What is the purpose and process of recruitment function? ANSWER -

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Human Resource Management

(i) There are three Sections A and B and C.
(ii) Attempt any three questions each from Section A and B. All questions carry 10 marks each.
(iii) Section C is compulsory for all and carries 40 marks.

SECTION A

1. Define and differentiate between Job Analysis, Job Description and Job Evaluation. Select an appropriate job evaluation method and create a plan for evaluating jobs of scientists in different grades.

2. Discuss the role of indoctrination in organizations. How can Performance Appraisal, and Training and Development be made an integral part of Human Resource Planning? Discuss.

3. Discuss the scope of Human Resource Audit. While auditing Reward systems for employees in a manufacturing organization, which factors should be taken into account and why? Explain with suitable examples.

4. Define and discuss the need for Human Resource Planning in an organization. Briefly discuss various approaches to HRP

5. Write short notes on any three of the following:
(a) Training methods
(b) Value determinants of HRP
(c) Human Resource accounting
(d) Labour Market Behavior
(e) Promotion and Reward Policies

SECTION B

1. Define and discuss the objectives of Human Resource Planning at organizational level. How does it help in determining and evaluating future organizational capabilities, needs and anticipated problems? Explain with suitable examples.

2. Define and describe Job Analysis. Briefly discuss several methods in which information about a job is collected and evaluated.

3. What is the purpose and process of recruitment function? Discuss various methods of sourcing manpower.

4. How is monetary value assigned to different dimensions of Human Resources costs, investments, and worth of the employees? Briefly explain Cost and Economic value approaches of measurement.

5. Write short notes on any three of the following :
(a) MBO
(b) Succession Planning
(c) Competency Mapping
(d) Job Evaluation
(e) H.R. Inventory

SECTION C

1. Quality control Department

Read the case given below and answer the questions given at the end.

Mr. Kapil Kumar and Mr. Abbas Ali were working in a scooter manufacturing public sector industry as Senior Quality Control Engineers in 1988. One post of Deputy Chief Quality Controller has fallen vacant due to the retirement of the incumbent and the management decided to recruit a qualified, knowledgeable and experienced professional from outside so that the present quality standard may be improved thus ensuring better marketability of their scooters in the face of stiff competition. Mr. Kapil Kumar, who was a mechanical engineer with about 15 years experience in the Quality Control Department dealing with mopeds and scooters, could have been promoted to fill the post on the basis of seniority. However, the management was looking for a graduate in statistics with experience in latest Quality Control (QC) techniques like statistical quality control, quality assurance and other related areas rather than a mechanical or automobile engineer with the routine experience in quality control. As such instead of promoting Kapil Kumar, the management advertised for the post of Deputy Chief Quality Controller - since as per company rules it was DR (Direct Recruitment) vacancy also.

Selection of Outsider

Out of the applications received in response to the advertisement, six candidates were called for interview including the two internal candidates, Mr. Kapil Kumar and Mr. Abbas Ali. The person selected was an outsider, one Mr. Ratnam, who had over 12 years experience SQC, quality assurance etc., in the two-wheeler private manufacturing industry. Mr. Ratnam joined within 2 months time expecting that in his new position he would be the main controller for quality. However, after joining the organization he came to know that he would be the second senior most person in the hierarchy for controlling the quality and would be reporting to one, Kirpal Sing,. The Chief for Quality Controls. Mr. Kirpal Singh had come up to this post by seniority and was basically a diploma holder in automobile engineering. He had to his credit about 28 years of industrial experience, out of which 20 years were spent in Quality Control Department of two industries. He joined the present organization in its Quality Control Department and had 17 years experience in the organization and was due for retirement within the next 2 or 3 years. On learning about the retirement time of Mr. Kirpal Singh, Mt. Ratnam had the consolation that he would be able to take up the position of 'Chief Controller of Quality' very soon.

Interference from Top

Ratnam could not put forth many good suggestions (for quality control) because of the interference and direct supervision of Kirpal Singh. He, however, could pick up a good deal of knowledge about the working of the company, the nature-and tendency of different production department heads particularly with regard to care for quality, organization for 'QC' in the company, the various components required for assembly of the company's two-wheeler scooter and the expected quality standards, drawback in the present system of quality controls. etc.

Right from the time the advertisement for the selection of Deputy Chief Quality Controller appeared, the O.A. (Officers Association) of the organization had been pressing the management to consider the case of Kapil Kumar for promotion to the above post based on his seniority in the organization.

Meanwhile, the management obtained a license in 1989 for producing Three-Wheeler Autos. As a result of this and the pressure from O.A., Ratnam was transferred to look after the Quality Control Department at the company's new Three-Wheeler plant, whereas Kapil Kumar was promoted as Deputy Chief Quality Controller in the present two-wheeler scooter plant in 1990 (after creating one additional post of Deputy Chief Quality Controller for the new Project).

In 1991, the State Government, which controlled the company in question, changed the Managing Director. During the regime of this new Managing Director, Kapil Kumar was promoted as Chief (Quality Controls) next year, when Kirpal Singh retired. This decision was based on the recommendations of Kirpal Singh and partly attributed to pressure from O.A., for further promotion of Kapil Kumar based on his vast experience in the Quality Control function of this industry. Abbas Ali rose to the position held earlier by Kapil Kumar.

Allotment of Company Quarters

The Company had its own township near the factory. Its quarter allotment scheme was based on the length of service, i.e., date of joining. Ratnam had asked for a suitable quarter at the time of interview and was thus allotted a tile quarter meant for the Senior Engineer's cadre. He learnt about this, after occupying the quarter. Ratnam asked for a change of Quarter - preferably a RCC-roof quarter, - but his request was turned down, since he had put in only few months of service whereas many others senior to him, on the beds of their longer length of service in the Company (having over 10 years service), were staying in tiled-roof quarters and were awaiting a chance for a RCC-roof quarter. Kapil Kumar and Abbas Ali were residing in RCC-roof quarters. Soon after Kapil Kumar's promotion to the post of Chief (Quality Controls), he was allotted a bungalow.

