Question : Case 7.2 As an HR manager at a publishing firm, : 1346262

Case 7.2

As an HR manager at a publishing firm, you are reviewing performance appraisals for a report to the CEO regarding manager performance. The CEO wants to know not only how employees are doing, but also how well managers are evaluating their employees. Matt, Madeline, and Edward are the firm’s key managers.

Reading through Matt’s evaluations, you note that he tends to rate all of his subordinates in the middle of the scale. You recall a conversation during which Matt commented that his subordinates were overall satisfactory but not excellent. Matt would like to get them more training and institute an incentive program for motivational purposes.

Madeline’s employee evaluations of her team range from excellent to poor. You are startled to see that Madeline has rated Juan rather low. Pulling Juan’s file, you note that he has always had very high ratings until this time. You remember a meeting two months ago when Juan vehemently disagreed with Madeline in front of the CEO, who agreed with Juan’s opinion to Madeline’s embarrassment.

Edward’s employee evaluations have very little justification. Gary, the CEO’s son-in-law, is typically an average performer, but Edward gave him a very high rating. Jenny, another average performer, has a very low rating. You recall a comment from Edward that Jenny needed motivation to work harder.

81) Refer to Case 7.2. Edward’s employee evaluations show that Edward:

A) tends to make halo errors.

B) is subject to the influence of liking.

C) is not considering situational factors in his appraisals.

D) believes in a political perspective regarding performance appraisals.

82) Refer to Case 7.2. Which manager or managers would most likely leave the company vulnerable to a lawsuit because of the way they conduct performance appraisals?

A) Matt

B) Edward

C) Matt and Edward

D) Madeline and Edward

Case 7.3

In a training session for managers, you state that performance improvement is the most important part of the performance appraisal process. During the session, you explain how the group of supervisors can manage employee performance more effectively.

During the ensuing discussion, Chris, a middle manager with 20 subordinates, explains that he has a finely tuned ability to discover the causes of performance problems. According to Chris, employees either lack motivation for the job or lack the skills and knowledge to perform the job.

Another supervisor, Gena, says that after she determines the cause of a performance problem, she creates a supportive environment and works in partnership with the employee to solve the problem. While Gena strives to show acceptance, she also finds it effective to point out to subordinates how their negative personality traits affect their work performance. Gena states that by giving employees all the time needed and offering suggestions, performance improvements typically occur.

83) Refer to Case 7.3. In this training session you should most likely state that to improve performance, managers need to begin by:

A) exploring the causes of the performance problem with the employee.

B) directing communication towards performance and situational issues.

C) empowering workers to solve their own performance problems.

D) directing attention to solutions for the problem.

84) Refer to Case 7.3. Chris’s analysis most likely suggests which of the following plays a role in performance management?

A) Organizational politics

B) Nonverbal attending

C) Cultural insensitivity

D) Observer bias

85) Refer to Case 7.3. Which of the following would most likely improve Gena’s strategy for solving performance problems?

A) Exploring the causes of poor performance

B) Focusing communication on performance

C) Empowering employees to reach a solution

D) Motivating employees to solve their own problems

86) Refer to Case 7.3. Which of the following questions would be LEAST relevant for Chris and Gena to ask when faced with employee performance problems?

A) Is the employee’s performance erratic?

B) Is the employee’s performance lower on all tasks?

C) Have all workers received 360-degree feedback?

D) Are performance problems occurring with all workers?