Title: Global Human Resources
Course: Question Banks

Q: Which of the following is not a strategic benefit of a Global Human Resources Manager?
- holding recruitment events to expand the talent pool (Incorrect. Expanding the talent pool through international recruiting is a very strategic benefit to global human resources management.)
- better understanding of local laws and regulations (Incorrect. HR is responsible for understanding and abiding by all laws and regulations relevant to their organization and employees. Global human resources managers have the same responsibilities but on a global scale.)
- creating a universal onboarding program (Incorrect. One of the most effective ways for GHRMs to create consistency amongst international teams is through creating and implementing a universal onboarding program.)
- aligning sales goals from one country to the next (Correct. GHRMs are not traditionally assigned the role of aligning sales goals. Instead GHRMs focus their time and energy on recruiting, hiring, onboarding, and training new employees.)
A: aligning sales goals from one country to the next

Q: Which of the following best describes global human resource managers?
- Global human resource managers are traditional human resource managers that have moved to an unfamiliar country. (Incorrect. While some GHRMs may live in another country, it is not the main requirement. There are GHRMs that live in their home country and are still responsible for HR in their international locations.)
- Global human resource managers are responsible for additional roles in the company outside the realm of human resources. (Incorrect. Technically HR is involved in all departments within a company as they staff the company and provide legal guidance. However, they are not responsible for sales goals or marketing campaigns as they are the responsibility of the other departments.)
- Global human resource managers are drastically different from traditional human resources managers (Incorrect. Global human resources managers and traditional human resource managers are both responsible for HR tasks, but on differing scales.)
- Global human resource managers are responsible for all traditional human resource responsibilities but on an international scale. (Correct. GHRMs are responsible for recruiting, interviewing, hiring, onboarding, training, terminating, and legal compliance for an organization. They are different from traditional HRMs because the scope of their work is on an international scale.)
A: Global human resource managers are responsible for all traditional human resource responsibilities but on an international scale.

Q: Global human resource managers are responsible for a number of tasks and procedures. Which of the following is NOT a traditional responsibility of global human resources management?
- implementing the onboarding process (Incorrect. Global human resources managers are responsible for creating and implementing a universal onboarding process to ensure continuity across the company.)
- expanding the talent pool (Incorrect. One of the great strategic benefits of global human resource management is the ability to create a larger and more diverse talent pool. A larger talent pool helps companies to ensure they find the best candidate for the job.)
- conducting terminations (Incorrect. Human resources, both domestic and global, are responsible for ensuring ethical and legal terminations are performed.)
- meeting sales goals (Correct. This is a traditional responsibility of the sales department and does not fall under the umbrella of human resources.)
A: meeting sales goals

Q: Strong global leaders are able to:
- fluently communicate in a number of languages in both verbal conversations and written communication. (Incorrect. While it may be helpful for global leaders to speak multiple languages, it does not determine whether or not a leader is strong and successful.)
- frequently travel to their company’s international locations to check-in on their teams. (Incorrect. Strong global leaders should be able to unite their team both in person and remotely. Some leaders may find it important to meet regularly, face-to-face, with their team, however, simply traveling to meet with their team is not a sole determinant for a strong leader.)
- seamlessly expand company operations into other countries. (Incorrect. First, a “seamless” expansion effort is near impossible, regardless of the company and their team. Global Human Resources Leaders can help to expand internationally but it is not their primary role or the primary determinant for a strong leader.)
- infuse differing cultures, languages, and personalities to form one strong, cohesive team. (Correct. Strong global leaders are able to infuse their team without jeopardizing the cultures and personalities of each individual. Strong global leaders understand the value of cultural differences and use these differences to create a stronger team.)
A: infuse differing cultures, languages, and personalities to form one strong, cohesive team.

Q: Which of the following is NOT a benefit of a company with a strong global leadership team?
- They are better able to unify the company. (Incorrect. Strong global leaders are able to unify the company and its employees in order to establish a strong, universal team.)
- They are better able to grow and expand the company. (Incorrect. Strong global leaders have a strong global mindset and knowledge of other cultures which helps them to expand the business to other countries.)
- They are better able to navigate local laws and regulations. (Incorrect. An extremely important role of a global leader is to be fluent in international laws and regulations. When expanding into other countries, it is important for global leaders to help the company navigate the native laws and regulations.)
- They are able to eliminate cultural differences. (Correct. It is impossible to eliminate cultural differences on a team. It is important to embrace these differences in order to encourage collaboration and unify the team.)
A: They are able to eliminate cultural differences.

