For empowerment to succeed, managers should:
A. micromanage their teams and delegate as much work as possible.
B. ensure that communication flows top down from senior management.
C. help their teams ensure that communication flows in both directions.
D. hold frequent meetings to constantly supervise the progress of the team.
E. ensure that a team shares information only after it receives approval.
Ray, the CEO of Textiles Inc., believes the goals of the company must be divided into
smaller departmental and individual goals, and the accomplishment of these smaller
goals will result in accomplishment of the bigger goals of the company. In the context
of measuring performance results, Ray’s belief can be best justified using _____.
A. total quality management
B. the behavioral observational scale method
C. the critical-incident method
D. statistical quality control
E. management by objectives
Which of the following is a way in which organizations can promote job satisfaction?
A. They can make jobs more repetitive.
B. They can set up subjective performance management systems.
C. They can set highly abstract goals.
D. They can empower supervisors.
E. They can make jobs more interesting.
Brighton Corp. undertook a reengineering strategy recently to increase the efficiency of
its processes. As a result, the HR department has revised the job and pay structures for
employees. The firm is also hiring new employees with different skill sets. Which of the
following arguments strengthens the HR department’s decision?
A. Reengineering demands the HR department hire another vendor or a third-party
provider.
B. Reengineering necessitates the HR department design and implement changes so
employees will be committed to its success.
C. Reengineering provides training only to those in top managerial positions.
D. Reengineering involves one company buying another company.
E. Reengineering results in consolidation within an industry, meaning that two firms in
one industry join to hold a greater share of the industry.
Caroline, a researcher, believes that an organization needs to plan what they will pay
employees in each job. Mark, her colleague, argues that an employee’s pay should be
independently negotiated. Which of the following statements will weaken Mark’s
argument?
A. An unplanned approach will likely result in unfairness and dissatisfaction among the
employees.
B. Most of the employees prefer planned pay because negotiation with the management
takes time.
C. Independently negotiated pay will increase the workload and rivalry among the
employees.
D. When the pay is planned by the organization, it creates more employment
opportunities.
E. The pay structure is the same for both an entry-level and a manager-level employee
if it has been independently negotiated.
David is a non-union employee at Orion Inc. Although he does not intend to join the
union at the company, he is still required to pay union dues as part of a union contract
with the company. Which of the following does this scenario best exemplify?
A. An agency shop agreement
B. A checkoff provision
C. A union shop agreement
D. A trade-off provision
E. A closed shop agreement
In the context of managing human resources, the process of _____ creates a buffer
between planning and the actual selection of new employees.
A. recruiting
B. evaluating
C. inducting
D. outsourcing
E. training
Which of the following is the reason why more organizations are looking overseas to
hire talented people?
A. Lack of technology in the U.S.
B. Lack of demand for their products in the U.S.
C. Poor quality of labor in the U.S.
D. Governmental pressure
E. Low cost of labor in foreign countries
_____ is a training method that coordinates the performance of individuals who work
together to achieve a common goal.
A. Simulation
B. Internship
C. Team training
D. Virtual reality
E. Apprenticeship
Which of the following is characteristic of benefits required by the Social Security Act?
A. Workers receive no benefits until they reach the full retirement age.
B. Workers are compensated according to their past earnings and retirement age.
C. Workers receive increased benefits when they earn more than the exempt amount.
D. The cost of the program is borne entirely by the employers, who pay a payroll tax.
E. The program benefits persons who are financially dependent on current workers.