HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
QUESTION ANSWER BANK MBA
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 nonprofessional
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.
QUESTION ANSWER BANK MBA
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 nonprofessional
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.
