Analysis of Strategic Management at Hotel

Analysis of Strategic Management at Hotel INTRODUCTION Why are some companies successful, while so many other businesses fail? Some organizations may just be lucky. They may have the right mix of products and/or services at the right time. But even if luck leads to success, it probably will not last. Most companies that are highly successful over the long term effectively acquire, develop, and manage resources and capabilities that provide competitive advantages. For example, McDonalds enjoys outstanding brand recognition and a world class operating system. Marriott enjoys these same benefits in the lodging industry. Successful companies have also learned how to develop and manage relationships with a wide range of organizations, groups, and people that have a stake in their firms. The emergence of a fiercely competitive global economy means that firms have to expand their networks of relationships and cooperate with each other to remain competitive. McDonalds investment in Chipotle was a cooperative venture. As Steve Ells, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Chipotle noted, Weve enjoyed our relationship with McDonalds since the beginning and appreciate the support theyve shown in funding Chipotles growth over the last seven years. Still, weve always operated independently, and that wont change as McDonalds Continues to reduce its investment in Chipotle and focuses on its core business. Strategic management is a process through which organizations analyze and learn from their internal and external environments, establish strategic direction, create strategies that are intended to move the organization in that direction, and implement those strategies, all in an effort to satisfy key stakeholders. Stakeholders are groups or individuals who can significantly affect or are significantly affected by an organizations activities. An organization defines who its key stakeholders are, but they typically include customers, employees, and shareholders or owners, among others. Although larger companies tend to use the strategic management process, this process is also a vital part of decision making in smaller companies. Firms practicing strategic planning processes tend to outperform their counterparts that do not. In fact, executives have reported higher levels of satisfaction with strategic management tools and ideas than with most other management tools. Furthermore, 81 percent of companies worldwide reported doing strategic planning. In North America, the figure was even higher (89 percent). Hospitality firms also benefit from strategic planning, as suggested by a recent study of hotels in the United Kingdom, which found that business performance was positively associated with the thoroughness, sophistication, participation, and formality of strategic planning processes. An example of how strategic analysis can help guide business strategy is shown in Starwood Hotels Resorts efforts to launch a new product. This book also recognizes that there is a difference between the strategic planning process and strategic thinking, and that both are a part of effective strategic management. The strategic planning process tends to be a rather rigid and unimaginative process in many organizations. Strategic thinking, however, leads to creative solutions and new ideas like Starwood Hotels launch of the Heavenly Bed. As illustrated in the Heavenly Bed example, a firm that injects strategic thinking into the strategic planning process has the best of both worlds. THE ORIGIN OF STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT The increasing importance of strategic management may be a result of several trends. Increasing competition in most industries has made it difficult for some companies to compete. Modern and cheaper transportation and communication have led to increasing global trade and awareness. Technological development has led to accelerated changes in the global economy. Regardless of the reasons, the past two decades have seen a surge in interest in strategic management. STRATEGIC THINKING AT STARWOOD The Heavenly Bed, first launched by the Westin brand of Starwood Hotels Resorts, has transformed the bed, a basic feature of any hotel room, into a luxurious object of desire, enhancing the revenues of the chain and leaving many hotel operators to follow suit with copycat linens and custom bedding of their own. The strategic process at Starwood began with consumer analysis and product testing. First, Westin commissioned a study involving 600 business executives who travel frequently. The results showed that 84 percent said a luxurious bed would make a hotel room more attractive to them. What is more, 63 percent said a good night s sleep is the most important service a hotel can provide. Half of those surveyed said they sleep worse in hotels than at home. After testing 50 beds from 35 lodging chains, Westin developed its prototype all white Heavenly Bed with a custom designed pillow top mattress, goose down comforters, five pillows, and three crisp sheets ranging in thread count from 180 to 250. Once the product was designed and tested, the fi rm introduced the bed with a carefully planned marketing strategy. USA Today ran a story on the front page of its business section. The same day, 20 pristine white Heavenly Beds lined Wall Street up to the New York Stock Exchange in New York City. Inside the Stock Exchange, Barry Sternlicht, the then Chairman and CEO of Starwood Hotels Resorts rang the opening bell and threw out hats proclaiming, Work like the devil. Sleep like an angel. Meanwhile, at New York s Grand Central Station, 20 more beds graced one of the rotundas there, and commuters disembarking the trains were invited to try them out. Similar events were staged the same day at 38 locations across the United States, tailored to each city. Savannahs event featured a bed floating on a barge down the river with a landing skydiver. Seattles event took place atop the Space Needle. STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT Traditional Perspective As the field of strategic management began to emerge in the latter part of the 20th century, scholars borrowed heavily from the field of economics. For some time, economists had been actively studying topics associated with the competitiveness of industries. Industry concentration, diversification, product differentiation, and market power. However, much of the economics research at that time focused on industries as a whole, and some of it even assumed that individual firm differences did not matter. Other fields also influenced early strategic management thought, including marketing, finance, psychology, and management. Academic progress was slow in the beginning, and the large consulting firms began to develop their own models and theories to meet their clients needs. Scholars readily adopted many of these models into their own articles and books. Eventually, a consensus began to build regarding what is included in the strategic management process. The traditional process for developing strategy consists of analyzing the internal and external environments of the company to arrive at organizational strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT). The results from this situation analysis, as this process is sometimes called, are the basis for developing missions, goals, and strategies. In general, a company should select strategies that (1) take advantage of organizational strengths and environmental opportunities or (2) neutralize or overcome organizational weaknesses and environmental threats. 10 After strategies are formulated, plans for implementing them are established and carried out. Figure 1.1 presents the natural  flow of these activities. The first of these ideas was that the environment is the primary determinant of the best strategy. This is called environmental determinism. According to the deterministic view, good management is associated with determining which strategy will best fit environmental, technical, and human forces at a particular point in time, and then working to carry it out. The most successful organization best adapts to existing forces. Some evidence suggests that the ability to align the skills and other resources of the organization with the needs and demands of the environment can be a source of competitive advantage. 12 However, after a critical review of environmental determinism, a well known researcher once argued: There is a more fundamental conclusion to be drawn from the foregoing analysis: the strategy of a firm cannot be predicted, nor is it predestined; the strategic decisions made by managers cannot be assumed to be the product of deterministic forces in their environments. On the contrary, the very nature of the concept of strategy assumes a human agent who is able to take actions that attempt to distinguish one firm from the competitors. Basically, a large firm may decide not to compete in a given environment. Or, as an alternative, the firm may attempt to influence the environment to make it less hostile and more conducive to organizational success. This process is called enactment, which means that a firm can influence its environment. THE PRINCIPLE OF ENACTMENT The principle of enactment assumes that organizations do not have to submit to existing forces in the environment; they can, in part, create their environments through strategic alliances with stakeholders, investments in leading technologies, advertising, political lobbying, and a variety of other activities. 14 Of course, smaller organizations are somewhat limited in their ability to influence some components of their environments on their own. For example, a small restaurant firm may have a difficult time influencing national government agencies and administrators. However, smaller organizations often band together into trade groups, such as the National Restaurant Association, to influence government policy on pressing issues like minimum wage, immigration policy, and health care costs. Also, they may form alliances with other entities. The Global Hotel Alliance is one example, in which Omni Hotels, Kempinski Hotels Resorts, Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts, Rydges Hotels Resorts, Marco Polo Group, Dusit Hotels Resorts and Landis Hotels Resorts have joined forces to compete against the mega chains. In addition, even a small firm may be able to exert a powerful influence on its local operating environment. The key to enactment is understanding that a firm does not necessarily have to adapt completely to the forces that exist in its operating environment. It can at least partly influence certain aspects of the environment in which it competes. DELIBERATE STRATEGY VERSUS EMERGENT STRATEGY The traditional school of thought concerning strategy formulation also supported the view that managers respond to the forces discussed thus far by making decisions that are consistent with a preconceived strategy. In other words, strategy is deliberate. Deliberate strategy implies that managers plan to pursue an intended strategic course. In some cases, however, strategy simply emerges from a stream of decisions. Managers learn as they go. An emergent strategy is one that was not planned or intended. According to this perspective, managers learn what will work through a process of trial and error. 