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SHRM-CP 1

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SPHR Human resources Quiz on SHRM-CP 1, created by Maysie Hewitt on 11/12/2018.
Maysie Hewitt
Quiz by Maysie Hewitt, updated more than 1 year ago
Maysie Hewitt
Created by Maysie Hewitt about 6 years ago
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Resource summary

Question 1

Question
The development of HR management was slowed and in many ways inhibited by World War II
Answer
  • True
  • False

Question 2

Question
State and federal laws have reduced the need for and slowed the growth of HR activities
Answer
  • True
  • False

Question 3

Question
The increasing costs of turnover have led managers to take more interest in HR management
Answer
  • True
  • False

Question 4

Question
As a general rule, HR activities should not be created unless they contribute to the effectiveness of the organization
Answer
  • True
  • False

Question 5

Question
The appropriate role for an HR department is to fill an advisory role; it is wrong for the human resource department to restrict or control the activities of other departments
Answer
  • True
  • False

Question 6

Question
Line managers and staff specialists agree that when conflict exists between them, it is because the line managers resist new ideas
Answer
  • True
  • False

Question 7

Question
The responsibility for performance evaluation is generally a shared responsibility between the HR department and line managers, while recruiting is primarily the responsibility of the HR department alone
Answer
  • True
  • False

Question 8

Question
The Hawthorne Studies had serious methodological weaknesses; nevertheless, they had an enormous influence on management and human resources
Answer
  • True
  • False

Question 9

Question
The major difference between personnel mgmt and HR mgmt is that
Answer
  • HR mgmt focuses more on training and development
  • only personnel mgmt includes the functions of compensation and benefits
  • in union companies it is called personnel mgmt while nonuniom companies call it HRM
  • there are no real differences, the terms are synonymous

Question 10

Question
Several factors have contributed to the growing importance of HR functions. Which of the following have not contributed?
Answer
  • mgmt has more disposable time to perform HR activities
  • greater legislation
  • the need for consistent treatment
  • greater sophistication of HR functions
  • growing cost of HR problems

Question 11

Question
Which of the following is not one of the basic roles for the HR department?
Answer
  • cost/savings analysis role
  • control role
  • advisory or counseling role
  • service role

Question 12

Question
When the HR department places hiring quotas on another department to achieve affirmative action goals, it is exercising its __________ role.
Answer
  • cost/savings analysis
  • control
  • advisory or counseling role
  • service role

Question 13

Question
When the HR department conducts an orientation training program it is fulfilling its ________ role.
Answer
  • cost containment
  • control
  • advisory or counseling role
  • service

Question 14

Question
Which of the following is not a major HR objective?
Answer
  • profit/cost containment
  • better service to society
  • social responsibility
  • organizational effectiveness
  • more extensive record-keeping and reporting

Question 15

Question
HR policies are useful primarily because:
Answer
  • they reduce product costs
  • they increase product quality
  • they represent written justifications for treating one group of employees differently than another group
  • they guide HR actions and help managers make more rapid and consistent decisions
  • they satisfy federal laws

Question 16

Question
HR policies are typically formed
Answer
  • under the direction of top mgmt with input from others
  • by the HR manager
  • by the constitution and bylaws of each corporate charter
  • by a combination of state and federal laws

Question 17

Question
Which of the following best describes what is meant by the term "HR policy"
Answer
  • a specific procedure that must be followed by the HR department
  • a general guide to decision making about an HR issue
  • a generally accepted HR practice
  • top management's philosophy about the responsibilities of the HR department

Question 18

Question
Employee handbooks should avoid calling full-time employees *permanent* employees because
Answer
  • part-time employees are excluded
  • unions have objected to the label
  • courts have interpreted it to be an implied promise
  • managers lose flexibility in making job assignments
  • none of the above: employees should be called permanent employees

Question 19

Question
Which of the following functions is not considered a major HR function?
Answer
  • staffing
  • advertising
  • compensation
  • training and development
  • employee safety and health

Question 20

Question
Which of the following is not a major HR function?
Answer
  • employment
  • compensation
  • HR research
  • employee relations
  • strategic planning

