Approach for Managing Human Resource - Samsung Corporation - Case Study Example

Job Analysis: An Approach for Managing Human Resource Student’s Name Institution Tutor’s Name Course Date Outline 1. Introduction 2. The Concept of Job Analysis 3. Procedures Followed During Job Analysis 4. Methods of Data Collection in Job Analysis a) Observation Method b) Interview Method c) Questionnaire Method d) Employee Diary 5. Uses of Job Analysis Information in Modern Organizations a) Recruitment and Selection Processes b) Training, Job Appraisal and Compensation c) Identification of Unassigned Activities 6. How to Measure the Effectiveness of Job Analysis 7. Advantages and Disadvantages of Job Analysis a) Advantages b) Disadvantages 8. Importance of Job Analysis in Strategic HRM 9. How Job Analysis Affects Overall Productivity of an Organization 10. Conclusion An Approach for Managing Human Resource 1. Introduction A job analysis is an aspect of human resource management that is used to analyze an occupation based on its main components. The main components of every job include informational content, work activities, and organizational structure (Kotey & Slade 2005, p. 18). The information gathered through job analysis is used to design job titles, training programs, and quality assurance standards. The information can also be used to evaluate employee performance and the productivity of the organization. Consequently, it is evident that a job analysis is essential to get the best staff to work in modern and rapidly changing organizations (Ahmad 2005, p. 46). This paper addresses the various aspects of a job analysis and its impact on the performance and productivity of Samsung Corporation, one of the modern organizations. 2. The Concept of Job Analysis Every organization is constituted by different positions that need to be staffed to enable the organization to run its operations smoothly. A job analysis enables an organization to identify suitable duties for all the vacant positions and the right individuals to fill them. In other words, a job analysis provides the HR personnel with the relevant information for designing a list of what the job requires, often referred to as the job description, and the best people to recruit for the job, which involves the job specifications (Kotey & Slade 2005, p. 19). There are specific types of information that HR managers seek to obtain through a job analysis. One of such information is work activities; the information regarding work activities include items that directly describe the characteristics of the actual job. These items include things, such as selling, cleaning, and advertising. The information should also explain how, when, and why the employee needs to perform these activities (Singh 2008, p. 87). In addition, the information provides the details regarding the equipment to be used, materials to be processed and the knowledge required to perform the tasks (Ahmad 2005, p. 47). The HR department can also use a job analysis to design a job context. The information provided under a job context includes items such as the work schedule, physical working conditions and organizational structure (Singh 2008, p. 89). The information should also describe the social framework, which illustrates, for instance, the number of people who a particular employee can work and interact with within a particular organization. The HR specialist may also include information regarding rewards and incentives to be issued out to motivate employees (Kotey & Slade 2005, p. 24). 3. Procedures Followed in Job Analysis There are various steps that are followed when doing a job analysis for most jobs. The first step requires the HR department to make a decision on how the organization intends to use the information gathered from a job analysis. This helps in determining the data to be collected and the methods to be used in collecting such data (Boyd 2008, p. 232). The second procedure in a job analysis is the designing of process charts, job descriptions and organization charts. A process chart is used to explain work flow. The chart provides the flow of outputs and inputs for the job being analyzed. On the other hand, the job description is supposed to show how to build the job that has been revised (Dessler 2002, p. 62). The organizational chart should show how the job in question is linked to other positions within the organization. The organizational chart should also show the contribution of the job under analysis to the overall success of the organization (Franklin 2005, p. 3). The last step in the analysis involves the development of a job specification and a job description. The job specification should summarize important details, such as employee personal traits, qualities, and skills required to ensure that the requirements of the position are effectively met. The job description should explain the responsibilities and activities involved in the job under analysis. The description should also offer information regarding other essential details such as safety hazards and the recommended working conditions (Dessler 2002, p. 62). 