BIYANI INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND MANAGEMENT MBA II Sem

MODEL ANSWER PAPER-2018HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

“SECTION A”

Q1- Define HRM. What are the major functions of HRM along with principles of HRM?

Ans-MEANING OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT (HRM)Human Resource Management is the term used to describe formal systems devised for the management of people within an organization. The responsibilities of a human resource manager fall into three major areas: staffing, employee compensation and benefits, and defining/designing work. Essentially, the purpose of HRM is to maximize the productivity of an organization by optimizing the effectiveness of its employees.

DEFINITION OF HRMAccording to Leon C. Megginson “From the national point of view human resources are knowledge, skills, creative abilities, talents, and attitudes obtained in the population; whereas from the view-point of the individual enterprise, they represent the total of the inherent abilities, acquired knowledge and skills as exemplified in the talents and aptitude of its employees”.

CHARACTERSTICS OF HRM1.It is an art and a science:-The art and science of HRM is indeed very complex. HRM is both the art of managing people by recourse to creative and innovative approaches; it is a science as well because of the precision and rigorous application of theory that is required.

2. It is pervasive:- Development of HRM covers all levels and all categories of people, and management and operational staff. No discrimination is made between any levels or categories.

All those who are managers have to perform HRM. It is pervasive also because it is required in every department of the organisation. All kinds of organizations, profit or non-profit making, have to follow HRM.

3. It is a continuous process:- First, it is a process as there are number of functions to be performed in a series, beginning with human resource planning to recruitment to selection, to training to performance appraisal.To be specific, the HRM process includes acquisition (HR planning, recruitment, selection, placement, socialization), development (training and development, and career development), utilization (job design, motivation, performance appraisal and reward management), and maintenance (labour relations, employee discipline, grievance handling, welfare, and termination). Second, it is continuous, because HRM is a never-ending process.

4. HRM is a service function:- HRM is not a profit centre. It serves all other functional departments. But the basic responsibility always lies with the line managers. HRM is a staff function – a facilitator. The HR Manager has line authority only within his own department, but has staff authority as far as other departments are concerned.

5. Interdisciplinary and fast changing:- It is encompassing welfare, manpower, personnel management, and keeps close association with employee and industrial relations. It is multi- disciplinary activity utilising knowledge and inputs from psychology, sociology, economics, etc. It is changing itself in accordance with the changing environment. It has travelled from exploitation of workers to treating them as equal partners in the task.

6. Focus on results:- HRM is performance oriented. It has its focus on results, rather than on rules. It encourages people to give their 100%. It tries to secure the best from people by winning the whole hearted cooperation. It is a process of bringing people and organization together so that the goals of each are met. It is commitment oriented.

7. People-centered:- HRM is about people at work both as individuals and a group. It tries to help employees to develop their potential fully. It comprises people-related functions like hiring, training and development, performance appraisal, working environment, etc.HRM has the responsibility of building human capital. People are vital for achieving organizational goals. Organizational performance depends on the quality of people and employees.

8. Human relations philosophy:- HRM is a philosophy and the basic assumption is that employees are human beings and not a factor of production like land, labour or capital. HRM recognizes individuality and individual differences. Every manager to be successful must possess social skills to manage people with differing needs.

9. An integrated concept:- HRM in its scope includes Personnel aspect, Welfare aspect and Industrial relations aspect in itself. It is also integrated as it concern with not only acquisition, but also development, utilization, and maintenance.

FUNCTIONS OF HRM

(1) MANAGERIAL FUNCTIONS

(i) Planning:- Planning is a predetermined course of actions. It is a process of determining the organisational goals and formulation of policies and programes for achieving them. Thus planning is

future oriented concerned with clearly charting out the desired direction of business activities in future. Forecasting is one of the important elements in the planning process. Other functions of managers depend on planning function.

(ii)Organising: - Organising is a process by which the structure and allocation of jobs are determined. Thus organising involves giving each subordinate a specific task establishing departments, delegating authority to subordinates, establishing channels of authority and communication, coordinating the work of subordinates, and so on.

(iii)Staffing:- It is a process by which managers select, train, promote and retire their subordinates This involves deciding what type of people should be hired, recruiting prospective employees, selecting employees, setting performance standard, compensating employees, evaluating performance, counseling employees, training and developing employees.

(iv)Directing/Leading:- Directing is the process of activating group efforts to achieve the desired goals. It includes activities like getting subordinates to get the job done, maintaining morale motivating subordinates etc. for achieving the goals of the organisation.

(v)Controlling:- It is the process of setting standards for performance, checking to see how actual performance compares with these set standards, and taking corrective actions as needed.

(2)ADVISORY FUNCTIONS

HR Manager also performs a ‘staff role’. It is to advice and counsel top management in initiating and recommending changes. He advises the president and other top executives on good personal policies and on their consistent, uniform application throughout the organisation. He provides service to the line and other staff groups.He assists in the hiring, training, evaluating, rewarding, counseling, promoting and firing of employees at all levels. He may also perform a control or inspection for the line.This advice is for the betterment of organisation and employees both. He can foresee the coming problems of the personnel and suggest precautionary measures but he should win a sympathetic attitude of line mangers.

(3) OPERATIVE FUNCTIONS

The operative, also called, service functions are those which are relevant to specific department. These functions vary from department to department depending on the nature of the department Viewed from this standpoint, the operative functions of HRM relate to ensuring right people for right jobs at right times. These functions include procurement, development, compensation, and maintenance functions of HRM.(i) Procurement:- It involves procuring the right kind of people in appropriate number to be placed in the organisation. It consists of activities such as manpower planning, recruitment, selection placement and induction or orientation of new employees.

(ii) Development:- This function involves activities meant to improve the knowledge, skills aptitudes and values of employees so as to enable them to perform their jobs in a better manner in future. These functions may comprise training to employees, executive training to develop managers, organisation development to strike a better fit between organisational climate/culture and employees.

(iii) Compensation:- Compensation function involves determination of wages and salaries matching with contribution made by employees to organisational goals. In other words, this function ensures

equitable and fair remuneration for employees in the organisation. It consists of activities such as job evaluation, wage and salary administration, bonus, incentives, etc.

(iv) Maintenance:- It is concerned with protecting and promoting employees while at work. For this purpose virus benefits such as housing, medical, educational, transport facilities, etc. are provided to the employees. Several social security measures such as provident fund, pension, gratuity, group insurance, etc. are also arranged.

PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

A Principle is a fundamental truth established by research, investigation and analysis. Human Resource Management principles are:-1.Principle of individual development – To offer full and equal opportunities to every employee to realize his/her full potential. A man has unlimited potential to grow. He must be given opportunity to realize his inner talents and capabilities. For this proper training and guidance must be provided to them.

2. Principle of scientific selection – This principle states that the employees should be selected through proper tests and screening. The scietific analysis of the traits and abilities of the candidate must be done. This helps the personnel manager to provide right job to the right person.

3. Principle of free flow of communication- This principle states to keep all channels of communication open & encourage upward, downward, horizontal, formal & informal communication. Dealing with human resource, requires proper channel of communication.

4. Principle of participation – To associate employee representatives at every level of decision making. The employers and employees are co-partners in industries. They must have cooperative attitude towards each other.

5. Principle of fair remuneration- This states to pay fair & equitable wages & salaries commiserating with jobs. Fair and adequate reward is a primary concern reward must encourage and motivate the employees for better performance and retention in the organisation.

6. Principle of incentive – To recognise and reward good performance, is an important principle that should be followed by all personnel managers.

7. Principle of dignity of labour – It states to treat every job holder with dignity and respect. HRM should create a feeling of regard for ‘work’ among the employees. The HR Manager must help employees to imbibe such feelings as ‘work is the reward in itself’.

8. Principle of labour management co-operation – To promote cordial industrial relations and create team work and coordination, the principle of cooperation must be considered. The work policy should be based on mutual cooperation and reciprocal understanding.

9. Principle of human treatment- Human beings must be respected and treated humanly. In an organisation everybody has a valuable personality due to his work skills and contribution. A person always wants fair treatment from his boss, a well treated and satisfied employee is highly productive resource for an organisation.

10. Principle of contribution to national prosperity – To provide a higher purpose of work to all employees and to contribute to national prosperity the level of progress of any country depends upon the skills and abilities of the human resources it has.

Q 2- Write short note on job analysis.Ans

MEANING OF JOB ANALYSIS:Job analysis is pre-requisite to manpower planning. It helps to understand the nature of jobs. Different jobs are performed in the organisation and, therefore, different kinds of people are to be selected, trained, compensated and placed at those jobs. Job analysis means to analyze the requirement of the job and match it with the requirement of the person who will work on that job. It, thus, matches the jobs with the job holders.

