11224179
| Question | Answer |
| Needs Assessment or Needs Analysis | Describe methods for obtaining the information necessary to make decisions that will best accomplish an organization’s goals. |
| Seven steps of a needs assessment | Step 1. Describe the objective (Where do we want to be?) Step 2: Define the current situation (Where are we now?) Step 3: Conduct a gap analysis (compare the objective and current situation) Step 4: Set priorities (identify the most critical gaps in order to achieve the objective) Step 5: Investigate and develop options (What is the most effective way to fill the gap?) Step 6: Evaluate options, and determine budget impacts Step 7: Recommend solutions (to document reasons for selecting a particular solution) |
| Define a contract | - A legally enforceable agreement between two or more parties in which all par- ties benefit in some way - Contracts can be formal or informal, oral or written, and implied or explicit. Although oral and implied contracts can be legally enforceable, written contracts provide more clarity and protection for the parties involved. |
| What is a third-party contract ? | Is a contract in which some part of the transaction is provided by an entity other than those who have signed the contract E.g. an agreement with a temp agency in which the organization agrees to pay the temp agency for the service provided by and employee of the temp agency |
| Critical factor for a successful contractor relationship | Clear understanding of the product or service to be provided, and clearly defined expectations for quality and service levels |
| RFP (where information about clear understanding of the product or service to be provided and clearly defined expectations for quality and service levels) | request for proposals |
| Eight elements for developing a RFP | 1. Conducting a needs assessment 2. Developing the RFP 3. Proposal Formats (Executive Summary, Vendor Qualifications, Project Management Plan, Project Team, Roles and Responsibilities, Deliver Service, Pricing Information) 4. Evaluating the Proposals 5. Selecting a Vendor 6. Negotiating Contract 7. Executing Agreement 8. Evaluating Contract |
| brown-bag lunches or lunch and learn | a format of internal employee training |
| Top-Down Communication methods | Intranet Public address system announcements Posters Newsletters Individual letters to employees Flyers Bulletin board postings |
| Bottom-Up Communication Methods | Open-door policy All-hands meetings Staff meetings Brown-bags lunches One-on-one meetings Email Webcasts |
| Four questions for deciding best communication methods | 1. What information will be provided? 2. Who is the intended audience? 3. Who will provide the information? 4. Is the information time sensitive? |
| Two basic categories of documentation requirements | 1. Documenting Employment Actions 2. Documenting Performance Issues |
| Two reasons for documenting employment actions | 1. Maintain proper documentation to comply with federal, state, or local employment laws 2. Provide information necessary for effective management of the organization |
| Two key considerations in documenting performance issues | 1. Timeliness (the need for manager to address performance issues when they occur in oder to effectively manage employees who report to them 2. To create and maintain written documentation for disciplinary action taken as appropriate and warranted based on the seriousness of the performance issues |
| Six typical disciplinary actions | Step 1: Verbal warning Step 2: First written warning Step 3: Final written warning Step 4. Decision-making day Step 5. Suspension (additional step; depending on company) Step 6: Termination of employment |
| What is andragogy? | the art or science of teaching adults |
| Five characteristics of adult learning according to Malcolm Knowles | 1. Self-concept: an individual's self concept moves from dependency on others to autonomy and self-direction 2. Experience: An individual builds a wealth of knowledge that grows with each new experience. This information reserve can then be drawn on for further learning. 3. Readiness to learn: Individuals become increasingly interested in the relevance of information to specific needs and how directly it applies to their current situation. 4. Orientation to learning: The ability to apply information immediately to solve current problems is increasingly important to learners. 5. Motivation to learn: The motivation to learn is based more on personal needs and desires than on expectations of others. |
| Three types of learners | 1. Auditory learners: process information by hearing 2. Visual learners: depend on their visual processing of information 3. Tactile/Kinesthetic learners: physical learners; they rely on their sense of touch for memory recall. |
