Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

SHRM-CP 2023 > Structure of the HR function > Flashcards

Structure of the HR function Flashcards

1
Q

Center of excellence (COE)

A

An organizational structure that leverages staff expertise
in certain areas to improve the entire organization’s
strategic performance.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Cosourcing

A

Arrangement in which an enterprise and a vendor share
different tasks within a larger complex, often strategic
responsibility.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Dedicated HR

A

HR structural alternative that allows organizations with
different strategies in multiple units to apply HR expertise
to each unit’s specific strategic needs.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Functional HR

A

HR structural alternative in which headquarters HR
specialists craft policies and HR generalists located
within divisions or other locales implement the policies,
adapt them as needed, and interact with employees

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

HR audit

A

Systematic and comprehensive evaluation of an
organization’s HR policies, practices, procedures, and
strategies.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Outsourcing

A

Process by which an organization contracts with third-party vendors to provide selected services/activities
instead of hiring new employees.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Shared services HR model

A

HR structural alternative in which centers with specific
areas of expertise develop HR policies in those areas;
each unit can then select what it needs from a menu of
these services.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Balanced scorecard

A

Performance management tool that depicts an
organization’s overall performance, as measured against
goals, lagging indicators, and leading indicators.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Benchmarking

A

Process by which an organization identifies performance
gaps and sets goals for performance improvement by
comparing its data, performance levels, and/or processes
against those of other organizations

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Environmental scanning

A

Process that involves a systematic survey and
interpretation of relevant data to identify external
opportunities and threats and to assess how these
factors affect the organization currently and how they are
likely to affect the organization in the future.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Key performance indicators (KPIs)

A

Quantifiable measures of performance used to gauge
progress toward strategic objectives or agreed standards
of performance.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Lagging indicator

A

Type of metric describing an activity or change in
performance that has already occurred.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Leading indicator

A

Type of metric describing an activity that can change
future performance and predict success in the
achievement of strategic goals.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Mission statement

A

Concise outline of an organization’s strategy, specifying
the activities the organization intends to pursue and the
course its management has charted for the future.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Organizational values

A

Beliefs and principles defined by an organization to direct
and govern its employees’ behavior

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

PESTLE analysis

A

Scanning process that searches for environmental forces
in political, economic, social, technological, legal, and
environmental categories.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Strategic fit

A

State in which an organization’s strategy is consistent
with its external opportunities and circumstances and its
internal structure, resources, and capabilities.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Strategic management

A

System of actions that leaders take to drive an
organization toward its goals and objectives.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Strategic planning

A

Process of setting goals and designing a path toward a
competitive position.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Strategy

A

Plan of action for accomplishing an organization’s overall
and long-range goals.

21
Q

SWOT analysis

A

Method for assessment of an organization’s strategic
capabilities through use of the environmental scanning
process, by which internal and external factors affecting
achievement of organizational goals are identified and
considered.

22
Q

Systems thinking

A

Process for understanding how seemingly independent
units within a larger entity interact with and influence one
another.

23
Q

Value drivers

A

Actions, processes, or results that are needed to deliver
a desired value.

24
Q

Vision statement

A

Description of what an organization hopes to attain and
accomplish in the future, which guides it toward that
defined direction.

25
Q

A graphic designer is leaving a technology consulting firm after five years. Can the designer use copyrighted materials to launch a start-up company?

Yes, the firm and the designer share ownership of the work.

Yes, the work belongs to the graphic designer

Maybe. Mediation is needed to determine ownership

No, the work is the property of the employer

A

No, the work is the property of the employer

26
Q

A manager has lost several staff members to a competitor in the last quarter, however, continues to meet team targets. Which type of report can HR share to ease this manager’s dismay over losing staff members?

A

Human capital value added

This shows the productivity of retained employees, due perhaps to HR processes such as training for employees and supervisors and compensation strategies. This metric will increase since revenue will be divided by a smaller number of employees.

27
Q

Which function has the highest potential to increase future revenue?

Information Technology

Marketing and Sales

Research and development

Operations

A

Research and development

28
Q

HR generalists, who may be located within divisions or other locales, implement policies, adapt them as needed, and interact with employees. Which type of HR structure is this?

Centralized

Dedicated

Functional

Decentralized

A

Functional

29
Q

Which part of the organization is responsible for assembling products?

Information technology

Sales

Operations

Product Design

A

Operations

30
Q

An organization’s HR department receives pressure from multiple different areas in the organization. Which HR structural alternative would work best for this organization?

Centralized

Global resrouces

Matrix

Center of Excellence

A

Matrix

31
Q

Which administrative task should an HR manager delegate to an HR assistant?

Ensuring compliance with laws and regulations

Creating career development plans

Reconciling benefits

Conducting interviews

A

Reconciling benefits

32
Q

In a sales and marketing environment, what are the 4Ps of marketing?

