Question 1

Lucy never gives her subordinates either a 7 (superior) or a 1 (unsatisfactory) when she completes the graphic rating scales during performance appraisal. As director of HR, you have caught this pattern in her ratings. Lucy explains, "A 7 would be perfection, and even I am not perfect, so none of my subordinates can be perfect. Moreover, a 1 is unsatisfactory, and I do not tolerate unsatisfactory work by my subordinates. They are either improving or gone." As the director of HR, which of the following should you do?

Accepted Answer

The correct answer is D because it is the only option that addresses the issue of Lucy's improper use of the graphic rating scale and provides a solution to correct it.

Question 2

Team appraisals pose several difficulties. Which of the following is NOT a problem?

Accepted Answer

Self-rating is not inherently a problem of team appraisals; it is a common practice in many appraisal systems. The other options describe potential negative impacts on team dynamics.

Question 3

In which of the following situations would peer ratings be most appropriate?

Accepted Answer

Peer ratings would be most appropriate when the supervisor lacks opportunity to observe each employee's performance, but other work group members do have the opportunity. This situation allows for colleagues with firsthand experience working alongside an individual to provide insights into their performance that a supervisor might not have been able to observe.

Question 4

An artist has been a visiting instructor at a noted art academy for three years. The academy's process for moving a temporary/visiting instructor to regular faculty status is to have the artist's portfolio of work examined by a panel of noted artists who are independent of the academy. What is this process a version of?

Accepted Answer

The answer of An artist has been a visiting instructor...

Question 5

The manager of HR feels employees need to think about their strengths and weaknesses, and set goals for improvement. Consequently, the HR manager is designing a program. Which of the following kinds is it?

Accepted Answer

The program being designed by the HR manager focuses on employees analyzing their own strengths and weaknesses and setting goals for improvement. This is indicative of a self-appraisal program.

Question 6

Karl has the HR duties in a small commercial bakery of only 16 employees. Nine of these employees are bakery assistants with the same job duties. Karl has decided to make a list placing the best employee at the top and the worst employee at the bottom, with the other employees placed in between according to how they compare with the best and the worst employees. He is satisfied that this system will work for his small company. Which of the following is the type of system Karl is planning to use?

Accepted Answer

Karl is planning to use the ranking system, where employees are placed in order of their performance from the best to the worst, with the best employee at the top and the worst employee at the bottom. This system is a simple and easy way to evaluate employees' performance and compare them with each other, which is suitable for a small company with only 16 employees. The other options, such as graphic rating scales, checklists, and forced distribution, are more complex and may not be as suitable for a small company like Karl's bakery.

Question 7

Which of the following is characteristic of graphic rating scales?

Accepted Answer

Graphic rating scales can be subjective as descriptive words may be interpreted differently by different raters, leading to inconsistencies in ratings.

Question 8

Multisource appraisal recognizes that the manager is no longer the sole source of performance appraisal information. Which of these terms is most associated with this kind of appraisal?

Accepted Answer

360-degree rating is most associated with multisource appraisal, as it involves gathering feedback from not just the manager, but also peers, subordinates, customers, and self-evaluation. Outside raters and peer evaluation are also forms of multisource appraisal, but they are not as commonly used as 360-degree rating. Team appraisal involves appraising the performance of a team rather than individual employees.

Question 9

Which statement accurately characterizes informal appraisals?

Accepted Answer

Frequent informal feedback to employees can prevent surprises later when the formal evaluation is communicated. This means that informal appraisals can play an important role in providing timely feedback and avoiding any surprises during the formal evaluation process. A and B are incorrect as they create a negative perception of informal appraisals, which can be an effective tool if used properly. C is incorrect as on-the-spot examinations are not typically considered informal appraisals, and privacy issues are not necessarily a concern if the feedback is given constructively and in a respectful manner.

Question 10

At High Flyer Airlines, managers rate their subordinates on a continuum from 1 to 7. A score of 1 indicates unsatisfactory performance, and a score of 7 indicates superior performance. Which of the following is the performance appraisal method that High Flyer is using?

Accepted Answer

The graphic rating scale is a type of performance appraisal method where managers rate their subordinates on a continuum from low to high using a scale. In this case, High Flyer Airlines is using a continuum from 1 to 7, which falls under the graphic rating scale method.