Job analysis is “identification of the specific activities performed in a job and the characteristics of the person, the work situation, and the materials or equipment necessary for performing the job effectively.” It is the “systematic collection and recording of information concerning the purpose of a job, its major duties, the conditions under which it is performed, the contact with others that performance of the job requires, and the knowledge, skills and abilities needed for performing the job effectively.” It, thus, identifies contents of the job (job description) and characteristics of the persons (job specifications) who will perform those jobs.

ELEMENTS OF JOB ANALYSISThere are two elements of job analysis: Job description and job specification. These are the important documents that managers prepare before recruitment and selection.

1. Job Description: It describes the duties, responsibilities and working conditions of a specific job. It specifies requirements of the job so that standards of performance can be developed and actual performance can be measured against these standards. It also helps in job grading, recruitment and selection parameters, training and development needs, developing career paths and providing standards for performance appraisal.It provides details of the job like name, code number, tools and equipment’s, location, duties, working conditions, working hours and relationship with other jobs etc. “It is a written statement of what a job holder does, how it is done and why it is done. It typically describes job content, environment, and conditions of employment.”

2. Job Specification: - It describes the knowledge and skills of people who perform the job. Job specification enables to select individuals with skills to perform the job. If people are not competent to do the job, managers provide them training facilities. Selection, training and placement programmes largely depend upon job specification, ie., knowledge possessed by individuals and knowledge required to be possessed by them.

Its basic contents are:1. Personal characteristics (age, gender, education, extracurricular activities etc.).2. Physical characteristics (height, weight, health, skin, hearing etc.).3. Mental characteristic (intelligence, memory, farsightedness, judgment etc.).4. Social and psychological characteristics (emotions, creativity, initiative, flexibility etc.).

3. Job Evaluation:- After identifying job description and job specification, the jobs are evaluated. Job evaluation means rating the jobs on the basis of their importance in the organisation. The importance of a job can be judged on the basis of skills required to do that job, complexities of the job and difficulties and stress to be faced while performing that job. The jobs

are arranged in the descending or ascending order of their importance and rewards and compensation are fixed for each job. It helps in fixing equal pay for equal jobs.IMPORTANCE OF JOB ANALYSISJob analysis is important for the following reasons:1.   Job design :- It provides information about what work is to be performed on the job. It helps in identifying the work, grouping it on the basis of similarity of features, defining relationship amongst different jobs and authority-responsibility structure required to perform those jobs. It, thus, helps in designing the organisation structure.2.   Human resource planning: - It helps in knowing the type of people to be appointed and placed (manpower requirement) on respective jobs. By determining the types of jobs to be performed in the organisation, it also helps in determining the number and type of people (in terms of knowledge, skills and experience) required to work on those jobs.3.   Recruitment and selection:- It helps in recruitment and selection by identifying the sources from where people will be acquired and selecting those who meet the criteria specified in job description. It aims at maintaining balance between the jobs (tasks and responsibilities of the job) and the job holders (skills, knowledge and experience of job holders). While responsibilities of the jobs define job description, skills of job holders define job specification.4. Placement:-It helps in placing the right person at the right job. When people are appointed for a group of jobs (for example, trainees) rather than specific jobs, job analysis helps in matching requirements of jobs with people who can be placed at those jobs. It, thus, helps in placement — right person at the right job.5.   Training and development:- It helps in training and developing the employees by making them skilled and competent to perform the specific jobs. People work on dynamic jobs with changing job requirements, both present and potential. Job analysis helps in analysing the requirement of jobs up the hierarchy and provides information about training and development needs so that people can be prepared to assume jobs of higher importance.6.   Job evaluation:- It helps in modifying the nature of jobs. Job analysis evaluates jobs in terms of their worth and helps in fixing compensation for the respective jobs. If compensation is not worth the qualification and skills of job holders, it helps in revising either the job contents or the compensation policies.7.   Performance appraisal:- Employees’ performance is appraised against job standards to make it conform to desired performance and identify training needs and people worthy of promotions and transfers. Promotions involve assuming jobs of higher status and also have advanced compensation attached to them.Job analysis helps in effectively identifying the characteristics of jobs at different levels so that promotions and transfers are worth the effort and benefits arising out of them are more than the costs (higher compensation, payment to outside experts for appraisals, etc.).

Q 3- Briefly explain the organisation structure.Ans

Organizational structure refers to the way that an organization arranges people and jobs so that its work can be performed and its goals can be met. When a work group is very small and face-to-face communication is frequent, formal structure may be unnecessary, but in a larger organization decisions have to be made about the delegation of various tasks. Thus, procedures are established that assign responsibilities for various functions. It is these decisions that determine the organizational structure.

