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55. Acme Global prefers to concentrate decision-making at the top of the organizational
chart. This allows the company to focus on hiring good decision makers in only a few
jobs. This would indicate that Acme Global has a high degree of ______ in its structure.
A. centralization
B. vertical differentiation
C. horizontal differentiation
D. formalization
56. In organizational structure, ______ deals with the physical separation of different
parts of the organization.
A. horizontal differentiation
B. spatial differentiation
C. vertical differentiation
D. complexity
57. In organizational structure, ______ refers to the way in which the organization is
divided into different segments, both physically and within artificial boundaries such as
departments.
A. complexity
B. organizational culture
C. data analytics
D. formalization
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58. ______ is the degree to which jobs are standardized within an organization. This is
the degree to which the organization created policies, procedures, and rules that
“program” the jobs of the employees.
A. Organizational culture
B. Data analytics
C. Complexity
D. Formalization
59. ______ is the degree to which decision-making is concentrated within the
organization.
A. Data analytics
B. Formalization
C. Centralization
D. Complexity
60. ______ consists of the values, beliefs, and assumptions about appropriate behavior
that members of an organization share.
A. Organizational culture
B. Data analytics
C. Complexity
D. Formalization
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61. The five artifacts of ______ are heroes, stories, slogans, symbols, and ceremonies.
A. organizational structure
B. organizational culture
C. employee levels
D. mission and vision
62. The three levels of ______ include behavior, values and beliefs, and assumptions.
A. organizational culture
B. organizational structure
C. employees
D. mission and vision
63. In organizational culture, ______ includes the observable things that people do and
say or the actions employees take.
A. objectives
B. behavior
C. complexity
D. analytics
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64. In organizational culture, ______ represent the way people believe they ought to
behave, and beliefs represent “if, then” statements like “If I do X, then Y will happen.”
A. values
B. systems
C. investments
D. resources
65. In organizational culture, ______ are values and beliefs that are so deeply ingrained
that they are considered unquestionably true.
A. returns
B. assumptions
C. investments
D. scorecards
66. Executives at Acme Global display their awards and certificates prominently in their
offices. This demonstration of their achievements is part of the ______ level of culture.
A. behavior
B. values and beliefs
C. assumptions
D. formal
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67. Executives at Acme Global give awards to high performing employees. The
executives believe that if they recognize the performance of a few employees it will
inspire all employees to work hard. This type of decision-making is part of the ______
level of culture.
A. behavior
B. values and beliefs
C. assumptions
D. objective
68. Holly had an idea for improving the process of recording invoices. When she told
her boss about her idea, he told her it was a good idea but the department would stick
with the old system. When she asked why they could not change to the new system, her
boss would only say, “We have always done it this way and it makes sense to us.” This
is an example of the ______ level of culture.
A. behavior
B. values and beliefs
C. assumptions
D. objective
69. Because organizational culture is based at least partly on assumptions, values, and
beliefs, it is a very powerful force in ______ how people act within its boundaries.
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A. analyzing
B. valuing
C. controlling
D. balancing
70. ______ is one of the mechanisms now used to both monitor and—at least partially—
control organizational environments.
A. Vision
B. Mission
C. Scorecard
D. Social media
71. ______ is the process of accessing large amounts of data to analyze those data and
gain insight into significant trends or patterns within organizations or industries.
A. Complexity
B. Organizational culture
C. Formalization
D. Data analytics
72. ______ involves the collection of extremely large data sets on which it has only
recently become possible to perform data analytics.
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A. Big data
B. Workforce Science
C. Technologies
D. Data analytics
73. Human resource managers must become comfortable with collecting and analyzing
______ to drive results.
A. workforce science
B. big data
C. data analytics
D. technologies
74. ______ is the convergence of human resource management and big data.
A. Technologies
B. Data analytics
C. Economic analysis
D. Workforce science
75. ______ are interacting database systems that deliver HR information and allow
human resource managers to automate some human resource management functions.
