S.A.ENGINEERING COLLEGE, CHENNAI – 600 007.

DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

SUBJECT CODE : BA 9268ssss

SUBJECT NAME : STRATEGIC HUMAN RESOURCE
MANAGEMENT & DEVELOPMENT
CLASS / SEMESTER : II MBA / III SEM

UNIT – 1 : HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

PART – A

UNIT – I: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

1) Define HRD .
HRD: A set of systematic and planned activities designed by an
organization to provide its members with the necessary skills to meet
current and future job demands.

2) What is strategic HRM?

It is to ensure that human resource management is fully

integrated into strategic planning, that HRM policies cohere both across
policy areas across hierarchies and that HRM policies are accepted and
used by line managers as part of their every day work.

3) What are the barriers to strategic HRM?

 Job design and organizational structure.

 Changing psychosocial system.
 Vision penetration.
 Change in industrial relations.
 Changes in legal environment.
 Equalitarian social system.
 Internal environment.
 Satisfaction of higher level needs.
 Technological advances
 Computerised information system.
4) Distinguish between HRD and HRM?

HRM encompasses many functions.

HRD is just one of the functions within HRM.

5) Define Mission.

(a) Mission: Mission refers to the future and concerns with

the firm is managed at present. It addresses the organizational
purpose, culture and philosophy. It is a concept about the corporate
way of behaving.

6) Define Vision.

Vision: Mission is a mental picture or contemplative imagination.

However, for a management professional, it is the strategic intent,
which stands for the future state of an organizational.

7) Define Corporate Values.

Corporate values: Values from the upper layer of an organization,

however supported by the beliefs and assumptions of the employees.
Written values would increases employee motivation. If the employees’
jobs are in line with their individual beliefs and are compatible to
organizational values, they would perform their task enthusiastically.

8) What are business goals?

Business excellence, including profitability and other outcomes

the organization is expected to achieve.

9) What are objectives?

It is a end result of a planned activity. They state what is to be

accomplished and when is to be accomplished.
10)What are the typical HRD functions?

a. Training and development (T & D)

b. Organizational development.
c. Career development.
d. Potential appraisal.
e. Performance appraisal.

11)What is the role of HRD professionals within the organization?

a. Support the business.

b. Support (informal) learning.
c. Support knowledge sharing (as a special form of supporting
informal learning).
d. Develop and coordinate training.
e. Change HRD practices.

12) What are the current challenges for HRD?

a. Quality challenge.
b. People challenge.
c. Technology
d. Culture.
e. Speed.
f. Sleek.
g. Invest in people.
h. Flat and non – hierarchical structures.
i. Social responsibility and high commitment to the nation.
j. Learning organizations.

13) Define HRM.

Karen legge had defined the HRM that human resources policies
should be integrated with strategic business planning and used to
reinforce an appropriate organizational culture.
14 ) What are the Primary functions of HRM?

 Human resource planning.

 Equal employment opportunity.
 Staffing (recruitment and selection).
 Compensation and benefits.
 Employee and labour relations.
 Health, safety and security.
 Human resource development.

15 ) What are the Secondary function of HRM?

 Organisation and job design.
 Performance appraisal system.
 Research and information systems.

16) What are the frame work HRM competencies?

a. Knowledge of business.
b. Personal credibility.
c. HR functional Expertise.
d. Managing change.

17) What are the current challenges for HRM?

e. Globalization.
f. Technology.
g. Managing change.
h. Human capital.
i. Responsiveness.
j. Cost containment.

18) What are HRD practices?

a. Financial incentives foe excellent performance.

b. Rigorous selection and selectivity.
c. Higher than average wages.
d. Employee share – ownership plans.
e. Extensive information sharing.
f. Work organization based on self – managing teams.
g. Elimination of status symbols.
h. Promotion from within.
i. A long – term perspective.
j. A coherent view of employment relation.

19) Why strategic assessment is needed?

a. Establishing HRD priorities.

b. Defining specific training and objectives.
c. Establishing evaluation program content.

20)What is Competence?
A work related concept that refers to areas of work at which the
person is competent.

21)What is Competency?
A Person related concept that refers to the dimension of behaviour
lying behind competent performer.

22)What is strategic capability?

Strategic HRD practices is a holistic framework encompassing
development fundamentals and initiatives. For any activity to be
successful, certain fundamental condition have to exist before they can
yield desired results. SHRD fundamentals are those components of HRD,
which have to be strong enough to ensure a congenial atmosphere in an
organization for implementation of SHRD initiatives.

23)What is benchmarking?

Benchmarking is the process of identifying, understanding, and

adapting outstanding practices from organizations anywhere in the world
to help your organization improve its performance.

24)What is HRD audit?

It is a comprehensive evaluation of human resource development.

 Strategies systems and practices,

 Structures and competencies.
 Styles and culture.
 25) What are recent trends in HRD?

a. Competition is global.
b. Competencies also have done global.
c. Technology and finances have become a relatively lesser issue.
d. Speed has become a competitive advantage.
e. Quality and cost also give a competitive advantage.
f. Outsourcing too, has become global.
g. Structures are changing fast.
h. Management technologies have some within every one’s reach.
i. Customer expectations are growing at a fast rate.
j. Brand distinctions are slowly disappearing.
k. New business models are emerging.

26) What are Business Process Objectives?

 The corporate objectives of the organization form the
basis of Business Process Objectives.
 Business Process Objectives are specific, measurable
Objectives that are developed at all levels of the
enterprise or company
 Objectives of one group might be the strategy of
another group.
 For example top management sets the objective
of launching new products, though it is a Strategic
Objective for the firm, this will be the strategy of the
production department.
 The Business Process Objectives normally form a
network of desired results and events. If the objectives
are not interconnected and do not support each other.

27) What are Key Result Areas?

