HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

1ST INTERNAL EXAMINATION probable

I. Short Questions: Answer all (10x1=10)
1. What do you mean by HR strategy? How is it different from Business strategy?
HR strategy is a co-ordinated set of actions aimed at integrating an organisations
culture, organisation, people and system in order to get achieve the business goal.
Business strategy differs from HR strategy because , business strategy focuses on
achieving competitive advantage on a sustained basis. A business strategy is also the
means by which it sets out to achieve its desired ends (objectives).
2. Explain the difference between skill inventory and management inventory.
The analysis of employees data for non-managers is called skills inventories and in
case of management it is management inventories.
3. What is Delphi technique?
In this methods the estimated personnel needs done from group of experts.
4. What is job analysis?
Job analysis is the process of studying and collecting information relating to
operations and responsibilities of a specific job.
5. Write any two challenges faced by HR manager while aligning business strategy
with HR strategy.
Hire team player employees.
Workforce diversity
Succession planning
6. What is HR environment? State one external and internal environment factor.
Environment of HRM includes all those factors which have bearing on the functions
of HR department. these forces can be divided into two categories. External and
internal. External environment includes political-legal factors, technological factors
and internal environment includes union, strategy, leadership, and professional
bodies.
7. Differentiate between personnel management and human resource management.
Personnel management
HRM
The personnel management approach
The human resource approach gives
tends to attach much importance to
importance to values and mission.
The human resource philosophy holds
norms, customs and established
improved performance as the driver of
practices.
The personnel management approach
employee satisfaction, and devises
holds employee satisfaction as the key
strategies such as work challenges, team
to keeping employees motivated, and
work, and creativity to improve
institutes compensation, bonuses,
motivation.
rewards as possible motivators.

8. What is HRIS?
A HRIS, which is also known as a human resource information system or human
resource management system (HRMS), is basically an intersection of human
resources and information technology through HR software.
9. What is Markov Analysis?
This technique uses historical rates of promotions, transfer and turnover to estimate
future availabilities in the workforce. This model estimate the probability of transition
from one state to another based on past trends.
10. What is replacement chart?
Replacement chart is a forecasting technique used in succession planning to help
companies visualize key job roles, current employees and existing and future
vacancies.
11. Write two scope of HRM.
The word scope may refer to many different devices or viewing instruments,
constructed for many different purposes.
Personnel aspect: This is concerned with manpower planning, recruitment, selection,
placement, transfer, promotion, training and development, layoff and retrenchment,
remuneration, incentives, productivity etc.
Welfare aspect : It deals with working conditions and amenities such as canteens,
crches,
rest
and
lunchrooms, housing, transport, medical assistance, education, health and
safety,
recreation facilities, etc.
Industrial relations aspect : This covers union-management relations, joint
consultation, collective bargaining, grievance and disciplinary procedures, settlement
of disputes, etc.
12. What is the difference between horizontal fit and vertical fit?
1. horizontal fit: a congruence among the various HRM practices.
2. vertical fit: the alignment of HRM practices with strategic management process of
the firm
13. What is ratio-trend analysis?
The technique involves studying past ratios, say, between the number of
workers and sales in an organization and forecasting future ratios.

14. State the Difference between task, duty and responsibility.

Tasks: a task is an identifiable work activity carried out for a specific purpose.(typing
letter)
Duty: a duty is a larger work segment consisting of several tasks that are performed
by an individual. ( pick up, sort out and deliver incoming mail)
Job responsibility: it is an obligations to perform certain tasks and duties.
15. State two benefit of job analysis.
HRP: showing lateral and vertical relationship between jobs, it facilitates the
formulation of a systematic promotion and transfer.
Recruitment: Ex- analytical blend of mind- for the post equity analysist.

