56. Which of the following is NOT a typical method of increasing the power of employees?
a.
Job enlargement
b.
Enrichment
c.
Standardization
d.
Relying on self-managed teams
c
Easy
MGHR.SNEL.17.16-1
United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
United States – OH – DISC: HRM
Bloom’s: Knowledge
57. High-performance work systems frequently begin with:
a.
selecting employees.
b.
writing a mission statement.
c.
employee training.
d.
the way work is designed.
Easy
MGHR.SNEL.17.16-2
United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
United States – OH – DISC: HRM
Bloom’s: Knowledge
58. Which of the following questions is NOT likely to be included in a process audit?
a.
Are employees getting the information they need to make empowered decisions, and are they engaged?
b.
Are union officials on notice and cooperating with organizational changes?
c.
Are training programs developing the knowledge and skills employees need?
d.
Are employees being rewarded for good performance and useful suggestions?
Easy
MGHR.SNEL.17.16-4
United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
United States – OH – DISC: HRM
Bloom’s: Knowledge
Moderate
MGHR.SNEL.17.16-1
United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
United States – OH – DISC: HRM
Bloom’s: Comprehension
59. A recent Gallup study reported that firms with top engagement scores had _____ higher productivity.
a.
11 percent
b.
18 percent
c.
36 percent
d.
72 percent
60. Many high-performance work systems begin with highly directive:
a.
b.
c.
d.
United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
United States – OH – DISC: HRM
Bloom’s: Knowledge
61. In high-performance organizations, training is undertaken so that the employees:
a.
assume greater responsibility.
b.
earn higher wages.
c.
lower organizational costs.
d.
remain loyal to the organization.
United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
United States – OH – DISC: HRM
Bloom’s: Knowledge
62. A recent Gallup study reported that firms with top engagement scores had _____ higher profitability.
a.
21 percent
b.
32 percent
c.
16 percent
d.
45 percent
United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
United States – OH – DISC: HRM
Bloom’s: Knowledge
63. Which type of training can be used by organizations to ensure that their employees develop a broader understanding
of work processes performed by others around them rather than rely on just knowing their own jobs?
a.
Spot-training
b.
Efficiency-training
c.
Cross-training
d.
Work-training
c
Easy
MGHR.SNEL.17.16-2
United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
United States – OH – DISC: HRM
Bloom’s: Knowledge
64. According to a study by the Corporate Executive Board, engaged employees outperform average employees by _____.
a.
10 percent
b.
20 percent
c.
33 percent
d.
40 percent
Easy
MGHR.SNEL.17.16-4
United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
United States – OH – DISC: HRM
Bloom’s: Knowledge
65. To create a more flexible pool of employees, managers should:
a.
rely on job-based pay structures.
b.
rely on skill-based pay structures.
c.
implement a gain sharing incentive system.
d.
implement an employee stock ownership plan.
Easy
MGHR.SNEL.17.16-2
United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
United States – OH – DISC: HRM
Bloom’s: Knowledge
Easy
MGHR.SNEL.17.16-4
United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
United States – OH – DISC: HRM
Bloom’s: Knowledge
66. Which of the following compensation systems does NOT focus employee efforts on outcomes that are beneficial to
both themselves and the organization as a whole?
a.
Profit-sharing plans
b.
Employee stock ownership plans
c.
Hour-based pay plans
d.
Gain sharing plans
67. ____ is a pool of money employees can spend on capital improvements if a company meets its profitability goals.
a.
Profit-sharing fund
b.
Employee stock ownership
c.
Intracapital
d.
Skill-based pay
c
Easy
MGHR.SNEL.17.16-2
United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
Bloom’s: Knowledge
68. According to a study by the Corporate Executive Board, engaged employees are _____ less likely to leave their
organizations than highly disengaged employees.
a.
24 percent
b.
45 percent
c.
66 percent
d.
