41. The technique that ranks employees into predetermined categories or groups according to performance is called:
A. forced distribution.
B. high/low ranking system.
C. paired comparison.
D. strictness.
The forced distribution method uses a ranking format. In forced distribution employees are grouped into three, four, or five categories usually of unequal size indicating the best workers, the worst workers, and one or more categories in between.
42. Companies that have clear goals and management criteria, train evaluators, use the rankings along with other HR metrics, and reward good performance find the following ranking technique useful.
A. Paired comparison
B. High/low ranking system
C. Forced distribution
D. Strictness
The forced distribution method also uses a ranking format, but employees are ranked in groups. This technique requires the manager to put certain percentages of employees into predetermined categories.
43. The _____ method requires managers to compare every employee with every other employee in the work group, giving an employee a score of 1 every time he/she is considered the high performer.
A. partner measurement
B. mixed-standard scales
C. forced distribution
D. paired comparison
The paired comparison method tends to be time-consuming for managers and will become more so as organizations become flatter with an increased span of control.
44. Company XYZ is facing problems of and has to make administrative decisions of promotions in order to address its requirement of more mid-level managers. Which performance management approach should it follow?
A. Attribute approach
B. Comparative approach
C. Behavioral approach
D. Quality approach
The comparative approach to performance measurement requires the rater to compare an individual's performance with that of others. It is easy to develop, easy to use; thus, often accepted by users.
45. The approach to measure and manage performance that focuses on the extent to which individuals possess desirable characteristics is called the:
A. attribute approach.
B. leadership approach.
C. personality approach.
D. performance approach.
The techniques that use attribute approach define a set of traits—such as initiative, leadership, and competitiveness—and evaluate individuals on them.
46. Which attribute approach to performance management is the most frequently used?
A. Behaviorally anchored rating scales
B. Mixed standard scales
C. Behavior observation scales
D. Graphic rating scales
Graphic rating scales can provide a number of different points (a discrete scale) or a continuum along which the rater simply places a check mark (a continuous scale).
47. If a manager considers one employee at a time and circles a number or a word to signify the degree to which that employee demonstrates a particular trait, he/she is using a:
A. critical incidents approach.
B. mixed standard scale.
C. behavior observation scale.
D. graphic rating scale.
The most common form that the attribute approach to performance management takes is the graphic rating scale. It can provide a number of different points (a discrete scale) or a continuum along which the rater simply places a check mark (a continuous scale).
48. In which performance technique are managers given three statements of performance per dimension and asked to indicate whether the employee's performance is above (+), at (0), or below (-) the statements?
A. Behaviorally anchored rating scale
B. Mixed-standard scale
C. Behavior observation scale
D. Graphic rating scale
Mixed-standard scales were developed to get around some of the problems with graphic rating scales.
49. Which of the following is TRUE of the attribute approach to performance management?
A. They result in high strategic congruence.
B. They are difficult to use.
C. They are generalizable across organizations and strategies.
D. They provide specific guidance and feedback to employees.
Attribute-based performance methods are the most popular methods in organizations. If much attention is devoted to identifying those attributes relevant to job performance and carefully defining them on the rating instrument, they can be as reliable and valid as more elaborate measurement techniques.
50. This approach to performance management fails to provide any definite guidance on how an employee can support the company's goals or correct performance deficiencies and also elicits defensiveness from employees.
A. Quality approach
B. Comparative approach
C. Behavioral approach
D. Attribute approach
Attribute approach techniques fall short on several of the criteria for effective performance management. There is usually little congruence between the techniques and the company's strategy.