Chapter 10: Managing Your Career

Multiple Choice

1. _____ is a process for enabling employees to better understand and

develop their career skills and interests and to use these skills and interests
most effectively within the company and afterwards.
a. Organizational development
b. Career management
c. Career development
d. Career planning
e. Training
(b; easy; p. 350)

2. Career management refers to the _____.

a. process through which someone becomes aware of personal skills,
interests, knowledge, motivations; acquires information about
opportunities; identifies career goals; and establishes action plans to
attain those goals
b. the lifelong series of activities that contributes to a person’s career
exploration, establishment, success, and fulfillment
c. process for enabling employees to better understand and develop their
career skills and interests and to use these skills and interests most
effectively within the company and afterwards
d. process of using activities like training and appraisal to provide a
career focus
e. occupational positions a person has over his or her lifetime
(c; moderate; p. 350)

3. The lifelong series of activities that contributes to a person’s career

exploration, establishment, success, and fulfillment is called _____.
a. organizational development
b. career management
c. career development
d. career planning
e. training
(c; easy; p. 350)

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4. Career development refers to the _____.
a. process through which someone becomes aware of personal skills,
interests, knowledge, motivations; acquires information about
opportunities; identifies career goals; and establishes action plans to
attain those goals
b. the lifelong series of activities that contributes to a person’s career
exploration, establishment, success, and fulfillment
c. process for enabling employees to better understand and develop their
career skills and interests and to use these skills and interests most
effectively within the company and afterwards
d. process of using activities like training and appraisal to provide a
career focus
e. occupational positions a person has over his or her lifetime
(b; moderate; p. 350)

5. Career planning refers to the _____.

a. process through which someone becomes aware of personal skills,
interests, knowledge, motivations; acquires information about
opportunities; identifies career goals; and establishes action plans to
attain those goals
b. the lifelong series of activities that contributes to a person’s career
exploration, establishment, success, and fulfillment
c. process for enabling employees to better understand and develop their
career skills and interests and to use these skills and interests most
effectively within the company and afterwards
d. process of using activities like training and appraisal to provide a
career focus
e. occupational positions a person has over his or her lifetime
(a; moderate; p. 350)

6. The process through which someone becomes aware of personal skills,

interests, knowledge, motivations; acquires information about
opportunities; identifies career goals; and establishes action plans to attain
those goals is called _____.
a. organizational development
b. career management
c. career development
d. career planning
e. training
(d; easy; p. 350)

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7. Jackie is working with a coach to identify her personal skills and interests.
Then she plans to get information about opportunities that fit her skills and
interests and set career goals for what she seeks to accomplish. Jackie is
the midst of _____.
a. organizational development
b. career management
c. career development
d. career planning
e. training
(d; easy; p. 350)

8. How does human resource management with a career development focus

differ from human resource management with a traditional focus?
a. it includes job analysis
b. it includes skill analysis
c. it projects needs
d. it uses statistical data
e. it includes information about individual interests and preferences
(e; difficult; p. 350)

9. The human resource activity that involves analyzing jobs, skills, and tasks
in the present and future and seeks to project organizational needs is
_____.
a. performance appraisal
b. compensation and benefits management
c. human resource planning
d. recruitment and placement
e. training and development
(c; easy; p. 351)

10. The human resource activity that involves providing opportunities for
learning skills, information, and job-related attitudes is _____.
a. performance appraisal
b. compensation and benefits management
c. human resource planning
d. recruitment and placement
e. training and development
(e; easy; p. 351)

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11. The human resource activity that involves rating performance and rewards
is _____.
a. performance appraisal
b. compensation and benefits management
c. human resource planning
d. recruitment and placement
e. training and development
(a; easy; p. 351)

12. The human resource activity that involves matching an organization’s

needs with the skills of qualified individuals is _____.
a. performance appraisal
b. compensation and benefits management
c. human resource planning
d. recruitment and placement
e. training and development
(d; easy; p. 351)

