TSHWANE UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

DEPARTMENT ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT IV
TEST AND EXAMINATION QUESTIONS

1. The Environment in which Technical People Work

Question 1.1 [6]

Your studies at TUT will enhance your chances as an engineering technician to become an engineering technologist. Define the
terms technician, technologist and technology.
A technician is generally someone in a technological field who has a relatively practical understanding of the general
theoretical principles of that field, e.g., as compared to an engineer in that field. They are generally much more versed in
technique compared to the average layman, or even the professional in that field. A mid-level of understanding of theory,
and a high-level of technique, is generally mastered by the technician in order to become expert in a specific tool domain.
The legislation that describes the standardisation of technician skills is known as the dublin accord.
A technologist can be described as someone who uses or applies technology to create, enhance or extend products,
processes, services or even existing technology. The legislation that describes the standards required to conform to the
technologist's skill set is known as the sydney accord.
Technology refers to the theoretical and practical knowledge, skills and artifacts that can be used to develop products and
services as well as their production and delivery systems. Technology can therefor be embedded in people, material,
cognitive and physical processes, plant, equipment and tools. The aim of technology is to create and improve artefacts and
systems that satisfy human needs and aspirations.

Question 1.2 [10]

Describe the role of engineering technologists in modern society.
Technologists often support engineers in a wide variety of projects by applying basic engineering principles and technical
skills. The work of technologists is usually focused on the portion of the technological spectrum closest to product
improvement, manufacturing, construction, and engineering operational functions. Where engineers are inolved in the
process of making a plan, Technologists are primarily responsible for making plans work. The standards put forward in the
sydney accord that governs the minimum training that a technologist would require, Require technologists to have
knowledge of technology application, enhancement, implementation as wel as knowledge of enterpreneurship and
management.

Question 1.3 [10]

Discuss the different skills needed to be a successful engineering technologist.
Technical skills
Scientific skills
technical skills (technology)
mathematical and analytical skills
problem solving skills
be methodical
non-technical skills
management skills (delegation)
presentation skills
reporting skills
holistic

Question 1.4 [10]

Explain why engineering technologists have to appreciate the needs of business.
As part of the engineering team, part of the reuirements put forth to the team is to keep abreast of any international
competetion, and also that the most up to date technologies are used to ensure that the team is running at optimum
performance. It is part of the technologists responsibilities to ensure that he is up to date with technologies that may be
required by the bussiness to keep up to date with the competition. As such it is imperative that the tecnologist understands
the position that the bussiness holds in industry and how exactly any changes in technology may affect the bussiness in
the long run in its ability to be competitive in a technology driven marketplace.

Question 1.5 [10]

You have applied for a managers position in your company. In the interview a question was raised about the need of management
skills. Explain, with appropriate examples, why technologists need to have management skills in your company.
In an engineering project, the standard technical hirarchy is roughly 1 engineer, 2 technologists, 5 technicians, 10 trades
men. The responsibility of the engineer in the project is to give the direction that the team needs to take, what product
needs to be developed, the physical location of the plant etc, whereas the techologists are responsible for putting the plan
in action. As such, the technologist will need to have management skills in order to be able to effectively manage the
implementation of an engineering project, as well as have the ability to report feedback effectively to the engineer and his
superiors on the status of the project, and give applicable advice on how to ensure optimal efficiency on the
implementation of the project.

Question 1.6 [12]

Engineering managers involved in manufacturing and production faces many management challenges. Discuss six main challenges
that engineering managers face so show the need for engineering managers to have management skills.
Getting the right people
only when the right people for the job are employed can a project move forward at its optimal rate. Ensuring that the
group chosen to work on a specific process complement each other and ensure a full coverage of skill required is
the responsibility of the engineering manager.
Aiming at the right targets
ensuring that the long term project is in fact aiming to the correct goal is the responsibility of the engineering
manage, and he needs to break the tasks up assigned to his team members in such a way that if they all do their
jobs, the correct goal is reached.
Continuing action
 ensuring that there is continual feedback into the production process that ensures the optimal product is produced
Create a climate that is open to innovation
allowing staff members to speak their minds, and giving credit where credit is due will allow for an optimal production
process. People tend to work harder on ideas that they had a part in creating, and if they get credit for ideas they
contribute, then they are more likely to contribute in the future.
Be aware of social and enviromental issues
making sure that an ethical process is followed in the production process
dealing with increasing international competition
It is the responsibility of the engineering manager to be aware of what the competition is doing and bring ideas to the
table that will allow his team and company to stay ahead of the pack by using new techniques and technologies.

Question 1.7 [10]

Discuss the life cycle of an organisation and a facility.
An organisation will go through four distinct phases
in the inception stage, the bussiness plan is mapped out, the market place is put unders scruteny and the position of
the business in the marketplace is defined. Capital is gathered and the business becomes a legal entity.
In the mature stage of the company it has been defined and its position in the market and its products have been well
established. In this stage there will be long term partnerships with customers as a well known company that can be
relied on.
If the company does not stay up to date with current trends or update it processes and technologies to reflect the
changing world it will go into the decline stage where it may eventually cease to exist.
In each of these two phases, there are projects taking place and each of these projects will have their own life cycle
consisting of the following phases
Concept phase
where the project goals are outlined, what needs to be achieved and what resources will be required.
definition phase
The initial planning phase where the project plan is laid out showing how the project will be implemented using which technologies
etc.
implementation phase
In this phase the project itself is implemented and put into place in the company, site or product.
close out phase
the close out phase is where the hand over is done and the project is closed off.
Depending on what phases these projects are undertaken in , they are either initial project phase projects or operationa
phase projects
initial phase projects are projects that happen before the bussiness is fully operational
operationa projects happen during all the other phases of the organisation, when it is is already runnning, so they can
be maintenance,upgrade expansion or disposal projects.

Question 1.8 [10]

Compare the skills needed to be a successful engineering technologist with the skills needed to be a successful engineering
manager.
As an engineering technologist, the majority of skills required would be technical in
nature, whereas an engineering manager would need both soft skills as well as a good
technical knowledge of the process his team is involved in.
Technologist Engineering manager

Question 1.9 [7]

Discuss the factors that an engineering technologist or engineering team has to consider when designing a product.
Ease of maintenance
aesthetics
quality
enviromental issues
production methods
cost and economic viability
safetey
materials used
moral and ethical concerns

Question 1.10 [10]

You are a project manager for M&T development, a company erecting office complexes in the Pretoria area. Formulate the
challenges, mechanisms, and needs of integrative management you would face as part of your daily duties.

Question 1.11 [6]

Engineers and technologist get involved with leadership and management within ten years of starting their careers. You have been
promoted to the manufacturing manager of your current employer. What are the main challenges that you as an engineering
manager will face in your day to day working environment?

 2. Principles of General Management

Question 2.1 [4x5=20]

You have applied for a managers position in your company. In the interview a question was raised about the need of different
management functions in a company. Distinguish between the different management functions in a company and give a short
synopsis of each.
The four main functions of the manager are
Planning function
the who what when where of new projects or objectives. Mapping out how to get from our current position to
where we want to be. Allocating resources and choosing technologies.
organising function
organising the tasks that need to be done and allocating to different people in the team. The manager will fall
into the hyrarchy of the organisation and as such there are different ways of organising organisations, into
functional organisations, customer organisations, matrix organisations, virtual organisations each with their own
complexities.
controlling function
the management needs ot have continual feedback of information into the management process, measuring
performance or quality, comparing that to the standard and then feeding the information gained through this
process back into the process to ensure that staff are performing at the highest level of efficiency. The manager
also needs to identify any deviations in the project plan or in staff behaviour and needs to plan a course of
corrective action to correct it.
Leadership
management needs to lead the staff under them and provide direction and guidance to the company. A Leader
must have a vision that he wishes to achieve ,the focus and energy to attain that vision, he must be creative
and have the empathy and people skills to influence people, be a stable reference point in times of trouble and
he must truly believe that the vision he has put forth is the correct course of action for his team or company.

