Unlock document.
This document is partially blurred.
Unlock all pages and 1 million more documents.
Get Access
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
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.
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?
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.
compensation policies.
b.
work flow systems.
c.
recruitment and selection practices.
d.
top-down communication systems.
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.
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
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
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
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.
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
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
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
d.
Difficult to imitate
70. The richest communication occurs:
a.
in writing.
b.
face to face.
c.
via videos.
d.
by using technology.
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.
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
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.
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
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.
76. HR Scorecards can be used to diagnose:
a.
short-term organizational efficiency.
b.
long-term organizational efficiency.
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.
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
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
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
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
82. Building commitment to high-performance work systems is:
a.
an ongoing activity.
b.
always costly.
c.
never based on technology.
d.
always competitive.
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.
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?
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
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?
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
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
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.
91. What are the fundamental principles of high-performance work systems?
92. Describe how an HR Scorecard can be used by organizations.
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?
