Testbank of fundamental of management 7e by robin ch 06

Answer: FALSE Explanation: In addition to assessing training needs, a performance management system evaluates performance to determine possible compensation levels for employees... Diff:

Fundamentals of Management, 7e (Robbins/DeCenzo/Coulter)

Chapter 6 Managing Human Resources

1) Human resource management involves training, motivating, and retaining competent

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: 2 Page Ref: 154

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 156

6) Employers cannot legally discriminate with regard to race, sex, or religion, but there are no laws against denying employment because of age.

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 158

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Objective: 6.2

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

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AACSB: Analytic Skills

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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.

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17) Written tests fell into disfavor in the late 1960s and are now rarely used in the selection process.

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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

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Objective: 6.3

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: 2 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: 2 Page Ref: 167

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: 2 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: 2 Page Ref: 169

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: 2 Page Ref: 170

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Objective: 6.4

30) Using individual ranking as an employee appraisal device, two employees might be named

"best" in the group

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: 2 Page Ref: 172

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Objective: 6.4

33) Most U.S jobs use a variable pay system in which employee compensation is based on statusand seniority.

Answer: FALSE

Explanation: The variable pay system is based on performance, not status and seniority

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Explanation: About 15 percent of all harassment complaints are filed by males

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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.

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AACSB: Ethical Understanding and Reasoning Abilities

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AACSB: Ethical Understanding and Reasoning Abilities

on the situation, they either recruit or downsize Training comes after selection and hiring so that

is an incorrect response for this question

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Objective: 6.1

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

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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

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Non-Diff: 2 Page Ref: 154

Objective: 6.1

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: 2 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 toperform at a high level are goals of the orientation and training process, so they are not correct responses for this question

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Objective: 6.1

48) The last steps of the HRM process all deal with

A) performance and compensation

B) training and compensation

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Objective: 6.1

49) The most important environmental factor in the HRM process is .

A) the business environment

B) the natural environment

C) the legal environment

D) the scientific community

Answer: C

Explanation: C) Though the business environment may affect the HRM process, a far more important factor for influencing the activities of HRM is the legal environment The laws, for themost part, largely determine how HR managers do their job, making the legal environment the correct response Both the natural environment and the scientific community can be ruled out because neither has a direct effect on hiring, firing, or any other HR activities

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 154

Objective: 6.1

50) The prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, or sex.A) Privacy Act

B) Civil Rights Act, Title VII

C) Equal Pay Act

D) Sarbanes-Oxley Act

Answer: B

Explanation: B) Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act is probably the most important discrimination law ever passed, prohibiting unfair treatment based on race, color, religion, national origin, or sex This makes the Civil Rights Act, Title VII the correct response The Equal Pay Act prohibits pay discrimination based on sex The Privacy Act gives employees a right to see their reference letters The Sarbanes-Oxley Act establishes financial recordkeeping standards

anti-Diff: 2 Page Ref: 156

AACSB: Diversity

Objective: 6.1

52) A wheelchair-bound applicant may be denied a job .

A) under no circumstances

B) if the job is strenuous or physically tiring in some way

C) if the job requires complete physical mobility

AACSB: Diversity

Objective: 6.1

53) Affirmative action programs seek to make sure that employers minority groups.A) pay equal wages to

B) enhance employment opportunities for

C) provide unemployment benefits for

D) establish training programs for

Answer: B

Explanation: B) Affirmative action programs seek to make sure that minorities and other

protected groups get a fair chance at opportunity, making "enhancing employment opportunities"the correct response Affirmative action is not an equal wage program, a benefits program, or a training program, making all of these choices incorrect

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Objective: 6.1

55) Which of the following countries' laws pertaining to HRM practices most closely parallel those in the United States?

discrimination laws Taken together, these factors make Canada the correct response

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Explanation: B) Before an HR manager can decide whether to hire or fire, she must first take

stock of who currently works for the organization in what is termed a human resource inventory

The inventory identifies all company employees and lists any characteristics that the manager deems relevant A job description and job specification are steps that come later in the process sothey are incorrect choices A product evaluation is not part of the employment planning process

so it is an incorrect response

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Objective: 6.2

58) The lengthy process by which a job is examined in detail in order to identify the skills, knowledge and behaviors necessary to perform the job is known as a .

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Objective: 6.2

59) As one of his first tasks in a new job, Steve's boss asks him to develop a database that lists the educational level, special capabilities, and specialized skills of all the employees in his firm This is known as a

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 158

AACSB: Analytic Skills

Objective: 6.2

60) A job description is .

