Chapter 1: The Rewards and Challenges on Human Resource Management

Question 1

collaborative software

Answer 1

software that allows workers to interface and share information with one another electronically

Question 2

corporate social responsibility

Answer 2

the responsibility of the firm to act in the best interests of the people and communities affected by its activities

Question 3

downsizing

Answer 3

planned elimination of jobs

Question 4

employee leasing

Answer 4

the process of dismissing employees who are then hired by a leasing company )which handles all HR-related activities) and contracting with that company to lease back the employees

Question 5

furloughing

Answer 5

a situation in which an organization asks or requires employees to take time off for either no pay or reduced pay

Question 6

home-shoring

Answer 6

occurs when a firm relocates jobs abroad back to its domestic market

Question 7

human capital

Answer 7

the knowledge, skills, and other capabilities (KSAO’s) of individuals that have economic value to an organization

they cannot be managed the same way that companies manage jobs, products and technologies

Question 8

human resource information systems (HRIS)

Answer 8

a computerized system that provides current and accurate data for purposes of control and decision making in HR

consider:

• fit of the application to the firm’s employee base
• ability to upgrade or customize the application
• compatibility with current system
• user friendliness
• collaboration capabilities
• recruiting and applicant tracking
• scheduling
• availability of technical support
• time required to implement and train staff members to the use of HRIS
• initial costs and annual maintenance costs

Question 9

human resource management (HRM)

Answer 9

the process of managing human talent to achieve an organization’s objectives

the goal is to attract and retain the best talent!

Question 10

knowledge workers

Answer 10

workers whose responsibilities extent beyond the physical execution of work to include planning, decision-making, and problem-solving

Question 11

line managers

Answer 11

non-HR managers who are responsible for overseeing the work of other employees

Question 12

nearshoring

Answer 12

occurs when a firm relocates jobs abroad to nations closer to its domestic market

Question 13

offshoring

Answer 13

the business practice of sending jobs to other countries; work that was previously carried out in one country is moved to another country

Question 14

outsourcing

Answer 14

contracting outside the organization to have work done that formerly was done by internal employees

Question 15

sustainability

Answer 15

doing business in a way that does as little harm to the environment and depletes as few natural resources as possible

Question 16

what can understating HRM do for your firm?

Answer 16

understanding HRM practices and issues can help you better compete in the marketplace - as an employee, manager, or HR manager

an organization’s success increasingly depends on the knowledge, skills, and abilities of its employees. to “compete through people,” organizations have to do a good job of managing human capital: the knowledge, sills, and capabilities that have value to organizations

Question 17

how is globalization requiring HRM personnel to respond?

Answer 17

it influences the number and kinds of jobs that are available

and requires that organizations balance a complicated set of issues related to managing people working under different business conditions in different geographies, cultures, and legal environments

the fast pace of globalization along with corporate scandals over the years has led to a new focus on corporate social responsibility and sustainability . companies are finding that having a good reputation for pursuing these efforts can inhale their revenues and improve the caliber of talent they are able to attract

Question 18

what transition are HRM personnel having to manage as it pertains to changing work demands?

Answer 18

technology has tended to reduce the number of jobs that require little skill and to increase the number of jobs that require considerable skill, a shift we refer to as moving from touch labor to knowledge labor

Question 19

how are HRM personnel maximizing productivity in the workplace?

Answer 19

productivity is “output gained from a fixed amount of inputs.” organizations can increase their productivity either by reducing their inputs (the cost approach) or by increasing the amount that employees produce by adding more human and/or physical capital to the process

to maximize productivity and contain costs, organizations have to manage the size of their workforces (offshoring, near shoring, outsourcing, downsizing, furloughing, using part-time employees, and leasing them from professional employment agencies)

Question 20

How are HRM personnel responding to the growing diversity of the workforce?

Answer 20

having to do more to address employee concerns and to maximize the benefit of different kinds of employees

HR managers have to keep abreast of the educational abilities of the talent available to their organization

Question 21

what role do HR managers play when it comes to meeting challenges the firm faces?

