human resource

HUMAN RESOURCEHUMAN RESOURCE

How do differing forms How do differing forms of work organization of work organization generate and reflect generate and reflect

tension, contradiction, tension, contradiction, and change?and change?

Freely Inspired from Bratton J., Gold J., Human Resource Management, Freely Inspired from Bratton J., Gold J., Human Resource Management, Theory and Practice, Palgrave, 2003 Theory and Practice, Palgrave, 2003 http://www.palgrave.com/business/brattonandgold/

Edited by Fabio Emanuele Noia, Link Campus University of Malta, 2006Edited by Fabio Emanuele Noia, Link Campus University of Malta, 2006

Chapter 4 Chapter 4

Work and work organizationWork and work organization

http://www.palgrave.com/business/brattonandgold/

WorkWork________________________

Refers to physical Refers to physical and mental activity and mental activity

that is carried out at that is carried out at a particular place a particular place

and time, according and time, according to instructions, in to instructions, in return for money.return for money.

Freely Inspired from Bratton J., Gold J., Human Resource Management, Freely Inspired from Bratton J., Gold J., Human Resource Management, Theory and Practice, Palgrave, 2003Theory and Practice, Palgrave, 2003

Historical perspectiveHistorical perspective________________________

Until 18th century pre-industrial Until 18th century pre-industrial societysociety

Then division of laborThen division of labor

At the turn of 20th century At the turn of 20th century scientific managementscientific management

In the 60s work autonomy and In the 60s work autonomy and participationparticipation

In 90s flexibility and new In 90s flexibility and new information technology-based information technology-based

systems of organisationsystems of organisation


Perspectives on study of work to Perspectives on study of work to search the links between search the links between

motivation, job satisfaction and motivation, job satisfaction and work designwork design

________________________________

Sociological (broader structural Sociological (broader structural and contextual factors affecting and contextual factors affecting

people’s experience of work, people’s experience of work, gender, power, …)gender, power, …)

Psychological (individual and Psychological (individual and organisational behavior; organisational behavior;

motivation, satisfaction, job motivation, satisfaction, job design, happiness, …)design, happiness, …)


Job designJob design

Adam Smith (1723-1790) – Adam Smith (1723-1790) – Division of LaborDivision of Labor

• Output per workers increases Output per workers increases because of enhanced dexteritybecause of enhanced dexterity

• Work preparation and Work preparation and changeover time is reducedchangeover time is reduced

• Specialization stimulates the Specialization stimulates the invention of new machineriesinvention of new machineries



Charles Babbage (19th Charles Babbage (19th century)century)

By simplifying tasks By simplifying tasks and allocating and allocating

fragmented tasks to fragmented tasks to unskilled workers, the unskilled workers, the employer could pay a employer could pay a

lower wage.lower wage.



Karl Marx (1818-83)Karl Marx (1818-83)

New work patterns New work patterns consituted a form consituted a form

of systematic of systematic exploitation and exploitation and

caused alienationcaused alienation



F.W. Taylor (1856-1915)F.W. Taylor (1856-1915)H. Gannt (1861-1919)H. Gannt (1861-1919)

F.B. Gilbreth (1868-1924) – F.B. Gilbreth (1868-1924) – Scientific Management Scientific Management

Role of management is to Role of management is to analyse scientifically all the analyse scientifically all the

tasks to be undertaken and then tasks to be undertaken and then to design jobs to eliminate time to design jobs to eliminate time

and motion waste. Five and motion waste. Five principle: maximum job principle: maximum job fragmentation divorce of fragmentation divorce of

planning and doing, divorce of planning and doing, divorce of direct and indirect labour, direct and indirect labour,

minimization of skill minimization of skill requirements and job-learning requirements and job-learning

time, reduction of material time, reduction of material handling to a minimum.handling to a minimum.



H. Ford – FordismH. Ford – Fordism

Perfected the flow-line principle Perfected the flow-line principle of assembly work. of assembly work.

Increased labor productivity, Increased labor productivity, standardization of commodities standardization of commodities to gain economies of scale, job to gain economies of scale, job fragmentation, short task-cycle fragmentation, short task-cycle

time, interlinking system of time, interlinking system of conveyor lines that feed conveyor lines that feed

component to different work component to different work stationsstations



Elto Mayo (1920s) – Human Elto Mayo (1920s) – Human Relations MovementRelations Movement

Shift attention to the perceived Shift attention to the perceived needs of workers and needs of workers and

psychological and social psychological and social aspects of work.aspects of work.

In addition to control and In addition to control and financial incentives,financial incentives,

recognition, climate, and social recognition, climate, and social cohesion are important.cohesion are important.


Job design in the 70sJob design in the 70s________________________________

Job enrichment (rotating, Job enrichment (rotating, enlarging, and enlarging, and

aggregating tasks)aggregating tasks)

Reorganisation of Reorganisation of assembly lines (post-assembly lines (post-

Fordism)Fordism)

Japanese style work Japanese style work design (lean production)design (lean production)


Job enrichmentJob enrichment________________________________

Job rotation = involves the Job rotation = involves the periodic shifting of a periodic shifting of a

worker from one work-worker from one work-simplified task to simplified task to

another.another.

