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Ms-24 Question bank

MS-24    dec-2009

MS-24 : EMPLOYMENT RELATIONS

 

1. Explain the new perspectives of 1990s and 20 implications of post-modernism for employment relations citing suitable examples.

2. What are the skills and traits required for negotiating team and briefly discuss about process of long term settlement ?

3. Briefly discuss the factors responsible for the failure of participative schemes in India. Discuss the strategies for making participative forums effective.

 

4. Describe the issue of leadership in trade unions. Outline the new role of trade unions.

5. Write short notes on any three of the following :

a) Principles of industrial adjudication

b) Indiscipline : nature and causes

c) Impact of ILO on industrial relations

d) Gandhian approach to industrial relations

(e) Chamberlain's model of bargaining

 

6. There is one case study given in this section. Attend the same.

Mr. Nandkishore is a workman employed in the despatch department of a cement factory.

The factory is located in one of the towns of a politically sensitive state. It employs about 1,500 employees besides the managerial staff. The annual turnover of the company is around Rs. 150 crores and its capacity utilization is 75 per cent. The factory has three unions besides a Security Staff Association and a Management Association. For eight years, only one union has been recognized, on the basis of its "claim" that it has the largest following of workmen. Continued recognition of a single union led to strained

relations between the two unrecognized unions and the Management, and also among the unions themselves.

Mr. Nandkishore is an office bearer of one of the unrecognized unions. The industrial

relations situation in the factory has been fluctuating from periods of harmony to periods

of disturbances. On December 10, 1988, Mr. Nandkishore fell down from the ladder, while working during the second shift. This accident resulted in serious injury to his right arm. He was admitted in a  Government hospital for treatment. An accident report was sent to the Commissioner under Workmen's Compensation Act, to determine the amount of compensation, if any, to be paid to Mr. Nandkishore for the loss of any earning capacity. Meanwhile, the union in which he is an office bearer requested the Management to pay a sum of Rs. 5,000 as advance to the injured workman for covering medical expenses. It also stated that the above amount may be deducted from the compensation which Mr. Nandkishore may get, according to the Commissioner's decision. The Management paid Rs. 3,000 as advance, after obtaining a written undertaking from the union that this amount will be deducted from the compensation payable. The union also agreed to this condition. It also arranged for the release of Rs.2,000 from the Labour Welfare Fund. The Medical Officer treating the workman submitted a report in February, 1989. The Medical Report did not mention any kind of disablement (Full/Partial, Temporary/Permanent) to the workman. The Commissioner, after processing the case and studying the report, ruled that the workman, Mr. Nandkishore shall be paid only half-monthly wages for these two months against his request for compensation as there was no

permanent or partial disablement. On receipt of this report from the  Commissioner , the Management asked the workman to repay Rs. 3,000 given as an advance and requested the union to do the needful in this regard. The union, however, contended that since the accident occurred during and in the course of employment, the Management must treat it as ex-gratia payment and that it should not demand its repayment as the money was used for treatment. The Management, however, pointed out that at the time of taking advance, both the union and workman had agreed that this amount will be recovered from the compensation payable and since no compensation is payable, the workman should pay back the advance. The Management, further pointed out that it cannot waive the recovery of the above advance as it is bound by the rules. The union however insisted that Management should not proceed on the recovery of advance from the workman. The Management also heard rumours that the said union may stage a “show down” over this issue.

Questions :

a) What is the problem in the case ?

b) Analyse the causes which led to the problem.

c) How should one deal with such a situation ?

d) Discuss the Act under which this case can be dealt.

MS-24    dec-2010 solved paper

MS-24 : EMPLOYMENT RELATIONS

MS-23    Dec, 2011

MS-23 : HUMAN RESOURCE  PLANNING

 

1. Explain the concept and process of HRP. Describe  the manning standards and utilisation of Human  Resource Planning.

2. Discuss different kinds of roles. Describe the  factors contributing to role changes in an orgn  with suitable examples.

 

3. Explain the aims and objectives of career  planning. Discuss the career planning process and  also highlight the benefits of having career  planning in an organisation.

4. Discuss the concept of HRIS. Describe an IT  supported HRIS and its advantages with suitable  examples.

5. Write short notes on  any three  of the following :

(a) Human Resource Inventory

(b) Job Specification

(c) Potential Apprisel

(d) Sources of man power supply

(e) The cost approach in HRA.

 

6.  Read the following case and answer the questions  given at the end.

K.M.T. Ltd. is a government undertaking  situated near Cochin. It manufactures textile

machinery and other machine tools, and has  about 4,000 employees. The company till 1984 had  a good business record. It started showing  declining results because of competition from four  new private sector industries. This setback was  further aggravated because of competition from  H.M.T. and P.M.T. in the area of manufacture of  machine tools. Adding to this was K.M.T. Ltd.'s  failure to diversify into other areas though it had  enough capacity, particularly with regard to  variety in machine tools and textile machinery. It  was also noticed that the costs of textile machinery  and other machine tools produced by K.M.T. Ltd.  were higher than those produced by other  companies.  The company was managed by the  Managing Director, Mr. Menon, under the  guidance of the Board of Directors. The General  Manager, Mr. Joseph, was incharge of production.  The company's management thought of adding  two new departments, namely Industrial  Engineering and Cost Accounting. A few old  hands were selected from within the organisation  and were sent for training to NPC, Madras, and  ICWA. Following this, the section heads of these two departments - Industrial Engineer  Srikumaran, and Cost Accountant, Nambiar -began their departmental activities. They were  promoted as Senior Industrial Engineer and Senior  Cost Accountant and subsequently to the Chief's  post. It was, however, noticed that these two  departments could neither effectively check nor  control manufacturing costs with the available  talent.

The MD in order to check the cost factor  thought of recruiting well-qualified and  experienced individuals for the senior-level posts  of industrial engineer and cost accountant. An  advertisement for the two posts was given and to  attract qualified personnel, the salary offered was  in the higher grade of 'G4'  (Spl).  The Officers  Association (OA) approached the MD and  requested him not to recruit outsiders for these  posts, but instead, arrange for suitable training  for existing experienced officers of these  departments and promote them afterwards. They  also objected to the recruitment of outsiders in a  higher grade of 'G4' (Spl) instead of the usual 'G4'  grade. Under pressure from the OA, the personnel  department sent the interview letters indicating

the correction in recruitment grade to 'G4'. A large  number of outside candidates wrote back saying  that they would be interested, provided they were  considered in 'G4' (Spl) grade as already  advertised. Under the advice of the MD, telegrams  were sent asking candidates to appear for the  interview and which also stated that the 'G4' (Spl)  grade would be considered.

     Seven candidates, including two  departmental officers, appeared for the Industrial  Engineer's post and eight candidates, including  three departmental candidates, appeared for the  Cost Accountant's post. In each case, well-qualified and experienced outsiders (Mr Gopalan  as Senior Industrial Engineer and Mr. Nayar as  Senior Cost Accountant) were selected in  ` G4'   (Spl)  grade as per the original plan of the  MD. The General Manager, the Chief Industrial  Engineer and the Chief Cost Accountant were not  included in the board for selection of candidates  and thus, felt neglected.

Mr. Gopalan and Mr. Nayar joined the  organisation and were asked to report to their  respective chiefs. The chiefs allotted some minor  assignments to them, retaining major ones with  either themselves or with some of their close  associates (who had been recently promoted  mainly on the basis of seniority).  The present profile of work assignments  were covering only a limited area of industrial  engineering and costing. Many other areas were  not tried out and taken up; the latest techniques  were also not being used. When an opportunity  for promotion of both Mr. Gopalan and Mr. Nayar

arose (as Chief of Industrial. Engineering was  retiring and the Chief Cost Accountant had  resigned), the departmental promotion  committee, consisting of the MD, GM, Chief

Personnel Manager and the Chief Industrial  Engineer, selected and promoted two  ` G4'  grade  officers to 'G5' grade on the basis of their duration  of service in the organisation. The cases of Mr.  Gopalan and Mr. Nayar (of 'G4'  (Spl)  grade) were  rejected as they had only a year's experience with  the organisation. Both these new officers were  dejected at not being considered for promotion.  They had joined the Officers Association, but after  this incident the two were also neglected by the  OA. Mr. Gopalan and Mr. Nayar decided to quit  the organisation as early as possible since they  were not prepared to work under their juniors.

The business of the company declined  further. Then, there came a sudden change. The

MD, Mr. Menon, was replaced by  Mr. Ramakrishanan. After reviewing the  comapany's

position, the new MD called Mr.  Gopalan and Mr. Nayar as well as their new  chiefs. He gave them new assignments and asked  them (Mr. Gopalan and Mr. Nayar) to report back

urgently through their chiefs.  After 10 days, Mr. Gopalan met the MD and  handed over his resignation instead of the  assignment report. The MD enquired about the  reason for the resignation. Mr. Gopalan explained  as to how he had been sidelined for promotion to

  the Chief Industrial Engineer's post, and how he  had been treated in the department with respect  to assignments. Moreover, he stated that he was  not willing to work under his junior. He also said  that he had been offered a divisional head's post  in a big (multi-unit) private industry and would  like to join them at the earliest. He further added  that he was interested in utilising his potential and  talent to the fullest. The MD asked him to think  over his resignation, and particularly since he was  joining a private sector industry after serving in  the public sector. He promised to make use of his  talent at K.M.T. Ltd. Itself and to look into his  case and promote him as Joint Chief Industrial  Engineer. After a lapse of another week, Mr.  Nayar also approached the new MD with his  resignation letter.

Questions  :

(a) Is the recruitment policy of the organisation  faulty ? Why ?

(b) Why are Gopalan and Nayar demotivated ?

(c) Do you think that Gopalan and Nayar  should have been selected enabling their

effective utilisation ?

(d) If you were asked to advise Menon and  Ramakrishnan about dealing with the  problems of Gopalan and Nayar, what  advice would you give ?

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