Master of Business Administration-MBA Semester 3 MU0012 Employee Relations Management Assignment Set 2 Q1. Explain branches?

the approaches for management of overseas

There are four major approach to overseas branches, they are: Ethnocentric Polycentric Regiocentric Geocentirc

Ethnocentric Approach: It is often seen that the decisions relating to value, culture and strategies are determined by the parent company. Where little power is wasted in the subsidiaries. The Subsidiaries of a company are managed by an expatriate or a former staff of the parent company. The locals have very little to do with the way things are carried in a company. Lines are communication is usually unidirectional as commands are used by the head quarters. The host-country branches a diplomatic role to play but is dominated by the customs of the parent company. It is believed that this is during the first stage of development of companies intending to go International and the management at the Head Quarters takes an alternative step only after a specific period of time. Many American and Japanese companies have been charged of trying to introduce employee relation policies and strategies which are suitable to their own culture but incompatible to the host country tradition. This strategy is followed in organization as they believe that there strategies are not only the best but also the only way to proceed. The organization the risk of not taking notice of the tradition and culture of the host country there by offending the local employees. The local employees in the subsidiary may not believe

in the same values and thoughts and hence do not adapt to the parent company regime. Mc Donalds follows the Ethnocentric Approach. Polycentric Approach: For the local conditions, values and systems are taken into consideration in a company. The subsidiary is governed by a home country staff and considered as a self-government business unit. Major decisions, strategy, planning and financial investments are decided at the Head Quarters. However, in this approach the manager of the subsidiary is a local staff and manager employee relationship is better. This approach maintaining the policies in employee relations as it is compatible to the culture and regime of Host country. Companies like Lever Brothers and Unilever follow Polycentric Approach. Regiocentric and Geocentric Approach: Here the subsidiaries are not limited to boundaries such as home country or the region where an organization has presence. It is organized on a regional basis or geographic basis such as worldwide or global. Control of staff and decision making responsibility is based on regional or geography constraints. In case of region centric, the managers are appointed from the host country and in case of geocentric the managers are from any part of the world, i.e., the most suited person is appointed for the job. Colgate, Palmolive are examples of companies that follow Geocentric approaches. It is seen that the companies that follow Polycentric, Regiocentric, and Geocentric are truly globalised. In such companies we can expect development of a region or worldwide approach to employee relations, policies and practices. Q2. List the Management? core issues of Employee Relations

Core issues of Employee Relations Management are:

Conflict Management: It refers to the Manner in which managers handle grievances and disputes. According to Gennard and Judge, Employee aims to resolve difference between the various interests, groups regardless of whether these groups comprise different categories of managers or employees. Workplace conflicts arise due to differences in perceptions, culture, employer biases, gaps in communication and so on. A win-win approach is used to resolve conflicts. Mediation, counseling are adopted for resolving conflicts rather than using former discipline measures. Managers are trained both to avoid and resolve disputes. External mediators can also be called in if necessary. Large organizations like public sector companies prefer to use internal mediators to resolve conflicts. Unresolved work place conflicts can have a negative impact on the organization. For ex , if the production manager and the quality control manager have differences about implementation of quality procedures, then the work of both the divisions is affected. Conflict management help employees get along with the other employees, their managers and the customers. These skills help managers identify conflicts, respond to them, get better cooperation from the employees, and avoid conflicts from spreading to other part of the organization. The following skill set help managers to deal with conflicts Conceptual skills- Managers need to first understand the causes of conflicts under different strategies and tactics they can use to resolve the conflicts. Communication skills- Managers requires good listening and the ability to ask the right questions to ascertain the cause of the conflict. They must avoid harmful statements and remain rational. Negotiation skills- Managers need to know the policy of give and take required to resolve conflicts. Conflicts are resolved by adopting the following strategies: Counseling: Only few organizations have professional counselors on their staff. Many organizations train their managers to counsel their subordinates. Often, just by

employing non directing counseling managers can help frustrated employees. Discussions and debates- Task conflicts resolved by discussing and debating the actions. Conceptual decision is made after considering every option. Compromise- This method tries to resolve conflict by arriving at a solution which satisfies at least part of the requirement of the party involved. Using third parties- As serious conflicts negative impact on organization 3rd parties with specialized skills are used as arbitrators, mediators or ombudsmen to resolve them. Q3. What is organization culture? What arev the elements of organization culture? Organization cultures describe the Psychology, attitudes, experiences, beliefs and values of an organization. It is defined as The specific collection of values and norms that are shared by people and groups in an organization and that control the way they interact with each other and with stake holders outside the organization. An organization is said to have a strong culture if its employees are aligned with the organizational values. Organization that have a strong culture function efficiently. On the other hand, in organizations that has a weak culture. The employees are not aligned with the Organizational values. Control has to be exercised through extensive procedures and rules. In Organization with a strong culture group think can develop. Group think is a state wherein people do not challenge organizational thinking even if they have different ideas. Innovative thinking gets discouraged in such situations. Innovative organizational people who are willing to change the status quo, and to implement new ideas and procedures.

Elements of Organization culture: Now that we have e defined organizational culture let us look into the elements that define organizational culture. They are as follows. The Paradigm- It defines the mission and values of the organization. it outlines the functions of the organization. Control Systems- It defines the process and the ruled which monitor the organizational activities. Organizational structures- It outlines the reporting lines, hierarchies and the direction of work flows. Power Structures- It specifies the decision maker and their power reach. Symbols- It includes organizational logos, designs and symbols of power like allocation of parking space. Rituals and routines- It outlines procedures like meeting and reporting. Stories and Myths- It conveys the organizational values.
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Q4 Describe relations?

the

main

actors

involved

in

Industrial

The Following are the main actors involved in the Industrial relations: Employers: Are those who engage a worker and pay the worker a fixed salary on return for services rendered. Employers have the right to employ and fire employees. Their decisions like relocation, introduction of new technologies, mergers, and acquisitions affects their employees. Employee: Is an individual who is hired by a person or a business and is remunerated for the services rendered. Employees need a good working environment. They have a right to voice their opinions and convey their grievances. Employees generally form a union in order to obtain their rights from the management. Employees expect union to support them on all issues.

 Government: They influence employee relations by means of laws, rules, regulations and policies. The government establishes the legal framework for management-trade union interaction. The government also helps in settlement of industrial disputes. They also regulate incomes and establish minimum wages. For example, in Australia, the Commonwealth has enabled employers under their jurisdiction, to bypass unions and negotiate directly with individual employees. But the individual states have reaffirmed the collective bargaining process and the role of unions. Trade Unions: They promote and protect employee interests. Trade unions help in making decisions by following the process of collective bargaining and negotiations, with the management. Good trade unions improve communication between the management and the employees. Trade unions also help in settling of industrial disputes. For ex, the United States has low levels of unions compared to the European Union. Hence the companies in the United States hire and fire the employees at will, while their European counterparts have to consult the trade unions. Employer Associations: They help in enhancing the performance of enterprises. Employer associations represent employers in collective bargaining, depose before tribunals and courts, and engage in public and media relations. They also provide a forum for discussions and debates on specialized subjects. Employer associations advise, educate, and assist members in industrial disputes. They also lobby with the government for industrial reforms. Courts and tribunals: These help in resolving industrial disputes. Labour courts examine the legality of orders passed by employers, the discharge of employees, withdrawal of concessions or privileges, matters relating to lockouts and strikes. Industrial tribunals deal with matters related to wages, compensations and other allowances, bonuses, rules of discipline, retrenchment, and closure of organizations. For ex, the Australian Industrial relations

give great importance to courts. The courts give quick binding decisions thus, minimizes economic losses.

Employees Government Industrial Relations Employers Courts and Tribunals The influence of each actor varies in different Industrial systems. In some systems, the government dominates the relationships and in some others it only plays a minor role. Some industrial emphasis employee interests while other employee interest. Employees usually interact with their employers through representative unions. Some countries facilitate these trade unions, where as some countries discourage them. Hence, the goals and actions of the trade union vary from country to country. Trade Unions Employer Associations

Q5. Explain the steps in formal grievance redressal procedure? Organization are legally bound to provide in a written system of terms and conditions of employment, details of the person to whom any employee who has a grievance may apply. A grievance procedures sets out how such an application is made and how it is dealt with. The procedures aim to settle the grievances as quickly, fairly, and as near to the point of origin as possible. In practice this means that the issue is more often settle by the employees immediate supervisors or line manager. The grievance procedures describes about what happens if the grievances cannot be resolved at this level. The different types of grievances procedures describes about what happens if the grievance cannot be resolved at this level. The different types of grievances procedures are discussed below. Formal Grievance redressal: There are 3 formal stages to redress any grievance. Each stage has a form which is numbered according to the stage it belongs. First, it has to be noted that the grievances have to fall under one of the following categories to be considered as one: Amenities Compensation Conditions of work Continuity of service Disciplinary action Stage I of grievance Redressal An employee who has a grievance meets the shift-in-charge and discusses it. If necessary the employee obtains a copy of grievance from one. It is done within a week of occurrence of the aggrieving of the incident or when the employee became aware of the situation. In case of promotion a time limit of 6 weeks from the date of promotion is permitted. The employee fills up the particular and hands it over to the shift in charge- and obtains an acknowledgement receipt in written.