The management's decision in this case must be viewed in the context of the downtrend in the demand for scooters and three-wheeler autos during 1993 following complaints from dealers about the deteriorating quality of components as also their short life. Notably the complaints had risen ten-fold in that year as compared to that in 1988.

Questions

(a) Was the management justified in taking a decision to recruit a qualified and experienced person from outside as Deputy Chief Quality Controller?

(b) Was it in the interest of the organization to transfer Ratnam to the new auto-wheeler plant and promote Kapil Kumar? What could have prompted the management to take this decision?

(c) How do you view the role of O.A.s in supporting only the local and internal candidates and overlooking the interests of direct recruits even when they were family members of the Association, particularly at a time, when the industry needed professionally qualified persons to fill key technical posts?

(d) How would you react to the management's scheme for quarter allotment and why?

2. Pearl Engineering

Pearl Engineering Company was a large heavy-engineering unit. It attached great importance to the recruitment and training of its senior supervisors. Apart from selecting them from within the organization, the company recruited, every. Alternate year, about ten young engineering graduates and offered them training for a period of two years, before they were appointed as senior supervisors. Such appointments were made to about 40 per cent of the vacancies of senior supervisors that occurred in the organization. This was considered necessary by management as a planned programme of imparting vitality to the organization. Besides, many of the old-timers, who had risen from the ranks, did not possess the necessary academic background with the result that they could not keep pace with the technological changes. Management also believed that in the rapidly changing conditions of industry, a bank of technically competent supervisors played a pivotal role, besides serving as a pool from which to select future departmental managers.

Engineering Graduates were selected from amongst those who applied in response to an all-India advertisement. For the selection of one engineer, on an average, eight applicants were called for interview. A selection committee consisting of the General Manager, the Production Manager, the Personnel Manager and the Training Officer interviewed and selected the candidates. The selection interview was preceded by a written test and only those who secured 40 per cent marks qualified for interview.

The engineers thus selected had to undergo a two year intensive theoretical and practical training. A well-staffed and equipped Training Institute was directly responsible for the training of the graduate engineers, besides training trade apprentices and operatives required by the company. Lectures on theoretical subjects were given at the Training Institute and practical training was imparted in all the works departments under the guidance of qualified and experienced instructors. A few lectures by senior officers of the company were also arranged to acquaint them with the company policies on different matters. During the last quarter of their two-year training programme they were deputed to work fulltime to familiarize themselves with the conditions in departments where they were to be absorbed eventually.

On successful completion of training, the graduate engineers were offered appointments, depending on their performance and aptitude as revealed during training. On placement in the work departments, however, most of them faced some difficulty or the other.

According to management, some of the heads of departments, who were themselves not qualified engineers, did not have sufficient confidence in these younger men. They preferred the subordinates who came up from the ranks to hold positions of responsibility. A few discredited them saying that it would take years before these youngsters could pick up the job. Besides, some of the employees, whose promotional opportunities were adversely affected by the placement of graduate engineers, tried their best to run down the latter as a class, sometimes working on the group feelings of the workers. Some of the supervisors who were not graduate engineers also spoke derisively of them as "the blue-eyed boys" of the organization. Management knew that many of the graduate engineers were not utilized according to their capacity or training, nor was any attempt made to test or develop their potentialities. They also knew that many of the graduate engineers were, therefore, dissatisfied with their work life. Some of them who did not get equal promotional opportunities as their colleagues placed in other departments, were looking for better jobs elsewhere.

On the other hand, according to management, the young graduate engineers were themselves partly responsible for the hostile attitude of others in the organization. Some of them failed to appreciate that a newcomer invited hostility in the beginning and it took time before he was accepted as a member of the work-group. They did not realize that they would be fully productive only after gaining about five to seven years experience in the organization. A few thought that they belonged to a superior cadre and threw their weight around. They did not bother to understand and appreciate the problems of the rank-and-file of employees who worked under them.

In spite of these drawback, the General Manager of the company felt that these men were a set of disciplined supervisors. They had a sense of pride in their profession, and with the extensive training they had received, they would be able to take up any responsible position in the organization in course of time.

The General Manager could not allow the situation to continue especially when it was a difficult and costly process to recruit and train young engineering graduates of the requisite type and caliber. He knew that the prosperity of the company, to a large extent, depended on these young men. In addition, a large number of lucrative employment opportunities were available to these young engineers elsewhere and there was a systematic raid on them, He, therefore, called a meeting of all heads of departments to review the situation.

Questions:

(i) Identify the issues related to manpower planning as evident in the case.

(ii) Discuss the strategies to tackle the percentage of internal promotion at the organizational level.

(iii)What type of additional training programmes should be imparted for direct entrants?

(iv) Suppose you are the head of the personnel division. What would be your suggestions in the meeting - Which has been called by the General Manager?

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          MARKS : 80

                                                                                   COURSE: MBA

                                                                

SUB:  BUSINESS COMMUNICATION  

N. B. : All cases are Compulsory.

CASE NO. 1

How to Proofread like a Pro :

Tips for creating the Perfect Document

You’ve carefully revised and polished your document, and it’s been sent off to the word-processing department or a designer to be put into final form.  You can breathe a sigh of relief, but only for the moment : You’ll still be proofreading what comes out of the printer.  To ensure that any document is error-free, always proofread the final version.  Following are some hints to help make your proofreading more effective.

§  Multiple passes – Go through the document several times, focusing on a different aspect each time.  The first pass might be to look for omissions and errors in content; the second pass could be for layout, spacing, and other aesthetic features; a final pass might be to check for typographical, grammatical, and spelling errors.

§  Perceptual tricks – Your brain has been trained to ignore transposed letters, improper capitalization, and misplaced punctuation.  Try (1) reading each page from the bottom to the top (starting at the last word in each line,) (2) Placing your finger under each word and reading it silently,  (3) making a slit in a sheet of paper that reveals only one line of type at a time, and (4) reading the document aloud and pronouncing each word carefully.

