MBA (FT), Term V, Batch 2012-2014 Human Resource Management

Group Project (Weight: 20%) Total marks: 100, Classroom Presentation: 40 marks, Report: 60 marks

Part I: Presentation: - Power Point Presentation for 10-15 Minutes based on the below mentioned activities. You are expected to relate theory with practice while making presentation. The objective is to bring corporate-hands on experience in the class room.

Part II: Submission: Based on the classroom presentation, all the groups will conduct Primary Research {Using Questionnaire, Interviews (Structured or Unstructured) etc.}. You should go beyond the presentation made in the class (For example, you have interacted with one employee for making presentation, now for final report you should interact/interview more employees). The Research Methodology and Research Design should be chosen very carefully for the final report. Use of questionnaire, interviews, observation or a combination is recommended. The final report should consist of:
i. ii. iii. iv. v. vi. vii. viii. ix. x. xi. Front page Acknowledgement Declaration signed by all members (Must) Executive Summary Table of Contents Introduction Literature Review Research Methodology Data Analysis Findings and Conclusion Managerial Implications References (in APA Style only). The in-text references should match with end references.

xii.

The last date for submission is March 16, 2012 up to 11.00 am

Format: Font: Times New Roman Text-12, Sub headings-14 (bold), Heading-16 (bold) Justified, Spacing-1.5 between lines and double between paragraphs Referencing- APA style. Avoid foot notes and end notes 20-30 A4 size pages including cover page, appendices Margin: 1 cm on all sides

Evaluation Criteria: 1. Coverage and Depth of presentation 2. Clarity 3. Linkage with Theory 4. Critique of the research paper/article 5. Teamwork 6. Timing

Note: All the groups should use at least one research paper related to the topic and find out the difference between theory and practice

Activity Group 1 Understanding Human Resource Management

Conduct interviews of HR Managers/Senior Officers and ask following questions. Interact with students from other two sections to know about their experiences. Refer any Journal of Human Resource Management and search an article focusing on below mentioned questions. The final presentation should include details from interview of three HR managers (One per section) and excerpts from the article/research paper. The presentation in all three sections can be same. 1. 2. 3. Please brief us about your organization details, vision, goals etc? What is Human Resource Management? What are duties and responsibilities of HR Manager?

4. 5. 6.

How HR has changed in last few years? Which proficiencies/skills are needed for becoming HR professional? Which are different challenges for HR professionals today?

Group 2 Understanding HR Role of Line Managers/Team Leaders? Conduct interviews of Line Managers and ask following questions. You have to make presentation for 10 minutes in the class. Interact with students from other two sections to know about their experiences. Refer any Journal of Human Resource Management and search an article focusing on below mentioned questions. The final presentation should include details from interview of three Line managers (One per section) and excerpts from the article/research paper. The presentation in all three sections can be same.

1.

Please brief us about your organization details, vision, goals etc?

2. 3. 4. 5.

As a line manager, what HR activities you are carrying out on regular/timely basis? How is the experience of handling HR functions as Non-HR manager? Do you face any problems while carrying out these tasks? How do you manage? How important is having formal qualification in HR for effectively? handling HR functions

Group 3
1.

Visit a hotel (Cambay, TGB, Pride etc)/ Theme Resort/ restaurant. Spend time in the front office. Observe the front office staff at work and note down the activities they do. You would need to observe the following:
a. b. c. d. e.

Their activities Their behavior Human traits and abilities to perform the job The roles they interact with e.g. attendants, housekeepers, etc. Their working conditions e.g. they need to be standing most of the time

2.

Thereafter interact with the role occupants you have observed and to verify the job analysis information and complete your activity list for the respective roles. While interacting with them also try to obtain information on how their job is connected to other jobs one step forward and one step backward.

3.

Also make a note of the designations and the level distinctions of the front office staff.

4.

You will find other role occupants also in the front office e.g. watchman, front office manager, attendants. Observe them at work and note down their activities.

