HRD 1

Biyani's Think Tank

Concept based notes

Human Resource Development

(BBA )

Dr. Nandini Sharma

Deptt. of Commerce & Management

Biyani Girls College, Jaipur

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Published by :

Think Tanks

Biyani Group of Colleges

Concept & Copyright :

Biyani Shikshan Samiti

Sector-3, Vidhyadhar Nagar,

Jaipur-302 023 (Rajasthan)

Ph : 0141-2338371, 2338591-95 Fax : 0141-2338007

E-mail : [email protected]

Website :www.gurukpo.com; www.biyanicolleges.org

Edition : 2011

Price :

While every effort is taken to avoid errors or omissions in this Publication, any mistake or
omission that may have crept in is not intentional. It may be taken note of that neither the
publisher nor the author will be responsible for any damage or loss of any kind arising to
anyone in any manner on account of such errors and omissions.

Leaser Type Setted by :

Biyani College Printing Department

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Preface

I am glad to present this book, especially designed to serve the needs of the students. The
book has been written keeping in mind the general weakness in understanding the
fundamental concept of the topic. The book is self-explanatory and adopts the “Teach
Yourself” style. It is based on question-answer pattern. The language of book is quite easy
and understandable based on scientific approach.

It includes the key points to be covered in every topic and is valuable to the students from the
point of view of examination.

Any further improvement in the contents of the book by making corrections, omission and
inclusion is keen to be achieved based on suggestions from the reader for which the author shall be
obliged.

I acknowledge special thanks to Mr. Rajeev Biyani, Chiarman & Dr. Sanjay Biyani, Director
(Acad.) Biyani Group of Colleges, who is the backbone and main concept provider and also have been
constant source of motivation throughout this endeavour. We also extend our thanks to Biyani
Shikshan Samiti Jaipur, who played an active role in co-ordinating the various stages of this
endeavour and spearheaded the publishing work.

I look forward to receiving valuable suggestions from professors of various educational

institutions, other faculty members and the students for improvement of the quality of the book. The
reader may feel free to send in their comments and suggestions to the under mentioned address.

—Author
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Syllabus
HRD 5

Chapter – 1

Human Resources Development

Q.1 What is human resources development

Ans. Human Resource Development is the integrated use of training, organization,

and career development efforts to improve individual, group and organizational
effectiveness. HRD develops the key competencies that enable individuals in
organizations to perform current and future jobs through planned learning
activities. Groups within organizations use HRD to initiate and manage change.
Also, HRD ensures a match between individual and organizational needs.[3]

Q.2 What is the process, practice and relation of HRD to other fields.

Ans. HRD is not only a field of study but also a profession.[6] HRD practitioners and
academia focus on HRD as a process. HRD as a process occurs within
organizations and encapsulates: 1) Training and Development (TD), that is, the
development of human expertise for the purpose of improving performance, and
2) Organization Development (OD), that is, empowering the organization to take
advantage of its human resource capital.[7] TD alone can leave an organization
unable to tap into the increase in human, knowledge or talent capital. OD alone
can result in an oppressrce. HRD practicitioners find the interstices of win/win
solutions that develop the employee and the organization in a mutually beneficial
manner. HRD does not occur without the organization, so the practice of HRD
within an organization is inhibited or promoted upon the platform of the
organization's mission, vision and values.

Q.3 How does human resources management differ from himan resources
development

Ans. Human resource management (HRM) :

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It is the strategic and coherent approach to the management of an organization's

most valued assets - the people working there who individually and collectively
contribute to the achievement of the objectives of the business. The terms "human
resource management" and "human resources" (HR) have largely replaced the
term "personnel management" as a description of the processes involved in
managing people in organizations. Human Resource management is evolving
rapidly. Human resource management is both an academic theory and a business
practice that addresses the theoretical and practical techniques of managing a
workforce.

Human resource development (HRD):

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.

Q.4 What are the important HRD sub system or mechanism

Ans. The main HRD sub systems are:

1 Performance Appraisal

2. Potential Appraisal

3. Training and employee Development

4. Career development and career Planning

5. Rewards

6. Organiasation Development

7. Role Analysis and Role Development

8. Quality Work Life

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9. counceling and Mentoring

10. Human Resources information system

Q.5 What is the nature of human resources development.

Ans Natre of human resource development

1. Inherent part of Management: Human Resource Management is inherent

part of management because if the manager wants to draw best out of his
people, he must do the basic responsibility of selecting people who will
work under him along with he must train, motivate appraise them from
time to time.
2. Pervasive function: It is a pervasive function which means that every
person in the organization from top to lower level is required to perform
this function at continuous basis.
3. People centered: It is concerned with all kind of personnel from top to
bottom of the organization.
4. Personnel Function: It involves various functions concerned with
managing people from man power planning recruitment, selection ,
placement, training, appraisal to compensation of employees.
5. Continuous Process: It is not a one step function rather it is a continuous
process.

Q.6 What is Human Resource planning

Ans. Human resources planning is a process that identifies current and future human
resources needs for an organization to achieve it goals. Human resources
planning should serve as a link between human resources management and the
overall strategic plan of an organization. Aging worker populations in most
western countries and growing demands for qualified workers in developing
economies have underscored the importance of effective Human Resources
Planning.

Q.7 What are the main features of HRD system

Ans. HRD is the integrated use of :-

1. training and development,

2. organisational development, and
3. career development to improve individual, group and organisational
effectiveness."
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The nature / scope / characteristics or features of HRD are as follows :-

1. Training and Development

HRD involves training and developing the employees and managers. It improves
their qualities, qualifications and skills. It makes them more efficient in their
present jobs. It also prepares them for future higher jobs.

2. Organisational Development (OD)

HRD also involves Organisational Development. OD tries to maintain good

relations throughout the organisation. It also solves problems of absenteeism,
internal conflicts, low productivity and resistance to change.

3. Career Development

HRD also involves career planning and development of employees. It helps the
employees to plan and develop their careers. It informs them about future
promotions and how to get these promotions. So HRD helps the employee to
grow and develop in the organisation.

4. Performance Appraisal

HRD conducts Performance Appraisal, Potential Appraisal, etc. It informs the

employees about their strengths and weaknesses. It also advises them about how
to increase their strengths and how to remove their weaknesses.

5. Multidisciplinary

HRD is multidisciplinary. That is, it uses many different subjects. It uses

education, management, psychology, communication, and economics. HRD uses
all these subjects for training and developing the employees.

6. Key Element for solving problems

Now-a-days an organisation faces many different problems. These problems are

caused due to the economic, technological and social changes. These problems
can be solved only by knowledge, skill and creative efforts. This knowledge, skill,
etc. is achieved from HRD. Therefore, HRD is a key element for solving problems
in the organisation.
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7. Continuous in Nature

HRD is not a one time affair. It is a continuous process. Development of human

resources never stops. This is because continuous changes happen in the
organisation and environment.

8. Integrated use of sub-systems

HRD system involves the integrated use of sub-systems such as performance

appraisal, potential appraisal, career planning, training, etc.

9. Placement

HRD places the right man in the right job. Placement is based on performance
appraisal, potential appraisal, training, etc. Proper placement gives satisfaction to
the employee, and it increases the efficiency.

10. Promotions and Transfer

HRD also gives promotions and transfers to the employees based on performance
appraisals, etc.

11. Motivation by Rewards

HRD also motivates the employees by giving them rewards for performing and
behaving better, suggesting new ideas, etc. Financial and non-financial rewards
are given.
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Chapter -2

Organsing HRD System

Q1 What are the attributes of HRD manager?

Ans. HRD manager must possess the following attributes

1. He should have faith in the capacity of people to change and develop at any
stage of their life
2. He should have constant desire to learn and develop himself
3. He should have high extention motivations means desire to help others
4. He should possess good communication skill to sell his ideas to others in the
organization
5. He should be proactive, should take initiative in introducing and
implementing new ideas
6. He should have enough patience to wait till his actions bear fruit
7. He should be free from bias
8. He should have leader ship quality
9. He should have respect for and knowledge for others
10. He should have knowledge and understanding of individual and group
behavior
11. He should have professional knowledge of the various HRD subsystems.

Q.2 What are the guidelines for organizing HRD?

