Questions and Answers of Contemporary Human Resource

define EFFECTIVE PARTICIPATION
McGregor anticipated an inevitable transition from conceiving of organizations as “a pattern of individual relationships” to conceiving of them as “a pattern of relationships among groups.”Is
In 1960, McGregor stated that “management does not know enough about how to create the conditions for individual growth and integrity in the group situation.” To what degree have theory and
McGregor points to group members, more than group leaders, as the key to group or team effectiveness. Do you agree or disagree?
McGregor praises the personal self-awareness that commonly emerged from “T-group” experiences. To what degree is this sort of intense, interpersonal feedback and shared learning relevant in
How can classroom learning be designed to ensure that each student is motivated by his or her “felt needs” for new learning rather than using a “one size fits all” approach?
If, as McGregor suggests, managerial competence is created on the job, what is the role of classroom learning?
If management development staff were fully engaged in strategic planning with top management, as McGregor recommends, what threats and opportunities would be a particular focus of their efforts?
What are examples of company structures, policies, and practices that enable the sort of individualized management development that McGregor recommends? What are examples of structures, policies, and
When McGregor urges us to attend to the climate, soil, and cultivation methods for management development, what is he referring to? Why does he favor this “agricultural” model over
What are examples of leadership selection processes that are designed to produce a diverse set of next-generation leaders, as McGregor recommends, rather than selecting leaders that just fit within a
What would be key features of a leadership development process that is oriented around developing the unique capabilities of each individual, as McGregor recommends?
McGregor calls for broad involvement in management development by leaders at all levels. To what degree has that become a reality today?
Select a staff function in a given organization—HR, finance, information systems, sales, marketing, purchasing, maintenance, safety, logistics, etc.—and assess the percentage of time that is
Does the current trend toward outsourcing staff functions help or hinder the line-staff collaboration that McGregor advocates?What are the implications?
Reflect on the line and staff functions in an organization with which you are familiar. What would a typical “week in the life”look like if the line and staff were to operate as more of a
As a small entrepreneurial organization develops, at what point might you expect it to shift into a formal matrix structure (with different people in staff and line roles)—at 10 people, 25 people,
What would be an example of line responsibilities that have been inappropriately assumed by a staff function? What would it take for the line operations to reclaim their appropriate role?
What would be an example of a staff function that has been coopted by operations? What would it take to reclaim its independent role?
In addition to patterns of interaction, in what ways are organizational structure and strategy responsible for the managerial climate?
If you are a new leader in a workplace with a managerial climate characterized by mistrust and disrespect, what would be key elements of a three-year plan to shift the climate toward one of trust and
Identify a managerial program, practice, or initiative and then list the many different kinds of patterns of interaction that will be essential to the success of that program, practice, or initiative.
Is participation in decision making in front-line operations(service or manufacturing) different from participation in decision making at the executive level?
To what degree should the focus of employee participation be allowed to emerge from the front-line workforce and to what degree should managers provide direction or guidance concerning the areas
Employee participation in organizational decision making was, as McGregor reports, viewed with skepticism at the time he was writing. Is it now more widely valued and utilized? If so, why? If not,
Research unambiguously finds that more participative gainsharing programs outperform simple incentive schemes that lack a participative component. Why is it, then, that so many gainsharing
McGregor was drawn to the way Scanlon plans minimize internal competition in an organization, while maximizing external competition. Is this approach still valid today?
Although both are important, which aspect of a Scanlon plan is more important, (1) the sharing of gains from cost-reduction ideas or (2) the principle of worker participation in the process?
Does management have a moral right to administer personality and intelligence tests to job applicants and employees and then use the data to guide decisions on hiring and promotion?
Given an adequate base salary, McGregor argued that small incremental distinctions in pay are not likely to provide genuine motivation. Yet, today we see that the vast majority of pay systems are
McGregor depended on “collective and individual bargaining, within a framework of measurement” to be the ultimate determinants of fair pay and promotional procedures. Is this still valid today,
If, as McGregor suggests, feedback is best when it occurs immediately after the behavior, what sort of workplace system might you establish to help enable such timely and specific feedback to take
In this chapter, McGregor could be read as suggesting that there is little or no use for position descriptions. Do you agree or disagree—and why?
