Odette is talking with one of her employees about his inappropriate behavior on the job.
She explains the negative consequences the employee faces unless he changes his
behavior. Odette is most likely involved in:
A) an implied contract.
B) employee discipline.
C) due process.
D) whistleblowing.
Which of the following is NOT a typical responsibility for an SMT member?
A) Scheduling work
B) Handling performance evaluations
C) Disciplining team members
D) Terminating a team member’s employment
In positive discipline, if the initial solution doesn’t work, the second step is:
A) giving the employee decision-making time-off.
B) providing counseling to the employee.
C) putting a new solution in writing.
D) creating a new verbal solution.
Your organization is trying to decide if it should implement TQM. Management
assembles a team from one department to study the issue. The team will disband once
the study is complete. Which of the following would be most appropriate?
A) Special purpose team
B) Self-managed team
C) Problem-solving team
D) Virtual team
Firms that use nonmonetary rewards are most likely trying to:
A) reinforce achievement and sales growth.
B) foster an internally competitive climate.
C) develop responsibility among employees.
D) emphasize customer service and loyalty.
Han is going through the process of identifying his skills, values, and interests. He is in
the ________ phase of career development.
A) education
B) discovery
C) direction
D) assessment
Additional Case 1.3
Your company sells high-tech products throughout the world and is following a
differentiation business strategy. The business environment for the company is volatile,
rapidly changing, and highly complex. The company is highly entrepreneurial and has a
strong moral commitment to quality products, employee job satisfaction, and corporate
social responsibility. The management team has decided to create a common company
culture among the various national and international subsidiaries.
Refer to Additional Case 1.3. What is the most likely benefit of creating a common
culture at the firm?
A) Lowering overall production costs
B) Minimizing the need for additional employee training
C) Enhancing international and domestic recruiting efforts
D) Increasing cooperation among domestic and international employees
Which of the following would be most appropriate to measure a job candidate’s math
and verbal skills?
A) Honesty test
B) Application form
C) Cognitive ability test
D) Work sample test
Tatiana needs to hire a line manager and has a very small recruiting budget. The firm’s
current employees don’t feel they have many advancement opportunities. It would be
best for Tatiana to recruit:
A) internally.
B) externally.
C) former military members.
D) nontraditional workers.
Courtland Corporation recently reduced its number of management levels and
decentralized its entire managerial approach. Prior to this, the corporation maintained a
pyramid-shaped management structure and was based on a functional division of labor.
Courtland evolved from a ________ organization to a ________ organization.
A) prospector / defender
B) boundaryless / bureaucratic
C) bureaucratic / boundaryless
D) bureaucratic / flat
A study of fast-growth firms shows that they are more likely to employ managers who
are:
A) structured.
B) risk-takers.
C) entrepreneurs.
D) technically competent.
Liz wants to begin a plantwide incentive compensation plan. She is setting up
employee-management committees to solicit and screen cost-saving ideas. Liz is
considering a variety of elements in the cost-savings calculation, not just labor costs.
Her best choice of plan would be:
A) a Scanlon plan.
B) a Rucker plan.
C) an Improshare plan.
D) a profit-sharing plan.
A company that institutes profit sharing can save approximately ________ of its payroll
costs during downturns in the business cycle.
A) 50%
B) 35%
C) 20%
D) 5%
The government agency that develops occupational standards, grants variances to
employers, conducts workplace inspections, and issues citations and penalties, is the:
A) Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
B) National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
C) Hazard Communication Standards Commission.
D) Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Additional Case 14.2
Gloria, an employee at Hamilton Resources, which is a unionized company, has
performance and absenteeism problems. Gloria’s manager, Dean, wants to fire her
immediately. As the HR manager at Hamilton, you explain to Dean that he needs to try
to improve the employee’s performance first and save termination as a last resort.
Sometime later, the CEO asks you to review and update the firm’s employee discipline
process. He wants to give employees as much responsibility for their own performance
improvement as possible. He is also willing to invest in management training to ensure
the best and most fair process. As HR manager, you will be responsible for training
managers on the new discipline process.
Refer to Additional Case 14.2. Given the CEO’s desires, you should most likely
recommend an employee discipline program based on:
A) progressive discipline.
B) due process.
C) positive discipline.
D) contractual rights.
Additional Case 11.1
The HR department at Sussex Enterprises has been asked to evaluate the effectiveness
of the firm’s team-based incentive plan. Managers at the firm report a decline in worker
performance, an increase in interpersonal conflicts, and an increase in complaints about
free riding team members. In addition, the manufacturing group has been accused of
producing more units than the marketing group can sell. HR at Sussex needs to
determine if the current incentive plan is appropriate or should be replaced.
Refer to Additional Case 11.1. Which of the following would be the best way to
minimize free-riding at Sussex?
A) Making adjustments to the performance appraisal system
B) Requiring all team members to attend training sessions
C) Basing a portion of incentive payments on peer reviews
D) Increasing opportunities for intergroup competition
Additional Case 6.4
Organizers, Inc. has implemented new business technologies that require fewer
employees. Paul, the firm’s CEO, sees the need to eliminate some middle managers and
institute work teams to eliminate ineffective or unnecessary work processes. He
believes that such changes won’t be costly to the business. Most of the middle managers
have been with the company anywhere from 10-15 years but are a long way from
retirement.
One specific problem that Paul recognizes involves Zena, an upper-level manager. Zena
has been coming to work late, missing deadlines on assignments, and refusing to
complete an important assignment. Paul has warned Zena personally about the
consequences for further actions and has even meted out several proscribed disciplinary
actions against Zena. Her work habits have not improved, and Paul feels he may have to
take further action.
Refer to Additional Case 6.4. Paul believes strongly in trying to provide lifetime
employment and will use a layoff only as a last resort. What would be the best strategy
to reduce middle management?
A) Offering early retirement to employees in middle management.
B) Instituting a pay freeze only for employees in middle management.
C) Encouraging employees in middle management to take voluntary time off for at least
60 days.
D) Developing HR policies regarding the use of pay incentives to encourage middle
managers to quit.