Chapter 10

Question 1

Performance management requires knowing what activities and outputs are desired, observing whether they occur, and providing feedback to help employees meet expectations.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Performance management systems are established to meet three broad purposes of the organization: strategic, administrative, and developmental.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

In a performance appraisal, the term validity refers to whether the appraisal measures all aspects of performance, both relevant and irrelevant.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

The paired-comparison method measures the consistency of results over time.

Answer 4

False

Question 5

In the simple ranking method of performance measurement, managers rank employees in their group from the highest performer to the poorest performer.

Answer 5

True

Question 6

The paired-comparison method involves comparing each employee with each other employee to establish rankings.

Answer 6

True

Question 7

To rate employee behaviors, an organization begins by defining which behaviors are associated with the employee’s personality traits.

Answer 7

False

Question 8

The critical-incident method requires managers to keep a record of specific examples of the employee acting in ways that are either effective or ineffective.

Answer 8

True

Question 9

A disadvantage of behaviorally anchored rating scales (BARS) is that it can bias a manager’s memory.

Answer 9

True

Question 10

Compared to a behavioral observation scale (BOS), a behaviorally anchored rating scale (BARS) makes it easier for providing feedback, maintaining objectivity, and suggesting training needs.

Answer 10

False

Question 11

Organizational behavior modification (OBM) is a plan for managing the behavior of employees through an informal system of feedback and reinforcement.

Answer 11

False

Question 12

Behavioral approaches to performance measurement, such as organizational behavior modification and rating scales, tend to be biased.

Answer 12

False

Question 13

Traditional performance management differs from total quality management (TQM) in that it assesses both individual performance and the system within which the individual works.

Answer 13

False

Question 14

Using an employee’s manager for feedback is very useful because managers’ own success depends so much on their employees’ performance.

Answer 14

True

Question 15

Self-appraisals are appropriate as the basis for administrative decisions.

Answer 15

False

Question 16

In order to minimize distributional errors, raters should use only one part of the rating scale.

Answer 16

False

Question 17

Appraisal politics are most likely to occur when a performance appraisal is directly linked to highly desirable rewards.

Answer 17

True

Question 18

In a “tell-and-sell” approach, managers tell the employees their ratings and then justify those ratings.

Answer 18

True

Question 19

The improvement of an employee’s performance varies according to the employee’s ability and level of motivation.

Answer 19

True

Question 20

The requirements for job success are clearly communicated to employees to protect against lawsuits.

Answer 20

True

Question 21

Which statement is true of effective performance management?
A) It can tell top performers they are valued.
B) It can evaluate employees without establishing standards.
C) It averts communication between managers and their employees.
D) It uses just one person as a source of information.
E) It does not affect employees who meet expectations.

Answer 21

A

Question 22

What is the first step in performance management process?
A) evaluating performance
B) developing employee goals, behavior, and actions to achieve outcomes
C) providing consequences for performance results
D) defining performance outcomes for company division and department
E) identifying improvements needed

Answer 22

D

Question 23

Lillian is the purchasing manager at Ceramic Central, a maker of housewares. She has evaluated the first year’s performance of Jason, a purchasing agent. In the evaluation, she noted that he places orders accurately, but when employees in the company ask about the status of their orders, he has difficulty finding the information for them in a timely manner. What should be the next step in performance management in this situation?
A) Lillian should define new performance outcomes that do not include checking order status.
B) Jason should develop more realistic goals that do not include checking order status.
C) Lillian and Jason should set new performance standards that are more realistic.
D) Lillian should arrange for training so Jason can learn how to look up the status of orders.
E) Lillian should provide Jason with ongoing performance feedback.

Answer 23

D

Question 24

What is the last step in performance management process?
A) defining performance outcomes for company division and department
B) identifying improvements needed
C) developing employee goals, behavior, and actions to achieve outcomes
D) evaluating performance
E) providing consequences for performance results

Answer 24

E

Question 25

Jeremiah, a vice president of human resources, wants to ensure that his company’s performance management process is effective, so he sets up an annual review of the process. What should that review measure?
A) whether the performance management process includes all seven steps
B) whether performance discussions are taking place annually
C) how well performance standards are tailored to each individual employee
D) whether measures of individual performance support the department’s and company’s objectives
E) how effectively the company has defined performance management as an event, not a process