Q: When diverse groups of individuals work together:
- complications are bound to arise and may threaten the effectiveness of the team (Incorrect. Diversity may complicate working relationships, however complications are not guaranteed.)
- it immediately sparks innovation and helps a company to expand their existing products and services (Incorrect. Innovation is a definite benefit of diversity, however, it is not an immediate benefit but rather one that presents itself over time as teams and coworkers get to know each other.)
- personalities are going to clash and create a hostile work environment (Incorrect. Diversity will bring with it a wide variety of personalities and opinions. However, it is not guaranteed to create a hostile work environment.)
- they challenge their peers and coworkers to view their world from differing perspectives (Correct. Diversity can spark curiosity and present new ideas and opinions. This can help to spark innovation and conversation around changing and advancing current company policies and procedures.)
A: they challenge their peers and coworkers to view their world from differing perspectives

Q: Job applicants are more attracted to diverse companies because:
- there is a greater chance for international job assignments (Incorrect. International companies do have international positions, however, that is not a primary reason applicants are attracted to diverse companies.)
- they provide resources to learn a second language (Incorrect. Companies do not typically provide resources to learn a second language unless it is pertinent to an employee’s job assignment.)
- they provide great networking opportunities (Incorrect. Every company provides great networking opportunities, therefore it is not unique to diverse companies and is therefore not a primary attraction for applicants.)
- they believe their ideas and opinions will be valued (Correct. Companies that value diversity are more likely to be open to differing views and opinions. This is an attractive quality of diverse companies.)
A: they believe their ideas and opinions will be valued

Q: Which of the following is NOT a common challenge when dealing with international diversity?
- Language barriers (Incorrect. Language barriers can pose a huge challenge. When working with people who speak a different language, it is important to still be engaged in the conversation and use resources like a translator to help navigate the conversation.)
- Cultural differences (Incorrect. Cultural differences are one of the most challenging aspects of international diversity to navigate. Every country has their own cultural differences and nuances which can be a lot to study and understand.)
- Collaborating (Incorrect. Collaborating on an international scale can be a challenge, especially if there are drastic cultural differences or significant language barriers on the team.)
- Innovating (Correct. Diversity sparks innovation and is a big benefit of working on an international scale and incorporating a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences.)
A: Innovating

Q: Cindy is hosting a meeting with her international clients. To assure them she will do a great job, Cindy says she is going to, “hit it out of the park.” When she is finished with her sales pitch, she notices her clients seem confused. Cindy reviewed what she had said and realized her clients probably did not understand her baseball idiom. Which of the following strategies did Cindy use to navigate the cultural differences between her and her clients?
- Learn (Incorrect. If Cindy had conducted more research on her clients’ culture prior to her presentation, she would have known they do not play baseball in their country. This would have alerted Cindy to steer clear of using baseball idioms.)
- Ask (Incorrect. Cindy did not need to ask why they seemed confused, because she was able to figure it out on her own. However, asking for clarification on cultural differences is a helpful way to navigate them.)
- Assume (Incorrect. People should never assume something about another culture. Assumptions can promote stereotypes and fracture international teams.)
- Listen (Correct. Cindy observed and listened to her clients’ cues to determine part of her message was confusing. Reading the room is an important strategy to use when navigating cultural differences.)
A: Listen

Q: Wyatt is meeting with his Bulgarian clients. At the start of the meeting, Wyatt reviews the project timelines they agreed upon via email two weeks prior to the meeting. His clients shake their head and Wyatt moves on with his presentation. Why did Wyatt feel comfortable moving on with his presentation?
- The dates were incorrect and need to be changed (Incorrect. If the dates needed to be changed, Wyatt should have addressed that before moving on with his presentation.)
- He plans to readdress the timeline at the end (Incorrect. Wyatt did not say whether or not he would readdress the timeline before continuing on with his presentation.)
- In Bulgaria, shaking your head means to hurry up (Incorrect. There are a wide variety of cultural differences to consider when working with an international client. However, in this situation, sharing your head does not mean to hurry up in Bulgaria.)
- In Bulgaria, shaking your head means you agree (Correct. In Bulgaria, they shake their heads to show agreement as opposed to nodding like many other cultures do. Since Wyatt knew this, he understood they were in agreement and he could confidently move on with his presentation.)
A: In Bulgaria, shaking your head means you agree

Q: Which of the following is an accurate statement about cultural differences on a global team?
- Cultural differences are primarily language based (Incorrect. Language barriers are a very obvious example of cultural differences. However, there are other, more subtle, cultural differences that are harder to identify.)
- There are no cultural differences within a single country (Incorrect. There is a good chance you will find cultural differences within a single country. For example, in America the culture in the South is drastically different than the culture on the West coast.)
- Cultural differences are impossible to navigate (Incorrect. Cultural differences are definitely a challenge to navigate, however, it is not impossible to decipher them. Researching these differences and asking questions along the way, is the first step in successfully navigating different cultures.)
- Some cultural differences are more obvious than others (Correct. Speaking a different language is an obvious cultural difference. However, other cultural differences may be harder to identify. It is important to learn, listen, and ask about cultural differences when trying to navigate them.)
A: Some cultural differences are more obvious than others

