Technology has changed how we work and how companies manage their employees. Researchers in the field of human resource management (HRM) have extensively investigated the implications of technological changes and thereby provided valuable insights to human resource (HR) practitioners, managers, and policymakers on how to navigate their new realities that help companies succeed and motivate everyone to do their best work. The introduction of new technologies has a significant impact on the work that people do and on organisations. Organisations adopting new technologies may change their organisational structures and work processes accordingly. Thus, using technology to support HR practices and decision-making has become critical in strategic human resources management practice.

Background

You are the appointed Human Resources Manager (HRM) at StreetLights Manufacturing company. This is a young company that is still developing its organisational systems. One of the key proposals the company received from consultants is that it must invest in technology in all of its departments. Still, top managers convinced and need more convincing about the strategic advantages of investing in technology in a department like the Human Resources Department.

Required.

1.1 Guided by the case study, in your own words, explore the role of technology in supporting HR practices and decision-making within the context of strategic human resource management at StreetLights Manufacturing Company. Provide examples of how technology can enhance StreetLights Manufacturing Company HR strategies and contribute to the success of organisations in the modern business landscape. (30 marks)

Question 2:

Read the excerpt below and answer the question to follow:

Henry Fayol and Frederick Winslow Taylor made outstanding theoretical contributions to developing management thought. Fayol wrote as a practical man of business, reflecting on his long managerial career and setting the principles he had observed. He specified the functions of management through a systematic analysis of the management process. Frederick W. Taylor was a pioneer who propounded principles of Scientific Management. Taylor worked in different capacities in the steel industry and saw the urgent need to eliminate wastages that were rampant in industrial organisations. He observed that the only way to attract waste and achieve efficiency is to apply the method of science to the field of management. They both applied scientific methods to the problems of governance.

Source: Rahman, M. H. . (2012). Henry Fayol and Frederick Winslow Taylor’s Contribution to Management Thought: An Overview. ABC Journal of Advanced Research, 1(2), 94-103. https://doi.org/10.18034/abcjar.v1i2.10 [Accessed 18 October 2023].

Required

2.1 Guided by the above reading, evaluate the theoretical contributions of Frederick Winslow Taylor and Henry Fayol to contemporary management practices and functional responsibilities. Provide examples where necessary. (20 marks)

Question 3:

Read the scenario below and answer the question to follow:
ABC Corporation is a medium-sized company with a diverse range of job roles. To ensure effective HR management, it is essential to conduct a job analysis for the position of Human Resources Manager.

You have been appointed a consultant to advise the company about job analysis procedures and processes.
Source: Fictitious scenario developed by the examiner.

Required

3.1 Recommend the techniques (at least six) that ABC Corporation can use in job analysis. Your recommendations must provide an overview of each method, highlighting their advantages and limitations. (25 marks)

Question 4 (25 Marks) Read the scenario below and answer the question to follow:
Strategic human resources management decision-making is influenced by prevailing environmental factors, including the legal, political and social factors. South African labour laws and practices have embraced affirmative action and employee protection regulations to promote workplace diversity, equality and employment safety. At the same time, others have argued that laws in the country make dismissing employees difficult, leading to complicated work dynamics.
Source: Fictitious scenario developed by the examiner.

You are a board member of a large international firm in South Africa, responsible for advising on strategic human resources matters. The other board members are worried about the implications of the prevailing South African labour laws around affirmative action, given the lack of diversity representation in the company. They are unsure what can be done to meet the affirmative action demands.
Required

4.1. Explain to the other board members what affirmative action entails and outline the affirmative strategies the company will use to address diversity issues through affirmative
action. (15 marks)

4.2. Reflect on South African labour laws and provide an overview of how employee relations issues differ in global environments based on the employment‐at‐will concept, the role of trade unions, and paid-time-off practices. (10 marks)

Answers to Above Questions on Human Resource Management

Answer 1: The role of Technology is evident in every type of business activities including human resource management function in the organisation. In the given case scenario of Streetlights Manufacturing Company, technology has a crucial role to play in supporting the HR practices and decision making process. The ways in which technology is utilised by the company includes streamlining the recruitment and selection process, enhansing the training and development of new employees, improving performance management and feedback processes etc.

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