Question 1

A union acceptance attitude in a paternalistic/strategic organization is likely to result in:
A) Participatory management.
B) Adversarial HR management.
C) Union suppression.
D) Union substitution.

Accepted Answer

A paternalistic/strategic organization values employee loyalty and may be willing to involve them in decision-making processes. Therefore, they may be more likely to have participatory management practices, which align with a union acceptance attitude. Adversarial HR management and union suppression would be contradictory to a paternalistic/strategic organization's values. Union substitution implies replacing a union with something else, which is not a likely outcome in this scenario.

Question 2

Which of the following is characteristics of the sociopolitical environment of labor relations?
A) Inflation rates.
B) Business and labor lobbying.
C) Common law.
D) Corporate codes of conduct.

Accepted Answer

Business and labor lobbying is a characteristic of the sociopolitical environment of labor relations. It refers to the efforts of business and labor organizations to influence government policies and legislation related to labor issues. Inflation rates and common law are more related to economic and legal environments, respectively. Corporate codes of conduct are more related to ethical and corporate social responsibility considerations.

Question 3

Within a set legal framework, the economic environment is of critical importance to labor relations because it determines:
A) Workers' employment options.
B) Whether employers have the right to fire employees "at will".
C) How effective political lobbying will be.
D) Workers' rights in the labor market.

Accepted Answer

Workers' employment options are determined by the economic environment, which includes factors such as the availability of jobs, the level of unemployment, and the wages and benefits offered by employers.

Question 4

A union acceptance strategy in an autocratic workplace would likely consist of:
A) Participatory human resource management practices.
B) Adversarial human resource management practices.
C) HR practices that make the union unnecessary.
D) HR practices that are aimed at suppressing union activity.

Accepted Answer

The answer of A union acceptance strategy in an autocratic...

Question 5

Paying above-market wages, providing job security, and providing opportunities for training and development are all examples of:
A) Participatory management.
B) Adversarial HR management.
C) Union suppression.
D) Union substitution.

Accepted Answer

These practices are examples of union substitution, where an employer offers benefits and working conditions that reduce the workers' motivation to unionize.

Question 6

Which of the following is True regarding the U.S. economic environment of labor relations since 1960?
A) Economic upturns are associated with concession bargaining.
B) Globalization has decreased.
C) Real wages for high school graduates has been stagnant since the 1970s.
D) the earnings gap between high school graduates and college graduates has decreased.

Accepted Answer

Real wages for high school graduates have been stagnant since the 1970s, indicating a lack of significant improvement in the economic environment for labor relations since 1960. Option A is incorrect as concession bargaining is associated with economic downturns rather than upturns. Option B is incorrect as globalization has increased since 1960. Option D is incorrect as the earnings gap between high school and college graduates has actually increased over time.

Question 7

In the 1920's, some companies like Ford and Rockefeller Steel used welfare capitalism as a way to keep unions from forming in their plants and mines. Welfare capitalism is a best described as:
A) A union suppression tactic.
B) A union acceptance tactic.
C) A union-management cooperation initiative.
D) A union substitution tactic.

Accepted Answer

Welfare capitalism is best described as a union substitution tactic because it involves companies providing benefits and improving working conditions to satisfy workers' needs, thereby reducing the workers' motivation to organize or join unions.

Question 8

When the employees of a large maintenance and building repair company tried to organize a union, the company fired several of the most active organizers, began holding one-on-one meetings to interrogate employees about their intentions, and sent each employee a letter with veiled threats about what would happen if they joined the union. This employer is utilizing:
A) Theory X management tactics.
B) Adversarial HR management.
C) Union substitution tactics.
D) Union suppression tactics.

Accepted Answer

The company is clearly trying to prevent the employees from forming a union through various coercive and threatening tactics. This falls under the category of union suppression tactics.

Question 9

Union substitution refers to:
A) Management policies and practices adopted to keep unions out by making them unnecessary.
B) Tactics such as harassment, demotion, or firing of union supporters.
C) Elections in which workers vote out their current union in favor of an alternative union.
D) Laws and regulations that provide the same or similar benefits as unions.

Accepted Answer

Union substitution refers to management policies and practices adopted to keep unions out by making them unnecessary. This may include offering benefits and incentives to employees that are similar to those provided by unions, such as salary increases, health insurance, and retirement benefits. By providing these benefits directly to employees, employers hope to reduce the need for union representation and regain control over their business operations.

Question 10

Financialization refers to:
A) the increased focus of corporations on deriving profits through financial transactions rather than through the delivery of goods and services.
B) the increased focus of unions on deriving revenues through increasing membership and union dues.
C) the declining importance of financial markets in determining labor relations outcomes.
D) the increased tendency of management to evaluate labor relations based upon financial outcomes, rather than a humanistic outcomes.

Accepted Answer

Financialization refers to the increased importance of financial activities and transactions in the economy and society, and the shift towards deriving profits and value through financial means rather than through the production and delivery of goods and services. This has been driven by various factors such as deregulation, globalization, technological change, and changing corporate governance models. The increased focus on financial activities has been associated with various economic and social effects, including rising inequality, financial instability, and a decline in the role of productive activities in the economy.

Question 11

Which of the following is not considered a component of the economic environment of industrial relations?
A) Labor market supply and demand.
B) Inflation rates.
C) Bankruptcy codes.
D) Product market supply and demand.

Accepted Answer

Bankruptcy codes are related to legal environment rather than economic environment of industrial relations. The economic environment includes factors such as labor market supply and demand, inflation rates, and product market supply and demand that affect the bargaining power of labor and management.

Question 12

A management theory that sees employees as a source of competitive advantage and empowers them to participate in decision making is known as:
A) Theory A.
B) Theory X.
C) Theory Y.
D) Theory Z.

Accepted Answer

Theory Z, also known as the Japanese management approach, emphasizes employee involvement and empowerment in decision-making processes. It views employees as a valuable asset and a source of competitive advantage for the organization. It stresses upon developing long-term relationships with employees and providing them with a sense of job security and belongingness. This approach is also characterized by teamwork, quality circles, and collaborative decision making.

Question 13

A union avoidance strategy in an autocratic workplace would likely consist of:
A) Participatory human resource management practices.
B) Adversarial human resource management practices.
C) HR practices that make the union unnecessary.
D) HR practices that are aimed at suppressing union activity.

Accepted Answer

In an autocratic workplace, where power is concentrated in the hands of management, the most effective way to avoid a union is to suppress union activity through HR practices such as intimidation, surveillance, and discipline. This may include creating a culture of fear that discourages employees from unionizing, selectively enforcing policies against union supporters, and using legal maneuvers to delay or prevent union elections. Adversarial HR practices may also be used, but they are less likely to be effective without the use of coercive tactics. Participatory HR practices are unlikely to be effective in an autocratic workplace, as they require a degree of trust and collaboration that may not exist in such an environment. HR practices that make the union unnecessary, such as offering competitive wages and benefits, may be helpful in reducing the appeal of unionization, but they are not a substitute for union avoidance strategies.

Question 14

A new HR manager is stunned when the owner of the company visits her one afternoon and proceeds to go through a laundry list of everything that is wrong with each of his employees. He characterizes them as lazy, unwilling to put forth any extra effort, and largely "in it for themselves." She has just learned that the owner of the business subscribes to:
A) Theory X.
B) Theory Y.
C) Theory Z.
D) Type A personality.

Accepted Answer

Theory X is a management theory that assumes employees dislike work, avoid responsibility, and need to be coerced or threatened with punishment to work hard. The owner's characterization of his employees as lazy and unmotivated suggests that he subscribes to Theory X.

Question 15

Union avoidance, a strategy of working toward remaining nonunion or becoming nonunion:
A) Is illegal in the U.S.
B) Is synonymous with union suppression.
C) Can include a host of tactics both legal and illegal
D) Is rarely used by employers.