These are Operational Objectives. They may differ for various e
enterprises but form the bread and butter of the organization. The
performance in these areas, is essential for the ongoing success of the
enterprise.
 Generally, they are subservient to the Strategic Objectives and often
to the Business Process Objectives.
 Companies whose management set objectives for each KRA, and then
aggressively pursue action, typically outperform companies whose
managers have good intentions try hard and hope for success.
27) What is Strategic Objectives?
Strategic Objectives:
These are often called Corporate Objectives. These objectives evolve
directly from the mission statement of the firm. These are based on long
term benefits to the organization. They need not necessarily bring in
measurable results in the short term.
The Strategic Objectives are the goals of the whole enterprise and reflect
the firm's aims.
This set of objectives is a commitment of the organization to direct
efforts and energy on what needs to be accomplished.
They also provide a benchmark for judging organizational performance.
Nike’s Strategic Objectives:
 Protect Nike’s position as the number one athletic brand in
America.
 Build a strong momentum in growing fitness market.
 Intensify the company’s efforts to develop products that women
need and want.
 Explore the markets for products specifically designed for the
requirements of maturing Americans.
 Direct and manage the company’s international business as it
continues to develop.
 Continue the drive for increased margins through proper
inventory management and fewer, better products.

28) What are the Long term Vision benefits ?

Long-term benefits of Visioning are:
 Breaks you out of boundary thinking.
 Provides continuity.
 Identifies direction and purpose.
 Alerts stakeholders to needed change.
 Promotes interest and commitment.
 Promotes laser-like focus.
 Encourages openness to unique and creative solutions.
 Encourages and builds confidence.
 Builds loyalty through involvement (ownership).
 Results in efficiency and productivity.
 29) What is the PESTLE Analysis?
The SWOT analysis is a powerful tool, but involves a large
subjective component. Therefore, it is best when used as a guide and not
a prescription. Used in conjunction with other established strategic
management tools, for example PESTLE analysis, the SWOT Analysis
can provide information that is helpful to the firm in strategy formulation
and selection.

Like the SWOT analysis, the PESTLE analysis is simple, quick, and uses
six key perspectives. The advantage of this tool is that it encourages
management into proactive and structured thinking in its decision
making.

30) What are the components in Political Factors?

 Ecological/environmental issues
 Current legislation
 Future legislation
 Regulatory bodies and processes
 Government policies
 Government term and change
 Trading policies

31) What are the components in Economic Factors?

Economic
 Economy situation & trends
 Taxation specific to products
 Market and trade cycles
 Specific industry factors
 Customer/end-user drivers
 Interest and exchange rates

32) What are the components in Social Factors?

Social
 Lifestyle trends
 Demographics
  Consumer attitudes and opinions
 Brand, company, technology image
 Consumer buying patterns
 Ethnic/religious factors

33) What are the components in Technological Factors?

Technological
 Replacement technology/solutions
 Maturity of technology
 Manufacturing maturity and capacity
 Innovation potential
 Technology access, licensing, patents

34 ) What are the components in Legal Factors?

Legal
 International Law
 Employment Law
 Competition Law
 Health & Safety Law
 Regional legislation

35) What are the components in Environment Factors?

Environmental
 Environmental impact
 Environmental legislation
 Energy consumption
 Waste disposal

36) What are the Role of HRD Professionals?

The envisioned role of HRD professionals within an organisation is to:

Support the business.
Support (informal) learning.
Support knowledge sharing (as a special form of supporting informal
learning).
Develop and coordinate training.
Change HRD practices
37) What are the Role of HR Manager?
 Integrates HRD with organizational goals and strategies
 Promotes HRD as a profit enhancer
 Tailors HRD to corporate needs and budget
 Institutionalizes performance enhancement

38) What is Strategic Advisor Role?

Consults with corporate strategic thinkers

Helps to articulate goals and strategies
Develops HR plans
Develops strategic planning education and training programs

39) What is Evolution of HRD?

Early apprenticeship programs

Early vocational education programs
Early factory schools
Early training for unskilled/semiskilled
Human relations movement
Establishment of training profession
Emergence of HRD

40) Why is Strategic HRM Vital?

Because an organization must have people who are involved in
the development of the business strategy, understand it, are committed to
it, and can make a contribution to its success

41) What are the steps Strategic HRM Process?

 New Business Strategy
 SWOT Analysis
 Assess HR Capacity
 Develop Core Competencies
 Test and Evaluate
 Initiate HR Practices

41) What are the competencies of a Strategic HRM Executive?

 Be a Strategist - Know the Business

 Be an Administrator - Deliver the Basics
  Be a People Champion
 Be a Change Agent

42 ) What is HRM Integration?

 HR Practices Must be Linked to Achieving the Business Strategy
 Each HR Practice must be Designed, Aligned, and Measured Using an
Integrated Set of Metrics

43) What are the HRM Implications?

 Organizational
 Recruitment and Selection
 Training and Development
 Performance Management
 Reward System
 New Commitment to Invest in People

UNIT – 1 : HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

PART – B

1. Explain the framework of Strategic HR Management Process. (OR)

Discuss the elements of Strategic HR Management process.
2. Explain how strategic planning process and HRM be integrated.
3. Elaborate on the various challenges faced by an organization with
suitable examples.
4. Explain the HRD process model with an example.
5. Elaborate on the various roles of HRD professionals.
6. Discuss the jobs and careers in Human Resource Management.
7. Discuss in detail the various HRD practices followed.
8. Give a brief account of the evolution of HRM as a functional area in
any organization.
9. In what ways does the HRD function relate to the organization’s
strategy? Give contextual examples.
10.Discuss the overall framework for HRM with appropriate examples.
11.Explain the links to HR, strategy and business goals with examples.
12.How is need assessment carried out for HRD? Discuss.
13.What methods might be used in analyzing the needs of present
employees in their present jobs?
14.What does ‘Human Resource Planning’ mean? Discuss in detail.
15.Explain the model of Human Resource Planning.
 16.Discuss the concept of Benchmarking in detail.
17.Explain why organizations should opt for HRD audit.

