Which action should HR take first when designing a leadership training and development plan for the newly acquired facility?

A well-funded Asian art museum includes a new traditional tea garden that can accommodate both public and private events. Current staff have little understanding of Japanese tea rituals, and the museum is willing to invest in staff development. Which is the best approach HR should recommend to develop cultural awareness and appreciation for the tea garden experience?

a. Travel to Tokyo to experience tea culture and tour tea gardens.
b. Transfer a tea ceremony master from Tokyo to train the event planning staff.
c. Have the team divide assignments to research the tea garden experience by topic and cross-train each other.
d. Conduct internal training on tea culture experience that includes proper behavior.

a. Travel to Tokyo to experience tea culture and tour tea gardens

HR has four tools, often referred to as the 4 Ts, that it can use to influence managerial practices and develop new managerial skills. Travel, training, and transfers are three of the tools. What is the fourth, and what is its purpose?

a. Technology. Mobile applications are making international assignments less isolating and are improving cross-cultural communication.
b. Task orientation. This involves teaching managers to focus on task goals instead of established diversity-based innovations.
c. Tracking. Performance and process evaluation metrics can teach executives to self-manage their cross-cultural skill development.
d. Teams. Working on global teams and international projects helps executives develop cross-cultural management skills.

d. Teams. Working on global teams and international projects helps executives develop cross-cultural management skills.

Which employee action is most likely to contribute to developing a global mindset?

a. Spending time in educational programs abroad
b. Demonstrating motivation to work in another country
c. Learning another language based on organizational locations
d. Completing cultural diversity courses the employer offers

a. Spending time in educational programs abroad

An organization is experiencing a problem with new hires for a specific position leaving the company within the first six to nine months. They previously had several long-term employees in this position, but those employees have retired.
The HR director performs research and determines that several of the employees have joined a competitor. The HR director decides to employ a third-party firm to conduct a salary survey and do a complete review of the job description and a job analysis for the position. Additionally, the HR director performs an internal employee opinion survey in which employees share their belief that the current benefits package lags that of other companies in the area. The results from the third-party survey confirm that the company is lagging the competitor by a large margin in terms of compensation and that the benefits package is no longer competitive.
The departure of the new hires, many going to a competitor, shortly after starting the job is a cause for concern. Which recommendation should the HR director make in order for the organization to see an immediate reduction in the turnover?
Answers
A. Increasing new-hire starting salaries by 20% because the competitor is paying its employees more
B. Reviewing the job description for accuracy since that is the only important factor
C. Reviewing the hiring process and ensuring that hiring managers are interviewing correctly
D. Partnering with managers to review the job description and conducting interview and onboarding training

D. Partnering with managers to review the job description and conducting interview and onboarding training

An organization is experiencing a problem with new hires for a specific position leaving the company within the first six to nine months. They previously had several long-term employees in this position, but those employees have retired.
The HR director performs research and determines that several of the employees have joined a competitor. The HR director decides to employ a third-party firm to conduct a salary survey and do a complete review of the job description and a job analysis for the position. Additionally, the HR director performs an internal employee opinion survey in which employees share their belief that the current benefits package lags that of other companies in the area. The results from the third-party survey confirm that the company is lagging the competitor by a large margin in terms of compensation and that the benefits package is no longer competitive.
The HR director recommends to the executive team that increasing pay and benefits is necessary to remain competitive in the market. They agree. Which action should the HR director take to determine if the organization is realizing benefit from the proposed solution?

A. Monitoring the employee departure rate to see if it declines in six months
B. Communicating to managers that a plan has been implemented to reduce departures
C. Conducting stay interviews with employees to periodically review benefit offerings and track retention rates
D. Reviewing the next cycle of performance evaluations to confirm whether goals are being achieved

C. Conducting stay interviews with employees to periodically review benefit offerings and track retention rates

An organization is experiencing a problem with new hires for a specific position leaving the company within the first six to nine months. They previously had several long-term employees in this position, but those employees have retired.
The HR director performs research and determines that several of the employees have joined a competitor. The HR director decides to employ a third-party firm to conduct a salary survey and do a complete review of the job description and a job analysis for the position. Additionally, the HR director performs an internal employee opinion survey in which employees share their belief that the current benefits package lags that of other companies in the area. The results from the third-party survey confirm that the company is lagging the competitor by a large margin in terms of compensation and that the benefits package is no longer competitive.
It has also been discovered that managers are not providing candidates with an accurate representation of the day-to-day activities in the positions they are interviewing for. Which action should the HR director take to help hiring managers understand the criticality of a realistic job preview?