Job enlargement = Job enlargement = horizontal expansion of horizontal expansion of tasksincrease time cycle tasksincrease time cycle

of work reducing of work reducing repetition and repetition and

monotony. monotony.



Job enrichment = takes Job enrichment = takes some authority from the some authority from the supervisors and adds it supervisors and adds it to the job, together with to the job, together with

planning and quality planning and quality control responsibility.control responsibility.



Job characteristic model Job characteristic model (Hackman and Odham, 1980). (Hackman and Odham, 1980).

5 core job characteristics5 core job characteristics (skill variety, task identity, (skill variety, task identity,

task significance, autonomy, task significance, autonomy, feedback) result in the worker feedback) result in the worker

experiencing experiencing 3 favorable 3 favorable psychological statespsychological states

(experienced meaningfulness (experienced meaningfulness of the work, responsibility for of the work, responsibility for

outcomes of the work, outcomes of the work, knowledge of the results of knowledge of the results of

the work activities) which in the work activities) which in turn lead to turn lead to positive positive

outcomesoutcomes (high productivity, (high productivity, quality, satisafction, low quality, satisafction, low

absenteeism and turnover).absenteeism and turnover).


Reorganizing assembly Reorganizing assembly lineslines

________________________________

The fundamental unit of structure is The fundamental unit of structure is no longer the individual but the no longer the individual but the

collaborative self-managing collaborative self-managing team.team.

The flexible specialization model’s The flexible specialization model’s features are: small-scale features are: small-scale

production of a large variety of production of a large variety of goods, utilization of highly goods, utilization of highly

skilled and autonomous workers, skilled and autonomous workers, use of process and information use of process and information technology, strong networks of technology, strong networks of

small producers that achieve small producers that achieve flexibility and efficiency through flexibility and efficiency through

collaboration.collaboration.


Japanese-style work Japanese-style work designdesign

________________________________

The Japanese production The Japanese production model has 3 notable model has 3 notable elements: flexibility elements: flexibility

(module, cellular (module, cellular technology, CT), quality technology, CT), quality

control (TQC), and control (TQC), and minimum waste (JIT).minimum waste (JIT).

Japanisation = adoption of Japanisation = adoption of Japanese style Japanese style

management techniques in management techniques in Western organizations.Western organizations.


Knowledge workKnowledge work________________________________

Locus of work in groups and projectsLocus of work in groups and projects

Focus of work on customers, problems, issuesFocus of work on customers, problems, issues

Rapid skill obsolescenceRapid skill obsolescence

Specialized and deep skill sets with diffuse Specialized and deep skill sets with diffuse peripheral focusesperipheral focuses

Lenghty activity cycles from a business Lenghty activity cycles from a business perspectiveperspective

Process measures based on process Process measures based on process effectivenesseffectiveness

Employees’ loyalty to professions, networks Employees’ loyalty to professions, networks and peersand peers

A few major contribution of strategic A few major contribution of strategic importance on company success.importance on company success.


Post-bureaucratic designPost-bureaucratic design________________________________

Information ageInformation ageDeleyered management Deleyered management

structuresstructures

Decision making pushed Decision making pushed down to the front linedown to the front line

Losing shape, blurringLosing shape, blurring

Flat, flexible and Flat, flexible and empowered empowered

organisational formorganisational form


Post-bureaucratic designPost-bureaucratic design________________________________

Heckscher’s (1994) ideal-type Heckscher’s (1994) ideal-type of post-bureaucratic of post-bureaucratic

design:design:

1.1. Organisational dialogue, Organisational dialogue, persuasion and trustpersuasion and trust

2.2. Information-sharingInformation-sharing3.3. Behaviour based on Behaviour based on

principlesprinciples4.4. Communication based Communication based

on problem-solvingon problem-solving5.5. Peer evaluationPeer evaluation


Business process re-Business process re-engineeringengineering

________________________________

A radical change of A radical change of business processes by business processes by applying IT to integrate applying IT to integrate

tasks.tasks.

Hammer-Champy, 1996Hammer-Champy, 1996


Job Design & Human Job Design & Human ResourceResource

________________________________

Job and organizational Job and organizational design is related closely to design is related closely to all HR activities, including all HR activities, including recruitment and selection, recruitment and selection, learning and development, learning and development,

rewards and employee rewards and employee relations.relations.

Impact of Job redisign on Impact of Job redisign on Commitment, Competence, Commitment, Competence,

Cost-effectiveness, and Cost-effectiveness, and Congruence.Congruence.


Job Design ParadoxJob Design Paradox________________________________

DivisionDivision

VSVS

IntegrationIntegration


AssignmentAssignment______________________

VisitVisitwww.workteams.unt.edu

andand____________________

Explain the Explain the stereotypical team-stereotypical team-based organisation based organisation

as you picture itas you picture it


http://www.workteams.unt.edu/

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