Test Bank For Managing Human Resources 6th Canadian Edition Belcourt
Test Bank For Managing Human Resources 6th Canadian Edition Belcourt
Test Bank For Managing Human Resources 6th Canadian Edition Belcourt
6. Which of the following types of work would a knowledge worker most likely engage in?
a. deciding which type of fertilizer to buy wholesale for a landscaping business
b. counting the number of grocery items in carts leaving a wholesale store
c. monitoring children on new daycare playground equipment
d. installing new ink cartridges in colour photocopiers in an office environment
ANS: A REF: page 8 OBJ: 3 BLM: Understanding
9. What is the first step in choosing an HRIS system for your organization?
a. Go with the system that will have the biggest “bang for your buck.”
b. Go with the system that is compatible with your current systems.
c. Go with the system that meets the majority of your needs.
d. Go with the system that fits the organization’s employee base.
ANS: D REF: pages 10-11 OBJ: 3 BLM: Understanding
10. In highly competitive environments, managing organizational change has become which of the
following?
a. a proactive method of downsizing
b. the preferred method of reacting to a decrease in organizational performance
c. a core competency of the organization
d. a product of globalization
ANS: C REF: page 11 OBJ: 4 BLM: Understanding | Application
11. Microsoft laid off 5000 employees due to poorer-than-anticipated financial performance. This is an
example of which of the following?
a. proactive change
b. reactive change
c. managing change
d. transformational change
12. In an effort to take advantage of a market opportunity, Apple created the iPhone in open-source format
so that anyone can develop and sell an iPhone application. This is an example of which of the
following?
a. proactive change
b. reactive change
c. managing change
d. transformational change
ANS: A REF: page 11 OBJ: 4 BLM: Application
13. Collectively, the economic value of knowledge, skills, and capabilities is known as which of the
following?
a. intellectual capital
b. human capital
c. core competencies
d. employee capital
ANS: B REF: page 12 OBJ: 5 BLM: Key Terms
14. To manage employees in a manner that allows human capital to develop as a source of competitive
advantage, managers need to be sure to do all of the following EXCEPT which one?
a. provide training programs that provide skill enhancement
b. identify, recruit, and hire the best talent available
c. attach pay to productivity
d. provide opportunities for development on the job
ANS: C REF: page 13 OBJ: 5 BLM: Understanding
15. To build human capital in organizations, managers should rely upon staffing programs that focus on
which of the following?
a. identifying cheap sources of qualified labour
b. identifying and hiring the best and brightest talent available
c. identifying college graduates with the requisite skills
d. identifying individuals with communication skills
ANS: B REF: page 13 OBJ: 5 BLM: Application
16. The changing nature of the HR manager’s role is increasingly focused on which of the following?
a. policy formulation
b. international issues
c. basic services like selection, but also on policy development, employee advocacy and
advice
d. privacy issues, global management issues, HR planning, and downsizing issues
ANS: C REF: pages 29-30 OBJ: 9 BLM: Understanding
17. Methods that firms use to align their processes with their essential need to meet customer expectations
include all of the following EXCEPT which one?
a. total quality management
b. Six Sigma
c. cost containment through outsourcing
d. process reengineering
19. According to a survey by the Human Resource Planning Society, what percentage of responding
companies believed that their HR groups play a key role in developing human capital?
a. 20 percent
b. 65 percent
c. 50 percent
d. 40 percent
ANS: B REF: page 14 OBJ: 6 BLM: Remember
20. The importance of Six Sigma to HR extends to all of the following EXCEPT which one?
a. employee benefits
b. performance management
c. communication
d. training
ANS: A REF: page 15 OBJ: 6 BLM: Key Terms | Understanding
21. Reengineering often requires that managers start from scratch in rethinking all of the following
EXCEPT which one?
a. how work should be done
b. how technology and people should interact
c. how the entire organization should be structured
d. how organizations should compete
ANS: D REF: page 16 OBJ: 6 BLM: Understanding
22. Which of the following is NOT an approach used by organizations to try to lower labour costs?
a. productivity enhancements
b. outsourcing
c. employee leasing
d. employee development
ANS: D REF: page 17 OBJ: 7 BLM: Understanding
23. If an organization fosters commitment to organizational change in its employees, but fails to foster
commitment to communication about the change, which of the following is the most likely result?
a. The organization will not be successful with change because the employees will resist.
b. The organization will be successful with change because it planned a key element.
c. The organization will fail because it did not communicate a clear change plan.
d. The organization may be successful but only if it does not force a sense of urgency.
