Final answer:
A process audit is a review of steps in a system to check if it complies with designed procedures, unlike financial audits or process controls. It verifies the system's implementation and adherence to standards, making it the correct answer (c. a process audit) for ensuring a High-Performance Work System is applied as intended.
Step-by-step explanation:
Determining whether the high performance work system has been implemented as it was designed is called c. a process audit.
A process audit involves the examination of steps to ensure that a procedure is carried out consistently and that it adheres to predetermined standards. Unlike financial audits, which focus on the veracity of financial information, a process audit scrutinizes the efficiency, effectiveness, and structured sequence of actions within a system. This concept can be applied to various systems, including High-Performance Work Systems (HPWS). In contrast, process control is a broader term that refers to the ongoing practice of monitoring and adjusting a process to ensure it operates within set parameters.
The term balanced scorecard, on the other hand, refers to a strategic management tool used to track the performance of an organization from multiple perspectives such as financial, customer, internal processes, and learning and growth. In the context of the question, a process audit aligns best as it is dedicated to evaluating whether the designed process is indeed implemented and functioning as intended. It's not just about performance measurement but ensuring alignment with design and standards.