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《国际人力资源管理》课程公共资源 > 讲义：section03

clarke1周前 (09-10)人力资源管理14

In the introduction to human resource management, we know that part one the human resources environment consist of chapter 2 strategic human resource management, chapter3 the legal environment and chapter 4 the analysis and design of work.

We have discussed on chapter 2 before and ignored chapter 3 since the legal environment in western world is so different from the legal system in China.

So in today’s class we will focus on chapter 4.

Analyze the work flow process, identifying the output, activities, and inputs in the production of a product or service.

Understand the importance of job analysis in strategic human resource management.

Choose the right organizational structure for a variety of human resource activities.

Firstly, what is work-flow analysis? Let’s take the thesis writing for example.

For example, when you write your graduation thesis, the final product is the paper you present to the teacher.

In order to complete the paper, you must do some work, such as data retrieving, reading, writing, research and analysis.

So what is work input? In the example of graduation thesis, raw materials are the research findings and relevant information, equipment which can be used to internet-surfing and word-processing, and required skills including data retrieving, data analysis; reasoning, writing, typing and editing abilities.

So work flow analysis includes analyzing work outputs，work processes and work inputs.

Job analysis refers to the process of getting detailed information about jobs.

Work flow analysis includes analyzing work outputs，work processes and work inputs.

Every work unit- whether a department, team, or individual – seeks to produce some output that others can use. An output is the product of a work unit.

Once the outputs of the work unit have been identified, it is possible to examine the work processes used to generate the output. The work processes are the activities that members of a work unit engage in to produce a given output.

The final stage in work-flow analysis is to identify the inputs used in the development of the work unit’s product. As shown in this figure, these inputs can be broken down into the raw materials, equipment, and human skills needed to perform the tasks.

Work flow analysis includes analyzing work outputs，work processes and work inputs.

What’s the importance of job analysis to HR Managers?

Almost every human resource management program requires some type of information that is gleaned from job analysis.

1. Work redesign: redesign work must be based on the detailed information of the existing work.

2. Through job analysis, organizations are able to identify the difference between effective and ineffective performance.

Job analysis is clearly important to the HR department’s various activities, but why it is important to line managers.

Managers must have detailed information about all the jobs in their work group to understand the work-flow process.

Managers need to understand the job requirements to make intelligent hiring decisions.

Since the manager is responsible for ensuring that each individual is performing his or her job satisfactorily, the manager must clearly understand the tasks required in every job.

Whereas work-flow design provides a longitudinal overview of the dynamic relationships by which inputs are converted into outputs, organization structure provides a cross-sectional overview of the static relationships between individuals and units that create the outputs.

Three types of organization structure include functional structure, divisional structure and matrix structure.

In functional structure, jobs are grouped by expertise or function.

The basic enterprise functions are production, selling, and financing. It has been logical to group these activities into such departments as engineering, production, selling or marketing, and finance.

In divisional structure, jobs are grouped by region, clients or products.

This organization structure illustrates a departmentation structure based on region. The company has VP of east region who is responsible of the east region division, and VP of west region who is responsible of west region division.

As the second organization chart shows, the company has VP consumer products who is responsible of the consumer products division, and VP commercial products who is responsible for commercial products division.

As the third organization chart shows, the company has VP of breads who is responsible of Breads division, and VP of Beverages who is responsible for Beverages division.

Divisional structure has have been growing in importance in large-scale enterprises who produce different types of product or serve different markets.

This is an example of typical product organization grouping for a manufacturing company. In general, Groups are based on product, such as instrument division, indicator lights division, industrial tools division, and electronic meter division. However, in the instrument division, activities are again grouped by function, such as engineering, accounting, production and sales.

Functional departmentation is the most widely used basis for organizing activities and is present in almost every enterprise at some level in the organization structure.

Both the functional structure and divisional structure has its own advantages and disadvantages.

1. A functional structure, as the name implies, employs a functional departmentalization scheme with relatively high level of centralization.

So the primary advantage of functional structure is high efficiency. According to scientific management, division of labor will lead to high efficiency.

However, it is insensitive to subtle differences across products, regions, or clients.

It’s pyramid like organization structure is mechanistic and inflexible.

2.Divisional structures combine a divisional departmentalization scheme with relatively low levels of centralization.

They are sensitive to subtle differences across products, regions, or clients. They can detect and exploit opportunities in their respective division.

Because of their semi-autonomous nature, divisional structures tend to be more flexible and innovative.

As Bill Gates said, “we are now holding the leaders of our new business divisions accountable to think and act as if they are independent businesses so that will give us the flexibility to respond more quickly to changes in technology and the marketplace.”

But it will duplicate resouce and lead to low efficiency, even self-cannibalize.

For General Motors, the sales of Buick car may affect the sales of Chevrolet.

So every type of organization structure has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Functional structures are most appropriate in stable, predictable environments.

This type of structure also helps support organizations that compete on cost, because efficiency is central to making this strategy work.

Divisional structures are most appropriate in unstable, unpredictable environments, such as computer industry.

This type of structure helps support organizations that compete on differentiation or innovation, because flexible responsiveness is central to making this strategy work.

In next section we will go on to discuss matrix structure.

Another kind of departmentation is matrix organization.

The essence of matrix organization normally is combining of functional and project or product patterns of departmentation in the same organization structure.

In one dimension, the units are grouped based on functional similarities, which is similar to functional structure.

In another dimension, the departments are grouped based on product, project, or client, which is similar to division structure.

So matrix structure has both the advantages of functional structure and division structure.

Then what is the disadvantage of matrix structure?

Take a large organization for example, Sue is a HR specialist in east district division, her boss is Jack who is the manager of the east district division.

Meanwhile, Sue should follow the command of Linda, who is HR Director in headquarters.

Linda requires Sue to carry out the new performance management system in east district division. The new appraisal system is somewhat difficult and does no good to division manager’s interest.

What should Sue do? Should she follow the HR Director’s command to carry out the new performance management system strictly or protect the division manager’s interest? She got puzzled, which will lead role conflict.

So matrix structure goes against the rule of unity of command (Fayol’s 14 principles of management: Two bosses are not better than one).

So every type of organization structure has its own advantages and disadvantages. There is no one best pattern of departmentation that is applicable to all organization and all situations.

Managers should be able to design the organization structure most suitable for their particular operations.