Question 1

Geert Hofstede called the extent to which less powerful members of institutions accept and expect an unequal power distribution ________.

Accepted Answer

C)A study by Professor Geert Hofstede identified international cultural differences. For example, Hofstede says societies differ in power distance, which is the extent to which the less powerful members of institutions accept and expect an unequal distribution of power.

Question 2

The official length of a work week in the European Union is 40 hours.

Accepted Answer

The EU sets the workweek at 48 hours, but most EU countries set it at 40 hours a week.

Question 3

In which country do individuals have a high acceptance of unequal power distribution between managers and subordinates?

Accepted Answer

A)Power distance represents the extent to which the less powerful members of institutions accept and expect an unequal distribution of power. Studies show that acceptance of such inequality is higher in some countries (such as Mexico)than in others (such as Sweden). Mexican workers expect managers to keep their distance rather than to be close, and to be formal rather than informal.

Question 4

Which of the following is a true statement regarding the European Union?

Accepted Answer

A)The EU directive on confirmation of employment requires employers to provide employees with written terms and conditions of their employment. Each country determines the amount of notice to give employees, working hours, and wage rate. Workers may move freely between jobs in EU countries.

Question 5

The most significant HR challenge faced by international firms is the language barrier.

Accepted Answer

Vast distances increase the challenges for an international firm. However, language is not necessarily the biggest issue. Cultural, political, legal, and economic differences among countries create challenges for global firms.

Question 6

________ are formal, employee-elected groups of worker representatives that meet monthly with managers to discuss topics affecting the employees.

Accepted Answer

B)In many European countries, work councils replace the worker-management mediations typical in U.S. firms. Work councils are formal, employee-elected groups of worker representatives that meet monthly with managers to discuss topics ranging from no-smoking policies to layoffs.

Question 7

Which of the following terms refers to the human resource management concepts and techniques employers use to manage the challenges of their international operations?

Accepted Answer

B)International human resource management is the human resource management concepts and techniques employers use to manage the human resource challenges of their international operations.

Question 8

Of the countries listed below, in which one do production workers receive the lowest hourly wage?

Accepted Answer

B)Hourly compensation costs (in U.S. dollars)for production workers range from $2.01 in the Philippines to $9.34 in Taiwan, $35.53 in the United States, $47.38 in Germany, to $64.15 in Norway.

Question 9

Codetermination means that employees have a legal right to voice opinions and preferences in setting company policies.

Accepted Answer

Codetermination means employees have the legal right to a voice in setting company policies. Workers elect their own representatives to the supervisory board of the employer.

Question 10

Why is recruiting, hiring, and retaining good employees difficult in China?

Accepted Answer

C)China's new labor contract law adds numerous new employment protections for employees, and makes it correspondingly more expensive for employers in China to implement personnel actions such as layoffs.

Question 11

In Germany, employees have the legal right to a voice in setting company policies. This is called ________.

Accepted Answer

A)Codetermination is the rule in Germany and several other countries. Codetermination means employees have the legal right to a voice in setting company policies.

Question 12

The European Union is best described as a ________.

Accepted Answer

B)The separate countries of the former European Community unified into a common market for goods, services, capital, and even labor called the European Union (EU). Tariffs for goods moving across borders from one EU country to another generally disappeared, and employees now move freely between jobs in EU countries.

Question 13

According to research, which of the following is a greater concern to Chinese managers than United States managers?

Accepted Answer

D)Although many managers endorse performance-based pay in China, other employers, to preserve group harmony, make incentive pay a small part of the pay package. And, as in other parts of Asia, team incentives are advisable.

Question 14

Daniel is a manager for Siemens China, and it is time to conduct performance appraisals. During the appraisals, it would be most effective for Daniel to ________.

Accepted Answer

C)Employee appraisal is particularly sensitive to the cultural realities in China. The appraisal therefore needs to follow the formalities of saving face and avoiding confrontational, tension-producing situations. In general, it's best to talk in terms of objective work data (as opposed to personal comments like "you're too slow").

Question 15

International human resource management (IHRM)focuses on three main topics. Which of the following is NOT one of them?

Accepted Answer

C)Comparing human resource management practices, managing human resources in global companies, and managing expatriate employees are the main topics of IHRM.

Question 16

A major challenge for international businesses is the need to adapt personnel policies and procedures to the differences among countries.

Accepted Answer

Taking the company global triggers various management challenges, including how to adapt personnel policies and procedures to various cultures and countries. Human resource management must also consider its systems for recruiting, selecting, training, and appraising and compensating its workers abroad.

Question 17

In many European countries, ________ replace the union-based worker-management mediations typical in the U.S.

Accepted Answer

C)In many European countries, work councils replace the worker-management mediations typical in U.S. firms. Work councils are formal, employee-elected groups of worker representatives that meet monthly with managers to discuss topics ranging from no-smoking policies to layoffs.

Question 18

Hourly wages for production workers in the United States are higher than those in Germany.

Accepted Answer

Differences in labor costs are substantial. For example, hourly compensation costs for production workers range from $2.01 in the Philippines, to $9.34 in Taiwan, $35.53 in the United States, $47.38 in Germany, to $64.15 in Norway.

Question 19

International human resource management (IHRM)is the human resource management concepts and techniques employers use to manage the human resource challenges of their international operations.

Accepted Answer

International human resource management (IHRM)is the human resource management concepts and techniques employers use to manage the human resource challenges of their international operations.

Question 20

In China, qualified job candidates are most likely to be interested in a firm that offers ________.

Accepted Answer

D)Employees are highly career oriented and gravitate toward employers that provide the best career advancement training and opportunities. Group harmony is important in China, so incentive pay is not advisable.

Quiz 17: Managing Global Human Resources

Geert Hofstede called the extent to which less powerful members of institutions accept and expect an unequal power distribution ________.

The official length of a work week in the European Union is 40 hours.

In which country do individuals have a high acceptance of unequal power distribution between managers and subordinates?

Which of the following is a true statement regarding the European Union?

The most significant HR challenge faced by international firms is the language barrier.

________ are formal, employee-elected groups of worker representatives that meet monthly with managers to discuss topics affecting the employees.

Which of the following terms refers to the human resource management concepts and techniques employers use to manage the challenges of their international operations?

Of the countries listed below, in which one do production workers receive the lowest hourly wage?

Codetermination means that employees have a legal right to voice opinions and preferences in setting company policies.

Why is recruiting, hiring, and retaining good employees difficult in China?

In Germany, employees have the legal right to a voice in setting company policies. This is called ________.

The European Union is best described as a ________.

According to research, which of the following is a greater concern to Chinese managers than United States managers?

Daniel is a manager for Siemens China, and it is time to conduct performance appraisals. During the appraisals, it would be most effective for Daniel to ________.

International human resource management (IHRM) focuses on three main topics. Which of the following is NOT one of them?

A major challenge for international businesses is the need to adapt personnel policies and procedures to the differences among countries.

In many European countries, ________ replace the union-based worker-management mediations typical in the U.S.

Hourly wages for production workers in the United States are higher than those in Germany.

International human resource management (IHRM)is the human resource management concepts and techniques employers use to manage the human resource challenges of their international operations.

In China, qualified job candidates are most likely to be interested in a firm that offers ________.