Deck 14: Creating High Performing Hr Systems

Question 1

When an organization's HR practices work well together and support each other then the organization has:

A) a compliance based HR system.
B) a commitment based HR system.
C) a productivity based HR system.
D) internal alignment.
E) external alignment.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Bruce operates a small medical practice with 10 employees. He offers a competitive compensation and benefits package. He has implemented an annual performance evaluation system that includes goal setting for each employee. He also has set aside money in his budget to provide educational assistance for his staff. He also allows the staff to self schedule so that they can meet their personal needs while still meeting the office and patient needs. Due to all of this his office has experienced minimal turnover during the past 3 years. This can be best described as a/an:

A) deadly combination.
B) external alignment.
C) powerful connection.
D) internal alignment.
E) uniqueness.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Using the right HR practice the wrong way is generally the result of poor:

A) implementation.
B) design.
C) selection.
D) evaluation.
E) follow up.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Which of the following best demonstrates in which order HR practices should be determined in order to result in the best alignment?

A) Orienting - Evaluating - Selecting - Compensating
B) Training - Compensating - Evaluating - Selecting
C) Selecting - Recruiting - Compensating - Evaluating
D) Recruiting - Selecting - Orienting - Evaluating
E) Selecting - Orienting - Compensating - Evaluating

Question 5

When recruiting for a sales manager ABC Corporation used an extensive interview process and reinforced to the final candidate, Glenn, who was chosen, that sales volumes would be closely monitored and meeting specific targets would result in bonuses. Once hired, Glenn's orientation did not discuss the sales territory or the preferred selling methods. In addition, Glenn's compensation was set up to be straight salary only, which did not support what he was told during the interview process. Which of the following best describes this scenario?

A) Poor internal alignment
B) Poor external alignment
C) Powerful connection
D) Relational relationship
E) Transactional relationship

Question 6

Which of the following HR practices would be impacted by the introduction of new employment regulations related to FMLA?

A) Recruitment process
B) Management training program
C) Employee wellness program
D) Disciplinary process
E) Performance incentive program

Question 7

Susan is an excellent graphic designer. She is very creative and always receives outstanding feedback from her customers. In addition, she is dedicated and works hard to complete assignments so that she can take on additional work. However, Susan's company cannot afford to upgrade the graphic design software she currently uses and therefore her work is starting to suffer because she does not have the latest technology in order to continue to enhance her work product. This is an example of a/an:

A) deadly combination.
B) external alignment.
C) powerful connection.
D) internal alignment.
E) uniqueness.

Question 8

In order to have the most impact employee attitudes and behaviors which of the following HR practices are necessary?

A) Recruitment program and selection process
B) Health and safety programs
C) Incentive plans and benefit programs
D) Orientation and training programs
E) Job description design and implementation

Question 9

RSJ Corporation uses personality testing during the selection process, then they put all new hires through a rigorous orientation and training program, and finally employees are rewarded with a comprehensive incentive program. This is an example of a/an:

A) external alignment.
B) differentiation strategy.
C) deadly combination.
D) powerful connection.
E) relational relationship.

Question 10

All of the following statements about competitive advantage are accurate EXCEPT:

A) it is achieved when an organization has created more economic value for its customers than its competitors.
B) the cost of making the product or service is outweighed by the value which is provided to the customer.
C) it can result from using state of the art technology and equipment to produce the product or service.
D) financial resources are the determinate of competitive advantage rather than the alignment of HR practices.
E) providing excellent customer service can result in a competitive advantage.

Question 11

Eric is a highly skilled print machine operator but lately he has lacked initiative and motivation to take on new assignments or complete his work on time. The work he does complete is of high quality and customers have positive feedback but when projects are not completed timely it creates upset and sometimes loss of customers. This is an example of a/an:

A) deadly combination.
B) external alignment.
C) powerful connection.
D) internal alignment.
E) uniqueness.

Question 12

Which of the following HR practices would be impacted by a labor force trend which shows that more single mothers will be entering your work force?

