All MCQS - a collection of past mcqs for human resource management pm4013 PDF

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a collection of past mcqs for human resource management pm4013...

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Chapter 1 MCQs The Harvard Business School Model (1984) recognises that different stakeholders’ interests impact on employee behaviour and organisational cost-effectiveness. True or false? 2. In Contingency Theory in HRM, sustainable competitive advantage demands a fit between organisational structure, a firm’s vision and mission, and internal human resource management strategy, policies and practices. True or false? 3. Which of the following is NOT a part of a firm's immediate external environment? a. Technological developments b. Unemployment levels c. Organizational size d. Government intervention policies 4. Variations in organisational approaches to HRM are solely determined by the strategic choice of the organisation. : True or false? 5. Which of the following are responsible for HRM in an organization? a. Senior management b. Line management c. HR specialist/generalist d. All of the above e. None of the above 6. Personnel Management, when compared with Human Resource Management, is often seen as a proactive, strategic function, in which HRM is integrated into the development of business unit strategic planning. True or false? Chapter 2 MCQs 1. The term ‘recruitment’ involves: a. staffing an organisation b. sourcing candidates to apply for a particular job vacancy c. the same activities as selection d. hiring someone for a job 2. A job analysis is: a. used for performance appraisal purposes b. a system of controlling the work an employee does for the organisation c. a detailed break-down of the specific tasks in a particular job and of the skills and competencies a person needs to have to do that job d. a competency framework 3. The three types of labour flexibility include: a. economic flexibility b. developmental flexibility c. training flexibility

d. temporal flexibility 4. The flexible firm model: a. was devised by the human resource planning process b was devised by Atkinson c. was devised by the CIPD

Chapter 3 MCQs 1. Employment interviews remain a mainstay of selection for a variety of reasons. Which of the following is NOT one of the reasons supporting the continued use of interviews as a selection method? a) Interviews can be especially practical when dealing with only a small number of job applicants b) Interviews are effective in accomplishing public relations objectives c) Interviews are the most valid method of selection d) Interviewers continue to have a great deal of faith and confidence in their selection judgments 2. Under the terms of the age discrimination legislation, all job advertisements should be: a) written in an objective fashion, focusing solely on skills, relevant experience and capacity to do a job b) written in a subjective fashion, focusing on skills, minimum years of experience required and capacity to do a job c) written in an objective fashion, focusing on minimum years of experience required and personality fit for the organisation d) written in a subjective fashion focusing solely on skills, relevant experience and capacity to do a job

3. Which of the following selection methods has the highest predictive validity? a) Astrology b) Work sample tests c) Structured interviews d) References e) Unstructured interviews 4. An interviewer is very unimpressed by the dishevelled appearance of a candidate, searches for negative information from this candidate and overlooks any positive information. This is known as: a) stereotyping b) the Contrast effect c) the Halo effect d) the Horns effect 5. The short-listing matrix allows an organisation to: a) generate an applicant pool b) screen applicants for a job vacancy c) use psychometric tests d) None of the above 6. Which of the following methods could NOT be conducted by one person? a) Assessment centre b) Psychometric test c) Unstructured interview d) Personality test 7. If you were asked to give a presentation as part of a selection process, which of the following types of selection methods would you be taking part in? a) Psychometric test b) Work sample test c) Intelligence test d) Structured interview 8. Graphology is widely used as a selection method in the UK. Is this true or false? a) True b) False 9. Which of the following selection interview types are commonly used in the selection process? a) Situational interviews b) Behavioural-based interviews c) Panel interviews d) All of the above 10. Which of the following statements is true? a) Graphology is widely used as a selection tool in many European countries and has a high level of predictive validity b) Graphology is widely used as a selection tool in many European countries and has a low level of predictive validity