§  Impartial reviews – Have a friend or colleague proofread the document for you.  Others are likely to catch mistakes that you continually fail to notice.  (All of us have blind spots when it comes to reviewing our own work)

§  Typos – Look for the most common typographical errors (typos): transposition (such as teb), substitution (such as economic), and omission (such as productivity)

§  Mechanics – When looking for errors in spelling, grammar, punctuation, and capitalization, if you’re unsure about something, look it up in a dictionary, a usage book, or another reference work.

§  Accuracy – Double –check the spelling of names and the accuracy of dates, addresses, and all numbers (quantities ordered, prices, and so on).  It would not do to order 500 staples when you want only 50.

§  Distance – If you have time, set the document aside and proofread it the next day.

§  Vigilance – Avoid reading large amounts of material in one sitting, and try not to proofread when you’re tired.

§  Focus – Concentrate on what you’re doing.  Try to block out distractions, and focus as completely as possible on your proofreading task.

§  Caution – Take your time.  Quick proofreading is not careful proofreading.

Proofreading may require patience, but it adds creditability to your document.

Career Applications :

1.     What qualities does a person need to be a good proofreader ? Are such qualities inborn, or can they be learned ?

2.     Proofread the following sentence :

        application of these methods in stores in San Deigo nd Cinncinati have resulted in a 30 drop in robberies an a 50 percent decling in violence there, according at the developers if the security system, Hanover brothrs, Inc.

CASE NO. 2

ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS ALL AROUND

THE WORLD

“He wouldn’t look me in the eye.  I found it disconcerting that he kept looking all over the room but rarely at me,” said Barbara Walters after her interview with Libya’s Colonel Muammar al-Qadhafi.  Like many people in the United States, Walters was associating eye contact with trustworthiness, so when Qadhafi withheld eye contact, she felt uncomfortable.  In fact Qadhafi was paying Walters a compliment.  In Libya, not looking conveys respect, and looking straight at a woman is considered nearly as serious as physical assault.

          Nonverbal communication varies widely between cultures, even between subcultures, and the differences strongly affect communication in the workplace.  Whether you’re trying to communicate with your new Asian American assistant, the Swedish managers who recently bought out your company, the African American college student who won a summer internship with your firm, or representatives from the French company you hope will buy your firm’s new designs, your efforts will depend as much on physical cues as on verbal ones.  Most Americans aren’t usually aware of their own nonverbal behavior, so they have trouble understanding the body language of people from other cultures.  The list of differences is endless.

§  In Thailand it’s rude to place your arm over the back of a chair in which another person is sitting.

§  Finnish female students are horrified by Arab girls who want to walk hand in hand with them.

§  Canadian listeners nod to signal agreement.

§  Japanese listeners nod to indicate only that they have understood.

§  British listeners stare at the speaker, blinking their eyes to indicate understanding.

§  People in the United States are taught that it’s impolite to stare.

§  Saudis accept foreigners in Western business attire but are offended by tight – fitting clothing and by short sleeves.

§  Spaniards indicate a receptive friendly handshake by clasping the other person’s forearm to form a double handshake.

§  Canadians consider touching any part of the arm above the hand intrusive, except in intimate relationships.

It may take years to adjust your nonverbal communication to other

cultures, but you can choose from many options to help you prepare.  Books and seminars on cultural differences are readily available, as are motion pictures showing a wide range of cultures.  You can always rent videos of films and TV shows from other countries.  Examining the illustrations in news and business magazines can give you an idea of expected business dress and personal space.  Finally, remaining flexible and interacting with people from other cultures who are visiting or living in your country will go a long way toward lowering the barriers presented by nonverbal communication.

Career Applications :

1.     Explain how watching a movie from another country might help you prepare to interpret nonverbal behavior from that culture correctly.

2.     One of your co-workers is originally from Saudi Arabia. You like him, and the two of you work well together.  However, he stands so close when you speak with him that it makes you very uncomfortable. Do you tell him of your discomfort, or do you try to cover it up ?

CASE NO. 3

MASTERING THE ART OF CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM

To become better writers, people need to be evaluated, but taking criticism

from others is often difficult.  The way you tell someone  “ You did it wrong” can destroy goodwill and cooperation, or it can build the relationship and help the person learn from the mistake, improve performance, and retain self-esteem.  To criticize more constructively, follow these suggestions :

§  Get all the facts first : Don’t accept hearsay or rumors.

Find out specifically who did or said what, when, where, why, and how

§  Don’t act in haste : Never act while you’re angry.  Think things out before you write or speak, and then explain your criticism calmly, rationally, and objectively.

§  Phrase your remarks impersonally : Criticize the mistake, not the person.  Focus your remarks on the action only, and analyze it thoughtfully.

§  Never criticize in an offhand manner : Treat the situation seriously.  Take the time to state the problem in detail, explaining what was wrong and why.

§  Avoid an abusive tone : Ridiculing someone, talking down to a person, or using sarcasm prevents people from accepting what you have to say.

§  Make the offense clear : Don’t talk in generalities.  Be specific about exactly what was done wrong.

§  Preface the criticism with a kind word or a compliment : Start with a few words of praise or admiration, saying how much you value the person.  First the good news, then the bad.

§  Supply the answer : Explain how to do things right.  Don’t dwell on the mistake, emphasize how to correct it and how to avoid repeating it.

§  Ask for cooperation : Don’t demand cooperation.  Asking makes the person feel like a team member and provides an incentive to improve.

§  Limit yourself to one criticism for each offense : Don’t dredge up or rehash past mistakes.  Focus on the current problem.

§  End on a friendly note : Don’t conclude by leaving things up in the air, to be discussed again latter.  Settle them now, and make the close friendly.  Give the other person a pat on the back.  Let the last memory of the matter be a good one. 

§  Forgive and forget : Once the criticism has been made, let the person start with a clean slate.  Avoid looking for more mistakes, and give the person a chance to improve.

§  Take steps to prevent a recurrence : Follow up to make sure the person is acting on your suggestions and doing things right.

If you follow these guidelines, constructive criticism can benefit you, your company, and – most important – the person you’re criticizing.

Career Applications :

1.     Think back over the lessons you’ve learned in life.  How did you benefit from some one telling you the truth about something you were doing wrong ?