McGregor observes that performance appraisal systems not only control the behavior of subordinates, but also control the behavior of superiors. In what ways might this be the case?
In discussing structured programs for goal setting, McGregor asserts that the “manager whose underlying assumptions are those of Theory X cannot manage by integration and self-control no matter
Analyze the case example in the chapter involving “Harry Evans”and “Tom Harrison.” What forms of influence are involved? Are there other forms of power embedded in this case example?
In what ways is management goal setting different when the goals are imposed as compared to when the goals are reached through mutual dialogue? Are there ever situations in which mutual dialogue is
Must developing nations first organize work on the basis of Theory X assumptions and then gradually evolve toward Theory Y assumptions? Or, is it possible to build new work systems in developing
In the integration of individual and organizational objectives, must the result always be evenly balanced? If not, how far can the balance tilt toward individual or organizational objectives without
What are examples of managerial practices that reflect Theory Y assumptions? Review all six of McGregor’s core assumptions and indicate which assumptions are most relevant to a given management
Are competitive market models inherently based on Theory X assumptions? Or, is it possible to envision a competitive market system that is also rooted in Theory Y assumptions?
McGregor argues that participative or consultative initiatives, such as decentralization, management by objectives, consultative supervision, and “democratic” leadership, are often flawed because
Can you name a workplace situation in which Theory X assumptions would be justified—either on the basis of being more effective or for other reasons? If so, please elaborate. If not, please explain
Examine Figure 1 on page 32. What data would need to be collected to make this an actual representation of the relationship between the “appropriateness of authority” and the degree of
McGregor identifies many forms of influence that might be used by managers, including persuasion, consultation, and professional“help.” Would you expect that employees would use those same forms
What are examples that you can cite of leadership based on authority and control? What are examples of leadership based on influence? What do you notice when you compare them?
3. Are the physical sciences (and, in particular, physics) an appropriate model for social science research on people and organizations, as McGregor suggests?
2. McGregor states that “every managerial act rests on assumptions, generalizations, and hypotheses—that is to say, on theory.” Identify a particularly visible or salient management act—what
1. Once people’s basic safety and security needs are met, do you assume that the majority of people will need incentives, monitoring, and control if they are expected to accomplish organizational
1. Explain employee reactions to culture change initiatives in this case. 2. What lessons can managers learn from this case about managing culture?
1. What is the problem in this case? 2. What, if any, insights does Lewin’s change model provide for this case? 3. What should Annie do? Annie Fagan has taken up a new role as the deputy HR
1. What are the practical implications arising from the forms of dialogue evident in UTEL – a change workshop case? 2. Under what circumstances, if any, might it be appropriate to use
1. How could the Human Resources Department at the Metropolitan Fire and Emergency Services Board have averted this grievance reaching the Fair Work Commission? In your discussions, consider social
1. How do you feel after reading the short Foxconn case study? 2. Which, if any, of the four competing perspectives to HRM shown in Table 1.2 do you think capture the way people are managed at
To what extent do staffing processes at the Dionysos reflect the strategic approach to recruitment and selection encapsulated by the conceptual framework and model depicted in Key Concepts 8.4 and
To what extent does the process used to recruit Ryan Parry reflect a strategic approach to recruitment and selection? It is recommended that you conduct your analysis against the conceptual framework
Southco is a medium-sized American-owned global manufacturer of access hardware solutions, such as latches and hinges, used for applications in the aircraft, railway, computer and automotive
INA Bearing Company is a medium-sized manufacturer of high-precision engine components for the automotive industry. Based in Llanelli, South Wales, it is one of a number of manufacturing companies
How would you map out the benefits of HRP identified in the above analysis against the ‘regulation’, ‘control’ and ‘shape’ phases of Ulrich’s (1987) model of transitions in SHRP (see
1 What do people talk about when they talk about careers?2 On the basis of your answers above, construct a definition of career. Why do you think this is an appropriate definition at the present
You are an HR manager working in a busy training department in a local government office. The department has a well-established managing diversity policy. Within that policy it is explicit that
In Chapter 17 we reviewed the changing policy context for employee participation, in particular the on-going tension between management choices for employee participation and recent regulations for
