Question 1

A newer form of performance appraisal is called the ________ because it encourages feedback from all around the employee including those who report to him/her.
A) 360-degree review
B) roundabout assessment
C) environmental review
D) multilevel assessment

Accepted Answer

The newer form of performance appraisal that encourages feedback from all around the employee including those who report to him/her is called a 360-degree review.

Question 2

Patty recently began working in an entry-level management position. She has already shown great promise, so the company has decided to groom her for an upper-level position. Constance, one of the more senior women managers in the company, has agreed to help Patty by introducing her to the right people, and by providing her with the guidance and advice she needs to be successful within the firm. Constance is acting as Patty's
A) mentor.
B) assimilation assistant.
C) transfer agent.
D) network captain.

Accepted Answer

A mentor is a corporate manager who supervises, coaches, and guides a lower-level employee through introductions to the right people and groups and personal sponsorship within the organization.

Question 3

The management team at McGowan Brothers want to make sure their decisions about compensation, promotions, and firings are based on sound information that meet legal requirements. One way for the company to achieve this objective would be to
A) outsource all such decisions to an outside expert.
B) establish an effective performance appraisal system.
C) make sure that these decisions are not influenced by the employee's immediate supervisor.
D) base all pay, promotion, and firing decisions on the Hay system.

Accepted Answer

A performance appraisal is an evaluation in which the performance level of employees is measured against established standards to make decisions about promotions, compensation, additional training, or firing.

Question 4

Ted says he's working in his dream job. As an engineer for a major defense systems company, he is responsible for using sophisticated airplane and weaponry equipment that creates the exact conditions that one may experience if he or she uses the equipment in a real-life situation. Ted spends several hours each day performing
A) vestibule training exercises.
B) apprenticeship training exercises.
C) distance training exercises.
D) simulation training exercises.

Accepted Answer

The difference between vestibule training and job simulation is that the latter duplicates the exact combination of conditions that occur on the job. These types of exercises are very important for high-risk jobs such as airline pilots, astronauts, and military personnel.

Question 5

The last step in performance appraisal is to
A) talk to the employee being appraised.
B) evaluate the employee's performance.
C) take any corrective action that the appraisal indicates is necessary.
D) use the results to make decisions about compensation, promotions, and additional training.

Accepted Answer

The last step in performance appraisal is to use the results to make decisions about compensation, promotions, and additional training. While talking to the employee being appraised and evaluating their performance are important steps in the process, they should have already been completed by this point. Once any necessary corrective action has been taken based on the appraisal, the results should be used to inform decisions about the employee's professional development and career progression.

Question 6

The ________ is an evaluation of the performance level of employees against established standards to make decisions about promotions, compensation, additional training, or firing.
A) job analysis
B) performance appraisal
C) MBO assessment
D) objective analysis

Accepted Answer

Performance appraisal is a process of evaluating employees' work performance against established standards to determine their strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement. It helps managers to make decisions on promotions, compensation, additional training, or even firing based on performance. Job analysis is the process of identifying and determining the duties and requirements of a particular job. MBO assessment (management by objectives) is a process where employees and managers set measurable goals and objectives that align with the organization's overall goals. Objective analysis is a process of evaluating data or information based on factual evidence, without personal bias or opinion.

Question 7

Arturo hates conducting performance appraisals with his subordinates because he always finds it to be a struggle. In order to make the actual performance evaluations a better experience for all, Arturo should
A) base his evaluation on a written test.
B) use a democratic approach and let the employees evaluate each other.
C) set performance standards that are reasonable, understandable, and measurable, then clearly communicate these standards to his subordinates.
D) use the principle of motion economy to break down each subordinate's job into a series of steps that can be easily evaluated and compared to ideal performance standards.

Accepted Answer

The first two steps of performance appraisal are to set measurable, reasonable, and understandable performance standards, and to clearly communicate these standards to employees. If these two steps are done correctly, the actual evaluation of employee performance should be relatively easy. The manager simply compares actual performance with the established standards.

Question 8

The information contained in performance appraisals helps managers
A) write job descriptions.
B) compute the firm's overall performance in terms of a rate of return on investment.
C) evaluate job applicants.
D) make decisions about promotions, compensation, training, and firing.

