Fundamentals of Management, 7e (Robbins/DeCenzo/Coulter) Chapter Managing Human Resources 1) Human resource management involves training, motivating, and retaining competent employees Answer: TRUE Explanation: HRM is defined as the function that identifies, selects, trains, motivates, and retains employees who are competent and productive Diff: Page Ref: 154 Objective: 6.1 2) Human resource management activities such as hiring and firing are the sole responsibility of the human resource department Answer: FALSE Explanation: Many small businesses function without HR departments Many larger organizations involve non-HR managers in human resource decisions, and in some cases these managers are in charge of he process Diff: Page Ref: 154 Objective: 6.1 3) Human resource management is about hiring and firing only Answer: FALSE Explanation: HRM is not just about hiring and firing In addition to hiring and firing, HR managers must train employees to become productive workers, assess and compensate employees appropriately, and handle overall employment planning goals for an organization, including assessing current needs and estimating future human resource needs Diff: Page Ref: 154 Objective: 6.1 4) The most important environmental force that affects HRM is the legal environment Answer: TRUE Explanation: Employment and discrimination laws play an enormous role in how HR managers hire HR managers must be fully versed in both federal and state laws to function effectively Diff: Page Ref: 154 AACSB: Diversity Objective: 6.1 5) A community fire department can legally deny employment to a firefighter applicant who is confined to a wheelchair Answer: TRUE Explanation: This statement is true only if the job requires physical abilities that could not be performed from a wheelchair A fire department would not be allowed to deny employment to a wheelchair-bound person for a desk job in the department, for example Diff: Page Ref: 156 AACSB: Diversity Objective: 6.1 Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc 6) Employers cannot legally discriminate with regard to race, sex, or religion, but there are no laws against denying employment because of age Answer: FALSE Explanation: The Vocational Rehabilitation Act specifically prohibits denying employment because of age Diff: Page Ref: 156 Objective: 6.1 7) Employees in Mexico are less likely to belong to a union than employees in the United States Answer: FALSE Explanation: Union membership is more common in Mexico than it is in the United States Diff: Page Ref: 156 AACSB: Globalizations Objective: 6.1 8) Western European countries differ from U.S companies in that they have work councils that must be consulted on personnel decisions Answer: TRUE Explanation: Work councils in Germany and other European countries are part of a practice called representative participation Work councils confer with HR departments in matters that involve hiring and firing, giving employees a voice in these critical decisions Diff: Page Ref: 158 AACSB: Globalizations Objective: 6.1 9) Employment planning includes two steps: assessing current human resources needs and developing a plan to meet those needs Answer: TRUE Explanation: Employment planning involves evaluating whether the organization needs more or fewer employees, then making a plan to meet those needs and reach an optimum employee level Diff: Page Ref: 158 Objective: 6.2 10) A job description states the minimum qualifications a person needs to perform a job successfully Answer: FALSE Explanation: A job specification, not a job description, states the minimum qualifications a person needs to perform a job successfully A job description is a written description of what the job is and the duties it entails Diff: Page Ref: 158 Objective: 6.2 Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc 11) Increased demand for employees typically is associated with increased demand for the products or services offered by an organization Answer: TRUE Explanation: When an organization sells more of its products, it typically requires more workers to produce those products Therefore demand for products usually creates a demand for human resources Diff: Page Ref: 159 AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: 6.2 12) Advertisements have been shown to be the most effective method for identifying the best applicants for jobs Answer: FALSE Explanation: Employee referrals, not ads, have been shown to the most effective form of recruiting Diff: Page Ref: 160 Objective: 6.2 13) Employee referrals are usually reliable Answer: TRUE Explanation: Employees recognize that if they recommend an unqualified friend, their own status and reputation in the organization is bound to suffer For that reason employees tend to take great care before making a recommendation and their referrals are generally reliable Diff: Page Ref: 160 Objective: 6.2 14) Firing, layoffs, furloughs, and early retirements are the only three downsizing options Answer: FALSE Explanation: In addition to firing, layoffs, and early retirement, managers can downsize using attrition, transfers, and job sharing Diff: Page Ref: 161 Objective: 6.2 15) An accept error involves not hiring an employee who could have performed well in a job Answer: FALSE Explanation: Failing to hire an employee who could have performed well in a job is termed a reject error An accept error involves hiring an employee who performs poorly in a job Diff: Page Ref: 161-162 Objective: 6.2 16) A selection device is valid if it can be proven to accurately measure the abilities of job applicants Answer: FALSE Explanation: Merely measuring abilities is not enough To be valid, a selection device must be able to predict successful performance of the job the person is applying for Diff: Page Ref: 162 AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: 6.2 Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc 17) Written tests fell into disfavor in the late 1960s and are now rarely used in the selection process Answer: FALSE Explanation: Written tests did fall out of favor in the 1960s, but they are currently popular again, though now they are largely administered on the Internet Diff: Page Ref: 163 AACSB: Technology Objective: 6.2 18) Performance-simulation tests are thought to be one of the best methods for evaluating job applicants in use today Answer: TRUE Explanation: Performance-simulation tests assess applicants by having them solve problems and perform tasks that are very similar to the ones they will face in the job itself They therefore give managers a look at how the applicant will perform after he or she is hired Diff: Page Ref: 163 Objective: 6.2 19) Behavioral interviews involve placing an applicant in stressful circumstances and seeing how he or she deals with the situation Answer: TRUE