87 percent
Easy
MGHR.SNEL.17.16-3
United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
United States – OH – DISC: HRM
Bloom’s: Knowledge
69. High-performance work systems help organizations develop and harness skills, knowledge, and abilities that are not
equally available to all organizations. Which of the following criteria is described in the statement above?
a.
Valuable
b.
Rare
c.
Organized
c
Easy
MGHR.SNEL.17.16-2
United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
United States – OH – DISC: HRM
Bloom’s: Knowledge
d.
Difficult to imitate
70. The richest communication occurs:
a.
in writing.
b.
face to face.
c.
via videos.
d.
by using technology.
Easy
MGHR.SNEL.17.16-2
United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
United States – OH – DISC: HRM
Bloom’s: Knowledge
71. To achieve horizontal fit, organizations should use the following HR practices together EXCEPT:
a.
first-rate selection system.
b.
training and development.
c.
compensation.
d.
moral testing.
Easy
MGHR.SNEL.17.16-2
United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
United States – OH – DISC: HRM
Bloom’s: Knowledge
72. What type of fit describes high-performance work systems that complement and reinforce one another?
a.
Lateral fit
b.
Depth fit
c.
Vertical fit
d.
Horizontal fit
Easy
MGHR.SNEL.17.16-2
United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
United States – OH – DISC: HRM
Easy
MGHR.SNEL.17.16-4
United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
United States – OH – DISC: HRM
Bloom’s: Knowledge
73. To achieve vertical fit, organizations must first analyze all of the following EXCEPT:
a.
competitive challenges.
b.
organizational values.
c.
other HR components.
d.
employee concerns.
c
Easy
MGHR.SNEL.17.16-2
United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
United States – OH – DISC: HRM
Bloom’s: Knowledge
74. High-performance work systems are designed around team processes and capabilities that cannot be transported,
duplicated, or copied by rival firms. Which of the following criteria is described in the statement above?
a.
Difficult to imitate
b.
Organized
c.
Valuable
d.
Rare
a
Easy
United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
United States – OH – DISC: HRM
Bloom’s: Knowledge
75. Efforts to design high-performance work systems in line with vertical fit issues such as competitive challenges and
company values help in:
a.
creating empowerment in workers.
b.
focusing the design on strategic priorities.
c.
improving horizontal fit accordingly.
d.
making the implementation stage easier.
Easy
MGHR.SNEL.17.16-2
United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
United States – OH – DISC: HRM
Bloom’s: Knowledge
76. HR Scorecards can be used to diagnose:
a.
short-term organizational efficiency.
b.
long-term organizational efficiency.
Bloom’s: Knowledge
c.
competitive strategic alignment.
d.
horizontal fit and vertical fit.
77. Employment stability, team-based behaviors, and strategy-focused behaviors are used as part of an HR Scorecard to
assess:
a.
workforce deliverables.
b.
HR deliverables.
c.
external objectives.
d.
top management support.
a
Easy
MGHR.SNEL.17.16-2
United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
United States – OH – DISC: HRM
Bloom’s: Knowledge
78. High-performance work systems combine the talents of employees and rapidly deploy them in new assignments with
maximum flexibility in order to focus on which of the following criteria?
a.
Valuable
b.
Rare
c.
Organized
d.
Difficult to imitate
c
Easy
MGHR.SNEL.17.16-4
United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
United States – OH – DISC: HRM
Bloom’s: Knowledge
79. High-performance work systems establish ways to increase innovation and efficiency, decrease costs, improve
processes, and provide something unique to customers to focus on which of the following criteria?
a.
Rare
b.
Difficult to imitate
c.
Valuable
d.
Organized
c
Easy
MGHR.SNEL.17.16-2
United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
United States – OH – DISC: HRM
Bloom’s: Knowledge
80. Which of the following would most likely help managers develop a strong relationship with a union in implementing
high-performance work systems?
a.
Relying on informal communication
b.
Concentrating efforts on achieving all of the organization’s objectives
c.
Involving them early in the design process
d.