16 Supporters of this view argue that organizations that limit themselves to acting on the basis of what is already known or understood will not be sufficiently innovative to create a sustainable competitive advantage. In the first week of launching the Westin Heavenly Bed, 32 guests called to ask where they could buy the bed. A light bulb went on. Westin executives put order cards with a toll free number in every room. Then they started placing catalogs by bedsides and desks and set up a web site. By June of 2004, Westin had sold 20,000 pillows $ 75 for the king sized version and 3,500 bed/bedding combos, at $ 2,965 each, enough to spread the idea throughout Starwood, with the Sheraton, St. Regis, and W lines all turning into retailers. The unanticipated success of the Heavenly Bed has spawned a new business companies that help hotels run their retail arms. Boxport, a spin off of San Francisco based hotel procurer Higgins Purchasing Group, operates web sites and catalogs for several chains that now sell Bedding of this example of emergent strategy, it is not a good idea to reject deliberate strategy either. One of the strongest advocates of learning and emergent strategy recently confessed, We shall get nowhere without emergent learning alongside deliberate planning.Both processes are necessary if an organization is to succeed. When Starwood first launched the concept of the Heavenly Bed in 1999, the strategy was a deliberate effort, but the opportunity to provide retail sales was an unintended outcome, and this unforeseen opportunity led to an emergent and highly successful retail strategy, as the above example shows. EFFECTIVE STRATEGIC PLANNING In summary, scholars have determined that both adaptation and enactment are important to organizations. They should adapt to environmental forces when the costs of enacting (influencing) the environment exceed the benefits. However, they should be proactive in creating their own opportunities. In addition, organizations should engage in deliberate strategic planning processes, but they should also be willing to make mistakes and learn from them as they chart a strategic course. In other words, strategy should be both deliberate and emergent, and firms should both adapt to and enact their environments, with the situation determining which option to choose. Westin learned these lessons by paying attention to their customers. The Organization as a Bundle of Resources: The Resource Based View In recent years, another perspective on strategy development has gained wide acceptance. The resource based view of the firm has its roots in the work of the earliest strategic management theorists. 20 It grew out of the question, Why do some firms persistently outperform other firms? One of the first competencies identified was general management capability. This led to the proposition that firms with high quality general managers will outperform their rivals. Much research has examined this issue. Clearly, effective leadership is important to organizational performance, but it is diffi cult to specify what makes an effective leader. Also, although leaders are an important source of competence for an organization, they are not the only important resource that makes a difference. Economic thought also influenced development of the resource based view. Nearly two centuries ago, an economist named David Ricardo investigated the advantages of possessing superior resources, especially land. 22 One of Ricardos central propositions was that the farmer with the most fertile land had a sustained performance advantage over other farmers. More recently, another economist, Edith Penrose, expanded on Ricardo s view by noting that various skills and abilities possessed by firms could lead to superior performance. She viewed firms as an administrative framework that coordinated the activities of numerous groups and individuals, and also as a bundle of productive resources. 23 She studied the effects of various skills and abilities possessed by organizations, concluding that a wide range of skills and resources could influence competitive performance. A common thread of reasoning in the distinctive competency literature and the arguments of Ricardo and Penrose is that organizational success can be explained in terms of the resources and capabilities possessed by an organization. Many modern scholars have contributed to this perspective of the firm. According to this view, an organization is a bundle of resources, which fall into the general categories of: Financial resources, including all of the monetary resources from which a firm can draw. Physical resources, such as land, buildings, equipment, locations, and access  to raw materials. Human resources, which pertains to the skills, background, and training of managers and employees, as well as the way they are organized. Organizational knowledge and learning General organizational resources, including the firm s reputation, brand names, patents, contracts, and relationships with external stakeholders. Envisioning the firm as a bundle of resources has broad implications. For example, the most important role of a manager becomes that of acquiring, developing, managing, and discarding resources. Also, much of the research on the resource based perspective has demonstrated that firms can gain competitive advantage through possessing superior resources. Superior resources are those that have value in the market, are possessed by only a small number of firms, and are not easy to substitute. If a particular resource is also costly or impossible to imitate, then  the competitive advantage may be sustainable. A sustainable competitive advantage may lead to higher than average organizational performance over a long period.

Discuss the Differences Between Beatrice and Hero Essay

Shakespeare’s play ? Much Ado about Nothing’ has two main female characters, Beatrice and Hero, who are cousins. Both appear to be completely different in the beginning of the play but, as things progress and their characters develop, there are also some very obvious similarities between them. Hero and Beatrice have a very close relationship; they are best friends. Leonato is Hero’s father but Beatrice has no parents, which gives her greater freedom. Where Hero is polite, quiet, respectful and gentle, Beatrice is feisty, cynical, witty, and sharp. Shakespeare uses quite a lot of literary devices and techniques to present the characters of Hero and Beatrice in a way that lets the audience easily compare and contrast them. For example, in the characterisation of Hero and Beatrice, the dialogue used ? what they say, how they say it, what other characters say about them and Hero’s silence are all very important in revealing their characters; in a similar way, their actions ? what the characters do, and their inaction contrasts and creates significant difference between them, bringing each one’s personality. In addition, Shakespeare’s constant use of dramatic irony, exaggeration and contrasting plots, themes and structure all combine in his presentation of the two. At the start of the play Hero is presented as a typical woman of the time, modest and demure ? she says little. In fact, Shakespeare’s first words describing Hero, ? Is she not a modest young lady’ announce her essential qualities of modesty and decorum. In this period, these were vital qualities to have in a wife and Hero possessed them, unlike Beatrice. By contrast, Shakespeare portrays Beatrice as an untypical woman, being outspoken, independent, witty and unconventional ?she is always participating in the conversation even with the men (especially Benedick), which Hero never does. A prime example of this in Act 1 is when Beatrice asks the messenger about Benedick, (a lord, and soldier from Padua) in an offensive way: â€Å"I pray you, is Signor Mountanto returned from the wars or no? † This is part of her â€Å"merry war† with Benedick. Beatrice appears to loathe Benedick and vice versa; they engage in many â€Å"skirmishes of wit. † However, although Beatrice appears hardened and sharp, she is vulnerable, for she loves Benedick. She is disguising her feelings for Benedick by calling him names and disguise is a major theme in this play. Beatrice’s vulnerability is an important point of comparison with Hero, as she is also vulnerable, as we see later in the play. In contrast to her talkative cousin, Hero speaks only once in Act 1 ? in the presence of Beatrice, her father and the messenger, â€Å"My cousin means Signor Benedick of Padua† she says, to explain Beatrice’s jibe. Similarly, in comparing wooing, wedding and repenting to three types of dancing Beatrice describes them as a â€Å"Scotch jig, a measure, and a cinquepace. † This dance image is an inventive one and dance, music, and song are key themes in this play. Here Shakespeare is using an extended metaphor to portray Beatrice’s anti-matrimonial feelings. Of course, these feelings are not genuine. As we see throughout, disguise is one of the key themes in the play and Shakespeare makes it clear that Beatrice is disguising her true feelings, for she admits to Don Pedro that Benedick once â€Å"lent her his heart awhile but won her heart with false dice†. She and Benedick obviously have had a relationship in the past ? one that they would both like to resume. In Act 3, in the absence of men, Shakespeare develops Hero’s character. She is decisive in Scene One and commanding, â€Å"Good Margaret, run thee to the parlour† she orders. We witness a development in Hero’s character; she is dominant and authoritative; she initiates and organises the plot to gull Beatrice, the second benevolent plot in the play. For the first time in the play, Shakespeare also provides Hero with a poetic image, â€Å"Forbid the sun to enter ? like favourites, Made proud princes