the complaint is initiated?

answer

The process stops.

question

Which of the following is NOT true regarding HRM outside the United States?

answer

In Australia, a very small percentage of the workforce is unionized.

question

The EEOC cites all of the following in determining whether or not sexual harassment has occurred EXCEPT:

answer

The conduct is perceived as "funny" by less than 50% of the workforce.

question

Which of the following is true regarding employer liability for sexual harassment actions?

answer

Employers can be held liable for sexual harassment actions by its managers, employees, and even customers.

question

What is the glass ceiling?

answer

Institutional and psychological practices limit the advancement and mobility of women and minorities.

question

Which act requires federal government agencies to make information in an individual's file available to him or her?

answer

The Privacy Act of 1974

question

Sharon is rewriting the section of the policies and procedures manual for her organization regarding employees' access to their employment history files. All of the following statements are appropriate EXCEPT:

answer

Employees are encouraged to drop into the personnel office to review the contents of their employee information files any time they wish.

question

Which of the following jobs is subjected to drug tests under the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988?

answer

Technician in a company regulated by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

question

Tommy was forced to take a lie detector test about a workplace violence incident. During the course of questioning, she became very upset and emotional. Tommy asked the questioner to stop. He refused to discontinue the test. What action can be taken?

answer

The Department of Labor may assess civil penalties up to $10,000 against the organization.

question

Rajiv has worked for 22 years at a 40-employee branch of a large auto parts chain. Business has been very bad lately, and there are rumors of consolidation, reorganization, even bankruptcy. What protection is Rajiv given under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act?

answer

No protection. His branch is too small for coverage.

question

Luis has worked for a 2500-employee chemical manufacturer, ABCHEM, for two years. He went to work Monday morning to find his key no longer fit the front door lock and a new sign "FUTURE HOME OFFICE OF ALLIED PLASTICS" on the front door. He called his office and found that the telephone had been disconnected. He then noticed the local paper with headlines, "ABCHEM sells plastics subsidiary: 2000 layoffs!!" Luis remembered the letter he received from the HRM department three months earlier which had warned of this probable plant closing, but he ignored it as a rumor. What protection is Luis given under W.A.R.N.?

answer

No protection. He was notified in an appropriate manner.

question

What actions can organizations take to reduce criticism of their drug testing policies? Your text mentions all of the following EXCEPT:

answer

rehabilitate prospective employees.

question

Which of these are true about integrity tests?

answer

They assess consistency patterns in responses.

question

Lynne, an officer of a major corporation, noticed that David, her boss, reported personal expenses on his expense account when they traveled. He usually bought new clothes on a trip (suit, shoes, topcoat), brought along a family member or friend, and attended sight-seeing or cultural events with them. All of these items ended up on David's expense report. When Lynne reported these practices to federal authorities, she was

answer

whistle-blowing.

question

Gloria works for a large appliances store in the Midwest. She has heard a rumor that employees are filmed in the restroom. Can this rumor be true?

answer

Yes, if the employer included this type of employee monitoring in a written policy and explained the policy to the employees.

question

Nineteenth-century common law permitted employers to discipline or discharge employees at their discretion. This concept is the basis for

answer

the employment-at-will doctrine.

question

Diane had been Frank's secretary for 35 years. Frank fired Diane last month because he could hire an entry-level secretary for about half the money he paid Diane. What type of wrongful discharge suit could Diane file?

answer

Statutory considerations

question

Debbie is ready to fire Sharon, a new employee who tends to do only the work that she wants to do. Debbie found customer receipts in the trash 3 days last week, not in the appropriate customer files. She knows that Sharon does not like to file. Debbie has scheduled Sharon for the clerical skills course offered next month. There is a half day in that course devoted to upholding the organization's standards of acceptable behavior. What contingency factor is Debbie considering as she begins the disciplinary process?

answer

Degree of socialization

question

Sharon has been disruptive and unprepared for several important meetings in the past few weeks. Debbie, her boss, hesitates to fire her. Debbie's boss frequently brags that no employee in his division has ever been fired. Why is Debbie hesitating?

answer

Organization history

question

Sharon has been disruptive and unprepared for several important meetings in the past few weeks. Debbie, her boss, hesitates to fire Sharon because she has been an excellent employee for over five years. Debbie decides to talk to Sharon about any issues or distractions that might be affecting her work. Why is Debbie hesitating?

