(answered) Initial Assessment 1 Test_ all answered correctly, updated summer 2022.

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Initial Assessment 1 Exam Review Solution guide_ answered 2022. Which is the most appropriate example of risk mitigation? Answers Implementing an emergency communication system for assignees ... Requiring criminal background checks for applicants Training interviewers about proper questions to ask during hiring interviews Requiring vaccination programs for assignees - Implementing an emergency communication system for assignees A risk mitigation strategy seeks to reduce the negative impact of an event. A communication system cannot prevent crises, but it can decrease stress and reduce assignees' exposure to threats. Item ls4-12-8 How should HR use the information contained in other organizations' annual corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability reports when first devising their organization's sustainability strategy? Answers Adapt general principles and guidelines to the organization's strategic focus. Ensure that the approach being devised doesn't too closely resemble those of key competitors. Gain competitive tactical advantage. Borrow CSR tactics and practices that have succeeded for other organizations. - Adapt general principles and guidelines to the organization's strategic focus. The best starting point for developing and implementing a CSR strategy is gaining a clear perspective of work already done internationally on defining CSR issues and responses. It is equally valuable to review the annual CSR or sustainability reports of other organizations. These show how others have customized general principles and reporting guidelines to focus on their own particular industry's areas of interest and their own strategic goals. Item ls4-13-21 The determination that 20 new employees are needed to achieve the organizational strategy for growth in global markets is included in which phase of the workforce analysis process? Answers Supply analysis Demand analysis Solution analysis Gap analysis - Demand analysis Demand analysis forecasts an organization's future workforce composition and considers the number of employees and the skills required to meet organizational goals. Item ls3-7-15 Which is an accurate statement about employment at-will? Answers Most union contracts contain employment at-will clauses. Verbal contracts are generally sufficient. Most contracts contain employment at-will clauses. It is uncommon in most parts of the world. - It is uncommon in most parts of the world. Most countries reject the notion of at-will employment, so contracts generally are required, often within a set time frame from the point of hire. Verbal contracts may be accepted in some countries, but many require a written contract or written details of employment. Terms of employment vary greatly from country to country. Item ls3-8-2 Which is an essential aspect of alternative dispute resolution (ADR)? Answers Does not preclude litigation Use only in union environments Requires external third party Review by peers - Does not preclude litigation ADR does not prevent disputes from winding up in court or in formal arbitration, but it can result in fewer cases going to trial. It is generally used in union-free organizations. While some ADR systems do include peer review, it is not a requirement. Similarly, some systems may bring in neutral third parties from outside the organization, but that is also not an ADR requirement. Item ls3-8-33 Technology now encompasses most business activities. Which areas of HR practice can technology support? Answers Just the administrative HR areas Primarily training Nearly every HR functional area Primarily legal compliance - Nearly every HR functional area Nearly every functional area can be supported by technology applications. Item ls3-9-4 Which HR task is typically required by a multidomestic corporation? Answers Facilitating knowledge exchange throughout the organization Building a common corporate culture across all operations Coordinating HR activities between headquarters and the international offices Administering payroll and benefits - Coordinating HR activities between headquarters and the international offices A multidomestic corporation is similar to a portfolio of independent businesses. Headquarters is in the home country, but over time the divisions achieve more autonomy. At this stage, HR is involved in coordinating HR activities with the goal of consistency while remaining flexible with local law and culture. Item ls4-10-13 How can HR minimize the risk of failure of an organization's diversity initiative? Answers Ignoring invisible diversity traits Mandating management training Implementing pay-for-performance reward systems Integrating diversity into the business culture - Integrating diversity into the business culture In order for a diversity initiative to succeed, an organization must truly embrace diversity and integrate varied life styles, beliefs, and needs into its business culture. Item ls4-11-2 Which is a good practice for implementing a code of conduct? Answers Consult the codes of conduct of organizations of similar size as guides in content for the code. Consider the code of conduct to be a living document, and revise it frequently, as needed. Talk with members of the organization to better understand ethical challenges and compliance requirements. Use the organization's statement of values as the basis for the components of the code of conduct. - Talk with members of the organization to better understand ethical challenges and compliance requirements. Because a code of conduct must address the risks and compliance requirements specific to an organization, it is a good practice to include discussions with a broad representation of the organization's members before drafting a code. While the organization's values are considered in drafting the code, they are not the basis of the code. While the code must be reviewed regularly, constantly revising it can lead to employees' not knowing the ethical mandates. Item ls4-13-60 An organization is interested in beginning the process of creating an ethical environment. Who has the most impact on the success of this process? Answers Local community Organization's employees Organization's leaders Organization's customers or constituents - Organization's leaders The process of creating an ethical environment must begin with the organization's leaders. It must receive continuous reinforcement from leadership at all levels. Item ls4-13-62 Which action would an organization take during the strategy formulation phase? Answers Preparing budgets for forecasted projects Conducting feedback focus groups Creating an effective organizational structure Deciding on the organization's mission - Deciding on the organization's mission While all of these actions play a role in strategic planning, they do not all take place during strategy formulation, which is the first phase of the strategic planning process. This phase of the process is dedicated to the development of a mission statement, vision, and values, which guide the rest of the strategic planning process and the activities to come. The remaining activities take place in the development, implementation, and evaluation phases. Item ls5-15-20 An organization has decided to use a random drug testing program for all current employees. What should the organization do prior to implementing the program and testing employees? Answers Verify that the proposed program complies with applicable local, state, and federal laws. Create standard documentation forms to use when dismissing employees following failed tests. Collect legal documentation from all employees verifying their willingness to participate in the program. Have all employees sign arbitration agreements to settle disputes over failed drug tests. - Verify that the proposed program complies with applicable local, state, and federal laws. The organization must ensure that the testing program complies with all applicable federal, local, and state laws. Depending on applicable laws, the organization may or may not need to collect documentation from employees indicating their willingness to participate. Certain localities may not allow automatic dismissal following a failed drug test, so creating documentation for an automatic dismissal would not be an effective use of time or resources before checking with applicable laws. Depending on the law, organizations may or may not be able to compel employees to sign arbitration agreements. Item lsem-700-1 An international organization is seeking to implement a wellness program to improve the health and well-being of its employees. Which is the best way to encourage employee participation? Answers Create individual employee "wellness scores" and share them within the company to foster competition among employees. Mandate that all employees must participate in the program, regardless of their personal wellness goals. Make eligibility for company-sponsored health insurance dependent on participation in the wellness program. Provide discounts on gym memberships at gyms located near applicable organizational locations. - Provide discounts on gym memberships at gyms located near applicable organizational locations. Providing incentives such as discounts to gym memberships is a good way to encourage participation in a wellness program. Depending on the location, the organization may not sponsor health insurance, or it may be illegal to place eligibility qualifiers on a health insurance benefit. Mandating that all employees participate in the program will likely receive widespread pushback and low levels of engagement with the program, resulting in limited improvements in employee health and well-being. Publishing employees' health scores is unethical and possibly illegal, depending on the content of the scores and the location of the organization. It is unlikely to encourage employees to participate in the program. Item lsem-700-3 Which factor contributes to the economic cost of diversity and inclusion efforts? Answers Government regulation Potential for employee backlash Increased wages Increased training - Increased training As organizations become increasingly diverse, there may be increased training costs related to cultural awareness, communication, and team building. Although poorly managed diversity and inclusion efforts may lead to backlash, employee backlash is not a typical economic cost of diversity and inclusion efforts. There is no evidence that government regulation increases the cost of diversity and inclusion efforts, and government regulations do not require diversity and inclusion initiatives. There is no evidence that diversity and inclusion require increasing the wages of employees. Item lsna-19-197 Which statement exemplifies Hersey-Blanchard's situational leadership theory? Answers Over time individuals require a different type of direction and leadership. Leaders need to be charismatic because employees dislike rigid controls and inherently want to accomplish