Because in most organizations there is a hierarchy of goals, employee performance standards should

HRM Chapter Six Quiz Questions

The process of evaluating an employee's current and/or past performance relative to his or her performance standards is called ________.
A) recruitment
B) employee selection
C) performance appraisal
D) organizational development

When goal setting, performance appraisal, and development are consolidated into a single, common system designed to ensure that employee performance supports a company's strategy, it is called ________.
A) strategic organizational development
B) performan

Managers following a traditional performance appraisal system will typically meet with employees on a ________ basis.
A) weekly
B) monthly
C) bi-monthly
D) yearly

Which of the following is not one of the guidelines for effective goal setting?
A) assign specific goals
B) assign measurable goals
C) assign challenging but doable goals
D) assign consequences for performance

Assign consequences for performance

The "S" in the acronym for SMART goals stands for ________.
A) specific
B) straightforward
C) strategic
D) support

The "M" in the acronym for SMART goals stands for ________.
A) moderate
B) measurable
C) meaningful
D) merit

The "A" in the acronym for SMART goals stands for ________.
A) actionable
B) appropriate
C) attainable
D) asset

Participatively set goals result in higher performance than assigned goals when the ________.
A) participatively set goals are more difficult
B) assigned goals are more difficult
C) rewards are also higher
D) goals are doable

Participatively set goals are more difficult

When using goal setting in performance management, the goals should be ________.
A) difficult
B) doable
C) specific
D) All of the above.

Who is the primary person responsible for doing the actual appraising of an employee's performance?
A) the employee's direct supervisor
B) the company appraiser
C) the EEO contact person
D) None of the above.

The employee's direct supervisor

Because in most organizations there is a hierarchy of goals, employee performance standards should ________.
A) be standard
B) make sense in terms of the broader organizational goals
C) be decided by the top executive
D) All of the above

Make sense in terms of the broader organizational goals

Which of the following is a reason to appraise subordinates' performance?
A) appraisals provide important data for promotion and salary decisions
B) appraisal let supervisors and subordinates develop plans to correct performance deficiencies
C) appraisals

Besides the supervisor, which of the following is available to managers as an alternative source of performance appraisal information?
A) peers
B) rating committees
C) the employee
D) All of the above.

Which of the following is a valid appraisal source?
A) self-ratings
B) 360-degree feedback
C) subordinates
D) All of the above.

Which of the following is a way to increase 360-degree appraisals?
A) anchor the 360-degree items with behavioral competencies
B) assess the costs of the program and carefully train the people giving and receiving feedback
C) make sure the feedback given

Anchor the 360-degree items with behavioral competencies

Which performance appraisal technique lists traits and a range of performance?
A) alternation ranking
B) graphic rating scale
C) Likert
D) MBO
E) constant sum rating scale

The ________ method of performance appraisal involves listing all the subordinates to be rated, indicating the employee who is the highest on each characteristic being measured and who is the lowest, and then alternating between the next highest and lowes

Alternation ranking refers to an appraisal method, which ________.
A) is based on progress made toward the accomplishment of measurable goals
B) requires that the supervisor keep a log of positive and negative examples of a subordinate's work-related beha

Involves listing all the subordinates to be rated, indicating the employee who is the highest on each characteristic being measured and who is the lowest, and then alternating between the next highest and lowest until all employees have been ranked.

Suppose you have five employees to rate. You make a chart of all possible pairs of employees for each trait being evaluated. Then, you indicate the better employee of the pair for each pair. Finally, you add up the number of positives for each employee. I

Forced distribution refers to an appraisal method, which ________.
A) is based on progress made toward the accomplishment of measurable goals
B) combines the benefits of narratives, critical incidents, and quantified scales by assigning scale points with

Requires a supervisor to evaluate performance by assigning predetermined percentages of those being rated into performance categories

When a supervisor evaluates performance by assigning predetermined percentages of ratees into performance categories, he or she has used the ________ method of performance appraisal.
A) constant sum ranking scale
B) alternation ranking
C) paired compariso

John, the supervisor of the manufacturing department, is in the process of evaluating his staff's performance. He has determined that 15% of the group will be identified as high performers, 20% as above average performers, 30% as average performers, 20% a

Which of the following measurement methods rates employee performance relative to other employees?
A) graphic rating scale
B) forced distribution
C) Likert scale
D) critical incident method

Which of the following is a criticism of the forced distribution method?
A) it damages morale
B) it promotes unfairly
C) it promotes those who play the game well
D) None of the above.

