Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

AQA A-Level Business > Section 6 - Human Resources > Flashcards

Section 6 - Human Resources Flashcards

1
Q

Define human resource objectives

A

targets that the functional area of a business that is responsible for all employee related issues want to achieve in a given period of time

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

State 5 human resource objectives

A
  • diversity
  • employee engagement and involvement
  • talent development
  • training
  • number and location of staff
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Define diversity as a human resource objectives

A
  • recognising that all employees are unique and creating an inclusive environment
  • more diversity = competitive advantage – more creativity
  • more representative of customers
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Define employee engagement and involvement as a human resource objective

A
  • extent to which employees can have a say in decisions that impact their work
  • more engaged employees = more motivated, higher labour productivity and retention
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Define talent development as a human resource objective

A
  • development of star employees who have potential to make major contribution to business’ success
  • keeping highflyers = more competitive, profitable and efficient.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Define training as a human resource objective

A
  • the process of increasing the knowledge and skills of an employee for doing a particular job.
  • increases productivity, quality of work and production and increases health and safety
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Define number and location of staff as a human resource objective

A
  • having the right # of staff = maximised efficiency
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Define CSR

A

where companies integrate social and environmental concerns in business operations and interactions with stakeholders

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Define ethics

A
  • responsibility to act morally and ethically
    – competitive advantage: employees more likely to be motivated, stay with company, better reputation
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Define philanthopic

A

giving back to society eg. Charitable donations, volunteer work

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What external influences can affect human resources?

A
  • PESTLE
  • Market changes – link to differentiation
  • Economic changes (eg. Recession)
  • Technological change (eg. Social media, communication)
  • Social change (eg. How people live (working from home)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Define hard management

A
  • staff are resources (low skilled workers who require more management)
  • minimal communication
  • little employee empowerment
  • taller organisational structure
  • autocratic
  • leads to faster decision making
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Define soft management

A
  • focused on the needs of employees
  • better, two-way communication
  • increased empowerment and responsibility
  • flatter organisational structures
  • democratic
  • likely to be paid more
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Define piece rate

A

where employees are paid per piece sold

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What are the advantages of piece rate

A
  • efficiency pays better
  • easier to work from home
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What are disadvantages of piece rate

A
  • corner cutting likely
  • quality can suffer
  • slow work = potential to fall under MW (link to Maslow)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Define commission

A

being paid a % of sales on top of a regular salary/wage - may be dependent on base pay rate (link to type of job/skill level and Maslow)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What are advantages of commission

A
  • higher skilled workers get paid better
  • value of business is increased with skill rather than just output
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What are disadvantages of commission

A
  • sales may become a priority over customer needs
  • may need to pressure/oversell to consumers
  • less income security
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Define salary schemes (bonus)

A

lump sum paid on top of a salary (usually around Xmas or when target tasks completed)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What are the advantages of bonuses?

A
  • can be used as an incentive to meet goals
  • makes employees feel valued
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

What are the disadvantages of bonuses?

A
  • can be costly for an employer
  • taxes have to be paid on bonus (becomes part of total income)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Define performance related pay

A

paid based on an employees ability to fulfill goals/criteria or for hard work

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

What are advantages of performance related pay

A
  • direct link between performance and pay
  • easy to rank staff
  • good way to monitor staff
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

What are the disadvantages of performance related pay

A
  • can cause jealousy between workers
  • unachievable goal can demotivate
26
Q

Define delegation

A

allocating tasks to employees

27
Q

What are the advantages of delegation

A
  • builds managers self confidence and motivation
  • team potential is maximised
  • trust building between workers and managers
28
Q

What are the disadvantages of delegation

A
  • not always used to motivate - can be used when managers overloaded
  • can be abused
  • suitable employees not always chosen
29
Q

Define consultation

A

employees take part in decision-making (eg. how to improve productivity, cut costs or solve issues)

30
Q

What are the advantages of consultation

A
  • prevents minor issues growing into bigger ones
  • avoids union action
  • employees feel included and valued
31
Q

