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THE CONCEPT OF HUMAN RESOURCE


MANAGEMENT (HRM)

The HRM concept is elaborated from different and varying view


points. More so, the various definitions of the concept, context and scope
of HRM and its associated processes are presented. The chapter ends with a
summary.
Human Resources is an organizational function that deals with issues such
as recruitment and selection, training, appraisal, compensation and
performance management of the employee. Human beings are also
considered to be resources because it is the ability of humans that helps to
change the gifts of nature into valuable resources.

Human Resource management (HRM)

The term ‘Human resource management’ has been the subject of


considerable debate, and its underlying philosophy and character are
highly controversial. Much of this controversy stems from the absence
of a precise formulation of and agreement on its significance and
definition (Storey, 1989; and 1995a), as cited by Bratton and Gold
(2003: 7). Obviously, definition of the subject matter is needed for
analysis and understanding of HRM theory and practice.

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HRM definition

HRM has a variety of definitions but there is general agreement that


it has a closer fit with business strategy than previous models,
specifically personnel management. In all the debates about the
meaning, significance and practice of HRM, nothing seems more
certain than the link between HRM and performance (HRM Guide
October 2006). Below are some of the definitions of HRM, although it
can be argued that these will only be
ones of several possible definitions.

De Cenzo and Robbins (1996: 8) defined HRM as the part of the


organization that is concerned with the people dimension, and it is
normally a staff or support function in the organization. HRM role is the
provision of assistance in HRM issues to line employees, or those
directly involved in producing the organization’s goods and services.
Acquiring people’s services, developing their skills, motivating them to
high levels of performance, and ensuring their continuing maintenance
and commitment to the organization are essential to achieving
organizational goals. This is much the case regardless of the type of
organization, government, business, education, health, recreation, or
social action. The authors proposed an HR M specific approach as
consisting of four functions- staffing, training and development,
motivation, and maintenance.

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In addition, Bratton and Gold (2003: 7) define HRM as the strategic
approach to managing employment relations which emphasizes that
leveraging people’s capabilities is critical to achieving sustainable
competitive advantage. This is achieved through a distinctive set of
integrated employment policies, programs and practices. The authors
presented HRM functions as planning, recruitment and selection,
appraisal and performance management, reward management,
development, employee relations, health and safety, and union-
management relations. Moreover, to Alan Price (2 004: 32) HRM aims
at recruiting capable, flexible and committed people, managing and
rewarding their performance and developing key competencies.

Contributing to the working definition of HRM is Abecker et al., (2004).


They see HRM as a strategic and target oriented composition,
regulation and development of all areas that affect human resources in
a company. Efficient and effective management of these resources to a
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large extend, affects human resource behavior, and consequently the
performance of the organization as a whole. Moreover, the authors
identified HRM with the field it covers. These include planning
aspects- personnel requirements analysis and personnel asset analysis,
and change aspects- recruitment, personnel development and labor
displacement (Ibid). Next, is the diagrammatic representation of the said
field. figure1: Fields of HRM (S source: Abecker et al., 2004)

It is however, somehow strange, that, an important aspect of HRM,


payroll or compensation/payment is missing from the field in figure 1
above propounded b y the authors. Abeck er et al., (2004) like the
previous other authors, did not present a conclusive and detailed
definition of HRM including the other concepts (HR processes).

Lastly considered are the opinions of various management scholars


who have taken a more in-depth look at the whole concept of HR M.
These opinions should be given the greatest weight, since they reflect
more in-depth research on the subject than is done by most textbook
authors. Few such authors are Dessler et al., (1999), and Torrington et al.,
(2005).

According to Torrington et al., (2005: 5) HRM is fundamental to all


management activity
and has evolved from a number of different strands of thought. It is
best described as a loose philosophy of people management rather than
a focused methodology. Thus, distinction has been made between HRM
as body of management activities on one hand (generically described as
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personnel management) and then on the other as a particular approach
to execute those activities (carrying out people-oriented organizational
activities than traditional personnel management).

An organization gains competitive advantage b y using its employees


effectively, drawing
on their expertise and ingenuity to meet clearly defined objectives.
Torrington et al.,
(2005: 5) identified the role of the human resource functions with the
key objectives. These four objectives are the corner stone of all HR
activities. These include Staffing, Performance, Change-management and
Administration. Staffing objective focuses on finding the appropriate
pool of human resources needed to ensure fully and timely supply of work
force (Ibid). It therefore involves designing organizational structures,
identifying working conditions for different groups of employees
followed b y recruiting, selecting and developing the personnel required
to fill the roles. Performance objective aims at ensuring workforce
motivation and commitment for effective performance. Consequently,
employees training and development remain important.

Moreover, managing change effectively and efficiently remains one of the


core objectives in almost every business. Key issues here include
recruiting and/or developing people with the required leadership skills
to drive the change process. Change agents are employed to encourage
acceptance of change by coming out with reward systems associated
with the change process. Employees’ involvement is also paramount here
and is encouraged. The aim is to avoid resistance to change, more especially
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where it involves cultural changes (attitude, philosophy or long-present
organizational norms).
Administration objective aims at facilitating the smooth running of the
organization. Hence, there is the need for accurate and comprehensive
data on individual employees, records of achievement in terms of
performance, attendance, training records, terms and condition of
employment and personal details are (Ibid).

However, for the purpose of this study, literature on the HRM


concept will be based on the opinions of Dessler et al., (1999). The
authors defined HRM as the management of people in organizations. It
consists of the activities, policies, and practices involved in obtaining,
developing, utilizing, evaluating, maintaining, and retaining the
appropriate number and skill mix of employees to accomplish the
organization’s objectives. The goal of HRM is to maximize employee’s
contributions in order to achieve optimal productivity and effectiveness,
while simultaneously attaining individual objectives and societal
objectives Dessler et al., (1999: 2). To the authors, the function of HRM
include assisting the organization in attracting the quality and quantity
of candidates required with respect to the organization’s strategy and
operational goals, staffing needs, and desired culture. Helping to
maintain performance standards and increase productivity through
orientation, training, development, job design, effective communication,
and performance appraisal. Helping to create a climate in which employees
are encouraged to develop and utilize their skills to the fullest. Helping
to establish and maintain cordial working relationship with employees.
Helping to create and maintain safe and healthy work environment.
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Development of programs to meet economic, psychological, and social
needs o f the employees. Helping the organization to retain productive
employees and ensuring that the organization complies with
provincial/territorial and federal laws
affecting the work place such as human rights, employment equity,
occupational health and safety (Ibid).

HRM processes

This sub section illustrates the processes involved in executing the HRM
functions. Each of the functions: planning, recruitment, selection,
orientation and training, performance appraisal etc. goes through a
process. Unless otherwise stated, the rest of this section will be drawn
from (Dessler et al., 1999)’s literature based on pages 165 to 533.

Planning process

Human Resource Planning (HRP) process reviews human resources


requirements to ensure that the organization has the required number of
employees, with the necessary skills, to meet its goals, also known as
employment planning. HRP is a proactive process, which both anticipates
and influences an organization’s future by systematically forecasting the
demand for and supply of employees under changing conditions, and
developing plans and activities to satisfy these needs. Key steps
include forecasting demand for labor considering organizational strategic
and tactical plans, economic conditions, market and competitive trends,
social concerns, demo graphic trends, and technological changes.
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Recruitment process

Recruitment is the process of searching for and attracting an adequate


number of qualified job candidate, from whom the organization may
select the most appropriate to field its staff needs. The process begins
when the need to fill a position is identified and it ends with the receipt of
résumés and completed application forms. The result is a pool of qualified
job seekers from which the individual best matching the job
requirements can be selected. The steps in recruitment process include
identification of job openings, determination of job requirements,
choosing appropriate recruiting sources and methods, and finally,
generating a pool of qualified recruits. Job openings are identified
through human resource planning or manager request. Next is to
determine the job requirements.
This involves reviewing the job description and the job specification and
updating them,if necessary. Appropriate recruiting sources and methods
are chosen because there is no one, best recruiting technique.
Consequently, the most appropriate for any given position depend on a
number of factors, which include organizational policies and plans, and
job requirements.

Selection process

Selection is the process of choosing individuals with the relevant


qualifications to fill existing or projected openings. Data and
information about applicants regarding current employees, whether for a
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transfer or promotion, or outside candidates for the first time position
with the firm are collected and evaluated. The steps in the selection
process, in ascending order include preliminary reception of applicants,
initial applicant screening, selection testing, selection interview, back
ground investigation and reference checking, supervisory interview,
realistic job previews, making the hiring decision, candidate
notification, and evaluating the selection process. However, each step
in the selection process, from preliminary applicant reception and initial
screening to the hiring decision, is performed under legal,
organizational, and environmental constraints that protect the interests of
both applicant and organization.

Orientation, training and development process

Employee orientation is the procedure of providing new employees


with basic background information about the firm and the job. Is more
or less, considered as one component of the employer’s new- employee
socialization process. Socialization process is an ongoing process of
initialing in all employees the prevailing attitudes, standards, values,
and patterns of behavior that are expected by the organization. Training
however is the process of teaching new or present employees the basic
ills/competencies needed to perform their jobs. Whereas training focuses
on skills and competencies needed to perform employees’ current jobs,
employee and management development is the training of long-term
nature. The aim is to prepare current employees for future jobs with
the organization or solving an organizational problem concerning, for
example, poor interdepartmental communication. Training and
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development processes include needs analysis, instructional design,
validation, implementation, and evaluation and follow-up.

Career planning and development process

It is the deliberate process through which persons become aware of


personal career-related attributes and the lifelong series of activities
that contribute to their career fulfillment. Individuals, managers, and
the organization have role to play in career development. Individuals
accept responsibility of own career, assess interests, skills, and values,
seek out career information and resources, establish goals and career
plans, and
utilize development opportunities.