| Eight motivation concepts | 1. Abraham Maslow: The Hierarchy of Needs (1954) 2 B. F. Skinner: Operant Conditioning (1957) 3. Frederick Herzberg: Motivation/Hygiene Theory (1959) 4. Douglas McGregor: Theory X and Theory Y (1960) 5. David McClelland: Acquired Needs Theory (1961) 6. J. Stacey Adams: Equity Theory (1963) 7. Victor Vroom: Expectancy Theory (1964) 8. Clayton Alderfer: ERG Theory (1969) |
| Abraham Maslow: The Hierarchy of Needs (1954) / Five levels of needs | 1. Physiological needs: Most basic needs (food to eat, place to live; basic necessities of life) 2. Safety needs: ways to be safe from physical and emotional harm 3. Social needs: desire for acceptance and belonging in social groups 4. Esteem needs: recognition for their achievements 5. Self-actualization needs: opportunities to be creative and fulfill their own potential |
| B. F. Skinner: Operant Conditioning (1957) (behavior reinforcement or behavior modification) / Four intervention strategic | 1. Positive reinforcement: encourages continuation of the behavior by providing a pleasant response when the behavior occurs. 2. Negative reinforcement: encourage continuation of the behavior by removing an unpleasant response to a behavior 3. Punishment: Discourage future occurrence of the behavior by providing an unpleasant response when the behavior occur. 4. Extinction: Discouraging future occurrence of the behavior by ceasing to reinforce it. |
| Frederick Herzberg: Motivation/Hygiene Theory or Two-factor Theory (1959) | 1. The satisfaction (motivation) factors: motivate by changing the nature of the work so that people are challenged to develop their talents and fulfill their potential. E.g. Adding more responsibilities that providing learning opportunities for a receptionist performing at a substantial level can result in improved performance of all duties assigned if the poor performance is related to boredom with repetitive tasks. 2. The dissatisfaction (hygiene) factors: motivate to the extent that they allow people to avoid unpleasant experiences. |
| What is job enrichment concept? | The significance of the tasks in a job is increased to provide challenging work and growth opportunities. |
| Douglas McGregor: Theory X and Theory Y (1960) (management approaches) | Theory X managers have a worldview of employees as lazy and uninterested in work and needing constant direction to complete their assignments; believe employees don't want to take responsibility and are interested in job security above all else; are generally autocratic, utilizing a top-down management style. Theory Y managers believe that, given the opportunity, people will seek out challenging work and additional responsibility if the work is satisfying; are more likely to invite particiation in the decision-making process from their subordinates. |
| David McClelland: Acquired Needs Theory (1961) | 1. Achievement: those motivated by achievements take moderate risks to achieve their goals, respond to frequent feedback, and generally prefer to work as sole contributors or with others interested in achieving at the same level. 2. Affiliation: Individuals who need affiliation look for acceptance in the work group and need regular interaction with their co-workers or customers. 3. Power: Individuals look for either personal power or constitutional power. |
| J. Stacey Adams: Equity Theory (1963) | People are constantly measuring what they put into work against what they get from work. If their perception is that it’s a fair trade, they’re motivated to continue contributing at the same level. When they perceive there is an imbalance and they’re putting in more than they’re getting back, they become demotivated and lose interest in their work, decreasing productivity and quality. |
| Victor Vroom: Expectancy Theory (1964) | People are motivated by the expectation of the reward they will receive when they succeed and that each individual calculates the level of effort required to receive a particular reward to determine whether the reward is worth the effort that is required to attain it. 3 terms for explanation: 1. Expectancy: motivation starts with an assessment by individuals about their capabilities to successfully complete an assignment 2. Instrumentality: if individuals believe they're capable of completing an assignment, they next ask "what's in it for me?" 3. Valence: This is the result of calculations as to whether the possible reward is wort the effort required to successfully complete the work. |
| Clayton Alderfer: ERG Theory (1969) | Builds on Maslow's work Three levels of needs: 1. Existence: physiological and safety needs 2. Relatedness: social needs and the esteem we find from others 3. Growth: self-esteem and self-actualization concepts |
| Difference between Maslow & Alderfer | Maslow: people move sequentially through the levels one at a time Alderfer: allows the possibility that people can work on multiple levels simultaneously; describes the concept of frustration-agression, which occurs when an individual falls back to a lower level in frustration at the difficulty of a higher level. |
