Human Resource Management (case study) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Human Resource Management (case study) - Essay Example Moreover, the furniture will be standardized and customer’s requirements will not be met because it can probably increase the cost. However, the company is not in a position to cope up with any unplanned change because it can’t afford any changes in the production process and the design of product due to the excessive cost of implementing the changes. Question 2: Based on your evaluation of the strategy approached by each organization what would be the most likely HR strategy? Answer: The working conditions and job descriptions will be fixed and rigid. The job descriptions will cover clearly defined tasks and responsibilities with no room for flexibility. The job duties will give little or no room for career progression to the employees because the tasks will require specialization in one specific area and the employees will not be able to learn new skills and abilities. The chances for training and development are extremely limited because the furniture is manufactured on basic standards which don’t require updating the skills. As a result, the performance appraisal will be done on efficiency and effectiveness of the employees. In other words, the employees will be evaluated on the quantity of items produced irrespective of quality. The wages of front line employees will be based on number of items produced each hour and bonus/rewards can be expected on overproduction. The salary structure of the employees will be competitive and company will pay at/below the industry standards. Efforts will be made to recruit cheap labors and the jobs of highly paid workers will be unsecured so that cost can be minimized and the supervisors will ensure that labor productivity is enhanced and employees don’t sit idle. Overall, a short term profit making approach is adopted. Question 3: Is this approach of linking Porter’s competitive strategy to HR strategy has its limitations? Evaluate what you consider these limitations can be. Answer: the porter’s competitive strategy is very generic and its approach is very limited and narrow. Porter says that the company should follow only one strategy at a time so that it doesn’t lose focus. On one hand, Benchill & Sons uses tight cost control to reduce prices but on the other hand, it needs to change its policies with the changing trends in the market and the economy. For e.g. the company can go for technological advancement or may be it can purchase raw materials form cheap countries like china or India, in order to reduce cost. However, this approach is very practical for non-profit organizations because their sources are limited but for benevolent owners this approach is not good for the reputation of the company. On the other hand, for profit making companies, the background of entrepreneur, the nature of industry, competitors, buying patterns of customers, technology and minimum standards set by ISO are important factors to consider before adopting any competit ive strategy. The best employment practice is to ensure better utilization of resources while not exploiting the workers, maintaining a fair quality standard and using relationship marketing approach to ensure repeat sales in order to beat the competitors. SPEKE FURNISHINGS Question 1: evaluate which of the Porter’

Cross cultural management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Cross cultural management - Assignment Example It is Mr. A’s first experience of staying away from his hometown (India). Following presents the interview findings (see appendix-I for the interview questions) along with the quotes from the interviewee to present his views on his experiences of staying and working in a culture different from his hometown. When the interviewee was asked to share his experience from leaving his hometown to his very first assignment in Singapore he told the interviewer that â€Å"leaving home and going to a completely new place was not an easy job especially when I have never been to any new country†. Mr. A highlighted that going as a visitor and going as an employee are two completely different things. In the words of Mr. A â€Å"it was a sort of cultural shock which was aggravated due to high expectations of the employer leaving lesser time for adjustment; I was expected to get to work immediately and produce results which was not an easy task as I was still in the phase of understanding my surroundings and adjusting to it.† Mr. A told the interviewer that his first assignment was to close a deal with a client and he found it very difficult to set the meeting and meet the client in person. Mr. A says â€Å"though I have good product knowledge and prior experience of selling goods and cl osing deals in India but meeting the person of a new culture and convincing him to use the services of our company is something needs experience of selling in the same culture.† Then the interviewer asked Mr. A how he has prepared for the immersion in a new culture to which Mr. A replied â€Å"I have learned about the culture of Singapore from the internet sites and a few friends of mine who have been to Singapore but experiencing a culture in person is totally a new experience.† Continuing the conversation the interviewer asked Mr. A about his feelings upon knowing that he will be going to Singapore and about his first few days in