Human Resource Management – HRM 213

Individual Assignment-Case Study Analysis

Description:

Students should go through the Case study based on HRM issue and answer the questions that follow
it. Students should apply course concept and theories that are taught in the course to understand the
case and find solution while answering the questions of the case study.

Case: Ya Kun Kaya International

Ya Kun was founded in 1994 by Loi Ah Koon, as a coffee shop that served coffee tea eggs and toast.

Ya Kun Kaya International moved to Singapore in 2001, where it now has 32 outlets and has 27
franchise outlets in other parts of Asia. Its overseas outlets are located in Indonesia, Taiwan, Japan,
South Korea Vietnam and the Philippines.

Ya Kun has a family-style work environment and an established “promotion-from-within” policy.

There is also a strong emphasis on teamwork, where helping one another is the norm, even between
employees across outlets and departments. The top management reinforces this culture where staff
feels comfortable approaching their superiors to discuss their problems or suggestions for
improvements.

Job Openings for the outlet staff are advertised in Chinese and English Newspaper, as well as through
recruitment notices at their outlets. Applicants who respond to the advertisements are invited to
interview. Applicants go through two rounds of interview, one with the senior area manager and one
with the operations manager

Job applicants are screened primarily for their level of commitment and willingness to work shifts.
Other desirable qualities include integrity, diligence, and honesty. Prior work experience in the food
and beverages industry is not essential. Ya Kun believes that if an applicant is committed and willing
to learn, the necessary skills to excel in the job can easily be taught. Successful applicants then go
through 2 weeks of training and remain on probation for 3 months. Most of Ya Kun Singapore’s
outlets staff re more than 30 years of age because mature workers generally have better work attitudes
and exhibits a higher level of job commitment. Also, the majority of the outlet staff are Singaporeans,
with a small proportion from Malaysia and China. Most of the outlet staff are full time workers, with
some part-time staff hired to complement the full time staff when they go for vacations or become ill.
The usual operation hours of each outlet are from 7 am to 11 pm and the staff works 8 hour shifts.
Each outlet has about 10 staff working each of the 2 shifts. The emphasis on good attitude and
character in the selection of outlet staff has helped Ya Kun build a pool of hardworking and
committed workers. Loyalty honesty and fairness are the most important attributes sort in slecting
store managers from among the outlet staff. All these help keep the staff happy and committed to the
company, which Ya Kun believes has translated into serving their customers well.

The main challenge Ya Kun faces is recruiting employees with the right attitude, because the technical
skills required are relatively easy to learn. Some applicant are unwilling to work shifts, making it
difficult for Yak Un to hire them: Shift work is inevitable in the food and beverage retail industry.

Discuss, analyze and synthesize the case by answering the following questions:

1. How would you forecast the manpower need of Ya Kun? (2.5 marks)

2. What are the advantage and disadvantage of Ya Kun hiring part time workers? (2.5 marks)

3. Good attitude and commitment are two important attributes that YA Kun looks for in prospective

employees. Is a job interview an effective method to assess these two attributes? How else can Ya Kun

get reliable information about these two attributes? (2.5 marks)

4. What suggestion would you make YA Kun to improve its recruiting process? (2.5 marks)

I. General Guidelines:

o In your assignment, you may explain, discuss and apply how some concepts, theories, or
approaches; etc that you have learned in this course to write a concise and comprehensive
assignment.
o Students should use examples/concepts taught from the course content to support their
answers (at least one for each question).
o Students should also read articles and other web sources and cite them while discussing and
answering the questions in the case study.Atleast 2 references should be given.

II.Format:

1. Write your assignment with 12 font size and double spacing with maximum 1000 word count.
2. No plagiarism elements are allowed
3. The report needs to be submitted on week 6 Thursday 12 P.M
4. All references should follow the APA format
5. Upload the softcopy in the Blackboard Criteria of assessment. The assignment cover
page should be as provided by the department.

Rubric for Assignment

Refer to the rubric provided
Additional format and instructions:

Use the APA style using the following link as a guide: http://www.bibme.org/citation-guide/apa/
Formatting of your report:

1- Cover page: the title, your name, Course Name and Code, your instructor's name,
department and university name, the date Submission,
2- Font: Times New Roman,
3- Font size: 12
4- Spacing: double-spacing
5- Justification
6- Write your report in in 800-1000 words maximum.
7- No plagiarism or copy allowed from internet

Student will lose their grades according to percentage as follow:

Marks Deductions (from total marks)

Criteria Marks Deductions (from total marks)

Late 4 days- Minus 4 Three days- Two days- One day- On deadline
Submission marks minus 3 marks minus 2 minus 1 mark No deduction
Penalty marks
Plagiarism 50- to 60% -Fail Less than 40% Less than Less than Less than
minus 3 marks 30% - Minus 20%- 1 10%- no
2 deduction
References Less than 2 No references – - - Two or more
references –Minus Minus 2 references-No
1 deduction
Word Count Above 2000- Above 1500- Above 1200 – Above 1000- Upto 1000
Minus 4 Minus 3 1500-Minus 2 1200 words- words-No
minus 1 deduction

DEADLINE SUBMISSION: WEEK 6

Prepared by Dr.Zaiba Ali/2022