SHRM
UNIT -2: E-HRM

PART – A

1. What is HR audit?
HR audit is a comprehensive evaluation of Human Resource
Development
 Strategies, System and Practices
 Structure and competencies
 Styles and culture
And their appropriateness to achieve the short and long term goals
of the organization

2. Define Benchmarking.
Benchmarking is the process of identifying, understanding, and
adapting outstanding practices from the organization anywhere in the world
to help your organization improve its performance.

3. What is HRIS?
HRIS is a systematic way of storing data and information for each
individual employee to aid planning , decision making and submitting of
returns and reports to the external agencies.

4. State some of the E- recruiters in India.

 Timesjobs.com
 Naukri.com
 Jobs-hunt.com
 Dice
 Jobstreet.com

5. What is E- Selection and E-Recruitment?

E- Selection:
E- Selection is the process of picking up a candidate with required
qualification and skills for the job through a web.
 E-Recruitment:
E-Recruitment embracing the term web-based recruiting can be
described as any recruiting process that a business organization conducts via
web-based tool, such as public Internet or corporate Intranet.

6. What is E- training and development?

Employees are discretionary investors of their human capital . they are
, for the most part, free to involve themselves, or not in the organization for
which they work. They can provide their best insights and energy, they can
hone their skills so that their personal service to the enterprises excels, or
they can hold back for whatever reson.

7. What is E-Performance management?

E-Performance Management helps to create and sustain a high
performing organization are well integrated into other strategies and
programmes like reward program, leadership development, retention system
etc.

8. What is virtual learning?

A virtual learning is a system that creates an environment designed to
facilitate teachers in the management of educational courses for their
students, especially a system using computer hardware and software, which
involves distance learning.

9. What is E-Employee Profile?

E-Employee Profile gives a complete picture about that employee for
all to see. The employees profile contains full details and it will be presented
in the company’s website. This valuable repository of information can then
be accessed by others throughout your organization

10. What is employee privacy?

Employer monitoring of electronic mail constitute an emerging area
of the law that is clearly unsettled at this point in time. The privacy of non
public-sector employees is relatively unprotected.

11. What is employee survey?

In organizational development (OD), employee survey involves the
use of surveys, focus groups and other data-gathering methods to find out
the attitudes, opinions and feelings of members of an organization.
12. What is E-Hiring?
Both the employer and employees acknowledge its presence in their
lives and make use of the services of service provider for hiring suitable
candidates through jobsites.

13. What is E-HRM?

E-HRM is a way of implementing HR strategies, policies, and
practices in the organization through a conscious and directed support of and
with the full use of web-technology-based channels.

14. What is meant by internal sourcing?

The internal sourcing process typically follows business rule of its
own, especially in the organization where broader opportunities play a key
role in retention or collective bargaining agreement impose union rules or
restriction of staffing

15. Define virtual organization.

A virtual organization is an organization that uses information
technology to link people, assets, ideas. People and corporation are forming
virtual company in order to take advantage of strategic opportunity that
require time people that mat not be available in a single company.

16. What is E-Learning?

Learning has become a vital business function,
the challenges in learning for today’s organizations are,
 Geographically dispersed learners
 Phenomenal growth
 Need for knowledge on demand

17. What is mentoring?

Mentoring is a relation ship in which a senior manager in an
organization assumes the responsibility for grooming a junior person. A
mentor is a teacher, spouse, counsellor etc.

18. What is meant by employee online survey administration?

The management should be consulted to determine the best security
level, incentives, deadlines and respondent notification method for their
particular project.
Therefore the expertise should be available either within or without the
organization with very decision along the way, applying expert experience
and expertise to make the process as easy and stress-free as possible

19. What is meant by employee online survey analysis?

Employee opinion survey data is useless without insightful analysis.
Therefore the company or consultant in-house data analysis staff and senior
level rese4archer should be trained to turn the raw survey responses into
meaningful and actionable conclusion.

20. What is compensation design?

A process for establishing equity between what members
contribute to an organization and what they receive for their efforts.
Compensation Design determines the value of specific, properly
executed accomplishments toward the achievement of system desired
outcomes. The value of the accomplishment, not the level of activity, is used
to establish the nature and amount of compensation. Ultimately,
compensation design should foster a productive and equitable, long-term
relationship among members, and between each member and the
organization.

21. How do you design a HR Portal?

The best web portal offers users a high degree of customization. They
organize information and news in useful, related link to other website. A
good web portal helps one navigate through all the information on the public
internet.

22. What is Hot vacancy?

Hot vacancy is the premium selection on the Home page of
naukri.com positioned as “Quality jobs from Quality companies”
Every Hot vacancy advertisement can be described without any word
limit restriction and with the client dramatization desire. Vital information
on the company profile and website URL etc can also be given.

23. Define EDS.

The EDS research emphasized the importance of informal learning in
work team and said that the following factor s created an environment for
informal learning,
 The authority to decide their own outcomes
  Clear and achievable goal
 Effective leadership
 Cooperative problem solving

UNIT – 2 : E-HRM

PART – B

1. Explain the development and implementation of an HRIS?

2. Briefly elaborate on e-HRM.
3. Discuss the various issues in employee privacy.
4. Explain the concept of virtual learning and orientation.
5. Explain the benefits and limitations of online employee surveys.
6. Write short notes on: (a) e-Selection and recruitment (b) e-Training
and development (c) e-Performance management.
7. What is the importance of training and why is training evaluated?
How is training evaluated?
8. State the principles of e-selection and recruitment. What are the
advantages?
9. How is e-training and development designed for supervisors of a
manufacturing company? Give illustrations.