To protect against bias claims when using the forced distribution method employers should ________.
A) appoint a review committee to review any employee's low ranking
B) train raters to be objective
C) consider using multiple raters in conjunction with th

With the ________ method, the supervisor keeps a log of positive and negative examples of a subordinate's work-related behavior.
A) alternation ranking
B) constant sums rating
C) narrative forms
D) critical incident

The critical incident technique refers to an appraisal method, which ________.
A) is based on progress made toward the accomplishment of measurable goals
B) combines the benefits of narratives, critical incidents, and quantified scales by assigning scale

requires that the supervisor keep a log of positive and negative examples of a subordinate's work-related behavior

All of the following are advantages of using the critical incident method for appraising performance except that:
A) it provides examples of good performance.
B) it does not include a numerical rating.
C) it provides examples of poor performance.
D) incid

It does not include a numerical rating

Which appraisal method combines the benefits of narratives, critical incidents, and quantified scales by assigning scale points with specific examples of good or poor performance?
A) behaviorally anchored rating scale
B) graphic rating scale
C) alternatio

Behaviorally anchored rating scale

Behaviorally anchored rating scale (BARS) refers to an appraisal method, which ________.
A) is based on progress made toward the accomplishment of measurable goals
B) combines the benefits of narratives, critical incidents, and quantified scales by assign

combines the benefits of narratives, critical incidents, and quantified scales by assigning scale points with specific examples of good or poor performance

Management by objectives (MBO) refers to an appraisal method, which ________.
A) is based on progress made toward the accomplishment of measurable goals
B) combines the benefits of narratives, critical incidents, and quantified scales by assigning scale p

is based on progress made toward the accomplishment of measurable goals

What is the first step in the Management by Objectives Method?
A) set the organization's goals
B) set departmental goals
C) discuss departmental goals
D) define expected results

Set the organization's goals

What is the second step in the Management by Objectives Method?
A) set the organization's goals
B) set departmental goals
C) discuss departmental goals
D) define expected results

What is the third step in the Management by Objectives Method?
A) set the organization's goals
B) set departmental goals
C) discuss departmental goals
D) define expected results

Discuss departmental goals

What is the fourth step in the Management by Objectives Method?
A) set the organization's goals
B) set departmental goals
C) discuss departmental goals
D) define expected results

What is the fifth step in the Management by Objectives Method?
A) conduct performance reviews and measure the results
B) set departmental goals
C) discuss departmental goals
D) define expected results

Conduct performance reviews and measure the results

In how many ways is performance management different from performance appraisal?
A) 4
B) 3
C) 2
D) None

Which of the following is a reason for the use of performance management in organizations?
A) it contributes to total quality
B) it is better than performance appraisal
C) it is important because it helps in strategic planning
D) All of the above.

What is the last step in the Management by Objectives Method?
A) provide feedback
B) set departmental goals
C) discuss departmental goals
D) define expected results

When different supervisors define levels of performance (good, fair, poor) differently, unfair appraisals could result due to a problem with ________.
A) unclear standards
B) halo effects
C) complexity
D) leniency

________ is defined as the influence of a rater's general impression on ratings of specific ratee qualities.
A) Impression management
B) Halo effect
C) Central tendency
D) Bias

Jason is generally considered unfriendly at work. His supervisor rates him low on the trait "gets along well with others" but also rates him lower on other traits unrelated to socialization at work. Jason's performance appraisal may be unfair due to _____

Some supervisors, when filling in rating scales, tend to avoid the highs and lows on the scale and rate most people in the middle. This ________ means that all employees may be rated average.
A) stereotyping
B) central tendency
C) strictness
D) leniency

The best way of reducing the problem of central tendency in performance appraisals is to ________.
A) rank employees
B) be aware of the problem
C) train supervisors to avoid it
D) consider the purpose of the appraisal

The ________ problem occurs when supervisors tend to rate all their subordinates consistently high.
A) leniency
B) strictness
C) bias
D) halo effect

The ________ problem occurs when supervisors tend to rate all their subordinates consistently low.
A) central tendency
B) leniency
C) strictness
D) bias

One personality study focused on how individual traits influenced the evaluations that students gave their peers. Raters who scored higher on ________ tended to give their peers lower ratings.
A) agreeableness
B) extroversion
C) conscientiousness
D) openn

Which personality trait is associated with performance appraisal ratings that are too lenient?
A) agreeableness
B) extroversion
C) conscientiousness
D) openness

One way of reducing the problems of leniency or strictness in performance appraisals is to ________.
A) rank employees
B) be aware of the problem
C) train supervisors to avoid it
D) consider the purpose of the appraisal

When an employee's personal characteristics such as gender influence a supervisor's evaluation of his or her performance, the problem of ________ has occurred.
A) bias
B) stereotyping
C) central tendency
D) halo affect

Which of the following could result in a legally questionable appraisal process?
A) conduct a job analysis to establish criteria and standards for successful performance
B) base appraisals on subjective supervisory observations
C) administer and score app

Base appraisals on subjective supervisory observations

Who is in the best position to observe and evaluate an employee's performance for the purposes of a performance appraisal?
A) peers
B) rating committees
C) top management
D) immediate supervisor

Performance appraisals may be conducted by ________.
A) the immediate supervisor
B) peers
C) rating committees
D) All of the above.