Q: What are the five root causes of social distance?
- Recruiting, Hiring, Onboarding, Training, Terminating (Incorrect. These are actually some of the key responsibilities of Human Resource Managers, not the five root causes of social distance.)
- Anger, Happiness, Frustration, Fear, Contentment (Incorrect. These are all types of emotions, but are not the five root causes of emotional distance.)
- Language, Culture, Religion, Politics, Personalities (Incorrect. These are all potential tension points in the workplace, however, they are not the five root causes of emotional distance.)
- Structure, Process, Language, Identity, Technology (Correct. Neely’s five root causes can be summarized by the acronym, SPLIT. This SPLIT framework helps to address the five root causes of social distance.)
A: Structure, Process, Language, Identity, Technology

Q: In which of the following ways does technology negatively impact social distance?
- Technology has made it extremely challenging for employees to form organic working relationships with their coworkers. (Incorrect. International teams all work from different locations. Technology provides the opportunity for people from all different locations to build strong working relationships. Without technology, it would be extremely challenging to meet with coworkers in other countries on a regular basis.)
- Technology allows people to travel less, which limits face-to-face interactions with international coworkers and clients. (Incorrect. It is true that technology allows companies to reduce their travel expenses. However, technology also makes it easier to schedule face-to-face video conferences on a regular basis.)
- Technology has cut costs but at the expense of international relationships. (Incorrect. Yes, technology has cut costs but it also has helped to grow and strengthen international relationships.)
- Written forms of communication, like email and instant messenger, make tone and inflection hard to decipher. (Correct. Written communication can be a challenge to interpret. Tone and inflection are harder to identify in written text which may create tension and animosity if emails are perceived in ways they were not intended.)
A: Written forms of communication, like email and instant messenger, make tone and inflection hard to decipher.

Q: Martin checks his email once a day, first thing in the morning. Martin has this routine so he is able to focus on his work for the remainder of the day without email interruptions. This frustrates his international coworker Nesreen because it makes it extremely challenging for her to contact him. The delays in communication hinder the team’s productivity and increases social distance. Which of the following is the root cause of the social distance?
- Language (Incorrect. Language is not a complication in this scenario. They are each receiving each other’s emails, however, not at the most convenient time of day.)
- Structure (Incorrect. Even though the two employees are working in different locations, the structure of the organization does not seem to be the root cause of their frustrations.)
- Technology (Incorrect. Although technology (email) in involved in this conflict, it is not the root cause of the issue.)
- Process (Correct. In this case, there are differing opinions about proper email procedures. Martin and Nesreen should discuss the process and find a way to change it to better meet their needs.)
A: Process

Q: How can leaders of international teams utilize recognition to build trust?
- Never recognize employees in public settings in case their work is not well received (Incorrect. If a manager does not recognize their employees and presents their team’s work as their own, it can tarnish the manager’s trustworthiness. While it can be a good tactic to take responsibility for the team’s shortcomings, it is always better to share the credit in order to build trust. Not sharing credit just “in case” it is not well received is likely to backfire on the manager.)
- Always recognize individuals in group settings to ensure everyone is aware of their efforts (Incorrect. People from certain cultures may not be comfortable receiving recognition in front of a group. It is still important to recognize the employee for a job well done, but recognition should take place in a more personal, one-on-one setting.)
- Provide gifts for top performers to recognize their work and encourage others to improve theirs (Incorrect. Providing incentives for the team to perform is not always the most effective tactic. Recognition through the form of gift giving may create animosity on the team and could require a lot of additional time and resources.)
- Recognize the team, and the individuals on the team, for their contributions (Correct. Giving people credit for their work is a great way to build trust and rapport on a team. It is also important to be cognisant of how other cultures prefer to receive recognition. Some people are not comfortable with public recognition, in which case you should recognize them in a one-on-one setting.)
A: Recognize the team, and the individuals on the team, for their contributions

Q: Which of the following statements is an accurate way to describe trust across cultures?
- Trust is universally defined and therefore it is less of a challenge to instill on international teams. (Incorrect. There is no universal way to build trust, as different cultures define and view trustworthiness differently.)
- Many individuals refuse to trust other cultures with drastically different customs and beliefs. (Incorrect. It may be more of a challenge to establish trust between drastically different cultures, however, time and teamwork can often help to establish a level of trust.)
- Since international teams are unable to meet frequently, there are never enough opportunities to build trust. (Incorrect. Trust is not strictly built during face-to-face interactions. The actions of coworkers and managers outside of scheduled meetings can also contribute to the level of trustworthiness on the team.)
- In order to build trust, managers must be aware of differing cultural definitions and interpretations of trust. (Correct. One culture may define trust differently than another. It is important for managers to understand cultural differences surrounding trust in order to establish trust on their teams.)
A: In order to build trust, managers must be aware of differing cultural definitions and interpretations of trust.

