Ms-23 Question bank (12)
Ms-23 Question bank
Ms-23 june 2011
Written by sales@mbaonlinepapers.com sales@mbaonlinepapers.comMS-23 june-2011
MS-23 : HUMAN RESOURCE PLANNING
1. Briefly describe various forecasting techniques. Explain how these techniques are being used in human resource planning with suitable examples.
2. Explain the concept of job analysis. Briefly describe various steps in the job analysis process.
3. Discuss the objectives and uses of the performance appraisal system. Briefly describe M.B.O as the methods of performance appraisal and its merits and demerits.
4. Explain the concept of HR Audit. Describe various essential steps in Auditing process.
5. Write short notes on any three of the following :
(a) Job - evaluation.
(b) HR I.S.
(c) Succession planning.
(d) Induction training.
(e) Competency mapping.
6. Read the following case and answer the questions given at the end.
Popat Engineering Company was a large heavy-engineering unit. It attached great importance to the recruitment and training of its senior supervisors. Apart from selecting them from within the organization, the company recruited, every alternate year, about ten young engineering graduates and offered them training for a period of two years, before they were appointed as senior supervisors. Such appointments were made to about 40 per cent of the vacancies of senior supervisors that occurred in the organization. This was considered necessary by management as a planned programme of imparting vitality to the organization. Besides, many of the old-timers, who had risen from the ranks, did not possess the necessary academic background with the result that they could not keep pace with the technological changes. Management also believed that in the rapidly changing conditions of industry, a bank of technically competent supervisors played a pivotal role, besides serving as a pool from which to select future departmental
managers.
Engineering graduates were selected from amongst those who applied in response to an all-India advertisement. For the selection of one engineer, on an average, eight applicants were called for interview. A selection committee consisting of the General Manager, the Production Manager, the Personnel Manager and the Training Officer interviewed and selected the candidates. The selection interview was preceded by a written test and only those who secured 40 per cent marks qualified for interview. The engineers thus selected had to undergo a two -year intensive theoretical and practical
training. A well - staffed and equipped Training Institute was directly responsible for the training of the graduate engineers, besides training trade apprentices and operatives required by the company. Lectures on theoretical subjects were given at the Training Institute and practical training in all the works departments under the guidance of qualified and experienced instructors.
A few lectures by senior officers of the company were also arranged to acquaint them with the company policies on different matters. During the last quarter of their two -year training programme they were deputed to work full-time to familiarize themselves with the conditions in departments where they were to be absorbed eventually.
On successful completion of training, the graduate engineers were offered appointments, depending on their performance and aptitude as revealed during training. On placement in the works departments however, most of them faced some difficulty or the other.
According to management , some of the heads of departments„ who were themselves not
qualified engineers, did not have sufficient confidence in these younger men. They preferred the subordinates who came up horn the ranks to hold positions of responsibility. A few discredited them saving that it would take years before these youngsters could pick up the job. Besides, some of the employees, whose promotional
opportunities were adversely affected by the placement of graduate engineers, tried - their best to run down the latter as a class, sometimes working on the group feelings of the workers.
Some of the supervisors who were not graduate engineers also spoke derisively of them as "the blue-eyed boys" of the organization. Management knew that many of the graduate engineers were not utilized according to their Capacity or training, nor was any attempt made to test or develop their potentialities. They also knew that many of the graduate engineers were, therefore, dissatisfied with their work life. Some of them who did not get equal promotional opportunities as their colleagues placed in other departments, were looking for better jobs elsewhere.
On the other hand, according to management, the young graduate engineers were themselves partly responsible for the hostile attitude of others in the organization. Some of them failed to appreciate that a newcomer invited hostility in the beginning and it took time before he was accepted as a member of the work-group. They did not realize that they would be fully productive only after gaining about five to seven years' experience in the organization. A few thought that they belonged to a superior cadre and threw their weight around. They did not bother to understand and appreciate the problems of the rank - and - file of employees who worked. under them.
In spite of these drawbacks, the General Manager of the company felt that these men were a set of disciplined supervisors. They had a sense of pride in their profession, and with the extensive training they had received, they would be able to take up any responsible position in the organization in course of time.
