Human Resource Management Question Answer Bank MBA-203
Q.1 What is Human Resource Management
Human Resource Management is a process, which consists of four main activities,
namely, acquisition, development, motivation, as well as maintenance of human
resources.
Scott, Clothier and Spriegel have defined Human Resource Management as that
branch of management which is responsible on a staff basis for concentrating on
those aspects of operations which are primarily concerned with the relationship of
management to employees and employees to employees and with the development of
the individual and the group.
Human Resource Management is responsible for maintaining good human
relations in the organization. It is also concerned with development of individuals and
achieving integration of goals of the organization and those of the individuals.
French Wendell, defines ―Human resource management as the recruitment,
selection, development, utilization, compensation and motivation of human resources
by the organization‖.
According to Edwin B. Flippo, ―Human resource management is the planning,
organizing, directing and controlling of the procurement, development, resources to
the end that individual and societal objectives are accomplished‖. This definition
reveals that human resource (HR) management is that aspect of management, which
deals with the planning, organizing, directing and controlling the personnel functions
of the enterprise.
Q.2 What is the nature of Human Resource Management?
The emergence of human resource management can be attributed to the writings
of the human relation thinkers who attached great significance to the human factor.
Lawrence Appley remarked,
the personnel department in discharging this responsibility.
The nature of the human resource management has been highlighted in its
following features :
1. Inherent Part of Management : Human resource management is inherent
in the process of management. This function is performed by all the managers
throughout the organization rather that by the personnel department only. If a
,manager is to get the best of his people, he must undertake the basic responsibility of
selecting people who will work under him.
2. Pervasive Function : Human Resource Management is a pervasive function of
management. It is performed by all managers at various levels in the organization. It
is not a responsibility that a manager can leave completely to someone else. However,
he may secure advice and help in managing people from experts who have special
competence in personnel management and industrial relations.
3. Basic to all Functional Areas : Human Resource Management permeates
all the functional area of management such as production management, financial
management, and marketing management. That is every manager from top to bottom,
working in any department has to perform the personnel functions.
4. People Centered : Human Resource Management is people centered and is
relevant in all types of organizations. It is concerned with all categories of personnel
from top to the bottom of the organization. The broad classification of personnel in an
industrial enterprise may be as follows : (i) Blue-collar workers (i.e. those working on
machines and engaged in loading, unloading etc.) and white-collar workers (i.e.
clerical employees), (ii) Managerial and non-managerial personnel, (iii) Professionals
(such as Chartered Accountant, Company Secretary, Lawyer, etc.) and non-
professional personnel.
5. Personnel Activities or Functions : Human Resource Management involves
several functions concerned with the management of people at work. It includes
manpower planning, employment, placement, training, appraisal and compensation of
employees. For the performance of these activities efficiently, a separate department
known as Personnel Department is created in most of the organizations.
6. Continuous Process : Human Resource Management is not a ‗one shot‘
function. It must be performed continuously if the organizational objectives are to be
achieved smoothly.
7. Based on Human Relations : Human Resource Management is concerned
with the motivation of human resources in the organization. The human beings can‘t
be dealt with like physical factors of production. Every person has different needs,
perceptions and expectations. The managers should give due attention to these
factors. They require human relations skills to deal with the people at work. Human
relations skills are also required in training performance appraisal, transfer and
promotion of subordinates.
Personnel Management VS Human Resource Management :
Contemporary Human Resource Management, as a part and parcel of
management function, underscores strategic approach to management in areas of
acquisition, motivation, and management of people at work.
, Q. 3 What are the objectives of HRM?
According to Scott, Clothier and Spriegal, ―The objectives of
Human Resource Management, in an organization, is to obtain maximum individual
development, desirable working relationships between employers and employees and
employees and employees, and to affect the moulding of human resources as
contrasted with physical resources‖.
The basic objective of human resource management is to contribute to the
realisation of the organizational goals. However, the specific objectives of human
resource management are as follows :
(i) To ensure effective utilisation of human resources, all other organizational
resources will be efficiently utilised by the human resources.
(ii) To establish and maintain an adequate organizational structure of relationship
among all the members of an organization by dividing of organization tasks into
functions, positions and jobs, and by defining clearly the responsibility,
accountability, authority for each job and its relation with other jobs in the
organization.
(iii) To generate maximum development of human resources within the organization
by offering opportunities for advancement to employees through training and
education.
(iv) To ensure respect for human beings by providing various services and welfare
facilities to the personnel.
(v) To ensure reconciliation of individual/group goals with those of the organization
in such a manner that the personnel feel a sense of commitment and loyalty
towards it.
(vi) To identify and satisfy the needs of individuals by offering various monetary and
non-monetary rewards.
In order to achieve the above objectives, human resource management undertakes the
following activities :
(i) Human Resource Planning, i.e., determining the number and kinds of personnel
required to fill various positions in the organization.
(ii) Recruitment, selection and placement of personnel, i.e., employment function.
(iii) Training and development of employees for their efficient performance and
growth.
(iv) Appraisal of performance of employees and taking corrective steps such as
transfer from one job to another.
(v) Motivation of workforce by providing financial incentives and avenues of
promotion.
(vi) Remuneration of employees. The employees must be given sufficient wages and
fringe benefits to achieve higher standard of living and to motivate them to show
higher productivity.
