Chapter 12 Building and Managing Human Resources Answer Key
True / False Questions
1.
Feedback from a performance appraisal system can serve a developmental purpose for
managers.
TRUE
Performance appraisal and feedback serve two different purposes in HRM. First,
performance appraisal can give managers the information they need to make good human
resources decisions—decisions about how to train, motivate, and reward organizational
members. Second, feedback from performance appraisal serves a developmental purpose
for members of an organization.
AACSB: Analytical Thinking
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Learning Objective: 12-01 Explain why strategic human resource management can help an organization gain a
competitive advantage.
Topic: Performance Appraisal
2.
The goal of EEO is to ensure that all citizens have an equal opportunity to obtain
employment regardless of their gender, race, country of origin, religion, age, or disabilities.
TRUE
The goal of EEO is to ensure that all citizens have an equal opportunity to obtain
employment regardless of their gender, race, country of origin, religion, age, or disabilities.
AACSB: Analytical Thinking
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Learning Objective: 12-01 Explain why strategic human resource management can help an organization gain a
competitive advantage.
Topic: Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)
3.
Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination in hiring, but not in working
conditions.
FALSE
Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of
race, religion, sex, color, or national origin; it covers a wide range of employment
decisions, including hiring, firing, pay, promotion, and working conditions.
AACSB: Ethics
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Learning Objective: 12-01 Explain why strategic human resource management can help an organization gain a
competitive advantage.
Topic: Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)
4.
Outsourcing is the process of using in-house suppliers and manufacturers to produce
goods and services.
FALSE
Outsourcing is the process of using outside suppliers and manufacturers to produce goods
and services.
AACSB: Analytical Thinking
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Learning Objective: 12-02 Describe the steps managers take to recruit and select organizational members.
Topic: Human Resource Planning
5.
Outsourcing of jobs works best for jobs that require problem solving and creativity.
FALSE
Outsourcing can be used for a wide range of jobs. Outsourcing is used for functional
activities such as after-sales service on appliances and equipment, legal work, and the
management of information systems.
AACSB: Analytical Thinking
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Understand
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Learning Objective: 12-02 Describe the steps managers take to recruit and select organizational members.
Topic: Human Resource Planning
6.
In general, unstructured job interviews work better than structured job interviews in the
selection process of organizations.
FALSE
Structured interviews are superior to unstructured interviews because they are more likely
to yield information that will help identify qualified candidates, are less subjective, and
may be less influenced by the interviewer’s biases.
AACSB: Analytical Thinking
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Learning Objective: 12-02 Describe the steps managers take to recruit and select organizational members.
Topic: Selection
7.
The degree to which a test measures what it is supposed to measure is known as the
reliability of the test.
FALSE
Validity is the degree to which a tool measures what it purports to measure. Reliability is
the degree to which a tool or test measures the same thing each time it is administered.
AACSB: Analytical Thinking
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Learning Objective: 12-02 Describe the steps managers take to recruit and select organizational members.
Topic: Selection
8.
The purpose of training activities within organizations is to teach current employees new
skills so they can be better prepared to take on new responsibilities within the
organization.
FALSE
Training focuses primarily on teaching organizational members how to perform their
current jobs and helping them acquire the knowledge and skills they need to be effective
performers.
AACSB: Analytical Thinking
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Learning Objective: 12-03 Discuss the training and development options that ensure organizational members can
effectively perform their jobs.
Topic: Diversity Training
9.
Objective appraisals are based on facts and are likely to be numerical.
TRUE
Objective appraisals are based on facts and are likely to be numerical. Managers often use
objective appraisals when results are being appraised because results tend to be easier to
quantify than traits or behaviors.
AACSB: Analytical Thinking
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Learning Objective: 12-04 Explain why performance appraisal and feedback are such crucial activities, and list the
choices managers must make in designing effective performance appraisal and feedback procedures.
Topic: Performance Appraisal
10.
In a 360-degree appraisal, a variety of people, beginning with the manager and including
peers or coworkers, subordinates, superiors, and sometimes even customers or clients,
appraise a manager’s performance.
TRUE
In a 360-degree appraisal a variety of people, beginning with the manager and including
peers or coworkers, subordinates, superiors, and sometimes even customers or clients,
appraise a manager’s performance. The manager receives feedback based on evaluations
from these multiple sources.
AACSB: Analytical Thinking
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Learning Objective: 12-04 Explain why performance appraisal and feedback are such crucial activities, and list the
choices managers must make in designing effective performance appraisal and feedback procedures.
Topic: Performance Appraisal
11.
Low wages give an organization a cost advantage and help ensure that an organization is
going to be able to recruit, select, and retain high performers.