Organizational structure defines the hierarchy of the organization. It's used to define each employee's duties and roles. Organizational structure is a system used to define a hierarchy within

an organization. It identifies each job, its function and where it reports to within the organization. This structure is developed to establish how an organization operates and assists an organization in obtaining its goals to allow for future growth. The structure is illustrated using an organizational chart.

TYPES OF ORGANISATION STRUCTURE

5 Main Types of Organisation Structure are:-

1.LINE ORGANISATIONLine organisation is the simplest and oldest form of organisation structure. It is called as military or departmental or scalar type of organization. Under this system, authority flows directly and vertically from the top of the managerial hierarchy ‘down to different levels of managers and subordinates and down to the operative level of workers. Line organisation clearly identifies authority, responsibility and accountability at each level. The personnel in Line organization are directly involved in achieving the objectives of the organization. The line organisation structure is given below:

-Advantages of Line Organization:a. The line organization structure is very simple to understand and simple to operate.

b. Communication is fast and easy and feedback can be acted upon faster.

c. Responsibility is fixed and unified at each level and authority and accountability are clear-cut, hence each individual knows to whom he is responsible and who is or in truth responsible to him.

d. Since it is especially useful when the company is small in size, it provides for greater control and discipline in the organization.

e. It makes rapid decisions and effective coordination possible. So it is economic and effective.

f. The people in line type of organization get to know each other better and tend to feel close to each other.

g. The system is capable of adjusting itself to changing conditions for the simple reason that each executive has sole responsibility in his own sphere.

-Disadvantages of Line Organization:a. It is a rigid and inflexible form of organization.

b. There is a tendency for line authority to become dictatorial.

c. It overloads the executive with pressing activities so that long-range planning and policy formulation are often neglected.,

d. There is no provision for specialists and specialization, which is essential for growth and optimisation.

2.LINE AND STAFF ORGANISATIONThis type of organization structure is in large enterprises. The functional specialists are added to the line in line and staff organization. Mere, staff is basically advisory in nature and usually does not possess any command authority over line managers. Allen has defined line and staff organization as follows.

“Line functions are those which have direct responsibility for accomplishing the objectives of the enterprises and staff refers to those elements of the organization that help the line to work most effectively in accomplishing the primary objectives of the enterprises.”

In the line and staff organisation, staffs assist the line managers in their duties in order to achieve the high performance. So, in an organization which has the production of textiles, the production manger, marketing manager and the finance manager may be treated as line executives, and the department headed by them may be called line departments

-Advantages of Line and Staff Organisation:a. Line officers can concentrate mainly on the doing function as the work of planning and investigation is performed by the staff. Specialisation provides for experts advice and efficiency in management.b. Since the organisation comprises line and staff functions, decisions can be taken easily.c. The staff officers supply complete factual data to the line officers covering activity within and without their own units. This will help to greater co-ordination.d. It provides an adequate opportunity for the advancement of workers.

-Disadvantages of Line and Staff Organisation:a. Confusion and conflict may arise between line and staff. Because the allocation of authority

and responsibility is not clear and members of the lower levels may be confused by various line

orders and staff advices.

b. Staff generally advise to the lines, but line decides and acts. Therefore the staffs often feel

powerless.

c. Too much reliance on staff officers may not be beneficial to the business because line officials

may lose much of their judgment and imitative.

d. Normally, staff employees have specialised knowledge and expert. Line makes the final

decisions, even though staff give their suggestions. Staff officers, therefore, may be resented.

3. FUNCTIONAL ORGANISATIONThe functional organisation was evolved by F.W. Taylor while he was working as a foreman. He suggested eight foremen, four in factory and four in planning division as under.

According to Terry, “Functional organisation refers to the organisation which is divided into a number of functions such as finance, production, sales, personnel, office and research and development and each of functions are performed by an expert”. Line authority, staff authority and functional authority as a third type of authority are in this type of organisation.

-Advantages of Functional Organisation:a. Each manager is an expert in his field. He has to perform a limited number of functions. So complete specialization will be in functional organisation.

b. The greater degree of specialization leads the improvement in the quality of product.

c. Since the job requirements are definite and tangible, organisation can achieve the intensive utilisation of the principle of specialisation of labour at the managerial level.

d. Specialisation will lead for mass production and standardisation.

