Deck 16: Strategically Managing the Hrm Function

Question 1

"Business-linked" HR functions begin with identifying major people outcomes.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

In strategically designed HR structures,centers for expertise ensure that benefits administration and record keeping are delivered throughout the organization.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Attempting to estimate the financial impact of substance abuse is an example of human resource accounting.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Transactional HRM activities provide the greatest strategic value to a firm.

Question 5

Information technology applications are a prerequisite for HRM process redesign.

Question 6

Because an outsourced provider is specialized,a main disadvantage is their inability to learn unique innovations from one company and transfer them to another company.

Question 7

The human resource accounting approach places a dollar value on human resources as if they were physical or financial resources.

Question 8

Field generalists help line executives,strategically address people issues,and ensure that the HRM systems are in place to enable the business to execute its strategy.

Question 9

Applying new technology to an inefficient process will improve efficiency or effectiveness.

Question 10

Employee relations is a nuts and bolts activity of HRM.

Question 11

Service centers often leverage information technology to efficiently deliver employee services.

Question 12

Lack of expertise among outsourced providers is a reason for declining levels of outsourcing in the last couple of years.

Question 13

Reengineering cannot be used to review specific HRM practices such as work design or the performance management system.

Question 14

A payroll check is issued based on a payment voucher that is generated from the general accounting ledger.

Question 15

As part of the reengineering process,companies expand a redesigned process to the entire organization without testing it in a controlled setting.

Question 16

A new trend that is consistent with the total quality management philosophy is HR executives moving to a customer-oriented approach while implementing the function.

Question 17

Redesigning the HRM process represents the external approach to improving HRM effectiveness,processes,and servics

Question 18

The analytic approach to evaluating HR effectiveness uses key indicators and customer satisfaction measures.

Question 19

In a generic structure,the HRM function effectively consists of three divisions: the centers for expertise,the field generalists,and the service center.

Question 20

The first step in the basic process of HR strategy begins with answering questions about growth in the company,international expansion,and new technologies.

Question 21

Which of the following HRM activities adds the lowest strategic value to a firm?

A)Benefits administration
B)Performance management
C)Training and recruitment
D)Knowledge management
E)Management development

Question 22

Examining the need to develop new technologies is part of

A)identifying people issues.
B)scanning the external environment.
C)developing the HR strategy.
D)identifying strategic business issues.
E)communicating the HR strategy.

Question 23

Since the HR strategy seeks to address business issues,involving ________ can increase the quality of information from which the HR strategy is created.

A)competitors
B)suppliers
C)line executives
D)shareholders
E)customers

Question 24

E-HRM capabilities have allowed the focus of HRM functions to move from transactional to transformational concerns and activities.

Question 25

Which of the following is not a function of business issues and outcomes?

A)Business-linked
B)Technology-linked
C)Business-driven
D)People-linked
E)Outcome-focused

Question 26

________ activities of HRM have the lowest strategic value in a firm.

A)Transcendental
B)Transnational
C)Transformational
D)Traditional
E)Transactional

Question 27

Which of the following strategies includes activities such as selection and compensation?

A)Transcendental
B)Transpersonal
C)Transformational
D)Traditional
E)Transactional

Question 28

Decision support systems are designed to help employees solve problems by themselves.

Question 29

When Goodyear examined the HR functions,they discovered that ________ functions articulated that people outcomes stem from an analysis of what their functions do.

A)business-linked
B)technology-linked
C)business-driven
D)HR-focused
E)outcome-focused

Question 30

New technologies are replacing human labor with equipment,information processing,or a combination of the two.

Question 31

The first step toward customer orientation is

A)identifying the needs of customers.
B)identifying the HRM functions required for customer orientation.
C)developing technologies that serve customers.
D)creating strategies that serve customers.
E)identifying the customers.

Question 32

Activities focused on identifying workforce morale issues pertain to the role of a chief human resource officer (CHRO)being the leader of the HR function.

Question 33

Which of the following HRM activities adds the highest strategic value to a firm?