A. Recommending that all hiring managers be placed on a performance improvement plan for their interviewing shortcomings
B. Conducting refresher training for experienced managers and more in-depth training for new managers on effective interviewing
C. Partnering with managers to review current job descriptions to create a representation of the typical workday
D. Discussing with managers the importance of accurate representations in the interview, turnover costs, and their questions

D. Discussing with managers the importance of accurate representations in the interview, turnover costs, and their questions

An organization is experiencing a problem with new hires for a specific position leaving the company within the first six to nine months. They previously had several long-term employees in this position, but those employees have retired.
The HR director performs research and determines that several of the employees have joined a competitor. The HR director decides to employ a third-party firm to conduct a salary survey and do a complete review of the job description and a job analysis for the position. Additionally, the HR director performs an internal employee opinion survey in which employees share their belief that the current benefits package lags that of other companies in the area. The results from the third-party survey confirm that the company is lagging the competitor by a large margin in terms of compensation and that the benefits package is no longer competitive.
While a need to offer additional employee benefits in order to be competitive in the market has been identified, the HR director is concerned that not all employees will value or make use of them. Which first step should the HR director take in determining the most appropriate benefits to include?

A. Waiting for more input from departing employees, because they won't leave a job based solely on benefits
B. Conducting a company-wide survey to identify which benefits employees express interest in, value, or would likely use
C. Choosing to eliminate or offer some of the benefits based on cost savings only
D. Offering all benefits in question and later reviewing and modifying or dropping programs based upon interest

B. Conducting a company-wide survey to identify which benefits employees express interest in, value, or would likely use

Effective global organizations recognize the value of travel in developing cultural awareness and appreciation. Why might short-term travel assignments be less effective in achieving these goals?

a. Short-term assignments tend to be on teams, which can remain insular.
b. The shorter the travel assignment, the shorter the time its positive effects remain.
c. Coping with cultural differences and overcoming culture shock takes time and multiple exposures.
d. Up-front costs of any travel make shorter assignments less cost-effective than long-term assignments.

c. Coping with cultural differences and overcoming culture shock takes time and multiple exposures.

Which two tendencies are critical to acquiring a global mindset?

a. Ethnocentrism and self-satisfaction
b. Parochialism and exclusiveness
c. Cosmopolitanism and sophistication
d. Curiosity and change acceptance

d. Curiosity and change acceptance

Scenario 2
Which is the best first step for the VP of HR to take to assist in preparing a new workforce strategy?

A. Researching the local and country labor laws and customs in order to prepare a workforce strategy and making all decisions by himself
B. Engaging a consultant with expertise in local and country laws and customs to help in preparing a workforce strategy
C. Contacting the organization's local sales representative for advice on the local labor force and how best to approach integrating the organizations
D. Using the organization's current workforce strategy as a guide to developing a workforce strategy for the new location

B. Engaging a consultant with expertise in local and country laws and customs to help in preparing a workforce strategy

Scenario 2
What action should HR take first that would allow for retention of the greatest number of employees?

A. Increasing all employees' compensation so the organization will be a market leader in all locations
B. Researching Hofstede's value dimensions to appeal to the dimension of uncertainty avoidance
C. Collaborating with leaders to develop a customized approach to retention for each key employee
D. Offering employees seniority-based incentives to remain until the acquisition is complete

C. Collaborating with leaders to develop a customized approach to retention for each key employee

Scenario 2
Which action should HR take first when designing a leadership training and development plan for the newly acquired facility?

A. Implementing the domestic leadership development plan as a model, as this is now one company and everyone should develop the same skill sets
B. Interviewing the former president of the newly acquired facility for an assessment of staff leadership needs and, based on that, implementing the plan
C. Conducting a full gap analysis between current and future leadership needs of the new facility and then designing a plan to meet those needs
D. Asking the newly acquired employees what type of training they feel they need in order to best integrate with the rest of the organization

C. Conducting a full gap analysis between current and future leadership needs of the new facility and then designing a plan to meet those needs

Scenario 2
What action should HR take to improve morale after the implementation of efficiencies occur and the resulting reductions in force take place?

A. Implementing team building that focuses on communication and redesigning the group structure and process for the remaining employees
B. Providing employees with specific examples of behaviors that are appreciated as well as those that will not be tolerated
C. Tracking annual employee survey results for significant changes in employee attitudes over the course of the next two years
D. Ensuring that the company's wages and benefits are internally equitable at all locations, increasing them as necessary

A. Implementing team building that focuses on communication and redesigning the group structure and process for the remaining employees

Which attribute would be considered part of implicit culture?

a. Languages spoken
b. Pace of life
c. Food and drink
d. Views toward power

d. Views toward power

What term has been coined for the process of charting a course to address cultural differences?

a. Parochialism
b. Determinism
c. Cultural relativism
d. Dilemma reconciliation

d. Dilemma reconciliation

How is culture generally characterized?