that advance their pride. † And we see that Hero is clever enough to denigrate Beatrice, â€Å"Of the false sweet bait that we lay for it. † in order to make Beatrice believe that they do not know she’s listening, otherwise they would not discuss her faults. Although Beatrice is intelligent, Shakespeare makes her gullible when she overhears Hero and Ursula discussing Benedick and Beatrice’s relationship. We see that Beatrice does have a softer side, â€Å"Benedick, love on; I will requite thee, Taming my wild heart to thy loving hand. † Enhancing the romance in the play and signifying a transformation in Beatrice. Indeed by the end of Act 3 scene 1, Beatrice and Hero are showing certain similarities. They are now both in love and as we see in Act 3 Scene 4, Beatrice has become quieter and more serious. During the scene of the morning of Hero’s wedding, Shakespeare reveals that Hero is having premonitions, more development of her character. â€Å"God give me joy to wear it for my heart is exceedingly heavy† she states. This is dramatic irony because she feels the wedding may go wrong but it is really a reminder to the audience of Claudio’s intentions to humiliate Hero in the next scene. The audience also find out that Beatrice is lovesick, Hero asks: â€Å"Do you speak in the sick tune? † Beatrice is subdued and Margaret also fills in the comic space and provides the wit by making jokes at Beatrice’s expense. â€Å"God send everyone their heart’s desire! † she says, implying she knows what Beatrice’s heart desires. Margaret makes obscure references to Beatrice’s new mood, saying she should take some â€Å"Carduus Benedictus† for her illness. Shakespeare has developed contrasts between Hero and Beatrice in the way that their relationship with men is presented, particularly the men that they love. Hero and Claudio are the sweet innocent â€Å"young lovers. † Their marriage is arranged by the Prince and Leonato and Claudio is given Hero. On the other hand, Beatrice and Benedick are comedy-makers and Beatrice is not ruled by her father as Hero clearly is. It does take Don Pedro’s benevolent plot to bring Benedick and Beatrice together, however. A modern audience would prefer Beatrice to Hero as she is her own self and admirable. The relationships also differ because Benedick and Beatrice’s relationship slowly grew whereas Claudio and Hero’s relationship was love at first sight. Perhaps it was a little hasty as we see in Act 4 how their love turns sour. Beatrice and Hero are both wonderful and intriguing characters. They develop in interesting ways and they represent two extremely different views of society and what it was like to be a woman in those patriarchal times. Personally, I find Beatrice the more interesting character of the two women; she is more active and has a fuller character which lets you speculate about her whereas this isn’t possible with Hero because her character is so bland. Beatrice’s character is also more entertaining and she stimulates feelings out of the reader, making you like or dislike her and the way she acts and again this isn’t as possible for Hero because her character is so featureless.

Foundations of Organizational Structure Essay

TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN COLLEGE ABDM2083 ORGANIZATION & HUMAN RESOURCE TUTORIAL 1 General Introduction 1. Ice-breaking session. 2. Self-introduction by tutor and students. 3. Briefing on course requirements. 4. Tutorial expectations and participation. 5. Briefing on Group Report & Oral Presentation (requirements and expectations). 6. Team formation for Group Report. (4 members per group) 7. Tutor assigns question and time for oral presentation & group report ** Oral presentation and group report submission will starts from Week 3 to 5** **Important note** Students are required to sit for one (1) online test on Week 3. Please make sure that you are registered under this course and be able to access to CEL to take the test. TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN COLLEGE ABDM2083 ORGANIZATION & HUMAN RESOURCE TUTORIAL 2 Topic 1 : Foundations of Organizational Structure Part A: Multiple Choice Questions 1) The ________ refers to the number of subordinates that a manager directs. A) span of control B) unity of command C) chain of command D) decentralization principle E) leadership web 2) A task that is subdivided into many separate jobs is considered to have ________. A) a high degree of departmentalization B) a low degree of decentralization C) a high degree of work specialization D) a low degree of structure E) a high degree of matrix structuring 3) Aeronautics Inc., a parts supplier, has departments for government aircraft and contracts, large commercial aircraft clients, and small personal aircraft clients. This is an example of ________ departmentalization. A) product B) function C) geography D) customer E) service 4) Stalsberry Company has employees in personnel, sales, and accounting. This division of an organization into groups according to work functions is an example of ________, the second element of structural organization. A) social clustering B) bureaucracy C) specialization D) centralization E) departmentalization 5) The unbroken line of authority that extends from the top of the organization to the lowest echelon and clarifies who reports to whom is termed ________. A) chain of command B) authority C) span of control. D) unity of command E) web of authority 6) Which one of the following is consistent with a simple structure? A) high centralization B) high horizontal differentiation C) high employee discretion D) standardization E) bureaucracy 7) Which of the following is a drawback of a narrow span of control? It ________. A) reduces effectiveness B) is more efficient C) encourages overly tight supervision and discourages employee autonomy D) empowers employees E) increases participatory decision-making 8) In an organization that has high centralization, ________. A) the corporate headquarters is located centrally to branch offices B) all top level officials are located within the same geographic area C) action can be taken more quickly to solve problems D) new employees have a great deal of legitimate authority E) top managers make all the decisions and lower level managers merely carry out directions TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN COLLEGE ABDM2083 ORGANIZATION & HUMAN RESOURCE TUTORIAL 3 Topic 2 : Organizational Culture Part A: Discussion Question 1) Explain the primary methods of maintaining an organization’s culture. Once a culture is in place, there are practices within the organization that act to maintain it by giving employees a set of similar experiences. Three forces play a particularly important part in sustaining a culture: selection practices, the actions of top management, and socialization methods. a) First, the explicit goal of the selection process is to identify and hire individuals who have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the  jobs within the organization successfully. It would be naive to ignore that the final decision as to who is hired will be significantly influenced by the decision maker’s judgment of how well the candidates will fit into the organization. This attempt to ensure a proper match, whether purposely or inadvertently, results in the hiring of people who have values essentially consistent with those of the organization, or at least a good portion of those values. In addition, the selection process provides information to applicants about the organization.   Candidates learn about the organization and, if they perceive a conflict between their values and those of the organization, they can self-select themselves out of the applicant pool. b) In addition to selection, the actions of top management also have a major impact on the organization’s culture. Through what they say and how they behave, senior executives establish norms that filter down through the organization as to whether risk taking is desirable; how much freedom managers should give their employees; what is appropriate dress; what actions will pay off in terms of pay raises, promotions, and other rewards; and the like. c) Finally, no matter how good a job the organization does in recruiting and selection, new employees are not fully indoctrinated in the organization’s culture. Because they are unfamiliar with the organization’s culture, new employees are potentially likely to disturb the beliefs and customs that are in place. The organization will, therefore, want to help new employees adapt to its culture. This adaptation process is called socialization. This is when the organization seeks to mold the outsider into an employee â€Å"in good standing.† Employees who fail to learn the essential or pivotal role behaviors risk being labeled â€Å"nonconformists† or â€Å"rebels,† which often leads to expulsion. But the organization will be socializing every employee, though maybe not as explicitly, throughout his or her entire career in the organization. This further contributes to sustaining the culture. 2) Explain how an institutionalized culture can be a barrier to diversity. Describe how an organization could utilize the three forces at play in sustaining a culture to help create a diverse workforce. By limiting the range of acceptable values and styles, strong cultures put considerable pressure on employees to conform. In some instances, a strong culture that condones prejudice can even undermine formal corporate diversity policies. Strong cultures can also be liabilities when they support institutional bias or become insensitive to people who are different. Hiring new employees who differ from the majority in race, age, gender, disability, or other characteristics creates a paradox: management wants to demonstrate support for the differences these employees bring to the workplace, but newcomers who wish to fit in must accept the organization’s core cultural values. Because diverse behaviors and unique strengths are likely to diminish as people attempt to assimilate, strong cultures can become liabilities when they effectively eliminate these advantages. The explicit goal of the selection process is to identify and hire individuals with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully. Taking diversity into consideration at this phase does not have to be antagonistic to the culture. The final decision, because it’s significantly influenced by the decision maker’s judgment of how well the candidates will fit into the organization, identifies people whose values are essentially consistent with at least a good portion of the organization’s. Looking beyond surface level differences at the selection phase will help create a diverse workforce. Through words and behavior, senior executives establish norms that filter through the organization about, for instance, whether risk taking is desirable, how much freedom managers should give employees, what is appropriate dress, and what actions pay off in terms of pay raises, promotions, and other rewards. Management actions should be inclusive and non-prejudicial to create a diverse and functional culture. During the metamorphosis stage of socialization management should use institutional practices to encourage person–organization fit and high levels of commitment. 