2.     With a partner, role-play a situation in which one of you is the boss and the other an employee.  The boss is angry because the employee repeatedly arrives late for work, takes long lunches, and leaves 5 to 10 minutes early.  However, the employee’s work is always excellent.  After the role-play, analyze what the boss did right and what could be improved.

CASE NO. 4

WHAT YOU MAY LEGALLY SAY IN A SALES LETTER

As you prepare to write your sales letter, think carefully about your choice

of words.  False or misleading statements could land you in court, so make sure your language complies with legal and ethical standards.  To keep your sales letters within the limits of the law, review the legal considerations of these typical sales phrases :

§  “Our product is the best on the market.” – This statement is acceptable for a sales letter because the law permits you to express an opinion about your product.  In the process of merchandising a product, statements of opinion are known as “puffery,” which is perfectly legal as long as you make no deceptive or fraudulent claims.

§  “Our product will serve you well for many years to come.” This statement from a sales brochure triggered a lawsuit by a disgruntled customer who claimed the manufacturer’s product lasted only a few years.  The courts ruled that the statement was an acceptable form of puffery because the manufacturer did not promise that the product would last for a specific number of years.

§  “We’re so confident you’ll enjoy our products that we’ve enclosed a sample of our most popular line.  This sample can be yours for only $5.00!  Please send your payment in the enclosed, prepaid envelope.”  If you include a product sample with your sales letter, your readers may keep the merchandise without paying for it.  Under the law, consumers may consider unordered goods as gifts.  They are not obligated to return the items to you or submit payments for unsolicited merchandise

§  “Thousands of high school students – just like you – are already enjoying this fantastic CD collection ! Order before March 1 and save !” If your sales letter appeals to minors, you are legally obligated to honour their contracts.  At the same time, however, the law permits minors to cancel their contracts and return the merchandise to you.  Sellers are legally obligated to accept contracts voided by minors and any goods returned by them.  Legal adult status is defined differently from state to state, ranging from age 18 to age 21.

§  “You’ll find hundreds of bargains at our annual scratch and dent’ sale!  All sales are final on merchandise marked as is.”  When you use the term as is in your sales letter, you are not misleading customers about the quality of your products.  By warning consumers that the condition of sales items is less than perfect, you are not legally obligated to issue refunds to customers who complain about defects later on.

Career Applications :

1.     Review two sales letters for content.  List the “Puffery” statements in each letter.

2.     Note any statements in these sales letters that appear questionable to you.  Rewrite one of the statements, carefully choosing words that won’t be misleading to consumers. 

CASE NO. 5

MINDING YOUR BUSINESS WITH ONLINE REPORTING

Mrs. Fields uses them.  Mrs. Paul’s uses them.  However, you don’t have to be in the cookie or fish business to work with electronic reports.  More and more companies are adopting electronic reports over hard-copy reports to keep employees, managers, investors, and other stakeholders informed.

          Computerized cash registers in Mrs. Fields cookie outlets are the heart of a sophisticated reporting system for monitoring and controlling operations.  Rather than taking the time to write reports by hand, store managers enter data into the computer system by following report formats on their screen. Then they electronically transmit these reports to corporate headquarters in Park City, Utah.  The computer system also serves as a two-way communication device, allowing store and corporate personnel to send messages back and forth in seconds.  So Mrs. Fields corporate managers can quickly receive the information they need in order to track sales and productivity trends – and to spot potential problems – in more than 700 outlets around the world.

          At Mrs. Paul’s a computerized reporting system allows production managers to continuously monitor and control the yield from the company’s fish – processing operation.  The system calculates the production yield using the weight of the fish before it’s processed, the weight if abt scraosm and the weight of the finished fish meals.  If the reports show that the actual yield drops below the expected yield, the managers can immediately adjust the equipment to improve the yield.  The production managers have instant access to electronic reports at each stage of the operation, so they can find and fix problems more quickly than if they had to wait for printed reports.

          FedEx, the well-known package-shipping firm, uses extensive satellite and computer technologies to track the location of every package in the company’s system.  Customers can then access electronic reports to monitor the status of their shipments at any time. This tracking system not only helps the company serve its customers better, but it puts valuable information in the hands of customers with a click of the mouse. Like many companies, FedEx posts an electronic copy of its annual report and other corporate informational reports at its website.

          As Mrs. Fields, Mrs. Pauls, FedEx, and other companies know, keeping customers, employees, investors, and other stakeholders informed with electronic reports is the only way to do business in the global workplace.

Career Applications

1.     What advantages and disadvantages do you see in asking store managers at Mrs. Fields to file electronic troubleshooting reports immediately on the company’s intranet ?

2.     What kinds of electronic reports might a company want to post on its website ? 

What were the reasons for the sinking of the vessels? ANSWER -

  ISMS ANSWER SHEETS PROVIDED.  MBA EMBA BMS DMS ANSWERS PROVIDED.  DR. PRASANTH MBA PH.D. MOBILE / WHATSAPP: +91 9924764558 OR +91 9447965521 EMAIL: prasanththampi1975@gmail.com WEBSITE: www.casestudyandprojectreports.com

Masters Program in Business Administration (MBA)

Note :- Solve any 4 case study

           All case carries equal marks

CASE I

NAVEEN FISHERIES  LTD.

The managing director of Naveen Fisheries Ltd. (NFL) received a message from one of the members of the crew that their mechanized boats had sunk at sea off Paradeep Port Trust due to unfavorable weather. The other directors of NFL ascertained the detailed information regarding the incident. All the promoters were fresh graduates.

Naveem, Praveen, Nagain, Ravi and Chandra were the promoters of the organization (NFL at Vishakhapattanam) with a capital contribution of Rs. 25 lakh each. Three of them had an engineering background. The other two were commerce graduates. They had thought of designing the vessels themselves so that the cost each mechanized boat would be reduced from Rs. 30 lakhs (if they bought them) to Rs. 22 Lakh. They designed three boats and these were sent out with a newly – appointed crew. Two vessels were sent to Paradeep and the third to Kakinada. Unfortunately, the weather was unfavourable. All the vessels sank. The crew also did not have experience. Two workers were injured and the rest arrived sagely. There was significant damage to the vessels and the residue was considered scrap. The cost of scrap of the vessels was nominal. As their working capital was scarce, and they were unable to invest more capital, they were in a dilemma whether to continue the business or not.