UNIT – 3 : CROSS-CULTURAL HRM

UNIT- III-CROSS CUTURAL HRM

PART-A

1. Define a. International Corporation

b.global Corporation
c.multinationalcorporation
d.trans national corporation
International Corporation adopts decentralized production of standardized
product. It transfers the skills and products from parent to local market.
Global Corporation deals with centralized production of standardized
product and fixes lowest cost global location.
Multinational Corporation deals with expansion of decentralized production
of customized product and it adopts facilities at different global locations.
Trans National Corporation deals with centralized production of customized
product and with lowest cost and differentiation and learning at global scale.

2. How international companies affect the world economy?

 Cultural imbalance
 Labour participation
 Conflicts in decision making
 Disimprovement in the quality f work life
 The role of labour unions
 Domestic growth

3. Distinguish between domestic HRM and international HRM

1. More HR activities: the scope of international HRM is broader but the
scope of domestic HRM is narrow.
2. Need for a broader perspective: international HRM involves a broader
perspective but domestic HRM involves a narrow perspective
3. Risk exposure: risk exposure is high in domestic HRM but it is low in
international HRM.
4. Degree of involvement: there is a high degree of involvement in IHRM
but there is a lower degree of involvement in domestic HRM

4. Distinguish between expatriation and repatriation

Expatriation: Expatriate refers to a person moving to a foreign country
leaving his home country.
An expatriate requires cross-cultural abilities to operate in a new
environment
They should possess cultural empathy, adaptability, diplomacy, language
ability, positive attitude and maturity.

Repatriation: It is the activity of bringing the expatriate back to the home

country.
It needs careful handling
It has been the knowledge of practitioners and academies and reentry.

5. What is cultural dynamics?

It is the cultural environment, the industry with which the multinational is
primarily involved, the extent of reliance of the multinational on its home
country domestic market and the attitudes of senior management.

6. What are the forces driving global pay?

  Technical ability
 Cross cultural suitability
 Family requirements
 MNC requirements
 Target attainment

7. What are the selection criteria for selecting global managers?

 Corporate performance
 Overcoming difficulties
 Continuous improvement
 Pre-set goals and targets
 Skills and abilities.
 Language

8. Define competence
Competence is a work related concept that refers to areas of work at which a
person is competent.

9. What is outsourcing
Outsourcing is the process of off-loading some of the work of the
organization in house to outside parties either having the labour force or
expertise

10. What is cross border mergers and acquisitions?

Merger is that one firm joins or amalgamates with other firm for the growth
of the organization
Cross border acquisition is that one company takes over the control of
another company.

11. How to build a multi cultural organization?

There are different approaches in building a multi cultural organization
 Ethnocentric
 Polycentric
 Geocentric
 regiocentric

12. What is international compensation?

International compensation is the formulation of overall strategy, structure,
and business needs of multinational company, to recognize the factors such
as incentive for Foreign Service, and equalization and reimbursement for
reasonable costs, to facilitate cost effective manner and ease of
administration.

13. What is horizontal merger?

The horizontal merger is one where merging and merged companies have
the same type of business like an automobile company with another
automobile company.

14. What is concentric merger?

Concentric merger is one where two companies are related either
technology-wise or market-wise.

15. What is conglomerate merger?

Conglomerate merger is one where companies do not have similar products
either technology-wise or market-wise they have essentially different
products.

16. What is vertical merger?

Vertical merger takes place between companies of which one is the supplier
of another company.

17. What is PCN?

PCN refers to parent-country nationals under which the employee belongs to
the home country and works in the parent country or home country

18. What is HCN?

HCN refers to the host-country nationals where the employee belongs to the
foreign country and is working for the company in their home. For eg`Indian
citizens are sent to USA on assignment.

19. What is TCN?

TCN refers to third-country nationals where the employees belonging to the
third country/the other party country are hired for continuing work in the
host nation. For eg some of the Singaporeans employees on its assignment
are sent to Japanese operations.

20. What do you mean by culture?

Culture is a shaping process that is its members of a group or society share a
distinct way of life with common values, attitudes and behaviours that are
transmitted over time in a gradual yet dynamic process.
21. What does cultural assessment mean?
An assessment of cultural differences is essential for the HR managers at
corporate head quarters as well as the host location. Activities such ashiring,
promoting, rewarding, and dismissal will be determined at the host country
and often based on the peculiar to that country’s culture.

26. What do you mean by cultural training?

Cultural training seeks to foster an appreciation for the host country’s
culture. The belief is that understanding the host country’s culture will help
the manager empathize with the culture, which will enhance his or he
effectiveness in interacting with host-country citizens. An expatriate should
receive training in the host’s country culture, history, politics, economy,
religion, and social and business practices.

27. What do you mean by language training?

Language training is a seemingly obvious and desirable component of pre-
departure programmed. It may be reiterated that willingness to communicate
in the host-country language will help build rapport with the local employee
and improve the expatriate’s effectiveness. Hence language training is
important.

28. What do you mean by Expatriate?

Expatriate employees are those working outside their home country with a
planned return to that or a third country. As they play a major role in
international businesses, MNC’s take great care in selection process.

29. What do you mean by international compensation?

When developing international compensation policies, a firm seeks to satisfy

several objectives. First the policy should be consistent with the overall
strategy, structure, and business needs of the multinational. Second, the
policy must work to attract and retain the staff in the areas where the
multinational has the greatest needs and opportunities. Third the policy
should facilitate the transfer of international employees in the most cost-
effective manner for the firm. Fourth the policy must give due consideration
to equity and ease of administration.
30. What is merger?
Merger is an external strategy for the growth of the organization. This can be
followed by merging another organization in Toto or its part to increase
effectiveness of both merging and merged organization.

31. What do you mean by acquisition or take over?

In acquisition or take over strategy, one company takes over the control of
another company. This can be done either through the mutual agreement
between acquiring and acquired company or against the wishes of the
acquiring company known as a hostile takeover.

