Chapter 8—Training and Developing a Competitive Workforce
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. In the chapter opening vignette “Managing Human Resources at Ritz–Carlton Company”, the company
turns its employees into a workforce of stellar, award-winning service providers by:
a.
hiring only people with prior hospitality experience
b.
creating a team of employees who all share the same vision and goals
c.
training them to do many different jobs
d.
foregoing orientation and in-house training
e.
All of the above are correct.
2. United States corporations spend more than _________ billion annually on formal employee training
and development programs.
a.
25
b.
55
c.
65
d.
105
e.
135
3. Firms help their customers train their workforces because:
a.
it meets customer needs for specialized training
b.
it ensures all capabilities of the firm’s specialized systems are fully realized by the
customer
c.
it can be a source of extra revenue for the firm
d.
it can extend the value of in-house training to customers
e.
All of the above are reasons.
4. In the Managing Ethics feature “J.M. Smucker & Co.”, the company does all of following EXCEPT:
a.
relies on an integrated HRM system to ensure ethical conduct
b.
asks specifically about an applicant’s ethical conduct during reference checks
c.
outsources its ethical training to avoid insularity and inbreeding of values
d.
actually has employees sign a nine-page ethics contract
e.
All of the above are actions the firm takes
5. Following M&As, training that focuses on helping employees understand the ____________ is
probably the most common.
a.
new social order
b.
risks of outsourcing
c.
new culture
d.
personnel doctrine
e.
homogenized structure
6. _____ has the major objective of teaching employees about the organization’s history, culture, and
management practices.
a.
Socialization
b.
Training
c.
Organizational instruction
d.
Personnel indoctrination
e.
Bridging
7. What is the difference between training and development?
a.
Training is more long term and development is more short term
b.
Development is more closely tied to selection than training
c.
The lower the entry skill levels, the less development you will need
d.
Training usually addresses current needs while development addresses future needs
e.
They really are one and the same
8. Which of the following statements about training and development is true?
a.
Active participation by all stakeholders is not required.
b.
To be a success, training and development have to begin at the bottom-level of the
organization with or without top management support.
c.
The support of top management is all that is needed to guarantee a successful training and
development program.
d.
All employees should be actively involved in designing and delivering training systems.
e.
None of the above statements about training and development is true.
9. When the objective of training is to improve job performance, that training:
a.
should require active participation by all stakeholders
b.
should be designed using job analysis information about what is required to do the work
c.
should be aligned with the selection criteria used when hiring people into higher-level
positions
d.
requirements should be linked to diversity and cultural evaluations
e.
must be focused on past performance factors
10. Recent Supreme Court rulings have established that an employer may not be held liable for
discriminatory behavior by its employees if it can show that (a) it acted reasonably to prevent the
behavior, and (b) the victim acted unreasonably by not using the company’s available procedures for
preventing harm. Which of the following principles will not help a firm meet court guidelines?
a.
Require non-discrimination training as a condition of employment
b.
Keep records of all training, and have employees sign a document that they completed the
training
c.
Inform employees of their rights, duties and responsibilities regarding non discriminatory
behavior.
d.
Give supervisors additional training covering their added responsibilities
e.
All of these will help a firm comply.
11. Employment commitment:
a.
cannot be created, but must be allowed to develop over time
b.
can be created by intensive socialization and training
c.
is never permanent
d.
lasts only as long as the employee gets to perform in a way that is comfortable for him or
her
e.
is desirable but not achievable
12. Short-term effects of the effectiveness of training and development include all of the following
EXCEPT:
a.
changes in attitudes and feelings of line managers and their employees
b.
changes in organizational culture
c.
changes in work behaviors
d.
HR Professionals seen as contributing to strategic business issues
e.
a and c
13. Line managers can contribute most significantly to employee training and development by _____.
a.
acting as trainers, coaches and mentors
b.
conducting training audits
c.
designing training techniques
d.
administering the training process
e.
exploring new training technology
14. What role do an organization’s employees play in training and development?
a.
The effectiveness of training and development requires the support and cooperation of all
employees in the system.
b.