The career stage identification entails career cycle (the stages through
which a person’s career evolves). These stages include the following:
growth, exploration, establishment, maintenance, and decline stages.
Occupational orientation identification is the theory by John Holland.
This theory enumerates six basic personal orientations that determine
the sorts of careers to which people are drawn. They include realistic
orientation, investigative orientation, social orientation, conventional
orientation, enterprise orientation, and artistic orientation.

Performance appraisal process

Performance appraisal may be defined as an y procedure that involves


setting work standards, assessing employee’s actual performance relative
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to these standards, and providing feedback to the employee with the
aim of motivating the worker to eliminate performance deficiencies or to
continue to perform above par.

Processes in performance appraisal contain three steps: defining


performance expectations, appraising performance, and providing
feedback. First, defining performance expectation means making sure that
job duties and standards are clear to all. Second, appraising performance
means comparing employees’ actual performance to the standards that
has been set, which normally involves some type of rating form.
Third, performance appraisal usually requires one or more feedback
sessions to discuss employees’ performance and progress and making
plans for any required development. Some of the appraisal methods
include graphic rating scale, alternation ranking, paired comparison,
forced distribution, and critical incident methods.

Employee Compensation and benefits process

Employee compensation involves all forms of pay or rewards accrued


to employees and arising from their employment. This however
consists of two main components: direct financial payments, and
indirect payments. While direct financial payments are in the form of
wages, salaries, incentives, commissions, and bonuses, indirect
payments are in the form of financial benefits like employer-paid
insurance and vacations. Moreover, legal considerations in
compensation, union influences, compensation policies, and equity and

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its impact on pay rates are the four basic considerations influencing
the formulation of any pay plan.
Benefits are indirect financial payments given to employees. These
may include supplementary health and life insurance, vacation, pension,
education plans, and discounts on say company products. Furthermore,
income and medical benefits to victims of work-related accidents or illness
and/or their dependents, regardless of fault are all part of employees’
compensation.
The processes in establishing pay rates involve the following five steps:
First, conducting wages/salary survey to determine the prevailing wage
rates for comp arable jobs, which is central in job pricing. Second,
determine the relative worth of each job (job evaluation) by comparing
the job content in relation to one another in terms of their efforts,
responsibility, and skills. This eventually results in wage or salary hierarchy.
Third, group similar jobs into pay grades, a pay grade comprises of jobs
of approximately equal value or importance as determined b y job
evaluation. Forth, price each pay grade using wage curves. A wage
curve is graphical description of the relationship between the value of job
and the average wage paid for the job. However, if jobs are not
grouped into pay grades, individual pay rates have to be assigned to
each job. Fifth, fine tune pay rates. This involves correcting out-of-line
rates and usually developing rate ranges.

Occupational health and safety process


Occupational health an d safety process aims at protecting the health
and safety of workers by minimizing work-related accidents and
illnesses. Laws and legislations to ensure and observe general health
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and safety rules bound employers. More so, rules for specific industries,
for example, mining and rules related to specific hazards, for instance,
asbestos have to be adhered to. The following steps are important in
this process. Checking for or removing unsafe conditions by using
checklist to audit a company’s adherence to safety rules that are
guarded against hazards, which cannot be removed. Next, through
selection, screening out of employees who might be accident prone for
job in question without compromising the human right legislation. Mo
re so, establishing a safety policy, this emphasizes on the importance
of practically reducing accidents and injuries. Setting specific loss
control goals by analyzing the number of accidents and safety incidents
and then set specific safety goals to be achieved. Enforcing safety
rules through discipline and conducting health and safety inspections
regularly by investigating all accidents and near misses, and b y having
a system in place for letting employees notify management about
hazardous conditions.

Chapter Summary
There is no clear-cut definition of HRM. However, the common
ground settled by different HR professionals and academicians is that
they recognize that HRM is closely
fitted with business strategy than personnel management.
HR processes starts by planning labor requirements. This include, resource
specifications, long range planning, forecasting supply and demand of
labour, staffing, applicant qualification, training programs, costs
analysis, salary, contract type, and other related issues. Other key HR
processes involve recruiting, selecting, performance appraising, training
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and orientation, career development, occupational health and safety,
and compensation and benefits.

The human element is the most important factor production in which the
success of every business enterprise depends. The dealing concerned with
the human element is the responsibility of the Human Resource (Personnel)
Department.

In any organization the Personnel (HR) and General Administration


department are more or less merged together. These are headed by
Administrative Officer and Personnel Officer who reports to Director (O &
A).

Personnel Administration department performs the following tasks round the


year:-
Recruitment and Selection.
Training and Development.
Grievance Handling.
Motivation.
Promotions and Transfer.

PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT
As it has been mention earlier, this area is handled by personnel department.
Recruitment and selection of employees for the managerial post is done
generally by giving advertisement in the National Newspapers. Directly
addressed applications are also entertained at times. No campus interviews
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are conducted for executive positions. There is no criterion for conducting
psychological test or written test before personal interview.

RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION


Recruitment of workers is done by application through employment
exchange or directly as and when need arises. Mostly the direct recruitment
method is employed.

Selection is done by proper screening of aspirants by the interview board.


On the basis of the candidate’s educational qualification, personality, etc.
each member of the interview board rates him on the prescribed “Rating
Form” and a common opinion is framed and sent to the Director’s office for
approval. Final appointment is done by the Director.

After final approval, personal department issues the appointment letters to


successful candidates.

TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT


Any organization does not have any specialized training department which
can provide training in various fields to the employees. The management
mostly provides “on the job” training to the workers. Seminars are also
organised periodically.
As far as executive development is concerned not many seminars are held in
the campus. They have been given opportunities to go out and attend
seminars and other development programmes.

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GRIEVANCE HANDLING
It is an established fact that there is hardly a company or an industrial
concern which functions absolutely at all times. Employees have grievances
against employers and vice-versa. So every establishment requires a
grievance handling policy and a proper procedure to be followed in case
grievance is lodged. Grievances are feelings, sometimes real, sometimes
imagined, which an employee may have in regard to his employment
situation. Whenever there is any discontent among employees it is bound to
result in turmoil which may adversely affect the interest of the management
and ultimately lead to inefficiency of workers and low productivity.

An organization has a very efficient system of grievance handling as any


body is free to walk into any manager’s room and discuss and sort out his
problems with the concerned person.

They believe in the policy of “NIP in the BUD” and not let any grievance
grow out of proportion. They have meetings with workers union leaders
every two years and have discussions about the appropriateness of wages
and other problems regarding supervision advancement, working conditions
etc.

As such there exist no grievance redressal machinery but the grievance


handling procedure followed goes something like this: the grievance is first
lodged with the supervisor and if he is unable to help out, the manager
concerned is then approached. If he manager is also unable to satisfy the
grieving party the aggrieved takes the help of union leaders to reach to
personnel officer. Because of the company policy grievance in a firm and
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generally do not proceed beyond the personnel officer level. In the past,
have had two strikes where only in one of them arbitration was required
from outside.

MOTIVATION
There is no formal system of motivation in any organization. But it can be
said that the closest theory being followed is the “Carrot and Stick”. Under
this approach it is assumed that the employees are offered rewards or shown
the fear of punishment to motivate them.

The reward system in a firm can be more of non financial nature than
financial one. Annual functions are held where employees are praised and
awarded certificates and on certain occasions monetary awards are also
attached to them. The punishment is in form of fines, bad reports or scolding
by the senior supervisor or manager as may be the case. In extreme cases
only suspension as a form of punishment or resorted etc.

PROMOTIONS AND TRANSFER


The criteria for granting promotions and transfer to the employees are used
on seniority, performance and merit. In some cases seniority automatically
implies that the person shall be granted a promotion, where as in certain
cases the promotion is granted to a person who is more meritorious and
whose performance has been exemplary ever though he is not a senior. The
decision ultimately has with the senior most person concerned or Director
Operation.

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Scope of Human Resource Development Climate

Motivator role of Manager and Supervisor: - To prepare Human Resource


Development Climate, Manager and Supervisor’s responsibilities are more
or we can say that they are the key players. Manager and Supervisors have to
help the employees to develop the competencies in the employees. To help
the employees at lower level they need to updated properly and they need to
share their expertise and experience with employees.

Faith upon employees: - In the process of developing HRD Climate


employer should have faith on its employee’s capabilities. Means whatever
amount is invested that should be based on development of employees. Top
management should trust the employees that after making huge effort to
develop employees, employees will work for the well being of organization
and for human being also.

Free expression of Feelings : - Whatever Top management feels about


employees they have to express to employees and whatever employees think
about top management it must be express in other words we can say that
there should not be anything hidden while communication process. Clear
communication process will help to establish the HRD Climate.

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Feedback: - Feedback should be taken regularly to know the drawbacks in
system. This will help to gain confidence in employees mind. Employee will
trust on management and he can express his opinion freely which is very
good for HRD Climate. Feedback will help to remove the weakness.
Helpful nature of employees: - Whenever we talk about 100% effort then
we have to talk about employee’s effort too. Nature of employees should be
helping for management and for its colleagues. They should be always read
to help to customers too.

Supportive personnel management: - Personnel policies of organization


should motivate employees to contribute more from their part. Top
management’s philosophy should be clear towards Human Resource and its
well being to encourage the employees.

Encouraging and risk taking experimentation: - Employees should be


motivated by giving them authority to take decision. This concept is risky
but gradually it will bring expertise in employees to handle similar situation
in future. It will help to develop confidence in employees mind.
Organization can utilize and develop employees more by assigning risky
task.

Discouraging stereotypes and favoritism: - Management need to avoid


those practices which lead to favoritism. Management and Managers need to
give equal importance. Those people who are performing good they need to
appreciate and those who are not performing well they need to be guided.
Any kind of partial behavior should be avoided.

