HRM-Questions- -Prepare-to-Manage-HR PDF

Preview

Summary

Download HRM-Questions- -Prepare-to-Manage-HR PDF

Description

QN=1 When determining the best way to motivate employees, why shouldn't managers rely solely on HR staff for directions. (check all that apply) a.

Managers know their employees best.

b.

People are unique so there are various drivers of motivation.

c.

Work can mean different things to different people, so there are various drivers of motivation.

d.

It's not a manager's job to motivate workers, they should be self-motivated.

e.

HR is just a pencil-pushing function.

QN=2 In the video lesson "The Many Meanings of Work," how many different ways of thinking about work were presented? a.

One

b.

Two

c.

Five

d.

More than five

QN=3 True or false: Work is what it is. Some jobs are lousy, but we can't do anything to change that. a.

True

b.

False

QN=4 Mainstream economic theorizing sees work as a lousy activity that workers tolerate in order to earn income. One way that work is seen as lousy is as a pain cost (e.g., hot, dangerous, boring, stressful). A second way is as an _________ cost. a.

pain

b.

opportunity

c.

real

d.

production

QN=5 Which of the following is not an example of labor being a derived demand? a.

Offering flexible work schedules because this is what workers with family responsibilities want.

b. Offering flexible work schedules because customers with family responsibilities want extended hours of operation. c. Offering flexible work schedules because customers do not expect immediate responses to their inquiries. QN=6 Which of the following are required for HR to be strategic? (check all that apply)

a. HR tasks are primarily the responsibility of an HR staff person, perhaps with input from line managers. b.

HR is focused on organizational needs, not just on the administration of HR policies.

c.

HR needs to be an expert in every business function.

d.

HR tasks are a line manager’s responsibility, with help from an HR partner.

QN=7 True or false: No matter how one thinks the employment relationship works, high-road HR strategies are always seen as desirable. a.

True

b.

False

QN=8 Though there are exceptions because organizations can choose their HR strategy, a low-road HR strategy typically tries to support a business strategy based on competing on _____? a.

cost

b.

value

c.

price

d.

strategic advantages

QN=9 True or false: managers cannot be leaders, and leaders cannot be managers. a.

True

b.

False

QN=10 Why is job analysis an important process? a. Because it puts work tasks together into sensible jobs and identifies job requirements that serve as the basis for hiring employees. b. Because it provides a performance rating for each employee that serves as the basis for compensation and rewards. c. Because it reveals the strengths and weaknesses of employees that serve as the basis for training employees and establishing developmental goals. QN=11 Which best describes the foundational assumptions of Taylorism, also known as scientific management? a. To manage workers effectively, managers need to pay attention to psychological and social conditions, not just technical conditions. b. Workers want to earn income in the most efficient way possible, but it is managers who best know how to structure work tasks to fulfill this goal. c.

Workers are diverse so they need to be managed in ways tailored to their own goals and values.

d.

Business owners are industrious, ambitious, thrifty, and sober; workers are not.

QN=12 An HR strategy that emphasizes employee engagement and discretion can be summed up by which phrase? a.

"If you don't like it, let's talk about it."

b.

"If you don't like it, quit."

QN=13 An organization's strategy for managing people is determined... a. Solely by organizational choices and values without paying any attention to external or internal factors. b. Partly by a combination of external factors (such as competition), internal factors (such as business strategy), but not completely because organizations have choices about how to manage people. c.

Solely by various external factors (such as competition).

d.

Solely by internal factors (such as business strategy).

QN=14 True or false: In selecting a personal managerial style, managers should only pay attention to their own strengths and weakness, not the situation or the needs of employees. a.

True

b.

False

QN=15 Which is the single-best personal managerial style? a.

Coercive.

b.

Authoritative

c.

Affiliative

d.

Democratic

e.

Pacesetting

f.

None of the others because there is no single-best style that fits with all situations.

QN=16 Economists say that labor is a derived demand. Why is this concept important for managers to understand? a. Because strategies, policies, and tactics for managing people are derived from a country's legal regulations. b. Because what employees demand can affect strategies, policies, and tactics for managing people.

c. Because whatever affects demand for an organization's product or service can affect strategies, policies, and tactics for managing people.

QN=17 Which of the following statements are true? (you must correctly check all that apply) a.

An organization's business strategy and its HR strategy should be unrelated to each other.

b. An organizational strategy does not completely determine an organization's HR strategy. In other words, organizations with any type of business strategy can choose an HR strategy that develops, rewards, and engages employees. c. An organizational strategy based on unique goods or services is typically supported by an HR strategy that tries to develop, reward, and engage workers. d. An organizational strategy based on low-cost leadership is typically supported by an HR strategy that tries to contain labor expenses and drive workers.