-Disadvantages of Functional Organisation:a. Since there is no direct boss or controller of the workers, co-ordination is hard to achieve.

b. Since workers are under different bosses, discipline is hard to achieve. As results there will be low morale on the part of the workers.

c. The non-supervisory employees are uncertain as to whom they should turn for advice and aid when problem call for analysis.

4.PROJECT ORGANISATIONThis organisational structure are temporarily formed for specific projects for a specific period of time, for the project of achieving the goal of developing new product, the specialists from different functional departments such as production, engineering, quality control, marketing research etc., will be drawn to work together. These specialists go back to their respective duties as soon as the project is completed.

Really, the project organisation is set-up with the object of overcoming the major weakness of the functional organisation, such as absence of unity of command, delay in decision-making, and lack of coordination.

-Advantages of Project Organisation:a. It is a remarkable illustration of relationship between environment, strategy and structure.

b. The grouping of activities on the basis of each project results in introduction of new authority patterns.

c. Since the specialists from different departments is drawn to work together under the project organisation it helps to coordination.

d. It makes for meaningful control and fixation of individual responsibility.

-Disadvantages of Project Organisation:a. The uncertainty may be attributed to the diverse backgrounds of the professional who are deputed to the project.

b. The project manager finds it difficult to motivate and control the staff in a traditional way in the absence of well-defined areas of responsibility lines of communication and criteria to judge performance.

c. Delay in completion of the project may occur.

d. Effective project management may also be hindered by the top management who may not be wholly are of the problems at the project centre.

5.MATRIX ORGANISATIONAccording to Stanley Davis and Paul Lawrence matrix organisation is “any organisation that employs a multiple command system that includes not only the multiple command structure, but also related support mechanism and an associated organisational culture and behaviour pattern.”

A matrix organisation, also referred to as the “multiple command system” has two chains of command. One chain of command is functional in which the flow of authority is vertical.The second chain is horizontal depicted by a project team, which is led by the project, or group manager who is an expert in his team’s assigned area of specialisation.

Since the matrix structure integrates the efforts of functional and project authority, the vertical and horizontal lines of authority are combination of the authority flows both down and across. The matrix form of organisation is given below.

-Advantages of Matrix Organisation:a. Since there is both vertical and horizontal communication it increases the coordination and this coordination leads to greater and more effective control over operations.

b. Since the matrix organisation is handling a number of projects, available resources will be used fully.

c. It focuses the organisational resources on the specified projects, thus enabling better planning and control.

d. It is highly flexible as regards adherence to rules, procedures etc. Here experience is the best guide to establishing rules and procedures.

e. As any department or division has to harness its effort towards accomplishment of a single project, employees are effectively motivated.

-Disadvantages of Matrix Organisation:

a. Since, there is more than one supervisor for each worker, it causes confusion and conflicts and reduce effective control.

b. There is continuous communication both vertically as well horizontally, which increases paper work and costs.

c. It is difficult to achieve a balance below on the projects technical and administrative aspects

Q 4- DEFINE SELECTION. WHAT IS THE PROCESS OF SELECTION?ANS 4-

MEANING OF SELECTIONThe Selection is the process of choosing the most suitable candidate for the vacant position in the organization. In other words, selection means weeding out unsuitable applicants and selecting those individuals with prerequisite qualifications and capabilities to fill the jobs in the organization.

Most often, the selection and recruitment are used interchangeably but however both have different scope. The former is a negative process that rejects as many unqualified applicants as possible so as to hire the right candidate while the latter is a positive process that attracts more and more candidates and stimulates them to apply for the jobs.

Finding the interested candidates who have submitted their profiles for a particular job is the process of recruitment, and choosing the best and most suitable candidates among them is the process of selection. It results in elimination of unsuitable candidates. It follows scientific techniques for the appropriate choice of a person for the job.

Stone defines, ‘Selection is the process of differentiating between applicants in order to identify (and hire) those with a greater likelihood of success in a job’.

PROCESS OF SELECTIONA scientific and logical selection procedure leads to scientific selection of candidates. The criterion finalized for selecting a candidate for a particular job varies from company to company. The procedure for selection should be systematic so that it does not leave any scope for confusions and doubts about the choice of the selected candidate

Brief details of the various steps in selection procedure are given as follows:

1. Inviting applications:The prospective candidates from within the organization or outside the organization are called for applying for the post. Detailed job description and job specification are provided in the advertisement for the job. It attracts a large number of candidates from various areas.

