Deck 2: Developing and Implementing Strategic Hrm Plans

Question 1

Quantitative data on strategic plans are effective in demonstrating how HR adds value to the bottom line.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Once implemented, a good strategic plan cannot be adjusted to suit the changing trends in the internal or external factors affecting the company.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

A staffing plan is an inventory of all current employees along with their educational level and abilities.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Non-job specific skills that employees need to become successful are called human relations skills.

Question 5

Awareness of IT changes in HR isn't necessary, since HR isn't the IT department.

Question 6

A strategic plan should be a static document.

Question 7

Every stage of the organizational lifecycle requires a different HRM strategy.

Question 8

The region or area in which a business is located is a major determinant of its compensation strategy.

Question 9

Personnel management emphasized the aim of achieving strategic goals through people.

Question 10

A 360 review is a type of training method.

Question 11

Strategic plans should be reviewed once a year.

Question 12

A SWOT analysis does not apply at the level of departmental performance.

Question 13

The HRM strategic plan represents the major objectives an organization wants to achieve.

Question 14

A head-hunter is typically used for recruiting candidates for higher level positions.

Question 15

Developing programs to meet the training needs of an organization occurs in the fourth part of the HRM plan.

Question 16

Even if a company does not have an HR department, management should still develop HRM strategic plans and HR plans.

Question 17

An HR manager must develop the departmental goals and HR plans based on the overall goals of the organization autonomously.

Question 18

New employees are given training in various aspects of the company culture at the stage of orientation.

Question 19

The first human resource department was created in 1901 by The National Cash Register Company (NCR).

Question 20

The Ulrich HR model started the movement toward viewing HR as a functional area.

Question 21

Which of the following is true of a good strategic plan?

A) It is marked by a lack of emphasis on technology.
B) It is devised by the HR department autonomously.
C) It is not applicable to all company employees.
D) It is focused on individual goals, not company objectives.
E) It is aligned to corporate values and the mission.

Question 22

Nicole Boyd, an HR manager, had been receiving many complaints about production managers who were rejecting work-from-home requests from their subordinates. Nicole reviewed the situation and evaluated the performance of those who had made the request. She selected those employees whose work required minimal feedback and then took up their case with the production managers, providing evidence of the employees' high-quality work. Nicole's action helped the employees and production managers come to an agreement which enabled the employees to work from home three days a week. Nicole's act of confronting her managers with an issue faced by the employees reflects the _____ role of an HR official.

A) administrative expert
B) functional expert
C) human capital developer
D) strategic partner
E) employee advocate

Question 23

Which of the following is an area that represents the HRM focus as opposed to the personnel management focus that was prevalent earlier?

A) Standalone programs
B) Correct administration of policies
C) Recruitment paperwork
D) Administrative aspects
E) Strategic focus

Question 24

Which of the following is an area that personnel management focused on in the past?

A) Effective use of labor as a resource
B) Anticipation of changes that would impact the company
C) Recruitment of new employees and legal compliance
D) Enhancement of the company's productivity
E) Active contribution to profits

Question 25

_____ is a strategic planning tool that identifies strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in relation to the business.

A) Value chain analysis
B) Four corner's analysis
C) Porter's five forces analysis
D) SWOT analysis
E) Break-even analysis

Question 26

In the context of SWOT analysis, which of the following would be considered a strength?

A) Rapid growth of industry
B) High brand value
C) Relaxation of governmental regulations
D) Tax exemptions
E) Favorable political environment

Question 27

In the context of a SWOT analysis, which of the following would be considered an opportunity for an organization?

A) An experienced and committed workforce
B) A high degree of innovation in product lines
C) Efficient manufacturing methods and processes
D) A good reputation in the market
E) Prospects of exclusive partnerships with international clients

Question 28

It is desirable for an HR department's mission statement to strongly emphasize its _____ to be viewed as a dynamic partner in the process of achieving organizational goals.

A) administrative duties
B) strategic approach
C) retention plans
D) functional expertise
E) staffing plans

Question 29

Succession planning, which determines how the organization will handle the departure of managers and how current employees will be ready to take on those roles when a manager does leave, falls under the _____ duty of HRM.

A) determination of compensation and benefits
B) enhancement of retention
C) training and development
D) compliance with regulatory issues
E) development of basic workplace policies

Question 30

Which of the following differentiates the role of personnel management from the present-day HRM?

A) Personnel management had a long-term orientation toward the company's growth, while HRM focuses on short-term goals.
B) Personnel management focused on recruitment processes while HRM today includes strategic planning for the whole organization.
C) Personnel management assessed changes that occurred in the external factors and helped the organization adapt suitably, while HRM plays a passive role.
D) Personnel management focused on developing the company's competitive advantage, while HRM restricts itself to ensuring that enough employees are hired to meet company requirements.
E) Personnel management implied a strategic involvement in the company's goals, while HRM reflects a supportive role.