something. Leaders don't need personal relationships with mentors to learn from them. A team leader is one equally concerned with people and production (task) to the maximum degree. - Over time individuals require a different type of direction and leadership. The Hersey-Blanchard theory states that effective leaders change their leadership style to provide the level of direction and interaction that individual employees need at that point in their development. Since one employee's needs will differ from another's and since an employee's needs six months from now will be different from the employee's present needs, leaders must be able to identify an individual's current needs and provide the most effective levels of direction (from managing closely to delegating) and motivation (from selling the employee on the task at hand to empowering the employee through participative decision making). Item ks-300-1 Which type of globalization is characterized by large numbers of emerging country populations moving abroad for better employment opportunities? Answers Globalist immigration International assignees Demographic dichotomy The diaspora - The diaspora The diaspora refers to a mass migration of voluntary emigrants from their homelands to multiple destinations. The demographic dichotomy describes the trend of a younger workforce in emerging economies while developed countries are experiencing an aging workforce. International assignees and globalists are types of global assignments. Item ls16-1-9 Which HR metric provides an indication of the efficiency of the recruiting process? Answers HR expense factor Days to fill Turnover costs Vacancy costs - Days to fill Days to fill measures the number of days from job requisition approval to new hire start date. It assesses the efficiency and productivity of the recruiting function. Item ls2-1-24 How can factors like PESTLE analysis data have a greater impact on successful employee engagement and retention? Answers The PESTLE analysis process adheres to local customs. PESTLE analysis makes the best use of HRIS. Foreign governments are not threatened by PESTLE analysis. PESTLE data helps in adapting to environmental realities. - PESTLE data helps in adapting to environmental realities. Organizations that use PESTLE analysis data are much more likely to be successful because the information facilitates adapting to environmental realities that may impact employee engagement. Item ls2-1-5 Which is the best approach that HR should recommend leaders undertake after the results of an annual employee engagement survey show a significant decline? Answers Analyze data using a different method from that used for previous surveys. Choose one important issue and respond to it immediately. Share the results with members of management only. Facilitate focus groups to gather more qualitative data. - Facilitate focus groups to gather more qualitative data. Item ls2-2-11 Rationale Further data gathering is called for, either through interviews or through another survey that asks employees to rank issues. Changing the analysis method may misrepresent results and potentially make it difficult to compare yearly data to identify trends. Rushing into action may result in wasting scarce organizational resources on the wrong problems. To support a positive organizational culture, the results should be shared with all employees, as well as management, as soon and as honestly as possible. An HR director has been assigned to develop a program to support the opening of new retail stores. Which step in the ADDIE process identifies the behavioral results of the program? Answers Evaluation Design Development Assessment - Design Item ls2-3-18 Rationale The design phase identifies the behaviors participants will practice at the end of the program. The goals state the purpose and intent of the program, while the objectives are the behavioral results expected from the program. What term describes a culture that prefers training activities that spell out details and use direct and logical communication? Answers Large power distance Low-context High-context Small power distance - Low-context Item ls2-3-9 Rationale In low-context cultures, people react to what is explicitly communicated so that those coming into the environment know how to behave. In terms of risk management, what is a risk control? Answers Mechanism to collect data for reporting to management System to prevent the occurrence of a risk Contingency plan to be implemented in the event of a crisis Measure taken to reduce the probability or severity of a threat - Measure taken to reduce the probability or severity of a threat Item ls4-12-5 Rationale In risk management terminology, the most inclusive answer here is that a risk control is any measure that modifies risk by decreasing the likelihood that a risk event will occur or the impact that the event would have on the organization. Your organization needs to integrate functions and data for customer relationship management, manufacturing resource planning, finance, supply chain, and human resources. Which would be the best type of technology to implement? Answers Human resource information system (HRIS) Ad hoc reporting system Enterprise resource planning (ERP) system Application service providers (ASPs) - Enterprise resource planning (ERP) system Item ls3-9-27 Rationale An ERP system is an integrated information system that serves all departments in an organization. Such a system typically includes software for functions such as customer relationship