Ans . In order vto make HRD effective, the following guidelines must be followed:

1. Corporate policy on human resources

2. Commitment of top management
3. Sound planning
4. Conducive climate
5. Competent functionaries
6. Sharing experiences
7. Regular monitoring
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Q.3 Explain the principles of designing HRD system?

Ans Designing an integerated HRD system requires a through understanding of the

principles and models of human resources development

1. Focus of the system

a. Focus on enabling capabilities

b. Balancing adaption and change in the organizational culture
c. Attention to contextual factor
d. Building linkages with other functions
e. Balancing specialisaton

2. Structure of the system

a. Establishing the identity of HRD

b. Ensuring responciblities for the functions
c. Balancing differenciations and integrations
d. Establishing linkage mechanism

3. Functioning of the system

a. Building feedback and reinforcing mechanisms

b. Balancing quantitative and qualititative decisions
c. Balancing internal and external expertise
d. Planning for the evolution of HRD

Q.4 Why should we develop the HRD strategy?

Ans. For the HRD Department, the increasingly competitive business environment and
the consequent streamlining of organisations have created both challenges and
paradoxes. 'People are our greatest asset', is on the lips of many senior managers,
yet the development budget is often the first target when economies are needed.
Nor are HRD professionals exempt from the pressures experienced throughout
the organisation to do more with less, and do it faster. It is all too easy in such a
context to work harder, yet achieve less, to launch initiative after initiative,
confusing employees and exhausting the HRD resources.
It is precisely when there seems no time to develop strategy that a strategy is
most needed. Far from being an intellectual or abstract exercise, it is a way of
tackling quite pragmatic issues: prioritising among conflicting demands for scarce
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resource or creating new, more effective ways of delivering value to the

organisation.
HRD 13

Chapter -3

Performance Appraisal

Q.1 What is performance appraisal

Ans. Performance Appraisal is the systematic evaluation of the performance of

employees and to understand the abilities of a person for further growth and
development. Performance appraisal is generally done in systematic ways which
are as follows:

1. The supervisors measure the pay of employees and compare it with targets
and plans.
2. The supervisor analyses the factors behind work performances of
employees.
3. The employers are in position to guide the employees for a better
performance.

Q.2 What are the main objectives of performance appraisal

Ans. Objectives of Performance Appraisal

Performance Appraisal can be done with following objectives in mind:

1. To maintain records in order to determine compensation packages, wage

structure, salaries raises, etc.
2. To identify the strengths and weaknesses of employees to place right men on
right job.
3. To maintain and assess the potential present in a person for further growth
and development.
4. To provide a feedback to employees regarding their performance and related
status.
5. To provide a feedback to employees regarding their performance and related
status.
6. It serves as a basis for influencing working habits of the employees.
7. To review and retain the promotional and other training programmes.
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Q.3 What are the main advantages of performance appraisal

Ans. Advantages of Performance Appraisal

It is said that performance appraisal is an investment for the company which can
be justified by following advantages:

1. Promotion: Performance Appraisal helps the supervisors to chalk out the

promotion programmes for efficient employees. In this regards, inefficient
workers can be dismissed or demoted in case.
2. Compensation: Performance Appraisal helps in chalking out compensation
packages for employees. Merit rating is possible through performance appraisal.
Performance Appraisal tries to give worth to a performance. Compensation
packages which includes bonus, high salary rates, extra benefits, allowances and
pre-requisites are dependent on performance appraisal. The criteria should be
merit rather than seniority.
3. Employees Development: The systematic procedure of performance appraisal
helps the supervisors to frame training policies and programmes. It helps to
analyse strengths and weaknesses of employees so that new jobs can be designed
for efficient employees. It also helps in framing future development programmes.
4. Selection Validation: Performance Appraisal helps the supervisors to understand
the validity and importance of the selection procedure. The supervisors come to
know the validity and thereby the strengths and weaknesses of selection
procedure. Future changes in selection methods can be made in this regard.
5. Communication: For an organization, effective communication between
employees and employers is very important. Through performance appraisal,
communication can be sought for in the following ways:
a. Through performance appraisal, the employers can understand and accept
skills of subordinates.
b. The subordinates can also understand and create a trust and confidence in
superiors.
c. It also helps in maintaining cordial and congenial labour management
relationship.
d. It develops the spirit of work and boosts the morale of employees.

All the above factors ensure effective communication.

6. Motivation: Performance appraisal serves as a motivation tool. Through

evaluating performance of employees, a person’s efficiency can be determined if
the targets are achieved. This very well motivates a person for better job and
helps him to improve his performance in the future.
HRD 15

Q. 4 . Why the appraisals are important?

Ans Performance Appraisals can increase productivity of the people you manage.
They help you with:
1. Employee Development – The manager discusses employee strengths and
how to apply them. Goals are discussed as well as plans for growth.
2. Employee Motivation – A non-threatening exchange of ideas between the
manager and the employee which may help to solidify the relationship.
3. Employee Relations – A chance to find out how the employee feels about
you, the job, and the company.

Q. 5 What are main essentials of an affective performance appraisal system

Ans. These are the main essentials of an affective performance appraisal system:

1. Mutual trust
2. Clear objective
3. Standardization
4. Training
5. Job relatedness
6. Documentation
7. Feedback and participation
8. Individual differences
9. Post appraisal interview
10. Review and appeal

Q.6 What are the methods of Performance Appraisal?

Ans.. Performance appraisal methods

Performance appraisal methods include 11 appraisal methods / types as follows:

1. Critical incident method

This format of performance appraisal is a method which is involved identifying

and describing specific incidents where employees did something really well or
that needs improving during their performance period.
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2. Weighted checklist method

In this style, performance appraisal is made under a method where the jobs being
evaluated based on descriptive statements about effective and ineffective
behavior on jobs.

3. Paired comparison analysis

This form of performance appraisal is a good way to make full use of the methods
of options. There will be a list of relevant options. Each option is in comparison
with the others in the list. The results will be calculated and then such option with
highest score will be mostly chosen.

4. Graphic rating scales

This format is considered the oldest and most popular method to assess the
employee’s performance.

In this style of performance appraisal, the management just simply does checks
on the performance levels of their staff.

5. Essay Evaluation method

In this style of performance appraisal, managers/ supervisors are required to

figure out the strong and weak points of staff’s behaviors. Essay evaluation
method is a non-quantitative technique. It is often mixed with the method the
graphic rating scale.

6. Behaviorally anchored rating scales

This formatted performance appraisal is based on making rates on behaviors or

sets of indicators to determine the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of working
performance. The form is a mix of the rating scale and critical incident techniques
to assess performance of the staff.

7. Performance ranking method

The performance appraisal of ranking is used to assess the working performance

of employees from the highest to lowest levels.

Managers will make comparisons of an employee with the others, instead of

making comparison of each employee with some certain standards.
HRD 17

8. Management By Objectives (MBO) method

MBO is a method of performance appraisal in which managers or employers set a

list of objectives and make assessments on their performance on a regular basis,
and finally make rewards based on the results achieved. This method mostly
cares about the results achieved (goals) but not to the way how employees can
fulfill them.

9. 360 degree performance appraisal

The style of 360 degree performance appraisal is a method that employees will
give confidential and anonymous assessments on their colleagues. This post also
information that can be used as references for such methods of performance
assessments of 720, 540, 180…

10.Forced ranking (forced distribution)

In this style of performance appraisal, employees are ranked in terms of forced

allocations.

For instance, it is vital that the proportions be shared in the way that 10 or
20 % will be the highest levels of performances, while 70 or 80% will be in the
middle level and the rest will be in the lowest one.

11. Behavioral Observation Scales

The method based on the scales of observation on behaviors is the one in which
important tasks that workers have performed during their working time will be
assessed on a regular basis.
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Chapter -4

Coaching, Mentoring and counseling

Q. 1 What is coaching

Ans. Coaching is providing feedback, usually to executives and managers, about how
to reach their personal best in their organizational leadership role. In her capacity
as “coach,” the Human Resources professional will do everything from active
listening through providing test results that highlight a manager’s strengths and
weaknesses.

Q.2 Why do we use Coaching Services in human resources management?

