Note: 1) All questions in Section I are compulsory
2) Attempt any three questions from Section II.
3) Figures to right indicate marks allocated to that question
Section I
Q1.Explain the concepts (3 marks each) (15)
(a) Delphi Technique (b) Investiture and Divestiture (c) Assessment Centers (d) Vestibule Training (e) Pluralistic Approach
Q2.Case Study on Training
Section II
Q3 .Define Human Resource Management. Discuss the improvements of HRM over Personnel Management.
Q4.You are the HR manager of KITS Airways. Design a training programme for ground staff. Discuss the job training methods used to conduct the programme.
Q5.Career Planning and development is a motivation tool for employees. Elaborate with suitable examples.
Q6.Write short notes on (any 2):
A) Training V/S Management Development B) Trade Unions C) Collective Bargaining Tilak Education Societys S.K College of Science and Commerce, Nerul Prelims Examination Sept - 2012
Class: TYBMS Subject: HRM Duration: 2hrs Date: 29/09/12 Marks: 60 Tilak Education Societys S.K College of Science & Commerce Seawoods, Navi Mumbai. Phone 27711481/27710033 Model Solution
Q1a
Delphi Technique
Delphi forecasting is a non-quantitative technique for demand forecasting. It draws its name from the Oracles of Delphi, which in Greek mythology advised people based on intuition and common sense. It solicits estimates of personnel needs from a group of experts, usually managers The HRP experts act as intermediaries, summarize various responses and report the findings back to the experts. Summaries and surveys are repeated till the experts agree. The agreement reached is the forecast of the personnel needs. The key feature of Delphi technique is the absence of interaction among the experts
Q1b
Investiture and Divestiture
Investiture orientation seeks to validate the usefulness of the characteristics that the person brings to the new job. Most high-level appointments like CEO follow this approach, because a person is appointed as an executive on the basis of what he or she can bring to the organization.
Divestiture orientation seeks to make minor modifications in the characteristics of the new hire, albeit, he or she was selected based on his or her potential for performance. This is done to seek a better fit between a new member and organization. The logic behind divestiture strategies is to dismantle the old mindset of the new member so that instilling a new set of values or norms become easy The new hire may even be made to undergo harassment at the hands of a senior staff to verify if he /she can be molded to the requirements of the organization. Divestiture strategies are followed for inducting new hires into military, professional football, police academies etc.
Q1c
Assessment Centers
An assessment centre is a central location where managers may come together to have their participation in job related exercises evaluated by trained observers. It was earlier, mainly used for senior executives hiring, but now assessment centers are now being used for evaluating executive or supervisory potential The basic idea is to evaluate managers over a period of time, say one to three days, by observing and evaluating their behavior across a series of selected exercises or work samples. Assesses are requested to participate in-basket exercises, work groups (without leaders), computer simulations, role playing, and other similar activities which require the same attributes for successful performance, as in the actual job. There are various parameters to measure, hence there would be a sizeable number of trained observers and psychologists The advantages are that a well conducted assessment centre can achieve better forecasts of future performance than other methods. Also reliability, content validity and predictive validity are said to be high in assessment centers. The problem with assessment centre is the huge cost involved and strong and unhealthy sense of competition between assesses, difficult in conducting the test frequently and possibility of overemphasizing the test performance.
Q1 d
Vestibule Training
This method utilizes equipment which closely resembles the actual ones used in the job. It is performed in a special area set aside for the purpose and not at the workplace. The emphasis is placed on learning skills than on production. It is however difficult to duplicate pressures and realities of actual situations. Even though the kind of tension or pressure may be the same but the employee knows it is just a technique and not a real situation. Also the employees behave differently in real situations than in simulations. Also additional investment is required for the equipment Tilak Education Societys S.K College of Science & Commerce Seawoods, Navi Mumbai. Phone 27711481/27710033 This method is used in training airline pilots or in military combat training.
Q1 E
Pluralistic Approach
Pluralism is belief in the existence of more than one ruling principle, giving rise to a conflict of interests. The pluralist approach to IR accepts conflict between management and workers as inevitable but containable through various institutional arrangements ( like collective bargaining, conciliation and arbitration etc) and is in fact considered essential for innovation and growth. The pluralists see the employment relationship as a mixture of shared interests and conflicting interests that are largely limited to the employment relationship. It also perceives stability in IR as the product of concessions and compromises between management and unions. It perceives trade unions as legitimate representative of employee interests. Employees join unions to protect their interests and influence decision making by the management. Unions thus balance the power between management and employees. In pluralistic approach a strong unions is not only desirable but necessary In the workplace, pluralists therefore champion grievance procedures, employee voice mechanisms such as works councils and labour unions, collective bargaining, and labour- management partnerships. In the policy arena, pluralists advocate for minimum wage laws, occupational health and safety standards, international labour standards, and other employment and labour laws and public policies. These institutional interventions are all seen as methods for balancing the employment relationship to generate not only economic efficiency, but also employee equity and voice.