Concentrating accountability for union relations with the top management
c
Easy
MGHR.SNEL.17.16-3
United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
United States – OH – DISC: HRM
Bloom’s: Knowledge
81. The principle of shared information typifies a shift in organizations away from the mentality of _____ toward one
more focused on employee commitment.
a.
command and control
b.
absenteeism
c.
unionization
d.
training and stabilization
a
Easy
MGHR.SNEL.17.16-1
United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
United States – OH – DISC: HRM
Bloom’s: Knowledge
82. Building commitment to high-performance work systems is:
a.
an ongoing activity.
b.
always costly.
c.
never based on technology.
d.
always competitive.
a
Easy
United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
United States – OH – DISC: HRM
Bloom’s: Knowledge
Easy
MGHR.SNEL.17.16-4
United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
United States – OH – DISC: HRM
Bloom’s: Knowledge
83. Regardless of the time available to implement a high-performance work system, the use of _____ helps keep everyone
on track and prevents the system from bogging down.
a.
top-management directives
b.
a transition structure
c.
employee involvement
d.
empowerment
84. Determining whether a high-performance work system has been implemented as designed is achieved by:
a.
an HR Scorecard.
b.
a process audit.
c.
cross-training.
d.
employee surveys.
Easy
MGHR.SNEL.17.16-3
United States – OH – DISC: HRM
Bloom’s: Knowledge
85. Which of the following questions would be the least likely to be asked during a process audit?
a.
Are employees making more money than in the past?
b.
Are employees actually working together, or is ‘team’ just a label?
c.
Is training developing the knowledge/skills employees need?
d.
Are employees rewarded for good performance and useful suggestions?
a
Easy
MGHR.SNEL.17.16-3
United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
United States – OH – DISC: HRM
Bloom’s: Knowledge
86. A more egalitarian work environment _____ status and power differences and _____ collaboration and teamwork.
a.
lessens; increases
b.
lessens; decreases
c.
increases; lessens
d.
increases; decreases
Easy
MGHR.SNEL.17.16-4
United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
United States – OH – DISC: HRM
Bloom’s: Knowledge
87. To determine whether the high-performance work program is succeeding, managers should look at issues such as the
following, EXCEPT:
a.
Are the behaviors an organization desires being exhibited on the job?
b.
Are employees abiding by the organizational changes in a manner that comports with the organizational code
of conduct?
c.
Are quality, productivity, flexibility, and customer service objectives being met?
d.
Are quality-of–life goals being achieved for employees?
United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
United States – OH – DISC: HRM
Bloom’s: Knowledge
88. According to the research organization Gallup, _____ of the U.S. employees are somewhere in the middle, not
disengaged, but not engaged either.
a.
24 percent
b.
34 percent
c.
44 percent
d.
54 percent
United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
United States – OH – DISC: HRM
Bloom’s: Knowledge
89. With _____ layers of management and a focus on team-based organization, the role of managers and supervisors is
substantially _____ in an environment of high-performance work systems.
a.
fewer; different
b.
greater; different
c.
fewer; similar
d.
greater; similar
United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
United States – OH – DISC: HRM
Bloom’s: Knowledge
90. To enhance the degree of rareness in employee skills and abilities, organizations should develop competencies in their
employees that:
a.
can be transferred to other organizations.
b.
can be duplicated.
c.
can provide widely-valued generic skills.
d.
are not equally available in the labor market.
United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
United States – OH – DISC: HRM
Bloom’s: Knowledge
91. What are the fundamental principles of high-performance work systems?
United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
United States – OH – DISC: HRM
92. Describe how an HR Scorecard can be used by organizations.
United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
United States – OH – DISC: HRM
Bloom’s: Knowledge
93. What are the critical issues involved in implementing a high-performance work system?
94. Describe how high-performance work systems (HPWSs) can create competitive advantage for an organization.
95. What are the questions that need to be included in a process audit when evaluating a high-performance work system?