FALSE
High wages help ensure that an organization is going to be able to recruit, select, and
retain high performers, but high wages also raise costs. Low wages give an organization a
cost advantage but may undermine the organization’s ability to select and recruit high
performers and to motivate current employees to perform at a high level.
AACSB: Analytical Thinking
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Remember
12.
Benefit structure is the arrangement of jobs into categories reflecting their relative
importance to the organization and its goals, levels of skill required, and other
characteristics.
FALSE
Pay structure is the arrangement of jobs into categories reflecting their relative
importance to the organization and its goals, levels of skill required, and other
characteristics.
AACSB: Analytical Thinking
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Learning Objective: 12-05 Explain the issues managers face in determining levels of pay and benefits.
Topic: Cafeteria-Style Benefit Plan
13.
Employers are required to provide workers’ compensation benefits to their employees, but
not unemployment insurance.
FALSE
Organizations are legally required to provide certain benefits to their employees, including
workers’ compensation, Social Security, and unemployment insurance. Unemployment
insurance provides financial assistance to workers who lose their jobs due to no fault of
their own.
AACSB: Analytical Thinking
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Learning Objective: 12-05 Explain the issues managers face in determining levels of pay and benefits.
14.
The NLRB conducts certification elections, which are held among the employees of an
organization, to determine whether they want a union to represent their interests.
TRUE
The NLRB conducts certification elections, which are held among the employees of an
organization to determine whether they want a union to represent their interests. The
NLRB also makes judgments concerning unfair labor practices and specifies practices that
managers must refrain from.
AACSB: Analytical Thinking
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Learning Objective: 12-06 Understand the role that labor relations play in the effective management of human resources.
Topic: Labor Relations
15.
Collective bargaining is negotiation between labor unions and managers to resolve
conflicts and disputes about important issues.
TRUE
Collective bargaining is negotiation between labor unions and managers to resolve
conflicts and disputes about important issues such as working hours, wages, working
conditions, and job security.
AACSB: Analytical Thinking
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Learning Objective: 12-06 Understand the role that labor relations play in the effective management of human resources.
Topic: Collective Bargaining
Multiple Choice Questions
16.
Strategic human resource management has the objective of developing the four building
blocks of competitive advantage: efficiency, quality, responsiveness to customers, and
________.
A.
achievement
B.
affiliation
C.
D.
power
The objective of strategic HRM is the development of an HRM system that enhances an
organization’s efficiency, quality, innovation, and responsiveness to customers—the four
building blocks of competitive advantage.
AACSB: Analytical Thinking
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Learning Objective: 12-01 Explain why strategic human resource management can help an organization gain a
competitive advantage.
Topic: Human Resource Management
17.
Six Sigma programs ________.
A.
are a required part of every HR system
B.
do not require HR initiatives
C.
can be built by employees from the bottom up
D.
require top management commitment
In order for “Six Sigma” quality improvement plans to be effective, top managers have to
be committed to Six Sigma, employees must be motivated, and there must be demand for
the products or services of the organization.
AACSB: Analytical Thinking
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Learning Objective: 12-01 Explain why strategic human resource management can help an organization gain a
competitive advantage.
Topic: Six Sigma
18.
The component of an HRM system that focuses on attempting to attract and hire
employees who have the abilities and experiences to help the organization to achieve its
goals is known as ________.
A.
job searching
B.
development
C.
recruitment and selection
D.
advertising
Recruitment and selection is the first component of an HRM system, used by managers to
attract and hire new employees who have the abilities, skills, and experiences that will
help an organization achieve its goals.
AACSB: Analytical Thinking
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Learning Objective: 12-01 Explain why strategic human resource management can help an organization gain a
competitive advantage.
Topic: Human Resource Management
19.
Microsoft Corporation interviews dozens of highly qualified programmers before deciding
on which ones to hire. This is the HRM process of ________.
A.
recruitment
B.
development
C.
selection
D.
validation
Managers use recruitment and selection, the first component of an HRM system, to attract
and hire new employees who have the abilities, skills, and experiences that will help an
organization achieve its goals. Microsoft Corporation has the goal of remaining the premier
computer software company in the world. To achieve this goal, managers at Microsoft
realize the importance of hiring only the best software designers: Hundreds of highly
qualified candidates are interviewed and rigorously tested. This careful attention to
selection has contributed to Microsoft’s competitive advantage.
AACSB: Analytical Thinking
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Apply
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Learning Objective: 12-01 Explain why strategic human resource management can help an organization gain a
competitive advantage.
Topic: Human Resource Management
20.
The component of an HRM system that focuses on helping employees to build the skills
and abilities that will enable them to perform their jobs successfully is ________.