All employees are typically involved in designing training systems.
c.
Employees should not view training and development activities as opportunities for
socialization.
d.
Research indicates that employees who have not selected a career path are more likely to
participate in training and development opportunities.
e.
Only top management should be actively involved in designing and developing training
programs.
15. All of the following are primary components of a needs analysis EXCEPT:
a.
Culture
b.
Demographics
c.
Job
d.
Organization
e.
Person
16. Training may be offered to:
a.
a company shipping clerk to improve her computer skills
b.
a new employee who needs to learn how to personalize his sales presentation
c.
a line worker who will be assuming a supervisory role
d.
a telemarketing operator who has been transferred to the production department
e.
all of the above
17. Research shows that a supportive training climate at an organization enhances transfer of training.
Which of the following is an indicator of a supportive climate?
a.
Training is held off site after hours
b.
Employees compete for training opportunities
c.
No overtime on training nights for the employees enrolled
d.
The incentives are “If you don’t, it will look bad on your record.”
e.
Employees encourage each other to practice newly learned skills
18. Without a(n) _____, an organization has not assurance that the right training will be provided to the
right trainee.
a.
human resource analysis
b.
organizational appraisal
c.
social audit
d.
needs assessment
e.
training control system
19. A properly executed organizational needs analysis:
a.
results in a clear statement of training goals
b.
includes an assessment of the organizational climate
c.
identifies available resources and constraints
d.
helps the firm avoid offering training that is just the latest fad
e.
is accurately described by all of the above
20. A job-needs analysis:
a.
examines the ethics of each employee in the organization
b.
uses information gathered from job analysis and competency modeling
c.
includes an assessment of how each employee adds to the organizational culture
d.
should be performed after a person-needs analysis
e.
is accurately described by all of the above
21. A person-needs analysis:
a.
is performed before a job-needs analysis
b.
focuses on the generic job incumbent, not the current employee
c.
identifies gaps between a person’s current capabilities and those identified as necessary for
a particular job
d.
is derived from job analysis and competency modeling
e.
is accurately described by all of the above
22. Which of the following statements about self-assessed training needs is true?
a.
Employee self-assessment of training can occur through use of surveys.
b.
Self-assessment assumes that employees are aware of their weaknesses and performance
deficiencies.
c.
Self-assessed training needs is growing in popularity.
d.
Self-assessment includes self-nomination for training opportunities.
e.
All of the above statements about self-assessed training needs are true.
23. A manufacturing company in Georgia might conduct a _____ to determine the training needs of its
recently-immigrated Guatemalan employees.
a.
person-needs analysis
b.
job evaluation
c.
organizational culture analysis
d.
demographic-needs analysis
e.
organizational assessment
24. Judy has just begun as a volunteer in the local library. Her first task is to shelve books in the
non-fiction section. First, the head librarian, Colette, shows her the how the numbering sequences
work in the Dewey Decimal System. Then, Judy is sent with 10 books to shelve from all over the
non-fiction section. Colette watches silently as Judy shelves each book, then she discusses with Judy
any mistakes she has made. Which component identified by PDI is Judy undergoing in this shelving
process?
a.
Insight
b.
Motivation
c.
New Skills and Knowledge
d.
Real-World Practice
e.
Accountability
25. Five components are necessary to ensure that you are setting up the proper conditions for effective
training. Which of the following is NOT one of the five?
a.
Employees need to know what it is they are to learn
b.
Employees need to be motivated to put in the required effort
c.
Employees must be shown how to acquire the needed competencies
d.
Employees need to feel personally accountable for what they have learned
e.
Employees need to become engaged in learning for learning’s own sake.
