ASSIGNMENT 1

Name: Sheik Zaid Rehman

ID No: S98007399
Course Code: MG302

Section A

Q.1

Organizational Culture
An organization operates and is bound under a certain way of thinking that allows them to
achieve their goals and success. Its culture is specific and includes teamwork, the internal and
external communication channels, rewards and training and development. Thus it suggests
that all members of the organization be able to understand its processes of managing,
changing and functioning. Accordingly, it is represented by the values, beliefs, assumptions
and symbols that define how an organization conducts its business (Ahmad, n.d.). It is
related to supporting employee satisfaction, growth, potential and retention and the overall
brand and image of the organization. There is immense influence on the ability of
organizational culture to influence the thoughts, relationships, performance and behaviour of
employees. Culture within an organization can serve many purposes, by uniting members and
help create a set of common norms or rules within an organization that employees follow.

The relationship between organizational culture and corporate strategy

A fast changing environment is part of an organizations environment and strategies are
developed in which they exist. Strategic success depends on the organization and how they go
about through its culture to encourage risks and accept feedback for improvement. A strategy
of any organization is established from its vision and mission and to be used in needs the
support of the people or the employees as they have to 'fit' in order to be able to deliver.
Hence goals and objectives must be in line with the organizational culture. Strategy drives
focus and attention, based on intent and lays down the rules of the game whilst culture
measure desire, expectations and fuels the spirit on how the game should be played (Rick,
2013).To gain a competitive edge, an organizations culture must be vibrant and diverse in its
make-up of their employee population at workplace.

For example, the University of the South Pacific Library has an organizational culture to
advance the universitys ability to provide equal and excellent library resources, facilities for
students and the wider Pacific community. This mission also sees them committed to provide
client-focused customer services that support the learning, teaching and research need and
develop graduates for life-long learning. The library is dedicated to have excellent
information services and facilities in all campuses. It hopes to initiate Information Research
Skills (IRS) workshops; provide more textbooks to meet demand against student ratio;
promote leisure reading so as to improve English language, be more interactive and better
recognized through social networks like Facebook and digitize old books and newspapers. It
hopes to be the one-stop shop access and create an interactive learning environment by
establishing a Learning Commons and expand the physical space by weeding out depleted
materials and shelves and allocate more study tables and chairs. There are also programmes
to develop staff excellence by organizing in-house training and cash rewards for those who
are not late to work or not absent due to illness. The strictly formal ambience of the librarys
setting shows signs of notices on boards and messages hat pertaining to the safe and
appropriate use of the resources and facilities.

Q.2

The role of HR Managers is constantly evolving. They are now working more closely with
the individual employees themselves in their training as well assisting them to meet the
organizations objectives. It is of adding value to an organization both the workforce and
business and manage talent by attracting and keeping talented and hard-working people in the
organization (Challenges facing 21st century HR managers, n.d.). Increasing aspirations and
advances in technology are two such primary factors that HR managers need to overcome.

i.)

Increasing aspirations of employees

Human needs cannot be measured and changes as society develop. Aspirations grow higher
due to the explosion of a lot of knowledge. Thus this wealth, prompts employees to think
better and not accept decisions too quickly and begin to question the rationale behind them.
Their growing skills and qualifications makes them smarter, demanding and on the wayside,
less loyal to their employer and the organization. HR management would have to seek
strategies like monetary rewards or training incentives to attract and retain the staff.
HR managers would need to understand the nature of relationships that employees have or
would like to have with their organization, their value and be successful and be focused.
Despite developing skills the workers would also like to meet goals that would vastly
enhance their family and social life. There is always competition for talent as workers are
often enticed away by the promise of getting higher salaries and opportunities elsewhere.
This can put high costs to turnover in terms of recruiting and training new staff and wasting
time and effort that was invested in earlier employees. At the University of the South Pacific,
staff are pursuing further studies and taking full advantage of the 75 % concession provided

for tuition fees that develops the knowledge base of its workers and career paths for
promotions, salary increases or taking up jobs elsewhere.

ii.)

