Quiz 3 Flashcards

1
Q

What is the mutual gains perspective?

A
  • Enhancing the relationship between management and employees results in better individual and organizational outcomes
  • Emphasizing the investment that companies make on their employees by enhancing their knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs)
  • When employees perceive that they are valued by the companies, they will perform better and are happier
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2
Q

What is reality shock? Why does it matter?

A
  • The reactions of new workers when they find themselves in a work situation for which they have spent several years preparing, for which they thought they were going to be prepared, and then suddenly find they are not
  • The discrepancy between what the new employee expected from his/her new job and the realities of it
  • Risk of increased turnover, decreased employee satisfaction and performance
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3
Q

How can we minimize the risk of reality shock?

A
  • We reduce risk of reality shock by implementing a proper orientation program
  • Informs new employees about their job and company
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4
Q

Do employers and new employees see eye-to-eye about orientation programs?

A
  • No
  • Few HR professionals say onboarding is an ongoing process; many say they did nothing to evaluate effectiveness of onboarding process
  • Employees want a longer orientation with sufficient time for training, socialization with colleagues, and clear job expectations
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5
Q

What are the key orientation topics for effective orientation programs?

A
  1. Organizational Issues
    - History
    - Names/titles
    - Overviews
    - Policies
    - Employee handbook
  2. Employee Benefits
    - Pay, vacations, breaks, benefits
    - Services, programs, counselling
  3. Introductions
    - To supervisor, co-workers, trainers
  4. Job Duties
    - Job location
    - Overview
    - Safety
    - Tasks and objectives
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6
Q

Explain the ADDIE model of training.

A

The generic process traditionally used by training developers and instructional designers

STEP 1: NEEDS ANALYSIS
- Determining if a training need exists, and if it does, what training is needed to fill the gap

STEP 2: INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN

  • Create a curriculum that supports learning objectives
  • May be programmed learning (eg. simulation), classroom training (eg. lectures), on-the-job training, or e-learning

STEP 3: DEVELOP TRAINING PROGRAM

  • Pilot study or run-through using representative audience to ensure learning objectives are accomplished
  • Collect feedback and make revisions

STEP 4: IMPLEMENT TRAINING PROGRAM

  • The training program is officially launched, promoted, and conducted
  • Participant progress should be monitored to ensure that the program is effective

STEP 5: EVALUATE TRAINING EFFECTIVENESS

  • Conclude whether the training was effective
  • Can use Kirkpatrick’s Training Evaluation Model
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7
Q

How do you determine training needs?

A
  1. Problem analysis
    - Determines if training is appropriate to solve the problem, and how to do it
    - What exactly is the problem that training is expected to solve?
    - What causes it?
  2. Job/task analysis
    - Gather information on how, where, and with what information a job is done in order to define the KSAOs required for high job performance
    - What are the job specifications, standards, and description?
  3. Population analysis
    - Determine what the individuals to be trained (the target population) already know, and in turn, which KSAO requirements are to be developed
    - What are the current employees’ KSAOs and preferred modes of learning according to the skills inventories?
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8
Q

Explain the 4 typical training techniques in terms of pros/cons of each.

A
  1. Programmed Learning
    - A systematic method of presenting content and giving feedback
    - Pros: reducing training time, instant feedback, self-paced learning (flexible scheduling)
    - Cons: costly to develop, ineffective (preprogrammed feedback), many learners disatisfied
  2. Classroom Training
    - Lectures
    - Pros: dessimate large volume of information, reach large number of people, real-time interaction with instructor
    - Cons: does not consider different learning styles, lack of sharing of ideas between trainees, operational disruption
  3. On-the-Job Training
    - Learning KSAs needed to perform a job by doing it in the workplace
    - Pros: high motivation, high transfer to job, provides realism and practice, simple, economical, quick, allows feedback
    - Cons: creating disturbance, accidents, lack of systematic feedback
  4. E-learning
    - Web-based or IT-based training
    - Pros: no travel time/cost, flexible, ideal for adults learners, self-reliant learning
    - Cons: not focusing on training (the clicking monkey), increased preparation time for instructor, lack of face-to-face communication, increased personal responsibility, technology/IT knowledge requirements
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9
Q

Explain Kirkpatrick’s training evaluation model.

A

Level 1: Reactions

  • How did participants feel about the training program?
  • Eg. employee satisfaction surveys, body language of trainees

Level 2: Learning

  • To what extent did participants improve knowledge and skills and change attitudes as a result of the training?
  • Eg. test to assess knowledge and confidence

Level 3: Behaviour

  • To what extent did participants change their behaviour back in the workplace as a result of the training?
  • Eg. see if trainees’ behaviour changes

Level 4: Results

  • What organization benefits resulted from the training?
  • Eg. conducting additional research (time-consuming, costly)
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10
Q

What are the 6 dimensions of Hofstede’s cultural dimensions?

A
  1. Power Distance
  2. Individualism
  3. Masculinity
  4. Uncertainty Avoidance
  5. Long Term Orientation
  6. Indulgence
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11
Q

In terms of the individualism and long-term orientation dimensions, how do you compare Canadian culture with Chinese or South Korean culture?

