MAN 109 | Course Paper

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The variability of quality and content of OJT between businesses:

A) is beneficial because of the increased diversity of abilities.

B) makes it difficult for managers to judge the skill level of workers from other firms.

C) makes OJT undesirable for small businesses that lack large HR departments.

D) makes OJT the best choice for most organizations because of the lack of distractions.

Hastings is the manager of an insulation manufacturing company. In order to determine

the measures he will need to take in order to provide his employees with a safe working

environment, he should most likely consult the:

A) Department of Labor.

B) National Labor Relations Board.

C) Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

D) Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

All of the following are advantages of performance testing EXCEPT:

A) low costs.

B) reliable results.

C) government sponsored.

D) less invasive on employee privacy.

The most significant court test of discrimination in performance appraisal was:

A) Griggs vs. Duke Power.

B) Brito vs. Zia.

C) Segar vs. Civiletti.

D) Hawthorne vs. United Airlines.

In a union-management negotiation, labor wants seats on the company’s board.

Negotiations come to a halt and the contract cannot be finalized because of this point;

the union wants it and management won’t grant it. This negotiation is:

A) at an impasse because of an unfair management practice.

B) at an impasse because of an unfair labor practice on the part of the union.

C) in a temporary slowdown due to management not negotiating in good faith.

D) in a contractual breakdown and will result in an economic strike.

Additional Case 2.1

Benson Manufacturing is a young, small firm that makes computer components and

peripherals for assemblers like Dell and Gateway. Benson’s market share is highly

volatile based on the entrance and exit of competitors into the market. Benson buys raw

materials from several suppliers who also supply competitors. The firm has two layers

of management between the CEO and the component maker on the line.

The firm’s CEO read a book about innovation and organizational change and now wants

to look at what HR should do about reorganizing and changing staffing practices. The

CEO wants to reduce costs in order to increase profit margins because he believes that

margins will continue to shrink.

While productivity and quality are largely functions of the machines used in the

process, the CEO still wants to focus on motivating Benson employees. He wants to

motivate them by increasing wages through a bonus program, improving working

conditions, and providing job security.

Refer to Additional Case 2.1. Which type of organizational structure would be most

appropriate for Benson?

A) Bureaucratic structure

B) Boundaryless structure

C) Flat organizational structure

D) Pyramid organizational structure

Elizabeth is a 59-year-old account representative at a large bank. Due to the increasing

popularity of online banking, the bank has more employees than it needs. Recently, the

bank has offered early retirement to account representatives between the ages of 55 and

65 who have been with the company for a minimum of 15 years. Four employees,

including Elizabeth, meet these requirements. It is most likely that:

A) the bank is violating the Equal Pay Act by forcing female employees to retire.

B) the bank is violating the Age Discrimination Act by forcing Elizabeth to retire.

C) Elizabeth has received poor performance appraisals for many years.

D) Elizabeth must make her decision by a specific date.

One of the advantages of promoting internal candidates is:

A) rejuvenating work units.

B) reducing training costs.

C) fostering innovative ideas.

D) reducing employee turnover.

Bureaucratic organizational structures are marked by:

A) narrow job descriptions and sharp vertical and horizontal boundaries.

B) division of labor around products, services, or customers.

C) high employee involvement in decision making.

D) decentralized management.

General job descriptions are associated with:

A) flat organizations that emphasize innovation.

B) bureaucratic organizations that emphasize rule-bounded behavior.

C) boundaryless organizations that emphasize expansion into global markets.

D) bounded organizational designs that emphasize flexibility and loose work planning.

Which of the following is an employment policy that serves as an alternative to layoffs?

A) Job sharing

B) Hiring freeze

C) Demotions

D) Pay freeze

Which of the following is important for an employer to remember when reading letters

of recommendation about job applicants?

A) The more positive a letter is, the better the candidate.

B) A poor letter of recommendation should be ignored.

C) The content of the letter is more important than its positivity.

D) Letters of recommendation are highly related to job performance.

B.J. is using a self-assessment tool that prioritizes his key values. He is using a(n):

A) psychological values profile.

B) interest inventory.

C) skills proficiency test.

D) values clarification instrument.

After work on Fridays, the male middle managers at Health Equipment, Inc. go to the

golf course to play a quick nine holes and to discuss business for the upcoming week.

Sharon, who is an excellent golfer, has tried to join them several times but is always put

off. Her boss says, “We have our foursome.” Sharon is most likely experiencing the

effects of:

A) sexual harassment.

B) biological constraints.

C) exclusionary networks.

D) societal norms.

Merit pay differs from bonus programs in what way?

A) Merit pay raises the employee’s base pay permanently; bonuses do not.

B) Bonuses are nonfinancial rewards; merit pay is a financial reward.

C) Merit pay is disbursed several times a year; bonuses are given on a yearly basis.

D) Bonuses are used much less often than merit pay in individual-based pay plans.

Additional Case 8.3

The HR department at McBain Associates is putting together a multi-step training

program to help managers appraise employee performance. The firm has experienced

previous legal problems associated with improper performance appraisals, so HR needs

to ensure that every manager is able to conduct a performance appraisal appropriately.

Managers will receive information about EEO law, company policies, appraisal forms,

and appropriate interview questions. Information provided during training should be

relevant and consistent. The firm wants managers to have access to the information

after training and as needed when conducting performance appraisals. In addition, the

firm wants to minimize the time managers spend on the training and to avoid large

group meetings. Due to changing policies and forms, HR needs the ability to update the

training information easily and quickly.

Refer to Additional Case 8.3. Which type of training would be best at McBain?

A) E-learning

B) VR training

C) Apprenticeship

D) Off-the-job training

A career development process that uses ongoing, sometimes spontaneous, meetings

between managers and employees to discuss career goals and development is:

A) mentoring.

B) group mentoring.

C) coaching.

D) simulating.

An employee’s challenge of a manager’s disciplinary action will most likely raise

questions about:

A) residual rights.

B) due process.

C) positive discipline.

D) arbitration.

What should be included in the minimum qualifications section of a job description?

A) The basic standards a job applicant must have to be considered for the job

B) The 3-5 most important responsibilities of a potential employee

C) A summary of job duties and its place in the organization structure

D) Skills that would be beneficial for a potential employee to possess

Additional Case 12.1

The HR Director of The Camera Center is leading the executive team through a review

of the company’s benefits plan. He begins by explaining how the firm funds the benefits

plan. After a few questions on that matter, he moves on to clarify what they must offer

by law and what benefits the firm would like to provide.

A highly entrepreneurial, performance-driven company, The Camera Center provides an

excellent profit-sharing plan and one of the best retirement packages in the industry.

The firm commits a high portion of compensation funds to the benefits plan. The

workforce tends to be college-educated, young professionals who are just starting their

families.

The CEO wants the total benefits plan reviewed and repackaged, if necessary, to align it

with The Camera Center’s business culture and strategy. He also wants to contain costs

as much as possible and simplify benefits administration.

Refer to Additional Case 12.1. The HR Director’s initial explanation is about the

________ of the benefits plan.

A) contributions

B) co-payments

C) deductible

D) flexibility