Ans. We use Coaching Services in human resources management to :-

Attract, motivate and retain: By developing staff skills you can motivate existing
employees, appeal to new applicants and retain your valued HR resources.

Reduce costs: Why waste money on unnecessary training courses, or additional

staffing costs, when you can develop the skills you need with expert guidance
and support from performHR.

Increase effectiveness: Improve the efficiency of your organisation by equipping

your staff to address HR-related projects quickly and effectively.

Be part of a team: Work with a mentor and a network of likeminded HR

professionals to test new ideas and share experiences collaboratively.

Achieve more: Increasing in-house HR expertise with support from HR mentors

enables your organisation to independently complete new projects, review HR
practices and achieve more for your business.
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Q.3 What are Mentoring services includes?

Ans. HR Mentoring Services include:

Individual training needs analysis and assessment of current skills-base

Tailored personal development plans aimed to develop specific expertise
Training options to suit your learning style
On-hand support and encouragement from HR experts
Professional networking opportunities

Q.4 What is the importance of counceling in management?

Ans. Counseling is defined as a way of relating and responding to another person so

that he/she is helped to explore his thoughts, feelings and behavior to reach a
clear self-understanding. Also, the person is helped to find and use his/her
strengths to be able to cope more effectively with making appropriate decisions,
or taking appropriate action. 2

The ability to counsel is an important skill for managers and caring co-workers.
Organizations that have people trained in counseling will be better able to handle
their people issues than those that do not. Staffs who is feeling anxious, stressed,
or unhappy will not be able to perform very well on the job despite their
background and experience. If they have had an opportunity to talk through their
problems with a trained counselor, they will be able to be much more productive.
This will save the organization time and money.

Q.5 Why mentoring is important?

Ans. Mentoring is much more about coaching and counseling. It’s much more about
the qualitative and subjective parts of our job – dealing with frustration, giving
constructive criticism, handling disappointment, behaving with humility and
compassion, etc.

It’s a responsibility we have to the agency. Part of what we need to give back to
the agency is the development of people who can be part of and carry on the
culture, so that future generations of people who work here can sustain the same
mood, atmosphere and positive corporate citizenry that exist today.
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Being a good mentor is a hard thing to do. It takes a serious commitment that
takes precious time away from other important things – getting a job done, social
life, family, etc.

Q.6 What’s the Difference Between Coaching and Mentoring?

Ans The difference between coaching and mentoring isn’t clear-cut. A mentor may
draw on a number of approaches: teaching, coaching, and counselling. Indeed it
can be argued that these areas often occupy the same developmental space.
Nonetheless, one significant difference between mentoring and coaching and
other forms of development is the relationship forged between two people.

Coaching

The focus of coaching is usually task and performance. The role of a skills or
performance coach is to give feedback on observed performance. Consequently,
coaching usually happens at the workplace.

The coach is likely to set or suggest goals for the learner; measuring performance
periodically as the learner develops new skills. This needs a good working
relationship between learner and coach.

Teaching

The focus of teaching is to impart knowledge and information through

instruction and explanation. And the goal for the student is usually to pass a test.
Once again, learning has a one-way flow. However, unlike coaching the closeness
of the relationship between teacher and student is often low.

Counselling

The counsellor uses listening and questioning to build self-awareness and self-
confidence in the client. The goal is to help the person deal with something
difficult. Once again learning is one-way and the closeness of the relationship
low.

Mentoring

The role of the mentor is to build capability. The developmental mentor helps the
learner discover their own wisdom by encouraging them to work towards career
goals or develop self-reliance.

The Mentor Helps the Learner Discover their Wisdom.

HRD 21

Chapter -5

Training and Development

Q.1 What is Training and Development?

Ans. Training is an educational process. People can learn new information, re-learn
and reinforce existing knowledge and skills, and most importantly have time to
think and consider what new options can help them improve their effectiveness
at work. Effective trainings convey relevant and useful information that inform
participants and develop skills and behaviors that can be transferred back to the
workplace.

The goal of training is to create an impact that lasts beyond the end time of the
training itself. The focus is on creating specific action steps and commitments that
focus people’s attention on incorporating their new skills and ideas back at work.

Training can be offered as skill development for individuals and groups. In

general, trainings involve presentation and learning of content as a means for
enhancing skill development and improving workplace behaviors.

Q.2 What is the importance of Training and Development?

Ans.Importance of Training and Development

Optimum Utilization of Human Resources – Training and

Development helps in optimizing the utilization of human resource that
further helps the employee to achieve the organizational goals as well
as their individual goals.

Development of Human Resources – Training and Development helps

to provide an opportunity and broad structure for the development of
human resources’ technical and behavioral skills in an organization. It
also helps the employees in attaining personal growth.
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Development of skills of employees – Training and Development

helps in increasing the job knowledge and skills of employees at each
level. It helps to expand the horizons of human intellect and an overall
personality of the employees.

Productivity – Training and Development helps in increasing the productivity

of the employees that helps the organization further to achieve its long-term
goal.

Team spirit – Training and Development helps in inculcating the sense

of team work, team spirit, and inter-team collaborations. It helps in
inculcating the zeal to learn within the employees.
Organization Culture – Training and Development helps to develop and
improve the organizational health culture and effectiveness. It helps in
creating the learning culture within the organization.
Organization Climate – Training and Development helps building the
positive perception and feeling about the organization. The employees
get these feelings from leaders, subordinates, and peers.

Quality – Training and Development helps in improving upon the

quality of work and work-life.
Healthy work environment – Training and Development helps in
creating the healthy working environment. It helps to build good
employee, relationship so that individual goals aligns with
organizational goal.
Health and Safety – Training and Development helps in improving the
health and safety of the organization thus preventing obsolescence.
Morale – Training and Development helps in improving the morale of
the work force.
Image – Training and Development helps in creating a better corporate
image.
Profitability – Training and Development leads to improved profitability
and more positive attitudes towards profit orientation.
Training and Development aids in organizational development i.e.
Organization gets more effective decision making and problem solving.
It helps in understanding and carrying out organisational policies
Training and Development helps in developing leadership skills,
motivation, loyalty, better attitudes, and other aspects that successful
workers and managers usually display.
HRD 23

Q.3 Explain the different methods of training.

Ans.Many methods of training are available- each has certain advantages and
disadvantages. Here we list the different methods of training...you can
comment on the pros and cons and make the examples concrete by imagining
how they could be applied in training truck drivers.

1. Technology-Based Learning

The forms of training with technology are almost unlimited. A trainer also gets
more of the learner''s involvement than in any other environment and trainees
have the benefit of learning at their own pace.

2. Simulators

Simulators are used to imitate real work experiences. Most simulators are very
expensive but for certain jobs.

3. On-The-Job Training

Jumping right into work from day one can sometimes be the most effective type
of training. On the-job training gives employees motivation to start the job.
Some reports indicate that people learn more efficiently if they learn hands-on,
rather than listening to an instructor. However, this method might not be for
everyone, as it could be very stressful.

4. Coaching/Mentoring

Coaching/mentoring gives employees a chance to receive training one-on-one

from an experienced professional. This usually takes place after another more
formal process has taken place to expand on what trainees have already
learned.coaching/mentoring gives trainees the chance to ask questions and
receive thorough and honest answers - something they might not receive in a
classroom with a group of people.

5. Lectures

Lectures usually take place in a classroom-format. It seems the only advantage

to a lecture is the ability to get a huge amount of information to a lot of people
in a short amount of time. It has been said to be the least effective of all training
methods..
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6. Group Discussions & Tutorials

These most likely take place in a classroom where a group of people discuss
issues.A better form of training than lectures, it allows all trainees to discuss
issues concerning the new program. It also enables every attendee to voice
different ideas and bounce them off one another.

7. Role Playing

Role playing allows employees to act out issues that could occur in the
workplace. Key skills often touched upon are negotiating and teamwork.

Role playing can be effective in connecting theory and practice, but may not be
popular with people who don´t feel comfortable performing in front of a group
of people.

8. Management Games

Management games simulate real-life issues faced in the workplace. They

attract all types of trainees including active, practical and reflective employees.

9. Outdoor Training

A nice break from regular classroom or computer-based training, the usual

purpose of outdoor training is to develop teamwork skills. Outgoing and active
participants may get the most out of this form of training. One risk trainers
might encounter is distraction, or people who don´t like outdoor activities.

