IndiaStudyCenter.com - IGNOU MBA Test Papers - MS-2 Managing Men

1 Why should an organisation introduce a grievance procedure? Explain the pre-requisites of a grievance procedure. Briefly outline the features of a grievance procedure and the steps in grievance handling.

2 What is the role of worker’s participation in management? Discuss. Briefly discuss the level and forms of worker’s participation in management. Comment upon the effectiveness of any one of the forms discussed.

3 Distinguish between career and succession planning. Suggest the measure for effective career planning and development.

4 Define performance appraisal. What are its objectives? Discuss different methods of appraisal and their merits and demerits.

5 Explain the purpose of induction and how it should be conducted. How can it be made more effective? Discuss.

6 Write short notes on any three of the following:

(i) Manpower planning

(ii) Retrenchment vs Dismissal

(iii) Motivation and morale

(iv) Collective bargaining

(v) SCOPE

SECTION B

Read the following case carefully and answer the questions given at the end:

The United Trading Company having a standing of about 22 years, was one of the oldest established foreign companies operating in India. The Company had its Headquarters at Bombay with three of its principle branches in Calcutta, Delhi and Madras. Starting from a humble beginning in 1935, when the company mainly relied on imports from Britain and other Western countries for its supplies of toilet goods, it had now started producing these goods in India. The decision to manufacture toilet goods in India was prompted by the consideration of a higher rate of profit for the company. The leading toilet manufacturing companies were contacted. After long and arduous negotiations, the United Trading Company succeeded in obtaining the manufacturing rights of various well-known brands of toilet soaps and other toilet requisites in India.

As a result of this agreement with foreign producers of toilet goods, a number of experts were sent to India to help the Indian company with technical know-how and in the erection of the manufacturing plant. The experts examined all aspects of the company’s working in India. The distribution system of the company was considered satisfactory. The organisational set-up of the company called for a change in the opinion of the experts. This change had become necessary for the simple reason that there had been a four-fold increase in the company’s activities. A change in the organisational set-up involved large-scale recruitment of personnel of all ranks.

The recruitment in India was to be confined to the supervisory and other lower personnel. The top and the middle executives were recruited from amongst the Europeans. Mr. Kailash Kapoor was among the Indians who had applied for the jobs advertised by the company. He was selected as a salesman and was attached to the Calcutta branch of the company.

Kapoor, throughout his career of 3 years as a salesman felt that he was not meant for a sales job. For one thing, it involved a lot of travelling. He did not like strenuous journeys. Again, Kapoor was married and had two children. He wanted to be near his family.

Kapoor was a qualified accountant. He frequently requested his manager for a change to a desk job. Once he requested the manager for an interview. This is what passed between them:

Kapoor : Sir, I have a feeling that I am a kind of a square peg in a round role.

Manager : Why should you have this feeling

Kapoor : I am an accountant by training. And I am doing a sales job.

Manager : Is that the only reason why you want to change to a desk job?

Kapoor : No, Sir. Another reason is that I am leading a nomadic life. I want to lead a settled life for some time.

Manager : I shall look into your requires.

Kapoor’s request was granted. He was transferred from the Sales to the Accounts Department and was asked to work as Assistant to the Factory Accountant at Calcutta. Kapoor did not take long to grasp his new work. The Factory Accountant came to develop a regard for his abilities and he was also very pleased with his work. He, therefore, started delegating more and more powers to Kapoor. This inevitably led to an increase in his workload. Despite the increase in work, his boss that Kapoor was discharging his duties remarkably well.

With more and more work coming to him, Kapoor started getting some of his work done through his subordinates. His juniors, however, were not happy with the way Kapoor handled them and accused him of becoming despotic. But the boss was very pleased with him because the overall efficiency of his office had improved.

With the passage of every year, Kapoor found that the work was mounting. After Kapoor had put in about three years in the factory, it was decided by the Manager to create a post of Assistant Factory Accountant. It was a managerial post. This news greatly elated Kapoor who was confident that he could get this post for the asking. HE thought that he earned that job. As Kapoor expected, his name was recommended for this promotion by the Factory Manager.

The Board of Directors at Bombay, however had not made up their mind whom to promote. Their declared policy, as regards promotion to managerial posts, was that such posts would be advertised within the organisation and selection made purely on the basis of merit. An intimation about this vacancy was sent to all the branches and factories of the company. Candidates for the Calcutta post were put up by almost all the branches. The Calcutta factory was asked to recommend one more name besides Kapoor. The Accountant reluctantly recommended the name of Mr. Sundaram.

Sundaram, 23 years old, a commerce graduate, had been rated at the time of his selection as a very intelligent person. He had been working with the company for about two-and-a-half years.

The Directors appointed a selection committee at Bombay. The candidates who had applied for the Calcutta post were called for an interview Mr. Sundaram topped the list and was appointed the Assistant Factory Accountant at Calcutta. The appointment shocked Kapoor who would now have to work under Sundaram.

The management of the Calcutta branch of the United Trading Company were also very sore with their Head Office for promoting Mr. Sundaram to the post of Assistant Factory Accountant over the head of Mr. Kapoor who was not only senior to the former but had also been warmly recommended for this promotion. The decision of the Board of Directors had landed the management of the Calcutta branch in an awkward position. Sundaram, prior to his promotion, was working under Kailash Kapoor. With the announcement of Sundaram’s promotion, Kapoor became a subordinate of the former. This was highly demoralising for Kapoor, according to a representative of the Calcutta Management. The situation became a little more complicated for two reasons. First, the factory bosses were not prepared to release Kapoor from Calcutta at any cost. This reluctance was prompted by a desire to retain highly efficient hand like Mr. Kapoor in the Calcutta Office. Secondly, the Board of Directors, on the other hand, did not have any other accountant immediately available who could be sent to Calcutta in place of Sundaram.

Questions:

(a) What are the main features of this case?

(b) Do you think that the company has taken a proper decision by promoting Sundaram? What are your arguments to support your viewpoint?

(c) What would be the effects of this decision on the Calcutta, branch of the company? If you were Kapoor, what would you do?

(d) As an expert in personnel management, give your comments on the selection, placement and promotion systems of the company.