Question 2.2 [4x10=40]

Traditional management functions are normally used in companies to ensure growth and prosperity. Describe each of these
management functions objectives and mechanisms.
The four main functions of the manager are
Planning function
the who what when where how of new or continuing projects or objectives. Mapping out how to get from our
current position to where we want to be. Allocating resources and choosing technologies. The manager needs
to weigh the alternatives of his planning decisions and take into account the relative risk of each decision. There
are a lot of specialised software tools that can greatly enhance the ability of the project manager to calculate the
risk involved in a decision as well as helping to estimate timelines and give feedback to the planning process.
organising function
organising the tasks that need to be done and allocating to different people in the team. The manager will fall
into the hyrarchy of the organisation and as such there are different ways of organising organisations, into
functional organisations, customer organisations, matrix organisations, virtual organisations each with their own
complexities. Is support of the organising function of the manager will be the Human resources department that
will help in creating the structure and job descriptions the determine where each person in the company fits into
the hyrarchy.
controlling function
the management needs ot have continual feedback of information into the management process, measuring
performance or quality, comparing that to the standard and then feeding the information gained through this
process back into the process to ensure that staff are performing at the highest level of efficiency. The manager
also needs to identify any deviations in the project plan or in staff behaviour and needs to plan a course of
corrective action to correct it. Human resources will here help the manager by not only providing the job
descriptions to allow him to effective hand out tasks to the appropriate people, but will also support the manager
in dispute resolution.
Leadership
management needs to lead the staff under them and provide direction and guidance to the company. A Leader
must have a vision that he wishes to achieve ,the focus and energy to attain that vision, he must be creative
and have the empathy and people skills to influence people, be a stable reference point in times of trouble and
he must truly believe that the vision he has put forth is the correct course of action for his team or company.
Although many of the characteristics of a leader are more inherent to the person himself there are various
ways in which a person can grow and train up in his leadership skills and these will be pursued by the effective
manager.

Question 2.3 [4x5=20]

You are the senior manager for a department in your company and a new manager is appointed that must report to you. Discuss
the application of the different management functions in your work environment with your new manager.
Even though diifferent managers appear at different levels in the company hyrarchy, the different functions of the
manager basically stay the same. In the example above, let us assume that I am the department manager, and the
manager that reports to me manages a team technicians for example.
Planning function
As the department manager, it will be my responsibility to ensure that the different teams of technicians, each
headed by a manager similar to the one I am talking to are installing/maintaining systems at a rate that is in
keeping not only with internal standards but also with industry standards. To achieve this I wil need to plan out
funds that will be supplied to each team to purchase tooling and handle other operational costs, I will also need
to plan for building space and fascilitate an enviroment in which the teams can perform optimally. As a team
leader it will be his responsibility to ensure that the team he leads is in keeping with the goals put forward by me
as the department head. To achieve this he will need to use the budget given to choose the appropriate tools for
the jobs required as well as managing the job flows of the different jobs by assigning each job to the person in
his team with the correct skills, and otherwise managing the leave and job roster such that an optimal amount of
work is done.
organising function
 Since I am the department head, I will have a number of teams with team leaders that report to me. Depending
on how many different types of jobs need to be done and on the actual work load, there will either be teams of
technicians lead by for example a senior technician, or in more complex organisations there will be functional
groups composed of a number of teams each responsible for a certain type of product or job. My responsibility
will be to highlight the need for different teams, as the product portfolio of the company increases. It will be the
responsibility of the manager that reports to me to highlight a need for team members with specific skills to be
able to fulfill the goals set to the team as a whole.
controlling function
It will be my responsibility to ensure that jobs or product related functions are assigned to the correct teams,
and that each of those teams are performing to a optimal standard, and to continually be checking if there is not
a different assignment that can be given to up productivity, and in the case of non performance of teams to
investigate the reason for non-performance and then to resolve the problem once found. It will be the
responsibility of the manager that reports to me that each of his team members is optimally working on the jobs
that are assigned to him and to fascilitate that he is empowered to do the job required of him by ensuring that
he has the tools and skills required to do the tasks assigned to him, and if there is a shortfall somewhere to
work out what is required from the task member for him to work optimally, or in the case of a dispute to resolve
this with the additional help of the HR department.
Leadership
It will be my responsibility as department head to lead by example and ensure that my department is bringing
product or jobs of suitable quality forward in the best possible time by ensuring that I resolve all problems
quickly, give personal attention to staff memebrs as required and believe that a quality product is the eventual
goal of our department. The manager that reports to me will need to set the example in his team by ensuring
that their problems with the system are resolved quickly, that their empowerment needs are met quickly and
that they are given credit when they deserve it for doing a good job. There are different styles of leadership that
will come into play depending on the situation. Leadership can be either directive, supportive, participative or
achievement orientated.

