Human Resource Management

Review
1) On Alicia's first day of work at a software firm, she attended a meeting with the HR manager
and other new employees. Alicia learned about employee benefits packages, personnel policies,
and the structure of the company. In which of the following did Alicia most likely participate?
A) Recruitment
B) Selection
C) Orientation
D) Development
2) MTR Enterprises failed to provide adequate safety training to one of its employees. As a
result, the employee harmed a customer. A court would most likely find MTR liable for
________.
A) Discrimination
B) Negligent training
C) Occupational fraud
D) Hazardous training
3) Surveys have found that ________ has the greatest influence on organizational performance
and employee productivity.
A) Appraisals
B) Training
C) goal-setting
D) Screening
4) What is the first step in the ADDIE training process?
A) Assessing the program's successes
B) Appraising the program's budget
C) Analyzing the training need
D) Acquiring training materials

5) James, an HR manager, is currently identifying the specific knowledge and skills required for
a telemarketing position at Newman Enterprises. James is most likely involved in which of the
following?
A) Task analysis
B) Program evaluation
C) Strategic training needs analysis
D) Current training needs analysis

6) Amy, an accounting supervisor, has been asked to provide training for her subordinates about
new tax laws. In order to motivate the individuals who attend her training session, Amy should
most likely do all of the following EXCEPT ________.
A) Use as many visual aids as possible during the session
B) Provide an overview of the material to be covered
C) Teach new terminology and technical concepts
D) Give information in logical, meaningful sections

7) Employers will most likely use all of the following methods to identify training needs for new
employees EXCEPT ________.
A) Analyzing job descriptions
B) Reviewing performance standards
C) Questioning current job holders
D) Conducting a work sampling

8) A graphic model that presents a precise overview of the knowledge, skills, and behaviors
someone would need to perform a job well is known as a ________.
A) Scatter plot
B) Competency model
C) Classification table
D) Organizational chart

9) Mark Caffrey, vice president of sales at Samson Pharmaceuticals, manages a sales team of ten
employees. Members of Mark's sales force vary in experience level. Four members of the sales
team have worked at Samson for less than one year. The other six salespeople have been with
Samson anywhere from three to seven years. Mark recently received the annual sales report and
noticed that sales have been dropping steadily over the last year. Mark is considering the idea of
providing training to his sales team as a way to boost sales.
Which of the following best supports the argument that the drop in Samson's sales can be solved
through training?
A) Attitude surveys sent to Samson personnel suggest that the firm's elimination of year-end
bonuses has angered many employees.
B) Recent studies suggest that sales of name-brand pharmaceuticals, such as Samson, are
dropping as more people are choosing to use generic drugs instead.
C) The rising costs associated with college recruiting have forced Samson to hire sales associates
through online job sites.
D) Members of the sales team have expressed that they do not fully understand the benefits and
side effects of the latest medications released by Samson.

10) Mark Caffrey, vice president of sales at Samson Pharmaceuticals, manages a sales team of
ten employees.
Members of Mark's sales force vary in experience level. Four members of the sales team have
worked at Samson for less than one year. The other six salespeople have been with Samson
anywhere from three to seven years. Mark recently received the annual sales report and noticed
that sales have been dropping steadily over the last year. Mark is considering the idea of
providing training to his sales team as a way to boost sales.
All of the following questions are relevant to Mark's decision to implement a training program
for his sales team EXCEPT ________.
A) What methods are used for recruiting and interviewing individuals for sales positions?
B) Does every salesperson understand what his or her performance standards are?
C) What tools are available to sales team members to help them work efficiently?
D) What were the results of attitude surveys distributed to the sales team?