A)Benefits administration
B)Employee service
C)Training and recruitment
D)Knowledge management
E)Record keeping

Question 34

________ systems provide employees with an equitable return for their investment of skills and effort.

A)Selection
B)Training and development
C)Performance management
D)Reward
E)Administrative

Question 35

Which of the following stages involves identifying an increasing immigrant population in a basic HR strategy process?

A)Identifying people issues
B)Scanning the external environment
C)Developing the HR strategy
D)Identifying strategic business issues
E)Communicating the HR strategy

Question 36

Mel heads a team within the HR department that is responsible for the traditional HRM activities.Which of the following activities is Mel likely to be overseeing?

A)Record keeping
B)Employee services
C)Employee relations
D)Benefits administration
E)Knowledge management

Question 37

For an HRM function to become truly strategic in its orientation,it must

A)not view itself as a separate business entity.
B)base its strategies on serving external clients.
C)focus on process-oriented rather than people-oriented concerns.
D)adopt a customer-oriented approach.
E)spend most of its time and efforts on transactional activities.

Question 38

The role of a strategic advisor of a chief human resource officer (CHRO)entails sharing the people expertise as part of the decision-making process.

Question 39

Which of the following meet the needs of both the line managers and the employees by giving employees opportunities to ensure that they increase their human capital,thus providing increased value to the company?

A)Selection systems
B)Training and development systems
C)Management development systems
D)Reward systems
E)Administrative systems

Question 40

Lucas,an HR executive,is responsible for the transactional HRM activities at Coldstore Inc.If he is the sole HR person handling transactional HR activities,which of the following is most likely his responsibility?

A)Selection
B)Employee services
C)Recruitment
D)Performance management
E)Knowledge management

Question 41

The audit approach to evaluating the effectiveness of HR practices focuses on

A)using analytical data to increase organizational effectiveness.
B)estimating the costs and benefits resulting from an HR practice.
C)reviewing the various outcomes of the HR functional area.
D)determining the dollar value of a program.
E)using utility analysis to estimate the financial impact of employee behavior.

Question 42

Which HR strategy begins by identifying the major business needs and issues,considers how people fit in and what people outcomes are necessary,and builds HR systems focused on meeting those needs?

A)HR-focused
B)People-linked
C)Business-linked
D)Business-driven
E)Outcome-focused

Question 43

Minority turnover rate is a key indicator of the ________ function of HRM.

A)training
B)succession planning
C)equal employment opportunity
D)employee appraisal and development
E)compensation

Question 44

Which of the following will help a line manager handle a customer satisfaction grievance?

A)Training
B)Succession planning
C)Equal employment opportunity
D)Employee appraisal and development
E)Labor relations

Question 45

Which of the following is true about improving HRM effectiveness?

A)Improvement often focuses on the effectiveness of each activity rather than on its efficiency.
B)There is often a push to eliminate the transformational work to free up time for transactional work.
C)Redesigning the structure focuses on information technology rather than reporting relationships.
D)Ways to improve effectiveness should be identified much before the strategic direction is established.
E)Focusing more on transformational work is likely to result in higher strategic value to the firm.

Question 46

In examining absenteeism,Sue Anne conducts a(n)________ to estimate the financial impact.

A)utility analysis
B)valuation approach
C)human resource accounting
D)audit approach
E)returns on employee investment

Question 47

Which of the following represents the recent generic structure of HRM function?

A)The VP of HRM reporting to the VP of finance and administration
B)Functions structured around labor relations
C)Functional directors reporting to the VP of HRM
D)Functions structured around staffing and appraisal
E)HRM generalists with dual reporting relationships

Question 48

Which of the following is true of field generalists within the recent generic HR structure?

A)Demarcus is responsible for helping line executives strategically address people issues.
B)Grace is responsible for the traditional areas of HR.
C)Johnsie is responsible for the transactional HR activities.
D)Brendan acts as consultants in the development of state-of-the-art HR systems.
E)Moana often leverages information technology to efficiently deliver employee services.