Answer 25

D

Question 26

Meghan is the new HR manager at Turner Times. She meets with the company’s leaders to discuss how she intends to support business objectives. Meghan tells them that Turner Times has a performance management process that delivers reliable information, but it needs to be more strategic. Which action would best make performance management more strategic?
A) telling managers not to feel uncomfortable when appraisal information is negative
B) using appraisal information to support decisions related to employee retention and termination
C) using appraisal information as a basis for developing employees’ knowledge and skills
D) setting individual performance measures that are linked to the organization’s goals
E) making employees aware of their strengths and areas in which they can improve

Answer 26

D

Question 27

The ways in which organizations use the system to provide information for day-to-day decisions about salary, benefits, and recognition programs falls under the \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ purpose of a performance management system.
A) structured
B) developmental
C) strategic
D) administrative
E) deciding

Answer 27

D

Question 28

Ty, the HR manager at Elrod Engines, is preparing a newly promoted employee for her role as a supervisor. In his experience, he will need to address the new supervisor’s nervousness about conducting performance appraisals. What is the most likely cause of this nervousness?
A) Performance feedback must be aligned with the company’s strategy.
B) A performance evaluation can help supervisors decide how to develop employees’ skills.
C) Effective performance feedback makes employees aware of their strengths and weaknesses.
D) Performance management supports administrative decisions that have a great impact on employees.
E) Performance management starts with defining what the organization expects from employees.

Answer 28

D

Question 29

"Performance management serves as a basis for improving employees' knowledge and skills." This statement corresponds to which purpose of performance management?
A) developmental purpose
B) administrative purpose
C) investigative purpose
D) strategic purpose
E) executive purpose

Answer 29

A

Question 30

Maddie, an HR manager, is coaching a supervisor who needs to develop her leadership skills. Maddie suggests that the supervisor use performance feedback as a tool for the development of her employees. Which action would be an example of this purpose of performance feedback?
A) The supervisor limits performance feedback to formal appraisals conducted once a year.
B) The supervisor uses performance information for day-to-day decisions about salary, benefits, and recognition programs.
C) The supervisor uses performance measures to guide decisions about employee retention and termination.
D) The supervisor uses performance measures to identify assignments that will help employees build on their strengths.
E) The supervisor makes sure each employee’s goals are aligned with the company’s and department’s objectives.

Answer 30

D

Question 31

In the context of effectiveness of performance management, \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ means the extent to which a measurement tool actually measures what it is intended to measure.
A) validity
B) dependability
C) acceptability
D) reliability
E) specificity

Answer 31

A

Question 32

In performance appraisal, \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ refers to whether an appraisal measures all the relevant aspects of performance and omits irrelevant aspects of performance.
A) contamination
B) reliability
C) acceptability
D) validity
E) interrater reliability

Answer 32

D

Question 33

The human resource department of Wallace Corp. brings in a consultant to evaluate its performance management system. The consultant says he evaluated the validity of the system’s performance measures and identified some deficiencies. What does the consultant mean?
A) Some attitudes that are being measured are unrelated to success on the job.
B) Results gathered in certain ways are inconsistent from one rater to another.
C) Results gathered in certain ways are inconsistent over time.
D) Some behaviors that contribute to business success are not being measured.
E) The performance measures are too vague to provide useful guidance.

Answer 33

D

Question 34

Kathryn, a manager at Harper Haw, uses a rating tool to evaluate the performance of her subordinates. However, she finds that the scale she used did not yield consistent results, and she could not determine if a change had taken place in the performance of the employees. What was lacking in the rating scale?
A) validity
B) acceptability
C) reliability
D) transparency
E) specificity

Answer 34

C

Question 35

John and Nina, managers at Aderton Enterprises, want to the check the consistency of results for a performance measure that uses ratings by a supervisor. They want to know if different supervisors would rate the same behavior the same way. In the context of criteria for effective performance management, John and Nina are interested in the measure's
A) validity.
B) test-retest reliability.
C) specificity.
D) interrater reliability.
E) accountability.

Answer 35

D

Question 36

Brian, the HR manager at Haller Co., establishes a performance management system for his company. He wants to check the consistency of results over time. In the context of criteria for determining the effectiveness of performance measures, Brian is trying to check the \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ of the performance management system.
A) validity
B) test-retest reliability
C) specificity
D) interrater reliability
E) acceptability

Answer 36

B

Question 37

In the context of performance management, which term refers to a measure that obtains consistency of results over time?
A) validity
B) interrater reliability
C) acceptability
D) test-retest reliability
E) specificity

Answer 37

D

Question 38

When BBG Inc. was preparing to roll out a new performance management system, Kayla, the human resource executive, insisted that for the new system to succeed, they must first explain it to employees. Kayla said employees need to perceive the system as fair. Why would this effort make the performance management system more effective?
A) The employees who receive feedback must believe that the process of preparing it was not too time consuming.
B) Specific feedback helps meet the goals of supporting strategy and developing employees.
C) Low interrater reliability means the rating will differ depending on who is scoring the employees.
D) When employees see performance measures as fair, they are likelier to apply the feedback.
E) A measurement tool should accurately measure what it was designed to measure.

Answer 38

D

Question 39

Which of the following helps performance management meet the goals of supporting strategy and developing employees?
A) strategic fit
B) specific feedback
C) overall opinion
D) employee orientation
E) generalized instruction

Answer 39

B

Question 40

Braddington Inc. wants to assess the performance of its employees. It uses a questionnaire that has a usually high fit with strategy, usually high validity, usually high reliability, moderate acceptability, and very high specificity. Which approach to employee performance is being focused on by this questionnaire?
A) results
B) quality
C) behavioral
D) comparative
E) attribute

Answer 40

C

Question 41

Fiona, a supervisor at Ronaldo Co., wants to compare the performance of her employees. If she does this by listing the employees from best to worst performer, which term describes her method?
A) simple ranking
B) mixed-standards scale
C) critical-incident method
D) graphic rating scale
E) organizational behavior modification

Answer 41

A

Question 42

In the context of methods for measuring performance, alternation ranking is a variation of \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ ranking.
A) simple
B) distributed
C) paired
D) attribute
E) scalar

Answer 42

A

Question 43

Tony, a production manager at Brighton Biometrics, needs to measure the performance of 10 subordinates. He writes their names on a paper and circles Paul's name as the best-performing employee of the group. He then circles Erma's name as the worst employee of the group. He rates the remaining employees as second best, second worst, and so on. In the context of methods of performance measurement, Tony is using the \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ method.
A) forced-distribution
B) alternation ranking
C) graphic rating
D) mixed-standard
E) critical-incident

Answer 43

B

Question 44

Sabrina, a production manager at Orrin Co., needs to measure the performance of 12 of her subordinates. She divides the number of employees into categories like exceptional, above average, average, and below average. She assigns a certain percentage of employees to each category to determine the quality of their performances. In the context of methods for measuring performance, Sabrina is using the \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ method.
A) alternation ranking
B) rating attribute
C) mixed-standard
D) paired-comparison
E) forced-distribution

Answer 44

E

Question 45

Joel is a manager at Malan Inc., and he uses a rating approach to evaluate his employees. He 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 in the scale. Which approach is Joel using to assess his employees?
A) mixed-standard scale
B) critical-incident approach
C) graphic rating scale
D) behavioral observation scale
E) behaviorally anchored rating scale

Answer 45

C

Question 46

The \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ method of performance measurement uses several statements describing each trait to produce a final score for that trait.
A) behaviorally anchored rating scale
B) mixed-standard scale
C) behavioral observation scale
D) graphic rating scale
E) behavior-response scale

Answer 46

B

Question 47

Identify a true statement about the mixed-standard scale.
A) It is intended to define performance dimensions specifically using statements of behavior that describe different levels of performance.
B) It uses several statements describing each trait to produce a final score for that trait.
C) It may use 15 behaviors to define levels of performance.
D) It lists traits and provides a rating scale for each trait.
E) It involves comparing each employee with each other employee to establish rankings.

Answer 47

B

Question 48

Zachary was recently made the manager of his department at Cyscon Co. He has to evaluate his subordinates’ behavior in the next two weeks and is unsure if he should use the behaviorally anchored rating scale (BARS) or the behavioral observation scale (BOS) to assess their behavior. Which characteristic of the two would help Zachary decide the scale that would be most appropriate for him to use?
A) A BARS asks the manager to rate the frequency with which the employee has exhibited the behavior during the rating period.
B) A BOS discards many items in creating the rating scale.
C) A BOS uses many instances to define the behaviors necessary for effective performance.
D) A BARS is represented by ease of use and maintains objectivity efficiently.
E) A BARS requires a large amount of information as compared to BOS.

Answer 48

C

Question 49

The \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ performance management method requires managers to rate the frequency with which an employee has exhibited a behavior during a rating period.
A) behaviorally anchored rating scale
B) behavioral observation scale
C) graphic rating scale
D) mixed-standard scale
E) forced-distribution scale

Answer 49

B

Question 50

Identify the statement that accurately characterizes behavioral approaches to performance measurement.
A) They link the company’s goals to the specific behavior required to achieve those goals.
B) They work well for complex jobs.
C) They provide little feedback on areas of improvement.
D) They have a low degree of validity and reliability.
E) They have a low degree of acceptability.