32. What do you mean joint venture?

The term joint venture means the creation of a new organizational entity by
two or more partner organization. The reasons for joint venture are;
- To deal with the growing world market integration.
- To intensified degree of international completion.
- To reduce manufacturing costs.

33. Define culture shock?

Culture shock is the term used for the pronounced reactions to the
psychological disorientation that is experienced in varying degree when
spending an extended period of time in a new environment.

34. What is BPO?

Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) features a third party which is
contracted to manage the entire business process such as Accounting,,
procurement, or human resource. A BPO differentiates itself by either
putting in new technology or applying the existing technology in a new way
to improve a process.

35. Define HRO?

HR Outsourcing is defined as ‘ a process of outsourcing involving particular
tasks like recruitment, making payroll, employee benefits administration,
fixed assets administration, employee logistics management, training and
development to a third party having expertise in these respective fields.”

36. What are HR responsibilities?

HR responsibilities include payroll, benefits, hiring, firing, and keeping up-
to-date with state and central tax laws.

37. What do you mean by PEO?

Professional Employee Organization (PEO) assumes full responsibility of
the company’s human resource administration. It (PEO) becomes a co-
employer of the company’s worker by taking full legal responsibility of its
employee, including having the final say of hiring, firing of employees and
the amount of money employees make.

38. What do you mean by ASP?

Application Service Providers (ASP) provide hot software on the web and
rent it to users. Some are well known packaged applications while others are
customerised HR software developed by the vendor.

39. Explain dependency risk?

If a company adapts its operations to do business with as supplier, it might
then find itself dependent on that vendor. Dependency risks increase when
the outsourced activity requires the co-location of facilities specialized
training. If the supplier fails to perform the outsourced function that will
disrupt other processes.

40. Explain spillover risks?

Contracting with a supplier can expose a company to leaking its confidential
information, perhaps even to completion. Spillovers risks are exacerbated
when the interface between the outsourced activity and other internal
functions is complex, requiring a company o reveal proprietary information
to ensure a geed fit between the two.

41. What do you mean by ethnocentric?

Few foreign subsidiaries have any autonomy; strategic decisions are made at
head quarters. Headquarters’ management personnel hold key positions at
the domestic and foreign operations. In other words, subsidiaries are
managed by the expatriates from the home country (PCN’s).

42. What do you mean by polycentric?

The MNC treats each subsidiary as a distinct national entity with some
decision-making autonomy. Subsidiaries are usually manages by the local
nationals (HCN’s) who are seldom promoted to positions at headquarters.
 43. What do you mean by Geocentric?
The MNC is taking a worldwide approach to its operations, recognizing that
each part make a unique contribution with its unique c competence. It is
accompanied by a worldwide-integrated business, and nationality is ignored
in favor of ability.

44. What do you mean by Regiocentric?

Personnel may move outside their countries but only within the particular
geographic region. Regional managers may not be promoted to headquarter
positions but enjoy a degree of regional autonomy in decision-making.

45. What is multi-domestic strategy?

Maximum local responsiveness is aimed at by companies adopting this
strategy. They transfer skills and products developed at home to overseas
markets. They customize the product and market strategies to suit different
national conditions. A multi-domestic strategy is appropriate when pressure
for local responsiveness is high a pressure for cost reduction is low.

46. What is global strategy?

Companies which adopt global strategy, follow a low cost strategy. He cost
reduction is mainly derived from expensive curve effects and local
economies. They market a standardized product worldwide to achieve the
benefits of experience curve effects and local economies.

47. What do you mean by transnational strategy?

Companies following this strategy face high pressure for cost reduction and
high pressure for local responsiveness and they try to achieve low cost and
differentiation advantages.

48. What is licensing?

Licensing involves an arrangement by which a foreign licensee buys rights
to manufacture a company’s product in the licensee’s country for the
negotiated fee. Licensing is pursued as a straegy by manufacturing
companies.

49. What is franchising?

The companies sell limited right to use their brand name in lieu of a lump
sum one-time payment and a percentage of franchisee’s profits.

50. What is wholly owned subsidiaries?

In wholly owned subsidiaries, the parent company owns 100% of the shares.
They mat be established in two ways. A company sets up completely new
operations in the new country or acquires already established host Country
Company to promote its products.

UNIT – 3 : CROSS-CULTURAL HRM

PART – B

1. Explain in detail the concept of Cultural Dynamics.

2. Elaborate on the cultural environment of International business.
3. Explain the selection criteria of Expatriates.
4. Discuss the strategic issues in International assignments.
5. What are the factors affecting International human resource
management? Discuss each one of them.
6. Discuss the current challenges in outsourcing, M&A and Expatriation
in detail.
7. What are the current challenges in outsourcing? Why is India a
favorite destination for outsourcing? Explain.
8. What does ‘Outsourcing’ mean? What are the implications and
advantages of outsourcing under globalization conditions?
9. Discuss the relevance and effectiveness of various leadership models
in present context.
10.Discuss briefly about the International compensation.
11.Explain cross cultural education and training programs.

UNIT – 4 : CAREER & COMPETENCY DEVELOPMENT

PART – A

1. What is a Career?
A career can be defined as all the jobs held by a person during his
working life. It consists of a series of properly-sequenced role experience
leading to an increasing level of responsibility, status, power and rewards.
According to Flippo, “ a career is a sequence of separate but related work
activities that provide continuity, order and meaning in a person's life".

2. What is Career Planning?

 Career Planning can be defined as a systematic process by which one
decides his/her career goals and the path to reach these goals. The major
focus of career planning is on assisting the employees achieve a better match
between personal goals and the opportunities that are realistically available
in the organization.