10. Films & Videos

Films and videos can be used on their own or in conjunction with other training
methods. Films and videos are good training tools, but have some of the same
disadvantages as a lecture - i.e., no interaction from the trainees.

11. Case Studies

Case studies provide trainees with a chance to analyze and discuss real
workplace issues. They develop analytical and problem-solving skills, and
provide practical illustrations of principle or theory. Â They can also build a
strong sense of teamwork as teams struggle together to make sense of a case.

12. Planned Reading

Basically planned reading is pre-stage preparation to more formal methods of

HRD 25

training. Some trainees need to grasp specific issues before heading into the
classroom or the team-building session.

Conclusion

Many avenues exist to train employees. The key is to match the training method
to the situation. Assess each training method implemented in the organization
and get feedback from trainees to see if they learned anything. Then take the
results from the most popular and most effective methods to design a specific
training program.

Q.4 What is the importance of Training.

Ans. mportance of Training are :-

Development of skills of employees – Training and Development helps in

increasing the job knowledge and skills of employees at each level. It helps to
expand the horizons of
human intellect and an overall personality of the employees.
• Productivity – Training and Development helps in increasing the
productivity of the employees that helps the organization further to achieve its
long-term goal.
• Team spirit – Training and Development helps in inculcating the sense of
team work, team spirit, and inter-team collaborations. It helps in inculcating the
zeal to learn within the employees.
• Organization Culture – Training and Development helps to develop and
improve the organizational health culture and effectiveness. It helps in creating
the learning culture within the organization.
• Organization Climate – Training and Development helps building the
positive perception and feeling about the organization. The employees get these
feelings from leaders, subordinates, and peers.
.• Quality – Training and Development helps in improving upon the quality of
work and work-life.
• Healthy work-environment – Training and Development helps in creating
the healthy working environment. It helps to build good employee, relationship
so that individual goals aligns with organizational goal.
• Health and Safety – Training and Development helps in improving the health
and safety of the organization thus preventing obsolescence.
• Morale – Training and Development helps in improving the morale of the
work force.
26

• Image – Training and Development helps in creating a better corporate

image.
• Profitability – Training and Development leads to improved profitability and
more positive attitudes towards profit orientation.
• Training and Development aids in organizational development i.e.
Organization gets more effective decision making and problem solving. It helps
in understanding and carrying out organisational policies
• Training and Development helps in developing leadership skills, motivation,
loyalty, better attitudes, and other aspects that successful workers and
managers usually display.
HRD 27

Chapter- 6

Organisational Development

Q.1 What is organizational development?

Ans. OD can be defined as a long-term, more encompassing change approach meant

to improve individual as well as organizational well being in changes situation”.

Characteristics of OD : The salient characteristics of OD implied in its definitions

are gleaned as follows:

1- OD is systematic approach to the planned change.

2- OD is grounded in solid research and theory.
3- OD recognizes the reciprocal relationship between individuals and
organizations.
4- It is a process that seeks to improve both individual and organizational well-
being and effectiveness.

Q.2 Explain the Models of OD?

Ans. Models of OD

Lewin’s Model : Lewin’s model is based on premises that before actually

introducing a change, organization needs to be prepared for changes, motivated
to change and established and integrated the change into behaviors of
organization.

1- Unfreezing: - No change occurs in a vacuum of no prior perspective. To the extent

the new perspective differs from the old one, the old one then implies doubting of
its own existence.
2- Changing:- Having unlearned his past experience, the individual is ready for new
behavior and a change in perspective.
3- Refreezing:- In this final step, new attitudes, values ,and behaviors are established
as the new status quo.
Larry Griener’s Model
28

According to Griener, change occurs in terms of certain sequential stages. The

external stimulus pressurizes the management of organization to initiate change
process.
Leavitt’s Model
Leavitt’s OD model is founded on the interactive nature of the various
subsystems in a change process. In an organizational system, there are four
interacting sub-systems: task, structure, people, and technology.
Action Research Model of OD
“ Action research is the process of systematically collecting research data about an
ongoing system relative to some objective, goal or need of that system, feeding
these data back into the system, taking action by altering selected variables within
the system based both on the data and on hypothesis, and evaluating the results
of actions by collecting more data.”

Q.3 Classify the OD intervention?

Ans. OD interventions refer to various activities which a consultant and client

organization perform for improving organizational performance through
enabling organizational members better manage their behavior, their work group,
and organizational culture.

There are various interventions which is given by French and Bell. They are :-
1- Diagnostic Activities: Fact-finding activities designed to ascertain the state of
the system, the status of a problem, the “way things are.” Available methods
are interviews, questionnaires, surveys, meetings, and examining
organizational records.
2- Education and Training Activities: Activities designed to improve individual’s
skills, abilities, and knowledge. Several activities are available and several
approaches possible.
3- Techno structural or Structural Activities: - Activities designed to improve the
effectiveness of organizational structures and job designs.
4- Coaching and Counseling Activities: Activities that entail the consultant or
other organization members working with individuals to help (a) define
learning goals, (b) learn how others see their behavior , and (c) learn new
behaviors to help them better achieve their goals.
5- Life-and Career-Planning Activities: Activities that enable individuals to focus
on their life and career objectives and how to go about achieving them.
HRD 29

6- Planning and Goal-Setting:- Activities that include theory and experience in

planning and goal setting, problem-solving meodels planning paradigms,
ideal organization versus real organizational, “discrepancy” models, and the
like.
7- Role Analysis: It is an extremely valuable method of training. It encourages
thinking and creativity.
8- Strategic Management Activities : Activities that help key policy makers to
reflect systematically on the organization’s basic mission and goals and
environmental demands, threats, and opportunities, and to engage in long-
range action planning of both a reactive and proactive nature.
9- Organizational Transformation Activities: Activities that involve large-scale
system changes; activities designed to fundamentally change the nature of the
organization.
10- Sensitivity/T-Group Training: Sensitivity, T-group of laboratory training
attempts to change individual behavior by placing participants in an
unstructured, ambiguous situation and having them resolve the conflicts,
which emerge as a result of ambiguity through interpersonal interactions.

Q.4 What is survey feedback explain its process.

Ans. The basic objectives of survey feedback are as follows:

1- To assist the organization in diagnosing its problems and developing action

plan for problem solving.
2- To assist the group members to improve the relationships through discussion
of common problems.

Process of Survey Feedback

Survey feedback usually proceeds with sequential activities involving data

collections, feedback of information, developing action plan based on feedback
and follow up:-

1- Data Collection: The first step in in survey feedback is data collection usually
by a consultant based on a structured questionnaire.
2- Feedback of Information: - After the data are analyzed, feedback is given to
the persons who have participated in the filling-up of questionnaires.
30

Follows-up Action: Survey feedback program is not meaningful unless some

follow-up action is taken based on the data collected

Q.5 What are the types of Teams?

Ans. Type of Teams are:-

In an organization, there may be different types of teams.

Lead Teams: A lead team consists of managers and their direct subordinates.
This most usual from of team which works in every part of an organization

Cross-functional teams: A cross functional team is constituted by drawing

personnel from different functional area, particularly from those functions which
have high interdependence.

Problem-solving Team: A problem-solving team, also known as corrective action

team, is constituted to solve specific problems which an organization may be
facing.

Self-Managing Team: In today’ context, more emphasis is given on self-

managing teams , also known as empowered or self-directed team.

Q.6 What are the silent issues in OD?

Ans. Salient Issues in OD are :-

The salient issues involved in OD are as follows:

1- The OD effort should begin at the top of the organization i.e. management
level and then should permeate down to the lowest level of organization
2- Whosoever be the client, be a particular target group or the total organization,
it has its implications of OD effort.
3- The identification of change to be introduced depends on the nature and type
of problem the organization is facing. Diagnostic studies help identify the
needed change in the organization.
4- The consultant helps the client understand how to better help oneself.
5- The OD techniques can be implemented at individual level, and the
organizational level depending upon where the change is to be brought.
HRD 31

6- No one OD technique is appropriate for different types of problems. Hence,

the intervention techniques appropriate to problems at hand should be
applied.
32

Chapter -7

Quality of Work Life

Q.1 What is Quality of Work Life?