3) What are the three stages of socialization through which employees become indoctrinated into an organization’s culture? The three stages of socialization are prearrival, encounter, and metamorphosis. a) The prearrival stage recognizes that each individual arrives with a set of values, attitudes, and expectations. These cover both the work to be done and the organization. b) Upon entry into the organization, the new member enters the encounter stage. Here the individual confronts the possible dichotomy between her expectations and reality. c) Finally, the new member must work out any problems discovered during the encounter stage. This may mean going through changes – hence, this is called the metamorphosis stage. 4) Discuss the difference between strong and weak organizational cultures and discuss the effect that a strong culture can have on an acquisition or merger. Strong cultures have a greater impact on employee behavior and are more directly related to reduced turnover. In a strong culture, the organization’s core values are both intensely held and widely shared. The more members who accept the core values and the greater their commitment to those values is, the stronger the culture is. A strong culture will have a great influence on the behavior of its members because the high degree of sharedness and intensity creates an internal climate of high behavioral control. One specific result of a strong culture should be lower employee turnover. A strong culture demonstrates high agreement among members about what the organization stands for. Such unanimity of purpose builds cohesiveness, loyalty, and organizational commitment. These qualities, in turn, lessen employees’ propensity to leave the organization. In recent years, cultural compatibility has become the primary concern. All things being equal, whether the acquisition actually works seems to have more to do with how well the two organizations’ cultures match up. The primary cause of failure is conflicting organizational cultures, when people simply don’t match up. Therefore, when considering an acquisition or merger, management would need to carefully evaluate the cultures of each organization. TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN COLLEGE ABDM2083 ORGANIZATION & HUMAN RESOURCE TUTORIAL 4 Topic 3: Foundations of Group Behavior & Understanding Work Teams Part A: Discussion Question 1) List and briefly describe the stages in the five-stage model of group  development. The five-stage group development model characterizes groups as proceeding through five distinct stages: forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. a) Forming is characterized by a great deal of uncertainty about the group’s purpose, structure, and leadership. Members are testing the waters to determine what types of behavior are acceptable. b) In the storming stage, members accept the existence of the group, but there is resistance to the constraints that the group imposes on individuality. There is conflict over who will control the group. c) The third stage is one in which close relationships develop and the group demonstrates cohesiveness. There is now a strong sense of group identify and camaraderie. This norming stage is complete when the group structure solidifies and the group has assimilated a common set of expectations of what defines correct member behavior. d) The fourth stage is performing. The structure at this point is fully functional and accepted. Group energy has moved from getting to know and understand each other to performing the task at hand. e) In the adjourning stage, the group prepares for its disbandment. High task performance is no longer the group’s top priority. Instead, attention is directed toward wrapping up activities. 2) Design the most effective team to figure out ways to reduce the number of preparation hours for shipping products overseas for your company. Choose the type of team from one of the four principal team types. Describe your team’s context, composition, and process parameters. Answers will vary. A problem-solving team is probably the best type of team for this task. In a problem-solving team members share ideas or suggest how work processes and methods can be improved. The problem-solving team will offer ideas to management. Together they discuss ways of improving quality, efficiency, and the work environment. The team will need information on what products are being shipped and how  long each of them takes, as well as details on the current procedures. Adequate information is essential. A firm goal of reducing the hours spent must be established by a leader. The group should be comprised of workers and management with expertise in the shipping department procedures. The team should have five members, three management and two people from shipping and packaging. The process parameters should be clearly outlined, with goals of exactly how much time needs to be shaved off of packaging processes. 3) Explain the difference between groupthink and group shift. Give an example to support your answer. Groupthink is related to norms. It describes situations in which group pressures for conformity deter the group from critically appraising unusual, minority, or unpopular views. Groupthink is a disease that attacks many groups and can dramatically hinder their performance. Group shift indicates that in discussing a given set of alternatives and arriving at a solution, group members tend to exaggerate the initial positions that they hold. In some situations, caution dominates, and there is a conservative shift. More often, however, the evidence indicates that groups tend toward a risky shift. Students answers may vary. TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN COLLEGE ABDM2083 ORGANIZATION & HUMAN RESOURCE TUTORIAL 5 Topic 4: Motivation Concepts Part A: Discussion Questions 1) Compare and contrast a manager that implements Theory Y and one that adheres to the expectancy theory. How would each choose to motivate their employees? Theory Y managers assume that employees can view work as being as natural as rest or play, and therefore the average person can learn to accept, even seek, responsibility. Theory Y assumes that higher-order needs dominate individuals. Theory Y managers would contend that ideas such as participative decision making, responsible and challenging jobs, and good group relations are approaches that would maximize an employee’s job  motivation. A Theory Y manager believes that the employee is inherently motivated as long as the conditions respect his intellect and character. A Theory Y manager would work hard to include the employee in decision making concerning his job, to satisfy work environment preferences, and to make sure the work is stimulating. Expectancy theory proposes that employees will be motivated to exert a high level of effort when they believe it will lead to a good performance appraisal; that a good appraisal will lead to organizational rewards such as bonuses, salary increases, or promotions; and that the rewards will satisfy the employees’ personal goals. An expectancy theory manager would focus much more on the reward expectations of the employee, versus the psychologic expectations. It would be important for the manager to understand the personal goals that the employee strives to achieve so that he can be appropriately rewarded and praised. 2) Describe Maslow’s hierarchy of needs including the types of needs and how they become dominant. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs hypothesized that within every human being there exists a hierarchy of five needs. a) The physiological needs include hunger, thirst, shelter, sex, and other bodily needs. b) Safety includes security and protection from physical and emotional harm. c) Social includes affection, belongingness, acceptance, and friendship. d) Esteem includes internal esteem factors such as self-respect, autonomy, and achievement; and external esteem factors such as status, recognition, and attention. e) Self-actualization is the drive to become what one is capable of becoming; includes growth, achieving one’s potential, and self-fulfillment. As each of these needs becomes substantially satisfied, the next need becomes dominant. So if you want to motivate someone, according to Maslow, you need to understand what level of the hierarchy that person is currently on and focus on satisfying those needs at or above that level 3) According to Two-Factor Theory, how might a manager motivate employees? According to Herzberg, the factors leading to job satisfaction are separate and distinct from those that lead to job dissatisfaction. Therefore, managers who seek to eliminate factors that can create job dissatisfaction may bring about peace but not necessarily result in motivation. Conditions surrounding the job such as quality of supervision, pay, company policies, physical working conditions, relations with others, and job security were characterized by Herzberg as hygiene factors. When they are adequate, people will not be dissatisfied; neither will they be satisfied. If we want to motivate people on their jobs, Herzberg suggested emphasizing factors associated with the work itself or to outcomes directly derived from it, such as promotional opportunities, opportunities for personal growth, recognition, responsibility, and achievement. These are the characteristics that people find intrinsically rewarding. TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN COLLEGE ABDM2083 ORGANIZATION & HUMAN RESOURCE TUTORIAL 6 Topic 5: Motivation: From Concepts to Applications Part A: Discussion Questions 1) List and describe THREE (3) different variable-pay programs. Be sure to include piece-rate plans, profit-sharing plans, and gainsharing. a) Piece-rate plans. In piece-rate pay plans, workers are paid a fixed sum for each unit of production completed. When an employee gets no base salary and is paid only for what he or she produces, this is a pure piece-rate plan. b) Merit-based pay. Merit-based pay plans also pay for individual performance. However, unlike piece-rate plans, which pay based on objective output, merit-based pay plans are based on performance appraisal ratings. c) Profit-sharing. Profit-sharing plans are organization-wide programs that distribute compensation based on some established formula designed around a company’s profitably. d) Bonuses. Bonuses can be paid exclusively to executives or to all employees. Many companies now routinely reward production employees with bonuses in the thousands of dollars when company profits improve. e) Skill-Based Pay. Skill-based pay (also called competency-based or knowledge-based pay) sets pay levels on the basis of how many skills employees have or how many jobs they can do. f) ESOPs. Employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) are company-established benefit plans in which employees acquire stock, often at below-market prices, as part of their benefits. g) Gainsharing. Gainsharing is a formula-based group incentive plan. Improvements in group productivity determine the total amount of money that is to be allocated. By focusing on productivity gains rather than profits, gainsharing rewards specific behaviors that are less influenced by external factors. Employees in a gainsharing plan can receive incentive awards even when the organization isn’t profitable. 2) Compare and contrast the benefits of intrinsic rewards such as recognition and extrinsic rewards such as pay as forms of motivation. Organizations are increasingly recognizing that both intrinsic and extrinsic rewards are important. Rewards are intrinsic in the form of employee recognition programs and extrinsic in the form of compensation systems. Intrinsic rewards range from a spontaneous and private thank-you to widely publicized formal programs in which specific types of behavior are encouraged and the procedures for attaining recognition are clearly identified. Pay, an extrinsic reward, is not the primary factor driving job satisfaction, however, it does motivate people, and companies often underestimate its importance in keeping top talent. No matter how much recognition a top performer gets, he will be tempted to leave if the pay scale is much lower than the market and another offer arrives. Recent survey data indicate most employees don’t see a strong connection between pay and performance. Variable pay structures, such as bonuses are often the best production motivators. When pay is tied to performance, the employee’s earnings also recognize contribution rather  than being a form of entitlement. Over time, low performers’ pay stagnates, while high performers enjoy pay increases commensurate with their contributions. An obvious advantage of intrinsic rewards like recognition programs is that they are inexpensive since praise is free. However, they are highly susceptible to political manipulation by management. When applied to jobs for which performance factors are relatively objective, such as sales, recognition programs are likely to be perceived by employees as fair. However, in most jobs, the criteria for good performance aren’t self evident, which allows managers to manipulate the system and recognize their favorites. Abuse can undermine the value of recognition programs and demoralize employees. Research suggests financial incentives may be more motivating in the short term, but in the long run intrinsic incentives will retain good employees if the extrinsic incentives are competitive. 3) What is employee involvement and why is it important. Give two examples. Employee involvement is defined as a participative process that uses the entire capacity of employees and is designed to encourage increased commitment to the organization’s success. The underlying logic is that by involving workers in those decisions that affect them and by increasing their autonomy and control over their work lives, employees will become more motivated, more committed to the organization, more productive, and more satisfied with their jobs. Examples of employee involvement include a) Participative management. Participative management programs use joint decision making. Subordinates actually share a significant degree of decision-making power with their immediate superiors. b) Representative participation. Representative participation refers to worker representation by a small group of employees who actually participate on the board. The goal is to redistribute power within an organization, putting labor on a more equal footing with the interests of management and stockholders. TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN COLLEGE ABDM2083 ORGANIZATION & HUMAN RESOURCE TUTORIAL 7 Topic 6: What do Managers Do & Leadership Part A: Multiple Choice Questions 1) Which of the following is most likely to be a belief held by a successful manager? A) Technical knowledge is all that is needed for success. B) It is not essential to have sound interpersonal skills. C) Technical skills are necessary, but insufficient alone for success. D) Effectiveness is not impacted by human behavior. E) Technical skills do not influence efficiency. 2) Which of a manager’s primary functions requires the manager to define an organization’s goals, establish an overall strategy for achieving these goals and develop a comprehensive hierarchy of plans to integrate and coordinate activities? A) controlling B) planning C) staffing D) coordinating E) leading 3) As a manager, one of Joe’s duties is to present awards to outstanding employees within his department. Which Mintzberg managerial role is Joe acting in when he does this? A) leadership role B) liaison role C) monitor role D) figurehead role E) spokesperson role 4) Jill is valued by her colleagues for her ability to perform effective break-even analysis on upcoming ventures. In this case, her colleagues value her for competencies that fall within which essential management skills categories? A) technical B) communication C) human D) conceptual E) education 5) Leadership is best defined as ________. A) the ability to influence a group in goal achievement B) keeping order and consistency in the midst of change C) implementing the vision and strategy provided by management D) coordinating and staffing the organization and handling day-to-day problems E) not a relevant variable in modern organizations 6) The two dimensions of leadership behavior identified in the University of Michigan studies are ________. A) coercion and motivation B) emotional and rational C) employee-oriented and production-oriented D) initiating structure and consideration E) initiation and completion Part B: Discussion Questions 1) Describe the three essential management skills that differentiate effective managers from ineffective ones. Provide a workplace example of how these skills could be used when dealing with the challenge of a workplace recession. The three essential management skills identified by researchers are technical, human, and conceptual. Technical skills are defined by the ability to apply specialized knowledge or expertise. Human skills are defined by the ability to work with, understand, and motivate other people. Finally, conceptual skills are defined by the ability to analyze and diagnose complex situations. In a time of recession human skills are essential to motivate fearful employees and to create a positive work environment. They would also be necessary in the event of workplace staff reduction. Technical skills could be applied in the area of expertise to raise production and, combined with conceptual skills, can be used to look for small market niches and ways to analyze the industry to continue to make a profit until times are better. TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN COLLEGE ABDM2083 ORGANIZATION & HUMAN RESOURCE TUTORIAL 8 Topic 7: Leadership Part A: Multiple Choice Questions 1) Hersey and Blanchard developed which of the following? A) situational leadership theory B) cognitive resource theory C) managerial grid model D) path-goal theory E) cognitive orientation model 2) Hersey and Blanchard’s leadership theory differs from other leadership theories primarily because it ________. A) explores the role of the expectations of the leader for the follower B) focuses on the followers C) holds that leadership style should be dependent on the situation D) is normative E) deals strictly and exclusively with contingencies 3) What is the main principle of path-goal theory? A) Successful leadership is achieved by selecting the right leadership style. B) Stress is a form of situational unfavorableness and a leader’s reaction to it depends on his or her intelligence and experience. C) Effective group performance depends on the proper match between the leader’s style and the degree to which the situation gives control to the leader. D) Leaders establish a special relationship with a small group of their followers because of time pressures. E) The leader is responsible for providing followers with the information, support, or other resources necessary for them to do their jobs. 4) Which of the following is not a key characteristic of a charismatic leader? A) sensitivity to follower needs B) unconventional behavior C) vision and articulation D) task orientation E) willingness to take risks 5) Researchers are conducting a study of a company called Acme Corp, which they believe to be led by a transformational leader. Which of the following, if true, would most support the conclusion that Acme’s leader is a transformational leader? A) Acme’s top managers often conflict over defining the organization’s goals. B) Acme’s goals tend to be very ambitious and to hold personal value for employees. C) Creativity is discouraged among Acme employees. D) Acme managers are cautious and rarely take risks. E) Acme’s compensation plans are designed to reward short-term results. 