Question 2.4 [4x5=20]

Describe and discuss how the different management functions interrelate with one another to form a comprehensive unit: a
company.
In the company, there are different levels of work, each of which will be overseen by a manager. These diffferent levels
each with leader are collectively called a hyrarchy.
CEO
department department
Team Team Team Team
staff staff staff staff staff staff staff staff
each of the four basic management functions (planning, organisations, control, leadership)will be present at each level of
the hyrarchy, just at differing levels.
Planning function
In the hyrarchy above, it is the responsibility of the ceo to identify needs of the bussiness into the future,
evaluate these needs and look at what changes will need to be brought about and then decide how best to
fulfill these needs by either defining new departments, changing the focus of the existing departments or
otherwise causing change in the company at the board level that will affect the required change. In turn it is the
mandate of the different department heads to ensure that they are prepared to meet the needs of the bussiness
by ensuring the teams they manage have the skills, tools and are empowered to do the different functions that
they are assigned to as the goals of the department change. It is the responsibility of the team leader to ensure
that he is aware of the expectations and goals set to his team, and to highlight and act on any changes that
need to be made in his team to ensure that they are all up to the challenge when it is given.
Organisation function
The Ceo is responsible for organising his departments and ensuring that the structure of the company
fascilitates the most efficient flow of information and work. The department heads are responsible for ensuring
that they have sufficient teams to do the work required of the department, and the team leaders need to ensure
that their teams compose of the right people that will give them the required spread of skills to ensure that the
team can function efficiently
controlling function
The ceo will need to ensure that the departments are acting efficiently by contantly checking that the output is in
keeping with the finance and resource input placed into those departments, and if required to affect change in
the departments by adding, removing, moving or deviding departments to ensure that they all function at the
optimal efficiently. Etc etc etc on the lower levels.
leadership function
as with the previous functions, the ceo will need to lead the departments by giving the company vision and
setting the goals of the departments such that they are working towards that same goal. He will need to set the
example of quality and efficiency to the department heads so they know the levels they need to achieve or
exceed. An important factor here will be the mission statement of the company that sets forth this vision. Etc etc
for the lower levels in the same fashion.

Question 2.5 [10]

Discuss leadership as a function and how it has changed in the last 40 years.
Leadership is the ability to inspire a group of people to work together towards achieving some goal. It involves influencing,
motivating and directing individuals in such a way that they willingly follow the goals set forward by the leader.
Leadership and management require different skills, such that one might be a leader, but
not a manager, or visa versa
Leader Manager
innovator administrator
developer maintainer
Inspires Relies on control
 Long term vision Short term vision
In the past leaders used a predominantly dictatorial leadership style, employing the traditional planning, organisation and
controlling roles to guide their subordinates. This system has recently started moving to a more supportive style of
leadership where the leader is taking on the functions of leading with a vision, empowering fascillitating and coaching.
This also goes hand in hand with a less beuracrating company heirarchy that has less levels of management but rather a
flatter management structure where teams take more responsibility for their respective areas and have the ability to
manage themselves (Self Managing Work Teams)

