Q&A Hero

Q: 360-degree feedback is usually used for developmental purposes rather than pay purposes.

Q: In order to ensure that performance goals are challenging and relevant, Matthew, a marketing manager, should independently set goals for his subordinates because participatively set goals usually produce lower job performance.

Q: Crowd-sourcing recognition and appraisal software tools enable employers to gather comments from ________ for employee performance appraisals. A) supervisors B) co-workers C) suppliers D) customers

Q: What is a benefit of using rating committees for performance appraisals? A) improve managerial performance B) rank employees on a scale C) minimize rater bias D) align assessments

Q: According to the text, Ball Corporation improved production by ________. A) assigning work teams daily performance goals B) giving applicants valid selection tests C) encouraging employee referrals D) using online training programs

Q: Which term refers to the continuous process of identifying, measuring, and developing the performance of individuals and teams and aligning their performance with the organization's goals? A) organizational development B) performance management C) strategic management D) performance appraisal

Q: Laurie received a performance appraisal from her immediate supervisor and three other supervisors at MJX Enterprises. Which of the following performance appraisal methods is most likely used by MJX Enterprises? A) rating committee B) peer appraisal C) 360-degree feedback D) self-rating

Q: In order to be the most effective, the performance management process should occur ________. A) occasionally B) continuously C) periodically D) annually

Q: Setting work standards, assessing an employee's performance against those standards, and providing employee feedback are the three steps of the ________. A) orientation process B) development analysis C) ratio analysis method D) performance appraisal cycle

Q: Which of the following is LEAST likely to occur during performance appraisal? A) setting work standards B) providing employee feedback C) initiating job enlargement procedures D) comparing employee performance to standards

Q: Which of the following terms refers to a performance appraisal based on surveys from peers, supervisors, subordinates, and customers? A) committee rating B) team appraisal C) upward feedback D) 360-degree feedback

Q: When subordinates provide feedback for supervisors, the comments should be anonymous because identifiable responses tend to result in a higher incidence of ________. A) critical responses B) negative attitudes C) inflated ratings D) contradictory statements

Q: Upward feedback primarily helps top-level managers to ________. A) implement organizational strategies B) compare appraisal techniques C) diagnose management styles D) document critical incidents

Q: At M&M Enterprises, subordinates rate supervisor performances anonymously. Which of the following refers to the process used at M&M? A) downward feedback B) upward feedback C) paired evaluation D) peer evaluation

Q: At Dixon Consulting, employees are allowed to rate themselves for performance appraisals. Which of the following is the most likely result? A) Interrater reliability is higher. B) Appraisals are subject to halo effects. C) Ratings are higher than when supervisors give ratings. D) Ratings are about the same as when determined by peers.

Q: Peer appraisals have been shown to result in a ________. A) reduction of social loafing B) reduction of group cohesion C) decrease in satisfaction with the group D) tendency to inaccurately predict promotions

Q: Which of the following is LEAST likely to be used by firms as an alternative source of performance appraisal information? A) peers B) rating committees C) the employee D) outside experts

Q: In most organizations, which of the following is primarily responsible for appraising an employee's performance? A) employee's direct supervisor B) human resources manager C) EEO representative D) employee's peers

Q: All of the following are reasons for appraising an employee's performance EXCEPT ________. A) assisting with career planning B) making decisions about promotions C) creating an organizational strategy map D) determining appropriate salary and bonuses

Q: SMART goals are best described as ________. A) specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely B) strategic, moderate, achievable, relevant, and timely C) specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and tested D) straightforward, meaningful, accessible, real, and tested

Q: Which of the following is NOT one of the recommended guidelines for setting effective employee goals? A) assigning specific goals B) assigning measurable goals C) administering consequences for poor performance D) encouraging employees to participate in setting goals

Q: The process of evaluating an employee's current and/or past performance relative to his or her performance standards is called ________. A) recruitment B) employee selection C) performance appraisal D) organizational development

Q: What are the six basic elements of a performance management program?

Q: In a brief essay, discuss the components necessary for an effective performance management process.

Q: Managers at ADK Marketing will start using information technology to automate performance management. What should managers do first? A) provide work teams with developmental training goals B) assign financial and nonfinancial goals to each team's activities C) implement reward systems to motivate low-performing teams D) gather a list of skills and competencies for each team member

Q: Managers at Watson Pharmaceuticals e-mail subordinates weekly progress and exception reports. The reports are based on the employee's progress toward meeting performance goals. Watson Pharmaceuticals most likely uses ________. A) goal alignment B) direction sharing C) ongoing performance monitoring D) coaching and developmental support

Q: Firms that use performance management are more likely to keep employee performance on track through the use of ________. A) rewards B) punishments C) job enlargements D) job postings

Q: 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 procedures are already in place to effectively identify and measure critical incidents? B) What methods would be most effective to keep employees' goal-driven performance on track? C) How would the firm's mission and vision translate into departmental, team, and individual goals? D) What technology is available to help managers gain immediate access to employee performance data?

Q: 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, supports the argument to replace Oshman's traditional appraisal methods with the performance management approach? A) Oshman has experienced problems associated with central tendency and bias, and the firm wants to ensure that appraisals are legally sound. B) Oshman executives want to align the firm's strategic plan with individual employee goals and development needs. C) Oshman uses management by objectives as a primary appraisal method and requires supervisors to develop SMART goals. D) Oshman executives believe that upward feedback helps managers improve their own management style and interpersonal skills.

Q: Which component of performance management refers to communicating a firm's higher-level goals throughout the organization and then translating them into departmental and individual goals? A) coaching B) role clarification C) goal alignment D) direction sharing

Q: The continuous process of identifying, measuring, and developing the performance of individuals and teams and aligning their performance with the organization's goals is known as ________. A) employee performance monitoring B) performance management C) performance appraisal D) performance analysis

Q: Researchers have found that employees' engagement rose when they experienced psychological meaningfulness.

Q: During an appraisal interview, the supervisor should speak in generalities to avoid potential legal ramifications.

Q: An appraisal interview is used to make plans for new hires as they move through the selection and training process.

Q: Studies indicate that the idiosyncratic biases of appraisers account for the largest percentage of observed variances in performance ratings.

Q: Central tendency is defined as the influence of a rater's general impression on ratings of specific ratee qualities.

Q: Central tendency is a problem that occurs when a supervisor's rating of a subordinate on one trait biases the rating of that person on other traits.

Q: Active listening is characterized by all of the following EXCEPT ________. A) listening for total meaning B) agreeing with the speaker C) watching for nonverbal cues D) reflecting feelings

Q: A legally defensible performance appraisal is most likely based on ________. A) employee rankings B) supervisory opinion C) feedback D) job analysis

Q: What is the primary purpose of an appraisal interview? A) reinforce satisfactory performance B) discuss compensation requirements C) explain corporate policies and procedures D) determine an effective discipline procedure

Q: Which of the following should a manager do to prepare for an appraisal interview? A) give the employee a day's notice to compile questions and comments B) compare the employee's performance to industry standards C) locate a private area for conducting the interview D) set aside at least two hours for the interview

Q: Dwayne, an IT specialist, is viewed by his supervisor and co-workers as unfriendly; however, his work quality is excellent. On his performance appraisal, Dwayne received unsatisfactory ratings for all traits. Which of the following appraisal problems most likely occurred? A) leniency B) halo effect C) central tendency D) unclear standards

Q: Which of the following would most likely result in a legally questionable appraisal process? A) assigning specific trait names when using graphic rating scales B) using job performance dimensions that are too clearly defined C) conducting a job analysis to establish performance standards D) basing appraisals on subjective supervisory observations

Q: Which of the following is the primary advantage of using graphic rating scales as performance appraisal tools? A) offers extremely high rate of accuracy B) provides quantitative rating for each employee C) links with mutually agreed upon performance objectives D) explains how employees can improve their overall performance

Q: Stephanie manages the accounting department at an advertising agency. She needs to conduct performance appraisals for the eight employees in her department. Stephanie wants a performance appraisal tool that is highly accurate, ranks employees, and uses critical incidents to help explain ratings to appraisees. Which performance appraisal tool is best suited for Stephanie? A) forced distribution method B) alternation ranking method C) behaviorally anchored rating scale D) graphic rating scale

Q: Which of the following has most likely occurred when a supervisor conducting a performance appraisal is influenced by a subordinate's age, sex, or race? A) bias B) strictness C) central tendency D) halo affect

Q: Which personality trait is associated with performance appraisal ratings that are too strict? A) agreeableness B) extroversion C) conscientiousness D) openness

Q: The best method for reducing the problems of leniency or strictness in performance appraisals is to ________. A) reconsider the timing of the appraisal B) require multiple appraisals C) keep critical incident logs D) rank employees

Q: The ________ problem occurs when supervisors tend to rate all their subordinates consistently low. A) central tendency B) leniency C) strictness D) bias

Q: Which performance appraisal problem is associated with supervisors giving all of their subordinates consistently high ratings? A) leniency B) strictness C) central tendency D) halo effect

Q: The best way of reducing the problem of central tendency in performance appraisals is to ________. A) rank employees B) establish SMART goals C) use graphic rating scales D) limit the number of appraisals

Q: A supervisor who frequently rates all employees as average on performance appraisals most likely has a problem known as ________. A) stereotyping B) central tendency C) halo effect D) leniency

Q: Which of the following is a performance appraisal problem that occurs when a supervisor's rating of a subordinate on one trait biases the rating of that person on other traits? A) halo effect B) stereotyping C) recency effect D) central tendency

Q: Jason is generally considered unfriendly at work, although he performs the tasks of his job very well. His supervisor rates him low on the trait "gets along well with others" and also rates him low on standards not related to socialization at work. Jason's performance appraisal may be unfair due to ________. A) impression management B) stereotyping C) halo effect D) strictness

Q: As a supervisor, which of the following is the best way for you to correct a performance appraisal problem that is primarily linked to unclear standards? A) allowing employees to rate themselves first B) using descriptive phrases to illustrate traits C) avoiding the use of extremely low ratings D) using graphic rating scales to rank employees

Q: What is the most likely problem with an appraisal that is too open to interpretation? A) bias B) leniency C) halo effect D) unclear standards

Q: When a supervisor must criticize a subordinate in an appraisal interview, it is best to ________. A) hold the meeting with co-workers who can document the situation B) provide specific examples of critical incidents C) acknowledge the supervisor's personal biases D) limit negative feedback to once every year

Q: When conducting an appraisal interview, supervisors should do all of the following EXCEPT ________. A) create an action plan B) discuss objective work data C) give specific examples of poor performance D) compare the person's performance to that of other employees

Q: Which of the following best describes the purpose of an appraisal interview? A) making plans to correct employee weaknesses B) discussing and scheduling training programs C) providing upward feedback to supervisors D) training supervisors in the rating process

Q: What is the forced distribution method? What potential problems are associated with the forced distribution method?

Q: Explain how an MBO program works and describe the six steps involved in this type of program.

Q: Both graphic rating scales and MBO appraisals judge the performance of employees relative to each other based on objective criteria.

Q: The primary advantage of the alternation ranking method is its simplicity, but central tendency is a common problem with the method.

Q: Employee Appraiser, a computerized appraisal tool, provides numerous evaluation dimensions that can be used when conducting a performance appraisal.

Q: Sam supervises a team of data entry clerks at Geico. The firm's electronic performance monitoring system enables Sam to electronically monitor the amount of computerized data an employee processes each day.

Q: Research indicates that electronic performance monitoring improves productivity and lowers employee stress levels.

Q: Most appraisal forms used in the workplace are a combination of several different appraisal methods.

Q: Although management by objectives cannot be used as a primary performance appraisal tool, it is useful as a supplement to the graphic rating method.

Q: The critical incident method requires supervisors to keep a running list of incidents as examples of a subordinate's work-related behavior.

Q: Supervisors at Sun Microsystems use the forced distribution method to evaluate performance, so they must ensure that the proportions in each category are symmetrical.

Q: Paired comparison is a rating approach that involves keeping a record of uncommonly good or undesirable examples of an employee's work-related behavior and reviewing it with the employee at predetermined times.

Q: The forced distribution method is known as the "rank and yank" method.

Q: According to the text, Accenture employees who are identified as high-performing and mission-critical will most likely ________. A) transfer overseas B) attend orientation sessions C) earn stock options and awards D) receive development opportunities

Q: Shell China managers meet regularly with the firm's emerging leaders to help them set goals and obtain appropriate development opportunities. Shell China is most likely engaged in ________. A) organizational development B) active management C) goal alignment D) diversification

Q: A firm involved in actively managing employees would most likely ________. A) focus attention on mission-critical employees B) conduct annual performance appraisals C) allocate rewards to all employees D) provide training as-needed

Q: Which of the following is similar to a professor grading on a curve? A) forced distribution method B) paired comparison method C) BARS method D) critical incident method

Q: According to the text, Tesco PLC organizes employees by their personal and professional goals for motivation and communication purposes. Tesco PLC most likely uses ________. A) succession planning B) survey feedback C) segmentation D) orientation

Q: Nick supervises a team of data entry specialists. Lately, productivity has been down, and Nick believes his subordinates are not working as efficiently as possible. Which of the following tools would provide Nick with daily information about each employee's rate, accuracy, and time spent entering data? A) computerized performance appraisal system B) electronic performance monitoring system C) Web-based management oversight device D) digital dashboard device

Q: Which of the following enables supervisors to oversee the amount of computerized data an employee is processing each day? A) online management assessment center B) digitized high-performance work center C) electronic performance monitoring system D) computerized performance appraisal system

Q: Which of the following is a benefit of using computerized or Web-based performance appraisal systems? A) providing training for new employees B) helping managers to determine sales activities C) allowing employees to perform self-evaluations D) enabling managers to monitor employees' computers