The shift-in-charge makes the necessary enquiries and returns the form to the employee with remarks filed in the form within 2 working days from the date of receipt of the form. In cases where reference to higher authorities or to another department is necessary more time is provided. Stage II of Grievance Redressal: If the matter is not resolved at stage I, the employee obtains grievance form 2 and submits it to the next senior manager. The senior manager arranges a meeting within 3 working days. The department head discusses the issue with the concerned supervisor and the employer and returns the grievance form to the employee with remarks. A unionized member may assist the employee at this stage of grievance redressal. Stage III of Grievance Redressal: If the employee is not satisfied with the reply of the departmental head, the employee appeals to the chairman of his unit grievance redressal committee within 7 working days of the receipt of reply at stage II. The employee obtains a copy of grievance form 3 from the shift-incharge. The recommendations of the unit grievance redress committee are considered unanimous and binding on the employee, if no objections are raised either the management or the union. If objections are raised, the matter is sent for further consideration to the resident director who discusses it over with the president or the Deputy President before arriving at a definite conclusion. Q 6. What are the different types of Disciplinary problems? Discipline is essential for organization to regulate employee behavior and to channel employee efforts in realizing Organizational goals. Management deals with all acts of indiscipline and misconduct according to the organizational rules and policies and the nature of the indiscipline. Indiscipline can be classified as Minor or Major on the basis of the impact they have on the functioning of the organization.

Minor Acts of Indiscipline includes absenteeism, late coming, negligence at work, failure to be present when required, inefficiency and acts of omission. Management corrects minor indiscipline with written or oral warnings. Major acts of indiscipline have to be dealt seriously and they include theft, fraud, breach of contract, accepting or giving bribes of gifts, drunkenness, Violent, disorderly behavior, in subordination, sleeping while on duty,. Disclosing confidential information, supporting or misuse of company equipment, inciting other employees to act against the interest of the company, absence without leave for a period of more than a month and committing any offence punishable by the law of the land. Let us now analyze these disciplinary problems that managers have to deal within their line of work. The main types of disciplinary problems are explained as follows: Excessive Absenteeism: Absenteeism occurs when an employee does not report to work due to time off, illness or any other reason. Excessive absenteeism results in loss of productivity. Absenteeism is corrected by employing progressive discipline. Employees need to be aware of the absenteeism of the policy of the company. Employees need to Take responsibility for their absenteeism and substantiate with valid records like medical certificates in case of health related absences. Poor Time keeping: Reporting late to work, leaving early, indulging in extended tea or lunch brakes, doing personal work during office hours and other time- wasting practices reduce the time spent doing productive work. Improper personal appearance: Dress codes are enforced in organizations to project a professional appearance or for safety reasons. Substance abuse: Alcohol and drug abuse can lower employee concentration and decrease performance. Substance abuse also results in absenteeism, accidents at work place and inappropriate behavior.

 Defective performance: Defective performance results when a task is not completed on time or is of sub standard quality or the task is not done according to requirements. Poor Attitudes: Sleeping on the job, being careless while working, fighting with co-workers, gambling in the work place, insulting supervisors, being rude to customers and colleagues and such practices reflects poor attitudes. Violation of health and safety rules: Smoking in unauthorized places, failure to use safety devices, not following safety rules regarding fire safety, dealing with hazardous chemicals, electrical and mechanical equipments and radiation protection are serious violations and have to be dealt with immediately and effectively. Insubordination: It can take the form of refusing to perform or legitimate task that has been assigned, ignoring the instructions of Managers, criticizing or challenging the orders of the superior, using abusive language or making disrespectful gestures like rolling the eyes. Work place violence: Companies need to have training programs to its security personal so that they recognize warning signs and know how to deal with violent behavior of employees. Harassment: This behavior causes discomfort to the coworkers and reduces employee morale. Making crude and sexual remarks or forcing another coworker to do certain non legitimate tasks constitutes harassment. Theft and sabotage: Sometimes employees steal money, equipment supplies, or confidential information belonging to the company. Some aggressive may damage or destroy organizational equipment and facilities.