Ans. Quality of work life:-

It seeks to create a culture of work commitment in organization and society at

large so as to ensure higher productivity and greater job satisfaction of the
employees. In this chapter, we shall elaborate the concepts of quality circle and
their relevance in the present-day world.

Eight major conceptual categories to provide a framework for analyzing its salient
features:-

a- Adequate and fair compensation

b- Safe and healthy working conditions
c- Immediate opportunity to use and develop human capacities.
d- Future opportunity for continued growth and security
e- Social integration in work environment
f- Constitutionalism or the rule of law in the work organization
g- Work and the total life space
h- The social relevance of work life.

Q.2 What is the scope of Quality Work Life?

Ans. Scope of QWL

The workers expect the following needs to be fulfilled by their organizations:-

1- Fair and Reasonable Pay:- QWL is basically built around the concept of equitable
pay. The employees must be paid their due share in the progress and prosperity
of the firm.
HRD 33

2- Favorable and Safer Environment: - He further emphasizes the need for

reasonable hours of work, favorable physical conditions of work, age restrictions,
etc. to be followed by the organizations.
3- Employment Benefits: - They want a share in the profits of the organization
in addition to medical, housing and welfare facilities.
4- Job Security: The workplace should offer security of employment. Layoffs and
retrenchment are opposed tooth and nail by all categories of employees these
days.
5- Job Satisfaction: The worker is living beings. They want to work on the jobs that
will utilize their talents and thus satisfy them.
6- Provisions of Autonomy as well as Control for developing human resource: - As
the nature of work has become highly monotonous, today the worker becomes
more mechanical towards the machines and lacks controls on them.
7- Scope for Better Career Opportunities : Now a day , workers are not only
concerned with their pay prospects, but also the scope for improving their pay
prospects, but also the scope for improving their technical and academic skills.

Q.3 How can we measure Quality of Work Life?

Ans. Measures of QWL?

1- Job Involvement: - It represents the degree of an individual’s identification

with or ego involvement in the job.
2- Job Satisfaction: Job satisfaction is related to job involvement and people
involved in their jobs are satisfied with their jobs and vice versa.
3- Sense of Competence:- It refers to the feelings of confidence that an individual
has in his own competence.
4- Job Performance: - When an individual’s job involvement, job satisfaction and
sense of competence increase, there is a rise in job performance.
5- Productivity: - When the level of job performance increases, the output per
unit of input goes up.

Q.4 Explain the principals of Quality Work Life?

Ans. Four basic principles are as follows:-

1- The principles of Security: - Quality of work life cannot be improved until

employees are relieved of the anxiety, fear and loss of future employment.
34

2- The principle of Equity: - There should be a direct and positive relation

between effort and rewards.
3- The Principle of Individualism:- Employees differ in terms of their attitudes ,
skill , potential etc.
4- The Principle of Democracy: - This means greater authority and responsibility
to employees.

Q.5 What is quality circles explain with characteristics.

Ans. A quality circle is a completely voluntary group of 6 to 8 workers of a shop or

department who meet regularly during company time once every fortnight or
every month under the leadership of a trained foreman or section head to
examine work related problems that affect the quality of output and to
recommend to the management possible solutions to those problems.

Characteristics of Quality Circles

1- Small group of employees- optimum of 8-10 members

2- Members are from same work are or doing similar type of job
3- Membership is voluntary
4- Meet regularly for an hour every week
5- They meet to identify, analyze, and resolve work related problems.
6- Resolve work related problems, leading improvement in their total
performance.
7- Quality circle enrich the work life of the employees

Q.6 What are the benefits of Quality Circles.

Ans. Quality circles are supposed to bring the following benefits for the organization:-

1- Formation of quality circle in Japan and other countries has helped in bringing
out several innovations and changes in work methods and products
2- Quality circles have proved to be a valuable tool for increasing productivity,
improving quality and increasing workers job satisfaction.
3- Membership in a quality circle means a participative environment that
provides identification with the work-group.
4- Quality circles help in the development of the participants as they are
encouraged to produce innovative ideas and find new ways to improve
product quality.
HRD 35

5- Quality circles provide opportunities for better understanding among the

members.
6- Quality circles create awareness of the potential of the worker

Q. 7 What are the steps in the introduction of quality circle.

Ans. The steps in the introduction of quality circle:-

1- Selling the Idea of Quality: The workers must be educated the need and
significance of quality circle from the point o f view of the organization and
the workers.
2- Constitution of Quality Circle:- The employees should be encouraged to from
quality circles by drawing members doing the same kind of work.
3- Analysis of Quality Problems:- The members of a quality circle are supposed
to meet periodically, say once a month.
4- Problem Solving:- The members of a quality circle will discuss the problems
thoroughly and make a list of possible solutions.
5- Presentation of Suggestions to the Management: The suggestions for
improving the quality are put in writing and forwarded to the management.
6- Implementation: Proper publicity should be given to the suggestions of
quality circles which are being put into practice.

Q.8 Explain the main compontents of organizational culture and climate.

Ans. Following twelve dimensions should be used in studying organizational climate:-

1- Supervision: - The extent to which supervisions maintain good relations with

their subordinates, offer them soci-emotional support and help in improving
their skills and chances of advancement.
2- Management of Reward:- The extent to which rewards are related to
performance and the required system of behavior in the organization.
3- Communication : The extent of flow of information in different directions
and its mode (formal or informal)
4- Trust: - Who is trusted by managem4ent and to what extent? What is the
extent of inter-personal trust?
5- Decision making: Who Make Decisions: - Whether people high in the
hierarchy or those involved in the matter?
6- Problem Management: - How are problems viewed as irritants or as
challenges how are they handled?
36

7- Control: - The extent to which people is formally controlled. Whether the

organization is task-oriented or people oriented.

Q.9 Explain the main determinations of Organisational Culture.

Ans. Factors which influence the above dimensions of O.C are as under :

1- Economic Condition
2- Leadership Style
3- Organizational Policies
4- Managerial Assumptions About Human Nature
5- Managerial Values and Ethos
6- Employee’s Characteristics
7- Organizational Size

Q.10 Explain the role of Culture.

Ans. The role of culture in an organization is :

1- To specify the goals and objective of the organization

2- To specify the relations that exist within the organizations
3- To specify what qualities are valued within organizational such as loyalty,
confidentiality, dynamism, hard work and so on; and
4- To specify the wider context within which the organization operaters.

Q.11 Explain the types of OC.

Ans. over the years a number of authors have used organizational cu lectures or
classifying organizations into categories.

1- Mechanistic Organizational Culture: The mechanistic organizational culture

exhibits the values of bureaucracy and feudalism.
2- Organic Organizational Culture: - The organic organizational culture is a
contrast to mechanistic culture.
3- Authoritarian Organizational Culture: - In the authoritarian culture, power is
concentrated in the boss and obedience to orders and discipline are stressed.
4- Participative Organizational Culture: The participative culture rests on the
notion that people are more committed to decisions that are participatively
made than to decision that are imposed upon them.
5- Management System Culture: - The management systems culture believes in
an engineering approach to management.
HRD 37

6- Entrepreneurial Organizational Culture :- The entrepreneurial is one which

favors growth , big deals and empire building , big vision , boldness in
decision making and going in where angels fear to tread.
7- Paternalistic or Familial Organizational Culture: A culture that is very
common in societies undergoing a transition from traditionalism to modernity
is the paternalistic or familial organizational culture.
8- Altruistic Organizational Culture: The altruistic culture is commonly found
in organizations that have dedicated themselves to doing social good.

Q.12 Explain the various aspects of indian Culture and HRD.

