Questions Flashcards
What is the purpose of client-server architecture?
To spread out low-powered processing capability,
Two-tier architecture allowed access to the dozens of PCs now being used across the enterprise.
Which new architectural model has become prevalent in the last decade?
Cloud computing technology allows businesses to use applications without having to undergo a complex installation process.
True or False
With a cloud-based human resource information system (HRIS), there is a large up-front cost.
False
What is the main difference between 3-tier architecture and N-tier architecture?
N-tier architecture is expandable to multiple web servers and application servers to handle load balancing. Web servers can be geographically dispersed to provide worldwide access. 3-tier architecture is restricted locally to a server, a database, and an access point.
What is an example of a traditional human resources (HR) activity?
Performance management
True or False
Implementing a human resource information system (HRIS) will reduce training costs.
True
How can a human resource information system (HRIS) add value to an organization?
1.It automates many activities.
2.It helps managers make better decisions.
What is a viable human resource (HR) system option for a small organization?
File management
Which historical period resulted in the need for a human resource information system (HRIS)?
Social Issues Era
Which act was passed in the cloud and mobile technologies era that placed more regulations on organizations, thereby creating an increased need for data to be in compliance?
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
A manager of an organization adopts industry-recognized standard practices.
Best-practice
What are two primary outcomes of a human resource information system (HRIS) for managers
1.Allowing real-time access to accurate data that facilitates decision-making
2.Providing almost continuous data about the status of the organization
Which type of position accesses more areas of the human resource information system (HRIS) than any other user?
Analyst
True or False
Each user of the human resource information system (HRIS) will have the same needs with regard to what information they will be using.
False
Describe three ways managers use a human resource information system (HRIS).
- Managers use the system to gain real-time access to accurate data that facilitate decision-making with regard to their people.
- They may also use HRIS data for performance management, recruiting and retention, team management, project management, and employee development.
- They use the HRIS for information necessary to help make decisions that will contribute to the achievement of the unit’s strategic goals and objectives.
True or False
Best of breed (BoB) options can create a much more powerful solution than a stand-alone human resource information system (HRIS).
True
Which two benefits do optical character recognition (OCR) programs provide to organizations
1.Eliminating rekeying of applicant data
2.Running background checks
What is the best way to address gaps identified in the implementation phase?
Identified gaps should be closed.
Describe a fit-gap analysis.
A fit-gap analysis helps a company understand where organizational processes and the software processes mesh (fit) and where they do not (gap). Any gaps that are identified need to be fixed by modifying organizational processes, configuring the human resource information system (HRIS) application to perform in a certain manner, or customizing the software.
A human resources (HR) administrator wants to implement a human resource information system (HRIS) to automate day-to-day transactional activities.
Which activity fulfills this administrator’s requirement?
Updating benefits
A human resources (HR) administrator at an enterprise-level company is demonstrating how nonsupervisory employees can use the employee self-service (ESS) HR portal of a human resource information system (HRIS).
Which activity can the employees perform in this portal?
Add a new dependent to benefits
A company is aware that the effectiveness of its recruiting efforts could be impacted by employee comments on social media. The human resources (HR) department creates a social media policy that addresses this potential situation.
Which relationship between human resources (HR) enterprise resource planning systems (ERPs), human resources management (HRM) practices, and strategic HRM does this scenario demonstrate?
Strategic HRM influencing HRM practices
A company has a goal of increasing efficiency through automation. Several systems are implemented in different departments, including human resources (HR). Efficiency goals are met, including implementing an online open enrollment process and self-service access to the human resource information system (HRIS).
Which HRIS customer type benefited directly from the HRIS changes?
Employees
Which activity causes human resources analysts to be the most demanding users of a human resource information system (HRIS)?
Understanding the data structure for querying the database
Which traditional activities have human resource information systems (HRISs) supported since their earliest versions?
Recruiting, selecting, and training employees
A manager acknowledges and rewards employees who are closely involved in going from brick-and-mortar to e-commerce.
Which stage in Kotter’s Eight-Stage Change Process does this scenario describe?
