The Association of Business Executives Diploma

HRM(Dip)0611

1.21 HRM(Dip)

Human Resource Management

Morning 8 June 2011

1 Time allowed: 3 hours. 2 Answer any FOUR questions. 3 All questions carry 25 marks. Marks for subdivisions of questions are shown in brackets. 4 No books, dictionaries, notes or any other written materials are allowed in this examination. 5 Calculators, including scientic calculators, are allowed providing they are not programmable and cannot store or recall information. Electronic dictionaries and personal organisers are NOT allowed. 6 Candidates who break ABE regulations, or commit any misconduct, will be disqualied from the examinations. 7 Question papers must not be removed from the Examination Hall.

HRM(Dip)0611

ABE 2011

R/500/3696

Answer any FOUR questions Q1 A colleague says to you, The trouble with our reward practices here is that we act as if our employees are only interested in their pay and nothing else. (a) (b) Describe and justify the purposes of employee reward. (10 marks)

Critically assess the total reward strategy which, in effect, is being recommended by your colleague. (15 marks) (Total 25 marks)

Q2

Business is global, Human Resources is not claims the headline in a management journal. Giving examples where appropriate, demonstrate how the practice of HRM has changed, or is likely to change, as a result of globalisation. (25 marks)

Q3

You are a human resources manager. One month ago you recruited a new member of staff to join your team and it is now time for her rst progress report. You have had to give her a number of informal warnings about her attitude and, having now reviewed her work performance, you consider that it does not meet the minimum level necessary for her continued employment. (a) (b) Describe and justify how you would handle this situation. (15 marks)

Outline and explain the principles that should guide the conduct of a disciplinary interview with this employee, should one be necessary. (10 marks) (Total 25 marks)

Q4

You have applied for a human resources manager position in a large retail supermarket. As part of the selection process, you have been asked to make a presentation entitled, What is good human resource management, and why is it important to us? (a) From an employers perspective, explain what is meant by good human resource management. Justify your answer. (10 marks) Outline and evaluate the special signicance of human resource management for a large retail supermarket business. (15 marks) (Total 25 marks)

(b)

HRM(Dip)0611

Q5

At a conference on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), someone says, HR professionals have a poor record when it comes to CSR. (a) (b) Dene CSR and explain its importance to organisational success. (10 marks)

Assess the ways in which human resource management policy and practice can be adapted in order to benet society as a whole. Give examples to support your answer wherever possible. (15 marks) (Total 25 marks)

Q6

A book on HRM says, Problems in induction can often be traced back to poor selection, and poor selection frequently occurs because of shortcuts being taken at the recruitment stage. (a) Identify the key points in the recruitment-selection-induction process where weaknesses are most likely to occur, and demonstrate the potential consequences. (15 marks) Outline the actions that organisations might take to avoid such weaknesses. (10 marks) (Total 25 marks)

(b)

Q7

No one ever talks any more about the four-stage Training Cycle: training needs analysis, training design, training delivery, and training evaluation, says an HR colleague. (a) (b) Outline the four-stage Training Cycle. (10 marks)

Explain and justify the importance of the four-stage Training Cycle to contemporary organisations. (15 marks) (Total 25 marks)

Q8

You are preparing some guidance notes to help staff prepare for their appraisals. Your next heading is Self-awareness and Self-assessment. These notes are important because staff have, in past years, taken a passive approach to appraisal - expecting their managers to do all the assessment and objective-setting. (a) Explain why it is important that staff carry out self-assessment throughout the year but particularly in preparation for their appraisals. (15 marks) Outline the ways in which an organisation can encourage its staff to be more self-aware and able to carry out self-assessment. (10 marks) (Total 25 marks)

(b)

End of Question Paper

HRM(Dip)0611

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