Cambridge International AS and A Level Business

12  Human resource management

Multiple-choice questions
1 Human resource management is best defined as:

a the strategic approach to the effective management of workers

to help the business gain a competitive advantage

b the recruitment, selection and disciplining of employees

c the strategic management of a firm’s resources

d the management of human capital

2 Workforce planning is best defined as:

a a review of the skills and qualifications of all workers

b forecasting the numbers and skills of workers required by the

organisation to achieve its objectives

c the measurement of the rate of labour turnover

d an audit of the firm’s workforce

3 Which one of the following factors is most likely to reduce the future number of workers
required by a firm?

a an increase in forecast demand for the firm’s product

b an increase in labour turnover

c higher labour productivity levels

d a law limiting the number of hours employees can work in a week

4 The following list summarises the steps involved in the recruitment and selection process:

(i)   Draw up a person specification.

(ii)   Draw up a shortlist of applicants.

(iii)  Prepare a job advertisement.

(iv)  Draw up a job description.

(v)    Conduct interviews.

In what order should these steps be carried out?

a (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v)

b (i) (iv) (ii) (iii) (v)

c (iv) (i) (iii) (ii) (v)

d (iv) (i) (ii) (iii) (v)

© Cambridge University Press 2014  Cambridge International AS and A Level Business Multiple-choice questions – Chapter 12 1
Cambridge International AS and A Level Business

5 Which one of the following is not generally considered to be an advantage of internal recruitment?

a no need for induction training

b gives a career structure for staff at the firm

c usually quicker than external recruitment

d gives a wider choice of potential applicants

6 Which of the following definitions is incorrect?

a induction training − work-related education to increase

workforce skills

b on-the-job training − instruction at the place of work

c off-the-job training − instruction away from the place of work

d staff appraisal − the process of assessing the effectiveness of an

employee

7 Which one of the following statements about a contract of employment is incorrect?

a It is a legally binding agreement between the employer and the employee.

b It imposes responsibilities on the employer.

c It details the employee’s responsibilities.

d It sets out the workforce plan of the firm.

8 Which one of the following is an example of gross misconduct?

a theft of money from the employer

b lateness to work

c failing to carry out responsibilities effectively

d employer fails to pay a worker on time

9 A recent trend in labour recruitment has been towards employing more part-time staff on
temporary contracts. What is the most likely explanation for this trend?

a Part-time workers are more committed to the business.

b Human resource managers benefit from greater status as they

have more workers to control.

c It reduces overheads for the business in times of low demand.

d Part-time workers will have greater skills than full-time workers.

© Cambridge University Press 2014  Cambridge International AS and A Level Business Multiple-choice questions – Chapter 12 2
Cambridge International AS and A Level Business

10 The HR manager at Dart Electronics, a small business operating in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil,
observed that in 2014, out of an average workforce of 83, there had been the following
leavers: five employees had taken jobs at other businesses, two employees had retired, one
employee had resigned for an unspecified reason and three employees had left to care for
young children. What was the labour turnover for 2014?

a 12%

b 13.25 %

c 10.8%

d 6%

© Cambridge University Press 2014  Cambridge International AS and A Level Business Multiple-choice questions – Chapter 12 3