6) Leaders who clarify role and task requirements to accomplish established goals exhibit a _________ style of leadership. A) transformational B) transactional C) charismatic D) self-initiating E) situational 7) Richard is a transactional leader who has just assigned a series of tasks to a project team. Which of the following is most likely to be true about the team’s performance under Richard’s guidance? A) They will set new standards of productivity for the department, exceeding Richard’s expectations. B) They will meet the goals set for them but are unlikely to go beyond those goals. C) They will tend to be unclear about the roles assigned to each team member. D) They will be highly motivated by what they view as Richard’s heroic or extraordinary qualities. E) They will tend to put their individual self-interest above the interests of the company. Part B: Discussion Questions 1)Compare and contrast Hersey and Blanchard’s situational leadership theory with House’s path-goal theory. Hersey and Blanchard’s situation leadership theory is a contingency theory  that focuses on the followers. Successful leadership is achieved by selecting the right leadership style, which Hersey and Blanchard argue is contingent on the level of the followers’ readiness. The emphasis on the followers in leadership effectiveness reflects the reality that it is the followers who accept or reject the leaders. The term readiness refers to the extent to which people have the ability and willingness to accomplish a specific task. SLT says if a follower is unable and unwilling to do a task, the leader needs to give clear and specific directions; if followers are unable and willing, the leader needs to display high task orientation to compensate for the followers’ lack of ability and high relationship orientation to get the follower to â€Å"buy into† the leader’s desires; if followers are able and unwilling, the leader needs to use a supportive and partic ipative style; and if the employee is both able and willing, the leader doesn’t need to do much. Path-goal theory was developed by Robert House. The essence of the theory is that it’s the leader’s job to assist followers in attaining their goals and to provide the necessary direction and/or support to ensure that their goals are compatible with the overall objectives of the group or organization. The term path-goal is derived from the belief that effective leaders clarify the path to help their followers get from where they are to the  achievement of their work goals and make the journey along the path easier by reducing roadblocks. House identified four leadership behaviors. The directive leader lets followers know what is expected of them, schedules work to be done, and gives specific guidance as to how to accomplish tasks. The supportive leader is friendly and shows concern for the needs of followers. The participative leader consults with followers and uses their suggestions before making a decision. The achievement-oriented leader sets challenging goals and expects followers to perform at their highest level. House assumes that leaders are flexible and that the same leader can display any or all of these behaviors depending on the situation. TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN COLLEGE ABDM2083 ORGANIZATION & HUMAN RESOURCE TUTORIAL 9 Topic 8: Communication Part A: Multiple Choice Questions 1) Communication serves all of the following functions within a group or organization except ________. A) motivation B) planning C) emotional expression D) control E) conveying information 2) Alejandro is annoyed that the new recruit, Ben, is working faster than anyone else in the group, making the rest of the group look bad. In the company cafeteria Alejandro teases Ben and calls him the ‘super recruit’ and imitates his style of working so rapidly. Alejandro wants to intimidate Ben so that he will work slower. Which function of communication is Alejandro using by making fun of Ben? A) motivation B) control C) expression D) information E) formal 3) Helena and Laura were talking on the phone. Laura’s two year old son fell and started crying and Laura could no longer hear what Helena said. This is an example of ________. A) transmitting B) decoding C) noise D) understanding E) analysis 4) The communication used by managers to provide job instructions is ________ communication. A) downward B) lateral C) formal D) directional E) diagonal Part B: Discussion Questions 1)Describe the communication process. Include the communication process model and explain the eight parts of this model. Before communication can take place, a purpose, expressed as a message to be conveyed, is needed. It passes between a sender and a receiver. The message is encoded (converted to a symbolic form) and passed by way of some medium (channel) to the receiver, who retranslates (decodes) the message initiated by the sender. The result is a transfer of meaning from one person to another. The key parts of the communication process are 1) the sender 2) encoding 3) the message 4) the channel 5) decoding 6) the receiver 7) noise 8) feedback The source initiates a message by encoding a thought. The message is the actual physical product from the source encoding. The channel is the medium through which the message travels. The receiver is the object to whom the message is directed. The symbols must be translated into a form that can be understood by the receiver. This is the decoding. Noise represents communication barriers that distort the clarity of the message. The final link is a feedback loop. 2) Explain how the grapevine functions and why it exists in organizational communication. Describe the general direction of communication and the form of communication most commonly used in the grapevine. What can a manager do to limit the negative effects of the grapevine? The informal communication system is the grapevine. While it is informal it is still an important source of information. A survey found that 75 percent of employees hear about matters first through rumors on the grapevine. The grapevine has three main characteristics. First, it is not controlled by management. Second, most employees perceive it as more believable and reliable than formal communiquà ©s issued by top management. Finally, it is largely used to serve the interests of the people within it. Rumors emerge as a response to situations that are important to us, when there is ambiguity, and under conditions that arouse anxiety. The fact that work situations frequently contain these three elements explains why rumors flourish in organizations. The secrecy and competition that typically prevail in large organizations, encourage and sustain rumors on the grapevine. A rumor will persist either until the wants and expectations creating the uncertainty are fulfilled or the anxiety has been reduced. The grapevine generally follows lateral communication in which persons from the same hierarchical levels begin to relay messages. Very rarely does management participate in the grapevine. In fact, one study reported that management only relayed messages to the grapevine ten percent of the time. Generally oral communication is used to relay grapevine information, although written e-mail can be used as well, but is considered less safe for accountability reasons. Managers can not entirely eliminate rumors. What they should do is minimize the negative consequences of rumors by limiting their range and impact. The best way to reduce the negative consequences of rumors is to: 1) Provide information; 2) Explain actions and decisions that may appear inconsistent, unfair, or secretive; 3) Refrain from shooting the messenger; and 4) Maintain open communication channels. TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN COLLEGE ABDM2083 ORGANIZATION & HUMAN RESOURCE TUTORIAL 10 Topic 9: Conflict Management Part A: Multiple Choice Questions 1) The traditional view of conflict is the belief that conflict is ________. A) harmful B) natural C) necessary D) situationally-dependent E) neutral 2) Which of the following is not a cause of conflict, according to the traditionalist view? A) general poor communication between people B) lack of openness in the organization C) trust between people in the organization D) management failure to be responsive to employee needs E) management failure to be responsive to employee aspirations 3) The ________ view of conflict argues that conflict is necessary for a group to perform effectively. A) human relations B) interactionist C) traditional D) functional E) reactive 4) ________ conflicts are almost always dysfunctional. A) Task B) Job C) Relationship D) Process E) Functional 5) The first stage of the conflict process is termed ________. A) cognition and personalization B) behavioral manifestation C) potential opposition or incompatibility D) intention E) habituation 6) High job specialization can lead to ________ conflict. A) communication B) structural C) personal-variable D) job-related E) team 7) In which stage are conflict issues defined? A) potential opposition B) cognition and personalization C) intuitions D) behavior E) reaction and transference 8) The conflict-handling intention of collaborating is ________. A) assertive and uncooperative B) assertive and cooperative C) unassertive and uncooperative D) unassertive and cooperative E) affective and reflective 9) Angelina feels that her cubicle neighbor talks too loudly on the phone, but in other ways she is a great neighbor. Angelina gets annoyed every time her neighbor’s phone rings, but she has decided it’s simply not worth the trouble to talk to her neighbor. Angelina’s conflict intention is called ________. A) competing B) avoiding C) accommodating D) compromising E) collaborating 10) Which of the following is not a conflict-resolution technique? A) creating superordinate goals B) appointing a devil’s advocate C) avoiding the conflict D) exercising authoritative command E) generating additional resources 11) Stage II of the conflict process deals with conflict being ________. A) perceived and felt B) apparent and experienced C) expressed and perceived D) overt and covert E) internalized 12) Irma does not like a few of the standard operating procedures adapted for the new project. However, she discussed the items with the team and told them that she realized she was in the minority and that she would adapt the new procedures to maintain smooth operations within the team. This type of intention is called ________. A) sacrificing B) accommodating C) collaborating D) compromising E) competing TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN COLLEGE ABDM2083 ORGANIZATION & HUMAN RESOURCE TUTORIAL 11 Topic 10: Power and Politics Part A: Multiple Choice Questions 1) Power can be defined as ________. A) the ability to influence the behavior of others B) the actualization of the dependency of others C) congruence between the goals of the leader and those being led D) downward influence on one’s followers E) upward influence on one’s leaders 2) One reacts to ________ power out of fear of the negative ramifications that might result if one fails to comply. A) legitimate B) coercive C) punitive D) referent E) abusive 3) The power that the College Dean has been granted by the University over the faculty is termed ________ power. A) academic B) positional C) legitimate D) organizational E) balanced 4) Power tactics can be defined as ________. A) the only legitimate sources of power B) techniques for translating power bases into specific action C) strategies for gathering and maintain support D) organizational structural characteristics E) approaches for winning arguments 5) Vivian has not been handling one portion of her duties in a satisfactory manner. As a result, her manager threatens to withhold her promotion. Which power tactic is being used? A) exchange B) ingratiation C) pressure D) personal appeals E) inspirational appeals Part B: Discussion Questions 1) Contrast leadership and power. Power does not require goal compatibility, merely dependence. Leadership, on the other hand, requires some congruence between the goals of the leader and those being led. A second difference relates to the direction of influence. Leadership focuses on the downward influence on one’s followers. It minimizes the importance of lateral and upward influence patterns. Power does not. Still another difference deals with research emphasis. Leadership research, for the most part, emphasizes style. It seeks answers to such questions as: How supportive should a leader be? How much decision making should be shared with followers? The research on power encompasses a broader area and focus on tactics for gaining compliance. Power can be used by groups as well as by individuals to control other individuals or groups. 