A) not a written document

B) a written document used to describe a job to job candidates

C) something that employers keep secret from job candidates

D) the official title for the job

Answer: B

Explanation: B) A job description identifies what the person who has the job does, where and how she does it, and why she does it A job description is a written document (which rules out the choice indicating that it is not a written document) that employers use to describe the job to applicants, making that the correct response The choice indicating secrecy is ruled out because ajob description is a public document that is never concealed from job candidates A job

description is an actual description, not simply a title, so the official title for the job is an

incorrect response

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 159

Objective: 6.2

61) A job specification is

A) a list of job qualifications only

B) a detailed description of the job

C) the description of a job that is used by an employment agency

D) usually several pages in length

Answer: A

Explanation: A) A job specification is limited to listing job qualifications only A job

specification is not a long or detailed description of the job that is used by an employment agency, making all three of these choices incorrect

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Objective: 6.2

62) HR managers can estimate human resource needs by evaluating which of the following?A) employment and unemployment statistics

B) the general state of the economy

C) demand for the organization's product

D) how competitors are performing

Answer: C

Explanation: C) The only accurate way to estimate human resource needs is for managers to measure the demand for their product Generally, the greater the demand, the more workers the organization will need to keep up with that demand Employment statistics, the state of the economy, and the activities of rivals may give managers a very crude gauge of their needs, but the actual output of product is a much better measure of future human resource requirements than any of those things, so they are incorrect responses

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 159

AACSB: Analytic Skills

Objective: 6.2

63) A written statement of what a job holder does in his job, how it is done, and why it is done is known as a .

Explanation: D) The process of defining a job starts with a detailed job analysis The job

analysis gives rise to a written job description that identifies exactly what a person who holds a job does, how he does it, and why he does it, making job description the correct response The job description may then be used to generate a job specification, or list of job qualifications, which rules out both job specification and job qualifications as correct responses A job

definition is not a recognized term in this process so it is an incorrect response

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AACSB: Analytic Skills

Objective: 6.2

65) Recruitment is the process of

A) hiring from outside the organization

B) locating, identifying, and attracting potential employees

C) assessing the national, international, and local labor market

D) hiring from inside the organization

Answer: B

Explanation: B) Recruitment is the process of finding people who are qualified and well-suited for the job you are offering To recruit successfully, you must locate where likely applicants are, identify individuals who are well-suited to the job, and attract them to the job by making them aware of its features and advantages This makes that choice the correct response Hiring from outside or inside the organization can be eliminated because recruiting finds applicants both inside and outside of the organization The choice regarding assessment can be ruled out becauseassessing the labor market does nothing to get applicants to actually apply for a job

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 159

Objective: 6.2

66) This is a key disadvantage to recruiting through employee referrals.

A) limited to entry-level positions

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Objective: 6.2

67) While can reach the greatest number of applicants for a job, many of those

candidates may be unqualified for the job itself

produce as many applicants as advertising, so that is the correct response for this question.Diff: 2 Page Ref: 160

Objective: 6.2

68) Which of the following is an advantage of using private employment agencies for recruiting?A) low cost

B) candidates who are familiar with the organization

C) improves employee morale

D) careful screening of applicants

Answer: D

Explanation: D) Recruiting through a private employment agency is expensive so low cost is an incorrect response Private agency recruiting does not boost employee morale and does not typically offer candidates who are familiar with the organization so improving employee morale and candidates familiar with the organization are incorrect responses What private agencies do offer are candidates who are carefully screened to be well-qualified and well-suited to the job, making "careful screening" the correct response

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69) If employment planning shows a large surplus of employees, management may want to .

to stay productive and busy, the organization must consider the option of downsizing The goal

of employment planning is to obtain a workforce that has an appropriate size for the amount of work that needs to be done Clearly recruiting and expanding would not decrease the surplus of employees so those choices can be eliminated Similarly, staying at current levels would not decrease the surplus, so continuing with current employment levels is also incorrect

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 160

Objective: 6.2

70) The difference between firing and layoffs is that

A) layoffs are not permanent

B) layoffs are permanent

C) firing is not permanent

D) firing is not voluntary

Answer: A

Explanation: A) Both firing and layoffs are involuntary, so firing as not voluntary cannot be the correct answer here Firing is a permanent state while layoffs are not permanent This means that the choices indicating that layoffs are permanent and firing is not permanent are both inaccurate, making both choices incorrect as answers to this question The only accurate choice is that layoffs are not permanent which correctly identifies the key difference between firing and

layoffs: firing is permanent; layoffs are temporary

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Explanation: D) Attrition, early retirement, and job sharing can all be voluntary forms of

downsizing in which workers choose the option rather than have it forced upon them so they are incorrect choices For example, many employees volunteer to take early 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

response

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Objective: 6.2

72) Which of the following downsizing methods can "happen on its own" if management

suspends hiring practices?

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organization can make two kinds of errors: hiring the "wrong" person or failing to hire the

"right" person Since there are two correct decisions and incorrect decisions, there are four total outcomes

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Objective: 6.2

74) An accept error occurs when an applicant

A) who is hired performs poorly on the job

B) who is not hired would have performed well on the job

C) who is not hired is hired by another firm

D) who is hired performs adequately on the job

it does not match one of the four outcomes of the selection process The choice regarding

adequate performance is incorrect because it describes a correct decision in the selection process.Diff: 2 Page Ref: 160-162

75) A reject error occurs when an applicant .

A) who is hired performs poorly on the job

B) who is not hired would have performed well on the job

C) who is hired performs the job at a high level

D) who is not hired would have performed poorly on the job

Answer: B

Explanation: B) A reject error occurs when the organization fails to hire an applicant who wouldhave performed well in the job he or she applied for, making that the correct choice The choice regarding poor performance is incorrect because it describes an accept error, not a reject error The remaining two choices are incorrect because both of them identify correct decisions in the selection process

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 160-162

Objective: 6.2

76) Today, selection techniques that result in reject errors can open the organization to

A) decreased productivity and efficiency

B) charges of employee discrimination

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 160-162

Explanation: C) A selection device must be consistent from situation to situation or it should not

be used For example, if the same individual gets wildly different scores after taking the same

test, it is likely that either the test (or the individual) is flawed, or in some way not reliable This

makes reliability the correct response and rules out the other choices

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 162

Objective: 6.2

78) Which of the following is an example of selection device reliability?

A) An applicant was given very different interview scores by five independent interviewers.B) An applicant was given the same interview score by all five independent interviewers

C) An applicant took a test a second time and her score improved markedly

D) An applicant took a test once and scored higher than any other applicant

Answer: B

Explanation: B) Reliability requires that a selection device be consistent Being given different interview scores and taking a test a second time were not examples of reliability because the outcomes were not consistent with one another Scoring higher than any other applicant is not an example of reliability because it involved only one sample Being given the same interview score

by all five independent interviewers is an example of reliability because it showed consistency within the five interviewers, so it is the correct response

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Explanation: D) If a selection device shows a clear link between test results and job performance

it is said to be valid Reliability and unreliability are concerned with consistency of test results, not the quality of the test itself so they are incorrect choices This makes "valid" the correct response and rules out "invalid."

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 162

Objective: 6.2

80) To use a physical test as a selection device, a company must demonstrate that .A) physical ability is related to job performance

B) the test is fair

C) the test is reliable

D) the test does not discriminate against people with physical disabilities

Answer: A

Explanation: A) A physical test may be used as a valid selection device if it can be shown that job performance requires physical ability This makes physical ability the correct response Whether or not the test is fair, reliable, or discriminatory is not relevant in this situation Validity comes before all other concerns: first the test must be shown to affect job performance, and then,and only then should it be judged on other criteria

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 162

Objective: 6.2

81) Asking a candidate for an automotive mechanic's position to deconstruct and reconstruct part

of an engine motor would be an example of what kind of selection device?

A) spatial ability test

B) performance-simulation test

C) mechanical ability test

D) perceptual accuracy test

Answer: B

Explanation: B) Putting an applicant in an actual job situation and allowing her to solve

problems that might be directly involved in the job itself is an example of

performance-simulation Though spatial and mechanical ability, along with perceptual accuracy might be related to a mechanic job, actually carrying out job duties clearly makes this a performance-simulation test and not any of the other choices

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 163

Objective: 6.2

82) In an assessment center, an applicant for an engineering job might

A) be interviewed by her prospective boss

B) take technical written tests

C) be interviewed by fellow employees

D) be given an engineering problem to solve

Answer: D

Explanation: D) An assessment center simulates real problems that applicants may be faced with

on the job This makes "being given an engineering problem to solve" the correct response, and eliminates interviews and written tests as correct responses to the question

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 163

increasingly turning to them and that is why valid predictors of job performance is the correct response

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 163

Objective: 6.2

84) Few people are ever selected for a job without this.

A) taking a written test

B) undergoing an interview

C) taking a performance-simulation test

D) taking a physical test

85) Interviews are valid predictors of success in the workplace if

A) questions are short

B) questions are unstructured

C) questions are structured

D) the interview lasts only a few minutes

Answer: C

Explanation: C) An interview that is carefully structured has been shown to be the best predictor

of workplace success The key to a structured interview is that the interviewer has prepared carefully for the interview and has mapped out questions to ask and strategies to employ A structured interview does have room for the interviewer to ask unplanned questions and explore unanticipated paths, but only within the structure that was planned ahead of time With that said, none of the other factors are good predictors of interview success, so they are all incorrect responses

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 164

Objective: 6.2

86) Which of the following is NOT a source of bias in a typical interview?

A) prior knowledge of the applicant

B) how articulate the interviewer is

C) the order in which applicants are interviewed

D) an applicant who shares the attitudes of the interviewer

Answer: B

Explanation: B) Bias can creep into the interview process in a number of ways Prior knowledge

of a candidate can make an interviewer draw erroneous conclusions about who the candidate is and what her values are Interview order can favor candidates who come (for example) first or last in the process Having a world-view in common with an applicant may put both parties at ease, but the interviewer should not let this shared outlook color his or her impression of the applicants skills, abilities, and suitability for the job This leaves how articulate the interviewer is

as the only response that is not a source of bias—how well-spoken the interviewer is would not unduly influence the impression the interviewer gets of the applicant

Diff: 2 Page Ref: 164