26. Who would be most likely to provide the initial organizational orientation to a new sales employee in a
large insurance company?
a.
the insurance salespeople’s sales manager
b.
an outstanding insurance salesperson
c.
a member of the company’s human resources department
d.
the new employee with the aid of self-paced instructional materials
e.
all of the above
27. In many organizations, on-the-job training is the only form of training offered. In these circumstances,
_____ almost always are the providers of whatever training employees receive.
a.
supervisors
b.
coworkers
c.
internal subject matter experts
d.
employees
e.
all of the above
28. Which of the following types of information is NOT typically shared during an employee orientation
program?
a.
what to do when the fire alarm sounds
b.
the length of coffee breaks
c.
the history of the organization
d.
the firm’s proposed merger
e.
the organizational structure of the company
29. Lena was excited that her new employer had a large group of Mexican employees. She liked having
the opportunity to use her Spanish language skills. Her ability to read and write fluent Spanish is an
example of:
a.
cognitive knowledge
b.
an affective outcome
c.
a skills-based outcome
d.
her cognitive inventory
e.
fundamental knowledge
30. Which of the following questions about Six Sigma is incorrect?
a.
It is grounded in systematic measurement and statistical analysis
b.
It was invented at GE in the 1980’s
c.
It requires that employees use several specific problem-solving skills
d.
When a company decides to adopt Six Sigma, senior leaders typically go through the
training first
e.
The compensation system may be revised to align with the new Six Sigma goals
31. During the recent management workshop Martin attended, he practiced learning how to talk to his
co-workers, how to listen to what they are saying, and how to read their nonverbal communication.
This workshop was designed to produce:
a.
an affective outcome
b.
improved interpersonal skills
c.
cognitive knowledge
d.
a more versatile skills inventory
e.
more intelligent employees
32. Emotional intelligence involves recognizing and regulating emotions in ourselves and in others, and it
includes:
a.
self-awareness
b.
self-management
c.
social awareness
d.
relationship management
e.
all of the above
33. During a recent day-long training session, Ashley and a group of co-workers were asked to solve
several puzzles that required the group to work closely together. As they finished each puzzle, the
group’s sense of camaraderie increased. The members started the session as acquaintances and ended
as friends. From this information, you would know this training session was designed to produce:
a.
an affective outcome
b.
a skill-based outcome
c.
cognitive knowledge
d.
a more versatile skills inventory
e.
more intelligent employees
34. In the feature Managing Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility: Pulp Fiction, Weyerhaeuser:
a.
places top priority on developing ethical leaders
b.
offers leadership assessments and training through its corporate university
c.
includes ethics as a key element of its formal leadership training program
d.
uses top executives as teachers in its leadership training program
e.
all of the above
35. Training and development activities referred to as e-learning include all of the following EXCEPT:
a.
web-based learning
b.
interactive television
c.
virtual classrooms
d.
computerized learning modules
e.
on-the-job training
36. According to the textbook, _____ can be more effective than traditional classroom training methods
for teaching basic knowledge
a.
six sigma-based training
b.
on-the-job
c.
mentoring
d.
web-based instruction
e.
self-teaching
37. To learn how to checkout groceries at a supermarket, the newly hired Celeste watched carefully as the
15-year veteran grocery checker weighed potatoes, double-bagged gallon jugs of milk, and handled
payments. The supermarket was using _____ to teach Celeste how to perform the duties of grocery
checker.
a.
job rotation
b.
off-site training
c.
virtual training
d.
programmed instruction
e.
on-the-job training
38. For which of the following jobs would you expect to find an apprenticeship program being used as the
primary training tool?
a.
electrician
b.
advertising copywriter
c.
human resources manager
d.
librarian
e.
radio announcer
39. When setting up a training system,
a.
coaching is best used when employees from several different functional areas need
training
b.
on-the-job training is best when trainees can learn by observing experienced employees
and by working with the actual materials, personnel, or machinery (or all three) that
constitute the job.
c.
programmed instruction is best used when a there are only a few new employees that need
training
d.
it is important to always use hierarchical sequencing in scheduling training
e.
simultaneous training of a large group is best done with on-the-job training
40. Which of the following is a type of on-the-job training?
a.
assessment centers
b.
role playing
c.
interactive video training
d.
internships
e.
programmed instruction
41. Lee wants to be a market researcher. In order to learn more about the job, he has accepted an
internship for next semester at a marketing research firm. Which of the following statements describes
why the firm would be willing to use the internship program as one of its training activities?
a.
