Deck 1: Introduction to Human Resource Management

Question 1

Which function of the management process requires a manager to establish goals and standards and to develop rules and procedures?

A)planning
B)organizing
C)staffing
D)leading

Answer 1

A
Explanation: A)Planning, organizing, staffing, leading, and controlling are the five main functions of management. The planning function involves establishing goals and standards, developing rules and procedures, and forecasting.

Question 2

Personnel activities associated with human resource management most likely include all of the following EXCEPT ________.

A)orienting and training new employees
B)appraising employee performance
C)building employee commitment
D)developing customer relationships

Answer 2

D
Explanation: D)Human resource management involves numerous personnel-related activities, and HR managers are less likely to interact with customers. Managing compensation, orienting new employees, appraising employee performance, and developing employee commitment are typical aspects of the HR manager's job.

Question 3

Jolene, a manager, delegates the authority for a project to Lee, her subordinate. Jolene is most likely involved in which function of the management process?

A)staffing
B)organizing
C)motivating
D)leading

Answer 3

B
Explanation: B)The organizing function of the management process includes delegating authority to subordinates and establishing channels of communication. The organizing function also includes establishing departments and coordinating the work of subordinates.

Question 4

The basic functions of the management process include all of the following EXCEPT ________.

A)planning
B)organizing
C)outsourcing
D)leading

Question 5

Claire spends most of her time at work establishing goals for her staff of fifty employees and developing procedures for various tasks. In which function of the management process does Claire spend most of her time?

A)leading
B)controlling
C)organizing
D)planning

Question 6

________ is the right to make decisions, to direct the work of others, and to give orders.

A)Leadership
B)Authority
C)Management
D)Responsibility

Question 7

Approximately what percentage of people in the United States work for small firms?

A)10%
B)25%
C)50%
D)80%

Question 8

Which of the following is the person responsible for accomplishing an organization's goals by managing the efforts of the organization's people?

A)manager
B)entrepreneur
C)generalist
D)marketer

Question 9

Which of the following is NOT considered one of the line supervisor's responsibilities for effective human resources management under the general headings outlined by a major company discussed in the textbook?

A)protecting employees' health and physical condition
B)changing employees' attitudes regarding work
C)developing the abilities of each person
D)interpreting the company policies and procedures

Question 10

Which function of the management process includes selecting employees, setting performance standards, and compensating employees?

A)organizing
B)planning
C)motivating
D)staffing

Question 11

Gerard is authorized to direct the work of subordinates and is responsible for accomplishing the organization's tasks. Gerard is most likely a ________.

A)training specialist
B)staff manager
C)line manager
D)recruiter

Question 12

When managers use metrics to assess performance and then develop strategies for corrective action, they are performing the ________ function of the management process.

A)planning
B)leading
C)controlling
D)organizing

Question 13

A line manager's human resource responsibilities most likely include all of the following EXCEPT ________.

A)maintaining department morale
B)controlling labor costs
C)protecting employees' health
D)marketing new products and services

Question 14

________ is the process of acquiring, training, appraising, and compensating employees, and attending to their labor relations, health and safety, and fairness concerns.

A)Labor relations
B)Human resource management
C)Behavioral management
D)Organizational health and safety management

Question 15

Which of the following includes five basic functions-planning, organizing, staffing, leading, and controlling?

A)a job analysis
B)strategic management
C)the management process
D)adaptability screening

Question 16

In the management process, which of the following is an activity associated with the leading function?

A)motivating subordinates
B)setting performance standards
C)training new employees
D)developing procedures

Question 17

Since human resources is important to all managers, which is NOT a personnel mistake a manager wants to avoid making while managing?

A)waste time with useless interviews
B)hire the wrong person
C)have your people not doing their best
D)experience low turnover

Question 18

In most organizations, human resource managers are categorized as ________, who assist and advise ________ in areas like recruiting, hiring, and compensation.

A)staff managers; line managers
B)line managers; middle managers
C)line managers; staff managers
D)functional managers; staff managers

Question 19

Which of the following best defines line authority?

A)management over a small staff in a public firm
B)management with flexible decision-making powers
C)a manager's right to advise other managers or employees
D)a manager's right to issue orders to other managers or employees

Question 20

Larry, a manager at a commercial real estate firm, has established a monthly sales quota for his sales team. Which basic function of management best describes Larry's actions?

A)planning
B)organizing
C)controlling
D)staffing

Question 21

All of the following are major areas in which an HR manager assists and advises line managers EXCEPT ________.

A)recruiting
B)hiring
C)strategic business planning
D)compensation

Question 22

The vice president of marketing tells a marketing manager to prepare a presentation by the end of the week. The vice president is most likely exercising which of the following?

A)staff authority
B)procedural authority
C)line authority
D)functional authority

Question 23

An HR generalist at Wilson Manufacturing has been assigned to the sales department to provide HR management assistance as needed. Which of the following best describes the structure of the HR services provided at Wilson Manufacturing?