13. The human resource activity that involves providing rewards for seniority,
productivity and talent is _____.
a. performance appraisal
b. compensation and benefits management
c. human resource planning
d. recruitment and placement
e. training and development
(b; easy; p. 351)

14. How do training and development with a career development focus differ
from training and development with a traditional focus?
a. it provides opportunities for learning skills
b. it provides opportunities for identifying job-related attitudes
c. it provides career path information
d. it provides information about one’s job
e. there is no difference
(c; difficult; p. 351)

15. How does performance appraisal with a career development focus differ
from performance appraisal with a traditional focus?
a. it focuses on ratings
b. it focuses on rewards
c. it includes an appraisal of job performance
d. it includes individual development plans
e. there is no difference
(d; difficult; p. 351)

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16. How do recruiting and placement with a career development focus differ
from recruiting and placement with a traditional focus?
a. it matches an organization’s needs with qualified individuals
b. it attempts to gather a sufficient pool of applicants
c. it includes testing to determine the best fit
d. it matches individuals with jobs based on an employee’s career
interests
e. there is no difference
(d; difficult; p. 351)

17. How do compensation and benefits with a career development focus differ
from compensation and benefits with a traditional focus?
a. productivity is rewarded
b. non-job-related activities are included in those to be rewarded
c. talent is rewarded
d. time is rewarded
e. there is no difference
(b; difficult; p. 351)

18. If an employer offers to add non-job-related activities to the list of things

to be rewarded, it is encouraging a career development focus to the human
resource activity focused on _____.
a. human resource planning
b. training and development
c. performance appraisal
d. recruiting and placement
e. compensation and benefits
(e; moderate; p. 351)

19. If an employer offers to add individually-geared development plans and

individual goal setting, it is encouraging a career development focus to the
human resource activity focused on _____.
a. human resource planning
b. training and development
c. performance appraisal
d. recruiting and placement
e. compensation and benefits
(c; moderate; p. 351)

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20. If an employer offers to add career path information, it is encouraging a
career development focus to the human resource activity focused on
_____.
a. human resource planning
b. training and development
c. performance appraisal
d. recruiting and placement
e. compensation and benefits
(b; moderate; p. 351)

21. If an employer offers to add information about individual interests and

preferences to its employee database, it is encouraging a career
development focus to the human resource activity focused on _____.
a. human resource planning
b. training and development
c. performance appraisal
d. recruiting and placement
e. compensation and benefits
(a; moderate; p. 351)

22. If an employer offers to match individuals and jobs based on a number of

variables including employee career interests, it is encouraging a career
development focus to the human resource activity focused on _____.
a. human resource planning
b. training and development
c. performance appraisal
d. recruiting and placement
e. compensation and benefits
(d; moderate; p. 351)

23. Who is responsible for the planning, guiding, and developing an

employee’s career?
a. the immediate supervisor
b. the employee
c. the organization
d. human resources
e. the development officer
(b; easy; p. 351)

24. Rachel is a nurse and she feels dissatisfied at work. What could be wrong?
a. her job may not be structured to suit her preferences
b. The employer may do things in a way that doesn’t fit Rachel’s style
c. nursing may not be the right occupation for her
d. her hours may be too long
e. all of the above
(e; easy; p. 353)

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25. Responsibility for career development should always be left to the _____.
a. employee
b. supervisor
c. manager
d. company
e. career success team
(a; easy; p. 353)

26. Jack is dissatisfied with work so he is considering a career change. What

should Jack do before he changes occupations?
a. consider what he wants from a job
b. compare his ideal situation to his current one
c. discuss his career goals with a role model
d. conduct informational interviews with people whose jobs interest him
e. all of the above
(e; easy; p. 353)

27. Sometimes an employee finds that he or she is happy with the occupation
and the employer, but the job is not organized in an optimal way. What
action might be recommended for this employer?
a. change employers
b. change occupations
c. consider alternative work arrangements like flextime
d. enhance contacts with others outside the company
e. conduct informational interviews with people whose jobs are
interesting
(c; moderate; p. 353)

