Additional Case 8.3
The HR department at McBain Associates is putting together a multi-step training
program to help managers appraise employee performance. The firm has experienced
previous legal problems associated with improper performance appraisals, so HR needs
to ensure that every manager is able to conduct a performance appraisal appropriately.
Managers will receive information about EEO law, company policies, appraisal forms,
and appropriate interview questions. Information provided during training should be
relevant and consistent. The firm wants managers to have access to the information
after training and as needed when conducting performance appraisals. In addition, the
firm wants to minimize the time managers spend on the training and to avoid large
group meetings. Due to changing policies and forms, HR needs the ability to update the
training information easily and quickly.
Refer to Additional Case 8.3. HR is considering using computer technology to train
managers. When developing online training materials, which of the following questions
is LEAST relevant to the needs at McBain?
A) Is the purpose of the training clarified to participants?
B) Will participants find the content relevant and engaging?
C) Can virtual simulation exercises be integrated into the system?
D) Can the training be linked to a performance management system?
Additional Case 4.3
Your retail company has 80% of its stores located in downtown metropolitan areas.
Your biggest stores are in communities where minorities represent 60% of your
customers. Your middle-management team has been changing over time so that 50% of
your managers are women and about 30% are ethnic minorities. A significant number of
your hourly employees, about 35%, have served over 20 years in their respective stores
and many are over 40 years of age. Top management feels that African-Americans are
under-represented in the hourly workforce and in middle management. They want HR
to initiate an aggressive recruitment process to address the situation.
Hispanics are the biggest minority group, besides women, in your workforce. In a
discussion about where the company should target its diversity program, the CEO
explains she wants to implement a training program for managers to raise their
sensitivity to minorities, especially Hispanics. She also notes that there are no disabled
persons in the workforce and very few Asian-Americans. Carlos, the VP of facilities,
notes that he has accommodated all the Asian-American employees he can in his MIS
and facility support services. He also argues that he only has about $10,000 in his
budget for reorganizing display space in the stores to accommodate disabled employees
and that this amount probably isn’t sufficient to accommodate a disabled employee.
Refer to Additional Case 4.3. Which of the following is a true statement about older
workers that management should consider?
A) Older workers tend to be less motivated as they age, so they require more training
and supervision than younger workers.
B) Older workers have knowledge that can benefit younger workers, so mentoring
programs can improve the firm’s success.
C) Older workers have similar communication styles and work habits as younger
workers, so the two groups have few conflicts.
D) Older workers are absent from work more often than younger workers because of
illness, which can be costly for the firm.
Additional Case 7.1
Shannon is the CEO of a firm that provides high-tech service support to other small
businesses. He plans to revise the performance appraisal system to align it more closely
with company goals. The tailored program should be fair and ethical and should
produce consistent results.
Shannon wants service employees to work together to maximize service quality. Since
the sales force has not been particularly aggressive, sales are lagging. Shannon believes
that profits and customer satisfaction will increase if sales people start providing
after-sale service to customers.
In the past, Shannon’s sales managers have been receiving the same raises, regardless of
their effectiveness. Now, Shannon wants to identify and reward the best-performing
managers. By comparing managers across functions, Shannon believes he will be able
to identify workers who are ready for more challenging responsibilities.
Refer to Additional Case 7.1. What perspective of the performance appraisal process
does Shannon most likely have?
A) A political perspective
B) A rational perspective
C) A relative perspective
D) A legal perspective
Two line managers, Cameron and Ty, are performing appraisals on their subordinates.
As they discuss their findings, they realize that they have very similar views on how
they rate performance. The work that Cameron rates as excellent, Ty rates as excellent.
The work that Ty rates as average, Cameron rates as average. These findings most
likely indicate:
A) a high rate of comparability.
B) a restriction of range error.
C) a central tendency error.
D) the influence of liking.
Plantwide pay-for-performance plans are built on the assumption that:
A) employees are motivated to be productive by financial rewards.
B) firms are more productive when employees are team players.
C) competition between work teams is an optimal goal.
D) profits should be reinvested in the firm.
Which of the following would be the best environment in which to implement a flat
organizational structure?
A) A global environment
B) A service-oriented environment
C) A predictable environment
D) A rapidly changing environment
Which of the following would most likely improve the chances that employee training
will transfer back to the workplace?
A) Using job aids to recall key points
B) Encouraging a flexible work environment
C) Linking training to organizational strategies
D) Requiring team building exercises during sessions
Growth in service sector employment is most likely tied to:
A) advances in technology that eliminate manufacturing jobs.
B) the increasing number of women entering the workforce.
C) increasing efforts to match individuals to the correct jobs.
D) an overabundance of highly educated job candidates.
Which of the following is a drawback of a behavior-based performance appraisal
system?
