Theme 1.4

Question 1

What does it mean by treating staff as a cost?

Answer 1

Seeing an employee as a recourse of the business

Question 2

What does it mean by treating staff as an asset?

Answer 2

Employees are treated as individuals and their needs are planned accordingly

Question 3

What is a pro and con of treating staff as a cost?

Answer 3

+More cost-effective workforce where decision-making is quicker and focused on senior managers
-could lead to higher absenteeism and labour turnover

Question 4

What is a pro and con of treating staff as an asset?

Answer 4

+Motivates staff more effectively
-Cost of workforce may leave a business at a competitive disadvantage

Question 5

What are two benefits of a flexible workforce?

Answer 5

+Savings of overheads as the business do not need to provide an office or accommodation
+Flexible working results in high job satisfaction and high motivation

Question 6

What is one drawback of a flexible workforce?

Answer 6

-Potentially lower productivity

Question 7

What is multi-skilling?

Answer 7

Where employees are able to carry out multiple tasks rather than just specialise in one

Question 8

What is outsourcing?

Answer 8

Delegating one or more business processes to an external provider

Question 9

What are three evaluation point of outsourcing?++-

Answer 9

+Supplier may be a specialist with greater experience and equipment
+Motivated to keep costs low to make a profit
-Extra costs of communication

Question 10

What is employee representation?

Answer 10

When employees are involved in the decision-making process of the business

Question 11

What are three evaluation points of employee representation?++-

Answer 11

+increased empowerment and employee motivation
+Better decision-making as employee experience and insights are taken into account
-Conflicts between employer and employee ideas may be a block to essential change

Question 12

What are the two main functions of a trade union?

Answer 12

1. Represent and protect interest of employees
2. Negotiate on behalf of the employees to the employers

Question 13

What are two advantages of a good relationship between employers and trade union?

Answer 13

1. Saves time and cost rather than dealing with employees individually
2. Employee morale may be improved if they know that their interests are being protected by a union

Question 14

What is mediation?

Answer 14

Involves an independent person helping two or more individuals or groups reach a solution that is acceptable by everybody

Question 15

What is conciliation?

Answer 15

Used when an employee is making a specific complaint against their employer

Question 16

What is Arbitration?

Answer 16

An alternative to a court of law involving an impartial outsider being asked to make a decision on a dispute

Question 17

What are two advantages and one disadvantage of internal recruitment?

Answer 17

+Cheaper and quicker
+Employer already understands the business
-No new ideas coming from outside the business

Question 18

What are two advantages and one disadvantage of external recruitment?

Answer 18

+Outside people bringing in new ideas
-Longer process
-More expensive as business has to pay for advertisement

Question 19

What is on the job training?

Answer 19

An employee receives training whilst remaining in the workplace

Question 20

What are three evaluation points of on the job training?

Answer 20

+More cost effective
+Training along side actual employees
-Bad habits might be passed on

Question 21

What is off the job training?

Answer 21

Employee training that takes place away from the work place

Question 22

What are three evaluation points of off the job training?

Answer 22

+Can learn from outside specialists
-New employee may need induction training
-Employee may have new skills and want to leave the job

Question 23

What is the span of control?

Answer 23

How many employees a manager is in charge of

Question 24

What are two advantages of a narrow span of control?

Answer 24

+Allows closer supervision on employees
+Helps more effective communication

Question 25

What are two advantage of a wide span of control?

Answer 25

+Gives employees more chance for independence +More appropriate if labour costs are significant - reduce number of managers

Question 26

What is a chain of command?

Answer 26

Describes the lines of authority within a business

Question 27

What are three evaluation points of a tall hierarchy structure?

Answer 27

+Allows tighter control +More opportunities for promotion -Takes longer for communication to reach through layers

Question 28

What are three evaluation points of a flat hierarchy structure?

Answer 28

+Lower costs as less staff +Vertical communication is improved -Less direct control

Question 29

What is a matrix structure?

Answer 29

Individuals work across teams and projects as well as within their own departments or function

Question 30

What are three evaluation points of a matrix structure?

Answer 30

+Likely to lead to greater motivation within the team +Helps breakdown traditional department barriers, improving communication -Takes time to get used to working in a matrix structure

Question 31

What is delayering?

Answer 31

Removing layers of management from the hierarchy of the organisation

Question 32

What are three evaluation points of delayering?

Answer 32

+Lower labour costs +Shorter communication paths -Could be demotivating

Question 33

What is delegation?

Answer 33

The assignment to others of the authority for particular functions, tasks and decisions

Question 34

What are three evaluation points of delegation?

Answer 34

+Reduces managers stress and workload +Employees are empowered and motivated -Harder in smaller firms

Question 35

What is employee empowerment?

Answer 35

Giving employees power to do their job

Question 36

What is centralised decision-making?

Answer 36

Keeping decision-making firmly at the top of the hierarchy

Question 37

What are three evaluation points of Centralisation?

Answer 37

+Economies of scale and overhead savings are easier to achieve +Quicker decision-making (Usually) - easier to show strong leadership

Question 38

What is decentralised decision-making?

Answer 38

Including junior managers in the decision making of the business

Question 39

What are three evaluation points of Decentralisation?

Answer 39

+More likely to meet customer needs +Should improve staff motivation -May be diseconomies of scale - duplicate jobs

Question 40

What was Taylors theory of motivation?

Answer 40

The belief that managers should maintain close control and supervision on employees. And employees should be motivated by being paid for how much they produce

Question 41

What was Maslow's theory of motivation?

Answer 41

That there are 5 levels of human needs which each employee needs to fulfil at work. Therefore a business needs to offer different incentives to workers in order to help them fulfill each need in turn and progress up the hierarchy

Question 42

What was Herzberg's theory of motivation?

Answer 42

The two factor theory. Hygiene factors and motivators. And by using job enrichment and empowerment, employees are more likely to be motivated

Question 43

What are some examples of a motivator in the aspect Herzberg's theory

Answer 43

Responsibility at work and achievement and recognition

Question 44

What are some examples of a Hygiene factor in the aspect of Herzberg's theory?

Answer 44

Pay and other financial rewards, working conditions and appropriate working conditions and supervision

Question 45

How does Mayo's theory motivate employees?

Answer 45

Better communication between employees, working in groups and more involvement from mangers in employees working lives

Question 46

What does Mayo's theory believe?

Answer 46

That worker are not just motivated by money but by having their human/ social needs met

Question 47

What are the top and bottom factors of Maslow's hierarchy of needs?

Answer 47

Self actualisation (top) Physical needs (bottom)

Question 48

who's theory can be used to show that money motivates employees?

Answer 48

Taylor

Question 49

What are 6 non-financial techniques of motivation?

Answer 49

Delegation Empowerment Consultation Team-working Job enrichment Job rotation

Question 50

What are 5 financial ways to motivate employees?

Answer 50

performance-related pay Commission Piecework Bonus Profit-sharing

Question 51

What is an autocratic leadership style?

Answer 51

An autocratic leaders issue instructions and expect these to be done. They know exactly what they want done and pay little attention to what the workers have to say

Question 52

What is a paternalistic leadership style?

Answer 52

Paternalistic leaders care about the best interests of staff and listen to their views however the leader makes the decisions

Question 53

What is a democratic leadership style?

Answer 53

Managers will expect their staff to be involved in decision making. They will delegate authority to subordinates, believing that this is the best way to get the job done

Question 54

What is a laissez-faire leadership style

Answer 54

Where manager will leave employees to carry out tasks and decision making themselves