Question 49

Maria works in the HR department at Cloud Zero Inc.She is responsible for helping the line executives strategically address people issues.She has a dual reporting relationship with Jose,the head of HRM,and Gigi,the head of the line business.Maria is likely to be

A)part of the center of expertise.
B)a field generalist.
C)part of the service center.
D)part of the transactional center.
E)a functional specialist.

Question 50

Gil begins with an assessment of HR,then identifies people outcomes,and finally translates his findings into business outcomes.He is using a(n)________ function to do this work.

A)business-linked
B)HR-focused
C)people-linked
D)business-driven
E)outcome-focused

Question 51

Which of the following is true about the employees of the service center within the recent generic HR structure?

A)They have dual reporting relationships to both the head of the line business and the head of HR.
B)They are responsible for the traditional areas of HR,such as recruitment,selection,training,and compensation.
C)They consist of individuals who ensure that the transactional activities are delivered throughout the organization.
D)They act as consultants in the development of state-of-the-art HR systems and processes for use in the organization.
E)They focus on ensuring that the HRM systems enable the business to execute its strategy.

Question 52

Trayvon,an HR personnel at Wood Inc.,is a functional specialist dealing with compensation.He also works as a consultant in the development of systems and processes to be used at Wood.If Wood follows the recent generic structure of HRM function,Trayvon is likely to be part of a

A)center of expertise.
B)field generalist center.
C)service center.
D)transactional center.
E)business unit-wide center.

Question 53

Fouad works at Ante Inc.He is responsible for conducting cost-benefit analyses of different functions performed at Ante.If Fouad's current task is to conduct a utility analysis,which of the following factors is he likely to asses through it?

A)Capitalization of salary
B)Gains from selection programs
C)Returns on human assets
D)Net present value of expected wage payments
E)Level of job satisfaction among senior employees

Question 54

Which of the following is true of the audit approach?

A)It typically collects key indicators and customer satisfaction measures.
B)It primarily deals with the determination of the dollar value of a function.
C)It involves the use of statistics and finance and hence is more demanding than the analytic approach.
D)It uses utility analysis to estimate the financial impact of employee behavior.
E)It focuses on the processes involved in the HRM functional areas rather than the outcomes.

Question 55

The ________ approach attempts to place a dollar value on human resources as if they were physical resources.

A)performance management
B)human resource accounting
C)knowledge management
D)utility analysis
E)audit

Question 56

A ________ consists of functional specialists in the traditional areas of HRM such as recruitment and selection.

A)center of expertise
B)field generalist center
C)service center
D)transactional center
E)business unit-wide center

Question 57

Jorge is examining the ratio of promotions to number of employees as he is preparing a report on

A)training.
B)succession planning.
C)equal employment opportunities.
D)employee appraisals and developments.
E)compensations.

Question 58

Which of the following is human resource accounting likely to include?

A)Turnover costs
B)Absenteeism
C)Capitalization of salary
D)The impact of positive employee attitude
E)Gains from selection programs

Question 59

Jay examines data from pre- and postsurveys to see if the new training program has achieved the desired effect.He is using the ________ approach.

A)people
B)audit
C)balance-sheet
D)analytic
E)outcome

Question 60

Which of the following represents a traditional structure of HRM function?

A)Directors,Scott and Holly,report to the VP of HRM.
B)Matteo is a consultant in the development of systems.
C)Hannah has a dual reporting relationship.
D)Jazmyn leverages information technology.
E)Abbe takes responsibility for helping line executives.

Question 61

Pension administration and payroll are most likely to be outsourced,since they are ________ activities.

A)transformational
B)transactional
C)traditional
D)training
E)transcendental

Question 62

Computers Inc.uses ________ for its computer chip process by sending it to China where it can get the product cheaper than using American labor.

A)offshoring
B)importing
C)outsourcing
D)reshoring
E)exporting

Question 63

Which of the following is true about the reengineering process?

A)Information technology applications are mandatory for process redesign.
B)Reengineering cannot be used to review HRM department functions.
C)Applying new technology to an inefficient process will improve effectiveness.
D)Reengineering cannot be used to review a performance management system.
E)Product or service cost will increase if new technology is applied to an inefficient process.