answer

Extenuating circumstances.

question

Sam is a night watchman for a small computer manufacturer. He is working his way through college and usually either sleeps or does his homework during his shift. His supervisor told him that homework was permissible, as long as he scanned the monitors every 10 minutes and walked the building every hour. Sleeping, however, is grounds for dismissal. Sam has been written up two times for sleeping during his work shift. After the last time, he was told there would be no more chances. Last week, $1 million worth of equipment vanished from inventory. When the thieves were caught, they mentioned the sleeping night watchman. Sam's boss fired him immediately, yelling at him that he was just like his brother, a no good lazy bum. What was wrong with the boss' actions?

answer

The boss should not have made personal comments.

question

Cindy, a college secretary, discarded transcript updates instead of filing them. David, the dean, spoke to Cindy this morning about the quality and timing issues that her actions had caused. Cindy apologized and said she had no idea that a semester's worth of information mattered. She vaguely remembered filing transcripts about 6 months ago, right after she started this job, and discarding unofficial updates at that time. She told David that this wouldn't happen again, but that he should have done a better job of training her about what paperwork was important. Her work was usually accurate, but there were several similar instances. David had only issued verbal warnings to this point. What should David do?

answer

Issue a written verbal warning outlining the solution to the problem and any follow-up action that will be taken if the problem recurs.

question

Andrew, a twenty year veteran in computer software development management, always follows the hot stove rule for discipline. He would support which of the following actions?

answer

Once the action is taken, he makes every attempt to let it go and get on with work, treating the person like before.

question

Ortega has been warned twice about eavesdropping on his manager's phone calls then discussing the information. This type of action can be punished with firing. The former incidents were documented, and Ortega was told there would be no more chances. It has just been reported that he, again, discussed a merger over lunch with his friends. What action should be taken?

answer

Dismissal

question

A major automobile manufacturer is considering a product recall, due to a design flaw that could cause its vehicles to burst into flames after a rear-end collision. After determining it would be less expensive to settle individual lawsuits that might be filed claiming negligence, the manufacturer drops the recall idea. Andrew, a product engineer who found and reported the flaw up through the organization's chain of command, is shocked. He complains to his manager, but is told to keep quiet and go do his job. Andrew becomes a whistle-blower and reports his findings to the federal government. He is protected from termination under the ________.

answer

Consumer Product Safety Act

question

Discipline generally follows the typical sequence of the following four steps:

answer

written verbal warning, written warning, suspension, dismissal.

question

Effective employment planning includes all of the following EXCEPT:

answer

product modifications for new kinds of families.

question

Which of the following describes the "Structure" phase of the strategic planning process?

answer

Determining what jobs need to be done and by whom

question

Which of the following describes the "People" phase of the strategic planning process?

answer

Matching skills, knowledge, and abilities to required jobs

question

A replacement chart is used

answer

to spot skill shortages in the organization.

question

Which of these changes in the labor supply is the most difficult to predict?

answer

Deaths

question

Employee retention is a major HRM issue. According to the text, it is estimated that about _______ of the reasons employees quit their jobs and leave organizations are within the control of managers.

answer

75 percent

question

During a job analysis, which of these tasks are performed?

answer

Skills, knowledge and abilities necessary to perform a job are determined.

question

Pierre is attempting to forecast the firm's future supply of human resources. He is currently looking at retirements, transfers out of a unit, layoffs, sabbaticals, and dismissals. Which one is likely to be the most difficult to predict?

answer

Transfers out of a unit

question

Where does job analysis occur in the strategic planning process?

answer

After corporate goals and objectives are established.

question

Frank, a college intern in human resources management at a large service organization, recently completed a job analysis for the 600 jobs in the Phoenix operations center. When Lloyd, his boss, reviewed Frank's work, he found that many known job activities were not included. Further, some odd, even bizarre, activities were reported. Frank cited the Hawthorne studies in his explanation of the results. What technique did Frank use?