II. Short notes: Answer any two (2x5=10)

1. Objectives of HRM:
Organizational Objectives: To achieve efficiency and effectiveness. (through
control, co-ordinate and direction). Acquiring right man for the right job at right time
in right quantity, developing through right kind of training, utilizing the selected
workforce, and managing the selected workforce are the organizational objectives of
HRM. Example of Wipro: The Wipro company has three main objective.
to provide leadership to selected employee .
respond to issues of the current generation,
work toward building a good society for future generations.
Functional Objectives: to maintain the departments contribution at a level
appropriate to the organizations needs. Resources are wasted when HRM is either
more or less sophisticated to suit the organizations demands.
Personal Objectives: In todays world there is shortage of requisite talent.
Employees are encouraged by competitive firms to change the jobs. HRM has the
responsibility to acquire, develop, utilize, and manage the employees. This would be
possible only when the HRM helps employees to achieve their personal goals to get
their commitment. Creating work-life balance for the employees is a personal
objective.
Societal Objectives: Equal opportunity and equal pay for equal work are the legal
issues not to be violated. To help the society through generating employment
opportunity, creating schools and dispensaries, helping women empowerment are the
social responsibility issues.
2. Difference between job description and job specification
Job description:
It describe what the job is all about, throwing light on job content, environment and
condition of employment. The main purpose of writing a job description is to
differentiate the job from other jobs.
Contents: a job description usually covers the following information:
Job title: tells about the job title, code number and the department where it is done.
Job summary: a brief write-up about what the job is all about.
Job activities: a description of the task done, facilities used, extent of supervisory
help, etc.
Ex- Job description of sales manager at HUL
Delivering Sales targets through team of RSs in his territory
Delivering processes as per time line.
Communication of company policy to customers.
Tracking competition activities and reporting.
Job specification: Job specification summaries the human characteristic needed for
satisfactory job completion. It tries to describe the key qualifications someone needs

to perform the job successfully. It also spells out important attributes of a person in
terms of education, experience, skills, knowledge and abilities to perform a particular
job.
Ex- Job specification sales manager at HUL
Experience: 2-3 years
Location: Mumbai, Goa
Education: B.Pharm, B.Sc, MBA/PGDM
DEPARTMENT: CD-West-U1
Functional Area: sales
3. Methods of data collection in job analysis
Seven general techniques are generally used to collect job analysis data;
1. Job performance: the analyst actually performs the job in question
and
collects
the needed information.(experience the physical hazards, social demands, emotional
pressures and mental requirement.)
2. Personal observation: the analyst observes others doing the job and writes a summary.
3. Critical incidents: job incumbents describe several incidents relating to work,
based on past experience; the analyst collects, analyses and classifies data.
4. Interview: job incumbents and supervisors are interviewed to get the most essential
information about a job
5. Panel of experts: experienced people such as senior job incumbents
and
supervisors with good knowledge of the job asked to provide the information by
conducting group interview.
6. Diary method: job incumbents asked to maintain diaries or logs
of their daily
job activities and record the time spent and
nature of work carried out.
7. Questionnaire method: job incumbents approached through
a properly designed
questionnaire and asked to provide
details.
4. State any two method of supply forecasting.
After demand forecasting, the next logical step for the management is to determine
whether it will be able to procure the required number of personnel and the source of
such procurement.
Internal sources of supply: Here the technique generally used for the purpose are
Inflow and outflow:
Current personnel level - outflows+ inflows= internal supply of employees.
Turnover rate:
Turnover rate is the traditional and simple method of forecasting internal supply.
Stated mathematically, the turnover rate is
number of separation during one year
------------------------------------------------------- *100
Average number of employees during the year.
Condition of work and absenteeism:

Changes in conditions of work such as Normal weekly working, Over time

policy, Length and timing of holiday, Retirement policy, Shift system need to be
assessed. Absenteeism is understood a unauthorized absence from work. Sated
differently, it amounts to absenteeism when an employee is scheduled to work but
fails to report for duty. Mathematically, absenteeism is calculated thus:
Number of persons days lost
-----------------------------------------------* 100
Average number of persons * number of working days
Productivity level:
Any change in productivity would affect the number of persons required per unit
of output. So increase in productivity will reduce the employee requirement, and
decrease or same in productivity will increase the employee requirement.
Movement among job: some jobs are sources of personnel for other jobs.
Ex- 1. secretaries may be obtained by the promotion of word processors.
2. Branch manager can be obtained form section manger.
External sources of supply: External sources are important for specific reasons. New
blood and new experiences will be available. Organization needs to refill lost personnel.
For growth and diversification organization also needs talent employees from external
sources. Sources of external supply are colleges, universities, consultancies, employment
exchange.

