Human Resource Management | 40+ MCQ | Part 1
Human Resource Management
Q1) The basic functions of the management process include all of the following EXCEPT ________.
A) planning
B) organizing
C) outsourcing
D) leading
Answer: C
Explanation: C) The five basic functions of the management process include planning, organizing, staffing, leading, and controlling. Outsourcing jobs may be an aspect of human resources, but it is not one of the primary management functions.
Q2) Which of the following is the person responsible for accomplishing an organization's goals by managing the efforts of the organization's people?
A) manager
B) entrepreneur
C) generalist
D) marketer
Answer: A
Explanation: A) The manager is the person responsible for accomplishing an organization's goals by planning, organizing, staffing, leading, and controlling the efforts of the organization's people. An entrepreneur may manage people or may hire a manager to do so instead, but entrepreneurs are defined as individuals who start their own businesses.
Q3) Which of the following includes five basic functions—planning, organizing, staffing, leading, and controlling?
A) a job analysis
B) strategic management
C) the management process
D) adaptability screening
Answer: C
Explanation: C) The management process includes five basic functions—planning, organizing, staffing, leading, and controlling. Strategic management refers to the process of identifying and executing the organization's mission by matching its capabilities with the demands of its environment.
Q4) Which function of the management process requires a manager to establish goals and standards and to develop rules and procedures?
A) planning
B) organizing
C) staffing
D) leading
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Planning, organizing, staffing, leading, and controlling are the five main functions of management. The planning function involves establishing goals and standards, developing rules and procedures, and forecasting.
Q5) Claire spends most of her time at work establishing goals for her staff of fifty employees and developing procedures for various tasks. In which function of the management process does Claire spend most of her time?
A) leading
B) controlling
C) organizing
D) planning
Answer: D
Explanation: D) The planning function of the management process requires managers to establish goals and standards, develop rules and procedures, and develop plans and forecast.
Q6) Jolene, a manager, delegates the authority for a project to Lee, her subordinate. Jolene is most likely involved in which function of the management process?
A) staffing
B) organizing
C) motivating
D) leading
Answer: B
Explanation: B) The organizing function of the management process includes delegating authority to subordinates and establishing channels of communication. The organizing function also includes establishing departments and coordinating the work of subordinates.
Q7) When managers use metrics to assess performance and then develop strategies for corrective action, they are performing the ________ function of the management process.
A) planning
B) leading
C) controlling
D) organizing
Answer: C
Explanation: C) The controlling function of the management process requires managers to set standards such as sales quotas, quality, standards, or production levels. Managers then compare actual performance with the standards, which often involves the use of metrics. Corrective action is then taken when necessary.
Q8) Which function of the management process includes selecting employees, setting performance standards, and compensating employees?
A) organizing
B) planning
C) motivating
D) staffing
Answer: D
Explanation: D) The staffing function of the management process determines what type of people you should hire, recruiting prospective employees, selecting employees, training and developing employees, setting performance standards, evaluating performance, counseling
employees, compensating employees.
Q9) Larry, a manager at a commercial real estate firm, has established a monthly sales quota for his sales team. Which basic function of management best describes Larry's actions?
A) planning
B) organizing
C) controlling
D) staffing
Answer: C
Explanation: C) The controlling function involves setting standards such as sales quotas, quality standards or production levels; checking to see how actual performance compares with these standards; taking corrective action, as needed.
Q10) ________ is the process of acquiring, training, appraising, and compensating employees, and attending to their labor relations, health and safety, and fairness concerns.
A) Labor relations
B) Human resource management
C) Behavioral management
D) Organizational health and safety management
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Human resource management is the process of acquiring, training, appraising, and compensating employees, and of attending to their labor relations, health and safety, and fairness concerns. HRM falls under the staffing function of the management process.
Q11) In the management process, which of the following is an activity associated with the leading function?
A) motivating subordinates
B) setting performance standards
C) training new employees
D) developing procedures
Answer: A
Explanation: A) The leading function of the management process requires a manager to get others to get the job done; maintaining morale, and motivating subordinates.
Q12) Personnel activities associated with human resource management most likely include all of the following EXCEPT ________.
