Managing Performance Through Training And Development 6th Edition By Saks - Test Bank

Chapter 2: Organizational Learning TRUE/FALSE 1. Organizational learning refers to the process of creating, sharing, storing, and applying knowledge in organizations. ANS: F Definition of organizational learning PTS: 1 REF: 37 2. Peter Sengalis is known as the originator of the concept of learning organizations. ANS: F Peter Senge PTS: 1 REF: 37 3. If individuals in an organization learn, then the organization becomes a learning organization. ANS: F Individual learning is necessary but not sufficient PTS: 1 REF: 37 4. In order to survive and develop, organizations must learn how to manage their capacity to learn and change. ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 37 5. VanCity’s employees have a wide array of programs available in supporting their development. In fact, VanCity will reimburse up to 100 percent of expenses should an employee decide to take a course that is not related to his/her current role. ANS: F 50 percent only PTS: 1 REF: 36 6. Learning organizations improve their effectiveness and attain their goals by acquiring, sharing, creating, and storing knowledge and information. They are constantly in a state of learning. ANS: T continuous learning PTS: 1 REF: 38  7. Peter Senge characterized learning organizations as having five core principles. Of these five principles, mental models embody the concept of viewing the organization holistically. ANS: F Systems thinking PTS: 1 REF: 38 8. A learning culture is best described as the norms and values an organization has toward its stakeholders. ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 41 9. According to the Conference Board of Canada, senior management needs to be explicit in defining the type of knowledge that is important to their organizations. ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 40 10. Tacit knowledge could be described as policies and procedures often found in a company’s intranet site and procedures manuals. ANS: F Explicit PTS: 1 REF: 42 11. Intellectual capital is an organization’s knowledge, experience, relationships, process discoveries, innovations, market presence, and community influence. ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 42 12. Intellectual capital is knowledge that may or may not have value to a company. ANS: F Has value PTS: 1 REF: 42 13. Human capital includes elements of cognitive intelligence and emotional intelligence. ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 43 14. Human capital includes the knowledge, skills, and abilities of employees. ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 43  15. An example of structural capital would be a company’s policy manual. ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 43 16. Informal learning could be characterized as a standardized cross-training program. ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 49 17. According to the Conference Board of Canada, approximately 61 percent of Canadian companies have in place procedures ensuring that knowledge is codified, stored, and freely shared amongst employees. ANS: F About 31 percent PTS: 1 REF: 44 18. Recent advancements in technology are playing a significant role in supporting knowledge sharing within and between companies. ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 47 19. Communities of practice are typically formed in an informal manner. For that reason, management plays no role in supporting and nourishing such communities of practice. ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 47 20. Organizational learning can be represented with a multilevel systems model that has four levels of learning including societal, organizational, group, and individual. ANS: F three levels not including societal PTS: 1 REF: 51 MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. In 2011, VanCity committed to double its expenditures in training and development. What need(s) was VanCity trying to address with this new expenditure? a. maximizing profits for its current members while growing its footprint as a credit union b. creating a more efficient workforce c. delivering on its corporate social responsibility mandate of helping create a sustainable community d. strengthening its workforce capacity to enable the company to meet its objectives ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 36 BLM: Higher order 2. Your textbook contains the quote, “Individual learning does not guarantee organizational learning. But without it, no organizational learning occurs.” Which author said this about organizational learning? a. Alan Saks b. Judy Shuttleworth c. Josh Blair d. Peter Senge ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 37 BLM: Remember 3. What must an organization do to become truly competitive and effective with its organizational learning initiatives? a. It must make a strategic shift in orientation in order to transform itself into a learning organization. b. It must secure the support and commitment of all organizational stakeholders, past and present. c. It must link its initiatives to the relevant sources of information and knowledge available. d. It must be willing to adapt to the external environment and change its values in order to achieve its objectives. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 37|38 BLM: Higher order 4. Which of the following disciplines incorporates the other four by looking at the organization holistically? a. personal mastery b. systems thinking c. mental models d. building a shared mission ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 38 BLM: Remember  5. According to the Conference Board of Canada, what percentage of Canadian organizations do NOT consider themselves to be learning organizations, even to a moderate extent? a. 29 percent b. 45 percent c. 34 percent d. 67 percent ANS: A (100% -71%) PTS: 1 REF: 40 BLM: Higher order 6. At D&D Automation, what is the most important input for maintaining the company’s learning culture? a. manufacturing and technology—state of the art systems and processes b. training and development—both internal and external c. community involvement—supports robotics skills competitions at local high schools and co-op programs d. employee empowerment—measured via annual employee engagement surveys ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 40 BLM: Higher order 7. Carlos, a manager at a local manufacturing firm, often changes his approach to annual performance conversations based on his understanding of what factors motivate each employee. What is Carlos demonstrating? a. explicit knowledge b. human capital c. tacit knowledge d. intellectual capital ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 42 BLM: Higher order 8. With what category is intellectual capital grouped? a. organizational assets b. organizational liabilities c. organizational expenditures d. organizational income ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 42 BLM: Higher order 9. Which of the following is characterized as human capital? a. a company’s patent on a new manufacturing process b. an employee’s ability to create products with a zero error rate c. a company’s strong working relationship with a key supplier of inputs d. a company’s consistently high engagement score ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 43 BLM: Higher order  10. The intellectual capital cycle moves through four types of work. What begins the intellectual capital cycle? a. investments in human capital b. renewal capital and structural capital c. productive relationship capital d. financial performance ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 44 BLM: Remember 11. What is a potential indicator that knowledge is being shared in an organization? a. problem solving becomes more complex yet, less effective b. expertise is not captured and stored as explicit knowledge c. unnecessary and needless staffing changes continue to take place d. employees attract and obtain increased opportunities ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 44 BLM: Higher order 12. According to research conducted by the Conference Board of Canada, what percentage of respondents indicated that systems and structures exist within their organizations to ensure that important knowledge is coded, stored, and made available to those who need it? a. 11 percent b. 21 percent c. 31 percent d. 41 percent ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 44 BLM: Remember 13. A senior manager in an organization asks you to describe the most important way for an organization to acquire or create new knowledge. How would you respond? a. brainstorming with internal and external partners b. scanning the environment by leveraging internal and external means c. benchmarking competitors for best practices and adopting them d. using scenario forecasting to develop plans to deal with internal changes ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 45 BLM: Higher order 14. Who are the typical internal sources of information used in environmental scanning? a. employees b. customers c. suppliers d. creditors ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 45 BLM: Remember  15. What estimated percentage of what employees know about their jobs is acquired via a formal process? a. 30 percent b. 50 percent c. 66 percent d. 70 percent ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 49 BLM: Remember 16. What are the typical characteristics of informal learning? a. spontaneous, immediate, and task-specific b. strategic, goal-oriented, and short-term c. structured, individual-focused, and unplanned d. defined, organization-wide, and explicit ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 49 BLM: Remember 17. Which of the following is a factor used to differentiate formal and informal learning? a. culture b. climate c. management style d. process driven ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 49|50 BLM: Higher order 18. According to the textbook, what are the two most-used methods for informal learning? a. face-to-face interactions and email communication b. social networking and internet searches c. structured mentoring and coaching sessions d. email communications and intranet sites ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 50 BLM: Remember 19. Which of the following best captures the role management can play in supporting communities of practice? a. provide the necessary funding b. provide the infrastructure and evaluate relevance to the company c. control topics, timing, and participation d. ensure all communication between group members is codified ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 47|48 BLM: Higher order 20. Which of the following best describes the relationship between formal and informal learning? a. formal learning must first occur before informal learning can take place b. formal learning and informal learning share the same characteristics c. formal and informal learning are not mutually exclusive d. informal learning must first occur before formal learning can take place ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 49|50 BLM: Higher order  21. What two benefits can be realized from communities of practice? a. promoting best practices, and adapting skills b. driving strategy, and