The General Manager could not allow the situation to continue especially when it was a
difficult and costly process to recruit and train young engineering graduates of the requisite type and calibre. He knew that the prosperity of the company, to a large extent, depended on these young men. In addition, a large number of lucrative employment opportunities were available to these young engineers elsewhere and there was a systematic raid on them. He, therefore, called a meeting of all heads of departments to review the situation.
Questions :
(a) Identify the issues related to manpower planning as evident in the case.
(b) Discuss the strategies to tackle the percentage of internal promotion at the
organizational level.
(c) What type of additional training programmes should be imparted for direct
entrants ?
(d) Suppose you are the head of the personnel division, what would be your suggestions in the meeting, which has been called by the General Manger ?
Ms-23 dec 2008
Written by sales@mbaonlinepapers.com sales@mbaonlinepapers.comMS-23 Dec, 2008
MS-23 : HUMAN RESOURCE PLANNING
1. Define and discuss the objectives of Human Resource Planning. Describe Pianning Processes of Human Resource Planning.
2. Explain the concept of job evaluation and discuss any two methods adopted to conduct the process citing suitable examples.
3. Discuss the purpose and process of recruitment function. Explain methods of recruiting manpower with the help of illustration.
4. What are the main features of Human Resource Information System (HRIS) in an organisation ? Discuss the usage and advantages of HRIS.
5.Write short notes on any three of the following :
(a) Succession planning
(b) Competency mapping
(c) HR inventory
(d) Interview
(e) Demand forecasting
6. Read the case given below and answer the questions given at the end :
The following is a memorandum from the Managing Director of National Audio Clubs Limited (NAC) to the Chairman of the Planning Committee of which the Personnel Manager is a member.
There is a need for NAC to adopt a more formal approach to manpower planning. We have been going through a period of explosive growth and this shows no real sign of slackening. The problem we have always faced and are still facing is the difficulty of making accurate forecasts in the fluid, indeed volatile, environment in which we operate. But we must find a way of overcoming this problem in order to achieve four main aims : to obtain forecasts of manpower costs for budgeting purposes; to determine, as accurately as we can, future requirements so that we can plan the necessary recruitment and training programmes to fulfil them; to ensure that we are making the most effective and economical use of our key resource - manpower
Full case not available
Questions :
(a) What are the main contents of the memorandum empha sized ?
(b) \A/hat indicators are highlighted in the data provided by the MD ?
(c) Discuss the justification of the action
required.
(d) As HR Manager, what advice would you give to the planningcommittee on
how to tackle this manpower planning task ?
Ms-23 dec 2009
Written by sales@mbaonlinepapers.com sales@mbaonlinepapers.comMS-23 Dec, 2009
MS-23 : HUMAN RESOURCE PLANNING
1. Why Human Resource Planning is important ? Describe the planning process.
2. What is job analysis ? Explain various steps involved in job analysis.
3. Define and discuss the objectives of performance appraisal. Briefly discuss the various methods of performance appraisal.
4. Explain the concept of HR Audit. Describe the essential steps in HR Auditing process.
5. Write short notes on any three of the following :
a) Demand Forecasting
b) HR Inventory
c) Succession Planning
d) Potential Appraisal
(e) Competency Mapping
6. Read the following case and answer the questions given at the end.
Abraham Kurien was confused, distracted, and worried. A day earlier, he had been called for a chat with Sanat Sharma, the finance director of the Rs. 2,000-crore Gitane Steel Ltd. (GSL). Apparently, Kurien's transfer had been finalised. He was to hand over charge of the corporate funds management function in Mumbai by the end of the month and take over as the commercial controller of GSL's Bhilai (Madhya Pradesh) plant. Unfortunately, the prospect hardly pleased Kurien. Liberalisation was revolutionizing corporate finance, and he was loath to lose contact with the world of finance at this exciting juncture. Kurien had already proved his mettle during his two years as a finance trainee with GSL.
In fact, Kurien wondered if his transfer to Bhilai —and to another function—wasn't a
strategic brake that GSL's top management team was applying on his mobility. While GSL's job rotation programme was viewed positively by most managers, several employees felt dissatisfied because of the perceived erosion of their specialist skills. Like
Kurien, who while believing that job rotation was a valuable means to building generalists within the organisation, felt that his own move to plant administration was not right for him. Kurien eventually decided to take up the job the Welbright Group had offered him and quit GSL.
Following his departure, a debate broke out within GSL about whether the incumbent commercial accountant at Bhilai should be shifted to corporate finance—as had been planned—or whether that move should wait until a replacement for Kurien could be found. Finally, it was decided that Vijayan Warrier from GSL's internal audit department would be moved to Bhilai as its commercial accountant. However, fresh complications arose. A B-school graduate and a cost accountant, Warrier had been in the internal audit department for three years. A manager in the M-3 grade, Warrier had a track record of excellent appraisals. While the move to Bhilai meant a promotion as the post was an M-2
grade position, Warrier was, in any case, due for a grade change that year. But as he had not acquired plant-level experience yet, GSL's Management Development Team (MDT) decided to transfer Warrier to Bhilai. Although he should have been pleased, Warrier opposed his transfer on the grounds that he was locationally-constrained.
Said Warrier, "I cannot leave Mumbai now. My son is in the middle of a school year and I cannot disrupt that. I have been through much agony to secure his admission and I am not going to give it up. Besides, my wife is a professional and I cannot expect her to move from place to place. The company feels the need for Wander to gain plant-level exposure. "Besides", said Kamath, "the Bhilai job entails a grade change.
Every finance person has to go through a stint at a plant and Bhilai is the best opportunity to gain all-round experience. Moreover, the corporate finance job has already been offered to someone else and there is no question of reversing that decision." Since there were so many personal issues at stake, Warrier was reluctant to accept the transfer.
When Warrier did not change his stand even the following week, GSL's MDT decided that Warrier should stay on in the internal audit department. But now, Warrier wondered if he had unwittingly grounded his chances of being promoted to the M-2 grade. While Kamath appreciated Warder's predicament, he said, "I guess Warrier will remain in the audit department. He must gain plant exposure either at the M-3 grade or in transit to the M-2 grade. But now, Warrier will have to wait till a suitable vacancy arises at our Thane plant, new Mumbai. Until then, his grade change is likely to be delayed." And that is exactly what happened. At the end of the year, Warrier was appraised as excellent. But he did not get promoted to the M-2 grade. Disappointed, Warrier asked: "Why have I not been promoted ? I have been in the M-3 level for close to four years now. My peers have moved up." Replied Dhananjay Puri, GSL's chief internal auditor. "The job at Bhilai was an M-2 job and I had timed your move there to coincide with your grade change. But how can I justify a promotion when you have not covered all the necessary milestones at the M-3 level ?" General Manager in GSL's HRD department pointed out Raj: "Your immobility has become a factor in your appraisal. While GSL isn't penalising you for immobility, your growth within the organisation does get retarded. As grades are earned through experience and the willingness to accept change, your promotions will get delayed. After all, they are a function of your having covered particular milestones during your tenure with the company." In other words, GSL's logic was that a manager could either consider a string of jobs or a career with GSL to climb the corporate ladder. But the latter meant falling in line with its management development plan. And one of the key tenets of the plan was that the company would not recruit directly for any of the M-1 grade positions; direct recruitment would take place only at the entry level and, in a few
cases, at the M-3 level. Other positions were open only to internal candidates because, GSL believed, they were key areas that needed experience and ingraining in its organisational culture. Said Kamath: "At any point of time, we are planning the careers of 300-odd managers. Our responsibility is to provide them with the necessary skills to emerge as GSL's vice-presidents, who will take over from those retiring. And their profile does not consist of just age and experience. It is a gradual understanding of GSL, its markets, its rivals, its strengths, its weaknesses. This is attained best through structured growth. Today, if GSL is a Rs. 2,000-crore company, with a 36 per cent share of the market, it is because the people at the helm have a tremendous feel for GSL’s business and have participated for years in shaping it.”
Questions :
a) Why was Kurien confused and worried ?
b) What are the merits and demerits of the company's job rotation programme ?
(c) Why did Kurien resign even after not being transferred ?
Ms-23 Question bank