ANS: B REF: page 12 OBJ: 4 BLM: Understanding
25. Many prospective employees are interested in obtaining a job where they can learn new skills and
improve existing skills. Which of the following organizations would be the most attractive to such
candidates?
a. an organization that provides many formal training programs that are not easily
transferable to other organizations
b. an organization that provides many formal training programs that are very easily
transferred to any job the applicant might want to apply for later in his or her career
c. an organization that provides mentorship programs where employees attempt challenging
situations under the guidance of experienced senior staffers
d. an organization that provides “grow and learn” sessions where classroom sessions are
backed up by on-the-job training
ANS: C REF: page 13 OBJ: 6 BLM: Application
26. Hiring someone outside the company to perform tasks that could be done internally is known as what?
a. outplacement
b. contracting
c. outsourcing
d. employee leasing
ANS: C REF: page 18 OBJ: 7 BLM: Key Terms
27. What do you call the method of containing costs that allows firms to maintain working relationships
while shifting administrative costs to another firm?
a. outsourcing
b. employee leasing
c. gainsourcing
d. professional employer organization
ANS: B REF: page 19 OBJ: 7 BLM: Key Terms
28. Organization B is attempting to foster proactive change within the organization. In order to do so, it is
implementing some new programs to train employees to be more in tune with customer needs,
allowing the employees to find the right solution to issues and problems without having to revisit the
same issues again and again. Organization B is also implementing systems that will hopefully help its
processes and services to constantly improve. Which of the following best captures what Organization
B is implementing?
a. Six Sigma
b. continuous improvement
c. reengineering
d. total quality management
ANS: D REF: page 14 OBJ: 6 BLM: Application
30. It is anticipated that in the future, the Canadian workforce will exhibit which of the following?
a. about the same demographic mix as it does today
b. an increase in ethnic diversity
c. a decrease in ethnic diversity
d. a decrease in the number of older workers
ANS: B REF: page 21 OBJ: 8 BLM: Application
31. Organization A is attempting to foster proactive change within the firm. This organization is forming
teams and extending its processes to include training, performance management, communication,
culture, and even rewards. The organization hopes to improve its ability to catch mistakes before they
happen. Which of the following best captures what Organization A is implementing?
a. Six Sigma
b. continuous improvement
c. reengineering
d. total quality management
ANS: A REF: page 14 OBJ: 6 BLM: Application
32. Which of the following best summarizes the competency model for HR professionals?
a. HR professionals require change mastery, HR mastery, personal credibility, and business
mastery.
b. HR professionals require HR mastery, business mastery, global acumen, and change
mastery.
c. HR professionals require IT mastery, HR mastery, business mastery, and ethics.
d. HR professionals require IT mastery, HR mastery, global acumen, and change mastery.
ANS: A REF: page 31 OBJ: 9 BLM: Understanding
33. Organization C is attempting to manage reactive change within the organization. This organization is
radically changing every process through redesigning and rethinking from the ground up. The firm
needs a dramatic change in order to survive. Which of the following best captures what Organization C
is implementing?
a. Six Sigma
b. continuous improvement
c. reengineering
d. total quality management
ANS: C REF: page 16 OBJ: 8 BLM: Application
35. Which of the following statements best reflects the current view on the efficacy of offshoring as a cost
reduction measure?
a. While organizations can save with this practice, hidden costs, such as productivity loss
during the transition, can chew up much of the financial gains.
b. The practice of offshoring has been one of the most positive HR trends of the last ten
years.
c. The continuous shifting of global economies makes offshoring a necessary function for
organizations to survive.
d. Offshoring only works if top managers begin early in the process to plan their key
strategies, such as alternative talent pools and workforce training.