A. Return on Investments
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B. Human resource management systems
C. HR scorecards
D. Economic value added
76. As human resource director, Emmy is entering employee skills and performance
appraisal data into a computer. The data will be used in the strategic planning process
to determine training needs. Emmy is using a ______.
A. human resource management system
B. organizational chart
C. balanced scorecard
D. social media
77. ______ is a measure of profits that remain after the cost of capital has been
deducted from operating profits.
A. Human resource management systems
B. Return on investment
C. Economic value added
D. HR scorecard
78. ______ is a measure of the financial return the organization receives because of
something it did to invest in the organization or its people.
A. Economic value added
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B. Human resource management systems
C. Return on investment
D. HR scorecard
79. Rebecca is examining a measure of the financial return the human resources
department received for its investment in a new performance appraisal system. The
new system cost $3,500 and saved more than $5,000 in payroll expenses. Rebecca is
examining the ______.
A. economic value added
B. return on investment
C. gain from investment
D. balanced scorecard
80. ______ measures financial, customer service, internal process, and learning and
growth (or sustainability) measures.
A. Balanced scorecard
B. Economic value added
C. HR scorecard
D. Human resource management systems
81. ______ identifies HR deliverables and HR system alignment, compares HR
alignment with strategy, and measures organizational gains created by HR practices.
A. Human resource management systems
B. Return on investment
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C. Economic value added
D. HR scorecard
82. The four dimensions of the ______ are identifying HR deliverables, identifying HR
system alignment through the use of a high-performance work system (HPWS), aligning
the system with company strategy, and identifying HR efficiency measures.
A. economic record
B. balanced scorecard
C. HR scorecard
D. business record
83. Javier is making a list of all the functions his human resource management
department provides. The list includes many services to the organization such as
recruitment, selection, training, and performance appraisals. Javier is working on the
______ step of the HR Scorecard.
A. identifying HR deliverables
B. identifying HR system alignment
C. aligning the system with company strategy
D. identifying HR efficiency measures
True/False
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1. An organization’s strategy is a plan of action designed to achieve a particular set of
objectives.
2. An organization’s vision is a statement laying out expectations of what the
organization is going to do in order to become the organization that it has envisioned.
3. An organization following a cost leadership strategy will be most interested in
minimizing all internal costs, including employee costs.
4. An organization following a differentiation strategy will be more concerned with
employees who are flexible and adaptable, who have the ability to innovate and create
new processes, and who can work in uncertain environments within cross-functional
teams.
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5. The mission statement refers to the way in which an organization groups its
resources to accomplish the organization’s mission.
6. In organizational structure, formalization is the degree to which three types of
differentiation exist within the organization.
7. Organizational culture consists of behavior, values and beliefs, and assumptions.
8. Data analytics is the process of accessing large amounts of data to analyze those
data and gain insight into significant trends or patterns within organizations or
industries.
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9. Human resource management systems are interacting database systems that allow
human resource managers to automate some human resource management functions
and deliver human resource information.
10. An HR scorecard is a measure of the financial return the organization receives
because of something it did to invest in the organization or its people.
Essay
1. Describe the nine major components of the external environment, the series of
influences that originate outside the organization and that the company cannot control.
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2. Describe the difference between a vision and a mission. How do these two
statements help an organization design a strategy and focus its resources?
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3. Describe the three types of generic strategy that can be used by an organization.
4. Describe two methods for analyzing an organization’s strategy.
5. Identify and describe the three fundamental components of organizational structure
and explain why it is important to understand each component.
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6. What is organizational culture and how does it affect the members of the
organization?
7. How can data analytics and other HR technologies have an impact on organizational
success?
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8. What are human resource management systems and how they can help human
resource managers make decisions?
9. Describe the four common measurement tools for strategic human resource
management.
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10. What is the role of culture, technology, and globalization in human resource
management?