3.6.3 Making human resource decisions: improving organisational design and managing the human resource flow

Question 2

What is job design?

Answer 2

the process of deciding on the content of the job in terms of its duties and responsibilities, on the methods to be used in carrying out the job, in terms of techniques, systems, and procedures, and in the relationships that should exist between the job holder and his superiors, subordinates and colleagues

Question 3

What is Hackman and Oldham’s Job Characteristics Model?

Answer 3

A model based in the belief that the task itself is the key to employee motivation

Question 4

What are the core job characteristics of the H-O Model?

Answer 4

• Skill Variety
• Task Identity
• Task Significance
• Autonomy
• Job Feedback

Question 5

Explain skill variety as a job characteristic

Answer 5

• How many different skills and talents does the job require of a person?
• Are they asked to do a lot of different things, or is it a monotonous, repetitive job?
• It seems reasonable to conclude that a job that involves a variety of activists and perhaps stretches an employees to develop their skills, is more likely to be motivating than menial and monotonous work each day
• Experienced meaningfulness of work

Question 6

Explain task identity as a job characteristic

Answer 6

• Is there a clearly defined beginning, middle, and end to a given task?
• Dow a worker know what they are supposed to be doing, and when they have successfully completed the task?
• There is no better feeling at work than having completed a task successfully – a clearly-defined task is merely likely to create opportunities for employees to enjoy the positive feelings of achievement
• Experienced meaningfulness of work

Question 7

Explain task significance as a job characteristic

Answer 7

• Does the job have a substantial impact?
• Will it matter to people, either within the organisation or to the society?
• Is the job/given task meaningful?
• It can be very demotivating at work if you feel your work has little or no meaning/ significance
• Experienced meaningfulness of work

Question 8

Explain autonomy as a job characteristic

Answer 8

• How much freedom does an individual have to accomplish their tasks?
• Does this freedom include the ability to schedule work as well as figuring out how to get the tasks done?
• Workers have more responsibility

Question 9

Explain job feedback as a job characteristic

Answer 9

• Is an employee kept in the loop about their performance?
• Are they being told when they are going well and when they’re not?
• Workers know how well they are performing and aim to improve

Question 10

What are these job characteristics’ effect on the workers?

Answer 10

• Motivation is improved
• Workers feel involved
• Quality of work is improved
• Workers are more satisfied with their work and are more committed to the business

Question 11

What are organisational influences on organisational design?

Answer 11

• Machinery
• Money/finance
• Existing skills
• Nature, range, and volume of tasks for employees required to complete
• Physical capabilities
• The way work is organised/carried out
• Quality standards
• Time frame required for products to be completed

Question 12

What are external environment influences on organisational design?

Answer 12

• Technological developments
• Levels of education
• Social changes

Question 13

What are employee related influences on organisational design?

Answer 13

• Autonomy
• Range of skills
• Feedback
• Variety of jobs

Question 14

What is authority?

Answer 14

the rights of permission assigned to a particular role in an organisation in order to achieve organisational objectives

Question 15

What is a chain of command?

Answer 15

the order of authority and delegation within a business

Question 16

What is delegation?

Answer 16

the process of passing authority down the hierarchy from a manager to a subordinate

Question 17

What is centralisation/decentralisation?

Answer 17

the degree to which authority is delegated within the organisation. A centralised structure has a greater degree of central control, while and decentralised structure involves a greater degree of delegated authority to the subordinates

Question 18

What is a span of control?

Answer 18

The number of subordinates for whom a manager is directly responsible

Question 19

What do tall and flat structures look like?

Answer 19

Question 20

What are external influences on organisational design?

Answer 20

• Objectives – expansion/growth
• Sources of finance
• Leadership type

Question 21

What are internal influences on organisational design?

Answer 21

• Levels of education in society
• State of economy
• Technological developments

Question 22

What are influences on delegation, centralisation and decentralisation?

Answer 22

• History and nature of the organisation
• Size of the organisation
• Availability of competent managers
• Time frame of decisions
• The importance of a decision
• Environmental influence

Question 23

How does the history and nature of the organisation influence delegation, centralisation, and decentralisation?

Answer 23

centralisation or decentralisation of authority depends on the manner, in which the organisation has built up over time i.e. history of the organisation

Question 24

How does the size of the organisation influence delegation, centralisation, and decentralisation?

Answer 24

in a large organisation, numerous decisions have to be taken at different places – therefore it becomes difficult to coordinate the functions of different departments. To avoid slow decision-making and to bring down the costs associated with managing a large organisation, authority should be decentralised. Decentralisation means the firms can operate as a group of small independent units.

Question 25

How does the availability of competent managers influence delegation, centralisation, and decentralisation?

Answer 25

decentralisation of authority may not be possible if the managers of the organisation are not talented enough, and if they can’t handle the problems of decentralised units

Question 26

How does the time frame of decisions influence delegation, centralisation, and decentralisation?

Answer 26

in order to survive in a highly competitive environment, every organisation has to capitalise on the available opportunities. In a decentralised organisation, the authority to make decisions lies with the head of that particular unit – therefore, decisions can be made faster. The decisions are made closer to the scene of action, and are therefore, timely and accurate.

Question 27

How does the importance of a decision influence delegation, centralisation, and decentralisation?

Answer 27

Generally, decisions, which involve high risks and costs, are made by the top management, while the decisions involving routine and low-risk activities are delegated to the subordinates

Question 28

How does environmental influence influence delegation, centralisation, and decentralisation?

Answer 28

government regulation of private business is the most important factor, which affects the extent of decentralisation

Question 29

What is the Human Resource Flow?

Answer 29

the flow of people in and out of the business

Question 30

What is included in the HR Flow?

Answer 30

• Inflow
• Internal flow
• Outflow

Question 31

What is inflow in the HR Flow?

Answer 31

• Recruitment and selection
• Induction

Question 32

What is internal flow in the HR Flow?

Answer 32

• Evaluation of performance/appraisal
• Career development
• Promotion and demotion, transfers, and redeployment
• Training and development

Question 33

What is outflow in the HR Flow?

Answer 33

Employees leaving voluntarily, dismissal, redundancy, retirement