2) List and discuss the bases of personal power. Personal power comes from an individual’s unique characteristics. Two bases of personal power are expertise, the respect and admiration of others. a) Expert power is influence wielded as a result of expertise, special skill, or knowledge. Expertise has become one of the most powerful sources of influence as the world has become more technologically oriented. b) Referent power is based on identification with a person who has desirable resources or personal traits. If I like, respect, and admire you, you can exercise power over me because I want to please you. 3) Distinguish between legitimate political behavior and illegitimate political behavior. Legitimate political behavior refers to normal everyday politics – complaining to your supervisor, bypassing the chain of command, forming coalitions, obstructing organizational policies or decisions through inaction or excessive adherence to rules, and developing contacts outside the organization through one’s professional activities. On the other hand, there are also illegitimate political behaviors that violate the implied rules of the game. Those who pursue such extreme activities are often described as individuals who â€Å"play hardball.† Illegitimate activities include sabotage, whistleblowing, and symbolic protests such as wearing unorthodox dress or protest buttons, and groups of employees simultaneously calling in sick. TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN COLLEGE ABDM2083 ORGANIZATION & HUMAN RESOURCE TUTORIAL 12 Topic 11: Human Resource Policies and Practices (Human Resource Planning& Forecasting, Recruitment) Part A: Discussion Questions 1) Define human resource planning. Describe the TWO (2) components in human resource planning. Human resource planning is the systematic process of matching the internal and external supply of people with job openings anticipated in the organization over a specific period of time. Human resource planning has 2 components: requirements and availability. A requirements forecast involves determining the number, skill, and location of employees the organization will need at future dates in order to meet its goals. The determination of whether the firm will be able to secure employees with the necessary skills, and from what sources, is called an availability forecast. 2) Describe human resource databases and how databases can assist in matching internal employees to positions. A human resource database contains employee information that permits management to make HR decisions. Information that might appear in such databases, includes, but is not limited to, the following: work history and experience, specific skills and knowledge, licenses or certifications held, organizational training completed, educational background, previous performance appraisal evaluations, assessment of strengths and weaknesses, development needs, promotion potential at present, and with further development, current job performance, field of specialization, job preferences, geographic preferences, career goals and aspirations, anticipated retirement date, and personal history, including psychological assessments. Databases are being used by organizations to enable human resources to match people with positions. 3) List TWO (2) methods are available to firms when either a shortage or surplus of workers is forecasted? Firms faced with a shortage of workers may use: 1) 2) 3) 4) innovative recruiting, compensation incentives, and training programs to fill positions. Lowering of employment standards Firms faced with a surplus of workers may use: 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) layoffs,  restricted hours,  hiring freezes may be necessary, and  encourage early retirement and  the use of vacation time. TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN COLLEGE ABDM2083 ORGANIZATION & HUMAN RESOURCE TUTORIAL 13 Topic 12: Human Resource Policies and Practices (Selection) Part A: Multiple Choice Questions 1) Which of the following is the most common method of initial selection? A) written tests B) background check C) performance test D) application form E) work-sample test 2) More than ________ percent of employers conduct some type of background check on potential employees during some point in the hiring process, usually either in the initial phase or the contingent phase. A) 25 B) 50 C) 65 D) 80 E) 95 3) The best way for an employer to find out if a potential employee can do a job is by ________. A) using the interview process B) using a written test C) having them spend a day in the office D) administering an IQ test E) using a performance simulation test 4) Work sample tests are widely used in hiring ________. A) unskilled labor B) skilled workers C) professional workers D) managers E) knowledge workers 5) The results of which of the following tend to have a disproportionate amount of influence on employee selection decisions? A) interviews B) written tests C) performance simulation tests D) work sampling methods E) personality tests 6) The behavioral structured interview is built on the assumption that ________. A) past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior B) technical knowledge and skills are the best predictor of job performance C) personality is the best predictor of job performance D) personality and mood are highly correlated E) technical knowledge and mood are highly correlated Part B: TRUE /FALSE Questions 1) As a selection device, written tests have decreased in usage during the past 20 years. (TRUE /FALSE) 2) A test that measures factors such as dependability, carefulness, responsibility, and honesty is referred to as a performance factor test. (TRUE /FALSE) 3) Work samples yield validities almost consistently superior to written aptitude tests. (TRUE /FALSE) 4) In assessment centers, job candidates are evaluated as they go through several days of exercises that simulate real problems they would confront on the job. (TRUE /FALSE) TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN COLLEGE ABDM2083 ORGANIZATION & HUMAN RESOURCE TUTORIAL 14 Topic 13 & 14: Human Resource Policies and Practices (Performance Evaluation) Part A: Multiple Choice Questions 1) Performance evaluations today are generally based on which three types of behavior? A) task performance, productivity, tenure B) productivity, efficiency, absenteeism C) task performance, citizenship, counterproductivity D) citizenship, counterproductivity, personality E) leadership, training, efficiency 2) Performance evaluations are used as a mechanism for all of the following except ________. A) monitoring the success of marketing strategies B) determining promotions C) pinpointing employees skills D) identifying training and development needs E) providing feedback to employees 3) Which of the following is not a weakness of the 360-degree evaluation system? A) artificially inflated feedback from peers B) insufficient training for performance evaluators C) discrepancies between evaluating groups D) provides a wide performance perspective E) difficulties in reconciling differing evaluations 4) Performance evaluations are used to ________. A) improve group cohesiveness B) define departmental structure C) help management make HR decisions D) identify how jobs are completed E) decrease conformity within organizations 5) Which of the following is the least predictive set of criteria used to evaluate employees? A) traits B) task outcomes C) behaviors D) personality E) mood Part B: Discussion Questions 1) What are the three most popular sets of criteria for evaluating employee performance? The three most popular sets of criteria for evaluating employee performance are individual task outcomes, behaviors, and traits. a) If ends count, rather than means, then management should evaluate an employee’s task outcomes. In many cases, it’s difficult to identify specific outcomes that can be directly attributable to an employee’s actions. b) It’s not unusual for management to evaluate the employee’s behavior. c) The weakest set of criteria, yet one that is widely used by organizations is individual traits. They are weaker because they are farthest removed from the actual performance of the job itself. 2) Who should perform employee evaluations? With many of today’s organizations using self-managed teams, telecommuting, and other organizing devices that distance bosses from their employees, an employee’s immediate superior may not be the most reliable judge of that employee’s performance. Thus, in more and more cases, peers and even subordinates are being asked to participate in the performance evaluation process. Also, increasingly, employees are participating in their own performance evaluation. In most situations, in fact, it is highly advisable to use multiple sources of ratings. Any individual performance rating may say as much about the rater as about the person being evaluated. By averaging across raters, we can obtain a more reliable, unbiased, and accurate performance evaluation.

