VISION TECH SAMPLE ANSWERS

1. What are the fundamentals of staffing

and manpower? Explain the different
methods of selection recruitment,
training and development.

Answers:
Steps in Manpower Planning

1. Analysing the current manpower inventory- Before a

manager makes forecast of future manpower, the current
manpower status has to be analysed. For this the follow-
ing things have to be noted-
 Type of organization
 Number of departments
 Number and quantity of such departments
 Employees in these work units

Once these factors are registered by a manager, he goes

for the future forecasting
 VISION TECH SAMPLE ANSWERS

2. Making future manpower forecasts- Once the factors

affecting the future manpower forecasts are known, plan-
ning can be done for the future manpower requirements
in several work units.

The Manpower forecasting techniques commonly em-

ployed by the organizations are as follows:

i. Expert Forecasts: This includes informal decisions,

formal expert surveys and Delphi technique.
ii. Trend Analysis: Manpower needs can be projected
through extrapolation (projecting past trends), in-
dexation (using base year as basis), and statistical
analysis (central tendency measure).
iii. Work Load Analysis: It is dependent upon the na-
ture of work load in a department, in a branch or in
a division.
iv. Work Force Analysis: Whenever production and
time period has to be analysed, due allowances
have to be made for getting net manpower require-
ments.
v. Other methods: Several Mathematical models, with
the aid of computers are used to forecast manpower
needs, like budget and planning analysis, regres-
sion, new venture analysis.
 VISION TECH SAMPLE ANSWERS

3. Developing employment programmes- Once the cur-

rent inventory is compared with future forecasts, the em-
ployment programmes can be framed and developed ac-
cordingly, which will include recruitment, selection pro-
cedures and placement plans.
4. Design training programmes- These will be based upon
extent of diversification, expansion plans, development
programmes,etc. Training programmes depend upon the
extent of improvement in technology and advancement to
take place. It is also done to improve upon the skills, ca-
pabilities, knowledge of the workers.

Importance of Manpower Planning

1. Key to managerial functions- The four managerial

functions, i.e., planning, organizing, directing and con-
trolling are based upon the manpower. Human resources
help in the implementation of all these managerial activi-
ties. Therefore, staffing becomes a key to all managerial
functions.

2. Efficient utilization- Efficient management of per-

sonnels becomes an important function in the industrial-
ization world of today. Seting of large scale enterprises
 VISION TECH SAMPLE ANSWERS

require management of large scale manpower. It can be

effectively done through staffing function.

3. Motivation- Staffing function not only includes

putting right men on right job, but it also comprises of
motivational programmes, i.e., incentive plans to be
framed for further participation and employment of em-
ployees in a concern. Therefore, all types of incentive
plans becomes an integral part of staffing function.

4. Better human relations- A concern can stabilize it-

self if human relations develop and are strong. Human
relations become strong trough effective control, clear
communication, effective supervision and leadership in a
concern. Staffing function also looks after training and
development of the work force which leads to co-opera-
tion and better human relations.

5. Higher productivity- Productivity level increases

when resources are utilized in best possible manner.
higher productivity is a result of minimum wastage of
time, money , efforts and energies. This is possible
through the staffing and it's related activities ( Perfor-
mance appraisal, training and development, remunera-
tion)
 VISION TECH SAMPLE ANSWERS

Need of Manpower Planning

Manpower Planning is a two-phased process because man-

power planning not only analyses the current human re-
sources but also makes manpower forecasts and thereby draw
employment programmes. Manpower Planning is advanta-
geous to firm in following manner:

1. Shortages and surpluses can be identified so that quick

action can be taken wherever required.
2. All the recruitment and selection programmes are based
on manpower planning.
3. It also helps to reduce the labour cost as excess staff can
be identified and thereby overstaffing can be avoided.
4. It also helps to identify the available talents in a concern
and accordingly training programmes can be chalked out
to develop those talents.
5. It helps in growth and diversification of business.
Through manpower planning, human resources can be
readily available and they can be utilized in best manner.
6. It helps the organization to realize the importance of
manpower management which ultimately helps in the
stability of a concern.
 VISION TECH SAMPLE ANSWERS

Step 1: Identify Vacancy and Evaluate Need

Step 2: Develop Position Description
Step 3: Develop Recruitment Plan
Step 4: Select Search Committee
Step 5: Post Position and Implement Recruitment Plan
Step 6: Review Applicants and Develop Short List
Step 7: Conduct Interviews
Step 8: Select Hire
Step 9: Finalize Recruitment

Affirmative Action, Equal Employment Opportunity and Diver-

sity are not separate actions in the recruitment and selection
process. They are key variables which are woven into each
step of the process to support UCR’s achievement of excel-
lence.

Step 1: Identify Vacancy and Evaluate Need

Recruitments provide opportunities to departments to align

staff skill sets to initiatives and goals, and for departmental
 VISION TECH SAMPLE ANSWERS

and individual growth. Proper planning and evaluation of the

need will lead to hiring the right person for the role and team.

Newly Created Position

When it is determined a new position is needed, it is important

to:

Understand and take into consideration strategic goals

for the University and/or department. Are there any up-
coming changes that may impact this role?
Conduct a quick analysis of UC Core Competencies. Are
there any gaps? What core skills are missing from the de-
partment? Evaluate the core skills required now and
those which may be needed in the future.
Conduct a Job Analysis if this position will be new to
your department. This will also help to identify gaps.