Question 21

Question
Which of the following was the most significant benefit of the factory system that existed a century ago?
Answer
  • they were safe and free from accidents
  • they provided a steady 8 hour-a-day job
  • they were productive and produced many basic goods
  • they were well-lit, warm, and comfortable
  • they provided highly enriched and satisfying jobs

Question 22

Question
Before 1930, the typical length of the work week was
Answer
  • only 20-30 hours
  • between 35 and 42 hours
  • between 45 and 50 hours
  • usually over 50 hours and sometimes over 80 hours
  • about 44 hours in factories and about 48 hours on the farms

Question 23

Question
The movement that started in the late 1800s which focused on finding the most efficient way to perform a task, economic incentives, and time-and-motion studies was called
Answer
  • industrial federalism
  • economic tailorism
  • scientific management
  • industrial resolution
  • piece-rate incentives

Question 24

Question
The Hawthorne Studies (1924-1933) concluded that productivity was influenced by:
Answer
  • human relations, especially friendly supervision and an informal work group
  • piece-rate incentives
  • changes in the design of work
  • all of the above
  • piece-rate incentives AND changes in the design of work

Question 25

Question
The army alpha and tests and Walter Scott's man-to-man rating scale methods of performance evaluation were part of which early movement?
Answer
  • scientific management
  • industrial psychology
  • human relations
  • employee relations
  • military HR placement

Question 26

Question
A person who has a broad knowledge of all the HR functions and how they interact with other divisions of an organization is called:
Answer
  • a specialist
  • a lieutenant
  • a generalist
  • an executive

Question 27

Question
The average number of employees in an HR department relative to the company's total employment is about:
Answer
  • 1:50
  • 1:100
  • 1:250
  • 1:500

Question 28

Question
The average cost of operating an HR department is about _________ percent of the company's
Answer
  • .5
  • 1.0
  • 1.5
  • 2.5
  • 5.0

Question 29

Question
To become a certified HR manager requires a combination of
Answer
  • passing a test and taking a college HR course
  • passing an exam and gaining work experience
  • obtaining a college degree and letters of reference
  • paying a fee and passing a college HR course
  • obtaining a college degree and letters of reference and paying a fee and passing a college HR course

Question 30

Question
The voluntary agreement between an employee and an organization regarding the conditions of employment is called:
Answer
  • a labor contract
  • a labor agreement
  • an employment exchange
  • a binding contract

Question 31

Question
In the inducements-contributions balance, the inducements refer to:
Answer
  • wages and salaries
  • company benefits
  • dedicated work
  • knowledge and skill of the employee
  • wages and salaries and company benefits

Question 32

Question
The essential contributions that an organization requires of its members include dependable performance, dependable attendance, and __________.
Answer
  • college education
  • social security number
  • clearance by the Department of Labor
  • spontaneous and innovative behaviors
  • participation in the employee benefit program

Question 33

Question
Which of the following is an illustration of unintentional organizational abuse?
Answer
  • Karen's locker was searched without her permission
  • Jim was told to lie to a supplier and say a check was in the mail
  • Carl faithfully sorted and filed invoices for 12 years without taking a vacation but was terminated when the operation was computerized
  • Carlos fell in love with a co-worker and their romance resulted in his wife leaving him
  • Because of a soft market, all of the copper workers were required to accept wage reductions

Question 34

Question
The best strategy for protecting employees from unintentional organizational abuse is
Answer
  • eliminating the bureaucracy in organizations
  • providing alternative job opportunities
  • teaching employees how to protect themselves
  • hiring new managers who are more ethical

Question 35

Question
Strategy refers to measurable goals, and when they are not measurable there is no strategy
Answer
  • True
  • False

Question 36

Question
Complex environments create greater environmental uncertainty than simple environments
Answer
  • True
  • False

Question 37

Question
A formal performance appraisal program would be more appropriate in a flexible organization than in an institutional organization
Answer
  • True
  • False

Question 38

Question
High inflation and high interest rates tend to increase unemployment
Answer
  • True
  • False

Question 39

Question
Social programs such as environmental protection and energy conservation have increased productivity rates
Answer
  • True
  • False