2. Receiving applications:Detailed applications are collected from the candidates which provide the necessary information about personal and professional details of a person. These applications facilitate analysis and comparison of the candidates.

3. Scrutiny of applications:As the limit of the period within which the company is supposed to receive applications ends, the applications are sorted out. Incomplete applications get rejected; applicants with un-matching job specifications are also rejected.

4. Written tests:As the final list of candidates becomes ready after the scrutiny of applications, the written test is conducted. This test is conducted for understanding the technical knowledge, attitude and interest of the candidates. This process is useful when the number of applicants is large.

Many times, a second chance is given to candidates to prove themselves by conducting another written test.

5. Psychological tests:These tests are conducted individually and they help for finding out the individual quality and skill of a person. The types of psychological tests are aptitude test, intelligence test, synthetic test and personality test

6. Personal interview:Candidates proving themselves successful through tests are interviewed personally. The interviewers may be individual or a panel. It generally involves officers from the top management.

The candidates are asked several questions about their experience on another job, their family background, their interests, etc. They are supposed to describe their expectations from the said job. Their strengths and weaknesses are identified and noted by the interviewers which help them to take the final decision of selection.

7. Reference check:Generally, at least two references are asked for by the company from the candidate. Reference check is a type of crosscheck for the information provided by the candidate through their application form and during the interviews.

8. Medical examination:Physical strength and fitness of a candidate is must before they takes up the job. In-spite of good performance in tests and interviews, candidates can be rejected on the basis of their ill health.

9. Final selection:At this step, the candidate is given the appointment letter to join the organization on a particular date. The appointment letter specifies the post, title, salary and terms of employment. Generally, initial appointment is on probation and after specific time period it becomes permanent.

10. Placement:This is a final step. A suitable job is allocated to the appointed candidate so that they can get the whole idea about the nature of the job. They can get adjusted to the job and perform well in future with all capacities and strengths.

 

Q5- Explain:(i) Training need analysis(ii) On-the-job & off-the-job training methods

Ans 5 (i) meaning of training need anlysis

 Training Needs Analysis (TNA) is the process in which the company identifies training and development needs of its employees so that they can do their job effectively. It involves a complete analysis of training needs required at various levels of the organisation. Technology is changing at a very fast pace and so are the training and development needs of employees. It helps in grooming employees for the next level. It helps the manager to identify key development areas of his/her employees. With proper training and development, the productivity increases manifold.  

Various companies have in-house experts who can train employees on various aspects of the business. Normally, a calendar is worked out in advance in which various sessions are listed out and which employees can pick their business requirement to enhance personal development needs.  At times companies also send employees for various training programs outside the organisation to train in technical know-how or a course which would be relevant to their job profile. TNA is usually part of the appraisal process and at the end of the year an employee has to complete all the training and development needs identified by the manager. 

Firstly, the managers need to identify what skill set is required to complete the job or the process. Second, is to assess existing skill levels of the team members, and lastly, determine the training gap.  

Training needs analysis is a systematic process of understanding training requirements. It is conducted at three stages - at the level of organisation, individual and the job, each of which is called as the organisational, individual and job analysis. Once these analyses are over, the results are collated to arrive upon the objectives of the training program.

1.Organisational Analysis

The organisational analysis is aimed at short listing the focus areas for training within the organisation and the factors that may affect the same. Organisational mission, vision, goals, people inventories, processes, performance data are all studied. The study gives cues about the

kind of learning environment required for the training. Motorola and IBM for example, conduct surveys every year keeping in view the short term and long term goals of the organisation.

2.Job Analysis

The job analysis of the needs assessment survey aims at understanding the ‘what’ of the training development stage. The kind of intervention needed is what is decided upon in the job analysis. It is an objective assessment of the job wherein both the worker oriented - approach as well as the task - oriented approach is taken into consideration. The worker approach identifies key behaviours and asks for a certain job and the task - oriented approach identifies the activities to be performed in a certain job. The former is useful in deciding the intervention and the latter in content development and program evaluation.

