QUESTION 1: (32 Marks)
Discuss the work of Isobel H.B. White in the early nineteen thirties, which led to the establishment of the Institute of Personnel Management in South Africa. (11 marks)

For an organisation to be successful, the various characteristics present in the organisations, must be in tune with each other. In order to prosper, the organisation must balance meeting the needs of the employees and customers, as well as meeting its own organisational goals.
With reference to Hall and Goodale (1986: 5), demonstrate your knowledge of these six (6) organisational characteristics by identifying and briefly describing each characteristic. (12 marks)

The rise in the use of software and web-based technologies by the HR role within organisations, has resulted in the establishment of a new function termed ‘e- HRM’. E-HRM is essentially the use of technology to manage human resources within organisations (Soni, 2015). With this in mind, explain your understanding of ‘big data’ and justify its relevance to the role of the Human Resource Management function. (9 marks)

QUESTION 2: (27 Marks)
As the HR official for a newly established garden centre, you understand the importance of a mission statement for the business.
Explain to the management of the garden centre how a carefully written mission statement will benefit the organisation. (6 marks)

As the HR official for the newly established garden centre, you are aware that for an HR strategy to be successful, it should be future-orientated and comprehensive.
Apply your knowledge of HR strategies by stating the elements that should be included in a successful strategy. (8 marks)

Many employers are acutely aware of the significant impact of the organisation’s internal environment on the productivity of their employees.
List four efforts that employers engage in, so as to improve their internal environment, in an effort to increase productivity within their organisation. (4 marks)

Various departments within the organisation form the basis of an organisational structure. Tasks are further specified according to the authority and responsibility involved. For example, AFRI Call centre’s CEO relies on the CFO and his department for all finance related matters, the HR manager and his department focuses on all HR matters, and administrative staff perform the daily call duties. Organisations vary in terms of the structures they implement.
Identify and describe the classical features of the organisational structure utilising the ‘one best way’ model or structure. (7 marks)

Validate your preference for or against the type of organisational structure you identified in question 2.4 above. (2 marks)

QUESTION 3: (13 Marks)
Assume you are the HR manager at Boston City Campus. Create an advertisement comprehensively listing the job requirements, to be posted in the companies’ weekly employee publication, advertising for an internal vacancy for the position of lecturer for Marketing Management. (8 marks)

In your own words, explain your understanding of employment equity in South Africa. (5 marks)

QUESTION 4: (13 Marks)
In question 2.3 you listed the efforts employers engage in to improve the internal environment of the organisation, to increase productivity.
Now identify and briefly describe the internal environmental factors that influence the selection decision depending on the type of organisation concerned. (8 marks)

Explain your understanding of the term ‘reciprocal’ with regards to a valid employment contact. (5 marks)

QUESTION 5: (15 Marks)
Mutual acceptance between the organisation and the employee, through a psychological contract, is vital. To maintain the psychological contract, the joint effort of the new employee, current employees, and the organisation, is of utmost importance. Give a brief description of the circumstances under which the psychological contract can be achieved. (4 marks)

Job placement is a continuous process aimed at ensuring a match between employee ability and job requirement. It encompasses internal movements of employees relating to promotions, demotions, transfers, retrenchments, dismissals and retirements. Explain your understanding of ‘a placement error’ with regards to the placement of an existing employee in a different position in the organisation.
(6 marks)

Name the three types of strategies an HR official can use to ensure congruity between employee ability and job requirements, when considering the placement of an employee for a vacancy in the organisation. (3 marks)

Apply your knowledge of the three types of staffing placement strategies mentioned in 5.3 above, by identifying the strategy that you think is best suited and provide an advantage of this strategy to validate your choice. (2 marks)

Answers to Above Questions on Human Resource Functions

Answer 1: The six organisational characteristics according to Hall and Goodale’s model are structure, strategy, systems, skills, style and staff. All these characteristics are highly essential for an organisation to achieve success in its performance. For example, the structure of an organisation should be such that it provides opportunity for clear communication, efficient workflow and optimal resource allocation.

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