Generate short-term wins
A manager prepares employees to accept a change in technology by providing reasons why the technology is needed to improve customer relations within the organization.
Which step in Lewin’s Three-Stage Model of Change does this scenario describe?
Unfreezing
True or False
Nadler’s Congruence Model suggests that an improvement in one component of the operating organization will cause improvements in the other components.
False
change agent aka change leader
A change agent is a person who is responsible for leading an organizational change or who is influential and can communicate and motivate others to accept a change by informal means.
Lewin’s three-step change model
One of the earliest key contributions to organizational change, Lewin’s framework serves as a general model for understanding planned change.
Gleicher’s Change Equation Formula
C = (D × V × F) > R,
where C is change, D is dissatisfaction with the status quo, V is vision, F is the first steps toward the vision, and R is resistance to change.
Nadler’s Congruence Model
The operating organization is composed of four components: (1) work activities, (2) the people that do the work, (3) the formal organization, and (4) the informal organization.
Kotter’s Eight-Stage Change Process
1.Establishing a Sense of Urgency
2.Creating a Guiding Coalition
3.Developing a Vision and Strategy
4.Communicating the Vision
5.Empowering Broad-Based Action
6.Generating Short-Term Wins
Consolidating Gains and 7.Producing More Change
8.Anchoring New Approaches in the Culture
Scope Creep
Undocumented, unapproved changes to the project scope.
True or False
Indirect costs are made up of costs that cannot be known or measured beforehand but may come up in the process of implementing a system.
True
What is the primary disadvantage of benchmarking?
The information may not generalize to your firm.
Which two actions are examples of a direct benefit?
1.Minimize travel expenses for employees
2.Conduct custom e-learning training module development for other organizations
Describe the internal assessment method used for estimating benefit magnitude.
Internal assessment involves the use of a firm’s own internal metrics or other forms of the firm’s specific data as the basis for estimates. The use of this method requires that the organization has maintained historical records on previous information system projects. Internal assessment is best done when investment scopes are large and direct estimation or benchmarking suggests that benefits may not be dramatically higher or lower than costs (e.g., less than ±30%). Internal assessment requires that the organization possess the capabilities to gather the data about its own processes necessary to support these analyses.
A human resources (HR) manager is evaluating whether a new human resource information system (HRIS) met a department’s needs.
Which phase of the systems development life cycle (SDLC) would this HR manager be doing?
Maintenance
Which type of maintenance in a systems development life cycle (SDLC) accommodates new government regulations affecting human resources (HR)?
Adaptive
A project manager instructs human resource information system (HRIS) analysts to organize focus group meetings with diverse groups of internal stakeholders as part of the needs analysis of a new HRIS.
What should this project manager recommend for an effective meeting?
Explain the objectives clearly
A business analyst is developing a data flow diagram (DFD) to document the human resource information system (HRIS) function of administering job requisitions.
Which symbol should this business analyst use to represent the job requisitions?
Data store
A human resources (HR) director is in an advanced stage to replace an existing human resource information system (HRIS). Hiring managers have reported a need for a faster turnaround time from HR during recruitment processes. Though the director is taking a data perspective for the new HRIS, eight new technicians will need to be hired before the new HRIS system can be implemented.
What should the HR director do to respond to this feedback?
Change the HR business process
Which payroll functionality is an essential component for software testing when considering a human resource information system (HRIS)?
Avoidance of double or missing payments
Which information should be requested from a vendor in a request for proposal (RFP) for a human resource information system (HRIS)?
Availability of customer support
A human resources (HR) manager must justify the cost of implementing a human resource information system (HRIS). The HR manager is working on a business-cost analysis (BCA) to determine the average employee contribution (AEC).
Which indirect formula should this HR manager use to calculate this cost?
Number of employees who have left divided by the average number of employees multiplied by 100
A company’s HR works from the idea that the managers and leaders within the company are the HR department’s customers. HR aims to add value to other departments and reduce their costs.
Which HR structure is this department operating under?
Shared-service center
What are two disadvantages that companies may experience when using a shared-service center
1.Unanticipated power shifts
2.Depersonalization
A company wants to implement a system that allows it to control costs by reducing the number of HR inquiries that require direct staff involvement.