Question 31

According to Ulrich, HR managers should:

A) advocate the management policy as being final during any conflict with employees.
B) understand company objectives, problems, challenges, and opportunities.
C) avoid training programs as much as possible as they cut into the bottom line.
D) restrict themselves to managing the hiring process and ensuring legal compliance.
E) focus exclusively on administrative functions to ensure smooth functioning.

Question 32

Which of the following models provides an overall view of the role of HRM in the organization?

A) Kirkpatrick's model
B) Ulrich HR model
C) Hackman and Oldham model
D) Porter's Five forces model
E) Two-factor model

Question 33

Staffing focuses on:

A) developing programs to meet the training needs of employees.
B) creating policies based on the requirements noted by the company.
C) determining balanced compensation packages for employees.
D) keeping the organization up-to-date with regulations relating to employment.
E) hiring employees based on the strategic plan projections.

Question 34

Which of the following does an organization use to determine and understand the challenges it faces?

A) Kirkpatrick's model
B) Job analysis
C) SWOT analysis
D) Hackman & Oldham model
E) Break-even analysis

Question 35

Jason McDowell, an HR manager with Prime Banking and Consultancy, switched from the traditional recruitment methods he had used successfully for over a decade to using the Internet as a platform to advertise job openings. He feels that this change enables him to portray his company's culture in a way that appeals to the younger generation who are avid users of these sites. Additionally, it helps him target the younger generation of potential candidates who are required to fill the positions that are becoming vacant as employees of the baby boomer generation are set to retire. It also helps him minimize costs-a crucial benefit in the uncertain economic conditions that are prevailing. His ability to alter his methods to suit the external factors affecting the organization reflects the area of HR function that Ulrich referred to as the _____.

A) administrative expert
B) functional expert
C) human capital developer
D) change agent
E) employee advocate

Question 36

In the context of a SWOT analysis, which of the following would be considered a weakness for an organization?

A) Competitors entering the market
B) Changes in technology
C) Lack of a strategic plan
D) Changes in the economy
E) Sluggish growth of industry

Question 37

Which of the following is true with regard to the Ulrich model?

A) It is a model to explain the ways in which job satisfaction can be enhanced.
B) This model strengthened the role of HR as a functional area.
C) It is a model that focuses on HRM strategic planning.
D) This model advocates that HRM plays the role of an administrative supporter of an organization.
E) This model fails to account for the global business strategy of the company.

Question 38

Which of the following is true regarding the organizational lifecycle?

A) Companies pass through the different stages of the lifecycle in a fixed order.
B) The organizational lifecycle does not incorporate the decline of organizations.
C) Introduction, growth, maturity, and decline are the stages of the lifecycle.
D) Manpower and capital requirements stay constant throughout the organizational lifecycle.
E) Once an organization is on the decline, recovery is not possible.

Question 39

A company's budget for compensating employees is unaffected by legislative changes.

Question 40

Which of the following differentiates an HR plan and an HRM strategic plan?

A) The HR plan addresses the specific activities in the HR department, while the HRM strategic plan is tied directly to the company's overall objectives.
B) The HR plan comprises long-term goals, while the strategic plan typically includes short-term objectives.
C) The HR plans focuses on dealing with external factors affecting the organization, while an HRM strategic plan typically considers the internal environment of the organization.
D) Changes in technology or demographics of the workforce are accounted for in the HR plan, while the HRM strategic plan primarily ensures that recruitments and the allied paperwork are up-to-date.
E) An HR plan operates at the organizational level, while the strategic HRM plan predominantly applies to the HR department.

Question 41

Which of the following is an aspect of an organization's company culture?

A) Technical expertise
B) Pay strategy
C) Dress code
D) Human relations skills
E) Administrative capabilities

Question 42

_____ is the stage in the development of the HRM plan wherein standards are developed to help rate employee performance.

A) Appraisal
B) Training
C) Compensation
D) Selection
E) Recruitment

Question 43

Which of the following is true with regard to the HRM plan?

A) The HRM plan exists as an unspoken agreement between the HR department and management.
B) The HRM plan must be based completely on forecasted figures for the future.
C) The HRM plan must be unaffected by legislative changes in the external environment.
D) The HRM plan must be free from any budget constraints that the organization faces.
E) The HRM plan must be communicated to managers and others in the company.

Question 44

When attempting to determine human resource needs, HR managers prepare a(n) _____ providing details of all current employees, which includes their educational level and abilities and helps identify deficits in the workforce.

A) staffing plan
B) appraisal
C) retention plan
D) inventory
E) job analysis

Question 45

Tim Hayes, the current CEO of Nascent Pharma, is set to retire after a long and fruitful career. Nascent Pharma, a forerunner in pharmaceuticals, is now looking for a new CEO. Which of the following recruitment strategies should they use to locate a dynamic professional with the capability of sustaining the growth and popularity of the company?