Case I Questions:

1.    What were the reasons for the sinking of the vessels?

2.    How could they reorganize the businesses?

CASE II

MNC CORPORATION

At MNC Corporation, a foreman of inspection noticed a mistake in the assembly of transmitter cases. The foreman, a shy man when speaking to his immediate superiors, mentioned this matter to the senior supervisor in a weak, ineffectual manner. The senior supervisor nodded his head and continued to work on a report that he was writing. Later, a production slowdown occurred, and it was discovered that this flaw in the transmitter was the cause. The chief of production engineering, upset because this error had passed inspection unnoticed, reproved the senior supervisor in a brusque manner.

The senior supervisor called in the foreman of inspection and asked why this error had not been brought to his attention. The foreman said, “I told you the other day they were missing same of the punch-outs in those transmitter cases.” The senior supervisor said, “Yes, but you did not pound the desk when you told me!”

Case II Questions:

1.    Why did the communication problem arise?

2.    What do you suggest to prevent the communication problem?

CASE III

MEHTA BANK LTD

Venkataraman was an officer in a leading nationalized bank with years of service to his credit. During his long period of service, he worked in different capacities and sections. His attitude and behavior made him a trusted in the organization. Having been posted in a big branch based in a large city, he was not keen on getting further promotions.

On one occasion, when he was working as an incharge of the draft issue section, he issued bundles of drawing books from the main stock of the security forms of the branch and kept the same in his custody in an almirah provided to him. One fine morning, he removed three drawing books out of the stock of books valued below Rs. 10,000 which he had in his own custody and kept them in his house. He then started issuing drafts in various names form his house out of the aforesaid stolen drawing books by allotting correct branch serial numbers obtained from the branch register under his control. The drafts were deposited in different banks/branches of the same bank in different accouns opened in the names of the payees of the drafts. These accounts were introduced by the bank employees, and some of them were in different representations only, like Mr. Venkataraman Aiyar, Mr Venkataraman Iyengar, etc. The drafts thus deposited were presented in clearing and were passed in the normal course without any doubt or suspicion. In the evening, he would visit the concerned drawee offices and collect such paid drafts.

Having found this technique successful, he tried his hand at yet another. This time he started issuing drafts in fictitious names or in the names of his close relatives drawn on outstations without any vouchers or deposits. After a few days, he would cancel the same drafts by allowing the credits to the respective accounts in his own branch by debiting the head office accounts. He continued to do this for about three months, causing a loss of over Rs. 700,000 to the bank.

The fraud came to light thanks to the presence of mind exercised by on e of the officers at another local office. He found that on the previous day also, he had paid a similar draft with the leaf number previous to the draft presented now. In his view, it was not possible for such a big office to avoid consumption of draft leaved in this fashion. Consequently, the matter was taken up with the issuing branch. Unfortunately for Venkataraman, someone else was working as the incharge of the draft issue section on that day. On checking up the records, it transpired that no such draft was issued. This led to promt investigations and detection of the whole fraud committed by Venkataraman.

Case III Questions:

1.    How do you view the present fraud case: a human failure or a system failure?

2.    What are the main issues in the case, and how can our present system of control prevent such fraud?

3.    How would you manage the situation on detection?

CASE IV

SHAHID FABRICS

Mr. Lateef, Chairman of Shahid Fabrics, a Hyderabad-based garments and piece goods firm which exported all its products to the USA, faced a decision in August 1985. The US government had imposed quota restrictions which reduced the exports of his firm by 40 percent. He had to find a new market for his products.

Shahid Fabrics was one of Pakistan’s major exporters of garments and piece goods. Its share was 25 percent of the exports of these goods of the whole country. It was established in 1954 as a producer of cotton cloth and later, in 1966, it extended production to include garments and piece goods. It had eight local production units and the total number of employees was 8,000. All its garments and piece goods were exported, and branded according to customer specification. All the goods were exported to the USA and the sales of the firm amounted to US$ 100 million. In 1984, the US government imposed quota restrictions. By August 1985, Shahid Fabrics exports had been reduced by 40 percent.

Mr. Lateef believed that finding new markets was the only way to survive. The possible alternatives according to him were the EEC countries, the USSR, the Middle Eastern Arab countries and the other Asian countries. The EEC was a very good potential market, but Europeans were very tough buyers. It would be necessary to segregate the EEC from other buyers because of their existing specifications with regard to style, colour and packing. The USSR too was a potential market as far as demand was concerned, but the country did not have enough money in foreign exchange.

The Middle Eastern Arab countries had money, but their requirements were small due to their smaller population. Second, these countries preferred not to buy Pakistani goods directly from Pakistan$. They would rather like to buy the same Pakistani goods, branded differently from other Western countries, say France.

Asia was a big market, but the Asian countries, including turkey, were Shahid Fabrics’ competition in the international market. Mr. Lateef was deeply concerned with the loss of 40 percent of his export goods. He was eager to determine which new market offered the highest potential. He wondered what specific information he could use to help his decision.

Case IV Questions:

1.    What information should Mr. Lateef develop to evaluate foreign markets?

2.    Where should he look for this information?

3.    Develop a framework to help Mr. Lateef identify his best potential foreign markets.

CASE V

WESTWARD EXPORTS LTD.

Mr. Abdul Ahmed, Production Manger, Westward Exports Ltd, Karachi, faced a decision in 1984. the rejection rate of their exports of readymade garments was 20 percent of total production. He also felt that their productivity was not as high as it might have been.

Westward Exports Ltd. was a large Pakistani company exporting ladies fashion garments made of pure cotton. Their main product items were blouses, skirts, dresses, shirts, pants, etc. their main overseas markets were the USA, Europe and Japan, and production was Rs. 100 million. They had about 2,000 workers engaged in production through their various subcontractors.

