31. Which of the following best describes a cultural steward?
A. Shapes the organization.
B. Delivers results with integrity.
C. Facilitates change.
D. Recognizes business trends and their impact on the business.
Cultural steward facilitates change, develops and values the culture and helps employees navigate the culture.
32. A strategic architect is one who:
A. facilitates change.
B. recognizes business trends and their impact on the business.
C. implements workplace policies conducive to work environment.
D. develops talent and designs reward systems.
A strategic architect is one who recognizes business trends and their impact on the business and develops people strategies that contribute to the business strategy.
33. Giving employees online access to information about HR issues such as training, benefits, and compensation is known as:
A. outsourcing.
B. continuous learning.
C. self-service.
D. strategic planning.
Self-service refers to giving employees online access to information about HR issues such as training, benefits, compensation, and contracts; enrolling online in programs and services; and completing online attitude surveys.
34. The practice of having another company (a vendor, third-party provider, consultant) provide services traditionally associated with the administrative role of HR is known as:
A. e-commerce.
B. empowering.
C. outsourcing.
D. benchmarking.
The primary reasons for outsourcing are to save money and spend more time on strategic business issues.
35. Traditionally, the HRM department was primarily a(n):
A. proactive agency.
B. finance expert.
C. employer advocate.
D. administrative expert.
The HRM department took care of employee problems, made sure employees were paid correctly, administered labor contracts, and avoided legal problems.
36. Which of the following statements about evidence-based HR is FALSE?
A. It helps show that the money invested in HR programs is justified and that HR is contributing to the company's goals and objectives.
B. It emphasizes that HR is being transformed from a broad corporate competency to a specialized, stand-alone function in which human resources and line managers build partnerships to gain competitive advantage.
C. It requires collecting data on such metrics as productivity, turnover, accidents, employee attitudes and medical costs and showing their relationship with HR practices.
D. It refers to demonstrating that human resources practices have a positive influence on the company's bottom line or key stakeholders.
A study concludes that human resources is being transformed from a specialized, stand-alone function to a broad corporate competency in which human resources and line managers build partnerships to gain competitive advantage.
37. Which one of the following statements about the HR profession is FALSE?
A. A college degree is required of HR specialists, but not of generalists.
B. Generalists usually perform the full range of HRM activities, including recruiting, training, compensation, and employee relations.
C. Professional certification in HRM is less common than membership in professional associations.
D. The primary professional organization for HRM is the Society for Human Resource Management.
A college degree is required of all HR professionals.
38. All of the following competitive challenges faced by companies will increase the importance of human resource management EXCEPT:
A. the global challenge.
B. the challenge of sustainability.
C. the political challenge.
D. the technology challenge.
Three competitive challenges that companies now face will increase the importance of human resource management practices: the challenge of sustainability, the global challenge, the technology challenge.
39. _____ refers to the ability of a company to survive and succeed in a dynamic competitive environment.
A. Outsourcing
B. Empowerment
C. Sustainability
D. Resource management
Sustainability refers to a company's ability to make a profit without sacrificing the resources of its employees, the community, or the environment.
40. Sustainability includes all of the following EXCEPT:
A. expanding into foreign markets.
B. the ability to deal with economic and social changes.
C. engaging in responsible and ethical business practices.
D. providing high-quality products and services.
Expanding into foreign markets falls under the global challenge.