c) Graphology is not widely used as a selection tool in many European countries d) None of the above 11. Which of the following statements best describes an assessment centre? a) It is a method of collecting information where large groups of candidates are assessed by a number of assessors b) It is a method used for assessing all types of employees as it is an inexpensive method c) It is a location where groups of candidates can be assessed by a number of assessors using a range of tests and exercises d) None of the above 12. Which of the following is NOT a competency-based question? a) How did you get here today? b) If you had two deadlines that clashed, how would you choose which 1 to give priority to? c) Did you use SPSS in your previous role? d) Can you tell me about a time when you had to resolve a conflict situation at work? 13. The Employment Equality Act prohibits discrimination on a number of grounds. Which of the following is NOT one of those grounds? a) Number of children b) Marital status c) Age d) Sexual orientation 14. The objectivity of an interview can be increased by: a) being aware of potential interviewer errors b) structuring interviews to obtain the same information from all candidates c) having interviews conducted by a panel d) All of the above 15. Keeping in mind the Employment Equality Legislation, is it permitted to ask the following question in an employment interview, ‘Are any of your children in school yet?’ a) Yes b) No Chapter 4 MCQs 1. The main purpose of an induction programme is: a) to provide new starters with a copy of the employee handbook b) to provide new starters with information regarding the organisation’s policies and procedures around pay, holidays, time in lieu, etc. c) to ensure that new starters become productive members of the organisations as soon as possible d) to ensure new starters know the names of the individuals they will be working with 2. When are new starters most likely to leave an organisation? a) When the new starter realises the job was over-sold to them at interview b) When new starter realises they are unable 2 perform at the level required of them c) When the new starter realises that the organisational culture is different to what they are used to and they simply don’t ‘fit’ d) All of the above

3. Which of the following is NOT a phase within The Survival Curve proposed by Hill and Trist (1955)? a) Induction Crisis b) Adjusted Phase c) Settled Connection Phase d) Differential Transit Phase 4. What is an appropriate level of turnover for an organisation? a) Less than 5% b) Less than 20% c) Less than 30% b) It depends on the nature of the business and the business model adopted 5. Which of the these factors is NOT a direct cost of calculating the cost of turnover? a) The cost of re-advertising and recruiting a new employee b) The cost of overtime and time in lieu for covering for the employee who has left while awaiting a replacement c) The cost of undertaking a training needs analysis d) The cost of re-training a new starter to bring them up to speed to be productive members of the team. 6. Garger (1999) advocates a three part strategy to developing a strategic approach to retention. Which of the following is NOT included as part of this approach? a) Exit management b) Recruitment and selection c) Training and career management d) Motivation and compensation 7. Financial rewards alone are no longer seen as effective in terms of retaining key employees. Which of the following is NOT considered important in terms of retaining key staff? a) Non-financial rewards that promote feelings of achievement, ownership and involvement b) Access to development opportunities c) Focused and/or tailored non-financial rewards which are valued by the individual employee d) Highly structured and bureaucratic work environment Chapter 6 MCQs 1. Workplace diversity management is reported to have originated where and when? a) USA, 1960's b) France, 1980's c) France, 1960's d) USA, 1980's 2. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of diversity management? a) Internally-driven based on moral arguments and organisational objectives and aligned with the business case for equality b) Externally driven, based only on legal compliance c) Focuses on nurturing potential d) Tends to ignore norm group of the white male 3. Which of the following is NOT a motivator of diversity management?

a) Organizational values b) Legal compliance c) The business case d) Downsizing 4. Which of the following is a factor in Appelbaum’s AMO theory of performance? a) Ability b) Organisation c) Mastery 5. Which of the following are employer benefits, derived from engaging in diversity management? a) Improved employee relations b) Better public image c) Improved innovation d) All of the above 6. Which of the following are benefits that accrue to employees when their employer engages in diversity management? a) Increased job satisfaction b) Increased sense of fairness c) Pride in working for a 'good' employer d) All of the above 7. Which of the following are costs (financial and otherwise) that are not associated with implementing a diversity management policy? a) Increased training costs b) Decreased costs associated with absenteeism and turnover c) Decreased workforce productivity d) Claims of reverse discrimination

