International and Comparative Human Resource Management Case Study: Marks and Spencer

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When was Marks and Spencer formed?

1894

In which year did Marks and Spencer become a public company?

1926

Where did Marks and Spencer open its first overseas store in 1973?

Canada

Which country did Marks and Spencer acquire stores in the late 1980s?

USA Signup and view all the answers

What additional services did Marks and Spencer branch out into in 1985?

Financial services Signup and view all the answers

What was the significant action M&S took in response to the fall in profits in 1999?

Reviewed its management structure, stopped recruitment to its graduate training programme, and reviewed its business operations. Signup and view all the answers

In which country did M&S close its 38 stores in 1999, resulting in approximately 900 job cuts and $35 million in severance payments and closure costs?

Canada Signup and view all the answers

What did M&S do as a gesture of goodwill when it decided to freeze graduate recruitment in 1999?

It gave the equivalent of one month’s salary (around £1,500) to each of the graduates to whom it had withdrawn its offer of employment. Signup and view all the answers

According to Lord Sieff, what is the importance of good human relations at work?

Good human relations at work pay off and are of great importance if a business is to be efficiently run. Signup and view all the answers

What was the company's approach to trade unions, and why did M&S believe that trade unions are not necessary?

The company's approach was that employees have a right to join a union, but unions are not recognized for negotiation purposes. M&S believed that with good HR practices, trade unions are not necessary. Signup and view all the answers

What is trust-based working time (TBWT) in Germany?

A management-works council innovation for managing working time Signup and view all the answers

What has constrained employer mechanisms of flexibility in Germany?

Co-determination of the employment relationship among social partners Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary responsibility of individuals and teams under trust-based working time (TBWT)?

Fulfilling tasks and meeting targets Signup and view all the answers

What is the broader trend associated with trust-based working time (TBWT)?

Dehierarchisation and indirect management Signup and view all the answers

What are employees themselves responsible for under trust-based working time (TBWT)?

Organising times and recording working hours Signup and view all the answers

Why is trust-based working time (TBWT) relatively common in Germany compared to many other economies?

Highly regulated economy with employee focus on flexibility Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of TBWT (time-based wage theft) in German firms?

To reduce administrative costs and overtime Signup and view all the answers

Who needs to agree on TBWT according to the German system of co-determination?

Works councils Signup and view all the answers

What concern do union-oriented writers have regarding TBWT?

It threatens to further blur the demarcation between work and life Signup and view all the answers

What is suggested to be one of the benefits of TBWT according to government and management protagonists?

Reduction in administrative costs and overtime Signup and view all the answers

What problem is highlighted as a potential issue with TBWT?

High levels of trust and management styles required Signup and view all the answers

International and Comparative Human Resource Management Case Study: Marks and Spencer

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