A) Compensation plan design
B) New employee orientation program
C) Selection process
D) Health insurance plan design
E) Employee safety training

Question 13

In order to effectively manage employees, organizations should always keep the following axioms in mind EXCEPT:

A) using the wrong practice, or using the right practice poorly, can cause more harm than good.
B) no two companies are the same.
C) there is no one best way to manage employees.
D) employees are primarily concerned about being evaluated fairly.
E) All of the above are correct.

Question 14

ABC Industries and XYZ Corporation both are in the auto parts manufacturing business and therefore compete for the same customers, make similar products and use similar technology to create their products. Based on this information, which of the following statements is most accurate about these organizations?

A) They are both in the same stage of development.
B) The size of their companies are different.
C) Their organization cultures are very similar.
D) The work force is made up of the same number of minorities.
E) Regulatory issues impact each company in the same way.

Question 15

An organization which follows a cost leadership strategy should use which of the following incentive plans in order to ensure that its strategy is aligned with its HR practice?

A) Profit sharing bonus
B) Gain sharing plan
C) Employee stock option plan
D) Commission based incentives
E) Straight piece rate

Question 16

Which of the following decisions must be made for every job within an organization?

A) Whether contingent labor can be used to fill the job
B) How the job should be designed
C) The types of KSAs required to perform the job
D) Whether the job should be part time or full time
E) All of the above

Question 17

All of the following are the primary HR activities EXCEPT:

A) work design.
B) work force planning.
C) employee recruitment and selection.
D) managing employee competencies.
E) managing employee attitudes and behaviors.

Question 18

HR challenges with which an organization must align its HR practices are all of the following EXCEPT:

A) performance evaluation systems.
B) amendments to employment regulations.
C) the aging work force.
D) increasing use of technology.
E) employee work/life balance issues.

Question 19

Which of the following factors most likely determines how an organization manages its employees?

A) The compensation level of employees.
B) The results of personality tests given to employees.
C) The education level of the management staff.
D) How the company competes in its market.
E) How much profit the organization has made in the past year.

Question 20

To address organizational demands, environmental demands and regulatory issues managers must select HR activities that are:

A) internally aligned.
B) externally aligned.
C) deadly combinations.
D) unique.
E) relational.

Question 21

A production worker who works at meat packaging plant and receives an hourly rate for the work he does, which is not highly specialized, most likely has which type of relationship with his employer?

A) Transactional
B) Relational
C) Unique
D) Contingent
E) Collaborative

Question 22

A car salesperson who contributes directly to the success of the dealership by using their specialized selling skills would be most likely considered a/an:

A) core employee.
B) job-based employee.
C) contract worker.
D) alliance partner.
E) contingent worker.

Question 23

If the contributions an employee makes to an organization are said to be unique which of the following will most likely occur?

A) The employee will be paid below the market for their type of position.
B) The strategic value the employee brings to the organization will be low.
C) The KSAs the employee has are easily found in the labor market, should the person leave the organization.
D) The employee will not contribute to the competitive advantage and overall success of the organization.
E) The organization will be inclined to help to pay for the employee's continuing education.

Question 24

When the combination of specific HR practices is more powerful than the sum of their individual effects either positive or negative this is known as:

A) synergy.
B) uniqueness.
C) relational.
D) transactional.
E) collaboration.

Question 25

An janitor who works in the housekeeping department of a hospital has a very routine and standardized job and if he were to leave it would be relatively easy to fill his position, therefore he would be most likely considered a/an:

A) core employee.
B) job-based employee.
C) contract worker.
D) alliance partner.
E) contingent worker.

Question 26

In order to map its employment portfolio an organization must:

A) define its financial position and then determine what employment arrangements it can afford.
B) outsource all positions which require a unique combination of KSAs.
C) must weigh the strategic value and uniqueness that each job brings to the organization to determine what type of employment relationship will be created.
D) use contingent labor for all narrowly focused jobs since that is the more cost effective method.
E) focus on building relational relationships in order to remain competitive.

Question 27

All of the following statements are True about outsourcing EXCEPT:

A) work is sent to another area of the organization to be completed by specialists.
B) it allows the organization to focus on what it does best to achieve its competitive advantage.
C) not outsourcing can sometimes increase an organization's costs depending on the nature of the task.
D) these agencies are often the experts and can work more efficiently on a particular task.
E) tasks that do not add strategic value can be outsourced.