Now using framework of Chapter 4 of the text book, conduct a role analysis for these two organizations. Discuss the observations, differences in these two cases with the class. Refer any Journal of Human Resource Management and search an article focusing on above mentioned questions on Role Analysis. The final presentation should include details from interview of three HR managers (One per section) and excerpts from the article/research paper.

Group 4 Activity 1. Visit any organization (non IT) and interact with an employee 2. Prepare a job description for this role (refer Chapter 4). Follow the framework of Chapter 4. Thereafter prepare a job specification for this role. Then prepare Job Specification 3. Then interact with one of your fellow classmates with experience in IT Company (at least one year). Use the framework for the interaction. Refer the theory related to job description and specification from the text book. Prepare a job description and specification for this role. 4. Compare the two roles focusing on the traditional jobs and the new role designs. 5. Select an article, research paper from referred journal 6. The class room presentation will need to include the following: a. The job description of two roles (one IT and one other). b. The job specification for these roles. c. Learning about job description, job specification

d. Critique of the article 7. You will have a maximum of fifteen minutes for the presentation

Group 5

Activity 1. Visit any organization and interact with HR and non HR managers so as to understand the process of Job Advertisement. Ask about the variables taken into account while preparing advertisement. Get any Job Description and Job Specification from this organization for entry level position. Interact with one of your colleague having work experience and get his Job Description and specification 2. Using theoretical frameworks from Chapter 5 & 6, prepare Job Advertisement for these positions. Consider the organization size, expectations, role, budget and other constraints. You have to prepare the advertisement for a particular media for both the positions. 3. Select an article/research paper on this topic 4. The class room presentation will need to include the following: a. The job advertisement for this role. b. Theoretical frameworks used by you c. Learning about job advertisement and advertising media for two positions d. Critique of the article 5. You will have a maximum of fifteen minutes for the presentation

Group 6 & 7 Activity

Design of Selection Process and Simulation of a Selection Process

Note: This activity has to be done all three sections together. The Simulation should involve 18 students. If needed, you can take help from other students. I am planning to have combined session in Auditorium for this activity.
1. Visit two organizations and interact with HR professionals so as to understand the Employee

Selection Process. Get Job Description and Job Advertisement for any position.

2. Now select any one organization and one position for further activity. You have to make a selection for this position keeping in mind the appropriate context of the organization. This involves sourcing and selection both. This also includes designing of selection criteria, the selection process and assessment sheets.

3. So now, decide your target audience, choose your source and advertise the jobs for effective selection. Use the framework of Chapter 5 and 6 for the purpose.

Simulation 4. Invite applications for this position from your colleagues (They have to prepare their CVs so as to suit the job requirement). 5. Shortlist the resumes and decide on candidates to be called for the selection process. By now you would have already designed the selection process. It can consist of a technical test, practical test, interviewing, or any other process that you identify as being appropriate for the position. Refer the frameworks of chapters 6 and 7. 6. Once you have short listed the candidates, call them and put them through the process you have planned. You would interview a minimum of three candidates during the simulation exercise. 7. Once you have completed the process, make your selection decision. 8. Select an article on this topic 9. The class room presentation will need to include the following: a. The Selection Processes for two organizations b. The invite for applications c. The outcome of the sourcing process (when and where advertised, no. of applications received, no. short listed)

d. Theoretical frameworks used by you for designing the selection process. e. Your selection criteria and assessment sheet, constitution of the selection panel f. The rationale for your selection process design for the two different positions. g. Your selection decision from the simulation exercise. h. Critique of the article Presentation will follow the simulation. You will have Thirty fiveminutes for the simulation and presentation.

Group 8 Performance Review Select three students from your batch (One from each section and from different industries) who have faced Performance Review with their bosses/HR and ask the following questions: o Name, Designation, Organization, Experience, Job Responsibilities a) b) c) How was the overall experience? What was the focus of discussion: Behavior, Performance or Personality? How much was duration of review meeting? Who spoke most of the time: You or your boss? d) e) f) Was the discussion documented by organization? Please share any critical incident during the review? How was the output of performance review used in your organization?

