Chapter 3 & 4 Questions

Chapter 3 Discussion Questions

1. What are ways that the organization can ensure that KSAO deficiencies do not occur in its workforce?

Succession planning for each promotable employee. Identify the gaps and then create employee training and development plans to close the gaps.

2. What types of experiences, especially staffing-related ones, will an organization be likely to have if it does not engage in HR and staffing planning?

If an organization does not engage in Hr and staffing planning there could be a variety of issues that arise. Issues related to staffing includes shortage of employees, excess employees, shortage of skills vital to organizations success. Overall, the workforce would inefficient if HR and staffing planning is not done properly.

3. Why are decisions about job categories and levels so critical to the conduct and results of HRP?

Management has to be on the same page when it comes to issues such as KSAO deficiencies between job categories and between job levels. This requires knowledge of the workforce and their respective interactions. Decisions made without considering relationships between job categories and levels can result in a workforce that is inefficient.

4. What are the advantages and disadvantages of doing succession planning for all levels of management instead of just top management?

The main advantage of succession planning  is that it allows an organization to develop a path for how management will proceed in the future. It identifies the needs of future leaders and helps come up with a plan to fill the needs. One disadvantage could be that is requires managers time and expertise to conduct, both of which the organization must be willing to provide to those managers.  

5. What is meant by reconciliation, and how can it be useful as an input to staffing planning?

Reconciliation is the identification of the surpluses and shortages between an organizations employment requirements and needed personnel. The reconciliation process reveals employment gaps and helps identify a plan of action in order to fill the gaps.

Markov Analysis and Forecasing

1. Describe the internal labor market of the company in terms of job stability (staying in same job), promotion paths and rates, transfer paths and rates, demotion paths and rates, and turnover (exit) rates.

The sales positions seem to have the least stability. 35% of the full time sales, and 25% of the part time sales staff exited the company during the year. The promotion rate on both positions is relatively low as well. Assistant manager position is by for the most stable with 80% remaining in the same position , and 10% promoting to manager. The manager position has relatively high turnover at 30%.

Chapter 4 Discussion Questions:

1. What is the purpose of each type of job analysis, and how can the three types described in this chapter be combined to produce an overall understanding of work in an organization?

2. How should task statements be written, and what sorts of problems might you encounter in asking a job incumbent to write these statements?

Task statements are written with descriptions of the behaviors or work activities performed by employees in their conduct of a given job.  They should indicate what the employee does by using a specific action at the beginning of the task. The problem is in asking a job incumbent to write these statements could involve a lack of writing skills on the part of the incumbent