Question 28

Which of the following statements best describes what an employment portfolio is?

A) It involves ensuring that your HR systems are both internally and externally aligned.
B) It is made up of both the HR and operational costs and how they impact the financial standing of the company.
C) It is a review of the number of deadly combinations and powerful connections within an organization.
D) It is the selection of the strategy of the organization and how organizational culture impacts its success.
E) It is looking at your employees' contributions from the standpoint of strategic value and uniqueness they bring to the organization.

Question 29

STU Industries has a full time CAD designer position currently open. This position is critical to their on-going operations and without it they may lose customers and not meet production deadlines. Given this information, STU Industries should fill this position:

A) by outsourcing it to a local engineering firm.
B) hiring their own full time employee who has CAD experience.
C) use a contingent worker.
D) hire a recent college graduate.
E) hire someone with CAD experience part time to see how it works out.

Question 30

If an organization's competitive advantage focuses on producing a top quality product which of the following statements about the organization's HR system would be most accurate?

A) The selection process requires all final candidates to take a personality assessment.
B) Once hired, employees are provided with intensive quality assurance training.
C) A comprehensive safety program is instituted to reduce workers' compensation claims.
D) A full benefits package is offered to attract and retain top employees.
E) Customer service training is provided on an annual basis to keep employees up to date on how to interact appropriately with customers.

Question 31

An HR manager who has established strong ties to the organization and created professional connections with many of the people she works with due to the broad scope of her work, most likely has which type of relationship with her employer?

A) Transactional
B) Relational
C) Unique
D) Contingent
E) Collaborative

Question 32

Organization's use contingent labor because:

A) the organization can quickly add to or subtract from its work force.
B) it eliminates the need to provide any type of training to the contingent labor.
C) the organization can hire employees who have specialized skills more quickly than recruiting for the position themselves.
D) Both A and C are correct.
E) All of the above are correct.

Question 33

All of the following are good examples of how employees can add value to an organization EXCEPT:

A) an assembly line worker who meets productivity standards.
B) a sales representative who goes above and beyond to meet a customer request.
C) the executive who maintains up to date statistics on the company's performance.
D) an information services employee who programs the computer system to operate at the optimal speed to meet employee needs.
E) the operations supervisor who offers flexible scheduling to his staff to help them maintain work/life balance.

Question 34

Registered nurses contribute directly to a medical center's short and long term success. Therefore the medical center provides extensive continual education opportunities and allows the nurses much discretion in the work they do. The HR system that the medical center would most likely use with these employees is:

A) commitment-based.
B) productivity-based.
C) compliance-based.
D) collaborative-based.
E) job-based.

Question 35

LMN Accounting Firm is short handed during tax season and needs to bring on three full time accounting clerks to help them process tax returns. Given this information, LMN should fill these position:

A) by outsourcing it to another local accounting firm.
B) hiring their own full time employees who have tax experience.
C) use contingent workers.
D) hire recent college graduates.
E) hire three people with tax experience part time to see how it works out.

Question 36

Which of the following statements is most accurate when describing the relationships an organization has with its employees?

A) A quid pro quo relationship involves a strong commitment on the part of the both the organization and the employee.
B) Relationships that have an economic focus are also more social in nature.
C) An emotional connection is found in those relationships which are based on a "fair day's work for a fair day's pay."
D) When employee's make a unique contribution they tend to have a relational type of relationship with their organization.
E) Both the employee and employer have a high level of concern for each other when the relationship is focused narrowly on the performance of a specific task.

Question 37

The corporate headquarters of a large marketing firm uses Greenthumb Landscapers to mow their property, weed the landscaping, plant and water the flowers, etc. The employees at Greenthumb that provide the services at the corporate headquarters building would be most likely considered a/an:

A) core employees.
B) job-based employees.
C) contract workers.
D) alliance partners.
E) contingent workers.

Question 38

When questioning the strategic value that an employee brings to the organization the main question you must ask is:

A) how much should the employee be paid to ensure you can retain them?
B) do they have the KSAs required to do the job?
C) are their sufficient employees in the work force to fill this position should the individual leave?
D) do their contributions have a direct or indirect impact on the competitive advantage?
E) are they focused on producing a quality product or more focused on the quantity produced?