Ans. The various aspects can be:-

1- Concern for Others: In the Indian culture , there has always been concern for
other, although this concern has not acquired the same character as in the
western society, viz, concern for the community.
2- Traditional: Indian culture can be characterized amongst other strengths , by
a tendency towards synthesis, absorbing various influence which impinge on
the culture, and internalizing them.
3- Dependency Motive: Being a feudal culture, the dependency motive has been
fairly strong in India. Dependency motive is characterized by a tendency to
depend on and please the authority figure, and to expect others who are lower
in the authority to do the same thing in turn.
4- Casteism : Although the caste system is disappearing from the country and
has little influence in the sophisticated section of the society, the spirit of
casteism, i.e. the tendency to stratify the society and organization into various
levels, and developing different norms of behavior for different levels of the
society, still dominates.
5- Avoid Involvement or Open Discussion: The tendency to depend on or
refer to unknown factors is very high in the culture. This can be termed as
fatalism. The general tendency is to see outside force as highly important.
6- Individualism: This characteristic (a tendency to keep on self uninvolved)
may have some spiritual-religious roots. There is a general tendency to avoid
involvement.
7- More Emotional Rather than Realistic: Indian culture by nature is
individualistic, even though there has been a tendency to show concern for the
world and others. Usually, Indian culture emphasis individual spiritual
pursuits.
38

Chapter -8

Career Planning

Q.1 What is career Planning mention its objectives.

Ans. Career planning is relatively new personnel function. Organizational involvement

in career planning is increasing, however. Many candidates, especially highly-
educated ones, desire a career, not “just a job.” Many of today’s workers have
high expectations about their jobs.

A career development system is a forma, organized, planned effort to achieve a

balance between individual career needs and organizational workforce
requirements.

Aims and Objectives of Career Planning

The principal objectives of career planning are :

1- To secure the right man at the right job and at the right time.
2- To maintain a contended team of employees
3- To provide adequate career avenues to employees to higher levels of
responsibilities
4- To strengthen the retention program of the organization.

Q.2 What is the need of Career Planning .

Ans. Need of career planning are:-

1- Attract competent person and retain them in the organization.

2- Provide suitable promotional opportunities
3- Map out careers of employees suitable to their ability , and their willingness to
be trained and developed for higher positions.
4- Ensure better utilization of managerial reserves within an organization
5- Reduce employee dissatisfaction and turnover
HRD 39

6- Improve employee morale and motivation by matching their skills to job

requirements.
7- Provide guidance and encourage employee’s needs to fulfill their potentials.
8- Achieve higher productivity and organization development.

Q.3 What do you understand by Individual Career Planning?

Ans. Individual Career Planning

Planning the career is not an easy matter. Successful career planning requires that
every individual should set realistic goals. Determine the strengths and weakness
in his job performance and develop skills that make him marketable.

Individual career planning takes the following factors into account:-

1- Preparing Personal Profile:- The first important things in career planning is

the presentation of personal profile. It consists of various personality traits of
the person.
2- Formulating Personal and Professional Goals: - Both personal and
professional goals should be formulated to plan one’s career.
3- Analyzing Environment Effect:- A good career planning requires a systematic
analysis of the environment for opportunities.
4- Analysis of Strengths and Weakness:- The strengths and weaknesses of a
person should be matched with job requirements and environmental
opportunities.
5- Development Alternatives: A good carrier planning requires the development
of several alternatives. The alternative is assessed in view of the environment
and the opportunities available.
6- Developing Contingency Plans : The career plans are developed in the
environment of uncertainty. Even though some future assumptions are made,
but these my not prove correct.
7- Monitoring Career Plan: The career plan should be monitored to find out if it
goes as per the assumption or not. Some adjustments may be needed as
required by a particular situation.

Q.4 Explain the important terms in Career Planning.

Ans. Important Terms in Career Planning:-

40

1- Career : A career is all the jobs that are held during one’s working , life.
2- Career goals :- Future positions one tries to reach as part of a career.
3- Career cycle:- The stage through which a person’s career evolves.
4- Career paths: These are flexible lines of progression through which employees typically
move.
5- Career anchors:- They are distinct patterns of self-perceived talents, attitudes , motives
and values that guide and stabilize a person’s career after several years of real-world
experience and feedback.
6- Career progression: Making progress in one’s career through a series of right moves
7- Career planning: The process by which one selects career goals and the path to those
goals.
8- Career development: The personal actions one undertakes to achieve a career plan.
9- Career planning and development: Extending help to employees to form realistic
career goals and the opportunities to realize them.
10- Career counseling: The process of advising employees on setting career goals and
assisting them find suitable career paths.
11- Career Management : It is the continuing process of setting career goals , formulating
and implementing strategies for reaching the goals and monitoring the results.
12- Mid-career crisis:- The period occurring between the mid-thirties and mid-forties
during which people often make a major reassessment of their progress relative to their
original career goals and ambitions.
13- Reality shock:- A period that may occur at the initial career entry when the new
employee’s high job expectations confront the reality of a boring, unchallenging job.
14- Plateauing:- A condition of stagnating in one’s current job.
15- Mentor: Someone who extends informal career advice and assistance.

Q.5 What is Career Development.

Ans. CAREER DEVELOPMENT

1- Challenging Initial jobs:- Generally, employees who receive challenging job

assignments early in their careers do better on later jobs.
2- Dissemination of Career Option Information:- As managers identify career path that
successful employees should follow, within the organization they should make this
information available..
3- Job Postings: To provide information to all employees about job openings,
management can use job posting.
HRD 41

4- Assessment Centers: By putting people through assessment centers, managers can

obtain observable evidence of their ability to do certain jobs.
5- Continuing Education and Training: The education and training in an effective career
development program could include on the job training, education or skills courses
offered within the organization or outside courses provided by colleges, universities or
specialized institute.
6- Career Development Workshop: By bringing together groups of employees with their
supervisors and managers, problems and miscon-ceptions can be identified and
resolved.
7- Periodic Job Changes: Job changes can take the form of vertical promotion, lateral
transfer or assignments. Varied experiences present new tests.
8- Sabbaticals (leave granted at intervals) An extended leave can allow time for attending
executive development conferences, uninterrupted reading, accepting a visiting
lectureship at a university , or other such activities that may enhance one’s career
development.

Q.6 What is succession planning and what it includes explain.

Ans. Succession planning includes the following activities:

1- Analysis of the demand for managers and professionals by company level,

fuction and skill.
2- Audit for existing executives and projection of likely future supply from
internal and external sources.
3- Planning of individual career paths based on objective estimates of future
needs and drawing on reliable performance appraisals and assessments of
potential.
4- Career counseling undertaken in the context of a realistic understanding of the
future needs of the firm, as well as those of the individuals.
5- Accelerated promotions, targets against the future needs of the business.
6- Performance related training and development to prepare individuals for
future roles as well as current responsibilities
7- Planned strategic recruitment not only to fill short-term needs but also future
needs.
8- The actual activities by which opening are filled.
42

Chapter-9

Empowerment

Q.1 What is empowerment and what are the main characteristics of empowerment.

Ans. “Empowerment is simply gaining the power to make your voice heard, to
contribute to plans and decisions that affect you, to use your expertise at work
improve your performance and with it the performance of y our whole
organization.”

Characteristics of Empowered Organizations

Organizations with high level of empowerment usually have the following

characteristics:

1- Empowered organizations put emphasis on delegation, decentralization,

and diffusion of power and information.
2- Their organization hierarchy is flat instead of series of levels which
command and control the one immediately beneath them.
3- They appoint fewer managers with wider responsibilities. The span of
management is well above twenty in which a manager’s role shifts from
controller to coach and mentor.
4- They set unstructured guidelines so the employees know their decision
making parameters.
5- They appoint fewer managers with wider responsibilities. The span of
management is well above twenty in which a manager’s role shifts from
controller to coach and mentor.
6- Their employee-related core value is employee satisfaction.
7- They invest lots of time and efforts to ensure that newly recruited
employees are able to handle workplace freedom.

Q.2 What is empowerment process.

HRD 43

Ans. Empowerment is a complex process because of involvement of human beings

whose nature itself is quite complex.

1- Recalling Depowering and Empowering Experience: Empowerment does not

occur through rigid prescription by an organization.
2- Discussing Reasons for Depowerment: After identifying the events that show
depowerment, it is required to identify the reasons for depowerment.
3- Choosing One Issue/Problem/Project Work on: - After identifying the reasons
of depowerment concrete steps have to be taken for overcoming
depowerment.
4- Identifying Potential Power Bases: At this stage, potential power bases should
be identified. Since power is a capacity to influence others.
5- Development and Implementing Action Plans: After identifying potential
power bases, the organization should initiate development and
implementation of action plans for empowerment.

