Above-market compensation policies are more likely to:
A) create an impression of innovation and success.
B) improve employee morale and reduce employee turnover.
C) affect employee cooperation more than any other business policy.
D) reduce barriers between people who need to work closely together.
Premature returns from overseas assignments cost U.S. companies an estimated
________ a year in direct costs.
A) $70 million
B) $1.3 million
C) $50 million
D) $6.1 billion
Which term refers to the time during which an employer is required to correct a hazard
found by an OSHA inspector?
A) Temporary variance
B) Restoration period
C) Abatement period
D) Citation calendar
Reservation Specialists are able to speed up their turnaround time with customers by
suggesting that customers put their questions/complaints in writing. This results in the
specialists beating their productivity “numbers,” but has buried the correspondence
specialists in paperwork, destroying their productivity. This is an example of the
team-based compensation plan drawback of:
A) the difficulties of identifying meaningful groups.
B) the social pressure to limit performance.
C) the free-riding effect.
D) intergroup competition.
Which term refers to a wide array of injuries caused by repetitive physical movements?
A) Occupational stress syndrome
B) Cumulative trauma disorder
C) Occupational impairment
D) Carpal tunnel syndrome
Nearly ________ of expatriates experience reverse culture shock upon their return to
the U.S.
A) 100%
B) 80%
C) 60%
D) 40%
Additional Case 10.2
O’Donnell International is updating its job-based compensation system with a primary
goal of achieving internal equity. Sean is responsible for gathering and organizing
information concerning the tasks and duties of specific jobs. Susie is to determine the
prerequisites for the successful accomplishment of each job analyzed. Jeff will work
with three line managers to determine the compensable factors for specific lower-level
jobs. The HR director, the president, and two VPs will review the information on
management jobs in order to determine the compensable factors in each before putting
all jobs at the firm into a job hierarchy.
Refer to Additional Case 10.2. Which of the following methods would Sean LEAST
likely use?
A) Interviewing employees
B) Using a point factor system
C) Analyzing equipment costs
D) Distributing questionnaires to managers
Workers’ compensation laws vary by state, but all are built on the theory that:
A) employees’ personal health insurance should pay the medical costs of any injuries.
B) work-related accidents are costs of doing business and should be paid for by
employers.
C) governments are responsible for paying the medical costs related to an employee’s
injuries.
D) employers are not responsible for employee injuries resulting from the employee’s
own negligence.
________ permit the executive to buy stock at, or below, cost during a limited time.
A) Formula-based stocks
B) Restricted stock plans
C) Stock appreciation rights
D) Stock purchase plans
Additional Case 13.2
Starline is a small children’s clothing manufacturer and retailer that has seen rapid
growth in the last twelve months and a significant increase in employees. At a meeting
of managers, a number of issues are raised.
One manager suggests establishing an EAP because of the increase in troubled
employees at the firm. However, other managers state that such programs are costly and
would not provide Starline with significant benefits.
Another manager states that Starline needs to develop an employee handbook to
address issues related to the growing staff. Some managers express concern about the
potential legal issues surrounding the use of an employee handbook.
Numerous managers state that there has been a noticeable decrease in productivity since
every office worker was provided Internet access along with e-mail accounts. Managers
discuss methods for increasing productivity and preventing misuse of the system.
One manager suggests that the company perform employee attitude surveys in order to
help monitor the state of employee relations and make hiring and firing decisions
during the next hiring cycle. This manager proposes that a third party perform the
surveys and that employees not be told the purpose of the survey.
Refer to Additional Case 13.2. Which of the following is the most appropriate response
to concerns about an employee handbook?
A) Starline should not create a handbook because they are irrelevant given modern
technology.
B) The HR department at Starline should update the handbook at least once or twice a
year to protect the firm legally.
C) Starline employees should sign the handbook acknowledging that the document
contains policies but is not a contract.
D) Given that Starline is a small company, a handbook is unnecessary because policies
can be conveyed verbally.
Currently, the employment environment for homosexuals can best be described as:
A) one in which no federal or state legal protections exist.
B) rapidly changing due to the extension of legal protections in most states.
C) one with limited legal protection and more firms with gay-friendly policies.
D) comparable to other diverse groups with legal protections but mixed compliance.
Additional Case 11.2
Richland Manufacturing uses an individual-based pay-for-performance plan for
employees.
Manager input in the form of performance evaluations primarily determines individual
employee rewards. Performance appraisals at Richland are used for multiple purposes
including compensation, training, and work planning. Since implementing the plan,
many managers have noticed that employees tend to play it safe by setting modest
rather than challenging goals for themselves. Employees have also been avoiding
important tasks, such as satisfying the needs of customers and keeping work areas neat.
In addition, most employees express disbelief that pay and performance are actually
linked. As a result, Richland is considering making modifications to the system.
The HR Director wants a system that will reward all employees based on the entire
company’s performance because he wants to increase employee commitment. The VP
of Operations wants to reward specific productivity and quality improvements with a
simply structured system that considers labor costs as well as other production
expenses. The VP of Operations also believes that labor and management should work
together to allocate the rewards.
Refer to Additional Case 11.2. Most Richland managers want to use an individual-based
pay-for-performance plan to reward high performers but are concerned about increasing
employees’ base pay permanently due to costs. Which of the following would most
likely be appropriate in this case?
A) A merit pay program
B) A bonus program
C) A Rucker plan
D) Gainsharing
Countries where top-down communication is valued, class division is seen as natural,
and authoritarianism is high, include:
A) Australia.
B) Switzerland.
C) Mexico.
D) Denmark.
Additional Case 17.2
Golden Rod is an electronics firm based in Detroit with subsidiaries in several countries
including Indonesia, Egypt, Argentina, and Thailand. The top management positions in
these subsidiaries are filled by U.S. citizens. Golden Rod is planning on creating a new
expatriate assignment in Egypt. The firm has created a selection board of expatriates to
choose the best person for the job. In the past, Golden Rod has experienced a high
turnover rate among repatriated managers, so executives hope to solve this problem.
Refer to Additional Case 17.2. Golden Rod chooses a woman named Chyna for the
expatriate position in Egypt. Which of the following actions would LEAST likely solve
reintegration problems for Chyna when she returns to the U.S. after the assignment?
A) Management should sit down with Chyna and lay out a potential career path before
she goes abroad.
B) Golden Rod should provide a mentor for Chyna with whom she can communicate
during her assignment.
C) Communication channels should be maintained between Chyna’s home office and
her office in Egypt.
D) Chyna’s contributions need to be recognized by the local Egyptian community
before she returns to the U.S.
Anita, an HR manager, has been asked to design a job-search assistance program as part
of her employer’s outplacement services. Which of the following skills would LEAST
likely be addressed in the program?
A) Resume writing
B) Career planning
C) Downsizing
D) Interviewing
For employers, what is the primary problem associated with cumulative trauma
disorders?
A) Negligent hiring charges
B) Risk of employee sabotage
C) Lost employee work days
D) Lack of high-deductible insurance