3. Discuss the different steps in Career Planning.

 Analyzing Employee Needs and Aspirations
 Analyzing Career Opportunities
 Identifying Congruence and Incongruence
 Action Plans and Periodic Review

4. What is Career Development?

Career Development consists of the personal actions one undertakes
to achieve a career plan. Career development is a life long process of
understanding ones career preferences; identifying, obtaining and
developing appropriate skills and training for that career and continually
evaluating it.

5. What is Career Management?

 It is the continuing process of setting career goals, formulating
and implementing strategies for searching the goals and
monitoring the results.
 It includes both organizational actions and individual actions
aimed at setting career goals, formulating and implementing
strategies and measuring results.

6. What is Career Anchor?

Career Anchor is defined as growing area of stability in the
personality in a particular career path. It is the person's self-concept and
preference on his/her occupation, matching with self - perceived talents and
abilities, motives and needs and attitudes and values. Career anchor is the
stabilizing force in a particular career path that an individual will not give up
if faced with making a career option.

7. What is Career motivation?

If people truly want to change their career, they need to be properly
motivated to do so. Motivation is the key to excellence in every person's
career and the key to the same is present within the person himself. In the
current market in American society, people are required to have career
motivation at a very early age to meet the escalating requirements to enter
numerous professions.

8. What is Career enrichment?

The employer is an enabler when it comes to career management. The
role of the employer in supporting career development is to provide
guidance and tools to help identify the right career direction for each
employee.

9. What do you mean by Competency?

According to Lyle M Spencer and Signe M Spencer, a competency is
an underlying Characteristic of an individual that is causally related to
criterion- referenced effective and/or superior performance in job or
situation.

10. What is Competency Mapping?

It is about identifying preferred behaviors and personal skills which
distinguish excellent and outstanding performance from the average. An
Organization's Competency Mapping process is designed to consistently
measure and assess individual and group performance as it relates to the
expectations of the organization and its customers. It is used to identify key
attributes (knowledge, Skills, and Behaviors attributes) that are required to
perform effectively in a job classification or an identified process.

11. What do you mean by competency-based compensation?

Competency based pay is compensation for individual characteristics, for
skills or competencies over and above a job or organizational role itself
commands. Individual characteristics that merit higher pay may be
demographic factors or competencies.

12. Give few Successful Career Tips?

 Make Career Planning an Annual Event
 Wait for the right time
 Be sure of your reasons
 Do your research
 Decide what’s important
 Examine your qualifications
 Learn about the industry
 Develop your network
  Update your job search skills
 Pay your dues

13. What is meant by Career Plateau?

According to Webster's "a Career Plateau is period in which an
individual's learning rate doesn't improve”. In other words, it is a time of
stagnation, Lack of progress, even retiring on the job-not a pretty picture for
someone with career ambitions.

14. What is Knowledge Management?

Knowledge Management (KM) comprises a range of practices used
by organizations to identify, create, represent, distribute and enable adoption
of what it knows, and how it knows it. Knowledge Management programs
are typically tied to organizational objectives such as improved performance,
competitive advantage, innovation, developmental processes, lessons learnt
transfer (for example between projects) and the general development of
collaborative practices.

15. What are the Career Stages?

i. Exploration
ii. Establishment
iii. Mid-Career
iv. Late Career
v. Decline

16. What is Synthesizing?

The term synthesizing is used in many fields, usually to mean a
process which combines together two or more pre-existing elements
resulting in the formation of something new.

17. What is AQ?

Adversity Quotient or AQ is the science of human resilience. People
who successfully apply AQ perform optimally in the face of adversity — the
challenges, big and small, that confront each day. In fact, they not only learn
from these challenges, but they also respond to them better and faster. For
businesses and other organizations, a high-AQ workforce translates to
increased capacity, productivity, and innovation, as well as lower attrition
and higher morale. AQ science has three important facets — theory,
measures, and methods
8. What is Sabbaticals?
Sabbaticals were in theory supposed to increase faculty productivity.
Bowen and Schuster (1986) suggest that sabbaticals are an “opportunity for
refreshment, new experience, uninterrupted study and research or travel”.
The four reasons for taking a sabbatical are:
 Opportunity for scholarly enrichment
 To improve teaching
 To Promote course and curriculum development
 To enhance artistic performance and creative growth

19. What is Exploration?

This stage has least relevance, since it occurs prior to employment.
The exploration period is a time when a number of expectations about one's
career are developed, many of which are unrealistic. Such expectations, of
course, may lie dormant for years and then pop up later to frustrate both the
employee and the employer.

20. What does the Employee Expect?

 Listen to employees' ideas; never ridicule them
 Offer Performance feedback and praise good efforts and results.
 Implement Organizational Culture measurement tools like
Adversity Quotient.
 Recognize and Celebrate their Success.
 Nurture and Celebrate Organization traditions like Diwali, Holy
and Christmas etc.

21. What is Adaptive Learning?

Knowledge Management Systems are sometimes called adaptive
learning systems, because they create cycles of Organizational learning
called adaptive learning loops, which allow the knowledge company to
continually build and integrate knowledge into business processes, products,
and services. Thus, these help the company to become a more innovative,
agile provider of goods and services.

22. What is COP?

 Communities of Practice are groups of people with common interest
who meet to share their insights in order to develop better solutions to
Problems of challenge. People choose to join these groups because they
recognize the value of knowledge sharing. They encourage innovation,
collaboration and the sharing of good practice.

23. What does Knowledge Workers mean?

The nature of work evolved rapidly towards service and knowledge-
related contexts, which hassled the emergence of knowledge workers. These
employees draw heavily on their individual knowledge to work on
situations. Knowledge workers 'use their heads more than their hands to
produce value’. Their roles include the ongoing acquisition of new
information to reshape their existing knowledge, and they regularly combine
and process information to generate new outputs.

