Brief Answer Questions:
[10 × 2 = 20]Mention two reasons for maintaining organizational behavior.
Point out the four factors of affecting perception.
What is meant by perceptual process?
List out any four determinants of personality.
Differentiate between functional and dysfunctional conflict.
Define quality of work life.
Write down the outcomes of job analysis.
Define talent development.
Write down any two features of self-managed team.
Mention any two benefits of outsourcing.
Short Answer Questions: (Attempt any SIX Questions)
[6 × 5 = 30]Describe various contributing disciplines to the field of organizational behavior.
Explain major personality attributes influencing OB.
Write notes on effects of job satisfaction on employee performance.
Explain the human resource planning process.
What are the causes of organizational stress? Describe.
Describe qualities of effective rewards.
Explain various methods of employee empowerment.
Long Answer Questions: (Attempt any THREE Questions)
[3 × 10 = 30]Job design is crucial factor for employee satisfaction and performance. Based on this statement, explain various methods of jobs design.
Recruitment process is the backbone for talent development. Based on it, explain different sources of recruitment with their pros and cons.
Organization change makes organizations fit for competitive business world. Based on this line, discuss approaches to managing organizational change.
Discuss on employee participation for their motivation.
Comprehensive Answer / Case / Situation Analysis Questions:
[4 × 5 = 20]Read the following case carefully and answer the questions that follow:
George A. Hormel & Company has many meat packing plants around the Country and one of these plants is located at Austin, Minnesota. During the mid-1980s, the company was faced with a decreasing demand for its products. It became necessary to cut the costs operation in order to remain in business and be competitive. To keep its costs down, the management or the company cut the base wages of its union employees. This was done arbitrarily and without consulting or negotiating with the union representatives. Even though the dispute between the union and the management had been simmering for a long time at the plant in Austin, it culminated in a strike led by the union in August of 1985.
An arbitrator was appointed to act as a mediator and due to his recommendation, some of the cuts in wages were restored. The management offered to restore the balance of the cuts at the time when the previous labor contract would expire and a new contract would be signed. The new contract was signed by all the unions at other Hormel plants, except one in Austin, and hence the strike. Because of the worker's strike, the plant was shut down. The strike lasted for nearly five months. The strike had not yet been settled when the management at the Austin plant decided to reopen the plant, and accordingly, some union packers returned to work. Many other workers refused to return to work and form a picket line and the local union urged its members not to cross the picket line. The management started to hire new workers to replace those who were on strike. There was a conflict between the employees and the workers on strike, so much so, that at one time there was a danger of physical Violence and local police had to be called in to restrain the workers who were on Strike.
The local union sent some of its members to picket other Hormel plants and asked the union members at these other plants to honor the picket lines and not report for work. About a week after the Austin plant was reopened, the central management fired hundreds of their workers at plants in Texas, Iowa and Nebraska for refusing to cross the picket lines and refusing to report to work. This step was significant because picket lines at these other plants were not set up by the local employees but by the striking employees at the plant in Austin.
The strike at the plant in Austin went into the ninth month. Tempers flared and violence erupted and in May 1986 hundreds of strikers fought with police outside the Austin plant. parent union, United Food and Commercial Workers also disagreed with the striking workers promoted by the local union, considering the economic slowdown and conditions in the industry. The President of the parent union decided to take over the operations of the local union and started proceeding to appoint a new union leadership at this plant. He believed that the conflict had gone too far and he hoped that with these changes, the strike would be over and the workers could go back to work.
Questions:
a. Do you consider the workers were wrong in going on strike? Why or why not?
b. What preventive steps can be taken to avoid the possibility of worker strike? Explain your viewpoints.
c. Who were the winners and losers in this conflict?
d. If you were hired as a mediator, what steps would you recommend in negotiation process?