A firm has poor employee relations because of its highly charged, fast-paced work
environment. The CEO wants to get people working together and thinking creatively as
they prepare for the new year. Which of the following would be the CEO’s best choice?
A) Regular, informal meetings in the company cafeteria
B) Formal, off-site meeting of department managers
C) Weekend retreat to a beach resort
D) Multimedia-based meeting
The speak-up program at CIGNA is an open door policy that:
A) requires employees to begin with their supervisors.
B) provides access through HR to upper management.
C) uses e-mail for anonymous management feedback.
D) lets workers jump directly to upper management.
Unions are formed to represent employees’ interests to:
A) employment agencies.
B) federal courts.
C) management.
D) OSHA.
Additional Case 8.1
A manager wants you to develop training that will improve employee performance. You
begin by asking the manager and his boss some questions. You find that employees are
given specific assignments but may be pulled off one task and put on a higher priority
one with little warning. You ask the manager what the problem seems to be. He says
people aren’t getting their work done. He wants more productivity with fewer errors, but
he can’t explain any more thoroughly than that. You talk with employees and discover
that they receive their work assignments for the day at the beginning of the shift. Then,
the boss makes special requests during the day, and the employees are reassigned from
their current project to take care of those requests. This tends to slow everyone else
down.
Refer to Additional Case 8.1. Your investigation of the employees’ performance
revealed that:
A) training will probably not solve the firm’s problems.
B) training would be a good investment for the firm.
C) employee training goals are clear and realistic.
D) VR is the best training method to use.
Additional Case 12.2
Tri-State Shipping employs 45 workers. They ship commodities across the country.
Until recently, they had only legally required benefits, but business has become very
profitable and they can now offer their employees more benefits.
The average age of their employees is 50. Most employees have been there for more
than 20 years, and the company prides itself on keeping workers. The majority of the
jobs require heavy lifting or the operation of heavy equipment for loading and
unloading trucks, trains, etc. Their workers’ compensation tax has been running about
5% per year. They are in one of the lowest workers’ compensation tax rate states, but
TSS has had a lot of injuries. The lifting required and type of equipment used tends to
result in a lot of sprained backs, mashed fingers, or bruised muscles. When workers are
injured, they tend to heal quickly and return to work quickly.
Despite its reputation for keeping workers, the dock supervisor recently fired a 21-year
old employee who had been with TSS for 12 months. Even though everyone liked him,
the young man just couldn’t learn his job.
Refer to Additional Case 12.2. The young man who was fired is most likely:
A) eligible for workers’ compensation.
B) not eligible for unemployment insurance benefits.
C) not covered by ERISA because of his age.
D) eligible for unemployment insurance benefits.
Which of the following is a disadvantage of plantwide incentive programs?
A) Increased team competition
B) Complex formulas for determining bonuses
C) Protection of low performers
D) Disbelief that pay and performance are linked
ACE Computers wants to cut training costs but maintain training effectiveness. All of
the following would most likely achieve this goal EXCEPT:
A) pairing employees with management mentors for on-the-job training.
B) hiring independent training consultants for short-term programs.
C) implementing online employee training programs.
D) targeting training programs on specific needs.
Molly heads a large company that has just experienced a major brain drain. She
immediately increases compensation to new employees and gives each employee with
over 10 years experience an extra 3 days of paid vacation per year. This is an example
of:
A) strategic HR planning.
B) proactive HR strategy.
C) reactive HR strategy.
D) downsizing.
All of the following are key elements of organizational culture EXCEPT:
A) working norms.
B) language usage.
C) dominant values.
D) available technology.
You are part of a team selecting employees at Helping Hands, Inc. All applicants will
take a cognitive test and participate in a structured interview. The selection process
would most likely be more efficient if the team:
A) oriented the applicants with potential co-workers.
B) established a cut score for the cognitive test.
C) expanded the structured interview.
D) recruited nontraditional laborers.
An accounting firm plans to open 3 new branches. The firm currently has 4 branches
with 4 accountants each. Each new branch will also need 4 accountants. The firm
experiences a yearly 30% turnover among accountants. The firm’s projected need for
accountants will be: (Round your answer up to the next full position.)
A) 17.
B) 20.
C) 25.
D) 30.
Which personality trait is most related to job performance?
A) Conscientiousness
B) Emotional stability
C) Agreeableness
D) Extroversion
Kevin’s new employer informs him that he will be allowed a flexible benefits program
for the duration of his employment at Comfortable Furniture. This means that Kevin
will most likely be able to:
A) receive paid time off after six months with the firm.
B) select the benefits he wants most from a menu of options.
C) receive more direct compensation by forfeiting employee benefits.
D) reduce his coinsurance payments by selecting a managed care plan.
Additional Case 4.2
MGN, Inc. is a Fortune 500 company that wants to manage its diverse workforce more
effectively. HR is facilitating meetings among middle managers to communicate this
idea and to gather input from the managers about the best way to accomplish this goal.
Mercedes, a Latina manager, suggests that the company does not need to do more than
what is already being done. She cites the company’s previous affirmative action plan.
“Also,” she argues, “we’ve given African-Americans and Asian-Americans more than
enough opportunity. I tried to promote a Latino to supervisor position, and you guys
(HR dept.) told me I really needed to give Kym, an African-American, the opportunity.”
Paul, a white supervisor, feels that management is management. Managing diversity is
just a gimmick or a passing fad. “I’ve been a supervisor for 20 years, and I’ve found that
if I treat people fairly and listen to them, things work out just fine.”
Ana, a relatively new middle-manager, is a bit more positive about the idea but has
significant reservations. She feels, however, that the company really needs to give
women and minorities access to the “old boys’ network.” If all the company does is
conduct training and devise slogans, nothing will happen.
Finally, Rahkim, an African-American supervisor, says he doesn’t care what they do.
He’s giving notice because he’s joining some other African-Americans in starting their
own company. He’s been a supervisor for five years and has been passed over for
promotion twice. He feels that he has experienced discrimination because he’s
African-American.
Refer to Additional Case 4.2. Which manager would most likely agree with the
universal concept of management?
A) Mercedes
B) Paul
C) Ana
D) Rahkim
The Americans with Disabilities Act applies to any employer with at least ________
employees.
A) 10
B) 15
C) 25
D) 50
The federal agency responsible for monitoring and enforcing the laws and executive
orders that apply to the federal government and its contractors is referred to as the
________.
A federal law designed to protect employees’ rights to form and join unions and to
engage in such activities as strikes, picketing, and collective bargaining is the
________.
What is comparable worth? What role does job evaluation play in arguments for and
against comparable worth?
The ________ guarantees the privacy of personnel files for employees of the U.S.
Federal government.
A periodic review of the effectiveness with which a company uses its human resources
is called a(n) ________.
________ is discrimination that occurs when individuals are treated differently because
of their membership in a protected class.
What are the reasons for safety and health laws? How have workers’ compensation laws
and OSHA affected worker safety?