11) Which of the following best describes the first step in a performance analysis?
A) Comparing a person's actual performance to the ideal performance
B) Investigating employee-related customer complaints
C) Evaluating supervisor performance reviews
D) Conducting job knowledge assessments

12) Tyler, a new accounts representative at Martin Marketing, is learning the job by actually
doing job-related tasks such as contacting customers. Tyler is most likely participating in
________.
A) On-the-job training
B) Socialization
C) Social learning
D) Modeling

13) Rebekah was hired soon after graduation and assigned to complete a management trainee
program. She will move to various jobs each month for a nine-month period of time. Her
employer is utilizing the ________ form of training.
A) Job rotation
B) Understudy
C) Job expansion
D) Informal learning

14) Mario hopes to be promoted to the head of his department next year. In the meantime, he has
been assigned to spend a year as an assistant to the current department head. Which type of
training is most likely being used in this example?
A) Job rotation
B) Job instruction
C) Coaching method
D) Informal learning
15) A structured process by which people become skilled workers through a combination of
classroom instruction and on-the-job training is called ________.
A) Job instruction training
B) Programmed learning
C) Apprenticeship training
D) Coaching technique

16) Wells Fargo and Company is a financial services firm that provides banking, insurance, and
mortgage services at 10,000 stores nationwide. Wells Fargo offers its employees many
professional development opportunities such as training programs and tuition reimbursement.
Wells Fargo executives are considering the expansion of the firm's existing training programs
after employees have expressed strong interest in the idea.
Which of the following, if true, best supports the argument that Wells Fargo should use
intelligent tutoring systems to provide training for loan officers?
A) Current Wells Fargo employees indicate that they prefer to work at their own pace and have a
variety of learning styles.
B) Since Wells Fargo stores are spread throughout the country, the firm needs to provide training
at a central location to a large group of current employees at once.
C) Wells Fargo's employee orientation program provides new employees with information about
the history, culture, and vision of the firm.
D) Wells Fargo's board of directors sets training policies and works closely with HR to develop
the most appropriate training programs for new employees.

17) American Airlines uses flight simulators to train pilots about airplane equipment and safety
measures. This is an example of ________.
A) On-the-job training
B) Vestibule training
C) Virtual reality training
D) Programmed learning

18) Travel agents at Apollo Travel Services follow a computer program that displays question
prompts and dialogue boxes with travel policies as the agent enters information about the
consumer's travel plans. This is an example of a(n) ________.
A) audiovisual-based training method
B) Electronic performance support system
C) Intelligent tutoring system
D) computer-based training module

19) United Airlines utilizes a checklist of things that pilots should do prior to take-off and
landing. This checklist is an example of a(n) ________.
A) Job aid
B) Skill sheet
C) Work function analysis
D) Electronic support system
20) Wells Fargo and Company is a financial services firm that provides banking, insurance, and
mortgage services at 10,000 stores nationwide. Wells Fargo offers its employees many
professional development opportunities such as training programs and tuition reimbursement.
Wells Fargo executives are considering the expansion of the firm's existing training programs
after employees have expressed strong interest in the idea.
Which of the following, if true, best supports the argument that Wells Fargo should integrate
computer simulations into its training program for bank tellers?
A) The Wells Fargo intranet-based learning portal provides employees with access to a variety of
training courses.
B) Wells Fargo is one of the few financial institutions to require all employees to participate in at
least 30 hours of training each year.
C) Wells Fargo bank tellers use electronic performance support systems to assist them with
handling complicated bank transactions.
D) Employee surveys indicate that many Wells Fargo bank tellers are uncertain about the best
methods for handling angry customers.

21) ________ attempts to foster harmonious working relationships and to develop cross-cultural
sensitivity among the employees of a firm.
A) Adaptability screening
B) Multicultural simulation
C) Mandatory arbitration
D) Diversity training

22) Eric is in a group with five other management trainees at Coca-Cola. Eric's group is
competing against other management trainees at the firm in a simulated marketplace. Each group
must decide how much to spend on advertising and how many products to manufacture over the
next three years. In which of the following activities is Eric most likely participating?
A) on-demand learning
B) Apprenticeship training
C) Management games
D) Behavior modeling

23) Wilson Consulting is a management consulting firm with seventy employees. As associate
vice president of marketing, Suzanne Boyle is responsible for conducting performance appraisals
of the twelve employees under her direct supervision. Suzanne plans to use a graphic rating scale
to evaluate the performance of her subordinates.
Which of the following, if true, best supports the argument that a graphic rating scale is the most
appropriate performance appraisal tool for Suzanne to use?
A) The firm wants Suzanne to evaluate her subordinates on an ongoing basis and to keep a log of
critical incidents.
B) Suzanne wants to ensure that the firm is protected from employee discrimination lawsuits, so
she has conducted a job analysis of each position.
C) Suzanne wants a quantitative rating of each employee based on competencies important to the
firm, such as problem-solving skills.
D) Employees in Suzanne's department participated in developing their own performance
standards when they were first hired by the firm.