Question 64

Mockingjay Company has begun the reengineering process to check on the roll out of their new technology system.Where should they begin?

A)Interpreting the process
B)Auditing the process
C)Implementing the process
D)Redesigning the process
E)Identifying the process

Question 65

Analyzing data redundancy,special cases,and exceptions is part of ________ the process during reengineering.

A)identifying
B)redesigning
C)understanding
D)implementing
E)testing

Question 66

A review of critical work processes and redesign to make them more efficient and able to deliver higher quality are called

A)transaction processing.
B)reengineering.
C)benchmarking.
D)delayering.
E)outsourcing.

Question 67

Technology has freed HR managers from day-to-day activities to focus more on ________ activities.

A)transformational
B)traditional
C)transnational
D)transactional
E)transitional

Question 68

Knowing the company's strategic plan and understanding the company's financial capabilities is part of the ________ competence required by HR professionals.

A)professional-technical knowledge
B)management of change processes
C)integration
D)business
E)performance

Question 69

________ is a computer system incorporating the decision rules of people deemed to have specialized knowledge in a certain area.

A)A relational database
B)A decision support system
C)An expert system
D)A client service system
E)A support network

Question 70

The generic structure of HRM functions is likely to result in

A)functional specialists being distracted by transactional activities.
B)generalists focusing more on maintaining functional specializations.
C)service centers focusing on efficient delivery of basic services across units.
D)nondual reporting relationships among field generalists and HRM/line heads.
E)the responsibility of leveraging information technology shifting to functional specialists.

Question 71

Which of the following corresponds to identifying the process stage of the reengineering process?

A)Considering whether jobs can be combined
B)Developing models and choosing prototypes
C)Asking process owners to be part of the team
D)Considering the exceptions to be dealt with
E)Considering if all the steps in the process are necessary

Question 72

Which of the following corresponds to the stage of understanding the process during reengineering?

A)Considering whether jobs can be combined
B)Developing models and choosing prototypes
C)Asking process owners to be part of the team
D)Including customers who see the outcome of the process as team members
E)Testing the process

Question 73

Up-to-date knowledge on new selection techniques,performance appraisal methods,training programs,and incentive plans is part of the ________ competence required by HR professionals.

A)professional-technical knowledge
B)management of change processes
C)integration
D)business
E)performance

Question 74

Which of the following steps in reengineering involves trying out the process by testing it in a limited,controlled setting?

A)Identifying the process
B)Understanding the process
C)Redesigning the process
D)Implementing the process
E)Auditing the process

Question 75

________ are problem-solving systems,which usually include a "what if" feature that allows users to see how outcomes change when assumptions or data change.

A)Relational databases
B)Decision support systems
C)Expert systems
D)Client service systems
E)Support networks

Question 76

Bernadette is collecting information on the importance and frequency of use for the new technology system.She has convened several focus groups and has used three surveys.Using the reengineering process,which step is she in?

A)Identifying the process
B)Understanding the process
C)Redesigning the process
D)Implementing the process
E)Auditing the process

Question 77

________ show the types of information used within a business function and the association among the different types of information.

A)Focus groups
B)Scenario analyses
C)Cost-benefit analyses
D)Data-entity relationship diagrams
E)Data-flow diagrams

Question 78

Which of the following is true of cost-benefit analysis?

A)It evaluates the design of data structure and content.
B)It is a review of how soon the system of software application will become outdated.
C)It shows the flow of data between departments.
D)It compares the expense of completing a task with and without an automated system.
E)It evaluates the frequency and criticality of automating specific tasks within a functional area.

Question 79

A firm is most likely to outsource services when

A)the cost of production is cheaper when done onshore.
B)the labor costs are high in the country where the outsourcing partner is.
C)the human capital is low in the country where the outsourcing partner is.
D)the effectiveness of services produced internally is less than that produced offshore.
E)the goods produced onshore are of better quality than those produced offshore.

Question 80

Chen uses information technology to deliver employee services,since he works in the

A)field generalists' center.
B)functional specialists' center.
C)center for expertise.
D)service center.
E)labor relations center.