ANS: A REF: page 19 OBJ: 7 BLM: Understanding
36. Which of the following is the most important outcome of such practices as job enrichment,
promotions, coaching, feedback, and rewards?
a. increased ability of staff
b. increased motivation of staff
c. decreased turnover of staff
d. decreased absenteeism of staff
ANS: B REF: page 20 OBJ: 8 BLM: Understanding
37. Which of the following best captures the list of modern social issues in HRM?
a. changing work structures, attitudes toward work and family, and increasing labour costs
b. corporate social responsibility, organizational citizenship behaviour, and changing work
structures
c. changing demographics, increasing labour coasts, and global economic pressures
d. changing demographics, employer/employee rights, and attitudes toward work and family
ANS: D REF: page 21 OBJ: 8 BLM: Understanding
38. Which of the following statements best describes the relationship among gender, education, and pay?
a. Women generally earn less than men do; however, when they have an advanced degree
they earn the same amount as men.
b. Men and women generally earn the same amount except when neither group has any
higher education.
c. Women consistently and in every category earn less than men with an equivalent amount
of education.
d. Men with a university degree earn approximately the same as women with an advanced
degree.
ANS: C REF: page 24 OBJ: 8 BLM: Understanding
40. Why are managers most concerned that the expertise of employees will be rapidly drained from their
companies?
a. because recruitment of lower-skilled immigrant workers is increasing
b. because large proportions of some workforces are nearing retirement
c. because generation nexus is thus far not demonstrating a dedication to training and
education
d. because of the increase of uneducated women entering the workforce
ANS: B REF: page 22 OBJ: 8 BLM: Understanding
41. Which of the following statements best captures how attitudes toward work are changing?
a. Employees today define their success less in terms of their job and pay and more in terms
of their life in general.
b. Employees today value work–life balance but still list pay as their primary concern.
c. Employees today value satisfying and interesting work that pays well.
d. Employees today are concerned about global financial changes and list job security as
most valuable to them.
ANS: A REF: page 26 OBJ: 8 BLM: Understanding
TRUE/FALSE
1. Most human resources issues have little relevance for line managers.
2. Some companies report that offering family-friendly benefits is so successful there are virtually no
drawbacks.
4. An important hidden cost of layoffs is a loss of institutional memory and trust in management.
6. Employees with little education and outdated skills are referred to as ground workers.
7. Employees and the public at large are demanding that employers demonstrate greater social
responsibility.
8. The introduction of advanced technology tends to increase the number of jobs that require basic skills.
9. Because of the “dot-com bust,” the initial explosive success of Internet business declined drastically
and is still in a moderate decline.
10. In general, many companies are realizing diminished demand for “touch labour” and an increasing
demand for “knowledge workers.”
11. A Human Resource Information System (HRIS) provides current and accurate data for control and
decision-making by managers.
12. Because of its importance, HR managers in progressive organizations are frequently assuming sole
responsibility for the implementation of information technology.
13. To successfully manage change, organizations, particularly in fast-growing industries, should wait to
see how external forces impact performance, and then develop a plan to react to those changes.
14. In a recent survey, only about two-thirds of companies reported having a formal change management
program to support their change initiatives.
15. One of the main reasons change efforts fail is that organizations do not create a sense of urgency.
17. The knowledge, skills, and capabilities that impact a company’s performance but do not necessarily
show up on its balance sheet are known as human capital.
18. Organizations own their human capital, including investments made in training and development.
19. HR programs and assignments are often the primary method by which knowledge is transferred among
employees.
20. HR professionals do not need to fully understand the economic and financial matters pertaining to their
organization.
21. Teamwork is often a valuable way of facilitating knowledge exchange and mutual learning.
22. The extent to which organizations are successful in focusing on internal management issues often
separates the winners from the losers in today’s competitive world.
23. To be successful, organizations should seek to align their processes with customer needs.
24. “Six Sigma” refers to the six criteria for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award.
25. Total quality management is a set of principles and practices whose core ideas include doing things
right the first time and striving for continuous improvement.
26. Organizations known for product and service quality recognize the importance of employees in
fostering quality improvements.
27. Employee motivation, teamwork, corporate culture, employee education, performance management,
and rewards are the six aspects in the quality improvement program known as “Six Sigma.”