24) Kendra needs to rate five of her subordinates. She makes a chart of all possible pairs of
employees for each trait being evaluated. Then, she indicates the better employee of each pair
with a positive symbol on the chart. Finally, she totals the number of positive symbols for each
employee. Which method of performance appraisal has Kendra most likely used?
A) Graphic ranking scale
B) Alternation ranking
C) Paired comparison
D) Forced distribution

25) John, the supervisor of the manufacturing department at a computer firm, is in the process of
evaluating his staff's performance. He has determined that 15% of the group will be identified as
high performers, 20% as above average performers, 30% as average performers, 20% as below
average performers, and 15% as poor performers. Which performance appraisal tool has John
chosen to use?
A) Behaviorally anchored rating scale
B) Forced distribution
C) Alternation ranking
D) Paired comparison

26) Wilson Consulting is a management consulting firm with 70 employees. As associate vice
president of marketing, Suzanne Boyle is responsible for conducting performance appraisals of
the 12 employees under her direct supervision. Suzanne plans to use the critical incident method
to evaluate the performance of her subordinates.
Which of the following, if true, most likely undermines the argument that the critical incident
method is the most appropriate performance appraisal tool for Suzanne to use?
A) Employee performance standards are closely aligned with Wilson Consulting's long-term
strategic plans.
B) Suzanne will be conducting performance appraisals in conjunction with the HR manager to
ensure EEO compliance.
C) Wilson Consulting will be allowing employees to rate themselves as part of its organizational
development strategy.
D) Due to economic difficulties, the firm will be laying off the two lowest performing employees
in Suzanne's department.

27) Graphic rating scales are subject to all of the following problems EXCEPT ________.
A) Unclear standards
B) Halo effects
C) Complexity
D) Leniency

28) Which of the following is the best way for a supervisor to correct a performance appraisal
problem caused by unclear standards?
A) Focusing on performance instead of personality traits
B) Using graphic rating scales to rank employees
C) Using descriptive phrases to illustrate traits
D) Allowing employees to rate themselves first

29) Jason is a conscientious employee, but he is viewed by most of his co-workers as unfriendly.
Jason's supervisor rates him low on the traits "gets along well with others" and "quality of work."
Which of the following problems has most likely affected Jason's performance appraisal?
A) Central tendency
B) Leniency
C) Halo effect
D) recency effect

30) You are conducting an appraisal interview with an employee whose performance is
satisfactory but for whom promotion is not possible. Which incentive listed below would most
likely be the LEAST effective option for maintaining satisfactory performance in this situation?
A) Time off
B) Small bonus
C) Recognition
D) Professional development

31) When a supervisor must criticize a subordinate in an appraisal interview, it is most important
for the supervisor to ________.
A) Limit negative feedback to once every year
B) Provide specific examples of critical incidents
C) Acknowledge the supervisor's personal biases in the situation
D) Hold the meeting with other people who can document the situation

32) Which of the following best describes the purpose of an appraisal interview?
A) Training supervisors in the rating process
B) Identifying potential interpersonal problems
C) Making plans to correct employee weaknesses
D) Discussing and scheduling training programs

33) Oshman manufactures small kitchen appliances, such as blenders, toasters, and mixers. The
firm has nearly 80,000 employees in 22 countries. Employees receive annual performance
appraisals from their supervisors that combine critical incidents with a graphic rating scale.
However, the firm's CEO advocates shifting from performance appraisals to performance
management in an attempt to make Oshman more competitive and performance driven.
Which of the following, if true, best supports the argument to replace Oshman's traditional
appraisal methods with the performance management approach?
A) Oshman's competitors in the small appliance industry monitor the performance of their
employees through electronic performance monitoring systems.
B) Oshman executives want to align the firm's strategic plan with individual employee goals and
development needs.
C) Oshman has experienced problems associated with central tendency and bias, and the firm
wants to ensure that appraisals are legally sound.
D) Oshman uses management by objectives as a primary appraisal method and requires
supervisors to develop SMART goals.