Answer 50

A

Question 51

Bernard, the CEO of RTT Co., believes the goals of the company must be divided into smaller departmental and individual goals. The accomplishment of these smaller goals will allow employees at all levels to contribute to accomplishment of the bigger goals of the company. In the context of measuring performance results, Bernard’s belief can be best justified using
A) total quality management.
B) the behavioral observational scale method.
C) the critical-incident method.
D) statistical quality control.
E) management by objectives.

Answer 51

E

Question 52

What is an advantage of using results-oriented performance measurement?
A) It is very effective in providing guidance on how an employee can improve.
B) It is relatively easy to link to the organization’s goals.
C) It is generally more subjective than other kinds of performance measurement.
D) It is highly acceptable to employees but not to managers.
E) It tends to be highly valid.

Answer 52

B

Question 53

Cameron, a supervisor at Margolia Co., needs to appraise the performance of her subordinate, Stefan. In the context of performance information, what is the least biased source of information for appraisal and why?
A) Peers because they often understand an employee better than superiors.
B) Managers because their success depends on the employee’s productivity.
C) Customers because employees are often directly in contact with them.
D) Subordinates because the power relationships motivate a subordinate to provide honest information.
E) The employee himself because there is generally better agreement between an employee and his or her supervisor.

Answer 53

B

Question 54

Min, the production manager of Manning Inc., is writing a recommendation to begin gathering performance appraisal information from peers along with other sources of information. Which statement best supports Min’s recommendation for getting peer feedback?
A) Information from peers adds little value to the assessment of performance.
B) Peers are comfortable rating employees for decisions that may affect themselves.
C) Peers typically share the manager’s perspective of the employee being evaluated.
D) Peers have expert knowledge of job requirements.
E) Peers rarely observe an employee in day-to-day activities.

Answer 54

D

Question 55

Dina, the human resource manager at K-Pack Inc., wants to use subordinates as sources of performance appraisal information. Which statement best supports that idea?
A) Subordinates often have reliable information about a manager’s behavior toward employees.
B) Subordinates are often willing to say negative things about the person to whom they report.
C) When feedback forms need subordinates’ names on them, the subordinates tend to give lower ratings to the manager.
D) When managers receive ratings from their subordinates, the employees have less power.
E) Subordinate evaluations are most appropriate for strategic purposes.

Answer 55

A

Question 56

Subordinate evaluations are the most appropriate to use for which purpose?
A) administrative
B) investigative
C) strategic
D) developmental
E) executive

Answer 56

D

Question 57

Catarina, the founder of Platter Place, believes in employee empowerment, so as soon as she began hiring managers, she made subordinate reviews part of her company’s performance appraisal system. However, she and her human resource manager have realized that the managers don’t always place enough emphasis on efficiency and results, perhaps out of fear that their employees will give them lower ratings. What would be the best way for Platter Place to use subordinate feedback?
A) Discontinue subordinate feedback, because it has undesirable consequences.
B) Require that the employees giving subordinate feedback identify themselves.
C) Give the employees greater opportunities to observe the behavior of their manager.
D) Use the results of subordinate feedback to identify avenues for employee development.
E) Limit the information gathering by subordinates to short periods once a year.

Answer 57

D

Question 58

Keith, a human resource manager at Uno Inc., is considering the use of self-appraisals. Which statement is TRUE about self-appraisals?
A) There are no disagreements between a manager and an employee when self-appraisal is used.
B) Self-rating is the most preferred source of performance appraisal information.
C) Employees have a tendency to inflate their self-assessments.
D) Self-appraisals serve as an ideal basis for administrative decisions.
E) Self-appraisals are necessary for a 360-degree performance appraisal.

Answer 58

C

Question 59

Dylan, a vice president of human resources, recommends adding self-appraisals to the company’s performance management system. The other executives wonder why, since people would certainly want to inflate scores of their own performance. Which statement best supports Dylan’s idea of using self-appraisals?
A) Self-ratings are the best source of information.
B) Differences between employees’ self-ratings and peer’s ratings can be fruitful topics for discussion.
C) Employees can wait until after a feedback session to evaluate their own performance.
D) Evaluating one’s contributions gets employees thinking about their performance.
E) Self-appraisals are especially important when an employee’s job requires direct service to customers.