Rating committees, made up of an employee's immediate supervisor along with other supervisors, usually have ________ other members.
A) 1-2
B) 3-4
C) 6-7
D) 8-9

Peer appraisals have been shown to result in a(n) ________.
A) reduction of social loafing in the team
B) reduction of group cohesion
C) decrease in satisfaction with the group
D) tendency to inaccurately predict who would be promoted

Reduction of social loafing in the team

What usually occurs when employees rate themselves in a performance appraisal?
A) interrater reliability is higher
B) appraisals are subject to halo effects
C) ratings are higher than when rated by supervisors or peers
D) ratings are about the same as whe

Ratings are higher than when rated by supervisors or peers

Firms that use ________ let subordinates anonymously rate their supervisor's performance.
A) downward feedback
B) upward feedback
C) narratives
D) critical incidents

What process allows top management to diagnose the management styles of supervisors, identify potential "people" problems, and take corrective action with individual supervisors as necessary?
A) strategic performance appraisal
B) organizational developmen

When subordinates provide feedback for supervisors, the comments should be anonymous because identifiable responses tend to result in more ________.
A) critical ratings
B) negative attitudes from managers receiving the feedback
C) inflated ratings
D) All

________ is a process for enabling employees to better understand and develop their career skills and interests and to use these skills and interests most effectively within the company and afterwards.
A) Organizational development
B) Career management
C)

Career management refers to the ________.
A) the lifelong series of activities that contributes to a person's career exploration, establishment, success, and fulfillment
B) process for enabling employees to better understand and develop their career skill

process for enabling employees to better understand and develop their career skills and interests and to use these skills and interests most effectively within the company and afterwards

The lifelong series of activities that contributes to a person's career exploration, establishment, success, and fulfillment is called ________.
A) organizational development
B) career management
C) career development
D) career planning

Career development refers to the ________.
A) process through which someone becomes aware of personal skills, interests, knowledge, motivations; acquires information about opportunities; identifies career goals; and establishes action plans to attain thos

the lifelong series of activities that contributes to a person's career exploration, establishment, success, and fulfillment

Career planning refers to the ________.
A) process through which someone becomes aware of personal skills, interests, knowledge, motivations; acquires information about opportunities; identifies career goals; and establishes action plans to attain those g

Process through which someone becomes aware of personal skills, interests, knowledge, motivations; acquires information about opportunities; identifies career goals; and establishes action plans to attain those goals

The process through which someone becomes aware of personal skills, interests, knowledge, motivations; acquires information about opportunities; identifies career goals; and establishes action plans to attain those goals is called ________.
A) organizatio

Jackie is working with a coach to identify her personal skills and interests. Then she plans to get information about opportunities that fit her skills and interests and set career goals for what she seeks to accomplish. Jackie is in the midst of ________

Who is responsible for the planning, guiding, and developing an employee's career?
A) the immediate supervisor
B) the employee
C) the organization
D) the development officer

Responsibility for career development should always be left to the ________.
A) employee
B) supervisor
C) manager
D) career success team

Assessing interests, seeking out career information, and utilizing development opportunities are all part of the ________ role in career development.
A) individual's
B) manager's
C) supervisor's
D) company's

When Amanda interviewed for a job with the employment commission, the interviewer warned her that the job could be very stressful with long hours and a lot of bureaucracy. The interviewer was trying to provide ________.
A) reality shock
B) a realistic job

A realistic job interview

Miranda wants to make partner at her law firm. She is worried, though, because everyone understands that 70-hour work weeks are the norm for someone striving to make partner. Miranda wants to be fair to her family as well as excel at work. To address this

eliminating institutional barriers that disproportionately affect women

Which of the following best captures the meaning of the term, glass ceiling?
A) structural, yet subtle barriers in corporate environments which inhibit the rise of talented women to positions of leadership
B) inadequate networking opportunities which resu

structural, yet subtle barriers in corporate environments which inhibit the rise of talented women to positions of leadership

What is another term for 360-degree feedback?
A) feedback loop
B) multi-source feedback
C) upward feedback
D) wheel feedback

When conducting an appraisal interview, supervisors should do all of the following except:
A) compare the person's performance to a standard.
B) encourage the employee to talk.
C) give specific examples of poor performance.
D) compare the person's perform

Compare the person's performance to that of other employees

When a supervisor must criticize a subordinate in an appraisal interview, it is best to ________.
A) hold the meeting with other people who can diffuse the negative situation
B) provide examples of critical incidents
C) acknowledge the supervisor's person

Provide examples of critical incidents

Performance appraisals assume that the employee understood what his or her performance standards were.
True or False

Managers should appraise employees with respect to the specific goals by which he or she expected to be measured.

Setting useful goals is easy to do.

Most managers are very willing and able to set measurable goals for their subordinates.

360-Degree feedback is usually used for developmental purposes rather than pay purposes.

The forced distribution method is sometimes referred to as the "rank and yank" method.

The critical incident method forces supervisors to consider all the important aspects of an employee's performance.

In practice, appraisal forms often blend several approaches to appraisal into one.

Electronic performance monitoring seems to raise employee stress levels.

A properly designed performance management system utilizes yearly meetings to ensure continuous improvement in the employee's capacity and performance.

Goals should be challenging, but not so difficult that they appear impossible or unrealistic.

The evidence suggests that participatively set goals consistently result in higher performance than assigned goals.

The HR department conducts performance appraisals, develops the appraisal tools, and monitors the appraisal system.

Once you have a supervisor to conduct a performance appraisal there is no need to worry about anything else.

The alternation ranking method is the simplest and most popular technique for appraising performance.

Quantitative goals are best.

The forced distribution method is similar to grading on a curve meaning that predetermined percentages of those being rated are placed into performance categories.

The basic problem with rankings is that while it is not difficult to identify the extreme good and bad performers, it is difficult to differentiate meaningfully between the others.

BARS is a rating approach that involves keeping a record of uncommonly good or undesirable examples of an employee's work-related behavior and reviewing it with the employee at predetermined times.

MBO relates an employee's work goals to his or her departmental goals and to the organization's goals.

Electronic performance monitoring (EPM) allows supervisors to electronically monitor the amount of computerized data an employee is process each day.

The advantages of the BARS appraisal tool include accuracy, clear standards, and consistency.

Graphic rating scales are the most reliable for rating performance.

Central tendency is defined as the influence of a rater's general impression on ratings of specific ratee qualities.

Peer appraisals have been shown to have an immediate positive impact on improving task motivation, cohesion, and satisfaction, while reducing social loafing.

Managers who receive feedback from subordinates who identify themselves view the upward appraisal process more negatively than do managers who receive anonymous feedback.

An appraisal interview is used to make plans for new hires as they move through the selection and training process.

Career development is the lifelong series of activities that contributes to a person's career exploration, establishment, success, and fulfillment.

A career is the occupational positions one holds at a single organization.

The employee, the manager, and the employer should all share the responsibility for an employee's career development and career success.

Matching individual strengths and weaknesses with occupational opportunities and threats is the key to the career planning process.

The barriers for women to advance at work are referred to as the glass ceiling because it is so easy to break through it.

360-degree feedback is generally used for development purposes, rather than for pay increases.

360-degree feedback is sometimes called the wheel of feedback because ratings are collected from all around an employee.

Explain what the SMART acronym tells us about goal setting.

SMART stands for specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely. Goals should be specific and the desired result should be clearly stated. The goals should be measurable and answer the question "how much." The goals should be attainable and not to

Why do we have performance management?

Performance management is necessary because it leads to quality improvement, it is more appropriate than performance appraisals and it is an important in strategic planning.

Explain the three steps in the performance appraisal process.

The performance appraisal process itself contains three steps: 1) give the subordinate enough notice to review his or her work, and to compile questions and comments, 2) study his or her job description, compare the employee's performance to his or her st

Explain how an MBO program works and describe the six steps involved in this type of program.

MBO programs basically require managers to set specific and measurable goals with each employee and then to periodically discuss the employee's progress toward these goals. It is usually a comprehensive, organization-wide goal setting and appraisal progra

There are several guidelines for developing an appraisal that is legally defensible. Identify four of these guidelines.

Seven guidelines are given in the text.
� Base performance appraisal criteria on a documented job analysis.
� At the start of the period, communicate performance standards in writing.
� Base appraisals on separate evaluations of each of the job's performa

What is the main difference between performance appraisal and performance management?

Performance management focuses on continuously monitoring and aligning employees' performance with their goals. On the other hand, performance appraisal focuses on evaluating past performance.

What roles and responsibilities should a manager have in an employee's career development?

The manager should provide timely performance feedback, developmental assignments and support. The manager should participate in career development discussions. The manager should support employee development plans.

What steps can organizations take to enhance the promotional and career prospects for their female employees?

There are several steps companies can take to enhance the prospects for women. First, organizations should take the career interests of women employees seriously. They should identify institutional barriers and eliminate them. For instance, requiring late

When using goal setting in performance management The goal should be?

Which of the following performance evaluation technique is closely related to the goal setting theory of motivation?

Which performance appraisal tools require a supervisor keeps a record of uncommonly good and or undesirable examples of an employee's work related behavior?

What are the 3 main reasons that Organisations conduct performance appraisals?