Question 2.6 [10]

Discuss how Self-Managing-Work-Teams (SMWT) works in a traditional organisation and its significance in contemporary
occupations.
Traditional organisations rely on a large management structure with a number of levels between the management at the
top and the staff members at the bottom. In recent years however the focus has been shifting much more to self
managing wok teams that rely on much more flexible staff members with multiple skills that are able to more dynamically
change direction as a team and also have the ability to regulate themselves within the confines of the company. These
work teams naturally create a flatter company hyrarchy due to the fact that since they are self regulating they do not need
as many levels of management between them and the leadership at the top of the company ladder. Leadership required
in self managed work teams also needs to be very different to in traditional organisations that rely on a more dictatorial
style of leadership where the emphasis is on planning, control and organisation. In self managed work teams there is a
greater focus on leadership, empowerment, fascilitation and coaching. This style of leadership leads to a team structure
where instead of a manager handing out tasks, team members take personal responsibility for the requirements of the
team and there is a much larger emphasis on self management. Unlike traditional managers and leaders, the leader of a
self managed team is more focussed on just establishing the boundaries in which the team works, stopping inappropriate
distractions and confusing influencing the team.

Question 2.7 [10]

Describe and discuss the importance what the SMWT concept has on daily the scientific and engineering world.
Since self managed work teams are generally made up of highly skilled, flexible staff members with a high level of
creativity, self managed work teams are an excellent way to get the most out of these staff members. (use question 2.6 to
describe self managing work team ideas.)

Question 2.8 [20]

Discuss the differences between the classical applications of planning, or organizing,
leading and control when they are applied in new types of work organisations such as SMWTs.
Give the difference between dictatorial leadership relying on planning, organisation and control, versus supportive
leadership where there is a focus on leadership, fascilitation, empowerment and coaching. Then explain the difference
between the flat management structure of a SMWT type company vs the beurocratic hyrarchy of the past. (see question
2.6)

Question 2.9 [10]

It is said that in South Africa the span of management is one to fifteen while in the USA it is one to eight. Explain the factors that
determine the span of management and the results it bring in the workplace if the span is big (as in RSA) and small (as in USA).
Span of management defines the number of subordinates that a manager can handle in a company or country. The
number of subordinates that can be handled by a manager are determined by a number of factors, amoungst them:
the similarity of the functions of the subordinates. If all of the people you manage are doing the same job then it is
much simpler to manage them.
The geographic closeness of the subordinates, the closer together they are, the easier it is to manage them.
The complexity of the functions that the staff members perform. The more complex the jobs the subordinates do, the
harder it is to manage them.
The extent of direction required if there is a high level of interaction required by the manager, then he can handle
much fewer subordinates.
The maturity and skill level of subordinates if a number of senior professional people are employed with a high
level of skill and can manage themselves, its easier to manage a large group.
The ability of the subordinates to work as a team, the more they can support themselves the less management
interaction is required.
This implies from the factors that are outlined above that the reason there is a much lower number of staff memebrs to a
manager in the USA is that the complexity of the positiions (and as such skill levels of the subordinates) is higher in
america than here.

Question 2.10 [10]

You want to start your own international company and require the services of and effective leader. An effective leader has certain
personality traits, plan the personality traits you would be looking for in appointing a leader for your company.
The leader must be able to internalise a vision for the company, and then transfer that vision to those people that need to
follow him.
The leader must be able to focus on the goal set before him, and not get distracted by other things.
The leader must be energetic enough and have the stamina to overcome the obstacles that will be put before him to stop
him/her from achieving the goal set before them.
The leader must be creative enough to come up with solutions to problems when they present themselves the ability to
think on their feet.
The leader must be empathetic with the the people they are leading so that he can properly empower them to do those
things that are required of them.
The leader must be able to influence those people that are to be led by him to get them to follow the vision that he sets
before them.
The leader must have the endurance to work under pressure and take all sorts of criticism while maintaining a constant
behaviour and being an example to those who are meant to follow him.
The leader must show that he truly believes in the goal that is set before him, if he doesn't truly believe it is the solution to
the problem, it will fail.

