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

Question 1

Job design

Answer 1

Increase job satisfaction

Question 2

Job enrichment

Answer 2

Increase in the level of responsibility that an employee has

Question 3

Job enlargement

Answer 3

Increase in the number (as opposed to the level) of responsibility that an employee has

Question 4

Job rotation

Answer 4

Varying the tasks that an employee does

Question 5

Centralised decision making (Organisational structure)

Answer 5

Kept at the top of the hierarchy and made by senior staff

Question 6

Centralised decision making advantages

Answer 6

-Experienced decisions
-Accountability in decision making
-Quicker decisions

Question 7

Centralised decision making

Answer 7

-Cause conflict with other staff
-Lack of trust
-Miscommunication

Question 8

Decentralised decision making

Answer 8

Spread out and more managers make decisions as well as units or trading locations

Question 9

Decentralised decision making advantages

Answer 9

-Employees may feel more included
-More ideas
-Help with motivation

Question 10

Decentralised decision making disadvantages

Answer 10

-Needs consistency
-Disagreements/conflicts
-More complex

Question 11

Influences on delegation, centralisation, and decentralised

Answer 11

-Organisations corporate objectives/strategic plans
-Organisations marketing +production plans/objectives
-Financial position of the organisation
-Stage of product life cycle
-Others- e.g motivation, labour, teamwork

Question 12

Hierarchy

Answer 12

Number of layers within an organisation

Question 13

Tall structure

Answer 13

-Many layers
-Long chain of command
-A narrow span of control

Question 14

Span of control

Answer 14

The number of employees for whom a manager is responsible

Question 15

Chains of commands

Answer 15

The lines of authority within a business

Question 16

Tall structure advantages

Answer 16

-Narrow span of control =less people to cover
-Clear structure in terms of who is doing what
-Clear who has authority

Question 17

Tall structure disadvantages

Answer 17

-Communication is difficult+slow
-Potential ‘laziness’ (passing on tasks to other people)

Question 18

Flat structure

Answer 18

-Fewer layers
-Short chain of command
-Wide span of control

Question 19

Flat structure advantages

Answer 19

-Easier to communicate
-Quicker decision making
-Teamwork = less layers

Question 20

Flat structure disadvantages

Answer 20

-More people to manage/harder to manage
-Increased workload
-More centralised decision making