Replacement

When attrition occurs, replacing the role is typically the logical

step to take. Before obtaining approval to advertise the posi-
tion, consider the following:

As with a newly created position, it may be helpful to

conduct a Job Analysis in order to tailor the position to
what is currently required and to ensure proper classifi-
 VISION TECH SAMPLE ANSWERS

cation. Your HR Classification Analyst can assist in re-

viewing and completing.
Review the role and decide if there are any changes re-
quired as certain tasks and responsibilities performed by
the previous person may not or should not be performed
by the new person

Carefully evaluate any changes needed for the following:

Level required performing these tasks; considering the

appropriate classification level. Be aware that changes in
the classification of positions from represented to non-
represented will require union notice and agreement
Tasks carried out by the previous employee
Tasks to be removed or added if any of the work will be
transferred within department
Supervisory or lead responsibility
Budget responsibility (if any)
Work hours
Is there still a requirement for this role at all?

Step 2: Develop Position Description

A position description is the core of a successful recruitment

process. It is used to develop interview questions, interview
 VISION TECH SAMPLE ANSWERS

evaluations and reference check questions. A well-written po-

sition description:

Provides a first impression of the campus to the candi-

date
Clearly articulates responsibilities and qualifications to
attract the best suited candidates
Provides an opportunity to clearly articulate the value
proposition for the role
Serves as documentation to help prevent, or defend
against, discrimination complaints by providing written
evidence that employment decisions were based on ratio-
nal business needs
Improves retention as turnover is highest with newly
hired employees. Employees tend to be dissatisfied when
they are performing duties they were not originally hired
to perform.
Optimizes search engine results by ensuring job postings
rank high in candidate search results when searching on-
line
Determines FLSA classification and is used to map to the
appropriate Payroll Title
Identifies tasks, work flow and accountability, enabling
the department to plan how it will operate and grow
Assists in establishing performance objectives
 VISION TECH SAMPLE ANSWERS

Is used for career planning and training by providing

clear distinctions between levels of responsibilities and
competencies required
Is used as a benchmark to assist in ensuring internal
and external equity

Identify Duties and Responsibilities

Prior to developing the job description the hiring manager

should identify the following:

1. General Information

2. Position Purpose

3. Essential Functions

4. Minimum Requirements

5. Preferred Qualifications

1. General Information

Basic position and pay information will need to be determined

to assist with the development of the job description and job
classification and for entering into the ATS. This information
will be different for each position being recruited:
 VISION TECH SAMPLE ANSWERS

 Payroll Title — The Payroll title and associated title code

determines the, FLSA status, Personnel Program Code
and Description, and the Bargaining Unit Code and De-
scription fields in the ATS.
Pay Grade/Step
 Working Title — Market titles should be recognizable and
common to various industries as most job seekers search
for commonly referred to market titles when conducting
on-line job searches
Department Name
Department Head
Supervisor Name
Title Codes and Full-Time Equivalent numbers of em-
ployees supervised
Special Requirements and Conditions:
o Specific requirements job seekers must possess or
complete in order to be hired (e.g. background
check, valid driver’s license, etc.)
o Bona Fide Occupational Qualifications
(BFOQ’s)which are in compliance with UCR’s appli-
cable policies (e.g. physical or mental requirements)
o Contact Staff Employment for assistance with spe-
cial requirements and conditions

2. Position Purpose
 VISION TECH SAMPLE ANSWERS

Describes the department’s functions, the unit’s functions,

and/or the organizational unit’s functions. The statement
should summarize the position’s essential functions and its
role in relation to supporting, administering, or managing the
activities of the department, unit, or organizational unit.

Posted Position Purpose — The posted Position Purpose will

be searchable and viewable by job seekers on UCR’s job board
and other posting sites. Therefore it is important to ensure it:

Includes a description of the role and its relation to the

department, organization and University
Includes the estimated duration (i.e. Limited 6-9 months
or Contract 2.5 years) for non-Career positions
Lists the number of openings when there is more than
one position being recruited
Describes any pre-employment assessments if applicable.
Is optimized for search engines. Candidates conduct job
searches by entering key words or phrases into search
engines.
 Most candidates utilize “job aggregators” such as Google
and Indeed versus searching individual company job
posts.
 To ensure your position reaches the top of candidate
search results, include key words such as “career”, “job”,
 VISION TECH SAMPLE ANSWERS

skills and title of the position in the beginning of the

posted position description (first 150 words).


Attracting a Talented Diverse Applicant Pool:

Once you have identified the position purpose, essential

functions and qualifications, you will want to go back
and review the description. Is it written to attract an indi-
vidual who is a top performer? Does it describe the inclu-
sive culture of your organization?
Marketing the job to a diverse audience is just as impor-
tant as accurately describing the role. For more informa-
tion and tips visit the Best Practices for Attracting a Di-
verse Workforce webpage.

3. Essential Job Functions

Essential job functions describe the duties and re -

sponsibilities of a position. A job function is considered essen-
tial when the performance of the function is the purpose for
the position. Typically, an essential function occupies a signifi-
cant amount of time of the employee’s time and requires spe-
cialized skills to perform. By accurately describing the essen-
tial functions of the job, job seekers will have a clear under-
 VISION TECH SAMPLE ANSWERS

standing of the role and your expectations for performing

them.

