HUMAN RESOURCE

1. HUMAN RESOURCE How do differing forms of work organization generate and reflect tension, contradiction, and change? Edited by Fabio Emanuele Noia, Link Campus University of Malta, 2006 Chapter 4 Work and work organization Freely Inspired from Bratton J., Gold J., Human Resource Management, Theory and Practice, Palgrave, 2003 http://www.palgrave.com/business/brattonandgold/

2. Work ____________ Refers to physical and mental activity that is carried out at a particular place and time, according to instructions, in return for money. Freely Inspired from Bratton J., Gold J., Human Resource Management, Theory and Practice, Palgrave, 2003

3. Historical perspective ____________ Until 18th century pre-industrial society Then division of labor At the turn of 20th century scientific management In the 60s work autonomy and participation In 90s flexibility and new information technology-based systems of organisation Freely Inspired from Bratton J., Gold J., Human Resource Management, Theory and Practice, Palgrave, 2003

4. Perspectives on study of work to search the links between motivation, job satisfaction and work design ________________ Sociological (broader structural and contextual factors affecting people’s experience of work, gender, power, …) Psychological (individual and organisational behavior; motivation, satisfaction, job design, happiness, …) Freely Inspired from Bratton J., Gold J., Human Resource Management, Theory and Practice, Palgrave, 2003

5. Job design Adam Smith (1723-1790) – Division of Labor Output per workers increases because of enhanced dexterity Work preparation and changeover time is reduced Specialization stimulates the invention of new machineries Freely Inspired from Bratton J., Gold J., Human Resource Management, Theory and Practice, Palgrave, 2003

6. Job design Charles Babbage (19th century) By simplifying tasks and allocating fragmented tasks to unskilled workers, the employer could pay a lower wage. Freely Inspired from Bratton J., Gold J., Human Resource Management, Theory and Practice, Palgrave, 2003

7. Job design Karl Marx (1818-83) New work patterns consituted a form of systematic exploitation and caused alienation Freely Inspired from Bratton J., Gold J., Human Resource Management, Theory and Practice, Palgrave, 2003

8. Job design F.W. Taylor (1856-1915) H. Gannt (1861-1919) F.B. Gilbreth (1868-1924) – Scientific Management Role of management is to analyse scientifically all the tasks to be undertaken and then to design jobs to eliminate time and motion waste. Five principle: maximum job fragmentation divorce of planning and doing, divorce of direct and indirect labour, minimization of skill requirements and job-learning time, reduction of material handling to a minimum. Freely Inspired from Bratton J., Gold J., Human Resource Management, Theory and Practice, Palgrave, 2003

9. Job design H. Ford – Fordism Perfected the flow-line principle of assembly work. Increased labor productivity, standardization of commodities to gain economies of scale, job fragmentation, short task-cycle time, interlinking system of conveyor lines that feed component to different work stations Freely Inspired from Bratton J., Gold J., Human Resource Management, Theory and Practice, Palgrave, 2003

10. Job design Elto Mayo (1920s) – Human Relations Movement Shift attention to the perceived needs of workers and psychological and social aspects of work. In addition to control and financial incentives, recognition, climate, and social cohesion are important. Freely Inspired from Bratton J., Gold J., Human Resource Management, Theory and Practice, Palgrave, 2003

11. Job design in the 70s ________________ Job enrichment (rotating, enlarging, and aggregating tasks) Reorganisation of assembly lines (post-Fordism) Japanese style work design (lean production) Freely Inspired from Bratton J., Gold J., Human Resource Management, Theory and Practice, Palgrave, 2003

12. Job enrichment ________________ Job rotation = involves the periodic shifting of a worker from one work-simplified task to another. Job enlargement = horizontal expansion of tasksincrease time cycle of work reducing repetition and monotony. Freely Inspired from Bratton J., Gold J., Human Resource Management, Theory and Practice, Palgrave, 2003

13. Job enrichment ________________ Job enrichment = takes some authority from the supervisors and adds it to the job, together with planning and quality control responsibility. Freely Inspired from Bratton J., Gold J., Human Resource Management, Theory and Practice, Palgrave, 2003

14. Job enrichment ________________ Job characteristic model (Hackman and Odham, 1980). 5 core job characteristics (skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy, feedback) result in the worker experiencing 3 favorable psychological states (experienced meaningfulness of the work, responsibility for outcomes of the work, knowledge of the results of the work activities) which in turn lead to positive outcomes (high productivity, quality, satisafction, low absenteeism and turnover). Freely Inspired from Bratton J., Gold J., Human Resource Management, Theory and Practice, Palgrave, 2003

15. Reorganizing assembly lines ________________ The fundamental unit of structure is no longer the individual but the collaborative self-managing team. The flexible specialization model’s features are: small-scale production of a large variety of goods, utilization of highly skilled and autonomous workers, use of process and information technology, strong networks of small producers that achieve flexibility and efficiency through collaboration. Freely Inspired from Bratton J., Gold J., Human Resource Management, Theory and Practice, Palgrave, 2003

16. Japanese-style work design ________________ The Japanese production model has 3 notable elements: flexibility (module, cellular technology, CT), quality control (TQC), and minimum waste (JIT). Japanisation = adoption of Japanese style management techniques in Western organizations. Freely Inspired from Bratton J., Gold J., Human Resource Management, Theory and Practice, Palgrave, 2003

17. Knowledge work ________________ Locus of work in groups and projects Focus of work on customers, problems, issues Rapid skill obsolescence Specialized and deep skill sets with diffuse peripheral focuses Lenghty activity cycles from a business perspective Process measures based on process effectiveness Employees’ loyalty to professions, networks and peers A few major contribution of strategic importance on company success. Freely Inspired from Bratton J., Gold J., Human Resource Management, Theory and Practice, Palgrave, 2003

18. Post-bureaucratic design ________________ Information age Deleyered management structures Decision making pushed down to the front line Losing shape, blurring Flat, flexible and empowered organisational form Freely Inspired from Bratton J., Gold J., Human Resource Management, Theory and Practice, Palgrave, 2003

19. Post-bureaucratic design ________________ Heckscher’s (1994) ideal-type of post-bureaucratic design: Organisational dialogue, persuasion and trust Information-sharing Behaviour based on principles Communication based on problem-solving Peer evaluation Freely Inspired from Bratton J., Gold J., Human Resource Management, Theory and Practice, Palgrave, 2003

20. Business process re-engineering ________________ A radical change of business processes by applying IT to integrate tasks. Hammer-Champy, 1996 Freely Inspired from Bratton J., Gold J., Human Resource Management, Theory and Practice, Palgrave, 2003

21. Job Design & Human Resource ________________ Job and organizational design is related closely to all HR activities, including recruitment and selection, learning and development, rewards and employee relations. Impact of Job redisign on Commitment, Competence, Cost-effectiveness, and Congruence. Freely Inspired from Bratton J., Gold J., Human Resource Management, Theory and Practice, Palgrave, 2003

22. Job Design Paradox ________________ Division VS Integration Freely Inspired from Bratton J., Gold J., Human Resource Management, Theory and Practice, Palgrave, 2003

23. Assignment ___________ Visit www.workteams.unt.edu and __________ Explain the stereotypical team-based organisation as you picture it Freely Inspired from Bratton J., Gold J., Human Resource Management, Theory and Practice, Palgrave, 2003