HRMT 386 Introduction to Human Resource
Management Exam Prep questions & answers from
unit 1-8 plus definationa of key words Athabasca
University
,HRMT 386 Exam Prep study questions and answers complete solution update 2024 Athabasca
University
What is the purpose of human resource management? - --Managing human talent and
acquiring the human capital needed to achieve an organization's objectives. Bringing together a
diverse group of people to produce maximum efficiency. Ensuring that the employment
relationship is efficient and follows legislation. HR often oversees wages, benefits, hiring,
training, onboarding, performance evaluations and discipline.
What are the major functions performed by human resource professionals? How are these
functions related to one another? - --Major Functions: Planning, Job design, Recruitment,
Staffing/training/development, appraisal, communications, compensation, benefits, labor
relations, international HR.
These functions are related as they are part of a process for the pursuit of appropriate human
capital acquired for the organization. A failure in one would impact all others since they are
interdependent
What will be the most important issue or challenge facing HRM in the future? How will this
issue or challenge affect the practice of HRM? - --Restructuring of organizations will be the
largest challenge for HRM's in the future. Restructuring is happening due to advances in
technology and globalization. HR will have to adapt strategies that address new issues from
restructuring such as layoffs, job designs, legal requirements, international trade agreements,
and changing demographics, etc., and HR will have to keep up with the pace of globalization
which is happening quite rapidly.
Is it fair to describe human resource management as a tool employers use to control workers? -
--HR is a tool for employers to exercise their power to achieve the organizations goals in the
way the employer sees fit. HR is used to increase the profitability and ensure that employees
are working at their maximum efficiency levels. HR is described as the conduit through which
knowledge is developed and transferred among employees
,What is the relationship between childcare and women's employment rates? - --There is a
positive effect of low childcare fees on gender employment gaps. As fertility rates decline,
women's employment rate have increased. This shows us that childcare without the proper
support is a hindrance to women's employment rate. Dramatically more so than male's
employment rates.
What high-level patterns are evident in women's employment in Canada? - --Women earned
$0.74 for every dollar earned by men.
Women are more often working part-time jobs which often results in less stability, lower
wages, and lack of benefits.
As fertility rates decline, women's participation in the labor market increases.
When childcare is more affordable and easily accessible, women's employment rate increases.
Gender pay inequality reduces with increasing levels of education and barriers being broken
down for women who are interested to pursue further education as resulted in women
obtaining degrees at a higher rate than men.
How big is the gender-wage gap between men and women? What factors help explain this gap?
- --Women earned $0.74 for every dollar earned by men. This is since women work fewer hours
on average, due to their family responsibilities. With this factored in, based on the average
hourly earnings, the difference is $0.14.
Women are over-represented in lower-paying jobs and under-represented in high-paying jobs.
, Women are to tend to their home responsibilities in addition to working in a system that was
designed for employees that do not have other responsibilities that impede on work (the male
norm).
Why do organizations and individuals enter into an employment relationship? - --An
employment relationship is entered into by individuals and organizations due to the economic
needs of labor as they cannot provide for themselves without relying on capital. Capital turns
labor's capacity to work into actual work which is another investment that capital can acquire
for income as opposed to having to perform labor.
What does the word resource in the term human resource management suggest about the
nature of the employment relationship? - --It implies that the humans within the organization
are resources that need to be managed. This suggests that there is a power imbalance in the
employment relationship as employees are expected to perform to a certain standard and
management has the authority to ensure that this happens with authority, discipline and other
tactics.
In what ways are women typically disadvantaged in employment relationships? What factors
explain this disadvantage? - --Workplace's are based off of a system designed for the male norm
which result in some employers seeing women as less than reliable employees.
The disadvantages are due to the fact that women are increasingly impacted by this unrealistic
expectation that does not fit in today's society anymore given the need for dual income. Being
unable to meet this standard makes women seem unreliable and not as dedicated to their job
as they could be.
On what grounds is discrimination prohibited in your jurisdiction? Are there are grounds that
appear to be missing from your jurisdiction's legislation? - --Protected grounds as defined by
the Human Right act in Alberta are race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, religious beliefs,
gender, physical disability, mental disability, age, sexual orientation, marital status, family
status, source of income.
