SPHR Senior Professional in Human Resources 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An organization wants to evaluate its HR function's contribution to business performance. Which framework is MOST appropriate for this purpose?
- HR Balanced Scorecard (Correct answer)
- Job Characteristics Model
- Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory
- Expectancy Theory
Correct answer: HR Balanced Scorecard
The HR Balanced Scorecard links HR activities to strategic business outcomes across financial, customer, process, and learning perspectives.
Question 2: Under ERISA, which type of retirement plan places the investment risk entirely on the employer?
- Defined contribution plan
- Defined benefit plan (Correct answer)
- 401(k) plan
- SIMPLE IRA
Correct answer: Defined benefit plan
In a defined benefit plan, the employer guarantees a specific retirement benefit and bears all investment risk to fund that promise.
Question 3: A global company is entering a new country market. The HR team must decide on a staffing approach. Which approach uses primarily host-country nationals in all positions, including management?
- Ethnocentric
- Polycentric (Correct answer)
- Geocentric
- Regiocentric
Correct answer: Polycentric
A polycentric approach staffs subsidiaries primarily with host-country nationals, who manage local operations with minimal headquarters oversight.
Question 4: Which learning theory underlies competency-based training programs that break complex skills into observable, measurable behaviors?
- Constructivism
- Behaviorism (Correct answer)
- Cognitivism
- Humanism
Correct answer: Behaviorism
Behaviorism focuses on observable, measurable behaviors and reinforcement, which is the foundation of competency-based training design.
Question 5: When calculating compa-ratio for a salary analysis, which formula is correct?
- (Midpoint / Employee Salary) × 100
- (Employee Salary / Midpoint) × 100 (Correct answer)
- (Maximum – Minimum) / Minimum × 100
- (Employee Salary – Minimum) / Range × 100
Correct answer: (Employee Salary / Midpoint) × 100
Compa-ratio = (Employee Salary ÷ Range Midpoint) × 100, showing where a salary falls relative to the market midpoint.
Question 6: Under Title VII, the 'ministerial exception' doctrine allows religious organizations to do which of the following?
- Discriminate against employees in secular roles based on religion
- Apply religious criteria when selecting clergy and ministerial employees (Correct answer)
- Refuse to comply with OSHA safety standards for religious reasons
- Exclude all employees from FMLA coverage based on religious beliefs
Correct answer: Apply religious criteria when selecting clergy and ministerial employees
The ministerial exception permits religious organizations to make employment decisions for ministerial roles based on religious criteria without Title VII liability.
Question 7: An SPHR must recommend a change management model for a major organizational transformation. Which model focuses on identifying stakeholders who are 'change advocates,' 'change agents,' 'change targets,' and 'change sponsors'?
- Lewin's Three-Step Model
- Kotter's 8-Step Model
- Conner's Change Roles Framework (Correct answer)
- Prosci ADKAR Model
Correct answer: Conner's Change Roles Framework
Conner's framework categorizes key players in organizational change as sponsors, agents, targets, and advocates based on their role in driving or receiving change.
SPHR Senior Professional in Human Resources 3
An organization wants to evaluate its HR function's contribution to business performance.
Which framework is MOST appropriate for this purpose?