Q: Which of the following is the most effective tool to assist Human Resources in conducting training events for virtual teams?
- Conference calls (Incorrect. Conference calls are helpful in connecting people from a variety of locations. However conference calls are audio and would not allow HR to use visual aids or assessments in their training events.)
- Google Drive (Incorrect. Google Drive is a great collaborative tool, however, it does not provide an option for face-to-face, real time interaction with others.)
- Project Management Software (Incorrect. Project management software is a great tool to use to organize and track project assignments, responsible parties, and progress. However, it is not an effective way to conduct training events.)
- Webinars (Correct. Webinars are a great way for Human Resources to train their employees remotely. Webinars allow companies to create a face-to-face or even interactive presentation or training event.)
A: Webinars

Q: Which of the following tools help virtual teams to create, edit, and share documents and information?
- Webinars (Incorrect. Webinars are a great tool, however, they do not allow employees to upload and edit documents.)
- Internal Messaging Systems (Incorrect. Instant messenger type platforms are a great way to foster quick and effective communication in the workplace, however, they are not a collaborative way to share and edit documents.)
- Email (Incorrect. Email can be a great collaborative tool, however, it does not allow teams to work on documents simultaneously.)
- The Cloud (Correct. The Cloud is an invaluable collaborative tool that provides access to important information from anywhere in the world.)
A: The Cloud

Q: Which of the following properly explains the benefits of Project Management Software?
- Project Management Software allows employees to access all previous company projects. (Incorrect. Project Management Software is not a database for old projects. It is instead intended to help project managers keep tabs on their team.)
- Project Management Software is a collaborative platform where employees can access shared documents from anywhere in the world. (Incorrect. This is actually a description of platforms like Google Drive, iCloud, etc.)
- Project Management Software is an editing service that reviews company projects for errors. (Incorrect. Project Management Software is not intended to edit projects, but instead to keep track of projects, employees, deadlines, and progress.)
- Project Management Software helps managers to track project assignments and progress. (Correct. Project Management Software helps project managers to keep tabs on their team. It helps them to track project assignments, deadlines, and progress.)
A: Project Management Software helps managers to track project assignments and progress.

Q: Which of the following is a collaborative platform that allows virtual teams to upload, access, and edit shared documents?
- Webinars (Incorrect. Webinars are extremely beneficial when conducting meetings or training events with clients and coworkers from other parts of the world. However, webinars are not intended to upload documents for collaborative use. Instead, webinars are a platform to provide real time information and face-to-face interactions.)
- Video Conferences (Incorrect. Video conferences are a great option for hosting face-to-face meetings with coworkers and clients. Although collaboration is possible during video conferencing, uploading documents is not a feature of video conferences.)
- Email (Incorrect. Email is a great way to share information, however, there is no way to allow groups of people to view and edit the documents at the same time.)
- Google Drive (Correct! Platforms that allow users to share access to documents is a great way to promote collaboration and effective communication.)
A: Google Drive

Q: Time zones can be tricky to manage when working with international teams. If there is no convenient time for everyone to meet, how should managers schedule the meeting to maintain professional meeting etiquette?
- Allow the office location that has been opened the longest to determine the meeting times (Incorrect. It is not fair to the other locations for only one office to determine the meeting times. There needs to be a greater collaborative effort to promote professional meeting etiquette.)
- Host the meeting via email so people are able to participate at any time of day or night (Incorrect. Sending out a meeting wrapup email is a great way to summarize key takeaways. However, an email meeting does not allow employees to engage in real time, which can greatly slow down communication and productivity.)
- Meetings should be recorded and sent to those who were unable to attend because of the meeting time (Incorrect. This is a great option to ensure anyone who missed the meeting can get up to speed. However, if the same group of people are always unable to meet, they will never be able to fully contribute to the team projects.)
- Establish a rotation so one location is not expected to always meet outside of business hours (Correct. Establishing a rotation to ensure the same group is not always expected to meet outside of business hours helps to spread the burden out amongst the entire team. This is a great way to show consideration for other people’s time and demonstrate professional meeting etiquette.)
A: Establish a rotation so one location is not expected to always meet outside of business hours