Employee participation has retained a central role in HRM over the last two decades. It can be seen as a key component of best-practice HRM and high-commitment management leading to improved
A&B is a chain of department stores, selling clothes, food and hardware. It employs 10,000 UK workers in retail, distribution and office positions, mostly on permanent, full-time contracts. In
Girlie Glitter Co. is a UK-based chain of retail outlets whose products and services are marketed primarily at 3–13-year-old girls. The team who designed the concept took the theme of ‘girl
It has been eight months and although a lot has happened you seem to be in the same position trying to get Lee to follow your directions and requests.Since the meeting with Lee and Chris where they
Jen: Ok Carmel sets high standards but what is wrong with that? Ingrid just needs to pull up her socks and get to work and stop worrying about Carmel. I really don’t think that Carmel has been
In pairs reflect on the interpersonal conflicts you may have experienced, witnessed or heard about in the workplace and make a list of anti-social behaviours that occur in the workplace Consider if
The focus of this case is on the impact of private equity (PE) interventions on human resource management in a hospital. In its simplest form, private equity firms buy a profitable company and sell
Like the creatures grazing the open grasslands of Africa, firms known as ‘gazelles’ are not just fast (in this case, fast growing), but hard to hunt down. That’s partly because they are rare.
Mother London is a creative organization employing around 280 people and part of Mother Holdings which has 20 companies with around 700 people including freelancers. Established in 1996, Mother works
Alexander Mann Solutions (AMS) provides Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) and consultancy services to 45 major clients. They were the first to introduce the concept of RPO in 1996 and are now the
This case study examines the practice of performance appraisal in an NHS Trust hospital. North Trust (NT) is a whole district Trust in the northeast of England serving a community of a quarter of a
Even by the standards of modern management myths, the British Airways transformation is impressive. At the end of the 1970s and the start of the 1980s BA was performing disastrously against almost
Define reward management and strategic reward management;
Explain the factors in the external environment that have led to the increased interest in strategic reward management;
Analyse the links between intra-organisational factors that impact upon strategic reward management.
What obstacles stand in the way of the more widespread adoption of work–life balance policies?
What problems occur to you when you look at Figure 11.2?Figure 11.2: External environment ORGANISATION S BUSINESS STRATEGY OVERALL HR STRATEGY Reward strategy Cultural strategy Structural strategy
Moving from a situation where all pay is base pay to one where there is a combination of base and variable pay does carry with it threats. What may these be?
What may be some of the potential disadvantages of competence-based pay?
The Tibbett and Britten Group (TBG) is a UK-based international logistics service provider. Its main customers are retailers and manufacturers, to whom it provides warehouse, distribution and
Explain the importance of the employment relationship to SHRM.
Define the employment relationship.
Evaluate the strategic approaches to managing the employment relationship.
Identify the various formats for organising the employment relationship at a range of levels.
Define employee involvement and voice.
Assess the linkages between SHRM and employee relations.
Evaluate the concepts of partnership and the psychological contract.
Define the employment relationship and discuss the changes that have taken place to the relationship in recent years.
Fox (1966) clearly believed that the pluralistic perspective on employee relations was the most valid and realistic way to manage the employment relationship.Given the emergence of the HRM models of
Choose an organisation with which you are familiar and, using Guest’s evaluation of the four possible approaches to the management of the employment relationship, describe the current employment
Consider the arguments for and against the development and introduction of a partnership agreement in an organisation.
To what extent is the ‘new’ psychological’ contract a myth dreamed up by HR commentators to add a new dimension to discussions about SHRM?
In other case studies presented in this book the focus of analysis has been at the organisational level and presented company-based cases. Managing the employment relationship in a strategic manner
Explain the differences between managing diversity and equal opportunities approaches to diversity management and the debates relating to these approaches.
Explore the interdependence of managing diversity and equal opportunities approaches in managing human resources strategically.
Evaluate the business case for diversity management.
Note down the changes in the EU’s population highlighted by Figures 13.1 and 13.2.i. How are these predicted changes likely to impact upon the composition of the labour force in relation to full-
What do you consider to be the strengths and limitations of the equal opportunities and the managing diversity approaches to diversity management?

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