management, manufacturing resource planning, finance, supply chain, and human resources. Which is a reason why an organization might be pushed into global expansion? Answers Constant tariff fluctuations Outward foreign investment potential Need for new customers Need for greater strategic control - Need for new customers Item lsna-19-364 Rationale A need for new customers pushes an organization to expand geographically. Constant tariff fluctuations are a risk factor for global expansion. A need for greater strategic control might hold an organization back from expansion. Outward foreign investment potential is a factor that pulls an organization into expansion. What is meant by the sustainability sweet spot? Answers The overlapping area of the triple bottom line perspectives The point at which management, employees, and the community agree on goals The point at which a sustainable initiative's investment is surpassed by its economic benefits The ability of an initiative to improve an organization's brand as an employer of choice - The overlapping area of the triple bottom line perspectives Item lsna-19-391 Rationale The sustainability sweet spot includes actions that satisfy all three of the needs in the triple bottom line: benefits to the environment (or planet); employees, customers, or neighbors (people); and the organization's financial health (profit). What type of learners acquire knowledge most effectively through a hands-on approach? Answers Auditory learners Synthesis learners Visual learners Kinesthetic learners - Kinesthetic learners Item lspp-19-100 Rationale Kinesthetic learners, also known as tactile learners, learn best through a hands-on approach. They prefer to actively explore the physical world around them. They may find it hard to sit still for long periods and may become distracted by their need for activity and exploration. A security-conscious organization requires all new hires to complete training on security policies and conducts annual armed intruder drills for all employees. Which risk management strategies are being used by this organization? Answers Prevention and mitigation Avoidance and enhancement Sharing and optimizing Detection and prevention - Prevention and mitigation Item lsre-4-12-36 Rationale The organization is trying to prevent some risks from occurring through training new hires and mitigating the impact of any risk events that do occur by practicing certain procedures. According to the sender-receiver communication model (the basic communication model), what is appropriate feedback to a message from a stakeholder who expresses disagreement in a meeting with something you have said? Answers Move on to the next point without giving too much weight to the person's opinion. Nod and continue the original discussion. Repeat back what the stakeholder has said to you in a different way. Restate your position on the same issue in a new way. - Repeat back what the stakeholder has said to you in a different way. Item mg-600-31 Rationale Repeating what one has heard restarts the communication loop. The stakeholder can then confirm or correct the paraphrase. Restating the position does not clarify the message. The same is true for ignoring the comment; it is also rude. Nodding confirms receipt of the message but not understanding of it. The stakeholder could interpret the nod as agreement with the objection. How does an organization's adoption of the Global Reporting Initiative Standards for reporting corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance benefit HR? Answers The standards enable comparison of different organizations' CSR performance. The primary focus of the standards is on the social (or HR-related) aspects of the triple bottom line. The standards' general nature allows for them to be customized to organizational needs. The standards lay out a step-by-step pathway to achieve sustainability. - The standards enable comparison of different organizations' CSR performance. Item lsna-19-392 Rationale The Global Reporting Initiative Standards (or GRI Standards) establish uniform ways to report the outcomes of an organization's sustainability initiatives. This allows the performance of organizations to be compared. The GRI Standards focus on a breadth of issues, from social to environmental. They are specific in calculating outcomes. They are not a pathway to creating a CSR program but provide metrics and instructions to use in evaluating and reporting CSR performance. What cultural layer is exemplified by the pasta dishes that are unique to Italy? Answers Norms and values Basic assumptions Implicit culture Artifacts and products - Artifacts and products Item ks-300-10 Rationale Culture has different layers. At its core are basic assumptions about the way the world works, referred to as implicit culture. The next layer is norms and values based on those assumptions (e.g., respect for elders). Artifacts and products are explicit culture, what we can perceive. This would include clothing, architecture, food, music, art, and so on. The pasta dishes that are unique to Italy fit into the artifacts and products cultural layer. What emotional challenge can HR help retained employees confront after a mass reduction in workforce? Answers Reduced self-esteem Diminished job security Decreased workload Increased job ambiguity - Diminished job security Item ls3-7-58 Rationale HR must help retained employees deal with increased workload, different work assignments, and the feelings of loss and fear. Job ambiguity is irrelevant in this