Technological changes

The nature of doing work is evolving and technology assists in redefining

what work means and will require firms to come up with new and
innovative strategies to manage their increasingly mobile workforce
(Challenges for human resource management and global business
strategy, 2013).
Organizations need to adapt to technology and design job descriptions in ways that is able to
bring about increased productivity and efficiency in the workplace. The use of information
communication technologies such as emails; internet, mobile phones and devices, laptops and
videoconferencing has allowed easier contacts with overseas clients and employees where
these virtual networks create a hub for knowledge that can be easily accessed. HR managers
would need to overcome the issue of technological illiteracy in workers from developing
countries who lack the knowledge and proper infrastructure. In addition, jobs could become
obsolete and fewer in number and require little or no skill. It could give rise to unemployment
and lead to staff turnovers and loss of manpower as blue-collar occupations. Training
measures need to be implemented on what is needed for the employees and recruitment
undertaken to fill up the vacant positions.
For example, the roll - over of staff services via the Moodle platform allows staff to receive
information, FAQS on the medical insurance scheme; staff development appraisals, job
evaluation and the librarys SMS service that provides alerts on overdue loans and fines and
emergency notices and contacts. The library is trying to provide for one tablet device per staff
in the near future that could allow them to serve customers in answering information queries.
The system hopes to assess the data, provides understanding on employee details and predicts
future needs.

Q.3

Globalization

It allows skilled workers to move from one part of the world to another which offers the best
remuneration for them. It is a process of interaction amongst people, nations and companies
driven by international trade, investment and information technology and this has effects on
the environment, culture, economic development and prosperity in societies around the world
(The Levin Institute, 2007).
As multinational corporations expand and go international, managers have had to deal with
employees from different cultures and values. They build new facilities and employ labour
where wages and the cost of production are quite low. They also would like to tap into the
skills potential of the host countrys citizens. Due to the environmental challenges, the nature
of jobs has changed as well. There are more freelancers involved who take up flexi-hours or
work part-time, specialized assignments, on needs basis on contract and act as temps for
those on vacation or fill in peak periods. These workers occupy most of the service sectors
such as housekeeping and catering and some as knowledge workers are in demand to take
responsibilities in solving problems and planning. Such examples are software development,
telemarketing or call centres. Technology has also allowed global platform to exist where
people can cooperate and compete, share knowledge and work on a level playing field.

Effect on labour demand and supply

The global supply of talent is short and is a challenge for employers everywhere
(Kapoor, n.d., p.1). Consequently, as the workers move away (in large numbers), it puts
pressure on the workforce, as the organization tries to compensate for the shortfall in the
supply of skilled labour. The demand increases and there rise a need to fill the vacant
positions.
Shortage of talent will decrease in developed countries such as the USA, Europe and Japan as
their workers retire and the economies slide in and out of recession. This allows for
opportunities for emerging countries to provide labour force at cheaper costs. Invariably, the
developing nations, having had an exodus of their talented workers, try to recruit those
professionals from other advanced societies to undertake roles and responsibilities in
rebuilding their depleting systems of nation building.
The organizations will have to deal with people from different cultural backgrounds that are
distributed in various countries and adapt accordingly. Those who are able to recognize their
needs would be able to attract highly- skilled professionals and thus gain an edge over their
competitors. Consequently, multinational organizations would have to learn the diverse
systems and develop a mindset that recognizes and accepts the needs of the local
communities.

Q.4

The method of predicting or forecasting an organizations future demands for human resource
and supply and meet its objectives. It tries to ensure that employees have the necessary skills
and knowledge so as to develop, retain them to work in the organization.
Consecutively, HRP helps an organization achieve its strategic goals and objectives, achieve
economies in hiring new workers, make major labour market demands more successfully,
anticipate and avoid shortages and surpluses of human resources, as well as control or reduce
labour costs (MyManagementLab, n.d., p.120).
Over the next five to ten years, various environmental influences or factors would tend to
affect the supply of human resources.

i.)

Changing Demographics

More women are now being employed in the workforce and have equal opportunities just like
their male counterparts. HR of the organizations will have to avail part time work, job
security after absence due to pregnancy and childbirth and provide facilities for nursing and
day care for children. A large number of people age and retire each year and new recruits with
specialized skills would need to be sought that could change the appointment or removal in
the organization.
Casualisation of workforce with workers taking up part-time or flexi hours and those made
redundant or retire, set up small businesses and become self sufficient.
Few workers would increase the prospects of competition amongst employers to seek those
that match the skills to meet objectives. Lack of skilled workers puts pressure on time and
effort to train and develop their optimum potential.

