Chapter 7: Human Resource Development and Management

TRUE OR FALSE

1. There is a growing belief among U.S. businesses that, in order to satisfy customers, employees must be satisfied.

2. The Taylor philosophy improved the relationship between labor and management.

3. Under the Taylor philosophy, the foreman's role was to assure that the work force met productivity standards.

4. The Taylor system is criticized for its failure to use piecework incentives.

5. Traditionally managed firms view human resource management as a support function.

6. Human resource management is actually a modern term for what has been traditionally referred to as personnel administration.

7. Training becomes more important in organizations that adopt TQ.

8. Job enrichment allows an organization to invest in less training.

9. A leading practice in human resource management is emphasis on teamwork.

10. One area that has remained constant as human resource management practices have evolved is low investment in training.

11. Total quality firms separate health, safety, and ergonomics issues from quality improvement activities.

12. Deming was strongly opposed to traditional performance appraisal systems because the performance factors are beyond the control of the individual being appraised. 13. The modern day role of human resource management is more strategic than in the past.

14. Theory Y workers require close management supervision. 15. Theory X workers are sincerely interested in the quality of their work. 16. McGregor's Theory X - Theory Y model is a content model of motivations.  17. Maintenance factors do not motivate workers to work harder. 18. Human resource management is a role that is best left to functional specialists.

19. Human resource practices needed to support a cost leadership strategy are similar to the human resource practices needed to support an innovation strategy.

20. People who are comfortable with uncertainty and who embrace change have become universally desirable traits in today’s workplace.

21. Employees who seek esteem and self-actualization will flourish in a Theory X environment. 22. Work design is a modern term for job design.

23. Employee involvement initiatives often clash with organized labor structures.

24. There are federal laws that threaten the organization of joint management-worker teams.

25. Worker participation rates in suggestion systems are much higher in Japan than in the United States

26. Empowerment will be effective in a Theory Y environment. 27. The lowest level of Maslow's hierarchy is physiological needs. 28. Autonomy is a job characteristic that relates to the degree to which a task permits freedom and personal control to be exercised during work.

29. Pay is most effective as a motivator to employees who have reached the highest level of Maslow's hierarchy.

30. Reinforcement theory is a process model of motivation.

31. Job enrichment entails ‘vertical job loading’.

32. In total quality companies, the major objective behind employee involvement initiatives is to make employees feel important.

33. An early initiator of employee involvement activities in the United States was Lincoln Electric Company.

34. In the Hackman and Oldham model of job characteristics, autonomy and feedback are the major determinants of ‘experienced meaningfulness’.

35. The Hackman and Oldham model explains the motivational properties of work design by combining the technical and human components of the job.

36. Japanese culture values competition over cooperation.

37. Job enlargement is a practice by which individual workers learn several tasks by rotating from one task to another. 38. Empowerment entails giving people decision-making authority.

39. Self-managed teams are a special type of work team.

40. Management teams are typically cross-functional.

 41. The elimination or simplification of work rules is one area of management/union relations that receives major emphasis under the TQ approach.

42. Empowerment resembles Juran’s notion of ‘self-control’.

43. In a TQ approach, gain-sharing is replaced by individualized compensation packages. 44. Empowerment increases the need to share information in a company.

45. Flexibility is a key aspect of union and management negotiations under TQ. 46. In total quality companies, most training resources are spent on a new employee’s initial orientation and indoctrination.

47. Studies suggest that the effectiveness of a supervisor is positively correlated to both cooperation and competitiveness.

48. Total quality firms have developed similar approaches for compensating employees.

49. Studies indicate that cash and non-cash recognition works better for clerical and hourly workers than for managers and professional employees.

50. Total quality companies recognize and reward teams rather than individuals.

51. Quality circles consist of members who gather to solve a specific problem and then disband.

52. All teams require problem-solving skills.

53. Quality circle efforts in the United States have been successful since their introduction in the late 1960s.

54. The criteria for hiring customer-contact employees is shifting from attributes such as enthusiasm and resourcefulness towards criteria based on cognitive and technical skills.

55. A department’s critique of the boss’s performance is an example of 360 degree feedback.

56. The number of quality improvement suggestions made by employees is a an example of a process measure of human resource management effectiveness.