a. Shared system of values, beliefs, and attitudes
b. Ethical behaviors determined by local laws and business practices
c. Factors that change significantly with each new generation
d. Multidimensional perspective that is inclusive of others' views

a. Shared system of values, beliefs, and attitudes

Soon after a new HR manager begins working at a manufacturing plant, an employee stops by the HR manager's office and places $500 on the HR manager's desk. The employee indicates that the HR manager is the winner of the plant's monthly lottery, and since the HR manager is new, the employees who participate decided to not make the HR manager pay to enter the lottery. The HR manager is uncomfortable accepting the money because it might violate the company's anti-gambling policy and asks if the money can be added to the lottery for the following month.
Later, the HR manager reviews the corporate policy on gambling and finds that it is not clear. The HR manager consults with the corporate HR director, who tells the HR manager that local laws about gambling are ambiguous and a new policy should be adopted at the plant banning such activities. The HR manager informs the plant manager, who becomes very upset and indicates that the lottery is a long-standing tradition that boosts employee morale. The plant manager advises the HR manager to allow the lottery until the end of the year, given that the existing company policy and local laws are ambiguous.
How should the HR manager respond to the plant manager's suggestion?

A. Ask the plant manager to raise the issue with the corporate HR director.
B. Tell the plant manager that the lottery must stop as indicated by the corporate HR director.
C. Schedule a meeting with the corporate HR director and the plant manager to discuss the issue.
D. Send the plant manager the policy and law so the plant manager can understand the need to stop the lottery.

C. Schedule a meeting with the corporate HR director and the plant manager to discuss the issue.

Soon after a new HR manager begins working at a manufacturing plant, an employee stops by the HR manager's office and places $500 on the HR manager's desk. The employee indicates that the HR manager is the winner of the plant's monthly lottery, and since the HR manager is new, the employees who participate decided to not make the HR manager pay to enter the lottery. The HR manager is uncomfortable accepting the money because it might violate the company's anti-gambling policy and asks if the money can be added to the lottery for the following month.
Later, the HR manager reviews the corporate policy on gambling and finds that it is not clear. The HR manager consults with the corporate HR director, who tells the HR manager that local laws about gambling are ambiguous and a new policy should be adopted at the plant banning such activities. The HR manager informs the plant manager, who becomes very upset and indicates that the lottery is a long-standing tradition that boosts employee morale. The plant manager advises the HR manager to allow the lottery until the end of the year, given that the existing company policy and local laws are ambiguous.
Once the new policy goes into effect, many employees are upset with the HR manager and develop a negative attitude toward HR. What should the HR manager do to develop and maintain mutual trust and respect with employees?

A. Walk around the plant to talk to employees and get to know them better.
B. Meet with the corporate HR director to identify a legally acceptable activity to replace the lottery.
C. Organize a company-sponsored picnic for all employees and their families.
D. Organize one-on-one interviews with employees to discuss what the HR manager can do better.

A. Walk around the plant to talk to employees and get to know them better.

Soon after a new HR manager begins working at a manufacturing plant, an employee stops by the HR manager's office and places $500 on the HR manager's desk. The employee indicates that the HR manager is the winner of the plant's monthly lottery, and since the HR manager is new, the employees who participate decided to not make the HR manager pay to enter the lottery. The HR manager is uncomfortable accepting the money because it might violate the company's anti-gambling policy and asks if the money can be added to the lottery for the following month.
Later, the HR manager reviews the corporate policy on gambling and finds that it is not clear. The HR manager consults with the corporate HR director, who tells the HR manager that local laws about gambling are ambiguous and a new policy should be adopted at the plant banning such activities. The HR manager informs the plant manager, who becomes very upset and indicates that the lottery is a long-standing tradition that boosts employee morale. The plant manager advises the HR manager to allow the lottery until the end of the year, given that the existing company policy and local laws are ambiguous.
What should the HR manager do to encourage compliance with the new policy?

A. Install surveillance cameras throughout the plant to monitor employees' behavior.
B. Have informal discussions with employees asking about whether anyone is holding lotteries.
C. Write an article in the company newsletter outlining the reasons why the policy is beneficial.
D. Hang posters throughout the company outlining the disciplinary procedures if anyone breaks the policy.

C. Write an article in the company newsletter outlining the reasons why the policy is beneficial.

Which communication method is more likely to be effective in high-context cultures?

a. Written
b. Face-to-face
c. Multimedia presentations
d. E-mail

b. Face-to-face

Which culture is more likely to prefer a verbal agreement or handshake to a detailed contract?

a. Ascriptive
b. Universalist
c. Outer-directed
d. Particularist

d. Particularist

A manager at a large company e-mails the HR director asking for assistance. An employee on the manager's team will soon undergo a gender transition, and the employee plans to continue working during the transition. The employee is highly valued in the information technology department and is co-leading a project with a specialized consultant. The consultant is one of only two in the country who specialize in the area of the project. In the e-mail to the HR director, the manager indicates that other members of the team are aware of the employee's upcoming gender transition. In private discussions with the manager, some team members, including the consultant, have expressed a high level of discomfort regarding the situation. The manager would like the HR director's advice on how to handle the situation.
What action should the HR director recommend to the manager regarding the employees who have expressed discomfort about the situation?

A. Schedule a team meeting so that the transitioning employee can answer the questions of the other team members.
B. Meet with each employee who expressed discomfort individually to review the company's policy on diversity and inclusion.
C. Encourage the transitioning employee to set up private meetings with each team member to talk about their concerns.
D. Provide training to the team members who have expressed discomfort on how to interact with the employee during the transition.

B. Meet with each employee who expressed discomfort individually to review the company's policy on diversity and inclusion.

A manager at a large company e-mails the HR director asking for assistance. An employee on the manager's team will soon undergo a gender transition, and the employee plans to continue working during the transition. The employee is highly valued in the information technology department and is co-leading a project with a specialized consultant. The consultant is one of only two in the country who specialize in the area of the project. In the e-mail to the HR director, the manager indicates that other members of the team are aware of the employee's upcoming gender transition. In private discussions with the manager, some team members, including the consultant, have expressed a high level of discomfort regarding the situation. The manager would like the HR director's advice on how to handle the situation.
Several employees approach the HR director to express concerns about which bathroom the transitioning employee should use. Which action should the HR director take?

A. Assign the transitioning employee to a gender-neutral bathroom during and after the transition.
B. Identify a private bathroom on site that the transitioning employee can use during the transition.
C. Tell all employees that they are able to use any available bathroom regardless of posted signage.
D. Tell the transitioning employee to use whichever bathroom is preferable to the employee.

D. Tell the transitioning employee to use whichever bathroom is preferable to the employee.

A manager at a large company e-mails the HR director asking for assistance. An employee on the manager's team will soon undergo a gender transition, and the employee plans to continue working during the transition. The employee is highly valued in the information technology department and is co-leading a project with a specialized consultant. The consultant is one of only two in the country who specialize in the area of the project. In the e-mail to the HR director, the manager indicates that other members of the team are aware of the employee's upcoming gender transition. In private discussions with the manager, some team members, including the consultant, have expressed a high level of discomfort regarding the situation. The manager would like the HR director's advice on how to handle the situation.
Citing religious reasons, the consultant refuses to acknowledge the employee's new gender and continues to reference the employee's previous gender. This has offended the employee and impacted the progress of the project. What action should the HR director take?

A. Meet with the employee and the consultant to help them work out their differences of opinion.
B. Inform all team members that they have the right to practice their religion as they see fit.
C. Meet with the consultant to discuss ways to observe religious beliefs without impacting the project.
D. Assign an employee to serve as a liaison between the consultant and the transitioning employee.

C. Meet with the consultant to discuss ways to observe religious beliefs without impacting the project.

A manager at a large company e-mails the HR director asking for assistance. An employee on the manager's team will soon undergo a gender transition, and the employee plans to continue working during the transition. The employee is highly valued in the information technology department and is co-leading a project with a specialized consultant. The consultant is one of only two in the country who specialize in the area of the project. In the e-mail to the HR director, the manager indicates that other members of the team are aware of the employee's upcoming gender transition. In private discussions with the manager, some team members, including the consultant, have expressed a high level of discomfort regarding the situation. The manager would like the HR director's advice on how to handle the situation.
A group of employees approaches the HR director to present a detailed plan for a company-wide campaign focused on supporting employees who have undergone or would like to undergo a gender transition. What should the HR director do next?

A. Conduct focus groups with a random sample of employees to discuss the details of the campaign.
B. Conduct an anonymous survey to learn how other employees feel about such a campaign.
C. Meet with senior executives to find out if they would be supportive of such a campaign.
D. Contact HR directors at other companies to learn if they have ever engaged in such a campaign.

C. Meet with senior executives to find out if they would be supportive of such a campaign.

What is the term for a set of beliefs, attitudes, values, and behaviors shared by members of a large group and passed down from one generation to the next?

a. Globalization
b. Assimilation
c. Global mindset
d. Culture

d. Culture

What is the first action for HR to take to begin to support this business initiative?

What should the HR manager do first to facilitate better integration of expatriates ie employees transferred from abroad and local employees?

Which method should the HR director use to educate the HR staff on legal requirements?

Which aspect of communication is a primary focus in low context cultures?