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Team Spirit: - There must be feeling of belongingness among the
employees, and also willingness to work as a team.

Importance of Human Resource Development Climate

The importance of HRD Climate in an organization is as under-:


Environmental factors of HR are prime influencing elements of change in
HR strategy.
It gives HR professionals time to anticipate opportunities in HR area and
time to plan optional responses to these opportunities.
It helps HR professionals to develop an early warning system to prevent
threats emerging out from HR scenario, or to develop strategies, which can
turn a threat.
It forms a basis of aligning the organization strengths to the changes in the
environment.
It enables the entry of the latest national/international HR developments.

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Objectives of the study-:

To examine the nature of HRD climate prevailing in the industry.

To identify the nature of HRD system in the industry.

To measure the effectiveness of Training Programmes implemented and


Performance Appraisal techniques used in the organisation.

To analyse the prevailing practices of worker’s participation in Management


and study the relation between Management and Employees.

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Component of HRD

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HRD Climate

Introduction: - If we need to find a way to develop employees in order to


become effective contributors to the goals of an organization, we need to
have a clear view of what an effective contribution would look like. The use
of personal capacities can be very helpful in describing the way in which an
effective employee should operate and behave, but there can be no general
prescription of an effective employee. Effectiveness will differ with
organizational context, and on whose perspective we are adopting. The
matter of what, finally, makes an effective employee is a combination of
personality, natural capabilities, developed skills, experience and learning.
The process of enhancing an employee’s present and future effectiveness is
called development.

Meaning of HR+D+Climate
HR means employees in organization, who work to increase the profit for
organization.
Development, it is acquisition of capabilities that are needed to do the
present job, or the future expected job.
After analyzing Human Resource and Development we can simply stated
that, HRD is the process of helping people to acquire competencies.
Climate, this is an overall feeling that is conveyed by the physical layout, the
way employees interact and the way members of the organization conduct
themselves with outsiders. (It is provided by an organization.)

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“Organizational climate is a set of characteristics of an organization which
are referred in the descriptions employees make of the policies, practices and
conditions which exist in the working environment”.

Abraham
An organization became dynamic and growth oriented if their people are
dynamic and pro-active. Through proper selection of people and by
nurturing their dynamism and other competencies an organization can make
their people dynamic and pro-active. To survive it is very essential for an
organization to adopt the change in the environment and also continuously
prepare their employees to meet the challenges; this will have a positive
impact on the organization.

Components of HRD Climate :-


The organizational climate consists of:-
1. Organizational Structure-
An organization’s structure is actually a ‘snapshot’ of a work process, frozen
in time so that it can be viewed. The structure enables the people’s energy to
be focused towards process achievement and goal achievement. Employee
must have a clear definition of not only the work structure but also the role
used to organize the work. If the structure and the role is not clear, people
will not know what the work process is, who is responsible for what, whom
to go for help and decision, and who can Assist in solving problems that
may arise.

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2. Organizational Culture-
Organizational culture is the pattern of beliefs, knowledge, attitudes, and
customs that exists within an organization. Organizational culture may result
in part from senior management beliefs or from the beliefs of employees.
Organizational culture can be supportive or unsupportive, positive or
negative. It can affect the ability or willingness of employees to adapt or
perform well within the organization.

The most effective work culture is one that supports the organizations HR
strategies by aligning behaviors, processes and methods with the desired
results. It is not just achieving results but the methods through which they
are achieved that are critical to long-term success.

Before any HR strategy is designed there must be a clear understanding of


the organization, its current values, its structure, its people as well as its
goals and vision for the future.

3.HR Processes-
The HR system of an organization should be comprehensive enough to take
care of employees from the time they join till the time they leave HR. Their
demands must not be ignored, but a feeling of belongingness be created.
Process should be very clear and impartial, so that employee’s faith in
organization. From recruitment to retirement whole process should be
according to employee’s expectation and ability of employer.

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Importance of looking at the organization climate are:
Looking at the organizational climate, which means taking a closer look at
what is happening in and around in the HR scenario of the various
organization. It is essential to work on because directly or indirectly this
environment affects the organization and the employee.

Measuring HRD Climate


Economic condition –
An organization’s economic condition influences its culture in several ways.
The more prosperous an organization is the more it can afford to spend on
research and the more it can afford to risk and be adventurous.

Leadership Style: -
An organization leadership style plays a profound role in determining
several aspects of its culture. An authoritarian style may make the
organization’s culture characterized by high position structure, low
individual autonomy, low reward orientation, low warmth and support and
so on, or it may be opposite, like goal directed leadership.

Managerial assumption about human nature: -


Every act on the part of the management that involves human beings is
predicated upon assumptions, generalizations and hypotheses relating to
human behavior. There are two theories of behavior (Theory X and Theory
Y).

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Managerial values and ethos: -
The feeling of managers about norms and values what is good and what is
poor as management practice. There are few dimensions on which it can be
checked. They are – self-awareness, risk-taking, participation, bureaucracy,
equity, employee’s security and growth.

Organization size: -
A small organizations there are few levels of management; these are
generally more amenable to democratic and participative functioning than
big organizations. More open communication system in small organizations.
Hence these organizations have a different type of climate than what are in
big organizations.

Human resources

Human resources is a term with which many organizations describe the


combination of traditionally administrative personnel functions with
performance, Employee Relations and resource planning. The field draws
upon concepts developed in Industrial/Organizational Psychology. Human
resources has at least two related interpretations depending on context. The
original usage derives from political economy and economics, where it was
traditionally called labor, one of four factors of production. The more
common usage within corporations and businesses refers to the individuals
within the firm, and to the portion of the firm's organization that deals with
hiring, firing, training, and other personnel issues. This article addresses
both definitions.The objective of human resources is to maximize the return
on investment from the organization's human capital and minimize financial

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risk. It is the responsibility of human resource managers to conduct these
activities in an effective, legal, fair, and consistent manner.

Human resource management serves these key functions:

Selection
Training and Development
Performance Evaluation and Management
Promotions
Redundancy
Industrial and Employee Relations
Record keeping of all personal data.
Compensation, pensions, bonuses etc in liaison with Payroll
Confidential advice to internal 'customers' in relation to problems at work
Career development

HUMAN RESOURCES

Modern analysis emphasizes that human beings are not "commodities" or


"resources", but are creative and social beings in a productive enterprise.
The 2000 revision of ISO 9001 in contrast requires to identify the processes,
their sequence and interaction, and to define and communicate
responsibilities and authorities. In general, heavily unionized nations such as
France and Germany have adopted and encouraged such job descriptions
especially within trade unions. One view of this trend is that a strong social
consensus on political economy and a good social welfare system facilitates
labor mobility and tends to make the entire economy more productive, as

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labor can move from one enterprise to another with little controversy or
difficulty in adapting.

An important controversy regarding labor mobility illustrates the broader


philosophical issue with usage of the phrase "human resources":
governments of developing nations often regard developed nations that
encourage immigration or "guest workers" as appropriating human capital
that is rightfully part of the developing nation and required to further its
growth as a civilization. They argue that this appropriation is similar to
colonial commodity fiat wherein a colonizing European power would define
an arbitrary price for natural resources, extracting which diminished national
natural capital.

The debate regarding "human resources" versus human capital thus in many
ways echoes the debate regarding natural resources versus natural capital.
Over time the United Nations have come to more generally support the
developing nations' point of view, and have requested significant offsetting
"foreign aid" contributions so that a developing nation losing human capital
does not lose the capacity to continue to train new people in trades,
professions, and the arts.

An extreme version of this view is that historical inequities such as African


slavery must be compensated by current developed nations, which benefited
from stolen "human resources" as they were developing. This is an
extremely controversial view, but it echoes the general theme of converting
human capital to "human resources" and thus greatly diminishing its value to
the host society, i.e. "Africa", as it is put to narrow imitative use as "labor"
in the using society. In a series of reports of the UN Secretary-General to the

32
General Assembly over the last decade [e.g. A/56/162 (2001)], a broad inter
sectoral approach to developing human resourcefulness has been outlined as
a priority for socio-economic development and particularly anti-poverty
strategies. This calls for strategic and integrated public policies, for example
in education, health, and employment sectors that promote occupational
skills, knowledge and performance enhancement.

In the very narrow context of corporate "human resources", there is a


contrasting pull to reflect and require workplace diversity that echoes the
diversity of a global customer base. Foreign language and culture skills,
ingenuity, humor, and careful listening, are examples of traits that such
programs typically require. It would appear that these evidence a general
shift to the human capital point of view, and an acknowledgment that human
beings do contribute much more to a productive enterprise than "work": they
bring their character, their ethics, their creativity, their social connections,
and in some cases even their pets and children, and alter the character of a
workplace. The term corporate culture is used to characterize such
processes. The traditional but extremely narrow context of hiring, firing, and
job description is considered a 20th century anachronism. Most corporate
organizations that compete in the modern global economy have adopted a
view of human capital that mirrors the modern consensus as above. Some of
these, in turn, deprecate the term "human resources" as useless.

33
In general the abstractions of macro-economics treat it this way - as it
characterizes no mechanisms to represent choice or ingenuity. So one
interpretation is that "firm-specific human capital" as defined in macro-
economics is the modern and correct definition of "human resources" - and
that this is inadequate to represent the contributions of "human resources" in
any modern theory of political economy.

HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

In terms of recruitment and selection it is important to consider carrying out


a thorough job analysis to determine the level of skills/technical abilities,
competencies, flexibility of the employee required etc. At this point it is
important to consider both the internal and external factors that can have an
effect on the recruitment of employees. The external factors are those out-
with the powers of the organization and include issues such as current and
future trends of the labor market e.g. skills, education level, government
investment into industries etc. On the other hand internal influences are
easier to control, predict and monitor, for example management styles or
even the organizational culture.In order to know the business environment in
which any organization operates, three major trends should be considered:

Demographics -: The characteristics of a population/workforce, for example,


age, gender or social class. This type of trend may have an effect in relation
to pension offerings, insurance packages etc.
Diversity-: The variation within the population/workplace. Changes in
society now mean that a larger proportion of organizations are made up of
“baby-boomers” or older employees in comparison to thirty years ago.

34
Traditional advocates of "workplace diversity" simply advocate an employee
base that is a mirror reflection of the make-up of society insofar as race,
gender, sexual orientation, etc.
Skills and qualifications – as industries move from manual to more
managerial professions so does the need for more highly skilled graduates. If
the market is "tight" (i.e. not enough staff for the jobs), employers will have
to compete for employees by offering financial rewards, community
investment, etc.

In regard to how individuals respond to the changes in a labour market the


following should be understood:

Geographical spread – how far is the job from the individual? The distance
to travel to work should be in line with the pay offered by the organization
and the transportation and infrastructure of the area will also be an
influencing factor in deciding who will apply for a post.
Occupational structure – the norms and values of the different careers within
an organization. Mahoney 1989 developed 3 different types of occupational
structure namely craft (loyalty to the profession), organization career
(promotion through the firm) and unstructured (lower/unskilled workers who
work when needed).
Generational difference –different age categories of employees have certain
characteristics, for example their behavior and their expectations of the
organization.

While recruitment methods are wide and varied, it is important that the job is
described correctly and that any personal specifications are stated. Job
recruitment methods can be through job centers, employment

35
agencies/consultants, headhunting, and local/national newspapers. It is
important that the correct media is chosen to ensure an appropriate response
to the advertised post.

Human Resources Development is a framework for the expansion of human


capital within an organization. Human Resources Development is a
combination of Training and Education that ensures the continual
improvement and growth of both the individual and the organization. Adam
Smith states,” The capacities of individuals depended on their access to
education”. Kelly D, 2001Human Resources Development is the medium
that drives the process between training and learning. Human Resources
Development is not a defined object, but a series of organized processes,
“with a specific learning objective” (Nadler,1984) Human Resources
Development is the structure that allows for individual development,
potentially satisfying the organization’s goals. The development of the
individual will benefit both the individual and the organization. The Human
Resources Development framework views employees, as an asset to the
enterprise whose value will be enhanced by development, “Its primary focus
is on growth and employee development…it emphasizes developing
individual potential and skills” (Elwood, olton and Trott 1996) Human
Resources Development can be in-room group training, tertiary or
vocational courses or mentoring and coaching by senior employees with the
aim for a desired outcome that will develop the individual’s performance. A
successful Human Resources Development program will prepare the
individual to undertake a higher level of work, “organized learning over a
given period of time, to provide the possibility of performance change”
(Nadler 1984). Human Resources Development is the framework that

36
focuses on the organizations competencies at the first stage, training, and
then developing the employee, through education, to satisfy the
organizations long-term needs and the individuals’ career goals and
employee value to their present and future employers. Human Resources
Development can be defined simply as developing the most important
section of any business its human resource by, “attaining or upgrading the
skills and attitudes of employees at all levels in order to maximize the
effectiveness of the enterprise” (Kelly 2001)[4]. The people within an
organization are its human resource. Human Resources Development from a
business perspective is not entirely focused on the individual’s growth and
development, “development occurs to enhance the organization's value, not
solely for individual improvement. Individual education and development is
a tool and a means to an end, not the end goal itself”. (Elwood F. Holton II,
James W. Trott Jr).

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Modern concept of human resources

Though human resources have been part of business and organizations since
the first days of agriculture, the modern concept of human resources began
in reaction to the efficiency focus of Taylorism in the early 1900s. By 1920,
psychologists and employment experts in the United States started the
human relations movement, which viewed workers in terms of their
psychology and fit with companies, rather than as interchangeable parts.
This movement grew throughout the middle of the 20th century, placing
emphasis on how leadership, cohesion, and loyalty played important roles in
organizational success. Although this view was increasingly challenged by
more quantitatively rigorous and less "soft" management techniques in the
1960s and beyond, human resources had gained a permanent role within an
organization.

The HRD climate of an organization plays a very important role in ensuring


the competency, motivation and development of its employees. The HRD
climate can be created using appropriate HRD systems and leadership styles
of top management. The HRD climate is both a means to an end as well as
an end in itself. In the recent past simple instruments have been developed to
measure the HRD climate in organizations. These instruments are being
widely used to assess periodically the climate, maintain profiles and design
interventions to further improve it. This unit presents a detailed conceptual
background of the HRD climate, various research studies available on HRD
climate and discusses an instrument to measure HRD climate that is being
used by different organizations. By the end of the unit the reader should be
able to use the HRD climate survey questionnaire to measure the HRD

38
climate of his own organization. Reader also will get an overview of the
HRD climate existing in different organizations.

DEFINING CLIMATE

Perception about an organization’s goals and about decisions that a manager


should take to achieve these goals come not only from formal control
systems but also through informal organization. Both the formal and
informal structure combine to create what is called organizational climate.
The term ‘climate’ is used to designate the quality of the internal
environment which conditions in turn the quality of cooperation, the
development of the individual, the extent of member’s dedication or
commitment to organizational purpose, and the efficiency with which that
purpose becomes translated into results. Climate is the atmosphere in which
individuals help, judge, reward, constrain, and find out about each other. It
influences morale and the attitudes of the individual toward his work and his
environment.

Organizational climate has been a popular concept in theory and research for
sometime and has received a great deal of attention in the past 25 years.
Guion (1973) has stated that “The construct implied by the term
‘organizational climate’ may be one of the most important to enter the
thinking of industrial psychologists in many years”.
Twelve reviews of climate literature have appeared since the mid-1960s.
Though these reviews had been critical of the conceptualization and

39
measurement of the climate construct, they have resulted in a significant
understanding of the concept.

Hellriegel and Slocum (1974) define organization at climate as a ‘set of


attributes which can be perceived about a particular organization and/or its
sub-systems, and that may be induced in the way that organization and/or its
sub-systems deal with their members and environment”. This definition
implied that in the measurement of organizational climate:

a) Perceptual responses sought are primarily descriptive rather than


evaluative;

b) The level of inclusiveness of the items scales and constructs are macro
rather than micro;

c) The units of analysis tend to be attributes of the organization or


specific sub-systems rather than the individual;

d) The perceptions have potential behavioral consequences.

Schneider (1975) has prepared a working definition of climate:

“Climate perceptions are psychologically meaningful molar descriptions that


people can agree characterize a system’s practices and procedures. By its
practices and procedures a system may create many climates. People
perceive climates because the molar perceptions function as frames of
reference for the attainment of some congruity between behavior and the
40
system’s practices and procedures. However, if the climate is one which
rewards and supports individual differences, people in the same system will
not behave similarly. Further, because satisfaction is a personal evaluation of
a system’s practices and procedures, people in the system tend to agree less
on their satisfaction than on their description of the system’s climate.”
By its very nature, ‘climate’ cannot be described concretely. Some
alternative characteristics are as follows:

— Focus on results versus focus on following work

— Individual accomplishment versus being a member of the team

— Initiative and risk-taking versus not rocking the boat

— Individual gains versus enhancement of organization objectives

— Tough mindedness versus dealing with people vs. avoidance of


unpleasant actions

— The relative importance of participating management versus


authoritarian management

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HRD CLIMATE AND ORGANIZATIONAL CLIMATE

HRD climate is an integral part of organizational climate. It can be defined


as perceptions the employee can have on the developmental environment of
an organization. This developmental climate will have the following
characteristics (Rao and Abraham, 1986):

— A tendency at all levels starting from top management to the lowest


level to treat the people as the most important resource

— A perception that developing the competencies in the employees is the


job of every manager/supervisor

— Faith in the capability of employees to change and acquire new


competencies at any stage of life

— A tendency to be open in communications and discussions rather than


being secretive (fairly free expression of feelings)

— Encouraging risk-taking and experimentation

— Making efforts to help employees recognize their strengths and


weaknesses through feedback

— A general climate of trust

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— A tendency on the part of employees to be generally helpful to each
other and collaborate with each other

— Team spirit

— Tendency to discourage stereotypes and favoritism

— Supportive personnel policies

— Supportive HRD practices including performance appraisal, training,


reward management, potential development, job-rotation, career planning,
etc.

Organizations differ in the extent to which they have these tendencies. Some
organizations may have some of these tendencies, some others may have
only a few of these and few may have most of these. It is possible to work
out the profile of an organization on the basis of these tendencies.
HRD climate contributes to the organizations’ overall health and self-
renewing capabilities which in turn, increase the enabling capabilities of
individual, dyads, team and the entire organization.

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What is needed to Develop Organizational Climate in
Organization

Top to Bottom effort : - Organization is considered to be complete


organization after including top authority to bottom line of workers. And
whenever we talk about development at organizational level effort is needed
from top level to bottom level. Top authority should not have thinking in
their mind that their task is to only take decisions but they should also
emphasized on proper implementation of decision by adopting various
controlling technique. Bottom level workers should have loyal mind-set
towards their organization. Bottom level workers have to work with
dedication. They should have realisation that organization is their
organization.

Motivator role of Manager and Supervisor : - To prepare Human Resource


Development Climate, Manager and Supervisor’s responsibilities are more
or we can say that they are the key players. Manager and Supervisors have to
help the employees to develop the competencies in the employees. To help
the employees at lower level they need to updated properly and they need to
share their expertise and experience with employees.