3.Individual Analysis

As evident from the name itself, the individual analysis is concerned with who in the organisation needs the training and in which particular area. Here performance is taken out from the performance appraisal data and the same is compared with the expected level or standard of performance. The individual analysis is also conducted through questionnaires, 360 feedback, personal interviews etc. Likewise, many organisation use competency ratings to rate their managers; these ratings may come from their subordinates, customers, peers, bosses etc. Apart from the above mentioned organisations also make use of attitude surveys, critical Incidents and Assessment surveys to understand training needs which will be discussed in detail in other articles

(II) Training methods: on job training and off the job training methods:A large variety of methods of training are used in business. Even within one organization different methods are used for training different people. All the methods are divided into two classifications for:

A. On-the-job training methods:Under these methods new or inexperienced employees learn through observing peers or managers performing the job and trying to imitate their behavior. These methods do not cost much and are less disruptive as employees are always on the job, training is given on the same machines and experience would be on already approved standards, and above all the trainee is learning while earning. Some of the commonly used methods are:

1. Coaching:Coaching is a one-to-one training. It helps in quickly identifying the weak areas and tries to focus on them. It also offers the benefit of transferring theory learning to practice. The biggest problem is that it perpetrates the existing practices and styles. In India most of the scooter mechanics are trained only through this method.

2. Mentoring:The focus in this training is on the development of attitude. It is used for managerial employees. Mentoring is always done by a senior inside person. It is also one-to- one interaction, like coaching.

3. Job Rotation:It is the process of training employees by rotating them through a series of related jobs. Rotation not only makes a person well acquainted with different jobs, but it also alleviates boredom and allows to develop rapport with a number of people. Rotation must be logical.

4. Job Instructional Technique (JIT):It is a Step by step (structured) on the job training method in which a suitable trainer (a) prepares a trainee with an overview of the job, its purpose, and the results desired, (b) demonstrates the task or the skill to the trainee, (c) allows the trainee to show the demonstration on his or her own, and (d) follows up to provide feedback and help. The trainees are presented the learning material in written or by learning machines through a series called ‘frames’. This method is a valuable tool for all educators (teachers and trainers). It helps us:

a. To deliver step-by-step instructionb. To know when the learner has learnedc. To be due diligent (in many work-place environments)

5. Apprenticeship:Apprenticeship is a system of training a new generation of practitioners of a skill. This method of training is in vogue in those trades, crafts and technical fields in which a long period is required for gaining proficiency. The trainees serve as apprentices to experts for long periods. They have to work in direct association with and also under the direct supervision of their masters.

The object of such training is to make the trainees all-round craftsmen. It is an expensive method of training. Also, there is no guarantee that the trained worker will continue to work in the same organisation after securing training. The apprentices are paid remuneration according the apprenticeship agreements.

6. Understudy:In this method, a superior gives training to a subordinate as his understudy like an assistant to a manager or director (in a film). The subordinate learns through experience and observation by participating in handling day to day problems. Basic purpose is to prepare subordinate for assuming the full responsibilities and duties.

B. OFF-THE-JOB TRAINING METHODS:Off-the-job training methods are conducted in separate from the job environment, study material is supplied, there is full concentration on learning rather than performing, and there is freedom of expression. Important methods include:

1. Lectures and Conferences:Lectures and conferences are the traditional and direct method of instruction. Every training programme starts with lecture and conference. It’s a verbal presentation for a large audience. However, the lectures have to be motivating and creating interest among trainees. The speaker must have considerable depth in the subject. In the colleges and universities, lectures and seminars are the most common methods used for training.

2. Vestibule Training:Vestibule Training is a term for near-the-job training, as it offers access to something new (learning). In vestibule training, the workers are trained in a prototype environment on specific jobs in a special part of the plant.

An attempt is made to create working condition similar to the actual workshop conditions. After training workers in such condition, the trained workers may be put on similar jobs in the actual workshop.

This enables the workers to secure training in the best methods to work and to get rid of initial nervousness..

3. Simulation Exercises:Simulation is any artificial environment exactly similar to the actual situation. There are four basic simulation techniques used for imparting training: management games, case study, role playing, and in-basket training.

(a) Management Games:Properly designed games help to ingrain thinking habits, analytical, logical and reasoning capabilities, importance of team work, time management, to make decisions lacking complete information, communication and leadership capabilities. Use of management games can encourage novel, innovative mechanisms for coping with stress.

(b) Case Study:Case studies are complex examples which give an insight into the context of a problem as well as illustrating the main point. Case Studies are trainee centered activities based on topics that demonstrate theoretical concepts in an applied setting.

A case study allows the application of theoretical concepts to be demonstrated, thus bridging the gap between theory and practice, encourage active learning, provides an opportunity for the development of key skills such as communication, group working and problem solving, and increases the trainees” enjoyment of the topic and hence their desire to learn.

