BHR911: HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT THEORY

MARKING SCHEME
QUESTION ONE (Compulsory)

Case Study

a) Explain constraints affecting Mr. McCoy’s planning activities. [5 marks]

 Uncertainty about future workforce needs.

 Limited availability of data and analytics.
 Difficulty predicting changes in the business environment.
 Resistance to change from employees and management.
 Limited resources and budget constraints.

b) How might hiring a part-time teacher for this position be advantageous? [5 marks]

 Working part-time is ideal for family-oriented individuals – especially those who

value the opportunity to pick up their young children from school.
 Part-time workers enjoy increased free time in which to pursue extracurricular
activities.
 Not only can part-timers save on gas and car maintenance costs, but they may also be
able to shave dollars from their monthly auto insurance premiums.

c) In this scenario, is the interview alone a valid selection technique? [5 marks]

 The interview helps to provide additional information about the candidate's level of
aspiration, motivation, and attitudes about work.
 An interview is a good tool for verifying the information obtained from the
application.
 It is a means of providing accurate information about the job and the organization.

d) Discuss the following concepts as used in Human Resource Management:

i.) Difference between recruitment and selection [4 marks]

 Recruitment is the process of finding candidates for the vacant position and
encouraging them to apply for it. Selection means choosing the best candidate from
the pool of applicants and offering them the job
 ii.) Placement [2marks]

 Placement is the process of putting people into certain position who have been
selected for the job. Once a letter of employment has been given, the next stage is to
place the newly recruited staff into their area of specializations.

iii.)Induction [2 marks]

 Induction refers to the process of introducing new employees to their organization,

their roles, and the company's culture. It is also commonly known as employee
orientation.

iv.) Importance of training. [2 marks]

 When employees receive regular training, it not only enhances their job skills and
knowledge but also boosts their confidence in applying their talents.
 As a result, their performance improves, enabling them to function with increased
effectiveness and productivity in the workplace.

QUESTION TWO

a) Using relevant theories, describe and explain the concept of the psychological
contract, and go on to discuss ways in which organizations might manage the
psychological contracts of their employees in rapidly changing circumstances.
[8 marks]

 Psychological contract' refers to individuals' expectations, beliefs, ambitions, and

obligations, as perceived by the employer and the worker. The concept emerged in the
early 1960s, drawing on insights from psychology and organizational behavior.

Ways of managing psychological contracts

i.) Managing psychological contracts demands constant communication, negotiation, and

evaluation, as well as flexibility, fairness, and transparency.
ii.) To manage them effectively in the workplace, it is important to communicate
expectations and obligations clearly and explicitly. Negotiate these expectations and
obligations regularly and mutually, respecting employee preferences and perspectives.
iii.)Periodically evaluate expectations and obligations objectively, acknowledging
employee achievements and contributions. Be flexible and responsive to changes that
 may affect psychological contracts, such as organizational restructuring or market
fluctuations.
iv.) Additionally, be fair and transparent when making decisions that may impact
psychological contracts, such as rewards or layoffs. Utilize consistent ethical
principles to justify and explain your psychological contract behaviors.

b) Performance appraisal is an important tool for the efficient and effective management
of staff in organizations. Describe and discuss the different approaches that might be
used to appraise the performance of staff members. [7
marks]

 360-Degree Appraisal; The manager gathers information on the employee’s

performance, typically by questionnaire, from supervisors, co-workers, group
members, and self-assessment.
 Negotiated Appraisal; This type of appraisal uses a mediator to help evaluate the
employee’s performance, with a greater emphasis on the better parts of the
employee’s performance.
 Peer Assessment; the team members, workgroup, and co-workers are responsible for
rating the employee’s performance.
 Self-Assessment; The employees rate themselves in categories such as work behavior,
attitude, and job performance.
 Note that some organizations use several appraisal types during the same review. For
instance, a manager could consult with the employee’s peers and assign a self-
assessment to the employee. It doesn’t have to be a case of either/or.

QUESTION THREE

a) Many organizations seek to recruit some of their staff from primary labor markets and
some from secondary labor markets. Describe and explain the characteristics of these
two distinct types of labor markets and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of
such an approach.
[7marks]

 Primary labor markets: It is a market that comprises high-wage paying occupations,

longer-enduring professions, and social security. Each employee in the primary labor
market is found busy proving themselves to their employer, often by portraying their
skills.
  Secondary labor market: It is a market that comprises part-time, temporary, low-wage,
and high-turnover work.
 The Labor efficiency models talk about the efficiency of labor, and how much time
the labor spends in producing a good or in delivering some service. If the efficiency of
labor is increased, then the same amount of labor can produce a higher level of output.
 It eliminates the use of unwanted resources to produce a given level of output. It
implies higher productivity.
 The efficiency of labor can be increased by paying the labor a higher and more
efficient level of wage as they will be motivated to produce more.
 Higher wage level helps employers in retaining their employees.

b) Training and Development are widely recognized as being beneficial to firms.

Describe any two theoretical models of learning that you have studied in the HRM
module and discuss how they might best be adopted in a typical organization.
[8 marks]

 The Standard Causal Model of HRM; The Standard Causal Model of HRM is derived from
many similar models published throughout the 90s and early 2000s. According to this model,
HR will only be effective if its strategy is aligned with the business strategy.
 The HR Value Chain; The HR value chain is one of the best-known models in HR. It is based
on the work of Paauwe and Richardson (1997) and creates a nuance in the models above
regarding how HR operates.
 The HR Value Chain Advanced; the original source for the HR Value Chain Advanced model
is unclear. It is very similar to the HR value chain but with two key differences.
 The Harvard Model of HRM; The Harvard model of HRM has been attributed to Michael
Beer in 1984 and contributions from Paauwe and Richardson in 1997. It takes a more holistic
approach to HR and includes different levels of outcome.
 The Guest Model; The Guest model was developed in the late 1980s and 1990s by David
Guest, a professor at King’s Business School in the United Kingdom. The model positions the
strategic role of HR and differentiates strategic HRM from traditional personnel management
activities.

QQUESTION FOUR

a) Critically assess the notion of employee commitment and its organizational and
individual determinants. What can human resource management practice do to
 encourage higher commitment?
[10marks]

 Highly selective hiring and sophisticated selection process

 Employment security and internal labour markets
 Comprehensive training, learning, and development
 Employee involvement, sharing of information, and workers’ voice
 Team working/Self-managed teams
 High compensation based on performance
 Reduction of status differentials

b) Critically discuss the factors that need to be considered before making a decision
when selecting a candidate/expatriate for an international assignment. Illustrate your
key arguments with organizationally based examples. [5
marks]

 Candidates' qualifications. These are very important for the employee's success,
being very easy to verify. A high school or college degree guarantees a level of
education that includes strong written and oral communication skills.
 Qualities and skills. Many jobs require specific skills, such as teamwork, working in
risky environments, or knowledge of a foreign language, which takes time to acquire.
Checking them is a mandatory part of the selection process because if the potential
employee does not have the necessary skills for the job, he cannot do his job
efficiently.
 The experience to a candidate reveals how he has applied his qualifications and skills
over time. This gives your company the certainty that it will have employees with
experience that is in line with the company's work environment and culture.

QUESTION FIVE

a) What is Human Resource Management, and how might it add value to an

organization?
[6
marks]

 Strategic Management; HR improves the company's bottom line with its knowledge
of how human capital affects organizational success.
 Wages and Salaries; HR compensation specialists develop realistic compensation
structures that set company wages competitive with other businesses in the area, in the
same industry, or companies competing for employees with similar skills.
 Analyzing benefits; benefits specialists can reduce the company’s costs associated
with turnover, attrition, and hiring replacement workers.
 Minimizing Liability Issues; HR employee relations specialists minimize the
organization's exposure and liability related to allegations of unfair employment
practices.
 Training and Development; HR training and development specialists coordinate new
employee orientation, an essential step in forging a strong employer-employee
relationship.
 Employee Satisfaction; Employee relations specialists in HR help the organization
achieve high performance, morale, and satisfaction levels throughout the workforce,
by creating ways to strengthen the employer-employee relationship.
 Recruitment and Onboarding; HR recruiters manage the employment process from
screening resumes to scheduling interviews to processing new employees.
 Hiring Processes; they guide managers who aren't familiar with HR or standard hiring
processes to ensure that the company extends offers to suitable candidates.
 Maintaining Compliance; HR workers ensure that the organization complies with
federal and state employment laws.

b) How might Human Resource Development practitioners implement some of the

principles of the Experiential Learning Model to enhance the effectiveness and
efficiency of learning in organizations? What pitfalls might they experience?
[9 marks]

Results have indicated four components are the main

challenges of the experiential learning of the practical courses
including
 Insufficient educational spaces & and equipment
 (Less experienced instructors and technicians
 Not paying attention to parallel and additional experiences and
 Insufficient class.