Faith upon employees : - In the process of developing HRD Climate


employer should have faith on its employees capabilities. Means whatever
amount is invested that should be based on development of employees. Top
management should trust the employees that after making huge effort to

44
develop employees, employees will work for the well being of organization
and for human being also.

Free expression of Feelings : - Whatever Top management feels about


employees they have to express to employees and whatever employees think
about top management it must be express in other words we can say that
there should not be anything hidden while communication process. Clear
communication process will help to establish the HRD Climate.

Feedback : - Feedback should be taken regularly to know the drawbacks in


system. This will help to gain confidence in employees mind. Employee will
trust on management and he can express his opinion freely which is very
good for HRD Climate. Feedback will help to remove the weakness.

Helpful nature of employees : - Whenever we talk about 100% effort then


we have to talk about employees effort too. Nature of employees should be
helping for management and for its colleagues. They should be always read
to help to customers too.

Supportive personnel management: - Personnel policies of organization


should motivate employees to contribute more from their part. Top
management’s philosophy should be clear towards Human Resource and its
well being to encourage the employees.

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Encouraging and risk taking experimentation : - Employees should be
motivated by giving them authority to take decision. This concept is risky
but gradually it will bring expertise in employees to handle similar situation
in future. It will help to develop confidence in employees mind.
Organisation can utilize and develop employees more by assigning risky
task.

Discouraging stereotypes and favouritism : - Management need to avoid


those practices which lead to favouritism. Management and Managers need
to give equal importance. Those people who are performing good they need
to appreciated and those who are not performing good they need to be
guided. Any kind of partial behaviour should be avoided.

Team Spirit : - There must be feeling of belongingness among the


employees, and also willingness to work as a team.

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HRD climate and communication

The communications that arise not out of formal relations between people
but out of informal or social relationship is called the grapevine or informal
communication. The management has no absolute control over this type of
communication as they neither created nor destroyed it. Communication
need not flow through authority-responsibility relationship or channels of
organization in informal communications. In informal communication there
is no formal superior subordinate relationship.

The informal communication does both good and bad to the


organization. The advantages of informal communication are:

1. It acts as a driving force to untie the workforce in cases of common


matters;

2. It saves time and energy as the information flows at high speed;

3. It has immediate response from the receiver;

4. It provides the scope for creation of new ideas;

5. It satisfies the communication needs of various employees,

6. It provides scope for immediate feedback.

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Informal communication suffers from various drawbacks. They are:

a) Informal communication sometimes spreads wrong information and


rumours;

b) It distorts information;

c) Grapevine provides only inadequate information;

d) Information provided through grapevine has no formal authority; and

e) It overlooks superiors.

The most effective communication results when managers utilize the


informal organization to supplement the communication channels of the
formal organization.
It should be remembered that it is a part of the manager€™s job to have a
little control over this informal communication so that he can take the
appropriate action to minimize the adverse effect of this channel.
Organizational climate is very important in the context of communication.
Organizational climate is the summary perception which people have about
an organization. It is thus a global expression of what the organization is:
Organizational climate refers to a system of shared meaning held by
members that distinguishes the organization from other organizations.

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The characteristics of organizational climate are:

1. Individual Initiative: The degree of responsibility, freedom and


independence that individuals have.

2. Risk Tolerance: The degree to which employees are encouraged to be


aggressive, innovative and risk-seeking.

3. Direction: The degree to which the organization creates clear objectives


and performance expectations.

4. Integration: The degree to which units within the organization are


encouraged to operate in a coordinated manner.

5. Management Support: The degree to which managers provide clear


communication, assistance and support to their subordinates.

6. Control: The number of rules and regulations and the amount of direct
supervision that is used to oversee and control employee behavior.

7. Identity: The degree to which members identify with the organization as a


whole rather than with their particular workgroup or field of professional
expertise.

8. Reward System: The degree to which reward allocations are based on


employee performance.

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9. Conflict Tolerance: The degree to which employees are encouraged to air
conflicts and criticisms.

10. Communication Patterns: The degree to which organizational


communications are restricted to the formal hierarchy of authority.

Communicating with the Employees

Both formal as well as informal communication channels are used to


communicate with the employees. In addition to following written
communication, oral and nonverbal communication should be relied upon.
In addition to downward communication to communicate rules, procedures
and programs of the organization to employees, employees should also be
encouraged to communicate to their superiors.

In order to make use of team work, all channels of communication or star


communication pattern should be encouraged. Interpersonal communication
should be encouraged with a view to develop interpersonal relations.
Employees should also be encouraged to develop effective and active
listening skills.

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ELEMENTS OF HRD CLIMATE

The elements of HRD climate can be grouped into three broad categories —
general climate, OCTAPACE culture and HRD mechanisms.
The general climate items deal with the importance given to human
resources development in general by the top management and the line
manager The OCTAPACE items deal with the extent to which Openness,
Confrontation, Trust, Autonomy, Proactively, Authenticity and
Collaboration are valued and promoted in the organization. The items
dealing with HRD mechanisms measure the extent to which HRD
mechanisms are implemented seriously. These three groups were taken with
the following assumptions:

a) A general supportive climate is important for HRD if it has to be


implemented effectively. Such supportive climate consists of not only top
management line management’s commitment but good personnel policies
and positive attitudes towards development.

b) Successful implementation of HRD involves an integrated look at


HRD) and efforts to use as many HRD mechanisms as possible. These
mechanisms include: performance appraisal, potential appraisal, career
planning, performance rewards feedback and counseling, training, employee
welfare for quality work life, Job-rotation, etc.

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c) OCTAPACE culture is essential for facilitating HRD. Openness is
there when: employees feel free to discuss their ideas, activities and feelings
with each other. Confrontation is bringing out problems and issues into the
open with a view to solving them rather than hiding them for fear of hurting
or getting hurt. Trust is taking people at their face value and believing what
they say. Autonomy is giving freedom to let people work independently with
responsibility. Proactively is encouraging employees to take initiative and
risks. Authenticity is the tendency on the part of people to do what they say.
Collaboration is to accept interdependencies, to be helpful to each other and
work as teams.

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The OCTAPACEE includes the following elements :-

1. Openness

Openness can be defined as a spontaneous expression of feelings and


thoughts and the sharing of these without defensiveness. Openness applies in
both directions, receiving and giving. Both these types of openness may
relate to ideas (including suggestions), feedback (including criticism), and
feeling. For example, openness means receiving without reservation and
taking steps to encourage feedback and suggestions from customers,
colleagues, and others. Similarly, it means giving―without
hesitation―ideas, information, feedback, feelings, etc.

Openness may also mean spatial openness (in terms of accessibility).


Installing an intranet may be a step in this direction: everyone having a
computer terminal has access to information, which may be retrieved at any
time. Offices without walls are a symbolic arrangement promoting openness.
In some organizations, even the chief executive does not have a separate
cabin, and floor space is shared by colleagues at different levels in the
organization. For example, P.P. Gupta, when he was chairman of Ltd, a
public sector company, shared his office with managers at three levels. This
willingness to share, this openness, results in greater clarity of objectives
and free interaction among people. As a result of openness, there should be
more unbiased performance feedback as well. Indicators of openness in an
organization are productive meetings and improved implementation of
systems and innovations.

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2. Confrontation

Confrontation can be defined as facing rather than shying away from


problems. It also implies a deeper analysis of interpersonal problems. All
this involves taking up challenges. The term confrontation is used with some
reservation and means putting up a front, as contrasted with turning one’s
back to (escaping from) the problem. A better term would be confrontation-
cum-exploration (CE).

Let us use the term confrontation in this sense of confrontation and


exploration that is, facing a problem and working jointly with others to find
a solution to the problem. The outcome of confrontation can be better role
clarity, improved problem-solving, and willingness to deal with problems
and with ‘difficult’ employees and customers. There will be willingness in
teams to discuss and resolve sensitive issues. These indicators, which are the
outcomes, can be increased by periodic discussions with clients, bold action,
and refusal to postpone sticky matters.

3. Trust

Trust is not used in the moral sense here. It is reflected in maintaining the
confidentiality of information shared by others and in not misusing it. It is
also reflected in a sense of assurance that others will help when help needed
and will honour mutual commitments and obligations. Trust is accepting
what another person says at face value and searching for ulterior motives.
Trust is an extremely important ingredient in organizational building
processes.

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The outcomes of trust include high empathy, timely support, reduced stress,
and reduction and simplification of forms and procedures. Such
simplification of procedures, reduced paperwork, effective delegation, and
higher productivity are indicators of trust.

4. Authenticity -

Authenticity is the congruence between what one feels, says, and does. It is
reflected in owning up to one’s mistakes and in an unreserved sharing of
feelings. Authenticity is similar to openness. The outcome of authenticity in
an organization is reduction in distortion of communication. This can be
seen in the correspondence between members in an organization.

5. Proactivity

Proactivity means taking initiative, pre-planning, taking preventive action,


and calculating the pay-offs of an alternative course before taking action.
The term ‘proact’ can be contrasted with the term ‘react’. In the latter, action
is in response to (and in the pattern of) an act from some sources; in the
former, the action taken is independent of the sources. For example, if a
person is shouts back at a friend’s accusation, he or she shows reactive
behavior. However, if he or she responds calmly and suggests that they
discuss the problem together, the person is showing proactive behavior.

55
Proactivity gives the person initiative to start a new process or set up a new
pattern of behavior. In reactive behavior, the initiative lies with the sources
and the person merely acts according to the pattern set y the sources. IN the
other words, the usual response pattern reactive. Proactivity involves
unusual behavior. In this sense, proactivity means freeing oneself from, and
taking action beyond, immediate concerns. A person showing proactivity
functions at all the three levels of feelings, thinking, and action.