A) Time-consuming to develop
B) Distorted worker performance levels
C) Ambiguous ratings which leads to bias
D) Managerial resistance due to required training
You have been asked to determine what kinds of problems should be addressed in an
upcoming training session. You will be performing:
A) a training evaluation.
B) a needs assessment.
C) task management.
D) a training development.
Your insurance carrier requires a health evaluation of all new hires for insurance
purposes. To assess an applicant’s health state, you could legally ask:
A) Do you have any physical limitations that would inhibit your performance of this
job?
B) Are you willing to take a physical examination if you were offered this position?
C) How would you describe your general health?
D) When was your last physical examination?
Additional Case 6.1
Central Enterprises is suffering an economic downturn, and the workforce needs to be
reduced. Upper-level managers are debating the costs and benefits of various employee
separations. Brian argues that the company needs to make immediate cuts to both
management and labor. The cuts need to be made in such a way that the scope of the
company and its markets are not affected. The firm needs to do more with fewer people
according to Brian.
Other managers want to take a long-term, less traumatic approach. According to
Natalie, the firm has time to consider the problems and gradually reduce the workforce
rather than making sudden staff cuts. Natalie points out that 35% of the workforce is
over age 62.
The VP of HR, LaTisha, wants the least disruptive reduction process possible. LaTisha
just finished a major labor negotiation with the union and is not ready for another. She
points out that turnover has been fairly high. Along with considering workforce
reductions, LaTisha wants to know why people are leaving the company voluntarily.
Refer to Additional Case 6.1. What relatively quick, but less traumatic, reduction
strategy is suggested by the make-up of the workforce?
A) Rightsizing
B) Employee training
C) A job redesign program
D) An early retirement program
Approximately what percentage of U.S. employers have either a policy or a program
addressing workplace violence?
A) 10%
B) 30%
C) 50%
D) 70%
What is a key element for an effective whistleblowing policy?
A) Immediate and maximum public exposure of the information
B) Carefully planned management retribution
C) Initial anonymity for the whistleblower
D) Compensation for the whistleblower
Profit-sharing and ESOP-type compensation plans feature some significant drawbacks,
such as:
A) having only a limited effect on organizational productivity.
B) increasing internal competition among employees.
C) generating labor-management conflicts.
D) increasing corporate tax responsibilities.
With a collective bargaining system, the U.S. government typically:
A) favors employers.
B) favors employees.
C) plays a neutral role.
D) mediates in all areas of bargaining.
Additional Case 1.1
Managers at Caplin Company are having a strategic planning session with the director
of HR. They are discussing the fit between the company’s overall management
philosophy, organizational structure, organizational culture, and the firm’s current HR
strategies. During the meeting, the management team asks the HR Director for a profile
of the current workforce. The HR Director reports that the workforce used to be 85%
white, 50% male. Now it is 50% white, 50% minority with twice as many women as
men. Supervisors still tend to be white males.
The management team discusses how to control costs, improve quality, and create
distinctive capabilities. Several ideas are raised, discussed, and tabled; some topics are
assigned to an individual for further exploration. Managers comment that some workers
arrive at start time, take 30 minutes before initiating any work, and begin to pack up for
the day 30 minutes before quitting time. Managers also indicate that employees do not
seem concerned about working hard or about building quality products.
As the meeting draws to a close, the team briefly discusses the firm’s commitment to
the surrounding community. As a cost-cutting measure, the firm eliminated its support
of an adult literacy program last year. Company facilities were used for conducting
reading classes. The management team decides that the firm should reinstate the
program and appoints the HR Director to notify the local literacy council.
Refer to Additional Case 1.1. Which of the following would most likely improve
employee work habits at Caplin?
A) Offering telecommuting opportunities to all employees
B) Making adjustments to the firm’s organizational culture
C) Outsourcing most clerical jobs to overseas firms
D) Implementing a focus strategy
An HRIS has a number of applications for HRM professionals, such as:
A) negotiating union contracts.
B) tracking employee skills.
C) training employees in simple repetitive tasks.
D) creating organizational design.
Which of the following is most likely an example of the ethical treatment of
employees?
A) Requiring significant stretching of an employees’ abilities
B) Refusing to hire family members and friends at an organization
C) Sharing confidential employee information with upper management
D) Avoiding disproportionate praise or censure for employee performance
At its peak in 1945, nearly ________ of the U.S. workforce was unionized.
A) 56%
B) 43%
C) 35%
D) 12%
In Herzberg’s theory of motivation, hygiene factors are:
A) critical to employee motivation.
B) located in the work environment.
C) necessary for employee advancement.
D) indicators of job tasks and responsibilities.
Approximately ________ of companies reward their executives with short-term
year-end bonuses.
A) 25%
B) 40%
C) 75%
D) 90%
Layla has taken a new job at a large appliance company and must choose between
health plans. If Layla is like the majority of employees, she will choose a(n) ________
plan.
A) HMO
B) PPO
C) HSA
D) HDHP