Explanation: Though very stressful for applicants, behavioral interviews are thought to give employers valuable information about how an applicant will solve problems and respond to a difficult situation One study shows that behavioral interviews are eight times more effective than traditional interviews for predicting successful job performance Diff: Page Ref: 164 Objective: 6.2 20) In a realistic job preview (RJP), an applicant might be told that the likelihood for promotion for the job he is applying for is slim Answer: TRUE Explanation: An RJP tries to be more candid with job applicants than ordinary interviews, informing applicants of both positive and negative aspects of the job they are seeking The idea behind RJPs is that employers can avoid having new hires quit their job prematurely because they were not well suited for it in the first place Diff: Page Ref: 164 Objective: 6.2 21) Important goals of job orientation are to reduce anxiety and to familiarize the recruit with the job and the organization Answer: TRUE Explanation: Orientation seeks to make the recruit feel comfortable in his or her new position Orientation is also used to clarify the duties and responsibilities of the job, as well as to correct any misconceptions the recruit has with regard to the job Diff: Page Ref: 166 Objective: 6.3 Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc 22) Most job training does not take place on the job Answer: FALSE Explanation: On-the-job training is the simplest and most inexpensive way to train employees It is the most popular form of job training in the United States Diff: Page Ref: 167 Objective: 6.3 23) One car company claims that every dollar it spends on training ultimately results in $230 in productivity gains Answer: TRUE Explanation: Though it is not clear how applicable this data is in a general sense, it is clear that training is cost-effective and can boost productivity in significant ways Diff: Page Ref: 167 Objective: 6.3 24) Job training never addresses trainee attitudes toward the job or the organization Answer: TRUE Explanation: Job training involves teaching skills, imparting knowledge, or modifying the attitudes and behavior of the trainee Diff: Page Ref: 167 Objective: 6.3 25) The best way to measure the effectiveness of job training is to find out how stressful the process was for trainees Answer: FALSE Explanation: Impressions of trainees are not very valuable as a measure of training effectiveness The best way to measure the effectiveness of training is to observe productivity of trainees after they become regular employees Diff: Page Ref: 171 Objective: 6.4 26) The only goal of a performance management system is to assess training needs Answer: FALSE Explanation: In addition to assessing training needs, a performance management system evaluates performance to determine possible compensation levels for employees Diff: Page Ref: 169 Objective: 6.4 27) A strength of a written essay as an employee appraisal device is that it allows the writing skill of the evaluator to be a determining factor in the appraisal of performance Answer: FALSE Explanation: The writing skill of the evaluator can be a weakness in the process rather than a strength An especially persuasive evaluator can have more influence in the final decision than he or she merits otherwise, therefore introducing bias into the process Diff: Page Ref: 169 Objective: 6.4 Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc 28) The most popular and effective employee appraisal device is the graphic rating scale approach Answer: FALSE Explanation: The graphic rating scale has evaluators create graphs that rate employees on objective numeric scales While valuable, the graphic rating scale is not as as popular or as effective as the 360-degree appraisal, which gets performance feedback from a wide variety of different sources, including the person being evaluated Diff: Page Ref: 170 Objective: 6.4 29) The 360-degree appraisal includes an evaluation from the person who is being evaluated Answer: TRUE Explanation: An assessment from the employee being appraised brings valuable perspective into the evaluation process Employee appraisal gives the person being evaluated a chance to explain him- or herself Diff: Page Ref: 170 Objective: 6.4 30) Using individual ranking as an employee appraisal device, two employees might be named "best" in the group Answer: FALSE Explanation: No ties are allowed in individual ranking That means that only one person can be identified as "best" in the group Diff: Page Ref: 170 Objective: 6.4 31) A key goal of compensation administration is to create a fair system that will provide incentive for employees Answer: TRUE Explanation: Managers know that a sense of fairness is important to prospective employees An organization with a system that is perceived to be fair can attract and retain high-performing employees better than an organization that is perceived to be unfair Diff: Page Ref: 172 Objective: 6.4 32) The primary determinant of an individual's pay is the type of job he or she performs Answer: TRUE Explanation: The specific job a person has is the most important factor in determining pay In general, jobs that require greater skills, knowledge, and talent pay more than those that don't require these capabilities Jobs that require the person to assume greater responsibility and authority also pay more Diff: Page Ref: 172 Objective: 6.4 Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc 33) Most U.S jobs use a variable pay system in which employee compensation is based on status and seniority Answer: FALSE Explanation: The variable pay system is based on performance, not status and seniority Diff: Page Ref: 173 Objective: 6.4 34) Most organizations are not legally required to provide benefits of any type for employees Answer: FALSE Explanation: Most organizations are required to provide Social Security and unemployment benefits for non-freelance employees Diff: Page Ref: 173 Objective: 6.4 35) Downsizing can be as stressful for the survivors as it is for the victims Answer: TRUE Explanation: Evidence shows that survivors can suffer almost as much stress as victims of downsizing Feelings of anxiety, sadness, frustration, and anger are common in downsizing survivors Diff: Page Ref: 174 Objective: 6.5 36) Job referrals are generally not a good method for improving workplace diversity Answer: TRUE Explanation: Job referrals generally bring in employees who are similar to the people who recommended them Therefore, referrals tend to decrease, rather than increase workplace diversity Diff: Page Ref: 175 AACSB: Diversity Objective: 6.5 37) Although most sexual harassment complaints are filed by women, a significant number of complaints are filed by men Answer: TRUE Explanation: About 15 percent