Download PRINCIPLES OF HRM TUTORIAL QUESTIONS Critically discuss the

PRINCIPLES OF HRM TUTORIAL QUESTIONS
1. Critically discuss the view by Beardwell and Holden (2001), that “the employment relationship is
a socio-economic exchange process.” To what extent is it possible to balance the interest of the
parties to the employment relationship?
2. HRM appears torn between preaching the virtues of individualism and collectivism. Discuss
3. Describe in full the major shortcomings of the traditional personnel management (TPM)
approach. To what extent did TPM fail to address the challenges faced by Western Organisations
that led to the emergence of Human Resource Management in the 1970s?
4. Outline the key features and basic philosophy of the Model by John Storey (1989). Critically
assess the applicability of this model in addressing the problems that the Zimbabwean
organisations face in the management of workers and the possibility of gaining competitive
advantage through it.
5. Describe fully the concept of Strategic Integration. With the aid of practical examples, critically
demonstrate the business case for aligning the Human Resource Strategy to the overall business
strategy.
6. A climate of trust is a nonexistent ideology in the employment relationship. Discuss.
7. The birth of HRM is an indirect way of sidelining Trade Union and diluting union power. Discuss
with reference to the Zimbabwean context.
8. Using the model by David Guest (1987), critically demonstrate your understanding of Hard and
Soft Human Resource Management. To what extent does this model shoe that Human Resource
Management is not self-contradictory.
9. Discuss the view that, “A Group can be a Team but a team cannot be a Group”. What is the
relevance of each stage of the team building process to the success of the team?
10. Has HRM in Zimbabwe achieved its objectives of strategic integration, commitment and quality.
11. HRM appears to be there to sideline trade unions, discuss the statement supporting yourself
with models and HR initiatives in place.
12. Describe fully the Harvard model of Human Resource Management. To what extent is it
important to consider the interests of employee stakeholder?
13. “There is absolutely no organization that can guarantee quality to its customers without a
quality management approach of its human resource.” Discuss.
14. To what extent has HRM management to achieve its goals with reference to Zimbabwean
business?
15. HRM is a discipline with too many controversies. Discuss.
16. Analyse the evolution of HRM from 1960 to the present day.
17. “The assumption of high quality is a brainchild of flexible specialization and commitment”.
Discuss
18. How useful to Zimbabwean business is Friedman’s typology in managing the employment
relationship.
19. Discuss how the HRM concept has influenced the growth of Trade Unions.
20. “The name has changed but the game remained the same”. (Armstrong 2000). With reference
to the above quotation compare and contrast HRM and TPM.
21. Using John Storey’s (1989) model of HRM, critically demonstrate that HRM is in its own world in
terms of people management. To what extent can business gain competitive advantage through
applying this model?
22. Critically discuss the contribution of the Human Resource in modern day business.
23. What is team working? Discuss in detail the team building process and showing clearly the
impact of each stage.
24. Clearly discuss four ways of building worker commitment.
25. Describe fully the concept the “flexible firm” as according to Atkinson 1984. What is the
relevance of this concept in today’s business.
26. Compare and contrast the Harvard and the Michigan model of Human Resource Management.
Which model do you think is more appropriate for Zimbabwean Organizations and why?
27. Briefly discuss with aid of examples the any five of the following concepts:
(a) Strategic integration
(b) Utilitarian Instrumentalism
(c) Behavioral commitment.
(d) The Architecture stage.
(e) Soft human resource management.
(f) Flexible specialization.
(g) Socio-economic exchange.