Solved by verified expert :CHAPTER TWO: aligning training with strategy
MULTIPLE-CHOICE questions
1.
Strategic planning is best
defined as
A)
The development of a relatively
long?term mission consistent with internal tactics.
B)
The development of relatively
short?term objectives that meet the executive committee objectives.
C)
A process for determining how best to pursue the organization’s mission
while meeting the demands of the environment.
D)
The development of values and
ideals of the organization relevant to long-term objectives.
2.
Strategic planning that focuses
on the long term is a(n)
A)
Reactive strategy.
B)
Proactive strategy.
C)
Less formal analysis.
D)
Objective setting process.
3.
HRD should be involved in
strategic planning by
A)
Helping shape strategy.
B)
Influencing the HR strategy.
C)
Developing its own strategy in
line with the strategic plan.
D)
Both B & C.
E)
All of the above.
4.
Which of the following is a
market leader strategy?
A)
Keep costs low
B)
Develop new markets
C)
Development of economies of
scale
D)
None of the above
E)
All of the above
5.
The defender strategy is also
referred to as
A)
Differentiator.
B)
Innovator.
C)
Cost leader.
D)
Market leader.
E)
Market follower.
6.
Which of the following
statements is true in an uncertain environment?
A)
The organization must rigidly
define operating methods.
B)
A market leader strategy is the best strategy to adopt.
C)
There is less complexity in the
environment.
D)
Cost leader strategy is the
best strategy to adopt.
7.
Low uncertainty in the external
environment is created by
A)
High complexity and low
stability.
B)
Low stability and low
complexity.
C)
High stability and low complexity.
D)
Both A & B.
8.
__________ refers to the number
of factors in an organization’s environment and how they are interrelated.
A)
Environmental uncertainty
B)
Environmental flexibility
C)
Environmental complexity
D)
Environmental stability
E)
None of the above
9.
A non-routine technology label
is applied to tasks that have
A)
Well structured and defined
solutions to occurring problems.
B)
Few problems.
C)
Problems that occur often and unexpectedly.
D)
A high degree of
predictability.
E)
All of the above.
10.
You would typically associate routine
technology with which of the following?
A)
Those with market leader
strategies
B)
A low degree of predictability
of outcomes or results
C)
No defined solutions when
problems do occur
D)
Highly specialized technologies
E)
All of the above are associated
with routine technologies
11.
Organizational design refers to
A)
The type of technology used.
B)
The type and style of decision
making used.
C)
How the division of labor is
set up.
D)
Both B & C.
E)
None of the above.
12.
A mechanistic design is best
applied in which of the following situations?
A)
Non?routine technologies
B)
Small businesses
C)
High volume assembly lines
D)
Where there are not clear
answers to many of the problems that arise
E)
A & D
13.
What is one reason companies
should invest in strategic HR?
A)
To be able to grow
B)
To increase their market value
C)
To centralize their strategies
D)
To involve management
14.
According to the text, the
strategic planning process at Hewlett Packard Canada in the late 1980’s
resulted in
A)
The sales force reorganizing
around specific products.
B)
A concentration on the laser
printer and increasing the profit margin on each unit.
C)
Hewlett Packard being one of the toughest competitors in the marketplace.
D)
Both A & C.
15.
How can HRD align itself with
the organization’s strategies?
A)
By developing training that
focuses on the market
B)
By developing training to meet
strategic performance objectives
C)
By delivering training to the
right people
D)
Both B & C are correct
E)
None of the above
16.
Organizational development is
best defined as
A)
A profession that deals with
reacting to changes in the external environment.
B)
A profession and field of study that creates and implements planned
change in organizations.
C)
A profession and field of study
that deals with creating and implementing new ideas in the organization.
D)
A field of study and profession
that deals with explaining serendipitous events.
17.
Which of the following is NOT a
step in the generic planned change model?
A)
Goals are developed and handed down by a centralized top management team.
B)
A compelling need for change is
established.
C)
The results of the approach are
evaluated.
D)
An approach to addressing the
cause is selected.
E)
All of the above are steps in a
general planned change model.
18.
Which of the following
statements is true regarding change?
A)
Resistance is most often from
non-management personnel.
B)
Change requires effort and new
learning.
C)
Resistance is easily overcome.
D)
The change process should only
focus on the individual, group, or organizational level, not on all three.
E)
OD practitioners and trainers
have a similar tactical focus in dealing with change.
19.
What can be done to reduce
resistance to change?
A)
Focus on changing one level
(organizational, group, and individual) at a time.
B)
Involve employees.
C)
Let those who are satisfied
with the status quo lead the way.
D)
Both A & B.
E)
All of the above.
20.
Which of the following is NOT a
source of conflict and disagreement between OD and training professionals?
A)
The difference between their
perceived role and power base.
B)
The nature of OD practices
challenges assumptions underlying organizational practices.
C)
OD principles interfere with the implementation of effective training
programs.
D)
OD professionals are more
likely to be guided by data than training professionals.
E)
Companies typically organize
around their functional areas.
21.
A reason there might be
conflict among HRD and OD professionals is that the OD practitioner
A)
Has a more tactical approach.
B)
Tends to be seen as overly analytical.
C)
Deals with mostly middle
management.
D)
Both A & B.
E)
Both A & C.
22.
OD interventions could be
implemented more successfully if they included training where employees
A)
Developed a common knowledge
and skill base in the area of the intervention.
B)
Understood group dynamics and
became skilled at working within groups.
C)
Understood and became skilled
at using a common problem?solving model.
D)
Both A & C.
E)
All of the above.
23.
The outsourcing of
training
A)
Is useful when the company is large
and has diverse training needs.
B)
Is often used by small business.
C)
Is not a good idea when you
have a decentralized HRD function.
D)
A & B
E)
All of the above.
24.
Which best explains the
strategic training alternative of the internal provider?
A)
All or most training developed
in house, each phase handled by specialists, and needs developed from a
decentralized HRD function
B)
All or most training purchased
from outside sources, each phase handled by specialists, and needs developed
from a centralized HRD function
C)
All or most training activities
provided by outside trainers and training function’s role is to select and
manage training suppliers
D)
All or most training developed in house, each phase handled by
specialists, and needs developed from a centralized HRD function
25.
Most companies use the _____
strategy when addressing their training and development needs.
A)
Primary provider
B)
Mixed
C)
Manager intermediary
D)
Both A & C
26.
Which of the following is a
reason why some small businesses do not engage in strategic planning?
A)
Time constraints
B)
Unfamiliarity
C)
Lack of skills
D)
Lack of trust
E)
All of the above
27.
Cavalier Tool and Manufacturing
decided not to pursue ISO certification because
A)
They could not afford the cost
associated with certification.
B)
They had attempted
certification a few years earlier and it had been unsuccessful.
C)
Sometimes a customer required a “down and dirty” mold which would not be
allowed under ISO certification.
D)
The owner was not interested in
certification.
TRUE/FALSE questions
28.
___Competitive strategy focuses
on positioning products and services in the marketplace
29.
___If the external environment
is highly complex and highly stable, there is low uncertainty.
30.
___The main activity associated
with producing an organization’s principle products and services is often called
the core technology.
31.
___Organizational design refers
to the way the work is divided and organized.
32.
___HRD contributes to the
development of new strategies.
33.
___Trainers and OD
practitioners have problems getting along because trainers tend to be more
strategic and more overly analytical than OD practitioners.
34.
___Force field analysis is a
type of analysis used in a TNA.
35.
___ The internal provider is a
strategic training alternative whereby the training department provides all or
most of the training for the organization.
36.
___A small business is much
more likely to be involved in strategic planning than a larger one because it
is easier for them.
SHORT-ANSWER QUESTIONS
37.
Name and briefly describe the
three components to organization structure that are discussed in the text.
·
.
38.
Should an organization’s
strategies be reactive, proactive, or both?
Support your answer.
ESSAY QUESTION
39.
HRD and OD seem to complement
one another but do not often work together in an organization. What are some of
the reasons for this lack of cooperation? Why do HRD professionals need OD
competencies and OD professionals need training competencies?