A)shared HR teams
B)embedded HR teams
C)centers of expertise
D)corporate HR teams

Question 24

Will works at a position in his organization where he maintain contacts within the local community and travels to search for qualified job applicants. Will's position is best described as:

A)recruiter
B)manager
C)labor relations specialist
D)job analyst

Question 25

Which of the following areas is NOT a major area where human resource managers assist and advise line managers?

A)recruiting
B)hiring
C)compensation
D)performance management

Question 26

Human resource managers generally exert ________ within the human resources department and ________ outside the human resources department.

A)line authority; staff authority
B)staff authority; line authority
C)functional authority; line authority
D)staff authority; implied authority

Question 27

Which HR specialty involves preparing job descriptions?

A)compensation manager
B)EEO coordinator
C)job analyst
D)recruiter

Question 28

Which of the following is most likely a line function of the human resource manager?

A)ensuring that line managers are implementing HR policies
B)advising top managers about how to implement EEO laws
C)representing the interests of employees to senior management
D)directing the activities of subordinates in the HR department

Question 29

Which of the following refers to the authority a manager has to advise other managers or employees?

A)staff authority
B)line authority
C)functional authority
D)corporate authority

Question 30

Which of the following human resource management specialties calls for collecting data to write job descriptions?

A)job analyst
B)job training specialist
C)compensation manager
D)EEO coordinator

Question 31

The HR staff member who has the job of advising management on all aspects of union-management aspects is the ________.

A)recruiter
B)line manager
C)compensation manager
D)labor relations specialist

Question 32

Which organization of the human resource function involves dedicated HR members that assist top management in issues such as developing the personnel aspects of the company's long-term strategic plan?

A)embedded HR teams
B)corporate HR teams
C)centers of expertise
D)shared services

Question 33

One of the ________ functions of a human resource manager includes directing the activities of his or her subordinates in the HR department.

A)coordinative
B)corporate
C)staff
D)line

Question 34

Which of the following would most likely provide assistance to executives about long-term strategic plans?

A)centers of expertise
B)embedded HR teams
C)corporate HR teams
D)professional employee organizations

Question 35

Which of the following focuses on using centralized call centers and outside vendors as a way to provide specialized support in day-to-day HR activities?

A)embedded HR units
B)corporate HR groups
C)HR centers of expertise
D)shared HR groups

Question 36

All of the following are examples of human resource specialties EXCEPT ________.

A)job analyst
B)financial advisor
C)compensation manager
D)labor relations specialist

Question 37

Ralph works in the HR department and is in charge of developing the plans for how people are paid and how the employee benefits program is run. Ralph is most likely holding the position of:

A)training specialist
B)recruiter
C)compensation manager
D)job analyst

Question 38

________ functions involve assisting and advising line managers.

A)Staff
B)Advocacy
C)Line
D)Coordinative

Question 39

Roberto Sanchez has recently been hired by Slate Pharmaceuticals as the senior vice president of human resources. Slate Pharmaceuticals has a history of a variety of significant problems within its HR department such as EEO violations, inadequate employee training programs, and employee confusion regarding health benefit enrollment and coverage. With 20 years of experience transforming HR departments in other firms, Sanchez believes he can correct the major problems at Slate Pharmaceuticals. Which of the following best supports the argument that Sanchez should create embedded HR units and assign relationship managers to each department within the company?

A)Employees frequently complain about the inconsistent assistance they receive from the HR department due to its large size.
B)The global nature of the firm makes it difficult for the HR department to effectively communicate corporate messages to employees scattered around the world.
C)Centralized call centers would enable the HR department to provide specialized support on daily transactional activities.
D)Line managers want to implement additional screening and evaluations to improve the quality of their subordinates.

Question 40

Roberta Whitman has recently been hired by Jackson Pharmaceuticals as the senior vice president of human resources. Jackson Pharmaceuticals has a history of problems within its HR department including difficulties recruiting and retaining qualified employees, EEO violations, inadequate employee training programs, and confusion regarding health benefit enrollment and coverage. With years of experience transforming HR departments in other firms, Whitman believes she can correct the problems at Jackson Pharmaceuticals. Which of the following best supports Whitman's idea to develop a shared services arrangement to handle benefits administration?

A)An embedded HR unit would assist top management with big picture issues as well as benefits administration.
B)Extensive training has been provided to line managers so that they fully understand the different insurance options available to employees.
C)Outside vendors specializing in all aspects of benefits administration would provide improved support to the firm's employees.
D)Lower insurance premiums would eliminate the need for outsourcing services and improve employee health coverage.

Question 41

Centralized HR units whose employees are shared by all the companies' departments to obtain advice are called shared service.

Question 42

Setting standards such as sales quotas, quality standards, or production levels is part of the leading function of human resource management.

Question 43

Explain the difference between line authority and staff authority. What type of authority do human resource managers usually have?

Question 44

The planning function of management includes establishing goals and standards and developing forecasts.

Question 45

Communicating is one of the five basic functions of the management process.

Question 46

Shared service HR teams focus on assisting top management in big picture issues such as developing a firm's long-term strategic plan.

