1、Chapter 1: Human Resource Management and Competitive Advantage, 5 Chapter1Exam Questions1.The human resource management function (56)A.is concerned with ensuring that a firms human resources have the land, capital, and equipment needed to perform their jobs effectively.B.helps an organization deal e
2、ffectively with its people during the various phases of the employment cycle-pre-selection, selection, and post-selection.C.is necessary only in those organizations where labor-management relations are strained.D.is irrelevant in an age of rapidly changing work processes.Answer: B2.The dominant acti
3、vity in the pre-selection phase of the employment cycle isA.planning.B.performance management.C.selection.D.assessment.Answer: A3.Developing human resource practices for effectively managing people is most closely associated with which phase of the employment cycle? (38)A.pre-selectionB.selection C.
4、post-selection D.management phaseAnswer: C4.Human resource planning has as its primary goal (39)A.gathering, analyzing, and documenting information about jobs.B.locating and attracting job applicants.C.helping managers anticipate and meet the changing need for human resources.D.measuring the adequac
5、y of an employees job performance.Answer: C5.The decision to use a personality inventory in the employee selection process would be made based on (43)A.job analysis information.B.human resource planning information.C.performance appraisal information.D.recruitment information.Answer: A6.Which of the
6、 following is not among the external factors influencing human resource management?A.rapid advances in technologyB.a high rate of illiteracy among the work forceC.company policy regarding flexible work arrangementsD.emphasis on quality improvementAnswer: C7.Unions are most likely to influence compan
7、y policies regarding (59)A.human resource planning, job analysis, and recruitment.B.discipline, promotions, and grievances.C.international human resource management.D.strategic planning and resource allocation.Answer: B8.Which of the following is not one of the issues that needs to be addressed when
8、 establishing operations in other countries?A.setting performance standardsB.use of expatriatesC.cultural differencesD.compensationAnswer: A9.Which statement below best describes the relationship between line management and HR professionals? (58)A.HR professionals focus more on developing human reso
9、urce programs, while line managers are more involved in implementing those programs.B.HR professionals are solely responsible for evaluating programs designed to manage human resources.C.Line management requires the services of the HR professional only infrequently.D.Line management focuses more on
10、developing human resource programs, while the HR professional is more involved in implementing programs.Answer: A10Which of the following activities is most consistent with the HR professionals role of developing/choosing HRM methods? (31)A.determining the order in which job applicants should comple
11、te selection measures.B.determining that a test of cognitive ability should be used as part of a selection process. C.determining that a personality test has been ineffective in screening job applicants.D.offering a manager instruction on how to appraise employee performance.Answer: B11.Which of the
12、 following activities is not part of the line managers role in the HRM process? (32)A.interview job applicantsB.settle grievance issuesC.provide and communicate job performance ratingsD.develop an evaluation strategy for training programsAnswer: D12.A competitive advantage is defined in the text as
13、(33)A.a demonstrated willingness to take on all competitors in the marketplace.B.hiring a workforce that has a high need for achievement.C.achieving a superior marketplace position relative to ones competition.D.organizational self-confidence.Answer: C13.A cost leadership strategy for gaining compet
14、itive advantage can be produced by(34)A.reducing the cost of production, regardless of the number of units produced.B.increasing the number of units produced, regardless of the cost per unit.C.cutting overhead costs while maintaining or increasing the number of units produced.D.performing regularly
15、scheduled maintenance on production equipment.Answer: C14.Product differentiation can offer a firm a competitive advantage because (35)A.it allows a firm to offer a unique product not being offered by competitors.B.it can reduce a products cost per unit.C.it reduces a firms dependence on one supplie
16、r for raw materials.D.imitating a competitors strategy is the surest way to be competitive.Answer: A15.Which of the following statements best characterizes the relationship between a firms HRM practices and important outcome measures such as productivity, profits, and overall organizational performa
17、nce? (36)A.HRM practices have little impact on such “hard measures” of organizational performance.B.Firms with progressive HRM practices tend to perform better on such hard measures of organizational performance than those using less sound practices.C.Those firms that use sophisticated HRM practices
18、 tend to be only slightly less successful than other firms.D.The more money a firms spends on salaries for HRM personnel, the more successful it will be. Answer: B16.According to Jeffrey Pfeffer, a firm that adopts a program of employee participation and empowerment is most likely to generate (37)A.
19、uncertainty among the workforce regarding job responsibilities.B.support from union leadership.C.a decline in short-term profits until the organization adapts to the change.D.a competitive advantage by increasing employee satisfaction and productivity.Answer: D17.According to the model linking HRM p
20、ractices to competitive advantage discussed in chapter 1, which of the following HRM practices can have a direct effect on achieving competitive advantage?A.performance appraisalB.HR planningC.unionsD.workplace justice programsAnswer: A18.According to the model linking HRM practices to competitive a
21、dvantage discussed in chapter 1, which of the following employee-centered outcomes is a direct result of implementing progressive HRM practices?A.employee retentionB.legal complianceC.employee competence D.company imageAnswer: C19.Organizational citizenship concerns(40)A.an employees willingness to
22、engage in work behaviors that are not usually specified in a job description.B.the relative strength of an employees identification with and involvement in a particular organization.C.the favorableness of an employees attitude toward his or her job.D.the tendency of an organization to be involved in
23、 the civic affairs of the community in which it resides.Answer: A20.An employee is overheard saying “I think the company is doing the right thing by introducing this new product line. I hope I get the chance to work on it.” This statement most likely reflects the employees (41)A.organizational commi
24、tment.B.organizational citizenship.C.job satisfaction.D.self-efficacy.Answer: A21.Which of the following pairs of HRM practices is most likely to influence employee motivation?(42)A.job analysis and HR planningB.selection and productivity improvement programsC.training and safety and health programs
25、D.motivation is one of the few variables that cannot be improved using HR practices.Answer: B22.According to the model linking HRM practices to competitive advantage discussed in Chapter 1, how can one describe the relationship between organization-centered outcomes and employee-centered outcomes?A.
26、organization-centered outcomes are believed to “cause” employee-centered outcomes.B.employee-centered outcomes are believed to “cause” organization-centered outcomes.C.both employee-centered and organization-centered outcomes are believed to have direct paths to competitive advantage but no effect o
27、n each other.D.organization-centered outcomes are directly influenced by certain HRM practices, while employee-centered outcomes are not.Answer: B23.Which of the following strategies is not used by HR professionals to achieve cost leadership? (44)A.motivating workers to be more productive by introdu
28、cing a productivity improvement program.B.developing a performance appraisal system that provides workers with the feedback necessary to be more productive.C.introducing a new piece of equipment to improve worker efficiency.D.using a more efficient recruitment strategy to reduce the cost of hiring n
29、ew workers.Answer: C24.The use of HRM practices can promote a sustained competitive advantage because(45)A.being the first to institute an innovative HR practice discourages a firms competition.B.HR practices cannot be imitated.C.people are a firms most valuable resource.D.the organizational environ
30、ment in which innovative HR practices are implemented can rarely be duplicated.Answer: D25.Which of the following HR practices is likely to have the greatest and most direct impact on achieving competitive advantage through product differentiation?A.compensationB.selectionC.job analysisD.performance appraisalAnswer: B