Job Analysis The Foundation Of Employment Ch14 Exam Prep

Test Bank

Chapter 14

Job Analysis: the Foundation of Employment Decision-Making

True/False

1. There is nothing that is as important to effective HR planning and practice as job analysis.

2. The job specification identifies the conditions under which work is typically performed.

3. It is a sound management practice to base hiring decisions on whether candidates possess sufficient KSA to get the job done.

4. If an employee’s performance level falls below the performance standard, that means that the job is not being properly compensated.

5. In many instances organizations fail to establish performance standards during the job analysis process.

6. Job specifications are at the very core of minimal qualifications for a job.

7. Job specifications do not articulate the minimal qualifications for a job.

8. Knowing the TDR of jobs is essential in both the design of jobs and their eventual redesign to gain productivity improvements.

9. Improper job analysis could result in the employer being oblivious to work hazards related to certain job positions.

10. If the job descriptions, job specifications, and performance standards do not convey meaningful job information they are worthless.

11. Job analysis is a time consuming and often boring task to perform.

12. Recent graduates with degrees in HRM are usually exposed to expert-level job analysis techniques.

13. If not properly implemented, job analysis will waste time and resources.

14. Job incumbents are more likely to provide information about how the job should be done.

15. In job analysis the phrase “job description” can mean two things.

16. Unlike interviews, questionnaires never have “double-barreled questions.”

17. Questionnaires should be written at a level that is a little higher than the reading audience’s comprehension level.

18. Competency-based job analysis begins with identifying the TDR.

19. The results of a job analysis should be formalized in written form.

20. The person collecting the data in job analysis should always be internal, as an external consultant would not be able to identify with the company’s needs effectively.

Multiple Choice

1. Which of the following is not a component produced by systematic job analysis?

A. qualified privileges

B. job description

C. performance standards

D. job specification

2. Systematic job analysis has __________ components.

A. two

B. three

C. four

D. five

3. The __________ focuses on gathering information relating to the actual work activities associated with the job in question.

A. qualified privilege

B. job description

C. performance standard

D. job specification

4. What is the definition of work context?

A. The conditions under which work is typically performed.

B. The salary level in which a certain position is classified.

C. The characteristics that an applicant should possess if a job is to be correctly done.

D. None of the above

5. What is the second component of job analysis?

A. qualified privilege

B. job description

C. performance standard

D. job specification

6. A job specification identifies a job position’s required:

A. ADA

B. TDR

C. KSA

D. MLB

7. __________ is/are absolutely critical for disparate impact analysis.

A. Work context

B. Job specifications

C. Conciliation

D. Permanent standards

8. Of the components of job analysis, which one has the greatest effect on most management-employee relations?

A. Job description

B. Performance standards

C. Job specification

D. They all have an equal effect on management-employee relations

9. When a firm recruits to fill new or vacated positions it does so on the basis of:

A. TSA

B. KDR

C. TDR

D. KSA

10. If there are no valid __________, then there is no way of showing that the decision was truly based on work-related qualifications.

A. performance standards

B. job specifications

C. variance data

D. countervailing statistics

11. __________ is a process by which organizations make a concerted effort to improve organizational efficiency and productivity often by redesigning work to eliminate redundancy and wasted resources.

A. Reengineering

B. Variance

C. Stock Analysis

D. Absolute privilege

12. Which of the following is a common reason that job analysis may not provide an adequate defense?

A. Job specifications fail to reflect the true qualifications

B. Job descriptions are either too broad or too narrow

C. Job descriptions and specifications become out dated

D. all of the above

13. Sometimes job analysis fails because the job specifications may be:

A. overstated only, as being understated could not cause a failure

B. understated only, as being overstated could not cause a failure

C. either overstated or understated could cause a failure

D. neither being understated nor overstated could cause a failure

14. Why is overstating the KSA necessary for a job an issue for employers?

A. the person hired would not have enough education to do the job

B. the employer is going to pay a higher salary for unused KSA

C. the employer is going to pay a lower salary for unused KSA

D. the person hired would need extensive training to do the job

15. Which is not a reason why organizations may do a poor job of job analysis?

A. Job analysis is costly.

B. Job analysis takes time.

C. Job analysis is interesting.

D. Job analysis requires expertise.

16. Which of the following HR activities is often underemphasized in undergraduate programs?

A. labor relations

B. classification

C. employment law

D. performance management

17. Job analysis should be done in a __________ manner.

A. arbitrary

B. indiscriminate

C. systematic

D. random

18. Systematic job analysis typically proceeds through __________ phases.

A. two

B. three

C. four

D. five

19. In systematic job analysis, which phase is the most important?

A. the first phase

B. the second phase

C. the third phase

D. the last phase

20. __________ of job analysis focuses on preparation and assures that the process itself is performed in an efficient manner.

A. Phase I

B. Phase II

C. Phase III

D. Phase IV

21. Managers are more likely to provide information about how the job __________ done.

A. is actually

B. was once

C. should be

D. managers do not participate in job analysis

22. Job incumbents are more likely to provide information about how the job __________ done.

A. is actually

B. was once

C. should be

D. job incumbents do not participate in job analysis

23. When collecting data for a job analysis, __________ or more sources should be tapped.

A. two

B. three

C. four

D. five

24. The __________ document should indicate what the minimum performance expectations are of the job incumbent.

A. stock analysis

B. job description

C. performance standards

D. the variance

25. There are __________ sources of concern that require HR professionals and mangers to continually review employment practices.

A. internal

B. external

C. both internal and external

D. none of the above

26. Company policies and practices can become obsolete through:

A. new EEOC regulations

B. federal court decisions

C. new civil rights legislation

D. any of the above

27. __________ interviews ask a series of questions which are narrowly focused and designed to gather specific information from the individual.

A. Structured

B. Unstructured

C. Spontaneous

D. Amorphous

28. Which of the following is not a question typically asked during a structured interview?

A. Describe the routine duties you perform?

B. In performing your job, what decisions do you regularly make?

C. Tell me about your last job?

D. Describe your working conditions?

29. Questionnaires offer the advantage over interviews in that they are:

A. less costly

B. less time consuming

C. both of the above

D. none of the above

30. Which of the following does not begin with identifying the KSA rather than the TDR?

A. competency-based job analysis

B. work-based job analysis

C. worker-based job analysis

D. behaviorally based job analysis

Essay

1. What are three common reasons listed in the text explaining why a job analysis may not provide an adequate defense? Why would an organization allow job analysis to fail? Explain four causes.

2. The phrase “job description” can mean two things. Please elaborate.

3. Identify and describe two traditional approaches to job analysis. What is competency-based job analysis and how is it different from the traditional approaches to job analysis?

Traditional approaches to job analysis include:

a. Interviewing: job information may be collected by interviewing the job incumbents, their supervisors, or both. Unstructured and structured interview formats may be used.

b. Questionnaires: accomplish the same task as interviews, but are in written form rather than verbal form, thus they are less expensive and less time consuming than interviews. However, being that they are written rather than verbal, there is no room for clarification and individuals can misunderstand what a question is asking of them.

Competency-based job analysis focuses on those individual skills, abilities and characteristics that can be linked to successful job performance. It is the antithesis of traditional job analysis methods, which first identify the TDR of a given job, then proceed to identify the KSA. Competency-based job analysis begins with identifying the KSA.

Pages: 397–399