Deck 12: Principles and Metrics for Value Adding HRM

Question 1

When using organisational-level metrics it is necessary to undertake a gap analysis both vertically and horizontally to ensure that HR functions are consistent and that gaps do not prevent the organisation from achieving its strategic goals.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

HR climate audits communicate with employees that their opinions are valued, accepted and integrated into the organisational culture.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

According to the examples in the text, within-person metrics can be used during recruitment and selection while between-person metrics can be used during job design.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Benchmarking can be a useful tool for acquiring information on what competitors are doing.

Question 5

It is important that rather than simply adopting the practices of effective organisations, one should examine the underlying principles that led to the development of these effective practices.

Question 6

'Best principles' are scientifically proven axioms of human behaviour and often they focus on best practices rather than best principles.

Question 7

HR practitioners believe that the quality of relationships with one's supervisor and co-workers affect work behaviour and attitudes is the only value and benefit to consider

Question 8

The Sweat Shirt Company installed a new database system and developed an appropriate culture to utilise and further develop this system of technology.This example illustrates:

A) best principles
B) benchmarking
C) best practice
D) HR culture audit

Question 9

A bus operator runs the business on a narrow profit margin and the owner has considered the underlying principles of best practice reward systems.By identifying issues that employees value, they develop an innovative reward system that is specific to the business.They asked employees what non-financial factors they valued in their job and the list included new buses and preferred bus routes and shifts.The owner then chose from both intrinsic and extrinsic rewards to motivate employees and identified the rewards linked to desired performance levels.This is an example of:

A) ineffective SHRM
B) effective SHRM
C) benchmarking
D) HRM auditing

Question 10

HR metrics can be used to monitor all of the following except:

A) what is going on within the organisation
B) what effects any changes implemented within the organisation are having
C) the value being added to the organisation through its human resources
D) the most appropriate recruitment and selection procedures to use in the organisation

Question 11

If I wanted to determine whether Adam's level of job satisfaction varied from Michael's level, I would gather between-person metrics.

Question 12

'Best practices' are thought of as an ideal or 'model' mode of practice, and they are identified from highly successful organisations.

Question 13

Obtaining information about remuneration practices in order to understand the reality of the market for talent is an example of:

A) benchmarking
B) competitor analysis
C) SWOT analysis
D) Filing gaps in the HRM practice

Question 14

Effective HRM is a dynamic process which involves:

A) ongoing and systematic environmental scanning
B) analysis of organisational objectives, strategies and policies
C) the promotion of 'systems' thinking
D) all of the above

Question 15

Developing an understanding of the organisation as a highly interconnected system is termed:

A) benchmarking
B) systems thinking
C) SWOT analysis
D) strategic objective setting

Question 16

An American-owned multinational found the 'Employee of the Month' recognition as an effective motivator in the USA.Its Australian subsidiary decided to comply with the American initiative by simply rostering employees for the award with recognition in a practical and effective manner yet suitable for the employees in this environment.This is an example of:

A) best practice
B) external motivational forces
C) best principles
D) cross cultural foundations for learning

Question 17

Luke, the HR manager, examined training evaluations completed by employees.The evaluations revealed that employees had different reasons for participating in training, different perceptions of their ability to use the training, and different opinions of the usefulness of the training on the job.This type of information is an example of:

A) within-person metrics
B) within-person variability
C) between-person metrics
D) group-level metrics

Question 18

To achieve effective HRM, the HRM system must be continually fine-tuned and its components monitored and reviewed to assure continuous learning.

Question 19

Being able to communicate to employees that their opinions are valued, accepted and integrated into the organisational culture, norms, practices and policies with the purpose of identifying and filling any gaps in nurturing people's cognitive, affective is considered through:

A) HR benchmarking
B) HR climate audit
C) HR best practice policy initiative
D) HR strategic objectives

Question 20

Best practice is different from best principle in terms of:

A) once the principle is established then the practice can be adopted
B) practice comes first then the principle is applied
C) they should always be applied jointly to obtain effective SHRM
D) they produce very different results for the SHRM

Question 21

The paradigm that is most relevant to the contemporary business context contains which of the following values and beliefs?

A) recognition of the whole person
B) a positive social environment and the emotional aspects of working
C) a healthy and secure physical environment
D) all of the above

Question 22

Given the changes in how business is valued in society, discuss the potential "future" of organisations.Describe and provide examples of differing conditions that underpin the way that HRM may be practised in future organisations.

Question 23

The values and philosophy of an organisation that link to organisational success and the values and beliefs driving people management are crucial to the forming what type of HRM system?

A) a value-driven culture
B) an organisation where behaviours and attitudes are not respected
C) a philosophical organisation
D) value orientated HRM policy

Question 24

Nicole, the HR manager, collected information about the personality of people within the organisation and their levels of honesty.She found that employees who displayed the personality characteristic of Machiavellianism were more likely to lie at work.Nicole collected:

A) within-person metrics
B) within-person variability
C) between-person metrics
D) group-level metrics

Question 25

Francis discovered that a lot of the conflict in her project team was due to the diversity of team members.This led to low group morale and communication problems.Francis has collected:

A) within-person metrics
B) within-person variability
C) between-person metrics
D) group-level metrics

Question 26

When Olive, the HR manager, compared the overall levels of job satisfaction of staff to the overall job satisfaction of staff in a competitor's organisation she found that her staff were much more satisfied with their opportunities for promotion and development.Olive has collected:

A) between-person metrics
B) group-level metrics
C) organisational-level metrics
D) multilevel metrics

Question 27

List five of the values and beliefs that are contained in the thinking approach (or 'paradigm/) that is most relevant to the contemporary business context.

Question 28

What is the difference between within-person metrics, between-person metrics and group-level metrics?

Question 29

If HR practitioners adopt 'best practices' used by other firms or repeat 'best practices' used in the past then they see effective HRM as a set of specific and routine practices that can be applied to any context.What is wrong with this thinking?

Question 30

Aaron, the HR manager, found that those employees who had an extravert personality contributed to work group cohesion and that this contributed to a positive organisational culture.What did Aaron use to reach this conclusion?

A) between-person metrics
B) group-level metrics
C) organisational-level metrics
D) multilevel metrics

Question 31

Part of being an effective leader in business is to think about what the future is likely to hold in terms of both challenges and opportunities.Consider the triple bottom line view and discuss its influences on business, society and government.

Question 32

Which of the following is not an example of organisational-level metrics?

A) organisational culture
B) organisational citizenship behaviour
C) organisational climate
D) corporate social responsibility

Question 33

What is benchmarking in HR, how is it effective and how can it be problematic?

Question 34

Gary used a horizontal gap analysis to examine whether the performance management process was being implemented differently for individuals and groups in different departments throughout the organisation.Gary used this analysis as part of the process for gathering:

A) multilevel metrics
B) organisational-level metrics
C) group-level metrics
D) within-person metrics

Question 35

The triple bottom line (TBL) approach suggests that three types of indicators should be used to measure successful business performance.These three indicators are:

A) financial, environmental and cultural
B) economic, ecological and social
C) financial, environmental and social
D) economic, ecological and cultural

Question 36

When using HR metrics, the mistake of developing and using metrics for each individual function or activity is often made, without thinking about the 'bigger picture'.When using HR metrics it is important to ensure that they are in line with:

A) the other organisational functions
B) the organisation's strategic goals
C) a multilevel metrics model
D) all of the above