28. Alternative work arrangements include all of the following except

a. part-time work
b. flexible hours
c. on-site child care
d. telecommuting
e. job sharing
(c; moderate; p. 354)

29. A “stretch assignment” refers to a job function that _____.

a. includes a physical exertion component
b. provides time for working out at the company gym
c. will let one work on something challenging
d. eliminates some job functions
e. allows working in teams
(c; moderate; p. 354)

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30. Why do many successful people turn down the opportunity to mentor
another person?
a. it is time consuming
b. they may not feel they can be objective when offering career advice
c. they may have direct supervisory responsibility over the person
d. they may feel too busy to commit
e. all of the above
(e; easy; p. 354)

31. Michele has asked her current supervisor, Jason, to serve as her mentor.
Jason seems like a good choice to Michele because he was promoted
quickly in the company and is well respected by others. However, she
feels uncomfortable discussing her weaknesses with him. This is a
problem for Michele because she would like advice on career growth.
What went wrong?
a. an appropriate mentor does not have direct supervisory responsibility
over the mentee
b. Jason isn’t willing to commit the necessary time to Michele’s
professional development
c. Michele didn’t make it clear what she expected in terms of advice
d. Michele didn’t use an agenda to guide discussion topics
e. Michele isn’t respecting Jason’s time
(a; moderate; p. 354)

32. Michele is meeting with her mentor, Jason, today. Each month they meet
for lunch, but Michele is concerned that she isn’t really benefiting from
the relationship. What might be the problem?
a. Jason isn’t willing to commit the necessary time to Michele’s
professional development
b. Michele didn’t make it clear what she expected in terms of advice
c. Michele didn’t use an agenda to guide discussion topics
d. Michele isn’t respecting Jason’s time
e. Both b and c
(e; moderate; p. 354)

33. Assessing interests, seeking out career information, and utilizing

development opportunities are all part of the _____’s role in career
development.
a. individual
b. manager
c. supervisor
d. company
e. human resource specialist
(a; moderate; p. 353)

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34. Providing timely performance feedback, development assignments, and
support are all part of the _____’s role in career development.
a. individual
b. manager
c. employee
d. company
e. human resource specialist
(b; moderate; p. 356)

35. Providing training and development opportunities, and career information

and programs are all part of the _____’s role in career development.
a. individual
b. manager
c. supervisor
d. company
e. human resource specialist
(d; moderate; p. 353)

36. Which of the following is part of the organization’s role in an employee’s

career development?
a. communicating the mission, policies, and procedures
b. providing timely performance feedback
c. participating in career development discussions
d. establishing goals and career plans
e. seeking out career information
(a; easy; p. 353)

37. Which of the following is part of a manager’s role in an employee’s career

development?
a. communicating the mission, policies, and procedures
b. utilizing career development opportunities
c. participating in career development discussions
d. establishing goals and career plans
e. seeking out career information
(c; easy; p. 353)

38. Which of the following is part of an employee’s role in his or her own
career development?
a. communicating the mission, policies, and procedures
b. providing timely performance feedback
c. participating in career development discussions
d. establishing goals and career plans
e. offering a variety of career options
(d; moderate; p. 353)

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39. _____ occurs when a new employee’s high expectations and enthusiasm
confront the reality of a boring job.
a. Culture shock
b. Reality shock
c. Sticker shock
d. Regret
e. Cognitive dissonance
(b; easy; p. 355)

40. Reality shock occurs when _____.

a. employers realize how expensive it is to train a new employee
b. employees learn how hard it is to get a raise
c. employees are placed in an overseas assignment
d. a new employee takes a job with certain expectations and then finds
out the job is not what he or she thought it would be
e. a new employee finds out how much is taken out of a paycheck in
taxes
(d; easy; p. 355)

41. When Amanda interviewed for a job with the employment commission,
the interviewer warned her that the job could be very stressful with long
hours and a lot of bureaucracy. The interviewer was trying to provide
_____.
a. reality shock
b. a realistic job preview
c. a disincentive
d. a challenge
e. culture shock
(b; moderate; p. 355)

