Teaching and Learning Activity-Solution

Module: Human Resource Management 2 (HHRM230-1)

Week number (Date): 14 (25 May 2023)
Unit covered: 10 (Chapters 21, 22 & 23)

Please see below the suggested solutions for the week 14 T&L activity:

Question 1:

Read the fictitious scenario below and answer the question to follow:

In the HR department of a manufacturing company, an organisational change is underway. The

company has decided to implement a new digital platform to streamline its production processes.
HR professionals are working closely with managers to communicate the change to employees
and address any concerns or resistance. They organise training sessions to ensure employees
are equipped with the necessary skills to adapt to the new system. Throughout the process, HR
monitors employee feedback and provides ongoing support to facilitate a smooth transition and
foster a positive work environment.

1.1 Organisational change is not the routine or accidental changes that take place every day in
organisations, but rather it is the specific, planned interventions to improve and make things
better.

Required:
Distinguish between the two broad categories of change situations. (9 marks)

Solution: Chapter 21, pages. 640 - 641

Hard change situations: √ these are easier to identify, specify, describe, demarcate, diagnose and
manage. √The issues at hand are usually apparent and managed (often systems/tech related). For
example, the adoption and roll-out of a new HR information system. √The role players likely have a
common understanding of the issues at hand and the solutions/options available and know the
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change’s priorities and objectives. √Time scales are usually short/medium term, and resources needed
for the change process are identified. √

Soft change situations: √ are messy, with fuzzy time-scales that are usually medium/long term,
resource implications are uncertain, and the objectives and priorities are uncertain, subjective and
vague. √ Less clarity on what needs to be changed, how and over what time frame. Issues at hand are
numerous, complexly interrelated and contextually embedded, and are ill-defined with very divergent
views on potential solutions. √ Often conflicts of interest and diverse attitudes and perspectives come
to the fore. Implications are serious and worrying. √

1.2 Listen to the following YouTube video and answer the question that follows:

Source: Foma Akvinskiy. How Internal and External Factors Drive Organizational Change
[Video]. YouTube. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADm3Hdhh34I
[Accessed on 22 May 2023].

As evidenced in the video above, several forces, either individually or in combination, might compel
organisations to change.

Required:
Elaborate on the internal and external drivers of organisational change. (10 marks)

Solution: Chapter 21, pages. 642-643

External drivers: Organisations sometimes have to change because of external forces, not because
management wants to change. √ Factors like major political, economic, social, technological,
ecological and competitive forces often leave no option but to engage in organisational change in order
to align itself with these new external realities. √

Globalised economies are creating increased threats and opportunities, forcing organisations to make
dramatic improvements not only to gain a competitive advantage, but simply to survive. √Global
connectivity is opening up new markets and marketing channels, blurring national boundaries and
international economic integration is ever-increasing. √Organisations must adapt or die. √

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Internal drivers: Inside SA organisations, changes are occurring as a result of the organisational life-
cycle evolution, the redesign of core structures and processes, changing expectations of workers and
the role of unions in the workplace. √ Changes in workforce demographics to reflect a more culturally
diverse population, and employment equity programmes, create a significant drive for the need to
change. √ Organisations must learn to cope with different responses to change from employees. √They
need to maintain some stability in the form of the organisations ultimate purpose, core technologies
and critical people. √ Major crises within an organisation, such as a leadership vacuum or cash crisis,
should be dealt with first before embarking on a change initiative. √ Bringing about change and
transformation successfully needs a balance of stability – managers need to understand how much
turbulence to expose workers to, while simultaneously retaining some form of continuity and stability
to ensure commitment to the change process by all. √

Question 2:

Read the fictitious scenario below and answer the question to follow:

In the HR department of a software development company, employee turnover has become a growing
concern. HR professionals conduct exit interviews to understand why employees leave the
organisation. They analyse the data to identify common themes and develop strategies to address the
underlying issues. HR collaborates with managers to improve employee engagement and satisfaction
through initiatives such as mentorship programmes and regular performance feedback.

Three factors must be considered when assessing and measuring absenteeism and employee
turnover. Identify and explain these factors. (3 marks)

Solution: Chapter 22, page. 670

• The impact of employee turnover (labour turnover) and absenteeism on HRM activities such as
training and sick leave. √
• Turnover may have a cleansing effect on the organisation as new employees may also create new
ideas. √
• Both should be calculated, whether voluntary resignation or involuntary dismissal. √

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Question 3:

Read the fictitious scenario below and answer the question to follow:

In the international HR department of a global corporation, a new subsidiary has been established in a
foreign country. The HR team is responsible for ensuring a smooth transition for employees in the new
location. They extensively research local labour laws, cultural norms, and business practices to create
a comprehensive HR framework tailored to the new country.

Briefly discuss some of the dimensions and variables impacting on international Human Resource
Management. (3 marks)

Solution: Chapter 23, page. 693

If you were to practice HRM in a foreign country, variables such as the state of the economy, the political
climate and dispensation, and the particular legal framework in that country will have an impact on your
practice. √Other factors to consider would be culture and the conceptualisation, understanding and
application of ethics. √

The nature of the society will be very relevant as each society has its own peculiarities and unique
characteristics regarding its labour markets, for example, the educational level of its people. √

Total 25 Marks

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