Question 39

Alice works at the end of an assembly line inspecting the product before it is packaged and shipped. Her job is one for which her employer provides on the job training, therefore no specialized skill set is necessary and her job is quite routine in nature. The HR system that Alice's employer would most likely use with her and similar employees is:

A) commitment-based.
B) productivity-based.
C) compliance-based.
D) collaborative-based.
E) job-based.

Question 40

A home health care agency has seen an increase in the number of patients who need physical therapy services. This increase in demand for this type of service is common during the winter months due to injuries related to the weather. Rather than hire more physical therapists they decide to have a contractual arrangement with a few therapists for just a six month period. The HR system that the home care agency would most likely use with these employees is:

A) commitment-based.
B) productivity-based.
C) compliance-based.
D) collaborative-based.
E) job-based.

Question 41

When a misalignment is identified between HR activities and HR deliverables an organization is limited as to what it can do to correct the issues.

Question 42

An example of a strategic performance driver would be offering a competitive compensation and benefits package.

Question 43

What role do HR deliverables play in regard to external alignment?

A) HR deliverables such as quality and cost control must always been monitored for alignment.
B) HR deliverables must be the same across the same industry.
C) HR deliverables define expected productivity levels for employees.
D) HR deliverables must be determined based on strategic performance drivers.
E) HR deliverables do not impact external alignment, only internal alignment.

Question 44

Which of the following pair has matched an HR practice with an HR activity most appropriately?

A) Work force planning by using an equipment training program
B) Work design by using a complete and specific job description
C) Work design by using an employee orientation program
D) Managing employee competencies with a competitive compensation program
E) Managing employee attitudes and behaviors with an intensive recruitment process

Question 45

All of the following are examples of a strategic performance driver EXCEPT:

A) targeted employee retention program.
B) increase in new sales.
C) enhanced quality improvement.
D) increased productivity.
E) reduced error rates.

Question 46

A mail order catalog business is having trouble collecting payments from certain customers. Some of its accounts receivable are outstanding beyond 90 days. In order to help resolve some of these outstanding accounts the company has arranged for a collections agency to provide services to help collect the overdue accounts and also put new systems in place avoid this issue in the future. The HR system that the company would most likely use with the employees of the collections agency is:

A) commitment-based.
B) productivity-based.
C) compliance-based.
D) collaborative-based.
E) job-based.

Question 47

If an organization's ability to attract top quality applicants is high and its turnover is also high then this signals that its HR deliverables are in line with each other.

Question 48

One of the steps in creating an HR score card is to evaluation your company's internal alignment.

Question 49

In order to assess external alignment you must translate strategic performance drivers into HR deliverables and evaluate the effectiveness of those deliverables.

Question 50

When you assess an organization's primary HR activities to see how in line they are with an organization's competitive advantage you are evaluating the organizations internal alignment.

Question 51

An HR score card is:

A) the tool organization's use to keep track of how many employees it has, how many contractors it uses, and how much of its work is done by contingent workers.
B) tells an organization which type of recruiting and retention methods are most effective.
C) a method an organization can use to evaluate its HR systems to ensure they are helping the organization achieve its competitive advantage.
D) focuses on externally aligning HR systems in order for the organization to remain competitive in its industry.
E) outlines all of the HR practices an organization uses and shows how they are or are not unique.

Question 52

An example of an HR deliverable would be providing up to date orientation and training so that employees can remain competent in their jobs and in turn enhance the organization's competitive advantage.

Question 53

A large health care system is currently using a marketing consultant to help them with their marketing and branding strategy so that it can position itself better in its local market. This consultant would be most likely considered a/an:

A) core employee.
B) job-based employee.
C) contract worker.
D) alliance partner.
E) contingent worker.

Question 54

Work design is an example of an HR activity which needs to be created to help an organization achieve an HR deliverable of efficient work flow.

Question 55

Which of the following pair of employee type and HR system is most accurate?