of all harassment complaints are filed by males Diff: Page Ref: 175 Objective: 6.5 38) Sexual harassment is defined as any unwanted activity of a sexual nature that affects an individual's employment Answer: TRUE Explanation: Affecting employment can be broadly interpreted Activities that intimidate, interfere with work, or limit opportunities can all be considered sexual harassment Diff: Page Ref: 176 Objective: 6.5 Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc 39) One major way that an organization can protect itself against sexual harassment cases is to make sure that all employees are well-educated on the topic Answer: TRUE Explanation: The more employees know about harassment and the trouble it causes, the less likely they will be to engage in the behavior Diff: Page Ref: 177 Objective: 6.5 40) Workplace spirituality exclusively involves religion in the workplace Answer: FALSE Explanation: Workplace spirituality is not just about religion It also involves questions of ethics, values, and a serious consideration of the inner lives of employees Diff: Page Ref: 177 AACSB: Ethical Understanding and Reasoning Abilities Objective: 6.5 41) Historically, spirituality has always had a place in management theory Answer: FALSE Explanation: Until recently, workplace spirituality has been almost completely ignored by management theorists Diff: Page Ref: 177 AACSB: Ethical Understanding and Reasoning Abilities Objective: 6.5 42) The first three activities of the human resource management (HRM) process are about A) recruiting B) planning C) training D) downsizing Answer: B Explanation: B) The first three steps of the HRM process are about planning, making that the correct response for this question Managers first determine needs for workers Then, depending on the situation, they either recruit or downsize Training comes after selection and hiring so that is an incorrect response for this question Diff: Page Ref: 154 Objective: 6.1 Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc 43) Human resource management is concerned with competent employees A) obtaining B) obtaining, training, motivating, and keeping C) obtaining, training, and motivating D) training and keeping Answer: B Explanation: B) The correct choice identifies all four functions of HRM HRM is concerned not only with getting employees, but also training and motivating them after they are hired so they are likely to be high performers and stay with the organization The other choices all leave out at least one primary function of HRM so they are incorrect choices Diff: Page Ref: 154 Objective: 6.1 44) For the most part, are involved in HR decisions within their own department or unit A) very few managers B) some managers C) most managers D) all managers are Answer: D Explanation: D) To some degree, all managers participate in hiring, firing, and other HR decisions at least within their own units or departments, making "all managers" the correct response Managers tend to participate in the hiring process, for example, because they have a lot at stake—they are the ones who are going to deal directly with the employees that get hired The other choices all refer to quantities that are fewer than "all managers," so they are incorrect answers for this question Diff: Page Ref: 154 Objective: 6.1 45) Separate HRM specialists are least common in these types of organizations A) small B) large C) multinational corporations D) non-profit Answer: A Explanation: A) Having no HRM staff support is most common in small organizations that don't have the resources for individuals or departments to devote time exclusively to HRM, making "small" the correct response In these organizations, managers themselves typically take on HR tasks Large organizations and multinational corporations typically possess the size and manpower to have HRM specialists, so large and multinational corporations are incorrect Nonprofit organizations may be large or small, so non-profit cannot be the best answer for this question Diff: Page Ref: 154 Objective: 6.1 Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc 46) Employment planning involves A) addition of staff only B) addition of staff and reduction of staff only C) addition of staff, reduction of staff, and selection only D) addition of staff, reduction of staff, motivation of staff, and selection Answer: C Explanation: C) The correct choice correctly identifies all of the activities involved in employment planning The choices indicating addition of staff only and addition of staff and reduction of staff only leave out one or more of the activities so they are incorrect The remaining choice adds motivation of staff, an activity that is not included in employment planning, so it is an incorrect choice Diff: Page Ref: 154 Objective: 6.1 47) This is the goal of employment planning A) selecting competent employees B) obtaining competent employees with up-to-date skills C) obtaining competent and high-performing employees D) selecting high-performing employees only Answer: A Explanation: A) The goal of employment planning is modest: to identify and select competent employees only Providing the employees who are selected with up-to-date skills or the ability to perform at a high level are goals of the orientation and training process, so they are not correct responses for this question Diff: Page Ref: 154 Objective: 6.1 48) The last steps of the HRM process all deal with A) performance and compensation B) training and compensation C) compensation only D) skills Answer: A Explanation: A) The last steps in the HRM process identify performance goals, performance problems, and compensation This makes "performance and compensation" the correct response and eliminates the choices indicating training and compensation and skills because training and skills come earlier in the HRM process "Compensation only" is not a correct response because the last two steps not only deal with compensation, they also deal with performance Diff: Page Ref: 154 Objective: 6.1 10 Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc 114) Downsizing seems to harm A) victims who are dismissed only B) both victims who are dismissed and survivors who stayed on C) survivors who stayed on only D) managers who carried out the dismissals and their families only Answer: B Explanation: B) Surprisingly, survivors suffer consequences almost as severe as the victims who were actually dismissed from their jobs, making both victims and survivors the correct response Survivors typically experience feelings of fear, anxiety, anger, and—one thing that victims not suffer—guilt The other three choices are all incorrect because they not include both victims and survivors Diff: Page Ref: 174 Objective: 6.5 115) To improve workplace diversity, a manager might A) advertise