When developing essential functions for the position the fol-

lowing should be noted:

Functions of the job which are critical for the position are
arranged by importance and percentage of time spent
Complexity level and authority for the role should be de-
scribed to help attract the appropriate level of qualified
candidates
Essential tasks listed should be inter-related to the ac-
complishment of the essential function.

e.g., The essential function of event planning is com-

posed of several independent tasks including scheduling
and securing the venue; interviewing vendors and exe-
cuting contracts for service; arranging for food delivery;
supervising event workers and ensuring clean up. There-
fore, the various tasks required to successfully accom-
plish the essential function should be identified and de-
scribed.

4. Minimum Requirements
 VISION TECH SAMPLE ANSWERS

The minimum requirements or “basic qualifications” are those

qualifications or criteria which was established in advance
and advertised to potential applicants:

Must be relevant and relate to the duties and responsibil-

ities of the job (e.g., should not list driving requirement if
not part of responsibilities or duties of the job).
 “Soft skills” can be required qualifications (e.g., commu-
nication/collaboration) and will:
o Vary among applicants
o Not be absolutely ascertained in resume
o Be evaluated in interview
 Can be position/department specific (e.g. valid driver’s li-
cense)
Can be assessed by reviewing the resume
Must be objective, non-comparative and business relat-
ed:
o Objective
 Correct: Bachelor’s degree in Business Admin-
istration
 Incorrect: A business degree from a “good
school”
o Noncomparative
 Correct: 5 to 7 years of experience designing
computer software programs
 VISION TECH SAMPLE ANSWERS

 Incorrect: Must be one of the top five among

the applicants in years of experience
o Business Related
 Correct: 5+ years of experience in accounting
 Incorrect: Must have experience with volun-
teering for Habitat for Humanity
The minimum requirements should support the accom-
plishment of the essential function. For example, the es-
sential function of event planning could require:
o Organizational skills (to ensure all details are cared
for)
o Communication skills (to interact with vendors and
guests)
o Prior event planning experience

Listing too many skills as requirements significantly limits

your applicant pool and selection. It is recommended no more
than 3-5 “hard” job skills (e.g., Bachelor’s degree, 5 years ac-
counting experience, experience in accessing and retrieving
data from financial systems using PC based tools and other
“technical job skills”) in addition to the “soft skills” be listed
depending upon the level of the position.

5. Preferred Qualifications
 VISION TECH SAMPLE ANSWERS

Preferred qualifications are skills and experience

preferred in addition to basic qualifications and can be used to
narrow down the pool of applicants. These preferred skills,
knowledge, abilities and competencies can describe a more
proficient level at which the essential functions can be per-
formed such as:

Prior experience with corporate/institutional event plan-

ning (prior experience in a related area can be preferred)
and knowledge of applicable UC policies and procedures
(prior experience within the UC system can be preferred).
UCR experience, certifications and/or advanced degree
are additional

Applicants who meet some or all preferred qualifications (e.g.,

UC experience) tend to have shorter assimilation time, reach full
job competence faster and are able to take on advanced respon-
sibilities sooner.

Career Ladder Recruitments

When the scope of the position and the department needs al-
low for varying levels of skills and experience, a position may
be advertised with multiple job titles at different levels within
a single class series. Refer to UCR Local Procedure 20: Re-
cruitment for more information.
 VISION TECH SAMPLE ANSWERS

Step 3: Develop Recruitment Plan

Each position requires a documented Recruitment Plan which

is approved by the organizational unit. A carefully structured
recruitment plan maps out the strategy for attracting and hir-
ing the best qualified candidate and helps to ensure an appli-
cant pool which includes women and underrepresented
groups including veterans and individuals with disabilities.

In addition to the position’s placement goals the plan contains

advertising channels to be used to achieve those goals. The re-
cruitment plan is typically developed by the hiring manager in
conjunction with the Departmental HR Coordinator. Place-
ment goals identified are displayed on the position requisition
in the ATS.

Recruitment plan elements:

A. Posting Period
B. Placement Goals
C. Additional Advertising Resources
D. Diversity Agencies
E. Resume Banks

Contact your department HR Coordinator for a Sample Re-

cruitment Plan
 VISION TECH SAMPLE ANSWERS

A. Posting Period

Minimum posting requirements are as follows:

o Professional Support Staff (PSS) – 10 business days
from date posted beginning the next business day
o Management/Senior Professional (MSP) – 15 busi-
ness days from date posted beginning the next busi-
ness day
 “Open until filled” is an option for both PSS and MSP po-
sitions which allows the posting to remain open and
viewable on the career site until filled. This option is rec-
ommended for all recruitments.
 Continuous Recruitment — To be used only for on-going
recruitment such as lab assistants, custodial support,
etc.

B. Placement Goals

Placement goals are required for each recruitment

Review your Placement Goals and develop a recruitment
plan which will assist in reaching those goals
o To ensure the most current placement goals are
identified for the department and unit, you may
contact the office of Faculty and Staff Affirmative
Action.
 VISION TECH SAMPLE ANSWERS

Placement Goals should include outreach efforts to veter-

ans and individuals with disabilities

C. Additional Advertising Resources

A variety of recruiting sources (both internally and externally)

should be utilized to attract candidates who reflect the diversi-
ty UCR values in its workforce. Every effort should be made to
conduct a thorough search by advertising widely before filling
a position.