57. One shortcoming of the Baldrige criteria is that the importance of employee well-being is ignored.

58. Stock options are an example of an intrinsic reward.

59. Traditional performance appraisal processes are often at odds with the philosophy of total quality.

60. In many situations, especially when organized labor is involved, the work force tends to resist efforts to reduce rigidly defined, rule based tasks. 62. Employee involvement works well in a Theory X work environment.

63. A quality circle is a graphical representation of Deming's continuous improvement cycle. 64. Self-managed teams set their own goals and inspect their own work. 65. Membership in a quality circle is reserved only for employees and not supervisors.

66. Employee involvement is a natural extension of Frederick Taylor's theory of scientific management.

67. Suggestion systems are more effective in the United States than in Japan.

68. A quality circle has cross-functional membership.

MULTIPLE CHOICE69. The Taylor system improved _____ at the expense of _____.a. union relations, productivityb. quality, productivityc. planning, executiond. output, scientific decision-makinge. productivity, worker creativity

e

70. Early experiments in industrial psychology were conducted at:

a. Motorola’s Schaumburg facilityb. Hawthorne Works of the Western Electric Companyc. Kaiser Aluminum Companyd. Federal Express’ Memphis operations

b71. Which of the following is not regarding the Taylor system?a. the process must be controlled externallyb. workers who run the process control itc. people are a part of the processd. managers have to carefully control peoplee. none of the above

b72. The major focus of Taylor's philosophy of scientific management was:a. productivityb. automationc. qualityd. labor relationse. empowerment

a

73. Which of the following is not regarded as a traditional activity of personnel managers?

a. interviewing job applicantsb. conducting training coursesc. planning the corporate cultured. keeping time cardse. negotiating union contracts

c

74. The Japanese often point to which individual as the major contributor to the adversarial relationship between labor and management?a. Demingb. Juranc. Feigenbaumd. Taylore. Taguchi d75. Which of the following would not be considered a leading practice in human resource management?

a. reward based on seniorityb. integrating human resource plans with business plansc. focus on people belonging to the production departmentd. a and ce. none of the above

d

76. Which of the following constitute methods for measuring the effectiveness of human resource practices?

a. employee satisfaction servicesb. grievance levelsc. safety performanced. a and be. a, b, and c

e

77. Studies suggest that of the top employee needs in the workplace, employees rank _____ as their number one need, while managers believe that employees rank _____ as their number one need.

a. interesting work, payb. pay, securityc. involvement, interesting workd. recognition, interesting worke. interesting work, involvement

a78. In the context of TQ, managerial roles can be described as:a. controllersb. appraisersc. directorsd. facilitatorse. none of the above

d79. People who exhibit a tolerance for ambiguity and uncertainty, and who are risk takers, would best fit a company strategy based on:

a. cost leadershipb. innovationc. a and bd. none of the above

b

80. Studies indicate the worker participation rates in suggestion systems _____ in Japan compared to ______ in the United States

a. are about 30 percent, less than 20 percentb. exceed 60 percent, about 50 percentc. are about 20 percent, above 50 percentd. exceed 60 percent, less than 10 percente. are below 30 percent, above 50 percent

d

81. A worker can explain how his/her work fits into the overall sequence of events in an operation. This is an example of the job characteristic of:

a. feedback from the jobb. autonomyc. skill varietyd. task identitye. none of the above

d82. Under Herzberg's theory of motivation, job security would represent a _____ factor and advancement would represent a _____ factor

a. referent, releaseb. maintenance, motivationalc. attribute, innovatived. supervision, innovativee. attribute, release

c

83. An early initiator of employee involvement activities in the United States was:

a. Lincoln Electric Companyb. Zeiss Companyc. Cisco Systemsd. all of the above

e. none of the above

a

84. Employee involvement begins with a commitment to quality at the:

a. top management levelb. organizational levelc. process leveld. personal levele. union level

d

85. _____ is commonly one of the highest initial costs of a quality initiative.

a. New equipmentb. Trainingc. Turnoverd. Salariese. Appraisal

b86. Herzberg's two-factor theory suggests that two type of factors affect job performance. These factors are:

a. referent and release factorsb. creative and innovative factorsc. motivation and supervision factorsd. maintenance and motivational factorse. attribute and innovation factors

d

87. The stage of Maslow's needs hierarchy that corresponds closely to Herzberg's motivational category is:

a. physiological needsb. safety and securityc. social acceptanced. self-realizatione. autonomy

d 88. The ‘hierarchy of needs theory’ was developed by:

a. McGregorb. Herzbergc. McClelland

d. Taylore. Maslow

e

89. Job characteristics that have been found to have an impact on Hackman and Oldham’s critical psychological states include:

a. skill varietyb. task varietyc. autonomyd. a and be. a and c

e

90. Teams of workers and supervisors that meet regularly to address workplace problems involving quality and productivity are known as:

a. work teamsb. problem-solving teamsc. quality circlesd. virtual teams

c

91. A job characteristic related to the degree to which a job gives the participant a feeling that the work has a substantial impact on the organization or the world is known as:

a. task identityb. autonomyc. task significanced. feedback from the jobe. task variety

c

92. A group of employees fully responsible for all aspects of processing claims at an insurance company is an example of a:

a. quality circleb. project teamc. virtual teamd. self-managed teame. problem solving team

d

93. For an established, traditionally managed company that wants to begin developing successful teams, an important early step is:

a. implementing quality circles across the organizationb. establishing a steering committee of managersc. developing a recognition ceremony to honor teamsd. begin with self-managed teamse. none of the above

b94. The "Theory X - Theory Y" model was developed by:a. McGregorb. Herzbergc. McClellandd. Taylore. Maslow

a95. Which of the following represent reasons that employees withhold ideas for improvement?

a. unorganized suggestion systemsb. lack of timec. fear of losing jobsd. a and ce. a, b, and c

e96. The "preference-expectancy theory" was developed by:a. Vroomb. Maslowc. Herzbergd. Schulere. Jackson

a

97. Under the Hackman and Oldham model, _____ is the psychological need of workers to feel that their work is making a significant contribution to the organization and society.

a. experienced meaningfulnessb. experienced autonomyc. experienced identityd. experienced responsibilitye. experienced validation

a

98. The ‘contingency model’ of motivation was developed by:

a. Herzbergb. Skinnerc. Porter and Lawler

d. Schuler and Jacksone. Maslow

c

99. The _____ was enacted in 1937 to prohibit unfair labor practices.

a. National Labor Relations Actb. Quality of Work Life Resolutionc. Wagner Actd. Clayton Acte. a and c

e100. The concept of _____ involves increasing a worker's level of responsibility so as to provide the worker the opportunity to use a wider range of skills.

a. job securityb. job enlargementc. job rotationd. job enrichmente. job realignment

d

101. The three major theoretical approaches to studying motivation are:

a. concentric, repetitive and relationalb. process, content, and environmentally basedc. Theory X, Theory Y and motivationd. internal, external and referente. line, staff and matrix

b

102. Motivation models that describe how and why people are motivated to work are called:

a. content modelsb. environment modelsc. concentric modelsd. process modelse. trait models

a

103. The quality circle concept is attributed to:

a. Demingb. Ishikawac. Juran

d. Kanoe. Crosby

b104. Which of the following is not a content theory of motivation?a. two-factor theoryb. hierarchy of needs theoryc. acquired needs theoryd. preference-expectancy theorye. Theory X - Theory Y model

d105. Which of the following is not a process theory of motivation?

a. preference-expectancy theoryb. contingency modelc. acquired needs theoryd. goal-setting modele. path-goal leadership model

c

106. All of the following are major segments of the Hackman and Oldham model except:

a. outcomesb. critical psychological statesc. valencesd. moderating variablese. core job characteristics

c

107. Which of the following is a basic tool of operant conditioning?

a. pay systemsb. positive reinforcementc. productivityd. group enlargemente. valences

b

108. Which of the following is a core job characteristic according to the Hackman and Oldham model?

a. task identityb. work effectivenessc. relaxationd. work motivatione. feedback

a

109. Historically, union leaders and labor relations managers have emphasized which of the following aspects of labor relations?

a. collective bargainingb. work rulesc. grievance proceduresd. management and worker domainse. all of the above

e

110. New approaches to ensuring that job candidates have the required level of customer-focused skills include:

a. verbal and math skill testingb. psychological testingc. situational role playingd. a and be. b and c

e

111. Organizations have commonly used performance appraisals to:

a. provide feedback to employees on strengths and weaknessesb. identify people for promotionc. provide a paper trail in case of legal actiond. a and be. a, b, and c

c

112. Deming argued that the performance appraisal process was detrimental because it usually fails to account for _____ factors that effect individual performance.