(c) Role Playing:Each trainee takes the role of a person affected by an issue and studies the impacts of the issues on human life and/or the effects of human activities on the world around us from the perspective of that person.

It emphasizes the “real- world” side of science and challenges students to deal with complex problems with no single “right” answer and to use a variety of skills beyond those employed in a typical research project.

In particular, role-playing presents the student a valuable opportunity to learn not just the course content, but other perspectives on it. The steps involved in role playing include defining objectives, choose context & roles, introducing the exercise, trainee preparation/research, the role-play, concluding discussion, and assessment. Types of role play may be multiple role play, single role play, role rotation, and spontaneous role play.

(d) In-basket training:In-basket exercise, also known as in-tray training, consists of a set of business papers which may include e-mail SMSs, reports, memos, and other items. Now the trainer is asked to prioritize the decisions to be made immediately and the ones that can be delayed.

4. Sensitivity Training:Sensitivity training is also known as laboratory or T-group training. This training is about making people understand about themselves and others reasonably, which is done by developing in them social sensitivity and behavioral flexibility. It is ability of an individual to sense what others feel and think from their own point of view.

It reveals information about his or her own personal qualities, concerns, emotional issues, and things that he or she has in common with other members of the group. It is the ability to behave suitably in light of understanding.

Sensitivity training Program comprises three steps:

5. Transactional Analysis:It provides trainees with a realistic and useful method for analyzing and understanding the behavior of others. In every social interaction, there is a motivation provided by one person and a reaction to that motivation given by another person.

This motivation reaction relationship between two persons is known as a transaction. Transactional analysis can be done by the ego (system of feelings accompanied by a related set of behaviors states of an individual).

(i) Child:It is a collection of recordings in the brain of an individual of behaviors, attitudes, and impulses which come to him/her naturally from his/her own understanding as a child. The characteristics of this ego are to be spontaneous, intense, unconfident, reliant, probing, anxious, etc. Verbal clues that a person is operating from its child state are the use of words like “I guess”, “I suppose”, etc. and non verbal clues like, giggling, coyness, silent, attention seeking etc.

(ii) Parent:It is a collection of recordings in the brain of an individual of behaviors, attitudes, and impulses imposed on her in her childhood from various sources such as, social, parents, friends, etc.The characteristics of this ego are to be overprotective, isolated, rigid, bossy, etc. Verbal clues that a person is operating from its parent states are the use of words like, always, should, never, etc and non-verbal clues such as, raising eyebrows, pointing an accusing finger at somebody, etc.

(iii) Adult:It is a collection of reality testing, rational behaviour, decision making, etc. A person in this ego state verifies, updates the reaction which she has received from the other two states. It is a shift from the taught and felt concepts to tested concepts.

“Section B”

CASE STUDYABC organization recruited twelve new employees. On the first day, the HR manager addressed the new recruits and explained to them about the company's operations, various facilities offered by the company, The dress code to be followed by employees and the behavior expected of them. Then each new employee introduced himself/herself to the group. The induction program lasted till lunch. After lunch, the employees were taken on a guided tour in a company van to all the units of the company. The new employees were not assigned any work or given any training for the first two days and were encouraged to get to know one another, and informally learn about the company and its philosophy. On the first day, the employees were very formal and polite to each other. They exchanged their names and information about each other's educational background and previous work experience. On the second day, they discussed their views on various issues - national politics, international politics, social problems, changes in technology, pollution, and business ethics and so on. If any person made any statement on any issue, the people who agreed with him spoke in his support. Most of the people who disagreed with him did not speak out. Even if they expressed their disagreement, they did not do it in a forceful manner and avoided arguments. After two days, the new employees were given training for a week and then they were assigned job duties and responsibilities. As they began to work, interaction among them increased. Some employees fanned sub-groups. If differences in opinions arose on any issue, employees argued vehemently and were supported by their sub-group. After a few months, the employees became familiar with their work. They also realized the importance of cooperation and coordination in getting the work done smoothly. The employees also learnt the importance of listening. They tried to listen to their colleagues' views and understand their point of view. Therefore, the frequency of violent arguments reduced and the work environment improved. Each member of the group was able to express his views openly. The group took decisions-only after considering the opinions of all the members. Since everybody participated in decision- making and planning, the group had little difficulty in implementation. The group completed any project assigned to it successfully. 

Question 1 - What is the type of group described in the above case? How the group developed in ABC?Question 2- Does organizational orientation helps in employees’ cooperation? Explain how?