8. Which of the following is NOT a phase in implementing a diversity management plan? a) Avoid involving a wide variety of stakeholders b) Achieve buy-in from senior management c) Implement the diversity vision, whilst identifying and overcoming resistance d) Evaluate and consolidate

Chapter 7 MCQs 1. Performance management is: a. about ensuring that the organisation recruits the right people b. about your favourite sports team winning the competition c. About getting rid of underperforming staff d. an on-going activity pertaining to all scenarios where people convene for the purpose of attaining objectives 2. Using performance review meetings 4 employee reward & development purposes is: a. good fun b. an ideal way of getting people to ‘open up’ about their failures c. a good way of making sure that the employee agrees with the manager. d. difficult for the manager, who has to be a ‘judge’& ‘counsellor’ at the same meeting 3. The primary purpose of the performance review or appraisal meeting is to: a. reprimand employees to get improved performance b. fill in the form and send it back to the HR department c. give staff their objectives or targets for the period d. motivate staff for the purpose of improved performance and development 4. During the performance review or appraisal meeting the manager should: a. never praise or give positive feedback to the employee b. no all of the talking c. give appropriate positive feedback to motivate staff d. threaten staff with dismissal 5. During the performance review or appraisal meeting the manager should: a. start by telling the employee about their shortcomings b. get the interviewee to self-review and prescribe for themselves c. start by telling the employee about their strengths and shortcomings d. finish by telling the employee about their strengths and\or shortcomings 6. A S.M.A.R.T. objective is one that is: a. Sensitive, Motivational, Assertive, Rounded and Trackable b. Super, Mundane, Achievable, Replaceable and Tuned In c. Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound d. Specific, Measurable, Agreed\Acceptable, Realistic and Time-bound 7. The design of a performance management system should be done by: a. an external consultant who knows about performance management b. a working or consultative group that is representative of the system’s user groups

c. the HR department d. an external consultant who knows the culture of the organisation 8. Coaching is: a. about winning at all costs b. the same as mentoring c. associated with the G. (Grow) R. (Realistic) O. (Ownership) W (Win) model d. associated with the G. (Goal(s)) R. (Reality) O. (Options) W. (Will) model

Chapter 8 MCQs 1. The key objective of a reward management system is to: a) pay employees for their contribution to the company b) motivate staff c) align employees behaviours with organisational outcomes d) All of the above 2. Which of the following is an example of non-financial workplace rewards? a) Employee assistance programmes b) Share options c) Job security d) All of the above 3. Which of the following statements about the link between pay & motivation is FALSE? a) Pay acts as a motivation for people in different ways and is individual to each person b) Maslow believed that pay motivates people throughout their careers c) Direct and indirect pay motivates employees in the workplace d) All of the above 4. Which benefit for staff is NOT statutory? a) Maternity leave b) Carer’s leave c) Health insurance d) Parental leave 5. Ranking and paired comparisons: a) are non-analytical forms of job evaluation b) compare whole jobs with whole jobs c) are easy to use d) all of the above 6. Designing a point method of job evaluation: a) is commonly done by organisations b) requires identifying factors that are present in all organisational jobs c) is quick and easy d) all of the above 7. Which of the following sources of pay information is reliable but expensive?

a) Job advertisements b) Social and professional networks c) Exit interviews d) Pay club 8. Which of the following environmental factors exert downward pressure on labour costs? a) Globalisation b) Labour market legislation c) Recession d) Both a and c Chapter 9 MCQs 1. Which of the following is true? a) L&D in organisations is the responsibility of L&D specialists. b) Employees should have no input when designing L&D activities. c) Learning is about a change in behaviour that occurs as a result of training, instruction, experience and reflection. d) Development activities are solely focused on managers and leaders. 2. Which of the following is NOT a stage in the systematic training model? a) Identifying L&D needs b) Participating in an L&D activity c) Designing L&D activities d) Evaluating L&D activities 3. Which of the following is NOT a learner-centred L&D method? a) A case study b) Role-play c) A group discussion d) A lecture 4. Which of the following L&D strategies is both self-directed and work-based? a) Traditional classroom learning activities b) Coaching and mentoring c) e-Learning or technology-assisted learning d) Sitting by Nellie 5. Which of the following is NOT a factor evaluated at Level 3 of the Kirkpatrick Model? a) The extent of application of learning on-the-job b) The extent to which participants enjoyed the learning event c) Increased confidence to perform a skill d) The degree to which the learner has transferred learning to the workplace 6. Which of the following is NOT a component of an organisation’s L&D strategy? a) A departmental L&D budget b) A statement of an organisation’s values and philosophy in relation to learning c) A statement of how L&D activities support business objectives d) A statement of the expected contributions of organisational stakeholders

7. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of coaching? a) The coach can be either internal or external to the organisation b) The coach helps the learner to develop new skills c) The coaching relationship can be individual or group-focused d) Coaching takes place in a classroom setting 8. Which of the following are either true or false? a) Mentors need to be L&D specialists FALSE b) L&D is for everyone TRUE c) Strategic business partnering does not focus on operational or tactical issues in organisations TRUE d) Training specialists are not required to understand the politics of the organisation FALSE

1. You are a member of the HR Department at Tartisan Deli & Coffee Shop. You have just hired 17 new baristas. Each barista is responsible for serving all products with friendly, individualised attention towards each customer. He/she is also responsible for educating customers about our premium coffees and teas. The barista represents Tartisan in a professional manner, and will be responsible for the following duties as required at any time during their shift: 

Serving customers at the deli counter; involving use of the cash register, various hot and cold drink dispensers; various food trays; and acting upon Tartisan methods of quality control

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Preparing and cooking all Tartisan deli menu items in line with demand to a high standard as required by law and to the expectations of Tartisan customer expectations; involving the various cooking equipment and utensils in a busy kitchen environment

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Maintaining Tartisan’s excellent levels of hygiene and cleanliness as required by law and to the expectations of Tartisan customer expectations; involving use of various cleaning equipment, utensils, and products

You have been asked by the HR Manager to design the onboarding programme for these new hires. Based on discussions in lectures, which of the following recommendations would you provide? a) You need to provide all new hires with an orientation of the deli counter and a copy of the employee handbook, and provide training on customer service as early as possible b) You will need to ensure that the HR Manager and other members of the management team will be involved in the design and delivery of the onboarding programme, especially when it comes to delivering information about Tartisan’s structure, culture and strategy c) You will need to ensure all new hires are aware of the purpose and duties of their role, and the terms and conditions of their employment before they start their new job, and be reminded of these issues throughout the first week of employment

d) You will need to ensure that all new hires meet with their colleagues and their line manager e) You will need to discuss health and safety legislation as it relates to food handling f) All of the above √ The CEO/Top management team must be supportive of L&D in order for L&D activities to be truly effective in an organisation a) True√ b) False Based on the McBurger’n’Fries case study discussed in lectures, the following excerpt is an example of what? a. b. c. d.

A learning outcome Identifying learning needs A learning and development strategy√ A learning and development method

“Here at McBurger’n’Fries, we know that investing in L&D means investing in our employees and our business, because our employees are the lifeblood of our company. Our vision is to build and retain a motivated, expert workforce who ensure quality is at the forefront of everything that we do. Here at McBurger’n’Fries, we deliver L&D using a combination of classroom instruction, hands-on practical activities, simulated scenarios and computer elearning modules. We align L&D with specific career paths, including development paths for crew, restaurant managers, mid-managers and Executives”

What is a learning outcome? a) A translation of a learning need into specific knowledge, skills or attitudes that learners need to demonstrate at the end of the learning programme b) Knowledge, skills and attitudes c) A statement of a specific outcome that will form the basis for the design of the learning intervention d) All of the above e) A and C Q. The key benefits of a performance management system are: a) Effective communication of goals b) Definition of performance expectations and standards c) Provision of valuable feedback to motivate and develop employees d) All of the above Q. Which of the following best describes what is meant by ...