A Level Business (A2) chapter 2: Human resource management MCQs with answers
By Team Megalecture · Updated 4 Nov 2026
62 exam-style questions on Human resource management, each with the answer and a short explanation. Ten of them are below to try. The chapter test draws ten fresh questions each time and is marked the moment you finish, with your score by topic.
Human resource management (HRM) strategy15 questions
Ten Human resource management questions with answers
Try each one, then open the answer. These ten stay the same; the test draws new ones every time.
1. Shop managers complain that instructions from head office often arrive late and contradict each other. Which improvement is most likely to help?
A
a single weekly bulletin from head office that each shop confirms it has read
B
more informal conversations between individual head office staff and shop staff over the phone
C
more messages sent directly to shop managers by each head office department
D
removing the shop managers from the chain of communication with head office
Show answer
Answer: A. A single, regular, confirmed channel avoids contradiction and delay. More uncoordinated messages would make the problem worse.
2. Which leadership role usually involves setting the long-term direction of the company and being answerable to shareholders?
A
the supervisors
B
the worker representatives
C
the directors
D
the team members
Show answer
Answer: C. Directors, led by the board, decide overall strategy and are accountable to the owners. Supervisors manage day-to-day work at the operating level.
3. A chief executive has a span of control of 5, and every manager below has a span of 5. There are four levels of employees below the chief executive. How many employees are at the lowest level?
A
125
B
3,125
C
20
D
625
Show answer
Answer: D. Level 1 has 5, level 2 has 25, level 3 has 125 and level 4 has 54 = 625 employees. 125 stops one level short and 3,125 adds one level too many.
4. A company sells its products in six countries, and customers' needs differ widely between them. Which type of structure would help it most to respond to local needs?
A
one organised by geographical area so regions can adapt to local needs
B
one organised only by function, with one head office team for each specialism
C
one with a single chain of command to head office for every decision
D
one with no formal levels of authority so employees decide themselves
Show answer
Answer: A. An area-based structure gives each region its own management and lets it adapt products and marketing to local needs. Function-only structures suit firms with uniform products and markets.
5. A team leader senses from a colleague's behaviour that he is anxious about a planned restructuring and understands why he feels this way. Which of Goleman's four competencies is this?
A
self-awareness
B
self-management
C
social awareness
D
social skills
Show answer
Answer: C. Understanding others' emotions and needs is social awareness. Social skills are used to manage relationships, for example to persuade or resolve conflict.
6. Which is a limitation of management by objectives?
A
employees may focus on measurable targets and neglect other important work
B
objectives are agreed with staff, which always reduces their motivation at work
C
it cannot be linked to the overall aims and objectives of the firm
D
it removes the need for any review of performance during the year
Show answer
Answer: A. Focus on targets can lead to neglect of unmeasured work, and MBO requires time for setting and review. Its usefulness lies in involving staff and linking their work to business aims.
7. A manager uses a firm, directive style in an emergency but a consultative style when planning next year's projects. Which theory of leadership does this best support?
A
trait theory
B
transformational leadership
C
contingency theory
D
behavioural theory that one style is best in all cases
Show answer
Answer: C. Contingency theory says the most effective style depends on the situation, such as urgency and the skills of the team.
8. Which strategy is most likely to improve the performance of employees who are demotivated because their tasks are repetitive?
A
stricter monitoring of the number of tasks that each employee completes each hour
B
reducing the number and length of the breaks that employees take during a shift
C
job enrichment, giving them more responsibility and variety in their work
D
moving them onto shorter contracts with no guaranteed number of hours
Show answer
Answer: C. Enrichment addresses the cause of the problem, boredom, by adding challenge and responsibility. Closer monitoring and shorter breaks tend to lower motivation further.
9. Which statement about informal communication, such as the grapevine, is correct?
A
it is always accurate because it is passed by people who know each other
B
it spreads quickly and may be inaccurate, but shows how staff are feeling
C
it should be banned because it never affects the business
D
it is used only by senior managers to communicate strategy
Show answer
Answer: B. The grapevine is fast and can spread rumours but also reveals staff feelings. Managers can use it, for example to test reactions.
10. Two part-time employees agree to share one full-time job, each working half of the week. What is the arrangement called, and which is a benefit to the employer?
A
job sharing; two people give a wider range of skills and cover for absence
B
annualised hours; workers are always paid a lower hourly rate than full-time staff
C
flexi-time; the employer no longer needs to record the hours that staff work
D
compressed hours; each employee works the whole week in only two long days
Show answer
Answer: A. Job sharing divides one full-time post between two people, giving cover and combined skills. Its disadvantage is the extra cost of administration and training.
How many Human resource management MCQs are there?
62, each with the answer and a short explanation, across 4 topics: Organisational structure, Business communication, Leadership, Human resource management (HRM) strategy. Every chapter test draws ten of them, so you can take it many times.
Is the A Level Business (A2) chapter 2 test free?
Yes. The test, the answers and the explanations are free and need no sign-up. Sign in only if you want your scores kept across devices.
How is the chapter test marked?
The moment you press Finish: your score, the right answer and an explanation for every question, and the ones you got wrong saved in My mistakes to retry.