At the level of feelings, the person transcends the role boundary and sees
things from the point of view of other (the role sender). This is empathy. He
or she appreciates the other person’s point of view (understands it even if he
or she does not agree) and is able to feel empathy with the other person. This
also means that the person transcends logic and reasoning and is able to
reach into feelings. Things may then acquire a new meaning.

At the thinking level, the person may transcend his or her own immediate
feelings, emotions, and reasons to understand a problem. He or she may
transcend time and think of the future in terms of long-term implications; he
or she may also transcend individual events and see a pattern, leading to his
or her own action theory.

At the action level, proactivity means transcending the immediate cause,


that is, taking initiative. There are three ways in which this can be done
transcending symptoms (i.e., looking for the causes of a problem),
transcending traditional and uniform ways of acting (i.e., searching several
alternative modes of action), and transcending content (i.e., initiating a new
process― e.g., the process of joint exploration). In transactional analysis,
56
proactivity is stressed in terms of transcending circularity (being sucked into
a game).Instead of falling into the ‘game’ trap, a proactive individual makes
a new move that stops the game and starts a new set of adult-adult
transactions.

Proactivity thus shows a high level of maturity. Both individual


employees and the organization can do a lot to promote it. There are four
ways in which an organization can respond to environmental changes.
These, adapted from McNamara’s concept, include inaction (maintaining the
status quo), reaction (responding to change as it occurs and fire-fighting),
transaction (adapting after anticipating and confronting change, and
proaction (a strategy planning to influence events and, in a way, cause
change).

A good example is tennis. A poor player simply responds from his or her
‘best position’, leaving balls not coming to that position. A better player tries
to run around and hit back all the balls his or her adversary throws at him.
An even better player anticipates where the adversary is likely to throw the
ball and is already there to send back the ball, saving a lot of energy. The
best player is the one who studies the strengths and weaknesses of his or her
adversary to prepare himself or herself for the game. Such players study
video clippings of the adversary’s playing style, and decide their own
strategy―where to place the balls to tire the adversary out, placing most of
the balls in areas that are the adversary’s weak spots. They make the
adversary play ‘their’ game, rather than they playing the adversary’s game
themselves.

57
The outcome of high proactivity is greater initiative in anticipating
problems and issues, planning, developing strategies, ensuring faster
response, and processing information about national and international
competitors, the market, collaborators, raw material, etc. The outcome is
problem detection, detailed planning, analysis of successes and failures,
reduction of surprise, improved time management, reduction of ‘emergency’
meetings in organizations and with customers, willingness to enter new
areas of work, and timely curtailing of unprofitable business. All these can
also be used as indicators of proactivity, including better capital
management.

6. Autonomy

Autonomy is using and giving freedom to plan and act in one’s own sphere.
It means respecting and encouraging and role autonomy. Autonomy
develops mutual respect and is likely to result in willingness to take
responsibility and individual initiative, and better succession planning. The
main indicator of autonomy is effective delegation in an organization and
reduction or references to senior for approval of planned action.

7. Collaboration

Collaboration is giving help to, and asking for help from, others. It means
working together (both individual and groups) to solve problems and
developing a team spirit. The outcomes of collaboration include timely help,
teamwork, sharing of experiences, improved communication, and improved
resource sharing. The indicators could be productivity reports, frequent

58
meetings, involvement of staff in decision making, more joint decisions,
better resource utilisation, and ‘quality’ meetings.
8. Experimentation

Experimentation means using and encouraging innovative approaches to


solve problems, using feedback for improvement, taking a fresh look at
things, and encouraging creativity. We also caught up with our daily tasks
that we often use only the traditional tried and tested ways o dealing with
problems. While such methods save time and energy, they also blind us to
perceiving the advantage of new ways of solving problems. The more we
work under pressure, the less our inclination to try a different approach, as
the risk seems too high. And yet complex problems require new approaches
for their solutions. Organizational learning does not imply repetitive action;
it implies applying past experience to current problems to reach beyond the
usual solutions. This can be called creativity. Other terms such as
innovation, experimentation, and new approach also convey the same
meaning.
There are several kinds of creativity in an organization. Creativity is
reflected in new suggestions generated by employees, attempts at improving
upon older ways of working, trying out a new idea to which one has been
exposed, originating new methods, and ignoring the so-called constraints
while thinking about a problems. It is also called lateral thinking, that is,
thinking aimed at generating alternatives. There is evidence that such
thinking contributes to the development of new products, and new processes.
The conventional connotation with which the term ‘climate’ has been used
in literature is ‘Organizational Climate’. The concept of climate with
specific reference to HRD context, i.e. HRD climate, has been recently
introduced by Rao and, Abraham (1986). Perhaps it could be due to this
59
reason that there is hardly any research work available in published
literature.
Motivation
Six motives are particularly relevant for organizational climate.

1. Achievement

This motive is characterized by a concern for excellence, competition


against standards set by others or by oneself, the setting of challenging goals
for oneself, an awareness of the obstacles that might be encountered in
attempting to achieve these goals, and persistence in trying alternative paths
to one’s goals.

2. Influence

This motive is characterized by a concern for making an impact on others, a


desire to make people do what one thinks is right, and an urge to change
situations and develop people.

3. Control

This is characterized by a concern for orderliness, a desire to be and stay


informed, an urge to monitor events and to take corrective action when
needed, and a need to display personal power.

4. Extension

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This characterized by a concern for others, an interest in superordinate goals,
and an urge to be relevant and useful to large groups, including society as a
whole.

5. Dependency

This motive is characterized by a desire for the assistance of others in


developing oneself, a need to check with significant others (those who are
more knowledgeable or have higher status, experts, close associates, and so
on), a tendency to submit ideas or proposals for approval, and an urge to
maintain a relationship based on the other person’s approval.

6. Affiliation

This is characterized by a concern for establishing and maintaining close


personal relationship, an emphasis on friendship, and a tendency to express
ones emotions.

7. Dimensions and Processes


Likert proposed six dimensions of organizational climate: leadership,
motivation, communication, decisions, goals, and control.3 Litwin and
Stringer (1968) Proposed seven dimensions4; conformity, responsibility
standards, rewards, organizational clarity, warmth and support, and
leadership.

61
A review of various studies and discussions with managers suggested
The following 12 processes:

8. Orientation

This is the main concern of the members of an organization. If the dominant


orientation or concern is to adhere to established rules, the climate will be
characterized by emphasis on control; on the hand, if the orientation is to
excel, the climate will be characterized by achievement.

9. Interpersonal relationship

An organization’s interpersonal relations are reflected in the way informal


groups are formed. If groups are formed for the purpose of protecting their
own interests, cliques may develop and a climate of control may result.
Similarly, if people tend to develop informal relationship with their
supervisors, a climate of dependency may result.

10. Supervision

Supervisory practices contribute significantly to the climate. If supervisors


focus on helping their subordinates to improve personal skills and chances
of advancement, a climate is characterized by the extension motive may
result. If supervisors are more concerned with maintaining good relations

62
with their subordinates, a climate characterized by the affiliation motive may
result.

11. Problem management

Problems can be seen as challenges or irritants. They can either be solved


by the supervisor alone and jointly by the supervisor and the subordinate(s)
concerned, or they can be referred to a higher level. These different
perspectives and ways of handling problems contribute to the creation of an
organizational climate.

12. Management of mistakes

A supervisor’s attitude towards a subordinate’s mistakes develops the


organizational orientation towards shortcoming and errors, which is
generally one of annoyance, concern, or tolerance. An organization’s
approach to mistakes influences the climate.

13. Conflict management

Conflicts may be seen as an embarrassing annoyance to be covered up or as


problems to be solved. The process of dealing with conflicts has been a
significant effect on the organizational climate, as does that of handling
problems or mistakes.
63
14. Communication

The process of communication is concerned with the flow of


information, its direction (top-down bottom-up horizontal), its disbursement
(selectively, to those concerned, or to everyone), its mode (formal or
informal), and its type (instructions or feedback on the state of affairs).

15. Decision making

An organization’s approach to decision making can be focused on


maintaining good relations or on achieving results. In addition, the issue of
who makes the decisions is important: it could be people high up in the
hierarchy, expert, or those
involved in the matters about requiring a decision. These elements of
decision making are relevant to the establishment of a particular climate or
atmosphere.

16. Trust

64
The degree of trust or its absence among various members and groups
in the organization affects the organizational climate. The issue of who is
trusted by the management and do what degree is also relevant.

17. Management of rewards

Rewards reinforce specific behaviours, thereby arousing and


sustaining specific motives. Consequently, what is rewarded in an
organization influences the organizational climate.

18. Risk taking

How people respond to risks and hose help is sought in situations


involving risks are important determinants of organizational climate.

19. Innovation and change

Who initiates change, how change and innovations are perceived, and
hoe change is implemented are all critical to establishing the organizational
climate

65
Effectiveness Profile

Motivational climate of an organization can be assessed with the help of an


instrument especially designed for this purpose. One such instrument is
Motivational Analysis of Organizations―Climate or MAO-C.5 MAO-C
provides a profile for an organization based on the six motives earlier.
The profile includes scores on six motives. The two highest scores are
generally used to interpret the climate: the highest score shows the dominant
climate and the next highest back-up climate. The combination of these two
motives thus characterizes the organizational climate. Generally, there are
six different kinds of dominant climate characterized by different motives as
shown in Exhibit.

66
Six Motives Characterizing Dominant Organizational Climates :―

67
Motives Characteristic organization

Achievement Industrial and business organizations

Expert power (corresponding to the University departments, scientific


influence motive) organizations

Control
Bureaucracy (as in government
Dependency departments)

Extension Traditional or one-man organizations

Affiliation Community service organizations

Clubs

Combinations of the six motives as dominant and secondary climates give


30 profiles. We briefly mention below the nature of the organization
associated with each of the 30 profiles. Some of these are based on
research.6 By and large, dominants climates characterized by achievement,
expert power, and extension are conducive to the achievement of results and
those charactersied by control, dependency, and affiliation retard
achievement of results.