Accepted Answer

Union avoidance is a legal strategy used by employers to prevent unionization or remain nonunion. This can involve a range of tactics that are both legal and illegal, such as holding captive audience meetings, threatening to close the plant or remove benefits, and bribing or coercing employees. It is not synonymous with union suppression, which refers to illegal tactics used to eliminate unionization.

Question 16

Plant closings, refusing to hire pro-union applicants, firing or harassing union supporters and using permanent strike replacements are all examples of:
A) Participatory management.
B) Adversarial HR management.
C) Union suppression.
D) Union substitution.

Accepted Answer

These are all tactics used by employers to suppress union formation and activity in the workplace. Participatory management involves involving employees in decision-making and is not related to union activity. Adversarial HR management can refer to any situation where the interests of management and employees are in conflict, but does not specifically relate to unions. Union substitution refers to management creating alternative employee organizations, which is not mentioned in the given scenario.

Question 17

The concept of "the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few" is most consistent with which ethical perspective:
A) Utility.
B) Fairness.
C) Liberty.
D) Duty.

Accepted Answer

The concept of "the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few" is a utilitarian principle. Utilitarianism is an ethical perspective that focuses on the overall happiness and well-being of society. It argues that the right ethical choice is the one that produces the most happiness or pleasure for the greatest number of people. Therefore, sacrificing the needs of a few individuals for the greater benefit of the majority aligns with the utilitarian perspective.

Question 18

A large national trucking company takes great care to remain nonunion by carefully selecting managers who display a participative leadership style, putting in place a nonunion grievance procedure, and paying wages and benefits at the top of the market range. This company is practicing:
A) Union suppression.
B) Authoritarian management.
C) Paternalistic management.
D) Union substitution.

Accepted Answer

The company is engaging in union substitution by implementing strategies and policies that deter employees from unionizing, such as adopting a participative leadership style and providing competitive wages and benefits. This approach is designed to prevent unionization by making employees feel that they do not need a union to advocate for their interests.

Question 19

The most likely union avoidance strategy in a paternalistic/strategic organization is:
A) Participatory management.
B) Adversarial HR management.
C) Union suppression.
D) Union substitution.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The most likely union avoidance strategy in...

Question 20

The legal environment affecting labor relations includes all of the following except:
A) monetary policy.
B) common law.
C) bankruptcy codes.
D) deregulation.

Accepted Answer

Monetary policy does not directly affect labor relations, while common law, bankruptcy codes, and deregulation do have an impact.

Quiz 5: Labor and Management: Strategies, Structures, and Constraints

A union acceptance attitude in a paternalistic/strategic organization is likely to result in:

Which of the following is characteristics of the sociopolitical environment of labor relations?

Within a set legal framework, the economic environment is of critical importance to labor relations because it determines:

A union acceptance strategy in an autocratic workplace would likely consist of:

Paying above-market wages, providing job security, and providing opportunities for training and development are all examples of:

Which of the following is True regarding the U.S. economic environment of labor relations since 1960?

In the 1920's, some companies like Ford and Rockefeller Steel used welfare capitalism as a way to keep unions from forming in their plants and mines. Welfare capitalism is a best described as:

Union substitution refers to:

Financialization refers to:

Which of the following is not considered a component of the economic environment of industrial relations?

A management theory that sees employees as a source of competitive advantage and empowers them to participate in decision making is known as:

A union avoidance strategy in an autocratic workplace would likely consist of:

Union avoidance, a strategy of working toward remaining nonunion or becoming nonunion:

Plant closings, refusing to hire pro-union applicants, firing or harassing union supporters and using permanent strike replacements are all examples of:

The concept of "the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few" is most consistent with which ethical perspective:

A large national trucking company takes great care to remain nonunion by carefully selecting managers who display a participative leadership style, putting in place a nonunion grievance procedure, and paying wages and benefits at the top of the market range. This company is practicing:

The most likely union avoidance strategy in a paternalistic/strategic organization is:

The legal environment affecting labor relations includes all of the following except: