Mastering Strategic Management

Question: Discuss about the Mastering Strategic Management. Answer: Introduction Human resource management deals with the management of human resources in a business organisation by performing functions, such as training and development, recruitment and selection, workforce planning, performance management, career development, etc. One of the most important functions that a human resource management of a business organisation performs is workforce planning and recruitment of candidates in order to the workforce demands identified in the workforce planning phase (Mondy and Mondy, 2014). In order to carry a recruitment process and to achieve good results, it is important that the human resource management of business organisations prepare job descriptions and job specifications (collectively known as job analysis) of all those openings that are required to be filled in an organisation. Job description is a written document that contains all the important information that is required to advertise for job openings and attract a sufficient pool of talent. Information, such as job title, job location, reporting to and of employees, summary of the job, nature of the job, tasks and duties to be performed by the recruited candidates, etc. all is mentioned under the job description section. On the other hand, job specification (also known as employee specification) is a written document that contains all the necessary information about the educational qualifications, qualities, experience, technical skills, etc. required to perform the job opening that is being advertised (Managementstudyguide.com, n.d.). Job Analysis for a Car Mechanic A car mechanic, or an automobile technician, is a person who is expert in dealing with automobile related issues. Efficient automobile technicians are in a great demand when it comes to the automobile industry as the automobile industry is on a constant lookout for technicians that are completely aware about the machinery used in different types of automobiles and those who have a complete knowledge of what they are doing. The job analysis for an automobile technician will comprise of preparing job description and job specification for the job opening. In order to conduct a job analysis or to prepare job description job specification, there are a number of techniques that a human resource manager can use. Some of these techniques are discussed below: Direct observation in this method, a human resource manager directly observes the employees who are already working on the same job post. Interview method in this method, a human resource manager can conduct an interview where the respondents are the employees who are working on the same job post Questionnaire method in this method, a human resource manager can prepare a questionnaire and can get it filled up from multiple employees working on the same job post Research in this method, a human resource manager can use various online and offline resources or existing data to conduct a job analysis (Managementstudyguide.com, n.d.). The job analysis for a car mechanic or an automobile technician has been conducted by using the interview and the research method, the details of which are mentioned in the human resource and non-human resource appendix. Job Description The job description for an automobile mechanic is given below: Requirement of a permanent automobile mechanic in the XYZ Motor Companys Virginia outlet The salary will range from $16/hour to $25/hour depending upon the capabilities of the candidates The working hours will be from 9 A.M. to 5 P.M. while a lunch break of 30 minutes will be provided in the afternoon (the lunch will be provided to the employees by the company itself). Will be required to report directly to the head technician or the service manager of the workshop Communicate with the customers and gather feedback about the problems that they are facing with their vehicles Inspection of engines of vehicles and any other parts with which the customer reports an issue Diagnoses of the issues identified and resolve them in the best possible manner Conducting day-to-day maintenance of incoming vehicles, such as replacement of worn out spare parts, refilling of engine oil, engine coolant, washer fluids, lubrication, etc. Repair or replacement of broken or dysfunctional or damaged spare parts Providing estimates and costs to the customers, which will be inclusive of all the labour cost and the cost of the spare parts Testing vehicles for any major or minor faults and reporting about them to the customer Scheduling future services Maintenance of all machinery and equipment that will be required for carrying out the job operations Ensure delivery of vehicles within the time period specified before the commencement of service of the vehicle Ensure proper functioning of the vehicles (Monster Hiring Resource Center, n.d.) Maintain a record of all the spare parts repaired or replaced in a vehicle and also of all the operations that are carried out to ensure proper functioning of vehicles. Job Specifications The job specifications for an automobile mechanic are discussed below: Should have a minimum experience of 5 years while working as a mechanic in any automobile company or a workshop The candidate must be able to relocate to the facility where there is an opening in case he or she belongs to a different region Should possess a driving licence Should have fluency in the local language that the customers will use while communicating Should be able to fulfil the attendance requirements of the company and must not take unnecessarily leaves Should be willing to work in a complex environment and dealing with complex situations Should have a thorough knowledge about the key terms that are used in the profession Should have a detailed knowledge about the spare parts, fluids, nut bolts, networking, wiring, etc. that is used in a vehicle Should have an intellectual mind so that he or she can analyse the information that a vehicle owner shares with him or her Should possess excellent knowledge about the tools, equipment, machinery and the material that is used for the repair and maintenance of vehicles Should have complete knowledge of the working of vehicle machinery and should be able to identify the faults that a machinery is experiencing Should be aware of all the safety measures and precautions that an automobile mechanic must adhere to while working in a workshop Should have an excellent physical condition and should be active while at work Should be holder of a diploma, certificate from a vocational school or should have successfully completed an apprenticeship under an expert. Candidates with valid certification will be given awarded an extra weightage (Recruiting and Hiring Resources for Employers, n.d.) Recrutiment The organisational strategy to which the company adheres is a Focus Cost Leadership Strategy. An organisation that adheres to a focus cost leadership strategy basically competes with its competitors on the basis of price when it targets a narrow market. Meanwhile, it is not obvious that such an organisation charges the lowest prices (Open.lib.umn.edu, n.d.). It is important that the organisation carriers out its recruitment process in accordance with its overall strategy. Thus, it would have to hire some of the best candidates who can ensure high quality of services to the clients even though the charges of the company are comparatively lower than its competitors. In general, there are two ways to carry out a recruitment process i.e. internal recruitment and external recruitment. In internal recruitment, human resource managers fulfil the human resource demands of their companies by hiring employees from within the organisation. Some common techniques in internal recruitment are prom otions, internal advertisements, temporary job rotations, hiring retired employees as freelancers, etc. On the other hand, an external recruitment process involves recruiting candidates from outside the organisation. Some common methods or techniques used in external recruitment are job portals, social media recruitment, websites, campus recruitments, employee referrals, etc. Some recruitment methods that can be used by the company to hire automobile technicians or car mechanic are discussed below: Job portals, an external recruitment method, can prove to be one of the best ways to recruit candidates for any kind of jobs. Thus, it is obvious that job portals will prove to be a good option for carrying out the process of recruitment. Job portals are online websites that enables candidates to create their respective accounts, upload resumes and share all their skills and techniques that an employer can review whenever there is an opening in an organisation. Using job portals, the company can make the recruitment process more efficient and fast as the human resource management of the company will be able to filter through the candidates on the job portal itself. The human resource management can filter the candidates on the basis of work experience, expected salary, etc. Recruitment through job portals would also allow the company to fulfil its strategy of focused cost leadership by selecting those candidates who are ready to work at comparatively lower prices but also have highe r technical capabilities. Further, the process of recruiting car mechanics using online job portals can have a number of additional benefits for the company, such as selecting the candidates who have the skills, techniques or qualifications that the company desires and reaching out to quickly. (Ali, 2013). One of the best ways to carry out recruitment for such job openings is through employee referrals. Employee referrals is one of the internal recruitment methods and has a number of advantages for business organisations. Using employee referrals, the company will be able to identify deserving candidates from the social network of their existing employees. To motivate the employees for putting up referrals, organisations can also offer them some kind of rewards or additional benefits. With a reward system is attached with the referral program, the existing employees will their best to bring in higher quality candidates so that they can meet the demands of the company and can also ensure a reward or an appreciation for themselves from the management. As a result, the company will have to make less efforts and at the same time will be able to vouch for high quality candidates. Recruiting car mechanics through employee referrals will also help the company in adhering to its organisationa l strategy as it would bring down the cost of the recruitment process. The process of recruitment carried out by considering employee referrals is faster than most of the other methods and is also helpful in making the recruitment process more efficient. Further, there are slight chances that the management might not find a right fit for a job opening using the conventional recruitment methods. In such cases, using employee referrals as a technique to recruit automobile technicians can help the management in making the recruitment process much easier (Rondini, 2015). Social