Question 40

Question
Recruiting costs are generally higher during periods of low unemployment
Answer
  • True
  • False

Question 41

Question
The interests of stockholders/owners are often inconsistent with the interests of customers/clients and they create conflicting demands on the personnel policies of a company
Answer
  • True
  • False

Question 42

Question
Which of the following is least descriptive of strategy?
Answer
  • it identifies the mission and goal of the organization
  • it specifies objective performance criteria and is measurable
  • it defines the action plans the organization intends to follow
  • it has a long-term focus beyond the immediate horizon
  • it recognizes the impact of environmental forces

Question 43

Question
Two variables that have the greatest impact on the stability of an organization's environment are the complexity of the environment and
Answer
  • the rate of inflation
  • the growth in the labor force
  • the style of leadership
  • the rate of change
  • management's expectations

Question 44

Question
A compensation system that consists of team incentives based on team performance is most appropriate for what kind of organization?
Answer
  • institutional
  • flexible
  • entrepreneurial
  • proprietorship
  • bureaucratic

Question 45

Question
As a result of high unemployment levels
Answer
  • absenteeism and turnover increase
  • employees are more inclined to demand higher wages
  • commitment to the company declines
  • recruitment is easier
  • the number of grievances increases

Question 46

Question
Which of the following is true about productivity?
Answer
  • it is the total amount of goods produced
  • it affects the job evaluation program of an organization
  • it may increase but not decrease
  • it refers to the average amount produced per employee hour

Question 47

Question
Changes in real compensation are most closely tied to changes in
Answer
  • inflation
  • consumer price index
  • productivity
  • size of labor force
  • economic competition

Question 48

Question
Which of the following would not contribute to an increase in productivity?
Answer
  • automation
  • new technology
  • training and development
  • environmental protection programs

Question 49

Question
An HR strategy that focuses on providing basic education and skill acquisition is most appropriate for a generic business strategy that is focused on
Answer
  • retrenchment
  • cost reduction
  • economic growth
  • improving quality
  • new technology

Question 50

Question
If an organization's generic strategy focuses on cost reduction, the most appropriate HR strategy is
Answer
  • eliminating unnecessary positions
  • recruiting top college graduate
  • motivating employees with merit pay
  • improving the employee complain system
  • campaigning to eliminate the union

Question 51

Question
Which of these organizational characteristics has the least impact on defining an organization's culture?
Answer
  • slogans
  • ceremonies
  • symbols
  • stories
  • profitability

Question 52

Question
Which HR practice will most likely create a supportive/participative organizational culture?
Answer
  • a profit-sharing plan and pay-for-performance incentives
  • top-level HR planning
  • a promotion policy that focuses on external hiring
  • a safety program containing a complete list of safety rules
  • a pay security program that keeps salary information confidential

Question 53

Question
An OD intervention refers to
Answer
  • a new organizational social system
  • a series of planned activities designed to improve organizational functioning
  • a change in the technological structure
  • the adoption of new technology
  • the development of a new discovery in the product mix

Question 54

Question
In general, task specialization usually
Answer
  • increases productivity and efficiency
  • increases alienation and boredom
  • decreases training time
  • all of the above

Question 55

Question
Allowing employees to determine their own work hours subject to limits is called
Answer
  • variable scheduling
  • flextime
  • alternative work structuring
  • job sharing
  • autonomous scheduling

Question 56

Question
Which of the following is not one of the advantages of permanent part time employment?
Answer
  • some people don't like to work full time
  • reduced supervisory responsibility
  • greater flexibility in hiring employees to meet erratic work requirements
  • work can be adjusted to fit the problems of declining health
  • more conductive to the non-work demands of mothers and students

Question 57

Question
Research on the effects of job sharing suggest that
Answer
  • productivity and satisfaction increase while absenteeism and turnover decrease
  • satisfaction is increased but productivity declines
  • absenteeism, turnover, and job satisfaction are increased, but productivity is not affected
  • job satisfaction improves, but nothing has been consistently found regarding other variables
  • the results have been mixed and no consistent conclusions can be stated