Answer 59

D

Question 60

The HR team at Rod Inc. is meeting to discuss ways to improve the validity of its performance management system. One staffer suggests adding customer evaluations of the sales representatives in order to gauge their impact on customer satisfaction and sales. What is the major challenge of this approach?
A) Customers have a tendency to inflate assessments of salespeople’s performance.
B) The customers are the only people who directly observe a sales representative’s performance.
C) The employees’ jobs do not involve direct service to customer.
D) Customer evaluations could cost hundreds of dollars for each salesperson.
E) Information about customer satisfaction would be easier to gather from peers.

Answer 60

D

Question 61

Benny, a supervisor, needs to assess Amanda's, a subordinate's, performance. He considers Amanda to be reliable and meets all his requirements, so he rates her as a good performer. But then Benny thinks about an exceptional employee, Christina, in his department, and decides that, compared with her, Amanda is just average. In this way, Benny's rating is a \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ error.
A) horns
B) contrast
C) leniency
D) halo
E) distributional

Answer 61

B

Question 62

Corey, a supervisor, needs to rate the performance of 20 subordinates. He uses a rating scale to rate them on a scale of 1 to 10. He rates 18 employees at 5, which leads to central tendency. In the context of types of rating errors, Corey commits a \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ error.
A) distributional
B) contrast
C) horns
D) statistical
E) halo

Answer 62

A

Question 63

Spencer & Solomon, CPAs, brought in an HR consulting firm to evaluate the firm’s performance management system. The firm has offices in six locations, and the manager of each location rates the office’s staff members using a 5-point rating scale. After studying the appraisal results from the past three years, the consultants reported that they cannot make comparisons among the offices. What is the most likely problem?
A) The consultants aren’t qualified to analyze this type of rating system.
B) One office has exceptional people, so contrast errors are occurring.
C) The managers let their opinions of one quality color their opinions of others.
D) The managers are making distributional errors, each using only part of the rating scale.
E) The managers tend to give higher ratings to people they consider similar to themselves.

Answer 63

D

Question 64

Angor, a manager at Primely Co., is asked by his manager to rate his subordinates' performances. He needs to rate 30 employees on a scale that ranges from 1 to 10. He rates 25 employees with a score of 8. In doing so, Angor commits a rating error. In the context of types of rating errors, Angor's mistake is called
A) central tendency.
B) halo error.
C) horns error.
D) leniency.
E) statistical error.

Answer 64

D

Question 65

April, a production manager at Alton Corp., needs to evaluate the performance of her employees. She asks her subordinate, Tiff, to carry out this job. Tiff uses a rating scale, which ranges from 1 to 10, to rate 50 employees. She gives a score of 3 to 39 employees. In doing so, Tiff commits a \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ error.
A) mean inclination
B) strictness
C) central tendency
D) halo effect
E) statistical

Answer 65

B

Question 66

What is the name of the rating error that leads employees to believe that no aspect of their performance needs improvement?
A) contrast error
B) halo error
C) horn error
D) strictness error
E) central tendency error

Answer 66

B

Question 67

When an employee evaluates his or her manager low on all performance criteria due to dissatisfaction with the manager's disposition, the employee has most likely committed a(n)
A) error based on similarity.
B) halo error.
C) central tendency.
D) horns error.
E) contrast error.

Answer 67

D

Question 68

How can data analytics improve the measurement of employees’ performance?
A) by training raters to look at many aspects of performance
B) by showing raters how errors affect their rating decisions
C) by preventing raters from making distributional errors
D) by finding patterns in an employee’s behavior
E) by indicating all the circumstances, intentions, and outcomes associated with an employee’s behavior

Answer 68

D

Question 69

Under which circumstance is appraisal politics most likely to occur?
A) when top executives forbid distorted ratings
B) when the goals of rating are compatible with one another
C) when performance appraisal results are directly linked to developmental programs
D) when senior employees tell newcomers stories about distorted ratings
E) when performance appraisal is not directly linked to highly desirable rewards

Answer 69

D

Question 70

When Keenan joined Rod Riders as its human resource manager, he was surprised to hear some of the executives repeatedly laughing over stories about how the company’s founder ensured that his fraternity brothers moved into management positions. According to the stories, the executives embellished the performance appraisals of these employees, which also influenced later staffing decisions. Keenan talked to some employees about performance management at Rod Riders and learned that the system was widely viewed as corrupt. What can Keenan do, besides discouraging the storytelling, to decrease the political behavior related to performance management?
A) He should learn to accept political behavior, because it occurs in every organization.
B) He should make sure that raters are accountable to each employee being evaluated.
C) He should make sure appraisal results are directly linked to highly desirable rewards.
D) He should persuade executives not to tolerate or ignore distorted ratings.
E) He should train managers to list only the accomplishments their employees are aware of.