Production was carried out by 138 subcontractors. They did not utilize assembly line production: each individual worker carried out all the jobs required on each garment. The machinery and equipment used by the machines had a low output, and were not suited to high technology application. Mr. Abdul knew that male workers performed 60 percent of the total production and the rest was done by females. He also knew that while male workers were always willing to work overtime, their absentee rate was greater than that of women. Abdul felt that productivity could be higher, and he wondered how he should approach this issue.

The company purchased raw material (grey cloth) from several sources and had it dyed by different concerns, which sometimes caused variation in the colors. Both dyeing and inferior stitching caused the rejection rate, to rise to 20 percent of their total production. Mr. Abdul was worried about this high rate of rejection, and wondered what sequence of steps he should take to help reduce this high rejection rate.

Case V Questions:

1.    What alternatives are available to Mr Abdul?

2.    Other than purchasing higher technology machinery, in what ways might Mr Abdul increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the dyeing and stitching operations?

CASE VI

BABA BEARINGS COMPANY

The quality circle Sigma was started in the heat treatment section of Baba Bearings Company with seven members.

The members prepared the following list of various factors affecting the productivity of the heat treatment section.

1.    Distortion of bearing races in sealed quench furnaces.

2.    Loss of productivity and energy in sealed quench furnaces.

3.    Excess consumption of LPG.

4.    Rejection of cages due to scaling during annealing.

5.    Shrinkage in tapered roller bearing outer rings.

6.    Broadly, bearing are manufactured in the following three stages: (a) Turning, (b) Heat Treatment, and (c) Grinding.

The circle members, in their brainstorming session, gave priorities to the study aspects with the help of Pareto analysis. Distortion of bearing races in sealed quench furnaces was a major factor affecting the productivity. Hence, the circle decided to take this up for study. Turned rings in the soft condition are hardened and tempered. After heat treatment, it was noted that about 30 percent of the rings were beyond the specified limits of distortion (ovality). These rings were subject to straining for rectification.

Straining is a laborious process involving extra manpower and time. It affected schedules and deliveries to customers. The cause and effect diagram was employed for analysis, and the following causes identified:

·          Design of heating elements

·          Mesh baskets distortion

The members collected data regarding the heating element. Rings are loaded into the furnace keeping in a mesh basket in layers. The rings are heated by corrtherm heating elements; the heat is made to circulate uniformly throughout the furnace by a circulating fan. After the hardening process, it was observed that in general, the rings arranged at the sides of the basket adjacent to the heating elements showed greater ovality (50 per cent) than those at the centre (17 percent).

The members felt that rings at the sides were directly exposed to the radiant heat of the elements, and this resulted in a temperature gradient within the cross-section of the rings, causing more distortion. The temperature adjacent to the heating elements was higher by 26 degree Celsius than at the centre of the furnace.

Case VI Questions:

1.    What are the measures to be taken to avoid direct effect of heat?

2.    Design a quality improvement process for the bearings company.

Master Program in Business Administration (MBA)

Note :- Solve any 4 case study

           All case carries equal marks

CASE I

A DIAMOND PERSONALITY

Ask Suraj bhai about the dot-com burst and he may grin at you as if to say, ``What burst?’’ Suraj bhai, a 38-year-old entrepreneur, owns an Internet business that sells loose diamonds to various buyers. Business is becoming for Suraj bhai. In 2004, he had sales of INR 3,500 million. Needless to say, Suraj bhai is optimistic about his business venture.

            The future wasn’t always to bright for Suraj bhai, however. In 1985, Suraj bhai moved from his native town Suraj, to New Delhi, with little ability to speak English. There, he attended language courses and worked at the local mall to support himself. After graduation, his roommate’s girlfriend suggested that he work at a local jeweler. ``I thought she was crazy. I didn’t know anything about jewelry,’’ says Suraj bhai, who took her advice. Though he worked hard and received his Diamonds and Diamonds Grading certification from the Gemological Institute, he wasn’t satisfied with his progress. `I quickly realized that working there, I was just going to get a salary with a raise here and there. I would never become anything. That drove me to explore other business ventures. I also came to really known diamonds – their pricing and their quality.’’

            In 1997, tired of working for someone else, Suraj bhai decided to open his own jewelry store. However, business didn’t boom. `Some of my customers were telling me they could find diamonds for less on the Interest. It blew my mind’’ Surajy bhai recognized an opportunity and began contacting well-known diamond dealers to see if they would be interested in selling their gems online. Suraj bhai recalls one conversation with a prominent dealer who told him, `You cannot sell diamonds on the Internet. You will not survive.’’ Discouraged, Suraj bhai then says that he made a mistake. ``I stopped working on it. If you have a dream, you have to keep working harder at it.’’

            A year later, Suraj bhai did work harder at his dream and found a dealer who agreed to provide him with some diamonds. Says Suray bhai, ``Once I had one. I could approach others. Business started to build. The first 3 months I sold INR 20 million worth of diamonds right off the bat. And that was just me. I started to add employees and eventually closed the jewelry store and got out of retail.’’ Although Suraj bhai does have some diamonds in inventory, he primarily acts as a connection point between buyers and suppliers, giving his customers an extraordinary selection from which to choose.

            Suraj bhai is now a savvy entrepreneur, and his company, Abhisaz.com, went public in October 2003.

            Why is Suraj bhai successful? Just ask two people who have known Suraj bhai over the years. Yogesh bhai, a realtor who helped build Suraj bhai building, says, ``Suraj bhai is a very ambitious young man. I am not surprised at all how successful he is. He is an entrepreneur in the truest sense of the world.’’ One of Suraj bhai former real-estate instructors, Arun Jain, concurs. `I am not surprised at all at his success,’’ says Arun. ``Suraj bhai has always been an extremely motivated individual with a lot of resources. He has a wonderful personality and pays close attention to detail. He also has an ability to stick to things. You could tell from the beginning that he was going to persevere, and I am proud of him.’’

            Suraj bhai is keeping his success in perspective, but he also realizes his business’ potential: ``I take a very small salary, and our overhead in INR 25 million a year. I am not in debt, and the business is breaking ever. I care about the company. I want to keep everything even until we take off, and then it may be another ball game.’’