Question 2.11 [13]

The CEO of National Instruments is advertising for a manager for the Alrode branch in South Africa. You are a management
consultant in South Africa and are requested to advise the CEO on the personality traits of an effective leader. Discuss the
personality traits the CEO should be looking at, to appoint an effective leader for this branch.
See question 2.10

Question 2.12 [10]

You are getting ready for your final interview as the manager of Northland Quarry in Upton, USA. Questions were given to you so
that you can prepare answers for them. One of the questions is to prepare a presentation discussing how the functions of general
management interrelate to one another in the management process.

Draw a single slide to show how the functions of general management interrelate to one another in the management process.
Discuss the main headings and functions as you have implemented it on your slide.

Two pictures on the slide, one picture that is the functional management block that has inputs, outputs and external
influences. (page 13), the second picture being the standard management hyrarchy, that has each level filled with
functional management blocks. And have as the headings planning, organising controlling and leading.

Question 2.14 [8]

Cell C want to start a Voice over IP department as part of their business. They need to appoint a new team leader to manage the
department towards a SDWT. A team leader for such a team requires certain core attributes. Select the most important attributes of
this leader, that you think is required to lead this team into a successful future.
The leader must lead by enthusiasticly putting forward the vision of the smwt so that others are motivated by him
He must lead by example, by showing the other team members the level of quality and efficiency that is expected by each
of them. It is much easier to be productive when you have a manager that is himself practicing what he requires of you.
He must constantly be coaching others in his team to become better and more efficient team memebrs. By empowering
these team members, the team is strenghened with more skills, and the person being empowered is more productive due
to higher skill level and self esteem.
He must be able to analyse the Business and translate any changes in the business in to oppertubities rather stumbling
blocks, and be able to translate these oppertunities to his team members and superiors.
He must be able to break down barriers to the teams prodocivity by identifying these barriers and either moving around
them or through them!
He must be able to fascilitate the team members by bringing them the required tools, information or skills that they require
to perform at their peak.
He must be customer focussed and have the needs of the customer in mind when communicating to his team and visa
versa. He must be able to adapt the team to the needs of the customer.

Question 2.15 [10]

Describe the role management play in your company and give four reasons why you would consider management indispensable.
In our company smwt teams are the order of the day. Write about self managed work teams and high levels of staff skill.
Etc. etc.

Question 2.16 [10]

It is said that: a leader can lead and manage but that a manager can only manage. Is this statement true? Explain your answer by
comparing the different characteristics of a manager versus a leader.

I would say that this statement is not entirely true in that different characteristics are
required by both leaders and managers. I will however say that a leader who can both
lead and manage is a GREAT leader. The skills required for the two jobs are different and
at certain points stand in direct opposition to each other.

Leader Manager
Innovative administers
creative beurocratic
original A copy
Asks what and why Asks how and when
Long term perspective Short term perspective
Eye on the future Eye on the bottom line
 3. Human Resource Management

Question 3.1 [14]