Tilak Education Societys S.K College of Science & Commerce Seawoods, Navi Mumbai. Phone 27711481/27710033 Q2.Case Study on Training
1) Summary of the case Harish Mehta has been employed in Accounts Department in an automobile company for last 4 years. He along with 21 other employees in his department had to undergo training due to computerization in his company On the basis of a random survey, it was found that Harish performance even after training was poor and it was 20% less than others in his department. 2) Problem /I ssues in case/Cause and effect The cause of this problem could be: 1. Harish Mehta is not happy with the process of computerization and lacked interest in training 2. Harish Mehta lacks confidence because he does not even have basic knowledge of computers 3) Solution to the problem There is a need for HR to speak to Mr Harish and understand the root cause of the problem. This discussion could be conducted after a job analysis session If he is not happy with the process of computerization and he has an apprehension that he would lose his job. He needs to be explained the reasons for computerization and he needs to be motivated. A proper counseling session is desirable.
In the Second case, an introductory course needs to be conducted for people like Harish Mehta so that they can gain confidence before the actual training of computerization of accounts department can be introduced.
Questions
a)
As Harish Supervisors, I would first do a complete job analysis of the Accounts department after the process of computerization. Information regarding job description and job specification would be updated through various data collection methods like observation method.
Then, I would compare Harish Mehtas skill sets and performance with the requirements of the job. Based on my findings, I would have a one-one discussion with Harish Mehta to understand his problems and conduct a detailed performance appraisal
Through a systemic study and discussions I would be able to understand the reasons for Harish Mehtas poor performance.
B)
If Training has been conducted in a hurried manner, only Harish Mehtas performance would not be poor. However it is possible that it was too early for Harish Mehta to undergo the training on computerization without having any basic knowledge of computer. If this were the case, I would first conduct an introductory course in computers for employees like Harish Mehta
C)
Yes I would monitor his work closely during the data collection process, to see the cause of the problem. I would need to this without him or others being aware so that there is no change in their natural behavior or performance. Based on the actual findings I could discuss the same with Harish and others if required.
D)
Yes, there is a strong need to discuss with Harish about his performance based on the findings. He needs to be explained the parameters for the performance appraisal and expected level of performance. If it is found that his performance has not improved even after corrective steps were taken from the companies side and sufficient time was given to improve; he needs to be given the pink slip after the next performance appraisal. Tilak Education Societys S.K College of Science & Commerce Seawoods, Navi Mumbai. Phone 27711481/27710033 Q3 .
Michael Armstrong has defined HRM as
A strategic approach to the acquisition, motivation, development and management of the organizations human resource. It is developed to shaping an appropriate corporate culture and introducing programs which reflect and support the core values of the enterprise and ensure its success.
Organizations are not mere bricks, mortar, machineries or inventories. It is the people who staff & manage organization .Employees have the capacity to feel, think & even to react. Management has to deal with the employees in a careful & tactful manner. Peter Drucker, The prosperity of any business depends upon the performance of its managers of tomorrow. Employees must be nurtured and decisions must be integrated keeping in mind the organizations effectiveness and the peoples dimension.
HRM can be considered as an improvement over Personnel management as it has wider scope and takes the human angle into consideration while handling employees. Some of the reasons are stated below:
Sr.No Dimension Personnel Management Human Resource Management 1 Employment contract Careful delineation of written contracts Aim to go beyond contract 2 Rules Importance of devising clear rules Can do outlook impatience with rule 3 Guide to management action Procedures Business needs 4 Behaviour referent Norms/customs & practices Values/missions 5 Managerial task Monitoring Nurturing 6 Key relations Labour management Customer 7 Initiatives Piecemeal Integrated 8 Speed of decisions Slow Fast 9 Management role Transactional Transformational leadership 10 Communication Indirect Direct 11 Prized management skills Negotiation Facilitation 12 Selection Separate, marginal task Integrated, key task 13 Pay Job evaluation Performance related 14 Conditions Separately negotiated Harmonization 15 Labour management Collective bargaining contracts Individual contracts 16 Job categories & grades Many Few 17 Job design Division of labour Team work 18 Conflict handling Reach temporary truce Manage climate & culture 19 Training & development Controlled access to courses Learning companies 20 Focus of attention for interventions Personnel procedures Wide ranging cultural, structural & personnel strategies 21 Respect for employees Labour is treated as a tool which is expendable & replaceable People are treated as assets to be used for the benefit of an organization, its employees & the society as a whole 22 Shared interests Interests of organizational are uppermost Mutuality of interests 23 Evolution Precedes HRM Latest in the evolution of the subject
Tilak Education Societys S.K College of Science & Commerce Seawoods, Navi Mumbai. Phone 27711481/27710033
Q4.