All three sections should work together for this presentation. You should use common presentation in all sections.

Group 9

A Study of training offered by Training Institutes

Visit any government/ private training institute/B-School (other than IMNU)/ ITI to study:

The type of training programmes offered

The duration and fees of these programmes The details about trainers The target audience and how the programmes are designed What is core competency of the institute?

Some Suggestions are: Ahmedabad Management Association, MICA, EDI- Gandhinagar, and any ITI

II.

Visit websites of Management Consultants in India. Study the training programmes Summarize the learning.

offered by them based on questions mentioned above.

Group 10

Carry out a job evaluation exercise and prepare a pay hierarchy for the given roles at Institute of Management, NirmaUniversity
10. Take up the following roles at the Institute of Management, NirmaUniversity: a. Peon b. Security guard c. Canteen Boy d. Canteen Supervisor e. Canteen Manager f. Security Supervisor g. Receptionist h. Programme Office Administrative Assistant i. Office Superintendent j. Programmes Officer k. Placement/Public Relations Officer

11. Rank these jobs for the purpose of pay following the procedure given in the text book

12. You will need to specify the compensable factors and define them before ranking the jobs.

13. Your assignment is to a. Study the jobs and identify the compensable factors in these jobs; b. Define the compensable factors and their levels; some compensable factors may be present only in some roles. You may also find that the highest ranked job may still fall below the highest level of some compensable factor. c. Compare the jobs with each other based on these. d. Then rank these jobs in a hierarchy.

14. Be as specific as you can,

15. The class room presentation will need to include the following: a. The roles with their job descriptions(not more than three or four lines) b. The compensable factors based upon your observations. Explain why these compensable factors were identified. c. The definition of these factors and their levels. You must have at least four levels for each. d. Your ranking of the jobs based on the compensable factors. This point will be the lengthiest portion of the presentation. Explain your decisions. Group 11 Interact with three employees from different organizations, different sectors that are not at the same level and ask the following questions (you would like to interact with HR executive/manager for gaining more insights for the same): 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. What is the organizational structure? What is corporate and functional strategy? What type of rewards you get? Give few examples. What is the linkage between rewards and strategy? How the reward strategy has changed over years in your organization? Why?

6. 7.

What is the proportion of fixed and variable pay in their compensation? What factors affect Total Compensation?

Based on the theoretical framework from Chapter 8 of the text book, relate theory with practice. Visit website of these organizations to get more insights about the vision, strategy, structure, employee strategy etc. Select an article/research paper on related theme so as to bring out similarities/differences between theory and practice.

Group 12 Pay for Performance and Employee Recognition Interact with a manager and an employee from same organization and ask the following questions (you would like to interact with HR executive for gaining more insights for the same): 1. 2. 3. What do you mean by Pay for performance? How do you use this concept in your organization? Explain the rationale for using PFP. Who decides the pay in your organization? HR? Line Manager? Top Management? All? How it is decided? 4. 5. Are you using any Employee Recognition programme? Explain. What role employee recognition plays in motivating and retaining employees?

Based on the theoretical framework from the text book, relate theory with practice. Select an article/research paper on related theme so as to bring out similarities/differences between theory and practice.

Group 13 Industrial Relations and Trade Unions Visit any manufacturing unit and meet the Personnel/HR Manager. If there is no Personnel/HR Manager, meet the owner of the business and ask the following questions: 1. What are your duties and responsibilities? 2. Please explain policies related to health and safety of workers? 3. Which are different labour laws significant for your business? Explain few.

4. Do you face any problems while dealing with workers? Please narrate few incidents. 5. How do you deal with these problems? 6. Do you have unions? Have you faced any problems in recent past with union leaders? 7. Discuss few people management strategies used by you?

Based on the theoretical framework from the text book, relate theory with practice. Select an article/research paper on related theme so as to bring out similarities/differences between theory and practice.