Chapter 18 Human Resource Policies and Practices MULTIPLE CHOICE Selection Practices 1.

Which of the following is not a typical written test used in organizations? a. intelligence b. integrity c. personality d. aptitude e. work sample (e; Eas ; !ritten Tests; p" #8$% &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills, 2. Between the late 1 !"s and the mid#1 $"s% the use of written tests declined because they were characterized as &&&&&. a. unprofessional b. discriminatory c. unreliable d. in'alid e. mathematically flawed (-; Moderate; !ritten Tests; p" #8$% (. Which of the following has pro'en to be a particularly good predictor for )obs that re*uire cogniti'e comple+ity? a. intelligence tests b. integrity e'aluations c. work sampling d. aptitude tests e. beha'ioral assessment (a; Moderate; Intelli.ence Tests; p" #8$% ,. -he best way for an employer to find out if a potential employee can do a )ob is by &&&&&. a. using the inter'iew process b. using a written test c. ha'ing them spend a day in the office d. administering an ./ test e. using a performance simulation test (e; Eas ; Per/ormance0(imulation Tests; p" #88% 0. 1a'ing indi'iduals actually do the )ob they are applying for as a test to see if they can do it is &&&&&. a. an approach with low reliability b. an approach with high face 'alidity c. an informal means of screening candidates d. all of the abo'e e. none of the abo'e (-; Moderate; Per/ormance0(imulation Tests; p" #88% &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills,

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1ands#on simulation of part of a )ob is known as a &&&&&. a. practical assessment b. performance#simulation inter'iew c. )ob simulation assessment d. work sample e. beha'ioral role e+position (d; Moderate; !or+ (ample Tests; p" #88% 2. Work sample tests are widely used in hiring &&&&&. a. unskilled labor b. skilled workers c. professional workers d. managers e. knowledge workers (-; Moderate; !or+ (ample Tests; p" #88% $. &&&&& yield 'alidities superior to written aptitude and personality tests. a. Work samples b. Beha'ioral structured inter'iews c. .ntegrity tests d. .nterest tests e. 3thics tests (a; Moderate; !or+ (ample Tests; p" #88% 3laborate sets of performance simulation tests% specifically designed to e'aluate a candidate4s managerial potential% are &&&&&. a. more effecti'e than work sampling b. administered in assessment centers c. similar to personality tests d. considered drawbacks of some management de'elopment programs e. likely to skew the results of beha'ioral samples (-; Moderate; 'ssessment Centers; p" #88% &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills, 1". 5ssessment centers are used specifically to e'aluate what le'el of )ob candidate? a. unskilled laborers b. skilled workers c. professional workers d. super'isors e. knowledge workers (d; Eas ; 'ssessment Centers; p" #88% 11. -he results of which of the following tend to ha'e a disproportionate amount of influence on employee selection decisions? a. inter'iews b. written tests c. performance simulation tests d. work sampling methods e. personality tests (a; Moderate; Inter1ie2s; p" #88% .

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-he unstructured inter'iew is &&&&&. a. usually made up of random *uestions b. typically biased c. often only modestly related to future )ob performance d. all of the abo'e e. none of the abo'e (d; Moderate; Unstructured Inter1ie2s; p" #88% 1(. -he 'ariability in inter'iew results across an applicant pool is reduced by using a standardized&&&&&. a. approach for recruiting applicants b. pool of applicants c. set of inter'iew *uestions d. time frame for scheduling inter'iews e. none of the abo'e (c; Eas ; Inter1ie2s; p" #83% 1,. Which of the following is true regarding beha'ioral structured inter'iews? a. -hey are conducted in a similar manner as audition#type inter'iews. b. -hey decrease an inter'iewer4s reliance on his or her 6gut feelings.7 c. -hey are most useful when inter'iewing high#performing workers. d. -hey are useful only for inter'iewing non#skilled workers. e. -hey increase the effecti'eness of the inter'iew techni*ue. (e; Moderate; )eha1ioral (tructured Inter1ie2s; p" #83% &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills, 10. 5pplicants describe how they handled problems and situations in pre'ious )obs in a8n9 &&&&& inter'iew. a. beha'ioral structured b. audition#type c. performance#simulation d. problem#sol'ing e. reflection (a; Challen.in.; )eha1ioral (tructured Inter1ie2s; p" #83% 1!. -he beha'ioral structured inter'iew is built on the assumption that &&&&&. a. past beha'ior is the best predictor of future beha'ior b. technical knowledge and skills are the best predictor of )ob performance c. personality is the best predictor of )ob performance d. personality and mood are highly correlated e. technical knowledge and mood are highly correlated (a; Moderate; )eha1ioral (tructured Inter1ie2s; p" #83% &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills, 12. .n practice% organizations use inter'iews &&&&&. a. to determine applicant#organization fit b. solely to assess specific% )ob rele'ant skills c. to manipulate an applicant4s image of the company d. to assess a candidate4s credit history e. none of the abo'e (a; Moderate; Inter1ie2s; p" #83%

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What is a common contingent selection method? a. ./ test b. inter'iew c. interest in'entory d. drug test e. work sample test (d; Moderate; Contin.ent (election; p" #83% &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills, 1 . What is an argument against drug testing? a. :rug tests screen out indi'iduals who use mari)uana and alcohol. b. :rug use is a pri'ate matter. c. :rug tests are costly in terms of people4s safety. d. :rug tests are generally inaccurate. e. -he results of drug tests are easily faked. (-; Moderate; Contin.ent (election; p" #34% &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills, -raining and :e'elopment Programs 2". Which type of skill training has become increasingly important in organizations? a. financial b. technical c. problem sol'ing d. interpersonal e. social (-; Moderate; Technical (+ills; p" #31% 21. -raining employees on how to be better listeners falls under which of the following training categories? a. ethical skills b. technical skills c. problem#sol'ing skills d. interpersonal skills e. cultural skills (d; Moderate; Interpersonal (+ills; p" #35% 22. 5ccording to a recent sur'ey% about &&& percent of employees working in the 1%""" largest ;.S. corporations recei'e ethics training. a. 1" b. 20 c. 0" d. 20 e. " (d; Challen.in.; Ethics Trainin.; p" #35% 2(. 3+amples of on#the#)ob training include all of the following e+cept &&&&&. a. )ob rotation b. apprenticeship c. simulation centers d. understudy assignments e. formal mentoring programs (c; Eas ; On0the06o- Trainin.; p" #37% &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills,