24. What is CRM?

Customer relationship management (CRM) is a term applied to
processes implemented by a company to handle its contact with its
customers. CRM software is used to support these processes, storing
information on current and prospective customers. Information in the system
can be accessed and entered by employees in different departments, such as
sales, marketing, customer service, training, professional development,
performance management, human resource development, and compensation.

UNIT – 4 : CAREER & COMPETENCY DEVELOPMENT

PART – B

1. Describe the various stages in career development with examples.

2. Discuss the various steps in career planning and process.
3. Explain any four models of career development with suitable
examples.
4. How do the employees in an organization manage their career
plateaus?
5. Explain the concept of competency and how is competency related to
compensation and promotion.
6. Design an effective career development system with an example.
7. Explain a competency-mapping model with an example.
8. Elaborate on equity and competency based compensation.
UNIT – 5 : EMPLOYEE COACHING & COUNSELING

PART – A
UNIT-5:EMPLOYEE COACHING AND COUNSELING

PART-A
1. What is coaching?
The effective coach, whether on the track or in the corporate
hierarchy, gives guidance through direction, advice, criticism, and
suggestions in an attempt to aid the growth of the employee. “A coach is
someone who ells you what you don’t want to hear, who has you see what
you don’t want to see, so you can be who you have
Always known you could be.”

2. What is the role of HR in coaching?

Coaches may play one or more of three roles:
1.Working one-on-one with an employee, as when giving feedback;
2.Helping them find experts and teaching them to obtain feedback
from others.
3.Providing resources such as mentors, courses, or job experience.
HR professionals role lies in educating the managers how they should
become effective coaches in order to keep their own performance soaring
through the efforts of their subordinates. As it is obvious that all good
managers cannot be good coaches unless they are attuned to that kind of
approach, it is HR that should provide the necessary and awareness
professionals to the managers.

3. Identify skills for effective coaching.

Step1. Neutral feedback. Tell the employee about bad performance
and ask the employee to correct it. Follow up to check for improvement;
reinforce any
Improvement.
Step2.Neutral follow-up on feedback. If performance has not
improved, tell
the employee about bad performance; ask why performance is bad; ask for
specific behviour change; give assistance if needed. Follow up to check for
improvement; reinforce any improvement.
Step3. Coaching analysis. If performance does not improve, use
coaching analysis to understand why performance is unsatisfactory and take
action to eliminate what is anything, is influencing the poor performance.
Step4. Coaching discussion. If poor performance is by employee
choice, use the coaching discussion to get employee to change his or her
choices.

4. What is the need for counselling?

Counselling is a process which involves brining about sequential changes
over a period of time leading to a set goal. These definitions stress that the
counselor-counselee relationship is not casual, matter-of-fact and business-
like but that it is characterized by warmth, responsiveness and
understanding.

5. What is the role of HR in counselling?

1) Every manger has a responsibility to counsel his subordinates. When
individual managers are unable to deal with specific problems
requiring the counseling services of a professional, organizations can
either offer the services of a full-time, in-house counselor or refer the
employee to a community counseling service.

2) The counseling need not be limited to work-related issues. Martial

problems, problems with the children, financial difficulties, or general
psychiatric problems may not be directly related to the job.
We recognize that individuals cannot completely detach their life away from
their life on the job.

3) Therefore personal problems do affect a worker’s job performance.

An increasingly popular form of counseling involves employees who are
about ready to retire.

4)Pre-retirement counseling prepares individuals to deal with the realities of

leisure, as well as outlining details about Social Security benefits and
company pension provisions, etc.

6. What are the components of a counseling program?

 The components are
1) An empathic relationship
2) The counselor and client relate well
3) The consellor sticks closely to the client’s problems
4) The clients feel free to say what they like
5) An atmosphere of mutual trust and confidence exists
6) Rapport is essential
7) Two persons are in psychological contact
The first, the client, is in a state of incongruence, vulnerable and
anxious.

7. What is stress?
Stress is positive, motivating force that affects us to some degree
throughout our life, whether we are a child at school, a university student, a
parent, company director, unemployed worker or retired. Only when
demands outweigh our ability to cope does stress begin to have negative
effects.

8. What is work/job stress?

Work stress is the single most important cause of stress throughout the
developed and the developing world. In a recent study of financial
institutions, 64% of employers regarded excessive stress as the principal
health threat facing the company. With the introduction of new high-speed
information technology, increased global competitiveness, and reduced staff
levels, employees have lesser job security. They are carrying heavier
workloads and working longer hours in an attempt to keep their jobs. A
marked increase is stress levels at work is being experienced on a universal
scale.

9. What are the causes/sources of Work stress? (OR) State the reasons
for Work stress?
10. How is Work stress developed?
Many of the stresses you experience may come from your job or from
your lifestyle. These may include;
 Too much or too little work
 Having to perform beyond your experience or perceived abilities
 Having to overcome unnecessary obstacles
 Time pressures and deadlines
 Keeping up with new developments
 Changes in procedures and policies
  Lack of relevant information, support and advice
 Lack of clear objectives
 Unclear expectations of your role from your boss or colleagues
 Responsibility for people, budgets or equipment
 Career development stress:
 Lack of a clear plan for career development
 Lack of opportunity
 Lack of job security
 Personal and family stresses:
 Financial problems
 Relationship problems
 Ill-health
 Family changes such as birth, death, marriage or divorce.

11. What are the symptoms/consequences of stress?

As soon as the brain registers the fact of the danger, adrenaline is released
into our body, bringing about several physical changes.
The pupils of our eyes dilate to allow more light in and sharpen our vision.
In time of perceived danger we need to see as much as we can.
Our mouth goes dry to avoid adding fluid to our stomach.
Therefore, our digestion stops temporarily, allowing more blood to be
directed to the muscles and the brain. This explains why in times of stress
we experience ‘butterflies’ in our stomach.
Our neck and shoulder muscles tense up in order to prepare for action.
Tense muscles are more resilient to blows than relaxed muscles.
Our breathing quickens to allow an increased flow of oxygen to our muscles.