68
1. Achievement-expert power

People are involved in challenging tasks and highly stimulated by challenges


and specialists dominate in determining action. The organization rewards
specialisation.

2. Achievement-control

Most people are involved in challenging tasks, but they face a lot of
constraints because of rigid procedures and inflexible hierarchy.

3. Achievement-dependency

In spite of the emphasis on high achievement shared by most people, there


is a tendency to postpone critical decisions pending approval from a higher
authority. The organization discourages decision making without approval
from the higher level, resulting in a sense of frustration.

4. Achievement-extension

People work on challenging tasks with equal attention to the social


relevance of such tasks. The organization has a high sense of social
responsibility and also pays attention to employee needs.

5. Achievement-affiliation

69
While people work on challenging goals, they from strong groups based on
specialty, department, language, region, etc. the organization, with so many
in-groups or cliques, must pay a lot of attention to maintaining good
relations among the groups.

6. Expert power-achievement

The organization attaches high value to specialists influence most decision.


At the same time, there is emphasis on high quality of work and unique
contributions.

7. Expert power-control

The organization is controlled by expert, with cumbersome procedures


resulting in lack of job satisfaction, and relatively low output.

8. Expert power-dependency

The organization is dominated by expert, with a rigid hierarchy. Decisions


are passed up the hierarchical line, bright employees may remain highly
dissatisfied.

9. Expert power-extension

70
Specialists play a major in organizational, matters, working in a planned
way on socially relevant issues. The organization pays attention to the
employee’s needs and welfare.

10. Expert power-affiliation

This results in an expert-dominated organization, with in-groups based


on specialties, languages, etc. the organization’s attention is more on
maintaining a friendly climate and results often suffer.

11. Control-achievement

The organization is bureaucratic, laying down detailed procedures,


with a rigid hierarchy. The organization emphasizes quality of work but
most employees with achievement orientation get frustrated due to the
higher emphasis on control. Some public sector organizations have this type
of climate.

12. Control-expert power

71
This implies a bureaucratic organization in which specialists’ opinions
are valued but with rules being treat as more important.

13. Control-dependency

Here we have a bureaucratic organization with rigid hierarchy, where


all actions are referred to higher levels for approval, and decisions get
delayed. Following rules and ensuring proper protocol adherence to
regulations are more important than achieving result. Senior staff protects
subordinates who do not make procedural mistakes. Most government
offices function in this way.

14. Control-extension

This creates a hierarchical organization with social concern, paying


attention to the needs and welfare of the employees.

15. Control-affiliation

The climate is that of a hierarchical organization with low concern for


results and greater emphasis on good relations. However, informal groups
based on relationship have an important place here. Some voluntary
organizations are of this type.

72
16. Dependency-achievement

The organization emphasizes respect for people in power and all


major decisions are referred to them. However, achievement of results is
rewarded and enough freedom is given with key decisions being controlled
by a few, who have the last word on all matters. Many family-owned
organizations have such a climate.

17. Dependency-expert power

The organization has a rigid hierarchy, decisions being referred to


higher levels for approval. Experts play an important role in the various
aspects of the working of the organization.

18. Dependency-control

This is an organization controlled by a few individuals, who have


clear-cut channels of communication and are referred to for final approval of
all decisions.

19. Dependency-extension

A traditional organization working in socially relevant areas, this is


dominated and controlled by a few individuals demanding all respect from
other members and taking care of the member’ needs in return.

73
20. Dependency-affiliation

This makes for a traditional organization with the top management


controlling all matters using their own in-group members, who have high
loyalty to their leaders.

21. Extension-achievement

The organization aims to be relevant to society, with emphasis on


achieving results. Employees are selected for their competence and are given
freedom to work.

22. Extension-expert power

This organization has social awareness, with experts influencing all


the major decisions.

23. Extension-control

An organization with the goal of serving a larger cause, this has a


bureaucratic structure, with rules and regulations to be followed strictly.

74
24. Extension-dependency

An organization in the area of community service (such as education,


health, or development), it emphasizes conformity to policies laid down by
the top management, who require all matters to be referred to them for the
final decision.

25. Extension-affiliation

In this organization in the area of community service, members with a


similar background (in terms of caste, ideology, specialization, region,
language, kinship, etc.) work with strong linkages with one another.

26. Affiliation-achievement

The organization accords high importance to relationships and draws


people with similar backgrounds (in terms of language, caste, region, Etc.).
The organization also values achievement of results and excellence of
performance.

27. Affiliation-power

The organization, mainly consisting of expert, emphasises good


relations, and either consists of persons of the same background or has in-
groups (cliques) based on some common links.

75
28. Affiliation-control

This organization is involved in maintaining good relations, but has a


bureaucratic form. A club with strict rules and procedures would be in this
category.

29. Affiliation-dependency

The organization puts a high value on friendly relations among the


members. One or two people make most of decisions. People are rewarded
on the basis of their closeness to the person(s) at the top.

30. Affiliation-extension

The main goal at this organization working on socially relevant issues


is a good relationship between its members. The lions club and similar
organizations would be in this category.

MEASURMENT OF HRD CLIMATE

76
Since the HRD climate is somewhat similar to the conventional
organizational climate, an item-wise comparison of this questionnaire with
four other questionnaires that measure organizational climate is presented in
order to establish the content validity of this questionnaire. Thus, some of
the items of the HRD climate questionnaire, are exclusive to HRD climate;
the rest being common with the items included in organizational climate
questionnaire. These exclusive items are related to OCTAPACE culture
which is specific to HRD climate. Thus, this questionnaire can be expected
to measure HRD climate.

To establish the factorial validity of the items instrument developed to


measure HRD climate, factor analysis was conducted. Emergence of
single/few factors with large Eigen value from among the presented items is
an indication of the factorial validity of the questionnaire. The results of the
principal components method of factor analysis are presented down.

The first factor accounts for 44.7% of variance of climate and nine factors
explain 84.1% of variance of climate. Thus, with a reasonable degree of
confidence it can be concluded that this 38 items instrument is measuring
climate well enough.

To understand various independent dimensions of climate these factors were


rotated using Varimax method and the results are presented in the following
table 2.
The Varimax method yielded three major dimensions or factors of climate
which are listed in another table.
77
Thus these three dimensions seem to be related to counseling, autonomy and
proactively, training and philosophy. Thus, on the whole the climate is
hypothesized to consist of major components, viz, general climate
OCTAPACE culture and HRD mechanisms (Rao and Abraham, 1986). This
study points out that the climate has the HRD mechanisms/instruments as
the major dimensions.

To establish the reliability of this HRD climate questionnaire, the internal


consistency (that is, homogeneity of items) is tested using Cronbach Alpha.
An alpha value of at least 0.80 indicates high consistency or internal
agreement between an item and the entire set of all the items in the
questionnaire (Guy et. al 1987). The Cronbach Alphas related to each item
of the questionnaire is presented in Table 4. Since each alpha is large
(greater than 0.80) it can be concluded that the internal consistency of this
questionnaire is acceptable and that all the items proposed to be included in
the questionnaire are necessary and dropping any one of them does not
improve the internal consistency of the questionnaire.

To measure the HRD climate prevalent in any organization, this


questionnaire was administered to several managers in the organization at
various hierarchical levels. Each manager is required to score each of the 38
items on a 1-5 point scale. The average of the responses of all the managers
is taken as item score for the organization. Average of all the scores of all
the items is taken as the HRD climate.
SURVEY OF HRD CLIMATE IN INDIAN ORGANIZATIONS

78
Several Indian organizations were surveyed for their HRD climate and data
was collected from 2673 respondents from 52 organizations and the results
of which are presented here.

It is interesting to note that the average extent of climate prevalent in all the
52 organizations is about 54% which is rather low. To see which
components are favorable and which are not, an item-wise analysis is
conducted and results are discussed below.

The following are the items with respect to which the HRD climate is
not favorable, i.e. the .average item-wise scores are below 50%.

a) Top management goes out of its way to make sure that employees
enjoy their work.

b) There are mechanisms in the organizations to reward any good work


done or any contribution made by the employees.

c) Employees are encouraged to experiment with new methods and try


out creative ideas.

d) When behavior feedback is given to employees they take it seriously


and use it for development.

e) Employees in this organization take pains to find out their strengths


and .weaknesses from the supervising officers or colleagues.

79
f) Employees returning from training programmers are given
opportunities to try out what they have learnt.

g) Employees are encouraged to take initiative and do things on their


own without having to wait for instructions from supervisors.

h) Career opportunities are pointed out to juniors by senior officers in the


organization.

i) This organization ensures employee welfare to such an extent that the


employees can save a lot of their mental energy for work purposes.

The following are the items with respect to which the HRD climate is
favorable, i.e., the average item-wise scores are above 60%.

a) The top management believes that human resources are an extremely


important resource and that they have to be treated more humanly.

b) People in this organization are helpful to each other.

c) Promotion decisions are based on the Suitability of the promoter


rather than on favoritism.

d) Performance appraisal reports in our organization are based on


objective assessment and adequate information and not on favoritism.