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3+amples of off#the#)ob training include all of the following e+cept &&&&&. a. classroom lectures b. apprenticeship programs c. .nternet courses d. public seminars e. 'ideotapes (-; Eas ; O//0the06o- Trainin.; p" #37% &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills, 20. 1ow would a participator best absorb information? a. use computers to read manuals b. watch others and imitate beha'iors c. copy what others do on computers d. listen to an audiotape e. gain hands#on e+perience (e; Eas ; Learnin. (t les and 8ormal Trainin.; p" #39% &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills, Performance 3'aluation 2!. Performance e'aluations are used to &&&&&. a. impro'e group cohesi'eness b. define departmental structure c. help management make 1< decisions d. identify how )obs are completed e. decrease conformity within organizations (c; Challen.in.; Purposes o/ Per/ormance E1aluation; p" #3#% &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills, 22. Performance e'aluations are used as a mechanism for all of the following e+cept &&&&&. a. monitoring the success of marketing strategies b. determining promotions c. human resource planning d. identifying training and de'elopment needs e. none of the abo'e (a; Moderate; Purposes o/ Per/ormance E1aluation; p" #3#% &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills, 2$. Which of the following is the least predicti'e set of criteria used to e'aluate employees? a. traits b. task outcomes c. beha'iors d. personality e. mood (a; Moderate; Traits; p" #3:% &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills, 2 . Which of the following is not true concerning self#e'aluations? a. -hey lead to employees rating themsel'es highly. b. -hey tend to heighten employees4 defensi'eness about the appraisal process. c. -hey make e+cellent 'ehicles for stimulating )ob performance discussions between employees and their superiors. d. -hey are often low in agreement with superiors4 ratings. e. -hey tend to be biased estimates. (-; Moderate; (el/0E1aluations; p" #3$% &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills,

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-he approach to e'aluation that uses feedback from those who ha'e daily contact with an employee 8e'eryone from mailroom personnel to customers to bosses to peers9 is termed &&&&&. a. critical incidents b. (!"#degree e'aluation c. B5<S d. multiperson comparisons e. =BW5 (-; Moderate; 7:40;e.ree E1aluation; p" #3$% (1. Which of the following is not a standard method of performance e'aluation? a. critical incidents b. written essays c. inter'iews d. graphic rating scales e. B5<S (c; Eas ; Methods o/ Per/ormance E1aluation; p" #38% &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills, (2. Which performance e'aluation method re*uires no comple+ forms or e+tensi'e training to complete? a. written essays b. critical incidents c. graphic rating scales d. beha'iorally anchored rating scales e. intellectual assessment (a; Moderate; !ritten Essa s; p" #38% ((. -he e'aluation method that focuses the e'aluator4s attention on those beha'iors that are key to e+ecuting a )ob effecti'ely is known as&&&&&. a. forced comparison b. critical incidents c. graphic rating scales d. beha'iorally anchored rating scales e. intellectual competence (-; Eas ; Critical Incidents; p" #38% (,. .f the manager uses critical incidents as a method of performance e'aluation% then &&&&&. a. the subordinate is apt to become confused b. the e'aluator4s writing skills become the determining factor of the e'aluation c. the subordinate is likely to become moti'ated d. the focus of the e'aluation will center on key beha'iors e. the cost of the e'aluation is likely to be incredibly high for the organization (d; Moderate; Critical Incidents; p" #38% (0. >ne reason to consider graphic rating scales is &&&&&. a. their accuracy b. their usability in *uantitati'e analysis c. the *uality of their results d. their breadth of information e. their reliability (-; Challen.in.; <raphic Ratin. (cales; p" #38% &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills,

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When an appraiser rates employees based on items on a continuum with the points reflecting actual beha'iors on a gi'en )ob% this type of e'aluation is called &&&&&. a. B5<S b. critical incident c. graphic rating scale d. beha'ioral structured ratings e. =BW5 (a; Moderate; )eha1iorall 'nchored Ratin. (cales; p" #38% (2. &&&&& in'ol'es e'aluating one4s performance against the performance of one or more others. a. B5<S b. 5 critical incident diary c. 5 graphic rating scale d. ?orced comparison e. @ikert analysis (d; Eas ; 8orced Comparisons; p" #38% ($. top &&&&& ranking re*uires the e'aluator to place employees into a particular classification% such as

one#fifth or second one#fifth. a. .ndi'idual b. Aroup order c. Paired d. ?ractional e. Percentile (-; Moderate; <roup Order Ran+in.; p" #38% ( . Which approach to performance e'aluation rank#orders employees from best to worst? a indi'idual ranking b. group order ranking c. paired comparison d. straight ranking e. comparison ranking (a; Eas ; Indi1idual Ran+in.; p" #33% ,". 5ll of the following are ways to o'ercome problems encountered with performance e'aluations e+cept &&&&&. a. e'aluate selecti'ely b. focus on identifiable traits c. use multiple e'aluators d. pro'ide employees with due process e. train e'aluators (-; Challen.in.; Impro1in. Per/ormance E1aluations; p" :41% &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills, ,1. &&&&& can be used to increase the perception that employees are treated fairly. a. Selecti'e e'aluation b. :ue process c. =ultiple raters d. :ocumenting with a )ournal e. ?ocusing on sub)ecti'e e'aluations (-; Challen.in.; ;ue Process; p" :41%

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Which of the following is not a reason typically cited by managers regarding their reluctance to gi'e performance feedback? a. =any employees become defensi'e when their weaknesses are pointed out. b. =anagers often fear confrontation with employees. c. 3mployees ha'e an inflated assessment of their own performance. d. -he human resources department is not supporti'e of the feedback process. e. 5ll of the abo'e are typically cited reasons. (d; Moderate; Pro1idin. Per/ormance 8eed-ac+; pp" :410:45% &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills, =anaging :i'ersity in >rganizations ,(. Which of the following might a company consider to help employees address work#life conflicts? a. keeping work#related tra'el reasonable b. reducing workloads c. offering off#site *uality child#care d. tie manager pay to customer satisfaction e. relocation assistance (e; Eas ; !or+0Li/e Initiati1es; p" :49% &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills, ,,. -he centerpiece of most di'ersity programs is &&&&&. a. top management commitment b. employee commitment c. training d. human resource personnel e. employee satisfaction (c; Moderate; ;i1ersit Trainin.; p" :4#% &''C()* Multicultural and ;i1ersit , ,0. :i'ersity training programs are generally intended to pro'ide a 'ehicle for &&&&&. a. increasing awareness and e+amining stereotypes b. focusing on indi'idual differences c. eliminating group learning d. balancing workBlife conflicts e. socializing otherwise unmanageable employees (a; Moderate; ;i1ersit Trainin.; p" :4#% &''C()* Multicultural and ;i1ersit , &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills, Alobal .mplications ,!. Which of the following statements is true concerning international selection practices? a. Structured inter'iews are popular in all countries. b. Beliefs about how one should conduct an interpersonal inter'iew are consistent across countries. c. -he use of educational *ualifications in screening candidates seems to be a uni'ersal practice. d. Policies and practices do not re*uire modification from one country to the ne+t. e. Aroups are typically much more effecti'e at selecting candidates in indi'idualistic cultures. (c; Moderate; (election and Culture; p" :4#% &''C()* Multicultural and ;i1ersit , &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills, ,2. Which of the following is not true concerning international performance e'aluations? a. Caution should be used in generalizing across cultures. b. 3'ery culture is concerned with performance appraisal. c. Dot all managers look at performance appraisal the same way as do managers in the ;S. d. .ndi'idualistic countries emphasize formal performance e'aluation systems. e. .srael4s culture 'alues group acti'ities. 129

(-; Challen.in.; Per/ormance E1aluation and Culture; p" :4:% &''C()* Multicultural and ;i1ersit , &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills,

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TRUE=8'L(E Selection Practices ,$. -he ob)ecti'e of effecti'e selection is to match indi'idual preference with the re*uirements of a )ob. (8alse; Moderate; (election Practices; p" #8#% , . .f management fails to get a proper match between an employee and a position% both employee performance and satisfaction suffer. (True; Eas ; (election Practices; p" #8#% 0". 5s a selection de'ice% written tests ha'e decreased in usage during the past 2" years. (8alse; Challen.in.; !ritten Tests; p" #8$% 01. Written tests ha'e fre*uently been characterized as discriminatory. (True; Eas ; !ritten Tests; p" #8$% 02. 5s ethical problems ha'e increased in organizations% integrity tests ha'e gained popularity. (True; Eas ; Inte.rit Tests; p" #8$% 0(. 5 test that measures factors such as dependability% carefulness% responsibility% and honesty is referred to as a performance factor test. (8alse; Moderate; Inte.rit Tests; p" #8$% 0,. .ntegrity tests are good at predicting theft or discipline problems% but do not predict super'isor ratings of performance. (8alse; Challen.in.; Inte.rit Tests; p" #8$% 00. Performance simulation tests are a specific type of written test. (8alse; Eas ; Per/ormance0(imulation Tests; p" #88% 0!. Work samples yield 'alidities almost consistently superior to written aptitude tests. (True; Moderate; !or+ (ample Tests; p" #88% 02. 5ssessment center tests are effecti'e for predicting the )ob performance of employees in managerial positions. (True; Moderate; 'ssessment Centers; p" #88% 0$. .n assessment centers% )ob incumbents e'aluate candidates as they go through se'eral days of e+ercises that simulate real problems they would confront on the )ob. (8alse; Challen.in.; 'ssessment Centers; p" #88% 0 . -he e'idence indicates that inter'iews are good for assessing an applicant4s technical knowledge% le'el of conscientiousness% and interpersonal skills. (8alse; Moderate; Inter1ie2s; p" #88% -raining and :e'elopment !". .n the past% organizations had to pro'ide basic reading and math skills for their employees. .mpro'ed educational standards ha'e decreased that need o'er the past few decades. (8alse; Moderate; )asic Literac (+ills; p" #31%

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-echnical training has become increasingly important because of changes in organizational design. (True; Moderate; Technical (+ills; p" #31% !2. .nterpersonal skills are inherent% which means that training can make some minor impro'ements% but it is not likely to result in ma)or changes. (8alse; Eas ; Interpersonal (+ills; p" #35% !(. Problem#sol'ing skills cannot be taught. (8alse; Eas ; Pro-lem0(ol1in. (+ills; p" #35% !,. =ost training takes place in the form of formal% li'e classroom lectures. (8alse; Eas ; 8ormal 1ersus In/ormal Trainin.; p" #37% !0. =ost formal training re'ol'es around employees simply helping each other out. (8alse; Moderate; 8ormal 1ersus In/ormal Trainin.; p" #37% !!. 5n .nternet course is an e+ample of an off#the#)ob training method. (True; Eas ; O//0the06o- Trainin.; p" #37% !2. -he fastest growing means for deli'ering training is satellite#beamed tele'ision courses. (8alse; Moderate; Trainin. Methods; p" #37% !$. -o ma+imize training results% those who learn best by reading should ha'e the opportunity to obser'e indi'iduals modeling new skills. (8alse; Eas ; Trainin. and Learnin. (t les; p" #39% ! . -he most effecti'e training is conducted through the use of standardized teaching techni*ues. (8alse; Moderate; Trainin. E//ecti1eness; pp" #390#3#% Performance 3'aluation 2". Performance e'aluation can be used to identify strategic planning directions. (8alse; Eas ; Purposes o/ Per/ormance E1aluation; p" #3#% 21. 3mployees will alter their )ob beha'ior to reflect the criteria that management uses to e'aluate their performance. (True; Moderate; E1aluation Criteria; p" #3#% 22. >ne e+planation for why many employees may not be moti'ated is that the performance e'aluation process is often more political than ob)ecti'e. (True; Moderate; Impro1in. Per/ormance E1aluations; p" :44% 2(. When a manager is e'aluated on the cost per unit of production in his or her department% the e'aluation criterion being used is beha'iors. (8alse; Moderate; Indi1idual Tas+ Outcomes; p" #3#% 2,. When a manager is e'aluated on the degree to which he or she 6has a good attitude%7 the e'aluation criterion being used is beha'iors. (8alse; Moderate; Traits; p" #3:% 20. -here is e'idence that certain traits will be good predictors for performance in many )obs. (8alse; Moderate; Traits; p" #3:%