Essay on Importance of Setting in Shakespeares The Tempest

Importance of Setting in The Tempest The island of magic and mystery that Shakespeare creates in The Tempest is an extraordinary symbol of both the political and social realities of his contemporary society, and of the potential for a reformed New World. Shakespeare’s island is a creation which allows the juxtaposition of real and idealised worlds, and shows his audience both what they and what they ought to be. The seventeenth century was a time of ideological upheaval in Europe, with Medieval ideas of a hierarchical and ordered society being challenged by Renaissance thinkers. For the dynastic powers, including England under Elizabeth I, colonialism was an important opportunity to realise territorial ambition and prove religious†¦show more content†¦Antonio is morose and cynical, remarking that it is as if the island â€Å"’twere perfumed by a fen† and has everything â€Å"save means to live†. The most interesting reaction is from Gonzalo, whose comic vision of an impractical but i deal commonwealth is the first utopian dream in the play: â€Å"I’ the commonwealth I would by contraries Execute all things; for no kind of traffic Would I admit†¦ No occupation, all men idle, all, And women too, but innocent and pure; No sovereignty-â€Å" Gonzalo delivers this speech to provide comic relief to his audience, but it has much greater significance. His optimistic attitude, â€Å"you have cause, so have we all, of joy† and vision parallels the excitement of the discovery of a New World in the seventeenth century. Additionally, the island is the perfect setting for Shakespeare to present man as a zealous political animal, free of the faà §ade and superficiality of ordinary society. Antonio and Sebastian plot almost immediately to murder Antonio, considering political gain despite the predicament in which they find themselves. Additionally, Stephano, Trincullo and even Caliban have their own political plot – to murder Prospero. Stephano remarks â€Å"this will prove a brave kingdom to me†, and Caliban tells of his dreams of heavenly riches: â€Å"the isle is full of noises, Sounds, and sweet airs, that delight and hurt not†¦ and then, in dreaming, The clouds methought would open, and show riches Ready to drop uponShow MoreRelatedThe Adaptation of The Tempest by William Shakespeare to the Film Prosperos Books531 Words   |  3 PagesThe Adaptation of The Tempest by William Shakespeare to the Film Prosperos Books When adapting a play for the screen, a director’s primary responsibility is to visualize an enactment that remains true to the original work’s perception. In addition to this task, the director must also build upon the foundations laid by the script; without this goal, (s)he would have no reason to have undertaken the project in the first place. Providing an innovative reading of a well-known play is undoubtedlyRead More Essay on the Setting in Shakespeares The Tempest1072 Words   |  5 PagesImportance of Setting in The Tempest   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Shakespeare’s enchanted island in The Tempest is a restorative pastoral setting, a place where ‘no man was his own’ and a place that offers endless possibilities to the people that arrive on it’s shores. Although the actual location of the island is not known, the worlds of Seneca aptly describe it’s significance to the play – it represents the ‘bounds of things, the remotest shores of the world’. On the boundary of reality, the island partakes of bothRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Tragicomedy The Tempest1935 Words   |  8 PagesLiterary texts rarely stand alone, frequently including elements from other influences. William Shakespeare’s tragicomedy The Tempest (c:1611) is a play that uses intertextuality to enhance ideas about natural order. Banished to an island, Prospero, the rightful Duke of Milan, conjures up a tempest that brings him his usurping brother, Antonio in an attempt to restore his Dukedom. The play’s amalgamation of tragicomedy and the pastoral genre allows Shakespeare to warn his audience about unbalanceRead More The Dictatorial Prospero of Shakespeares The Tempest Essay1504 Words   |  7 PagesThe Dictatorial Prospero of The Tempest      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Motivation often propels people to achieve high goals. Sometimes, however, motivation is too strong a tool and can manifest into selfish desires. The exploitation of the weak invariably results from the strong abusing their power, especially in a political setting. In William Shakespeares ‘The Tempest’, Prospero is displayed as a tyrannical character who spawns a disastrous storm as part of a grand scheme to regain his title of Duke of Milan.Read MoreThe Theme of Julius Caesar Essay2961 Words   |  12 PagesWilliam Shakespeare was one of the most influential playwrights, is known today for his plays such as Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, A Midsummer Nights Dream and many other interesting and different plays. We in the 21st century enjoy Shakespeare’s plays for a variety of reasons. His plays have different themes like love, ambition, pride, friendship, supernatural, etc. His language is rich and full of imagery. Many of his famous quotes are used even till today such as ToRead MoreEssay about Importance of Environment in Shakespeares The Tempest1968 Words   |  8 PagesImportance of Environment in The Tempest   Ã‚   The island is full of noises; Sounds and sweet airs, that give delight,† says Caliban. The responses which the characters in The Tempest offer to their immediate surroundings reveal much about their individual traits, at the same time they allow the audience glimpses of Prosperos island as different parts of the island are isolated in the play. The island itself and the sea that surrounds it may be seen as encompassing elemental nature and throughoutRead MoreEssay on The Moor in the Works of William Shakespeare4150 Words   |  17 PagesThe Sources and Representations of the Moor in the Works of Shakespeare      Ã‚  Ã‚   One theme consistently reemployed throughout Shakespeares plays is that of the Other. The Other is usually characterized as a character that is somehow separated, stigmatized, or noted as being different from the mainstream ideal. For the Elizabethan England of Shakespeares time, it may have been a self-defensive maneuver against the encroachment of something which threatened too close to home (Bartels 450). BryantRead MoreEssay on William Shakespeares The Tempest2363 Words   |  10 PagesWilliam Shakespeares The Tempest Generally acknowledged as one of Shakespeares final plays, The Tempest may be described as a romantic tragi-comedy - where love and contentment prosper despite the threatening presence of evil forces. However, beyond the almost fairy-tale like exterior lies a seemingly direct approach to a greatly topical debate at the time. This was the supposed contrast between civilised and uncivilised persons, brought to the fore as a resultRead More Uncovering Worth Unknown: The Constancy of Love in Sonnet 1162370 Words   |  10 Pagesfamous for his plays and for his sonnets. These sonnets discuss everything from the importance of children to the troubles of rival poets, and have even been divided into two distinct subgroups—those of the â€Å"Fair Youth† and those of the â€Å"Dark Lady†Ã¢â‚¬â€because of the differences between the two. However, a common theme that runs throughout nearly all of them is that of love. Illustrating and exemplifying love, Shakespeare’s Sonnet 116 provides a classic example of this theme, as Shakespeare both definesRead MoreFemale Sexuality in Shakespeare4830 Words   |  20 Pagesactivities.† (Valerie Traub, â€Å"Gender and Sexuality in Shakespeare† p129)  Margreta de Grazia claimed â€Å"nothing threatens a patriarchal and hierarchic social formation more than a promiscuous womb,† (Margreta de Grazia, †Å"The Scandal of Shakespeare’s Sonnets,† in Shakespeare’s Sonnets: Critical Essays,p106)   and pivotally, both plays examine the supposed risk of unrestrained female desire. Also, the sexual relationships existing in the  Sonnets  appear to subvert  Ã‚  stereotypical gender ideas founded in the