initiating restructuring c. solving problems, and aiding in recruitment d. generating new business, and improving quality ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 47|48 BLM: Remember 22. Which concept is defined as deeply ingrained assumptions, generalizations, or images that influence how we understand the world and how we take action? a. mental models b. organizational culture c. implicit knowledge d. informal learning ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 38 BLM: Remember 23. Why is the concept of informal learning receiving so much attention from managers? a. because of the need to reduce expenditure in training and development b. because of the speed of change and demographic realities c. because of the level of attention the topic of informal learning has received from academics and management gurus d. because it requires fewer resources and management attention ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 49 BLM: Higher order 24. What is an effective way to develop shared mental models? a. create work processes that require team involvement b. remove physical barriers so as to facilitate regular contact between management and employees c. develop communities of practice focused on solving specific challenges facing the organization d. provide social networking sites so as to facilitate informal learning ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 48 BLM: Higher order 25. Knowledge was traditionally disseminated by oral traditions. What are two of the current techniques used for disseminating knowledge? a. virtual conference rooms and wikis b. electronic bulletin boards and libraries c. connected knowledge bases and professional associations d. information technology and teleconferencing ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 46 BLM: Remember  26. What specific factor has made knowledge repositories more widespread and accessible? a. available technology b. a more technologically savvy workforce c. management’s commitment to knowledge repositories d. decreasing cost of managing these repositories ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 47 BLM: Higher order 27. According to the textbook, what is one unique method for capturing tacit knowledge that does not typically rely on computer technology? a. transcripts b. stories c. narratives d. artefacts ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 47 BLM: Remember 28. Which of the following is typically considered a level of analysis for organizational learning? a. society b. task c. divisional d. individual ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 53 BLM: Remember 29. What statement best describes the insights offered by a multilevel systems model of organizational learning? a. group learning is the most critical variable given its central role b. group learning is a necessary and sufficient condition for the organization to learn c. if individuals learn, then the organization must also learn d. organizational learning can take place only if the group and individuals learn ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 53 BLM: Higher order 30. Which of the following factors are important at the group level? a. vision and leadership b. group structure and reporting relationships c. level of complexity and task interdependence d. a reward system must be in place to reward individuals for learning and applying newly found skills/knowledge ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 52 BLM: Remember SHORT ANSWER 1. Identify and briefly describe the four dimensions the Conference Board of Canada has identified as critical in creating and sustaining a learning organization. ANS: The four dimensions are: • Vision/support—there is a clear vision of the organization’s strategy and goals and learning is seen as critical to their achievement; • Culture—the culture supports learning through the sharing of knowledge and information and through continuous learning which is everyone’s responsibility; • Learning systems/dynamics—a systems approach is applied to problem solving whereby all employees are encouraged to consider patterns of interdependency; and • Knowledge management/infrastructure—systems and structures are in place to acquire, code, store, and distribute important information and knowledge so that those who need it can access it in a timely manner. PTS: 1 2. Define “communities of practice,” provide an example of a community of practice, and explain their importance to organizational learning. ANS: “Communities of practice” are networks of people who work together and regularly share information and knowledge. Examples would include best practice teams or apprenticeships. Communities of practice are important to organizational learning because learning is social and knowledge will not be valued unless there is a shared understanding of its importance. PTS: 1 3. Differentiate between the terms “information” and “knowledge” from the perspective of a learning organization. Provide an example for each. ANS: Information is plentiful and easy to acquire. Knowledge, on the other hand, is information that has been edited, put into context, and analyzed in a way that makes it meaningful and valuable to an organization. PTS: 1  4. Briefly define “explicit knowledge” and “tacit knowledge,” and provide an example for each. ANS: Explicit knowledge refers to things you can buy or trade, such as copyrights or patents. An example would be the formula for Coke, Col. Sanders’s “secret recipe” for Kentucky Fried Chicken, or the Ford Motor Company blue oval. Tacit knowledge is the wisdom that is learned from experience or insight. Examples would