III. Long Questions: Answer any one (1x10=10)

1

Human resource planning is viewed as foreseeing the human resource requirement

of an organization and supply of human resources. Justify with special emphasis on
need and objectives of human resource planning.
Refer to PPT for demand and supply forecasting techniques
Objectives of HRP:
Ensure adequate supply of manpower as and when required.
Ensure proper use of existing human resources in the organisation.
Forecast future requirements of human resources with different levels of skills.
Assess surplus or shortage, if any, of human resources available over a specified period of
time.
Anticipate the impact of technology on jobs and requirements for human resources.
Control the human resources already deployed in the organisation.
Provide lead time available to select and train the required additional human resource
over a specified time period.

According to Sikula the ultimate purpose/objective of human resource planning is to relate

future human resources to future enterprise need so as to maximise the future return on
investment in human resources.

Need of HRP:
The need for human resource planning in organisation is realised for the following reasons:

Despite growing unemployment, there has been shortage of human resources with
required skills, qualification and capabilities to carry on works. Hence the need for
human resource planning.
Large numbers of employees, who retire, die, leave organisations, or become
incapacitated because of physical or mental ailments, need to be replaced by the new
employees. Human resource planning ensures smooth supply of workers without
interruption.
Human resource planning is also essential in the face of marked rise in workforce
turnover which is unavoidable and even beneficial. Voluntary quits, discharges,
marriages, promotions and seasonal fluctuations in business are the examples of factors
leading to workforce turnover in organisations. These cause constant ebb and flow in the
work force in many organisations.
Technological changes and globalisation usher in change in the method of products and
distribution of production and services and in management techniques. These changes
may also require a change in the skills of employees, as well as change in the number of
employees required. It is human resource planning that enables organisations to cope with
such changes.
Human resource planning is also needed in order to meet the needs of expansion and
diversification programmes of an organisation.
The need for human resource planning is also felt in order to identify areas of surplus
personnel or areas in which there is shortage of personnel. Then, in case of surplus
personnel, it can be redeployed in other areas of organisation. Conversely, in case of
shortage of personnel, it can be made good by downsizing the work force.
What is human resource management? Explain the managerial and operative
functions of HRM.
Write the definition
Managerial functions:

The Human Resource Manager is a part of the organisational management. So he must perform
the basic managerial functions of planning, organising, directing and controlling in relation to his
department.
There functions are briefly discussed below:

1. Planning:

To get things done through the subordinates, a manager must plan ahead. Planning is necessary
to determine the goals of the organisation and lay down policies and procedures to reach the
goals. For a human resource manager, planning means the determination of personnel programs
that will contribute to the goals of the enterprise, i.e., anticipating vacancies, planning job
requirements, job descriptions and determination of the sources of recruitment.
The process of personnel planning involves three essential steps.

Firstly, a supply and demand forecast for each job category is made. This step requires
knowledge to both labour market conditions and the strategic posture and goals of the
organisation.

Secondly, net shortage and excess of personnel by job category are projected for a
specific time horizon.

Finally, plans are developed to eliminate the forecast shortages and excess of particular
categories of human resources.

2. Organizing:

Once the human resource manager has established objectives and developed plans and programs
to reach them, he must design and develop organisation structure to carry out the various
operations.
The organisation structure basically includes the following:
(i) Grouping of personnel activity logically into functions or positions;
(ii) Assignment of different functions to different individuals;
(iii) Delegation of authority according to the tasks assigned and responsibilities involved;
(iv) Co-ordination of activities of different individuals.
3. Directing:

The plans are to be pure into effect by people. But how smoothly the plans are implemented
depends on the motivation of people. The direction function of the personnel manager involves
encouraging people to work willingly and effectively for the goals of the enterprise. In other
words, the direction function is meant to guide and motivate the people to accomplish the
personnel programs. The personnel manager can motivate the employees in an organisation
through career planning, salary administration, ensuring employee morale, developing cordial
relationships and provision of safety requirements and welfare of employees.