34) Oshman manufactures small kitchen appliances, such as blenders, toasters, and mixers. The
firm has nearly 80,000 employees in 22 countries. Employees receive annual performance
appraisals from their supervisors that combine critical incidents with a graphic rating scale.
However, the firm's CEO advocates shifting from performance appraisals to performance
management in an attempt to make Oshman more competitive and performance driven.
All of the following questions are relevant to Oshman's decision to replace its traditional
appraisal methods with the performance management approach EXCEPT ________.
A) What technology is available to help managers gain immediate access to employee
performance data?
B) How would work procedures need to be modified to provide more frequent feedback to
employees?
C) How would the firm's mission and vision translate into departmental, team, and individual
goals?
D) What procedures are already in place to effectively identify and measure critical incidents?

35) Apex Carpet has a very high voluntary turnover rate, which executives at the firm want
reduced. What is the most effective way to retain top-performing employees at Apex?
A) Conducting more performance reviews
B) Developing new recruitment strategies
C) Establishing a talent management program
D) Revising the organization's mission statement

36) Apex Carpet has a very high voluntary turnover rate, which executives at the firm want
reduced. Which of the following should Apex most likely do first in its attempt to retain topperforming employees?
A) Administer attitude surveys to all employees
B) Provide an across-the-board wage increase
C) Evaluate the firm's promotion methods
D) Develop online training courses
37) You have been assigned to coach an employee who is struggling with work assignments.
Which of the following steps should you most likely complete first?
A) Reach agreement with the employee on a plan
B) Ask the employee open-ended questions
C) Offer ideas and advice to the employee
D) Observe the employee on the job

38) Dick's Sporting Goods is a sports and fitness retailer with over 300 stores in 34 states. After
beginning as a small bait and tackle shop in 1948, Dick's has grown to become a leader in the
sports and fitness retail industry. Many career opportunities are available in Dick's in areas as
diverse as IT, product development, merchandising, and store management. Top management at
Dick's realizes the importance of hiring and retaining quality employees. As a result, the firm has
decided to implement policies, practices, and programs that support employees' career needs.
Which of the following, if true, would best support the argument that Dick's should assign a
coach to each new employee?
A) The turnover rate of newly hired hourly employees at Dick's Sporting Goods is higher than
the industry average.
B) Many new employees at Dick's Sporting Goods have expressed interest in the firm's tuition
reimbursement program.
C) Dick's Sporting Goods has integrated preretirement counseling and succession planning into
its career management practices.
D) Dick's Sporting Goods uses talent management software to place new employees in the most
appropriate positions.

39) Jackie is working with a coach to identify her personal skills and interests. Afterwards, she
will investigate opportunities that fit her skills and interests and set specific career goals. In
which of the following activities is Jackie most likely participating?
A) Career management
B) Career development
C) Career planning
D) Job training

40) Dick's Sporting Goods is a sports and fitness retailer with over 300 stores in 34 states. After
beginning as a small bait and tackle shop in 1948, Dick's has grown to become a leader in the
sports and fitness retail industry. Many career opportunities are available in Dick's in areas as
diverse as IT, product development, merchandising, and store management. Top management at
Dick's realizes the importance of hiring and retaining quality employees. As a result, the firm has
decided to implement policies, practices, and programs that support employees' career needs.
Which of the following, if true, would best support the argument that Dick's should add a career
development aspect to its human resource activities?
A) Dick's Sporting Goods' current policies and practices categorize the firm as a highperformance work system.
B) Dick's Sporting Goods' performance appraisals will include development plans and individual
goal setting.
C) Dick's Sporting Goods' sales volume and hourly employee needs typically fluctuate
throughout the year.
D) Dick's Sporting Goods' will screen potential candidates using structured situational
interviews.

41) Orion Enterprises wants to provide employees with a Web-based library of career
development materials, as well as individual career coaches and career workshops. Which term
best describes the program that Orion plans to offer?
A) Career organization
B) Vocational training
C) Work sampling
D) Career center

42) Miranda wants to make partner at her law firm. However, she is worried because 70-hour
work weeks are the norm for someone striving to make partner. Miranda wants to be fair to her
family as well as excel at work. The best way for the law firm to address this problem is by
________.
A) Providing Miranda with a female career coach
B) Persuading Miranda to temporarily work in a less competitive law firm
C) Offering a flexible career track that allows Miranda to periodically reduce her work load
D) Providing a career planning workshop to help Miranda determine a more appropriate
occupation

43) Chelsea Bank employs a diverse group of employees, and the firm wants all of its workers to
have equal career advancement opportunities. Which of the following most likely undermines
Chelsea Bank's attempt to meet the career development needs of its diverse workforce?
A) Scheduling meetings at flexible times such as in the early morning or late evening
B) Offering career advancement seminars for women and minorities
C) Identifying mentors for women and minorities
D) Adopting flexible year-round work schedules

44) Smith Industries has established a career development program for its employees that offers
career coaching and workshops. However, a recent employee survey indicates that many women
still feel dissatisfied about their career opportunities at the firm. Which of the following would
most likely improve the attitudes of female employees at Smith Industries?
A) Smith installs an electronic performance support system for telecommuters.
B) Smith provides hardship allowances to all minority employees.
C) Smith increases the number of performance appraisals.
D) Smith implements a flexible career track system.

45) Dick's Sporting Goods is a sports and fitness retailer with over 300 stores in 34 states. After
beginning as a small bait and tackle shop in 1948, Dick's has grown to become a leader in the
sports and fitness retail industry. Many career opportunities are available in Dick's in areas as
diverse as IT, product development, merchandising, and store management. Top management at
Dick's realizes the importance of hiring and retaining quality employees. As a result, the firm has
decided to implement policies, practices, and programs that support employees' career needs.
Which of the following, if true, would best support the argument that the firm should institute a
flexible career track program?
A) Executive positions at Dick's Sporting Goods are rewarded for a combination of seniority and
competence.
B) Situational interviews are used at Dick's Sporting Goods to screen potential store managers.
C) Executive positions at Dick's Sporting Goods are predominantly held by men.
D) Over half of all Dick's Sporting Goods stores are run by female managers.
46) ABC Consulting has a formal mentoring program in which senior-level managers are paired
with less-experienced employees. Which of the following employees most likely needs a
mentor?
A) Raj, who is uncertain how to navigate office politics
B) Jason, who does not perform tasks as quickly as required
C) Michele, who is experiencing personal problems at home
D) Haley, who is working and attending graduate school simultaneously

47) Michele's firm does not have a formal mentoring program. However, entry-level employees,
such as Michele, are encouraged to form relationships with experienced workers. Michele wants
to make sure that she has an effective mentor relationship. Which of the following mentor
relationship guidelines would NOT be recommended to Michele?
A) Clarify in advance how often you want to meet.
B) Use an agenda to guide discussion topics.
C) Clarify what you expect in terms of advice.
D) Select a direct supervisor as a mentor.

48) Employers that focus on talent management are primarily interested in retaining ________.
A) Educated workers
B) senior-level employees
C) mission-critical employees
D) Workers with global experience
49) Which of the following terms refers to all forms of pay or rewards going to employees and
arising from their employment?
A) Salary
B) Employee benefits
C) Wage reimbursement
D) employee compensation

50) John is a sales representative in a jewelry store. He typically works 40 hours per week and
his pay is completely based on his sales. He earns a 5% commission for every sale he makes.
Which of the following terms best describes John's situation?
A) performance-based compensation
B) Indirect financial compensation
C) time-based compensation
D) Piecework pay
51) Which of the following factors has the LEAST effect on the design of an organization's pay
plan?
A) legal
B) Union
C) Company vision
D) Company policy

52) Anita, a manager at a department store, needs to determine whether one of her employees is
exempt or nonexempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Which of the following would be the
best resource for Anita?
A) Organizational chart
B) Performance appraisal
C) Business plan
D) Job description

53) Homelife, a national chain of high-end furniture stores, employs nearly 800 workers. In the
past few years, the company's market share has dropped significantly, and employee turnover has
increased. Upper management is considering the implementation of a new compensation policy
in its efforts to turn the company around. Historically, the company has paid all employees
similarly with some variation for seniority but no distinction between high and low performers.
Which of the following questions is LEAST relevant to Homelife's decision to develop an
aligned reward strategy?
A) What compensation programs should Homelife use to reinforce necessary employee
behaviors?
B) How well does Homelife's current compensation program match the company's strategic
aims?
C) What compensation programs should Homelife use to reinforce desired employee behaviors?
D) What are the results of Homelife employee salary surveys in regards to wage satisfaction?

