Managing work flows and conducting job analysis

Question 1

Comment on the development of a business strategy:

Answer 1

An organisation develops a business strategy by establishing a set of long-term goals based on an
(1) analysis of environmental opportunities and threats
(2) a realistic appraisal of how the business can deploy its assets
The business strategy selected by management determines the structure most appropriate for the organisation

Management selects HR strategies to fit and support its business strategies and organisational structure.

Question 2

How do you design the organisation?

Answer 2

Designing the organisation requires choosing an organisational structure that will help the company achieve its goals most effectively

Question 3

What is a bureaucratic organisation?

Answer 3

A pyramid-shaped organisational structure, consisting of hierarchies with many levels of management

Question 4

What is a flat organisation?

Answer 4

An organisational structure that has only a few levels of management and emphasises decentralisation

Question 5

What is a boundary-less organisation?

Answer 5

An organisational structure that enables an organisation to form relationships with customers, suppliers and/or competitors, either to pool organisational resources for mutual benefit or to encourage cooperation in an uncertain environment.

Question 6

What are the challenges in strategic HR planning?

Answer 6

1. Maintaining a competitive advantage
2. Reinforcing overall business strategy
3. Avoiding over concentration on day-to-day problems
4. Developing HR strategies suited to unique organisational features
5. Coping with the environment
6. Securing management commitment
7. Translating the strategic plan into action
8. Combining intended and emergent strategies
9. Accommodating change

Question 7

What are the challenges to avoiding concentration on day-to-day problems?

Answer 7

• Some managers are so busy putting out fires that they have no time to focus on the long term
• A successful HR strategy demands a vision tied to the long-term direction of the business

Question 8

What are the challenges to avoiding coping with the environment?

Answer 8

A major challenge is crafting strategies that will work in the firm’s unique environment to give it a sustainable competitive advantage

Question 9

What are the challenges to translating the strategic plan into action?

Answer 9

The true test of something is whether it makes a difference in practice, if it does not, then employees will regard it as all walk and no action

Question 10

What are the differences between the vertical and horizontal organisation?

Answer 10

Vertical organisation: role is clearly defined, focus on the tasks assigned, focus on producing results, seniority is the key to progress in the organisation, rewards tied to the job and productivity, employee career is rigid

Horizontal organisation: role is loosely defined, broad set of skills and flexibility, focused on adding value, seniority is less relevant, rewards are tied to skills and contribution, employee career is flexible

Question 11

What is the two factor theory?

Answer 11

The factors employees find satisfying and dissatisfying about their jobs can be separated into: 
Motivators (internal factors leading to job motivation): work, achievement, recognition, responsibility, opportunities for advancement
Hygiene factors (external factors located in the work environment): company policies, working conditions, job security, salary, employee benefits

Question 12

What is work-adjustment theory?

Answer 12

Employees’ motivation levels and job satisfaction depend on the adjustment between their needs + abilities and the characteristics of the job + the organisation

Question 13

What is goal-setting theory?

Answer 13

Motivation is goal-directed behaviour. Goals that are clear & challenging will result in higher levels of employee motivation than goals that are ambiguous & easy.

Question 14

What is job-characteristic theory?

Answer 14

Employees will be more motivated and satisfied to the extent that jobs contain core characteristics

Question 15

What are the ways to design jobs?

Answer 15

1. WORK SIMPLIFICATION: work can be broken down into simple repetitive tasks to maximise efficiency
2. JOB ENLARGEMENT AND JOB ROTATION: used to redesign jobs to reduce fatigue and boredom among workers performing simplified and highly specialised work
3. JOB ENRICHMENT: putting specialised tasks back together so that one person is responsible for producing a whole product
4. TEAM-BASED JOB DESIGN: focus on giving a team, rather an individual, a wholesome and meaningful piece of work to do

Question 16

What is job analysis?

Answer 16

Systematic gathering and organisation of information concerning jobs. Job analysis identifies the tasks, duties and responsibilities of a particular job

Question 17

Who performs job analysis?

Answer 17

A member of the HR department or the job incumbent (person currently assigned to the job in question)

Question 18

What are the methods of gathering job information?

Answer 18

Interviews
Observation
Diaries
Questionnaires
Internet-based data collection

Question 19

What are the uses of job analysis?

Answer 19

Recruitment 
Selection 
Performance appraisal
Compensation 
Training and career development

Question 20

What techniques to job analysis are there?

Answer 20

1. Task inventory analysis: this technique is used to determine KSAs (knowledge, skills and abilities) needed to perform a job successfully
2. Critical incident technique: used to develop behavioural descriptions of a job

Question 21

What is a job description?

Answer 21

A summary statement of the information collected in the job-analysis process. There are two types of job descriptions: specific job descriptions and general job descriptions.

Question 22

What are the elements of a job description?

Answer 22

Job descriptions have four key elements:

1. Identification information: job title, location and source of job-analysis information
2. Job summary: short statement that summarises the job’s duties, responsibilities and place in the organisational structure
3. Job duties and responsibilities: explain what is done on the job, how it is done, why it is done
4. Job specifications and minimum qualifications: lists worker characteristics needed to perform the job

Question 23

What types of workers are there?

Answer 23

There are two types of workers: core workers and contingent workers.

1. Core workers: full-time employees
2. Contingent workers: employer’s convenience and efficiency needs

Firms have contingent workers to help them deal with temporary increases in the workload or to do work not part of the core set’s capabilities
Contingent workers include temporary employees, part-time employees, outsourced subcontractors, contract workers and college interns