Which system should the organization apply to achieve this goal?
Self-service portals
A human resources (HR) administrator wants to implement a human resource information system (HRIS) to automate day-to-day transactional activities.
Which activity fulfills this administrator’s requirement?
Updating benefits
A human resources (HR) administrator at an enterprise-level company is demonstrating how nonsupervisory employees can use the employee self-service (ESS) HR portal of a human resource information system (HRIS).
Which activity can the employees perform in this portal?
Add a new dependent to benefits
What is a time-saving feature that specifically benefits the IT department?
An employee list can be generated to assign employees to company computers.
True of False
The systems development life cycle (SDLC) is the process of documentation for a new system
False
Which phase of the systems development life cycle documents current capabilities, identifies new needs, and defines the scope of the HRIS?
Planning
Which maintenance stage involves tweaking and improving the existing system?
Perfective
Describe two ways to conduct a needs analysis interview.
Interviews can be completely unstructured or very scripted.
1.Unstructured interviews are when a general topic is introduced for discussion and the interviewer lets the interview progress naturally.
2. In a structured interview, the interviewer asks specific questions in a predetermined order and respondents select from a set of alternative answers.
True or False
Focusing on the physical design of a system will highlight important functions needed for the HR process.
False
Why is it important that both process perspective and data perspective be considered when designing an HRIS?
Each perspective represents a portion of the total HRIS.
What is the highest level of a data flow diagram?
Context diagram
An organization has a goal of working with a credible vendor when choosing an HRIS.
One with a positive reputation
True or False
A request for proposal (RFP) should include all possible business and technical requirements
False
A manager focuses on how well the proposed system fits in with the current and future organizational environment.
Which term accurately describes this scenario?
Operational feasibility
A manager solicits proposals and bids for proposed work from potential consultants or vendors and defines the organization’s goals and requirements for the new HRIS.
Which term describes this scenario?
Request for proposals (RFP)
Describe two key recommendations to ensure a successful RFP.
- The first recommendation is to review the needs analysis and redesign of business processes to understand the specific requirements that should be included in the RFP.
- Another recommendation is to keep it simple. This means that if it is not something that is important to the HR department and reflective of the business processes modeled in the DFDs, it is best not to include it.
A manager acknowledges and rewards employees who are closely involved in going from brick-and-mortar to e-commerce.
Which stage in Kotter’s Eight-Stage Change Process does this scenario describe?
Generate short-term wins
A manager prepares employees to accept a change in technology by providing reasons why the technology is needed to improve customer relations within the organization.
Which step in Lewin’s Three-Stage Model of Change does this scenario describe?
Unfreezing
True or False
Nadler’s Congruence Model suggests that an improvement in one component of the operating organization will cause improvements in the other components.
False
Describe the role of a change agent.
A change agent is a person who is responsible for leading an organizational change or who is influential and can communicate and motivate others to accept a change by informal means.
True or False
A common reason why HRIS implementations fail is due to technology that is poorly designed. True
False
What is the definition of scope creep?
An extension of the original project duties
What is the benefit of getting end users involved in the development of an HRIS?
User acceptance
Describe the importance of system documentation.
System documentation is a record of the design specifications and code of the HRIS. This documentation is important for the system designers and IT staff who maintain the software because it helps them better understand how to work with the code and the system itself. User documentation is the documentation that contains the instructions about how the user can interact with and use the HRIS.
Which three benefits can an HRIS provide to the primary infrastructure of a system?
1.Deliver HR programs
2.Ensure HR regulatory compliance
3.Produce metrics used to evaluate HR programs
True or False
A risk avoidance strategy is implemented when investments are believed to remove or reduce future risks faced by an organization.
True
When should a benefit-cost analysis (BCA) be performed?
Before beginning detailed work on the project
What is the purpose of risk avoidance strategies?
Risk avoidance strategies are used when investments are believed to eliminate or mitigate significant future risks faced by the organization. The potential obsolescence of legacy computing systems was a prototypical risk avoidance scenario.