Q1 . Trace the phases of evolution of human resource management?

The historical background to the management techniques of human resources are in vogue since ancient times. Its only in the past 100 odd years that the techniques and study of human behavior at work has become formal and structured with certain basic practices established as core and a host of other practices left to each organization to design and implement as per their individual business driven practices. As per Fisher, Schonfeldt and Shaw, in their book titled Human Resources Management, they have characterized the history of HRM as having evolved through four broad phases, the Craft system, the scientific system, the human relations approach and the prevalent organizational science-human resources approach. The Craft system refers to early trends noticed in Egypt and Babylon, where skills based training was provided to people to ensure a steady flow of craftsmen required to build huge monuments. By the 13th century, subsequently the trend was noticed in Europe and later craft guilds evolved to ensure not only the skill acquisition but regulate the conditions of employment, level of skill and improved production techniques. Most relevant in the domestic industry where generations of skilled workers trained and became experts in a particular skill. The Scientific Management approach was a key part of the industrial revolution typical of the nineteenth and early twentieth century. It was instilled in the principles of mass production and organization of work simple work skills and supervisory/managerial skills. This rapidly emerged

as the assembly line approach to managing workflow, which later Fredrick Taylor (1856-1915) pioneered based on the philosophy that employees wanted to be used efficiently and money being the primary motivator. Over a period of time this was proved wrong as employee dissent grew and union issues surfaced. It was during this phase that employee welfare as a key HR practice emerged which redressed employee issues like recreational facilities, medical program and employee grievance systems. The Human Relations approach was an outcome of the famous studies undertaken by US social scientist Elton Mayo and Fritz Roethlisberger at the Western Electrics Hawthorne plant in Chicago. The Hawthorne Studies: As described in virtually every book written about management, the human relations or behavioral school of management began in 1927 with a group of studies conducted at the Hawthorne plant of Western Electric, an AT&T subsidiary. Curiously, these studies were prompted by an experiment carried out by the companys engineers between 1924 and 1932. Following the scientific management tradition, these engineers were applying research methods to answer job-related problems. Two groups were studied to determine the effects of different levels of illumination on worker performance. One group received increased illumination, while the other did not. A preliminary finding was that, when illumination was increased, the level of performance also increased. Surprisingly to the engineers, productivity also increased when the level of illumination was decreased almost to moonlight levels. One interpretation made of these results was that the employees involved in the experiment
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enjoyed being the centre of attention; they reacted positively because management cared about them. The reason for the increase in the production was not the physical but the psychological impact of the employees attitude towards the job and towards the company. Such a phenomenon taking place in any research setting is now called the Hawthorneeffect. As a result of these preliminary investigations, a team of researchers headed by Elton Mayo and F.J. Roethlisberger from Harvard conducted a lengthy series of experiments extending over a six year period. The conclusions they reached served as the bedrock of later developments in the human relations approach to management. Among their key findings were the following: Economic incentives are less potent than generally believed in influencing employees to achieve high levels of output. Leadership practices and work-group pressures profoundly influence employee satisfaction and performance. Any factor influencing employee behavior is embedded in a social system. For instance, to understand the impact of pay on performance, you also have to understand the climate that exists in the work group and the leadership style of the superior. Leadership Style and Practices: As a consequence of the Hawthorne Studies, worker attitudes, morale, and group influences became a concern of researchers. A notable development of the nature occurred shortly after World War II at the University of Michigan. A group of social scientists formed an organization, later to be called the Institute for Social Research, to study those principles of leadership that were associated with highest
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productivity. Finally the Organizational Sciences approach to human resources management has brought the focus to the scientific process within organizations that can impact employee experience, and less on just the individual. Todays organizations focus on building their processes and policies and compete to emerge as preferred employers (best employer). It is not uncommon for competing organizations to woo the employees through advertising more and better employee-friendly initiatives like workfrom-home jobs, careers for married couples, global work assignments and internal job postings and world class workplace infrastructures from incampus cricket grounds to gymnasiums for employee wellbeing. This is the HR that we now see around us. Q.2 Explain the various techniques and methods used in selecting employees. There is no shortcut to fair and accurate evaluation of a candidate. As mentioned earlier, the hiring procedures are therefore, generally long and multiple. Organizations are constantly evaluating the selections tools they use to hire and keep innovating to ensure they hire quality candidates. The following are popular methods commonly used: 1 Initial or preliminary interview 2 Application blank or blanks. 3 Check of references. 4 Skill / Psychological tests. 5 Employment interview

6 Approval by the manager. 7 Medical examination. 8 Induction or orientation. 1. Preliminary Interview: The more non-selective the recruitment programme, the more likely it is that a preliminary interview will be required. This initial interview is usually quite short and has as its object the elimination of the obviously unqualified. In many instances it is a overtelephone / short face-to-face interview conducted at a desk. The facts and impressions collected are of the type generally obtained in an initial interview. Many firms do not bother to initiate any paperwork at this early stage. If the applicant appears to have some chance of qualifying for existing job openings, he or she is given the application blank to complete. 2 Application Blank: An application blank is a traditional, widely accepted template for getting information from a prospective applicant. This enables the recruiter to qualify the candidate to the next level in the selection process and is used extensively subsequently during the selection process. The blank aids in the interview by indicating areas of interest and discussion. It is a good means of quickly collecting verifiable basic historical data from the candidate. It also is a excellent document to share with the manager and with the interviewers and is a useful device for storing information for, later reference. These templates generally carry information on biographical data, educational attainment, work experience, salary, personal items, and other items such as names and addresses of previous employers,references.

3 Check of References: The use of references is common in most selection procedures. It involves minimum of effort and time/money. The objective is to obtain evaluation of prior employers and professional colleagues, who have known the candidate in a professional capacity. Checks on references are made by mail or telephone, and occasionally in person, and by using a reference form.

4 Skill & Psychological Tests: The next step in the procedures outlined above is that of testing. The use of tests is common and most popular in the lower levels in an organization. It serves as a excellent qualifying criteria and in jobs that are dependent on a skill or a specific competency it is very useful. The objectivity of the test results make it especially popular and a fair assessment of the individual. Most organizations do not use psychological tests. However, there is a direct relationship between the size and firm and the use of such tests in hiring. Most of the larger companies that can afford to have a more detailed and accurate selection procedure do utilize some form of employment testing. It is the smaller company that frequently does not bother with tests, but places greater reliance upon the interview.

5 Interviewing: Interviewing is probably the most widely used single method of selection. A substantial amount of subjectivity, and therefore, unreliability, is to be expected from interviewing when used as a tool of evaluation. The interview consists of interaction between interviewer and applicant. If handled properly, it can be a powerful technique in achieving accurate information and getting access to material otherwise unavailable.
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Organizations aware of the challenges of using interviews have come up with a variety of ways to overcome the subjectivity. The use of multiple rounds of interview (even upto 8-10 rounds) and use of panel interviews are some common work-around. Four kinds of interviews for selection have been identified. These are: a. Preliminary interview: These interviews are preliminary screening of applicants to decide whether a more detailed interview will be worthwhile. The applicant is given job details during the interview to afford him freedom to decide whether the job will suit him. This method saves the companys time and money. b. Stress interview: Stress interviews are deliberate attempts to create pressure to observe how an applicant performs under stress. Methods used to induce stress range from frequent interruptions and criticism of an applicants opinion, to keeping silent for an extended period of time. The most important advantage of the stress interview is that helps to demonstrate important personality characteristics which would be difficult to observe in tension-free situations. However, stress-inducing must be done carefully by trained and skilled interviewers. c. Depth interview: Depth interviews cover the complete life history of the applicant and include such areas as the candidates work experience, academic qualifications, health interest, and hobbies. It is an excellent method for executive selection, performed by qualified human resources. d. Patterned interview: Patterned interviews are a combination of direct and indirect questioning of the applicant. The interviewer has certain clues and guidelines to areas which should be probed deeply and the interview also encourages the candidate to express the relevant information freely.
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After the patterned interview is complete, the interviewer should evaluate the candidate on the basis of practical experience. According to R.N. McCurry and others, certain factors lead to accurate predictions of the candidates suitability for a particular position. The factors are: (1) basic character traits, (2) motivation, and (3) emotional maturity. One advantage of a patterned interview is that systematic and chronological information is obtained, and hence this yields to statistical analysis. 6. Approval by the Manager: Following the outlined procedure, we should now be of the opinion that a candidate who has successfully completed all steps so far should be hired. In executing the recruitment unit screening functions, the emphasis tends to be more on formal qualifications and general suitability. When the manager takes over, the emphasis tends to switch toward more specifically job oriented worker characteristics such as training and relevant past experience. 7. Medical Examination: The medical examination is an employment step found in most businesses. It can vary from a very comprehensive examination and matching of an applicants physical capabilities to job requirements to a simple check of general physical appearance and wellbeing. In the selection procedure the physical examination has at least three basic objectives. First, it serves to ascertain the applicants physical capabilities. The second objective of the examination is to protect the company against unwarranted claims under workers compensation laws, or against lawsuits for damages. And the final objective is to prevent communicable diseases from entering organization.

8 Induction: Induction is concerned with introducing or orienting a new employee to the organization. Organizations could have induction programs of duration of 1-3 days and even up to 1/3/6 months. Common objectives of an Induction program can be listed as covering: 1. Overview of the organization, its history, its heros and important stories in the life of the firm so far like mergers, acquisitions, JVs, expansion in new countries etc 2. Organization Vision / Mission and Objectives statement, its structure, hierarchy of the top and the senior management, structure of the teams/divisions, focus on the division the employee/s is/are joining 3. Overview of the HR policies and processes and introduction to the Facilities team, IT team and other relevant teams per the location of joining. 4. Handover to the manager and induction at a team level on specificities related to the job and its responsibilities. Organizations also build processes by which the new employee provides feedback on the on boarding experience and use this information to improve the Induction process. In as much as various firms report that over half of their voluntary resignations occur within the first 6 months, proper orientation can do much to reduce this problem and its accompanying costs. Q.3. A company is being set up by a group of 3 professionals. The business objective is to sell mobile phones of a Chinese company which has come up with an inexpensive range of handset ranging from Rs.1200 to Rs.7000. They need to submit a human resource plan to their investors. Explain the process of Human Resource planning

system for this company, which covers all important steps needed for HRP? Human resource or manpower planning is the process by which a management determines how an organization should move from its current manpower position to its desired manpower position. Through planning, a management strives to have the right number and the right kind of people at the right places, at the right time, to do things which result in both the organization and the individual receiving the maximum long-range benefit". The organizations business plan to invest in a particular product/market or a service will drive the HRP activity towards hiring to meet the business need. In the event an organization is divesting or shutting down a particular business unit or a manufacturing division the HRP activities would focus on the redeployment of the workforce that will be rendered unemployed as a result of the business decision. An organization wanting to retain its current market share and revenue projection at status quo would be supported by HRP activities that are limited to only filling positions falling vacant due to natural organizational attrition. Hence the HRP focus in a organizations is closely linked to the business plan and acts as a bridge between what an organization wishes to achieve and how it will go about achieving it w.r.t. the human resources requirements. The scope of HRP is futuristic in nature and usually runs parallel to the annual business planning exercise. It commences prior to the start of the companys new financial year. For example if the business year for a company runs April to March. The business planning and the HR planning activities for the New Year beginning in April is usually completed and in
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place by the 1st week of April. Once the HR plan is in place it is broken up into a quarterly or even a monthly plan which then is the input for the recruitment team to go and hire accordingly. Steps in Human Resource Planning: The Human Resource Planning process consists of a set of activities,viz. a) Forecasting manpower requirements, either by using mathematical tools to project trends in the economic environment and development in industry, or in by using simple judgmental estimates based on the specific future business plans of the company. b) Creating an inventory of present manpower resources and assessing the extent to which these resources are employed/ optimally. c) Identifying manpower problems by projecting present resources into the future to determine their adequacy, both quantitatively and qualitatively. d) Planning the necessary programmes of requirement selection, training, development, utilization, transfer, promotion, motivation and compensation to ensure that future manpower requirements are properly met. Thus, it will be noted that manpower planning consists in projecting future manpower requirements and developing manpower plans for the implementation of the projections.

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Q.4 Explain Thayer and McGhee Assessment of training requirement model. Training indicates any process by which the aptitudes, skills and abilities of employees to perform specific jobs are increased. The purpose of Training is to acquire Intellectual Knowledge, Manual Skills and Problem Solving Skills. Employee training tries to improve skills, or add to the existing level of knowledge so that the employee is better equipped to do his present job, or to prepare him for a higher position with increased responsibilities. Training Needs Identification: Training could be a useful aid in improving the transformation process that takes place in an organization in terms of the processing of inputs to outputs. Training is related to both organization and an individual in terms of acquiring or imparting knowledge with respect to diversification of product lines, new technology or equipment installed. Methods of identifying training needs are 1. Views of the line manager 2. Performance appraisal 3. Company and departmental plans 4. Views of training manager 5. Analysis of job difficulties. Thayer and McGhee model identifies training requirement based on three factors:
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1. Organization analysis 2. Task analysis 3. Man analysis 1. Total Organization Analysis: Total Organization Analysis is a systematic effort to understand exactly where training effort needs to be emphasized in an organization. It involves a detailed analysis of the organization structure, objectives, human resources and future plans, and an understanding of its culture. Organizational Analysis involves achieving a clear understanding of both short- run and long-run Goals. For an organization analysis, there are three essential requirements: a. An adequate number of personnel available to ensure fulfillment of the business operation; b. That personnel performance is up to the required standard; c. That the working environment in their units/departments is conducive to fulfillment of tasks. In order to ensure the first two requirements a human resource inventory needs to be made. Data regarding positions, qualifications, vacancies, replacements and training time required for replacements have to be worked out. Job standards must also be worked out. Various efficiency and productivity indexes, or ratios such a productivity ratios, cost per unit etc, can be worked out to determine not only efficiency but also adequacy, in terms of under-manning or over-manning, of the workforce.

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In analyzing the organization climate, both direct and indirect methods could be used. 2. Task Analysis : This activity entails a detailed examination of a job, its components, its various operations and the conditions under which it has to be performed. The focus here is on the "task" itself, rather than on the individual and the training required to perform it. Analysis of the job and its various components will indicate the skills and training required to perform the job at the required standard. Standard of Performance: Every job has an expected standard of performance. Unless such standards are attained, not only will interrelated jobs suffer, If the standards set for the performance of a job are known, then it is possible to know whether the job is being performed at the desired level of output or not. Knowledge of the "task" will help in understanding what skills, knowledge and attitudes an employee should have.
Methods: If an employee is asked to perform a job, the exact components of

the job and the standard of performance must be known. Task analysis entails not merely a simple listing of the various job components, but also of the relatively critical nature of the various subtasks. Conventional methods of job analysis are usually suitable for task analysis. They are: 1. Literature review regarding the job. 2. Job performance. 3. Job observation, 4. Data Collection regarding job interviews. 3. Man Analysis
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Man analysis is the third component in identifying training needs. The focus of man analysis is on the individual employee, his abilities, and the inputs required for job performance, or individual growth and development in terms of career planning. Man analysis helps to identify whether the individual employee requires training and if so, what kind of is training. Clues to training needs can come from an analysis of an individual's or a group's typical behaviour. The primary sources of such information are: a. Observation at place or work, examination of job schedules, quantum of spoilage, wastage, and clues about interpersonal relations of the employees; b. Interviews with superiors and employees; c. Comparative studies of good vs. poor employees, to identify differences, skills and training gaps; d. Personnel records; e. Production reports; f. Review of literature regarding the job and machines used. Job knowledge tests, work sampling and diagnostic psychological tests also provide information about employees. Q.5 Write short notes on: * Succession Planning: Succession planning is a process for identifying and developing internal personnel with the potential to fill key or critical organizational positions. Succession planning ensures the availability of experienced and capable

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employees that are prepared to assume these roles as they become available. * Succession planning accelerates the transition of qualified employees from individual contributors to managers and leaders. * Succession planning prepares current employees to undertake key roles Develops talent and long-term growth. * Improves workforce capabilities and overall performance * Improves employee commitment and therefore retention * Meets the career development requirements of existing employees * Improves support to employees throughout their employment, Counters the increasing difficulty of recruiting employees externally, Focuses on leadership continuity and improved knowledge sharing, Provides more effective monitoring and tracking of employee proficiency levels and skill gaps. Succession planning is a necessary part of an organizations ability to reduce risk, create a proven leadership model, smooth business continuity and improve staff morale. * Career Planning: A career is the job that a person holds during his life time. Career path is the sequential pattern of jobs that form a career. Career goals refer to the future position one tries to hold. Career planning is the process by which one selects career goals and the path to these goals. With the rise in industrial growth career planning has assumed greater significant. Rapid improvement in planning provides suitable promotional opportunities. Employee placement is corrected and dissatisfaction and turnover is reduced. Organization can make better use of managerial talents. Career
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planning improves motivation and morale. Effective career planning needs proper study and analysis of environmental factors affecting the business. Gone are those days where you could depend on continuous employment and job security. With minimal planning, your career happened naturally. Consequently, we are unaware of today's career challenges. In a todays competitive environment the level of uncertainty has increased. Even the question, "what's my future?" bothers to most confident individuals. And the answers are not quickly forthcoming. Career planning is a lifelong process, which includes choosing an occupation, getting a job, growing in our job, possibly changing careers, and eventually retiring. The Career Planning Site offers coverage of all these areas. This article will focus on career choice and the process one goes through in selecting an occupation. This may happen once in our lifetimes, but it is more likely to happen several times as we first define and then redefine ourselves and our goals. The career planning nowadays is the necessary step for every person. The majority of people think that the career planning must be done during the studying in the university, but in fact it is the unbroken process it should be done constantly during the life to find the right way. There are many types of the career planning and this process must start before the university studying. The career planning can help to clarify the professional interests and the career objectives. The career planning on this stage can help to choose the appropriate university or college and the appropriate major. After the graduation the career planning helps to find the direction of the professional
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life and to form the business plan of the future career. During the life the person can make the changes in the career planning and it is very important to do it in time. The career planning helps to choose the right way in the professional life. If it is too difficult for person to determinate in the professional goals, there are a lot of tests, which can help to choose the appropriate profession and field. These tests were created to clarify the interests of the person and the fields in which the person is talented. In some universities there are some additional courses devoted to the career planning. During the lessons the students can learn the peculiarities of different courses, degrees and to choose the most interesting. It is better to spend some time in the beginning of the studying, than to regret after the choosing of the incorrect course. Career planning is a good method to choose the right way in the life and to be satisfied with the chosen profession. The teachers are always ready to help in the profession orientation. The right career planning in the youth guarantee the success in the future A method of doing something that is worked out in detail before any career activity is actually begun. The planning process usually includes the following steps: Self-Assessment, identifying and exploring career options; setting goals and planning action steps to achieve those goals; taking action in accordance with the career plan, hence, it is essential to take control of your career and the decisions which will pose responsibility and reward, accountability and achievement. Career planning helps you meet your professional and personal need. Along this continuum, career decisions will differ according to your personal and professional criteria at each juncture of life. With research and
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guidance, you can clarify goals; achieve balance among work, family and self; and avoid reactive and costly decisions. Q.6 Discuss Individual evaluation methods used for performance appraisal. Performance evaluation is the personnel activity by means of which the enterprise determines the extent to which the employee is performing the job effectively and for performance evaluation to be more than a yearly paperwork exercise, top management must encourage its use and use it to make reward decisions such as promotions. A. Individual evaluation Methods: There are five ways to evaluate an employee individually. In these systems, employees are evaluated one at a time without directly comparing them with other employees. They are: 1 Graphic rating scale: In this technique, the evaluator is presented with a graph and asked to rate employees on each of the characteristics listed. The number of characteristics rated varies from a few to several dozen. A factor analysis of the results indicates that only two traits were being rated: quality of performance and ability to do the present job. 2. Forced choice: In forced choice, the evaluator must choose from a set of descriptive statements about the employee. The two, three,or four statement items are grouped in a way that the evaluator cannot easily judge which statements apply to the most effective employee. 3. Essay evaluation: the evaluator is asked to describe the strong and weak aspects of the employee's behavior. The essay method can be used
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by evaluators who are superiors, peers, or subordinates of the employee to be evaluated. 4. Management by objectives: In this system, the supervisor and employee to be evaluated jointly set objectives in advance for the employee to try to achieve during a specified period. The method encourages, if not requires, them to phrase these objectives primarily in quantitative terms. This approach combines the superior and self evaluation systems. 5. Critical incident technique: In this technique, personnel specialists and operating managers prepare lists of statements of very effective and very ineffective behavior for an employee. These are the critical incidents. The critical incident technique is more likely to be used by superiors than in peer or subordinate evaluations. 6. Checklists and weighted checklists: In its simplest form, the checklist is a set of objectives or descriptive statements. If the Rater believes that the employee possesses a trait listed, the Rater checks the items; if not, the Rater leaves it blank. A rating score from the checklist equals the number of checks the employee's evaluation is the sum of the scores (weights) on the items checked. Checklists and weighted checklists can be used by evaluators who are superiors, peers, or subordinates, or by a combination. 7. Behaviorally anchored rating scales: BARS called the behavioral expectation scale (BES). This is a new, relatively infrequently used technique. Supervisors give descriptions of actually good and bad

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performance, and personnel specialists group these into categories (five to ten is typical). As with weighted checklists, the items are evaluated by supervisors (often other than those who submitted the items).

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