54) Jason is an information systems technician in a town in North Carolina with a population of
100,000. He receives an annual salary of $35,000. He recently found out that a nearby town with
a similar population pays people in the same position $40,000 annually. With which of the
following is Jason most concerned?
A) distributive
B) Procedural
C) Internal
D) external

55) Homelife, a national chain of high-end furniture stores, employs nearly 800 workers. In the
past few years, the company's market share has dropped significantly, and employee turnover has
increased. Upper management is considering the implementation of a new compensation policy
in its efforts to turn the company around. Historically, the company has paid all employees
similarly with some variation for seniority but no distinction between high and low performers.
Which of the following, if true, best supports the argument that Homelife executives should
primarily address internal equity issues when developing a new compensation plan?
A) Homelife employees receive annual performance appraisals at which time they set career
goals.
B) Salary surveys indicate dissatisfaction among the Homelife managers in different
departments.
C) Online pay sites show the pay range for sales associates at both Homelife and its competitors.
D) Homelife pays its sales managers commissions in addition to base salaries and health benefits

56) Homelife, a national chain of high-end furniture stores, employs nearly 800 workers. In the
past few years, the company's market share has dropped significantly, and employee turnover has
increased. Upper management is considering the implementation of a new compensation policy
in its efforts to turn the company around. Historically, the company has paid all employees
similarly with some variation for seniority but no distinction between high and low performers.
Which of the following, if true, best supports the argument that Homelife should distribute salary
surveys before establishing new pay rates?
A) Homelife executives want to identify benchmark jobs before determining the worth of other
jobs.
B) Homelife executives plan to use the compensable factors emphasized by the Equal Pay Act.
C) Computerized job evaluation systems will be used by Homelife to generate questionnaires.
D) A wage curve needs to be established by Homelife for the purpose of federal compliance.

57) Which of the following best describes the point method of job evaluation?
A) Ranking each job relative to all other jobs based on pay grade
B) Categorizing jobs into grades and classes based on specific rules
C) Deciding which jobs have a higher number of compensable factors
D) Identifying and quantifying the compensable factors present in a job
58) Which job evaluation method is a quantitative technique involving the identification of
several compensable factors and the degree to which each of these factors is present in the job?
A) Ranking method
B) Point method
C) Job grading method
D) Job classification method

59) Phil, the owner of Eastline Electronics, recently learned that the current rate being paid for
the position of engineering assistant at his firm falls significantly below the wage line. Which of
the following steps should Phil most likely take to correct this problem?
A) Enact a pay freeze for that job
B) Assess a decrease in wages
C) Pay a one-time bonus
D) Provide a pay raise

60) Richard was recently offered a position as vice president of marketing at a national retail
chain. As a top executive at the firm, Richard will most likely be compensated with all of the
following EXCEPT ________.
A) Stock options
B) Pension plans
C) Sales commissions
D) Supplemental life insurance
61) Homelife, a national chain of high-end furniture stores, employs nearly 800 workers. In the
past few years, the company's market share has dropped significantly, and employee turnover has
increased. Upper management is considering the implementation of a new compensation policy
in its efforts to turn the company around. Historically, the company has paid all employees
similarly with some variation for seniority but no distinction between high and low performers.
Which of the following, if true, best supports the decision by Homelife executives to implement
competency-based pay?
A) Homelife will be using the comparable worth method of determining pay to avoid legal
problems.
B) Most Homelife managers are men, but executives hope to increase the number of minority
women working for the company.
C) Homelife plans to organize employees into teams, provide regular training, and frequently

assess workers' skills and knowledge.