media advertisement is costlier but is also one of the most effective ways of carrying out a recruitment process as it allows human resource management of any company to increase the potential pool of candidates. As a recruitment officer, it is important that one has complete knowledge of the place where he or she can find the most qualified, talented and largest pool of applicants and in order to achieve this, using social media for recruitment is the best possible way. Social media advertisement basically involves advertising a job opening through different media channels, such as social websites (Facebook, Twitter, etc.), television advertisements, announcement on radio channels, employment columns of newspapers, pamphlets, etc. The greatest advantage of using social media as a recruitment tool is that it allows recruitment officers to reach out to a larger number of applicants and are able to increase the pool of applicants from which they have to make a choice. Further, depending upon the target audience, the recruitment team can also shortlist the media platforms that are viewed by the applicants that the company wishes to get in touch with. Using social media, the company can share the job description and job specifications with the applicants through well prepared advertisements and receive response from only those candidates who would be willing to accept the conditions mentioned by the company. Thus, it would also ensure that only those candidates are targeted for whom the company is on a lookout. (Black, 2010). Recruitment through job centres can also prove to be effective for job openings, such as a car mechanic. A job centre is an organisation that provides recruitment assistance to the employers as well as the unemployed. Job centres in different states allow the unemployed educated youth to register themselves for the jobs which they desire (according to their qualifications) by uploading their resumes and all other necessary employment information. Further, it also allows employers to register job openings and to choose from the registered candidates for the best suited ones (Archive.india.gov.in, n.d.). A major advantage of recruiting through job centres is that it is a faster and cheaper recruitment process. Further, with the involvement of the employment experts, it would become easier for the company to carry out the entire recruitment process and recruit the desired candidates. The company can also look for certain employment agencies that deal with some particular types of jobs for which the company has a vacancy. Such scenario can further bring added advantages to the company (Careerride.com, 2015). recruitment agency can also be considered in order to recruit car mechanics. Also known as head hunters, recruitment agencies provide employers with the details of suitable candidates for a fixed amount of fees. In general, recruitment agencies specialize in certain areas of employment, such as nursing, teachers, financial services, etc. Recruiting through recruitment agencies will prove to be beneficial as it would be cheaper, faster and would help the company in selecting high quality candidates through expert assistance. The company can search for recruitment agencies, register themselves and can get in touch with these recruitment agencies whenever there is a job opening required to be fulfilled. Inducement The first inducement that would be helpful in catching the interest of the applicants right away would be the permanent job position. As we all know, job security is an important need of the candidates these days and they are better motivated when they know that their job is a secure one. Thus, the permanent nature of the job will catch their interest, would also help in fulfilment of organisational strategy as the employees will perform better and ultimately provide best customer services. The next inducement that would be beneficial in catching the interest of the applicants and in fulfilling the organisational strategy will be to provide them some relaxations, such as a lunch break and on duty meals along with a competitive wage. 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Retrieved 14 March 2017, from https://hiring.monster.com/hr/hr-best-practices/recruiting-hiring-advice/job-descriptions/automobile-technician-mechanic-job-description-sample.aspx Black, T. (2010).How to Use Social Media as a Recruiting Tool.Inc.com. Retrieved 15 March 2017, from https://www.inc.com/guides/2010/04/social-media-recruiting.html Job Analysis Methods.Managementstudyguide.com. Retrieved 14 March 2017, from https://www.managementstudyguide.com/job-analysis-methods.htm Job Description Job Specification - Definition, Purpose, PPT.Managementstudyguide.com. Retrieved 14 March 2017, from https://www.managementstudyguide.com/job-description-specification.htm Mondy, R. Mondy, J. (2014).Human resource management(1st ed.). Harlow Essex: Pearson. Reddy, K. (2015).10 Advantages and Disadvantages of Employee Referrals - WiseStep.WiseStep. Retrieved 15 March 2017, from https://content.wisestep.com/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-employee-referrals/ Register with State Employment Exchange - How do I: National Portal of India.Archive.india.gov.in. Retrieved 15 March 2017, from https://www.archive.india.gov.in/howdo/howdoi.php?service=12 Rondini, D. (2015).9 Best Practices for Recruiting and Retaining Technicians - Article - TruckingInfo.com.Truckinginfo.com. Retrieved 15 March 2017, from https://www.truckinginfo.com/article/story/2015/05/9-best-practices-for-recruiting-and-retaining-technicians.aspx