A) orienting and training new employees
B) appraising employee performance
C) building employee commitment
D) developing customer relationships
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Human resource management involves numerous personnel-related activities, and HR managers are less likely to interact with customers. Managing compensation, orienting new employees, appraising employee performance, and developing employee commitment are typical aspects of the HR manager's job.
Q13) Since human resources is important to all managers, which is NOT a personnel mistake a manager wants to avoid making while managing?
A) waste time with useless interviews
B) hire the wrong person
C) have your people not doing their best
D) experience low turnover
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Personnel mistakes a manager does not want to make while managing are hiring the wrong person for the job; experience high turnover; have your people not doing their best; waste time with useless interviews; have your company taken to court because of your discriminatory actions; have your company cited under federal occupational safety laws for unsafe practices; have some employees think their salaries are unfair relative to others in the organization; allow a lack of training to undermine your department's effectiveness; commit any unfair labor practices.
Q14) Approximately what percentage of people in the United States work for small firms?
A) 10%
B) 25%
C) 50%
D) 80%
Answer: C
Explanation: C) More than half the people working in the United States work for small firms.
Small businesses as a group also account for most of the 600,000 or so new businesses created every year.
Q15) ________ is the right to make decisions, to direct the work of others, and to give orders.
A) Leadership
B) Authority
C) Management
D) Responsibility
Answer: B
Explanation: B) The right to make decisions, to direct the work of others, and to give orders is known as authority.
Q16) Which of the following best defines line authority?
A) management over a small staff in a public firm
B) management with flexible decision-making powers
C) a manager's right to advise other managers or employees
D) a manager's right to issue orders to other managers or employees
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Line authority is a manager's right to issue orders to other managers or employees, which creates a superior-subordinate relationship. Staff authority refers to a manager's right to advise other managers or employees, which creates an advisory relationship.
Q17) In most organizations, human resource managers are categorized as ________, who assist and advise ________ in areas like recruiting, hiring, and compensation.
A) staff managers; line managers
B) line managers; middle managers
C) line managers; staff managers
D) functional managers; staff managers
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Human resource managers are usually staff managers. They assist and advise line managers in areas like recruiting, hiring, and compensation. However, line managers still have human resource duties.
Q18) Gerard is authorized to direct the work of subordinates and is responsible for accomplishing the organization's tasks. Gerard is most likely a ________.
A) training specialist
B) staff manager
C) line manager
D) recruiter
Answer: C
Explanation: C) A line manager is authorized to direct the work of subordinates and is responsible for accomplishing the organization's tasks. Unlike line managers, staff managers lack the authority to issue orders down the chain of command. Recruiters and training specialists are specialties within the HR department, and HR managers are usually staff managers rather than line managers.
Q19) Which of the following is NOT considered one of the line supervisor's responsibilities for effective human resources management under the general headings outlined by a major company discussed in the textbook?
A) protecting employees' health and physical condition
B) changing employees' attitudes regarding work
C) developing the abilities of each person
D) interpreting the company policies and procedures
Answer: B
Explanation: B) The direct handling of people has always been part of every line manager's duties, from the president down to first-line supervisors. One major company outlines its line supervisor's responsibilities for effective human resource management under these general headings: placing the right person in the right job; starting new employees in the organization (orientation); training employees for jobs that are new to them; improving the job performance of each person; gaining cooperation, and developing smooth working relationships; interpreting the company's policies and procedures; controlling labor costs; developing the abilities of each person; creating and maintaining department morale; protecting employees' health and physical condition.
Q20) A line manager's human resource responsibilities most likely include all of the following EXCEPT ________.
A) maintaining department morale
B) controlling labor costs
C) protecting employees' health
D) marketing new products and services
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Human resource management most often involves creating and maintaining department morale, controlling labor costs, and protecting employees' health and physical condition. Handling personnel is an integral part of every line manager's duties, but marketing new products is not a personnel issue and would be handled by the marketing department.
Q21) Which of the following refers to the authority a manager has to advise other managers or employees?
A) staff authority
B) line authority
C) functional authority
D) corporate authority
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Staff authority refers to a manager's right to advise other managers or employees, which creates an advisory relationship.