Any advertising related to employment at UCR and/or re-

cruitment (job) advertising should include this statement
in the body of the advertisement:

“UCR is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employ-

er with a strong institutional commitment to the achievement
of excellence and diversity among its faculty and staff.
 VISION TECH SAMPLE ANSWERS

6. Different approaches to leadership

and its role in management.

Answers:

As with most major academic undertakings, there is

little agreement in what makes a leader. Since the earliest
days of the study of business, there have been discussions of
leadership. However, leadership is hardly a discussion that
was originated with the advent of the academic study of busi-
nesses. In fact, the oldest known text in the world,

The Precepts of Ptah-hotep, was a treatise written

for the Pharaoh Isesi’s son (of the fifth dynasty in Egypt) about
being an effective Pharaoh (or leader).Wrench, J. S. (2013).
How strategic workplace communication can save your organi-
zation. In J. S. Wrench (Ed.), Workplace communication for the
21st century: Tools and strategies that impact the bottom line:
Vol.

2. External workplace communication (pp. 1-37). Santa

Barbara, CA: Praeger. Although it’s relatively easy in hindsight
to look at how effective an organizational leader was based on
her or his accomplishments, determining whether or not
someone will be an effective leader prior to their ascension is a
 VISION TECH SAMPLE ANSWERS

difficult task. To help organizations select the “right” person

for the leadership role, numerous scholars have come up with
a variety of ways to describe and explain leadership. According
to Michael Hackman and Craig Johnson, “Over the past 100
years, five primary approaches for understanding and explain-
ing leadership have evolved: the traits approach, the situation-
al approach, the functional approach, the relational approach,
and the transformational approach [emphasis in
original].”Hackman, M. S., & Johnson, C. E. (2009). Leader-
ship: A communication perspective (5th ed.). Long Grove, IL:
Waveland, pg. 72. The rest of this section is going to explore
these different approaches to leadership.

Trait Approach

The first major approach to leadership is com -

monly referred to as the trait approach to leadership because
the approach looks for a series of physical, mental, or person-
ality traits that effective leaders possess that neither non-lead-
ers nor ineffective leaders possess.

We start with this approach to leadership predomi-

nantly because it’s the oldest of the major approaches to lead-
ership and is an approach to leadership that is still very much
in existence today. The first major study to synthesize the trait
literature was conducted by Ralph Stogdill in 1948.Stogdill, R.
 VISION TECH SAMPLE ANSWERS

M. (1948). Personal factors associated with leadership: A sur-

vey of the literature. Journal of Psychology, 25, 35-71. In 1970,
Stogdill reanalyzed the literature and found six basic cate-
gories of characteristics that were associated with leadership:

physical, social background, intelligence and abili-

ty, personality, task-related, and social.Bass, B. M. (1990).
Bass and Stogdill’s handbook of leadership: Theory, research,
and managerial applications (Rev. ed.). New York, NY: Free
Press. Table 7.2 "Traits Associated with Leadership" contains a
list of the personality traits from the 1970 study in addition to
other researchers who have discovered a variety of other traits
associated with leadership.

Situational Approach

As trait approaches became more passé, new

approaches to leadership began emerging that theorized that
leadership was contingent on a variety of situational factors
(e.g., task to be completed, leader-follower relationships/inter-
actions, follower motivation/commitment, etc.). These new
theories of leadership are commonly referred to as the situa-
tional approaches. While there are numerous leadership theo-
rists who fall into the situational approach, we’re going to
briefly examine two of them here: Fred Fiedler’s Contingency
 VISION TECH SAMPLE ANSWERS

Theory and Paul Hersey and Kenneth Blanchard’s Situational

Leadership Theory.

Fred Fiedler’s Contingency Theory of Leader

Effectiveness

Fred Fiedler began developing his theory of lead-

ership in the 1950s and 60s and eventually coined it the “Con-
tingency Theory of Leader Effectiveness.”Fiedler, F. E. (1967) A
theory of leadership effectiveness.

New York: McGraw-Hill. In his theory, Fiedler be-

lieved that leadership was a reflection of both a leader’s per-
sonality and behavior, which were constant. Fiedler believed
that that leaders do not change their leadership styles, but
rather when situations change, leaders must adapt their lead-
ership strategies. Fiedler’s basic theory started with the notion
that leaders typically were either task-oriented or relationship-
oriented.

Task-oriented leaders focused more on the task

and accomplishing organizational goals. Relationship-oriented
leaders focused on creating positive interactions with followers
and establishing positive relationships based on mutual trust,
respect, and confidence.
 VISION TECH SAMPLE ANSWERS

Leader-Follower Relations

The first factor of situation favorableness leaders

must attend to involves the nature of their relationship with
their followers. Leaders who have positive relationships with
their followers will have high levels of mutual trust, respect,
and confidence; whereas leaders with negative relationships
with their followers will have lower degrees of mutual trust, re-
spect, and confidence. The more positive a leader’s relation-
ships with her or his followers, the more favorable the situa-
tion will be for the leader.