Question 58

Question
Studies evaluating job sharing indicate that in most instances there is
Answer
  • decreased productivity
  • higher absenteeism and tardiness
  • greater training costs
  • all of the above
  • none of the above

Question 59

Question
Which of the following is an important goal of quality of work life programs?
Answer
  • to create a more democratic organization
  • to achieve greater returns to stockholders by reducing labor costs
  • to create greater job security
  • all of the above
  • to create a more democratic organization and to create greater job security

Question 60

Question
Which of the following topics would be the most likely topic for discussion in a labor management committee meeting?
Answer
  • the grievance of a new employee
  • productivity improvements to avoid the closing of the plant
  • wage increases
  • preparations for the next collective bargaining session
  • designing a new benefit package

Question 61

Question
A group of workers which meets on a regular basis to develop new production procedures and ways to improve the quality of the product is called
Answer
  • a labor management committee
  • quality control circle
  • autonomous work team
  • shared suggestion team
  • management representative group

Question 62

Question
One of the chief defining characteristics of TQM is
Answer
  • safety rules
  • piece-rate incentives
  • continuous improvement
  • delegation of results
  • new technology

Question 63

Question
Benchmarking typically involves performance comparisons with
Answer
  • previous year's performance
  • goal-setting for this year
  • industry averages
  • industry leaders
  • international companies

Question 64

Question
A HR audit is specifically designed to assess
Answer
  • the effectiveness of the recruiting and selection process
  • the training and development of employees
  • the HRM department
  • the overall productivity of employees
  • how productive the company is in terms of a cost/benefit analysis

Question 65

Question
In HR accounting, the historical or acquisition cost, of acquiring human resources is called
Answer
  • outlay cost
  • replacement cost
  • recruiting costs
  • total staffing outlay
  • turnover efficiency cost

Question 66

Question
In HR accounting, the cost of recruiting, hiring, and training a totally new work force is called the
Answer
  • outlay cost
  • replacement cost
  • recruiting costs
  • total staffing outlay
  • turnover efficiency cost

Question 67

Question
A sensitive instrument for measuring job satisfaction which uses adjective pairs is called
Answer
  • sematic differential
  • paired comparison
  • v-sort
  • matched pairs method
  • staffing loss ratio

Question 68

Question
Which of the following is an example of involuntary absenteeism?
Answer
  • attending a son's graduation
  • missing the bus
  • a heavy snowstorm which closes the roads
  • hangover

Question 69

Question
Turnover is calculated by dividing ___________ times 100 by the average number of employees on the payroll during the month.
Answer
  • layoffs during the month
  • quits during the month
  • voluntary separations during the month
  • total separations during the month
  • total separations during the month except for layoffs

Question 70

Question
Two variables most significantly related to turnover are
Answer
  • job dissatisfaction and routine jobs
  • job dissatisfaction and poor supervision
  • absenteeism and tardiness
  • job dissatisfaction and unemployment levels
  • production standards and competing job offers

Question 71

Question
An illustration of a strategic HR activity is
Answer
  • creating an employee suggestion system to support a new quality initiative
  • rotating members of a quality improvement committee to give more members a chance to participate
  • increasing the reward for employee suggestions that are selected by $25
  • publishing in a company newsletter the names and ideas of employees who submit useful suggestions

Question 72

Question
The ideal statistic a hiring manager should use for combining four selection criteria into a single weighted composite is
Answer
  • standard deviation
  • tests of significance
  • analysis of variance
  • regression analysis

Question 73

Question
To evaluate employee attitudes regarding a compressed workweek, an HR manager administered a questionnaire to two groups. One group using the usual 5/8 schedule and one group using the 4/10 schedule. The mean scores for both groups were the same, but the manager thinks the mean fails to show that the employees in the 4/10 group either love or hate the new schedule. What statistic should be compared to confirm this decision?
Answer
  • median
  • mode
  • standard deviation
  • t-test or analysis of variance

Question 74

Question
A research instrument that measures what is supposed to measure is said to be
Answer
  • reliable
  • valid
  • accurate
  • dependable

