Instructor Resource
Kavanagh and Johnson, Human Resource Information Systems: Basics, Applications, and Future Directions, 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
Chapter 3: Systems Considerations in the Design of an HRIS:
Planning for Implementations
Test Bank
Multiple Choice
1. Careful planning, a dedicated team, top-management support, and an awareness of
potential pitfalls will all help ensure ______.
a. system implementation success
b. HRIS programs that are user friendly
c. the steering committee is able to reach consensus
d. the program manager is efficient
2. HRIS users are ______.
a. employees only
b. nonemployees only
c. employees and nonemployees
d. none of these
3. The ______ is perhaps the most demanding user of the HRIS.
a. clerical employee
b. manager
c. technical expert
d. analyst or power user
4. Although the ______ architecture is more complicated, the complexity is hidden from
the user.
a. N-tier
b. first-tier
c. third-tier
d. second-tier
5. A user-friendly and easy to navigate website that clearly communicates the benefits
of being a member of the organization will be particularly useful for ______.
a. power users
b. technical experts
c. strategic partners
d. job seekers
6. Two of the different data categories for an HRIS database are
a. information about people and information about the organization
b. information about people and information about the competitive environment
c. information about the organization and information about the competitive environment
d. information about people and information about market trends
7. An important feature of “cloud” architecture is that cloud computing
Instructor Resource
Kavanagh and Johnson, Human Resource Information Systems: Basics, Applications, and Future Directions, 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
a. delivers functionality over the Internet, anytime, any place
b. requires no software installation by an organization
c. places the responsibility for upgrades on the delivering vendor
d. all of these
8. A good method to determine whether to customize your software’s architect or stay
with the vanilla software version is to complete a ______.
a. competitive analysis
b. cost–benefit analysis
c. needs assessment
d. version assessment
9. To facilitate decision making on complex issues, the manager usually relies on the
______ to complete some type of analysis before making a decision.
a. systems analyst
b. statistical software
c. program evaluator
d. analyst or power user
10. Many HRIS products provide real-time reporting and even screen-based historical
information about the employees and/or the functional unit that can provide the ______
with the information he or she needs to make important business decisions.
a. clerical employee
b. manager
Instructor Resource
Kavanagh and Johnson, Human Resource Information Systems: Basics, Applications, and Future Directions, 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
c. external consultant
d. analyst/power user
11. The ______ must take what the technical staff provides and interpret that into
language HR users understand so as to indicate how processes and activities might
change.
a. manager
b. HRIS expert
c. external consultant
d. analyst or power user
True/False
1. Successful implementation is the central goal of every HRIS project, and it begins
with a comprehensive design for the system.
2. The implementation process does not provide opportunities to reengineer and
systematically improve nonsoftware processes to reflect best practices in HRM.
3. The analyst is referred to as a power user because this person accesses more areas
of the HRIS than almost any other user.
4. HRIS experts ensure that appropriate HR staff have all the access, information, and
tools necessary to do their jobs.
5. The HRIS expert must understand the process required to enter information into the
HRIS and may also need to start the process or generate periodic reports.
6. Security within an HRIS is only of concern at the column and row levels.
7. BOB solutions reduce the complexity of the software architecture.
8. Proper planning can guarantee successful system implementation.
9. The technical expert is perhaps the most demanding user of the HRIS.
10. Employees may interface with the HRIS through a Web portal.
11. The HRIS expert must take what the technical staff provides and interpret that into
language HR users understand so as to indicate how processes and activities might
change.
12. Cloud computing refers to “hosting” and is a new, very cost effective architecture
that is changing the overall delivery and utilization of HRIS.
Instructor Resource
Kavanagh and Johnson, Human Resource Information Systems: Basics, Applications, and Future Directions, 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
Essay
1. In what ways would you expect a manager to use a HRIS system?
2. Discuss what is meant by cloud computing.
3. Discuss the pros and cons of BOB solutions.
4. When might best of breed not be “best”?
5. A colleague of yours just told you she or he will be the project manager on the
implementation of the organization’s HRIS. What three pieces would you tell him or her
that will be critical to the successful implementation. Please be sure to provide the
rationale you would give him or her on why these three pieces are critical.