You are the HR manager of KITS Airways. Design a training programme for ground staff. Discuss the job training methods used to conduct the programme.
As the HR manager of KITS Airways,I need to plan out a training programme for the ground staff. In case the training is to be given to fresh recruits.The steps can be shown as follows:
Step 1: Objectives and Strategies
Firstly I need to be clear on the objectives of the training programme and its benefits to the organization. In this case the objective of the training is to brief the trainees about the security aspects to be followed at the airport and various tasks handled by the ground staff. Based on the performance of training, the trainees should be assigned to various ground staff departments like ticketing, baggage counter etc. At the end of the training, the trainees should be in a position to be able to assist senior ground staff at the airport in various departments.
Step 2 & Step 3: Needs Assessment & Goal Setting
Based on the kind of tasks performed by different ground staff personnel, training needs are assessed and the goals of the training programme are determined for different departments.
Step 4.Devising training programme
The next important step is designing the training programmed which would involve the following steps:
In this case the trainees are fresh recruits to KITS Airways,the trainers are senior ground staff personnel from various departments under whom the trainees would be working
The training in case would start with Off Job training through lectures and audiovisuals.This would be followed by On Job training at the site where the recruits would assist the senior ground staff personnel. Tilak Education Societys S.K College of Science & Commerce Seawoods, Navi Mumbai. Phone 27711481/27710033
The training would be basic in nature like Level I where the recruits would be given preliminary knowledge about the various ground staff activities.
The principles of learning in this case would be through demonstration and regular reinforcement and guidance.
The entire training need to be conducted in and around the airport for the trainees to get a feel of the actual environment
STEP 5.IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROGRAMME:
Once the training programme has been designed, it needs to be implemented. Implementation is beset with certain problems: a) Most ground staff are action oriented and frequently say they are too busy to engage in training efforts. b) Availability of senior staff is a problem. In addition to possessing communication skills, the trainers must know the companys philosophy, its objectives, its formal and informal organizations, and the goals of the training programme. Training requires a higher degree of creativity than, perhaps, any other personnel specialty. c) Scheduling training around the present work is another problem.
Programme implementation involves action on the following lines: a) Deciding the location and organizing training and other facilities b) Scheduling the training programme c) Conducting the programme d) Monitoring the progress of trainees
STEP 6. EVALUATION OF THE PROGRAMME:
Once the entire training has been conducted,the senior ground staff need to regularly assess the performance of the new recruits and they need to be put into situations where there are capable of handling various tasks on their own.
Tilak Education Societys S.K College of Science & Commerce Seawoods, Navi Mumbai. Phone 27711481/27710033 Q5.
Career Planning and Development :
Career planning refers to the formal programmes that organizations implement to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the human resources available.
Every individual who joins the organization desires to have a bright career in terms of status, compensation payment and future promotions. From the point of view of an organization, career planning and development have become crucial in management process
PURPOSE OF CAREER PLANNING
To map out careers of employees as per their ability and willingness and to train and develop them for higher positions. To attract and retain the right type of persons in the organization. To utilize available managerial talent within the organization fully. To achieve higher productivity and organizational development. To provide guidance and assistance to employees to develop their potentials to the highest level. To improve employee morale and motivation by providing training and opportunities for promotion.
Career Planning& Development in organizations also serve as a motivational tool in the following ways.
1.An employee is aware and informed of the various future posts and positions available in the organization and the requirements to get there. He knows that if he performs well in his current position he has a good opportunity of reaching the desired position. Thus he is motivated to work hard and give good results.
2. Through various career counseling seminars and sessions,he gets the necessary guidance to reach the position of his choice.
3. Career planning also serves as a retention tool as an employee is aware of the opportunities he has in the present company and would not leave the company.
4. Through a clearly drawn career path, he can plan out his future and would be motivated to perform better.
5.Career Planning and development programmes in companies also include various management training programmes which keep the employees motivated
6.Career planning and development programmes would also include Job enrichment,job enlargement,job rotation which prevents boredom for the employees.
7.Career Planning and developments provides an opportunity for individuals to learn new technologies through training programmes conducted every year.
Thus we see that through career planning and development programmes ,employees would continue in the organization and would be motivated to perform better. Tilak Education Societys S.K College of Science & Commerce Seawoods, Navi Mumbai. Phone 27711481/27710033 Q6.