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2!. -he traditional source of performance e'aluations is the employee4s immediate boss. (True; Eas ; E1aluators; p" #3:% 22. ;sing immediate subordinates in the performance e'aluation process is contrary to recent trends in the workplace. (8alse; Moderate; E1aluatin. Emplo ee Per/ormance; p" #3$% 2$. Self#e'aluations usually reflect the same ratings as e'aluations performed by an indi'idual4s superiors. (8alse; Eas ; (el/0E1aluations; p" #3$% 2 . Probably the simplest method of e'aluation is the graphic rating scale. (8alse; Challen.in.; !ritten Essa s; p" #38% $". -he ma)or problem with a written essay performance appraisal is lack of ob)ecti'ity. (8alse; Moderate; !ritten Essa s; p" #38% $1. Critical incidents as a method of performance e'aluation focus on problem beha'iors. (8alse; Moderate; Critical Incidents; p" #38% $2. >ne of the most popular methods of e'aluation is the graphic rating scale. (True; Eas ; <raphic Ratin. (cales; p" #38% $(. ?orced comparisons are absolute measuring de'ices for performance e'aluation. (8alse; Moderate; 8orced Comparisons; p" #380:57% $,. -he approach that compares each employee with e'ery other employee and rates each as either the superior or weaker member of the pair is called group order ranking. (8alse; Moderate; <roup Order Ran+in.; p" #38% $0. -he indi'idual ranking approach ranks each employee into a particular classification. (8alse; Moderate; Indi1idual Ran+in.; p" #33% $!. 5s the number of e'aluators increases% the probability of attaining more accurate information increases. (True; Moderate; Multiple E1aluators; p" :41% $2. .f raters make e'aluations on only those dimensions which they are in a good position to rate% this increases the agreement between raters and makes the e'aluation a more 'alid process. (True; Moderate; (electi1e E1aluation; p" :41% $$. -here is no e'idence to support the idea that training e'aluators can help minimize or eliminate common errors such as halo and leniency. (8alse; Moderate; Trainin. E1aluators; p" :41% $ . :ue process systems pro'ide indi'iduals with ade*uate notice of what is e+pected of them. (True; Moderate; ;ue Process; p" :41% ". Statistically speaking% half of all employees must be below#a'erage performers. (True; Moderate; Pro1idin. Per/ormance 8eed-ac+; p" :45%

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-he performance re'iew should be designed more as a counseling acti'ity than as a )udgment process% and it can best be accomplished by allowing the re'iew to e'ol'e out of the employee4s own self#e'aluation. (True; Moderate; Pro1idin. Per/ormance 8eed-ac+; p" :45% =anaging :i'ersity in >rganizations 2. 3'idence indicates that time pressures are the primary problem underlying workBlife conflicts. (8alse; Moderate; !or+0Li/e Con/lict; pp" :470:49% Alobal .mplications -he use of educational *ualifications in screening candidates is not used in =iddle 3astern countries since managers tend to see people as sub)ugated to their en'ironment. (8alse; Moderate; Per/ormance E1aluation and Culture; p" :4:% &''C()* Multicultural and ;i1ersit , ,. .n .srael% performance e'aluations aren4t widely used% since people hold a long#term time frame. (8alse; Challen.in.; Per/ormance E1aluation and Culture; p" :4$% &''C()* Multicultural and ;i1ersit , (CE>'RIO0)'(E; ?UE(TIO>( 5pplication of Selection Practices <obert has recei'ed authorization to add an assistant manager to his department. -his person will be working closely with <obert and must ha'e e+cellent interpersonal as well as technical skills. <obert wants to make certain that he ma+imizes the chance of choosing the correct indi'idual and is trying to decide on the most appropriate selection de'ice. 5 written test will most likely help <obert to e'aluate candidates4 &&&&&. a. cogniti'e abilities b. on#the#)ob skills c. producti'ity d. all of the abo'e e. none of the abo'e (a; Eas ; !ritten Tests; p" #8$% &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills, <obert is considering administering written integrity tests to management candidates that pass the initial screening. -hese tests will most likely help <obert to predict a candidate4s &&&&&. a. propensity to react calmly under stress b. degree of positi'e self#concept c. spatial and mechanical abilities d. likelihood of posing discipline problems e. degree of attention to detail (d; Moderate; Inte.rit Tests; p" #8$% &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills, !. 0. (.