29. To launch a successful reengineering effort, it is important that managers build on existing processes.
30. Labour costs are one of the largest expenditures of any organization.
31. Methods of reducing labour costs include downsizing, outsourcing, and employee leasing.
32. According to the diagram in the text, courage is an important aspect of being an HR professional.
33. Rather than simply laying off people in downsizing efforts, companies such as L. L. Bean rely upon
voluntary separation programs to provide an incentive for employees to leave on their own accord.
34. Almost all Canadian employers have engaged in some type of downsizing.
36. Employee leasing refers to employing workers in their homes rather than within the traditional office
environment.
37. An increased reliance on outsourcing is likely to increase the morale and productivity of the employees
that remain on the job.
38. Employee leasing shifts administrative costs from the company to a professional employer
organization.
39. Employee productivity is the result of a combination of employees’ abilities, motivation, and work
environment, and the technology they have to work with.
41. Managers in general and HR managers in particular should be concerned with the makeup and
expectations of their employees.
44. Due to increases in education, the gap between the educated and the non-educated is decreasing.
46. Managing diversity means ensuring all employees are treated equally.
48. Employees today are less likely to define success only in terms of financial gain.
49. Family-friendly companies may risk alienating those employees who cannot utilize benefits provided.
50. One of the responsibilities of HR managers is to provide advice and counsel to line managers.
53. One of the roles of HR managers is to act as employee advocates despite their positions as managers.
54. Top management increasingly expects HR managers to reduce their level of involvement in the overall
strategy of the organization and concentrate on improving administrative efficiency.
ESSAY
1. What are the six competitive challenges facing human resources management departments?
ANS:
The six competitive challenges facing human resources departments are (1) globalization, (2)
embracing new technology, (3) managing change, (4) developing human capital, (5) responding to the
market, and (6) containing costs.
(1) First, in order to grow and prosper, many companies are seeking business opportunities in
global markets. HR issues underlie concerns related to managing diverse cultures, geographies, laws,
and business practices.
(2) Second, the introduction of advanced technology has created a shift from touch labour to
knowledge workers, impacting the way in which workers are managed. In addition, technology has
altered the methods of collecting employment information, speeding up the processing of that data,
and improving the process of internal and external communication.
(3) Third, to become faster and more adaptable, many organizations are seeking ways to manage
change. Programs such as TQM, downsizing, reengineering, outsourcing, and the like are examples of
changes that organizations are making to modify the way they operate to be more successful. Each of
these change efforts depends heavily on the adjustment of HR practices to facilitate and manage
evolving issues related to an organization’s workforce.
(4) Fourth, organizational success is increasingly recognized as resting upon a firm’s ability to
manage human capital. HR practices are the fundamental tools by which organizations build, enhance,
and maintain their stock of human capital.
(5) Fifth, meeting the demands of the market is an important criterion for organizational success.
Management innovations such as TQM and reengineering represent two prominent approaches to
responding to customer demands.
(6) Finally, containing costs, especially labour costs, is an important component of organizational
success. As a result, many firms have engaged in initiatives such as downsizing, outsourcing, and
employee leasing as a means to realize greater cost controls. Each of these practices has significant
implications for HR practices. For example, during a downsizing initiative, HR has an obligation to
help maintain a healthy relationship between a company and its employees through services such as
outplacement.
ANS:
Demographically, the labour force is expected to age (with the aging of the baby boomers), creating a
larger number of older workers and a shrinking pool of young workers. HRM implications for aging
workers include (1) increases in the competition for entry-level workers; (2) increased costs of
compensation, health care, and retirement benefits; (3) career plateau and related motivational
concerns; and (4) training techniques that help senior workers “unlearn” old behaviours while
acquiring new ones.
Diversity in the workplace will continue, with a higher proportion of women and minorities in the
workforce. HRM efforts that will be required to accommodate the needs of these workers include (1)
flexible schedules, parental leave, and daycare options for dual-career families; and (2) training for
supervisors in the management of a diverse workforce.
Educational levels are expected to rise, but functional and technological illiteracy will continue to be a
problem for employers. HR managers will need to plan training programs to assist employees in
attaining basic and developmental skills and overcoming these deficiencies.