A) Traditional advertisements
B) Social networking sites
C) Internet job sites
D) Head-hunters
E) Word-of-mouth

Question 46

The first part of the HRM plan involves:

A) appraising employee performance.
B) determining pay scales and other compensation.
C) developing programs to meet the training needs.
D) selecting the final candidates for the job positions.
E) determining human resource needs.

Question 47

A _____ is a detailed document that synthesizes information to determine how many people should be hired, when they should be hired, and what skills they should have.

A) staffing plan
B) job description
C) retention plan
D) SWOT analysis
E) task analysis

Question 48

In the context of the HRM plan, which of the following goal statements aims at a specific goal?

A) "Meet the hiring needs of the organization."
B) "Develop training to meet the needs of the organization."
C) "Ensure that all employees are compensated in accordance with their skill and performance."
D) "Hire ten people with the requisite skills to meet the work demands of this quarter based on the sales forecasts."
E) "Implement programs to assess and reward employees for their performance."

Question 49

Training programs to help employees understand and internalize aspects of company culture typically happen at the stage of _____.

A) recruitment
B) appraisal
C) selection
D) orientation
E) succession

Question 50

Which of the following occurs immediately after the interview rounds in a selection process?

A) Orientation and training programs
B) Reference checks, background checks, or tests
C) Performance appraisals
D) Negotiations over compensation packages
E) Team activities to facilitate orientation

Question 51

A good HRM plan should be _____.

A) general
B) universal
C) specific
D) broad
E) indefinite

Question 52

Which of the following steps precedes the stage of training and development in the HRM plan?

A) Recruitment of potential candidates
B) Determination of compensation packages
C) Selection of final candidates
D) Appraisal of performance
E) Determination of human resource needs

Question 53

_____ is the process of obtaining résumés of people interested in the job.

A) Orientation
B) Appraisal
C) Recruitment
D) Selection
E) Retention

Question 54

_____ is the step that follows the selection process in the HRM plan.

A) Compensation
B) Appraisal
C) Recruitment
D) Training
E) Determination of human resource needs

Question 55

A _____ is a person who specializes in matching jobs with people and usually works only with higher level positions.

A) corporate trainer
B) head-hunter
C) legal consultant
D) talent developer
E) functional expert

Question 56

The _____ process consists of the interviewing and hiring process.

A) appraisal
B) selection
C) training
D) recruitment
E) compensation

Question 57

Which of the following is a threat according to SWOT analysis?

A) Recession
B) Poor management practices
C) Lack of a strategic plan
D) Low-quality output
E) Insufficient resources

Question 58

A career development review is used for the purpose of _____.

A) employee selection
B) recruitment
C) training needs assessment
D) performance appraisal
E) headhunting

Question 59

The _____ is an organization's way of doing things.

A) organizational lifecycle
B) company culture
C) organizational space
D) company structure
E) company resource

Question 60

It is desirable for managers to:

A) monitor the HRM plan constantly to revise and update it as the organization changes.
B) resist making changes to the HRM plan when internal factors affect the organization.
C) avoid adjusting the HRM plan in correspondence to changes in technology.
D) negate the influence of forecasts as they can adversely impact the HRM plan.
E) create the HRM plans such that changes in economic cycles do not alter its course.

Question 61

Why do we need to link the HR plans to the company's strategic plans?

Question 62

An effective HRM plan provides value to the organization when it:

A) is completely based on forecast figures of the organization.
B) incorporates the legislative changes occurring outside the organization.
C) establishes generic and wide-ranging goals for the organization.
D) imitates the plan used by other companies like its branches or competitors.
E) excludes the challenges faced by the company and focuses only on the strengths.

Question 63

What is the difference between the HR plan and HRM strategic plan?

Question 64

Pay scales are determined in the _____ part of the HR plan.

Question 65

The _____ process consists of interviewing candidates.

Question 66

_____ mostly focused on the hiring process and legal compliance.

Question 67

Communication skills are a type of _____ skill.

Question 68

Describe the HR model proposed by Ulrich.

Question 69

_____ analysis is a strategic planning tool that identifies the strengths, weakness, opportunities, and threats to an organization.

Question 70

Strategic plans must be aimed at _____ goals.

Question 71

What are the various recruitment strategies available to HR managers?

Question 72

A _____ is a person who specializes in matching jobs with people, and usually works only with higher level positions.

Question 73

What are the six parts of the HRM plan? Which part do you consider the most important and why?

Question 74

Perform a SWOT analysis on a company of your choice and provide suggestions for how the SWOT analysis results must be incorporated in the company's HRM strategic plan.

Question 75

What are the various reasons behind strategic plans not being implemented?

Question 76

What are the considerations when measuring a strategic plan?

Question 77

Compare and contrast at least two differences between personnel management and strategic HRM.

Question 78

As a ______, the HR professional develops talent that is projected to be needed in the future.

Question 79

What are the three main areas in which we can train our employees?

Question 80

The _____ refers to the introductory, growth, maturity, and decline phases of the organization.
organizational lifecycle; Easy