Task Structure

Next, leaders must determine if the task at hand is

one that is highly structured or one that that is unstructured.
Highly structured tasks are ones that tend to be repetitive and
unambiguous, so they are more easily understood by follow-
ers, which leads to a more favorable situation for the leader. If
tasks are unstructured, then the leader will have followers
who are less likely to understand the task, which will make for
a less favorable leadership situation.
 VISION TECH SAMPLE ANSWERS

Position Power

Lastly, leaders need to know whether they are in

a position of strong or weak power. Leaders who have the abil-
ity to exert power over followers (reward and punish followers),
will have greater ability to exert the leader’s will on followers,
which is more favorable for the leader. Leaders who do not
have the ability to exert power over followers are in a much
less favorable leadership situation.

Situational Favorableness

When one combines the three factors (leader-follower rela-

tions, task structure, and position power), the basic contin-
gency model proposed by Fiedler emerges. "Fiedler’s Contin-
gency Model" illustrates the basic model proposed.

Directing

The first type of leader discussed in Hersey and

Blanchard’s Situational Leadership Theory is the directing
leader (originally termed telling). A directing leader is needed
by followers who do lack both the skill and the motivation to
perform a task. Hersey and Blanchard recommend against
supportive behavior at this point because the supporting be-
havior may be perceived as a reward by the follower. Instead,
 VISION TECH SAMPLE ANSWERS

these followers need a lot of task-directed communication and

oversight.

Coaching

The second type of leader discussed in Hersey

and Blanchard’s Situational Leadership Theory is the coaching
leader (originally termed selling). The coaching leader is neces-
sary when followers have a high need for direction and a high
need of support. Followers who are unable to perform or lack
the confidence to perform the task but are committed to the
task and/or organization need a coaching leader. In this case,
the leader needs to have more direct control over the follower’s
attempt to accomplish the task, but the leader should also
provide a lot of encouragement along the way.

Supporting

Next, you have followers who still require low levels

of direction from leaders but who need more support from
their leaders. Hersey and Blanchard see these followers as in-
dividuals who more often than not have requisite skills but
still need their leader for motivation. As such, supporting lead-
ers should set about creating organizational environments
that foster these followers’ motivations.
 VISION TECH SAMPLE ANSWERS

Delegating

Lastly, when a follower is both motivated and

skilled, he or she needs a delegating leader. In this case, a
leader can easily delegate tasks to this individual with the ex-
pectations that the follower will accomplish the tasks. Howev-
er, leaders should not completely avoid supportive behavior
because if a follower feels that he or she is being completely ig-
nored, the relationship between the leader and follower could
sour.

Functional Approach

In both the trait and situational approaches to

leadership, the primary outcome called “leadership” is a series
of characteristics that help create the concept. The functional
approach, on the other hand, posits that it’s not a series of
leadership characteristics that make a leader, but rather a
leader is someone who looks like, acts like, and communicates
like a leader. To help us understand the functional approach
to leadership, we’ll examine two different sets of researchers
commonly associated with this approach: Chester Barnard’s
Functions of the Executive and Kenneth Benne and Paul
Sheats’ Classification of Functional Roles in Groups.
 VISION TECH SAMPLE ANSWERS

Establishing and Maintaining a System of Communication

According to Barnard, the first function of an

executive should be to establish and maintain a system of
communication. As such, Barnard came up with seven specif-
ic rules to help executives create a system of communication
within their organizations:

 The channels of communication should be definite;

 Everyone should know of the channels of communica-
tion;
 Everyone should have access to the formal channels of
communication;
 Lines of communication should be as short and as direct
as possible;
 Competence of persons serving as communication cen-
ters should be adequate;
 The line of communication should not be interrupted
when the organization is functioning; and
 Every communication should be authenticated.Barnard,
C. I. (1938). The functions of the executive. Cambridge,
MA: Harvard University Press; pp. 175-80.
 VISION TECH SAMPLE ANSWERS

The Full-Range Theory of Leadership

The full-range theory of leadership is a component of transfor-

mational leadership, which enhances motivation and morale
by connecting the employee's sense of identity to a project and
the collective identity of the organization. The four major com-
ponents of the theory, which cover the full range of essential
qualities of a good leader, are:

 Individualized consideration: the degree to which the

leader attends to each follower's concerns and needs and
acts as a mentor or coach
 Intellectual stimulation: the degree to which the leader
challenges assumptions, takes risks, and solicits follow-
ers' ideas
 Inspirational motivation: the degree to which the leader
articulates a vision that is appealing and inspiring to fol-
lowers
 Idealized influence: the degree to which the leader pro-
vides a role model for high ethical behavior, instills pride,
and gains respect and trust
 Source: Boundless. “Approaches to Understanding Lead-
ership: Trait, Behavioral, Contingency, and Full-Range
Models.” Boundless Management. Boundless, 14 Nov.
2014. Retrieved 08 Dec. 2014
 VISION TECH SAMPLE ANSWERS

6. Importance of planning in an
organization
Answers:
The Importance of Planning in an Organization

Planning helps an organization chart a course for the

achievement of its goals. The process begins with
reviewing the current operations of the organization and
identifying what needs to be improved operationally in
the upcoming year. From there, planning involves
envisioning the results the organization wants to achieve,
and determining the steps necessary to arrive at the
intended destination--success, whether that is measured
in financial terms, or goals that include being the highest-
rated organization in customer satisfaction.

Efficient Use of Resources

All organizations, large and small, have limited resources. The

planning process provides the information top management
needs to make effective decisions about how to allocate the re-
sources in a way that will enable the organization to reach its
objectives. Productivity is maximized and resources are not
wasted on projects with little chance of success.
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Establishing Goals

Setting goals that challenge everyone in the or-

ganization to strive for better performance is one of the key as-
pects of the planning process. Goals must be aggressive, but
realistic. Organizations cannot allow themselves to become too
satisfied with how they are currently doing--or they are likely
to lose ground to competitors.

The goal setting process can be a wake-up call

for managers that have become complacent. The other benefit
of goal setting comes when forecast results are compared to
actual results. Organizations analyze significant variances
from forecast and take action to remedy situations where rev-
enues were lower than plan or expenses higher.

Managing Risk And Uncertainty

Managing risk is essential to an organization’s success. Even

the largest corporations cannot control the economic and com-
petitive environment around them. Unforeseen events occur
that must be dealt with quickly, before negative financial
consequences from these events become severe. Planning en-
courages the development of “what-if” scenarios, where man-
agers attempt to envision possible risk factors and develop
contingency plans to deal with them. The pace of change in
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business is rapid, and organizations must be able to rapidly

adjust their strategies to these changing conditions.

Team Building

Planning promotes team building and a spirit of

cooperation. When the plan is completed and communicated
to members of the organization, everyone knows what their re-
sponsibilities are, and how other areas of the organization
need their assistance and expertise in order to complete as-
signed tasks. They see how their work contributes to the suc-
cess of the organization as a whole and can take pride in their
contributions. Potential conflict can be reduced when top
management solicits department or division managers’ input
during the goal setting process. Individuals are less likely to
resent budgetary targets when they had a say in their cre-
ation.

Creating Competitive Advantages

Planning helps organizations get a realistic view of

their current strengths and weaknesses relative to major com-
petitors. The management team sees areas where competitors
may be vulnerable and then crafts marketing strategies to
take advantage of these weaknesses. Observing competitors’
actions can also help organizations identify opportunities they
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may have overlooked, such as emerging international markets

or opportunities to market products to completely different
customer groups.

Importance of planning in management are:

Planning is the first and most important function

of management. It is needed at every level of management. In
the absence of planning all the business activities of the or-
ganisation will become meaningless. The importance of plan-
ning has increased all the more in view of the increasing size
of organisations and their complexities

Planning Provides Direction:

Under the process of planning the objectives of the

organisation are defined in simple and clear words. The obvi-
ous outcome of this is that all the employees get a direction
and all their efforts are focused towards a particular end. In
this way, planning has an important role in the attainment of
the objectives of the organisation.

For example, suppose a company fixes a sales tar -

get under the process of planning. Now all the departments,
e.g., purchase, personnel, finance, etc., will decide their objec-
tives in view of the sales target.
 VISION TECH SAMPLE ANSWERS

In this way, the attention of all the managers will get focused
on the attainment of their objectives. This will make the
achievement of sales target a certainty. Thus, in the absence
of objectives an organisation gets disabled and the objectives
are laid down under planning.

(2) Planning Reduces Risks of Uncertainty:

Planning is always done for future and future is uncertain.

With the help of planning possible changes in future are antic-
ipated and various activities are planned in the best possible
way. In this way, the risk of future uncertainties can be min-
imised.

For example, in order to fix a sales target a survey can be un-

dertaken to find out the number of new companies likely to
enter the market. By keeping these facts in mind and planning
the future activities, the possible difficulties can be avoided.

(3) Planning Reduces Overlapping and Wasteful Activities:

Under planning, future activities are planned in

order to achieve objectives. Consequently, the problems of
when, where, what and why are almost decided. This puts an
end to disorder and suspicion. In such a situation coordina-
tion is established among different activities and departments.
It puts an end to overlapping and wasteful activities.
 VISION TECH SAMPLE ANSWERS

Consequently, wastages moves towards nil, efficiency increas-

es and costs get to the lowest level. For example, if it is decid-
ed that a particular amount of money will be required in a
particular month, the finance manager will arrange for it in
time.

In the absence of this information, the amount of

money can be more or less than the requirement in that par-
ticular month. Both these situations are undesirable. In case,
the money is less than the requirement, the work will not be
completed and in case it is more than the requirement, the
amount will remain unused and thus cause a loss of interest.

(4) Planning Promotes Innovative Ideas:

It is clear that planning selects the best alter-

native out of the many available. All these alternatives do not
come to the manager on their own, but they have to be discov-
ered. While making such an effort of discovery, many new
ideas emerge and they are studied intensively in order to de-
termine the best out of them.

In this way, planning imparts a real power of thinking in the

managers. It leads to the birth of innovative and creative
ideas. For example, a company wants to expand its business.
 VISION TECH SAMPLE ANSWERS

This idea leads to the beginning of the planning activity in the

mind of the manager. He will think like this:

Should some other varieties of the existing products be manu-

factured?

Should retail sales be undertaken along with the wholesales?

Should some branch be opened somewhere else for the exist-

ing or old product?

Should some new product be launched?

In this way, many new ideas will emerge one after the other.
By doing so, he will become habituated to them. He will al-
ways be thinking about doing something new and creative.
Thus, it is a happy situation for a company which is born
through the medium of planning.

(5) Planning Facilitates Decision Making:

Decision making means the process of taking decisions. Under

it, a variety of alternatives are discovered and the best alterna-
tive is chosen. The planning sets the target for decision mak-
ing. It also lays down the criteria for evaluating courses of ac-
tion. In this way, planning facilitates decision making.

(6) Planning Establishes Standards for Controlling:

 VISION TECH SAMPLE ANSWERS

By determining the objectives of the organisation through

planning all the people working in the organisation and all the
departments are informed about ‘when’, ‘what’ and ‘how’ to do
things.

Standards are laid down about their work, time

and cost, etc. Under controlling, at the time of completing the
work, the actual work done is compared with the standard
work and deviations are found out and if the work has not
been done as desired the person concerned are held responsi-
ble.

For example, a labourer is to do 10 units of

work in a day (it is a matter of planning), but actually he com-
pletes 8 units. Thus there is a negative deviation of 2 units.
For this, he is held responsible. (Measurement of actual work,
knowledge of deviation and holding the labourer responsible
falls under controlling.) Thus, in the absence of planning con-
trolling is not possible.
 VISION TECH SAMPLE ANSWERS

Three Types of Objectives for Plannin

Whether the business is large or small, company

heads set overall goals for the business and break these down
into objectives. Management has to develop and implement
plans to meet these objectives. Depending on the type of busi-
ness, the time frame and the focus of management, objectives
can have different characteristics. The key for the managers is
to match plan implementation to the type of objective.

Objectives

Companies, large or small, can identify problems and estab-

lish overall goals for their business, but they need specific
plans to make progress. The planning stage includes courses
of action and identifies the results that the company wants to
see. These results translate into objectives at the different lev-
els of the organization. A department manager may have the
objective to increase sales by 10 percent. This becomes an ob-
jective of selling 15 more systems this month for one of his
employees. To maintain planning clarity, the type of objective
must remain the same throughout this translation down the
organization.
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Time-Related

One type of objective includes a time factor. These

objectives are short-term, medium-term or long-term, ranging
from one month to several years. Planning that includes short-
term objectives specifies what immediate results are expected
from actions currently in progress.

These objectives focus on day-to-day activities.

Medium-term objectives are results that influence the annual
budgets, reports and strategies. They deal with monthly action
plans. Long-term objectives look at results the company needs
to meet its overall goals. They focus on results from yearly re-
views. Planning specifies time-related objectives as an overall
framework for plan implementation.

Related Reading: Business Planning Objectives

Routine

Some objectives don't have a specific time frame

but deal with expected results from routine, continuous activi-
ties. Normal production levels translate into routine objectives.
Monitoring safety to prevent the accident rate from rising in-
volves routine objectives. Such objectives typically remain at a
constant rate. Management monitors routine objectives for de-
viations from the norm and to institute corrective action if
 VISION TECH SAMPLE ANSWERS

necessary. Planning specifies routine objectives and assumes

the company will meet them as it has in the past.

Development

While time-related objectives deal with normal ac -

tivities within a time frame and routine objectives deal with
regular activities, development objectives result from new ini-
tiatives. External change imposed on a business or internal
changes motivated by new goals result in planning for new de-
velopment. Such plans specify new activities and estimate the
results. These desired results translate into objectives at the
various organizational levels. Since the activities are new, the
objectives may not be realistic and managers have to be ready
to make adjustments to this type of objective.
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2. Importance of Coordination in man-

agerial functions

Answers:

Coordination provides the following benefits:

1. Higher Efficiency and Economy:

Coordination helps to improve the efficiency of

operations by avoiding overlapping efforts and duplication of
work. Integration and balancing of individual efforts provide a
smooth and harmonious team work. Coordination is a creative
force which makes possible a total result which is greater than
the sum of individual achievements. This is the synergetic ef-
fect coordination. Coordination enables an organisation to
rake optimum use of its resources.

The success of organized Endeavour depends upon

the quality of coordination. In fact, coordination is the first
principle of organisation as it expresses the principle of organ-
isation in to. The quality of coordination is the crucial factor in
the survival of an organisation.
 VISION TECH SAMPLE ANSWERS

2. Good Human Relations:

Besides promoting the efficiency of operations,

coordination improves the morale and job satisfaction of em-
ployees. Composite and orderly effort established through
team spirit and executive leadership enables employees to de-
rive a sense of security and personal contentment from their
job. A well-coordinated organisation can attract, retain and
utilize better personnel. Coordination improves human rela-
tions by reconciling individual and organizational objectives.

3. Unity of direction:

Coordination helps to ensure unity of action in the

face of disruptive forces. By welding together different depart-
ments and sections into one entity, coordination ensures the
stability and growth of an organisation. It enables the execu-
tives to see the enterprise as a whole instead of narrow sec-
tional goals. Individual interests are subordinated to the com-
mon interest more easily and effectively.
 VISION TECH SAMPLE ANSWERS

4. Quintessence of management:

Coordination is an all inclusive concepts or the end

result of the management process. Management is nothing
more than coordination of all activities, efforts and forces that
affect the organisation from within and without. Coordination
serves as a key to all managerial functions.

According to Mary Parker Follett, "the first test of a

business administration should be whether you have a busi-
ness with all its parts so coordinated, so moving together in
their closely knit and adjusting activities, so linking, in- ter-
locking, inter-relating, that they make a working unit that is
not a congenis of separate pieces, but a functional whole or
integrated unit".