A

Price, Product, Promotion and Place

33
Q

A global company with a dedicated HR structure has locations on several continents. A new labor law in one of thiese locations impacts the company’s overtime rules. What should HR in that location do first to address the change.

Seek an exemption from the new law from local authorities

Inform corporate HR of the new law

Adjust local labor policy to align with the new law

Await instruction from corporate HR on how to proceed.

A

Inform corporate HR of the new law

34
Q

What does an HR audit measure the effectiveness and efficiency of?

Policies, practices, procedures, and strategies to support HR’s goals.

HR’s contribution to the organization’s financial status

Transparency and accountability in the use of the HR budget

Internal customer satisfaction with HR services and quality of delivery.

A

Policies, practices, procedures and strategies to support HR’s goals.

35
Q

Which task should HR consider for outsourcing?

Benefits management and administration

Design of management compensation

Attendance at disciplinary meetings

Long-range HR strategic planning

A

Benefits management and administration.

36
Q

To reduce its manual workload, an HR department implements a system that allows employees access to information related to earnings, taxes, benefits, and vacation leave balances. The system also allows employees to update information for their tax withholding, direct deposits, and retirement fund allocations. What aspect of HR’s role will be reduced?

Transformational

Strategic

Operational

Administrative

A

Administrative

37
Q

Which part of the organization has primary responsibility for generating revenue?

Research and development

Operations

Marketing and Sales

Information Technology

A

Marketing and Sales

38
Q

Which activity most effectively conveys HR’s value as a strategic business partner?

Providing information to internal stakeholders which demonstrates HR’s impact on the business operations.

Presenting HR’s training initiatives to the company’s executive team

Ensuring that all employee background checks are conducted as required by law

Conveying how the company’s marketing strategy could be adjusted to further penetrate its targeted market

A

Providing information to internal stakeholders which demonstrates HR’s impact on the business operations

39
Q

Which best describes HR’s involvement in the strategic planning process of their organization?

Focusing on accurately representing the needs of the HR department to the manager

Assuming sole responsibility for making decisions on matters related to HR

Acting as a consultant to leadership and other functions on HR issues

Critiquing and assessing the input and contributions of strategic planning participants

A

Acting as a consultant to leadership and other functions on HR issues

40
Q

The chief financial officer is primarily responsible for which two functions?

A

Accounting and Finance

41
Q

How can HR add the most value in the strategic planning process?

By recruiting other personnel to take part in the process

By identifying the HR implications of the company’s strategy

By critiquing the finished plan for alignment with corporate goals

By serving as the facilitator for the planning sessions

A

By identifying the HR implications of the company’s strategy

42
Q

Which metric would most accurately show the effect of the investment in an HR change initiative to increase employee productivity?

A

Human capital value added

43
Q

What is a direct result of HR’s evolving strategic role?

Increased knowledge of employment law, compliance issues, and record-keeping

Redesign of incentive systems to reward increased customer satisfaction

More employee engagement programs to smooth generational differences in the workforce

Required competence to develop talent through career development and succession planning.

A

Required competence to develop talent through career development and succession planning.

44
Q

Which activity is considered a strategic HR responsibility?

Ensuring that transactional tasks are processed correctly

Establishing common goals of an organization’s core business functions

Identifying enhancements to an HRIS

Recommending outsourcing opportunities to reduce an organization’s overhead costs.

A

Establishing common goals of an organization’s core business functions

45
Q

Which is the best rationale for ensuring a new HR team member confirms with the manager that an employee issue has been resolved?

It ensures a request is not officially closed until notification is confirmed

It provides a second check that the request was successfully handled

It reinforces HR’s service and value to its internal business partners

It allows the manager a chance to monitor the team member’s performance.

A

It reinforces HR’s service and value to its internal business partners

46
Q

HR management creates a shared services center for career development counseling. Several months later, management notes high turnover in HR offices throughout the organization. Which is the most likely reason for the outcome?

Natural elimination of redundant positions

Strategic workforce management

Poor management of the extended effects of an organizational change

Weak organizational communication

A

Poor management of the extended effects of an organizational change

47
Q

In the balanced scorecard approach to strategic management, which action does the customer value most?

Monitoring processes to ensure satisfactory outcomes

Analyzing employee ability to accomplish goals

Designing clear long-range objectives

Providing quality goods and services

A

Providing quality goods and services

48
Q

Which is the most desired outcome of an HR audit?

Confirmation that adequate controls have been established

Increase in the organization’s efficiency

Identification of areas of the function where performance could be improved

Recognition of HR’s role as a credible business partner.

A

Identification of areas of the function where performance could be improved

SHRM-CP 2023 (25 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions