Business Management Functions and Practices Assignment

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Assignments

Program: MBA (2 Years) Sem-1

Subject Name Business Management Functions and PracticesPermanent Enrollment Number (PEN)Roll Number (SEN)Student Name

INSTRUCTIONS

a) Students are required to submit all three assignment sets

ASSIGNMENT DETAILS MARKS

Assignment A Five Subjective Questions 10

Assignment B Three Subjective Questions + Case Study 10

Assignment C 40 Objective Questions 10

b) Total weightage given to these assignments is 30%. OR 30 Marks c) All assignments are to be completed as typed in word/pdf.

c) All questions are required to be attempted.d) All the three assignments are to be completed by due dates (specified from time to time) and need to be

submitted for evaluation by Amity University.

( √ ) Tick mark in front of the assignments submitted

Assignment ‘A’ Assignment ‘B’ Assignment ‘C’

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Assignment: A

Q1). The principles of scientific management differ from the ordinary principles. Why? Give your comments.

Ans Before starting to illustrate the principles of scientific management, or "task management" as it is briefly called, it seems desirable to outline what the writer believes will be recognized as the best type of management which is in common use. This is done so that the great difference between the best of the ordinary management and scientific management may be fully appreciated.

In an industrial establishment which employs say from 500 to 1000 workmen, there will be found in many cases at least twenty to thirty different trades. The workmen in each of these trades have had their knowledge handed down to them by word of mouth, through the many years in which their trade has been developed from the primitive condition, in which our far-distant ancestors each one practised the rudiments of many different trades, to the present state of great and growing subdivision of labor, in which each man specializes upon some comparatively small class of work.

The ingenuity of each generation has developed quicker and better methods for doing every element of the work in every trade. Thus the methods which are now in use may in a broad sense be said to be an evolution representing the survival of the fittest and best of the ideas which have been developed since the starting of each trade. However, while this is true in a broad sense, only those who are intimately acquainted with each of these trades are fully aware of the fact that in hardly any element of any trade is there uniformity in the methods which are used. Instead of having only one way which is generally accepted as a standard, there are in daily use, say, fifty or a hundred different ways of doing each element of the work. And a little thought will make it clear that this must inevitably be the case, since our methods have been handed down from man to man by word of mouth, or have, in most cases, been almost unconsciously learned through personal observation. Practically in no instances have they been codified or systematically analyzed or described. The ingenuity and experience of each generation of each decade, even, have without doubt handed over better methods to the next. This mass of rule-of-thumb or traditional knowledge may be said to be the principal asset or possession of every tradesman. Now, in the best of the ordinary types of management, the managers recognize frankly the fact that the 500 or 1000 workmen, included in the twenty to thirty trades, who are under them, possess this mass of traditional knowledge, a large part of which is not in the possession of the management. The management, of course, includes foremen and superintendents, who themselves have been in most cases first-class workers at their trades. And yet these foremen and superintendents know, better than any one else, that their own knowledge and personal skill falls far short of the combined knowledge and dexterity of all the workmen under them. The most experienced managers therefore frankly place before their workmen the problem of doing the work in the best and most economical way. They recognize the task before them as that of inducing each workman to use his best endeavors, his hardest work, all his traditional knowledge, his skill, his ingenuity, and his good-will in a word, his "initiative," so as to yield the largest possible return to his employer. The problem before the management, then, may be briefly said to be that of obtaining the best initiative of every

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workman. And the writer uses the word "initiative" in its broadest sense, to cover all of the good qualities sought for from the men.

On the other hand, no intelligent manager would hope to obtain in any full measure the initiative of his workmen unless he felt that he was giving them something more than they usually receive from their employers. Only those among the readers of this paper who have been managers or who have worked themselves at a trade realize how far the average workman falls short of giving his employer his full initiative. It is well within the mark to state that in nineteen out of twenty industrial establishments the workmen believe it to be directly against their interests to give their employers their best initiative, and that instead of working hard to do the largest possible amount of work and the best quality of work for their employers, they deliberately work as slowly as they dare while they at the same time try to make those over them believe that they are working fast. [note 1]

The writer repeats, therefore, that in order to have any hope of obtaining the initiative of his workmen the manager must give some special incentive to his men beyond that which is given to the average of the trade. This incentive can be given in several different ways, as, for example, the hope of rapid promotion or advancement; higher wages, either in the form of generous piecework prices or of a premium or bonus of some kind for good and rapid work; shorter hours of labor; better surroundings and working conditions than are ordinarily given, etc., and, above all, this special incentive should be accompanied by that personal consideration for, and friendly contact with, his workmen which comes only from a genuine and kindly interest in the welfare of those under him. It is only by giving a special inducement or "incentive" of this kind that the employer can hope even approximately to get the "initiative" of his workmen. Under the ordinary type of management the necessity for offering the workman a special inducement has come to be so generally recognized that a large proportion of those most interested in the subject look upon the adoption of some one of the modern schemes for paying men (such as piece work, the premium plan, or the bonus plan, for instance) as practically the whole system of management. Under scientific management, however, the particular pay system which is adopted is merely one of the subordinate elements.

Broadly speaking, then, the best type of management in ordinary use may be defined as management in which the workmen give their best initiative and in return receive some special incentive from their employers. This type of management will be referred to as the management of "initiative and incentive" in contradistinction to scientific management, or task management, with which it is to be compared.

The writer hopes that the management of "initiative and incentive" will be recognized as representing the best type in ordinary use, and in fact he believes that it will be hard to persuade the average manager that anything better exists in the whole field than this type. The task which the writer has before him, then, is the difficult one of trying to prove in a thoroughly convincing way that there is another type of management which is not only better but overwhelmingly better than the management of "initiative and incentive."

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The universal prejudice in favor of the management of "initiative and incentive" is so strong that no mere theoretical advantages which can be pointed out will be likely to convince the average manager that any other system is better. It will be upon a series of practical illustrations of the actual working of the two systems that the writer will depend in his efforts to prove that scientific management is so greatly superior to other types. Certain elementary principles, a certain philosophy, will however be recognized as the essence of that which is being illustrated in all of the practical examples which will be given. And the broad principles in which the scientific system differs from the ordinary or "rule-of-thumb" system are so simple in their nature that it seems desirable to describe them before starting with the illustrations.

Q2) Discuss the new challenges and tasks of management. Explain the contributions of Taylor and Henry Feyol in modern management thoughts.

Ans Fayol derived the following fourteen principles.-        Division of work: Division of work means specialization. Each job and work should be divided

into small task and should be assigned to specialist of it.            Authority and responsibility: Authority means right to give order and command while

responsibility means to accomplish objective.        Discipline: Discipline is required at every level in every organization. Fayol stated discipline in

terms of obedience, application, and respect to superiors.        Unity of command: A subordinate should receive order from only one boss.        Unity of direction: It means that all the works of an organization must work together to

accomplish a common objective in under one plan and head.        Subordination of individual interest to common interest: Worker follows the common

interest of organization rather than individual.        Remuneration: Remuneration should be fair and adequate. It includes both types of incentives

financial as well as non financial.        Centralization: There should be one central point in organization which exercises overall

direction and control of all the parts.        Scalar Chain: Scalar chain is the chain or line of command from superior to subordinates.        Order: Only proper order can give an efficient management.        Equity: Equity creates loyalty and devotion among the employees.        Stability of tenure personnel: Security of job for an employee in an organization is very

important and pre-requisite condition. Retaining productive employee should always a higher priority of management.

        Esprit de corps: Management should encourage harmony and proper understandings between workers. Fayol said that in union there is strength. Whole organization should work as a team.

        Initiative: Manager should be encouraged the employees Initiative for creative working.

Q3) Define leadership. Explain the features and importance of Mc Gregor’s theory X and Y?

Ans Leadership has been described as "a process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid

and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task",[1] although there are alternative definitions of leadership.

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For example, some understand a leader simply as somebody whom people follow, or as somebody who guides or directs

others[citation needed], while others define leadership as "organizing a group of people to achieve a common goal"[citation needed].

Studies of leadership have produced theories involving traits,[2] situational interaction, function,

behavior, power, vision and values,[3] charisma, and intelligence, among others. Theory X

In this theory, management assumes employees are inherently lazy and will avoid work if they can and that they

inherently dislike work. As a result of this, management believes that workers need to be closely supervised and

comprehensive systems of controls developed. A hierarchical structure is needed with narrow span of control at each and

every level. According to this theory, employees will show little ambition without an enticing incentive program and will

avoid responsibility whenever they can. According to Michael J. Papa, if the organizational goals are to be met, theory X

managers rely heavily on threat and coercion to gain their employees' compliance. Beliefs of this theory lead to mistrust,

highly restrictive supervision, and a punitive atmosphere. The Theory X manager tends to believe that everything must

end in blaming someone. He or she thinks all prospective employees are only out for themselves. Usually these

managers feel the sole purpose of the employee's interest in the job is money. They will blame the person first in most

situations, without questioning whether it may be the system, policy, or lack of training that deserves the blame. A Theory

X manager believes that his or her employees do not really want to work, that they would rather avoid responsibility and

that it is the manager's job to structure the work and energize the employee. One major flaw of this management style is it

is much more likely to cause diseconomies of scale in large business.

Theory Y

In this theory, management assumes employees may be ambitious and self-motivated and exercise self-control. It is

believed that employees enjoy their mental and physical work duties. According to them work is as natural as play. They

possess the ability for creative problem solving, but their talents are underused in most organizations. Given the proper

conditions, theory Y managers believe that employees will learn to seek out and accept responsibility and to exercise self-

control and self-direction in accomplishing objectives to which they are committed. A Theory Y manager believes that,

given the right conditions, most people will want to do well at work. They believe that the satisfaction of doing a good job

is a strong motivation. Many people interpret Theory Y as a positive set of beliefs about workers. A close reading of The

Human Side of Enterprise reveals that McGregor simply argues for managers to be opened to a more positive view of

workers and the possibilities that this creates. He thinks that Theory Y managers are more likely than Theory X managers

to develop the climate of trust with employees that is required for employee development. It's employee development that

is a crucial aspect of any organization. This would include managers communicating openly with subordinates, minimizing

the difference between superior-subordinate relationships, creating a comfortable environment in which subordinates can

develop and use their abilities. This climate would be sharing of decision making so that subordinates have say in

decisions that influence them.

Theory X and Theory Y combined

For McGregor, Theory X and Y are not different ends of the same continuum. Rather they are two different continua in

themselves.

McGregor had identified theory X and theory Y differently for the basic characteristics stated previously in the above

sections of what these theories represent. Theory X assumptions are that individuals dislike their careers. Theory X

people have to be supervised. As for Theory Y assumptions are that individuals like their careers and are willing to take

part in responsibility. Theory Y people don't need supervision and can be expected to turn good productive value in their

jobs.'

LMX theory of Sahin

Based on employees we take a closer look at the relationship between supervisors and "subordinates as some may call

them or worker (Sahin, 2012, p159). The quality of the relationship between the two can be described by Sahin as a term

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called leader-member exchange (LMX) theory. What LMX theory basically points out against McGregor theory is that

"leaders develop unique relationships with different subordinates and that the quality of these relationships is a

determinant of how each subordinate will be treated" (Sahin, 2012, p159).

With these two theories combined Sahin studies have shown that affective commitment can help the individual and the

organization at the same time. In addition, workers (subordinates) develop feelings of affective commitment if they receive

the importance from supervisors not just by overlooking them all the time but by also giving them importance (Sahin,

2012, pp162-163). In addition look at external link for image, that explains the function of the theory. McGregor identified

individuals based on two theories they can possibly have, theory X, or theory Y. But Sahin shows a different approach

through his study of the LMX theory. He shows how different styles used upon by management can vary from both

theories.

When managers apply Theory Y principles, workers receive independence and responsibility for work; they receive

opportunities to recognize problems and their job will be to find solutions to them. This results in high-quality

relationships (Sahin, 2012, p163)

In contrast, theory X managers highlight the close supervision of workers and the chain of command and motivate

subordinates using extrinsic rewards. Therefore, workers that are overseen by theory X managers tend not to have

the most beneficial relationship with their superviso

Q4) Are strategies and policies as important in a non business enterprise (such as a lobour union, StateDepartment, a hospital or a city fire department) as they are in a business? Why and how?

Ans The concept of industrial unionism is important, not only to organized workers but also to the general public, because

the philosophy and spirit of this organizing principle go well beyond the mere structure of a union organization.[5] According to Marian Dutton Savage, who wrote about industrial unionism in America in 1922,

It is this difference in spirit and general outlook which is the significant thing about industrial unionism. Including as it does

all types of workers, from the common laborer to the most highly skilled craftsman, the industrial union is based on the

conception of the solidarity of labor, or at least of that portion of it which is in one particular industry. Instead of

emphasizing the divisions among the workers and fostering a narrow interest in the affairs of the craft regardless of those

of the industry as a whole, it lays stress on the mutual dependence of the skilled and the unskilled and the necessity of

subordinating the interests of a small group to those of the whole body of workers. Not only is loyalty to fellow-workers in

the same industry emphasized, but also loyalty to the whole working class in its struggle against the capitalist system.[5]

Savage noted that some industrial unions of the period had "little of this class consciousness, [however] the majority of

them are distinctly hoping for the abolition of the capitalist system and the ultimate control of industry by the workers

themselves."[5]

The conception of how this was to be brought about, and indeed even the extent to which such ideas were present in an

industrial union, was quite variable from one union to another,[6] as well as from one country to another, and from one time

to another.

In the United States, the conception of industrial unionism in the 1920s certainly differed from that of the 1930s, for

example. The Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) primarily practiced a form of industrial unionism prior to its 1955

merger with the American Federation of Labor (AFL), which was made up mostly of craft unions. Unions in the resulting

federation, the AFL-CIO, sometimes have a mixture of tendencies.

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The most basic philosophy of the union movement observes that an individual cannot stand alone against the power of

the company, for the employment contract confers advantage to the employer. Having come to that understanding, the

next question becomes: who is to be included in the union?

The craft unionist advocates sorting workers into exclusive groups of skilled workers, or workers sharing a particular

trade. The organization operates, and the rules are formulated primarily to benefit members of that particular group.

Savage identified a skilled group that may not be craft based, but is nonetheless an elite group among industrial

unionists. They are in essence craft groups which have been combined to solve "jurisdictional difficulties". Savage

called this group an industrial union tendency rather than an example, made up of the "upper stratum of skilled

trades," and describes them as retaining some autonomy within their particular trades.[7]

The industrial unionist sees advantage in organizing by industry. The local organization is broader and deeper, with

less opportunity for employers to turn one group of workers against another. These are the "middle stratum" of

workers.[7]

Industrial unionists motivated by a more global impulse act upon a universal premise, that all workers must support

each other no matter their particular industry or locale. These might be unskilled or migratory workers who conceive

of their union philosophy as one big union. In 1922 these workers were described as "believing in assault rather than

in agreements with employers, and having little faith in political action. [The one big union's] power is spectacular

rather than continuous, as its members have little experience in organization."[7]

The differences illustrated by these diverse approaches to organizing touch upon a number of philosophical issues:

Should all working people be free—and perhaps even obliged—to support each other's struggles?

What is the purpose of the union itself—is it to get a better deal for a small group of workers today, or to fight for a

better environment for all working people in the future? (Or both... ? )

But some philosophical issues transcend the current social order:

Should the union acknowledge that capital has priority—that is, that employers should be allowed to make all

essential decisions about running the business, limiting the union to bargaining over wages, hours, and conditions?

Or should the union fight for the principle that working people create wealth, and are therefore entitled to access to

that wealth?

What is the impact of legislation designed specifically to curtail union tactics? Considering that unions have

sometimes won rights by defying unjust laws, what should be the attitude of unionists toward that legislation? And

finally, how does the interaction between aggressive unionization, and government response, play out?

In short, these are questions of whether workers should organize as a craft, by their industry, or as a class.

The implications of these last conjectures are considerable. When a group of workers becomes conscious of some

connection to all other workers, such realization may animate a desire not just for better wages, hours, and working

conditions, but rather, to change the system that limits or withholds such benefits. Paul Frederick Brissenden

acknowledged as much in his 1919 publicationThe I.W.W. A Study of American Syndicalism. Brissenden

described revolutionary industrial unionism as industrial unionism "animated and guided by the revolutionary (socialist or

anarchist) spirit..."[8] Brissenden wrote that both industrial unionism and revolutionary industrial unionism "hark back in

their essential principles to [a] dramatic revolutionary period in English unionism..."[8]of roughly the late 1820s, the 1830s

and the 1840s. He traced both the industrial and the revolutionary impulses through various union movements ever since.

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Q5) Your Company offers you a promotion to a position in a location your family does not like. Make the necessary assumptions and then state how and what you would decide.

Ans Whether you are looking for a job because you are out of work or don’t have enough work, or because you simply want to make a

change, there may come a point when you consider taking a job far enough away from your current home that it would require you to

move. How do you decide whether or not it’s worth it to uproot yourself and your family for a new job? Think through the following list of

considerations when you’re either feeling the necessity to move or you are presented with the opportunity for a better or different job to

decide if it will be beneficial for you and your family both short and long-term.

Cost of Living Comparison

You have a rough idea of your current cost of living based on your current bills and amount of debt (both fixed monthly debt such as

your mortgage and variable debt like your credit card bills). If you’re not sure of your current cost of living create a rough budget using

our interactive budget worksheet. Then, before you accept a job offer in another city, find out how much more – or less – it would cost

you to live there. Just knowing your new salary amount is not enough. You will need to know, roughly, the difference in you can expect

to encounter in all of the expenses you regularly incur. That means doing some research to know what you should expect to pay for

expenses similar to what you’re currently spending on:

housing (monthly rent or mortgage payment)

utilities

food

transportation

child care

property taxes and any other relevant state and/or local taxes

insurance costs

health care

In addition you’ll want to get an idea of the accessibility to shopping in your potential new hometown, which may have a direct impact

on your budget. For example if you live near large discount retailers like Wal-Mart or Target where you do a lot of your shopping but

there are no such stores in your new hometown you will either have to regularly shop at more expensive stores or pay more for fuel to

drive to the nearest big-box retailers.

You can use online cost-of-living calculators at Salary.com or Payscale.com to get an idea of how far your new salary would go in a

new city. If you are able to spend some time there you would get an even more accurate idea of the cost of living. Look through the

paper or local magazines to get an idea of home sale prices and/or apartment rental rates. Stop at a grocery store to see how your

food budget might need to change and check out how much gas costs as you’re touring the area. Doing some in-person research will

give you a much more realistic picture of how you’ll need to adjust your budget.

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Housing

The single biggest cost you’re going to have to weigh when considering a move will likely be housing – both dealing with your current

housing and finding housing in the new city you’re considering.

First – dealing with your current housing. If you are renting when is your current lease up for renewal? Can you get out of your lease?

Will you have to pay a penalty for breaking the lease agreement or give up a significant security deposit? What repairs will you need to

make before moving out and how will you plan to pay for those? If you own your home most likely you will want to sell it, and the time it

takes to do that will depend on your local housing market. If your employer does not offer to help you sell your home – a benefit that is

generally reserved for executive new hires – you will need to have a plan for selling your home and finding a new place to live.

Because you’re working on a timeframe (to be in the new town in time to report for work) you may want to work with a real estate agent.

If you choose to try and sell it on your own it is important that you get a current market analysis and know what comparable homes

have sold for in your area so that you price the house accurately to sell. If you can’t sell your home before you need to report for work

you’ll have to decide whether or not to rent the property out while you’re trying to sell it or if your family should stay in the home until it

sells and then you can reunite in your new location upon its sale. Learn more about Selling Your Home in our Home-Buying 101

section.

If your home is “underwater,” meaning that you owe more on the home than it’s worth, you have some additional challenges. Given the

large number of Americans who are underwater on their mortgages (1 in 4 or 25% of all homeowners in August 2010), more companies

have stopped offering to purchase new employees’ homes if they cannot sell them on their own. In order to move, you may need to see

if you can find someone to rent your home for the amount of your monthly mortgage (or close to it) until it becomes possible for you to

sell the property. If that’s not an option you should contact the lender that holds your loan to see what options may be available such as

qualifying for a partial principal write-off (to reduce the total amount of money you owe on the loan). In order to avoid foreclosure or

having to file for bankruptcy in order to move you may want to consider looking into executing a short sale. Learn more about what you

may be able to do if you owe more on your home than it is currently worth in our Help for Homeowners Mortgage Center.

In addition to resolving your current housing situation (i.e. ending your current rental agreement or selling your current home or finding

a renter), you will need to find new housing. Even if your new employer doesn’t offer financial assistance to find a new home, the

human resources department should be able to provide referrals to a local realtor and/or nearby housing for rent or sale. If you do have

to find housing on your own you can use Realtor.com to find an agent and/or

property, Craigslist.org, Apartments.com or Forrent.com to locate apartments or homes for rent, or sites

like CorporateHousingbyOwner.com for furnished housing.

Stability Outlook for New Job

Before you sign a contract take some time to do a little research on the company or organization you are considering taking a job with.

Moving is a huge commitment and you wouldn’t want to make that choice only to find out 6 months later that your job is at risk for being

eliminated. What would you do if you got laid off or if you decided that you wanted to quit? Are there enough opportunities that you

could continue working with another employer without having to possibly endure a long unemployment period? If your spouse will also

need to find work, what opportunities are there within his/her field? What payscale could s/he expect to be able to secure if there was

work available? Learn more from the area’s chamber of commerceabout what the local job market looks like – which firms are located

there, if there has been a significant exodus or shutdown of firms, and what type of industries offer the most opportunity locally (i.e.

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military, government, public sector, telecommunications, etc.). The federal government’s website CareerOneStop also allows you to

search for job demand information by state and by industry.

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Assignment: B

Q1) What are the major limitations of Planning? What action can be taken to make planning effective?

Ans 1. Costly process: planning involves too much expenditure. Money and effort both are required in planning. Planning includes collecting information, data forecasting and evaluation of alternatives. It requires salary and allowances to the experts in the process of providing services. So, planning has been accepted as costly process by small and medium size organization2. Time consuming: planning is the time consuming process. It delays the business activity to come in action. In the process of planning following the procedures of planning takes a lot of time which may create problem to the organization where immediate action has to be made. So in such situation planning is not suitable.3.  Unsuitable in emergency situation: as planning is time consuming, it is not suitable in emergency situation because quick decisions is desirable in emergency situation buts planning delays the emergency demand in organization4.  Lack of reliable data and problem of accurate premises: For planning assumptions have to be developed for future action but future is uncertain and unpredictable. To make reliable data and accurate premises is necessary., in the lack of reliable data and accurate premises, there is chance of business loss and failure5.  Problem of rapid change: Planning is the game of prediction. Rapid changes may occur in macro and micro level environment of business. planning is to be made in a flexible way to compress the plans in the future6.  Internal rigidity:  internal rigidity may be related to organizational and human psychology policy, procedure and capital investment which create problem in the process of implementation. Staff may not like the changes that may occur frequently in the working procedure. So rigidity may create problem in planning.7.  Encourage false sense of security: Planning encourages false sense of security against future risk and uncertainty. As future is uncertain, it is unpredictable. Therefore, planning cannot give accurate and reliable results.

Q2) “The contingency approach to management is more a commonsense approach “- elaborate.

Ans Very few contact center managers have the luxury of building their center from the

ground up, selecting all the latest hardware and software and hiring a completely

new, fully trained staff to work them. Most managers, because of real-world budget

concerns, must add new technology to existing systems. For this reason, managers

should select workforce management software that leverages the systems and

technology they already have. Not only is this cost-effective, it extends workforce

management information and capabilities throughout the contact center. But let

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buyers beware: Not all workforce management software can easily leverage existing

technology, so managers must choose wisely. Otherwise, they will find that vital

data elsewhere in their enterprise is isolated—what is frequently referred to as siloed

or stovepiped—and can’t be integrated into their contact center decision-making.

For example, to ensure quality service and training measurements, contact centers

routinely use quality-monitoring software to record agent interactions with

customers. Since workforce management software maintains agent schedule

information, managers should select workforce management software that can easily

integrate with quality-monitoring software and other monitoring and training

applications. This way, managers can further automate critical operations and gain

even greater efficiencies in their contact centers.

It’s only a solution if you use it

Workforce management software is first and foremost a management tool that

allows managers to handle staffing operations efficiently, but it yields successful

results only if it is actually used. Not entering critical staffing changes and updates

into the software on an ongoing basis seriously compromises its usefulness.

Managers should not be fooled by claims that dedication to entering these types of

changes and updates is unnecessarily elaborate or is unimportant. As the computer

maxim says, “Garbage in, garbage out.” It is critical to dedicate the necessary

administrative resources to enter exceptions and track net and actual demand.

Robust workforce management software tracks changes and maintains real-time

accurate staffing information, so managers can quickly compare forecasts to actual

center performance throughout the day and make adjustments as needed.

For example, schedule exceptions, such as when agents call in sick, need to be

entered into the software so that managers know what impact, if any, these changes

will have on center performance throughout the day. In addition, supervisors and

managers need to monitor these staffing updates and changes so they are prepared

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to take corrective action when necessary. Thus, managers can continuously improve

center efficiency, receive a higher return on investments, and increase staffing and

employee satisfaction

Q3) Accurate appraisal of performance is difficult. In the light of this discuss the problems involved in appraising anemployee.

Ans A performance appraisal (PA), performance review, performance evaluation,[1] (career) development

discussion,] or employee appraisais a method by which the job performance of an employee is evaluated. Performance

appraisals are a part of career development and consist of regular reviews of employee performance within organizations.

A performance appraisal is a systematic and periodic process that assesses an individual employee’s job performance

and productivity in relation to certain pre-established criteria and organizational objectives.[4][5] Other aspects of individual

employees are considered as well, such as organizational citizenship behavior,[6] accomplishments, potential for future

improvement, strengths and weaknesses, etc.[4][7] To collect PA data, there are three main methods: objective production,

personnel, and judgmental evaluation. Judgmental evaluations are the most commonly used with a large variety of

evaluation methods.[1] Historically, PA has been conducted annually (long-cycle appraisals), however many companies

are moving towards shorter cycles (every six months, every quarter), and some have been moving into short-cycle

(weekly, bi-weekly) PA .[8][9] The interview could function as “providing feedback to employees, counseling and developing

employees, and conveying and discussing compensation, job status, or disciplinary decisions”.[8] PA is often included in

performance management systems. PA helps the subordinate answer two key questions; first, "What are your

expectations of me?" second, "How am I doing to meet your expectations?" [10] Performance management systems are

employed “to manage and align" all of an organization's resources in order to achieve highest possible

performance. “How performance is managed in an organization determines to a large extent the success or failure of the

organization. Therefore, improving PA for everyone should be among the highest priorities of contemporary”

organizations.

Some applications of PA are compensation, performance improvement, promotions, termination, test validation, and

more.[12] While there are many potential benefits of PA, there are also some potential drawbacks. For example, PA can

help facilitate management-employee communication; however, PA may result in legal issues if not executed

appropriately[1][13] as many employees tend to be unsatisfied with the PA process PAs created in and determined as useful

in the United States are not necessarily able to be transferable cross-culturally

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Case study:

Automotive Components Limited is a major manufacturer of automatic filters mostly used in automobiles of various types. It supplies filters directly to automobile manufacturers in bulk quantity besides supplying to the market for replacement. One day, two engineers from a reputed engineering consultant visited the factory. They inspected the production facilities and workshop. They came on the next two days also. During their visit, the atmosphere in the workshop was tense as the engineers made several enquiries from the foreman of the workshop. Three days after the last visit of these engineers, a notice was put up asking the workers to shut off motors and lights during the lunch break.

During the following week, a rumour spread that the company was not able to discharge its contractual commitments because of the technical defects in the plant. Therefore, a big order was likely to be cancelled resulting into closure of the plant for some time. This period became quite disturbed both for workers as well as for the foreman. Three workers made enquiries on different occasions from the foreman about the reasons for the visits by the outside engineers. In fact, one of the workers put a question, “Is there going to be layoff in the plant”? The foreman himself being ignorant in the matter had little to say. Thus, rumours spread further about the likely layoff and retrenchment of some workers.

The workers became nervous and productivity dropped. They approached their union leaders about the possible layoff and retrenchment. The union leaders criticised the approach of the management and threatened strike if any worker was laid off or retrenched

On getting this news of lower productivity and threat of strike, the production manager visited the plant and talked to the foreman and some of the senior workers. One of the office bearers of the union questioned angrily as to when some of them are to be thrown out. The production manager was taken by surprise and asked the foreman what workers were talking about. The foreman narrated the total situation right since the visits of outside engineers and notice of conserving power. He also told about the rumour of cancellation of big order and consequent retrenchment of some of the workers. The production manager was taken aback and could not believe what the foreman was saying. He asked the foreman, “But all this is not true; did you not tell the workers?” The foreman kept quiet.

Later in the day, the production manager called a meeting of union office bearers along with some workers. He also invited the foreman to attend the meeting. In the meeting, the production manager informed about the objectives of the visits of outside engineers. He told that the engineers were invited to observe the existing machine layout and to draw plan for installing a new equipment. He explained that notice for putting off motors and lights during the lunch break was meant to save power as there was shortage of power and this had nothing to do with the visits of the engineers. Regarding the cancellation of order, he agreed that one big order was likely to be cancelled because of some troubles at the buyer’s plant but the company had secured a much bigger order and that instead of layoff, there would in fact be more recruitment. But all these could not convince the workers and after two days, the union gave a notice to the production manager for a one day protest strike.

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Questions

1. Discuss the reasons for the problems that arose in the company.Ans During the following week, a rumour spread that the company was not able to discharge its contractual commitments because of the technical defects in the plant. Therefore, a big order was likely to be cancelled resulting into closure of the plant for some time. This period became quite disturbed both for workers as well as for the foreman. Three workers made enquiries on different occasions from the foreman about the reasons for the visits by the outside engineers. In fact, one of the workers put a question, “Is there going to be layoff in the plant”? The foreman himself being ignorant in the matter had little to say. Thus, rumours spread further about the likely layoff and retrenchment of some workers.

The workers became nervous and productivity dropped. They approached their union leaders about the possible layoff and retrenchment. The union leaders criticised the approach of the management and threatened strike if any worker was laid off or retrenched

2. Advise the production manager how he should proceed in the matter.

Ans . He also told about the rumour of cancellation of big order and consequent retrenchment of some of the workers. The production manager was taken aback and could not believe what the foreman was saying. He asked the foreman, “But all this is not true; did you not tell the workers?” The foreman kept quiet.

Later in the day, the production manager called a meeting of union office bearers along with some workers. He also invited the foreman to attend the meeting. In the meeting, the production manager informed about the objectives of the visits of outside engineers. He told that the engineers were invited to observe the existing machine layout and to draw plan for installing a new equipment.

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Assignment: C

Imagine that your marketing company has just merged with a manufacturing organization. You have been asked to help provide some “basic” managerial training to the engineers in the research and development unit of the new sister company. To make sure you are covering the necessary issues, your boss has asked to see an overview of materials that you will be providing the engineers.

1. Now that both companies are merged and are a systematic arrangement of people set to accomplish a specific purpose, they could be described as a(n) _.

a. business unitb. multinational company c. organizationd. holding company

2. One of the first things the engineers need to learn is that are the people who direct the activities of others in an organization.

a. directors b. managersc. subordinatesd. line workers

3. Another fact that engineers need to learn is that supervisors may frequently be referred to as .

a. middle managersb. top managers c. project leadersd. first-line managers

4. Many of the engineers in the group are unclear about what managers actually do. Your training materials explain that a manager’s job focuses on _.

a. the performance of clerical duties b. personal achievementc. helping others accomplish their work goalsd. supervising groups rather than individual employees

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5. Which argument for social responsibility puts forth the belief that by becoming socially responsible, businesses can expect to have less government regulation?

a. discouragement of further government regulation b. stockholder interestsc. public expectationsd. public image

As a business expansion director, Shana’s goal is to scout out potential locations and basically provide input on how her company should proceed with its planned expansion to Europe. There are many options, including maintaining the business’s head office in the United States and sending over company representatives when necessary or establishing separate operations facilities abroad and hiring locals as managers.

6. If Shana’s company decides to open another company in France but maintain its management in theUnited States, it would be considered .

a. a transnational corporation b. a multinational companyc. a regional trade alliance d. a joint venture

7. If Shana’s company decides to open a completely new operation in Germany, tailoring the company to local customs and marketing strategies and hiring local managers, it would be considered .

a. a multinational corporation b. a borderless organizationc. a regional trade allianced. a transnational corporation

8. If Shana’s company eliminates country-designated locations and reorganizes based on industry groups, it would be considered a _.

a. borderless organization b. strategic partnershipc. global business alliance d. multination corporation

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9. One section of Shana’s company’s business plan involves strategic alliances and joint ventures. This section is most likely focused on the phase of the company’s global business expansion.

a. legalb. middle c. finald. preliminary

10. Classical management thinkers .

a. utilize the “it all depends” approachb. utilize quantitative decision-making toolsc. look for the one best way to do somethingd. realize that their most important and complex resource is people

11. The Hawthorne studies are an important foundation of the

approaches. a. classicalb. human relations c. administratived. quantitative

12. Models, simulations, and queuing theory are examples of techniques found in the approach to management.

a. classicalb. quantitativec. bureaucratic organization d. modern

13. Which of the following statements does not accurately reflect the characteristics of contingency theory?

a. Managers should draw on all past theories in attempting to analyze and solve problems.a. b.The best way to initially approach all management problems is through scientific management. b. The contingency approach is integrative in nature.c. Managers should stay flexible and consider the alternatives and fallback positions when defining

and attacking problems.

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14. In a fast-changing environment, the most effective method of improving the quality of a product would be _.

a. Kaizenb. bureaucracyc. reengineeringd. management science

15. A manager’s first step in the decision-making process is to

_. a. define the problemb. identify limiting factorsc. develop potential alternativesd. establish a control and evaluation system

16. When a manager knows what the problem is and what the alternatives are, the manager is making the decisionunder the condition of .

a. imperfect resources b. riskc. uncertaintyd. certainty

17. A quantitative technique for decision making that shows a complete picture of potential alternative decision paths is called .

a. the Delphi technique b. a decision treec. brainstormingd. payback analysis

18. A group effort of generating alternative ideas that can help a manager solve a problem is called

. a. the Delphi techniqueb. out-of-the box thinking c. brainstormingd. the nominal group technique

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19. All of the following are important strategies that a manager can use to create a more effective decision-making environment except .

a. encourage others to make decisions b. be ready to try thingsc. rely solely upon himself or herselfd. recognize the importance of quality information

20. Which of the following is not a proactive reason why a business becomes international?

a. Economies of scaleb. Searching for new customers c. Remaining competitived. Needing raw materials and other resources

21.Which of the following is not a common characteristic of most multinational corporations?

a. Creating foreign affiliates that may be owned or jointly heldb. Relying upon standardization of the product and marketing that Product throughout the world c. Viewing the world as the marketd. Locating affiliates in the developed countries of the world

22. Some of the major concerns of a multinational company are the stability of a country’s currency and the availability of needed raw materials and supplies. These are elements of which environment?

a. Political b. Legalc. Economicd. Sociocultural

23. Which of the following describes planning and the international manager?

a. It is far less complicated for the international manager than for the manager’s domestic counterpart.b. Planning is far more complicated for the international manager than for the manager’s domestic

counterpart.c. There is no difference in the level of difficulty between the planning in domestic and international

operations.d. Planning is done by host-country personnel only.

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24. Which of the following describes the sociocultural dilemma facing the international manager?

a. The international manager needs only to know the culture of the host country.b. Most host countries require international managers to apply for citizenship in order to acquire knowledge

of the culture.c. The manager should carefully avoid integrating the home- and host-country cultures.d. The international manager not only must understand the culture of the host country, but also how that

culture differs from his or her home-country culture.

25. Several studies regarding leadership traits have proven which of the following:

a. Leadership traits are universal.b. No specific list of successful leadership traits exists. c. Leadership traits, skills, and behaviors are common. d. Successful leaders have similar personalities.

26. Which type of power is least associated with the autocratic style of leadership?

a. Referent b. Expertc. Formald. Nonconforming

27. When sport coaches listen to players’ suggestions and feedback during game intermission, they are using what type of leadership?

a. Free-rein b. Autocratic c. Generald. Participating

28. The contingency, path-goal, and life-cycle theories of leadership are considered

a. autocratic.b. organizational. c. situational.d. unrealistic.

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29. Vision, charisma, integrity, and symbolism are all on the list of attributes associated with what type of leaders?

a. Contingency b. Informalc. Transformational d. Transactional

30. Motivational theories that emphasize the needs that motivate people are called

a. process theories.b. goal-setting theories. c. content theories.d. path-goal theories.

31. All of the following are examples of hygiene factors except

a. the work itself.b. salary.c. company policies.d. working conditions.

32. According to Alderfer’s ERG theory, existence needs can be described as

a. needs for satisfactory relationships with others.b. calls for realizations of potential.c. calls for the achievements of competence. d. a person’s well being.

33. According to expectancy theory, the intensity of motivation functions is

a. very difficult to determine.b. indirectly proportional to perceived rewards.c. directly proportional to perceived or expected rewards. d. indirectly proportional to expected rewards.

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34. When a manager redesigns a job so that the job includes an increased number of tasks, but does not address the issues of the quality of the challenge of the tasks, the manager is utilizing

a. job depth.b. job rotation.c. job enrichment. d. job enlargement.

35. In order for a group to be considered a team,

a. at least two people must be involved.b. the members must interact regularly and coordinate their work. c. the members must share a common objective.d. All of the above.

36. Teams designed to complete a specific task in an organization are called

a. product development teams.

b. project teams.

c. quality teams. d. process teams.

37. The stage of group development in which the team members come together to resolve conflict, achieve unity, and understand the roles members pay is:

a. performing. b. storming.c. forming.d. norming.

38. The benefits of teams include all the following except

a. flexibility.b. commitment.c. team training costs. d. synergy.

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39. When a manager chooses to ignore a conflict situation, the manager is choosing which conflict resolution strategy?

a. Compromise b. Collaborationc. Appeal to a superordinate objectivesd. Avoidance

40. An in-depth study of all the positions in an organization is described as a

* Job Analysis