Q22) Which of the following is most likely a line function of the human resource manager?
A) ensuring that line managers are implementing HR policies
B) advising top managers about how to implement EEO laws
C) representing the interests of employees to senior management
D) directing the activities of subordinates in the HR department
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Directing members of the HR staff is a line function.
Q23) One of the ________ functions of a human resource manager includes directing the activities of his or her subordinates in the HR department.
A) coordinative
B) corporate
C) staff
D) line
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Line functions and staff functions are the distinct functions of HR managers. Examples of line functions include a human resource manager directing the activities of the people in his or her own department.
Q24) Will works at a position in his organization where he maintain contacts within the local community and travels to search for qualified job applicants. Will's position is best described as:
A) recruiter
B) manager
C) labor relations specialist
D) job analyst
Answer: A
Explanation: A) The recruiter maintains contacts within the community and perhaps travels extensively to search for qualified job applicants.
Q25) ________ functions involve assisting and advising line managers.
A) Staff
B) Advocacy
C) Line
D) Coordinative
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Staff functions involve assisting and advising line managers.
Q26) All of the following are major areas in which an HR manager assists and advises line managers EXCEPT ________.
A) recruiting
B) hiring
C) strategic business planning
D) compensation
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Human resource managers are usually staff managers. They assist and advise line managers in areas like recruiting, hiring, and compensation.
Q27) Human resource managers generally exert ________ within the human resources department and ________ outside the human resources department.
A) line authority; staff authority
B) staff authority; line authority
C) functional authority; line authority
D) staff authority; implied authority
Answer: A
Explanation: A) HR managers usually have line authority in the HR department, which means they have the right to direct the activities of the people in their own department. However, outside of the HR department, HR managers are likely to exert implied authority because line managers realize that the HR manager has top management's ear in areas like testing and affirmative action. Staff (assist and advise) function refers to a manager's authority to advise managers or employees outside of his or her department.
Q28) The HR staff member who has the job of advising management on all aspects of union management aspects is the ________.
A) recruiter
B) line manager
C) compensation manager
D) labor relations specialist
Answer: D
Explanation: D) The labor relations specialist advises management on all aspects of union management relations.
Q29) All of the following are examples of human resource specialties EXCEPT ________.
A) job analyst
B) financial advisor
C) compensation manager
D) labor relations specialist
Answer: B
Explanation: B) HR management specialties include recruiter, EEO coordinator, job analyst, compensation manager, training specialist, and labor relations specialist. HR managers are less likely to serve as financial advisors.
Q30) Ralph works in the HR department and is in charge of developing the plans for how people are paid and how the employee benefits program is run. Ralph is most likely holding the position of:
A) training specialist
B) recruiter
C) compensation manager
D) job analyst
Answer: C
Explanation: C) The compensation manager develops compensation plans and handles the employee benefits program.
Q31) Which of the following human resource management specialties calls for collecting data to write job descriptions?
A) job analyst
B) job training specialist
C) compensation manager
D) EEO coordinator
Answer: A
Explanation: A) As a job analyst, a human resource manager collects and examines information about jobs to prepare job descriptions.
Q32) Which of the following focuses on using centralized call centers and outside vendors as a way to provide specialized support in day-to-day HR activities?
A) embedded HR units
B) corporate HR groups
C) HR centers of expertise
D) shared HR groups
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Transactional (or shared) HR groups focus on using centralized call centers and outsourcing arrangements with vendors, such as benefits advisors, to provide specialized support in day-to-day transactional HR activities to a firm's employees. Activities may include changing benefits plans and providing updated appraisal forms.
Q33) An HR generalist at Wilson Manufacturing has been assigned to the sales department to provide HR management assistance as needed. Which of the following best describes the structure of the HR services provided at Wilson Manufacturing?
A) shared HR teams
B) embedded HR teams
C) centers of expertise
D) corporate HR teams
Answer: B
Explanation: B) In the embedded HR teams structure, a HR generalist is assigned directly to a department within an organization to provide localized human resource management assistance as needed.