5. Organizational Effectiveness:

Coordination fosters loyalty and commitment

among employees. This enhances the effectiveness and stabili-
ty of the organisation. According to McFarland, "if job satisfac-
tions are present, executives will tend to remain longer with
the company. They will feel that they have a place in the or-
ganisation. They will feel that they have earned that place. The
presence of coordination becomes part of their job experience
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and hence can form a very useful part of their training." Thus,
coordination is the sine qua non of effective management.

1. Coordination Integrates Group efforts:

The concept of coordination always applies to group efforts.

There is no need for coordination when only single individual
is working.

The need for orderliness, integration arises only when more in-
dividuals are working as different individuals come from differ-
ent backgrounds, have different styles of working so there is
need to unify their efforts in common direction.

2. Ensure Unity of efforts:

Coordination always emphasises on unifying the

efforts of different individuals because conflicting efforts may
cause damage to organisation. The main aim of every manager
is to coordinate the activities and functions of all individuals
to common goal.

3. Continuous process:

Coordination is a non-ending function. It is a continuous

function although its degree may vary. The managers work
continuously to achieve coordination and maintain coordina-
 VISION TECH SAMPLE ANSWERS

tion because without coordination companies cannot function

efficiently.

4. Coordination is a pervasive function:

Coordination is a universal function; it is re-

quired at all the levels, in all the departments and to perform
all the functions due to interdependence of various activities
on each other. For example if low quality inputs are purchased
by purchase department, it will result in production of low
quality product which further result in low sale, low revenue
and so on.

5. Coordination is the responsibility of all managers:

Coordination is not the task of only top level managers but

managers working at different levels try to coordinate the ac-
tivities of organisation. The top level try to coordinate the over-
all plans and policies of organisation, middle level try to coor-
dinate departmental activities and lower level coordinate the
activities of workers.

6. Coordination is a deliberate function:

to avoid confusion and chaos. Without coordina-

tion efforts of individuals cannot be united and integrated;
 VISION TECH SAMPLE ANSWERS

that is why while performing various activities in the organisa-

tion managers deliberately perform coordination function.

The need for orderliness, integration arises only when more in-
dividuals are working as different individuals come from differ-
ent backgrounds, have different styles of working so there is
need to unify their efforts in common direction.

2. Ensure Unity of efforts:

Coordination always emphasises on unifying the efforts of dif-

ferent individuals because conflicting efforts may cause dam-
age to organisation. The main aim of every manager is to coor-
dinate the activities and functions of all individuals to com-
mon goal.

3. Continuous process:

Coordination is a non-ending function. It is a continuous

function although its degree may vary. The managers work
continuously to achieve coordination and maintain coordina-
tion because without coordination companies cannot function
efficiently.
 VISION TECH SAMPLE ANSWERS

4. Coordination is a pervasive function:

Coordination is a universal function; it is required at

all the levels, in all the departments and to perform all the
functions due to interdependence of various activities on each
other. For example if low quality inputs are purchased by pur-
chase department, it will result in production of low quality
product which further result in low sale, low revenue and so
on.

5. Coordination is the responsibility of all managers:

Coordination is not the task of only top level managers but

managers working at different levels try to coordinate the ac-
tivities of organisation. The top level try to coordinate the over-
all plans and policies of organisation, middle level try to coor-
dinate departmental activities and lower level coordinate the
activities of workers.

6. Coordination is a deliberate function:

Every manager tries to coordinate the activities of

organisation to avoid confusion and chaos. Without coordina-
tion efforts of individuals cannot be united and integrated;
that is why while performing various activities in the organisa-
tion managers deliberately perform coordination function
 VISION TECH SAMPLE ANSWERS

Various Administrative Controls

Organizations often use standardized documents

to ensure complete and consistent information is gathered.
Documents include titles and dates to detect different versions
of the document. Computers have revolutionized administra-
tive controls through use of integrated management informa-
tion systems, project management software, human resource
information systems, office automation software, etc. Organi-
zations typically require a wide range of reports, e.g., financial
reports, status reports, project reports, etc. to monitor what'-
s being done, by when and how.

Delegation

Delegation is an approach to get things done, in con-

junction with other employees. Delegation is often viewed as a
major means of influence and therefore is categorized as an
activity in leading (rather than controlling/coordinating). Dele-
gation generally includes assigning responsibility to an em-
ployee to complete a task, granting the employee sufficient au-
thority to gain the resources to do the task and letting the em-
ployee decide how that task will be carried out. Typically, the
person assigning the task shares accountability with the em-
ployee for ensuring the task is completed. See Delegation.
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Evaluations

Evaluation is carefully collecting and analyzing information in

order to make decisions. There are many types of evaluations
in organizations, for example, evaluation of marketing efforts,
evaluation of employee performance, program evaluations, etc.
Evaluations can focus on many aspects of an organization and
its processes, for example, its goals, processes, outcomes, etc.

inancial Statements (particularly budget management)

Once the organization has establish goals and associated

strategies (or ways to reach the goals), funds are set aside for
the resources and labor to the accomplish goals and tasks. As
the money is spent, statements are changed to reflect what
was spent, how it was spent and what it obtained. Review of fi-
nancial statements is one of the more common methods to
monitor the progress of programs and plans. The most com-
mon financial statements include the balance sheet, income
statement and cash flow statement. Financial audits are regu-
larly conducted to ensure that financial management practices
follow generally accepted standards, as well.