4. Methods of Data Collection in Job Analysis Although there are several methods that the HR department can use to collect data for a job analysis, the most commonly applied ones include observation, interview, questionnaire, and employee logs. All these methods assist the HR personnel to collect the basic information required for successful accomplishment of a particular job. The method to be used in a job analysis for a particular employment position is determined by a number of factors. The factors include the nature of the job, hierarchical levels, organizational structure, and the type of activities and responsibilities involved (Dessler 2002, p. 63). a) Observation Method The method of observation is used as a data collection method in situations where the job to be analyzed consists of observable physical features. This method cannot be used in situations where the job to be analyzed consists mostly of mental activities. Jobs such as design engineering cannot be analyzed through direct observation. However, positions such as that of an accounting clerk, which entail a lot of physical activities, can easily be analyzed through this method. This method may fail to yield desirable results if the worker being studied is nervous and decides to change the way he performs the job (Aswathappa 2005, p. 108). To ensure that direct observation gives the required results, it should be used together with the interview method. In such a case, the person conducting the analysis observes the worker throughout a complete work cycle. The person records all the required information in a notebook. The same worker who is used in the observation is then used in the interview process. The information acquired from the interview method is used to clarify the points that look vague in the information collected through the observation. In some cases, the two methods, observation and interview, can be done simultaneously to save time and to enable the observer to obtain the most reliable information (Aswathappa 2005, p. 109). b) Interview Method An interview can also be used to collect the information required in a job analysis. There are three procedures by which the interview method can be executed: supervisors’, individual and group interviews. The supervisors’ interview involves interviewing one or more supervisors of a particular job to obtain their perspectives regarding the activities and responsibilities entailed in the job. The individual interview entails holding an interview with each employee separately to extract the relevant information from them. The group interview is almost similar to the individual interview, but the only difference between the two is that in the former, the employees are questioned at the same time, while in the latter, each of them is questioned separately (Barnett 2008, p. 38). An interview is the mostly used method for data collection in a job analysis. It provides the most reliable information regarding the responsibilities and duties of a given job. This method is also simple and it provides the quickest way for obtaining information required in a job analysis. In addition, the method also provides a chance for the interviewer to explain the needs for conducting a particular job analysis in the field (Barnett 2008, p. 39). c) Questionnaire Method This method is as simple as the observation method; it involves using questionnaires to obtain information from the employees. Once the employees are issued with questionnaires, they are expected to fill in information regarding their responsibilities and duties in the job under analysis. The questionnaires should be designed with simple and clear questions to make them easily understandable to the employees, who are the respondents. Most of the questions should be open-ended to allow the respondents to provide as much information as they can (Dessler 2002, p. 67). The questionnaire method, like other methods, also has its strengths and weaknesses. The questionnaire method enables the researcher to acquire information from many employees within a short time. The method is also cost-efficient compared to other methods such as interviews. In addition, this method can enable the management to obtain the most reliable information as the influence of the researcher on the participants is minimized. However, it takes a lot of time and resources to develop and test the questionnaires before administering them (Aswathappa 2005, p. 109). d) Employee Diary This method involves requesting the employees to keep a diary of everything they do in the organization, which relates to their duties and responsibilities for a particular job. The diaries are then collected and analyzed after some time. This method is known to provide reliable information if the workers are truthful in whatever they record in the diaries. The method is also less expensive as it does not involve a lot of activities. However, the method can provide unreliable information if the employees decide to exaggerate or omit some of the details they are required to record in the diaries (Dessler 2002, p. 62). 5. Uses of Job Analysis Information in Modern Organizations a) Recruitment and Selection Processes Job analysis is done to obtain data regarding the activities and responsibilities entailed in a particular job. The information explains what the job is all about and the required human abilities and attitudes that are needed to have it done. This data is provided in the form of job specifications and job descriptions. The information is used by the management to decide the right people to recruit and hire to fill a particular position in the organization (Snape & Redman 2009, p. 1221). b) Training, Job Appraisal and Compensation The information obtained from a job analysis provides the skills needed to perform a particular job. These skills are in turn used to design the kind of training needed for the workers that are recruited to perform the job. The information acquired through a job analysis can also be used by managers to determine the specific activities required to have a particular job accomplished (Snape & Redman 2009, p. 1223). In addition, the information can be used to gauge the performance of every employee using the set standards. The employees are then rewarded according to their performance in relation to the set standards (Heron 2005, p. 17). c) Identification of Unassigned Activities Job analysis information can also be relied upon to identify activities and duties that are not assigned to any worker. A job analysis recommends that every duty in an organization be clearly spelled out and assigned to a particular individual in the organization. When every duty is properly assigned to a particular individual through a job analysis, no activity is likely to remain unattended to. This helps to avoid general assignments, which may result in making assumptions (Heron 2005, p. 19). 