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<obert tells a colleague of his plans to submit managerial candidates to integrity testing. -he colleague e+presses doubt o'er whether candidates will respond truthfully to the tests. <obert most likely responds to this doubt by &&&&&&&&. a. changing course and deciding to administer a different type of test b. clarifying that integrity tests make sense because they are simple to use and administer c. documenting that integrity tests are the most cost#effecti'e means of employee screening d. agreeing that indi'iduals who lie on integrity tests usually don4t present themsel'es in a positi'e light on )ob e. e+plaining that research shows that fakery does not undermine the 'alidity of integrity tests (e; Moderate; Inte.rit Tests; p" #88% &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills, <obert has decided to create a work sampling and let applicants demonstrate their abilities. 1e should use this to e'aluate candidates4 &&&&& skills. a. ethical b. interpersonal c. technical d. reacti'e e. associati'e (c; Moderate; !or+ (ample Tests; p" #88% &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills, -he best means of e'aluating the management skills of the applicants would be achie'ed through &&&&&. a. use of an assessment center b. 'erifying the applicants4 )ob histories c. work sampling d. written personality tests e. written basic literacy tests (a; Moderate; 'ssessment Centers; p" #88% &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills, 5pplication of Skill Categories Eou are in'ol'ed in training and de'elopment for your di'ision at WorldProducts% .nc. Eou want to target some specific organizational problems through training. 1"". Eour organization is situated in an urban area where many students do not finish high school. Eou will probably first ha'e to address the skill category termed &&&&&. a. basic literacy b. technical c. interpersonal d. problem sol'ing e. managerial (a; Eas ; )asic Literac (+ills; p" #31% &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills, 1"1. Eour organization has reduced layers% flattening the organization. Eour employees now need to perform a wider 'ariety of tasks. 5s a result% you need to pro'ide employees with training to help de'elop their &&&&& skills. a. basic literacy b. technical c. interpersonal d. problem sol'ing e. none of the abo'e (-; Moderate; Technical (+ills; p" #31% &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills, . $.

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Eou are implementing self#managed teams and *uality#management programs. .t would be important to conduct training in &&&&&. a. basic literacy b. technical skills c. interpersonal skills d. problem sol'ing e. interdependence (d; Moderate; Pro-lem0(ol1in. (+ills; p" #35% &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills, 1"(. WorldProducts is considering implementing employee ethics training programs. Some members of senior management are opposed to these programs. -heir opposition is most likely based on which of the following beliefs? a. 3thics training is almost none+istent in today4s workplace. b. 3thics can be learned only through formal teaching programs. c. .ndi'idual 'alues systems are fi+ed at an early age. d. .ntegrity cannot be taught by e+ample. e. 3thics programs help employees to recognize ethical dilemmas. (c; Moderate; Ethics Trainin.; p" #35% &''C()* Ethical Reasonin., &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills, 5pplication of -raining =ethods Eou ha'e )ust been appointed as director of your company4s corporate training di'ision. -he C3> of your company has been displeased with your company4s prior training programs% so you are tasked with rehauling the entire training di'ision. Eou con'ene a meeting of all training di'ision managers to decide on the types of training that the di'ision will implement. 1",. =ost of your managers ad'ocate sticking with off#the#)ob training programs. Which of the following are they most likely to cite to support their recommendation? a. <esearch shows that on#the#)ob training programs encourage employee absenteeism. b. 3'idence documents that off#the#)ob training allows employees to e+pand their creati'ity. c. >ff#the#)ob training programs in'ol'e effecti'e practices such as apprenticeships. d. >n#the#)ob training programs ha'e been pro'en to decrease employee )ob satisfaction. e. >ff#the#)ob training programs pose less risk of disrupting the work en'ironment. (-; Challen.in.; O//0the06o- Trainin.; p" #37% &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills, 1"0. >ne of your managers is a firm supporter of e#training programs for employees in your company4s international offices. 1e touts the benefits of e#programs by stressing that &&&&&&&&. a. e#training approaches ha'e been pro'en to result in higher le'els of knowledge assimilation. b. employees tend to be distracted by the social en'ironments of classroom learning. c. many employees find solitary learning to be highly moti'ating. d. e#programs are easily accessible by employees who work outside of standard ;.S. hours. e. because of their self#paced nature% e#programs are ine+pensi'e to design and implement. (-; Moderate; O//0the06o- Trainin.; p" #37% &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills,

136

5pplication of Performance 3'aluations 5lice 5nn Fones is the new director of human resources and psychological ser'ices for a small consulting firm in =obile% 5labama. 1"!. 5lice 5nn4s consulting firm makes e+tensi'e use of teams% encourages employee in'ol'ement% and is 'ery concerned with *uality#management. 5n appropriate e'aluation techni*ue for this firm would be &&&&. a. written essays b. trait e'aluations c. B5<S d. (!"#degree e'aluations e. graphic rating scales (d; Challen.in.; 7:40;e.ree E1aluation; p" #3$% &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills, 5pplication of =anaging :i'ersity in >rganizations Eou ha'e recently gone to work for Aood'ibes% .nc.% a medium#sized firm that pro'ides temporary workers for organizations who are outsourcing such functions as accounting% marketing% and training and de'elopment. =ost Aood'ibes employees are highly trained and could work at almost any company of their choosing. =any employees work part#time or )ob share so that they can ha'e more control o'er how their time is spent. Aood'ibes has instituted many family#friendly programs in order to attract and keep these talented people. 1"2. Which of the following programs is Aood'ibes likely to ha'e instituted? a. child care b. elder care c. relocation assistance d. all of the abo'e e. none of the abo'e (d; Eas ; !or+0Li/e Initiati1es; p" :49% &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills, 1"$. -o reduce the work#life conflicts faced by their employees% Aood'ibes should spend less effort helping employees with &&&&&. a. impro'ing time management skills b. segmenting their work and home li'es c. integrating their work and home li'es d. ad)usting to a wide range of scheduling options e. impro'ing their )ob producti'ity (a; Moderate; !or+0Li/e Initiati1es; p" :49% &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills, 1" . 5 1ar'ard study found that $2 percent of &&&&& between the ages of 2" and ( said that a 6family#friendly7 schedule was their most important )ob criterion. a. women b. men c. employees d. )ob applicants e. managers (-; Moderate; !or+0Li/e Con/lict; p" :49% &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills,