A) Contract worker and alliance partnership
B) Job-based and productivity-based system
C) Core employee and productivity-based system
D) Job-based and compliance-based system
E) Contract worker and collaborative-based system

Question 56

If an organization redesigns part of its HR system to accommodate changes within their industry which of the following should most likely happen next?

A) Establish a collaboration-based HR system with employees in order to get buy-in.
B) Determine what pieces of the HR system are not consistent with the others.
C) Communicate the change to management and provide them with any necessary training so that the change can be implemented correctly.
D) Leave the specifics of the system to be determined by management staff so they can design it to fit their needs.
E) Eliminate any contract or contingency workers in order to get full support of the new HR system.

Question 57

Assessing the degree to which HR practices are consistent with each other can help identify deadly combinations.

Question 58

In order to design an HR system appropriate for your organization you must:

A) follow up after the system has been implemented to see if any changes should be made.
B) customize your HR score card to your business.
C) be consistent so that the practices you use support each other.
D) be specific so that employees understand what is expected of them.
E) do all of the above.

Question 59

Verifying the alignment among HR practices is part the process of evaluating an organizations internal alignment.

Question 60

Which of the following best describes an example of HR practices and HR deliverables being internally aligned?

A) Higher employee productivity results in more product being shipped to the customer.
B) Employees are given an across the board market adjustment to their wages due to their rates lagging the market.
C) A comprehensive reward and recognition program has increased employee satisfaction and lowered turnover which has increased employee efficiency.
D) Use of a personality test in a hiring process has resulted in more top quality employees.
E) The new hire orientation program has been expanded to include more detailed safety training.

Question 61

If an organization has ________ fit then there is alignment between the primary HR activities and the HR challenges.

Question 62

An HR system which is working effectively should never need to be reevaluated because if there are no issues then nothing needs to be fixed.

Question 63

Completing an evaluation of an HR system should be done once every five years because changes more frequent than that can lead to confusion on the part of the employees about what is expected of them.

Question 64

If a firm has established employee management practices that support each other well then it could be said that it has strong ________ alignment.

Question 65

Consistency is critical when designing HR systems to work with, rather than against, each other.

Question 66

A manager has an employee who is very motivated and always willing to work hard, however the employee lacks the knowledge, skills and abilities to properly perform the job, which is an example of a/an ________.

Question 67

Employees can add ________ to an organization by contributing to its success b impacting the way it competes or how competitive it is with its rival organizations.

Question 68

Generally, HR systems which are consistent in how they are carried out and designed to have powerful connections result in more highly motivated employees, lower turnover, and positive financial results for the organization.

Question 69

Having a successful recruitment strategy to attract top talent and then having a state of art training and development program to support the growth and continuous learning of those employees is an example of ________.

Question 70

For a position such as an assembly worker, being specific is less important because it is not important for them to understand why they need to perform their job, only how they are to perform it.

Question 71

A positive connection between HR practices may be when an company uses a performance evaluation system that is linked to a merit based increase which employees understand and can associate good performance with a high merit increase.

Question 72

Determining the source of your organization's competitive advantage is a primary component of creating an effective HR score card.

Question 73

It is best to keep the information on an HR score card ambiguous so that managers an interpret the information to best fit the needs of their departments.

Question 74

HR practices used by an organization help to determine which knowledge, skills and abilities employees are required to have so being specific when identifying practices can affect competitive advantage.

Question 75

If an organization designs a step by step disciplinary process to use when addressing poor performers but managers never take anyone past a verbal warning in fear of having to terminate an employee and take the time to recruit a new one, then most likely the system needs to be reevaluated and additional management training may need to occur.

Question 76

A compensation system which provides individual performance bonuses while the operations system involves employees to work together on teams would be considered a powerful connection.

Question 77

HR score cards can be used as a starting point for redesigning HR systems that more strongly support the company's competitive advantage.

Question 78

Design the HR system is not enough; instructing managers how to implement the system must be part of the plan as well as following up with how well the implementation worked.

Question 79

Customizing your HR score card to your company is the last step when redesigning HR systems.

Question 80

When considering how HR systems are designed the communication plan about those systems can make or break how successful the organization is based on how specific and clear the information is communicated.