Questions:

1. What factors do you think attributed to Suraj bhai’s success? Was he merely ``in the right place at the right time’’, or are there characteristics about him that contribute to his success?

2. How do you believe Suraj bhai would score on the Big Five dimensions of personality (extroversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, emotional stability, openness to experience)? Which ones would he score high on? Which ones might he score low on?

3. Do you believe that Suraj bhai is high or low on core self-evaluations? On what information did you base your decision?

4. What information about Suraj bhai suggests that he has a proactive personality?

CASE II

BULLYING BOSSES

It got to where I was twitching, literally, on the way into work,’’ states Carrie Clark, a 52-year-old retired teacher and administrator. After enduring 10 months of repeated insults and mistreatment from her supervisor, she finally quit her job. ``I had to take care of my health.’’

            Though many individuals recall bullies from their elementary school days, some are realizing that bullies can exist in the workplace as well. And these bullies do not just pick on the weakest in the group, rather, any subordinate in their path may fall prey to their torment, according to Dr. Gary Namie, director of the Workplace Bullying and Trauma Institute. Dr. Namie further says workplace bullies are not limited to men-women are at least as likely to be bullies. However, gender discrepancies are found in victims of bullying, as women are more likely to be targets.

            What motivates a boss to be a bully? Dr. Harvey Hornstein, a retired professor from Teachers College at Columbia University, suggests that supervisors may use bullying as a means to subdue a subordinate that poses a threat to the supervisor’s status. Additionally, supervisors may bully individuals to vent frustrations. Many times however, the sheer desire to wield power may be the primary reason for bullying.

            What is the impact of bullying on employee motivation and behavior? Surprisingly, even though victims of workplace bullies may feel less motivated to go to work every day, it does not appear that they discontinue performing their required job duties. However, it does appear that victims of bullies are less motivated to perform extra-role or citizenship behaviors. Helping others, speaking positively about the organization, and going beyond the call of duty are behaviors that are reduced as a result of bullying. According to Dr. Bennett Tepper of the University of North Carolina, fear may be the reason that many workers continue to perform their job duties. And not all individuals reduce their citizenship behaviors. Some continue to engage in extra-role behaviors to make themselves look better than their colleagues.

            What should you do if your boss is bullying you? Don’t necessarily expect help from coworkers. As Emelise Aleandri, an actress and producer from New York who left her job after being bullied, stated, ``Some people were afraid to do anything. But others didn’t mind what was happening at all, because they wanted my job.’’ Moreover, according to Dr. Michelle Duffy of the University of Kentucky, coworkers often blame victims of bullying in order to resolve their guilt. ``they do this by wondering whether maybe the person deserved the treatment, that he or she has been annoying, or lazy, they did something to earn it,’’ states Dr. Duffy. One example of an employee who observed this phenomenon firsthand is Sherry Hamby, who was frequently verbally abused by her boss and then eventually fired. She stated, ``This was a man who insulted me, who insulted by family, who would lay into me while everyone else in the office just sat there and let it happen. The people in my office eventually started blaming me.’’

            What can a bullied employee do? Dr. Hornstein suggests that employees try to ignore the insults and respond only to the substance of the bully’s grip. `stick with the substance, not the process, and often it won’t escalate,’’ he states. Of course, that is easier said than done.  

Questions:

1)         Of the three types of organizational justice, which one does workplace bullying most closely resemble?

2)         What aspects of motivation might workplace bullying reduce? For example, are there likely to be effects on an employee’s self-efficacy? If so, what might those effects be?

3)         If you were a victim of workplace bullying, what steps would you take to try to reduce its occurrence? What strategies would be most effective? What strategies might be ineffective? What would you do if one of your colleagues was a victim of an abusive supervisor?

4)         What factors do you believe contribute to workplace bullying? Are bullies a product of the situation, or are they flawed personalities? What situations and what personality factors might contribute to the presence of bullies?

CASE III

THANKS FOR NOTHING

Thought it may seem fairly obvious that receiving praise and recognition from one’s company is a motivating experience, sadly many companies are failing miserably when it comes to saying ``thanks’’ to their employees. According to curt Coffman global practice leader at Gallup, 71 percent of U.S. workers are ``disengaged’’, essentially meaning that they could care less about their organization. Coffman states. ``We’re operating at one-quarter of the capacity in terms of managing human capital. It’s alarming.’’ Employee recognition programs, which became more popular as the U.S. economy shifted from industrial to knowledge-based, can be an effective way to motivate employees and make them feel valued. In many cases, however, recognition programs are doing ``more harm than good’’ according to Coffman.

            Take Ko, a 50-year-old former employee of a dot-com in California. Her company proudly instituted a rewards program designed to motivate employees. What were the rewards for a job well-done? Employees would receive a badge which read ``U Done Good’’ and, each year, would receive a T-shirt as a means of annual recognition. Once an employee received 10 ``U Done Good’’ badges, he or she could trade them in for something bigger and better—a paperweight. Ko states that she would have preferred a raise. ``It was patronizing. There wasn’t any deep thought involved in any of this.’’ To make matters worse, she says the badges were handed out arbitrarily and were not tied to performance. And what about those T-shirts? Ko states that the company instilled a strict dress code, so employees couldn’t even wear the shirts if they wanted to. Needless to say, the employee recognition program seemed like an empty gesture rather than a motivation.

            Even programs that provide employees with more expensive rewards can backfire, especially if the rewards are given insincerely. Eric Lange, an employee of a trucking company, recalls the time when one of the company’s vice presidents achieved a major financial goal for the company. The vice president, who worked in an office best of Lange, received a Cadillac Seville as his company car and a new Rolex wristwatch that cost the company $10,000. Both were lavish gifts, but the way they were distributed left a sour taste in the vice president’s mouth. He entered his office to find the Rolex in a cheap cardboard box sitting on his desk, along with a brief letter explaining that he would be receiving a 1099 tax form in order to pay taxes on the watch. Lange state of the vice president, ``He came into my office, which was right next door, and said, `can you believe this?’’ A mere 2 months later, the vice president pawned the watch. Lange explains. ``It had absolutely no meaning for him.