137

5pplication of Alobal .mplications -he company that =iguel works for is e+panding. -hey ha'e traditionally operated in Dorth 5merica and are now e+panding to some markets on the west coast of 5frica. =iguel has been asked to head up the human resources team that will be hiring the first employees and setting up the practices and procedures. 11". 5s =iguel begins to e'aluate the appropriate selection process% the one thing that he can feel 'ery safe implementing is the use of &&&&&. a. work sample tests b. inter'iews as a method to screen and select candidates c. educational *ualifications to screen candidates d. any of the abo'e e. none of the abo'e (c; Moderate; (election and Culture; p" :4#% &''C()* Multicultural and ;i1ersit , &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills, 111. =iguel and his team need to decide what kind of performance e'aluations to use. -hey will need to e'aluate the culture in terms of all of the following dimensions e+cept &&&&&. a. indi'idualismBcollecti'ism b. personal relationships to the en'ironment c. time orientation d. language dominance e. focus of responsibility (d; Moderate; Per/ormance E1aluation and Culture; p" :4:% &''C()* Multicultural and ;i1ersit , &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills, 112. =iguel knows that the culture4s perception of a person4s relationship to the en'ironment will affect &&&&&. a. how the company approaches en'ironmental issues b. whether the company gi'es performance e'aluations at all c. the location where the super'isor gi'es e'aluations d. the location where the super'isor gi'es reprimands e. the location where the super'isor gi'es promotions (-; Challen.in.; Per/ormance E1aluation and Culture; p" :4:% &''C()* Multicultural and ;i1ersit , &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills, 11(. =iguel will need to know that the results of looking at the country4s time orientation will affect &&&&&. a. how *uickly an employee should be reprimanded after misconduct b. how much importance should be placed on meeting work deadlines c. how often performance e'aluations should occur d. how long performance e'aluations should last e. how much training an employee should typically recei'e (c; Moderate; Per/ormance E1aluation and Culture; p" :4$% &''C()* Multicultural and ;i1ersit , &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills, (HORT ;I(CU((IO> ?UE(TIO>( 11,. Why must employers be careful about the *uestions they ask on employment applications? It@s prett o-1ious that Auestions a-out raceB .enderB and nationalit are disallo2ed" Other Auestions also put companies in le.al Ceopard " 8or eDampleB it .enerall is not permissi-le to as+ a-out prior arrest records or e1en con1ictions unless the ans2er is Corelated" (Eas ; 'pplication 8orms; pp" #8$0#88% &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills, 138

110.

.dentify the main types of background checks that employers use to screen candidates in the initial selection process. a% More than 84 percent o/ emplo ers conduct re/erence chec+s on applicants at some point in the hirin. process" -% Letters o/ recommendation are another /orm o/ -ac+.round chec+" c% 8inall B some emplo ers do -ac+.round chec+s on an applicant@s credit histor or criminal records" (Eas ; )ac+.round Chec+s; pp" #8:0#8$% &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills,

11!.

Why are performance#simulation tests helpful in the employee selection process? !hat -etter 2a is there to /ind out i/ an applicant can do a Co- success/ull than ha1in. him or her do itE The also more easil meet the reAuirement o/ Co-0relatedness than do most 2ritten tests" (Eas ; Per/ormance0(imulation Tests; p" #88% &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills,

112.

:iscuss the reasons why managers utilize performance simulation tests o'er written tests. 'lthou.h the are more complicated to de1elop and more di//icult to administer than 2ritten testsB per/ormance0simulation tests ha1e increased in popularit durin. the past se1eral decades" This appears to -e due to the /act that the ha1e hi.her F/ace 1alidit G than do most 2ritten tests" (Eas ; Per/ormance0(imulation Tests 1ersus !ritten Tests; p" #88% &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills,

11$.

:escribe the role of assessment centers in the employee selection process. ' more ela-orate set o/ per/ormance simulation testsB speci/icall desi.ned to e1aluate a candidate@s mana.erial potentialB is administered in assessment centers" In assessment centersB line eDecuti1esB super1isorsB and=or trained ps cholo.ists e1aluate candidates as the .o throu.h one to se1eral da s o/ eDercises that simulate real pro-lems that the 2ould con/ront on the Co-" )ased on a list o/ descripti1e dimensions that the actual Coincum-ent has to meetB acti1ities mi.ht include inter1ie2sB in0-as+et pro-lem0sol1in. eDercisesB leaderless .roup discussionsB and -usiness decision .ames" 8or instanceB a candidate mi.ht -e reAuired to pla the role o/ a mana.er 2ho must decide ho2 to respond to ten memos in his or her in0-as+et 2ithin a t2o0hour period" (Eas ; 'ssessment Centers; p" #88% &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills,

11 .

:escribe the ad'antages and disad'antages of the selection inter'iew. >ot onl is the inter1ie2 2idel usedB it also seems to carr a .reat deal o/ 2ei.ht" That isB the results tend to ha1e a disproportionate amount o/ in/luence on the selection decision" The candidate 2ho per/orms poorl in the emplo ment inter1ie2 is li+el to -e cut /rom the applicant poolB re.ardless o/ his or her eDperienceB test scoresB or letters o/ recommendation" Con1ersel B all too o/tenB the person most polished in Co-0see+in. techniAuesB particularl those used in the inter1ie2 processB is the one hiredB e1en thou.h he or she ma not -e the -est candidate /or the position" (Eas ; Inter1ie2s; p" #88% &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills,

139

12".

What are the three most popular sets of criteria for e'aluating employee performance? The three most popular sets o/ criteria /or e1aluatin. emplo ee per/ormance are indi1idual tas+ outcomesB -eha1iorsB and traits" a% I/ ends countB rather than meansB then mana.ement should e1aluate an emplo ee@s tas+ outcomes" In man casesB it@s di//icult to identi/ speci/ic outcomes that can -e directl attri-uta-le to an emplo ee@s actions" -% It@s not unusual /or mana.ement to e1aluate the emplo ee@s -eha1ior" c% The 2ea+est set o/ criteriaB et one that is 2idel used - or.aniHations is indi1idual traits" The are 2ea+er -ecause the are /arthest remo1ed /rom the actual per/ormance o/ the Co- itsel/" (Eas ; Criteria /or E1aluatin. Emplo ee Per/ormance; pp" #3#0#3:% &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills,

121.