Accepted Answer

Performance appraisals evaluate the performance level of employees by comparing their results against established standards. The results of a performance appraisal help managers decide whom to promote, who should receive raises and bonuses, who needs additional training, and who should be fired.

Question 9

Jamie recently became a member of the Plumbers Union. She has been told she will work with Mac, a skilled and experienced plumber, for at least three years in order to learn all of the skills and techniques of her craft. This type of training is referred to as
A) skill replication.
B) applied supervision.
C) apprenticeship training.
D) vestibule training.

Accepted Answer

An apprenticeship is a period of time when a new learner works alongside a skilled worker to learn the skills and procedures of a craft.

Question 10

Carl, a control room engineer at Electron Power, Inc.'s power plant regularly practices handling emergency situations in a computerized mockup that duplicates the sights, sounds, and experiences of a real control room under emergency conditions. Electron uses ________ to train its engineers.
A) time intensive training
B) job replication
C) vestibule training
D) job simulation

Accepted Answer

Job simulation uses equipment that duplicates the conditions and tasks associated with a given job so that trainees can learn skills before attempting them in the real workplace.

Question 11

At Safety First Seat Belts, new workers are immediately assigned to jobs. They learn by doing the actual work and by watching longer-term employees. This company uses a policy of
A) vertical assimilation.
B) on-the-job training.
C) operational apprenticeships.
D) vestibule training.

Accepted Answer

On-the-job training means that a new employee immediately begins his or her tasks and learns by doing or by watching more experienced workers and imitating them.

Question 12

Which of the following statements about performance appraisals is the most accurate?
A) The most difficult step of a performance appraisal is almost always the actual evaluation of the employee's performance.
B) Performance standards do not have to be measurable in order to be effective.
C) The discussion of the results of a performance evaluation with an employee should allow the employee an opportunity to make suggestions about how to improve on current procedures.
D) Most employees have a good understanding of the standards they are expected to meet, even if their managers do not explicitly communicate these standards.

Accepted Answer

The discussion phase of a performance appraisal should allow two-way communication. One of the advantages of a performance evaluation is that it not only gives a manager a chance to help an employee improve his or her performance; it also gives the employee an opportunity to make suggestions on how a particular task could be better performed.

Question 13

If you aspire to become a sous chef, you will pursue several types of training and development. Your ________ will include how to perform as a line chef, as you work your way through pastry, grill, pantry, and sauté. The only way you will learn the variations in the line jobs is to experience them! As a(n) ________, you will work alongside another sous chef for a few years in order to learn how to juggle all the middle-management type of activities expected of this professional. Your ________ training will be extensive, as you go to culinary school, attend a community college, and/or take management classes to help you learn to minimize conflict in the kitchen as well as improve the productivity of those you manage.
A) apprenticeship; journeyman; online
B) apprenticeship; simulator; off-the-job
C) job rotation; apprentice; off-the-job
D) on-the-job training; journeyman; vestibule

Accepted Answer

Job rotation will provide you with a broad picture of how each line chef must operate in his/her respective area. You will experience the technical variations of each line. As an apprentice, you work alongside an experienced professional that is performing the duties of the position you want to achieve. Even though you will learn a lot of things on the job, a career as a chef requires you to do extensive off-the-job training at a community college and/or a culinary school.

Question 14

The purpose of a performance appraisal is to
A) protect the firm from lawsuits by disgruntled employees.
B) improve employee performance.
C) obtain information for the firm's financial performance that must be provided in the annual report to stockholders.
D) give managers the information they need to determine the firm's strengths and weaknesses relative to its most serious competitors.

Accepted Answer

The primary purpose of a performance appraisal is to improve employee performance.

Question 15

Managers at Bigbux Bank get a performance appraisal once a year. Bigbux uses an evaluation process that provides feedback about performance not only from superiors but also from subordinates and other managers at the same level. This type of evaluation is known as a(n)
A) organization-wide appraisal.
B) 360-degree review.
C) circular analysis.
D) multilevel assessment.

Accepted Answer

The 360-degree review is a relatively new approach to performance appraisals that provides employees with feedback on their performance from all directions.