include things like insight, intuition, little tricks, and judgment. An example would be gifted artistic and musical abilities. PTS: 1 5. Describe four ways in which organizations can encourage informal learning. Briefly discuss the role that informal learning plays in organizational learning. ANS: See The Trainer’s Notebook 2.1 on page 41. (1) Encourage employees to foster informal learning in organizations (2) Form casual discussion groups of employees with similar projects and tasks (3) Create meeting areas that can be used by employees to congregate and communicate (4) Remove physical barriers that prevent employees from communicating (5) Create overlaps in shifts (6) Create small teams with a specialized focus (7) Allow groups to break for their routines for team discussions (8) Provide autonomy to modify work processes (9) Eliminate barriers to communication and give employees authority to take training on themselves (10) Condense office space and make room for an open gathering area (11) Match new hires with seasoned employees Informal means of learning such as employees teaching each other their tips and tricks for performing tasks account for more than half of all workplace learning, so it is very important that it be encouraged and supported in a systematic way. PTS: 1  6. Identify and describe barriers that may exist in an organization that impede knowledge sharing between employees. How would a manager begin to remove some of the barriers you have identified? ANS: (1) Potential structure and organization design factors—reporting relationships, task design, and task complexity (2) Rewards and incentives may not be congruent with knowledge sharing environments (3) Organizational culture Etc. (4) How would you convince a senior manager on the merits of enhancing an organization’s capacity to learn? How would you leverage the multilevel systems model of organizational learning in supporting your answer? PTS: 1 Chapter 4: The Needs Analysis Process TRUE/FALSE 1. A needs analysis is required to determine who needs training and what type of training they need. ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 101 2. A needs analysis is used to identify the differences between what training costs are and what they should be. ANS: F Performance differences PTS: 1 REF: 102 3. The needs analysis process starts with a concern expressed by a customer, employee, management, or some other stakeholder. ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 103 4. Only senior management must buy into the needs analysis process to ensure that the data collection will result in accurate information and that they have a vested interest in the success of the program. ANS: F all stakeholders not just Sr Mgt PTS: 1 REF: 105 5. The most extensive stage in the needs analysis process is data collection. ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 105 6. A needs analysis helps to determine what type of training and development is required to resolve performance problems. ANS: F Training and development is only one potential intervention. PTS: 105 REF: 105 7. One of the key outputs of an organizational analysis is determining the congruency of a potential training program and the corporate or business-level strategy. ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 106  8. An organizational analysis can help to identify potential constraints and problems that can derail a training program. ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 106 9. Strategic training is the alignment of employees’ training needs and programs with the organization’s strategy and objectives. ANS: F organization’s training needs PTS: 1 REF: 106 10. Resource analysis is the identification of the resources available in an organization that might be required to design a training and development program. As a principle, it does not deal with implementing the actual program. ANS: F It also identifies implementation resources PTS: 1 REF: 107 11. Organizational climate refers to the collective attitudes of its employees toward work, supervision, and company goals, policies, and procedures. ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 108 12. An example of a strong training transfer climate could be praise provided by peers when a new employee uses conflict resolution skills acquired in a training program. ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 108 13. There are six steps in a person analysis including identify the target jobs, obtain job descriptions, develop rating scales, survey a sample of job incumbents, analyze and interpret the information, and provide feedback on the results. ANS: F task analysis not person analysis PTS: 1 REF: 110 14. Competencies are clusters of related knowledge, skills, and abilities that differentiate effective performers from ineffective performers. ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 110 15. Questionnaires, structured interviews, and observation are techniques used in a task analysis to survey a sample of job incumbents. ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 110 16. A task analysis is the ideal process to assess complex jobs requiring significant mental activity. ANS: F Cognitive analysis PTS: 1 REF: 113 17. Task analysis is a set of procedures that focuses on understanding the mental processes and requirements for performing a job. ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 113 18. A person analysis examines how well an employee performs the critical tasks and his/her knowledge, skills, and abilities. ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 114 19. Ineffective performance indicates that training is needed to close the gap between current performance and desired performance. ANS: F Training is only one potential intervention. Rewards, feedback, goals, etc. are other potential interventions. PTS: 1 REF: 114|115 20. One of the obstacles facing trainers is the belief by many managers that resources should be used for training activities — choosing action over analysis. ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 124 MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. According to the textbook, what did Technocell Canada do before training could take place? a. compiled all the job specifications and descriptions for the company b. conducted an analysis of the skills and training needs of each employee c. linked performance to a new compensation strategy d. changed the company’s strategy to better match employees’ skills and abilities ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 100 BLM: Remember 2. Which of the following is NOT a typical step in the instructional systems design model? a. needs analysis b. design and delivery c. data collection d. evaluation ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 101 BLM: Remember 3. Which statement best describes the needs analysis process? a. it is the least important step in the training and development process b. it is a critical step designed to identify gaps in individual and organizational performance c. it identifies cost inefficiencies, yet it is silent on potential solutions to individual and organizational performance d. it collects data and information from management on skills and knowledge deficiencies in an organization ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 101 BLM: Higher order 4. Which of the following statements would be an example of an “itch”? a. ABC Inc. notices an increase in customer complaints b. ABC Inc. notices an increase in productivity c. ABC Inc. is faced with increasing revenue and falling costs d. ABC Inc. notices a decrease in employee absenteeism ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 103 BLM: Higher order 5. In which example does pressure to change employee behaviour come from the internal environment? a. legislation that affects labour standards is changing b. customer preferences for products and services are changing c. competition from rivals offering better products at lower prices is increasing d. management notices the number of product related mistakes begin to increase ANS: D A/B/C and external-product related mistakes is an internal issue. PTS: 1 REF: 103 BLM: Higher order 6. According to the textbook, what impact must a concern have on an organization to be classified as important? a. affects the culture and climate of the organization b. raises productivity and quality of output c. impacts outcomes that are important to the organization’s effectiveness d. raises engagement levels in both employees and management ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 103 BLM: Remember  7. Why must training plans, business strategy, and key stakeholder involvement be linked together in a needs analysis? a. to achieve the greatest support and continuity from the organization and its stakeholders b. to maintain the strongest political linkages and allies necessary for organizational change c. to alleviate resistance to change from individuals who were not given an opportunity to provide input d. to ensure that the organizational culture supports the key stakeholders and strategy ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 104 BLM: Higher order 8. During the needs analysis process information and data is collected from a variety of stakeholders. How is the information from a needs analysis used by an organization? a. to prepare job descriptions and specifications b. to develop optimal solutions to training problems c. to develop measures for training evaluation d. to write training policies, identify appropriate trainers, and design training events ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 105 BLM: Higher order 9. Your CEO has asked you to explain the potential negative consequences of having training and development plans that are NOT congruent with your company’s strategy. What negative consequence does the textbook identify on this issue? a. lowers the organization’s book value b. lowers the organization’s investments c. lowers the organization’s equity d. lowers the organization’s market value ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 106 BLM: Higher order 10. What are two factors from the external environment that might affect an organization’s need for training and the employees’ receptivity to being trained? a. trade agreements and new technologies b. competitors and corporate strategy c. recessions and employment equity d. demographics and organizational culture ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 107 BLM: Remember 11. What critical question is the resource analysis process attempting to answer? a. Does the organization have the desire to spend its resources on training? b. Does the organization have employees willing to learn? c. Does the organization have sufficient money, time, and expertise? d. Does the organization have access to effective decision-makers? ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 107 BLM: Remember 12. What is the term for a culture in which members of an organization believe that knowledge and skill acquisition are part of their job responsibilities and that learning is an important part of work life in the organization? a. knowledge culture b. counter culture c. organizational culture d. learning culture ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 108 BLM: Remember 13. Which example characterizes a strong climate for transfer of training? a. It takes three months for a trainee to be given the opportunity to apply what was learned in training. b. Financial and non-financial benefits are associated with applying material learned in training. c. Supervisor and peer support for the use of newly acquired skills is not evident. d. Newly trained employees face few consequences for not using material learned in training. ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 108 BLM: Higher order 14. What is the term for the process of obtaining information about a job by determining the duties, tasks, and activities involved and the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform the tasks? a. resource analysis b. organizational analysis c. task analysis d. needs analysis ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 110 BLM: Remember 15. What is one drawback of a task analysis process? a. It ignores mental processes required to complete a task. b. It focuses only on target jobs as opposed to all jobs within the organization. c. It develops bias from subjective rating scales and the use of estimates. d. It assumes tasks are performed by teams, not individuals. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 113 BLM: Higher order 16. In a task analysis, what are competencies and how are they used? a. Competencies are very similar to skills and are used in a very specific manner rather than a generalized one. b. Competencies are behaviours that are used to distinguish effective performers from ineffective performers. c. Competencies are related to knowledge, skills, behaviours and personality traits and are used to link training to organizational objectives. d. Competencies are essential to develop observable performance behaviours which are used to replace all job descriptions. ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 110 BLM: Remember 17. According to the textbook, which of the following represents Level 4 in A Competency Profile for Senior Leaders? a. communicates new directions so that everyone affected knows the new directions b. leads team through discussions and research to identify key new themes and goals that everyone can accept and use c. key stakeholders are consulted and have input into direction-setting d. all stakeholders are engaged in a process to rewrite the new directions in terms that relate specifically to their roles ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 111 BLM: Remember 18. According to the textbook, what is one critical issue associated with using existing job descriptions in the task analysis process? a. Job descriptions may be dated and not reflective of current job requirements. b. It may be time consuming to retrieve job descriptions. c. Job descriptions are costly and may not be available. d. Job descriptions tend to be vague, not reflecting the skills, knowledge, and abilities needed to perform a job. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 110 BLM: Higher order 19. What deficiency in task analysis does the newer technique of cognitive task analysis address? a. It compensates for the repetitiveness of observable tasks. b. It involves complex mental tasks that are not easy to observe. c. It expands a task analysis to incorporate differences in diversity. d. It allows participants to focus on anomalous rather than routine tasks. ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 113 BLM: Remember 20. What is the main difference between a traditional task analysis and a team task analysis? a. A traditional task analysis depends on job descriptions whereas a team task analysis depends on competencies. b. A team task analysis relies on an organization being a certain size in order to be relevant and useful. c. A traditional task analysis is usually applicable to lower level jobs on the organizational chart and not management. d. A team task analysis identifies the interdependencies of the job and the skills required for task coordination. ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 113 BLM: Remember 21. Judy, a Human Resource professional, decides to undertake a person analysis at Technocell Canada. What question is Judy seeking an answer to? a. How is training linked to Technocell’s strategy? b. Who at Technocell needs training? c. When are tasks performed and what resources are available at Technocell? d. What external forces are affecting Technocell? ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 114 BLM: Higher order 22. Which of the following is a structural barrier to effective performance? a. lack of performance measurements b. lack of reward systems c. lack of clarity around roles and responsibilities d. lack of tools and equipment ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 115 BLM: Remember 23. Which of the following is NOT an information barrier to effective performance? a. informal leaders b. lack of performance metrics c. ineffective feedback d. vague objectives ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 115 BLM: Remember 24. What management concept is based on the principles of conditioning theory? a. disciplinary management b. knowledge management c. reward management d. contingency management ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 118 BLM: Remember 25. Under which scenario is training the LEAST likely intervention in dealing with a performance problem? a. Mary performs a particular task frequently b. Providing Mary with coaching is too expensive and time consuming c. Mary has a mission critical role d. Mary does not receive feedback on her performance ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 119 BLM: Higher order 26. What is the best method of collecting data in a needs analysis process? a. any combination of methods that uses at least three of the nine methods b. typically, a combination of interviews, observations, and work samples c. the combination of methods that most likely results in senior management approval d. available resources, analyst expertise, and the nature of the responses should drive the choice of method ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 120 BLM: Higher order 27. Ideally, what should a manager do if an employee has a genuine skill deficiency and does not have the potential to learn a new task? a. fire the employee immediately b. give the task to another individual, even if it impacts productivity negatively c. notwithstanding the lack of potential to learn, double up the training effort d. if possible, simplify the task, lower expectations, or transfer the employee ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 118 BLM: Higher order 28. What is the most often used method of collecting data for a needs analysis? a. work samples b. observations c. surveys d. interviews ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 123 BLM: Remember 29. What is one obstacle that organizations cite as the reason to avoid conducting a needs analysis? a. Trainees often claim that they are rewarded for taking the time to conduct a needs analysis. b. Organizations usually can see how the investment of time and resources will produce a viable training solution. c. Organizations are most concerned with training employees quickly rather than waiting for research to be conducted. d. Managers and employees do not have the creative techniques and critical methods of inquiry needed to conduct a needs analysis. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 124 BLM: Higher order 30. Which of the following is NOT a typical shortcut taken by trainers using a just-in-time needs analysis? a. ask a series of questions b. speed up data analysis c. use existing information d. link assessment and delivery ANS: B Should be speed up data collection, not analysis PTS: 1 REF: 125 BLM: Higher order SHORT ANSWER 1. There are many alternatives to training when solving performance problems. Identify and briefly describe three such alternatives. ANS: Three alternatives to training for solving performance problems are: (1) feedback—give employees performance feedback so they can compare their performance to their goal and regulate their own behaviour and performance; (2) goal setting—help the employee set performance goals that are specific and challenging as a way of increasing their motivation; and (3) practice—if it is a skill the employee has not used in some time, instead of formal training they might just require some practice to refresh their skills. PTS: 1 2. Outline at least five conditions under which training might be the best solution to performance problems. ANS: (1) when the task is performed frequently; (2) when the task is difficult; (3) when correct performance is critical; (4) when the employee does not know how to perform as required; (5) when performance expectations and goals have been made clear and employees receive feedback on their performance; (6) when there are (or will be) positive consequences for correct work behaviour, and there will NOT be negative consequences for performing as required; and (7) other solutions (like coaching) are ineffective or too expensive. PTS: 1 3. Outline the differences between a cognitive task analysis and a team task analysis. ANS: A cognitive task analysis focuses on mental processes and requirements for performing a job while a team task analysis must identify the interdependencies of the job as well as the skills required for task coordination. Cognitive task analysis is especially useful for jobs that are complex, dynamic, and may have high-stake outcomes. The main objective of team task analysis is to assess team-based competencies such as knowledge, skills, and attitude. PTS: 1  4. Describe how Mager and Pipe’s decision tree is used in determining if training is the best solution to performance problems. ANS: The decision tree is helpful in first clarifying what the performance discrepancy is, as well as in asking the question of whether or not the discrepancy is important enough to invest resources in correcting. It then asks the question of whether or not the problem is a result of a skills deficiency. It the answer is “yes,” then there are a number of options to consider that include formal training, practice, feedback, goal setting, changing the job, or even the person in the job. If the answer is “no,” then there are several questions asked to help determine what the barrier to effective performance is, and how to remove that barrier. For example, if non-performance is being rewarded, then remove that reward, and arrange a positive consequence for performing properly. The decision tree is useful to encourage an exploration of all the possible barriers to effective performance, and not just jumping to the conclusion that training is the best or only solution. PTS: 1 5. Identify and briefly describe the three steps in the person analysis process. ANS: The three steps in a person analysis are: (1) define the desired performance—establish the norms and standards of acceptable performance; (2) determine the gap between desired and actual performance—compare where the employee is relative to the standard, and (3) identify the obstacles to effective performance—determine what is the cause or source of the gap. 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