HR Chapter 1. MCQ and Long

Question 1

Scientific management approach

Answer 1

¥ (1900)
_ Before scientific management it was constant supervision and threat of the loss of their jobs (intimidation) = rule-of-thumb work methods
_ Frederick Taylor = scientific data collection and analysis methods
_ Study of motions required for each job, tools utilised and time required for each task = time-and-motion studies
_ Fair job performance standards could be determined for each job
_ Workers who produced output above the standard would receive additional pay
_ Problems emerged because workers are motivated by money
_ Focus on employee output and not employee satisfaction
_ Taylor created differential piece-rate system = workers would receive higher rate of pay p/piece produced after the daily output had been achieved.

Question 2

¥ Human relations approach

Answer 2

(1930)_ How the job is designed and the manner in which employees are rewarded economically and as well social and psychological factors = Hawthorne
_ Human behaviour of an organisational setting = a happy worker is a hard worker
_ Approach failed to consider individual differences – what motivates one worker may not motivate another
_ Approach failed to recognise the need for job structure and control on employee behaviour and neglected the importance of procedures, rules and standards
_ Approach failed to recognise good human relations to sustain high levels of employee satisfaction.
_The rise of unions = employees received the right to organise strikes in disputes about wages, job security, benefits and other work conditions.

Question 3

¥ The Human resources (HR) approach (1970)

Answer 3

_ Increase in org effectiveness and satisfaction of each employee’s needs.
_ Org goals and human needs are mutual and compatible
_ Employees are investments that will provide long-term rewards to the org in the form of greater productivity
_ Policies, practices and programmes must be created that satisfy both economic and emotional needs of employees
_ A working environment must be created in which employees are encouraged to develop and utilise their skills to the max extent
_ HR programmes must be implemented with goal of balancing employee needs and meeting the org goals.
_ FIG 1.1 HR Approach p5

Question 4

What is Strategic management ?

Answer 4

¥ making those decisions that define the overall mission & objectives of the organisation, determining the most effective utilisation of its resources and crafting and executing the strategy in ways that produce the intended results

Question 5

List 6 HR FUNCTIONS

Answer 5

1) JOB ANALYSIS AND DESIGN
For an employee to perform satisfactory, their skills, abilities and motives to perform the job must match the job requirements

2) RECRUITMENT, SELECTION, INDUCTION AND INTERNAL STAFFING = NB!!

_ Recruiting and selecting qualified labour force includes analysis of the labour market, long-term planning, interviewing and testing.
_ After employees are placed in their posts they must be introduced to the org, their tasks, superiors and co-workers = induction, socialisation or orientation.
_ Internal movement of employees such as promotion and transfers are also important.

3) APPRAISAL, TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT AND CAREER MANAGEMENT
_ Appraisal (assessment) of employee performance to identify deficiencies and improvements.
_ Training and development = growing professionalism but high expenditure
_ Career management brings improvement in the decision-making process.

4) COMPENSATION AND HEALTH
Employee benefits such as health and safety and improvements to the workplace environment

5) LABOUR RELATIONS
_ Labour unions help shape the HR policies and programmes for the union employees
_ Managers must recognise the causes of unsatisfactory performance and be able to bring improvement in job behaviour

6) HUMAN RESOURCE INFO SYSTEMS (HRIS), HR RESEARCH AND PROBLEM-SOLVING
Configured to handle the HRIS needs of almost all org, regardless of their size and resolve problems such as absenteeism, etc.

Question 6

CRITICAL POLICY ISSUES

Answer 6

• Employee influence: specifies the degree of authority and responsibility that are delegated to employees and the way in which those relationships may be effectively established – such as org goals, working cond, career advancements and job design.
• Personnel flow: ensure that the management of people into, through and out of the org meets the org’s long-term req – such as selection, promotion, career development and termination.
• Compensation and Reward systems: the attraction, motivation and retention of employees at all org levels – such as sharing profits or reductions with employees.
• Work systems: the design of the work, how tasks and tech are defined and arranged and to which quality of work is important to the org – such as manufacturing and office tech implemented

o Communication
♣ The glue that binds various elements, coordinates activities, allows people to work together and produce results
♣ Departments within a company may be spread throughout the country or even throughout the world or may even be virtual
♣ Union-negotiated grievance procedures almost always include the use of outside arbitrators

Question 7

CURRENT ISSUES AND CHALLENGES

Answer 7

WORKER PRODUCTIVITY

_ More international goods are entering SA, which affects local companies = productivity in local industries will have to improve
_ Calling on the abilities of all the workers and making the workplace function independently
_ Hierarchical systems designed to control and demand workers are outdated
_ Companies are minimizing high absenteeism, high defect rates and laziness on the job by selecting, training and rewarding inferiors differently

QUALITY IMPROVEMENT

_ Two by-products of making or doing things better = lower costs and higher productivity
_ Quality = conforming to cust req, preventing errors and accidents and striving towards error-free output
_ It is an operating system that extends throuhgout the org
_ SA companies are meeting the quality challenge ny implementing long-term programmes with the help of the South African Quality Institute

Question 8

THE CHANGING WORKFORCE

Answer 8

_ Demographic are creating a new, diverse, changing workforce
_ There are more single parents, working couples, women and minorities
_ The trust gap between companies and employees are widening = early retirement or retrenchment of employees packages = loss in loyalty and commitment
_ Constant challenge is workforce diversity
_ Progress across ethnic groups are still slow
_ Gender discrimination continues to occur although a glass ceiling for women who aim to top management still exists
_ Companies need to become more family-friendly = reduced absenteeism and improved efficiency
_ Persuade managers not to penalise employees