Interns earn less than fully-trained employees.
b.
Internship programs provide vicarious learning.
c.
Internship programs expose potential employees to the real jobs they would perform is
hired.
d.
Internship programs are informal.
e.
All of the above describe reasons why the marketing research firm uses internship
programs as part of its training activities.
42. As a traffic officer, Mike deals with wrecks and traffic gridlocks during each working day. Next month
he will go to work with the police department’s canine unit for six weeks. This way he can become
familiar with the dogs and what the unit does. He will learn how to give the dogs commands, and
specific ways the dogs are used to fight crime. After his six weeks at this job, he will return to the
traffic unit. What type of training program is Mike’s police department using?
a.
programmed instruction
b.
role playing
c.
simulation
d.
mentoring
e.
job rotation
43. The most informal training and development program is:
a.
job rotation
b.
supervisory assistance and mentoring
c.
programmed instruction
d.
sensitivity training
e.
role playing
44. For which of the following is an organization most likely to choose coaching as the most suitable
training program?
a.
to train a new employee in how to use the phone system
b.
to teach a line worker how to operate the painting machine
c.
to teach a CEO how to improve her communication skills
d.
to improve a new employee‘s reading and writing skills
e.
to teach a staff member how to use a new piece of safety equipment
45. Offsite training:
a.
is inappropriate when the employees are expected to master complex competencies
b.
is usually more appropriate to conduct when the consequence of error is high.
c.
creates learning that is easily transferred back to the job
d.
is inappropriate when the employer wants affective outcomes
e.
is accurately described by all of the above
46. An off-site training program would be most likely used when:
a.
teaching police recruits how to make a felony arrest
b.
training an employee to use a floor polisher
c.
teaching a new telemarketer how to close the sale
d.
training a newly hired Kmart stock clerk
e.
teaching an office manager how to enter data in a new computerized database management
system
47. Which of the following learning formats present situations that approximate actual job conditions and
allow trainees to practice how to behave in those situations?
a.
video teleconference
b.
e-learning
c.
sensitivity training
d.
simulation
e.
wilderness trips
48. Which of the following statements about offsite training is true?
a.
Simulation exercises are useful for developing human relation skills.
b.
Role-playing exercises are useful for developing conceptual or technical skills.
c.
Assessment center training transfers to the workplace without intervention by the trainers.
d.
The lecture method does not easily permit individualized training.
e.
Role-playing places no responsibility on the trainee for the success of the exercise.
49. In the feature Managing Globalization: Training in Russia, Troika Dialogue uses blended learning that
includes which of the following methods in developing its employees:
a.
simulation exercises
b.
role-playing exercises
c.
time management
d.
lectures
e.
mentors
50. To set the stage for learning, a trainer or manager needs to:
a.
consider the beliefs of trainees regarding their personal task-specific competencies
b.
provide clear instructions
c.
consider how the information will be presented
d.
provide a visual demonstration for the trainee of the desired behavior
e.
do all of the above
51. Even though the instructions for mixing paint colors were quite clear, the supervisor training the new
hardware store clerk had the clerk watch a demonstration of the mixing of a can of paint and then had
the clerk mix a can on her own. The supervisor then critiqued the clerk’s performance. The trainer
used _____ to set the stage for learning.
a.
shaping
b.
enactive mastery
c.
knowledge management
d.
behavioral modeling
e.
task segmentation
52. A supervisor is trying to make his new assistant manager Roger more assertive in dealing with his
co-workers. For the first couple of weeks, every time Roger issued an order or made a decision based
on what is good for the company rather than in accordance with the wishes of the co-worker making
the request, Roger’s supervisor congratulated him. With such positive reinforcement, Roger has begun
to assume a more managerial role. This is an example of:
a.
shaping
b.
enactive mastery
c.
knowledge management
d.
behavior modeling
e.
task segmentation
53. Kelly’s a new job as data entry clerk entails entering 83 different pieces of information into a
computerized form. During her first week, she was expected to complete each form in 30 minutes with
no more than two errors. During her second week, Kelly was to reduce her entry time to 20 minutes
with no more than one error. During her third week, she was expected to cut her time to 15 minutes
with no errors. By the fourth week, Kelly was supposed to be able to complete the data entry on one
form in 10 minutes without any errors. To facilitate the mastery of this data entry task, Kelly’s
supervisor used:
a.