4. Controlling:

Controlling is concerned with the regulation of activities in accordance with the plans, which in
turn have been formulated on the basis of the objectives of the organisation. Thus, controlling
completes the cycle and leads back to planning. It involves the observation and comparison of
results with the standards and correction of deviations that may occur.
2. Operative Functions:

The operative functions are those tasks or duties which are specifically entrusted to the human
resource or personnel department. These are concerned with employment, development,
compensation, integration and maintenance of personnel of the organisation.
The operative functions of human resource or personnel department are discussed below:
1. Employment:

The first operative function of the human resource of personnel department is the employment of
proper kind and number of persons necessary to achieve the objectives of the organisation. This
involves recruitment, selection, placement, etc. of the personnel.
Before these processes are performed, it is better to determine the manpower requirements both
in terms of number and quality of the personnel. Recruitment and selection cover the sources of
supply of labour and the devices designed to select the right type of people for various jobs.
Induction and placement of personnel for their better performance also come under the
employment or procurement function.
2. Development: Training and development of personnel is a follow up of the
employment function. It is a duty of management to train each employee property
to develop technical skills for the job for which he has been employed and also to
develop him for the higher jobs in the organisation. Proper development of
personnel is necessary to increase their skills in doing their jobs and in satisfying
their growth need. For this purpose, the personnel departments will device
appropriate training programs. There are several on- the-job and off-the-job
methods available for training purposes. A good training program should include a
mixture of both types of methods. It is important to point out that personnel
department arranges for training not only of new employees but also of old
employees to update their knowledge in the use of latest techniques.

3. Compensation: This function is concerned with the determination of adequate and equitable
remuneration of the employees in the organisation of their contribution to the organisational
goals. The personnel can be compensated both in terms of monetary as well as non-monetary
rewards.

4. Maintenance (Working Conditions and Welfare): These include measures

taken for health, safety, and comfort of the workforce. The personnel department
also provides for various welfare services which relate to the physical and social
well-being of the employees. These may include provision of cafeteria, rest rooms,
counseling, group insurance, education for children of employees, recreational
facilities, etc.
5. Motivation: Employees work in the organisation for the satisfaction of their
needs. In many of the cases, it is found that they do not contribute towards the
organisational goals as much as they can. This happens because employees are not
adequately motivated. The human resource manager helps the various
departmental managers to design a system of financial and non-financial rewards to
motivate the employees.
6. Personnel Records: The human resource or personnel department maintains the
records of the employees working in the enterprise. It keeps full records of their
training, achievements, transfer, promotion, etc. It also preserves many other
records relating to the behaviour of personnel like absenteeism and labour turnover
and the personnel programs and policies of the organisation.
7. Industrial Relations: The human resource manager can do a great deal in
maintaining industrial peace in the organisation as he is deeply associated with
various committees on discipline, labour welfare, safety, grievance, etc. He helps in
laying down the grievance procedure to redress the grievances of the employees.
He also gives authentic information to the trade union leaders and conveys their
views on various labour problems to the top management.
8. Separation: Since the first function of human resource management is to
procure the employees, it is logical that the last should be the separation and return
of that person to society. Most people do not die on the job. The organisation is
responsible for meeting certain requirements of due process in separation, as well
as assuring that the returned person is in as good shape as possible. The personnel
manager has to ensure the release of retirement benefits to the retiring personnel
in time.

What is HR strategy? Should HR strategy aligned with Business strategy in an

organization ? If yes, justify.
Write what is HR strategy. Write what is business strategy. Merge HR strategy with
business strategy an justify with suitable example given in ppt.