Companies should communicate the reasons for a layoff and provide some emotional
support to the survivors of a layoff in order to help them manage their layoff stress.
Diversity training programs are intended to raise diversity awareness and help managers
and employees respond appropriately to cultural and sex differences.
The primary purpose of employee relations is to minimize union grievance procedures.
Heterogeneity in organizations tends to lead to communication confusion and
groupthink.
General Motors’ low premature-return rate of its expatriates is evidence of the
effectiveness of its cross-cultural training program.
Training is concerned with promoting the skill depth and versatility in the workforce.
A helpful strategy for minimizing EEO complaints is to be honest with employees
regarding their poor job performance.
Asian-Americans have largely overcome stereotypes and are highly represented in top
corporate positions to the degree that in some technical industries they are
overrepresented.
According to studies, 99.8% of small businesses in the U.S. have fewer than 100
employees.
Employees who understand the connection between safety measures and the company’s
bottom line are likely to have less resistance to safety programs than employees who
don’t.
Feedback in the communications model is the means to clarify the message.
Prior to a certification election, it is illegal for managers to try to persuade employees
that they would be better off without a union.
The primary reason variable pay is the norm in U.S. industry is because it correlates
labor costs with production costs and enhances a company’s competitive position.
An important goal of outplacement services for laid-off workers is to help them remain
productive, pending their layoff.
Which of the following is NOT an element of a job description?
A) Job summary
B) Job compensation
C) Job specifications
D) Identification information
Collette has worked for Organix Creamery for 12 years. The company has internal
procedures for reporting sexual harassment problems. Recently, Collette has been
experiencing sexual harassment from a new supervisor. She immediately files a
complaint with the EEOC. It is likely that Organix Creamery will:
A) have to pay punitive and compensatory damages because Collette filed an EEOC
complaint.
B) have to pay only compensatory damages to Collette.
C) have a good defense because Collette did not first report the problem to
management.
D) have to revise its zero-tolerance sexual harassment policy.
A layoff is typically implemented by an organization when:
A) alternative methods for reducing labor costs are unavailable.
B) most employees have less than 15 years of experience.
C) the firm employs fewer than 100 workers.
D) outplacement services are successful.
Which of the following would not be measured by a job simulation?
A) Effective handling of irate customers
B) Technical applications of project management
C) Ability to work in a multi-ethnic environment
D) Sound judgment when faced with ethical dilemmas
Profit sharing differs from gainsharing in that profit sharing:
A) doesn’t reward productivity improvements.
B) accepts that people are extrinsically motivated.
C) often leads to decreases in productivity.
D) maintains individual equity.
Additional Case 11.1
The HR department at Sussex Enterprises has been asked to evaluate the effectiveness
of the firm’s team-based incentive plan. Managers at the firm report a decline in worker
performance, an increase in interpersonal conflicts, and an increase in complaints about
free riding team members. In addition, the manufacturing group has been accused of
producing more units than the marketing group can sell. HR at Sussex needs to
determine if the current incentive plan is appropriate or should be replaced.
Refer to Additional Case 11.1. Sussex executives have decided to change the firm’s
pay-for-performance plan to one that is plantwide. Which of the following
characteristics of Sussex, if true, best supports this decision?
A) Sussex is a midsize firm in a stable product market.
B) Sussex is a large, global firm in a cyclical product market.
C) Most employee contributions at Sussex can be clearly isolated.
D) Sussex managers want to encourage innovation within work groups.
Which of the following is specifically prohibited by the Taft-Hartley Act?
A) implementing a closed shop
B) discharging an employee involved in union organizing activities
C) coercing employees in their choice of a collective bargaining representative
D) refusing to bargain collectively with the employees’ designated union
Additional Case 9.2
Martin, the director of HR at Austin Designs, is meeting with the career development
team. The firm’s CEO has decided that the company needs to invest the time and effort
into improving the direction and development phases of the current career development
program; however, development funds are limited. The CEO and most of the executive
management team are self-made professionals who believe strongly in individual
responsibility. The organizational structure of Austin Designs is very flat. The company
has a wide variety of jobs but few levels of high responsibility. Feedback from
employees suggests that they don’t know when promotional opportunities are available.
Refer to Additional Case 9.2. Given the organizational realities, which developmental
tool would provide the best return for the lowest cost?
A) Assessment centers
B) Project rotation
C) Tuition assistance
D) Career resource center
A ________ is a detailed summary of a job’s tasks, duties, and responsibilities
associated with the work flows. It emphasizes efficiency and control.
A) work flow job description
B) specific job description
C) general job description
D) task-related job description
Which of the following is the LEAST likely result of using long-term income incentives
to reward CEOs?
A) Frequent CEO turnover
B) Soaring CEO pay increases
C) CEO options losing value when stock market falls
D) Unclear connection between CEO pay and firm performance
Skill-based pay plans pose some risks to the organization, such as:
A) increasing employees’ frustration when they hit the top of the pay structure.
B) being more subjective and arbitrary than job-based pay plans.
C) leading to bias against women and minorities.
D) not considering the nature of the business.
The number of complaints filed with the EEOC in recent years has:
A) declined sharply since 1990.
B) shifted towards reverse discrimination cases.
C) fluctuated with the state of the economy.
D) increased since 1990.
Profit-sharing plans are most attractive to employers and employees alike when the
firm:
A) employs mostly older workers who are near retirement age.
B) faces highly cyclical ups and downs in product demand.
C) is a small start-up in the high-tech field.
D) has high labor costs.
If labor supply exceeds labor demand, HR needs can best be met by:
A) succession planning.
B) recruiting externally.
C) reducing wages.
D) subcontracting.
Many employers are accused of using non-job-related criteria in hiring decisions. The
best management practice for an employer to use in refuting this type of allegation
would most likely be:
A) appropriately documenting the decision.
B) providing workers with EEOC training.
C) establishing a complaint resolution process.
D) being honest with job applicants.
During which phase of socialization will an individual most likely have unrealistic
expectations about the firm and the job?
A) Encounter
B) Anticipatory
C) Orientation
D) Settling-in
The law that requires the same pay for men and women who do the same job in the
same organization is called the ________.
The availability of workers with the required skills to meet the firm’s labor demand is
referred to as ________.
A program designed to improve employee communications by giving employees a
voice in policy formulation and making sure that they receive due process on any
complaints they lodge against managers is referred to as a(n) ________.
A particular HR policy or program that helps to advance a firm’s strategic goal is
referred to as a(n) ________.
What is ERISA? What is the difference between a defined benefits plan and a defined
contribution plan?
A(n) ________ is a procedure that allows employees to voice their reactions to
management practices and to challenge management decisions.
How does training differ from development? What are the three phases of the training
process? Briefly describe each phase.
How do rater errors and personal emotions affect the performance appraisal process?
How can firms manage the impact of both?
________ is a theory of behavior holding that people tend to do those things that are
rewarded.
What are some steps that employees can take to improve their chances for career
advancement? What organizational activities suggest that a firm has a culture that
supports career development and advancement?