A.
training and development
B.
education
C.
quality improvement
D.
performance appraisal
Managers use the second component of the HRM process, training and development, to
ensure that organizational members develop the skills and abilities that will enable them
to perform their jobs effectively in the present and the future.
AACSB: Analytical Thinking
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Learning Objective: 12-01 Explain why strategic human resource management can help an organization gain a
competitive advantage.
Topic: Human Resource Management
21.
Newly hired programmers at Microsoft Corporation join small work teams so that
experienced workers can serve as mentors to them while they are adjusting to their new
job. This is the HRM process of ________.
A.
self-managing work teams
B.
selection
C.
performance appraisal
D.
training and development
Managers use the second component of the HRM process, training and development, to
ensure that organizational members develop the skills and abilities that will enable them
to perform their jobs effectively in the present and the future.
AACSB: Analytical Thinking
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Apply
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Learning Objective: 12-01 Explain why strategic human resource management can help an organization gain a
competitive advantage.
Topic: Human Resource Management
22.
The information that managers need to make good human resources decisions about how
to train, motivate, and reward organizational members can be obtained through ________.
A.
recruitment
B.
induction
C.
training
D.
the performance appraisal
Performance appraisal can provide managers with the information they need to make good
human resources decisions—decisions about how to train, motivate, and reward
organizational members.
AACSB: Analytical Thinking
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Learning Objective: 12-01 Explain why strategic human resource management can help an organization gain a
competitive advantage.
Topic: Performance Appraisal
23.
Managers face contemporary challenges such as managing HIV-positive employees,
managing older workers, and eliminating sexual harassment. These arise out of the
________ environment of business.
A.
economic
B.
social
C.
legal
D.
political
Managers are required to respond to all of these issues due to federal legislation, which is
part of the legal environment. Contemporary challenges that managers face related to the
legal environment include how to eliminate sexual harassment, how to accommodate
employees with disabilities, how to deal with employees who have substance abuse
problems, and how to manage HIV-positive employees and employees with AIDS.
AACSB: Ethics
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Learning Objective: 12-01 Explain why strategic human resource management can help an organization gain a
competitive advantage.
Topic: Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)
24.
In the United States, the law which requires male and female employees to be paid the
same if they perform equal work is ________.
A.
Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act
B.
the Comparable Worth Act
C.
the Americans with Disabilities Act
D.
the Equal Pay Act
The Equal Pay Act requires that men and women be paid equally if they are performing
equal work.
AACSB: Ethics
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Learning Objective: 12-01 Explain why strategic human resource management can help an organization gain a
competitive advantage.
Topic: Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)
25.
Steffie has requested a week’s leave to be with her mother, who is very ill. Her manager
refuses to grant her the leave even though Steffie is aware that this would result in a loss
of pay and she is agreeable to it. If her manager does not grant Steffie leave, the employer
is violating ________.
A.
the Age Discrimination in Employment Act
B.
Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act
C.
the Family and Medical Leave Act
D.
the Equal Pay Act
The Family and Medical Leave Act requires that employers provide 12 weeks of unpaid
leave for medical and family reasons, including paternity and illness of a family member.
AACSB: Analytical Thinking
AACSB: Ethics
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Apply
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Learning Objective: 12-01 Explain why strategic human resource management can help an organization gain a
competitive advantage.
Topic: Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)
26.
The set of activities in which managers generate a pool of qualified candidates for open
positions is known as ________.
A.
selection
B.
outsourcing
C.
induction
D.
recruitment
Recruitment includes all the activities managers engage in to develop a pool of qualified
candidates for open positions.
AACSB: Analytical Thinking
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Learning Objective: 12-02 Describe the steps managers take to recruit and select organizational members.
Topic: Selection
27.
The process by which managers determine the relative qualifications of job applicants for
an open position is known as ________.
A.
validation
B.
selection
C.
recruitment
D.
appraisal
Selection is the process by which managers determine the relative qualifications of job
applicants and their potential for performing well in a particular job.
Learning Objective: 12-02 Describe the steps managers take to recruit and select organizational members.
Topic: Selection
28.
The HRM process of determining whether a candidate has the potential to perform well in
a specific job is a part of ________.
A.
validation
B.
job analysis
C.
recruitment
D.
selection
Selection is the process by which managers determine the relative qualifications of job
applicants and their potential for performing well in a particular job.
AACSB: Analytical Thinking
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Learning Objective: 12-02 Describe the steps managers take to recruit and select organizational members.
Topic: Selection
29.
The set of activities in which managers engage to predict the future human resource
needs of their organization is known as ________.
A.
appraisal
B.
human resource management
C.
human resource planning
D.
recruitment
Human resource planning includes all the activities managers engage in to forecast their
current and future human resource needs.