context. Which budgeting method is being used by a manager who begins with no allocated budget and must justify allocations based on how the function will contribute to the organization's strategic goals? Answers Capital budgeting Formula-based budgeting Incremental budgeting Zero-based budgeting - Zero-based budgeting Item ls3-5-7 Rationale Zero-based budgeting requires all managers to start at zero. A department must justify its entire budget and show how its funding will help the organization to meet its goals. In zero-based budgeting, all operations are given a priority rating, each unit or goal is ranked, and funds are given in order of the ranking. Refer to the following scenario for the next 6 questions. A construction company with 75 field employees determines that the best way to improve communication with employees and efficiency in tracking employees' working hours is to provide each field employee with a smartphone. Each employee has a company e-mail account that can be accessed through the smartphone, enabling the employee to receive e-mail in a timely fashion. Additionally, the employee uses the smartphone to track hours worked at each job location. A benefit to the employee is not having to complete and turn in time sheets at the end of the week, since time tracking is in real time. These phones should be used for business only and turned into the supervisor at the end of the workday. The company has made a significant financial investment in the smartphones. Some employees have personal smartphones and are very familiar with the phones. However, many employees have not used this type of technology and are not computer-literate. Even prior to the implementation of the phones, this small group is demonstrating negative and resistant behavior. The human resource director has been assigned the responsibility of distributing the smartphones to the employees and providing the necessary training and resources for the employees to be proficient in using the phones within 30 days. Many of the employees who are resisting the change to smartphones have been with the company for a long time. What steps should HR take to overcome the obstacles to learning? Answers A. Hold supervisors accountable for changing the resistant attitude of their employees and responding to and resolving employees' ongoing concerns. B. Advise the employees that it is mandatory and, if they refuse, they could lose their jobs. C. Communicate to employees that the smartphone is a benefit to the company and helps them to accept change. D. Listen to and address the employees' concerns and demonstrate the phone's positive aspects; provide support throughout the implementation. Given the varying technology proficiency of the employees, which is the most effective training method the human resource director should use to facilitate the change? Answers A. Provide instructor-led, hands-on training sessions for employees based on their knowledge levels revealed during the needs assessment. B. Rely on the supervisors to conduct a learning needs assessment and then train their employees on gaps. C. Conduct a needs assessment and provide prerecorded videos on how to use the phones for employees to watch. D. Distribute the phones and instruction manuals to the employees and then gather information to determine learning needs. An employee refuses to use the smartphone and continues to submit paper time sheets. Which action should the human resource director take to bring about the desired change in the employee's behaviors? Answers A. Send an e-mail to the employee stating that this is a violation that could result in immediate employment termination. B. Allow the employee to continue submitting the paper time sheets for now, and give him a new target date by which to make the change. C. Contact the employee's supervisor to determine why the employee is not using the phone and how the supervisor has addressed the issue. D. Contact the employee to understand why the employee is not using the phone; identify solutions to overcome the obstacles. The human resource director is receiving feedback from several employees that other employees are playing games, texting, and using social media on their phones during working hours. How should the human resource director respond to the feedback? Answers A. Share the feedback with supervisors and ask them to tell employees to not use smartphones for personal use during work hours. B. Request that supervisors keep the smartphones and give them to employees only at the beginning and end of shifts to clock in and out. C. Investigate the feedback to determine its validity; create a policy regarding smartphone use and meet with employees to review the policy. D. Locate, review, and distribute a generic phone use policy that prohibits using the smartphones for nonbusiness purposes during work hours. Thirty days have passed, and the smartphone adoption rate is only 45%. Which is the human resource directors' best point of entry in determining the source of the low adoption rate? Answers A. Talk to employees who have adopted the change to determine what made it easier for them. B. Determine if shifting to smartphones had an adverse impact on any particular employee group(s). C. Explore if a 30-day transition period was sufficient for the size and impact of the change. D. Assess employees' training needs and explore how they can learn and embrace the technology. Which action should the human resource director take to create shared ownership and accountability with business leaders