Who should perform employee e'aluations? !ith man o/ toda @s or.aniHations usin. sel/0mana.ed teamsB telecommutin.B and other or.aniHin. de1ices that distance -osses /rom their emplo eesB an emplo ee@s immediate superior ma not -e the most relia-le Cud.e o/ that emplo ee@s per/ormance" ThusB in more and more casesB peers and e1en su-ordinates are -ein. as+ed to participate in the per/ormance e1aluation process" 'lsoB increasin.l B emplo ees are participatin. in their o2n per/ormance e1aluation" In most situationsB in /actB it is hi.hl ad1isa-le to use multiple sources o/ ratin.s" 'n indi1idual per/ormance ratin. ma sa as much a-out the rater as a-out the person -ein. e1aluated" ) a1era.in. across ratersB 2e can o-tain a more relia-leB un-iasedB and accurate per/ormance e1aluation" (Eas ; E1aluators; p" #3$% &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills,

122.

What is a (!"#degree performance e'aluation? The latest approach to per/ormance e1aluation is the use o/ 7:40de.ree e1aluation" It pro1ides /or per/ormance /eed-ac+ /rom the /ull circle o/ dail contacts that an emplo ee mi.ht ha1eB ran.in. /rom mailroom personnel to customers to -osses to peers" (Eas ; 7:40;e.ree E1aluations; p" #3$% &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills,

140

ME;IUM LE><TH ;I(CU((IO> ?UE(TIO>( 12(. :escribe and discuss three substanti'e selection de'ices uses to assess )ob candidates once they ha'e passed an initial screening. (election de1ices include 2ritten testsB per/ormance simulation testsB and inter1ie2s" a% T pical 2ritten tests are tests o/ intelli.ence or co.niti1e a-ilit testsB personalit testsB inte.rit testsB and interest in1entories" Mana.ers ha1e come to reco.niHe that there are 1alid tests a1aila-le and the can -e help/ul in predictin. 2ho 2ill -e success/ul on the Co-" 'pplicantsB ho2e1erB tend to 1ie2 2ritten tests as less 1alid and /air than inter1ie2s or per/ormance tests" -% !hat -etter 2a is there to /ind out i/ an applicant can do a Co- success/ull than ha1in. him or her do itE That@s precisel the lo.ic o/ per/ormance simulation tests" The t2o -est0+no2n per/ormance simulation tests are 2or+ samplin. and assessment centers" The /ormer is suited to routine Co-sB 2hereas the latter is rele1ant /or the selection o/ mana.erial personnel" c% O/ all the selection de1ices that or.aniHations use to di//erentiate candidatesB the inter1ie2 continues to -e the most common" >ot onl is the inter1ie2 2idel usedB it also seems to carr a .reat deal o/ 2ei.ht" (Moderate; (election ;e1ices; pp" #8$0#88% &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills, 12,. Briefly e+plain three of the four types of written tests that are typically used in the employee selection process? T pical 2ritten tests include tests o/ intelli.ence or co.niti1e a-ilit testsB personalit testsB inte.rit tests and interest in1entories" a% Tests in intellectual a-ilit B spatial and mechanical a-ilit B perceptual accurac B and motor a-ilit ha1e pro1en to -e 1alid predictors /or man s+illedB semis+illedB and uns+illed operati1e Co-s in industrial or.aniHations" Intelli.ence tests ha1e pro1en to -e particularl .ood predictors /or Co-s that reAuire co.niti1e compleDit " -% Personalit tests are relati1el ineDpensi1e and simple to use and administer" Or.aniHations use numerous measures o/ the )i. 8i1e traits in selection decisions" c% 's ethical pro-lems ha1e increased in or.aniHationsB inte.rit tests ha1e .ained popularit " These are paper0and0pencil tests that measure /actors such as dependa-ilit B care/ulnessB responsi-ilit B and honest " (Eas ; !ritten Tests; p" #8$% &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills,

141

120.

Compare and contrast the two types of selection inter'iews. The unstructured inter1ie2Ishort in durationB casualB and made up o/ random Auestions Iis not a 1er e//ecti1e selection de1ice" The data .athered /rom such inter1ie2s are t picall -iased and o/ten onl modestl related to /uture Co- per/ormance" !ithout structureB a num-er o/ -iases can distort results" These -iases include inter1ie2ers tendin. to /a1or applicants 2ho share their attitudesB .i1in. undul hi.h 2ei.ht to ne.ati1e in/ormationB and allo2in. the order in 2hich applicants are inter1ie2ed to in/luence e1aluations" Usin. a standardiHed set o/ AuestionsB pro1idin. inter1ie2ers 2ith a uni/orm method o/ recordin. in/ormationB and standardiHin. the ratin. o/ the applicant@s Auali/ications reduce the 1aria-ilit in results across applicants and enhance the 1alidit o/ the inter1ie2 as a selection de1ice" The e//ecti1eness o/ the inter1ie2 also impro1es 2hen emplo ers use -eha1ioral structured inter1ie2s" This inter1ie2 techniAue reAuires applicants to descri-e ho2 the handled speci/ic pro-lems and situations in pre1ious Co-s" It@s -uilt on the assumption that past -eha1ior o//ers the -est predictor o/ /uture -eha1ior" (Moderate; Inter1ie2s; pp" #880#83% &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills,

12!.

:escribe and discuss the four general skill categories addressed by most employee training acti'ities. 8our .eneral s+ill cate.ories t picall o//ered - or.aniHations are -asic literac B technicalB interpersonalB and pro-lem sol1in." a% Or.aniHations increasin.l ha1e to pro1ide -asic readin. and math s+ills /or their emplo ees" Most trainin. is directed at up.radin. and impro1in. an emplo ee@s technical s+ills" -% Technical trainin. has -ecome increasin.l important toda /or t2o more reasons J ne2 technolo. and ne2 structural desi.ns" 'lmost all emplo ees -elon. to a 2or+ unit" c% To some de.reeB their 2or+ per/ormance depends on their a-ilit to e//ecti1el interact 2ith their co02or+ers and their -osses" d% Mana.ersB as 2ell as man emplo ees 2ho per/orm nonroutine tas+sB ha1e to sol1e pro-lems on their Co-" !hen people reAuire these s+ills -ut are de/icient in themB the can participate in pro-lem0sol1in. trainin." (Moderate; T pes o/ Trainin.; p" #31% &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills,

122.