What are the disadvantages for consultions

A
  • employees may not know what is needed for success
  • employees may have own personal agendas - not company interest at heart
32
Q

Define empowerment

A

employees have more authority and responsibility in business

33
Q

What are the advantages of empowerment

A
  • staff feel recognised - increased prod. and motivation
  • better problem solving
  • increased loyalty (^ retention)
34
Q

What are the disadvantages of empowerment

A
  • could be considered delayering (cost cutting)
  • more to do for the same pay
  • lack of experience = mistakes
35
Q

What are the advantages of team working

A
  • talents are pooled together
  • business can develop more ideas - more innovation
  • group peer pressure - motivation
36
Q

What are the disadvantages of team working

A
  • individual approaches may be better
  • tensions can occur - not everyone agrees
37
Q

What are some examples of flexible working?

A

working from home, flexible hours, part time

38
Q

What are the advantages of flexible working

A
  • enables work-life balance
  • increased cost-efficiency - less machinery down time, saving on overheads
  • reduced sickness absence
39
Q

What are disadvantages of flexible working

A
  • schedules may clash
  • people may take advantage of flexible system
  • temptations working from home
40
Q

Define job enrichment

A

creating a greater variety of tasks of greater responsibility making jobs less repetitive

41
Q

What are advantages of job enrichment

A
  • makes job more interesting
  • increased loyalty (retention)
  • prepares employees for promotion
42
Q

What are disadvantages of job enrichment

A
  • some employees may find job harder
  • some jobs may require extra training
  • not all jobs can be enriched
43
Q

Define job rotation

A

moving employees from one task to another so they become trained in a variety of areas/skills (resource utilisation)

44
Q

What are advantages of job rotation

A
  • creates multi skilled employees
  • makes job less boring - reduced turnover
  • easy, cost effective
45
Q

What are the disadvantages of job rotation

A
  • some employees may prefer one job to another
  • time consuming for employees to learn new skills
45
Q

Define job enlargment

A

giving employees more tasks of the same responsibility to prevent boredom and expand scope

46
Q

What are the advantages of job enlargement

A
  • tasks more interesting and varied
  • employee retention improves
47
Q

What are the disadvantages of job enlargement

A
  • more tasks to do in a day
  • needs a clear career progression
48
Q

What is the objective when improving organisational design

A

maximise efficiency

49
Q

What are the key features of a hierarchy

A
  • break organisation into divisions (eg. marketing, finance)
  • every individual answers to one person
  • span of control kept low.= pprevents overload of subordinates
50
Q

How does organisational design change as a business grows?

A
  • at first: only 1-2 employees = no formal organisation needed (communication is face-to-face)
  • as business grows: more employees involved = more formal organisation needed
51
Q

What happens in larger organisations with more staff?

A

slower communication

52
Q

Define span of control

A

the number of people directly under managerial supervision

53
Q

What does a larger span of control mean

A

more staff to manage and communicate to - may be a lack of guidance and communication

54
Q

What does an ideal SoC depend on?

A

nature of the business, tasks, skills and attitudes of workforce

55
Q

What are the advantages of a narrow SoC

A
  • close management (high labour turnover, inexperienced staff, critical tasks)
  • better communication (faster)
  • better chance of promotion
56
Q

What are the disadvantages of a narrow SoC

A
  • staff may feel oversupervised (lack of trust and responsibility)
  • more hierarchical levels
  • restricted scope for initiative and experience (alienates enterprising staff)
57
Q

Define chain of command

A

the route the info travel through an organisation
- more layers = longer chain of command = gap created between managers and workers

58
Q

Define centralisation

A

decision-making power and control remains at top management levels
- eg. fast food chains to maintain control - enables consistent quality and customer experience + exploit economies of scale

59
Q

Define decentralisation

A

decision-making power is given to staff
- eg. supermarket and hotel workers may need to make quick decisions

60
Q

What is common with centralisation and decentralisation

A

to use a combination of both or jump between both depending on a situation

61
Q
A

AQA A-Level Business (7 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions