Chapter 1 Introduction to Human Resource Management Essay

58) What are the five basic functions of the management process? Explain some of the specific activities involved in each function. Which function is most closely associated with human resource management? Answer: The five basic functions are planning, organizing, staffing, leading, and controlling. Planning activities include establishing goals and standards, developing rules and procedures, and developing plans and forecasting. Organizing activities include giving specific task assignments to subordinates, establishing departments, delegating authority to subordinates, and establishing channels of authority and communication. Staffing activities include determining what type of people should be hired, recruiting prospective employees, and setting performance standards. Leading activities include maintaining morale and motivating subordinates. Controlling activities include setting standards such as sales quotas and quality standards and taking corrective action as needed. Staffing is the function most readily related to human resource management. However, HR managers actually perform all five functions. Difficulty: Hard Chapter: 1 Objective: 1 AACSB: Application of Knowledge Learning Outcome: 1.1 Explain what human resource management is and how it relates to the management process. 59) Why is human resource management important to all managers? What is the role of line managers in human resource management? Answer: HR management is important to all managers because managers can do everything else right—lay brilliant plans, draw clear organization charts, set up world-class assembly lines, and use sophisticated accounting controls—but still fail, by hiring the wrong people or by not motivating subordinates. On the other hand, many managers—presidents, generals, governors, supervisors—have been successful even with inadequate plans, organizations, or controls because they had the knack of hiring the right people for the right jobs and motivating, appraising, and developing them. The direct handling of people is an integral part of every line manager's duties. More specifically, line managers must place the right person in the right job, orient and train new employees, improve the job performance of each person, gain cooperation and develop smooth working relationships, interpret the company's policies and procedures, control labor costs, and protect employees' health and physical condition. Difficulty: Hard Chapter: 1 Objective: 1 AACSB: Application of Knowledge Learning Outcome: 1.1 Explain what human resource management is and how it relates to the management process. 25 60) Explain the difference between line authority and staff authority. What type of authority do human resource managers usually have? Answer: Authority is the right to make decisions, to direct the work of others, and to give orders. Line managers are authorized to direct the work of subordinates and are directly in charge of accomplishing the organization's basic goals. Staff managers are authorized to assist and advise line managers in accomplishing these basic goals. Human resource managers are usually staff managers because they are responsible for assisting and advising line managers in areas like recruiting, hiring, and compensation. However, human resource managers do have line authority within their own department. Difficulty: Hard Chapter: 1 Objective: 1 AACSB: Application of Knowledge Learning Outcome: 1.1 Explain what human resource management is and how it relates to the management process. 61) What are the two distinct functions carried out by human resource managers? Describe each function in a brief essay. Answer: The functions are a line function and a staff (assist and advise) function. HR managers exert line authority within the HR department because they direct the activities of the people in that department. In the staff (assist and advise) function, HR managers assist in hiring, training, evaluating, rewarding, counseling, promoting, and firing employees. They also administer benefit programs and help line managers comply with EEO, occupational health and safety laws and play an important role in handling grievances and labor relations. Difficulty: Hard Chapter: 1 Objective: 1 AACSB: Application of Knowledge Learning Outcome: 1.1 Explain what human resource management is and how it relates to the management process. 62) Describe how shared service HR arrangements and embedded HR arrangements differ. Answer: Many organizations plan to use technology to institute more "shared services" (or "transactional") arrangements. These establish centralized HR units whose employees are shared by all the companies' departments to obtain advice on matters such as discipline problems. The shared services HR teams offer their services through intranets or centralized call centers; they aim to provide managers and employees with specialized support in day-to-day HR activities (such as discipline problems). Embedded HR teams have HR generalists (also known as "relationship managers" or "HR business partners") assigned to functional departments like sales and production. They provide the selection and other assistance the departments need. Difficulty: Hard Chapter: 1 Objective: 1 AACSB: Application of Knowledge Learning Outcome: 1.1 Explain what human resource management is and how it relates to the management process. 26