answer

Observation

question

Leona has gathered job analysis data with a structured questionnaire for managerial jobs in remote locations of her firm. Exit interviews have produced comments like, "You should have told me what was really expected." She wants to use an additional collection technique to avoid misrepresentation in job descriptions. Leona's boss told her, "Be thorough. Job analysis time and cost are nothing compared to the cost of replacing these managers." Which method should she use?

answer

Individual interview

question

Rhonda, a junior job analyst, needs to use several techniques for some new assembly line positions in a new production facility. Her supervisor warns her against using the PAQ for which of these reasons?

answer

It appears to be more applicable to higher-level professional jobs.

question

The job analysis process should generate:

answer

job descriptions, job specifications, and job evaluations

question

Which statement best compares job specifications and job descriptions?

answer

Job specification focuses on qualifications for incumbents. Job description focuses on what the incumbent does.

question

Stan, vice-president of human resources, is explaining why job descriptions are an important organizational resource to the rest of the executive board. He could use all of the following to support his discussion EXCEPT:

answer

The job description can be used to identify target areas for retirement planning.

question

All of the following are disadvantages of flexible scheduling EXCEPT:

answer

reduced childcare costs.

question

Which of the following is NOT a job analysis method?

answer

Situational method

question

Alex is comparing various job analysis methods. He is looking for the best job analysis method. As a consultant, you advise Alex that he should choose

answer

some combination of job analysis methods.

question

"S" in the SWOT analysis represents:

answer

Strength

question

Which of the following describes the "Mission" phase of the strategic planning process?

answer

Determining what business the organization will be in

question

Which of the following is not an external recruiting source?

answer

Employee referrals

question

A manufacturer has difficulty hiring plant architects. The hours are long, but the money is great. Last year, the firm started doing airport interviews in major cities to screen the applicant pool. Only the most promising candidates are then invited to the company site for a lengthier interview process. An HR representative went to an industry business luncheon last week and found that not one competitor is having similar recruiting problems. None of them were conducting airport interviews, and three of his associates commented that an architect really has to be there to get a sense of the job. The company's recruiting is being constrained by

answer

recruiting costs.

question

A good recruiting program is indicated by which of the following?

answer

More qualified applicants apply. Fewer unqualified applicants apply.

question

Why do some prospective employees avoid responding to a blind box advertisement?

answer

They are afraid their current employer may be the company placing the ad.

question

Marvin is the human resources manager of a medium-sized construction company based in the United States. His company just signed its first multi-million dollar contract to build a hotel in China. He needs to quickly hire a site manager, one familiar with Chinese customs and the language. What should he do?

answer

Hire a host-country national who has the job qualifications.

question

Jane is a retired insurance agent. She now files medical claims from her home PC for several doctor's offices. Each doctor's office pays her an arranged amount for each claim filed. They pay no taxes or benefits for Jane, just the per claim fee. What kind of worker is Jane?

answer

Independent contractor.

question

Pat, director of human resources at a large resort in the Southwest, has been unable to fill the last three vacancies for day activity supervisor for senior citizens. After checking with friends who have talked to candidates and potential candidates, she found that the jobs are low paying, boring, and very stressful, compared to the same job at other resorts and activity centers in the area. Recruiting for other positions in the resort has not been a problem. What constraint is affecting her organization?

answer

Job attractiveness.

question

Marvin, your friend, is advising you, an HR representative, to use an executive search firm instead of the employment agency you have been using to find a senior marketing vice-president. He could make all of these comments except

answer

the employee will pay the fee.

question

Joni is looking for a new job. She just had lunch with a prospective employer she met at the conference they were both attending. She had received a roster of job openings when she arrived at the meeting. What kind of external search assistance is she using?

answer

Professional association.

question

Which of the following is not a characteristic of an effective resume?

answer

Use an italic font style to get the attention of the recruiter

question

An advertisement for an executive job is likely to be found in all of these places except

answer

a placard posted on the plant gate.

question

Ira, an HR representative, is explaining why the company uses blind box ads. He gives all of these reasons except

answer

we will attract some applicants by our reputation.

question

Which of the following is not an advantage associated with promotions from within?

answer

It is more costly than external recruiting.

question

Which of the following is accurate regarding the work preferences of traditionalists?

answer

They look for the history of the company and the opportunity to work part-time.

question

Which of the following is not a disadvantage associated with internal recruiting sources?

answer

Individuals chosen internally already know the company.

