Q&A Hero

Q: What form of data collection most likely involves recording work activities into a handheld dictating machine? A) diaries B) interviews C) observations D) questionnaires

Q: Purrfect Pets is a local pet supply store with a following of loyal customers who appreciate the personal service the store's employees provide. After a very profitable year, Purrfect Pets is expanding by opening two more stores. Before hiring employees for the new stores, the manager is considering the idea of conducting a job analysis for each position. Which of the following most likely undermines the argument that the Purrfect Pets manager should observe workers in order to gather job analysis information? A) Most employees of Purrfect Pets perform repetitive tasks on a daily basis. B) Part-time and seasonal workers fill most of the positions at Purrfect Pets. C) Most positions at Purrfect Pets include some element of physical activity. D) The tasks of most Purrfect Pets employees vary widely from day to day.

Q: Which of the following jobs would be most suitable for the direct observation method of job analysis data collection? A) janitor B) attorney C) data analyst D) research assistant

Q: Which of the following data collection techniques would be most useful when writing a job description for a software engineer? A) analyzing organization charts B) interviewing employees C) developing process charts D) observing employees

Q: How does job analysis support human resource management activities? Briefly describe one of the methods commonly used for gathering job analysis data.

Q: What is business process reengineering? What are the steps involved in business process reengineering? How can firms benefit from business process reengineering?

Q: An organization's HR specialists are legally required to conduct all job analyses to ensure fairness and consistency.

Q: The information gathered during a job analysis is primarily used to ensure that firms are complying with OSHA, state governments, and the ADA.

Q: Job analysis produces information used for writing job descriptions and job specifications.

Q: What is the final step of the job analysis process? A) creating a process chart B) writing a job description C) determining a sample group D) verifying data with supervisors

Q: Anita, an HR manager, is in the process of conducting a job analysis. She has just finished selecting a sample of representative positions. What should Anita do next? A) develop a job description that includes working conditions and responsibilities B) contact supervisors to verify employees' tasks, responsibilities, and working conditions C) interview employees to gather information about the job's duties and responsibilities D) conduct a workflow analysis and develop a diagrammatic process chart for each job

Q: What is the underlying theory behind job enrichment? A) Employee retention rates increase with frequent task changes. B) Opportunities for training motivate employees to be productive. C) Intrinsic and extrinsic rewards lead to long-term employee loyalty. D) Empowered employees are motivated to perform their jobs well.

Q: Which method for motivating workers was advocated by Frederick Herzberg? A) job reengineering B) job enrichment C) job enlargement D) job rotation

Q: Systematically moving workers from one job to another is known as ________. A) job rotation B) job enlargement C) job enrichment D) job reengineering

Q: Julian, an assembly line worker at a furniture assembly facility, attaches headrests to office chairs. Now, Julian's manager wants Julian to attach arm rests to the chairs as well. Which term best describes the change in Julian's job? A) job rotation B) job reengineering C) job enlargement D) job enrichment

Q: Which of the following involves assigning workers additional same-level activities? A) job rotation B) job enlargement C) job analysis D) job enrichment

Q: Which of the following involves combining steps in a business process and implementing the use of information technology to do the jobs previously done by multiple departments? A) job analysis B) job enlargement C) workflow analysis D) business process reengineering

Q: Oscar, an HR manager at Garvin Pharmaceuticals, needs to determine whether certain jobs at the firm should even exist. Which of the following would best help Oscar with this task? A) workflow analysis B) job rotation C) business engineering D) job analysis

Q: Which of the following is a workflow chart that shows the flow of inputs to and outputs from a particular job? A) organization chart B) Gantt chart C) process chart D) SWOT chart

Q: Anna, a new employee at Concord Electronics, wants to make sure she understands who to report to at the firm and the title of various positions. Which of the following would most likely help Anna? A) organization chart B) workflow analysis C) process chart D) position analysis

Q: Which of the following would LEAST likely involve the use of job analysis information? A) recruiting decisions B) training requirements C) performance appraisal D) diversification oversight

Q: What is the first step in conducting a job analysis? A) developing a job description B) collecting data on job activities C) deciding how to use the information D) selecting representative positions to observe

Q: Maria, an HR manager at ATX Manufacturing, needs to know what sorts of people to recruit for a process engineering job at the firm. Which of the following would be most useful for Maria's task? A) job analysis B) organization chart C) industry standards D) performance appraisal

Q: Job analysis is most important because managers use it to ________. A) apply talent management B) support all HRM activities C) comply with ADA requirements D) provide employment data to the government

Q: Which of the following most likely depends on a job's required skills, education level, safety hazards, and degree of responsibility? A) telecommuting opportunities B) OSHA and EEO compliance C) employee compensation D) organizational culture

Q: During a job analysis, a human resources specialist will most likely collect information about all of the following EXCEPT ________. A) human behaviors B) physical working conditions C) responsibilities of the position D) employee benefits options

Q: The information resulting from a job analysis is primarily used for writing ________. A) job descriptions B) corporate objectives C) training requirements D) performance standards

Q: Which term refers to a procedure for determining the duties and skill requirements for a specific job and the kind of person most suitable for a position? A) HR management B) job description C) job analysis D) talent management

Q: What is talent management? What actions will most likely be taken by a manager with a talent management perspective?

Q: Talent management is the process of measuring the performance of an organization and integrating key recruiting and retention functions.

Q: What should be the primary purpose of the talent management process? A) retaining high-performing employees B) providing competitive compensation C) measuring organizational performance D) achieving the firm's strategic goals

Q: A manager with a talent manager perspective will most likely agree with which of the following statements? A) Mission-critical and average employees should be rewarded and developed equally. B) Applicant screening and testing is more important than employee training and development. C) Strategic goals should be considered when staffing, training, and compensating employees. D) Job analysis should be conducted with questionnaires and observation for better accuracy.

Q: What is the final step in the talent management process? A) rewarding and motivating employees B) appraising employees C) training and developing employees D) screening employees

Q: What is the first step of the talent management process? A) recruiting internal candidates B) deciding what positions to fill C) conducting screening interviews D) building a pool of job candidates

Q: Which of the following terms refers to the goal-oriented and integrated process of planning, recruiting, developing, managing, and compensating employees throughout an organization? A) global HR management B) succession planning C) talent management D) team building

Q: Cost leadership, differentiation, and focus strategies are types of corporate-level strategies.

Q: Consolidation keeps the company's strategy up-to-date by assessing progress toward strategic goals and taking corrective action as needed.

Q: By emphasizing the safety of its cars, Volvo stands out as an example of a firm that is implementing a differentiation strategy.

Q: Firms that open facilities overseas are implementing a functional strategy of geographic expansion.

Q: A diversification corporate strategy involves expanding a firm by producing necessary raw materials.

Q: Compiling information about a company's environment is more easily accomplished with a SWOT chart than an environmental scanning worksheet.

Q: The first step in the strategic management process involves defining the current business and mission.

Q: Securing the top team and key talent is the only task assigned to most HR departments during mergers and acquisitions.

Q: A vision statement is broader and more future-oriented than a mission statement.

Q: A mission statement is a general statement of a company's intended direction that evokes emotional feelings in the organization's members.

Q: The basic steps in the management planning process include setting objectives, reviewing alternative courses of action, and evaluating which options are best.

Q: All of the following are services that human resource consulting companies provide during mergers and acquisitions EXCEPT ________. A) aligning payroll systems B) overseeing database recovery systems C) designating key talent D) identifying potential pension shortfalls

Q: When mergers and acquisitions fail, it is most likely a result of ________ issues. A) structural B) financial C) technical D) personnel

Q: A firm's functional strategies identify the broad activities that each ________ will pursue in order to help the firm accomplish its competitive goals. A) employee B) executive C) department D) HR manager

Q: Companies like Ferrari are known as ________ because they carve out a market niche and compete by providing a product that customers can obtain in no other way. A) cost leaders B) focusers C) market leaders D) visionaries

Q: Which term refers to any factors that allow a firm to differentiate its product or service from those of its competitors to increase market share? A) functional strategy B) competitive advantage C) corporate strategy D) related diversification

Q: Walmart competes on price, while Target competes on style. Walmart follows a competitive strategy based on ________ while Target follows a strategy based on ________. A) cost leadership, differentiation B) focusing, cost leadership C) geographic location, focusing D) differentiation, niche leadership

Q: Sweet Leaf Tea, a Texas-based maker of bottled iced tea, is a small but fast-growing firm that has gained a loyal following for its use of fresh, organic ingredients in its beverages. Although beverage industry experts recommended that Sweet Leaf replace the organic cane sugar and honey it uses with less costly high-fructose corn syrup, Sweet Leaf refused because of the company's mission to provide a high-quality, organic beverage to consumers. The 11-year-old company has 50 employees, and its products are available in 30% of the U.S. market. Sweet Leaf Tea recently received multimillion dollar investments, which will enable the business to expand its national presence. Which of the following, if true, best supports the idea that Sweet Leaf Tea has implemented a competitive strategy of differentiation? A) Other brands of bottled iced tea compete with Sweet Leaf Tea by offering new flavors at competitive prices. B) Sweet Leaf Tea sells both lemonade and tea in a variety of flavors that appeal to consumers of all ages. C) Loyal customers of Sweet Leaf Tea seek products that are USDA certified organic despite the associated higher costs. D) New Sweet Leaf Tea customers are initially attracted to the unique label and logo on the bottles.

Q: Sweet Leaf Tea, a Texas-based maker of bottled iced tea, is a small but fast-growing firm that has gained a loyal following for its use of fresh, organic ingredients in its beverages. Although beverage industry experts recommended that Sweet Leaf replace the organic cane sugar and honey it uses with less costly high-fructose corn syrup, Sweet Leaf refused because of the company's mission to provide a high-quality, organic beverage to consumers. The 11-year-old company has 50 employees, and its products are available in 30% of the U.S. market. Sweet Leaf Tea recently received multimillion dollar investments which will enable the business to expand its national presence. Which of the following, if true, would most likely undermine the argument that Sweet Leaf Tea should implement a corporate-level strategy of vertical integration? A) Sweet Leaf Tea lacks the facilities or knowledge to produce the raw ingredients for its beverages. B) Market research suggests that Sweet Leaf Tea customers primarily purchase only one flavor of tea. C) Most loyal customers of Sweet Leaf Tea purchase the beverage at neighborhood convenience stores. D) Sweet Leaf Tea has decided to lower its prices by replacing cane sugar with corn syrup in some of its beverages.

Q: Sweet Leaf Tea, a Texas-based maker of bottled iced tea, is a small but fast-growing firm that has gained a loyal following for its use of fresh, organic ingredients in its beverages. Although beverage industry experts recommended that Sweet Leaf replace the organic cane sugar and honey it uses with less costly high-fructose corn syrup, Sweet Leaf refused because of the company's mission to provide a high-quality, organic beverage to consumers. The 11-year-old company has 50 employees, and its products are available in 30% of the U.S. market. Sweet Leaf Tea recently received multimillion dollar investments which will enable the business to expand its national presence. Which of the following, if true, would best support the argument that Sweet Leaf Tea should implement a corporate-level strategy of concentration? A) Sweet Leaf Tea can expand its customer base and reduce costs by selling its products directly at Sweet Leaf stores. B) Sweet Leaf Tea can develop a national name by adding new product lines, such as organic snack foods and organic coffee. C) Sweet Leaf Tea's marketing research indicates that customers would purchase the organic beverages more frequently if the prices were lower. D) Sweet Leaf Tea can achieve growth by aggressively selling its beverages in current markets where loyal customers will help boost word-of-mouth.

Q: Starbucks announced that it will be closing approximately 600 of its stores. This information suggests the firm is most likely using a(n) ________ strategy. A) consolidation B) diversification C) integration D) expansion

Q: A firm that expands by producing its own raw materials or acquiring a retail outlet to sell its own products is most likely using a strategy of ________. A) consolidation B) geographic expansion C) vertical integration D) regional diversification

Q: Winchester Rugs operates a website called www.buyrugsdirect.com, so Winchester Rugs is most likely implementing a strategy of ________. A) consolidation B) geographic expansion C) vertical integration D) horizontal concentration

Q: Harley-Davidson sells a line of boots, helmets, and leather jackets indicating that the firm is most likely pursuing which of the following strategies? A) consolidation B) diversification C) geographic expansion D) horizontal integration

Q: Marriott Hotels is considering the acquisition of a furniture-making business. What type of strategy is Marriott most likely pursuing? A) consolidation B) diversification C) concentration D) geographic expansion

Q: A diversification corporate strategy implies that a firm will ________. A) become an industry's low-cost leader B) expand by adding new product lines C) save money by producing its own raw materials D) reduce the company's size to increase market share

Q: What does a company's functional-level strategy identify? A) how to build and strengthen the business's long-term competitive position in the marketplace B) the portfolio of businesses that comprise the company C) the basic courses of action that each department will pursue in order to help the business attain its competitive goals D) how the company can become a low-cost leader

Q: A company's ________ strategy identifies the basic courses of action that each department will pursue in order to help the business attain its competitive goals. A) functional B) business-level C) corporate-level D) competitive

Q: What does a company's business-level strategy identify? A) how to build and strengthen the business's long-term competitive position in the marketplace B) the portfolio of businesses that comprise the company C) the basic courses of action that each department will pursue in order to help the business attain its competitive goals D) what characteristics make the firm unique in the industry

Q: Which type of strategy identifies how to build and strengthen a firm's long-term competitive position in the marketplace? A) functional B) business-level C) corporate-level D) vertical integration

Q: What does a company's corporate-level strategy identify? A) the company's long-term competitive position in the marketplace B) the portfolio of businesses that comprise the company C) the possibility of becoming a low-cost leader D) the sources of uniqueness in the industry

Q: A company's ________ strategy identifies the portfolio of businesses that comprise the company and the ways in which these businesses relate to each other. A) functional B) business unit C) corporate-level D) competitive

Q: The primary tool used by managers who are performing external and internal audits as part of the strategic management process is the ________. A) BCG matrix B) QSPM matrix C) SWOT analysis D) EPS/EBIT analysis

Q: The ________ of the California Energy Commission indicates that the organization assesses and acts through public and private partnerships to improve energy systems that promote a strong economy and a healthy environment. A) mission statement B) strategic plan C) code of ethics D) vision statement

Q: Which of the following summarizes a company's main tasks at the present time? A) mission statement B) strategic plan C) code of ethics D) vision statement

Q: Last year, General Motors began a strategy to improve product quality and customer satisfaction. Recent reports show that GM's product recalls for the first half of the year are higher than for the entire previous year. GM explains that the figures support the corporate commitment to quality and satisfaction. In which step of the strategic management process is GM currently focusing? A) defining the business and its mission B) translating the mission into strategic goals C) formulating a strategy D) evaluating performance

Q: The sales director at WebMD is developing goals regarding sales revenue targets and the number of new medical-related content providers that the firm needs to maintain a competitive advantage. In which step of the strategic management process is the sales director most likely involved? A) performing external and internal audits B) defining the business and its mission C) translating a mission into strategic goals D) evaluating strategic decisions

Q: Which of the following is a simple guide used to compile relevant information about economic, competitive, and political trends that may affect a firm? A) organization chart B) workforce requirement matrix C) external resource system table D) environmental scanning worksheet

Q: Holt Tractor Company needs a new strategic plan as a result of losing market share to other farm equipment companies. A management team at the firm is following the steps of the strategic management process. So far, the team has performed external and internal audits. What is the next step in the strategic management process? A) evaluating the firm's performance B) defining the business and its mission C) formulating a new mission statement D) developing a competitive strategy

Q: A team of managers has been assigned the task of developing and implementing a strategic plan using the strategic management process. The team has already defined the current business and mission. What should the team most likely do next? A) write a new mission statement B) perform a SWOT analysis C) evaluate the firm's vision D) assess the firm's performance

Q: A ________ lays out what a business strives to be while a ________ lays out what it should be now. A) mission; vision B) vision; mission C) goal; strategy D) CEO; CFO

Q: Vision statements focus on the ________. A) past B) present C) future D) impossible

Q: A ________ statement indicates the firm's intended direction and evokes emotional feelings in organization members. A) performance B) strategic C) mission D) vision

Q: During the strategic planning process, environmental scanning worksheets are used for ________. A) providing employees with job performance data B) gathering information about economic trends C) formulating a mission and vision statement D) assessing the implementation of a strategy

Q: What is the first step in the strategic management process? A) performing internal audits B) defining the current business C) translating the mission into strategic goals D) implementing a long-term strategy