LRM3702 Assignment 3
(100% COMPLETE
ANSWERS) Semester 1 2025
- DUE 29 April 2025
NO PLAGIARISM
[Pick the date]
[Type the company name]
,The South African Retail Network (SARN) The South African Retail Network
(SARN), a prominent company in the retail sector, operates several outlets
across the country. Over the years, SARN has been committed to offering
competitive wages and benefits to its employees, alongside maintaining a
reputation for excellent customer service. However, recently, tensions have
begun to rise between SARN’s management and the Retail and Allied
Workers' Union (RAWU), which represents a significant portion of SARN's
workforce. The conflict began when SARN, following a period of solid
profitability, proposed a modest wage increase for its employees. John Smith,
Head of Human Resources at SARN, communicated to the union via email
that, given the economic conditions, the wage increase was reasonable and
in line with industry standards. The company also pointed out that the
increase was part of a broader strategy to ensure long-term financial
sustainability. However, Thuli Nkosi, President of RAWU, rejected the
proposal. Instead of responding via email, Thuli chose to call John directly,
expressing her disagreement with the offer. During the call, she argued that
the wage increase was insufficient, and she asserted that SARN, with its
profitability, could afford to offer more. Thuli’s tone was firm, emphasising
that the workers’ contribution to the company’s success deserved better
recognition. She communicated that the union would not accept the current
terms and would escalate the matter if necessary. As negotiations continued,
no agreement was reached, and the dispute started to affect the morale and
work environment within SARN’s stores. As tensions escalated, RAWU
formally referred the dispute to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation,
and Arbitration (CCMA) in an attempt to resolve the issues. However, despite
this referral, the union failed to attend several conciliation sessions and
instead encouraged its members to demonstrate their commitment to the
cause by taking action. Some senior members of RAWU even argued that the
CCMA process would only delay a resolution. After about a week of
unsuccessful conciliation attempts, RAWU members decided to go on strike
without providing any prior notice to SARN. Over the following weeks, several
incidents occurred at various SARN stores, including disruptive protests,
blocked entrances, and property damage. As the situation became more
volatile, RAWU announced it would escalate its actions unless SARN agreed
to the union’s demands. This strike impacted multiple SARN locations
nationwide, significantly affecting operations and customer service. The
situation worsened when SARN’s management, faced with ongoing
disruptions and financial losses, began to explore other potential measures
to mitigate the impact on the business, including the possibility of
retrenchments. The company’s financial position was deteriorating due to
the ongoing unrest, and it became clear that drastic decisions might be
necessary to preserve the company’s viability. QUESTION 1 1.1 Explain the
components of the communication process between SARN and RAWU at the
, beginning of the wage negotiations. Consider how both SARN’s management
and RAWU conveyed their positions. (6)
The communication process between SARN and RAWU at the beginning of the wage
negotiations can be broken down into the following components:
1. Sender:
o SARN's Management (John Smith): The sender from SARN was John Smith,
the Head of Human Resources, who communicated the company's position on the
wage increase. He was responsible for conveying the wage proposal to RAWU.
o RAWU (Thuli Nkosi): The sender from RAWU was Thuli Nkosi, the President
of the union, who communicated the union's stance regarding the wage proposal.
2. Message:
o SARN's Message: SARN’s message was an email outlining a modest wage
increase, which they argued was reasonable and in line with industry standards.
They justified the proposal as part of a broader strategy to ensure long-term
financial sustainability.
o RAWU’s Message: Thuli Nkosi, through a phone call, rejected SARN’s
proposal. She argued that the wage increase was insufficient, emphasizing that
SARN’s profitability indicated they could afford to provide more to employees.
She expressed the union's dissatisfaction with the offer and made it clear that
further escalation could occur.
3. Medium:
o SARN’s Medium: The medium used by SARN for the initial communication was
email. This was a formal and written method, allowing for a clear record of their
position on the wage increase.
o RAWU’s Medium: Thuli Nkosi chose a direct phone call as the medium to
respond to the proposal. This method is more personal and immediate, which
allowed for a more emotional and direct exchange of views.
4. Receiver:
o SARN's Receiver: The receiver of RAWU's message was John Smith, who
received Thuli Nkosi’s call and listened to her concerns about the wage offer.
o RAWU's Receiver: The receiver of SARN's message was Thuli Nkosi, who
evaluated the wage increase proposal and disagreed with its terms.
5. Feedback:
o SARN's Feedback: SARN did not receive immediate feedback after the email
but received a direct response from Thuli via a phone call, where she voiced her
disagreement and dissatisfaction with the offer.
o RAWU’s Feedback: Thuli Nkosi’s feedback was assertive and direct, rejecting
the wage increase and expressing the union’s dissatisfaction. She also conveyed
that the union would escalate the issue if the proposal was not improved.
6. Context:
o The context of the communication was a wage negotiation between SARN and
the union representing its employees. There were underlying tensions about the
adequacy of the proposed wage increase, especially considering SARN's
profitability. The broader economic context of financial sustainability and the
(100% COMPLETE
ANSWERS) Semester 1 2025
- DUE 29 April 2025
NO PLAGIARISM
[Pick the date]
[Type the company name]
,The South African Retail Network (SARN) The South African Retail Network
(SARN), a prominent company in the retail sector, operates several outlets
across the country. Over the years, SARN has been committed to offering
competitive wages and benefits to its employees, alongside maintaining a
reputation for excellent customer service. However, recently, tensions have
begun to rise between SARN’s management and the Retail and Allied
Workers' Union (RAWU), which represents a significant portion of SARN's
workforce. The conflict began when SARN, following a period of solid
profitability, proposed a modest wage increase for its employees. John Smith,
Head of Human Resources at SARN, communicated to the union via email
that, given the economic conditions, the wage increase was reasonable and
in line with industry standards. The company also pointed out that the
increase was part of a broader strategy to ensure long-term financial
sustainability. However, Thuli Nkosi, President of RAWU, rejected the
proposal. Instead of responding via email, Thuli chose to call John directly,
expressing her disagreement with the offer. During the call, she argued that
the wage increase was insufficient, and she asserted that SARN, with its
profitability, could afford to offer more. Thuli’s tone was firm, emphasising
that the workers’ contribution to the company’s success deserved better
recognition. She communicated that the union would not accept the current
terms and would escalate the matter if necessary. As negotiations continued,
no agreement was reached, and the dispute started to affect the morale and
work environment within SARN’s stores. As tensions escalated, RAWU
formally referred the dispute to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation,
and Arbitration (CCMA) in an attempt to resolve the issues. However, despite
this referral, the union failed to attend several conciliation sessions and
instead encouraged its members to demonstrate their commitment to the
cause by taking action. Some senior members of RAWU even argued that the
CCMA process would only delay a resolution. After about a week of
unsuccessful conciliation attempts, RAWU members decided to go on strike
without providing any prior notice to SARN. Over the following weeks, several
incidents occurred at various SARN stores, including disruptive protests,
blocked entrances, and property damage. As the situation became more
volatile, RAWU announced it would escalate its actions unless SARN agreed
to the union’s demands. This strike impacted multiple SARN locations
nationwide, significantly affecting operations and customer service. The
situation worsened when SARN’s management, faced with ongoing
disruptions and financial losses, began to explore other potential measures
to mitigate the impact on the business, including the possibility of
retrenchments. The company’s financial position was deteriorating due to
the ongoing unrest, and it became clear that drastic decisions might be
necessary to preserve the company’s viability. QUESTION 1 1.1 Explain the
components of the communication process between SARN and RAWU at the
, beginning of the wage negotiations. Consider how both SARN’s management
and RAWU conveyed their positions. (6)
The communication process between SARN and RAWU at the beginning of the wage
negotiations can be broken down into the following components:
1. Sender:
o SARN's Management (John Smith): The sender from SARN was John Smith,
the Head of Human Resources, who communicated the company's position on the
wage increase. He was responsible for conveying the wage proposal to RAWU.
o RAWU (Thuli Nkosi): The sender from RAWU was Thuli Nkosi, the President
of the union, who communicated the union's stance regarding the wage proposal.
2. Message:
o SARN's Message: SARN’s message was an email outlining a modest wage
increase, which they argued was reasonable and in line with industry standards.
They justified the proposal as part of a broader strategy to ensure long-term
financial sustainability.
o RAWU’s Message: Thuli Nkosi, through a phone call, rejected SARN’s
proposal. She argued that the wage increase was insufficient, emphasizing that
SARN’s profitability indicated they could afford to provide more to employees.
She expressed the union's dissatisfaction with the offer and made it clear that
further escalation could occur.
3. Medium:
o SARN’s Medium: The medium used by SARN for the initial communication was
email. This was a formal and written method, allowing for a clear record of their
position on the wage increase.
o RAWU’s Medium: Thuli Nkosi chose a direct phone call as the medium to
respond to the proposal. This method is more personal and immediate, which
allowed for a more emotional and direct exchange of views.
4. Receiver:
o SARN's Receiver: The receiver of RAWU's message was John Smith, who
received Thuli Nkosi’s call and listened to her concerns about the wage offer.
o RAWU's Receiver: The receiver of SARN's message was Thuli Nkosi, who
evaluated the wage increase proposal and disagreed with its terms.
5. Feedback:
o SARN's Feedback: SARN did not receive immediate feedback after the email
but received a direct response from Thuli via a phone call, where she voiced her
disagreement and dissatisfaction with the offer.
o RAWU’s Feedback: Thuli Nkosi’s feedback was assertive and direct, rejecting
the wage increase and expressing the union’s dissatisfaction. She also conveyed
that the union would escalate the issue if the proposal was not improved.
6. Context:
o The context of the communication was a wage negotiation between SARN and
the union representing its employees. There were underlying tensions about the
adequacy of the proposed wage increase, especially considering SARN's
profitability. The broader economic context of financial sustainability and the