question

Employee referrals offer all of these recruiting advantages except

answer

referrals use personal friendship instead of job skills as reference criteria.

question

John, the HR manager at ABC, Inc., needs to hire an accountant but only for a four-month period. What should John do?

answer

Contact an employee leasing firm

question

Which of the following is not true regarding unsolicited applicants?

answer

Employers keep a record of unsolicited applications for only a few days if there are no current openings.

question

Lee is a retired comptroller who spends tax season in Florida working for Robert Half to pay his extra holiday bills for the grandchildren. He has worked with a number of tax preparing agencies in the Tampa area. Robert Half pays his salary and benefits. Lee works for Robert Half in the Northeast during the rest of the year. What kind of worker is he?

answer

Leased employee.

question

Jermaine has successfully completed the initial screening phase of the selection process. What is his next step?

answer

Complete the application form

question

The selection process may include all of the following steps EXCEPT

answer

a history evaluation of hobbies.

question

Which of the following is a legally appropriate question to ask on the application form?

answer

What is your name?

question

What is the difference between a conditional job offer and a permanent job offer?

answer

The conditional job offer is made when employment tests are passed. The permanent job offer is made when background checks are passed.

question

What is the main advantage of work sampling over traditional pencil-and-paper tests?

answer

Work sampling tends to be a better predictor of short-term performance.

question

Application forms typically include all of the following EXCEPT

answer

marital status.

question

Why do some organizations use application forms with age, gender or religious questions, since civil rights legislation has made it illegal to discriminate on the basis of such criteria?

answer

These items may be job-related.

question

Helaine, a recruiter at Company ABC, is in the process of hiring an office manager. An important success factor for this position is the ability to "fit in" with the firm's culture. Helaine is planning to use an interview to evaluate the extent to which job applicants are likely to fit in at Company ABC. What selection device should Helaine choose?

answer

A comprehensive interview

question

Daniel is an experienced interviewer for a large service organization. He has just asked a job candidate what she would do in this scenario: "You show up for a routine meeting. The client greets you, angry, yelling, and waving a piece of paper in your face that he asserts contains a billing error. How do you handle the situation?" What is Daniel doing?

answer

Behavioral interview

question

Who should make the actual hiring decision?

answer

The manager in the department where the vacancy exists

question

Studies of realistic job previews show that they

answer

reduce turnover without lowering acceptance rates.

question

Yu Chen, one of your most valued employees, has decided to leave your organization after 20 years of exceptional service. His decision took you completely by surprise and you have to fill the position quickly. To make sure you do not make a mistake and hire the wrong person, you should do all of the following EXCEPT

answer

Conduct a reference checking without the applicant's knowledge.

question

Why do organizations conduct background checks on potential employees?

answer

Past behavior is a good predictor of future behavior.

question

A-Frame Manufacturing is using a job knowledge test in its selection process. It appears that the test content omits knowledge about important tasks necessary to effectively perform the job. What type of problem does this test seem to have?

answer

A content validity problem

question

John's conditional job offer has been rescinded by the Grace Hospital. His prior employer referred Grace to the public records of John's criminal drug activity in that city. Is this action legal?

answer

Yes, under qualified privilege.

question

Correlation coefficients used to demonstrate the statistical relationships existing between an individual's test score and her/his performance are called

answer

validity coefficients.

question

Josh was not hired for a job as a dump truck driver because he scored below 40 on the emotional intelligence test, even though he scored a perfect 100 on a driving and dumping test. He challenged this in court, contending that this employment test does not have

answer

content validity.

question

Sancho, a banker, has been trying to find a new loan officer assistant for 6 months. What advice do you, as a human resource professional, have for him about using tests for concurrent or predictive validity? Both are available in the organization.

answer

There may be little similarity between current employees and applicants. Use the predictive measures.

question

Which of the following is NOT true regarding international assignments?

answer

They require greater attention to the applicant's gender.

question

A recent survey found that women in the _________ are world leaders with 50 percent holding senior management positions.

answer

Philippines

question

Ivan is the vice-president of human resources for a large manufacturing organization involved in work process engineering. What kinds of training needs should he anticipate?

answer

All of the above.

question

Which of the following is not true regarding the employee involvement for HRM?