Q.1 What is Human Resource Management
Human Resource Management is a process, which consists of four main activities,
namely, acquisition, development, motivation, as well as maintenance of human
resources.
Scott, Clothier and Spriegel have defined Human Resource Management as that
branch of management which is responsible on a staff basis for concentrating on
those aspects of operations which are primarily concerned with the relationship of
management to employees and employees to employees and with the development of
the individual and the group.
Human Resource Management is responsible for maintaining good human
relations in the organization. It is also concerned with development of individuals and
achieving integration of goals of the organization and those of the individuals.
French Wendell, defines ―Human resource management as the recruitment,
selection, development, utilization, compensation and motivation of human resources
by the organization‖.
According to Edwin B. Flippo, ―Human resource management is the planning,
organizing, directing and controlling of the procurement, development, resources to
the end that individual and societal objectives are accomplished‖. This definition
reveals that human resource (HR) management is that aspect of management, which
deals with the planning, organizing, directing and controlling the personnel functions
of the enterprise.
Q.2 What is the nature of Human Resource Management?
The emergence of human resource management can be attributed to the writings
of the human relation thinkers who attached great significance to the human factor.
Lawrence Appley remarked,
the personnel department in discharging this responsibility.
The nature of the human resource management has been highlighted in its
following features :
1. Inherent Part of Management : Human resource management is inherent
in the process of management. This function is performed by all the managers
throughout the organization rather that by the personnel department only. If a
,manager is to get the best of his people, he must undertake the basic responsibility of
selecting people who will work under him.
2. Pervasive Function : Human Resource Management is a pervasive function of
management. It is performed by all managers at various levels in the organization. It
is not a responsibility that a manager can leave completely to someone else. However,
he may secure advice and help in managing people from experts who have special
competence in personnel management and industrial relations.
3. Basic to all Functional Areas : Human Resource Management permeates
all the functional area of management such as production management, financial
management, and marketing management. That is every manager from top to bottom,
working in any department has to perform the personnel functions.
4. People Centered : Human Resource Management is people centered and is
relevant in all types of organizations. It is concerned with all categories of personnel
from top to the bottom of the organization. The broad classification of personnel in an
industrial enterprise may be as follows : (i) Blue-collar workers (i.e. those working on
machines and engaged in loading, unloading etc.) and white-collar workers (i.e.
clerical employees), (ii) Managerial and non-managerial personnel, (iii) Professionals
(such as Chartered Accountant, Company Secretary, Lawyer, etc.) and non-
professional personnel.
5. Personnel Activities or Functions : Human Resource Management involves
several functions concerned with the management of people at work. It includes
manpower planning, employment, placement, training, appraisal and compensation of
employees. For the performance of these activities efficiently, a separate department
known as Personnel Department is created in most of the organizations.
6. Continuous Process : Human Resource Management is not a ‗one shot‘
function. It must be performed continuously if the organizational objectives are to be
achieved smoothly.
7. Based on Human Relations : Human Resource Management is concerned
with the motivation of human resources in the organization. The human beings can‘t
be dealt with like physical factors of production. Every person has different needs,
perceptions and expectations. The managers should give due attention to these
factors. They require human relations skills to deal with the people at work. Human
relations skills are also required in training performance appraisal, transfer and
promotion of subordinates.
Personnel Management VS Human Resource Management :
Contemporary Human Resource Management, as a part and parcel of
management function, underscores strategic approach to management in areas of
acquisition, motivation, and management of people at work.
, Q. 3 What are the objectives of HRM?
According to Scott, Clothier and Spriegal, ―The objectives of
Human Resource Management, in an organization, is to obtain maximum individual
development, desirable working relationships between employers and employees and
employees and employees, and to affect the moulding of human resources as
contrasted with physical resources‖.
The basic objective of human resource management is to contribute to the
realisation of the organizational goals. However, the specific objectives of human
resource management are as follows :
(i) To ensure effective utilisation of human resources, all other organizational
resources will be efficiently utilised by the human resources.
(ii) To establish and maintain an adequate organizational structure of relationship
among all the members of an organization by dividing of organization tasks into
functions, positions and jobs, and by defining clearly the responsibility,
accountability, authority for each job and its relation with other jobs in the
organization.
(iii) To generate maximum development of human resources within the organization
by offering opportunities for advancement to employees through training and
education.
(iv) To ensure respect for human beings by providing various services and welfare
facilities to the personnel.
(v) To ensure reconciliation of individual/group goals with those of the organization
in such a manner that the personnel feel a sense of commitment and loyalty
towards it.
(vi) To identify and satisfy the needs of individuals by offering various monetary and
non-monetary rewards.
In order to achieve the above objectives, human resource management undertakes the
following activities :
(i) Human Resource Planning, i.e., determining the number and kinds of personnel
required to fill various positions in the organization.
(ii) Recruitment, selection and placement of personnel, i.e., employment function.
(iii) Training and development of employees for their efficient performance and
growth.
(iv) Appraisal of performance of employees and taking corrective steps such as
transfer from one job to another.
(v) Motivation of workforce by providing financial incentives and avenues of
promotion.
(vi) Remuneration of employees. The employees must be given sufficient wages and
fringe benefits to achieve higher standard of living and to motivate them to show
higher productivity.
