Q.

a) Demonstrate your understanding of the relationship between technology and organization

structure.

b) What are the recent trends in utilization of HR? Discuss with the help of relevant examples
from Pakistani context.

Ans: a)

Organizational structure is the method by which an organization communicates, distributes

responsibility and adapts to change. According to the Reference for Business, organizational
structure is how a company utilizes its resources to achieve its goals. A company needs to keep
its structure dynamic so that it can respond to the things that impact organizational structure. The
company that can adapt is better able to survive

Growth

A major factor that impacts organizational structure is company growth. As a company grows,
the impact on the structure of the organization is significant. This can be especially true when the
organization begins to expand to other geographic regions and the structure of the organization is
spread out over many miles. A company may start out small, but, as time goes by, more
employees may be hired, necessitating the introduction of departmental managers to help create a
managerial structure. Additionally, an executive team may be required to run the various aspects
of the business, and there may be the need for middle managers who would report to the
managers.

Customer Needs

Customer service is important in business, so many companies have created entire divisions
dedicated to customer service and retention. If a particular customer awards a large contract to
your company, you may need to rearrange certain parts of your organization to accommodate the
contract. For example, there may need to be an entire sales division created just for that customer
and manufacturing may need to create a sub-process to build specialized products as well. As the
needs of your customers shift, so to will the structure of your organization.

Technology

Technology can have an impact on how your organization is structured and how work flows. The
Reference for Business points out that when computer networks became popular, it became
easier for people to work as groups. People did not need to be in the same room, or even the
same building, to be efficient. Technology can create positions within your company and it can
eliminate positions. When filing is done electronically, there is no longer a need for as many file
clerks as you once had but there is a need for a department of technicians to maintain and grow
the computer network. As technology continues to change the function of jobs in the workplace,
the landscape of organizational structure changes with it.

b ) What are the recent trends in utilization of HR? Discuss with the help of relevant examples from
Pakistani context ?

It is apparent that Pakistani organizations and their culture are undergoing a dramatic change.
The public sector organizations that were run on colonial patterns are being revamped. The
private sector is a valuable addition to the business environment, it has added impetus to the
economy, made it more competitive and added a fresh perspective to HRM systems.

HRM holds a promise for employees in Pakistan and is the way forward. Employees recognize
the significant role of HRM and aspire towards it. There seems to be a large amount of room for
growth for HRM activities as the economy develops further. However, it must be emphasized
that the current state of affairsthe uncertain political/economic environment is not conducive
to development. Therefore, political stability, along with rules of good governance, should be
achieved and sustained if Pakistan wants to recognize its peoples needs to enhance their
productivity in order to maximize the full potential of the economy.

The corporate culture of Pakistan, like many developing countries, is such that there is a general
unquestioning respect for authority, people are integrated as cohesive groups and are emotional.
Organizations have a formal and hierarchical structure. Policies formulated at head offices are
cascaded down to each office/division for a uniformity of objectives and culture. Employees
cannot approach their HR departments directly

Need for HR Mobilization:

Population in these days, described as the wealth of the poor. This notion is only partly true; at
present population is a burden, but it is not without potential. It can be mobilized and turned into
a powerful resource. Investment in man and woman for human capital formation must be made
an important item on the agenda for action if a developing country like Pakistan is to find an
escape from the whirlpool of poverty

As the time moves on steadily and relentlessly, in the new millennium, we need to review the
challenges for the HR function and its responsibilities in organizations to cope with the new
trends. At a practical level, we must anticipate and prepare for the likely HR challenges in
general that exists, or may be expected in the coming future - the main purpose and theme of this
article. They are consequent to the vastly increased competition for many and likely in future,
due to rapid development of technology, especially, the impact of IT, and internal necessities,
and/or resulting from above stated causes. With technology up gradations, much greater use of it
and forthcoming e-commerce etc. new breed of knowledge workers in learning organizations
will make the differentiation. This intellectual capital will demand much nurturing from the
enterprise, in order to give back in the shape of superior results.

The world of work is rapidly changing. As a part of organization, Human Resource Management
(HRM) must be prepared to deal with effects of changing world of work. In HR, managers must
understand the implication of followings:

1. Globalization and its implications

2. Work-force Diversity
3. Changing skill requirements
4. Corporate downsizing
5. Corporate downsizing
6. Re-engineering work processes for improved productivity
7. Contingent workforce
8. Decentralized work sites
9. Employee involvement
10. Continuous improvement programs