answer

Employees are expected to withhold strategic information from co-workers.

question

HRM provides support in all of these areas to increase employee involvement except

answer

Retirement planning.

question

HRM is often involved in all of the following for their contingent workers except

answer

Negotiating health care benefits.

question

A major drawback of focusing on continuous improvements is that it:

answer

may prevent employers from making needed radical changes.

question

Which critical aspect of unions may keep management from making unilateral decisions?

answer

Grievance procedures

question

Employee motivation can be increased by all of the following EXCEPT

answer

improving the lounge and cafeteria areas.

question

________ act on behalf of their members to negotiate work hours and wage rates.

answer

Labor unions

question

Which of the following is true regarding the achievement of organizational objectives?

answer

Any effort to achieve organizational objectives has three elements in common: goals, limited resources, and people.

question

Jon, the manager of a technology firm, has become aware that many of his employees, once highly productive, are making mistakes due to the stress of work/home balance and the influence of illegal substances. He comes to you, HR manager, for suggestions. What do you tell him?

answer

Refer these employees to the employee assistance programs available for these situations.

question

Dana is the senior critical manager of a film processing firm with 75 employees. Her father fell and broke his hip. Dana, a 20-year employee, has requested two months off to care for him. Will the Family and Medical Leave Act protect her job?

answer

No. She is a key employee.

question

Sharon is confined to a wheelchair since her accident. Her employer supplied a special desk and widened the aisles so that she can get to her work station and work. This action is known as

answer

reasonable accommodations.

question

You are vice-president of human resources of a large pharmaceutical manufacturer. Your firm has a longstanding tradition of promoting from within. New hires are fresh college graduates with no experience, no advanced degrees. Your firm is being sued by Ed, a 45-year-old MBA, who has attempted to apply for a general manager job. He knows the position is available because the incumbent died and the obituary was public information. He is claiming age discrimination. Which of the following discrimination defenses should be employed?

answer

Seniority systems

question

Larry, a 62 year old, has just been offered a full time job as merchandise representative for a large firm. He is not offered an opportunity to participate in the pension plan. Can he sue under the ADEA?

answer

No. As long as the cost of benefits is the same for him as for younger employees, the organization is in compliance with the law.

question

Which of the following is NOT true regarding workplace security?

answer

Workplace security issues have become less prevalent in U.S. organizations over the last five years.

question

Which of the following is NOT an exception to the employment-at-will doctrine?

answer

Closed employment clause

question

Which of the following is NOT considered a flexible work schedule?

answer

Job enrichment

question

Fatima is working on the employment planning of her company. She expects that the demand for human resources will increase in the near future. Which of the following is NOT an appropriate option for Fatima?

answer

Offer early retirements

question

Which of the following describes the "Structure" phase of the strategic planning process?

answer

Determining what jobs need to be done and by whom

question

Which of the following is not true with respect to the differences between private and public employment agencies?

answer

Private employment agencies are slightly more expensive than public employment agencies.

question

A major IT provider has decreased recruiting costs significantly by which of these techniques?

answer

Using an online application within the company website

question

Response rates to advertisements are influenced by which of the following variables?

answer

Identification of the organization, labor market conditions, the degree of specification of job requirements.

question

Company XYZ is using an aptitude test to measure the applicants' cognitive abilities. The score of the test can vary from 10 to 100. A score of 10 indicates very low cognitive abilities whereas a score of 100 indicates exceptional cognitive abilities. A job candidate, Robert, received a score of 87 when he took the test in April. Robert took the test again (same test) in June. However, the second time his score was only 42. What type of problem may this test have?

answer

A reliability problem

question

Ahmad, a veteran manager in the fast-food business, applied for a manager position at a fast-food restaurant when he relocated because of health reasons. He was told he did not get the job because he did not have a high school diploma. Although that was not stated as a job requirement for manager positions, he learned that the application form he completed was the same one used for counter workers. That form is legally weighted to consider education level. He can use which of the following as a basis for legal challenge?

answer

Application items were not validated for the manager positions.

question

The most effective external recruiting sources are

answer

There is no one best external recruiting source

Human Resource Managment – Flashcards

Unlock all answers in this set

Haven't found what you were looking for?

Search for samples, answers to your questions and flashcards