A
  • China and South Korea are collectivist cultures; long-term orientation (invest money and time for career) and low individualism (strong employer/employee relationships like a family link)
  • However, don’t equate collectivist culture of a country to ALL individuals
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12
Q

What is performance management?

A
  • The process encompassing all activities related to improving employee performance, productivity, and effectiveness
  • Includes goal setting, training and development, and pay for performance
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13
Q

What is performance appraisal?

A
  • A part of PM in which an employee’s contribution to the organization during a specified period of time is measured
  • Includes measuring, evaluating, and giving feedback on performance
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14
Q

What are the administrative values of PM?

A
  • Promotion or termination
  • Training needs
  • Compensation
  • Legal justification for above decisions
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15
Q

What are the 3 steps of PM?

A
  1. Define performance expectations
  2. Appraise performance
  3. Provide feedback
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16
Q

What is ultimate criterion?

A
  • An evaluative standard that includes everything that ultimately defines success on the job
  • Strictly conceptual construct that cannot be measured or observed (eg. customer satisfaction)
17
Q

What is operational criterion?

A
  • The aspects of performance that are actually measured

- A proxy for the conceptual criterion of interest

18
Q

What are the 2 major criterion problems?

A
  1. Criterion Deficiency
    - When performance standards fail to capture the full range of employees’ responsibilities
    - Eg. an operational criterion that focuses on sales ignores customer service
  2. Criterion Contamination
    - When factors outside of employees’ control influence their performance
    - Eg. rude and nasty customers
19
Q

Explain the PA methods in terms of pros/cons of each.

A

1) Graphic Rating Scale
- A scale that lists a number of traits and a rating
- Pros: inexpensive, easily understood
- Cons: subjective

2) Forced Distribution Method
- Managers must identify a pre-determined proportion of its best and worst performers
- Pros: end up with pre-determined proprtion
- Cons: demotivation poor and average performers, increased competition, weakened teamwork

3) Critical Incidents Technique
- Supervisors and/or employee keep a log of positive and negative examples of a employee’s work related behavior
- Pros: provides specific examples, good for knowledge workers whose performance is hard to objectively define
- Cons: tendency to report negative incidents, time consuming, invalid for most organizations

4) Behaviourally Anchored Rating Scales (BARS)
Using quantified scales with specific narrative examples of good and poor performance
- Pros: desired behaviours are outlined
- Cons: time consuming to develop, hard to define middle range

5) Behaviourally Observation Scales (BOS)
- Contain a list of desired behaviours; frequency is rated
- Pros: may be more effective than BARs

20
Q

What are the benefits of 360-degree performance appraisal method?

A
  • More complete picture of job performance
  • Different stakeholders may observe different behaviors
  • Reduced bias because feedback comes from more than 1 person
  • Feedback from peers and subordinates useful for development purposes
21
Q

What are the limitations of 360-degree performance appraisal method?

A
  • Complex and time consuming
  • Potential for conflicting opinions
  • Not useful/valid for administrative decisions (risk of inflated scores)
  • Peer and subordinate evaluations may jeopardize coworker relations.
22
Q

What are the various PA errors?

A

1) Appraisal Bias
- Tendency to allow individual differences, such as age, race, and sex, to affect the appraisal ratings that these employees receive
- Appearances, friendliness, youthfulness ≠ Good performance

2) Leniency / Strictness Error
- Leniency: when ratings are restricted to high part of scale
- Strictness: when ratings are restricted to low part of scale

3) Central Tendency
- When raters avoid extreme ratings and restrict ratings to middle of scale

4) Similarity Error
- Tendency of rater to inflate ratings when they have something in common with the target
- Discriminatory if it is based on similarity in race, gender, or other prohibited grounds

5) Recency Effect
- Ratings are based largely on employee’s most recent performance

6) Contrast Effect
- When an employee’s evaluation is biased upward or downward because of a comparison with another employee who was recently evaluated

7) Matthew Effect
- Tendency of raters to use previous evaluations as an anchor for subsequent evaluations

23
Q

How do we reduce PA errors?

A
  • Rate the ratee’s performance, not the ratee!
  • For central tendency, use an even # and avoid neutral options
  • For Matthew Effect, hide past evaluations

RATER TRAINING:

  • Aware of job analysis procedure
  • Given feedback on their rating
  • Correct rating should be explained
  • Raters should be involved in the discussion
24
Q

Give at least 3 reasons why PA can fail.

A
  • Manager lacks information regarding an employee’s actual performance
  • Performance standards are unclear
  • Manager is not honest/sincere; uses unclear, ambiguous language during the review
  • Manager does not take PA seriously; not prepared for PA review; lacks PA skills
25
Q

What do we do after PA?

A

1) Feedback interview
- Managers continue to give feedback to employees to change behaviour
- Direct, specific, focus on job-related behaviours

2) Develop an action plan
- Set goals and specify steps to achieve intended results
- Include a timeline