MBA Semester I

Human Resource Management

Subject Code: MB0043

Q 2 Discuss the cultural dimensions of the Indian work

force.

The foundation for understanding the unique work practices

at a country level can be best be understood by 1st understanding
the cultural aspects of the countries work force. The pioneering
work done by Dutch scientist, geert hofstede is useful tool in
understanding the cultural differences use to differentiate
countries. He indentified 5 cultural dimensioners around which
countries have been clustered. The dimensioners are power
distance uncertainty avoidance, individualism masculinity and
long term orientation.geert hofstede dimensioners are based on
research conducted among over 1000 IBM employees working
globally. While there continued to be other studies like the globe
(Global leader ship organizational behavior effectiveness) project
and trompernaars,’ frame work half steps models are most
popular’.

Power Distance

Power distance is the extent to which less powerful members

of institutions and organizations accept the power is distributed
unequally. Countries in which people blindly obey the orders of
superiors have high power distance.

A high power distance country has norms, values and

believes that support Inequality is good. Everyone has a place,
some are high, and some are low Most people should be
dependent on a leader, the powerful are entitled to privileges,

The powerful should yield there power.Indias scores 77 on

power distance, indicating high power distance, as a result of
inequalities both at the level of the society as well as the at the
wok place. Indian organizations typically, have hierarchal
structures, position yields power and sub ordination is acceptable.

The dimension of high power distance at the work place

can be best understood as:

 People dislike work and try to avoid it

 managers believe that they must adopt theory X leadership
style, that is they must be authoritarian, and the force work
us to perform and need to supervise their sub ordinates
closely
 Organizational structures and systems tend to match the
assumption regarding leadership and motivation
 Decision making is centralized
 those at the top make most of the decisions organizations
tend to have tall structures
 They have a large proportion to supervisor personnel , ad
 The people at the lower level often will have low job
qualifications

Uncertainty avoidance

Uncertainty avoidance is the extent to which people feel

threatened by ambiguous situations and have created believes
and institutions that try to avoid this India scores 40 indicating
low to average uncertainty avoidance characterizes. Countries
With low uncertainty avoidance have people who have more
willing to accept the risks are associated with the unknown, and
that life must will go on in spite of this.

Specifically uncertainty avoidance countries are

characterized by norms values and believe which accept
that:

 Conflict should not be avoided

 Deviant people and ideas should be tolerated
 Laws are not very important and need not necessary be
followed
 Experts and authorities are not always correct and
consensus is not important

Low uncertainty avoidance societies such as ours have

organizations setting with less structuring of activities fewer
written rules, more risk taking by managers, higher labor turn
over and more ambitious employees such an organization
encourages employees to use there, initiative and assume
responsibility for their action. Denmark Great Britain is good
examples for low uncertainty avoidance cultures. Germany, Japan
and Spain typify uncertainty avoindeecne societies.

Individualism

Individualism is the tendency of people to look after

themselves and the family only the opposite of this is
collectivism which refers the tendency of the people, to belong to
groups and to look each after in exchange for loyalty India scores
48 on Individualism , indication somewhat low scores, therefore
,tending collectivistic society
Collectivistic countries believe this:

 Once identity is based on once group membership

 Group decision is making is best
 Groups protect individuals in the exchanger for there loyalty
to the group

Organization is collectivist’s society’s trend to promote

nepotism in selecting managers. In contrast, individualistic
societies, favoritism shown to friends & relatives is considered
unfair & illegal. Further organizations in collectivist cultures base
promotions mostly on seniority and age, where as in individualist
societies, they are based on ones performance. Finally in
collectivist cultures, imp decisions are made by older and seniors
managers as opposed to individualist cultures, where decision
making is an individual’s responsibility

Individualism is common in the US, Canada, Australia,

Denmark ad Sweden the people of India Indonesia, Pakistan and
number of South American countries exhibit collectivism

Masculity

Masculity refers to a situation in which the dominant values in a

society are success, money and other material things. Holfsted
measured this dimension on a continuum raging from masculity
to femininity. India scores 56 tending to be close to masculity and
femininity

In highly femininity societies jobs are clearly defined by gender.

There are men’s jobs & women’s jobs. Men’s usually choose jobs
that are associated with long term careers. Women usually
choose jobs that are associated with short term employment
before marriage.
Q 3 Explain the need for human resource Planning system

The organizations would move over a long duration. These

long-term objectives are then broken down into specific
strategies and short-term goals for each of the
units/departments. In an organization, the cumulative effect of all
these would ltimatelylead to the long-term goal. Short-term goals
are constantly in need of adaptation to the changing
environment, both external and internal.

For an organization analysis, there are three essential

requirements:

(1) An adequate number of employees available to ensure

fulfillment of the business operation
(2) The employee performance is up to the required
standard; and
(3) The working environment in their units/departments is
conducive to fulfillment of tasks.

In order to ensure the first two requirements a human resource

inventory needs to be made. Data regarding positions,
qualifications, vacancies, replacements and training time required
for replacements have to be worked out. Job standards must also
be worked out.

Various efficiency and productivity indexes, or ratios such a

productivity ratios, cost per unit etc, can be worked out to
determine not only efficiency but also adequacy, in terms of
under-manning or over-manning, of the workforce.

An important dimension of organizational need-based analysis is

the diagnosis of the state of the organization "climate" or
“culture”. While rules, procedures, systems and methods all
contribute to the making of the environment, much of it is also
determined by the attitude that the "people" have in the
organization-for instance, the attitude that top management has
towards its subordinate staff and the attitudes that members
have towards work, Managers and company procedures. These
attitudes are learnt they result from the person’s experience
both within and outside the organization, and training inputs
could be used to effect changes of attitude and consequently of
the organizational climate.

In analyzing the organization climate, both direct and indirect

methods could be used. Direct methods are observation, use of
questionnaires, and interviews. Reliance or indirect methods
would not give a clear understanding of the attitudes and
predispositions of employees. In fact, factors such as low
absenteeism and low turnover are not by themselves indicators of
positive or negative attitudes, and high or low morale. It would
be better to make a careful analysis and study each indicator in a
particular situation in conjunction with more direct methods like
attitude surveys. Analysis and interpretation of the data may give
clear clues not only to attitudinal training needs but possibly also
to kill training needs.

Task Analysis

This activity entails a detailed examination of each job, its

components, its various operations and the conditions under
which it has to be performed. The focus here is on the "task"
itself and the training required to perform it, rather than on the
individual. Analysis of the job and its various components will
indicate the skills and training required to perform the job at the
required standard. Standard of Performance: Every job has an
expected standard of performance (SOP). Unless such standards
are attained, not only will inter-related jobs suffer, but
organizational viability will be affected, and so will the
expectations that have been set for that particular job itself. If
the standards set for the performance of a job are known, then it
is possible to know whether the job is being performed at the
desired level of output or not. Knowledge of the "task" will help in
understanding what skills, knowledge and attitudes an employee
should have. Methods: If an employee is asked to perform a job,
the exact components of the job and the standard of performance
must be known. Task analysis entails not merely a simple listing
of the various job components, but also of the various sub-tasks.

Conventional methods of job analysis are usually suitable for task

analysis. They are:

1. Literature review regarding the job.

2. Job observation,
3. Data Collection regarding job interviews.

For blue-collar employees, more precise industrial-engineering

techniques, like time and motion studies, could be used, and for
white-collar employees, work sampling observation, interviews,
and job performance data analysis could be employed. The focus
in task analysis approach to identifying training needs is with the
clear objective of enhancing the performance standard of a given
task. This information is then utilized to establish the training
program me for the employee. It helps identify the skill required,
either in terms of education or training, to perform the job,
knowledge, and finally attitudinal pre-dispositions such as the
attitudes, towards safety, or interpersonal competence that will
ensure that the job is performed optimally. 3 Individual Analysis

Individual analysis is the third component in identifying training

needs. The focus of individual analysis is on the individual
employee, his abilities, and the inputs required for job
performance, or individual growth and development in terms of
career planning.
The common source for this needs analysis usually forms parts of
the performance assessment process. Clues to training needs can
also come from an analysis of an individual’s or a group’s typical
behavior. The primary sources of such information are:

(1) Observation at place or work, examination of job schedules,

quantum of spoilage, wastage, and clues about interpersonal
relations of the employees

(2) Interviews with superiors and employees;

(3) Comparative studies of good vs. poor employees, to identify

differences, skills and training gaps

(4) Personnel records

(5) Production report

(6) Review of literature regarding the job and machines used.

Job-knowledge tests, work sampling and diagnostic psychological
tests also provide information about employees