for the smartphone change's success? Answers A. Develop and release to all business leaders the proposed corporate strategy for distributing the smartphones and training employees. B. Involve business leaders to get feedback on and finalize the strategy for distributing the smartphones and training employees. C. Request business leaders to develop a smartphone distribution and training strategy for their business units and give feedback. D. Send an e-mail requesting that business leaders share their top concerns about the smartphone change. - Item ls1-3-3bc Rationale D is the best answer. Adult learners not only need to know the benefits to them but also want to have their concerns heard and addressed. A is incorrect. Holding supervisors accountable without resources and tools—even if they listen to their employees and resolve concerns—will not change the employee resistance and may cause tension with supervisors. B is incorrect. Threatening employees will not change their attitude. C is incorrect. The adult learner needs to understand what the specific benefit is to them, not just to the company. Item ls1-3-3cc Rationale A is the best answer. The needs assessment will ensure that training sessions are developed based on the target audience, and the instructor will be able to immediately evaluate the level of understanding. B is incorrect. Depending on their proficiency with smartphones, the supervisors would need to be trained prior to helping to execute a needs assessment or engage in training employees. C is incorrect. Videos might be a good secondary or follow-up option, but they are not as effective as in-person training. A needs assessment would help to determine skill and knowledge gaps. D is incorrect. Some employees may take the time to read the manual, but a formal training session will ensure that employees are trained and can ask questions. Conducting the needs assessment is late in the process. Item ls1-3-3dc Rationale D is the best answer. The obstacles need to be identified and addressed and solutions need to be identified and implemented. A is incorrect. A verbal discussion should take place with the employee. The human resource director should use that discussion as an opportunity to understand what the obstacles are for the employee. B is incorrect. It does not support the organizational strategy. To be effective, everyone needs to transition to the new system. C is incorrect. It does not offer a plan of action to correct the issue. Item ls1-3-3ec Rationale C is the best answer. The situation should be investigated to find out how employees are using the phones. If the phones are being used personally during working hours, this needs to be addressed. Implementing a policy on use of the smartphones will communicate expectations and be important in consistently holding people accountable. A is not a correct answer. There is no proof that the feedback is true. B is not a correct answer. If the supervisor keeps the phones, employees will not be able to log in their times at each location, and it will have been a waste of resources to buy the phones for everyone. Furthermore, by using this method, some employees may feel belittled instead of engaged and empowered. D is incorrect. A policy should be created that meets the specific needs of the business. Item ls1-3-3fc Rationale C is the correct answer. People move through the stages of change at different rates. Rushing employees through the change process won't work for either the organization or the employees. The company could have minimized the emotional reactions to the change. The human resource director should analyze the resistance and determine how to get back on track to achieve success. A is not correct. This is subjective feedback and does not give information that the director can readily generalize to help others through the change. B is not correct. While this may be a part of an overall analysis to isolate impacts, it is not the leading path to get the change initiative on track. D is not correct. This should have occurred early in the process. Although it may be helpful now, it is not the point of entry to determine how to get the initiative on track. Not everything is a training issue, so changing the training approach may have very little impact. Item ls1-3-3gc Rationale B is the correct answer. Change initiatives are better positioned for success with leaders and top-level management engagement. This change is a business initiative. Involving managers, including engaging them early in the process to begin communicating the change and its overall benefits, will create engaged stakeholders and help set the initiative up for success. A is not correct. Developing the strategy without collaboration doesn't set either the initiative or the human resource director up for success. Merely telling leaders what will happen does not create true stakeholder engagement. C is not correct. Business leaders are focused on getting the work done. The human resource director has been given the assignment, and relinquishing the responsibility to the leaders is not an option. D is not correct. Approaching the business leaders via e-mail to gather only concerns without exploring the initiative from a positive perspective opens the door for complaints instead of collaboration. This may be integrated at some point to develop strategies for overcoming resistance; however, it is not the leading action. ......................................Continues [Show More]

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