1.4 Flashcards
On the job training
Coaching/mentoring while working. Assistance/advise provided from more experienced to less so
+ Output may continue
+ Less expensive/easy to organise
+ Trainies can see relevance of job
- Efficiency reduction
- Pass on bad habits
- May not pick up skills
- Expensive mistakes
- Can be disruptive for other workers
Off the job training
Working at home or sources learning through demonstration talks/lectures
+ Focus on environment/less distractions
+ Feel valued by company
+ Mistakes are reduced
+ Less stressful
+ Training = higher quality
+ Chance to gather specialist skills
- Expensive
- Miss link between training/workplace
- Lose of money, employees taken from production
Types of flexible workers
Part-time:
- Work less than full time hours (35 hours weekly)
- No specific set out hours
- Beneficial to fit around other commitments
- Entitled to sick/holiday pay
- Permanent or temporary
Temporary:
- Fuller part-time
- Time limit or seasonal
Outsourcing:
- Specialists from another business
- Complete specific tasks/functions
Tall structure
- Many layers
- Narrow span of control
- Opportunities for promotion
- Longer to pass information
- More layers = More staff = More cost
Flat structure
- Fewer layer of hierarchy
- Wide span of control
- Fewer promotion opportunities
- Staff have more responsibility
- Fewer layers = Less staff = Less cost
Matrix structure
Individuals working across teams and projects as well as within their own department of structure
Delayering/Delegation
Delayering: Removing layers of management from hierarchy
+ Lower labour costs/innovation/teamwork
Delegation: Assignment of authority for particular functions and decisions
+ Reduces managers stress
+ Motivation
+ Form of on the job training
- Depends of quality of subordinates
- Harder for small firms
- May increase subordinates stress
Outsourcing
Getting other people or businesses to undertake work that was originally done in-house
Span of control
Number of employees that a manager is directly responsible for
Narrow:
- Closer supervision of employees
- Effective communication
Wide:
- Gives more independence
- More appropriate if labour costs are high as it requires less managers
Chain of command
- Lines of authority
- Flow of information
- Power and authority through the business
Centralised decision making
Centralised: Keeps the decision making at top of the hierarchy amongst senior management
+ Prevents too much independence
+Easier to coordinate/control
+ Good for low skilled workers
- Less motivation at the bottom
- Lower in hierarchy are likely to know more about customer needs - interact with them more
Decentralised decision making
Decentralised: Spread out to include junior managers and individual trading units
+ Able to respond to circumstances
+ More motivation
+ Develops junior management
- Can be ‘less strategic”
- Harder to ensure consistence practises
- Harder to achieve financial control
Piece rates and profit sharing
Piece rates: A payment system where employees are paid an agreed rate for each item produced
Profit sharing: Where workers are given a share of the profits, usually as part of their pay
Types of leadership
Autocratic: A leadership style where a manager makes all the decisions without consultation
Democratic: A leadership style where managers allow others to participate in decision making
Laissez-faire: A leadership style where employees are encouraged to make their own decisions within certain limits
Paternalistic: A leadership style where the leader makes decisions but taken into account the welfare of employees
Induction training
Training given to new employees when they first start a job