Question 11

Employees may feel somewhat threatened by 360-degree feedback. They feel more comfortable when the method is used for a certain type of purpose. Which type?

Accepted Answer

Employees feel most comfortable with 360-degree feedback when it is used for development purposes rather than administrative or customer relations purposes. Benchmarking may also cause some employees to feel threatened as it is used for comparison to external standards or competitors. Development purposes allow employees to focus on their own growth and improvement rather than feeling judged or evaluated.

Question 12

Which are the simplest methods for appraising performance?

Accepted Answer

Category scaling methods, such as graphic rating scales and forced choice scales, are considered the simplest performance appraisal methods as they involve rating employees on a set of predetermined categories or statements. These methods are easy to use and require minimal training, making them suitable for small organizations or teams. Comparative methods such as ranking or paired comparison require more effort and are best suited for larger organizations or teams with more employees. Written methods and BARS are more complex and involve more significant amounts of documentation, making them less simple.

Question 13

Which statement presents a major disadvantage of the BARS method of performance appraisal?

Accepted Answer

The BARS (Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scales) method requires the development of job-specific scales, which can be a significant disadvantage due to the need for different appraisal forms for various types of jobs.

Question 14

One kind of feedback recognizes that employee performance can be multidimensional and can cross departmental, organizational, and global boundaries. Which of the following terms best applies?

Accepted Answer

360-degree feedback is designed to provide a comprehensive view of an employee's performance by gathering feedback from a wide range of sources, including peers, subordinates, supervisors, and sometimes even customers, which covers multiple dimensions and can cross departmental and organizational boundaries.

Question 15

Consider these phrases: "Greeted customer within 10 seconds of customer's entry into store" and "Failed to greet customer until customer addressed employee." For which performance appraisal method would they be typical?

Accepted Answer

The phrases describe specific behaviors that can be assessed on a behavioural rating scale, which measures the frequency and quality of specific behaviors related to job performance. Ranking, management by objectives, and forced distribution all focus on overall performance, rather than specific behaviors or actions.

Question 16

Performance appraisals at Swamp Blossom Designs Ltd. always occur on the employee's anniversary of employment. A standard protocol is in place to report managerial impressions and observations on employee performance. What is this an example of?

Accepted Answer

The fact that performance appraisals occur on the same date for all employees and that a standard protocol is in place indicates that Swamp Blossom Designs Ltd. follows a systematic appraisal process. This means that the appraisals are conducted in a consistent and orderly manner, which helps to reduce bias and improve fairness.

Question 17

At Triad Software Ltd., appraisals for non-technical employees are conducted annually, while technical employees receive evaluations every six months. Which of the following statements provides the probable reason for the more frequent evaluations of technical employees?

Accepted Answer

The answer of At Triad Software Ltd., appraisals for non-technical...

Question 18

The vice president of HR for Health Wizard Ltd. is designing a performance appraisal system that allows subordinates to rate their supervisors. The supervisors are concerned about this and have raised many objections. Which of the following ideas are they unlikely to have presented?

Accepted Answer

The supervisors are unlikely to object to the performance appraisal system because it will interfere with their development as supervisors. This objection is more likely to come from the HR department, who may be concerned that supervisors will focus more on pleasing their subordinates than on developing their skills as managers.

Question 19

Raters in a multisource appraisal situation know that their input will affect someone's career or pay. Which of the following do they commonly do in response?

Accepted Answer

Raters often inflate ratings in a multisource appraisal situation, especially when they know their input could significantly impact someone's career or pay. This is typically done to avoid conflict, maintain good relationships, or out of concern for the individual's feelings and career prospects.

Question 20

On which assumption are the traditional ratings of employees by supervisors based?

Accepted Answer

Traditional ratings of employees by supervisors are based on the assumption that the supervisors are the people most qualified to evaluate the employees' performance realistically and fairly. This assumption is based on the idea that supervisors have the necessary knowledge, experience, and perspective to provide an accurate assessment of their employees' strengths and weaknesses. However, this assumption has been challenged in recent years, as organizations have explored alternative approaches to performance management that involve more input from peers, clients, and other stakeholders.

Quiz 9: Performance Management and Appraisal