A) Training V/S Management Development
Training Management Development Training generally refers to teaching of new skill in professional field of the employee
Development refers to enhancement of personal managerial qualities of the employee which do not have a one to one relationship with his current job but would help him become a better manager in future
The focus is short term The focus is long term Training is expected to reward the company immediately in terms of better productivity of employee
Managerial Development does not lead to any immediate and tangible benefits to the company but provides the companies with a set of future managers.
Training Focuses on technical, mechanical oriented operations
Managerial Development Focuses on theoretical skills & conceptual ideas
Training is Mostly for non-managers Managerial development is for Managers & Executives
Training is a single step fast process Development is a gradual multi step process Information about a new technology, new product etc can be given by training Managerial development would involves sessions on team building, leadership ,stress management etc.
Q6.B
Trade Unions
The Trade Unions Act, 1926 defines a Trade union as A combination, whether temporary and permanent, formed primarily for the purpose of regulating the relation between Workmen and workmen, Workmen and employers, and Employers and employers.
Or, for imposing restrictive conditions on the conduct of any trade or business and includes any federation of two or more trade unions
Features of trade unions:
1. It is an association either of employers or employees or of independent workers. They may consist of :- Employers association (eg., Employers Federation of India, Indian paper mill association, etc.) General labor unions Friendly societies Unions of intellectual labor (eg, All India Teachers Association)
2. The trade union is an organized expression of the needs, aspirations and attitudes of the employees of the organization.
3. It is formed on a continuous basis. It is a permanent body and not a casual or temporary one. They persist throughout the year.
4. It is formed to protect and promote all kinds of interests economic, political and social-of its members. The dominant interest with which a union is concerned is, however, economic.
5. It achieves its objectives through collective action and group effort. Negotiations and collective bargaining are the tools for accomplishing objectives.
6. Trade Unions function on democratic principles. Office bearers are elected by members and major decisions are taken in union meetings after discussion and voting.
7. Trade Unions have legal recognition. Unions can be registered under Indian Trade Unions Act, 1926.Workers are given right to form unions for their protection and self help.
8. Trade unions have shown remarkable progress since their inception; moreover, the character of trade unions has also been changing. In spite of only focusing on the economic benefits of Tilak Education Societys S.K College of Science & Commerce Seawoods, Navi Mumbai. Phone 27711481/27710033 workers, the trade unions are also working towards raising the status of labors as a part of industry.
Trade unions perform a number of functions in order to achieve the objectives. These functions can be broadly classified into three categories:
(i) Militant functions, (ii) Fraternal functions
Q6.C
Collective Bargaining
The phrase Collective bargaining is coined by Sydney & Beatrice Webb. According to them collective bargaining is a method by which trade unions protect & improve the conditions of their members working lives. Workers realized the importance of fighting jointly on all work-related matters. This collective fighting spirit is behind the back of collective bargaining Collective bargaining is the process in which the representative of the employer and employer and employees meet together to negotiate a contract government both the parties. It results into signing an agreement thereby restricting each party that it cannot take unilateral decision harming the interest of the other party. This sort of joint meeting can bring fruits proved barraging is done in the right spirit with positive attitude. Participation brings both the parties together and improves the understanding thus making the way for the two way dialogue to sort out the problems. Collective bargaining is a better alternative to strike and industrial disputes. It is peaceful and democratic method for solving the problem and demands for workers through direct negotiation between the representative of workers and management. A strong trade union can protect the interest of worker can more effectively through direct negotiation and consultation rather than through disputes and strike which are normally harmful to workers, employer and society at large.
The main objectives of Collective bargaining are given below:
To settle disputes / conflicts relating to wages & working conditions. To protect the interests of workers through collective plan. To resolve the differences between workers & management though voluntary negotiations & arrive at a customer. To avoid third party intervention in matters relating to employment.
Functions of Collective Bargaining
Collective bargaining plays an important role in preventing industrial disputes, setting these disputes & maintaining industrial peace by performing the following functions:
Increase the economic strength of employees & management. Establish uniform conditions of employment. Secure a prompt & fair redressal of grievances. Lay down fair rates of wages & other norms of working conditions. Achieve an efficient functioning of the organization. Promote the stability & prosperity of the company. It provides a method of the regulation of the conditions of employment of those who are directly concerned about them. It provides a solution to the problem of sickness in the industry & ensures old age pension benefits & other fringe benefits. It builds up a system of industrial jurisprudence by introducing civil rights in the industry. In other words, it ensures that the management is conducted by rules rather than by arbitrary decisions.