Question 16

A department manager evaluated the performance of her subordinates as part of a performance appraisal process. If she follows the six-step appraisal process, the next step is
A) meet with employees to discuss the results.
B) write up a performance review report and submit it to top management.
C) adjust the standards based on how well the employees did.
D) make decisions about training, promotions, and pay raises.

Accepted Answer

Evaluating the performance of subordinates is the third step in the performance appraisal process. The fourth step is to discuss the results with the employees.

Question 17

The first step in the performance appraisal process is to
A) perform a human resource inventory.
B) establish performance standards.
C) analyze the jobs to see what tasks must be performed.
D) meet with employees and discuss the overall objectives of the firm.

Accepted Answer

The first step in the performance appraisal process is to establish performance standards. This involves setting clear expectations and goals for employees to meet, which will then be used to evaluate their performance during the appraisal. Before analyzing jobs or meeting with employees, it is important to have these standards in place to ensure consistency in the appraisal process.

Question 18

Joseph accepted a management trainee position at Rested Resorts. Corporate management believes Joseph has potential to move into a top management position within the organization. They have begun assigning Joseph to a different department every few months so he can obtain the broad perspective needed by top managers. This company is using ________ to develop Joseph's management skills.
A) job rotation
B) multitasking
C) understudying
D) cross-functional management

Accepted Answer

Job rotation is a management development technique, which gives managers assignments in a variety of departments in order to expose them to the different functions of the organization. One goal of this method is to give managers the broad view of the organization that top managers need.

Question 19

Unlike a traditional performance appraisal, a 360-degree review
A) is performed by experts from outside the organization.
B) provides feedback from all around the employee, including subordinates.
C) uses only objective measures of performance.
D) compares the performance of each worker to every other worker.

Accepted Answer

A 360-degree review is a newer form of performance appraisal. This type of evaluation includes feedback on performance from employees above, under, and at the same level as the employee being evaluated. Managers gather the opinions of all persons the employee works with.

Question 20

Before Street Runner Road Builders allows new employees to operate the heavy machinery it uses to build roads, employees are sent to a nearby classroom where they learn the safe and proper way to work with all of the tools and equipment they will use when they perform their jobs. Street Runner Road Builders is using a training technique known as
A) vestibule training.
B) offline training.
C) job replication.
D) modular training.

Accepted Answer

Vestibule training is done in classrooms where employees are taught on equipment that is similar to that used on the job. This approach allows workers to learn proper methods and safety procedures before assuming a specific job within the organization.

Quiz 11: Human Resource Management: Finding and Keeping the Best Employees

A newer form of performance appraisal is called the ________ because it encourages feedback from all around the employee including those who report to him/her.

The management team at McGowan Brothers want to make sure their decisions about compensation, promotions, and firings are based on sound information that meet legal requirements. One way for the company to achieve this objective would be to

The last step in performance appraisal is to

The ________ is an evaluation of the performance level of employees against established standards to make decisions about promotions, compensation, additional training, or firing.

Arturo hates conducting performance appraisals with his subordinates because he always finds it to be a struggle. In order to make the actual performance evaluations a better experience for all, Arturo should

The information contained in performance appraisals helps managers

Jamie recently became a member of the Plumbers Union. She has been told she will work with Mac, a skilled and experienced plumber, for at least three years in order to learn all of the skills and techniques of her craft. This type of training is referred to as

Carl, a control room engineer at Electron Power, Inc.'s power plant regularly practices handling emergency situations in a computerized mockup that duplicates the sights, sounds, and experiences of a real control room under emergency conditions. Electron uses ________ to train its engineers.

At Safety First Seat Belts, new workers are immediately assigned to jobs. They learn by doing the actual work and by watching longer-term employees. This company uses a policy of

Which of the following statements about performance appraisals is the most accurate?

The purpose of a performance appraisal is to

Managers at Bigbux Bank get a performance appraisal once a year. Bigbux uses an evaluation process that provides feedback about performance not only from superiors but also from subordinates and other managers at the same level. This type of evaluation is known as a(n)

A department manager evaluated the performance of her subordinates as part of a performance appraisal process. If she follows the six-step appraisal process, the next step is

The first step in the performance appraisal process is to

Unlike a traditional performance appraisal, a 360-degree review