in an ethnic newspapers and Internet sites B) tighten his recruiting net C) solicit referrals from existing employees D) post a notice that states he is an equal opportunity employer Answer: A Explanation: A) Soliciting employee referrals would be likely to decrease diversity because it would result in finding more employment candidates who are similar to the people who recommended them, so soliciting referrals from existing employees is an incorrect response Tightening the recruiting net is the opposite of what the manager should do—he should broaden the net to get more varied candidates—so that is an incorrect response Posting a notice of fairness wouldn't be likely to elicit any meaningful result, so that is an incorrect response Finally, advertising in an ethnic venue of some type might pull in diverse candidates, so that is the correct response Diff: Page Ref: 175 AACSB: Diversity Objective: 6.5 116) According to the EEOC, sexual harassment is that creates a hostile environment, interferes with a person's work or diminishes the person's employment opportunities A) any speech B) any unwanted or unsolicited speech or physical conduct C) any speech of a sexual nature D) any speech or physical conduct of a sexual nature Answer: D Explanation: D) Sexual harassment can be speech or physical conduct To qualify as sexual harassment, this speech or physical conduct must also be sexual in nature Simply being offensive, hostile, or obnoxious in some way may constitute harassment, but not sexual harassment This makes any speech or physical conduct of a sexual nature the correct response and eliminates the other three choices Diff: Page Ref: 176 AACSB: Ethical Understanding and Reasoning Abilities Objective: 6.5 33 Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc 117) are filed with the EEOC each year A) More sexual harassment complaints from males than females B) More sexual harassment complaints from females than males C) About an equal number of sexual harassment complaints from males than females D) Almost no sexual harassment complaints from males Answer: B Explanation: B) Most people are surprised to hear that about 15 percent of all harassment complaints are filed by males each year This means about 85 percent are filed by females, making "more complaints from females than males" the correct response and "more from males than females" and "an equal number" incorrect Though 15 percent of all cases that are filed by males is a fairly low number, it does not constitute a negligible amount, making "almost no complaints from males" incorrect Diff: Page Ref: 176 AACSB: Ethical Understanding and Reasoning Abilities Objective: 6.5 118) If an employee rebuffs inappropriate sexual advances from her boss but still receives a promotion A) the boss can't be guilty of sexual harassment B) the employee is not allowed to lodge a complaint C) the boss can still be guilty of sexual harassment D) the employee is not allowed to lodge a complaint if she accepts the promotion Answer: C Explanation: C) A 1998 Supreme Court case demonstrated that even though the boss did not "punish" the employee for refusing his advances, and in fact he rewarded her, he is still guilty of harassment by virtue of his behavior, not the workplace consequence to the victim This makes the choice indicating that the boss can still be guilty the correct response and eliminates all other responses Diff: Page Ref: 176 AACSB: Ethical Understanding and Reasoning Abilities Objective: 6.5 119) The key to most sexual harassment cases against an organization is whether the organization A) knew about the behavior and what it did to stop it B) had a policy against sexual harassment C) fired the employee after the charges were lodged D) had hired a known sex offender Answer: A Explanation: A) In most cases, harassers are not known sex offenders, so hiring a known sex offender is an incorrect response Whether or not the organization had a policy against harassment, or whether the alleged offender was fired are both immaterial to the typical sexual harassment case In most instances, the critical element is how seriously the organization took the accusations—whether it allowed the alleged behavior to continue, or took effective steps to bring the behavior to a stop Diff: Page Ref: 177 Objective: 6.5 34 Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc 120) What financial threat does sexual harassment pose to companies? A) none B) small legal fees only C) enormous risk of major lawsuit settlements D) none, because companies are insured against harassment Answer: C Explanation: C) Estimates show that sexual harassment poses the greatest single financial risk that companies face today Rewards for harassment cases can be enormous, and companies generally cannot insure themselves against this risk This makes enormous risk of major lawsuit settlements the correct response and eliminates the other choices Diff: Page Ref: 176-177 AACSB: Ethical Understanding and Reasoning Abilities Objective: 6.5 121) Workplace spirituality focuses on all of the following EXCEPT A) employees seeking meaning and purpose B) a sense of community C) employees carrying out religious practices D) employees seeking to connect Answer: C Explanation: C) Workplace spirituality stresses that it is not about practicing organized religion, making that the correct answer for this question since it is not a feature of workplace spirituality What workplace spirituality does provide is a sense of greater meaning, community, and connectedness between individuals Diff: Page Ref: 177 Objective: 6.5 122) Which of the following would you expect employees in a spiritual organization to have? A) a strong sense of ethics B) membership in a church or religious organization C) distrust in the federal government D) no interest in "worldly" matters Answer: A Explanation: A) Spiritual organizations not focus on organized religion, so membership in a church can be ruled out as a correct response Being spiritual does not preclude being "worldly," making no interest in "worldly" matters an incorrect response In fact, if anything, spirituality mandates that individuals have a strong sense of ethics and values, which makes that the correct response for this question Finally, spirituality has no connection, positive or negative, to trust in government, so that is not a correct response Diff: Page Ref: 177 AACSB: Ethical Understanding and Reasoning Abilities Objective: 6.5 35 Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc 123) A major criticism of workplace spirituality is whether A) individuals have the right to discuss religion in the workplace B) organizations have the right to impose spiritual values on employees C) a spiritual organization can engage in making profits D) workplace spirituality decreases productivity Answer: B Explanation: B) By federal law, individuals have the freedom to discuss any religion in the workplace, which rules out that choice as a correct response Workplace spirituality decreasing productivity can be ruled out because evidence shows that workplace spirituality can actually increase productivity A spiritual organization engaging in making profits can be ruled out since an organization's beliefs about profit-making are of no concern to anyone outside of the organization The correct response, organizations having the right to impose spiritual values on employees, cannot be ruled out because many people feel that the climate of a spiritual organization can sometimes put undue pressure on employees to join, making them feel uncomfortable and in some cases discriminated against This is a major concern that spiritual organizations must address Diff: Page Ref: 177 AACSB: Ethical Understanding and Reasoning Abilities Objective: 6.5 124) Which benefit cost companies see as their biggest worry? A) health care B) retirement plans C) unemployment insurance D) Social Security Answer: A Explanation: A) Though unemployment coverage and Social Security are a concern for companies, they present fairly fixed, stable costs that can be accommodated for in the future with competent planning Retirement plans are a bit more unpredictable, but no costs are skyrocketing like health care costs, which could double over the next seven years if they are not contained Diff: Page Ref: 178 Objective: 6.5 125) Which health care or safety issue concerns companies the most? A) smoking B) disease C) traffic accidents D) obesity Answer: D Explanation: D) While smoking continues to be a major cause of lung, heart, and other kinds of diseases, it is actually on the decline in the United States, so authorities are currently less troubled by smoking than they are by obesity Obesity is also related to a host of serious ailments and diseases, and officials rate it the number one health care concern in the United States, making obesity the correct response Traffic accidents can be ruled out, because, though they take a terrible toll on society, they are not increasing in frequency in the same way that obesity is Diff: Page Ref: 178 AACSB: Reflective Thinking Objective: 6.5 36 Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc The New Hire (Scenario) Frances begins her career working in the human resources department of a major corporation She is asked to help ensure that the organization is following the federal guidelines for employment 126) In setting up interviews for an executive position, Frances makes sure to include candidates of different ethnic backgrounds, including individuals from protected minority groups Which kind of program is she attempting to carry out? A) minority protection B) positive action C) diversity protection D) affirmative action Answer: D Explanation: D) Programs that seek to ensure that protected and minority groups get a fair chance at opportunity are called affirmative action programs, making that the correct response None of the other three terms suggested here are recognized terms so they are incorrect responses Diff: Page Ref: 156 AACSB: Diversity Objective: 6.1 127) Prior to setting up the interviews for the executive position, Frances spent a great deal of time analyzing the position and determining what skills, attitudes, and actions it would require This lengthy review is called a A) job description B) job specification C) job title D) job analysis Answer: D Explanation: D) Frances is performing a job analysis, which is a detailed evaluation of what the job is and what kind of requirements it entails The detailed job analysis is subsequently used to generate a concise job description, a short written summary of the job, and a job specification, a list of qualifications that are needed for the job A job title can be ruled out as a correct response because it is simply a short title, not a detailed analysis Diff: Page Ref: 158 AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: 6.1 37 Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc 128) To respond to a candidate for the executive position who wants to know more about the job, Frances is likely to send which of the following? A) job analysis B) job description C) job title D) human resource inventory Answer: B Explanation: B) A candidate who wants to know more about the job would be best served by a job description, which is a written document that provides details about the job, making job description the correct response A job analysis would include far too much detail and analytic material to be appropriate for someone outside of the organization, so that choice can be ruled out Conversely, simply sending out a job title would not be nearly enough information for the candidate Finally, a human resource inventory would not be about a specific job and would therefore be completely inappropriate in this situation Diff: Page Ref: 159 AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: 6.2 129) In testing for the executive position, Frances has a candidate fill out a typical sample budget for the department he would be working in This is an example of a(n) test A) written B) performance-simulation C) intelligence D) written interview Answer: B Explanation: B) Giving a candidate a sample problem that is similar to those encountered on the job is an example of performance-simulation, making that the correct response Though the test may be written, it does not qualify as a "written test" because it involves simulating a work product, so written is an incorrect response Similarly, though the test may require intelligence, it is not an intelligence test per se, so that choice is incorrect The remaining choice is wrong because the test would not be considered an interview Diff: Page Ref: 165 Objective: 6.2 130) Frances considers filling out a sample budget to be the most valid test for the job because A) it takes a great deal of skill to complete successfully B) it is an actual task that would be required on the job C) it is a good predictor of performance on the job D) it is objective and quantitative Answer: C Explanation: C) The degree of difficulty, authenticity, or objectivity that a test has are all secondary in importance to the most critical test element: how well it predicts performance on the job This makes a good predictor the correct response and rules out all three of the other choices Diff: Page Ref: 163 AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: 6.2 38 Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc 131) In an interview, Frances informs a candidate that the job is "absorbing" but its hours will be "long and grueling." Frances is conducting this kind of interview A) role playing B) stress C) behavioral D) realistic job preview Answer: D Explanation: D) In informing the candidate of both positive and negative aspects of a job, Frances is conducting a realistic job preview, or RJP, making that the correct response She is not subjecting the candidate to stress, a difficult situation (a behavioral interview), or role playing so all of those choices can be eliminated as correct responses for this question Diff: Page Ref: 164 AACSB: Communication Objective: 6.2 Recruitment (Scenario) Keena's company was expanding After a period of downsizing, the company had decided to increase organizational profitability by gaining market share, which meant a need for more people As assistant manager of human resources, she was in the process of evaluating what would be the most effective means of gaining new employees who were qualified, were cost efficient, and could help maintain the company's commitment to a diversified workforce 132) To reach the largest possible audience, Keena should consider as a source of potential candidates A) advertisements B) employee referrals C) school placement D) private employment agencies Answer: A Explanation: A) While employee referrals and private agencies can generate strong candidates, and school placement can bring in a large number of candidates, the most prolific recruiting source in terms of numbers of applicants is advertising, making advertisements the correct response and ruling out the other three responses Diff: Page Ref: 160 AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: 6.2 39 Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc 133) With regard to cost to HRM, which choice would probably be best for Keena? A) advertisement B) employee leasing C) private employment agency D) internal search Answer: D Explanation: D) Both ads and private agencies can be quite expensive, so advertisement and private employment agency can be ruled out as correct answers Employee leasing requires paying a fee to the company you lease from, so that option would also be costly This leaves an internal search, which is very inexpensive for HRM because it can be conducted using all of the organization's existing people and facilities This makes internal search the correct response for this question Diff: Page Ref: 160 AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: 6.2 134) Keena's company needs to increase the diversity of its workforce Which choice might this requirement rule out? A) employee referral B) advertising C) school placement D) private employment agency Answer: A Explanation: A) Advertising, especially if strategically done in venues that are frequented by possible minority candidates, can be a good source of diverse candidates, so that choice can be eliminated Similarly, reaching out to high-diversity schools can yield a diverse field of candidates, so school placement can be eliminated A private employment agency can be used to select preferentially for minority candidates, so it too can be a good source for diversity That leaves employee referral as the choice that must be ruled out by Keena, because it does not typically yield candidates who are much different from the people who refer them Diff: Page Ref: 160 AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: 6.2 40 Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc 135) In a short essay, discuss job analysis, job description, and job specification Answer: Job analysis is an assessment that defines jobs and the behaviors necessary to perform them Job analysis involves examining workflows, skills, and behaviors necessary to a specified job For example, what skills, knowledge, and talents does a person need to be a school counselor? How these qualities differ from those of a teacher or school administrator? With information from the job analysis, managers develop job descriptions and job specifications A job description is a written statement of what a job holder does, how it is done, and why it is done A job description typically describes job content, environment, and conditions of employment A job specification states the qualifications that a person must possess to perform a job successfully It identifies the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to the job effectively Both the job description and specification are important documents for managers when they begin recruiting and selecting Diff: Page Ref: 158-159 AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: 6.2 136) In a short essay, list three major sources of potential job candidates Include a discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of each major source to support your answer Answer: Advertising The advantages advertising provides is that it can reach large numbers of people and can get immediate feedback The disadvantage of advertising is that it generates many unqualified candidates Employee referrals The great advantage of referrals is that they can generate strong candidates Employees know their reputation within the organization is at stake when they make a referral, so they tend to refer only appropriate and well-qualified candidates A disadvantage of employee referrals is that they tend to be homogeneous and may produce a non-diverse field of candidates Internal searches The advantages of internal searches include low cost, a tendency to build employee morale, and candidates who are already familiar to the organization The disadvantages of internal searches include a limited, and often non-diverse supply of candidates Diff: Page Ref: 160 AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: 6.2 41 Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc 137) In a short essay, list three additional sources of potential job candidates Include a discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of each major source to support your answer Answer: Temporary help services Temporary help services provide pre-screened, ready-to-work employees who can usually fit in well with an organization The disadvantage of this source is that the agency takes a cut of each employee's pay, so the service tends to be quite expensive Generally temp services are not a good choice for long-term employment School placement Schools can produce large numbers of diverse candidates whose education and skill levels can be reliably assessed When using school placement, companies are typically dealing with graduates who have no relevant work experience, so candidates are often limited to filling entry-level positions Employment agencies Private employment agencies can provide highly screened, highly qualified candidates who are highly likely to be successful on the job This success comes at a cost however, as private agencies can be quite pricey Public agencies have no cost, but their candidates typically aren't as well-screened or qualified as candidates from private agencies Generally speaking, a private agency might be a better choice for filling a high-ranking, highly specialized position, while a public agency works well for finding everyday employees Diff: Page Ref: 160 AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: 6.2 138) In a short essay, discuss the written test as a selection device for HRM Answer: Typical types of written tests include tests for intelligence, aptitude, ability, and interest The strengths of written tests is that they can often identify intellectual, spatial, motor, and mechanical ability, and perceptual accuracy All of these indicators can be valid predictors for many kinds of skilled, unskilled, and managerial positions Many people feel that written tests are discriminatory, so their results should always be taken in the context of the candidate's complete portfolio Recently, written tests have been gaining in popularity largely because they are easy to administer on the Internet Diff: Page Ref: 163 AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: 6.2 42 Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc 139) In a short essay, discuss the performance-simulation test as a selection device for HRM Answer: Performance-simulation tests are simulations of actual job tasks that job applicants are asked to carry out in a test format The strength of performance-simulation tests is that the HR manager can actually see how the candidate performs tasks that are relevant to the job This strength is not merely theoretical—performance-simulation tests have been shown to be excellent predictors of actual job performance For this reason, performance-simulation tests are currently thought to be the most valid forms of job selection device The best-known performance-simulation tests are work sampling and assessment centers Work sampling involves presenting applicants with a miniature model of a job and having them perform a task or set of tasks that are central to it Assessment centers are places in which job candidates undergo performance-simulation tests that evaluate managerial potential Diff: Page Ref: 163 AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: 6.2 140) In a short essay, discuss the interview as a selection device for HRM Answer: The interview is the most common form of selection device It is a universal component of almost all job selection processes The great strength of the interview is that it provides direct and personal contact between the interviewer and candidate, often providing a wealth of information about the candidate Unfortunately, this information can be misinterpreted or misused Bias and inaccuracy often unconsciously get inserted into the interview process For example, prior knowledge about a candidate, or similar attitudes between candidate and interviewer can cause the interviewer to lose his sense of objectivity in the process These kinds of flaws can be minimized if the interviewer employs a structured interview format in which the interviewer sticks to a careful, disciplined plan during the interview Diff: Page Ref: 163 AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: 6.2 141) In a short essay, discuss orientation Answer: The process of introducing a person starting a new job into an organization is called orientation There are two types of orientation Job orientation familiarizes the individual with the specific duties and responsibilities the job, while organizational orientation focuses on the goals and policies of the organization the employee is joining The goal of orientation is to make the integration of the new employee into the organization as smooth and as free of anxiety as possible Successful orientation, whether formal or informal, results in an outsider-insider transition that makes the new member feel comfortable and well adjusted, lowers the likelihood of poor work performance, and reduces the probability of a surprise resignation by the new employee Diff: Page Ref: 166 AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: 6.3 43 Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc 142) In a short essay, discuss on-the-job training methods Answer: Training can be either on the job or off the job On-the-job training is more popular because it is simple, inexpensive, and usually quite effective On-the-job training comes in two forms—job rotation and understudy assignments Job rotation has employees rotate from job to job within the organization, getting valuable exposure and experience to a variety of tasks and seeing how the different units of the organization work together Understudy assignments have the trainee take on a seasoned employee as mentor The mentor shepherds the employee through various tasks, giving the employee experience under a watchful eye and providing valuable insight into the customs and values of the organization Diff: Page Ref: 167-168 AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: 6.3 143) In a short essay, discuss off-the-job training methods Answer: Off-the-job training is typically done when specialized training is needed For example, when employees need a thorough presentation of a body of knowledge that can't be reliably imparted by a mentor, an organization often resorts to classroom lectures, films, and videos These presentations provide trainees with a comprehensive source of information that they couldn't get otherwise Simulation exercises give employees a chance to participate in specialized role playing, simulations, or other face-to-face types of training These exercises can familiarize trainees with actual job tasks without interfering with the ongoing work of the organization Vestibule training takes simulation exercises even farther: employees use actual job equipment in a simulated work environment to gain experience in solving typical problems that they will face on the job Diff: Page Ref: 167-168 AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: 6.3 44 Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc 144) In a short essay, compare the critical incidents, graphic rating scales, and BARS appraisal methods Answer: Critical incident appraisals use critical anecdotes as identifiers of key employee actions and behaviors These anecdotes are chosen to reveal such qualities as efficiency, creativity, and carefulness in the employee Graphic rating scales provide a quantitative rating of the employee on a variety of different scales such as leadership, creativity, ability to take initiative, and so on Behaviorally anchored rating scales (BARS) combine critical incident and graphic rating appraisal methods In BARS, the items rated in numeric scales are actual incidents rather than abstract assessment categories, making BARS more personal and more thorough than graphic rating scales Of the three appraisal methods, critical incidents are the most revealing and subjective Graphic rating scales are accurate, but shallow and impersonal BARS, both quantitative and personal, in some ways combine the best of both methods Diff: Page Ref: 169-171 AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: 6.4 145) In a short essay, describe how multiperson comparison is done Answer: Group-order ranking requires the appraiser to rank a group in terms of quartiles, quintiles, or some other fractional measure In a group of 40, an appraiser might divide the group into quintiles: the top fifth, the second fifth, and so on Individual ranking is a top-to-bottom ranking of all individuals in a group No ties are allowed, meaning that in a group of 40, individuals are ranked from to 40 Paired comparisons involve pairing individual match-ups of employees In a group of four employees, A, B, C, and D, for example, A might first be matched against B Either A or B would be judged the "winner," then A would be matched against C and the process repeated All combinations of pairs would eventually be generated, resulting in a head-to-head ranking of all employees Clearly, this method reveals a wealth of data—but it should also be clear that with large groups of employees it can be extremely time-consuming Diff: Page Ref: 170 AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: 6.4 45 Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc 146) In a short essay, discuss why 360-degree appraisal is a popular appraisal method among successful companies Answer: The problem with many appraisal methods is that they are one-dimensional: a manager rates an employee without any context 360-degree appraisal provides that much-needed context —in 360-degree appraisal not only managers appraise employees, employees appraise managers, themselves, and other employees Participants also appraise the systems they use, the customers and suppliers they have—all relevant people and entities are evaluated in the context of organizational goals in a 360-degree appraisal The multi-dimensionality of the 360-degree appraisal gives managers (and others) valuable insights into what they are doing right and wrong For example, a manager may complain about the productivity of a worker—when the worker is allowed to respond, reasons for that low productivity can suddenly be easy to discern and, more importantly, easy to remedy Diff: Page Ref: 170 AACSB: Analytic Skills Objective: 6.4 147) In a short essay, describe employee counseling and explain how it can be beneficial in remedying employee underperformance due to lack of effort Answer: Employee counseling is a process designed to help employees overcome performancerelated problems Employee counseling attempts to uncover why employees have lost their desire or ability to work productively More importantly, employee counseling is designed to find ways to fix the problem An employee's lack of productivity may be a function of what is occurring in his personal life Employee counseling attempts to assist employees in getting help to resolve whatever is bothering them Employee counseling is not just beneficial for the employee; it also benefits the organization This is because it is costly to fire an employee from an organization Simply put, the time spent recruiting and selecting, orienting, training, and developing employees translates into money If, however, an organization can help employees remedy their problems, it can avoid these costs Note that counseling has its limits If an employee can't or won't accept help, then disciplinary actions must be taken Diff: Page Ref: 171 AACSB: Communication Objective: 6.4 46 Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc 148) In a short essay, discuss how workforce diversity is directly affected by recruitment, selection, orientation, and training Answer: Recruitment  to improve workforce diversity, managers need to widen their recruiting net For example, the popular practice of relying on employee referrals as a source of job applicants tends to produce candidates who are similar to current employees Managers may have to look for job applicants in places where they might not have looked in the past, such as women's job networks, urban job banks, disabled people's training centers, ethnic newspapers, and gay rights organizations This type of outreach should enable the organization to broaden its pool of diverse applicants Selectiononce a diverse set of applicants exists, efforts must be made to ensure that the selection process does not discriminate Moreover, applicants need to be made comfortable with the organization's culture and be made aware of management's desire to accommodate their needs Orientation and training  the outsider-insider transition is often more challenging for women and minorities than for white males Many organizations provide special workshops to raise diversity awareness issues Diff: Page Ref: 175 AACSB: Diversity Objective: 6.5 149) In a short essay, discuss why sexual harassment is such a difficult problem in today's workplace Answer: First, sexual harassment is widespread Some 12,000 cases of it are reported to the EEOC each year, and many more may go unreported Males as well as females suffer from sexual harassment—15 percent of cases are reported by males Sexual harassment is also expensive Companies that lose sexual harassment lawsuits can lose enormous sums of money Just as important, the disruption and loss of reputation that sexual harassment causes can be devastating to a company and its workers One of the worst aspects of sexual harassment is that it not only harms people, it also sometimes fails to identify who is culpable in the situation Sexual harassment is almost always a hesaid/she-said affair Victims suffer terribly, but alleged harassers also have rights, and some of them are guilty of no crime Ultimately, the only way to stop sexual harassment is to educate employees about the trouble it causes, to be vigilant about discovering it, and to be aggressive in curtailing it Diff: Page Ref: 175 AACSB: Diversity Objective: 6.5 47 Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc ... addition of staff only B) addition of staff and reduction of staff only C) addition of staff, reduction of staff, and selection only D) addition of staff, reduction of staff, motivation of staff,... retirement if a company offers it to them The only choice here that employees can never exercise any control over is layoffs, which are implemented entirely by management This makes layoffs the correct... making all of these choices incorrect Diff: Page Ref: 156 Objective: 6.1 54) Which U.S law gives you the legal right to see your professor's letter of recommendation? A) Civil Rights Act of 1991