Fatal occupational injury rates are highest in the logging industry according to the
Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The HR department should take sole responsibility to recruit, select, and socialize new
employees.
About half of multinational companies provide cross-cultural training to expatriates.
Unemployment insurance is administered under the Social Security Act of 1935.
In a company where pay decisions are decentralized, the managers of each unit often
have the responsibility of determining compensation for employees.
The employee-empowerment approach to career development is especially beneficial in
flat organizations where advancement opportunities are greater.
If a company is using a prospector business strategy, its market is stable, its product is
mature, and it wants to increase market share by “digging” for new customers with new
products.
An important tool for proving a prima facie case of adverse impact is the four-fifths
rule.
OSHA’s hazard communication standard gives employees the right to know about
hazardous chemicals in the workplace.
Training costs can be lowered by online training programs and by assigning mentors
and coaches to employees.
RCA is creating a corporate identity to smooth over cultural differences between its
domestic and international employees. RCA is most likely addressing the HRM
challenge of:
A) outsourcing.
B) globalization.
C) employee stress.
D) competitive markets.
Currently, firms primarily view career development as a way to meet all of the
following goals EXCEPT:
A) reducing job burnout.
B) reinforcing affirmative action.
C) improving quality of work life.
D) expanding tenure opportunities.
Which of the following would be most useful in training employees how to challenge
unacceptable behavior in the workplace?
A) E-learning programs
B) Role playing exercises
C) Clear company policies
D) Team-building activities
The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) offers which of the following?
A) Diversity training
B) Benefits packages
C) Professional certification
D) Salary negotiations
As the HR director, you are reviewing the comparability of pay of each employee
within a range for particular jobs. You are:
A) applying market survey data.
B) rating individual jobs.
C) reviewing individual equity.
D) conducting a job analysis.
E) assessing internal equity.
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. Which of the following is a true assessment of Kaia’s
benefits proposal?
A) The bargaining topic is mandatory and will be discussed in bargaining.
B) The bargaining topic is illegal and cannot be discussed during bargaining.
C) The bargaining topic is permissive and can be discussed if both sides agree.
D) Bargaining topics should be focused on company politics rather than economic
issues.
It is generally held in the U.S. that graphology is:
A) an invalid predictor of job performance.
B) an unreliable but valid predictor of job performance.
C) a valid selection tool when combined with psychological testing.
D) associated with creating disparate impact among minority groups.
The percentage of homosexuals in the U.S. population is best described as:
A) unknown.
B) nearly 15%.
C) less than 2%.
D) declining slowly.
The perceived fairness of what an employer pays, relative to what other employers pay
for the same type of labor, is known as:
A) distributive justice.
B) egalitarianism.
C) internal equity.
D) external equity.
Which of the following best explains why individual-based incentive plans work?
A) Equity theory
B) Maslow’s hierarchy
C) Expectancy theory
D) Achievement theory
Cross-functional training is most likely accomplished by:
A) apprenticeships.
B) job enrichment.
C) peer trainers.
D) simulations.
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. How could Terra Alta best manage the number of
participants in the early retirement program?
A) Guarantee jobs to key employees and implement job redesign.
B) Survey senior employees and fine tune incentive packages.
C) Hire retirees as part-time consultants with stock options.
D) Develop an estimate based on industry data.
The determination of the type of career you want and what steps you need to take to
make that career a reality best describe the ________ phase of career development.
A) assessment
B) direction
C) development
D) planning
To be eligible for unemployment insurance, employees must meet all of the following
requirements EXCEPT:
A) be actively seeking employment.
B) have left their job involuntarily.
C) have worked a minimum of four out of the last five quarter-year periods.
D) have filed a workers’ compensation claim within the last twelve months.
Which of the following has enabled more small firms to internationalize through
exporting?
A) Internet capabilities
B) Advanced HR practices
C) Fewer government restrictions
D) Stability of foreign currencies
A firm that only does business domestically is in stage ________ of
internationalization.
A) 1
B) 2
C) 3
D) 4
Piece-rate pay-for-performance would most likely work well with:
A) secretaries who also fill in as receptionists paid for the amount of correspondence
they type each day.
B) police officers paid for the number of arrests they make for drunk driving during a
single month.
C) school teachers paid on the basis of the number of students who have passed
standardized tests.
D) sewing machine operators paid for the number of pairs of pants they sew in a given
work day.
A(n) ________ is a third party who may help unions and management settle grievances.
A) union steward
B) management steward
C) arbitrator
D) grievance counselor
Employees in your central office need training on their cafeteria-style benefits plan.
Employees can adapt the benefits plan to their personal preferences. You need a
consistent, standardized, self-paced, individualized mode of delivery. Your best choice
would be:
A) lecture.
B) role play.
C) e-learning.
D) on-the job training
A proactive human resource management approach to labor relations is also known as:
A) union acceptance.
B) union suppression.
C) union substitution.
D) union solicitation.
A kind of on-the-job training (OJT) that many college students are required to perform
as part of their degree programs is:
A) apprenticeships.
B) internships.
C) job rotation.
D) job enrichment.
A(n) ________ is a set of simulated tasks or exercises that candidates are asked to
perform.
A(n) ________ is the intangible barrier in an organization that prevents female and
minority employees from rising to positions above a certain level.
A(n) ________ is an employee involved directly in producing the company’s good(s) or
delivering the service(s).
A program established by the Social Security Act of 1935 to provide temporary income
for people during periods of involuntary unemployment is referred to as ________.
________ is legislation that gives employees the right to continue their health insurance
coverage for 18 to 36 months after their employment has terminated.