A1 - Nature and Challenges of HRM

Question 1

The process of managing human talent to achieve an org’s objs.

Answer 1

Human Resource Mgmt (HRM)

Question 2

• The knowledge, skills, and capabilities of indiv. that have economic value to an org.
• mgrs should focus on strats. to develop this w/in their workforce
  
  • current staffing and training programs

Answer 2

human cap.

Question 3

(6) competitive issues that HR mgmt must face

Answer 3

1. Chgs in mktplace and economy
2. Competing, recruiting and staffing globally
3. Advancing HR tech.
4. Containing costs while retaining top talent and maximizing productivity
5. Responding to the demographic and diversity challenges of the workforce
6. Adapting to educational and cultural shifts affecting the workforce

Question 4

• A set of princ. and practices whose core ideas include understanding customer needs, doing things right the first time, and striving for continuous improvement
• translating cust’s needs into separate tasks and defining the best way to perform each task in concert w/ the others
• a total quality improvement initiative

Answer 4

6-Stigma Quality

Question 5

fundamental rethinking and radical redesign of business processes to achieve dramatic improvements in cost, quality, service and speed

Answer 5

reengineering

Question 6

ways orgs make changes to operate more successfully

Answer 6

• total quality
• continuous improvement
• downsizing
• reengineering
• outsourcing
• offshoring

Question 7

the planned elimination of jobs

Answer 7

downsizing

(also - rightsizing)

Question 8

• hiring someone outside the company to perform business processes that could be done internally
  
  • possibly to increase flexibility, lower overhead costs, and gain access to expertise that others may have

Answer 8

outsourcing

Question 9

a systematic way of bringing about and managing both org. changes and changes on the indiv. level

Answer 9

chg mgmt

Question 10

type of chg resulting when external forces have already affected an orgs’ performance

Answer 10

reactive

Question 11

chg initiated to take advantage of targeted opportunities

Answer 11

proactive chg

Question 12

• a statistical process used to translate cust. needs into separate tasks and the best way they are performed in concert w/ one another
• catches mistakes b4 they happen

Answer 12

Six Sigma

Question 13

the trend toward opening up foreign mkts to internat’l trade and inv.

Answer 13

globalization

Question 14

• the responsibility of the firm to act in the best interests of the ppl and communities affected by its activities
• focusing on this helps firms, domestically and abroad, avoid lawsuits but also improve their earnings
• both cust. and potential EEs review this when deciding where to shop or to work

Answer 14

corporate social responsibility

Question 15

software that allows workers to interface and share info w/ one another electronically

Answer 15

collaborative software

Question 16

workers whose responsibilities extend beyond the physical execution of work to include planning, decision making, and problem-solving

Answer 16

knowledge workers

Question 17

• a computerized system that provides current and accurate data for purposes of control and decision-making
• lowers admin costs, increases productivity, speeding up response times, improving decision making and tracking a company’s talent

Answer 17

HRIS

Question 18

• a situation in which an org. asks or requires EEs to take time off for either no pay or reduced pay
• alternative to downsizing and losing talent to competition

Answer 18

furloughing

Question 19

disadv. to furloughing EEs

Answer 19

• costs aren’t cut as significantly as if the company downsized
  
  • EEs usually get to keep their benefits
• those not furloughed often are required to do more work

Question 20

• shifting of work to an overseas location
• cost reduction is key motivator , but now companies have found ways to grow their bus. overseas
  
  • allocates work more efficiently across the multiple countries in which the company does bus. working 24/7

Answer 20

offshoring

(also known as global sourcing)

Question 21

• the process of dismissing EEs who are then hired by a leasing company and contracting w/ that company to lease back the EEs
• very popular with smaller companies

Answer 21

EE leasing

Question 22

• non-HR Mgrs who are responsible for overseeing the work of other EEs
• when combined with HR mgrs - develop and utilize the talents of EEs to their greatest potential

Answer 22

line mgrs

Question 23

(4) major types of activites for which HR mgrs are responsible:

Answer 23

1. Advice/Counsel
2. Service
3. Policy Formulation and Implementation
4. Employee Advocacy

Question 24

• HR mgr responsibilities that involves:
  
  • providing advice to line mgrs w/in functional areas of expertise

Answer 24

Advice and Counsel

Question 25

• HR mgr responsibilities that involves:
  
  • listening to EEs’ concerns
  • representing their needs to mgrs
  • providing support when disruptive changes interfere w/ normal activities

Answer 25

EE advocacy

Question 26

• HR mgr responsibilities that involves:
  
  • make functional, technical and/or prof. services available to other ares of the org.

Answer 26

Service

Question 27

• HR mgr responsibilities that involves:
  
  • draft proposals and present to the top execs. for consideration and acceptance or rejection
  • monitor policies w/in the org and interpret them for the org.

Answer 27

Policy Formulation and Implementation

Question 28

set of princ. and practices whose core ideas include understanding customer needs, doing things right the first time and striving for continuous improvement

Answer 28

Total Quality Management

Question 29

(4) areas of cultural chg that have impacted ERs

Answer 29

1. EE rights
2. concern for EE privacy
3. chg’g attitudes twoard work
4. balancing work and family situations

Question 30

(3) areas of competency that are required of HR mgrs

Answer 30

• Business Mastery: know the bus. - economic and fin’l capabilities
• HR Mastery: experts in staffing, development, appraisal, rewards, team building and comm.
• Personal Credibility: must estab. personal credibility in the eyes of their int./ ext. cust.

Question 31

HR planning

Answer 31

• having an accurate pic. of both the supply of and demand for EEs
• (2) factors have direct impact on planning and recruitment strats:
  
  • turnover
  • absenteeism

Question 32

this is an indicator for an org. of how EEs respond to their work environment

Answer 32

turnover rate

Question 33

usual calculation of turnover rate =

Answer 33

# of separations during the month

Total # of EEs at midmonth

‘times’

100

Question 34

another calculation of turnover rate =

(if you want the rate to reflect the avoidable separations)

Answer 34

• S = total separations in the selection period
• US = unavoidable separations
• M = midmonth workforce

( S - US )

M

‘times’

100

Question 35

(3) costs of EE turnover rate

(costs of replacing EEs)

Answer 35

• separation costs for the departing EE
• replacement costs for new EE
• training costs for new EE

estimated to be 2 to 3 times the monthly slry of departing EE

Question 36

calculating EE absenteeism

Answer 36

• no uniform definition or method for calculating this
• recommended by DOL

# of worker-days lost through job absence during period

avg # of EEs X # of work days

‘times’

100