HRM3704

Activity 001
1. Compile notes on the innovative approaches to HRM. (20)
Innovative approaches to HRM
 Self-managed work teams (see table ‘‘Reported successes of self-managed teams’’)
– ‘’no-gos’’ for self-management teams
– inter-organisational virtual organisation (characteristics)
– success factors for virtual team leaders (see table ‘‘Practices of effective virtual team leaders’’)
 Alternative workplace
– importance of virtual work
– alternative workplace options (also see appendices 1A and 1B of chapter 1)
– combination of different forms of the alternative workplace (see table ‘‘One company, two
telecommuting arrangements’’)
 e-HRM
– stage I: information publishing –
stage II: database inquiry
– stage III: simple HR transactions
– stage IV: complex HR transactions
– stage V: HR workflow over the web
 talent management
– building blocks of talent
– roles played by HRM department and HR professional
– best practices (also see figure ‘‘The elements of talent management’’)

2. Discuss the different paradigms related to the contribution of HRM to company performance. (12)

3. Discuss qualities of successful and unsuccessful leaders. (14)
 Successful leader
o Balance concern for task efficiency, human relations and adaptive change
 Coaches employees on how to meet expectations
 Gets things done without creating adversarial relationships
o Develop intrapersonal and interpersonal competence
 Does an honest self-assessment
 Quickly gains trust and respect from customers
o Engage in transformational and charismatic behaviours
 Rewards hard work and dedication to excellence
 Gains commitment of others before implementing changes
o Think and act in more complex ways
 Understands higher management values and how they see things
 Recognises that every decision has conflicting interests and constituencies

, o Overcome deficiencies that limit success
 Does not blame others or situations for their own mistakes
 Does not become paralysed or overwhelmed when facing action
o Seek a wide variety of leadership experiences
 Accepts change as positive
 Is willing to make a lateral move to gain valuable experience
 Unsuccessful leader
o Balance concern for task efficiency, human relations and adaptive change
 Is unable to deal firmly with loyal but incompetent employees
 Hires people with good technical skills but poor ability to work with others
o Develop intrapersonal and interpersonal competence
 Is emotionally volatile and unpredictable
 Overestimates own abilities
o Engage in transformational and charismatic behaviours
 Fails to encourage and involve team members
 Orders people around rather that working to get them on board
o Think and act in more complex ways
 Is overwhelmed by complex tasks
 Prefers to work on day to day problems rather than long term strategies
o Overcome deficiencies that limit success
 Select people for a team who do not work well together
 Is self-promoting without the results to support it
o Seek a wide variety of leadership experiences
 Resist learning from other bad decisions or mistakes
 Chooses an overly narrow career path




Activity 002
1. Compile notes on the group models of leadership (12)
The underlying purpose of these models is to empower others, not just managers. Therefore any
employee can perform leadership functions, whether a manger or someone much lower down in the
organisational hierarchy.
 Cross functional teams: includes employees from each of the functional sub-units. Allow flexible,
efficient deployment of personnel and resources to solve problems as these occur. As a result of
the different backgrounds they are usually creative in generating various ideas and also in
providing interesting solutions to problems. The negative aspects of this team are that it is not
always possible to get the members to participate sufficiently and time consuming meetings may
result. The possibility of role conflicts as a result of competing demands of team members.
 Self-managed teams: are normally responsible for producing a distinct product or service. They
are responsible for setting their own performance goals and quality standards. Internal

, leadership role of these teams involves management responsibilities assigned to the team and
shared by the group members. Group decisions about important issues can be made at any time
and members may also assume responsibility for providing coordinating and direction for specific
activities of the team.
 Executive teams: CEO shares power with the top management executive team. The advantage of
this approach is that team members can compensate for weaknesses in the skills of the CEO. The
advantages include the generation of more ideas, increased ownership of products, increased
commitment and motivation, a wide range of views and perspectives. The quality of the team at
executive level is critical because of the team’s leadership role as a model of appropriate
behaviour. To lead the organisation successfully it must perform at least four leadership activities
successfully. Governance-determining and monitoring the company identity and mission.
Developing strategy- and choosing the best one are vital for the retention of the company’s
sustained competitive advantage. Leading strategic change teams-these teams are responsible
for driving critical business priorities and initiatives by means of generating innovative solutions
for tough issues that strongly affect the organisations future position in the market place.
Creating a high performance operating environment-that will support the successful
implementation of the business strategy.

2. Compile notes on the organisational models of leadership. (28)
 Transactional-based approach
o Leaders characterised by contingent-reward and management-by-exception styles of
leadership
o Lasts only as long as needs of both leader and follower satisfied by continuing change
process
o No relationship that binds leader and follower together in mutual/continuing pursuit of
higher purpose
 Transformational-based approach
o Raises both leaders and followers to higher levels of motivation and morality with view to
changing present situation by focusing on external environment
o Four behavioural components:
 Charisma – process through which leader arouse strong emotions in followers
 Inspiration – behaviours such as articulating appealing vision
 Intellectual stimulation – encourages followers to be creative in solving problems
 Individual consideration – expressing appreciation for job well done
 Charismatic-based approach
o Keep followers weak and dependent
o Instil personal loyalty rather than commitment to ideals
o Non-business organisations such as religious or political movements
 Managerial-based approach
o Combination of transactional and traditional approaches with situational sensitivity