Answer 70

D

Question 71

Kate, the CEO of Era Co., wants to carry out the first company-wide performance appraisal. However, she needs to make sure that the information obtained for performance appraisal is free of bias and that the managers have provided information about subordinates without any personal issues influencing the information. Which option will assist Kate in obtaining her objective?
A) Kate must focus on obtaining information only from supervisors of employees being appraised because managers have incentives for giving accurate information.
B) Kate must occasionally work alongside the employees to ensure that they are working diligently.
C) Kate must personally question all the managers who appraise their subordinates in the performance appraisal as this will ensure integrity of information.
D) Kate must devise a policy that focuses on confidentiality of appraisal information once it is gathered from different sources because this will ensure security of information.
E) Kate must hold calibration meetings because they hold managers accountable for the appraisal information they provide about their subordinates.

Answer 71

E

Question 72

Identify a way in which an organization can promote fairness and reduce political behavior in the appraisal system.
A) use different performance standards to evaluate different employees
B) hold a calibration meeting in which managers discuss employee performance ratings and provide evidence supporting their ratings
C) discourage employees from discussing their weaknesses
D) require that managers give feedback once a year during the annual appraisal
E) encourage managers to recognize accomplishments that only employees have identified

Answer 72

B

Question 73

Brianna, a supervisor in a shoe store, observes Charles, an employee, becoming anxious and defensive when a customer complains about some shoes. The customer reacts to Charles’ behavior by raising her voice and demanding to talk to a manager. When should Brianna give Charles performance feedback related to his handling of customer complaints?
A) at Charles’ annual performance appraisal
B) within the next few weeks, whenever she has time for a formal meeting with Charles
C) as soon as she has time to list all of Charles’ areas for improvement
D) as soon as she is finished talking with the complaining customer
E) during the next month in which performance appraisals are scheduled

Answer 73

D

Question 74

What attitude do employees typically express toward performance feedback?
A) They prefer not to get feedback, because the experience feels awkward.
B) They prefer to get all their feedback at one time, during an annual performance review.
C) They like to be surprised, especially if the feedback is positive.
D) They appreciate regular feedback, because they want to know if they are on track.
E) They are most engaged when the company schedules feedback every few months.

Answer 74

D

Question 75

Helen, a supervisor at Covington Materials, asks Hunter, the human resource manager, for advice on delivering performance feedback. Helen finds that the meetings tend to be confrontational and don’t lead to performance improvement. She tells Hunter how she carefully fills out the appraisal form ahead of time and then invites the employee into the conference room to discuss her feedback immediately, before the employee has time to think up excuses for poor performance. What advice should Hunter give Helen for delivering performance feedback?
A) Helen should move the feedback meetings into her own office.
B) Helen should have Hunter conduct the feedback meetings.
C) Helen should forbid employees from overstating their accomplishments.
D) Helen should give employees a chance to complete a self-assessment ahead of time.
E) Helen should define all areas for discussion when she fills out the appraisal form.

Answer 75

D

Question 76

Which approach to performance feedback is generally most effective?
A) problem-solving
B) tell-and-sell
C) tell-and-listen
D) tell-and-train
E) listen-and-sell

Answer 76

A

Question 77

The \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ approach to performance feedback is used by most managers.
A) problem-solving
B) tell-and-sell
C) tell-and-listen
D) tell-and-train
E) listen-and-sell

Answer 77

B

Question 78

How can managers improve employee satisfaction with the feedback process?
A) by keeping the feedback session short and concentrating on only the positive aspects of performance
B) by using the tell-and-sell approach during the feedback session
C) by avoiding decisions about following up on goals as these tend to intimidate the employee
D) by letting employees voice their opinions and discuss performance goals during the feedback process
E) by focusing on the employee’s personality

Answer 78

D

Question 79

Which manager is using the most effective approach to conducting a performance feedback session?
A) Bianca focuses on her employees’ personalities, as she helps each one work with her to solve problems.
B) Pamela tells each employee his or her ratings and then justifies each rating, citing specific behaviors.
C) Craig goes through the evaluation form, point by point, telling why he provided the information in each item.
D) Evan works with each employee to solve performance problems respectfully, focusing on behaviors.
E) Ruby lets the employee voice his or her opinions, and then she replies with her assessment of the employee’s personality traits.

Answer 79

D

Question 80

Olivia is giving feedback to an employee who hopes to move into a supervisory role someday. Which statement represents the most effective kind of feedback?
A) “You don’t seem very motivated lately.”
B) “You need to demonstrate stronger leadership if you want a promotion.”
C) “You are well organized, and your co-workers really like you.”
D) “Last week, when we had a problem, your comments shifted the team from complaining to problem solving.”
E) “When we have problems, you have a great attitude, and that will help you as a supervisor someday.”

Answer 80

D

Question 81

Besides a discussion of the employee’s past behavior, what other topic(s) are most important to include in a performance feedback meeting?
A) a description of the employee’s personality
B) the supervisor “telling and selling” the ratings
C) opinions about other employees in the organization
D) goal setting and a decision about when to follow up
E) strategic planning and a link to personal goals

Answer 81

D

Question 82

Ricky is a hardworking, reliable employee in a warehouse. His supervisor notices that this is the fifth year in a row in which Ricky’s performance appraisal shows that he has met requirements for every performance standard of his job. Even so, the supervisor has identified areas for improvement. Which statement gives the most significant reason for seeking improvement in Ricky’s performance?
A) Ricky has a poor attitude; the supervisor believes that if Ricky improves his performance, his attitude will improve as well.
B) Ricky has high levels of ability and motivation, which the supervisor wants to put to good use.
C) There is no reason for Ricky to improve; the supervisor has a policy of always finding something to criticize.
D) Ricky may seek further career development within the company, which will be aided by improving his performance.
E) If Ricky does not respond to the supervisor’s suggestions, the supervisor will have to demote or terminate him.

Answer 82

D

Question 83

Georgia, a new employee at Dino Co., has demonstrated low productivity for a long period. Her manager evaluates her performance and finds that she requires more training to improve her productivity. In the context of improving employees' performance, Georgia lacks
A) the required motivation.
B) the necessary abilities.
C) accountability.
D) ethical values.
E) integrity.

Answer 83

B

Question 84

The receptionist at Brunt Inc. is punctual, polite, and always cheerful. The firm’s employees and customers all love her. However, she has difficulty with the clerical tasks that the firm’s prior receptionists handled. The receptionist’s supervisor recommends redesigning the receptionist’s job. That recommendation would be most appropriate in which situation?
A) The employee is low in both ability and motivation to meet standards.
B) The employee has the ability to do better but lacks the necessary motivation.
C) The employee is highly motivated but lacks ability unless she gets training.
D) The employee is highly motivated but lacks ability, and training is not expected to help.
E) The employee is motivated but does not understand the significance of the problem.

Answer 84

D

Question 85

William, a supervisor, is discussing an employee with Barb, the human resource manager at his company. The employee’s performance has been falling, and the employee has been absent on several workdays. William is concerned about this change in behavior. The HR manager suggests that William encourage the employee to contact the employee assistance program (EAP) for a referral to a counselor. In which situation would Barb’s advice be most appropriate?
A) The employee no longer has the ability to carry out the tasks required for the job.
B) The employee probably would respond to some praise and encouragement.
C) The employee is unaware of the significance of the performance problem.
D) The employee has the necessary skills but lacks motivation.
E) The employee lacks motivation as well as the necessary knowledge and skills.

Answer 85

D

Question 86

Derrick, a sales manager at Kappa Corp., finds that Jack, a salesman, lacks motivation to perform well in his job. In the context of finding solutions to performance problems, what is the right way to deal with this situation?
A) Derrick must reduce Jack’s pay to punish him.
B) Derrick must warn Jack that he will be demoted if his performance continues to be poor.
C) Derrick must ask Jack to learn from salespeople who perform better than he does.
D) Derrick must counsel Jack to help him understand the factors that are affecting his motivation.
E) Derrick must ask Jack to take a vacation to think about what is causing his lack of motivation.

Answer 86

D

Question 87

Rebecca, a supervisor, is meeting with an employee whose performance has deteriorated since the previous year. The employee used to do the same work well, so Rebecca believes the problem is not likely to be related to ability. Which response would be most likely to help in this situation?
A) offering to make coaching available
B) enrolling the employee in a training program
C) directing the employee’s attention to the significance of the problem
D) investigating whether the employee feels she has been treated fairly
E) demoting the employee

Answer 87

D

Question 88

Virginia considers Howard, her office assistant, to be both highly skilled and highly motivated. Howard frequently surprises Virginia with his creative problem solving, above and beyond the basic job requirements. What response should Virginia make to Howard’s performance?
A) She should not respond to Howard’s behavior because no changes are necessary.
B) She should refer Howard for help with stress management.
C) She should offer Howard feedback that is more detailed in areas needing improvement.
D) She should reward Howard and offer him opportunities for career development.
E) She should investigate whether Howard feels he is being treated fairly.

Answer 88

D

Question 89

The human resource department of Tull Time is reviewing its performance management system to make sure it can show fairness if an employee ever complains of discrimination. Which statement is a problem that must be addressed if Tull Time is to meet that goal?
A) Research shows that female managers give fairer appraisals than male managers.
B) Most appraisal instruments are so objective that supervisors find them inflexible.
C) Employees assume that rating errors are common, though they are rare.
D) Evidence shows that raters tend to give higher ratings to persons of the rater’s own race.
E) Performance management systems often punish people for whistleblowing.

Answer 89

D

Question 90

According to research evidence, in which situation would an employer most have to guard against raters giving unfair low performance ratings to black employees?
A) when most of the employees in a work group are male
B) when supervisors have received rater training
C) when the federal government’s Uniform Guidelines do not apply to performance ratings
D) when most of the employees in a work group are white
E) when the performance management system is legally defensible

Answer 90

D

Question 91

When Thomas Inc. dismissed Jim, his supervisor told him the reason was that he did not meet performance standards. The supervisor assumed that would prevent Jim from claiming he had been dismissed unjustly. What is the main flaw in the supervisor’s assumption?
A) People who file lawsuits for unjust dismissal are usually lying.
B) People who sue for unjust dismissal usually claim the real reason for the dismissal differs from what the employer said.
C) People who file lawsuits for unjust dismissal are irrational.
D) Lawsuits often challenge an organization’s performance management system.
E) The supervisor provided Jim with inadequate coaching.

Answer 91

B

Question 92

Payton was recently dismissed from her job in a hardware store. She had often been late for work, and she was so unresponsive to customers’ needs that the store had received several complaints about her. Furthermore, she frequently complained about policies and procedures. A week after Payton’s dismissal, the store’s manager learned that Payton intended to sue the company for wrongful dismissal. She was saying she had complained of management’s misdeeds, so the company retaliated. How should the human resource department have prepared the company for this situation?
A) by using a single well-trained rater to evaluate each employee and by having upper-level managers review those evaluations
B) by dismissing poor performers quickly, rather than raising false hopes with coaching and training programs
C) by basing the performance management system on measurement of employee traits, not behaviors
D) by setting up a performance management system that documents employee performance problems
E) by setting up a performance management system that provides evidence of management’s misdeeds

Answer 92

D

Question 93

How can an organization protect itself against discrimination and unjust dismissal lawsuits?
A) The organization should provide a review of all top performance ratings by senior managers.
B) Performance measures should evaluate personal traits.
C) The requirements for job success should be clearly communicated to employees.
D) The organization should use a single rater to rate all the employees.
E) The organization should dismiss poor performers.

Answer 93

C

Question 94

Jordan, the CEO of Sinc Co., believes in providing employees with a flexible and open environment to enhance their skills and growth in the company. In the context of performance management and ethical issues associated with it, which of the following would Jordan most likely oppose and why?
A) He would oppose calibration meetings because they question the integrity of performance appraisal information provided by managers.
B) He would oppose 360-degree appraisal because it gathers information from colleagues and subordinates, which can make the employees self-conscious.
C) He would be against having a legally defensible performance management system because it focuses on scrutinizing employees who file a case against the company.
D) He would be against electronic monitoring systems because they make the employees feel like robots and that they are being watched.
E) He would be against top management carrying out performance appraisal of employees because it may lead to appraisal politics.

Answer 94

D

Question 95

The management of D&D Group wants to begin electronically monitoring the computer work of the employees who process claims filed by customers. Eden, the company’s human resource executive, expects that employees will resist the monitoring, because they will feel robbed of their human dignity. How could the human resource department best address this concern?
A) by telling employees the company has reason to believe something is wrong with their performance
B) by keeping quiet the real purpose of the monitoring
C) by making the data available on the company’s intranet, so employees can compare their daily results with what others accomplished
D) by applying the data to employee development programs that can help employees advance in their careers
E) by sending the data to employee assistance programs to help with their mental health problems

Answer 95

D