            Such experiences resonate with employees who may find more value in a sincere pat on the back than gifts from management that either are meaningless or aren’t conveyed with respect or sincerity. However, sincere pats on the back may be hard to come by. Gallup’s poll found that 61 percent of employees stated that they haven’t received a sincere, ``thank you’’ from management in the past year. Finding such as these are troubling, as verbal rewards are not only inexpensive for companies to hand out but also are quick and easy to distribute. Of course, verbal rewards do need to be paired sometimes with tangible benefits that employees value – after all, money talks. In addition, when praising employees for a job well-done, managers need to ensure that the praise is given in conjunction with the specific accomplishment. In this way, employees may not only feel valued by their organization but will also know what actions to take to be rewarded in the future.

Questions

1)         If praising employees for doing a good job seems to be a fairly easy and obvious motivational tools, why do you think companies and managers don’t often do it?

2)         As a manager, what steps would you take to motivate your employees after observing them perform well?

3)         Are there any downsides to giving employees too much verbal praise? What might these downsides be and how could you alleviate them as a manager?

4)         As a manager, how would you ensure that recognition given to employees is distributed fairly and justly?

CASE IV

WILL GEORGE W. BUSH BE A GREAT PRESIDENT?

What does it take to be a great U.S. president? A survey of 78 history, political science, and law scholars rated the U.S. presidents from George Washington to Bill Clinton. Here are the presidents who were rated ``Great’’ and ``Near Great.’’

            Great

            George Washington

            Abraham Lincoln

            Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR)

            Near Great

            Thomas Jefferson

            Andrew Jackson

            James Polk

            Theodore Roosevelt

            Harry Truman

            Dwight Eisenhower

            Ronald Reagan

Among recent presidents, Presidents Nixon, Ford, and Carter were ranked ``Below Average’’ and Presidents G. H. W. Bush (the first President Bush) and Clinton were ranked ``Average’’.

            So what explains these ratings? The following are some qualities of presidents who have stood the test of time.

1.         Great presidents are transformational leaders who engender strong emotions – that is, you either love them or you hate them (it’s hard to hate someone who made little difference). And great presidents enact a vision that may not respond to popular opinion. Lincoln and FDR were beloved, and hated, by millions.

2.         Great presidents are bold and take risks, and almost all great presidents emerge successfully from a crisis. A great president is perceived as ``being there’’ when a crisis emerges and taking bold action to lead the nation out of the crisis – for example, Lincoln in the Civil War and Roosevelt in WWII.

3.         Great presidents are associated with a vision. Most people, for example, are able to associate the great presidents with defining moment where a clear set of principles was articulated – for example, FDR’s speech to Congress after the attacks on Pearl Harbor, and Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address.

4.         Great presidents are charismatic. They are engaging, articulate, and expressive, which helps capture the public’s attention and rallies people around a president’s cause. One leadership expert argues that the best presidents create colorful personas with their language by using words with basic emotions – for example, good versus evil or love versus hate.

So what about President George W. Bush (the second President Bush)? Shortly after his second inauguration, President Bush embarked on an ambitious agenda of legal reform, transforming the Social Security system, tax reform, and revising immigration laws. One writer commented, ``Bush has always thought big, and always believed you earn political capital by expending it.’’ However, the closeness of the 2004 election (Bush received 51 percent of the vote and Kerry received 48 percent) suggests that Bush may not have overwhelming support.

Questions

1.         How would you rate President George W. Bush on the four characteristics outlined at the beginning of the case? How would you contrast his reaction to Hurricane Katrina with his reaction to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001? What do you think his handling of these two events says about his leadership?

2.         Do you think leaders in other contexts (business’, sports, religious) exhibit the same qualities of great or near-great U.S. presidents?

3.         Do you think being in the right place at the right time could influence presidential greatness?

Case V

A UNIQUE TRAINING PROGRAM AT UPS

Mark Colvard, a United Parcel manager in San Ramon, California, recently faced a difficult decision. One of his drivers asked for 2 weeks off  to help an ailing family member. But company rules said this driver wasn’t eligible. If Colvard went by the book, the driver would probably take the days off anyway and be fired. On the other hand, Colvard was likely to be criticized by other drivers if he bent the rules. Colvard chose to give the driver the time off. Although he took some heat for the decision, he also kept a valuable employee.

            Had Colvard been faced with this decision 6 months earlier, he says he would have gone the other way. What changed his thinking was a month he spent living in McAllen, Texas. It was part of a UPS management training experience called the Community Internship Program (CIP). During his month in McAllen, Colvard built housing for the poor, collected clothing for the Salvation Army, and worked in a drug rehab center. Colvard gives the program credit for helping him empathize with employees facing cries back home. And he says that CIP has made him a better manager. ``My goal was to make the numbers, and in some cases that meant not looking at the individual but looking the bottom line. After that 1-month stay, I immediately started reaching out to people in a different way.’’

            CIP was established by UPS in the late 1960s to help open the eyes of the company’s predominantly white managers to the poverty and inequality in many cities. Today, the program takes 50 of the company’s most promising executives each summer and brings them to cities around the country. There they deal with a variety of problems- from transportation to housing, education, and health care. The company’s goal is to awaken these managers to the challenges that many of their employees face, bridging the cultural divide that separates a white manager from an African American driver or an upper-income suburbanite from a worker raised in the rural South.

Questions

1.         Do you think individuals can learn empathy from something like a 1-month CIP experience? Explain why or why not.

2.         How could UPS’s CIP help the organization better manage work-life conflicts?

3.         How could UPS’s CIP help the organization improve its response to diversity?

4.         What negatives, if any, can you envision resulting from CIP?

5.         UPS has 2,400 managers. CIP includes only 50 each year. How can the program make a difference if it includes only 2 percent of all managers? Does this suggest that the program is more public relations than management training?

6.         How can UPS justify the cost of a program like CIP if competitors like FedEx, DHL, and the U.S. Postal Service don’t offer such programs? Does the program increase costs or reduce UPS profits?