42. How can companies provide career counseling, development advice, and
therapy for employees seeking to grow in their careers?
a. encourage role reversal
b. organize career success teams
c. establish a corporate campus
d. provide career coaches
e. offer online career centers
(d; easy; p. 356)

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43. Small groups of employees from the same or different departments who
meet periodically to network and support one another in achieving career
goals are called _____.
a. corporate fraternities
b. career success teams
c. career coaches
d. therapists
e. networking clubs
(b; moderate; p. 356)

44. Tom meets with a group of employees from throughout the company each
week. They meet at breakfast time and discuss their career goals. The
company provides meeting space and sometimes provides financial
support for a speaker. Tom’s group is a _____.
a. corporate fraternity
b. career success team
c. career coach
d. breakfast club
e. networking club
(b; moderate; p. 356)

45. A planned learning event in which participants are expected to be actively

involved, completing career planning exercises and inventories and
participating in career skills practice sessions is called a _____.
a. team building event
b. career building session
c. career planning workshop
d. retreat
e. onsite career center
(c; easy; p. 356)

46. Career coaches help employees to create plans showing where their
careers should lead. The planning time period is usually _____.
a. less than one year
b. 1-5 years
c. 5-10 years
d. 10-15 years
e. equivalent to the number of years the person plans to work
(b; moderate; p.356)

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47. The basis for promotion will typically be competence rather than seniority
when _____.
a. team cohesiveness is important
b. the company wishes to focus on competitiveness
c. when union agreements are involved
d. when civil service regulations apply
e. all of the above
(b; difficult; p. 358)

48. Which of the following methods is used by most employers to predict the
future performance of a candidate for promotion?
a. prior performance
b. written knowledge tests
c. assessment centers
d. seniority
e. review of supervisory-related education
(a; moderate; p. 359)

49. A(n) _____ is a move from one job to another with no change in salary or
grade.
a. promotion
b. advancement
c. vertical move
d. transfer
e. leave
(d; easy; p. 358)

50. For which of the following reasons might employees seek transfers?
a. personal enrichment
b. better hours
c. better advancement opportunities
d. better work location
e. all of the above
(e; easy; p. 358)

51. A female employee accused a superior of sexual harassment. Later that

employee was turned down for a promotion because the superior she had
accused persuaded her current supervisor not to promote her. This is an
example of _____.
a. demotion
b. retaliation
c. dissonance
d. defensive behavior
e. aggressiveness
(b; easy; p. 361)

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52. As long as the employee or former employee was acting in good faith
when he or she filed the EEOC claim against the employer, the person
may claim _____ is he or she subsequently suffers an adverse employment
action.
a. adverse impact
b. discrimination
c. retaliation
d. fraud
e. bias
(c; moderate; p. 361)

53. Which of the following is the basis of a retaliation claim by an employee?

a. the employee must charge the company with something illegal
b. the employer must fire, demote, fail to promote, or cut the pay of that
employee
c. HR action detrimental to the employee is caused by a legally protected
activity on the part of the employee
d. the employee acts in good faith to file a complaint
e. all of the above
(c; difficult; p. 361)

54. Which demographic group experiences the most difficulty with career
progress in organizations?
a. white men
b. women
c. old men
d. women of color
e. young men
(d; easy; p. 361)

55. Miranda wants to make partner at her law firm. She is worried, though,
because everyone understands that 70-hour work weeks are the norm for
someone striving to make partner. Miranda wants to be fair to her family
as well as excel at work. To address this problem, the law firm could help
by _____.
a. providing Miranda with a career coach
b. encouraging Miranda to join a career success team
c. eliminating institutional barriers that disproportionately affect women
d. encouraging Miranda to temporarily work in a different job
e. providing a career planning workshop to help Miranda determine a
better occupation
(c; moderate; p. 362)

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56. Which of the following contributes to the lack of women in top
management positions?
a. discrimination
b. “old-boy network”
c. lack of female mentors
d. family responsibilities
e. all of the above
(e; easy; p. 362)