Q.2 What are the barriers to empowerment.

Ans. Barriers to Empowerment:-

1- Incongruent Organization Culture: Organizational culture affects different

process and system which include empowerment too.
2- Love for Authority: A superior is unlikely to delegate his authority
especially if he is autocrat.
3- Maintenance of Tight Control: A manage does not delegate authority
because he wants to maintain tight control over the operations assigned to
him
4- Fear of Subordinates:- A manger may not delegate adequate authority
because of fears of subordinates. The fear of a subordinate’s growth may
be real.
5- Fear of Exposure: A superior manager, specially a weak one, may not like
to delegate simply because adequate delegation may reveal managerial
shortcomings being practiced.
6- Attitudes towards Subordinates: Delegation of authority is a particular
kind of trust between superior and his subordinates.
7- Personality of Superior: Personality factors of superior also affect the
degree of delegation of authority.
44

Chapter-10

Human Resources Information System

Q. 1 What do you understand by HRIS what are its main objectives.

Ans. MEANING OF HRIS:-

“Human resource information system means the system of gathering, classifying,

processing, recording and disseminating the information required for efficient
and effective management of human resources in an organization.

Objective Of HRIS
1. To offer an adequate , comprehensive and on-going information system about
people and jobs
2. To supply up-to-date information at a reasonable cost.
3. To offer data security and personal privacy. Data security is a technical
problem that can be dealt with in several ways, including passwords and
elaborate codes.

Q.2 What is the functioning of Human Resource Information System.

Ans. Functioning of Human Resource Information System

1- Data Collection
2- Data Management
1- Data Collection: Who should collect what data and in what form and how
often? The nature and the form of data will vary from organization to
organization depending upon its objectives.
2- Data Management: A good data management system involves following sub-
functions:-
i- Processing operations
ii- Storage of data
iii- Retrieval of data , whenever required.
iv- Evaluation
v- Dissemination
HRD 45

Q.3 What is the need of Human Resources Information system?

Ans. Need of HRIS:-

I- Large organization employ a very large number of people

II- In case of organizations which are geographically dispersed every office
requires timely and accurate information for manpower management.
III- Salary packages are becoming very complex consisting of many allowance
and deductions.
IV- An employer has to comply with several labor laws.
V- With the help of information system employee records and files can be
integrated for fast retrieval, cross referencing and forecasting.

Q.4 Explain the benefits and limitations of HRIS.

Ans. Benefits of HRIS

HRIS can process, store and retieve enormous quantities of data in an

economical way.
The records can be updated quickly
There is improved accuracy
HRIS can greatly reduce fragmentation and duplication of data
information can be readily manipulate, merged and disaggregated in
response to special and complex demands and presented promptly.

Limitations of HRIS

It can be expensive in terms of money and manpower requirement.

Its effective application needs large-scale computer literacy among the
employees responsible for maintaining HRIS.
If the personnel designing HRIS are not competent enough in their works,
there is, then, mismatch between data provided by the HRIS and data
required by the managers.
Computers cannot replace human beings because human interventions
will always be there to improve the existing situation.
Absence of continuous up-dating of HRIS makes the information stale
which is considered as good as no information.
46

Chapter-11

HRD Audit

Q.1 What is Human resources development Audit.

Ans. An audit is a means by which an organization can measure where it currently

stands and determine what it has to accomplish to improve its human resources
function. It involves systematically reviewing all aspects of human resources.

Objective of HRD Audit

1- To make the HR function business-driven

2- Change of leadership
3- To take stock of things & to improve HRD for expanding, diversifying &
entering into a fast growth phase
4- For growth & diversification
5- For promoting professionalism among employees & to switch over to
professional management
6- To find out the reasons for low productivity & improve HRD strategies.
7- Dissatisfaction with a particular component.
8- To become employer of choice

Q.2 What are the benefits of HRD Audit.

Ans. Benefits of HRD Audit:-

HRD audits is cost effective

It can give many insights into a company’s affairs
It could get the top management to think in terms of strategic and long
term business plans
Changes in the styles of top management
Role clarity of HRD Department and the role of line managers in HRD
Improvements in HRD systems
Increased focus on human resources and human competencies
Better recruitment policies and more professional staff
HRD 47

More planning and more cost effective training

Strengthening accountabilities through appraisal systems and other
mechanisms.

Q.3 What is involved in Good HRD system ?

Ans

Top Management Philosophy and Understanding

Competent HR staff and department
Line Managers Attitude
Union and Employee support
Use of Appropriate Systems
Periodic Renewal Exercises
Business Relevance of HRD systems and practices

Q.4 What is the methodology of HRD Audit.

Ans. Methodology of HRD Audit

1- Examines long term and short term plans and vision to assess competency
requirements
2- Identifies broad competency requirements for future business goals.
3- Examines the existing HRD strategies, systems and practices and assess their
appropriateness to have the required competencies.
4- Examines the adequacies and inadequacies of HRD structure, staff and their
competencies, line managers and their attitudes, top management and their
support, unions and their role in competence building for future.
5- Suggests mechanisms for improving all these in the business context.

Q.5 What is the need of HRD in INDIA Give an Overview.

Ans. Need for HRD in the Indian Context

48

1- Restructuring of Organizations: Many Indian companies are restructuring their

organization structures by thinning their management ranks and expanding their
spans of control.
2- Emphasis on Core Competency: With the licensing era coming to an end in India,
companies now no longer need to pre-emptively secure licenses in diverse and
unrelated area to outwit their competitors.
3- Technological Changes : Recent spurt in computerization and technological up
gradation is , on the on hand, streamlining process and paper work and
increasing quality , service and speed and on the other hand making several jobs
obsolescent.
4- Work Force Empowerment: For the corporate democracy to become a reality ,
many companies are now vesting their employees with greater authority ,
expanding their job titles and increasing their accountability.
5- More Attention so Special Categories of Workers: With the special categories of
workers such as physically handicapped, women, religious minority , backward
and other forming the ever increasing proportion of the total work force every
year measure.
6- Greater Employee Commitment : In a study of 7,500 large companies in 13
countries conducted by the Walker Information ad CSM Worldwide Network,
and Indianpolis-based organization.
7- More Research in HRD: Continuous research is needed to discover new HRD
methods and interventions
HRD 49

Multiple Choice Questions

Q. 1 In a small organization a proprietor performs all the functions but as the

organization grow it is necessary.
1. Delegation of duties
2. Specialization
3. Delegation of power
4. Delegation of responsibility

Q2 Line managers are authorized to direct the work of

1. Superiors
2. Subordinates
3. Coordinators
4. Managers

Q.3 In many large organization HRD manager is a part of .

1. Board of directors
2. Board of managers
3. Board of educations
4. Company

Q.4 HRD professionals should continuously exchange

1. Their experiences
2. Their thoughts
3. Their views
4. Their working

Q.5 HRD system are designed to suit the

1. Organizational culture
2. Human resources
3. Economy of the country
4. Markets

Q.6 Who can appraise the performance of the employee.

1. Supervisors
2. Peers
50

3. Self
4. All of above

Q.7 How often should an employee be assessed.

1. Monthly
2. Yearly
3. Quarterly
4. Any of them

Q.8 This method involve an evaluators written report appraising an employee’s

performance.
1. Essay methods
2. Checklist methods
3. Field review of method
4. Critical incident method

Q.9 Behavioral anchored rating scales are rating scales whose scale points are defined
by statement of
1. Effective and ineffective behavior
2. Internal and external behavior
3. Personal and impersonal behavior
4. None of these

Q.10 Establishing performance standards are necessary for

1. Appraisal process
2. Performance process
3. Discuss performance
4. None of these

Q.11 This is the use of an experienced person.

