Human Resource Management: Delegation and Culture

Lecture 8 - Organizing

• Organizing is the process of formally relating people and resources to achieve organizational goals.

Basic Steps of Organizing

• Identifying and classifying all necessary jobs and activities in the organization.
• Grouping identified activities into smaller or larger organizational units.
• Assigning grouped activities to a manager with the authority to oversee their implementation.
• Coordinating activities horizontally and vertically within the organizational structure.

Organization

• An organization is the rational use of a specific number of people working toward a common goal by dividing work, functions, authority, and responsibility.

Common Characteristics of All Organizations

• Composed of people
• Exist to achieve specific goals
• Have established rules of conduct

Designing an Organization

• Realizing the rational use of all resources within the organization.

Organizational Structure

• Formal aspects: determines job roles, resources, positions, and rules concerning organizational function.
• Informal: reflects the relationships and actions of individuals within the organization (often developed through shared work).
  • Informal Groups are formed when members socialize outside of working hours.
  • Interest Groups are formed through shared work activities.

Lecture 8 Continued

• Organizational Structure: a unified system composed of all organizational parts.
• Organizational structure:
  • Formal: (jobs, resources, positions and rules). Determined by organizational function.
  • Informal: relationships developed through shared work.

Lecture 9 - Dimensions of Organisation

• Division of labor and specialization: The basis of every organization, focusing on specific job roles, repetition, and required skills.
• Hierarchy: Structure of superiors and subordinates within the organization.
• Chain of command: Order of authority from top to bottom levels.
• Span of control: Number of subordinates directly reporting to a single manager (can be narrow or broad).
• Authority: The right to use organizational resources and direct people to achieve desired outcomes (based in the position, not the individual).
• Responsibility: Obligation to fulfill the assigned task and achieve expected outcomes (responsibility of the individual undertaking the task).
• Delegation: Transferring tasks and authority to others, while retaining responsibility.
  • Delegation skills are necessary for top-level managers and employees to be entrusted with carrying out work.
  • Managers need to delegate as part of the process of empowering others, improving productivity, and enabling those under them to develop skills for higher positions in the organization.
• Centralization vs Decentralization: Deciding where decisions are made in the company. (centralized versus dispersed).
• Friendly Groups: Groups formed by people socializing outside the workplace.

Lecture 10 - Job Allocation, Delegation, and Partial Assignment

• Job Allocation– tasks and activities are explained before authority is given.
• Delegation of Authority– transferring authority to employees.
• Partial Assignment of Responsibility: assigning responsibility to employees to ensure jobs are completed correctly.
• Creating Commitment: accountability for adequate job performance.

Lecture 10 - Delegation Skills

• Clarify the task (expectations and timeframe)
• Set limits on the scope of delegated work
• Encourage participation of those who are delegated the work.
• Inform other stakeholders of the delegation.
• Establish controls (schedule)
• Encourage development of employees (propose solutions).

Lecture 10 - Organizational Design

• Continuous process of establishing an organizational structure.
  • Functional Organizational Structure: Units aligned based on business functions.
  • Divisional Organizational Structure: Lower organisational units formed according to product lines, geographical regions, or customer segments.
  • Hybrid / Mixed Organizational Structures: combining elements of functional and divisional structures.

Lecture 10 - Modern Organizational Structures

• Project Organization Structure: temporary organization designed for a specific project.
• Matrix Organization Structure: combines elements of functional and project structures.
• Process Organization Structure: horizontal structure based on processes, where employees from various departments form teams to deal with specific processes.
• Network Organization Structure: connect members of the virtual organization.
• Conglomerate Organisation: (mix of different kinds of business.)

Lecture 11 - Organisational Culture

• Organizational culture is the subjective quality of the environment that influences employee behaviour (values, norms, assumptions, attitudes)
• Subcultures: Share specific values and norms resulting from similar problems, situations, or experiences.
• Signs of culture: Visible (symbols, ceremonies, language...) and Invisible (values, beliefs, assumptions, attitudes) attributes.

Lecture 10 & 11 - Human Resource Management

• HRM is attracting, retaining and developing the best employees.
• Key activities: Recruitment, Selection, Training, Development, Performance Management, Compensation.
• Human Capital: employees’ knowledge, skills, abilities, motivation, and behaviour.

Lecture 10 & 11 - Sources of recruitment, selection, and measuring instruments.

• Sources of recruitment.
• Selection process by standardized methods.
• Validation process (whether and to what extent selection instruments measure the intended thing, including standardization scoring, application processes) .
• Various methods used for selection (interviews, resumes, recommendations)

Lecture 11 - Types of Interviews

• Unstructured interview: no specific questions, open-ended questions.
• Semi-structured interview: set of some standard open-ended questions.
• Structured interview: specific topics with prepared questions.
• Types of interviews based on the number of participants (individual, sequential, panel, group).
• Types of interviews based on their function (initial/diagnostic/admission interview).
• Standard interview (traditional interview).
• Situational interview: assessing behaviours in hypothetical situations.

Lecture 11- Job-related Selection Methods and Techniques

-Job Sample Tests -Skill acquisition ability tests

• Proabatory period tests
• Manager Selection Methods

Lecture 11 - Control Processes

• Systematic process (7 steps).
  • Defining control objects
  • Defining performance standards
  • Monitoring and measuring actual performance
  • Determining the extent of deviation
  • Assessment of deviations
  • Implementing corrective action plans
  • Implementing corrections/redefining standards

Lecture 12 - Performance Standards

• Standards that are used to assess an organization's activities.
  • Qualitative standards (descriptive based standards)
  • Quantitative standards: (numerical value standards)

Lecture 12 - Conclusion - Control Processes

• Control is essential for monitoring, evaluating and supporting effectiveness of an organization.
• Control allows the organization to identify and correct problems leading to improved performance.
• Regular monitoring of productivity, efficiency, and effectiveness ensures resource utilization and goal achievement.

Lecture 13 - Leadership

• Management: doing things right.
• Leadership: doing the right things.
• Importance of leader personality, traits, and behaviour

Lecture 13 - Key Leadership Models

• Leadership based on Leader Traits (personality traits distinguishing leaders).
• Leadership based on Leader Behaviour (what they do as leaders).
• Leadership styles based on subordinate maturity (e.g Hersey-Blanchard).
• Leadership style (e.g.: Vroom Yetton), situational approach, and combination of these approaches.
• System approach (leader adaptability, integration with environment).

Lecture 13 - Leadership Conclusions

• Leadership is essential for driving the company forward, and is important in driving organizational effectiveness (and profitability).
• Leaders can be born, developed, or a combination of both.
• Different leadership styles work for various environments or situations (and people/organizations)

This quiz focuses on the concepts of delegation and organizational culture within human resource management. Participants will explore the benefits of empowering others, key delegation skills, and the components that contribute to a strong organizational culture. Test your knowledge on how these elements interact to enhance human capital in modern organizations.