6. How to Measure the Effectiveness of Job Analysis There are several measures that Samsung Corporation can put in place to ensure the effectiveness of job analysis. Firstly, the HR managers of Samsung need to ensure that the job information is kept up to date. This is the most effective way by which the managers can identify and report any changes that may crop up in the organizational structure and which involve any aspect of a particular job (Chang & Kleiner 2002, p. 73). Secondly, the HR and line managers should ensure that they review results of every job analysis and evaluation even if the jobs have been evaluated by staff specialists. It is through such reviews that the managers can be in a better position to make an approval or appeal concerning a particular job (Chang & Kleiner 2002, p. 74). Another measurement that can be put in place to check the effectiveness of job analysis is formulation and implementation of efficient policies and programs. The line managers and supervisors need to work together to ensure that employees understand job-related policies and programs, especially the ones regarding and evaluation and compensation. This can help the supervisors and managers to win employee acceptance and confidence (Chang & Kleiner 2002, p. 76). The managers should also ensure that the policies and programs are fairly and equitably applied on all employees. With all these factors under control, the HR and line managers can effectively use job analyses in the organization (Chang & Kleiner 2002, p. 78). 7. Advantages and Disadvantages of Job Analysis a) Advantages A job analysis has a number of advantages in human resource management. Firstly, a job analysis assists in forming the right job-employee fit, which is one of the most essential management tools (Boyd 2008, p. 233). The competency of human resource managers is appraised when they succeed in filling the right job vacancy with the right individual. The managers rely on job analysis information to identify the right individual to fill a particular position in their organizations (Sheehan 2005, p. 193). Secondly, a job analysis provides firsthand information regarding different jobs in an organization. The information obtained through a job analysis is considered valuable as it is used to design specific responsibilities and duties for a particular job. The information is also used to determine other job-related aspects such as risks, skills and abilities that are required to ensure that a particular occupation is successfully accomplished (Armstrong 2003, p. 179). Another positive aspect of a job analysis is evident in the establishment of hiring practices. The information gathered through job analyses is very crucial as it assists managers to design very effective hiring procedures for a particular job (Sheehan 2005, p. 197). The managers rely on such information to get the kind of people they need to fill in particular vacant positions. Managers entirely depend on job analysis information to generate, institute and keep effecting recruitment and hiring procedures (Armstrong 2003, p. 180). Disadvantages Although a job analysis makes great contributions to the way human resources are managed in modern organizations, it has a number of shortcomings. Firstly, a job analysis is time consuming and requires lots of human resources. It requires a lot of time to collect the relevant data before applying it. The fact that every job requires different information implies that a job analysis has to be conducted for every job. This makes it expensive in terms of people who should be employed to carry out the entire process of data collection and analysis (Kleynhans 2006, p. 58). Secondly, a job analysis leaves room for personal bias. This is evident mostly in cases in which the job analysis involves an employee of the organization for which the analysis is to be done. There is a high possibility that the validity of the data in this case can be influenced by the likes and dislikes of that person. The bias in the analysis can also result from the fact that a small sample size is used during the data collection process. The information gathered using a small sample size may fail to reflect the entire population (Kleynhans 2006, p. 59). 