57. Women report experiencing barriers to career advancement like all of

those listed below except _____.
a. exclusion from informal networks
b. difficulty getting developmental assignments
c. difficulty getting opportunities requiring geographic mobility
d. lack of educational opportunities
e. difficulty balancing work and family life
(d; moderate; p.362)

58. Which of the following meeting times would definitely be classified as

gender neutral?
a. 7 am
b. 9 am
c. 6 pm
d. 8 pm
e. all of the above
(b; moderate; p. 363)

59. A company policy is gender neutral if it _____.

a. does not inadvertently discriminate against either gender
b. is voted on by both men and women
c. does not directly eliminate participation based on gender
d. is of no significance to either gender
e. none of the above
(a; moderate; p. 363)

60. Smith Industries wants to develop a career track designed to enable

women to advance in upper-level managerial positions. Which of the
following suggestions should Smith Industries consider?
a. flexible work schedules
b. telecommuting
c. seniority status
d. career success teams
e. both a and b
(e; easy; p. 363)

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61. Employee commitment has suffered in recent years because of _____.
a. workforce dislocations
b. downsizing
c. efficiency programs
d. career development programs
e. a, b, and c only
(e; easy; p. 364)

62. Why is it important for companies to maintain and improve employee

commitment?
a. to minimize voluntary departures from the company
b. to maximize employee effort
c. to minimize costs of recruiting
d. to minimize costs of training
e. all of the above
(e; moderate; p. 364)

63. Which of the following is recommended as a way for firms to

communicate concern for its employees and earn employee commitment?
a. document the psychological contract
b. communicate the importance of efficiency programs for job protection
c. provide a career planning and development process
d. promise lifetime employment
e. offer seniority bonuses
(c; moderate; p. 364)

64. Which is the best time to discuss career-related issues with an employee?
a. at the weekly staff meeting
b. at a social lunch
c. during the employee’s annual appraisal
d. during a career success team meeting
e. never
(c; moderate; p. 365)

65. _____ is aimed at helping employees ease the transition from working to
retirement.
a. Preretirement counseling
b. Performance management
c. Retirement planning
d. Flextime
e. Downtime
(a; moderate; p. 368)

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66. Which of the following is not a type of preretirement practice?
a. leisure time counseling
b. financial counseling
c. health counseling
d. second career counseling
e. all of the above
(e; moderate; p. 368)

67. What type of preretirement education program is offered most often?

a. explanation of social security benefits
b. leisure time counseling
c. health counseling
d. counseling for second careers outside the company
e. psychological counseling
(a; moderate; p. 368)

68. Becky plans to retire from her company because she will get a nice
package after 30 years of service. However, she thinks she would miss
having a job so she may consider other options. What type of
preretirement education program should she investigate?
a. explanation of social security benefits
b. leisure time counseling
c. health counseling
d. counseling for second careers outside the company
e. psychological counseling
(d; moderate; p. 368)

69. Frank has earned a full retirement. However, his company will need some
time to train a replacement and Frank really doesn’t want to stop working
completely. Frank should pursue _____.
a. a part-time position within his company
b. leisure time counseling
c. health counseling
d. counseling for second careers outside the company
e. psychological counseling
(a; easy; p. 368)

70. The goal of preretirement educational programs is to _____.

a. improve job satisfaction
b. increase employee commitment
c. ease the transition from working life to retirement
d. minimize company expenses
e. minimize medical claims from retirees
(c; moderate; p. 368)