Question 47

Staff authority gives a manager the right to advise other managers or employees.

Question 48

What are the five basic functions of the management process? Explain some of the specific activities involved in each function. Which function is most closely associated with human resource management?

Question 49

Centers of expertise are specialized HR that act like consulting firms within the company on particular topics.

Question 50

Hiring the wrong person for the job, committing unfair labor practices, and having your people not doing their best are personnel mistakes that hinder firms from achieving positive results.

Question 51

Staff managers have staff authority which enables them to issue orders down the chain of command unlike line managers.

Question 52

Staff managers are authorized to issue orders to subordinates and are directly in charge of accomplishing the organization's basic goals.

Question 53

A key concept of the textbook is that human resource management is the sole responsibility of human resource managers, so line managers and staff managers rely heavily on HR specialists to hire the best employees.

Question 54

The role of labor relations specialists includes investigating EEO grievances and collecting data about jobs for the purpose of writing job descriptions.

Question 55

Human resource managers are generally staff managers.

Question 56

Why is human resource management important to all managers? What is the role of line managers in human resource management?

Question 57

A key concept of the textbook is that effective human resource management practices add measurable value to an organization.

Question 58

Human resource managers assist line managers with recruiting, hiring, and compensation.

Question 59

Autonomy is the right to make decisions, direct the work of others, and give orders.

Question 60

In small organizations, line managers frequently handle all personnel duties without the assistance of a human resource staff.

Question 61

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, between now and 2022 the number of workers classified as "white, non-Hispanic" will decrease, and the number of workers classified as Asian will increase.

Question 62

________ involves using statistical techniques, algorithms, and problem-solving to identify relationships among data for the purpose of solving particular problems.

A)Data analytics
B)Social media
C)Cloud computing
D)Gaming

Question 63

Describe how shared service HR arrangements and embedded HR arrangements differ.

Question 64

________ refers to the tendency of firms to extend their sales, ownership, and/or manufacturing to new markets abroad.

A)Expansion
B)Globalization
C)Export growth
D)Diversification

Question 65

What term refers to the knowledge, skills, and abilities of a firm's workers?

A)human resources
B)human capital
C)intangible assets
D)contingent personnel

Question 66

In the next few years, almost all the new jobs added in the United States will be in goods-producing industries.

Question 67

What are the two distinct functions carried out by human resource managers? Describe each function in a brief essay.

Question 68

Which term refers to exporting jobs to lower-cost locations abroad?

A)freelancing
B)offshoring
C)rightsizing
D)warehousing

Question 69

What is the term for workforces like those at the company Uber, where freelancers and independent contractors work when they can, on what they want to work on, and when the company needs them?

A)tele-commuters
B)human capital
C)job-analysts
D)on-demand workers

Question 70

Tools such as Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn that can be used to recruit new employees are known as:

A)data analytics
B)social media
C)mobile applications
D)cloud computing

Question 71

All of the following are the most common reasons that firms decide to globalize EXCEPT ________.

A)lower costs
B)supervising quality control methods
C)make employees more productive
D)to do things better

Question 72

Which of the following best describes a nontraditional worker?

A)workers near retirement age
B)ethnically diverse workers
C)workers with multiple jobs
D)service-based workers

Question 73

Which was NOT a change in the economic and political philosophies that drove the globalization boom causing U.S. imports and exports to rise from $47 billion in 1960, to $562 billion in 1980, to about $5.1 trillion recently?

A)government dropped cross-border taxes or tariffs
B)economic free trades areas were formed
C)steps were taken to encourage free flow of trade among countries
D)instability in the world labor market

Question 74

Between 2012 and 2022 what ethnic group is projected to decrease as a percentage of the workforce?

A)black
B)Hispanic
C)Asian
D)white

Question 75

Approximately how many people now use information technology to work from remote locations at least once per month?

A)1 million
B)5 million
C)17 million
D)50 million

Question 76

Which of the following is NOT one of the five main types of digital technologies driving the transfer of functionality from HR professionals to automation?

A)Email
B)Social media
C)Mobile applications
D)Cloud computing

Question 77

Over the next few years, employers may face a severe labor shortage because ________.

A)there are fewer people entering the workforce than there are retiring baby boomers
B)one-third of single mothers are not employed in the U.S. labor force
C)there are too many nontraditional workers holding multiple jobs
D)older employees are more family-centric than younger employees

Question 78

Which of the following describes one of the most significant demographic trends facing the U.S. workforce?

A)increased number of aging workers
B)decreased number of contingent workers
C)increased number of blue-collar workers
D)decreased number of bilingual workers

Question 79

As baby boomers retire from the workforce, there will be more people entering the labor pool than leaving it.

Question 80

The recent trend where in some occupations (such as high-tech)unemployment rates are low, while in others unemployment rates are still very high and recruiters in many companies can't find candidates, while in others there's a wealth of candidates is called:

A)talent analytics
B)globalization
C)the unbalanced labor force
D)human capital