If a message is misunderstood by a receiver due to a misinterpretation of the sender’s
motives, this misunderstanding stems from “noise.”
A firm’s overall HR strategy influences its employee workforce reduction strategy.
Many companies view career development as a good way to prevent job burnout.
Job design is influenced by work flow analysis, business strategy, and organizational
structure.
More and more U.S. companies are forming global alliances and trying to develop
worldwide cultures in order to smooth over differences among employees.
Sudhir is evaluating Carol’s performance. Sudhir has a poor opinion of Carol because
she irritates him by asking questions and questioning his judgment in department
meetings. When the HR director reviews Carol’s performance evaluation, he notes that
Sudhir has consistently rated Carol low. The HR director agrees in areas of judgment
and tact but knows that Carol is considered one of the department’s most effective
people in other areas. What the HR director notes in Sudhir’s evaluation is the rater bias
called the halo effect.
Involuntary separation results from one of two conditions: 1) economic necessity or 2) a
poor fit between the employee and the organization.
Research has shown that students who receive virtual reality training are more nervous
when they perform their actual duties than are students who receive classroom training.
Career development differs from training by its purpose, its content, and its time frame.
One side effect of EEO law enforcement is the belief among managers and mainstream
employees that organizations have had to compromise their standards to comply.
Title IX prohibits discrimination within educational institutions.
If a union wants to negotiate compensation, health insurance, and vacation schedules,
management must enter into negotiation on those topics.
A profit-sharing Keogh plan allows employers to make contributions to a retirement
plan based on company performance.
Suggestion systems are an important part of employee assistance programs.
Short term rewards and high expectations for frequent pay adjustments are common in
both U.S. and Indonesian firms.
Segmented communication channels exist only in high-level business positions because
of the increased political nature of such jobs.
The choice of which appraisal tool to use should be based on the purpose of the
appraisal.
Employees who have HIV or AIDS are not protected by the Americans with Disabilities
Act.
A psychological contract is a legal document outlining the ethical values of a company.
While no time is a good time for a termination, the best time seems to be:
A) midweek.
B) Friday afternoon.
C) during vacation.
D) early in the workweek.
Additional Case 14.1
You are the HR director at Catalina Manufacturing. The firm is considering random
drug testing for employees at its California, New York, Pennsylvania, and Texas
facilities. Management believes that the assembly of high explosive devices and a
recent rash of drug-related accidents make drug testing imperative.
Refer to Additional Case 14.1. Which of the following is the most appropriate
alternative to random drug testing at Catalina?
A) Initiating an EAP
B) Conducting additional safety training
C) Using computer-based performance tests
D) Requiring honesty tests during recruiting and screening
Which term refers to reconfiguring one job into two part-time jobs?
A) Job sharing
B) Job enlargement
C) Rightsizing
D) Bumping
Which term refers to all of the employees who are represented by a union that engages
in collective bargaining with an employer?
A) Work team
B) Open shop
C) Bargaining unit
D) Certified representative
An employment contract explains the terms of employment relationship for both
employee and employer. Employment contracts:
A) are regulated by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.
B) cover a very small percentage of the workforce.
C) are always negotiated individually.
D) waive employee rights to due process.
Sabotage is best described as:
A) technology thefts.
B) physical acts of violence.
C) violent acts of retaliation.
D) harmless pranks by co-workers.
Which of the following is most common among survivors of a layoff?
A) Increased diversity
B) Improved morale
C) Increased absenteeism
D) Improved productivity
Which of the following is most likely a characteristic of Swedish firms?
A) Quality of life is valued over material gain.
B) Men are believed superior to women.
C) High value is placed on stability.
D) Written rules are essential.
A negative aspect of informal communication is that it:
A) is often forced, leaving participants with a feeling of superficiality.
B) requires the monitoring of employee e-mails.
C) can serve as a conduit for rumors and gossip.
D) often inhibits creative thinking.
A company program that encourages, evaluates, and implements ideas from employees
is a(n):
A) suggestion system.
B) employee recognition program.
C) employee feedback program.
D) speak-up program.
To be the most effective, recognition awards should:
A) be evenly distributed over time among most employees.
B) always include a monetary gift for team members.
C) encourage all employees toward the firm’s goals.
D) be initiated by management and HR.
Jana and her student Julie are discussing revisions that Julie needs to consider for her
composition’s next draft. Jana will ask a question and then Julie will respond, and
perhaps ask a question of her own. The two discuss the paper for nearly 25 minutes,
talking back and forth about good aspects of the paper and areas that could be
improved. This conversation is an example of:
A) one-way communication.
B) two-way communication.
C) downward communication.
D) upward communication.
Which of the following is an appropriate interview question?
A) Have you ever been denied credit?
B) Have you ever been arrested?
C) Are you at least 18 years old?
D) What is your current marital status?
It is most likely true that early retirement programs:
A) can substantially reduce the size of a company’s workforce.
B) usually drive stock prices up because of the reduced overhead.
C) have minimal effect on reducing the size of a company’s workforce.
D) typically require little effort from HR to generate large financial returns.
GINA prohibits employers from discriminating against employees based on:
A) toxicity levels.
B) noise exposure.
C) genetic information.
D) hazard exposure.
Your production lines make a standardized product. Efficiency is critical to your
production costs. The majority of production line tasks are mechanical and repetitive.
Which of the following would be most appropriate?
A) Job enrichment
B) Job rotation
C) Work simplification
D) Team-based job design
An appraisal format that asks supervisors to compare an employee’s performance to the
performance of other employees doing the same job is referred to as ________.
A system in which an organization announces job openings to all employees on a
bulletin board, in a company newsletter, or through a phone recording or computer
system is referred to as a(n) ________.
________ is human characteristics that make people different from one another.
________ is the use of a number of technologies to replicate the entire real-life working
environment in real time.
________ is the process an organization uses to ensure that it has the right amount and
the right kind of people to deliver a particular level of output or services in the future.
When is it more appropriate for a global firm to use expatriate management rather than
local national management? How can a firm’s screening process ensure that the best
employee is chosen for an expatriate management position?
A federal law requiring U.S. employers with 100 or more employees to give 60 days’
advance notice to employees who will be laid off as a result of a plant closing or a mass
separation of 50 or more workers is the ________.