a. systemb. personalc. machined. technologye. value

a

113. The foundations of employee involvement are:

a. participation and teamworkb. statistical methods and reengineeringc. scientific management principles and QFDd. Theory X motivational models and teamworke. all of the above

a

114. Research has shown that the effectiveness of supervisors and subordinates is positively correlated to _____ and negatively correlated to _____.

a. behavior, individualismb. cooperation, competitivenessc. favoritism, self-centerednessd. competitiveness, cooperatione. status, age

b

115. Which is of a quality circle?

a. it includes members from several work areasb. circles usually meet once per monthc. all members are from the same work centerd. supervisors are not allowed in the circlee. none of the above

c

116. The major difference between quality circles and self- managed teams is:

a. self-managed teams are not voluntaryb. self-managed teams work on pre-chosen problemsc. self-managed teams do not meet regularlyd. self-managed teams have more autonomy and authoritye. none of the above

d

117. The person who is given responsibility for plant-wide control and operation of quality circles by the steering committee is often called the:

a. circle foremanb. facilitatorc. QC circle prod. executore. provider

b

118. Which is a common result of using an employee involvement approach?

a. pride in workmanshipb. self respectc. self relianced. heightened sense of responsibilitye. all of the above

e

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS119. Define the term human resource management. Identify at 4 groups of activities that are performed as part of human resource management.

Human resource management consists of those activities designed to provide for and coordinate the people of an organization. These activities include determining the organization’s human resource needs; assisting in the design of work systems; recruiting; hiring and selecting employees; training and developing employees; counseling and motivating employees; recognizing and rewarding employees; and acting as a liaison with unions and government organizations.

120. Contrast the role and function of human resource management under the traditional and TQ approaches.

In their traditional role, personnel managers interviewed job applicants, negotiated labor contracts, kept time cards on hourly workers, and occasionally taught a training course. Today, human resource managers assume a strategic leadership role rather than being corporate watchdogs. They must assume a long term view, such as how the corporation’s culture will development, as well as overseeing more traditional support activities.

121. Describe the strategic focus of human resource management. What is the role of HRM in a ‘quality-enhancement strategy’?

The strategic focus of human resource management involves developing human capital into sources of sustainable competitive advantage. Human resource management policies and practices must align with the company’s competitive strategy. An important role of strategic human resources is to consider and plan for the development of the organization’s culture. In a quality enhancement strategy, human resource units develop policies and procedures to ensure that employees can perform multiple roles, improvise when necessary, and direct themselves towards continuous improvement of both product quality and customer service.

122. Consider the following model:

y = f(S,I)

where: y = sales S = system factors, and I = individual performance factors.

Suppose that a salesperson is compensated based on a sales quota. Use the above model to explain Deming's position on an appraisal and reward system that depends on sales.

Response should argue that sales quotas are subject to factors (i.e., systems factors) beyond the control of the individual. Such factors include geographic location, unforeseen competitive responses, state of the economy, etc. Deming would argue that such a performance goal is unfair to the worker and can result in loss of morale and pride of workmanship. 123. Compare and contrast Maslow and Herzberg's motivational theories.

Maslow’s theory suggests that individual motivation is driven by unmet needs within the hierarchy of physiological, safety and security, social, esteem and status, and self-actualization needs. Herzberg’s theory suggests that two types of factors, maintenance and motivational, affect job performance. Although the theories differ, both share a notion that motivation is dependent on a previous level and type of met or unmet needs.

124. Discuss the differences between process, content, and environmentally based theories of motivation.

Content models describe how and why people are motivated to work in a static context. Process theories explain the dynamics of how people make choices in an effort to obtain desired rewards. Environmentally based theories explain the actions and motivations of individuals in the context of external factors not immediately under the individual’s control.

125. Explain the Hackman and Oldham model of work design for organizational effectiveness.

Response should identify the four major segments of the model: critical psychological states, core job characteristics, moderating variables, and outcomes. Three critical psychological states drive the model: experienced meaningfulness, experienced responsibility, and knowledge of results. Response should elaborate on these states. Response should also

identify and elaborate the 5 core job characteristics that impact the critical psychological states: task significance, task identity, skill variety, autonomy, and feedback from the job. An advanced response would note that quality is related to all 5 of these characteristics.126. Discuss the current status of labor relations in the TQ environment. What roles should labor relations managers and union leaders play?

Response should focus on the more cooperative position of labor relations in the TQ environment. Advanced responses might elaborate on current legislative activities that address joint management-labor teamwork.

127. Identify the Baldrige category that relates to human resource management. Identify and describe the examination items and key management processes that comprise the category.

As of 1998, Baldrige category 5.0 was entitled Human Resource Focus. Examination items addressed the design of high-performance work systems; education, training, and development; and employee well-being and satisfaction. Responses should agree with the current version of the Criteria—this particular category is subject to frequent revision.

128. There is growing belief that people represent a company’s only real source of sustainable competitive advantage. Argue to support this assertion.

Response should focus on the characteristics of human resources that would allow a competitive advantage to be sustainable over time. Sustainable advantage requires that a firm’s value-creating activities cannot be easily imitated. Of all factors of production available to the firm, it is perhaps only factors related to people that can be converted into specific, idiosyncratic assets that a firm can employ over long periods of time without competitive erosion.

129. Compare and contrast the human resource practices appropriate for firms pursuing a) a cost leadership strategy, b) an innovation strategy. Focus on practices related to staffing, appraising, compensating, and training/development.

Responses should reflect two significantly different sets of human resource activities. A cost leadership strategy invites human resource practices that promote routines, structure, repetition, risk aversion, and stability. In contrast, an innovation strategy invites practices that promote creativity, flexibility, change-making, and risk-taking.

130. Identify at least 3 approaches leading companies take when training employees.

Leading training practices include top-down training, formal training departments, outside consultants, and self-paced methods (such as interactive video).

131. Identify five types of teams available to an organization and the context in which they are best applied.

Quality circles are teams of workers and supervisors that meet regularly to address workplace problems involving quality and productivity. Problem-solving teams gather to solve a specific problem and then disband. Management teams consist mainly of managers from various functions like sales and production that coordinate work among teams. Work teams are organized to perform entire jobs, rather than specialized, assembly line-type

work. Project teams have a specific mission to develop something new or to accomplish a complex task. Virtual teams communicate by computer, take turns as leaders, and jump in and out as necessary.

132. Are quality circles most appropriately applied towards the organization’s ‘vital few’ or ‘useful many’ problems. Defend your choice.

Quality circles are most appropriate for the useful many problems. Department workers and their supervisors are best able to identify, analyze, and solve problems in their immediate area. In most organizations, there are many of these problems, but each problem has relatively low payback potential. In most organizations, the most costly problems are the one that span multiple departments or functions. These problems are likely chronic—in part because the existing organizational structure does not specify any single entity with problem solving responsibility. Such problems are smaller in number, but large in payback (the ‘vital few’). Such problems are best handled by cross-functional teams of managers that have the responsibility and the access to resources to successfully solve the problem.

133. Discuss the reasons why quality circles have not been totally successful in many U.S. organizations.

Responses can cite a range of reasons that primarily relate to management. Many quality circle attempts have been viewed by employees as ‘flavor of the month’ fads. Frequently, management has assigned quality circles with problems or missions beyond the capability of team members. Sometimes managers have expected results too quickly. Finally, management sometimes does not anticipate the natural resistance to change that occurs with new initiatives—particularly those that challenge existing defined work structures similar to those established in many traditionally managed organizations.

134. Describe each of the following types of teams:

a. Problem-solvingb. Management teamsc. Work teamsd. Virtual teams

Problem solving teams gather to solve a specified problem and then disband. Management teams have few, if any, labor representatives. Management teams are usually of the problem-solving variety, and are cross-functional. Work teams are groups of workers from a common department or area that work on problems or concerns in their area. Virtual teams, an emerging team type, may meet infrequently face-to-face. Virtual teams interact via computers in order to accomplish a project-like task.

135. Discuss the similarities and differences between self-managed teams and quality circles.

Both types of teams are composed of workers and supervisors from a common area or department. However, the charter of quality circles is limited to identifying and solving problems. Self-managed teams have a larger scope. In addition to solving problems, self-managed teams have total responsibility for accomplishing their assigned operation—including authority for planning work and resources.

136. Identify at least four characteristics that should be exhibited by customer-focused employees.

Customer-focused employees should exhibit: the ability to remain calm under pressure, optimism and people-orientation, the ability to listen well, orientation towards analysis and prevention, and the ability to solve problems.