Unit 2.1
What does HRM stand for?
Human Resource Management.
What is a chain of command?
The line of authority through which instructions are passed from top management down to employees.
What is the difference between management and leadership?
Management focuses on planning and organizing resources, while leadership focuses on inspiring and motivating people to achieve goals.
Who developed the Hierarchy of Needs theory?
Abraham Maslow.
What is the difference between formal and informal communication? Provide an example of each.
Formal Communication
Definition:
Formal communication follows the official lines of authority and structure within an organization. It is professional, documented, and typically used for business-related purposes.
Example:
An email from a department manager to their team announcing a new company policy or a written performance review.
Informal Communication
Definition:
Informal communication occurs outside the official organizational structure. It’s casual, spontaneous, and often social in nature — sometimes called the “grapevine.”
Example:
Coworkers chatting during lunch about how a new policy might affect their schedules or sharing feedback about a recent project in a group text.
Name one major function of Human Resource Management.
Recruitment, training, appraisal, dismissal, or ensuring compliance with employment laws.
What does span of control refer to?
The number of subordinates directly supervised by a manager.
What are the five main functions of management according to Henri Fayol?
Planning, organizing, commanding, coordinating, and controlling.
According to Maslow, what are the five levels of needs (from lowest to highest)?
Physiological, safety, social (love/belonging), esteem, and self-actualization.
What is "barriers to communication?"
the various impediments that prevent communication from happening when and how it should. Sometimes these barriers are linguistic. Sometime they are psychological. Sometimes they are structural (limited opportunities or windows to communicate).
What is Gig economy?
an economy where many positions are temporary and organizations hire independent workers for short-term commitments.
What does it mean if an organization is flat?
It has few levels of hierarchy and a wide span of control.
Define autocratic leadership.
A leadership style where the leader makes all decisions and expects subordinates to follow without question.
In Herzberg’s theory, what are the two types of factors that affect motivation?
Hygiene factors and motivators.
communication styles, conflicts in the workplace, cultural differences and language, dissatisfaction or disinterest with one's job, inability to listen to others, lack of transparency and trust.
What are three reasons for resistance to change in the workplace?
Discomfort, fear, insufficient reward, lack of job skills, loss of control, mistrust, poor communication, poor timing, prior experience, social support.
What is the difference between centralization and decentralization?
Centralization keeps decision-making at the top levels of management, while decentralization allows decisions to be made lower down the hierarchy.
Give one advantage of democratic leadership.
Improves motivation, encourages creativity, builds team morale, or increases job satisfaction.
What is the main idea of Taylor’s Scientific Management theory?
Workers are motivated primarily by money and productivity can be increased through standardization and efficiency.
Provide a reason why written communication can be effective.
Records of the message can be kept, written communication can be amended or revised.
What are two internal factors that may influence a firm’s HR plan?
Changes in business organization, changes in labour relations, changes in business strategy, changes in business finance.
What is delayering and why might a business choose to do it?
The removal of one or more levels of hierarchy to reduce costs, improve communication, and increase decision-making speed.
What is the main idea behind paternalistic leadership?
The leader acts like a father figure, making decisions in the best interests of employees while expecting loyalty and trust.
Give two examples of financial rewards and two examples of non-financial rewards.
Financial rewards: salary, time and piece rate wages, commission, profit-related pay, performance-related pay, share ownership schemes, and fringe payments.
Non-financial rewards: job enrichment, job rotation, job enlargement, empowerment, purpose, and teamwork.
What is the most appropriate method of communication in this situation? - A new product is launching globally in two months' time. It will be the first of its kind and you want it to sell well.
Press release, emails, blogs, social media.