What purposes do performance e'aluations ser'e in organizations? Per/ormance e1aluations ser1e a num-er o/ purposes in or.aniHations" a% One purpose is to help mana.ement ma+e .eneral human resource decisions" E1aluations pro1ide input into such important decisions as promotionsB trans/ersB and terminations" -% E1aluations also identi/ trainin. and de1elopment needs" The pinpoint emplo ee s+ills and competencies that are currentl inadeAuate -ut /or 2hich remedial pro.rams can -e de1eloped" c% E1aluations also /ul/ill the purpose o/ pro1idin. /eed-ac+ to emplo ees on ho2 the or.aniHation 1ie2s their per/ormance" d% 8urthermoreB per/ormance e1aluations are the -asis /or re2ard allocations" ;ecisions as to 2ho .ets merit pa increases and other re2ards are /reAuentl determined per/ormance e1aluations" (Moderate; Purposes o/ Per/ormance E1aluation; p" #3#% &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills,

142

12$.

:escribe and discuss the two most popular forced comparison methods of performance e'aluation. The t2o most popular comparisons are .roup order ran+in. and indi1idual ran+in." a% The .roup order ran+in. reAuires the e1aluator to place emplo ees into a particular classi/icationB such as top one0/i/th or second one0/i/th" This method is o/ten used in recommendin. students to .raduate schools" -% The indi1idual ran+in. approach ran+0orders emplo ees /rom -est to 2orst" I/ the mana.er is reAuired to appraise 74 emplo eesB this approach assumes that the di//erence -et2een the /irst and second emplo ee is the same as that -et2een the t2ent 0/irst and t2ent 0second" E1en thou.h some o/ the emplo ees ma -e closel .roupedB this approach allo2s /or no ties" The result is a clear orderin. o/ emplo eesB /rom the hi.hest per/ormer do2n to the lo2est" (Moderate; 8orced Comparisons; pp" #380#33% &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills,

COMPREHE>(IKE E(('L( 12 . :escribe and discuss work sample tests and assessment centers. !or+ sample tests are hands0on simulations o/ part or all o/ the Co- that must -e per/ormed - applicants" ) care/ull de1isin. 2or+ samples -ased on speci/ic Co- tas+sB mana.ement determines the +no2led.eB s+illsB and a-ilities needed /or each Co-" Then each 2or+ sample element is matched 2ith a correspondin. Co- per/ormance element" !or+ samples are 2idel used in the hirin. o/ s+illed 2or+ersB such as 2eldersB machinistsB carpentersB and electricians" The results /rom 2or+ sample eDperiments are impressi1e" (tudies almost consistentl demonstrate that 2or+ samples ield 1alidities superior to 2ritten aptitude and personalit tests" ' more ela-orate set o/ per/ormance simulation testsB speci/icall desi.ned to e1aluate a candidate@s mana.erial potentialB is administered in assessment centers" In assessment centersB line eDecuti1esB super1isorsB and=or trained ps cholo.ists e1aluate candidates as the .o throu.h one to se1eral da s o/ eDercises that simulate real pro-lems that the 2ould con/ront on the Co-" )ased on a list o/ descripti1e dimensions that the actual Co- incum-ent has to meetB acti1ities mi.ht include inter1ie2sB in0-as+et pro-lem0sol1in. eDercisesB leaderless .roup discussionsB and -usiness decision .ames" The e1idence on the e//ecti1eness o/ assessment centers is impressi1e" The ha1e consistentl demonstrated results that predict later Coper/ormance in mana.erial positions" (Moderate; Per/ormance0(imulation Tests; p" #88% &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills,

143

1(".

3+plain why performance e'aluations should be impro'ed. :iscuss some suggestions for impro'ing performance e'aluations. The per/ormance e1aluation process is a potential mine/ield o/ pro-lems" 8or instanceB e1aluators can unconsciousl in/late e1aluationsB understate per/ormanceB or allo2 the assessment o/ one characteristic to undul in/luence the assessment o/ others" (ome appraisers -ias their e1aluations - unconsciousl /a1orin. people 2ho ha1e Aualities and traits similar to their o2n" 'ndB o/ courseB some e1aluators see the e1aluation process as a political opportunit to o1ertl re2ard or punish emplo ees the li+e or disli+e" 'lthou.h there are no protections that 2ill .uarantee accurate per/ormance e1aluationsB the /ollo2in. su..estions can si.ni/icantl help to ma+e the process more o-Cecti1e and /air" a% The use o/ multiple e1aluators is recommended" 's the num-er o/ e1aluators increasesB the pro-a-ilit o/ attainin. more accurate in/ormation increases" ) mo1in. emplo ees a-out 2ithin the or.aniHation so as to .ain a num-er o/ e1aluations or - usin. multiple assessorsB 2e increase the pro-a-ilit o/ achie1in. more 1alid and relia-le e1aluations" -% 'ppraisers should e1aluate onl those areas in 2hich the ha1e some eDpertise" This precaution increases the interrater a.reement and ma+es the e1aluation a more 1alid process" c% In additionB e1aluators should -e trained" I/ ou can@t /ind .ood e1aluatorsB the alternati1e is to ma+e .ood e1aluators" There is su-stantial e1idence that trainin. e1aluators can ma+e them more accurate raters" d% 8inall B emplo ees should -e pro1ided 2ith due process" The concept o/ due process can -e applied to appraisals to increase the perception that emplo ees are treated /airl " Three /eatures characteriHe due process s stems* i" Indi1iduals are pro1ided 2ith adeAuate notice o/ 2hat is eDpected o/ them; ii" 'll e1idence rele1ant to a proposed 1iolation is aired in a /air hearin. so the indi1iduals a//ected can respond; and iii" The /inal decision is -ased on the e1idence and /ree o/ -ias" (Challen.in.; Impro1in. Per/ormance E1aluations; pp" :440:41% &''C()* 'nal tic (+ills,

144