| Three theories of leadership | 1. Behavioral Theories 2.Situational Theories 3. Contingency Theories |
| Six leadership styles | 1. Authoritarian or Directive (tells employees what to do; When productivity is the highest concern, authoritarian leadership may be the best style.) 2. Democratic (When relationships in the work environment are of primary concern, this style is most effective.) 3. Laissez-faire (allow group members to operate on their own) 4. Coaching (work with group members to develop skills and abilities so they will be able to operate independently.) 5. Transactional (focuses on getting the job done and seeks to do this by offering a reward in exchange for accomplishing organization goals) 6. Transformational (leadership focuses on the relationships in the group, building them to achieve organization goals) |
| What is project management? | Describes the process of initiating, planning, executing, control- ling, and closing an assignment that is temporary in nature. |
| Five phases of a project life cycle | 1. Initiation 2. Planning 3. Executing 4. Controlling 5. Closing |
| Three reasons for making workplace diversity a priority | 1. A diverse workforce is more creative. 2. A diverse workforce reflects the population. 3. A diverse workforce increases the candidate pool. |
| What is cultural competence? | The ability of a diverse group of people to achieve organizational aims, and a measure of a company’s ability to work with individuals from multiple walks of life |
| What is the purpose of diversity training? | To seeks to educate all groups about the cultures, needs, and attitudes of other groups in the work- force to ensure the inclusion of all groups in workplace activities. |
| What is the purpose of diversity initiative? | To increase the diversity of the workforce or to increase the effectiveness of an already diverse workforce |
| What is Intrapersonal intelligence? | It refers to self-knowledge or how well individuals know themselves. |
| What is interpersonal intelligence? | Refers to emotional intelligence and social aptitude. |
| What is emotional intelligence? | Emotional intelligence (EI) is characterized by individuals who are aware of their emotions and are able to control how they react to them. Emotionally intelligent individuals are able to motivate themselves to achieve goals and are sensitive to the emotion of others and able to manage relationships with them. |
| Two purposes of an HRIS | 1. A repository of information 2. An aid to effective decision making. |
| A | Applicant Tracking System |
| HMS | Hiring Management System |
| LMS | Learning Management System |
| LPMS | Learning and Performance Management System |
| LCMS | Learning Content Management System |
| Two types of research | 1. Primary research (original, meaning that the researcher has performed the research) 2. Secondary research (based on information that has been collected or reported by others, such as books or articles by primary researchers, industry standards, or analysis of trends in an organization) |
| Sources to collect data for the analysis process | 1. Personnel Records 2. Observations 3. Interviews 4. Focus Groups 5. Questionnaires |
| Two analysis tools | 1. Quantitative tools 2. Qualitative tools |
| What is Quantitative Analysis tools? | Based on mathematical models for measuring historical data |
| Four common quantitative analysis tools | 1. Correlation 2. Correlation Coefficient 3. Measures of Central Tendency 4. Time-Series Forecasts 5. Simulation Models 6. Ratios |
| What is correlation measure? | Measures two variables to determine whether there is a relationship between them (e.g. if the HR department posts a quarterly reminder of the referral bonus that is paid for new hires, a correlation analysis could be used to determine whether there is an increase in referrals in the weeks after the reminder) |
| What is Correlation Coefficient? | - Describes the relationship between two variables and is stated as a number between –1.0 and +1.0. - A negative correlation coefficient means the hypothesis is correct - A positive correlation coefficient means the opposite of the hypothesis is true - If the correlation coefficient is 0.0, it means there are no correlation between two variables. |
| Six measures for analyzing data under measures of central tendency | 1. Mean average (the sum of the values in a set of numbers, divided by the number of values in the set) 2. Mode (the number that occurs most frequently in a set of numbers) 3. Median (can be found by putting the numbers in a set in sequential order. The median is at the physical center, so half the numbers are below it and half are above it.) 4. Moving Average or rolling average (is used to calculate an average for a specific period) 5. Weighted Average (is used to compensate for data that may be out of date; the more current data is multiplied by a predetermined number to better reflect the current situation) 6. Weighted Moving Average (The weighted moving average calculation assigns more weight to current data with the use of a predetermined number and drops the oldest data when new data is added.) |