Immigration and internationalization of services puts HR in a difficult position where they

need to balance the needs of workers from different cultures, languages and skills.

ii.)

Technology

Rapid changes have prompted the need to of technically skilled employees to match the
changing job needs. These could improve HR functions in selecting; recruiting, training and
performance reviews.
Consequently, increase production and efficiency leads to increase in profits, growth in
operations and wages and salaries for the employees. In turn the technological innovations
could brand the organization in a more positive and better image in the marketplace.
HR may have to deal with issues like keeping motivational levels high and have staff
continue to train and self-learn in order to improve skills and have access to social media and
mobile technologies that could shape the work environment.
On the other hand, technology could make physical labour seem obsolete, loss of morale and
will to work where workers are let go and unemployment rises. Human resource policies
would have to deal with increased spending on pension and social welfare. The demand for
highly skilled individuals would increase the costs of education and training.

Section B

1.)
The readiness for training on the number of employees who show interest/ motivation and
participate. The kind or nature of employees (strong personality, race, etc.) who would be
able to undertake the physical exercises and handle the stress and pressure. A positive
environment that encourages the training without interference. The traning methods should
provide timely feedback so that employees can learn and improve.
The result of the boot camp that requires all the participants to successfully create bonding
into groups. That the physical activities are similar to their work environment and how they
apply the training methods to their jobs which must encourage them to reach their full
potential.

2.)
Maslows Theory of Motivation is one where the human needs are presented in a hierarchy of
five levels. The basic is one of physiological need for a job and basic wage and as that is
satisfied then an employee tries to secure the job, seek benefits and desire a safe workplace.
Subsequently, friends and social contacts are formed so as to feel wanted and belong to a
group. Then performance rating improves, there is praise and admiration and promotion and
recognition endures that raises esteem. Finally, the worker self-actualizes and realises his/her
potential where achievement has led them to participate in decisions and desire challenges.
The managements attitude to manipulate the employees as willing slaves. The activities
should create a positive environment and encourage employees and not cause fatigue, distress
or ailments due to the nature of the physical exercises.

Factors such as age; cultural backgrounds and personalities should be considered in order to
measure the need of an individual employee especially in diverse workplaces. Some may
enjoy the activities and others may not. The boot camp should in a way contribute to a pattern
of social bonding but the theory may not work for employees from pluralistic societies who
already have been associated in groups and do not see a need to have to go through physical
endurance in order to form new alliances.

3.)
Factors such as the health and fitness need to be considered and any pre-condition medical
ailments that they would be suffering from which would affect their performance of the
physical activities. The elderly employees may already be experiencing a loss in their energy
and worn out of their mental capacity of having worked long hours on the job that the boot
camp may not necessarily bring about any change to their personality but only stress them out
further. In addition, they could be subject to harassment such as leering or touching.

References

2013. Challenges for human resource management and global business strategy [Online].
Available at: http://futurehrtrends.eiu.com/executive-summary/ [Accessed 17 March 2015].

Ahmed, Ezaz. (n.d.). Chapter 1: Strategic human resource management. [PowerPoint slides].
Queensland: CQUniversity. Available at: University of the South Pacific eLearnUSP Moodle
site. Module MG302. <http://elearn.usp.ac.fj/course/view.php?id=4083 (accessed 16th March
2015).

Challenges facing 21st century HR managers [Online]. Available at:

http://think-business.org/index.php/africa-mid-east/9-articles/2293-challenges-facing-21stcentury-hr-managers [Accessed 17 March 2015].

Kapoor, B. Impact of Globalization on Human Resource Management [Online]. Available at:

http://www.jimsjournal.org/6%20Bhushan%20Kapoor.pdf [Accessed 17 March 2015].

MyManagementLab. Chapter 5: Human Resources Planning [Online]. Available at:

http://www.pearsoncanada.ca/media/highered-showcase/multi-product-showcase/showcasewebsites-4q-2012/0132604868_05_REV1.pdf [Accessed 17 March 2015].

Rick, T. 2013. What is the relationship between corporate culture and

strategy [Online]. Available at:
http://www.torbenrick.eu/blog/strategy/relationship-between-culture-andstrategy/ [Accessed 17 March 2015].

The Levin Institute. 2007. What Is Globalization? [Online]. Available at:

http://www.globalization101.org/what-is-globalization/ [Accessed 17 March 2015].