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True/ False

71. All Fortune 500 firms offer a formal career management process. (F;
moderate; p. 350)
72. Career development is the lifelong series of activities that contributes to a
person’s career exploration, establishment, success, and fulfillment. (T;
easy; p. 350)
73. A career is the occupational positions one holds at a single organization.
(F; easy; p. 350)
74. While careers were traditionally thought of in terms of climbing a ladder
because they tended to be an upward, linear progression, future careers
could be viewed as climbing a series of short hills. (T; moderate; p. 350)
75. Employees will trade job security for training and development
opportunities provided at work. (F; moderate; p. 350)
76. When human resource management takes on a career development focus,
it includes information about individual interests and preferences in data
sets on task needs and skill sets. (T; moderate; p. 351)
77. When training and development take on a career development focus, it
encourages employees to participate in volunteer opportunities. (F;
moderate; p. 351)
78. When performance appraisal takes on a career development focus, it adds
consideration for an individual’s career goals in addition to traditional
ratings and rewards. (T; moderate; p. 351)
79. Training and development have always had a sort of career development
focus because they exist to improve an employee’s performance. (F;
difficult; p. 351)
80. While career development ultimately should result in an employee who is
more mobile, such programs often result in increased employee
commitment. (T; moderate; p. 351)
81. The employee, the manager, and the employer should all share the
responsibility for an employee’s career development and career success.
(F; easy; p. 352)
82. Matching individual strengths and weaknesses with occupational
opportunities and threats is the key to the career planning process. (T;
moderate; p. 352)
83. Job shock occurs when a new employee’s high expectations confront the
reality of a boring job. (F; easy; p. 355)
84. Career-oriented appraisals are performance appraisals in which managers
match a person’s strengths and weaknesses with a feasible career path and
required development work in addition to appraising job performance. (T;
moderate; p. 355)
85. A focus on competitiveness and motivation suggests that a company
should promote on the basis of seniority. (F; moderate; p. 358)
86. Relocation costs have slowed the use of easy-transfers of employees from
one locale to another. (T; easy; p. 360)

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87. An employer’s promotion processes are free of the requirements imposed
by anti-discrimination laws. (F; easy; p. 360)
88. Women constitute 40% of the workforce but hold less than 2% of top
management positions. (T; moderate; p. 361)
89. Minority and non-minority women report different opinions about the
main factors critical for career advancement. (T; moderate; p. 361)
90. A mistake many career development programs may make in meeting the
needs of women is the assumption that the workplace is the central
consideration in people’s lives. (T; moderate; p. 361)
91. A company-sponsored career development process, no matter how well
managed, will not result in increases in employee commitment. (F;
moderate; p. 364)
92. A career workshop uses vocational guidance tools to help employees
identify career-related skills and the development needs they possess. (T;
moderate; p. 364)
93. The best opportunity for discussing career-related issues with an employee
is during the annual or semi-annual appraisal. (T; easy; p. 365)
94. Performance appraisals should not include a discussion of an employee’s
career interests because the employee may be planning to leave the
company. (F; easy; p. 365)
95. Retirement can be bittersweet for many employees because they are free
of the constraints of a job but may miss the structure and social
atmosphere of work. (T; moderate; p. 366)
96. Most preretirement education programs include counseling for second
careers inside the company. (F; difficult; p. 368)
97. The most offered educational program for preretirement planning among
companies is the explanation of Social Security benefits. (T; moderate; p.
368)
98. Granting part-time employment to employees as an alternative to outright
retirement is a growing trend. (T; easy; p. 368)
99. Retirement procedures are exempt from the laws affecting recruitment,
appraisal procedures, and promotions. (F; easy; p. 368)
100. The barriers for women to advance at work are referred to as the glass
ceiling because it is so easy to break through it. (F; moderate; p. 362)

Essay/ Short Answer

101. What benefits accrue to an organization that works with its employees to
develop their careers? (moderate; p. 351)

Answer: When employers provide the tools, environment, and skill

development opportunities for employees and then employees are better
equipped to serve the company and build it to its potential. Career
development may also cultivate employee commitment.

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102. What roles and responsibilities should a manager have in an employee’s
career development? (easy; p. 353)

Answer: The manager should provide timely performance feedback,

developmental assignments and support. The manager should participate
in career development discussions. The manager should support employee
development plans.

103. Name five examples of career management practices employers can

engage in to support the growth of its employees. (easy; p. 355)

Answer: Some examples are posting job openings, supporting a formal

education, providing career-oriented performance appraisals, counseling
by managers, offering lateral, developmental moves, counseling by HR,
providing retirement preparation, and succession planning.

