2025 BM U3_Outcome2

Human resource management involves:

• managing the financial aspects of the business.

• coordinating all the activities involved from acquiring to terminating employees of the business.

• promoting the business and selling its products in the market.

• all the activities in which managers engage to produce goods or services.

Answer explanation

Human resource management refers to the effective management of the formal relationship between the employer and employees — this includes coordinating all the activities involved in the employment cycle (from acquiring to terminating employees).

When applied to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, a company social event addresses:

• self-actualisation needs.

• esteem needs.

• social needs.

• safety needs.

Answer explanation

Social needs relate to the need for belonging or inclusion, which a workplace can provide through opportunities for people to meet and form working relationships (which might include social events).

According to the Four Drive Theory, the drive that focuses on the desire to own possessions and the desire for status is the drive to:

• aquire

• bond

• learn

• defend

Answer explanation

According to the Four Drive Theory, the drive to acquire includes the desire to own material goods, and encompasses the desire for status, power and influence.

In the context of Locke and Latham’s Goal Setting Theory, a goal is most unlikely to be made more challenging by:

• increasing the difficulty of the task.

• 
  increasing the number of goals.

• reducing the amount of time to complete the goal.

• increasing the personal significance of the goal.

Answer explanation

Increasing the difficulty of the task, reducing the amount of time to complete the goal, and increasing the personal significance of the goal will make a goal more challenging, while increasing the number of goals will simply do that (increase the number of goals) — they won’t necessarily become more challenging.

An advantage of performance-related pay is that:

• 
  employees are more productive, as they will often actually be working while being paid.

• it is expensive and stressful for both employees and the business.

• each employee will be aware of the objectives of the business, as well as their own responsibilities in achieving those objectives.

• it will only apply when there is actual performance improvement.

Answer explanation

One advantage of performance-related pay is that it will only apply when there is actual performance improvement — the other three options are not advantages of performance-related pay.

Support refers to:

• the process of teaching staff how to do their job more efficiently and effectively by boosting their knowledge and skills.

• 
  the assistance or services (such as counselling and mentoring) provided by the business to employees.

• a form of penalty or discipline imposed on an employee for poor performance.

• 
  a measure of performance that indicates how many inputs it takes to produce an output.

Answer explanation

Support is the assistance or services (such as counselling and mentoring) provided by the business to help employees cope with difficulties that may impede their work performance.

A difference between career advancement and investment in training is that:

• they can both provide a means of retaining valuable employees, but a problem with investment in training is that the business may pay the cost of training only to have the employee leave for a position in another business.

• both career advancement and investment in training are motivation strategies — there is no difference.

• career advancement occurs when an employee is promoted or given more responsibilities.

• career advancement refers to the promotion of employees or the assignment of more responsibilities/authority to employees, whereas investment in training relates to the direction of finances into the teaching of new skills to employees.

Answer explanation

Response D is the only clear difference between the two terms. Response A refers to a similarity, then a disadvantage of investment in training, Response B refers to a similarity, Response C refers to a definition of career advancement only (no difference).

A sanction is unlikely to positively affect long-term employee motivation as it:

• provides the employee with a sense of accomplishment.

• does not encourage the employee to make a long-term commitment to the business.

• usually brings a pay rise and greater job security.

• provides a means by which some of the higher level needs in Maslow’s hierarchy can be satisfied.

Answer explanation

Sanctions are only likely to impact short-term motivation, as they do not encourage employees to make long-term commitments to a business.

The use of management by objectives allows:

• managers and employees to know what is expected of them, reducing ambiguity and confusion in relation to roles.

• employees to understand how the management of employees relates to business objectives.

• management of a business to complete less work.

• for flexibility within the business.

Answer explanation

One of the advantages of management by objectives is that managers and employees are likely to know what is expected of them, reducing ambiguity and confusion in relation to roles.

Redundancy is voluntary when:

• the human resource manager is aware of the rights of an employee.

• employees are informed of the situation and given the opportunity to nominate themselves for redundancy.

• an employee is asked to leave the business against his or her will because their job no longer exists.

• two parties in dispute put their case forward to an independent third party.

Answer explanation

Voluntary redundancy occurs when employees are informed of the situation and given the opportunity to nominate themselves for redundancy.