Q34) Roberta Whitman has recently been hired by Jackson Pharmaceuticals as the senior vice president of human resources. Jackson Pharmaceuticals has a history of problems within its HR department including difficulties recruiting and retaining qualified employees, EEO violations, inadequate employee training programs, and confusion regarding health benefit enrollment and coverage. With years of experience transforming HR departments in other firms, Whitman believes she can correct the problems at Jackson Pharmaceuticals. Which of the following best supports Whitman's idea to develop a shared services arrangement to handle benefits administration?
A) An embedded HR unit would assist top management with big picture issues as well as benefits administration.
B) Extensive training has been provided to line managers so that they fully understand the different insurance options available to employees.
C) Outside vendors specializing in all aspects of benefits administration would provide improved support to the firm's employees.
D) Lower insurance premiums would eliminate the need for outsourcing services and improve employee health coverage.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) The shared services (or transactional) HR teams focus on using centralized call centers and outsourcing arrangements with vendors (such as benefits advisors) to provide specialized support in day-to-day transactional HR activities (such as changing benefits plans and providing updated appraisal forms) to the company's employees. By outsourcing benefits administration, Jackson would allow HR managers to focus on other issues and enable benefits specialists to handle benefits enrollment and coverage issues.
Q35) Roberto Sanchez has recently been hired by Slate Pharmaceuticals as the senior vice president of human resources. Slate Pharmaceuticals has a history of a variety of significant problems within its HR department such as EEO violations, inadequate employee training programs, and employee confusion regarding health benefit enrollment and coverage. With 20 years of experience transforming HR departments in other firms, Sanchez believes he can correct the major problems at Slate Pharmaceuticals. Which of the following best supports the argument that Sanchez should create embedded HR units and assign relationship managers to each department within the company?
A) Employees frequently complain about the inconsistent assistance they receive from the HR department due to its large size.
B) The global nature of the firm makes it difficult for the HR department to effectively communicate corporate messages to employees scattered around the world.
C) Centralized call centers would enable the HR department to provide specialized support on daily transactional activities.
D) Line managers want to implement additional screening and evaluations to improve the quality of their subordinates.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) The embedded HR teams assign HR generalists (also known as "relationship managers" or "HR business partners") directly to departments like sales and production, to provide the localized human resource management assistance the departments need. If employees are unable to receive the HR assistance they need on a regular basis, then it would be appropriate for the firm to assign HR generalists to each department as a direct line to the HR department.
Q36) Which of the following areas is NOT a major area where human resource managers assist and advise line managers?
A) recruiting
B) hiring
C) compensation
D) performance management
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Human resource managers assist and advise line managers in areas like recruiting, hiring, and compensation.
37) Which organization of the human resource function involves dedicated HR members that assist top management in issues such as developing the personnel aspects of the company's long term strategic plan?
A) embedded HR teams
B) corporate HR teams
C) centers of expertise
D) shared services
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Corporate HR teams assist top management in top-level issues such as developing the personnel aspects of the company's long-term strategic plan.
38) The vice president of marketing tells a marketing manager to prepare a presentation by the end of the week. The vice president is most likely exercising which of the following?
A) staff authority
B) procedural authority
C) line authority
D) functional authority
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Line authority traditionally gives managers the right to issue orders to other managers or employees. Line authority therefore creates a superior (order giver)–subordinate (order receiver) relationship. Staff authority gives a manager the right to advise other managers or employees. It creates an advisory relationship.
39) Which HR Specialty involves preparing job descriptions?
A) compensation manager
B) EEO coordinator
C) job analyst
D) recruiter
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Job analysts collect and examine information about jobs to prepare job descriptions. Compensation managers develop compensation plans and handle the employee benefits program.
40) Which of the following would most likely provide assistance to executives about long-term strategic plans?
A) centers of expertise
B) embedded HR teams
C) corporate HR teams
D) professional employee organizations
Answer: C
Explanation: C) The corporate HR teams focus on assisting top management in "top level" big picture issues such as developing and explaining the personnel aspects of the company's longterm strategic plan. The centers of expertise are like specialized HR consulting firms within the company—for instance, they provide specialized advice in areas such as organizational change. The embedded HR assigns HR generalists directly to departments like sales and production.