CANON, the supplier of photography equipment, wants to get involved in the manufacturing of underwater camera equipment for
diving related activities. They need to go through a human resource planning process at the new division and you (the new
manager) need to develop a human resource plan for the new division. Formulate and discuss the steps that you would follow to
develop a human resource plan for the new division.
Review the strategic bussiness plan
taking a look at the bussiness in terms of the market it and seeing where additional focus needs to be given, looking
at different upcoming technological pitfalls, increasing customer profile or even expanding the race ang gender
profile of your company.
develop strategic human resource plan
once the strategic bussiness plan has been reviewed, those shortfalls that have been identified where the company
needs additional resources will need to be adressed by the human resource strategic bussiness plan to ensure that
the strategic needs of the bussiness are fullfilled.
set human resource objectives
set the goals that need to be achieved by the human resources department, relying on the strategic human
resources plan as a guide for example, if the strategic human resources plan identified a problem in the number of
installations of product being done, then a goal would be to increase the tradesman/technician workforce available to
the company.
compile skills profile
once the goals have been set that the company needs to achieve, and the skill levels have been identified that need
to be fullfilled to meet those needs, then a skills assesment of the current skil level of employees in the company
needs to be done to see if there are additional skill shortfalls that need to be met.
conduct human resource forcasting
now that the required skill needs to the company have been established and the internal skills audit has been done
and the shortfalls have been identified, the resource forcasting step identifies where these resources are to come
from. Internal forecasting looks at members of the company and sees if needs can be filled by shifting members
around to different teams where their skills are needed, whereas external forcasting looks at people external to the
company in the workforce and how they can be used to fullfill the needs of the company.
develop employment equity plans
Development a strategy for achieveing the goals of the company in lines with the employment equities act that
ensures that the resources brought into the company and shifted around inside the company comply with the racial
quota requirements as set about in the act for number of african, indian, coloured, disabled and female employees.
develop human resource action plans
depending on the needs forcast by the previous steps, develop plans that in time will solve these problems for the
company long term. For example, if there is a shortage of engineers external to the company, and there is a need in
the company for more engineers, put a training program into place that will allow current technicians to for example
to train as engineers, or put a bursary program into place.
implement action plans
implement plans that have been put in place to hire, train or move staff members to fullfill the needs of the company.
monitoring and evaluation
continually monitor the human resources plan to ensure that it stays in line with the company requirements and that
the plan is achieving its goals.

Question3.2 [10]
You are the senior manager for a department in your company and a new manager want to appoint a technician. Describe
recruitment, the advantages / disadvantages thereof and discuss the process of recruitment that the new manager should follow to
get the technician appointed.
Recruitement is the process of attracting applicants that may fit the requirements of a specific position in the company so
that they may fill that position
recruitment can happen either externally or internally. Internally by allowing staff
members that are currently employed by the company to apply for the position and
externally by trying to attract applicants that are not currently employed by the company.
There are advantages and disadvantages to requiting externally and internally.
Internal recruitment External recruitement
advantages disadvantages advantages disadvantages
Employees are familiar with the Applicants my lack creativity or People bring new ideas Employes may be resented by
company's processes and new ideas internal unsuccessfull applicants
procedures
Applicants not immediately
productive
More expensive process than
internal recruitment.
For the manager trying to recruit a new technician, he should define what he wants in terms of skills, and then get HR to
set up a job profile that he feels will be sufficient that the person that fills that position conforming to those specifications
will be able to do the job required. Once the job profile has been created, a process of internal recruitment can be
followed and a suitable candidate looked for in the current staff pool, and if unsuccessfull, HR will set up an ad that will
indicate to external applicants that the position is available, after which an interview process will be followed with either
the internal or external applicants to see if there is an applicant that does indeed fullfill the required skill levels.

Question 3.3 [10]

As a line manager at BMW plant in Roslyn you requested to recruit qualified technicians externally. The Human Resources Officer
has asked you to design an advertisement for publication in the regional newspapers. Design an advertisement that will adhere to
all the requirements of an advertisement so that you can send a copy of the advertisement for approval to the HRO.
 Requirements
title of the position
organisation type and location indicated
brief summary of the job
job requirements specified
contact information of company
closing date for applications
organisation culture information
no grammer or spelling errors
attractive layout

Question 3.4 [22]