80
e) When employees are sponsored for training, they take it seriously and
try to learn from the programmed they attend.

f) Employees are not afraid to express or discuss their feelings with their
superiors.
Thus it appears that there is a gap between belief and practice, at the top
management level, namely, though the top management believes that human
resources are their most important asset, and yet they do not seem to do
much in developing their human resources. Except for promotion decisions,
the reward mechanisms are not seen to be favorably implemented. Though
most of the organizations spend huge amounts of money on training and the
employee also take their training seriously, the organizations dc not seem to
be making any effort to make effective use of the investments made in
training the employees by not assigning them the tasks related to the areas in
which they are trained.
It is rather strange to note that HRD climate is open enough for the
employees to discuss their feelings with their superiors, yet the employees
are reluctant to accept the feedback given by their superiors and use it for
their development. This indicates that the organizations are creating a
climate for openness insofar as expression of feelings is concerned, but not
for receiving the feedback. It is unfortunate to note that the organizations do
not seem to be fostering any creativity and encouraging any initiative on the
part of the employees to perform their own tasks.

WHAT CONTRIBUTES TO HRD CLIMATE?

The following factors may be considered as contributing to HRD climate:


81
1) Top Management Style and Philosophy: A developmental style a
belief in the capability of people participative approach openness and
receptivity to suggestions from the subordinates are some of the dimensions
that contribute to the creation of a positive HRD climate.

2) Personnel Policies: Personnel policies that show high concern for


employees, that emphasis equity and objectivity in appraisals policies that
emphasis sufficient resource allocation for welfare and developmental
activities, policies that emphasis a collaborative attitude and trust among the
people go a long way in creating the HRD climate.

3) HRD Instruments and Systems: A number of HRD instruments


have been found to generate a good HRD climate. Particularly open systems
of appraisal with emphasis of counseling, career development systems,
informal training mechanisms, potential development systems etc.
contribute to HRD climate.

4) Self-renewal Mechanisms: Organizations that have built in self-


renewal mechanisms are likely to generate a positive HRD climate.

5) Attitudes of Personnel and URD Staff: A helpful and supportive


attitude on the part of HRD and personnel people plays a very critical role in
generating the HRD climate. If the personal behavior of any of these agents
is not supportive, the HRD climate is likely to be vitiated.

82
INTRODUCTION TO THE PROBELM

83
The main objective of my study is to analyse the HRD climate and system
implementation in the Camphor & Allied Products Ltd. (CAP). As the
organisation is not very large and my research is empirical in nature that’s
why I have covered the following aspects of HRD climate and system.

HRD System:-

Transfer and Rotation


Reward and Punishment
Performance Appraisal
Feedback
Training and Development
Career Planning
Succession Planning
Participation

HRD Climate:-

Non Financial Motivation and Job Satisfaction


Communication Process
Collaboration and unity among employees

84
Objectives
The broader purpose of the present study is to explore Human Resource
Development Climate.
More specifically the objectives of the study are:
To understand different criteria under which the HRD Climate of any
organization is defined.
To understand the impact and effects of HRD Climate on the employees
working in Indian industries.
To analyze prevailing structure of HRD Climate in Indian Industries and its
present impact on the employees.
To analyze weaker sections of this HRD Climate.
To study in detail the view point of employees towards the implementation
of HRD Climate.

RESEARCH DESIGN

85
Research design is simply the framework or plan for a study, used as a guide
in collecting and analyzing data. There are three types of Research Design:-

Exploratory Research Design:- The major emphasis in exploratory


Research design is on discovery of ideas and insights.

Descriptive Research Design:- The Descriptive Research Design


Study is typically concerned with determining the frequency with which
something occurs or the relationship between two variables.

Causal Research Design:- A Causal Research Design is concerned


with determining cause and effect relationship.
For the study, Descriptive Research Design was undertaken as it draws the
opinion of employees/ workers on a specific aspect.

DATA COLLECTION METHOD


Data for the present study is collected from two sources:
Primary:- The first hand information is collected with the responses of
questionnaire. For this purpose a questionnaire is given to the managerial
staff of the CAP. They were asked to choose the best alternative among the
given alternatives, as per their knowledge, experience and observation.

Secondary: - Secondary data will be collected from published sources like


Journals, Magazines, various newspapers and published books.

86
"FINDING AND ANALYSIS"

87
In every project report it is considered to be an important part to find and
analyze all the facts and figures been produced by the research work. It helps
in drawing out final conclusions and reaching at a final result or to find the
solution of the problem for which the research is being done.

In the winter project the research is been carried out on the HRD climate of
Indian Industries, their layout, implementation, policies, rules and
regulations that are been carried out in an organization. The research is done
to analyze that whether the HRD structure is fulfilling the demands of the
employees or any need or change is been required in their schedule or not.
For that purpose a small questionnaire session is been conducted in order to
find out the employees’ views regarding the current HRD Climate
implemented in their organization.

88
89
CONCLUSION

A good climate is always necessary for the employees After all it is the
human resource that is the most important resource for the organization and
its proper growth is very, important in the organization for which a good
Climate is very necessary and organization has to look forward to develop
a healthy climate for the development of the people.

“The greatest achievement of Human spirit is to live up to one’s &


opportunities make the most of one’s resources.”

90
Suggestions and Recommendations

91
• Develop a human resources philosophy for the entire organization and
get the top management committed to it openly and consistently.
• Keep inspiring the line managers to have a constant desire to learn and
develop.
• Constantly plan and design new methods and systems of developing
and strengthening the HRD climate.
• be aware of the business social other goals of the organization and
direct all their HRD effort to achieve these goals ;

• monitor effectively the implementation of various HRD sub systems


mechanisms
• work with unions and associations and inspire them
• conduct human process research organizational health surveys and
renewal exercises periodically
• influence personnel policies by providing necessary inputs to the
Personnel Department Top Management

92
Limitations

93
The project report carries with it few limitations, on which the accuracy of
the text written will depend.
The first and foremost limitation is regarding the sources of information.
The information contained has been obtained from sources believed to be
reliable and in good faith, but which may not be verified independently.
The second limitation is that some of the calculations are based on certain
assumptions considered appropriate.
Using several statistical tools derives the estimates. Hence the findings
obviously carry all the limitations of the statistical tools used.
Same sets of data from different sources are different. Since not all the data
are available from a single source, an attempt has been made to standardize
the data wherever required, which is essential to maintain uniformity
through out the project.
The aggregate figures for various parameters are subject to exclusion or
inclusion of various constituent variables. While sincere efforts are made to
ensure the absence of mismatch, the extent to which this can be done is
limited.
One more important limitation occurred while conducting questionnaire is
that most of the respondents had either missed it or many hadn’t returned it
or many hadn’t filled it particularly. So to derive actual data becomes
impossible based on those questionnaires.

94
95
BOOK:

Kothari,C.R.,Methods and Techniques,New Delhi,New Age International


Pvt, Ltd., 2005
-Pareek, U. (2002). Training instruments for HRD & OD, Chapter 98. New
Delhi: Tata McGraw-Hill.

WEBSITES:
• www.google.com
• www.citehr.com
• www.scribd.com

96
97
QUESTIONNAIRE

Dear Respondent,
It is to submit that I am a student of MBA (final year) of Department of
Commerce & Management, University o Kota, Kota. For partial fulfillment
of MBA degree I am conducting a research project in your esteemed
organization. You are requested to fill the questionnaire. The responses
given by you shall be kept confidential.
Thanks.
ILA TOMAR

Que 1). Promotion decisions are based on the suitability of the promotee
rather than on favouritism.

(a). Always (b). Sometimes

(c). Rarely (d). Never

Que 2). Is there Job rotation practiced in the organisation?

(a). Always (b). Sometimes

(c). Rarely (d). Never

98
Que 3). Job-rotation in this organisation facilitates employee development.

(a). Always (b). Sometimes

(c). Rarely (d). Never

Que 4). There are mechanisms in this organisation to reward any good work
done or any contribution rnade by employees

(a). Always (b). Sometimes

(c). Rarely (d). Never

Que 5). Performance appraisal reports in our organisation are based on


objective assessment and adequate information.

(a). Always (b). Sometimes

(c). Rarely (d). Never

Que 6). When behaviour feedback is given to employees they take it


seriously and use it for development.

(a). Always (b). Sometimes

(c). Rarely (d). Never

99
Que 7). When employees are sponsored for training, they take it seriously
and try to learn from the programmes they attend.

(a). Always (b). Sometimes

(c). Rarely (d). Never

Que 8). Employees returning from training programmes are given


opportunities to try out what they have learnt.

(a). Always (b). Sometimes

(c). Rarely (d). Never

Que 9). Seniors guide their juniors and prepare them for future
responsibilities/ roles they are likely to take up.

(a). Always (b). Sometimes

(c). Rarely (d). Never

Que 10). Career opportunities are pointed out to juniors by senior officers in
the organisation.

(a). Always (b). Sometimes

(c). Rarely (d). Never


100
Que 11). Delegation of authority to encourage juniors to develop handling
higher responsibilities is quite common in this organisation.

(a). Always (b). Sometimes

(c). Rarely (d). Never

Que 12). The top management is willing to invest a considerable part of their
time and other resources to ensure the development of employees.

(a). Always (b). Sometimes

(c). Rarely (d). Never

Que 13). The top management of this organisation goes out of its way to
make sure that employees are invited for participation in decision making.

(a). Always (b). Sometimes

(c). Rarely (d). Never

Que 14). When an employee does good work his supervising officers take
special care to appreciate it.

(a). Always (b). Sometimes

(c). Rarely (d). Never

101
Que 15). Employees are afraid to express or discuss their feelings with their
superiors and subordinates.

(a). Always (b). Sometimes

(c). Rarely (d). Never

Que 16). When problems arise people discuss these problems openly and try
to solve them.

(a). Always (b). Sometimes

(c). Rarely (d). Never

Que 17). Team spirit is of high order in the organisation.

(a). Always (b). Sometimes

(c). Rarely (d). Never

Que 18). People lacking competence in doing their jobs are helped to acquire
competence.

(a). Always (b). Sometimes

(c). Rarely (d). Never

Que 19). People in this organisation are helpful to each other.

(a). Always (b). Sometimes

(c). Rarely (d). Never

102
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