Question 1

WestJet Airlines studies the websites of other airlines for information about their strategic plans.What forecasting approach is the company using to obtain information about its competitors?

Accepted Answer

WestJet Airlines is using competitive intelligence approach to gather information about its competitors by studying their websites for strategic plans. Competitive intelligence involves collecting and analyzing information about competitors and the competitive environment to make more informed business decisions.

Question 2

When was the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)established?

Accepted Answer

NAFTA was established on January 1, 1994, between Canada, Mexico, and the United States, creating a trilateral trade bloc in North America.

Question 3

Given its more than 50 percent of market share over 50 years ago,why did General Motors ("GM")fail?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Given its more than 50 percent of...

Question 4

Which of the following HR publications is published in Canada?

Accepted Answer

Workplace Today is the only HR publication in the list that is published in Canada. HR Magazine is published in the United States, People Management is published in the United Kingdom, and HR Focus is an online publication with no specific country of origin.

Question 5

Which of the following is a forecasting method that human resource professionals may rely on when generating predictions about an organization's future?

Accepted Answer

Scenario planning involves creating hypothetical situations and predicting how the organization would respond to them. It is a commonly used forecasting method in human resource planning. Professional consultants and competitive indicators may also be used, but they are not specific to human resource forecasting. Strategic indicators are measures of an organization's performance and progress, and while they can be helpful in assessing staffing needs, they do not necessarily involve forecasting future trends.

Question 6

Which demographic change is of concern to organizations and human resource professionals?

Accepted Answer

The demographic change of older workers is of concern to organizations and human resource professionals. This is because as the population ages, there are fewer younger workers available to replace retiring employees, creating a talent gap. Additionally, older workers may have different needs and expectations compared to younger workers in terms of work-life balance and benefits, which organizations need to take into account to attract and retain talent.

Question 7

What are two environmental factors facing organizations?

Accepted Answer

The global economy and demographics are two environmental factors that organizations have to face regularly. The global economy affects the organization's ability to operate in the international market, while demographics influence workforce diversity, changing customer preferences, and potential market sizes.

Question 8

What statement depicts the importance of the labour market and its influence on an organization's ability to implement strategy?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What statement depicts the importance of the...

Question 9

Which of the following is a source of information that human resource professionals may rely on when developing strategies and determining their likely impact on the organization?

Accepted Answer

Publications are a common source of information for human resource professionals to gather data, trends, and insights for developing strategies and determining their likely impact on the organization.

Question 10

Which of the following is NOT one of the top-ten trends that will have a strategic impact on the workplace?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following is NOT one...

Question 11

In what way are HRM responsibilities affected by the economic climate?

Accepted Answer

The economic climate directly affects HRM responsibilities, particularly in relation to HR planning. HR professionals must consider the impact of high unemployment rates and fluctuating interest rates on the organization's workforce planning and development strategies.

Question 12

In light of the Occupy Wall Street protests,what are two major issues that human resources departments need organizations to address?

Accepted Answer

The two major issues that human resources departments need organizations to address in light of the Occupy Wall Street protests are ensuring pay equity and discouraging high-risk executive behaviours. The protests highlighted the growing income inequality and the unethical and risky behaviours of some top executives. Human resources departments play a crucial role in creating and implementing policies and practices that promote fairness, accountability, and integrity in compensation and leadership. Compliance with labour legislation and monitoring executive compensation are also important, but they are not the main concerns raised by the protests. Increasing hiring of disadvantaged groups and supporting globalization are not directly related to the issues raised by the protests.

Question 13

If an organization is debating over "doing the right thing" with respect to laying off some of the staff in a department because it is less expensive to outsource the work,what type of issue is the organization dealing with?

Accepted Answer

The organization is dealing with an ethical issue as they must consider the impact of laying off employees and the ethical implications of prioritizing cost savings over the well-being of their staff.

Question 14

How long did it take for the World Wide Web to reach fifty million users?

Accepted Answer

The World Wide Web, invented by Tim Berners-Lee in 1989, reached fifty million users in approximately four years, demonstrating its rapid adoption and growth in popularity.

Question 15

What are the most important factors to consider when scanning the environment in strategic planning?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What are the most important factors to...

Question 16

According to your textbook,what are some of the major HR trends that were difficult to forecast more than twenty years ago?

Accepted Answer

The answer of According to your textbook,what are some of...

Question 17

What is an external environmental factor facing organizations and human resource management?

Accepted Answer

Economic climate is an external environmental factor that affects an organization's financial situation, which in turn affects its human resource management. For example, during a recession, organizations may have limited resources for hiring, training, and development, and may be forced to implement cost-cutting measures such as layoffs or reducing employee benefits.

The other options are also important factors but they are more internal to the organization. Employee work-life balance initiatives and programs and company compensation and reward systems are typically developed and implemented by HR departments. Competitive intelligence involves gathering information about competitors in the industry, which may involve HR-related data such as compensation and benefits packages, but this factor is not directly affecting HR management.

Question 18

Which of the following would NOT help governments improve the climate for job creation?

Accepted Answer

Increasing public debt would actually negatively impact the climate for job creation as it can lead to higher interest rates and decreased investor confidence. The other options (creating balanced labour legislation, increasing job-training opportunities, providing tax incentives) would all likely have positive effects on job creation.

Question 19

Which of the following is a source of information that human resource professionals may rely on when scanning and monitoring an organization's external environment?

Accepted Answer

Conferences and seminars are sources of information for human resource professionals to understand external environmental factors, as they provide insights into industry trends, innovations, and regulatory changes.

Question 20

What is the most influential effect of technology on organizations and HRM?

Accepted Answer

Technology has significantly enhanced automated services in organizations, providing easy and faster access to information. HRM also benefits from technology by streamlining various processes, including payroll, performance management, recruitment, and training. This has improved productivity and efficiency, making it the most influential effect of technology on organizations and HRM. Although increased issues related to diversity management and ethical concerns have also arisen, they are not as significant as the enhanced automated services and access to information. Increased use of contract employment may also be due to technological advancements, but it is not the most influential effect of technology on organizations and HRM.

Quiz 3: Environmental Influences on HRM