As production manager of SA CABLE, you have a vacant position to be filled and need the right person for the job.
This can only be done during the selection and interviewing process. Explain the process you will follow to ensure
that an effective selection and interview will result in the correct person selected for the job.
Selection is the process of choosing the right person for the job from the list of possible applicants. It will consist first of a
filtering process whereby the best applicants that fit the requirements are chosen, after which a testing and interviewing
process will generally be followed.
The interview process can either be an individial (face to face) interview where a single
person represents the company and interviews the person and is responsible for making
the decision whethter the applicant is suitable or not, or a panel interview where a whole
group of people will be involved in asking the applicant questions and will be responsible
for making the decision. There are advantages and disadvantages to each system:
Individual panel
advantages disadvantages advantages disadvantages
1 person stops work for the subjective Less subjective Many people need to be involved
interview
1 person can be biased by Less likely to cause an error in
personal feelings. choosing the candidate
Better decision making process
The process I would follow at Sa cable would be to first structure a very solid job profile and then once suitable
candidates have been identified go through a panel interview process to select candidates that sound suitable and have
suitable qualifications, and afterwards I would look at the key performance measures that define the position and base a
test around them to see if the person that is to do the job is in fact as suitable as they sound.

Question 3.5 [25]

As a member of a trade union, you have been asked to be a chair for an interview to select a new employee for a certain position.
Explain the process what you will follow to conduct a selection interview.
Pre-interview
ensure effective short listing has been done
allow sufficietn time for each interview
review the cvs the day before and underline key points
make arrangement for a private place with no distractions
ensure candidates have all the interview information
inform security
during the interview
welcome the candidate, explain the process in short
start with easy questions
be friendly and show interest
post open ended questions, let the candidate talk
be a good listener
post questions in a clear way
dont interrupt
dont ask leading questions that the candidate will answer to impress you
give opportunity to ask questions
end on a positive note
post interview
assess the interview right after it is done
do a reference check if the candidate looks good
do a final selection, taking into account the preferences in the employment equity act
Question 3.6 [35]
As a manager responsible for training, you need to develop a training programme for newly appointed technicians. Explain the
phases of the training process that you must develop to ensure that newly appointed technicians have the necessary knowledge
and skills to carry out their required duties.
Training needs analysis
business and performance data
trend and market analysis
interviews
pocus groups
questionaires
training design and development
training objectives
course development
 trainng techniques
trainnig plan
training presentation
learning enviroment
presentation/fascilitation
training evaluation
reaction
learning
behaviour
results
Question 3.7 [12]
You have been appointed as the manager of AB Electronics. One of your first
tasks is to implement a performance management system for the company.

1.Develop/design a performance plan that will assist you in measuring you

employees performance. (6)

CPA / KPI system

2. Develop/design a performance appraisal form to set the performance
standards. (6)
purpose of the job
cpas
list of kpi
performance standards (how well do you need to be doing it)
scoring based on standards (you need to draw well (1 5))
emplyees comment
employers comment

Question 3.8 [10]

Performance management entails the assessment of employee performance according to specific standards. You are working for
ABSA private bank and one of your duties as a manager is to do the performance management of your subordinates. There are a
number of rating errors you should avoid doing the assessment. Assess these rating errors.
Bias
trait assessment (do I like you? Are you a nice gyu?)
halo effect (one attribute effects others)
leniency (don't buy friends)
central tendency (rating everyone average)
errors of logic (grouping things badly in CPAs)
similarity (if you have the same skills as me you are rated well)
contrast (we have different ideas, so fuck you)
political considerations (a big no-no!!)
Question 3.9 [10]
Describe the human resource planning process and indicate
dicate the impact that HIV/AIDS may have on this.
Bla bla same process as 3.1, but note that the long term plan my need to indicate some shortages in internal
staff so make provision, and also add training to all staff to increase awareness.

Question 3.10 [10]

Evaluate the following promotion policy of ABC mine: "Only the best artisans are made foremen."
discuss in terms of the assessment priocess, as well as in terms of leadership if you are a good example, you
are already partially a good leader.
Question 3.11 [10]
Describe and discuss the effect of the induction programme at your place of work.
Make something up here since util labs has no induction programme