MBA5949

MANAGING HUMAN CAPITAL

May/June 2024
Duration: 4,5 Hours

First Examiner: Dr S Grobler

Second Examiner: Prof A Grobler
External Examiner: Dr A Barnard

THIS IS A NON-VENUE BASED INDIVIDUAL EXAMINATION

THIS EXAMINATION PAPER CONSISTS OF 5 PAGES

This examination question paper consists of three (3) pages.

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATE

• This examination will take place on 19 June 2024 from 09:00 to 13:30.
• Please note that the onus rests on you to ensure that your answer script uploaded onto Moodle
is the final and correct version. No amendments to submissions will be accepted after the
closing time.
• No late submissions will be accepted, and late submissions will be awarded a zero mark.
• The uploaded answer script must have a cover page (provided). Please ensure that the
module code, your registered name, identity number and student number appear on the cover
page.
• The answer script must have the signed honesty declaration form (provided). Please ensure
that you read, understand, and sign the form.
• Answer each section/question of the examination on a new page (indicating the
section/question and the module code on the page).
• The answer script must be in PDF format only and the following naming convention of the final
file must be used when submitting the document on Moodle: STUDENT NUMBER_MBA5949
• It is your responsibility to ensure that the submitted document is not password protected and
the file submitted is not corrupted. If the marker is unable to access or open the submission
document, you will be awarded a zero mark for the examination.
• Candidates are required to submit TYPED answer sheets.
 MBA5949
MAY/JUNE 2024 EXAMINATION

Graduate School of Business Leadership

Examination Declaration of Honesty Form
▪ This declaration form must be personally completed by the candidate only.
▪ This form declares that the candidate commits to the University’s assessment policies and procedures applicable to this examination.
▪ Any candidate who fails to submit the declaration form will be deemed to not agree with the University’s assessment policies and as
such will not participate in the assessment.
▪ The completed form must be uploaded on the Moodle platform along with your examination.

CANDIDATE SURNAME

CANDIDATE FULL NAMES

ID/PASSPORT NUMBER

STUDENT NUMBER

MODULE CODE

MODULE NAME

CONTACT DETAILS

DECLARATION
• I declare that all the details provided by me on this form are true and correct.
• I am aware that the assessment date and time for MBA5949 is the 19th of June 2024 from 09:00 to 13:30.
• I undertake to comply with all the rules, regulations and policies of the University pertaining to this assessment.
• I agree that it is my responsibility to ensure that I have internet access to enable me to access Moodle during the
assessment period (May/June 2024).
• I agree that it is my responsibility to personally download and/or print and/or access the question paper provided
to me via Moodle and to upload my answer sheets to Moodle and that any late submission will not be marked
and will be graded at 0%.
• I am aware that my completed assessment must only be submitted via the Moodle platform.
• I am aware that the assessment will be conducted in the medium of English only.
• By submitting the MBA5949 assessment on the 19th of June 2024, I declare that:
• I have read the Unisa’s Students’ Disciplinary Code, available at
https://www.unisa.ac.za/static/corporate_web/Content/Apply%20for%20admission/Documents/Unisa-Students-
Disciplinary-Code-25-April-2014.pdf
• I have read the Policy for Copyright Infringement and Plagiarism, available at
https://www.unisa.ac.za/static/corporate_web/Content/Colleges/CGS/documents/copyrightinfringement_and_pla
giarism_policy_16nov05.pdf
• I know what plagiarism is, that plagiarism is wrong and that disciplinary steps can be taken against me if I am found
guilty of plagiarism.
• The MBA5949 Exam that I submitted is my own work and I have not received assistance and/or given
assistance from/to any person in completing this assessment.
• I have independently and individually completed the assessment without copying work from any other person/s
• I have not allowed any other student to copy my work.
• I know that if I am found to be in violation of this declaration I will receive 0% for this assessment and that Unisa
may investigate further and institute disciplinary action against me.

CANDIDATE
SIGNATURE

DATE

2
 MBA5949
MAY/JUNE 2024 EXAMINATION

EXAMINATION COVER PAGE

MBA5949
MAY/JUNE 2024
MANAGING HUMAN CAPITAL
STUDENT NUMBER

FULL NAME

IDENTITY NUMBER

Marks
Question Marks Examiners Moderator
No Allocated
1 2 3

1 20

2 25

3 10

4 40
Academic
5
Writing

Total 100

3
 MBA5949
MAY/JUNE 2024 EXAMINATION

Please answer all the questions.

Scenario
Quad International is an established player in the manufacturing and supply chain management
of mining chemicals and related products, headquartered in the USA. The company operates
an integrated supply chain of 105 products with a presence in 38 countries, employing around
3 500 people globally.

The company recently acquired an established, related products organisation, headquartered

in South Africa, employing approximately 300 people.

Quad’s Executive Leadership appreciates the importance of a strong corporate culture and has
embarked on developing a shared-vision, people-centric agenda and embedded corporate
culture.

Question 1
“Human Capital plays an increasingly important and strategic role in organisations.”
Describe this statement, extrapolating theory and practise and explain how Quad International
can capitalise on this statement.
(20)

Question 2
2.1) Describe how you would go about in identifying and describing Quad International’s and
its newly acquired subsidiary’s organisational cultures. What would you hypothesize the
main differences and/or similarities between the two organisations to be? What challenges
could this pose to the Executive Management team?

2.2) What could the organisation do to ensure that its organisational culture is supportive of its
overall mission and strategic goals?

2.3) Propose specific focus areas and/ or interventions you would recommend to the
organisation’s Human Capital strategy to obtain a competitive advantage, considering
both external and internal factors.
(25)
4
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MAY/JUNE 2024 EXAMINATION

Question 3
How would the organisation practically go about merging the two organisations?
(10)
Question 4
4.1) Expand on the role of leadership in formulating, changing and driving strategic change by
expanding on leadership’s role in improving the effectiveness and outcomes of
organisational change.

4.2) Various change models propose a planned, active and overt drive to manage change.
How would you go about establishing and entrenching Quad International’s desired
organisational culture?
(40)

Technical / Academic writing

Communication, clarity, logical structure and flow or argument(s), justified stance, practical
examples.
(5)
___
TOTAL MARKS 100

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UNISA 2024