Question 75

Question
Which of the following is the best research design for evaluating a training program?
Answer
  • pre-test/post-test design using an experimental group and a control group
  • case study
  • solomon four-group design
  • pre-test/post test comparison using one group

Question 76

Question
Which kind of firm is most extensively involved in international business?
Answer
  • multinational enterprises
  • global firms
  • import-export firms
  • firms that have international partners

Question 77

Question
Which of the following is characteristic of a transactional leader?
Answer
  • vision of the future
  • mission statements
  • contingent pay
  • alignment of policies

Question 78

Question
A leader who stresses standard procedures, schedules the work to be done, and assigns subordinates to particular tasks is high on
Answer
  • initiating structure
  • consideration
  • leader reward behavior
  • personally punishing leader behavior

Question 79

Question
Deontology defines right according to
Answer
  • what is best for society
  • what is best for each individual
  • what is fair and just
  • what will harm versus help people

Question 80

Question
Why is the potential for organizational abuse greater when companies promise to take care of their people?
Answer
  • because companies cannot control the economy and people's security may be misplaced
  • because the companies make false promises that they do not intend to keep
  • because the leaders who make the decisions are not honorable
  • because the organization does not have a heart, mind, soul, or memory

Question 81

Question
A statement that explains why an organization exists, how it contributes to society, and which values guide its actions is called
Answer
  • a mission statement
  • a strategy
  • an organizational policy
  • a public release

Question 82

Question
The three major approaches to achieving long-term competitive advantages are cost leadership,
Answer
  • quality, and product efficiency
  • resource acquisition, and market share
  • cost containment, and cost sharing
  • differentiation, and focus

Question 83

Question
A useful model for analyzing the profit potential of a firm within its industry is called the
Answer
  • strategy management model
  • five forces model
  • environmental scanning outline
  • resource allocation plan

Question 84

Question
One of the primary consequences of intense economic competition on HRM is
Answer
  • companies are forced to revise their job descriptions
  • job enrichment programs have to be suspended
  • fewer financial rewards are offered except in the most successful firms
  • technological advances are reduced and the use of technology decreases

Question 85

Question
Which decade had the highest average birthrate?
Answer
  • 1910s
  • 1930s
  • 1950s
  • 1970s

Question 86

Question
A small start-up software company realizes that the technology skillsets of newly hired programmers are more advanced than the existing programmers' skillsets. Recognizing the constant business need for these evolving, state-of-the-art skillsets, which is the best workforce development strategy to implement?
Answer
  • Offer new hires shorter-term contracts to allow for a continual hiring of programmers with the most up-to-date skills.
  • Partner with a local community college to offer programmers the opportunity to update their skillsets.
  • Design a rigorous in-house training program to get longer-tenured programmers up to speed with the newer programmers.
  • Perform a job redesign for the existing employees that will not require new, updated skills.

Question 87

Question
Which hands-on training method best allows an onboarding manufacturing employee to practice his job in a risk-free setting?
Answer
  • Role play
  • Apprenticeship
  • Simulation
  • Team training

Question 88

Question
An HR manager has been asked to design a training program for the company. Which HR metric should be considered first in designing the program?
Answer
  • Total costs for training
  • Average tenure of employees
  • Performance quality of one-year employees
  • Percentage of employees with a career plan

Question 89

Question
A valued employee arrives 15 minutes late for work without explanation. Using the company's positive approach to discipline, which action should be taken to course-correct the employee’s tardiness?
Answer
  • Final warning
  • Verbal caution
  • Written reprimand
  • Counseling

Question 90

Question
An HR director believes it is important that managers take more responsibility for performance appraisals. Which responsibility should the HR director assign specifically to the managers?*
Answer
  • Train staff to use performance system
  • Design appraisal system
  • Identify development areas
  • Track timely receipt of appraisals

Question 91

Question
Which is a significant benefit of recruiting from internal sources?*
Answer
  • Provides a continuous pool of applicants
  • Minimizes inflated expectations about the job
  • Employees will all be of the existing mindset
  • Innovation increases with each infusion of new talent

Question 92

Question
Scenario Background A company determines they will close their secondary manufacturing unit to move the operation to the business headquarters. They determined 70 new positions will need to be filled to support this effort. The CEO wants the transition to take place over a three-month period. The CEO asked the HR director to support this new staffing need. Which is the best action for HR to take first to begin supporting this initiative?
Answer
  • Identify a recruiting firm to attract talent to fill the new positions.
  • Survey employees to gauge interest in relocating to company headquarters.
  • Review job descriptions and total rewards structure to align them with staffing goals.
  • Identify employees unwilling to relocate so they can convey historical knowledge to new hires.

Question 93

Question
Scenario Background A company determines they will close their secondary manufacturing unit to move the operation to the business headquarters. They determined 70 new positions will need to be filled to support this effort. The CEO wants the transition to take place over a three-month period. A month after the move, many of the relocated staff threaten to quit. HR conducts a survey and discovers three main causes of dissatisfaction: higher cost of living, unaffordable housing, and low-rated schools. Which is the best course of action for HR to endorse to leadership to prevent departures?
Answer
  • Create a program for leadership to provide resources to assist staff.
  • Reveal the long-term growth strategy to promote staff buy-in.
  • Recommend leadership to focus on the biggest obstacle to retention.
  • Advise leadership to offer incentives to retain high-performing staff.

Question 94

Question
Scenario Background: In the past two years, a company has been acquired by two different organizations. Each acquisition resulted in multiple layoffs; one even included the CEO being terminated. For a while, the morale of the remaining employees was very low because they had worked with some of the laid-off employees for years. To help increase morale the company re-evaluated their total rewards structure to be more beneficial to all employees. Many employees suffer anxiety because of the increased workload and the fact their long-time friends are gone while they remain. Which is the most important first step for the HR director to take to mitigate the effects of survivor syndrome being experienced by remaining employees?
Answer
  • Offer one-to-one career coaching so employees can manage increased workload.
  • Communicate with employees to acknowledge that management is aware employees are struggling and intends to help.
  • Invite a representative of the employee assistance program (EAP) to a town hall meeting to review EAP benefits for all employees.
  • Encourage department heads to actively increase individual recognition of employee contributions to the business.

Question 95

Question
Scenario Background: In the past two years, a company has been acquired by two different organizations. Each acquisition resulted in multiple layoffs; one even included the CEO being terminated. For a while, the morale of the remaining employees was very low because they had worked with some of the laid-off employees for years. To help increase morale the company re-evaluated their total rewards structure to be more beneficial to all employees. The VP of research and development asks for HR’s help resolving pay discrepancies, discovered during due diligence, among the senior engineers. The staff has been discussing this frequently and it is now affecting the team. Which is the best way for HR to reassure the employees?
Answer
  • Promise employees that everyone will be compensated fairly and equitably within 90 days.
  • Analyze the competitive market, related compensation philosophies and strategy to implement a new pay program.
  • Tell the company to adopt the higher of the two salary structures then adjust everyone's salary based on experience, education, and work assignments.
  • Make a commitment that a comprehensive review of pertinent issues will be swiftly concluded.

Question 96

Question
Which test most effectively identifies potential high-performing leaders in a collaborative work environment?
Answer
  • Psychomotor
  • Emotional intelligence
  • Personality
  • Work sample

Question 97

Question
Recently, HR has received complaints about the fairness of the CEO's compensation. Which should the HR manager do first to ensure that the executive compensation practices of the company are fair?
Answer
  • Determine which objectives are being used to evaluate executives.
  • Identify the rewards being offered to incentivize long-term goals.
  • Analyze the company culture and compensation structure history.
  • Confirm the plan is balanced with long-term and short-term incentives.

Question 98

Question
Which incentive plan is most likely to cause frustration to higher-performing employees?
Answer
  • Piecework
  • Profit sharing
  • Behavioral encouragement
  • Gain sharing

Question 99

Question
Which is the best way to address the lack of diversity within organizational units?
Answer
  • Consult legal to mitigate discrimination claims in hiring.
  • Implement incentives to employees for candidate referrals.
  • Confirm that recruiters incorporate diversity policy into the recruitment process.
  • Develop a diversity initiative with targeted hiring objectives.
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