WGU C715 – Organizational Behavior Objective Assessment | OA
| Questions and Answers | 2026/27 Updated | 100% correct
1. Which of the following best defines the primary purpose of human resource
management?
A) To control labor costs by minimizing employee benefits
B) To align HR practices with organizational strategy to improve workforce efficiency
C) To ensure all employees are promoted within a set timeframe
D) To handle only payroll and benefits administration
Correct Answer: To align HR practices with organizational strategy to improve workforce
efficiency
Rationale: The primary goal of HRM is to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the
people within an organization. This is achieved by strategically aligning all HR functions—
such as planning, staffing, and development—with the overall mission and objectives of the
organization.
2. Which of the following is NOT one of the typical functional areas of HR that a generalist
should know?
A) Training and development
B) Compensation and benefits
C) Product marketing and sales
D) Employee and labor relations
Correct Answer: Product marketing and sales
Rationale: The five core functional areas for an HR generalist are training and development,
compensation and benefits, employee and labor relations, recruiting and selecting
,employees, and health, safety, and security. Product marketing and sales fall under a
different business function, not HR.
3. Which of the following is an implicit objective of human resource management?
A) Maximizing shareholder profits
B) Expanding into new markets
C) Improving the quality of work life
D) Reducing the number of employees
Correct Answer: Improving the quality of work life
Rationale: Implicit HR objectives focus on broader organizational health and include
improving productivity, enhancing quality of work life, ensuring legal compliance, and
fostering ethical behavior.
4. A human resources professional is working to enhance employee engagement and reduce
turnover. On which critical dependent variable is this HR professional primarily focusing?
A) Productivity
B) Employee engagement
C) Turnover
D) Absenteeism
Correct Answer: Turnover
Rationale: The four critical dependent variables that HR management directly influences are
productivity, employee engagement, turnover, and absenteeism. By focusing on reducing
turnover, the HR professional is directly addressing one of these key outcomes.
5. In the context of HR planning, what does the "demand" for human resources refer to?
A) The number of employees retiring in the next year
,B) The company's human capital needs to achieve its strategic goals
C) The available pool of qualified candidates in the labor market
D) The number of job applications received for a position
Correct Answer: The company's human capital needs to achieve its strategic goals
Rationale: In HR planning, "demand" is defined as the company's human capital needs. It
involves forecasting the number and types of employees the organization will require in the
future to meet its strategic objectives.
6. What are the four steps or phases in the HR planning process?
A) Recruitment, selection, training, and evaluation
B) Job analysis, sourcing, screening, and hiring
C) Developing data, establishing objectives and policies, programming, and control and
evaluation
D) Planning, organizing, leading, and controlling
Correct Answer: Developing data, establishing objectives and policies, programming, and
control and evaluation
Rationale: The HR planning process consists of four distinct phases: Phase 1 involves
developing data; Phase 2 is establishing HR objectives and policies; Phase 3 is HR
programming; and Phase 4 is HRP control and evaluation.
7. According to the Job Characteristics Model, which of the following is a core job
dimension?
A) Skill variety
B) Seniority
C) Salary range
D) Job title
, Correct Answer: Skill variety
Rationale: The Job Characteristics Model identifies five core job dimensions: skill variety,
task identity, task significance, autonomy, and feedback. These dimensions influence critical
psychological states and employee outcomes.
8. A company is analyzing the way work moves through the organization by studying inputs,
activities, and outputs. This process is known as:
A) Job design
B) Workflow analysis
C) Strategic planning
D) Performance appraisal
Correct Answer: Workflow analysis
Rationale: Workflow analysis is the study of the way work (inputs, activities, and outputs)
moves through an organization. It helps to understand and improve the efficiency of
processes.
9. Which of the following is NOT one of the "4 M's" typically examined in a workflow
analysis?
A) Machines
B) Materials
C) Marketing
D) Manpower
Correct Answer: Marketing
| Questions and Answers | 2026/27 Updated | 100% correct
1. Which of the following best defines the primary purpose of human resource
management?
A) To control labor costs by minimizing employee benefits
B) To align HR practices with organizational strategy to improve workforce efficiency
C) To ensure all employees are promoted within a set timeframe
D) To handle only payroll and benefits administration
Correct Answer: To align HR practices with organizational strategy to improve workforce
efficiency
Rationale: The primary goal of HRM is to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the
people within an organization. This is achieved by strategically aligning all HR functions—
such as planning, staffing, and development—with the overall mission and objectives of the
organization.
2. Which of the following is NOT one of the typical functional areas of HR that a generalist
should know?
A) Training and development
B) Compensation and benefits
C) Product marketing and sales
D) Employee and labor relations
Correct Answer: Product marketing and sales
Rationale: The five core functional areas for an HR generalist are training and development,
compensation and benefits, employee and labor relations, recruiting and selecting
,employees, and health, safety, and security. Product marketing and sales fall under a
different business function, not HR.
3. Which of the following is an implicit objective of human resource management?
A) Maximizing shareholder profits
B) Expanding into new markets
C) Improving the quality of work life
D) Reducing the number of employees
Correct Answer: Improving the quality of work life
Rationale: Implicit HR objectives focus on broader organizational health and include
improving productivity, enhancing quality of work life, ensuring legal compliance, and
fostering ethical behavior.
4. A human resources professional is working to enhance employee engagement and reduce
turnover. On which critical dependent variable is this HR professional primarily focusing?
A) Productivity
B) Employee engagement
C) Turnover
D) Absenteeism
Correct Answer: Turnover
Rationale: The four critical dependent variables that HR management directly influences are
productivity, employee engagement, turnover, and absenteeism. By focusing on reducing
turnover, the HR professional is directly addressing one of these key outcomes.
5. In the context of HR planning, what does the "demand" for human resources refer to?
A) The number of employees retiring in the next year
,B) The company's human capital needs to achieve its strategic goals
C) The available pool of qualified candidates in the labor market
D) The number of job applications received for a position
Correct Answer: The company's human capital needs to achieve its strategic goals
Rationale: In HR planning, "demand" is defined as the company's human capital needs. It
involves forecasting the number and types of employees the organization will require in the
future to meet its strategic objectives.
6. What are the four steps or phases in the HR planning process?
A) Recruitment, selection, training, and evaluation
B) Job analysis, sourcing, screening, and hiring
C) Developing data, establishing objectives and policies, programming, and control and
evaluation
D) Planning, organizing, leading, and controlling
Correct Answer: Developing data, establishing objectives and policies, programming, and
control and evaluation
Rationale: The HR planning process consists of four distinct phases: Phase 1 involves
developing data; Phase 2 is establishing HR objectives and policies; Phase 3 is HR
programming; and Phase 4 is HRP control and evaluation.
7. According to the Job Characteristics Model, which of the following is a core job
dimension?
A) Skill variety
B) Seniority
C) Salary range
D) Job title
, Correct Answer: Skill variety
Rationale: The Job Characteristics Model identifies five core job dimensions: skill variety,
task identity, task significance, autonomy, and feedback. These dimensions influence critical
psychological states and employee outcomes.
8. A company is analyzing the way work moves through the organization by studying inputs,
activities, and outputs. This process is known as:
A) Job design
B) Workflow analysis
C) Strategic planning
D) Performance appraisal
Correct Answer: Workflow analysis
Rationale: Workflow analysis is the study of the way work (inputs, activities, and outputs)
moves through an organization. It helps to understand and improve the efficiency of
processes.
9. Which of the following is NOT one of the "4 M's" typically examined in a workflow
analysis?
A) Machines
B) Materials
C) Marketing
D) Manpower
Correct Answer: Marketing
