Which of the following is LEAST likely a negative aspect of career development
programs that foster unrealistic advancement expectations?
A) Employee dissatisfaction
B) Poor performance
C) Increased turnover
D) Discrimination
Companies most likely attempt to manage their turnover rates because of:
A) potential problems associated with public relations.
B) legal requirements regarding layoff notifications.
C) inadequate affirmative action plans.
D) high employee replacement costs.
Which term refers to annual out-of-pocket expenses that an insurance policyholder must
make before an insurance plan makes any reimbursements?
A) Co-payment
B) Contribution
C) Coinsurance
D) Deductible
You want to foster group cohesiveness and facilitate performance measurement. An
incentive program that would most likely help you do this would be:
A) gainsharing.
B) a plantwide plan.
C) a corporate-based plan.
D) a team-based plan.
Additional Case 15.4
Demetry is the president of a candle manufacturing company. He has heard that
employees are considering trying to unionize. He is concerned about this and calls a
meeting of upper-level managers and the HR department. Demetry wants to know what
can be done in order to discourage a union. He is also concerned about the steps
employees will take in unionizing. Demetry knows relatively little about unions. He
started the company in his workshop for fun, and it grew into a business that he feels he
can no longer control.
Kaia, a production manager, strongly believes that the employees will manage to
unionize and wants to identify areas where the company would be able to give-and-take
during the bargaining. She suggests that the company discuss benefits for retired union
workers.
Karsten, an HR employee, also believes that the union will take hold. He suggests that
Demetry not fight unionization and not coerce employees out of their support for the
union. Karsten claims that showing such restraint may lead to a more harmonious and
cooperative relationship between management and the union.
Refer to Additional Case 15.4. Karsten most likely believes in a strategy of:
A) union avoidance.
B) union substitution.
C) union acceptance.
D) union suppression.
Additional Case 6.2
Terra Alta employs nearly 15,000 workers worldwide. The firm wants to reduce its
workforce through an early retirement program. The firm has hired you to organize and
implement the program.
Employees over age 58 are eligible, but managers don’t want to lose key older
employees. Program eligibility should be limited to a short period of time. Terra Alta
managers need a fairly accurate estimate of how many employees will participate in the
program.
Terra Alta expects a legal and humane program that avoids litigation issues. Employees
should have an accurate picture of their future if they decide to accept early retirement.
Refer to Additional Case 6.2. Given Terra Alta’s desires, which of the following would
be the most appropriate HR policy?
A) Creating a formula that accelerates retirement eligibility for low performing workers
B) Implementing outplacement service programs for retiring employees
C) Mandating a leave of absence for all employees near retirement
D) Establishing a 30-day open window for early retirement
Presently, the U.S. economy is shifting from a(n) ________ to a ________ base.
A) information / industrial
B) agricultural / information
C) industrial / information
D) technological / industrial
Additional Case 2.4
Dorenda owns a small business, and she has asked you for HR advice. Her company
has a handful of permanent employees, but the work force consists mainly of contract
workers. Dorenda typically employs various contractors for three-month projects.
Permanent employees typically quit within one year of being hired.
Dorenda wants to increase her permanent employees’ motivation, so she has set general
goals for them to meet. She also plans to hire some more permanent employees, but she
first wants to determine what skills, knowledge, and abilities job candidates need to
have in order to meet specific company needs.
Refer to Additional Case 2.4. You anticipate that Dorenda’s choices regarding employee
motivation will not produce the results she wants because:
A) the goals lack specificity and employee input.
B) there are too few hygiene factors in comparison to motivators.
C) employees are more motivated in a decentralized organization.
D) the goals are too challenging and frequent feedback creates employee anxiety.
When using employee attitude surveys, employers should most likely adhere to all of
the following guidelines EXCEPT:
A) informing employees about how collected information will be used.
B) using collected information to monitor the state of employee relations.
C) hiring a third party to collect and analyze employee survey responses.
D) gathering the information for organizational downsizing purposes.
Wellness programs:
A) often duplicate the efforts of EAPs.
B) are an effort to reduce health-care costs.
C) have grown in response to pressure from OSHA.
D) usually have significant short-range positive results.
Approximately ________ of repatriates leave the organization shortly after returning
home.
A) 5-15%
B) 20-40%
C) 50-70%
D) 75-85%
Which selection tool would most likely be appropriate for a firm that has a significant
problem with employee theft?
A) Psychological test
B) Personality test
C) Honesty test
D) Structured interview
Denielle has recently taken FMLA leave from Vanderbilt, Inc. to take care of her ailing
child. When she returns to her job, what responsibilities will the company have toward
Denielle?
A) Vanderbilt must take the duration of Denielle’s FMLA leave into account when
determining length of service schedules for promotion purposes.
B) Denielle will not be entitled to any cost-of-living pay increases for the time she
spends on FMLA leave.
C) Denielle is entitled to a job equivalent to her previous job when she returns from
FMLA leave.
D) Vanderbilt must hold Denielle’s position so that she will be able to fill it when she
returns from her FMLA leave.
Which of the following is a replacement cost associated with training new employees?
A) Employment testing
B) Outplacement services
C) Recruiter time
D) Lost productivity
________ is a plantwide pay-for-performance plan which returns a portion of company
savings to employees as a lump-sum bonus.
A) Gainsharing
B) A team-based plan
C) A merit increase
D) A profit-sharing plan
Which of the following is most important when planning compensation for expatriates?
A) Providing a disposable income equal to that of repatriated managers
B) Offering stock options for the successful completion of the assignment
C) Basing salary and overtime rates on local pay and living standards
D) Granting cost-of-living adjustments to allow for price differences
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act applies to labor unions, employment agencies, and
employers who have at least ________ employees.
A) 10
B) 15
C) 25
D) 50
Most employees who take advantage of wellness programs:
A) are already health conscious and have healthy habits.
B) receive no benefit from their participation.
C) are required to do so by their company.
D) are seeking treatment for physical problems.
Employee feedback programs are a tool to provide effective ________ communication.
A) downward
B) upward
C) horizontal
D) cross-functional
Lian had worked for International Resources for 12 years when he and other workers
decided to form a union. When International Resources found out about his plan, the
company began intercepting his phone calls and e-mails in order to limit the
dissemination of union-based information. In addition, Lian was told that his position at
the company was in danger of being eliminated, but that if he “reconsidered” his recent
behavior, his job would be secure. International Resources’ tactics were made illegal
under the:
A) Wagner Act.
B) Taft-Hartley Act.
C) Landrum-Griffin Act.
D) Federal Union Protection Act.
Unlike training, development:
A) is narrow in scope.
B) focuses on the current job.
C) has a long-term time frame.
D) attempts to improve worker performance.
During an interview, the hiring manager tells the job candidate, “You’ll always have a
job here.” That statement most likely constitutes a(n):
A) employment-at-will statement.
B) granting of residual rights.
C) psychological contract.
D) implied contract.
Which of the following is LEAST likely the responsibility of a firm’s employee
relations representative?
A) Advising supervisors and employees on specific employee relations problems
B) Balancing the interests of managers, employees, and the firm
C) Maintaining total quality management practices
D) Developing new fairness policies
What is the primary reason that firms use business process reengineering?
A) To increase total quality management
B) To prepare for a work flow analysis
C) To identify jobs that can be eliminated
D) To determine changing customer needs