104. How can an employer best prevent reality shock? (moderate; p. 355)

Answer: Reality shock occurs when a new employee has high

expectations for a new job but then finds that the job is boring and/or
unchallenging. Employers can prevent this by providing realistic job
previews and challenging first jobs. A realistic job preview can help
prospective employees more accurately gauge whether the job is really for
them and whether the job’s demands are a good fit with a candidate’s
skills and interests.

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105. You are considering a position as an entry-level management trainee, but
you want to know what the company has to offer in the way of career
development initiatives. Name three innovative career development
initiatives that you would like to see at the company. (moderate; p. 356)

Answer: Several initiatives may be named here.

 Individual budgets for employee development
 Onsite or online career centers with materials and workshops
 Opportunities for working in a variety of positions
 Opportunity to take courses with nearby colleges or through
consultants
 Career success teams for networking and support
 Career coaches
 Career planning workshops

106. What is the role of a career coach in a career development program?

(moderate; p. 356)

Answer: Coaches can help employees identify development needs, obtain

training, and obtain professional development and networking
opportunities. Career coaches usually focus on career counseling and
development advice. They might work one-on-one with individual
employees to help them use career assessment tools and identify training
and development options. For very high level managers, coaches may
double as therapists. The executive coaches may provide assessment and
advice concerning how a person’s personal life is influencing his or her
career. Career coaches also help employees create 1-5 year plans showing
where their careers with the firms may lead.

107. What is a career planning workshop? Identify the three main activities that
take place in a career planning workshop. (moderate; p. 356)

Answer: A career planning workshop is a planned learning event in which

participants are expected to be actively involved in completing career
planning exercises and inventories and participating in career skills
practice sessions. A typical workshop includes three main activities: 1)
self-assessment, 2) environmental assessment, and 3) goal-setting and
action planning.

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108. What are the four decisions that affect a firm’s promotion process?
Explain the effect each decision could have on promotional decisions.
(difficult; p. 358-359)

Answer: The first decision is whether to base promotions on seniority or

competence or some combination of the two. A focus on competitiveness
and motivation favors promotion based on competence. But when union or
civil service regulations are involved, seniority may be favored.

The second decision occurs if the firm chooses to base the promotional
process on competence. If it does, the firm must then decide how to define
and measure competence. Past performance is based on defining the job,
setting standards, and appraising performance. For promotional purposes,
the organization must decide whether this past performance is also
predictive of a candidate’s future performance.

The third decision is whether the process is formal or informal. If the

process is informal, employees may feel like one’s personal network is
more important than performance. Formal procedures include formal
promotion policies that are distributed to all employees. They may also
include a job-posting policy and the use of employee qualification briefs.

The fourth decision is whether the promotion will be vertical or horizontal

or something else. This may be an issue if a company is downsizing.
Promotions can involve different types of positions aside from supervisory
positions.

109. What steps can organizations take to enhance the promotional and career
prospects for their female employees? (moderate; p. 363)

Answer: There are several steps companies can take to enhance the
prospects for women. First, organizations should take the career interests
of women employees seriously. They should identify institutional barriers
and eliminate them. For instance, requiring late evening meetings
disproportionately affects women. Companies should improve the
opportunities for networking and mentoring. They should eliminate the
glass ceiling; though this is a difficult challenge. Finally, companies can
institute flexible schedules to provide women the opportunity to meet their
obligations at home and at work successfully. Likewise, instituting career
tracks can enable women to periodically reduce their time at work while
still remaining on a career track.

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110. How has the psychological contract changed over time? (moderate; p.
364)

Answer: The psychological contract in years past likely involved hard

work and loyalty on the part of the employee in exchange for a secure
position from the organization. Today, the psychological contract is
temporary in nature with both parties recognizing the indefinite nature of
the contract. Now, employees are expected to work hard and be loyal
while employed and in exchange the company will provide developmental
opportunities necessary for the employee to move on at some point in the
future.

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