12. What is ‘Burn out’?

It is another reason for work-related stress. Burnout is a state of
physical, emotional and mental exhaustion that results from a long-term
involvement with people in emotionally demanding situations. Jobs with
public dealing at the core are more vulnerable to burnout than other jobs.
People in service-oriented organizations such as teaching, healthcare, police
or the military service, banking, and insurance are more likely to face
burnout than people working in manufacturing or commercial organizations.
If the environment is poor, the likelihood of burnout increases manifold.
The importance of this phenomenon can be assessed from the point of view
of both the individual and the organization.
14. What is Emotional Intelligence?
The emotions, then, matter for rationality. In the mix of feeling and
thought the emotional faculty guides our moment-to-moment decisions,
working hand-in-hand with the rational mind, enabling-or disabling –
thought itself. In a sense, we have two different kinds of intelligence:
rational and emotional. How we do in life is determined by both – it is not
just IQ, but emotional intelligence that matters. Indeed, intellect cannot
work at its best without emotional intelligence.

15. What is Coaching Effectiveness?

Advantages that go with learning by doing, particularly the
opportunities for high interaction and rapid feedback on performance. Its
two strongest disadvantages are (1) its tendencies to perpetuate the current
managerial styles and practices in the organization and (2) its heavy reliance
on the coach’s ability to be a good teacher.

16. What is Mentoring?

Mentoring involves the use of superior experience to guide, facilitate,
motivate, encourage and thereby enable the employee to utilize his personal
qualities more effectively in order to succeed on his job. It includes briefing
and debriefing the employee before and after each training and development
event.

17. What are the stages in Counselling process?

 Getting started
 Introductory talk
 Identifying the issues
 Coping with feelings
 Identifying possible solutions
 Agreeing a plan
 Implementing the plan

18) What is Counselling Skills?

Listening: to both verbal and non-verbal language correctly-without
assuming what the client means, but getting even the body language
clarified.
Giving Information: It is fairly safe to say that it is more possible to give
information about concrete issues than it is about personal issues.
Making suggestions: Suggestions are best kept in the ’concrete’ domain. Just
as it is important to hold back on information in counseling, so, too, is it
vital that the counselor does not too readily offer advice.
Drawing out: Some examples of counseling interventions that help to draw
out the client include: open questions, closed questions and reflection or
mirroring.
Challenging: Although challenging and confronting are not always
associated with counseling, there are times when they are appropriate. The
following sample statements of a client can be challenged: “There is no one
in this organization that I can talk to at all”, or “I have never been any good
at anything. I have always been a failure, right from the word go”, or
“There’s nothing wrong…nothing at all….I wonder why I am sitting here
talking to you really”.
Supporting: The whole of the counseling process should be an act of
support.

19) What is Work Ethics?

The character of the information age is such that far-reaching changes
have been initiated within work environment. Social and cultural diversity
within the world of work is growing. Gender divisions within the world of
work are collapsing, with increasing numbers of female workers entering the
work-force. While a number of important factors of change are under
discussion today, two issues stand out as essential to the newly emerging
post-industrial work ethic.

20) What is Religion theory?

The religion theory has two connotations, namely, the investment and
atonement aspects. The investment aspect of the religion theory implies that
the fruits of today’s deeds will be reaped tomorrow. Any action good or bad
is therefore treated as an investment. Inspired by this belief, some
employers plan and organize canteens and crèches. The atonement aspect of
the religion theory implies that the present disabilities of a person are the
result of the sins committed by him/her previously. He/she should undertake
to do god deeds now to atone or compensate for his/her sins.

21) What is Philanthrophic theory?

Philanthrophy means love for mankind. The philanthropic theory of
labour welfare refers to the provision of good working conditions, crèches
and canteens out of pity on the part of the employers who want to remove
the disabilities of the workers. The philanthropic theory is more common in
social welfare. Student hostels, drinking water facilities, the rehabilitation of
crippled persons, donations to religious and educational institutions, and so
forth are examples of philanthropic deed.

22) What is Paternalistic Theory?

According to the paternalistic theory, also called the trusteeship
theory, of labour welfare, the industrialist or the employer holds the total
industrial estate, properties and the profits accruing from them, in trust. The
property, which he/she can use or abuse as he/she likes, is not entirely
his/her own. He/she holds it for his/her use, no doubt, but also for the
benefit of his/her workers, if not for the whole society. For several reasons,
such as low wages, lack of education, and so forth the workers are at present
unable to take care of themselves. They are, therefore, like minors, and the
employers should provide for their well-being out of funds in their control.
The trusteeship is not actual and legal, but it is moral and, therefore, no less
real.

23) . What is placating Theory?

This theory is based on the assumption that appeasement pays when
the workers are organized and are militant. Peace can be bought by welfare
measures. Workers are like children who are intelligent, but not fully so. As
crying children are pacified by sweets, workers should be appeased by
welfare activities.

UNIT – 5 : EMPLOYEE COACHING & COUNSELING

PART – B

1. Distinguish between Employee Coaching and Employee Counseling.

Explain with suitable examples.
2. What are the skills required for effective coaching and how do you
bring about coaching effectiveness?
3. Explain the coaching process with appropriate examples.
4. What is the role of HR in counseling? Discuss its effectiveness. (OR)
Provide organizational illustrations.
5. Elaborate on Employee Health and welfare programs.
6. Describe the characteristics of Employee health and welfare
programs. Give explanatory illustrations.
7. What is management’s role in safety and health? Describe the various
issues involved.
8. Explain in detail the sources and consequences of Stress.
9. Explain in detail the Eastern and Western practices of Stress
management techniques.
10.How to promote emotional intelligence in the work place?
11.Elaborate your views on Self-management.