QN=18 Which of the following beliefs underlies high-road human resources strategies? a.

The interests of an organization and its employees can be aligned.

b.

Labor markets work reasonably well in allocating and rewarding workers.

c. The employment relationship is characterized by some important conflicts of interest between an organization and its employees.

QN=19 Which of the following beliefs typically underlies low-road human resources strategies? a. A business serves society best by satisfying market demand for its goods and services and providing high financial returns for shareholders. b. Corporations are a part of society and should serve not just shareholders and customers, but other stakeholders, too.

QN=20 Most individuals in modern societies need to work for pay in order to survive. So this means that which of the following are important for managers? (you must check all that apply) a.

People only work for money (that is, money is the sole motivator for all workers).

b.

Financial stress can take on extra meaning in the workplace.

c.

Work can seem like a curse (the way it's always been, the way it will always be).

QN=21 Economic theorizing sees work as both a pain cost and an opportunity cost. This is useful for managers because... a.

...this means workers will never want to work hard.

b.

...this means that there are never any psychological rewards from working.

c. ...this means that managers have to compensate workers for these costs in order to get them to work hard. QN=22 Marginal analysis from economics teaches managers... (you must check all that apply) a. ...that it's particular challenging to motivate someone when the last extra hour that you want someone to work is right on the edge of whether they want to work more or not. b. ...that what it takes to hire or retain the last needed worker strongly influences compensation and other elements of the job for everyone in that position. c.

Work is a lousy activity tolerated to earn income.

d. ...to think about the additional benefit compared to the additional cost of a possible managerial decision. QN=23 Economic theory predicts that if an employer pays a fixed wage or salary rather than performance-based pay, workers will... a.

shirk

b.

complain

c.

work hard

d.

quit

QN=24 Which of the following is needed for an economic contest or tournament to be an effective incentive mechanism that motivates high work effort? a.

A known prize that is large enough to compensate for extra effort.

b.

A clear pay-for-performance program that rewards each worker's effort.

c.

Insurance against excessive income loss.

QN=25 Which of the following are possible unintended consequences using financial incentives to motivate workers? (you must check all that apply) a.

Employees worker harder than without incentives

b.

Reduced non-monetary (Intrinsic) motivation

c.

Overstimulation

d.

"If you don't like it, quit"

e.

Poor teamwork

f.

"What gets measured gets done"

QN=26 True or false: Principal-agent problems can always be solved by additional monitoring. a.

True

b.

False

QN=27 True or false: When evaluating a signal of private information, it's important to consider whether the signal is easy for others to imitate. a.

True

b.

False

QN=28 Economics highlights worker self-interest. This is important for raising managerial awareness of... (you must check all that apply) a.

Strategic use of private information

b.

Shirking and loafing

c.

Shareholder value

d.

Principal-agent problems

QN=29 It is useful for managers to understand what affects labor supply because... a. ...this helps managers understand workers' decision-making processes about where and when to work, and under what conditions. b. ...this helps managers understand what might happen if the organization needs to add more employees to supply more goods to its customers. QN=30 The question of whether employers and employees really are economic and legal equals is... (you must check all that apply) a.

...an issue that is largely ignored in high-road HR strategies.

b.

...the subject of intense debates going back more than 100 years.

c. ...an issue that is largely ignored in pluralist, Marxist, radical, and critical critiques of approaches that favor labor market competition for setting wages and other terms and conditions of employment. d. ...important because it determines whether or not employees need the protection of laws and labor unions. QN=31 Perfect competition is an important issue to consider because... a. ...employers need to recruit and retain employees and this happens in labor markets with labor traded like a commodity.

b. ...if labor markets truly are perfectly competitive, then interventions like labor unions or government regulation will not distort (a) the allocation of labor to its best uses, and (b) the rewarding of employees with pay equal to the value they produce. c. ...if labor markets truly are perfectly competitive, then the invisible hand of free market competition is the best way to (a) allocate labor to its best uses, and (b) reward employees with pay QN=32 Managers should be trying to create conditions that result in... a.

...employees who are satisfied with their job.

b.

...employees who are committed to their organization.

c.

...employees who are engaged in their job.

QN=33 To promote intrinsic motivation among workers they manage, managers should promote which needs? (you must check all that apply) a.

Competence

b.

Financial security

c.

Social belonging

d.

Autonomy

QN=34 True or false: To promote positive job attitudes, managers should only be concerned with the characteristics of each job. a.

False

b.