8. Importance of Job Analysis in Strategic HRM There is a positive relationship between job analysis and strategic human resource management (SHRM) in modern organizations. Firstly, a job analysis contributes to strategic planning in organizations through the analysis of essential information such as responsibilities and duties, machines and equipments, and risks and hazards (Deb 2006, p. 88). This information is used in strategic HRM to make decisions on how to exploit the available human resources. The strategic HRM applies this information in recruiting and hiring particular individuals to fill various vacancies in organizations (Biesalski & Abecker 2005, p. 450). Secondly, job analysis contributes to the strategic HRM of an organization through the analysis of training requirements of individuals to obtain the desired productivity. Strategic HRM uses the information provided through the analysis of training needs to determine what to be included in this process (Deb 2006, p. 90). Strategic management also relies on this information to decide on how the employees should be trained to enable the organization to increase its production level and profit margin. The information regarding the training process and procedure that is provided by the job analysis can be used by managers to formulate effective strategies and policies that can be used to control this same processes in future (Singh 2008, p. 94). Lastly, a job analysis contributes to strategic HRM through the information gathered regarding the factors affecting human behaviour. A job analysis is in this case used to check whether the individuals to be hired are competent and have all the abilities to carry out the assigned job according to the set standards (Biesalski & Abecker 2005, p. 453). Strategic management uses this information to formulate policies and strategies, which ensure that workers are placed at the right place and at the right time. This in turn assists organizations to utilize their human resources optimally (Singh 2008, p. 97). 9. How Job Analysis Affects Overall Productivity of an Organization A job analysis can affect the productivity of an organization in several ways. Firstly, a job analysis enables the managers of an organization to identify the positions that require specialised human resources. Secondly, it assists the managers to outline the types of duties that need to be performed in the positions to be created (Snape & Redman 2009, p. 1243). Lastly, it helps the managers to choose the most suitable people to perform the tasks. A job analysis enables employees to execute their roles effectively to ensure the success of the organizations that they work for (Minbaeva 2005, p. 126). A job analysis affects the overall productivity of an organization by providing the managers with information that they can use to identify priorities. The information obtained through a job analysis enable employees to understand the most import parts of their job that directly translate to the success of the company (Mathis & Jackson 2011, p. 139). The information enables employees to determine the roles that need to be completed first and those that need to be performed afterwards. By prioritizing tasks, managers can easily improve the employees’ performance, which in turn determines the success of the organization (Snape & Redman 2009, p. 1246). A job analysis also assists HR managers to predict the necessary resources that are required in training new employees. The success of a company depends on the kind of training the employees receive. The managers can use the information gathered via job analysis to predict the kinds of training and equipment that a new employee needs to avoid looking for the equipment to be used in the job when it is too late. This can enable an organization to ensure that the production process does not come to a halt as a result of an ongoing recruitment process (Mathis & Jackson 2011, p. 140). A job analysis also offers effective information that the HR managers can use to identify the right candidates to fill various positions in organizations. A job analysis assists the managers to clearly outline the skills, experience, education level and abilities that an ideal person for a particular position should have. As a result, a job analysis assists employers to recruit and hire performance-oriented workers (Minbaeva 2005, p. 129). 10. Conclusion A job analysis is one of the aspects of human resource management that an organization uses to analyze a job based on a number of aspects. The major aspects that are analyzed in a job include informational content, work activities, and organizational structure. The information gathered through job analysis is used to design job titles, training programs, and quality assurance standards. The information can also be used to evaluate employee performance and the productivity of the organization. There are a number of job analysis methods that HR managers can apply when analyzing a particular job. The commonly applied methods include observation, interview, questionnaire, and employee logs. All these methods assist the HR personnel to collect the basic information required for successful accomplishment of a particular job. The type of job analysis method to be used for a particular job is determined by a number of factors. The factors include the nature of the job, the hierarchical levels, organizational structure, and the type of activities and responsibilities involved in it. The information obtained via a job analysis is very important in the running of modern organizations. The information forms the basis for execution and management of major HR activities in an organization. The information is mainly used in the recruitment and selection processes, training, job appraisal and compensation, and the identification of unassigned activities. This implies that a job analysis has a direct impact on the performance and productivity of every organization. References Ahmad, S 2005, Human resource management and technical changes, Mehra Offset Press, New Delhi. Armstrong, M 2003, A handbook of human resource management practice, Kogan Page, London. Aswathappa, K 2005, Human resource and personnel management: text and cases, Tata McGraw-Hill, New Delhi. Barnett, T 2008, ‘Improving your interview process: five key steps: invest time and effort in getting the right person for the job’, Human Resource Management International Digest, vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 38-39. 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