Answer 21

they are called on for strategic advice and ethics counsels

various service activities

policy formulation and implementation

employee advocacy

Question 22

what is the goal of HR?

Answer 22

to support companies in gaining a competitive edge through the following:

• bring in and retain top talent
• ensure employee rights
• build the company’s reputation
• protect the company from legal issues
• prepare the company for future challenges

Question 23

what are the functions of HR departments?

Answer 23

• job analysis
• HR planning (succession planning and organization charts)
• recruiting
• selection
• training and development
• performance management
• compensation
• benefits
• unions
• safety and health
• DOCUMENTATION

Question 24

what do HR supervisors do?

Answer 24

• help define jobs
• motivate, with support from pay, benefits, and other rewards
• forecast HR needs
• communicate policies
• provide training
• interview and select candidates
• appraise performance
• recommend pay increases and promotions

Question 25

what are three types of HR challenges?

Answer 25

environmental (internet revolution/legal issues/downsizing)

organizational (teams/downsizing/evaluating HR results)

and individual (attraction/retention/productivity/stress and work-family balance)

HR DEALS WITH THESE ON A DAILY BASIS

Question 26

hot topics and trends in HRM

Answer 26

• training, faster pacing, and virtual teams
• technology development
• globalization
• diversity

the aging workforce are retiring (gen X and baby boomers) and the markets are experiencing a shortage of talent

this has opened the door to some age-related harassment in the workplace with many employees of large companies being older

Question 27

globalization in HRM

Answer 27

due to globalization, firms have to balance a complicated set of issues

• different geographies, including different cultures, employment laws, and business practices, and the safety of employees and facilities abroad

the internet and social media have created more informed workforces around the world, which makes people harder to retain when opportunities to work have never been more public

Question 28

HRM and maximizing productivity

Answer 28

the US remains the world’s most productive country

outputs gained from a fixed amount of inputs

Question 29

managing the size of the workforce

Answer 29

part of managing productivity is matching the size of the workforce to the demand and requirements of a firm given technology, the firm’s strategic direction, and global competition

can be achieved through:

• offshoring
• outsourcing
• nearshoring
• homeshoring
• furloughing

Question 30

managing pay and benefits in HRM

Answer 30

most firms closely monitor employee pay and benefit programs. skyrocketing health care costs and complying with the nation’s new health care reform laws (obamacare), are perhaps the biggest concerns companies are facing when it comes to compensation and benefits

they can manage benefits through employee leasing

Question 31

responding to the demographic and diversity challenges in the workforce

Answer 31

To forecast trends to support the strategies of their organizations, HR managers frequently analyze the capabilities of different demographic groups and how well each is represented in both fast-growing and slow-growing occupations

Minorities in the United States are increasing relative to the total population. U.S. workers are becoming more diverse as well. Much of the growth of the minority workforce has been due to not only the arrival of immigrants but also high birthrates among some minority groups, such as Hispanics

Question 32

labor force and hispanics

Answer 32

2010: 15% hispanic and 85% non hispanic
2050: 30% hispanic and 70% non hispanic

Question 33

age distribution in the workforce

Answer 33

2000: 13% were baby boomers
2010: 19% were baby boomers
2050: 24% will be baby boomers

Question 34

gender distribution in the workforce

Answer 34

The educational attainment of women is also increasing relative to men

three out of every five college graduates are women. Women’s wages have increased too

In 1979, on average, women made 62 percent of what men made. Although the gap has not closed, it has narrowed. Women who are employed full time today make about 79 percent of what men employed full time make

Question 35

changing employee rights

Answer 35

laws affecting employee rights are continually changing

Question 36

heightened privacy concerns for employees

Answer 36

HR managers and their staff members generally recognize the importance of discretion in handling all types of information about employees

Question 37

balancing work and family

Answer 37

a nuanced issue now that technology is allowing work to enter the home more than ever before

Question 38

employee management

Answer 38

a situation in which workers are enthusiastic and immersed in their work to a degree that it improves the performance of their companies