Question 1

At M&M Enterprises,subordinates rate supervisor performances anonymously.Which of the following refers to the process used at M&M?

Accepted Answer

A)  downward feedback 
B)  upward feedback 
C)  paired evaluation 
D)  peer evaluation

Question 2

When a supervisor must criticize a subordinate in an appraisal interview,it is best to ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  hold the meeting with co-workers who can document the situation 
B)  provide specific examples of critical incidents 
C)  acknowledge the supervisor's personal biases 
D)  limit negative feedback to once every year

Question 3

Oshman manufactures small kitchen appliances,such as blenders,toasters,and mixers.The firm has nearly 80,000 employees in 22 countries.Employees receive annual performance appraisals from their supervisors that combine critical incidents with a graphic rating scale.However,the firm's CEO advocates shifting from performance appraisals to performance management in an attempt to make Oshman more competitive and performance driven. Which of the following,if TRUE,supports the argument to replace Oshman's traditional appraisal methods with the performance management approach?

Accepted Answer

A)  Oshman has experienced problems associated with central tendency and bias, and the firm wants to ensure that appraisals are legally sound. 
B)  Oshman executives want to align the firm's strategic plan with individual employee goals and development needs. 
C)  Oshman uses management by objectives as a primary appraisal method and requires supervisors to develop SMART goals. 
D)  Oshman executives believe that upward feedback helps managers improve their own management style and interpersonal skills.

Question 4

Managers at ADK Marketing will start using information technology to automate performance management.What should managers do first?

Accepted Answer

A)  provide work teams with developmental training goals 
B)  assign financial and nonfinancial goals to each team's activities 
C)  implement reward systems to motivate low-performing teams 
D)  gather a list of skills and competencies for each team member

Question 5

Employee Appraiser,a computerized appraisal tool,provides numerous evaluation dimensions that can be used when conducting a performance appraisal.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 6

Which performance appraisal method involves distinguishing between the worst and best employees based on a trait or traits?

Accepted Answer

A)  alternation ranking 
B)  graphic rating scale 
C)  forced distribution 
D)  constant sum rating scale

Question 7

Which performance appraisal technique lists job dimensions and a range of performance for each?

Accepted Answer

A)  alternation ranking 
B)  graphic rating scale 
C)  paired comparison 
D)  constant sum rating scale

Question 8

Which of the following would most likely result in a legally questionable appraisal process?

Accepted Answer

A)  assigning specific trait names when using graphic rating scales 
B)  using job performance dimensions that are too clearly defined 
C)  conducting a job analysis to establish performance standards 
D)  basing appraisals on subjective supervisory observations

Question 9

In order to ensure that performance goals are challenging and relevant,Matthew,a marketing manager,should independently set goals for his subordinates because participatively set goals usually produce lower job performance.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 10

A firm involved in using talent management tools would most likely ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  focus attention on mission-critical employees 
B)  conduct annual performance appraisals 
C)  allocate rewards to all employees 
D)  provide training as-needed

Question 11

When conducting an appraisal interview,supervisors should do all of the following EXCEPT ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  create an action plan 
B)  discuss objective work data 
C)  give specific examples of poor performance 
D)  compare the person's performance to that of other employees

Question 12

Setting work standards,assessing an employee's performance against those standards,and providing employee feedback are the three steps of the ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  orientation process 
B)  development analysis 
C)  ratio analysis method 
D)  performance appraisal cycle

Question 13

Which component of performance management refers to communicating a firm's higher-level goals throughout the organization and then translating them into departmental and individual goals?

Accepted Answer

A)  coaching 
B)  role clarification 
C)  goal alignment 
D)  direction sharing

Question 14

Sam supervises a team of data entry clerks at Geico.The firm's electronic performance monitoring system enables Sam to electronically monitor the amount of computerized data an employee processes each day.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 15

Wilson Consulting is a management consulting firm with seventy employees.As associate vice president of marketing,Suzanne Boyle is responsible for conducting performance appraisals of the twelve employees under her direct supervision.Suzanne plans to use a graphic rating scale to evaluate the performance of her subordinates. Which of the following,if TRUE,best supports the argument that a graphic rating scale is the most appropriate performance appraisal tool for Suzanne to use?

Accepted Answer

A)  Employees in Suzanne's department who are categorized in the bottom 10% of the firm's employees will be immediately dismissed. 
B)  Suzanne wants to ensure that the firm is protected from employee discrimination lawsuits, so she has conducted a job analysis of each position. 
C)  Suzanne wants a quantitative rating of each employee based on competencies important to the firm, such as problem-solving skills. 
D)  Employees in Suzanne's department participated in developing their own performance standards when they were first hired by the firm.

Question 16

Studies indicate that the idiosyncratic biases of appraisers account for the largest percentage of observed variances in performance ratings.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 17

Central tendency is a problem that occurs when a supervisor's rating of a subordinate on one trait biases the rating of that person on other traits.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 18

What is the purpose of performance appraisals? Who do you think should conduct performance appraisals? Why?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is the purpose of performance appraisals?...

Question 19

Paired comparison is a rating approach that involves keeping a record of uncommonly good or undesirable examples of an employee's work-related behavior and reviewing it with the employee at predetermined times.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 20

A supervisor who frequently rates all employees as average on performance appraisals most likely has a problem known as ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  stereotyping 
B)  central tendency 
C)  halo effect 
D)  leniency

Exam 8: Performance and Talent Management

At M&M Enterprises,subordinates rate supervisor performances anonymously.Which of the following refers to the process used at M&M?

When a supervisor must criticize a subordinate in an appraisal interview,it is best to ________.

Managers at ADK Marketing will start using information technology to automate performance management.What should managers do first?

Employee Appraiser,a computerized appraisal tool,provides numerous evaluation dimensions that can be used when conducting a performance appraisal.

Which performance appraisal method involves distinguishing between the worst and best employees based on a trait or traits?

Which performance appraisal technique lists job dimensions and a range of performance for each?

Which of the following would most likely result in a legally questionable appraisal process?

In order to ensure that performance goals are challenging and relevant,Matthew,a marketing manager,should independently set goals for his subordinates because participatively set goals usually produce lower job performance.

A firm involved in using talent management tools would most likely ________.

When conducting an appraisal interview,supervisors should do all of the following EXCEPT ________.

Setting work standards,assessing an employee's performance against those standards,and providing employee feedback are the three steps of the ________.

Which component of performance management refers to communicating a firm's higher-level goals throughout the organization and then translating them into departmental and individual goals?

Sam supervises a team of data entry clerks at Geico.The firm's electronic performance monitoring system enables Sam to electronically monitor the amount of computerized data an employee processes each day.

Studies indicate that the idiosyncratic biases of appraisers account for the largest percentage of observed variances in performance ratings.

Central tendency is a problem that occurs when a supervisor's rating of a subordinate on one trait biases the rating of that person on other traits.

What is the purpose of performance appraisals? Who do you think should conduct performance appraisals? Why?

Paired comparison is a rating approach that involves keeping a record of uncommonly good or undesirable examples of an employee's work-related behavior and reviewing it with the employee at predetermined times.

A supervisor who frequently rates all employees as average on performance appraisals most likely has a problem known as ________.