| What does Time-Series Forecast do? | To measure historic data and provide a basis for projecting future requirements. |
| What does trend analysis do? | Compares the changes in a single variable over time; over a period of years, they generally move upward or downward. For example, this tool can reveal information about seasonal staffing requirements, which are periods of time within a one-year period that regularly vary from the general trend. |
| What does Simple Linear Regression measure? | Measures the relationship between one variable (for example, staffing) against another variable (such as production output) and allows prediction of one variable from the other. For example, measuring the number of units produced against the number of employees producing the units over a period of years would allow the analyst to forecast the number of employees needed to meet an increase in demand. |
| What does Multiple Linear Regression measure? | Measures the relationship between several variables to forecast another. An application of this model in workforce planning would be to determine whether there is a relationship between lower staffing levels, absenteeism, and production output. |
| What is Simulation Model? | Simulation models allow several possible plans to be tested in abstract form. For example, an organization that wants to know the predicted results of different staffing alternatives can use a simulation model to determine which is the most cost effective. |
| Ratios | Ratios provide a benchmark based on the historic relationship of one variable to another. |
| What are Qualitative analysis tools? | Are subjective evaluations of general observations and information and include various types of judgmental forecasts. |
| How does the Delphi technique work? | Obtains input from a group of individuals who provide their expertise in succeeding rounds of questions about an issue or problem. After each round, the results are collated, prioritized, and returned to the participants in the form of additional questions for further analysis until a consensus is reached. An important factor of the Delphi technique is that the participants never meet but provide their input in written form. |
| What is nominal group technique? | Is a structured meeting format designed to elicit participation from all members of the group in order to arrive at the best possible solution to the problem at hand. |
| Two types of metrics for measuring results | 1. Business impact measures 2. Tactical impact measures |
| What does business impact measures to? | Demonstrate how a particular HR program or activity adds value to the bottom line. |
| Two business impact measures | 1. Return on Investment (ROI): calculated by dividing the benefits realized as a result of a program by the total related direct and indirect costs 2. Cost/Benefit Analysis (CBA): compares all costs of a proposed program to the benefits that will be realized if it’s implemented and forecasts the net impact on the bottom line |
| What are Tactical Accountability Measures? | They provide relevant information for evaluating the effectiveness of specific HR programs. |
| Eight common tactical accountability measures | 1. Job satisfaction 2. Organizational commitment and involvement 3. Training cost per employee 4. Cost per hire 5. Turnover and retention 6. Absenteeism and sick-leave use and frequency 7. Grievance rates 8. Terminations as a percent of population |
| What is a business case used for? | To evaluate the possible consequences of taking (or not taking) a particular action, such as implementing an HRIS system, for example. |
| What is the purpose of job analysis? | To define a job so that it can be understood in the context of accomplishing organizational goals and objectives. |
| What is a job description? | A written document that contains information about a job. |
| 11 pieces of information should be in a job description | 1. Identifying Information (he title of the position, department, supervisor’s title, Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) exemption status, salary range or grade, and the date it was created) 2. Supervisory Responsibilities 3. Position Summary 4. Essential Functions 5. Nonessential Functions 6. Equipment Operated 7. Job Specifications (i.e. Education, Licenses, or Certificates Required, Communication Skills Required, Experience Required, Skills) 8. Physical Requirements 9. Mental Requirements 10. Work Environment (i.e. office setting, stairs or ladders need to be used, work in a confined space) 11. Approvals |
| What is the focus of job analysis? | The analysis focuses on the job, not the person. |
| What are organizational structures? | Organizational structures were designed to provide a framework that keeps information flowing to the functions and employees who need it to keep the organization moving forward. |
| Six organizational structures | 1. Functional Structure (a hierarchical structure in which communication moves from the top down and from the bottom up; more formal and rigid than some other structures and are appropriate for businesses with a single product line where specialization is an advantage) 2. Product-Based Structure or customer-oriented structure (is organized by product line and is appropriate when the company has well-defined product lines that are clearly separate from each other) 3. Geographic Structure (executives of regional areas are responsible for all the business functions in their assigned region; the regional executives report to the CEO) 4. Divisional Structure (the divisions may be based on criteria , such as the market or industry) 5. Matrix Structure (In a matrix organization structure, employees report to two managers) 6. Seamless Organization (one in which the traditional hierarchies don’t exist; The purpose of this structure is to enhance communication and creativity) |
| What does an environmental scan do? | 1. Provide the framework for collecting information about factors relevant to the decision-making process 2. Help management make decisions that take advantage of existing opportunities and avoid pitfalls. |
| Two elements to the scanning process | 1. Internal assessment 2. External assessment (e.g. PEST analysis, Porter's Five Forces) |
| Four environmental scanning tools | 1. Statistical models (e.g. quantitative analysis tools above) 2. SWOT analysis 3. PEST analysis 4. Porter's Five Forces |
| SWOT Analysis | STRENGTHS: internal factors that will support the organization’s plans (e.g. workforce, equipment, machinery, technology etc.) WEAKNESSES: internal factors that will support the organization’s plans (e.g. workforce issues, old machinery & equipment, outdated technology etc.) OPPORTUNITIES: external factors that will aid the organization in the marketplace (e.g. economic upswings, demand for the product, a competitor whose product quality has declined) THREATS: external factors that the organization must overcome to achieve success (e.g. strong product competition, economic problems, low unemployment rates, and other factors that make it more difficult for the organization to compete) |
| Areas for internal assessments | - Credibility of executive team - Strength of management team - Organization culture -Workforce diversity - Current product quality - Time to market - State of technology - Market penetration - Customer service reputation - Market share - Customer loyalty - Level of sales - Employee loyalty - Turnover rate |
| PEST analysis | POLITICAL: increased government regulations and events that influence them, such as massive business frauds e.g. SOX, changes to overtime regulations proposed by the DOL in 2003–2004; changes to the FMLA regulations ECONOMIC: e.g. strength of the economy, unemployment rate, interest rates, inflation, and changes in fiscal policy. SOCIAL TECHNOLOGICAL |
| Five questions need to be answers when conducting Porter's Five Force analysis | 1. New entrants / How likely is it that new competition will enter the market? 2. Suppliers / How reliant is the organization on its suppliers? 3. Customers / How diverse is the organization’s customer base? 4. Substitutes / Are comparable replacement products available to customers at a reasonable cost? 5. Existing rivals / What is the level of competition in the marketplace? |
| Three methods to collect information for employee attitude assessment | 1. Surveys 2. Interviews 3. Focus groups |
| What is the balance sheet formula? | Assets = Liabilities + Equity |
| What is the income statement? | Or profit and loss statement (P&L), provides information about the financial results of operations during the reporting period. The report informs readers how much revenue was produced from various sources, how much it cost to produce the goods or services, what the overhead expenses were, and what the profit or loss for the period was. |
| A statement of cash flows | Provides important facts about the money that flowed through the business during the accounting period: where it came from and what it was used for |
| Accrued expense | Expenses, such as vacation leave, that have been incurred but not yet paid |
| Accounts payable | Money owed by the business to its suppliers |
| Accounts receivable | Money owed to the business by customers |
| Assets | Tangible or intangible items of value owned by the business |
| Audited financial statements | Financial statements that have been examined by an independent auditor (not affiliated with the company) to determine whether they fairly represent the financial condition of the business |
| Budget | A projection of revenue and expenses used to control actual expenses |
| Cost of goods sold | Money spent on supplies and labor to produce goods or services |
| Equity | Value of the business to owners after all liabilities have been paid |
| Expense | Money spent to operate the business |
| Generally accepted account- ing principles (GAAP) | Standards established by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) for recording financial transactions |
| Gross profit | Sales revenue less cost of goods sold |
| Liability | Money owed by the business to others, such as lenders or the government (for payroll taxes withheld), or to employees (for unused vacation time) |
| Net profit | Gross profit less operating expenses |
| Profit | Money earned by the business after all expenses have been paid |
| Retained earnings | Net profits that aren’t distributed to owners but remain in the business as equity |
| Revenue | Money received from customers for products or services |
| What does budgeting process do? | To determine how many and what kind of resources will be required to accomplish goals and objectives generated by the strategic plan |
| Two basic ways to create a budget | 1. Budgets Based on Historic Information 2. Zero-Based Budgeting (ZBB): assume you’re starting from scratch, and determine what is needed to achieve the goals. |
| Three approached to budgeting | 1. Top-Down Budgeting (created by senior management and imposed on the organization) 2. Bottom-Up Budgeting (includes all managers with budget responsibility in the budget-creation process) 3. Parallel Budgeting (includes elements of both the top-down and bottom- up approaches: senior management provides broad guidelines for operating managers to follow in creating budgets for individual departments) |
| What is a capital budget? | A report is used to project asset purchases, such as buildings, machinery and equipment used in manufacturing, or computers |
| Four basic steps to manage risk | 1. Identifying the Business Assets Subject to Threats 2.Assessing/Analyzing the Types of Possible Threats 3. Managing Threats Through Prevention or Mitigation 3. Review/Monitor |
| Forms of risk | - Accidents - Product failures that harm customers - Natural disasters - Failure to comply with government regulations -Inadequate internal controls - Liability for questionable employment actions - high turnover of key talent - Failure to plan for executive or key position succession - Lack of qualified talent to achieve strategic goals. etc. |
| What is a liability? | A legal term that refers to a duty or responsibility owed by one party to another. A liability can result from an agreement or a contract or can be created through a tort. |
| What is a tort? | A tort is legal term that describes an action that injures someone. Torts aren’t related to laws or contracts but can result in legal action: the party who has been injured is able to sue the wrongdoer and collect damages for the injury that has been done. |
| Assessing/Analyzing the Types of Possible Threats | A risk analysis looks at each asset and the possible threats to it |
| How is the level of risk involved measured? | Risks = Probability x Consequences The formula expresses the level of risk as a function of how likely (probable) the risk will occur against the cost to the business (consequences) if it did occur. |
| Four ways to manage risks through prevention or mitigation | 1. Risk mitigation 2. Risk acceptance 3. Risk avoidance 4. Risk transfer |
| What is risk mitigation? | Means steps are taken to reduce the risk. E.g. having employment policies reviewed on a regular basis mitigates the risk of an employee lawsuit |
| What is risk acceptance? | Means the company is aware that the risk could occur, but because there is a lower probability or consequence, management takes the risk that it either won’t occur or will be easily managed if it does occur. |
| What is risk avoidance? | Means the company takes steps to avoid the risk. E.g. In a unionized environment, during contract negotiations, the risk of sabotage to production equipment increases. This risk could be avoided by adding security guards to the facility until the new contract is accepted by both parties. |
| What is risk transfer? | Is usually accomplished by purchasing insurance; With regard to HR risks, an important policy for businesses to maintain is employment practices liability insurance (EPLI) |
| EPLI | Employment Practices Liability Insurance (protects employers against lawsuits brought by current or former employees) |
Want to create your own Flashcards for free with GoConqr? Learn more.