task segmentation
b.
proximal goals
c.
shaping
d.
behavior modeling
e.
distal goals
54. Jared is an engineer on a self-managing work team. Although an expert in his technical area, Jared is
very nervous about public speaking. The team process requires each member to give presentations on
their projects every week. Jared tends to make a shambles of his presentations. Finally, Jared’s boss
sent him for training in public speaking. At Jared’s first presentation after his training, his boss sat in
the back of the room, nodding and smiling, and giving Jared a thumbs-up sign when Jared finished.
Jared’s boss was using:
a.
positive reinforcement
b.
transfer of training
c.
specific goals
d.
motivation
e.
practical encouragement
55. As an HR manager for a large national bookstore chain, you have received complaints from some of
the employees in your flagship store, which has 27 staff members. Apparently, several lesbian and gay
employees brought their significant others to the staff family picnic. This triggered arguments,
animosities and inappropriate behaviors at the store, despite the store manager’s best efforts. You
decide to use cultural awareness training. Which of the following statements is true?
a.
Cultural awareness training is inappropriate because gender issues are not cultural issues.
b.
The store manager should conduct sexual harassment and diversity training.
c.
A consultant should be brought in to do team building instead.
d.
Cultural awareness training alone is probably not going to solve the problem.
e.
None of the above is true.
56. Positive characteristics of global leaders in all cultures include:
a.
integrity
b.
vision
c.
inspirational
d.
team builder
e.
all of the above
TRUE/FALSE
1. Knowledge management is about making sure that knowledge from employees, teams, and units in an
organization is captured, remembered, stored, and shared with others.
2. To help ensure that a company’s knowledge management technology is fully integrated with other
learning activities, many learning organizations have created a position titled Chief Integration Officer.
3. Together, job analysis and competency modeling establish the tasks performed in a job and the
competencies required for effective job performance.
4. Intense socialization tends to increase employee’s commitment to the company.
5. Disney begins the socialization process during recruitment as a way to discourage applicants who may
not fit the corporate culture.
6. Employers usually evaluate the effectiveness of their training and development efforts by assessing
only short-term effects.
7. When it comes to evaluating the effectiveness of their training and development efforts, employers are
usually able to assess only long-term effects of their efforts.
8. As an organization begins to embrace a philosophy of continuous learning and improvement, more
active participation in the design and delivery of the organization’s training system by all stakeholders
is seen as both undesirable and unnecessary.
9. The organizational needs analysis should translate the organization’s objectives into a clear statement
of goals for training and development.
10. Person-needs analysis are always narrow in scope because they focus on the individual employee.
11. Attitude surveys are used to determine employees’ own assessment of what they feel are their personal
deficiencies.
12. A demographic needs analysis can be used to assess whether all employees are given equal access to
growth experiences and developmental challenges, which are known to be useful on-the-job methods
for promoting skill development.
SHORT ANSWER
1. How do the processes of training and development differ?
2. What is the first phase in the training program model?
3. What kind of knowledge is built by orientation programs?
4. What kind of knowledge is acquired by an employee who repeatedly practices repairing copy
machines?
5. List the three types of locations for training activities.
6. What kind of training is most appropriate for CEOs and other high-level executives?
7. What should a trainer do to set the stage for an employee training activity?
8. What are proximal goals?
ESSAY
1. How can training and development activities be used as a means for employers to address employees’
needs?
2. How are employee and customer surveys used to identify training needs?
3. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages associated with using coworkers as trainers.
4. When would an organization be most likely to use on-site but not on-the-job training programs?
5. Langley will be training to be a pastry chef. The process will be difficult because it is so complex.
Pastry requires just the right amount of handling to be perfect. Fillings can have a multitude of
ingredients. And presentation is very important. Briefly describe the training techniques can be used to
facilitate enactive mastery of these tasks.