True

QN=35 To help feel good about ourselves, we identify with certain groups and in doing so, we emphasize the positive nature of their own group (“in-group”) compared to others (“out-groups”). Which of the following does not result from this. a.

Inter-group conflict.

b.

Differences between those groups we identify with and those we do not are magnified.

c.

Discrimination against out-group members by in-group members.

d.

Free-rider problems in groups such that some group members do not fully contribute.

QN=36 To derive personal identity from belonging to an occupation, employees will... a.

...not worry about conforming to societal or peer expectations for that occupation.

b. ...behave in ways that conform to societal or peer expectations for that occupation, even if the organization wishes them to behave differently. c. ...behave in ways that conform to societal or peer expectations for that occupation, unless the organization wishes them to behave differently.

QN=37 Consider an employee who (a) is only concerned with distributive justice, but not other aspects, and (b) believes she is working harder than her co-workers but getting paid the same. The employee's manager should expect her to... (you must check all that apply) a.

...ask for a raise.

b.

...do nothing.

c.

...reduce her effort to match that of her co-workers.

d.

...complain about the fairness of the policies for determining pay.

QN=38 Some questions that can help managers think about employee perceptions of procedural justice include: (you must check all that apply) a.

Did the procedure result in fair outcomes?

b.

During the procedure, did the manager treat the employee with respect?

c.

Has an employee been able to express his/her views and feelings during the procedure?

d.

Has the procedure been free of bias?

e.

Has the procedure been applied consistently?

QN=39 Managers should only apply insights from psychology after they examine their workers and see... a.

...self-interested individuals working for money.

b.

...individuals focused on obtaining intrinsic rewards and avoiding frustration.

c.

...conscious-status individuals who are also concerned with norms or peer pressure.

QN=40 Norms or peer pressure can come from many sources, EXCEPT a.

...the worker as an individual.

b.

...work group.

c.

...organization.

d.

...country.

QN=41 True or false: Various forms of social norms will always support managers in eliciting desired work behaviors. a.

True

b.

False

QN=42 True or false: Because of biological differences, women are naturally suited to care for others, and this justifies an enduring, unequal sexual division of labor.

a.

True

b.

False

QN=43 For managers, what is the relevance of seeing work as caring for and serving others? (you must check all that apply) a.

Caring for and serving others isn't real work so it has little to do with managers.

b. Workers who value caring or serving might be demotivated if they feel that these meanings of work are devalued by an organization or a society. c. Workers who value caring or serving might be motivated if a manager provides opportunities for fulfilling these goals, either directly or indirectly. QN=44 Managers should... (you must check all that apply) a.

Overlook the importance of humility, civility, and integrity.

b.

Recognize and reward performance.

c.

Hire and/or develop staff with the needed the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs).

d.

Do everyone else’s job.

QN=45 When managing in a unionized workplace, managers should... (you must check all that apply) a.

Blame the union if the relationship is adversarial or uncooperative.

b.

Respect employee voice and the bilateral nature of the relationship with unions.

c.

Follow any required bargaining or consultation procedures.

QN=46 What does it mean to be a good front stage, backstage manager? (you must check all that apply) a. When you are dealing with someone else, think about whether you have an audience and what the audience expects. b. Use the privacy of the backstage to exchange information, talk frankly, explore options, and problem solve. c.

Get caught up in the emotions of front stage performances.

d. When you are dealing with someone else, engage in perspective taking by considering whether they have an audience and what that audience expects. e.

Shut people out and make backroom deals.

QN=47 True or false: When thinking about protections against unjust or unfair "adverse employment actions," this only applies to employee terminations. a.

True

b.

False

QN=48 True or false: Employment-at-will is useful as a functional benchmark for managers to think about what they can and cannot legally do as a manager. a.

True

b.

False

QN=49 There's an asymmetry in the extent to which employment-at-will exists in most countries because... a.

...employees cannot quit for any reason but organizations can fire someone for any reason.

b.

...employees can quit for any reason but organizations cannot fire someone for any reason.

QN=50 From a pluralist industrial relations perspective, laws are needed to balance efficiency, equity, and voice because... (you must check all that apply) a. ...conflicts of interests in the employment relationship mean that managers cannot be relied on to look out for the welfare of employees. b.

....the interests of employees are more important than the interests of employers.

c.

...employers typically have greater bargaining power than individual employees.

QN=51 Which one(s) of these are associated with the free market perspective on workplace law and regulation? (you must check all that apply) a. The role of the law should be limited to the smooth functioning of the employment relationship by providing orderly rules that facilitate economic transactions such as enforceable contracts and protections for property rights. b. Employmen...