1. Mentoring
2. Coaching
3. Counseling
4. None of these

Q.12 Mentoring is of two types

1. Natural mentoring and planned mentoring
HRD 51

2. Natural mentoring and Process mentoring

3. designed mentoring and undersigned mentoring
4. None of these

Q.13 A coach, a senior, and a teacher is the role of a

1. Mentor
2. Coach
3. Manager
4. Supervisor

Q.14 This is a focused conversation that facilitates learning and raises performance at
work.
1. Coaching
2. Interviewing
3. Checking
4. Analyzing

Q.15 In coaching personal issues can be discussed to

1. The development of organization
2. The individual development
3. The self development
4. None of these

Q.16 Organization has to offer their employees opportunities to

1. Continuous learn and develop
2. Training
3. One time learning
4. None of these
52

Key Terms :-

Administrative Services Only (ASO): The hiring of a firm (usually a health care vendor)
to handle certain administrative tasks. The firm does not assume any risk but merely
carries out the specialized functions that the employer cannot or does not want to do.
For example, an employer funds its own dental insurance claim payments but pays the
ASO firm to process the claims.

Accessibility: The extent to which a contractor's or employer's facility is readily

approachable and does not inhibit the mobility of individuals with disabilities,
particularly such areas as the personnel office, worksite and public areas.

Affirmative action: Proactive policies aimed at increasing the employment

opportunities of certain groups (typically, minority men and/or women of all racial
groups). Title 5, Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act requires that affirmative action be
taken in employment of persons with disabilities by Federal contractors. Affirmative
action was designed to rectify past discrimination but has been controversial since its
inception.

Affirmative Action Plan (AAP): A written set of specific, results-oriented procedures to

be followed. Intended to remedy the effects of past discrimination against or
underutilization of women and minorities. The effectiveness of the plan is measured by
the results it actually achieves rather than by the results intended and by the good faith
efforts undertaken.

Agent (Insurance): An employee who sells the products owned by the company, in
contrast to a broker, who sells the insurance products of several

Balanced Scorecard: A strategic planning and management system that is used to tie
business activities to the vision and strategy of the organization, improve internal and
external communications, and monitor performance against goals. Developed in the
early 1990's by Drs. Robert Kaplan and David Norton, the balanced scorecard measure
four areas of business: internal business processes, financial performance, customer
knowledge, and learning and growth.

Benchmark Job: A job commonly found in the workforce for which pay and other
relevant data are readily available. Benchmark jobs are used to make pay comparisons
HRD 53

and job evaluations.

Benchmarking: A technique using specific standards to make comparisons between

different organizations or different segments of the organizations, with the intent of
improving a product or service.

Benefits Administration: Software that helps companies manage and track employee
participation in benefits programs such as healthcare, flexible spending accounts,
pension plans, etc. This software helps automate and streamline the complex and
otherwise time-consuming tasks of benefits administration.

Behaviorally anchored rating scale (BARS): An appraisal that requires raters to list
important dimensions of a particular job and collect information regarding the critical
behaviors that distinguishes between successful and unsuccessful performance. These
critical behaviors are then categorized and appointed a numerical value used as the basis
for rating performance.

Behavioral-based interview: An interview technique used to determine whether a

candidate is qualified for a position based on their past behavior. The interviewer asks
the candidate for specific examples from past work experience when certain behaviors
were exhibited.

Behavioral competency: The behavior qualities and character traits of a person. These
act as markers that can predict how successful a person will be at the position he/she is
applying for. Employers should determine in advance what behavioral competencies fit
the position and create interview questions to find out if the candidate possesses them.

Capitated Pricing: Vendors deliver contracted services for a set amount of money per
employee per month. This can be a risky strategy for vendors whose profitability is
directly tied to how much the services are or are not used (e.g., EAPs).

Carrier: A vendor in the employee benefits space. More commonly used in reference to
health care. Carriers (e.g., Met Life, Blue Cross, Aetna, etc.) sell their products through
Brokers & Consultants, but may also sell to an employer directly.

Carve-Out: The elimination of coverage of a specific category of benefit services (e.g.

vision care, mental health/psychological services, or prescription drugs). The employer
opts out of certain services with one vendor and contracts another to deliver them.

Casual employment: The practice of hiring employees on an as-needed basis, either as a

replacement for permanent full-time employees who are out on short and long-term
54

absences or to meet employer’s additional staffing needs during peak business periods.

Change management: A deliberate approach for transitioning individuals or

organizations from one state to another in order to manage and monitor the change.
Change management can be conducted on a continuous basis, on a regular schedule
(such as an annual review), or when deemed necessary on a program-by-program basis.

Disciplinary procedure: A standardized process that an organization commits to when

dealing with an employee who has breached the terms of employment in some way. If
this procedure is not standardized and fair, the organization may face discrimination or
other legal charges.

Discrimination: The favoring of one group of people, resulting in unfair treatment of

other groups.

Disease Management: An information-based process involving the continuous

improvement of care (prevention, treatment and management) throughout the delivery
of health care. Effective disease management can mean decreased health care costs.

E-Recruitment: Web-based software that handles the various processes included in

recruiting and onboarding job candidates. These may include workforce planning,
requisitioning, candidate acquisition, applicant tracking and reporting (regulatory or
company analytics).

E-Learning: E-learning is a method of education via the Internet or other computer

related resources. It presents just-in-time information in a flexible learning plan. E-
learning can be combined with face-to-face courses for a blended learning approach.

Emotional Intelligence: Based on the book of the same name by Daniel Goleman,
Emotional Intelligence is the ability to recognize, assess and manage their own and
others’ emotions.

Employee Assessments: Tests used to help employers in pre-hire situations to select

candidates best suited for open positions. These tests can sometimes be taken via the
Internet and can provide employees with effective training, assist managers in becoming
more effective, and promote people into appropriate positions. Types of assessments
include those to determine personality, aptitude and skills.
HRD 55

Employee engagement: Employee engagement, also called worker engagement, is a

business management concept. An "engaged employee" is one who is fully involved in,
and enthusiastic about their work, and thus will act in a way that furthers their
organization's interests.

Employee Relations: Developing, maintaining, and improving the relationship between

employer and employee by effectively and proactively communicating with employees,
processing grievances/disputes, etc.

Forced Ranking: Also known as a vitality curve, this is a system of work performance
evaluation in which employees are compared against each other instead of against fixed
standards. Based on the “20/80 Rule” idea, that 20 percent of employees do 80 percent of
the meaningful, productive work, the top 20 percent of workers are rewarded and,
oftentimes, the bottom 10 percent are fired.

Freedom of association: The right of workers to join a union and to bargain collectively.
This right is protected by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Human
Rights Act of 1993.

Full-time equivalent (FTE): A value assigned to signify the number of full-time

employees that could have been employed if the reported number of hours worked by
part-time employees had been worked by full-time employees instead.

Functional job analysis: Developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, functional job
analysis is a method of gathering specific and detailed job information. This information
can be used to write job descriptions.

HR Audit: A periodic measurement of human resources effectiveness, conducted by

internal staff or with the use of an HR audit system.

HR Generalist: An individual who is able to perform more than one diversified human
resources function, rather then specializing in one specific function.

Human Capital: The collective skills, knowledge and competencies of an organization’s

people that enables them to create economic value.

Industrial relations: A field of study that examines the relationship between employer
and employees, particularly groups of workers in unions.
56

Intangible rewards: A subjective benefit that has no monetary value, such as praise for
excellent performance.

Job analysis: The process of gathering information about the requirements and
necessary skills of a job in order to create a job description.

Job Board: An online location that provides an up-to-date listing of current job vacancies
in various industries. Applicants are able to apply for employment through the job
board itself. Many job boards have a variety of additional services to help job seekers
manage their careers and their ongoing job search processes.

Job classification: A method of evaluation used for job comparisons, which groups jobs
into a prearranged number of grades, each having a class description and a specified pay
range.

Job Description: A written statement that explains the responsibilities and qualifications
of a given job, based on a job analysis. The job description usually includes specific
required tasks as well as an overview of the position and whom the employee reports to.

Job evaluation: A comparison of one job with other jobs in a company for the purpose of
assessing fair compensation.

360 Survey: An employee feedback program whereby an employee is rated by surveys

distributed to his or her co-workers, customers, and managers. HR departments may use
this feedback to help develop an individual's skill or they may integrate it into
performance management programs.
HRD 57

Bibliography

Human resources development , by Prof.Anil Mehta , Dr. Payal Upaddhyay

Human Resources Development By Dr. Nandini Sharma, Dr. Pramod Gupta
Human resources management by Prof. Anil Mehta
www.humanresourcesdevelopment.com
www.humanresourcesmanagement.com